The Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) has said that it is “profoundly appalled” that a fossil fuel executive will lead 2023 climate change negotiations.

It was announced on Thursday, January 12, 2023, that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had appointed Sultan Al-Jaber, Head of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), the President-designate of the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), scheduled to take place in December 2023 in Dubai. As COP28 President, Al-Jaber will be at the centre of crucial deal, making and exerting enormous influence on the COP outcome.

Describing the development as “ominous”, the group stated the world never witnessed a quasi-government executive being appointed to lead such a crucial multilateral process.

“And this, infamous as it may sound, marks the lowest moment for the UNFCCC, which is exceedingly veering off from its mandate to an international expo where corporates with dubious environmental-climate integrity greenwash their fossil-fuel credentials,” PACJA stated.

Though in the past, civil society has expressed deep worries about the capture of the international dialogue on climate change by vicious fossil companies whose ill-intentions are to derail the transition to low-carbon, climate-resilient development pathways, it has never been so blatantly open that they would one day occupy the steering wheel.

“Al-Jabar’s appointment comes at a time the state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), for which he is a CEO, seeks to develop oil resources by increasing the upstream crude   production through the concession agreements for new exploration and production.

We doubt that the UAE authorities will be able to deliver a COP that can move the world closer to addressing the current climate catastrophe. Everyone who cares for the health of the planet and survival of the most vulnerable people at the frontline of climate crisis, particularly women and children, must rise and resist this appointment.”

Reacting to appointment of the COP28 Presidency, Mercy Gichengi, Programme Coordinator, Youth and Governance, ActionAid Kenya, emphasised: “It is not possible for a CEO of a fossil corporation to deliver on his company’s financial interests while acting for the benefit of the entire planet. This appointment can be equated to putting the fox in charge of the henhouse. The momentum that has been developed on the Global Goal on Adaptation and the financing mechanisms for Loss and damage must be sustained. With a leadership whose priorities is facing in the wrong direction, sadly, this now looks very unlikely. We urge the African Group of negotiators, the Vulnerable Countries Forum, our allies in both Global South and North to stand up against this bad news in the year and say NO to the Emirates.”