Paris, France -- Abrupt and potentially irreversible changes in Antarctica driven by climate change could lift global oceans by meters and lead to "catastrophic consequences for generations", scientists warned Wednesday. More broadly, a state-of-knowledge review by a score of top experts revealed accelerating shifts across the region that are often...
Natural disaster losses hit US$115 bn this year, says Swiss Re
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - Natural catastrophes have caused an estimated US$115 billion of insured losses in 2022 to date, driven by Hurricane Ian and other extreme weather events, reinsurance giant Swiss Re estimated Thursday. Hurricane Ian, the single largest loss-causing event so far this year, caused an estimated insured loss of...
How film and TV can help the climate change battle
Analysing a database of 37,453 film and TV scripts from 2016 to 2020, researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) found that just 1,046 -- 2.8 percent -- included any keywords related to climate, and only 0.6 percent mentioned "climate change" specifically. A similar British study by Albert, a...
Like in climate discourse, digital transformation will eventually edge out the big players, says media expert
“Some big techs are facing crisis with large-scale layoffs and investment cuts. As digital space offers enough space and opportunity for diverse players, when they aggregate together and push back against the big giants, that will be the beginning of the defeat of the big tech,” he adds.
All regions experienced water extremes in 2021, says UN
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - All regions of the world saw water extremes last year - both floods and droughts - and billions of people had insufficient freshwater, the United Nations said on Tuesday. Large areas of the planet recorded drier than normal conditions in 2021, the UN's World Meteorological Organization said...
In rain-starved Iraq, a dam threatens to swallow farmland
Five villages are located on the site of the Makhoul dam and "a commission has been formed to ensure adequate damages for residents" and to relocate them.
Multi-disciplinary solutions needed to deal with food crisis and water scarcity in MENA region
It is essential to adopt sustainable water management practices to build resilience, sustain peace and improve the well-being of local populations. Coordinated action is needed urgently to tackle the water crisis in the MENA region, which has reached unprecedented levels, he adds.MoCCAE highlights role of UAE Climate Change Research Network
SHARM EL SHEIKH, EGYPT - The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MoCCAE) organized an awareness session on the UAE Climate Change Research Network (CCRN). The event highlighted the importance of research in exploring innovative climate change mitigation and adaptation solutions. It also emphasized the Network’s role in strengthening the...
Future depends on measures we take today: UAE envoy
"Both of our national leaders (in the UAE and China) are keenly aware of the fact that, as two advanced countries at the forefront of technological innovation, it is especially incumbent upon us to be active global stakeholders at this precarious time. We know the threat is real," he adds.Search for buried survivors after Indonesia quake kills 162
The epicenter of the shallow 5.6-magnitude quake on Monday was near the town of Cianjur in Indonesia's most populous province West Java, where most of the victims were killed when buildings fell and landslides were triggered.
‘Historic’ but ‘not enough’: UN COP27 climate summit reactions
The summit drew praise for the "loss and damage" fund to help vulnerable countries cope with the destructive impacts of global warming. But there was also anger over a failure to push further ambition on cutting emissions in order to keep alive the aspirational goal of limiting global warming to...UN climate talks go into overtime to break deadlock over funding
Representatives from nearly 200 countries have gathered at the COP27 in Egypt for two weeks with the aim of driving forward action on climate change as the world faces a worsening onslaught of extreme floods, heat waves and droughts.Israel and Jordan agree to clean polluted Jordan river
Jordan is one of the world's most water-deficient countries, suffering from extreme droughts, and water cooperation with Israel long pre-dates the 1994 peace deal between them.
EU pledges US$1bn in climate funding for Africa
The initiative, launched at UN climate talks along with France, Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark, will combine "existing and new" programmes to prepare for future impacts of a warming world, European Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans said, without detailing the total amount of new finance.COP27 climate talks inch toward ‘loss and damage’ showdown
The G77+China block of more than 130 developing nations called in a position paper for a special fund "for assisting developing countries in meeting their costs of addressing non-economic and economic loss and damage" caused by extreme weather disasters and rising sea levels.Climate activists at COP27 decry West’s desire for gas in Africa
European countries have been scrambling for alternative sources of gas after the continent's former top supplier, Russia, slashed exports in apparent retaliation for Western sanctions over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in February.
