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.

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.

  • WhatAmLemmy@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    This is exactly why they hosted it in an OPEC nation; to continue hamstringing the transition from fossils & delaying the impact to their profit margins — the same thing they’ve been doing for the last 50 years.

    • seaQueue@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      And here I thought they only hosted this in an OPEC nation because of the ease of disappearing protestors.

    • Dr. Moose@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      It’s hosted every year. I think hosting in a shit hole to highlight the shit every once in a while is a valid strategy.

      • Nurse_Robot@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Dubai is hardly a shit hole, they’re rolling in oil money. I assume you’re just being a racist and didn’t actually base your comment on anything factual.

        • Cypher@aussie.zone
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          1 year ago

          Culturally they are a shit hole despite their enormous wealth.

          Or are you going to defend the way they legally mistreat women, homosexuals, atheists and use slaves?

        • avater@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          Build on slave work, funded with money from shady origins, dependent on oil and other resources because it’s in the fucking desert and wouldn’t survive a month without maintenance, only for the rich, the poor live in slums outside where nobody sees them…checks all the boxes for a shithole imho.

          • isles@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            I can’t think of a city on earth that would survive a month without outside resources, friend. All the same, yes Dubai is a horrible ego trip and built on suffering.

        • Dr. Moose@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          So they’re rich that means it’s not a shithole? It’s culturaly not even in the 21st century lol