The Saudi Green Initiative - A desert-covered nation seeks to lead the world in green transition.

The Other Side of the Story - Saudi Arabia continues to prioritize selling oil and gas.

Undercover Investigation - Journalists uncover Saudi Arabia's oil sustainability program.

Artificially Raising Oil Demand - Saudi officials admit to stimulating oil demand in a climate crisis.

The Role of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman - The Crown Prince oversees Saudi Arabia's oil sustainability program.

The Objectives of the OSP - The OSP aims to keep Asia and Africa dependent on Saudi oil.

Power Ships and Heavy Fuel Oil - Saudi Arabia plans to use power ships and fuel oil to generate electricity.

Cheap Petrol Cars for Africa - Saudi Arabia targets Africa with low-cost petrol cars and vehicles.

Countering Electric Vehicles - The Saudis aim to increase internal combustion engine adoption to counter electric vehicles.

Supersonic Aviation and Oil Demand - The Saudis plan to develop supersonic aviation, which increases fuel consumption.

Expanding Oil Demand - The Saudi oil sustainability program includes almost 50 projects to expand oil demand.

The Reality of Saudi Arabia's Actions - Saudi Arabia aims to burn as much oil globally as possible.

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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To many, it is a dream that seems impossible.

A desert-covered nation seeking to lead the world in green transition has embarked on 1 of the most ambitious endeavours in the history of mankind.

It's an admission from the Saudi government that we are up to the challenge.

The Saudi Green Initiative, the image the Kingdom wants the world to see.

Trumpeting Saudi Arabian efforts to promote sustainable energy and biodiversity.

But no glossy ads or PR, because it's all about continuing to sell as much oil and gas as they can.

Tonight the story the Saudis won't be openly telling the world at the global COP climate conference starting on Thursday in Dubai.

From Cape Town to Riyadh to the UK, undercover journalists from the Centre for Climate Reporting have been active.

Saudi Arabia's oil sustainability programme, the OSP.

In a video called Sting, Saudi OSP officials think they're talking to like-minded oil investors.

And my colleague David will be joining too.

But the being secretly recorded and the undercover team hits gold.

An extraordinary admission from the Saudis that they're trying to artificially raise oil demand in a climate crisis.

My impression is that with the issues of climate change, there's a risk of kind of declining oil demand.

So the OSP has kind of been set up to artificially stimulate demand.

Yes, It is 1 of the aspects that we are trying to do.

It's 1 of the main objectives that we are trying to accomplish." And

it goes right to the very top of the Saudi regime.

To the boss himself, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

As you can see here in the slide, these 17 entities...

Saudi officials helpfully refer to a presentation setting out how the OSP's entities are all overseen.

All of these entities are chaired by his royal highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, which is the minister of energy, which also reports to his royal highness the crown prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The OSP has a website, but little is known about its underlying strategy.

It says its ambition is to create opportunities and applications for hydrocarbons, while ensuring hydrocarbons remain part of the global energy mix in the most efficient and sustainable way.

So it's a vast network overseen from the very top, running through ministries to private companies.

To keep Asia and Africa hooked on Saudi oil.

Plans for fleets of floating power stations on ships off the African and South Asian coasts, burning heavy fuel oil to generate electricity.

And if a country is landlocked, well, they've got that covered.

Similar power stations again burning Saudi fuel oil.

OSP objective is to facilitate investments in marine power ships in Africa to accelerate electrification efforts in targeted countries.

Second, a new generation of cheap petrol cars as well as buses and planes to be targeted on Africa.

We're talking about diesel, gasoline and jet fuel.

We also work to increase the availability of low-cost internal combustion engine cars there.

All of this endorsed not just in the undercover sting operation, but here at this members-only conference in South Africa this year.

Leaked recordings obtained by the undercover team show Mohammed Al-Tayyar, the OSP director himself, praising the strategy.

