Carole Nakhle: Climate change - global issue affecting everyone

Sessions of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP) is a global platform that brings in different perspectives and priorities including those of fossil fuel producers, Crystol Energy CEO Carole Nakhle told Report.

She was commenting on the upcoming COP29 session, which will be held in November 2024 in Baku.

“Scientists constantly warn us of the dangers of climate change, which will only worsen and become more notable if no serous actions are taken to curb greenhouse gas emissions,” she noted.

“Climate change is a global problem that affects everyone everywhere hence a global gathering such as COP conferences is particularly important. Participation in such meetings has increased significantly in recent years with COP28 capturing record participation. That by itself confirms that the climate agenda is gaining greater interest and the energy transition bigger momentum.

The hosting of COPs was not supposed to be limited to green energy producers/consumers. After all, in every single country fossil fuels still play a role. Besides, before COP28, several oil and gas producers hosted COPs (the Netherlands (COP6, 2000), Canada (COP11, 2005), Indonesia (COP13, 2007) and Qatar (COP18, 2012)) and heads of national energy companies presided (Qatar).

The outcomes of COP28 have proved many sceptics wrong, particularly those that feared that an oil and gas producing host would hijack the climate agenda to pursue their own interests,” she added.