European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen unveils the Commission's broad orientations of 'Green New Deal' plan to fight climate change before the European Parliament in Brussels on December 11, 2019. AFP / ARIS OIKONOMOU
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen unveils the Commission's broad orientations of 'Green New Deal' plan to fight climate change before the European Parliament in Brussels on December 11, 2019. AFP / ARIS OIKONOMOU
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen unveils the Commission's broad orientations of 'Green New Deal' plan to fight climate change before the European Parliament in Brussels on December 11, 2019. AFP / ARIS OIKONOMOU
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen unveils the Commission's broad orientations of 'Green New Deal' plan to fight climate change before the European Parliament in Brussels on December 1

Europe launches 'Green Deal' as Greta Thunberg denounces climate inaction


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Europe on Wednesday unveiled its “Green Deal” to slash fossil fuel dependence and battle climate change, as teen activist Greta Thunberg rebuked global leaders for lack of sufficient action.

With fires, floods and droughts ruining millions of lives around the world, the EU’s new executive described the plan as a major milestone, bringing hope among campaigners that other big emitters might follow.

But the commitments by Europe and other major economies are still far below the pace of change scientists say is needed to avert disaster, stoking fury at Cop25, the UN climate negotiations in Madrid.

“I’m sure that if people heard what was going on and what was said during these meetings, they would be outraged,” Ms Thunberg told the gathering.

On Wednesday, she was named Time's Person of the Year for 2019.

“It seems to have turned into some kind of opportunity for countries to negotiate loopholes and to avoid raising their ambition,” Ms Thunberg said, accusing politicians of “clever accounting” and “creative PR”.

Hours later, police removed more than 100 mostly young protesters, some of whom were crying and angrily demanding “climate justice” outside the usually calm annual two-week climate talks.

“It’s a terrible signal to the world,” said Jennifer Morgan, executive director of Greenpeace International, who left the venue to support the protesters.

"If they think they can keep us out to try to roll things through, then they are wrong."

In Brussels, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen portrayed the Green Deal, her first major proposal since taking office on December 1, as a major step towards committing the EU to carbon neutrality by 2050.

“Today is the start of a journey, but this is Europe’s man on the moon moment,” Ms von der Leyen said.

There was a lack of new commitments from other major emitters at the Madrid talks, and many questioned how quickly the bloc could embrace a low-carbon future.

Coal-reliant eastern European states want financial guarantees before backing the Green Deal, and campaigners said the initiative fell short of the massive shifts needed to save ecosystems.

“We’re on a runaway train to ecological and climate collapse, and the EU Commission is gently switching gears instead of slamming on the brakes,” said Jagoda Munic, director of Friends of the Earth Europe.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he hoped the Green Deal would encourage other big emitters such as India, China and Japan to also increase their pledges under the 2015 Paris Agreement.

“If we just go on as we are, we are doomed,” Mr Guterres said.

The European Commission promised new laws in March to make the EU climate neutral by 2050 under the Green Deal.

It also aims to tighten emissions targets, and develop a Just Transition Fund of at least €35 billion (Dh143.15bn) to support those nations most affected.

To encourage the rest of the world to follow the EU’s lead, there would also be a carbon border tax, which are essentially tariffs on imported polluting goods.

Climate change activist Greta Thunberg is seen behind young climate activists on stage at the High-Level event on Climate Emergency during the UN Climate Change Conference (COP25) in Madrid, Spain December 11, 2019. REUTERS/Susana Vera
Climate change activist Greta Thunberg is seen behind young climate activists on stage at the High-Level event on Climate Emergency during the UN Climate Change Conference (COP25) in Madrid, Spain December 11, 2019. REUTERS/Susana Vera

All member states except Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary have signed up to the climate neutral goal, which would mean not adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere beyond what can be absorbed.

“We are telling adults to act,” said Annika Kruse, 18, an activist who travelled by train from Germany to the talks in Madrid, and was among those removed by police.

