Baku, Azerbaijan, April 30. It was positive
that all voices were at the table at COP29 in Azerbaijan, Haitham
Al Ghais, OPEC Secretary General, said in an exclusive interview with Trend.
“Everyone should be part of the conversation. This has always
been our mantra. We are inclusive, not exclusive. We are not
dismissing anyone, or anything. It was positive that all voices
were at the table at COP29 in Azerbaijan.
As Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev emphasized at the opening
of COP29, oil and gas are indeed a ‘Gift from God’. They remain
vital to producers and consumers around the world. Moreover,
combined they make up around 55% of the global energy mix.
Conversations on climate and future energy pathways must include
oil and gas,” said OPEC secretary general.
He believes that inclusivity has to be the way forward.
“We need to be clear that building a low emissions future,
alongside achieving energy security and providing full energy
access, has many paths. It is not just one path for all, whether
that be a country or an industry. At OPEC, we believe in an
all-energies approach. No single energy source can meet rising
demand, and the needs of all,” Al Ghais said.
The secretary general pointed out that OPEC believes in an
all-peoples approach, taking into account the capacities, national
circumstances, and development priorities of all countries so that
no one is left behind.
“Billions of people in the developing world are still playing
energy catch-up. For these people, their energy future is not about
debating over the costs and benefits of energy sources or deciding
on the purchase of an electric vehicle. Instead, it is about
achieving the energy basics that the developed world takes for
granted, such as being able to turn on a light, cook on a clean
stove or have motorized transport to move to and from work or
school. The principle of ‘common but differentiated
responsibilities and respective capabilities’ is vital, and
fundamental to the UNFCCC process and all COP meetings.
And we believe in an all-technologies approach, which is why our
Member Countries are investing in carbon capture utilization and
storage, direct air capture, the circular carbon economy, as well
as other energy sources, such as hydrogen, renewables and
nuclear.
We look forward to COP30 later this year in Brazil, a country
that recently joined the OPEC and non-OPEC Charter of Cooperation,”
he concluded.