Saudi Arabia accused of editing official Cop29 negotiating text: Report

Cop presidencies usually circulate negotiating texts as non-editable PDF documents to all countries simultaneously, and they are then discussed. Giving one party editing access “risks placing this entire Cop in jeopardy”, one expert said.

Oil-rich Saudi Arabia is regarded by many as a persistent obstructor of action at United Nations climate summits to cut the burning of fossil fuels and has been described as a “wrecking ball” at Cop29.

Earlier on Saturday, a document was circulated by the Azerbaijani presidency with updates to the negotiating text on the just transition work program (JTWP). This aims to help countries move to a cleaner and more resilient future, while reducing inequalities.

The document was sent with “tracked changes” from the previously circulated version. In two cases, the document showed edits were made directly by Basel Alsubaity, who is from the Saudi ministry of energy and the lead on the JTWP. It was not sent to other countries to edit.

One of the changes deletes a section of text reading “encourages parties to consider just transition pathways in developing and implementing NDCs, NAPs and LT-LEDSs that are aligned with the outcome of the first global stock take and relevant provisions of the Paris agreement”. (NDCs are nationally determined contributions, NAPs are national adaptation plans and LT-LEDs are long-term low emission development strategies.)

Catherine Abreu, the director of the International Climate Politics Hub and a Cop veteran, stated: “All parties need to see presidency texts during this process as the negotiations proceed and this is generally done by circulating non-editable PDF documents to all parties simultaneously.

“Giving one party editing access to these documents, and a party known for its objective of rolling back the historic global agreement made last year to transition away from fossil fuels to renewable energy and energy efficiency, suggests a worrying lack of independence and objectivity, and clearly contravenes both the spirit and the rules of this process,” she continued.

“This kind of behaviour from a presidency risks placing this entire Cop in jeopardy.”

Two groups – the Alliance of Small Island States and the Least Developed Countries – walked out of a key meeting on Saturday, stressing they were not being consulted by the presidency.

The German foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, speaking on Saturday before the editing revelation, said: “We are in the midst of a geopolitical power play by a few fossil fuel states.”

“We will not allow the most vulnerable, especially the small island states, to be ripped off by the few rich fossil fuel emitters who have the backing, unfortunately, at this moment of the president [of Cop29],” she added.

A 2023 report by the Climate Social Science Network concluded: “One nation has had an outsized role in undermining progress at global climate negotiations, year after year: Saudi Arabia. The fossil fuel giant has a 30-year record of obstruction and delay, protecting its national oil and gas sector and seeking to ensure UN climate talks achieve as little as possible, as slowly as possible.”

“Riyadh’s envoys are among the most active across all tracks of UN climate talks, frequently pushing back on efforts to curb fossil fuels,” it said. “Despite increased temperatures across Saudi Arabia and falling groundwater supplies, Riyadh has shown little sign of shifting strategy.”

The Cop29 presidency, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Saudi delegation have been contacted for comment.