Plastic pollution talks South Korea fail to reach landmark deal
Busan, South Korea - Deeply divided negotiators failed on Sunday to reach a landmark global treaty to curb plastic pollution, missing...
COP29: Why new climate pledges need ambition, finance and action to succeed
Major emitters must take the lead, but every nation has a role in addressing the climate crisis. Success hinges on...
COP28 UAE
Mashreq commits $30bn to UAE banking sector’s sustainable finance by 2030 pledge
DUBAI, UAE -Mashreq bank has been announced as one of the top contributors to the UAE Banks Federation’s (UBF) pledge,...
- UAE Banks Federation had pledged to mobilize US$272 billion (AED 1 trillion) in sustainable finance by 2030 at COP 28 meeting.
- Mashreq’s commitment to facilitating US$30 billion by 2030 builds on years of sustainable finance deployment in the MENA region.
COP28 UAE
‘Unintended consequences’: friction at COP28 over green trade
Inside the negotiating rooms and on the sidelines of the COP28 climate talks, simmering tensions over wealthy countries' "green trade"...
- WTO has received about 18,000 complaints over green policies yet trade was still often overlooked by climate policymakers, director general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said
- Concerns have also been raised that these kind of climate policies may make it harder for another nation to sell their goods or access clean energy technology
Economy
‘COP28 makes significant strides in climate action’
"COP28 is a very important conference because what it's doing is not just bringing people together, but it provides certainty...
- World Bank President Ajay Banga emphasizes COP28's significant progress in climate action, lauding its establishment of definitive deadlines for climate commitments.
- The ALTÉRRA fund, with a $30 billion capital, will enhance global climate action, alongside the World Bank's commitment to solar projects in Africa and methane reduction.
Business
Biodiversity credits demand may rise to $180bn annually by 2050
The transformation hinges on nearly all major companies adopting nature-related goals, with biodiversity credits playing a major role.
- Biodiversity credits are a novel financial instrument that could play a major role in contributing to a nature-positive future, explains the WEF report
- The WEF’s Global Risks Report 2023 has ranked biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse as one of the top five threats to humanity over the next ten years
Geostrategy
Masdar City to construct region’s first net-zero energy mosque
Abu Dhabi, UAE - Masdar City, an Abu Dhabi, UAE-based sustainability and innovation hub dedicated to making all cities a...
- The mosque’s total energy requirements were reduced by 35 percent compared to international baselines using passive design
- Low-flow water fixtures, drought-resistant landscaping, and the use of recycled water for irrigation will reduce water use by 55 percent
COP28 UAE
We respect climate science, says COP28 head
DUBAI, UAE - The Emirati president of the UN's COP28 talks said on Monday he respects climate science, after a leaked...
- Sultan Al Jaber also repeated his past statements that a phase out of fossil fuels was "inevitable".
- He acknowledged that global greenhouse gas emissions must be cut by 43 percent by 2030.
Geostrategy
Saudi energy minister calls Western climate pledges ‘small change’
"Unlike the small change offered for loss and damage from our partners in developed countries, the Kingdom through its South-South...
- The loss and damage fund for vulnerable nations, a major win at COP28, has attracted about $655m so far, a sum criticized as insufficient by campaigners.
- The prince's remarks were the latest sign of sharp differences around tackling the climate crisis as negotiators from around the world attempt to hammer out an agreement in Dubai.
COP28 UAE
$272 billion sustainable finance pledge by UAE financial sector at COP28
Abu Dhabi, UAE -- The financial sector of the United Arab Emirates commits to mobilizing more than AED 1 trillion...
- The commitment to mobilize AED 1 trillion was made by the UAE Banks Federation at an event held on Finance Day at COP28.
- Financial sector's engagement is critical to realize our collective climate ambitions, ensuring that the 1.5°C target remains within reach, said COP28 President Sultan Al Jaber.
Geostrategy
Saudi Arabia, Turkiye strengthen collaboration in agriculture, water management
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – The Kingdom's Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Eng. Abdurrahman bin Abdul Mohsen Al-Fadhli signed a...
- Saudi Arabia and Turkiye expressed their commitment to prepare the agricultural sector in both the countries for climate change.
- The MoU aims to strengthen cooperation and enhance production capabilities in the domains of agriculture, livestock and water management.
COP28 UAE
Masdar, EDF to develop up to 3.6GW of hydropower, renewable projects in Kyrgyzstan
Dubai, UAE – Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar), the UAE’s clean energy powerhouse, and EDF have signed an agreement...
- The Kyrgyz Republic has set a target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 44 percent by 2030, and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050
- Central Asia is a significant emerging market for Masdar which has several agreements to develop solar and wind projects in the region
Plastic pollution talks South Korea fail to reach landmark deal
Busan, South Korea - Deeply divided negotiators failed on Sunday to reach a landmark global treaty to curb plastic pollution, missing...
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Climate change parches Morocco breadbasket amid policy pitfalls
Berrechid, Morocco -- Around this time every year, Moroccan wheat farmer Abderrahim Mohafid is usually preparing for his spring harvest, but...
Business
Barclays bank to stop financing new oil, gas projects
London, United Kingdom -- British bank Barclays said Friday it would stop directly financing its energy clients' new oil and gas...
Business
Scientists in UK create new fusion record
LONDON, UK - Scientists in Britain announced on Thursday they had smashed a record for generating fusion energy in the final...
Science
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Geostrategy
EU seeks 90 percent drop in greenhouse emission by 2040
Strasbourg, France - The EU on Tuesday urged a 90-percent cut to its greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, even as the...
- The 27-nation European Union is already working towards an interim target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent by 2030.
- However, rising discontent could deal it a tougher time in trying to get the 2040 goal of 90 percent cuts adopted.
Paris Olympics’ organizers worry heatwave can spell trouble for games
A new study presenting "climate simulations to anticipate worst-case heatwaves during the Paris 2024 Olympics" has focused minds after it...
- Organizers of the Paris Olympics, which will run from July 26 to August 11, say they are "fully aware" of the climate-related risks to the Games
- Operational teams have run simulations looking at the consequences of shifting some outdoor events to earlier or later start times to avoid the heat
Economy
Embracing renewables secures UAE’s green future
"COP28 saw all parties reach an agreement on the historic ‘UAE Consensus.’ This consensus includes achieving a well-organized, responsible, fair,...
- UAE, under Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber's leadership, actively promotes global renewable energy.
- The 'UAE Consensus' at COP28 sets specific goals for a zero-carbon energy system, Al Jaber adds.