The president of Cop28, Sultan Al Jaber, has claimed there is “no science” indicating that a phase-out of fossil fuels is needed to restrict global heating to 1.5C, the Guardian and the Centre for Climate Reporting can reveal.
Al Jaber also said a phase-out of fossil fuels would not allow sustainable development “unless you want to take the world back into caves”.
The comments were “incredibly concerning” and “verging on climate denial”, scientists said, and they were at odds with the position of the UN secretary general, António Guterres.
Al Jaber made the comments in ill-tempered responses to questions from Mary Robinson, the chair of the Elders group and a former UN special envoy for climate change, during a live online event on 21 November. As well as running Cop28 in Dubai, Al Jaber is also the chief executive of the United Arab Emirates’ state oil company, Adnoc, which many observers see as a serious conflict of interest.
Climate Forward – New York Times – via email:
The Emirati oil executive leading the global climate summit faced intense criticism on Monday over his claim that there was “no science” that shows fossil fuels must be phased out to prevent disastrous levels of global temperature increases.
Sultan Al Jaber, the COP28 president and chief executive of the state-owned oil company Adnoc, said in a newly surfaced video there was “no science out there, or no scenario out there, that says that the phaseout of fossil fuel is what’s going to achieve 1.5.”
Scientists say if temperatures rise more than 1.5 degrees Celsius over preindustrial levels, humans would struggle to adapt to increasingly severe storms, drought, heat and rising sea levels.
Al Jaber made the controversial comments two weeks ago, but they only came to light on Sunday when they were reported by The Guardian.
“Please, help me, show me a road map for a phaseout of fossil fuels that will allow for sustainable socioeconomic development, unless you want to take the world back into caves,” Al Jaber told a panel discussion led by Mary Robinson, the former president of Ireland, who is now a prominent climate advocate.
His remarks set off a firestorm at the climate talks being held in Dubai, known as COP28.
Former Vice President Al Gore, who has called for fossil fuels to be replaced with wind, solar and other renewable energy, assailed Al Jaber.
“From the moment this absurd masquerade began, it was only a matter of time before his preposterous disguise no longer concealed the reality of the most brazen conflict of interest in the history of climate negotiations,” Gore said in an email. “Obviously, the world needs to phase out fossil fuels as quickly as possible.”
On Monday, a defiant Al Jaber suggested he did not say what he can be heard saying on the video. And he indicated that anyone who claimed otherwise was trying to undermine his leadership of COP28.
I just can’t wait to use this during my next argument with my wife: “What you heard me say is not what I said. And to claim otherwise is just an effort to stop me in what I was trying to accomplish by saying what I did not say. So there!” I just hope to be able to keep a straight face until I get the response completely said.
Lets hope the 50 year old U.A.E Minister of industry and advanced technology, Head of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company and chairman of Masdar (State owned renewable energy company), changes his mind heeds the scientists response.
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“Leading scientists Jean-Pascal van Ypersele and Michael Mann wrote Al Jaber an open letter in response.
Speaking for the climate system, “the most difficult party… which has only red lines and no flexibility,” they said, “humanity needs to phase out fossil fuels by 2050”.
Carbon capture and storage can only mitigate “a very small fraction” of fossil fuel emissions, the letter said.”
And did the top 3 U.K dignitaries joining the other 50,370 delegates, 15,063 registered N.G.O’s and 1293 media agencies really need to each take their own personal jet plane for the journey, to the U.A.E. ???
“UK prime minister, foreign secretary and king even travelled in three separate private jet planes.”
COP28 President: “show me a road map for a phaseout of fossil fuels that will allow for sustainable socioeconomic development, unless you want to take the world back into caves”
Aide: “PSST! Mr. President, I thought you should know: that ROAD is what we are gathered here to MAP OUT!”
If I was the fossil fool, I’d be pointing out that carbon pollution is only one leg of the two we stand on; Landscape Uses is the other. See Thorsten Arnold’s paper https://thorstenarnold.com/embedding-living-landscapes-and-climate-change-narratives/
That of course there will be rioting in the streets to make J6 look like a teaparty. That the hardships from no liquid fuels are almost unimaginable. That renewables are only replacing electricity and that’s only 20% of global primary energy demand. That renewables aren’t really, they are at best ”rebuildables” (think lithium, copper, even concrete and steel, and none of the gargantuan quantities are minable without diesel. On and On.
