COP28 UAE planned to use climate talks to make oil deals leaked briefing documents reveal plans to discuss fossil fuel deals with 15 nations.

The UAE team did not deny using COP28 meetings for business discussions, and said “private meetings are private”.

In a statement, it declined to comment on what was discussed at the meetings and said its efforts have been focused on “meaningful climate action.”

In advance of the COP28 summit, which begins on 30 November, the UAE’s COP28 team prepared documents for meetings with at least 27 foreign governments.

A proposed “talking point” for China stated that Adnoc, the UAE’s state-owned oil company, would “jointly evaluate international LNG [liquefied natural gas] opportunities” in Mozambique, Canada, and Australia.

13 other countries have talking points suggesting that Adnoc work with their governments to develop fossil fuel projects, including Germany and Egypt.

According to the briefings, the UAE has also prepared talking points about the commercial prospects for its state-owned renewable energy company, Masdar, ahead of meetings with 20 nations, including the UK, the United States, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Brazil, China, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Kenya.

Climate talks have been ongoing at the UN for the past few years, and COP28 is the latest round. Dubai is hosting this year’s summit, which will be attended by 167 world leaders, including King Charles III of the United Kingdom and the Pope.

There is no doubt that these summits are some of the most important meetings on climate change in the world.