Jaber said the revelations exposed days out from the start of COP28 were an attempt to undermine the work of the COP28 presidency he has led,which has attracted criticism from climate activists for his close links to the oil industry.
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“I promise you,never ever did I see these talking points that they refer to,or that I ever even used such talking points in my discussions,” Jaber told members of the media at Dubai’s Expo City.
“Every meeting I have conducted with every government,for any other stakeholder has always been centred around one thing and one thing only:and that is my COP28 agenda,…to keep 1.5[degrees] within reach.”
Jaber remonstrated that the COP presidency was “damned if we do,damned if we don’t” engage with the oil industry,which he has sought to include in the conference process under his strategy for “just transition” away from fossil fuels.
“Sometimes I am told,you need to engage with governments and lawyers and gas companies to put pressure on them. Sometimes I’m told you can’t do that. So we’re damned if we do,damned if we don’t,” he said.