Investigation Reveals Alleged Links Between Saudi Aramco and IPCC Reports

An investigation published in The Guardian alleges that at least a dozen lead authors of the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) are employed by or linked to Saudi Aramco, Saudi institutions, or other oil and gas companies. The controversy centers on the fact that Aramco, a major oil producer, is responsible for significant global carbon emissions. The investigation details how a conversation between Prof Julia Steinberger and Mustafa Babiker revealed that Babiker had been employed by Aramco for 20 years.

The allegations center on whether Aramco's employment of individuals who influence the reports constitutes a conflict of interest within the IPCC process. Babiker stated that he had declared his relationship with Aramco on the required conflict of interest forms. The findings suggest that the company's influence extends into the scientific reports that inform global climate policy.