We have an effort to introduce low-cost cars into strategic markets where individuals don't have the ability to purchase cars.

The Saudi presentation talks about fleets of petrol and diesel vehicles to capture the increasing gasoline-diesel demand.

Plans for new cheap petrol cars with mass marketing to give an oil uplift for the kingdom.

So you might say, what's wrong with Asia and Africa having what we have?

Well the answer, say scientists, is that super-rich countries should be enabling developing nations to get not what we have, but what we want.

The Saudis know a quarter of all oil becomes petrol and diesel.

During the undercover sting, they revealed how they want to counter the growth of electric vehicles.

EVs are being favoured in terms of subsidies and a regularity advantage, especially in regions like in Africa.

So what we are working on is to increase internal combustion engine technological adoptions.

So we know the Saudi plan is to continue doing business as usual where they can, climate crisis or not.

We know they want to flood Asia and Africa with petrol and diesel vehicles, but there's much more.

On top of all that, the Saudis are now planning a global rollout of supersonic aviation, stressing the fact that it uses a lot more fuel.

The Saudis' presentation helpfully explains supersonic flight uses 3 times as much jet fuel.

The Saudis plan to fast-track development of commercial supersonic aviation.

You know, supersonic aviation consumes more energy and the market size is expected to grow significantly.

The opportunity here is to facilitate the growth and development of the supersonic technologies.

So supersonic aviation, just 1 of almost 50 OSP projects expanding oil demand, and they're serious.

The Saudis already have agreements with Senegal, Chad, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Rwanda.

Channel 4 News approached Saudi officials for comment but they have not responded.

Science demands the coming COP climate summit must begin the end of our addiction to oil and gas.

Just 2 years ago, in a memorable moment at the Glasgow climate summit, Saudi Arabia's energy minister was asked a simple question by a reporter.

So you see, do you agree that fossil fuels are the main driver of global warming?

No, I think they will be a good way forward.

That answer, a flat denial of science, of physics.

Next week at the COP climate summit the Saudis will literally set out their stall.

In public, green initiatives, but alongside it a vast global network designed to burn as much oil globally as they can, for as long as they can.


Speaker 0: To many, it is a dream that seems impossible. A desert-covered nation seeking to lead the world in green transition has embarked on 1 of the most ambitious endeavours in the history of mankind.

Speaker 1: We need to attend to climate change. It's an admission from the Saudi government that we are up to the challenge. The Saudi Green Initiative, the image the Kingdom wants the world to see. Trumpeting Saudi Arabian efforts to promote sustainable energy and biodiversity.

Speaker 0: The Saudi Green Initiative. From ambition to action.

Speaker 1: But there's another story. It goes to the very top of the kingdom. But no glossy ads or PR, because it's all about continuing to sell as much oil and gas as they can. Tonight the story the Saudis won't be openly telling the world at the global COP climate conference starting on Thursday in Dubai. From Cape Town to Riyadh to the UK, undercover journalists from the Centre for Climate Reporting have been active.

Their target? Saudi Arabia's oil sustainability programme, the OSP. Hi, Nawaf, I can't see you. Hello. I can hear you though.

In a video called Sting, Saudi OSP officials think they're talking to like-minded oil investors. And my colleague David will be joining too. But the being secretly recorded and the undercover team hits gold.

Speaker 2: I believe we can start. All of my colleagues have joined.

Speaker 1: An extraordinary admission from the Saudis that they're trying to artificially raise oil demand in a climate crisis.

Speaker 3: My impression is that with the issues of climate change, there's a risk of kind of declining oil demand. So the OSP has kind of been set up to artificially stimulate demand.

Speaker 2: Yes, It is 1 of the aspects that we are trying to do. It's 1 of the main objectives that we are trying to accomplish." And

Speaker 1: it goes right to the very top of the Saudi regime. To the boss himself, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. How do we know? Because they say so.

Speaker 2: As you can see here in the slide, these 17 entities...

