The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is the largest single-site solar park in the world and central to Dubai's plans to obtain 75 per cent of its energy needs from renewable sources by 2050. Wam
The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is the largest single-site solar park in the world and central to Dubai's plans to obtain 75 per cent of its energy needs from renewable sources by 2050. Wam
The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is the largest single-site solar park in the world and central to Dubai's plans to obtain 75 per cent of its energy needs from renewable sources by 2050. Wam
The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is the largest single-site solar park in the world and central to Dubai's plans to obtain 75 per cent of its energy needs from renewable sources by 2050.

Dubai approves plans to lower carbon emissions 30% by 2030


Deena Kamel
  • English
  • Arabic

The Dubai Supreme Council of Energy has approved updated plans to reduce carbon emissions by 30 per cent before the end of 2030, in a move aimed at supporting the UAE’s efforts to achieve the country's net-zero ambitions by 2050.

In line with the emirate's goals to increase the share of clean and renewable energy sources and achieve Dubai Net Zero Carbon Emissions by 2050, the council reviewed the plans and road map to implement the strategy using the latest technologies, Dubai Media Office said in a statement on Sunday.

"The council has started evaluating carbon emissions for the next 10 years, in collaboration with the relevant organisations in Dubai to come up with the required measures to reduce emissions," said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, vice chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy.

The emirate is seeking to diversify its energy mix through the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and its carbon neutrality strategy 2050, to obtain 100 per cent of its energy from clean sources.

The UAE, the Arab world’s second-largest economy, has planned renewable energy investment worth Dh600 billion ($163.37bn) over the next three decades.

Dubai is also undertaking clean energy projects, including the 5,000-megawatt Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, which is the world’s largest single-site solar park. The fifth phase, with a total investment of Dh2.05bn, is 60 per cent complete, said the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority.

Supreme Council of Energy 68th meeting approves Dubai Carbon Abatement Strategy 2030 in line with the UAE’s vision for carbon neutrality. Photo: Dewa
Supreme Council of Energy 68th meeting approves Dubai Carbon Abatement Strategy 2030 in line with the UAE’s vision for carbon neutrality. Photo: Dewa

The Supreme Council of Energy also reviewed programmes carried out by various bodies under its umbrella in electricity and water production, industries, waste management and land transport to reduce carbon emissions.

These resulted in "significant reductions" during 2020 and 2019, authorities said.

The council also approved a regulatory framework for cooling service providers and customers to ensure the effectiveness of permit issuance and billing.

The meeting also discussed the successful launch of Dewa-Sat 1, part of Dewa's Space-D programme, that was launched in January 2021. Dewa is the first utility in the world to use satellites in its operations.

"Space-D aims to improve the operations, maintenance and planning of Dewa's networks with the support of nanosatellite technology, Internet of Things and remote sensing technologies," Mr Al Tayer said.

The Dubai nanosatellite is designed to improve the emirate’s utility network.

"The programme shows how Dubai’s leadership is taking advantage of Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies such as IoT, artificial intelligence and blockchain to exchange information with the help of satellite communications and earth observation technologies,” Mr Al Tayer said.

The council also reviewed participation in the fourth edition of the Emirates Energy Award, which highlights the best existing practices in the areas of clean energy, energy efficiency and sustainability in the region, according to Ahmed Buti Al Muhairbi, secretary general of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy.

Winners of the fourth Emirates Energy Award will be announced in October.

The specs

Engine: 1.4-litre 4-cylinder turbo

Power: 180hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 250Nm at 3,00rpm

Transmission: 5-speed sequential auto

Price: From Dh139,995

On sale: now

The specs

Engine: 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6

Power: 380hp at 5,800rpm

Torque: 530Nm at 1,300-4,500rpm

Transmission: Eight-speed auto

Price: From Dh299,000 ($81,415)

On sale: Now

If you go

Flying

Despite the extreme distance, flying to Fairbanks is relatively simple, requiring just one transfer in Seattle, which can be reached directly from Dubai with Emirates for Dh6,800 return.

 

Touring

Gondwana Ecotours’ seven-day Polar Bear Adventure starts in Fairbanks in central Alaska before visiting Kaktovik and Utqiarvik on the North Slope. Polar bear viewing is highly likely in Kaktovik, with up to five two-hour boat tours included. Prices start from Dh11,500 per person, with all local flights, meals and accommodation included; gondwanaecotours.com 

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Retirement funds heavily invested in equities at a risky time

Pension funds in growing economies in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East have a sharply higher percentage of assets parked in stocks, just at a time when trade tensions threaten to derail markets.

