<
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/dec/08/opec-rails-against-fossil-fuel-phase-out-at-cop28-in-leaked-letters>
"The Opec oil cartel has warned its member countries with “utmost urgency” that
“pressure against fossil fuels may reach a tipping point with irreversible
consequences” at Cop28, in leaked letters seen by the
Guardian.
The letters noted that a “fossil fuels phase out” remains on the negotiating
table at the UN climate summit and urges the oil states to “proactively reject
any text or formula that targets energy, ie fossil fuels, rather than
emissions”.
The news agencies Bloomberg and Reuters also reported the news on Friday,
saying multiple independent sources had confirmed the documents were genuine,
and that Opec had declined to comment. The
Guardian has not confirmed the
authenticity of the documents and Opec did not respond to the
Guardian’s
request for comment.
The letters suggest the depth of Opec’s fear that Cop28 could provide a turning
point against oil and gas, which they say “put our people’s prosperity and
future at risk”.
Identical letters dated 6 December and signed by Haitham al-Ghais, the Kuwaiti
oil executive and Opec secretary general, were sent to the 13 members of Opec,
which include Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq and Nigeria. These countries own 80% of
global oil reserves and produced about 40% of the world’s oil over the last
decade.
“These letters show that fossil fuel interests are starting to realise that the
writing is on the wall for dirty energy,” said Mohamed Adow, of the NGO and
thinktank Power Shift Africa. “Climate change is killing poor people around the
globe and these petrostates don’t want Cop28 to phase out fossil fuels because
it will hurt their short-term profits. It’s shameful.
“The reality is, if the world is going to save itself, it cannot be held back
by a small band of countries that control the world’s oil supply. As well as
saving us from climate change, a renewable-powered world is also one where
energy is dispersed and democratised. Fossil fuels keep power in the hands of
the few that happen to have them.”"
Via Susan ****
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
