A woman and children fill tanks with water at a displaced persons camp in Herat province, Afghanistan. AFP
A woman and children fill tanks with water at a displaced persons camp in Herat province, Afghanistan. AFP
A woman and children fill tanks with water at a displaced persons camp in Herat province, Afghanistan. AFP
A woman and children fill tanks with water at a displaced persons camp in Herat province, Afghanistan. AFP

UAE urges focus on security impact of climate change at Cop26


Tim Stickings
  • English
  • Arabic

The UAE has joined calls for the security impact of climate change to climb to the top of the agenda at Cop26.

Ministers speaking at the Glasgow summit have raised concerns about conflicts triggered by scarce resources as the natural environment worsens.

Many countries which are vulnerable to climate change are also politically and economically fragile, increasing the risk of conflict.

Mariam Al Mheiri, the UAE’s Minister of Climate Change and Environment, said the country was already spending billions of dollars on relief for disasters and conflicts that were “unequivocally worsened by climate change”.

She said the UAE’s partners had described displacement, damaged infrastructure and even extremism in their countries as resources become scarcer.

“It is accordingly time for climate security to assume a place at the top of the international agenda, especially here at the Cop”, she told a panel co-hosted by the UAE.

She set out four priorities: investing in fragile countries, innovation in agriculture, pre-emptive humanitarian aid, and the impact on women and girls.

Her proposals for farming included solar-powered irrigation systems, drought-resistant seeds and better coastal management.

She spoke on the day that more than 40 world leaders at Cop26 promised to bring clean technology to farmers in vulnerable countries.

It was one of numerous agreements on the second day of the summit, which saw dozens of leaders agree to cut methane emissions and tackle deforestation.

“We cannot overstate the security implications of the collapse of rural economies”, the minister said.

Decisions at Cop26 “must be informed by the fact that many countries are experiencing climate change as a form of violence”.

Left to right: Britain's Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, Kenya's Foreign Minister Raychelle Omamo and Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg speak at the Cop26 summit in Glasgow. AFP
Left to right: Britain's Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, Kenya's Foreign Minister Raychelle Omamo and Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg speak at the Cop26 summit in Glasgow. AFP

Military concerns

Nato countries increasingly see climate change as a security threat and agreed a 10-point action plan at a summit in June. The alliance is represented at UN climate talks for the first time.

Diplomatic efforts will continue after Cop26, with Germany planning to launch an initiative at a conference in February.

Ben Wallace, the UK’s Defence Secretary, said military forces would be dealing with the fallout if climate negotiations fail.

Ministers face the separate challenge of cutting carbon emissions in their own armed forces. Mr Wallace said the British military was looking to go green but could not power down essential technology while it waits for cleaner options.

“As a defence minister, we have to effectively deal with both sides of the coin”, he said.

“We have a strong obligation to make sure that our forces deliver a sustainable deployment and indeed make sure they move from traditional energies and fuel requirements to more modern requirements.

“But also, we will have to deal with the consequences of a failed climate change policy, if that happens.”

Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said troops were preparing for climate change by training in the extreme heat where they might one day have to fight.

“I really believe that security and climate, that is two sides of the same coin”, he said.

“Climate change is making our world more dangerous. Therefore, it matters for security, and therefore it matters for Nato.”

Martha Pobee, a UN delegate to Africa, said eight of the 15 countries most susceptible to climate risks hosted a UN peacekeeping or political mission. This was no coincidence, she said.

“Climate change and armed conflict may represent distinct policy areas, but their consequences increasingly converge in the real world”, she said.

The specs

Engine: 3.8-litre V6

Power: 295hp at 6,000rpm

Torque: 355Nm at 5,200rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 10.7L/100km

Price: Dh179,999-plus

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Roll of honour 2019-2020

Dubai Rugby Sevens

Winners: Dubai Hurricanes

Runners up: Bahrain

 

West Asia Premiership

Winners: Bahrain

Runners up: UAE Premiership

 

UAE Premiership

Winners: Dubai Exiles

Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes

 

UAE Division One

Winners: Abu Dhabi Saracens

Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes II

 

UAE Division Two

Winners: Barrelhouse

Runners up: RAK Rugby

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It Was Just an Accident

Director: Jafar Panahi

Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr

Rating: 4/5

Sole survivors
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Herc's Adventures

Developer: Big Ape Productions
Publisher: LucasArts
Console: PlayStation 1 & 5, Sega Saturn
Rating: 4/5

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5.25pm: Etihad Museum – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,200m

6pm: Al Shindaga Museum – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (Dirt) 1,200m

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8.20pm: Al Fahidi – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 2,200m

8.55pm: Zabeel Trophy – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh120,000 (T) 1,600m

9.30pm: Coins Museum – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,600m

10.05pm: Al Quoz Creative – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,000m

Cricket World Cup League 2

UAE results
Lost to Oman by eight runs
Beat Namibia by three wickets
Lost to Oman by 12 runs
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UAE fixtures
Free admission. All fixtures broadcast live on icc.tv

Tuesday March 15, v PNG at Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Friday March 18, v Nepal at Dubai International Stadium
Saturday March 19, v PNG at Dubai International Stadium
Monday March 21, v Nepal at Dubai International Stadium

UAE%20SQUAD
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Kamindu Mendis bio

Full name: Pasqual Handi Kamindu Dilanka Mendis

Born: September 30, 1998

Age: 20 years and 26 days

Nationality: Sri Lankan

Major teams Sri Lanka's Under 19 team

Batting style: Left-hander

Bowling style: Right-arm off-spin and slow left-arm orthodox (that's right!)

ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA

Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi

Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser

Rating: 4.5/5

Why seagrass matters
  • Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
  • Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
  • Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
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UK-EU trade at a glance

EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years

Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products

Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries

Smoother border management with use of e-gates

Cutting red tape on import and export of food

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo

Power: 258hp from 5,000-6,500rpm

Torque: 400Nm from 1,550-4,000rpm

Transmission: Eight-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.1L/100km

Price: from Dh362,500

On sale: now

The team

Videographer: Jear Velasquez 

Photography: Romeo Perez 

Fashion director: Sarah Maisey 

Make-up: Gulum Erzincan at Art Factory 

Models: Meti and Clinton at MMG 

Video assistant: Zanong Maget 

Social media: Fatima Al Mahmoud  

Our Time Has Come
Alyssa Ayres, Oxford University Press

Updated: November 03, 2021, 3:00 AM`