Biden’s Climate Envoy Kerry to Work With UAE on Decarbonization

(Bloomberg) -- U.S. President Joe Biden's climate envoy, John Kerry, aims to work with the United Arab Emirates as he leans on major fossil-fuel producers to lower their greenhouse gas emissions.

Kerry spoke with Sultan Al Jaber, chief executive officer of Abu Dhabi National Oil Co., which pumps almost all of the UAE's oil and gas. “Excellent conversation today with our long-term partner,” Kerry said in a Tweet posted around 11:00 p.m. Washington, D.C. time on Sunday.

The Persian Gulf, where the UAE is situated, is one of the biggest oil- and gas-producing regions in the world. The UAE pumped 2.5 million barrels of crude each day in December, the most among OPEC members after Saudi Arabia and Iraq.

In the past year, governments in the region have increased their focus on renewable energy and lowering carbon emissions, though they remain among the globe's biggest polluters on a per capita basis.

Read more: Desert Heat Will Help Keep Lights On in Dubai After Sundown

The UAE is investing billions of dollars in solar power. Jaber, who's also a cabinet minister and the country's special envoy for climate change, said this month that Adnoc aimed to become a major producer of hydrogen, a fuel seen as much cleaner than oil, gas and coal.

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