Dr Nawal Al-Hosany is permanent representative of the UAE to the International Renewable Energy Agency
October 09, 2021
For the UAE to launch a strategy aimed at achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 is a bold and necessary statement. It will have a ripple effect across geographies. As one of the largest economies in the Middle East, our example of pivoting to a future powered by clean energy will show that nothing is impossible – in the true spirit of the Emirates.
By becoming the first country in the region to adopt a net-zero by 2050 strategy, and investing heavily to get there, the UAE will play a pivotal role in building a greener, cleaner and more inclusive world for all.
And we will do so shoulder-by-shoulder with the international community. So far, the US, the EU, China, Japan, South Korea and the UK have committed to net-zero targets by 2050-2060. Collectively they comprise more than 50 per cent of global emissions.
By joining the international community, we add further momentum to global efforts to combat the impending, but avoidable, consequences of climate change. It will also define the future energy landscape, with the UAE’s established and pipeline of renewable energy solutions set to become critical enablers of the global energy transition.
The mid-century initiative announced by the UAE government on Thursday at Expo 2020 Dubai capped off the first week of the event which, under the theme of “Climate and Biodiversity”, has felt like a precursor to this UN Climate Change Conference, popularly known as Cop26.
From the range of sessions that I have attended as a speaker, moderator and audience member, we’ve heard from youth about their outrage and their optimism for the planet, we’ve heard from women leaders in government, the private sector and in conservation efforts around the world about the actions needed to forge more inclusive societies. And now we’ve heard from our leadership that decarbonisation is a top priority.
The net-zero announcement comes at a critical time for our nation, the region and the wider world. With the UAE’s population set to exceed 10.5 million by 2030, overcoming the perils of climate change is an urgent need, especially if we are to continue to provide an exceptional quality of life for the people that call the Emirates their home.
And beyond our borders, providing access to clean energy and electricity for the 750 million people who still do not have it is of utmost importance. To help us get there, as Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, announced that the UAE will invest more than $160 billion in clean and renewable energy projects by 2050.
It is this continued pursuit of progress and developing solutions to global challenges that makes the UAE a regional and global leader for economic and human development both at home and abroad.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, inaugurated Dubai Electricity and Water Authority’s Research and Development Centre at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in March. Wam
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has inaugurated Dubai Electricity and Water Authority’s (DEWA’s) Research and Development (R&D) Centre at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. Wam
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, inaugurated Dubai Electricity and Water Authority’s Research and Development Centre at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in March. Wam
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, inaugurates Dubai Electricity and Water Authority’s Research and Development Centre at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in March. Wam
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, inaugurates Dubai Electricity and Water Authority’s Research and Development Centre at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in March. Wam
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, inaugurates Dubai Electricity and Water Authority’s Research and Development Centre at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in March. Wam
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, inaugurates Dubai Electricity and Water Authority’s Research and Development Centre at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai. Wam
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, inaugurates Dubai Electricity and Water Authority’s Research and Development Centre at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai. Wam
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, inaugurates Dubai Electricity and Water Authority’s Research and Development Centre at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai. Wam
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, inaugurates Dubai Electricity and Water Authority’s Research and Development Centre at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai. Wam
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, inaugurates Dubai Electricity and Water Authority’s Research and Development Centre at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai. Wam
This latest in a long line of ambitious initiatives set by the UAE is nothing if not an act of encouragement: of ushering in a brighter, cleaner future, starting today.
It will encourage carbon-intense industries to innovate and adapt to cleaner methods of production, while benefitting from green growth opportunities. It will encourage the acceleration of research and development into carbon capture and clean energy technologies. It will encourage people to recycle and reconsider their water and energy consumption habits.
In short, it will encourage us to start planning for tomorrow, today. 2050 will not arrive unexpected. We will be ready for our date with our 21st century destiny. Indeed, we have been ready for some time.
The net-zero initiative builds on long-established, solid foundations, especially in our renewable energy sector. To date, the UAE has invested more than $40bn in domestic clean energy projects, and has been a major contributor to renewable energy projects in 70 countries worth a combined total of almost $20bn.
Our committed pursuit of renewable energy solutions has today seen us become home to the world’s largest solar energy parks, incuding the 77-square kilometre Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, and Al Dhafra Solar photovoltaic park that is due to start operations in 2022, when it will become the world's largest single-site solar power plant, using four million solar panels to generate enough electricity for about 160,000 homes in the UAE.
On the global stage, the pathway for the country laid out by the UAE's leadership at Expo 2020 Dubai will resonate with world leaders. Expo 2020 Dubai
In short, the initiative will encourage us to start planning for tomorrow, today
The net-zero initiative will play a critical role in the broader national strategic framework being drawn-up by the UAE. For instance, in 2021 alone the UAE has set out plans to promote a cleaner and more globally competitive industrial sector, through Operation 300bn, which seeks to make industry cleaner, more efficient and productive through the increased adoption of Fourth Industrial Revolution solutions and advanced technologies.
