When president Donald Trump announced that the United States would pull out of the Paris climate deal, it was seen as either a sign of defeat or a chance to fill the vacuum that would be left by the world's second largest carbon dioxide emitter.
China, the biggest source of climate-warming greenhouse gases, remains committed to its goal to reduce global temperature to two degrees Celsius or less by the end of this century.
The move of Chinese president Xi Jinping’s government to authorise a new environmental tax that will start in 2018 was heralded as one of the biggest top-down environmental policy decisions leading up to the 23rd session of the Conference of the Parties – to address climate change – in the German city of Bonn.
India has also stepped up efforts to fight climate change by launching a large-scale solar energy project that aims to provide 40 per cent of the country’s energy by 2030.
Meanwhile, Germany said it will provide an additional 100 million euros (Dh430.3m) to assist developing countries in meeting their national climate goals.
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Syria to join Paris climate pact, isolating US
Groundbreaking action needs to be taken to address climate change
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However, despite efforts by the 195 nations still committed to the Paris Agreement – which was adopted in 2015 and calls for capping global warming at two degrees below pre-industrial levels – the US pulling out of the climate deal is discouraging, according to Christiana Figueres, former president if the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
"Unless the US has a positive signal for the governments to do their job, even if China and India are doing a great job – even if they are doing that domestically – the push on the international political platform to curb climate change will be very difficult," she told The National on the sidelines of the climate talks.
However, according to former and current US governors, the United States is “still in” to fight global warming despite the Trump administration’s decision to pull out of the international climate deal.
A campaign launched by more than 2,500 American entities, including state governments and universities, have signed the We Are Still In declaration to show that their organisations still represent US commitment to the Paris Agreement.
“The reason we came here is to let you know that Trump cannot stop us. You do not have an international treaty and pull out, so we have an action plan that is cleaning the environment,” said Jay Inslee, governor of Washington, in Bonn.
He, along with governor of Oregon Kate Brown and governor of California Jerry Brown, said their states are committed to fighting global warming.
The three states and 12 others formed the US Climate Alliance, whose members make up 40 per cent of the US economy and are committed to the Paris Agreement.
If these non-federal actors were a country, their economy would be the third largest in the world, bigger than all but two national parties to the Paris Agreement.
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Responsibility for climate change lies with us all
Trump administration report confirms global warming
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“I do not accept the fact that just because we have Trump, the rest of the world goes to hell,” said Mr Brown of California. “It’s not just America slacking off, we can criticise all the countries for not doing enough, if Trump does less you have to do more, we’re all in this.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger, former governor of California, said more can be done to counter Mr Trump’s “stone age” actions.
“We fought, and I think this is why we can achieve our goals, I said at the UN that [American] states have tremendous power, the reality of it is that local governments do 70 per cent of the action,” he said.
“This is why I was not concerned when Trump dropped out, China doesn’t need to pick up the vacuum and not India, we pick up the vacuum.”
SUCCESSION SEASON 4 EPISODE 1
Created by: Jesse Armstrong
Stars: Brian Cox, Jeremy Strong, Kieran Culkin, Sarah Snook, Nicholas Braun
Rating: 4/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Revibe
Started: 2022
Founders: Hamza Iraqui and Abdessamad Ben Zakour
Based: UAE
Industry: Refurbished electronics
Funds raised so far: $10m
Investors: Flat6Labs, Resonance and various others
GOODBYE JULIA
Director: Mohamed Kordofani
Starring: Siran Riak, Eiman Yousif, Nazar Goma
Rating: 5/5
Specs: 2024 McLaren Artura Spider
Engine: 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 and electric motor
Max power: 700hp at 7,500rpm
Max torque: 720Nm at 2,250rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
0-100km/h: 3.0sec
Top speed: 330kph
Price: From Dh1.14 million ($311,000)
On sale: Now
DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin
Director: Shawn Levy
Rating: 2.5/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Xpanceo
Started: 2018
Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality
Funding: $40 million
Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)
Traits of Chinese zodiac animals
Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent
RESULT
Bayer Leverkusen 2 Bayern Munich 4
Leverkusen: Alario (9'), Wirtz (89')
Bayern: Coman (27'), Goretzka (42'), Gnabry (45'), Lewandowski (66')
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Mental health support in the UAE
● Estijaba helpline: 8001717
● UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention hotline: 045192519
● UAE Mental health support line: 800 4673 (Hope)
More information at hope.hw.gov.ae
The specs: 2018 Genesis G70
Price, base / as tested: Dh155,000 / Dh205,000
Engine: 3.3-litre, turbocharged V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 370hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 510Nm @ 1,300rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 10.6L / 100km
Company Profile
Company name: Cargoz
Date started: January 2022
Founders: Premlal Pullisserry and Lijo Antony
Based: Dubai
Number of staff: 30
Investment stage: Seed
The Roundup : No Way Out
Director: Lee Sang-yong
Stars: Don Lee, Lee Jun-hyuk, Munetaka Aoki
Rating: 3/5
Honeymoonish
Director: Elie El Samaan
Starring: Nour Al Ghandour, Mahmoud Boushahri
Rating: 3/5
Confirmed bouts (more to be added)
Cory Sandhagen v Umar Nurmagomedov
Nick Diaz v Vicente Luque
Michael Chiesa v Tony Ferguson
Deiveson Figueiredo v Marlon Vera
Mackenzie Dern v Loopy Godinez
Tickets for the August 3 Fight Night, held in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi, went on sale earlier this month, through www.etihadarena.ae and www.ticketmaster.ae.
J Street Polling Results
97% of Jewish-Americans are concerned about the rise in anti-Semitism
76% of US Jewish voters believe Donald Trump and his allies in the Republican Party are responsible for a rise in anti-Semitism
74% of American Jews agreed that “Trump and the Maga movement are a threat to Jews in America"
More on Palestine-Israeli relations
The Bio
Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
Favourite place to relax in UAE: the desert around Al Mleiha in Sharjah or the eastern mangroves in Abu Dhabi
The one book everyone should read: 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It will make your mind fly
Favourite documentary: Chasing Coral by Jeff Orlowski. It's a good reality check about one of the most valued ecosystems for humanity
The specs
Engine: 3.6-litre, V6
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Power: 285hp
Torque: 353Nm
Price: Dh159,900
On sale: now
Company Profile
Name: Direct Debit System
Started: Sept 2017
Based: UAE with a subsidiary in the UK
Industry: FinTech
Funding: Undisclosed
Investors: Elaine Jones
Number of employees: 8
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: SmartCrowd
Started: 2018
Founder: Siddiq Farid and Musfique Ahmed
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech / PropTech
Initial investment: $650,000
Current number of staff: 35
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Various institutional investors and notable angel investors (500 MENA, Shurooq, Mada, Seedstar, Tricap)
Company profile
Company name: Fasset
Started: 2019
Founders: Mohammad Raafi Hossain, Daniel Ahmed
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $2.45 million
Current number of staff: 86
Investment stage: Pre-series B
Investors: Investcorp, Liberty City Ventures, Fatima Gobi Ventures, Primal Capital, Wealthwell Ventures, FHS Capital, VN2 Capital, local family offices
Company Profile
Company name: Namara
Started: June 2022
Founder: Mohammed Alnamara
Based: Dubai
Sector: Microfinance
Current number of staff: 16
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Family offices
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets