Wind turbines at Swisswinds farm in Gries, Switzerland. Renewable energy is finding its way into more products and services as technological innovation makes it more cost effective. Reuters
Wind turbines at Swisswinds farm in Gries, Switzerland. Renewable energy is finding its way into more products and services as technological innovation makes it more cost effective. Reuters
Wind turbines at Swisswinds farm in Gries, Switzerland. Renewable energy is finding its way into more products and services as technological innovation makes it more cost effective. Reuters
Addressing climate change remains an imperative despite the progress made so far. The tendency to prioritise present day challenges over future ones has inevitably raised concerns that we are neglecting the next generation, a dilemma that is at times termed the “tragedy of the horizon”.
Covid-19 could be giving us a view of that horizon – both of the potential benefits of carbon abatement, renewable energy and other sustainable technologies, and of the likely consequences of inaction.
After all, the economic slowdown from the pandemic has provided us with a glimpse of a decarbonised industrial future – a world with cleaner skies, fewer and less polluting cars and wildlife reclaiming its natural habitat.
Covid-19 has laid bare the implications of failing to invest in a more secure future ...
Equally, the pandemic has demonstrated the dangers of not being prepared for an uncertain future, with companies across the world scrambling to find measures to contain it.
As widespread as its impact has undoubtedly been, and as difficult as the rebuilding effort will certainly be, Covid-19 is ultimately a solvable problem.
Climate change, on the other hand, is an emergency from which we will not recover without far-reaching social and economic changes – a fact our leadership in the UAE has long understood.
We knew before the pandemic that substantially more investment was needed to decarbonise our economies sufficiently to limit the increase in global average temperature to 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels – in addition to the roughly $300 billion (Dh1.1 trillion) currently invested in renewable energies each year.
Covid-19 has laid bare the implications of failing to invest in a more secure future and it has confronted us with a simple choice – we attempt to delay the inevitable, or we redouble our efforts to realise viable solutions to the world’s sustainability challenges.
Masdar was established in 2006 to advance the development of such viable solutions and to prove that they could stand on their own commercially – an argument that is increasingly being won. As technological innovation makes it more cost efficient and versatile, renewable energy is finding its way into more products, services and solutions.
Clean power generation is also becoming more decentralised and increasingly dispatchable – and it is creating more high-value jobs.
The prospect of producing renewable energy in vast quantities cost competitively will potentially unlock other clean fuels, particularly hydrogen – a solution we have been monitoring very closely over the past decade for use in power generation, energy storage and transportation.
However, the shift to a lower-carbon economy will not necessarily be linear, nor will ground-breaking technologies bring it about.
The resilience of the global renewable energy sector owes much to the unwavering commitment of countries like the UAE, which have nurtured the regulatory and commercial conditions for sustainable technology solutions to thrive.
Ever since the financial downturn of 2008, policymakers have advocated “green” fiscal stimulus to help revitalise national economies. The call for public sector-led sustainable investment will inevitably grow louder as countries try to emerge from the Covid-19 crisis.
However, realising a truly sustainable future for all will depend as much on putting into effect lasting cultural change as it will on supportive government policymaking and fiscal innovation.
Over the past decade or so, we have seen a clear shift in public attitudes toward climate change here in the Middle East, particularly among the youth – who in many cases have gone from being indifferent towards climate change to being sustainability champions.
Today, these changes in the public mindset are influencing our business practices, social behaviour, consumption patterns and even our regulatory frameworks.
For example, the adoption of the UAE Guiding Principles on Sustainable Finance by stakeholders from across the financial community at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week earlier this year clearly expressed the desire at every level of society for more concerted action on climate change.
Integrating sustainability is no longer an ethical consideration – it is becoming an obligation, for businesses and investors as well as for everyone else.
We must continue to build on that broad consensus in the UAE and in all nations around the world to ensure we meet our sustainability targets, and fulfil our obligations toward both present and future generations.
Today, as we look to recover from Covid-19, there is still a window of opportunity to act but it is narrower than ever: we cannot let it shut completely.
Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi is chief executive of Masdar.
SERIES INFO
Schedule:
All matches at the Harare Sports Club
1st ODI, Wed Apr 10
2nd ODI, Fri Apr 12
3rd ODI, Sun Apr 14
4th ODI, Sun Apr 16
UAE squad
Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
Zimbabwe squad
Peter Moor (captain), Solomon Mire, Brian Chari, Regis Chakabva, Sean Williams, Timycen Maruma, Sikandar Raza, Donald Tiripano, Kyle Jarvis, Tendai Chatara, Chris Mpofu, Craig Ervine, Brandon Mavuta, Ainsley Ndlovu, Tony Munyonga, Elton Chigumbura
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City, Tuesday, 11pm (UAE)
Matches can be watched on BeIN Sports
Salah in numbers
€39 million: Liverpool agreed a fee, including add-ons, in the region of €39m (nearly Dh176m) to sign Salah from Roma last year. The exchange rate at the time meant that cost the Reds £34.3m - a bargain given his performances since.