Retirement money managers in 14 geographies now allocate 40 per cent of their assets to equities, an 8 percentage-point climb over the past five years, according to a Mercer survey released last week that canvassed government, corporate and mandatory pension funds with almost $5 trillion in assets under management. That compares with about 25 per cent for pension funds in Europe.

The escalating trade spat between the US and China has heightened fears that stocks are ripe for a downturn. With tensions mounting and outcomes driven more by politics than economics, the S&P 500 Index will be on course for a “full-scale bear market” without Federal Reserve interest-rate cuts, Citigroup’s global macro strategy team said earlier this week.

The increased allocation to equities by growth-market pension funds has come at the expense of fixed-income investments, which declined 11 percentage points over the five years, according to the survey.

Hong Kong funds have the highest exposure to equities at 66 per cent, although that’s been relatively stable over the period. Japan’s equity allocation jumped 13 percentage points while South Korea’s increased 8 percentage points.

The money managers are also directing a higher portion of their funds to assets outside of their home countries. On average, foreign stocks now account for 49 per cent of respondents’ equity investments, 4 percentage points higher than five years ago, while foreign fixed-income exposure climbed 7 percentage points to 23 per cent. Funds in Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and Taiwan are among those seeking greater diversification in stocks and fixed income.

• Bloomberg

Women’s World T20, Asia Qualifier

UAE results
Beat China by 16 runs
Lost to Thailand by 10 wickets
Beat Nepal by five runs
Beat Hong Kong by eight wickets
Beat Malaysia by 34 runs

Standings (P, W, l, NR, points)

1. Thailand 5 4 0 1 9
2. UAE 5 4 1 0 8
3. Nepal 5 2 1 2 6
4. Hong Kong 5 2 2 1 5
5. Malaysia 5 1 4 0 2
6. China 5 0 5 0 0

Final
Thailand v UAE, Monday, 7am

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Infobox

Western Region Asia Cup Qualifier, Al Amerat, Oman

The two finalists advance to the next stage of qualifying, in Malaysia in August

Results

UAE beat Iran by 10 wickets

Kuwait beat Saudi Arabia by eight wickets

Oman beat Bahrain by nine wickets

Qatar beat Maldives by 106 runs

Monday fixtures

UAE v Kuwait, Iran v Saudi Arabia, Oman v Qatar, Maldives v Bahrain

JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH

Directed by: Shaka King

Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Lakeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons

Four stars

Remaining Fixtures

Wednesday: West Indies v Scotland
Thursday: UAE v Zimbabwe
Friday: Afghanistan v Ireland
Sunday: Final

if you go

The flights

Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes. 

The hotels

Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes. 

When to visit

March-May and September-November

Visas

Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

Long read

Mageed Yahia, director of WFP in UAE: Coronavirus knows no borders, and neither should the response

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Pharaoh's curse

British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.

The Bio

Favourite vegetable: “I really like the taste of the beetroot, the potatoes and the eggplant we are producing.”

Holiday destination: “I like Paris very much, it’s a city very close to my heart.”

Book: “Das Kapital, by Karl Marx. I am not a communist, but there are a lot of lessons for the capitalist system, if you let it get out of control, and humanity.”

Musician: “I like very much Fairuz, the Lebanese singer, and the other is Umm Kulthum. Fairuz is for listening to in the morning, Umm Kulthum for the night.”

Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

THE 12 BREAKAWAY CLUBS

England

Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur

Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus

Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid

Profile box

Company name: baraka
Started: July 2020
Founders: Feras Jalbout and Kunal Taneja
Based: Dubai and Bahrain
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $150,000
Current staff: 12
Stage: Pre-seed capital raising of $1 million
Investors: Class 5 Global, FJ Labs, IMO Ventures, The Community Fund, VentureSouq, Fox Ventures, Dr Abdulla Elyas (private investment)

RACE SCHEDULE

All times UAE ( 4 GMT)

Friday, September 29
First practice: 7am - 8.30am
Second practice: 11am - 12.30pm

Saturday, September 30
Qualifying: 1pm - 2pm

Sunday, October 1
Race: 11am - 1pm

Updated: February 06, 2022, 12:39 PM