COP28 President Sultan Al Jaber has defended his role as host of the UN climate summit in the UAE after declaring there was 'no science' to suggest a phase out of fossil fuels will help meet climate targets.

Jaber faced a furious backlash after it was revealed he had said during an online event last month that 'there is no science out there, or no scenario out there, that says that the phase-out of fossil fuel is what's going to achieve 1.5C'. 

The Emirati's appointment to the Cop28 presidency had already come in for harsh criticism from climate activists because Jaber is also the CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company. 

Responding to the comments today, Jaber said: 'I am quite surprised with the constant and repeated attempts to undermine the work of the Cop28 presidency.

'I honestly think there is some confusion out there, and misrepresentation. I'm an engineer by background. Science has been central to my own career progress and yes I respect the science in everything I do.

'I have said over and over that the phase down and the phase out of fossil fuel is inevitable.'

Jaber's comments came as the Amin Nasser - chief of Saudi oil giant Aramco - told a panel on the sidelines of the Cop28 climate summit in the UAE that all the renewable energy coming to market is still not enough to handle additional demand, meaning more investment in the oil and gas sector is still needed.




Cop28 President Sultan al-Jaber speaks during a Guardian News Today conference at the summit today in Dubai, United Arab Emirates





Sultan Al Jaber (centre) in Dubai at the weekend, flanked on his right by US special presidential envoy John Kerry and World Bank president Ajay Banga, and on his left by Chinese politician Xie Zhenhua and UN Environment Programme executive director Inger Andersen

During Monday's news conference, Jaber complained to reporters that 'one statement taken out of context with misrepresentation' had received 'maximum coverage'.