UN biodiversity conference in Colombia: what’s at stake?
Paris, France - The world's pledges to halt humankind's destruction of nature will be put to the test when the 16th...
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
Syria’s ancient adobe houses threatened by war, displacement
"Village Umm Amuda Kabira in Aleppo once had 3,000 to 3,500 residents and some 200 mud houses," said Mahmud al-Mheilej,...
- Also known as "beehive houses", the conical adobe structures are designed to keep cool in the blazing desert sun while their thick walls also retain warmth in the winter
- Umm Amuda Kabira village in Aleppo province is among a handful of places where residents long used to live in the small domed houses, made of mud mixed with brittle hay
UAE to host faith leaders for climate crisis summit prior to COP28
Abu Dhabi, UAE - A global summit for faith leaders from around the world will take place in Abu Dhabi...
- Faith leaders representing the world’s major religions will discuss the ethical responsibilities of faith leaders in addressing the climate crisis
- The meeting will also address the collaboration between faith and science to bridge the gap between empirical evidence and spiritual teachings
Geostrategy
2023 likely to be hottest year in human history, says EU climate monitor
"2023 is the year that climate records were not just broken but smashed," said Mark Maslin, a professor of climatology...
- The average global temperature in June, July and August was 16.77 degrees Celsius (62.19 degrees Fahrenheit), surpassing the previous 2019 record of 16.48C.
- "The three months that we've just had are the warmest in approximately 120,000 years, so effectively human history," C3S deputy director Samantha Burgess told AFP
Climate change worsening heatwaves, air quality: UN
The wildfire smoke recently suffocating cities from Athens to New York may be the most visible sign of air pollution...
- Fine particulate air pollution from things like vehicle and industrial emissions but also sand and wildfires, is greatest external threat to public health, a recent study said
- On Wednesday, the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service said the Earth had just had its hottest three months on record, with last July the hottest month ever recorded
Geostrategy
World inches step closer towards plastic pollution deal: UN
Some 175 nations are working to reach a landmark agreement by end-2024 that will curb plastic pollution, which ends up...
- Global plastic production has more than doubled since the start of the century to reach 460 million tons and could triple by 2060 if nothing is done. Only 9% is currently recycled.
- The draft deal, published by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee, will form the basis of fresh talks in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, on November 13-19.
Geostrategy
UAE and Africa strengthen carbon market collaboration
"Our collaboration with the Africa Carbon Markets Initiative provides carbon market buyers in the UAE and wider region with access...
- The UAE Carbon Alliance has signed a Letter of Intent for a US$450 million purchase of African carbon credits by 2030
- Collaboration with Africa Carbon Markets Initiative will provide UAE with access to high-quality carbon credits from Africa
Business
Tech’s carbon footprint: can AI revolutionize responsibly?
The planet's 8,000 or so data centers are the foundation of our online existence, and will grow ever further with...
- In 2019, researchers trained several large language models, and found that training a single AI model can emit the CO2 emission equivalent of five cars over their lifetimes.
- Between 2010 and 2018, global data center energy use rose by only 6 percent, despite a 550 percent increase in workloads and computing instances, according to the IEA.
Istanbul dams run low after scorching, dry summer
The bank of screens in Ismail Aydin's Istanbul water management system control room flashes a worrying number: 29.7 percent. That...
- Turkey as a whole experienced the hottest July on record and broke the 50-degree Celsius (122-degrees Fahrenheit) mark for the first time in modern history on August 14
- The city could ship in extra supplies of water by sea or road should the dams run completely dry -- although no specific plans have been laid yet for that gloomy possibility
Economy
UAE economy expected to grow by 3.5 percent in 2023, says UBS
ABU DHABI, UAE - Chief Investment Officer, Emerging Markets at UBS Global Wealth Management Michael Bolliger forecasts the UAE's gross...
- The bank's positive outlook on the UAE’s medium-term growth prospects is supported by strong demand for its oil exports and energy investments.
- The bank also expects a strong 4.5 percent expansion for the non-energy part of the economy for this year.
Geostrategy
Renewables helped save $520bn fuel costs globally in 2022: Report
In non-OECD countries, just the saving over the lifetime of new capacity additions in 2022 will reduce costs by up...
- In addition to these direct cost savings, there would be substantial economic benefits from reducing CO2 emissions and local air pollutants.
- IRENA’s Director-General Francesco La Camera said the world must add 1,000 GW of renewable power annually on average every year until 2030 to keep 1.5°C within reach.
UN biodiversity conference in Colombia: what’s at stake?
Paris, France - The world's pledges to halt humankind's destruction of nature will be put to the test when the 16th...
Company News
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Tunisian villages grapple with severe water scarcity
Ouled Omar, Tunisia - Tunisian villager Ounissa Mazhoud ties two empty jerry cans to a donkey and cautiously descends a stony...
Geostrategy
World Bank to expand climate funding in MENA by $10 billion
Brhane said the World Bank integrated climate into all its work across the MENA region and is on track to...
COP28 UAE
World unites at COP28 to shift away from fossil fuels
Nearly 200 nations in Dubai have collectively endorsed an agreement to move away from fossil fuels, marking a significant step...
COP28 UAE
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COP28 UAE
COP28 goes into overtime as negotiators wrestle over fossil fuel
COP28 has debated a historic first-ever global "phase-out" from oil, gas and coal, the main culprits in a planetary crisis...
- With low-lying island nations warning that their very survival is at risk, negotiators worked through the night and the Emirati hosts promised a new draft to try to find consensus.
- Saudi Arabia has told COP28 to take its "concerns" into consideration while the OPEC oil cartel has urged members to resist calls to end their lucrative export.
Public-private partnerships play key role in environmental finance, says EIF official
DUBAI, UAE – Public-private partnerships have the potential to play a significant role in mobilizing private financing for environmental solutions,...
- The European Investment Fund seeks to address environmental and biodiversity challenges as part of its climate position.
- The European fund has significantly committed to the green transition by mobilizing US$ 2.15 billion in funding.
COP28 UAE
‘Investment policies must align with net-zero goals’
An alliance of public and private sectors is crucial for advancing the green agenda and effectively managing supply chain emissions,...
- An alliance of public and private sectors is crucial for advancing the green agenda and effectively managing supply chain emissions, WEF's Kimberley Botwright tells TRENDS.
- Technological advancements, particularly AI, are key accelerators in sustainable trade, while an estimated $125 trillion is required for the net-zero transition by 2030, she adds.