US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry said on Saturday that a few countries have surprisingly resisted mentioning the global goal of limiting warming to 1.5ºC above pre-industrial levels during the UN climate summit in Egypt.
Addressing a news conference, Mr Kerry also gave a general assessment of the two-week Cop27 summit at its halfway point. He said a lot of work had yet to be done but delegates “genuinely are making really good progress”.
He said the world has to meet the goal of keeping the temperature increase below 1.5ºC by reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 45 per cent by 2030. After that, he said, it could be impossible to hit that target, barring a major scientific breakthrough.
There have been some ominous findings revealed over the past week in Sharm El Sheikh, the Red Sea resort hosting the UN summit, about the chances of meeting the target set at the UN climate summit in Paris in 2015.
Greenhouse gas emissions have been rising since and scientists now say the world risks missing the target without swift and deep cuts.
Breaching the 1.5ºC threshold risks unleashing the worst consequences of global warming, they say.
The Global Carbon Brief outlined how there was a 50 per cent chance that global temperature will rise and hit 1.5°C in less than a decade. If this vital threshold is breached, scientists believe half the world's population could be exposed to life-threatening changes to the climate.
Emissions would have to fall at rates comparable to 2020 — when Covid-19 restrictions shut down transport, industry and economic activities — every year to keep temperature rises to 1.5°C in the long term, according to the Global Carbon Brief.
In response to a question, Mr Kerry, whose country has historically been the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitter, said: “There are very few countries, but a few, that have raised the issue of not mentioning this word [1.5 degrees] or that word."
"But the fact is that in Glasgow that was adopted, the language is there. And I know … Egypt doesn't intend to be the country that hosts a retreat from what was achieved in Glasgow," he said, referring to last year's climate summit in Scotland.
Mr Kerry was also asked about loss and damage — negotiation language for providing the most vulnerable countries with funds to adapt to damage wreaked by climate change or mitigate its effects.
Loss and damage was added to the agenda of the UN climate summit in Egypt, a goal that had proved elusive for years.
"It's a well-known fact that the United States and many other countries will not establish some sort of legal structure that is tied to compensation or liability. That's just not happening," Mr Kerry said.
"We will find a way, I am confident, to be able to have financial arrangements that reflect the reality of how we are all going to deal with the climate crisis."
Mr Kerry also refused to be drawn into details of his talks on the sidelines of Cop27 with China’s climate envoy, whose country is the world’s second largest gas emitter after the US.
He described the talks as informal and said the situation would become clearer after President Joe Biden meets Chinese leader Xi Jinping next week at the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia.
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
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
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
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