US, UAE Focus on Using Climate Change to Drive Global Growth

US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry with Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, the Special Envoy for Climate Change and Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology in Abu Dhabi. (WAM)
US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry with Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, the Special Envoy for Climate Change and Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology in Abu Dhabi. (WAM)
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US, UAE Focus on Using Climate Change to Drive Global Growth

US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry with Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, the Special Envoy for Climate Change and Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology in Abu Dhabi. (WAM)
US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry with Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, the Special Envoy for Climate Change and Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology in Abu Dhabi. (WAM)

The UAE and the US held talks that focused on using climate change action to drive regional and global growth.

The Special Envoy for Climate Change and Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, and US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry met in Abu Dhabi.

The two envoys discussed progress on the Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate Initiative (Aim for Climate) that the UAE announced alongside the US at the Leaders Summit on Climate in Washington.

The envoys reaffirmed their countries’ commitment to achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global warming.

They agreed that a comprehensive approach - including investments in renewable energy, carbon-capture technologies, nature-based solutions, climate-smart agriculture, and other low-carbon solutions - is not only essential in this critical decade for climate but can also act as powerful drivers for sustainable economic growth and job creation.

“His return to the Emirates reaffirms the unique partnership between our two countries and our shared commitment to transform climate action into an opportunity for economic development and diversification,” Jaber said.

“Doubling down on investments in innovative new technologies and R&D will pay dividends both in terms of climate progress and economic growth, and as global economies fully recover from Covid-19, smart initiatives can put the world on a low-carbon/high-growth trajectory that meets the Paris goals.”

Kerry welcomed the UAE’s offer to host the 28th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (or Cop28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 2023.

“I think it is very important that an oil and gas producing nation is smart enough to see that investing in alternative and renewable energy does not detract from economic prosperity or from income,” Kerry added.

“It actually builds additional and alternative sources. I think the leadership of the UAE is well aware that the planet has very serious problems, and the UAE is very busy looking at ways to abate and reduce and capture emissions.”

“I think that’s one of the reasons the UAE won a seat on the UN Security Council, because people see the leadership of the UAE as thoughtful and wanting to contribute to global solutions to global problems,” he concluded.



Oil Slips as Iran-Israel Conflict Enters Sixth Day

FILE PHOTO: A view shows an oil pump jack outside Almetyevsk in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, June 4, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A view shows an oil pump jack outside Almetyevsk in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, June 4, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk/File Photo
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Oil Slips as Iran-Israel Conflict Enters Sixth Day

FILE PHOTO: A view shows an oil pump jack outside Almetyevsk in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, June 4, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A view shows an oil pump jack outside Almetyevsk in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, June 4, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk/File Photo

Oil prices fell on Wednesday, after a gain of 4% in the previous session, as markets weighed up the chance of supply disruptions from the Iran-Israel conflict and as they ponder a direct US involvement.

Brent crude futures fell 93 cents, or 1.2%, to $75.52 a barrel by 0918 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate crude futures fell 88 cents, also 1.2%, to $73.96 per barrel.

US President Trump warned on social media on Tuesday that US patience was wearing thin, and called for an "unconditional surrender" from Iran.

While he said there was no intention to kill Iran's leader Ali Khamenei "for now," his comments suggested a tougher stance toward Iran as he weighs whether to deepen US involvement.

A source familiar with internal discussions said one of the options Trump and his team are considering included joining Israel on strikes against Iranian nuclear sites.

A direct US involvement threatens to widen the confrontation further, putting energy infrastructure in the region at higher risk of attack, analysts say.

"The biggest fear for the oil market is the shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz," ING analysts said in a note.

"Almost a third of global seaborne oil trade moves through this chokepoint. A significant disruption to these flows would be enough to push prices to $120 [a barrel]," the bank added.

Iran is OPEC's third-largest producer, extracting about 3.3 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil.

Meanwhile, Iranian ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva Ali Bahreini said on Wednesday that Tehran has conveyed to Washington that it will respond firmly to the United States if it becomes directly involved in Israel's military campaign.

Markets are also looking ahead to a second day of US Federal Reserve discussions on Wednesday, in which the central bank is expected to leave its benchmark overnight interest rate in the range of 4.25% to 4.50%.

However, the conflict in the Middle East and the risk of slowing global growth could potentially push the Fed to cut rates by 25 basis points in July, sooner than the market's current expectation of September, said Tony Sycamore, market analyst with IG.

Lower interest rates generally boost economic growth and demand for oil.

Confounding the decision for the Fed, however, is the Middle East conflict's potential creation of a new source of inflation via surging oil prices.

US crude stocks fell by 10.1 million barrels in the week ended June 13, market sources told Reuters, citing American Petroleum Institute figures on Tuesday. Official Energy Information Administration data is due later on Wednesday.