US climate envoy in UAE meets head of COP28

DUBAI: US special climate envoy John Kerry has met senior Emirati officials in Abu Dhabi, including the head of the United Nations´ upcoming climate change conference, official media reported on Sunday. The choice of Sultan Al Jaber, chief executive of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, to head December´s COP28 summit in Dubai has angered climate activists and some Western legislators who fear it will hold back progress on reducing emissions. Kerry met with Al Jaber and the UAE foreign minister, Abdullah bin Zayed, on Saturday, discussing “the existing partnership across various fronts with a special emphasis on climate-related issues”, the official WAM news agency said. In January, Kerry welcomed Al Jaber´s appointment as COP28 head, but last month more than 100 lawmakers from the US Congress and European Parliament called for the oil company boss´s removal from the position.