Addressing climate change global responsibility
"Today's world is witnessing a scientific and technical boom, which is the fastest and most advanced through all the stages of human history. At the same time, we are facing several unprecedented challenges that threaten humans, with climate change representing the most severe problem," he adds.Sustainable food cold chains reduce waste, fight climate change, says UN report
Greater investment in sustainable food cold chains is needed to reduce hunger, provide livelihoods to communities and adapt to climate change, two UN agencies said in a report launched at the COP27 climate change conference underway in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.Paris Peace Forum: Queen Rania calls for paradigm shift in response to global crises
The Queen explained that the global refugee crisis has reached "epic proportions" with the number of displaced people around the world now exceeding 100 million.
Technological innovations drive climate action across GCC, say UAE, Saudi leaders at COP27
The Kingdom has moved from ambition to action during the past two years to empower people, protect the planet and shape new horizons, says Saudi minister
Better food cold chain crucial for climate, world hunger: UN
In 2017, emissions linked to a lack of refrigeration totalled one gigatonne of CO2, according to the UN report -- about two percent of all greenhouse gas emissions that year. A "positive" outcome for the climate depends on ensuring any new infrastructure is energy efficient and relies on renewables, the...
UAE ministry launches Green Business Toolkit 2.0 at COP27
The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) introduced the second edition of the UAE Green Business Toolkit in partnership with the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) at the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27), held in the Egyptian city of Sharm El Sheikh.GE, IRENA sign pact at COP27 to support energy security
SHARM EL SHEIKH, EGYPT - GE (NYSE:GE) signed a framework agreement with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) to support both climate change and energy security. The agreement was signed by Francesco La Camera, Director-General of IRENA and Roger Martella, Chief Sustainability Officer of GE at the 27th Conference of...
UAE launches National Net Zero by 2050 Pathway
The pathway, unveiled at COP27, sets the timeframe and identifies the mechanisms of implementing the UAE Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative, introduced in October 2021.
Biden urges world to ‘step up’ climate fight at COP27
His speech came at the halfway point of a two-week COP27 conference in Egypt where rich polluters like the US are under pressure to finally provide the funding developing countries have been promised in the battle against climate change. "The climate crisis is about human security, economic security, environmental security,...
UN unveils satellite-based system to detect methane emissions
The Methane Alert and Response System (MARS) was announced by the UN Environment Programme during the COP27 summit. Methane, emitted by leaks in fossil fuel installations as well as from other human-caused sources like livestock farming and landfills, is responsible for roughly 30% of the global rise in temperatures to...Private jets at COP27 spark conflicting claims
Posts and reports included various estimates for the number of such planes bringing delegates to the gathering in the beach resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.Climate Action Against Disinformation, a group that analyses trends in false information on social media, said in a report on Thursday that narratives of supposed "hypocrisy and elitism"...Saudi Aramco, Energy ministry ink pact to build a carbon capture and storage hub
Saudi Arabia is embarking on initiatives such as the Saudi Green Initiative and the Middle East Green Initiative to meet its climate change commitments.
Infra investment key to climate change adaptation
“We need to build a coherent framework of trade and investment policies supported by roadmaps that can accelerate the energy transition and boost re-investments,” Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala stresses at a high-level forum held on the sidelines of the COP27 in Sharm-El-Sheikh, Egypt.
CO2 pollution from fossil fuels to hit all-time high in 2022
The new figures show just how dauntingly hard it will be to slash emissions fast enough to meet the Paris goal of capping global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels. Heating beyond that threshold, scientists warn, risks triggering dangerous tipping points in the climate system. Barely 1.2C of...e& commits to net-zero operations by 2030
The global technology and investment conglomerate pledged to achieve net-zero for Scope 1 and 2 emissions.
Countries wrangle over future climate finance at COP27
Diplomats from developing nations criticised the persistent imbalance in climate financing which, within the UN framework, should be evenly split between reducing emissions (mitigation) and boosting resilience to future impacts (adaptation).
