Documents leaked to the BBC showed that the UAE’s COP28 team had plans to discuss oil and gas deals with 15 countries.

Just weeks before the start of COP28, the UK government approved the Offshore Petroleum Licensing bill, which envisages annual oil and gas licensing rounds.

On the cusp of COP28, African negotiators are calling for different fossil fuel phase-down pathways for developed and developing countries.

Energy ministers of G7 countries agreed last month to accelerate a global fossil fuels phaseout, although they didn’t set a clear timeframe to achieve it.