“There is no science”: the President of the Conference of the Parties is angry with his statement

As the fierce battle over the global exit from coal, oil and gas becomes clear at the global climate conference (COP28) in Dubai, the host is uneasy when he issues a statement. The president of this year’s Conference of the Parties, Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, is said to have said there is “no science” proving that phasing out fossil fuels is necessary to limit global warming to no more than 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels.

The Guardian and the Climate Reporting Center reported this yesterday. The statement is said to have been issued at the end of November via video link with UN representatives, among others. He also claimed that development without the use of fossil fuels is not possible “unless you want to push the world into the Stone Age.”

The COP team puts the statement into perspective

Climate scientists and activists reacted angrily, with some again questioning his suitability as host. A spokesperson for the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) said in response to a question: “This story is just another attempt to undermine the presidency’s clear and transparent agenda” which has achieved “tangible successes.”

“We’re not sure what this message is actually supposed to say. There’s nothing new or breaking news in it.” He continued: “The COP President is clear that phasing out the use of fossil fuels is inevitable and that we must keep the 1.5 degree target within reach.”

In an earlier reaction to the Guardian report, the presidency said Jaber referred to the fact that the IPCC also assumed in its scenarios that fossil fuels would continue to play a role in the energy system in the future – albeit slightly. Smaller.