Climate talks chief urges oil producing states to slash emissions

By SIBI ARASU
Associated Press

The president of this year’s United Nations’ climate talks urged the oil and gas industry Thursday to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by or before 2050 in a speech to oil producing states. Speaking at a meeting of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries in Vienna, Sultan al-Jaber urged members to invest heavily in renewables and work toward reducing planet-warming emissions from third parties, such as those released by suppliers or customers. Al-Jaber, who’s set to head up the talks known as COP28 in Dubai in December, is also the head of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, as well as the United Arab Emirates’ renewables firm Masdar.