UN members adopted a blueprint for the future Sunday to tackle the myriad wars, environmental threats, and technological challenges facing humanity that were hailed by the organization as "groundbreaking" but panned by critics as unambitious. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres billed them as "landmark agreements - a step-change towards more effective, inclusive,...
Heatwave causes 1,700 deaths in Spain and Portugal, says WHO
The World Health Organization's European office has said the heatwave baking Europe has caused over 1,700 deaths on the Iberian peninsula alone, calling for joint action to tackle climate change. The true number of deaths linked to the heatwave won't be known for weeks, an official said.
Are EVs driving towards greener world or uncertainty?
Studies suggest the electric vehicles may not eliminate all emissions even by 2050, particularly those related to mining and battery production. Affordability is also a concern.‘Hydrocarbon trade must finance transition to clean energy’
A study in the journal Nature Climate Change found that within this century, parts of the Gulf region could be hit by "unprecedented events of deadly heat as a result of climate change".Iraq launches drive to preserve national icon: date palms
Thousands of young date palms, Iraq's national symbol, form lines that extend from the edge of the desert near the central city of Karbala and into the horizon.
Abu Dhabi EAD launches environmental labeling program
The Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD) launched the 'Green Industries' environmental labeling program. The program is based on best international practices in the field of eco-labeling.Weathering sandstorms, Iraqis grit teeth and battle on
Another sandstorm has darkened Iraqi skies and it's hard to breathe, but Baghdad motorcycle delivery rider Milad Mitti doesn't have the luxury of missing a day's work. Like most people in the now blistering hot desert country, the 30-year-old battles on in frustration, wearing goggles and a grey neck warmer...
Ambitious action required to protect oceans: UN
Oceans produce half the oxygen we breathe, regulate the weather and provide humanity's single largest source of protein.Material prices hurt as GCC cities turn green, smart
As the complexity of the pandemic and supply chain challenges have affected building material prices, the region should look for alternatives, says Nizam Abdul Baki of Purity.UN warns Internet shutdowns can have deadly consequences
Many governments refuse to acknowledge that they ordered any interference in communications, and sometimes put pressure on telecommunications companies to prevent them from revealing why communications are blocked.
UAE keen to create sustainable food systems in GCC: Minister
Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, UAE’s Minister of Climate Change and the Environment, has said UAE is keen to enhance efforts aimed at building sustainable food and agricultural systems in GCC. She was speaking at the 32nd Meeting of the GCC Agricultural Cooperation Committee. Almheiri commended the Committee and hoped that...UN official lauds UAE’s for environment conservation, SDG pursuit
UN Resident Coordinator for UAE Dr. Dena Assaf has praised the UAE’s environmentally-friendly endeavours to protect the environment and achieve sustainable development goals. The UN official hailed Abu Dhabi's decision to ban the use of single-use plastic bags from 1st June, as the first city in the Middle East. This...Egypt calls for reality check in UN climate talks
Egypt hopes to jump-start the action needed to face a warming world when it takes the presidency of major UN climate talks in November but warns that countries need a "reality check" as progress stalls. Presiding over the inflection point when a decades-long United Nations climate process switches from negotiation...
Air traffic to reach full capacity by 2023 despite uncertainty
Air passengers are expected to hit 83 percent of pre-pandemic levels this year and the aviation industry's return to profit is "within reach" in 2023 despite ongoing uncertainty, the International Air Transport Association said on Monday. Industry losses are expected to drop to $9.7 billion this year, a "huge improvement"...
China’s zero-Covid policy leaves a long trail of medical waste
Hazmat-suited workers poke plastic swabs down millions of throats in China each day, leaving bins bursting with medical waste that has become the environmental and economic levy of a zero-Covid strategy.
Scientific session organized by Islamic Forum begins in Sharjah
The twenty-second scientific session organized by the Islamic Forum kicked off at Al Maghfirah Mosque, Sharjah. Dubbed "The Migration Route", the session is running between 18th and 30th June. Lecturer Prof. Dr. Abdul Sami’ Mohammed Al Anees, Professor of Hadith and its Sciences, at the College of Sharia and Islamic...European Union spent $305 billion on environmental issues in 2021
The European Union's expenditure in 2021 on environmental protection, investments and consumption amounted to €292 billion ($305.4 bn), said Eurostat, the statistical office of the EU. The expenditure has risen by over 3 percent on average each year, with a total increase of 54 percent since 2006. Also, the expenditure...Another sandstorm brings Iraq to a halt as airports shut
President Barham Saleh warned that tackling climate change "must become a national priority for Iraq as it is an existential threat to the future of our generations to come".
