Cop28 in the UAE will be the most significant climate conference event since Paris, when countries pledged to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, the event's director general said on Thursday.
Majid Al Suwaidi said the Emirates would make inclusivity the hallmark of its presidency as “we need everyone to address climate change”.
“Cop28 is going to be a landmark Cop because the UAE is highly ambitious about making the moment count. And that is not just about the formal text that gets negotiated at the end,” he said.
We knew that stepping into the spotlight would draw criticism. The question on many minds is, why are we doing it?
Majid Al Suwaidi,
director-general of Cop28
He added that Cop21, where the Paris Agreement was adopted by 196 parties in 2015, was a milestone because, for the first time, all countries in the world agreed to set targets for cutting emissions.
“But we knew at the time those targets wouldn’t be enough to get us where we need to be, so we built into the agreement a mechanism to come back in five years to take stock and to raise ambition, he continued.
“That is what is mandated to happen for the first time at Cop28 UAE.”
Positive story to tell
Mr Al Suwaidi was delivering his keynote address at the Countdown to Cop27 event held at Jumeirah at Saadiyat Island Resort — jointly organised by The Economist and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
He said the decision to bid for Cop28, which will be held at Expo City Dubai, was driven by the “positive story” that the UAE has to tell about the benefits of embracing climate change.
“We knew that stepping into the spotlight would draw criticism. The question on many minds is, why are we doing it?” he said.
“First, because climate action is something the UAE really cares about. The UAE leadership recognised the risks of inaction on climate change.”
He added that the UAE is ahead of its time in embracing the economic potential of action on climate change.
“The global employment in renewables reached 12.7 million jobs last year, with predictions of 40 million jobs worldwide by 2030 and 122 million by 2050,” Mr Al Suwaidi said, citing recent data from the International Renewable Energy Agency.
The UAE was the first country in the region to adopt the Paris climate change action mandate and also the first to declare a target of net zero by 2050.
He said the UAE is taking on the presidency because “we believe we have the expertise to make a real difference”.
As an energy-exporting nation, he said the UAE understands the realities of what it is going to take to get to net zero.
Mr Al Suwaidi said there is a need to get the developing world to transition to clean energy as soon as possible.
“Leading by example, the UAE has provided over $1.5 billion of aid for renewable energy projects in more than 40 developing countries,” he said.
The UAE has led the way in the region by building three of the largest solar plants: the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is the largest single-site solar park in the world and will be able to generate 5,000 megawatts by 2030. The $600 million Shams 1 is the largest concentrated solar power plant outside the US.
“We are an early pioneer in the emerging hydrogen market. We have established the first nuclear plant in the region,” said Mr Al Suwaidi.
The UAE is also one the world’s largest international investors in renewable energy projects — with a total spending of $50bn in 70 countries to date and with another $50bn to invest by 2030, he pointed out.
He said the UAE wanted to host Cop28 because it is well placed to bring people together and build global consensus.
“Here in the UAE, we have been big believers in the international system,” he said.
The UAE will work hard next year to build consensus, create coalitions and bring people together before it welcomes the world to Expo City Dubai.
ALL THE RESULTS
Bantamweight
Siyovush Gulmomdov (TJK) bt Rey Nacionales (PHI) by decision.
Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (ROU) bt Hussein Fakhir Abed (SYR) by submission.
Catch 74kg
Omar Hussein (JOR) bt Tohir Zhuraev (TJK) by decision.
Strawweight (Female)
Seo Ye-dam (KOR) bt Weronika Zygmunt (POL) by decision.
Featherweight
Kaan Ofli (TUR) bt Walid Laidi (ALG) by TKO.
Lightweight
Abdulla Al Bousheiri (KUW) bt Leandro Martins (BRA) by TKO.
Welterweight
Ahmad Labban (LEB) bt Sofiane Benchohra (ALG) by TKO.
Bantamweight
Jaures Dea (CAM) v Nawras Abzakh (JOR) no contest.
Lightweight
Mohammed Yahya (UAE) bt Glen Ranillo (PHI) by TKO round 1.
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) bt Aidan Aguilera (AUS) by TKO round 1.
Welterweight
Mounir Lazzez (TUN) bt Sasha Palatkinov (HKG) by TKO round 1.
Featherweight title bout
Romando Dy (PHI) v Lee Do-gyeom (KOR) by KO round 1.
Read more about the coronavirus
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
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What%20is%20cystic%20fibrosis%3F
%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3ECystic%20fibrosis%20is%20a%20genetic%20disorder%20that%20affects%20the%20lungs%2C%20pancreas%20and%20other%20organs.%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EIt%20causes%20the%20production%20of%20thick%2C%20sticky%20mucus%20that%20can%20clog%20the%20airways%20and%20lead%20to%20severe%20respiratory%20and%20digestive%20problems.%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EPatients%20with%20the%20condition%20are%20prone%20to%20lung%20infections%20and%20often%20suffer%20from%20chronic%20coughing%2C%20wheezing%20and%20shortness%20of%20breath.%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ELife%20expectancy%20for%20sufferers%20of%20cystic%20fibrosis%20is%20now%20around%2050%20years.%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A
What is an ETF?
An exchange traded fund is a type of investment fund that can be traded quickly and easily, just like stocks and shares. They come with no upfront costs aside from your brokerage's dealing charges and annual fees, which are far lower than on traditional mutual investment funds. Charges are as low as 0.03 per cent on one of the very cheapest (and most popular), Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, with the maximum around 0.75 per cent.
There is no fund manager deciding which stocks and other assets to invest in, instead they passively track their chosen index, country, region or commodity, regardless of whether it goes up or down.
The first ETF was launched as recently as 1993, but the sector boasted $5.78 billion in assets under management at the end of September as inflows hit record highs, according to the latest figures from ETFGI, a leading independent research and consultancy firm.
There are thousands to choose from, with the five largest providers BlackRock’s iShares, Vanguard, State Street Global Advisers, Deutsche Bank X-trackers and Invesco PowerShares.
While the best-known track major indices such as MSCI World, the S&P 500 and FTSE 100, you can also invest in specific countries or regions, large, medium or small companies, government bonds, gold, crude oil, cocoa, water, carbon, cattle, corn futures, currency shifts or even a stock market crash.
Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.
A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.
Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.
A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.
On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.
The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.
Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.
The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later.
The years Ramadan fell in May
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)
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km