The president of the ongoing UN climate talks Sultan al-Jaber has hit back at claims that he denies a core part of climate science.
It follows comments he made at an event in November that there was "no science" behind the global aim of limiting temperature rise to 1.5C.
"We very much believe and respect the science," he said on Monday.
The talks in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, are aiming to make progress on climate change.
Mr Jaber made the initial remarks on 21 November in an online event with Mary Robinson, the chair of the Elders group and a former UN special envoy for climate change.
"Let me clarify where I stand on the science," he said on Monday.
"I honestly think there is some confusion out there, and misrepresentation. I am quite surprised with the constant and repeated attempts to undermine the work of the COP28 presidency," he said.
He spoke on Monday sitting next to the chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Jim Skea.
"I can say Dr Sultan has been attentive to the science," Mr Skea said.
