Climate Needs an Ally Like Sultan Al Jaber
The head of an oil company might seem like a odd choice to lead the next big UN climate summit. Environmentalists should give him a chance.
Sultan Al Jaber (right) with John Kerry in November 2021.
Photograph: AFP/Getty Images
When the United Nations announced that the United Arab Emirates would host its 2023 climate summit, known as COP, many environmentalists scoffed. A climate conference in an oil state? When the UAE announced that the president would be the head of its national oil company, Sultan Al Jaber, the scoffing only grew louder. The activists should stop griping: Al Jaber is precisely the kind of ally the climate movement needs.
During a recent visit to India, Al Jaber outlined the gravity of the challenge ahead. He conveyed the UAE’s desire to help India meet its ambitious clean energy goals. He called for more investment in decarbonization technology, including nuclear and hydrogen power. And he endorsed an all-of-society approach that mobilizes every sector and asks more of development banks and financial institutions.