US unveils green transition scheme for developing nations
Intended to support the transition to renewable energy in developing nations, the United States launched a partnership with private funds based on a carbon credit system criticized by climate activists. The government scheme would help emerging economies attract finance to "support their clean energy transitions."COP27: ACG to give $24bn for climate action by 2030
The fund will support the acceleration of the energy transition, the increased resilience of food, transport, water and urban systems, and the promotion of energy security.Biden’s upcoming foreign trip to focus on Climate, Ukraine, China
Biden's tour would include meetings of ASEAN and the Group of 20 industrialised nations in Cambodia and Indonesia.
Nine countries join alliance to boost offshore windpower
Offshore wind can be deployed at large scale, in short timeframes and at competitive cost, GOWA said in a statement. Other nations joining Tuesday were Belgium, Colombia, Ireland, Norway and the Netherlands.UAE, Jordan and Israel advance Project Prosperity
The three nations vow to advance clean energy and sustainable water desalination projects announced last year, while UAE, Indonesia unveil Mangrove Alliance for Climate at COP27Renault to reorganize towards electric future
The electric vehicle market is expected to grow rapidly in response to consumers' worries about climate change, putting pressure on manufacturers to develop less polluting products. The European Union last month agreed to phase out new CO2-emitting vehicles by 2035, a move set to turbo-charge the production of electric prototypes...Rich nations greenlight S.Africa coal transition plan
The announcement was made at the UN's COP27 climate summit in Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh, where developed countries are under pressure to step up their efforts to aid developing countries green their economies. Negotiations were tricky, with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa saying Friday that the country needed more money to...Paris Agreement key to achieve sustainable development goals: Middle East Green Summit
The summit reviews ways to enhance integration of the optimal energy mix for electricity production to achieving climate change targets through MoUs and agreements.COP27: $1.4 bn climate grant for Africa, S. Asia farmers
A COP27 announcement said the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation grant, distributed over four years, is earmarked for scaling up regional innovations that build resilience against drought, heat waves and extreme flooding amplified by a warming world.‘UAE President’s speech at COP27 outlined vision for climate action’
SHARM EL SHEIKH, EGYPT - UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber said that the speech of President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at COP27 outlined the UAE’s clear vision and strategic approach to climate action and sustainability. The minister and the UAE’s...
COP27: Choose climate solidarity or collective suicide, UN chief tells world leaders
Humanity is in "the fight of our lives" as climate change intensifies droughts, floods and heatwaves, UN chief Antonio Guterres warns world leaders in Egypt.
UAE to unveil its Net Zero by 2050 roadmap at COP27: Almheiri
‘The UAE is also working on a comprehensive assessment of the status and movement of sustainable financing solutions, including green bonds’.
UAE’s climate initiatives to benefit private sector
The Gulf country will reveal the mechanisms for implementing its strategic initiative to achieve climate neutrality 2050, as part of its support for sustainable financing solutions for all sectors. This is alongside a comprehensive assessment of the status and movement of sustainable financing solutions, she adds.Financing for climate damages finally on COP27 agenda
Countries least responsible for planet-heating emissions -- but hardest hit by an onslaught of weather extremes -- have been ramping up the pressure on wealthy polluting nations to provide financial help for accelerating damages.Global warming rising at alarming rate, says UN
Greenhouse gases accounting for over 95 percent of warming are at record levels, with methane showing the largest one-year jump ever recorded, the WMO's annual State of the Global Climate found. In the European Alps, glacier melt records have been shattered in 2022, with average thickness losses of between three...‘UAE to reveal implementation map of Net Zero 2050 at COP27’
Minister of Climate Change and the Environment Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri said the UAE’s participation in the 27th session of COP27 in Egypt will be an affirmation of the country's pioneering model regionally and globally in facing the challenge of climate change.
COP27 summit in Egypt reckons with gravest threat to humanity
The already daunting task of decarbonizing the global economy in a few years has been made even harder by a global energy crunch and rapid inflation.Climate activists deface Goya frames at Spain’s Prado
Saturday's stunt in Madrid was the latest increasingly daring action taken by climate activists to grab the headlines, including throwing soup on Vincent van Gogh paintings in London and Rome, and mashed potatoes on a Claude Monet masterpiece.COP27 must shift from talk to action says UN climate chief
The upcoming COP27 climate summit in Egypt must mark a leap from the process of hammering out a treaty to ensuring that its goals are met, the UN's climate chief said. "This COP needs to demonstrate that there is a distinct shift from negotiations to implementation," UN Climate Change Executive...
