After weeks of controversy, COP28 chief faces ultimate test

Head of UAE oil and gas firm will oversee major fight over future of fossil fuels

- David Fogarty

DUBAI - If you take the president of the United Nations' COP28 climate talks at his word, the first week of the marathon conference in Dubai has gone surprisingly well.

But as ministers arrive to take charge of their delegations for the final leg of the talks that will conclude on Dec 12, the world's largest-ever climate gathering is about to get much tougher. A major fight is brewing over the future of fossil fuels, the burning of which is the main driver of climate change.

With 2023 the hottest year on record and a trail of destruction left behind by a string of extreme weather events, momentum has never been greater for the UN negotiations to adopt a decision spelling out the phasing out or down of coal, oil and gas.

Talks host the United Arab Emirates, a major oil and gas producer, is under immense pressure to deliver an outcome that will put the world on a safer climate path.

No one is feeling that pressure more than COP28 president Sultan Al Jaber, head of the UAE's top oil and gas firm Adnoc and special envoy for climate change.

Prior to the meeting, and during the first week, he had been beset by controversy and questions about his impartiality to lead a climate-crisis COP.

He remains laser-focused on talking up the good things.

"What we have collectively accomplished only in a week is nothing short of historic," Dr Al Jaber told delegates on Dec 6, a week after the talks started on Nov 30.

"Based on the momentum, the traction, and all that has been happening over the past week, we can agree that there is something special happening here at COP28 and in Dubai," he said.

But he added that the coming days will not be easy and that negotiators need to get out of their comfort zones.

Nearly 100,000 people - a mix of politicians, negotiators, businessmen, academics, journalists and campaigners have registered for the event.