“Case Announces First Electric Backhoe”
Cleantechnica 2021/03/29
Backhoes involve a lot of down time while the engine runs, so fuel and maintenance cost 90% less for the electric version. That usually pays for the extra purchase price in 5 years.
While everyone’s work requirements will differ, CASE figures it will last for an 8-hour workday for almost anyone.”
Electric Tractors Have Advantages Over Diesels
Cleantechnica, September 20, 2018
Quieter
Healthier for crops, food, & people; no fumes
Cheaper to run (½-⅛th fuel cost, longer life, less maintenance)
This is shocking (but what would you expect from an oil producing theocracy)
I just can’t wait to use this during my next argument with my wife: “What you heard me say is not what I said. And to claim otherwise is just an effort to stop me in what I was trying to accomplish by saying what I did not say. So there!” I just hope to be able to keep a straight face until I get the response completely said.
Lets hope the 50 year old U.A.E Minister of industry and advanced technology, Head of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company and chairman of Masdar (State owned renewable energy company), changes his mind heeds the scientists response.
======================================
“Leading scientists Jean-Pascal van Ypersele and Michael Mann wrote Al Jaber an open letter in response.
Speaking for the climate system, “the most difficult party… which has only red lines and no flexibility,” they said, “humanity needs to phase out fossil fuels by 2050”.
Carbon capture and storage can only mitigate “a very small fraction” of fossil fuel emissions, the letter said.”
https://www.climatechangenews.com/2023/12/04/cop28-bulletin-al-jaber-goes-off-script-denies-science/
And did the top 3 U.K dignitaries joining the other 50,370 delegates, 15,063 registered N.G.O’s and 1293 media agencies really need to each take their own personal jet plane for the journey, to the U.A.E. ???
“UK prime minister, foreign secretary and king even travelled in three separate private jet planes.”
https://theconversation.com/why-are-people-still-flying-to-climate-conferences-by-private-jet-218459
COP28 President: “show me a road map for a phaseout of fossil fuels that will allow for sustainable socioeconomic development, unless you want to take the world back into caves”
Aide: “PSST! Mr. President, I thought you should know: that ROAD is what we are gathered here to MAP OUT!”
If I was the fossil fool, I’d be pointing out that carbon pollution is only one leg of the two we stand on; Landscape Uses is the other. See Thorsten Arnold’s paper https://thorstenarnold.com/embedding-living-landscapes-and-climate-change-narratives/
That of course there will be rioting in the streets to make J6 look like a teaparty. That the hardships from no liquid fuels are almost unimaginable. That renewables are only replacing electricity and that’s only 20% of global primary energy demand. That renewables aren’t really, they are at best ”rebuildables” (think lithium, copper, even concrete and steel, and none of the gargantuan quantities are minable without diesel. On and On.
Yes, Gaza shows what happens when you shut the fuel tap off (though getting bombed doesn’t help.)
Utterly determined to be either a moron or a liar, apparently. Why?
“World’s Largest EV Never Has To Be Recharged”
(Green Car Reports)
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/ibimg/hgm/400×225-1/100/711/kuhn-schweitz-electro-dumper-electric-mining-truck_100711165.jpg
“Case Announces First Electric Backhoe”
Cleantechnica 2021/03/29
Backhoes involve a lot of down time while the engine runs, so fuel and maintenance cost 90% less for the electric version. That usually pays for the extra purchase price in 5 years.
While everyone’s work requirements will differ, CASE figures it will last for an 8-hour workday for almost anyone.”
Electric Tractors Have Advantages Over Diesels
Cleantechnica, September 20, 2018
Quieter
Healthier for crops, food, & people; no fumes
Cheaper to run (½-⅛th fuel cost, longer life, less maintenance)
Volvo CE Delivers North America’s First Machine Made Using Fossil-Free Steel
A30G articulated hauler
https://www.volvoce.com/global/en/news-and-events/press-releases/2023/volvo-ce-delivers-north-americas-first-machine-made-using-fossil-free-steel/
“CO2-Free Steel Becomes a Reality at Volvo and Mercedes Benz”
Just Have A Think
Every source of human carbon emissions, including land use changes, has solutions.
There’s at least 1 electric version of pretty much every machine with wheels that exists.
Aggregate Industries Gets London’s First Electric Concrete Mixer
https://cleantechnica.com/2023/06/28/aggregate-industries-gets-londons-first-electric-concrete-mixer/
https://cleantechnica.com/files/2023/06/Mixer-1.png
And sustainable mixes for today’s concrete.