Doing so will dramatically reduce the carbon footprint of national manufacturers and industrialists. Moreover, industries where the full force of these plans will be felt include so-called industries of the future, such as green hydrogen.
Further, the Circular Economy Policy was introduced to achieve sustainable governance, promote environmental health and support the private sector to adopt cleaner production methods. And plans have been introduced to increase nature reserves and natural spaces by 60 per cent in Dubai, through the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan.
On the global stage, the pathway for the country laid out by the leadership at Expo 2020 Dubai will resonate with world leaders, particularly amid times that are challenging all of us to rethink how we shape society in the years ahead. And it is this constant ability to shift with the times, adapt to new normal and thrive whatever the climate, that makes the UAE the perfect platform to host Cop28 in two years.
Recipe
Garlicky shrimp in olive oil
Gambas Al Ajillo
Preparation time: 5 to 10 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients
180ml extra virgin olive oil; 4 to 5 large cloves of garlic, minced or pureed (or 3 to 4 garlic scapes, roughly chopped); 1 or 2 small hot red chillies, dried (or ¼ teaspoon dried red chilli flakes); 400g raw prawns, deveined, heads removed and tails left intact; a generous splash of sweet chilli vinegar; sea salt flakes for seasoning; a small handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Method
▶ Heat the oil in a terracotta dish or frying pan. Once the oil is sizzling hot, add the garlic and chilli, stirring continuously for about 10 seconds until golden and aromatic.
▶ Add a splash of sweet chilli vinegar and as it vigorously simmers, releasing perfumed aromas, add the prawns and cook, stirring a few times.
▶ Once the prawns turn pink, after 1 or 2 minutes of cooking, remove from the heat and season with sea salt flakes.
▶ Once the prawns are cool enough to eat, scatter with parsley and serve with small forks or toothpicks as the perfect sharing starter. Finish off with crusty bread to soak up all that flavour-infused olive oil.
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Scores
Day 2
New Zealand 153 & 56-1
Pakistan 227
New Zealand trail by 18 runs with nine wickets remaining
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities. Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids. Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
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Ministry of Interior Ministry of Defence General Intelligence Directorate Air Force Intelligence Agency Political Security Directorate Syrian National Security Bureau Military Intelligence Directorate Army Supply Bureau General Organisation of Radio and TV Al Watan newspaper Cham Press TV Sama TV
Pakistan 418-5 (declared)
New Zealand 90 and 131-2 (follow on)
Day 3: New Zealand trail by 197 runs with 8 wickets remaining
Prop idols
Girls full-contact rugby may be in its infancy in the Middle East, but there are already a number of role models for players to look up to.
Sophie Shams (Dubai Exiles mini, England sevens international)
An Emirati student who is blazing a trail in rugby. She first learnt the game at Dubai Exiles and captained her JESS Primary school team. After going to study geophysics at university in the UK, she scored a sensational try in a cup final at Twickenham. She has played for England sevens, and is now contracted to top Premiership club Saracens.
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Seren Gough-Walters (Sharjah Wanderers mini, Wales rugby league international)
Few players anywhere will have taken a more circuitous route to playing rugby on Sky Sports. Gough-Walters was born in Al Wasl Hospital in Dubai, raised in Sharjah, did not take up rugby seriously till she was 15, has a master’s in global governance and ethics, and once worked as an immigration officer at the British Embassy in Abu Dhabi. In the summer of 2021 she played for Wales against England in rugby league, in a match that was broadcast live on TV.
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Erin King (Dubai Hurricanes mini, Ireland sevens international)
Aged five, Australia-born King went to Dubai Hurricanes training at The Sevens with her brothers. She immediately struck up a deep affection for rugby. She returned to the city at the end of last year to play at the Dubai Rugby Sevens in the colours of Ireland in the Women’s World Series tournament on Pitch 1.
All matches in Bulawayo Friday, Sept 26 – UAE won by 36 runs Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
Key findings of Jenkins report
Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
West Asia Premiership - Winners: Jebel Ali Dragons; Runners up: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Premiership Cup - Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins; Runners up: Dubai Exiles
West Asia Cup - Winners: Bahrain; Runners up: Dubai Exiles
West Asia Trophy - Winners: Dubai Hurricanes; Runners up: DSC Eagles
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Fixture (UAE Premiership final) - Friday, April 13, Al Ain – Dubai Exiles v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Huroob Ezterari
Director: Ahmed Moussa
Starring: Ahmed El Sakka, Amir Karara, Ghada Adel and Moustafa Mohammed
Three stars
Results
ATP Dubai Championships on Monday (x indicates seed):
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
