UN plastic pollution treaty talks floundering, with countries wildly at odds
Geneva, Switzerland - Talks on forging a groundbreaking treaty to combat the scourge of plastic pollution were floundering Saturday, with...
Science
Restoring sea floor after mining may not be possible, researchers warn
Kingston, Jamaica -- Scientists present at the latest effort to hash out international rules for deep-sea mining say it's unclear...
Geostrategy
COP28 UAE
China pushes for ‘acceptable’ to all deal on fossil fuel at COP28
Despite efforts by the OPEC oil cartel to block any text targeting fossil fuels at COP28, Chinese envoy Xie Zhenhua...
- Negotiations in Dubai have focused on calls to phase out the global extraction of oil, gas and coal in hopes of tackling the planet's worsening climate change.
- The roles of China and the US are considered crucial for the world to make any progress in efforts to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
COP28 UAE
OPEC implores members to oppose any COP28 deal targeting fossil fuels
Dubai, UAE--The head of OPEC has urged members of the oil cartel to reject any deal at UN climate talks...
- The OPEC chief urged members to reject any text or formula that "targets energy i.e. fossil fuels rather than emissions"
- On Friday, negotiators released an updated text that still includes various options for exiting oil, gas and coal
Geostrategy
Fossil fuels usage must end by 2040 to restrict warming to 1.5C
In a note to the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and UN Climate Change body, shared with AFP, climate scientists from...
- The steep timeline they laid out comes as climate negotiators at the COP28 talks in Dubai are tussling over the future of oil, gas and coal.
- The UN climate negotiations are tasked with helping the world meet the Paris deal goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
COP28 UAE
COP28 president Sultan Jaber pushes for rapid fossil fuels draft deal
Climate campaigners have viewed Jaber with deep suspicion due to his position as the head of UAE national oil firm...
- Despite disagreements over the future of fossil fuels, Jaber voiced optimism that the talks hosted by the oil-rich UAE can finish with a historic deal
- A draft deal was released on Tuesday but negotiators failed to produce another text on Wednesday before heading into the break
Economy
Renewable energy, sustainability drive GCC growth
The GCC's transformation towards sustainability encompasses economic growth, job creation, and resource management, shaping a resilient and green future for...
- The GCC's transformation towards sustainability encompasses economic growth, job creation, and resource management, shaping a resilient and green future for the region.
- Investments in solar and wind power in Saudi Arabia and the UAE mark a clean energy shift, reshaping consumer behavior and the financial sector, creating new jobs and industries.
Economy
COP28 strong push for climate action in Arab region
"The UNDP has spent approximately $1 billion in the Arab region for integrated development solutions driven by national priorities and...
- Launch of the Loss and Damage Fund at COP28 marks a crucial step in supporting climate action in the Arab region.
- UNDP's significant investment of $1bn in the Arab region focuses on integrated development aligned with national priorities.
Business
99 percent of world live in areas with air pollution levels above WHO guideline limits
DUBAI, UAE - According to World Health Organization data, 99 percent of the world’s population lives in places where air...
- Leading businesses recognize that they have an important role in reducing air pollution alongside greenhouse gas emissions.
- Business activity contributes significantly to air pollution globally but air pollution is not prioritized nor integrated into climate action.
Business
People-positive approach needed in clean power transition: WEF paper
Dubai, UAE -- Building massive infrastructure for clean power projects in pursuit of climate goals will need nearly $4.5 trillion in...
- The white paper calls for a dialogue between the industry and community groups and NGOs to define common standards for a people-positive energy transition.
- It also urges governments to not only focus on the lowest price but also the wider societal value creation in their transition plans.
Business
UAE banks align with global sustainability standards
“The pledge made by our UBF Chairman, Abdulaziz Al Ghurair, to mobilize over AED 1 trillion in sustainable finance, represents...
- UBF pledges over AED 1 trillion ($272 billion) for sustainable finance by 2030.
- The pledge reflects collective efforts of national banks towards a sustainable future.
COP28 UAE
Saudi Electricity Company targets net zero emissions by 2050
Dubai, UAE - The Saudi Electricity Company (SEC), the largest producer, transmitter, and distributor of electrical energy in the Middle...
- The announcement was made during a special event SEC organized on the sidelines of the United Nations COP28 climate-change summit in Dubai
- The SEC said it has signed seven agreements with leading local and international companies, including LUCI, Al-Fanar, Sal Italy, CHINT Saudi Arabia, Siemens, etc
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UN plastic pollution treaty talks floundering, with countries wildly at odds
Geneva, Switzerland - Talks on forging a groundbreaking treaty to combat the scourge of plastic pollution were floundering Saturday, with...
Science
Company News
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UN draft on climate finance highlights deep divisions ahead of COP29
Paris, France - The UN has published a draft on climate financing due to be presented at the COP29 in November,...
Dubai airport diverts flights as ‘exceptional weather’ hits Gulf
Dubai, the Middle East's financial centre, has been paralyzed by the torrential rain that caused floods across the UAE and...
Top Europe rights court to issue landmark climate verdicts
STRASBOURG, FRANCE – Europe's top rights court will on Tuesday issue unprecedented verdicts in three separate cases on the responsibility of...
Geostrategy
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Economy
Climate change is slowing heat waves, prolonging misery
While previous research has found climate change is causing heat waves to become longer, more frequent and more intense, the...
- "If a heatwave is moving slower, that means heat can stay in a region longer, so that has effects on communities," senior author Wei Zhang of Utah State University told
- Researchers used climate models to determine what the results would have looked like absent human-caused climate change, and found manmade factors loomed large
Economy
Sprinklers and drip irrigation help Iraqis beat drought
After four years of drought, Iraqi farmer Mohammed Sami was about to abandon his father's parched land, but then a...
- Last year the WFP's water management project helped more than 1,100 farmers "in areas most affected by climate change and drought," said Khansae Ghazi from the UN agency
- The new irrigation systems "use 70 percent less water than traditional methods such as flooding" -- the vastly more wasteful method used for millennia
Geostrategy
Poorer countries need money before raising climate targets, says COP29 head
Copenhagen, Denmark - Developing countries should not have to set stricter targets for cutting their carbon emissions before funds are available...
- Addressing the meeting, Azerbaijan's Mukhtar Babayev said "there is a growing gap between the needs of developing countries and what's available.
- This year, "finance will lie at the heart of climate diplomacy", said Babayev, the ecology and natural resources minister of Azerbaijan, host of COP29 climate summit.