Oil and gas industry stakeholders need to make a collective push towards the goals of the Oil and Gas Decarbonisation Charter (OGDC), the landmark UAE Consensus that calls for net zero emissions by 2050, Cop28 President Dr Sultan Al Jaber has said.
More than 50 oil and gas companies that helped in delivering the pledge to cut emissions will now have to come together for its implementation and advancing the sustainable socio-economic development agenda, Dr Al Jaber, who is also UAE’s Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, said on Monday at the eighth Ministerial on Climate Action (MoCA) in China.
The charter was launched by the Cop28 Presidency and Saudi Arabia at the UN climate summit in December in the UAE as part of efforts to decarbonise the oil and gas sector, which directly and indirectly accounts for 42 per cent of global emissions.
PetroChina, a unit of state-controlled China National Petroleum Corporation, joined the charter companies, 60 per cent of which are national oil companies, as one of the 53 signatories of the OGDC, Dr Al Jaber said.
PetroChina, which accounts for 3.5 per cent of the world's oil production, joining the charter, marks a “significant moment for Chinese leadership” and “sends a powerful signal to global companies yet to sign up to do the right thing and choose the right side of history”, Dr Al Jaber told ministers at the event in Wuhan, China.
Solidarity was the key to achieving the UAE Consensus and the stakeholders should now draw from its “spirit of solidarity” to speed up the implementation.
This approach to inclusivity helped in delivering the charter, which is now yielding real-world results and “facts on the ground”, Dr Al Jaber added.
The OGDC regional signatories include NOCs including the UAE's Adnoc, Bahrain's Bapco Energies and Saudi Aramco, the world's largest oil-exporting company.
Italy's Eni, ExxonMobil, Occidental Petroleum, Shell and TotalEnergies were among the international oil companies that signed the charter in December.
The OGDC calls for the industry to align around net zero by or before 2050, zero-out methane emissions by 2030, eliminate routine flaring by 2030, work towards industry best practices in emission reduction, and invest in the energy system of the future.
The Cop28 Presidency in December said it would mobilise $1 billion for methane abatement projects.
After carbon dioxide emissions, methane is the second largest contributor to climate change, caused by humans. It is a greenhouse gas that warms up quickly, more than 80 times faster than carbon dioxide.
Climate experts said that reducing the international output of methane emissions is the most effective and least disruptive way to slow down the increase in temperatures over the next few decades.
Dr Al Jaber also called upon all countries to submit Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) that “cover everything from decarbonisation to deforestation”.
“We are pushing every country to turn its NDC into a practical plan that transforms the UAE Consensus into facts on the ground. These plans should be comprehensive and balanced across mitigation, adaptation and means of implementation,” he said.
The Cop Presidencies Troika, uniting Cop28 with the Azerbaijan and Brazil Cop presidencies, has a critical role to play in maintaining “political momentum”, he added.
Every sector should make climate resilience “their guiding principle”, Dr Al Jaber said, urging industries to “adopt strategies that future-proof their business models, put people first and protect our planet”.
Dr Al Jaber who is also managing director and group chief executive of Adnoc, stressed the need for reform of the international financial framework, to make climate finance more available, accessible and affordable, and incentivise private-sector investment.
“At a time when many countries are grappling with limited fiscal policy options and increasing debt burdens, this will be no easy task,” he said.
“The trillions we need cannot come from governments alone. Yet, the private sector will not step in if the risks are too high.”
Investment vehicles as Alterra, the world’s largest private investment vehicle for climate change action, launched at Cop28 with a $30 billion commitment from the UAE, could help to “change the dynamic”, Dr Al Jaber added.
If you go
The Flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Johannesburg from Dubai and Abu Dhabi respectively. Economy return tickets cost from Dh2,650, including taxes.
The trip
Worldwide Motorhoming Holidays (worldwidemotorhomingholidays.co.uk) operates fly-drive motorhome holidays in eight destinations, including South Africa. Its 14-day Kruger and the Battlefields itinerary starts from Dh17,500, including campgrounds, excursions, unit hire and flights. Bobo Campers has a range of RVs for hire, including the 4-berth Discoverer 4 from Dh600 per day.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Emergency phone numbers in the UAE
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
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Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
ZAYED SUSTAINABILITY PRIZE
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Mane points for safe home colouring
- Natural and grey hair takes colour differently than chemically treated hair
- Taking hair from a dark to a light colour should involve a slow transition through warmer stages of colour
- When choosing a colour (especially a lighter tone), allow for a natural lift of warmth
- Most modern hair colours are technique-based, in that they require a confident hand and taught skills
- If you decide to be brave and go for it, seek professional advice and use a semi-permanent colour
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES
SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities
Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails
Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies
Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Isle of Dogs
Director: Wes Anderson
Starring: Bryan Cranston, Liev Schreiber, Ed Norton, Greta Gerwig, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Scarlett Johansson
Three stars
Company profile
Name: One Good Thing
Founders: Bridgett Lau and Micheal Cooke
Based in: Dubai
Sector: e-commerce
Size: 5 employees
Stage: Looking for seed funding
Investors: Self-funded and seeking external investors
The%20specs
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RIVER%20SPIRIT
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
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If you go
The flights
There are direct flights from Dubai to Sofia with FlyDubai (www.flydubai.com) and Wizz Air (www.wizzair.com), from Dh1,164 and Dh822 return including taxes, respectively.
The trip
Plovdiv is 150km from Sofia, with an hourly bus service taking around 2 hours and costing $16 (Dh58). The Rhodopes can be reached from Sofia in between 2-4hours.
The trip was organised by Bulguides (www.bulguides.com), which organises guided trips throughout Bulgaria. Guiding, accommodation, food and transfers from Plovdiv to the mountains and back costs around 170 USD for a four-day, three-night trip.
