No science behind phasing out oil, insists Cop28 chief

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.

- LOUISE BOYLE

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.

"It's alarming to read the president of the UN climate talks questioning the science on the need to end fossil fuels," Cansin Leylim Ilgaz, associate director of global campaign for climate advocacy group 350.org, told The Independent.

"Scientific report after scientific report, by the IPPC, IEA and others, have demonstrated that there is an urgent need to cut down emissions by 42 per cent by 2030 compared to 2019 levels, and completely phase out coal, oil and gas by 2050 if we are to stay below 1.5C."

Responding to the reports, a Cop28 spokesperson said it was "just another attempt to undermine the presidency's agenda". "The Cop president was unwavering in saying reaching 1.5C involves action across a number of areas and sectors. The Cop president is clear that phasing down and out of fossil fuels is inevitable and that we must keep 1.5C within reach," they added.