UAE Oil Chief Faces Criticism Ahead of UN Climate Summit

Sultan al-Jaber's Plans to Expand Oil and Gas Operations Raise Questions About His Climate Leadership

• United Arab Emirates oil chief Sultan al-Jaber, who is also the head of the upcoming United Nations climate summit, has been criticized for his dual role as both a climate leader and a leading fossil fuel executive. Critics argue that his plans to expand oil and gas operations while also advocating for climate change solutions represent a conflict of interest.
• The Abu Dhabi National Oil Co., headed by al-Jaber, has committed to spending $150 billion over the next five years to expand its oil and gas operations, despite the company's emissions being higher than those of over 130 countries. An internal document suggests there is a high probability the company will fail to deliver on its promises to eliminate these emissions within a couple of decades.
• Al-Jaber has urged countries to come together to fund a global initiative to help developing nations cope with climate disasters. However, the U.S. and other countries are still trying to agree on how to structure this fund.
• Al-Jaber has faced controversy over his appointment as president of the climate summit, with lawmakers and environmentalists criticizing the decision to name an oil mogul as the head of the event. Despite this, he has received praise from figures such as U.S. climate envoy John Kerry and former Bank of England chief Mark Carney.
• Al-Jaber's strategy for the climate summit includes efforts to boost the company's green credibility and downplay its plans to expedite drilling. This includes promoting its efforts to capture carbon and plant mangroves, and delaying a lucrative competition for UAE drilling leases until after the summit.

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