COP28 Summit Making Progress, But “Not Fast Enough”, Says President

The COP28 president said Saturday that the climate summit was making progress but “not fast enough” as he urged all countries to set aside narrow self-interest.

“The window is closing to close the gaps. We are making progress, but not fast enough and not satisfying enough,” Sultan Al Jaber, the Emirati oil boss who is leading the summit in Dubai, told a late-night session.

Jaber has stood by a deadline of Tuesday, the official end of COP28, for negotiators to come to a deal.

But negotiations are particularly tense over calls pushed by green-minded countries to phase out fossil fuels, with the OPEC oil cartel and its member Saudi Arabia leading opposition.

Jaber, despite his oil background, has said that shifting away from oil, gas and coal is “inevitable”, even if he has not endorsed a swift transition.

“Now is the time to put aside self-interest for the common interest,” Jaber said.

“Now is the time to show maximum flexibility to find common ground. Now is the time to shift gears and get to consensus,” he said.

“I am convinced that there is a balanced and ambitious package out there that all parties can and should align around.”