UAE an example of environmental commitment: Almheiri
The UAE leads the region’s response to climate change and effectively participates in stepping up collective climate action, says Environment Minister
Dubai Airports to divert 60% of DXB’s waste from landfills
Dubai Airports new waste management program will prevent 60 percent of all waste from entering landfills by the middle of 2023
Sandstorm forces closure of Iraqi airports, public buildings
Iraq closed public buildings and temporarily shut airports Monday as another sandstorm -- the ninth since mid-April -- hit the country, authorities said. The capital Baghdad was enveloped in a giant dust cloud that left usually traffic-choked streets largely deserted, an AFP correspondent said. Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi ordered all...
Energy firms’ climate commitments lack credibility: report
The climate commitments of global energy giants lack credibility as they rely on costly technologies that have yet to be proven at scale, according to a report published Thursday by Carbon Tracker. The non-profit think tank that researches the impact of climate change on financial markets noted that despite a...UAE: Where sustainable shopping can be a way of life
If there is one country in the GCC where the idea of sustainable shopping can take off, it is the UAE. Yet, there is a lot for it to do in order to make the concept work.Drone swarms can now fly autonomously through thick forest
It's only a matter of a few years before we see such drones deployed in real-life work, said a roboticist at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne.
VARA of Dubai to make entry into Metaverse through ‘Sandbox’
Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) will enter into the Metaverse with the establishment of its Metaverse HQ in the dynamic virtual world of ‘The Sandbox’.China to cut coal import taxes to ensure energy security
China will slash coal import tariffs to ensure energy security, the finance ministry said Thursday, the latest move to cast doubt on the country's environmental promises. The Chinese leadership has pledged the country will curb coal consumption after 2025.
‘Bleed us dry’: Why tech platforms are facing rebellions
Tech platforms create walled gardens where buyers and sellers are protected from cybercriminals and fraudsters, and standards of quality are guaranteed.
Environment Agency says 60 sq km of UAE’s marine critical habitats protected
Environmental assessment and permitting operations carried out by the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) in 2021 reveal that 60 square kilometers of marine critical habitats and 850,000 meters square of terrestrial critical habitats have been protected. This is in addition to a reduction of more than 2800 cubic meters...Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority on Best Workplaces List
Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) has achieved sixth place on the Best Workplaces List of 2022 – Small & Medium Organizations. The ranking is awarded by the Great Place to Work, the global authority that recognizes high-trust, high-performing workplace cultures. RAKTDA is the category’s highest placed government entity...Ship with 750 tonnes of fuel sinks off Tunisia coast
A tanker carrying 750 tonnes of diesel fuel from Egypt to Malta sank Saturday in the Gulf of Gabes off Tunisia's southeast coast, a spokesman for a local court said. "The ship sank this morning in Tunisian territorial waters. For the moment, there is no leak," Mohamed Karray said.Dubai issues 24,662 new business licenses in Q1 2022
Dubai has issued 24,662 new business licenses in Q1 2022, a report by the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) said. This marked a growth of 58 percent from Q1 2021, when 15,580 licenses were issued. DET Business Registration and Licensing (BRL) issued its first-quarter 2022 report on the business...President of Jordan Chambers praises reforms to boost business
President of the Jordan and Amman Chambers of Industry Fathi Jaghbir said Saturday that the National trade window to facilitate investments and improve the business environment is a key reform leap.
Iraq cleans up river as first green projects take root
The 200 volunteers at work in Baghdad remove garbage from a stretch of one of the mighty rivers that gave birth to the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia.
