OPEC rejects fossil fuel Phase-Out plan at COP28

The OPEC faced backlash on Saturday during the COP28 in Dubai after the Kuwaiti secretary general sent a letter earlier in the week to the organisation’s 13 members and 10 partners urging them to “proactively reject” any discourse that “targets” fossil fuels rather than focusing on emissions.

“There is no single solution or path to achieve a sustainable energy future,” said OPEC secretary general Haitham Al Ghais at the UN meeting in Dubai.

Ayed al-Qahtani, head of the OPEC research division, said in a speech, “We need realistic approaches to tackle emissions, ones that enable economic growth, help eradicate poverty, and increase resilience at the same time.”

Negotiators have been engaged in extensive discussions with the goal of reaching a consensus on the future of oil, gas, and coal. Their objective is to meet the global target of restricting temperature rises to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

The most recent version of the negotiation document, which was released on Friday, indicates that nations are still exploring various alternatives, ranging from agreeing to “eliminate fossil fuels in accordance with the most reliable scientific data” to phasing out “uncontrolled fossil fuels” to not mentioning it at all.