The United Arab Emirates has appointed Sultan al-Jaber to preside over the next round of climate talks in Dubai. He is CEO of Abu Dhabi’s state-run oil company and oversees its renewable energy efforts. His firm pumps four million barrels of crude daily and hopes to expand to five million, generating more heat-trapping carbon dioxide that the climate negotiations aim to limit. The Emirates’ state-run news agency said this will be a critical year in a critical decade for climate action. It quoted al-Jaber saying that the UAE is approaching COP28 with a strong sense of responsibility and the highest possible level of ambition. ‘We will bring a pragmatic, realistic and solutions-oriented approach that delivers transformative progress for climate and for low-carbon economic growth.’ Al-Jaber said the Emirates had invested over $50bn in renewable energy projects across seventy countries. His nomination drew immediate criticism.