Climate-related health emergencies on the rise in Africa: WHO
Floods, water, and vector-borne diseases have been worsening the health crises in Africa, said WHO's regional director for Africa.Environmental issues major cause of health problems globally: WHO
Environment-related issues are among the major causes of health problems worldwide, the World Health Organization has said. In the Eastern Mediterranean Region, environmental risks, including climate change, are responsible for 23 percent of the total burden of disease and as much as 30 percent of the disease burden for children,...Canada torn between economy, climate in deciding oil project
Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault will soon face his first major test in deciding on a new offshore oil project.
UAE to boost cybersecurity ecosystem in cooperation with Huawei
The parties will jointly establish a Cybersecurity Center of Excellence to deliver talent training that addresses the cybersecurity capacity-building needs.Sustainability key challenge for UAE realty players
It is hard to balance sustainable developments and what people want in the market, especially when it comes to pricing, Zazen One CEO Madhav Dar tells TRENDS.
Irthi Contemporary Crafts Council focuses on palm fiber at Art Dubai
The 15th edition of Art Dubai which displayed findings of its advanced palm fiber research and palm textile prototype, paving the way for the sustainable development of the textile and fashion industries, concluded on Sunday. The three-day edition saw Irthi Contemporary Crafts Council, an affiliate of the UAE-based NAMA Women...Tens of thousands march in climate protests across France
"When are we going to talk about it?" read a sign at demonstration in France where thousands came out to urge politician to work on climate crisis issues.Kyrgyzstan and Ras Al Khaimah to expand cooperation in investment, trade
Kyrgyzstan and the UAE have discussed enhancing the investment and trade cooperation between the two sides. Mohamed Ali Musabbeh Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the UAE’s Ras Al Khaimah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Abdilatif Jumabaev, Ambassador of Kyrgyzstan to the UAE represented their countries in a meeting. The meeting...Saudi Arabia unveils farm exporting high-yielding Murciano goats
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA) has inaugurated the first Saudi farm exporting Murciano goats in Riyadh. Agriculture Agency represents MEWA and the farm was inaugurated in the presence of Ministry's Undersecretary for Agriculture Eng. Ahmed bin Saleh Al-Ayada. The livestock breeders received the license for the...UN reports to lay bare harrowing scale of climate impact
The IPCC report will include a crucial 40-page summary for policymakers, expected to show that devastating scale of climate change impacts is just the beginning.
Makkah governor launches $4bn projects in the region
The new initiatives are expected to support environmental and water sustainability in accordance with the Saudi Vision 2030.UAE to allow cooperative associations to trade in markets
The UAE has announced that it will allow cooperative associations to trade their shares in financial markets, according to media reports.Dubai Municipality planted on average 466 trees a day in 2021
Dubai Municipality has added 2.83 million square meters of green areas to the city by planting more than 170,000 trees in various locations, as well as along roads and squares in Dubai in 2021. An average of 466 trees were planted per day, 130 percent higher than the initial target,...DP World to give ₤1 mn to two Earthshot Prize finalists
DP World’s has announced ₤1 million investment to two Earthshot Prize Finalists, designed to scale their work in the UAE and Middle East. Revive our Oceans Earthshot Prize Winner Bahamas-based Coral Vita will receive ₤500k to develop a strategy for the deployment of large-scale reef restoration in the UAE, which...
Israel, UAE invite joint research proposals from varsities, research institutes
The UAE and Israel are inviting universities and research institutes in both countries to submit joint research proposals based on data collected from an Israeli Vegetation and Environment Monitoring New Micro Satellite, which monitors the environment and vegetation on earth. The UAE Space Agency, Israeli Ministry of Innovation, Science and...
Saudi Arabia, Pakistan sign MoU for cooperation on environment
The MoU was co-signed by the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Eng. Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli and Pakistan Minister for Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam.
Beijing Olympics opens amidst rights concerns, Covid, diplomatic boycotts
China's President Xi Jinping declared the Beijing Winter Olympics open Friday as China tried to turn the page on a build-up overshadowed by human rights concerns, Covid and a US-led diplomatic boycott. Fireworks exploded over the "Bird's Nest", making Beijing the first city to host both a Summer and Winter...Wildlife revives in ‘dead zone’ of Cyprus
The abandoned village of Cyprus became a "haven" for rare plants and animals as well as a "wildlife corridor" that links otherwise fragmented environments right across the island.
