Exclusive: UAE’s Jaber says keeping 1.5 Celsius goal ‘alive’ is top priority for COP28 – Reuters

Exclusive: UAE’s Jaber says keeping 1.5 Celsius goal ‘alive’ is top priority for COP28 – Reuters

DUBAI, Feb 15 (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates climate envoy and designated president of the COP28 climate summit said on Wednesday his main priority would be to keep alive the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius as the world falls behind on the target.

Sultan al-Jaber brushed off criticism over his designation as COP28 president given his role as head of the UAE's state oil giant, telling Reuters in his first public remarks on the matter that tackling climate change required a united effort.

The UAE, a major OPEC oil exporter, is hosting the climate summit this year, the second Arab state to do so after Egypt in 2022. Jaber's appointment fuelled activist concern that big industry was hijacking the world's response to the global warming crisis.