Opec secretary-general Haitham Al Ghais has urged cartel members to reject proposals for any deal under negotiation at the COP28 climate summit that targets fossil fuels rather than emissions, a letter dated December 6 and seen by Reuters on Friday showed.
The language used to describe the future of fossil fuels in a final agreement is the most contentious issue at the summit, hosted this year by the UAE.
Three sources confirmed the letter's authenticity to Reuters.
Opec said in a statement to Reuters it did not comment on official communications with member countries but that it continues to advise them and its partners. The letter referred to a draft of the COP28 text under negotiation that was published by the UN climate body on December 5. A different draft was published on Friday.
The new draft deal includes a range of options from agreeing to a “phase-out of fossil fuels in line with best available science”, to phasing out “unabated fossil fuels”, to including no language on them at all.
“It seems that the undue and disproportionate pressure against fossil fuels may reach a tipping point with irreversible consequences, as the draft decision still contains options on fossil fuels phase-out,” the letter said.
“I avail of this opportunity to respectfully urge all esteemed Opec member countries and non-Opec countries participating in the CoC [Charter of Co-operation] and their distinguished delegations in the COP28 negotiations to proactively reject any text or formula that targets energy, ie fossil fuels, rather than emissions.”
Opec members already hold positions largely opposing strong language on phasing out fossil fuels.
The UAE, the second Arab country to host the climate summit after Egypt in 2022, and an Opec member, has alongside other Gulf energy producers called for what they consider a more realistic energy transition in which fossil fuels would keep a role in securing energy supplies while industries decarbonise.
Countries are expected over the next few days to focus on the language around fossil fuels in hopes of reaching a consensus before the summit's scheduled end on December 12.
“The inclusion of some options that focus on the need for action toward phase-out of all fossil fuels this critical decade is a step in the right direction,” said Nikki Reisch, climate and energy programme director at the Centre for International Environmental Law.
“But language calling for the massive scale-up of risky and speculative carbon capture and removal technologies risks blowing a gaping loophole through the energy package and must be struck,” she said.
Opec said in a reply to Reuters questions over its December 6 letter that it would continue to advocate reducing emissions, not choosing energy sources.
“The world requires major investments in all energies, including hydrocarbons, all technologies, and an understanding of the energy needs of all peoples,” a statement sent to Reuters said.
Li Shuo, director of the China Climate Hub at the Asia Society Policy Institute, said of the new draft COP28 agreement: “This is the beginning of the end.”
He said the first version included options from “two extreme sides of the political spectrum” and the new options were filling in “the empty field in the middle”.
