IPCC authors include fossil fuel industry employees, posing a potential conflict of interest

Should all representatives of the fossil fuel industry be excluded from efforts to address the climate crisis, or can they contribute to those efforts? That question has arisen following revelations by several European newspapers, including L’Humanité and The Guardian, on Monday, September 21. According to these investigations, at least 12 authors of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) – out of the approximately 220 scientists preparing the section on mitigating climate change for the organization’s next report – are either employed by or have ties to the oil giant Saudi Aramco or other organizations within the Saudi fossil fuel sector.

In addition to Sudanese national Mustafa Babiker, one of the coordinating authors who has worked at Aramco for 20 years and whose situation was already public, those cited include one of the vice presidents of a working group who also represents the Saudi government in climate negotiations; five authors employed by a think tank chaired by the Saudi energy minister; and a professor from a Saudi university who worked on a carbon storage project developed by Aramco. Saudi Arabia, one of the world’s largest oil producers, is known for its obstructionist strategies in efforts to combat global warming. According to investigative reports, about 10 authors from other countries also have direct ties to the fossil fuel sector. The institution has not denied these facts.

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