Speaker 1: Saudi officials helpfully refer to a presentation setting out how the OSP's entities are all overseen.

Speaker 2: All of these entities are chaired by his royal highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, which is the minister of energy, which also reports to his royal highness the crown prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Speaker 1: The OSP has a website, but little is known about its underlying strategy. It says its ambition is to create opportunities and applications for hydrocarbons, while ensuring hydrocarbons remain part of the global energy mix in the most efficient and sustainable way. So it's a vast network overseen from the very top, running through ministries to private companies. So what's it for? The plan?

To keep Asia and Africa hooked on Saudi oil. First off, power ships. Plans for fleets of floating power stations on ships off the African and South Asian coasts, burning heavy fuel oil to generate electricity. And if a country is landlocked, well, they've got that covered. Similar power stations again burning Saudi fuel oil.

Speaker 2: OSP objective is to facilitate investments in marine power ships in Africa to accelerate electrification efforts in targeted countries.

Speaker 1: Not a word about wind or solar. Second, a new generation of cheap petrol cars as well as buses and planes to be targeted on Africa.

Speaker 4: We're talking about diesel, gasoline and jet fuel. We also work to increase the availability of low-cost internal combustion engine cars there.

Speaker 1: All of this endorsed not just in the undercover sting operation, but here at this members-only conference in South Africa this year. Leaked recordings obtained by the undercover team show Mohammed Al-Tayyar, the OSP director himself, praising the strategy.

Speaker 5: We have an effort to introduce low-cost cars into strategic markets where individuals don't have the ability to purchase cars.

Speaker 1: The Saudi presentation talks about fleets of petrol and diesel vehicles to capture the increasing gasoline-diesel demand. Plans for new cheap petrol cars with mass marketing to give an oil uplift for the kingdom. So you might say, what's wrong with Asia and Africa having what we have? Well the answer, say scientists, is that super-rich countries should be enabling developing nations to get not what we have, but what we want. Clean, cheap, green energy.

The Saudis know a quarter of all oil becomes petrol and diesel. During the undercover sting, they revealed how they want to counter the growth of electric vehicles.

Speaker 4: EVs are being favoured in terms of subsidies and a regularity advantage, especially in regions like in Africa. So what we are working on is to increase internal combustion engine technological adoptions.

Speaker 1: So we know the Saudi plan is to continue doing business as usual where they can, climate crisis or not. We know they want to flood Asia and Africa with petrol and diesel vehicles, but there's much more. On top of all that, the Saudis are now planning a global rollout of supersonic aviation, stressing the fact that it uses a lot more fuel. The Saudis' presentation helpfully explains supersonic flight uses 3 times as much jet fuel. This, it seems, is desirable.

The Saudis plan to fast-track development of commercial supersonic aviation. Here's OSP official Saleh Adail.

Speaker 4: You know, supersonic aviation consumes more energy and the market size is expected to grow significantly. The opportunity here is to facilitate the growth and development of the supersonic technologies.

Speaker 1: So supersonic aviation, just 1 of almost 50 OSP projects expanding oil demand, and they're serious. Take Africa. The Saudis already have agreements with Senegal, Chad, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Rwanda. Channel 4 News approached Saudi officials for comment but they have not responded. Science demands the coming COP climate summit must begin the end of our addiction to oil and gas.

But will it happen? Just 2 years ago, in a memorable moment at the Glasgow climate summit, Saudi Arabia's energy minister was asked a simple question by a reporter.

Speaker 4: So you see, do you agree that fossil fuels are the main driver of global warming?

Speaker 1: No, I think they will be a good way forward. That answer, a flat denial of science, of physics. Next week at the COP climate summit the Saudis will literally set out their stall. In public, green initiatives, but alongside it a vast global network designed to burn as much oil globally as they can, for as long as they can.

See all Channel 4 News transcripts on Youtube

Undercover filming highlights Saudi plan to artificially raise oil demand