COP28: UAE government hires lobbyists – 08/15/2023 – Environment

A state-owned company in the United Arab Emirates has hired a team of lobbyists to defend the position of the country that will host COP28, the UN climate summit this year, after criticism from environmentalists and politicians.

Public relations firm First International Resources (FIR) will receive a monthly advance of £100,000 (R$630,000) over six months to bolster the UAE’s reputation among the “Western public”, according to a copy of its contract. registered with the US Department of Justice under the rules on lobbying for foreign agents, which was published by the department this month.

The company was contracted by Masdar, a state-owned renewable energy company in the United Arab Emirates, according to the document. Masdar is headed by COP28 president-designate Sultan al-Jaber, who is also head of the Emirati oil company.

First International’s aim is to “vaccinate” COP28 and Jaber against “any potential criticism” and garner support from “politically influential individuals”, the contract says. The company specializes in crisis communications, according to its website.

In addition to acting as a “personal sounding board” for Jaber, the consultancy will respond to and deflect negative media reports. The contract was first reported by The Washington Post.

Nearly 200 countries and up to 80,000 people are expected to attend COP28 in Dubai in November, when global politicians will try to reach agreement on efforts to tackle climate change.

Jaber’s appointment as chair of COP28 “generated a predictable backlash from the Greens in the West,” First International’s contract said. In May, more than 100 Western politicians called on the UAE to remove Jaber from office.

But Jaber, an engineer whom Abu Dhabi’s leadership considers one of its most effective technocrats, has received steady support from others, including US climate envoy John Kerry and the European Union.

Last month, Jaber said he hoped COP28 would aim to reach an agreement to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030 and reform climate finance — a plan that has been widely welcomed by politicians and some prominent climate activists. But environmentalists have criticized it, saying it doesn’t go far enough in tackling climate change.

The UAE has also been criticized for its role as a producer of fossil fuels and concerns over its human rights record.

Under the agreement, the FIR agency will survey general public and “elite” audiences in the US, France, Germany, UK, Spain and three other countries. She will use the results to generate a “proactive education campaign” and influence those elected.

The firm will try to recruit “politically influential individuals and groups” to “further reinforce the overall image and interests of COP28”. The contract listed the World Economic Forum, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies among the think tanks it could reach.

Furthermore, the contract said that the consultancy “may also activate or mobilize our connections within the ‘US Jewish establishment’ to help support the campaign’s overall objectives”, as well as use its influence to arrange meetings with members of the US Congress. and the government of President Joe Biden.

The appointment is the latest step in the UAE’s attempt to bolster its environmental profile. It also hired David Canzini, a former adviser to former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, to provide strategic advice.

COP28, Masdar and First International Resources did not immediately respond to requests for comment.