IPCC authors linked to Saudi Aramco raise conflict-of-interest concerns

A recent Guardian probe uncovered that at least twelve of the IPCC’s lead authors for its forthcoming assessment report have current or recent connections to Saudi Arabia’s oil industry, including employment by Saudi Aramco or affiliations with state-funded research centres. The investigation highlighted twenty cases where such links could pose significant conflict-of-interest concerns, especially within Working Group III, which examines emission-reduction policies and carbon-removal technologies.

Among the authors are Mustafa Babiker, a two-decade veteran of Aramco now serving as coordinating lead author, and Diego Armando Moya-Pinta, whose official affiliation is listed as Imperial College London despite his Aramco role. Five contributors are tied to the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center, a think-tank under the Saudi energy ministry. While the IPCC’s committee concluded in March 2026 that the selected authors meet conflict-of-interest standards, the organization declined to publish individual disclosures, fueling criticism over transparency. No rule changes are currently planned.