The Opec Fund for International Development laid out an ambitious agenda last year, raising its climate financing to 25 per cent by 2025 and 40 per cent by 2030.
Its Climate Action Plan is designed to boost the organisation's support for sustainable development in partner countries, with climate investments in energy, transport, food and water as well as other initiatives.
“It's a challenge, but we are a development institution that feels its responsibility and we are taking those responsibilities seriously, and we have to do this kind of job,” said Abdulhamid Alkhalifa, director-general of the Opec Fund.
“We are happy to take that challenge.”
Speaking to The National at the 2023 spring meetings in Washington, Dr Alkhalifa addressed the ways the Opec Fund is tackling the “twin challenges” of climate change and energy poverty.
“As we speak, there is millions, millions of people in low-income countries who have no access to energy or electricity,” Mr Alkhalifa said.
Energy is one of the largest drivers of development, but generating energy by burning fossil fuels is responsible for a large portion of greenhouse gasses. The challenge, then, is to support the development of low- and middle-income countries through clean energy.
One way the Opec Fund is addressing these twin challenges is by working with low-income countries on clean cooking, or preparing food in a way that causes fewer harmful emissions.
A third of the global population — 2.4 billion people — lack clean cooking access, data from the World Health Organisation showed. Those in low- and middle-income countries are particularly vulnerable to disease and death because of the harmful toxins released when using other methods.
As we speak, there are millions, millions of people in low-income countries who have no access to energy or electricity
Abdulhamid Alkhalifa,
Opec Fund director-general
“But also we are not stopping at that level,” Mr Alkhalifa said, pointing to recent initiatives on reforestation.
Clean cooking also helps to empower women, he added, as it greatly reduces the time-consuming efforts of collecting wood that could instead be used to further education and other priorities.
“And this is, maybe, a long-term objective, but it is on our radar screen,” Mr Alkhalifa said.
The focus of the Opec Fund's initiatives also stretches into food security.
The organisation last year announced a $100 million loan to Jordan, one of the countries hit hardest by the food crisis caused by the prolonged war in Ukraine.
Jordan is a net importer of food and more than 10.5 million people — including 1.3 million Syrian refugees — have been affected by the crisis, the Opec Fund said in its announcement.
Mr Alkhalifa said the Opec Fund was not only working with Jordan on food security, but many other countries as well.
Cop28 to be a model for future climate summits
At Cop27 in Egypt, the Arab Co-ordination Group — whose members include the Opec Fund and the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, among other organisations — pledged to provide $24 billion by 2030 towards accelerating the energy transition in developing countries.
With Expo City Dubai set to host Cop28 this year, the focus has been on the need to work collectively to provide financing to meet climate goals. Developing countries that make up most of the world's population are only receiving 20 per cent of clean technology investments.
Yearly, clean energy investment in developing countries needs to increase more than seven times if the world is to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, according to a report from the International Energy Agency.
Dr Sultan Al Jaber, President-designate of the Cop28 summit, told the Copenhagen Climate Ministerial last month that this year's event must build on the inroads made during Cop27.
Mr Alkhalifa said the Opec Fund was working with the UAE and other development institutions to make Cop28 a success “for even beyond what is expected from these kinds of meetings”, and expressed hope the event could be a model for other climate summits moving forward.
“We hope to make this event as an example for a successful Cop, and I hope the coming Cops will take it as a model to replicate in the future,” he said.
Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
CONFIRMED%20LINE-UP
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
War
Director: Siddharth Anand
Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Tiger Shroff, Ashutosh Rana, Vaani Kapoor
Rating: Two out of five stars
IF YOU GO
The flights: FlyDubai offers direct flights to Catania Airport from Dubai International Terminal 2 daily with return fares starting from Dh1,895.
The details: Access to the 2,900-metre elevation point at Mount Etna by cable car and 4x4 transport vehicle cost around €57.50 (Dh248) per adult. Entry into Teatro Greco costs €10 (Dh43). For more go to www.visitsicily.info
Where to stay: Hilton Giardini Naxos offers beachfront access and accessible to Taormina and Mount Etna. Rooms start from around €130 (Dh561) per night, including taxes.
ENGLAND TEAM
Alastair Cook, Mark Stoneman, James Vince, Joe Root (captain), Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Craig Overton, Stuart Broad, James Anderson
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
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Expo details
Expo 2020 Dubai will be the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia
The world fair will run for six months from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021.
It is expected to attract 25 million visits
Some 70 per cent visitors are projected to come from outside the UAE, the largest proportion of international visitors in the 167-year history of World Expos.
More than 30,000 volunteers are required for Expo 2020
The site covers a total of 4.38 sqkm, including a 2 sqkm gated area
It is located adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
MATCH INFO
What: 2006 World Cup quarter-final
When: July 1
Where: Gelsenkirchen Stadium, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Result:
England 0 Portugal 0
(Portugal win 3-1 on penalties)
MATCH INFO
Wales 1 (Bale 45 3')
Croatia 1 (Vlasic 09')
