The world must “decouple” the increase in food production from the agricultural sector's impact on the environment, the president of the World Economic Forum said at Cop28 in Dubai on Friday.
“We need to produce enough food for the global population but our aim is also to decouple growth in agriculture and food from harming the environment,” Borge Brende, president of the World Economic Forum, said at the Business and Philanthropy Climate Forum at Cop28.
Food systems account for more than 30 per cent of global CO2 emissions and are critical to achieving the Paris Agreement and limiting global warming to below 1.5C.
Boosting demand for sustainably produced and low-emission agricultural commodities can accelerate the food industry's transition to net zero, according to the WEF.
About 70 per cent of freshwater consumption is related to food and agriculture, according to WEF.
“We're looking at how to secure more crop per drop, which makes a huge difference if you can produce the same with less of a footprint,” Mr Brende said.
“If we're going to reach net-zero by 2050, food and agriculture has to be a part of the solution.”
More than 20 major food companies have joined the WEF's First Movers Coalition, a global group of businesses leveraging their purchasing power to decarbonise heavy-emitting sectors, the organisation said on Friday.
The WEF, with support from the UAE government, along these 20 corporate and research entities in the food sector, on Friday launched the First Movers Coalition for Food.
The UAE and these food companies will create a combined procurement commitment with an estimated value of $10 billion to $20 billion by 2030.
The initiative uses companies' combined purchasing power for sustainably produced farming products to speed up the adoption of sustainable agriculture and funding of the energy transition.
By joining this coalition, food companies are signalling to farmers and the supply chain that there is demand for green products. This will accelerate the adoption of environmentally-friendly farming methods and green technologies and processes.
Around 74 per cent of the world's deforestation is related to food and agriculture, so companies need to produce food in a way that uses less land, particularly where there's important biodiversity, Mr Brende said.
“This consciousness is of course important from the companies but also I think the companies are very smart … and they know that consumers really care about this,” he said.
Climate change is having a “huge impact” on food production because arable land is shrinking, he added.
Having the food industry at the discussion table and at Cop28 “makes a huge difference”, said Antoine Bernard de Saint-Affrique, chief executive of Danone.
It is a good time for the food sector to be at the discussion table because “we are reaching a tipping point for regenerative agriculture … it is in action at a number of places, still in pilot stage, but over quite large scale,” he said.
“The challenge now is to transform fast, and to transform at scale, with the farmers at the heart.”
Rapid action is needed as this is a matter of food security, environmental protection and social stability because 80 per cent of food comes from smallholder farmers, he said.
Only 4.3 per cent of the world's climate finance is spent on agrifood systems, even though food production contributes a third of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, creating “a total disconnect” between emissions and green financing, he said.
“This absolutely must change which is why it is absolutely critical to leverage solutions that do exist and move to a radical, aggressive approach,” he said.
This entails public-private partnerships and investments from companies, governments and philanthropy, he added.
“We need finance instruments that help de-risk the energy transition and put the farmers at the centre.”
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
The years Ramadan fell in May
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Types of bank fraud
1) Phishing
Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
2) Smishing
The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
3) Vishing
The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
4) SIM swap
Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
5) Identity theft
Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
6) Prize scams
Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
