Razom We Stand shares universal grave concerns of climate activists and civil society over the decision by UN to grant the presidency over the next UNFCCC climate change conference COP28 in UAE to sultan Al Jaber, the head of the world’s 12th largest oil producer - Abu Dhabi National Oil Company.  

“With big oil capture over COP28 the UN is failing on its primary mandates - on peace and climate. This is indeed terrifying. Granting the presidency over the next UNFCCC climate change conference COP28 in UAE to the head of the world’s 12th largest oil producer is actually obscene and definitely not “terrific”. After seeing John Kerry giving heads up to greenwashing of big oil, can we expect him to support appointment of Putin as a chair of peace conference?”, - says Svitlana Romanko, director and founder of Razom We Stand.

“Al Jaber's appointment presents a radically honest view of the grave state of global climate inaction—and the incredible influence of the fossil fuel industry over world governments”, – rightly point out Rachel Rose Jackson, coordinator of the campaign to Kick Big Polluters Out, and Jean Su, director of the Center for Biological Diversity and and board co-chair of Climate Action Network International, in their bold message to U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry.

The top climate activists have joined with more than two dozen U.S. lawmakers to call on Kerry to  push UAE to replace Al Jaber as COP28 president. 

“Kerry should join calls for the U.N. to kick polluters out of the climate talks altogether and end this outrageous conflict of interest”, - write Jackson and Su.

For three decades the UN climate process has been failing again and again to recognize that all three major perils of humanity - wars, inequality and climate crisis are driven by the global addiction to dirty and dangerous fossil fuels. If petrodictators like Putin will be able to continue making a killing at deregulated energy markets, more space will open up in the world for fossil-fuelled conflicts, as other petrodictators will be encouraged to use brute force and attempt violent contests, while the UN and other peace institutions will totally lose their credibility. 

"Instead of greenwashing big oil and legitimizing petrocracy, the UN must drive an international mobilization to drive the contraction of the fossil fuel industry and to unlock the finance for the green energy revolution in line with the demands of climate science", - says Romanko.