The Cop28 president has claimed there is no science behind calls to phase-out fossil fuels as a way of limiting global heating to 1.5C.

The remarks by Sultan Ahmed al Jaber, the United Arab Emirate’s designated leader of the summit in Dubai, resurfaced on Sunday, sparking a backlash from some experts.

During an online event alongside former Irish president Mary Robinson last month, Mr Jaber insisted a phase-out of oil would not allow sustainable development “unless you want to take the world back into caves”.

The remarks, first reported by The Guardian, rippled through the Dubai summit on Sunday and were met with dismay by some climate scientists and activists.

  • silverbax@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    There’s no science behind the head garb that Sultan Ahmed al Jaber wears, but he does it anyway.

    Maybe he doesn’t understand science, or maybe he’s just trying to lie for money, who’s to say?

    Me. I’ll say he’s just lying for money.

    • Mindful@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      I’m not a scientist but I think wearing something like a “head garb” helps when it’s warm outside?

      • cosmicrookie@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        People with this kind of money don’t have this problem and they certainly don’t solve it by wearing “head garbs”. I assure you that he’s being air conditioned wherever he’s at

  • WhatAmLemmy@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    This is exactly why they hosted it in an OPEC nation; to continue hamstringing the transition from fossils & delaying the impact to their profit margins — the same thing they’ve been doing for the last 50 years.

    • seaQueue@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      And here I thought they only hosted this in an OPEC nation because of the ease of disappearing protestors.

    • Dr. Moose@lemmy.world
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      It’s hosted every year. I think hosting in a shit hole to highlight the shit every once in a while is a valid strategy.

      • Echo Dot@feddit.uk
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        1 year ago

        Then they should have hosted it in an shit hole that will rather than one of the most profitable countries in the world. Or do you think it’s just full of sand and put made of mud?

      • Nurse_Robot@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Dubai is hardly a shit hole, they’re rolling in oil money. I assume you’re just being a racist and didn’t actually base your comment on anything factual.

        • Cypher@aussie.zone
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          1 year ago

          Culturally they are a shit hole despite their enormous wealth.

          Or are you going to defend the way they legally mistreat women, homosexuals, atheists and use slaves?

        • avater@lemmy.world
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          Build on slave work, funded with money from shady origins, dependent on oil and other resources because it’s in the fucking desert and wouldn’t survive a month without maintenance, only for the rich, the poor live in slums outside where nobody sees them…checks all the boxes for a shithole imho.

          • isles@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            I can’t think of a city on earth that would survive a month without outside resources, friend. All the same, yes Dubai is a horrible ego trip and built on suffering.

        • Dr. Moose@lemmy.world
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          So they’re rich that means it’s not a shithole? It’s culturaly not even in the 21st century lol

          • CaptObvious
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            1 year ago

            Arguably, they have a ways to go to come into the 19th century.

  • CaptObvious
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    1 year ago

    Did they honestly think he was going to advocate bankrupting his oil-dependent economy for a little thing like not killing everyone?

  • generalpotato@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    He’s going to say that slave labor is absolutely essential to economic development next…

    What a fucking moron.

    • Echo Dot@feddit.uk
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      1 year ago

      Well I learnt in school that slavery is good and the slaves liked it. They wouldn’t lie to me.

  • kase@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Robinson challenged him further, saying: “I read that your company is investing in a lot more fossil fuel in the future.” Al Jaber responded: “You’re reading your own media, which is biased and wrong. I am telling you I am the man in charge.”

    “Biased and wrong” says the guy who literally owns an oil company

  • fluxion@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    There is no science behind not smearing shit on bathroom walls to reduce the amount of shit being smeared on bathroom walls

  • AutoTL;DR@lemmings.worldB
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    1 year ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:


    The remarks by Sultan Ahmed al Jaber, the United Arab Emirate’s designated leader of the summit in Dubai, resurfaced on Sunday, sparking a backlash from some experts.

    During an online event alongside former Irish president Mary Robinson last month, Mr Jaber insisted a phase-out of oil would not allow sustainable development “unless you want to take the world back into caves”.

    Former US vice president Al Gore said of the UAE: “They are abusing the public’s trust by naming the CEO of one of the largest and least responsible oil companies in the world as head of the Cop.”

    Mr Jaber’s appointment has been controversial from the start with the sultan coming under scrutiny after the BBC revealed that the UAE planned to use its role as Cop28 host to strike oil and gas deals.

    Antonio Guterres, secretary-general of the UN, declared on the second day of the summit: “The science is clear: the 1.5C limit is only possible if we ultimately stop burning all fossil fuels.

    On the opening of the climate summit, he said: “Let history reflect the fact that this is the presidency that made a bold choice to proactively engage with oil and gas companies.”


    The original article contains 906 words, the summary contains 199 words. Saved 78%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!