There was also a call to action from outer space.

Inside the International Space Station, Italian astronaut Col Luca Parmitano joined the summit by live video.

Col Parmitano pleaded with people to “pull their heads out of the sand”.

Basquiat in Abu Dhabi

One of Basquiat’s paintings, the vibrant Cabra (1981–82), now hangs in Louvre Abu Dhabi temporarily, on loan from the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. 

The latter museum is not open physically, but has assembled a collection and puts together a series of events called Talking Art, such as this discussion, moderated by writer Chaedria LaBouvier. 

It's something of a Basquiat season in Abu Dhabi at the moment. Last week, The Radiant Child, a documentary on Basquiat was shown at Manarat Al Saadiyat, and tonight (April 18) the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is throwing the re-creation of a party tonight, of the legendary Canal Zone party thrown in 1979, which epitomised the collaborative scene of the time. It was at Canal Zone that Basquiat met prominent members of the art world and moved from unknown graffiti artist into someone in the spotlight.  

“We’ve invited local resident arists, we’ll have spray cans at the ready,” says curator Maisa Al Qassemi of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. 

Guggenheim Abu Dhabi's Canal Zone Remix is at Manarat Al Saadiyat, Thursday April 18, from 8pm. Free entry to all. Basquiat's Cabra is on view at Louvre Abu Dhabi until October

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Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
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  • Wear a protective helmet
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  • Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
  • Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
  • Do not drive outside designated lanes
OIL PLEDGE

At the start of Russia's invasion, IEA member countries held 1.5 billion barrels in public reserves and about 575 million barrels under obligations with industry, according to the agency's website. The two collective actions of the IEA this year of 62.7 million barrels, which was agreed on March 1, and this week's 120 million barrels amount to 9 per cent of total emergency reserves, it added.

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Watch live

The National will broadcast live from the IMF on Friday October 13 at 7pm UAE time (3pm GMT) as our Editor-in-Chief Mina Al-Oraibi moderates a panel on how technology can help growth in MENA.

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US PGA Championship in numbers

Joost Luiten produced a memorable hole in one at the par-three fourth in the first round.

To date, the only two players to win the PGA Championship after winning the week before are Rory McIlroy (2014 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational) and Tiger Woods (2007, WGC-Bridgestone Invitational). Hideki Matsuyama or Chris Stroud could have made it three.

Number of seasons without a major for McIlroy, who finished in a tie for 22nd.

4 Louis Oosthuizen has now finished second in all four of the game's major championships.

In the fifth hole of the final round, McIlroy holed his longest putt of the week - from 16ft 8in - for birdie.

For the sixth successive year, play was disrupted by bad weather with a delay of one hour and 43 minutes on Friday.

Seven under par (64) was the best round of the week, shot by Matsuyama and Francesco Molinari on Day 2.

Number of shots taken by Jason Day on the 18th hole in round three after a risky recovery shot backfired.

Jon Rahm's age in months the last time Phil Mickelson missed the cut in the US PGA, in 1995.

10 Jimmy Walker's opening round as defending champion was a 10-over-par 81.

11 The par-four 11th coincidentally ranked as the 11th hardest hole overall with a scoring average of 4.192.

12 Paul Casey was a combined 12 under par for his first round in this year's majors.

13 The average world ranking of the last 13 PGA winners before this week was 25. Kevin Kisner began the week ranked 25th.

14 The world ranking of Justin Thomas before his victory.

15 Of the top 15 players after 54 holes, only Oosthuizen had previously won a major.

16 The par-four 16th marks the start of Quail Hollow's so-called "Green Mile" of finishing holes, some of the toughest in golf.

17 The first round scoring average of the last 17 major champions was 67.2. Kisner and Thorbjorn Olesen shot 67 on day one at Quail Hollow.

18 For the first time in 18 majors, the eventual winner was over par after round one (Thomas shot 73).

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Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

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• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases -  but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.

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