An undercover sting operation has highlighted a Saudi Arabian government plan to artificially raise global oil demand, Channel 4 News can reveal in an investigation released just days before climate crisis talks begin in the UAE.
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Officials from Saudi Arabia’s Oil Sustainability Programme (OSP) have admitted the country’s state-backed plan to target Africa and Asia with petrol, oil and diesel products, under a public programme from its Ministry of Energy.
The operation was conducted by the Centre for Climate Reporting, and given exclusively to Channel 4 News, with a team posing as oil investors.
In a secretly recorded video call, one official is asked by an undercover reporter: “My impression is that with issues of climate change there’s a risk of declining oil demand and so the OSP has kind of been set up to artificially stimulate that demand in some key markets?”
In response, he says: “Yes. It is one of the aspects that we are trying to do. It’s one of the main objectives that we are trying to accomplish.”
The plan, officials say, is overseen by Saudi ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. It comes as world leaders descend on the global COP28 climate summit in the UAE.
Revealed today, the plans include a fleet of power station ships off the African coast using heavy fuel oil to generate electricity.
The programme has also learnt that the plans range beyond emerging markets, introducing a new global programme of ‘supersonic’ commercial aviation using three times the amount of kerosine than traditional air travel, to leverage the predicted growth in the market size for the commodity.
Expanding on the plan to flood Africa and Asian markets with diesel and petrol vehicles, an official says: ”We’re talking about diesel, gasoline and jet fuel. We also work to increase low-cost internal combustion engine cars there.”
Probing officials on the OSP’s proposals to launch supersonic commercial flights globally, a second official said: “You know, supersonic aviation consumes more energy and the market size is expected to grow significantly. So our opportunity here is to facilitate growth and development of supersonic technologies.”
Officials say they also plan to counter market incentives and subsidies for electric vehicles globally which are perceived as a threat to the plan to roll out petrol and diesel engine vehicles.
In relation to electric vehicles, a second OSP official says: “EVs are being favoured in terms of subsidies and regulatory advantage especially in regions like Africa so what we are working on is to increase internal combustion engine adoptions.”
Channel 4 News approached Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Energy, which oversees the OSP. They did not respond to requests for comment.
Responding to the Channel 4 News investigation, Mohammed Adow, Director of Power Shift Africa, which campaigns on climate action in Africa said: “At a time when the rest of the world is cleaning up and weaning itself off dirty and polluting fossil fuels, Saudi is getting desperate for more customers and now turning its sights on Africa.”
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38 Comments
So now you can hire anyone, blur their faces and make them say anything you want to and pretend that they are some high level officials from a country. A very good way of False Propaganda, still not good enough
Its almost like you say Arabs are not trust worthy??!!??
So there you have it. Forget about convincing ordinary people to recycle then.
without oil the kingdom cant survive at the moment.
Expanding the market and doing business is controversial ?
With the growth and future slowly leaning towards ev vehicles makes me wonder really how in a long run it’s going to hit the Middle East oil profit, who predicts what will happen
Wow the saudis aren’t good guys…..shock horror
It’s like Coca-Cola funding research into health which btw they do‼️👀
Excellent reporting
Crooked Anglo media playing tricks again. You don't fool us, you sons of terrorists.
Kudos to Channel 4 for this report, no surprise here, but what I'm really against is holding a charade in the outskirts of Dubai by calling the Pope and corrupt stooges like the British PM and other 'African leaders' and then conducting backdoor deals with the corrupt developing nations and indirectly propagating corruption and climate screw-up. Shame on COP28 and the World Green Economy Summit, laughable to say the least.
Very biased weak report. You should make a report about the criminal corrupt arms companies and their dirty wars in the Middle East to keep selling in the region. Disgusting hypocrite reporting indeed.
Can’t stand the saud
The us is the worst
developing countries can't afford EV's nevermind the UK, we don't even have EV infrastructure in place here
Meanwhile, USA and Britain enjoys profits from selling arms amidst rising global tensions. Those who live in glass houses…
This is awful. They are going to kill us all!
Good on you
😀 how naive. Why dont you westren powers simply stop purchasing oil??
Some of these reporters might not be alive for much longer
And there’s going to be rapture and the world will frame it up and call it an alien abduction just as they framed and lied about the resurrection of Jesus to make it of none effect. After the rapture, the government of the world will be united and prepare against the “aliens”, many shall be deceived. If you still read this post when that happens just know that by God’s grace I’m gone with the saved. Don’t look for me here. I pray that you too will be raptured. Say this prayer of salvation after me:
Lord Jesus, I come to you today. I surrender to you. I receive you as my Lord and Savior. I turn from my ways, and I follow you. Amen
Arab oil money, it seams they are scared of being broke. 😂
They should be lucky they found oil and also there was need for it. They should enjoy while it lasts.
This video is misleading! It presents the Saudi plan as a kind of conspiracy! The world needs to uplift its poor and provide the developing nations with more opportunities! The wealthy nations can afford building the costly solar and wind farms! India, China, Africa needs a balanced mix that includes fossil fuels to uplift its people from poverty!
Wealthy nations doesn’t have the right to deny the developing ones the same utilities that facilitates its transition from poverty to prosperity! That’d be hypocrisy!
Saudi Arabia government, bin salom is best friend of 🇮🇱he prays to the same good 💲
No one wants EVs, solar farms or wind farms and they cause more carbon emmission than they say ? Nuclear ? Gas ? Probably better. Bring on oil and V12 ICE engines 👍
its actually so scary and infuriating
In other news, we can reveal that the Pope is Catholic….
Of course, Saudi Arabia is going to do this. The Saudi regime is a murderous theocracy built on, and sustained by, oil and gas wealth. Its future depends upon continuing to explore these assets to the full
Yeah but what can you do 🤷
Saudis They can do whatever in tthere country with there oil, united state uk France they are just a big racist bullies wants thing free if not goes in and invades and kills innocent peoples.
Nothing the UK or US wouldn't do if they were in the same position. Although they should just be open about it.
The west wants to stop pollution first of all stop bombing the Middle East that’s gonna help with pollution climate change bunch of hypocrites
That's pretty much the Thatcher government strategy, subsidize cars/ plastic everything…cream it of oil,
Building power stations for African countries is a bad thing now?
Saudi will sell oil to countries that need it. India and China rely on Saudi oil. No one is forced to buy oil if they don’t want it
USA has more oil reserves and natural gas yet same old people
I genuinely have tears in my eyes see this environmental ethos of the West:))) You guys are so disingenuous…for years to demined the world economy using coal and oil..you waged wars, teared apart countries in the ME to secure your oil needs…and now you decided to be environmentalist??!!:) It needs no brainer to understand this is is not for the environment and climate but the economic and geostrategic interests of the west. Yet you are mongering now value propositions. Well done KSA!!
They can FRO. Stealing sports, building stupid super structures no one wants, manipulating the oil market.
4 or 5c increase here we come
corruption is rife in our society