London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Aug 25, 2025

COP28 climate team queried over ties to national oil company

COP28 climate team queried over ties to national oil company

The UN is inquiring if the climate team is independent of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, as both are headed by the same person.

The U.N. is querying the presidency of this year's COP28 climate talks over its ties to state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), a person with knowledge of the matter told POLITICO.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) recently appointed ADNOC’s Chief Executive Officer and Industry Minister Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber to lead global climate talks that will be held in Dubai in December.

The main COP28 team is using two stories of an 11-floor office building in Abu Dhabi also used by the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology located next to ADNOC’s headquarters.

That prompted the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to send a series of questions to the presidency of the climate talks enquiring about whether the presidency will be independent of the oil company, according to the person familiar with the discussion.

The questions include whether there is a firewall between the two institutions; whether ADNOC has access to COP28 meetings and strategic documents; if the staff working on the climate conference are relying on the oil giant’s IT systems; if part of the work will be devoted to protecting ADNOC's interests; and whether the climate team is being paid by the oil company.


United Arab Emirates' Minister of State and CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber

The COP28 office told POLITICO: "The COP28 team is still being established and staff are housed in several different locations. Their dedicated office space is due to be available before the end of the month. In the meantime, there are clear governance guidelines in place to ensure the team can operate entirely independently from any other entity. The funding for the team and its activities have been entirely provided by the UAE government."

The UNFCCC did not respond to a request for comment.

Al Jaber confirmed earlier this month he has no intention of stepping back from his role of head of the state-owned oil company — a decision that seems to have prompted the U.N. agency to ask about how much time he's planning to devote to the new obligation, and whether senior members of staff will be ready to replace him at times when he will be unavailable due to duties linked to his other jobs.

The decision to name him as COP28 president — a role that calls for leading the talks — has sparked concern from campaigners.

NGOs like Oil Price International spoke of a “breathtaking conflict of interest” and said that Al Jaber’s selection amounted to “putting the head of a tobacco company in charge of negotiating an anti-smoking treaty.”

In addition to holding the reins of the national oil firm, Al Jaber also founded the renewable energy company Masdar in 2006 and has shaped the UAE’s climate action since becoming a minister in 2013.

His appointment has been largely endorsed by climate heavyweights.

EU climate chief Frans Timmermans said he was “ideally placed to help us move forward” in global climate talks, and noted how Al Jaber "has built up a huge reputation as a sustainability champion in the sector.”

U.S. climate envoy John Kerry called Al Jaber's appointment a “terrific choice” because he runs a company that will have to be part of the energy transition.

"Sultan Al Jaber has strong political clout and a decarbonization strategy for his country," said Agnès Pannier-Runacher, the French minister for the energy transition, saying the "UAE was one of the most advanced countries in the region, including on the climate front."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
Nurse who raped woman continued working for a year despite police alert
Drought forces closures of England’s canal routes, canceling boat holidays
Sweet tooth scents: food-inspired perfumes surge as weight-loss drugs suppress appetites
Experts warn Britain dangerously reliant on imported food
Family of Notting Hill Carnival murder victim call event unmanageable
Bunkers, Billions and Apocalypse: The Secret Compounds of Zuckerberg and the Tech Giants
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
Trump Called Viktor Orbán: "Why Are You Using the Veto"
Horror in the Skies: Plane Engine Exploded, Passengers Sent Farewell Messages
MSNBC Rebrands as MS NOW Amid Comcast’s Cable Spin-Off
AI in Policing: Draft One Helps Speed Up Reports but Raises Legal and Ethical Concerns
Shame in Norway: Crown Princess’s Son Accused of Four Rapes
Apple Begins Simultaneous iPhone 17 Production in India and China
A Robot to Give Birth: The Chinese Announcement That Shakes the World
×