After the remarks of the president of COP28 flirting with climate skepticism, it is the turn of oil exporting countries to defend fossil fuels, in the middle of COP28. A position which has earned them the condemnation of several countries, including France. The French Minister of Energy Transition Agnès Pannier-Runacher thus affirmed on Saturday to be “stunned” and expressed her “anger”, after the declarations of the organization of the petroleum exporting countries (OPEC) asking its member countries to rejection of an agreement targeting fossil fuels at COP28.
“I am stunned by these statements from OPEC. And I am angry,” declared the minister from Dubai, recalling that “fossil fuels are responsible for more than 75% of CO2 emissions” and “that we must get out of them if we want to limit global warming to 1, 5 degree”. “OPEC’s position endangers the most vulnerable countries and the poorest populations who are the first victims of this situation,” she added.
“I am counting on the presidency of the COP not to be impressed by these declarations and to reach an agreement which affirms a clear objective of phasing out fossil fuels,” also affirmed Agnès Pannier-Runacher.
In a letter dated Wednesday, consulted Friday by AFP and authenticated by a recipient member country, OPEC Secretary General Haitham al-Ghais “presses” his members and their delegations to COP28 to proactively reject any text or any formulation that targets energy, i.e. fossil fuels, rather than greenhouse gas emissions.
The letter is addressed to the 13 members of OPEC, including Iraq, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, which chairs this year’s United Nations climate conference, and Saudi Arabia, at the forefront of opposition away from fossil fuels.
The mail is also sent to ten associated countries, such as Mexico, Azerbaijan, Russia and Malaysia, all present in Dubai.
The letter also received condemnation from Spain. “I think it’s a pretty disgusting thing for the OPEC countries to oppose putting the bar where it should be” on the climate, said Teresa Ribera in Dubai, the Spanish Minister of Ecological Transition, whose country holds the biannual presidency of the Council of the European Union.
“The European Union will align itself with many others, a large majority of parties at this conference, to ensure that we obtain a significant and productive result on the exit from fossil fuels, the energy transition, while ensuring the “access to energy for all,” Teresa Ribera told reporters.
The Canadian Minister of the Environment, who plays a key role in the discussions, said on Saturday he was “fairly confident” in having a mention of fossil fuels in the final text.