13: The 25-year-old player was not a complete stranger to the Premier League when he arrived at Liverpool this summer. However, during his previous stint at Chelsea, he made just 13 Premier League appearances, seven of which were off the bench, and scored only twice.
57: It was in the 57th minute of his Liverpool bow when Salah opened his account for the Reds in the 3-3 draw with Watford back in August. The Egyptian prodded the ball over the line from close range after latching onto Roberto Firmino's attempted lob.
7: Salah's best scoring streak of the season occurred between an FA Cup tie against West Brom on January 27 and a Premier League win over Newcastle on March 3. He scored for seven games running in all competitions and struck twice against Tottenham.
3: This season Salah became the first player in Premier League history to win the player of the month award three times during a term. He was voted as the division's best player in November, February and March.
40: Salah joined Roger Hunt and Ian Rush as the only players in Liverpool's history to have scored 40 times in a single season when he headed home against Bournemouth at Anfield earlier this month.
30: The goal against Bournemouth ensured the Egyptian achieved another milestone in becoming the first African player to score 30 times across one Premier League campaign.
8: As well as his fine form in England, Salah has also scored eight times in the tournament phase of this season's Champions League. Only Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, with 15 to his credit, has found the net more often in the group stages and knockout rounds of Europe's premier club competition.
Company profile
Name: Dukkantek
Started: January 2021
Founders: Sanad Yaghi, Ali Al Sayegh and Shadi Joulani
Based: UAE
Number of employees: 140
Sector: B2B Vertical SaaS(software as a service)
Investment: $5.2 million
Funding stage: Seed round
Investors: Global Founders Capital, Colle Capital Partners, Wamda Capital, Plug and Play, Comma Capital, Nowais Capital, Annex Investments and AMK Investment Office
UAE squad: Rohan Mustafa (captain), Shaiman Anwar, Ghulam Shabber, Mohammed Qasim, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Chirag Suri, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Mohammed Naveed, Amjad Javed, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed Fixtures:
Monday, 1st 50-over match
Wednesday, 2nd 50-over match
Thursday, 3rd 50-over match
All matches in Bulawayo Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
Get Out
Director: Jordan Peele
Stars: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Catherine Keener, Bradley Whitford
Four stars
The bio:
Favourite film:
Declan: It was The Commitments but now it’s Bohemian Rhapsody.
Heidi: The Long Kiss Goodnight.
Favourite holiday destination:
Declan: Las Vegas but I also love getting home to Ireland and seeing everyone back home.
Heidi: Australia but my dream destination would be to go to Cuba.
Favourite pastime:
Declan: I love brunching and socializing. Just basically having the craic.
Heidi: Paddleboarding and swimming.
Personal motto:
Declan: Take chances.
Heidi: Live, love, laugh and have no regrets.
Jeff Buckley: From Hallelujah To The Last Goodbye
By Dave Lory with Jim Irvin
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
Mumbai Indians 213/6 (20 ov)
Royal Challengers Bangalore 167/8 (20 ov)
Gran Gala del Calcio 2019 winners
Best Player: Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus) Best Coach: Gian Piero Gasperini (Atalanta) Best Referee: Gianluca Rocchi Best Goal: Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria vs Napoli) Best Team: Atalanta Best XI: Samir Handanovic (Inter); Aleksandar Kolarov (Roma), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli), Joao Cancelo (Juventus*); Miralem Pjanic (Juventus), Josip Ilicic (Atalanta), Nicolo Barella (Cagliari*); Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria), Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus), Duvan Zapata (Atalanta) Serie B Best Young Player: Sandro Tonali (Brescia) Best Women’s Goal: Thaisa (Milan vs Juventus) Best Women’s Player: Manuela Giugliano (Milan) Best Women’s XI: Laura Giuliani (Milan); Alia Guagni (Fiorentina), Sara Gama (Juventus), Cecilia Salvai (Juventus), Elisa Bartoli (Roma); Aurora Galli (Juventus), Manuela Giugliano (Roma), Valentina Cernoia (Juventus); Valentina Giacinti (Milan), Ilaria Mauro (Fiorentina), Barbara Bonansea (Juventus)
Scoreline
Switzerland 5
Name: Brendalle Belaza
From: Crossing Rubber, Philippines
Arrived in the UAE: 2007
Favourite place in Abu Dhabi: NYUAD campus
Favourite photography style: Street photography
Favourite book: Harry Potter
Profile
Company: Justmop.com
Date started: December 2015
Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan
Sector: Technology and home services
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai
Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month
Funding: The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups.
