KARIM SAHIB
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) planned to broker secret oil and gas deals through its role as the host of the UN climate conference, COP28, the BBC reported.
According to UAE summit planning documents, obtained by the BBC and the Center for Climate Reporting, officials from the Gulf state drew up a list of talking points on potential new fossil fuels deals with 15 attending nations.
Among them, UAE COP28 planning officials intended to discuss liquefied natural gas development projects by UAE state energy firm Adnoc with China, the BBC reported.
Officials also reportedly sought Brazilian government backing for UAE investment in a petrochemicals firm, and planned to propose a deal for developing fossil fuels in Colombia.
The documents were reportedly drawn up for meetings with the UAE's top COP28 official, Dr. Sultan al-Jaber, and government representatives ahead of the summit. Business Insider was unable to independently verify the documents.
Dr Jaber is also CEO of the UAE's state oil company, Adnoc, and of Masdar, the state's renewables business.
Host nations usually seek to encourage ambitious new global initiatives to cut fossil fuels at the summits.
The BBC said it had seen an email exchange in which COP28 staff were told Adnoc and Masdar discussions "always need to be included" in the briefing notes. The COP28 team told the BBC this was "simply untrue."
The UAE in a statement to the BBC did not deny that it planned on holding oil and gas deal talks, and said "private meetings are private." It did not say what was discussed in the talks, and said it's committed to "meaningful climate action."
Business Insider has contacted the UAE and COP28 for further comment.
Under the rules of the UN body which organizes the summit, host nations are banned from using the discussions for self-interested purposes, or in a way that's biased.
Leaders from nearly 200 countries are gathering in the UAE on Thursday for the COP28 summit.
