No single programme or strategy is enough to meet the net-zero goals of different countries and businesses, with each having different circumstances, resource endowments and geography, industry experts have said.
Economies must be flexible as they design and enact net-zero plans to achieve the best outcomes, the experts said at an online forum on Friday evening.
The “size and urgency of the task that we have in front of us are huge … there is not going to be a one-size-fits-all approach in achieving net zero targets,” Sama Bilbao y Leon, head of the World Nuclear Association, told the panel.
“Countries need to pick the energy mix that fits them the best … [according to] their social-economic situations and cultural preferences, there is going to be huge diversity,” Ms Bilbao y Leon said.
She was speaking at a “Pathways to Net Zero” discussion held as part of the Global Energy Forum at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week.
Net zero — meaning an economy either emits no greenhouse gases or offsets all of its emissions — is now the accepted standard for countries and companies setting climate targets.
Net-zero pledges have increased rapidly over the past couple of years and now cover 90 per cent of the global economy.
“African countries are committed to meet their climate goals … but we need to look at different options that we have available to achieve our goals. Flexibility is required as we cannot impose one-size-fits-all solution on a very diversified continent,” said Alain Ebobisse, chief executive of Africa50.
“We have to agree some [countries] will transition quickly while others will take longer time,” he added.
Africa50 was established by African governments and the African Development Bank to help bridge the continent’s infrastructure funding gap.
About $50 trillion in incremental investments is required by 2050 to achieve net-zero goals and cut greenhouse emissions from about 51 billion tonnes per year, industry experts said.
They said developed economies have a crucial role to play if the world is to meet its climate goals within the set deadlines.
“Africa is hungry for energy, and we have a huge population. By 2050, Africa’s population would be almost doubled from 1.3 billion today to 2.5 billion … we need to make sure that we cater to this growing energy demand,” Mr Ebobisse said.
Advanced economies have a responsibility to help emerging economies “leapfrog from where they are today towards a future of clean energy”, Ms Bilbao y Leon said.
“Nuclear energy is potentially a game-changer for many countries as it offers a lot of options to match different needs of the countries. It is one of the few low-carbon energies that can produce electricity as well as heat,” she added.
Last year, the Arab world’s second-biggest economy, the UAE, became the first country in the Middle East to set a net-zero target. It aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and plans to invest $160 billion in clean and renewable energy sources over the next three decades.
The Emirates is the only Arab nation that has a full-sized, operational nuclear power plant. It recently completed the construction of Unit 3 at Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant. Unit 1 is fully operational and Unit 2 was recently connected to the main grid and continues to undergo testing.
As the world moves towards net-zero pledges, technology will play a key role in helping economies accomplish their aims, said Tim Holt, member of the executive board at Siemens Energy.
“We need technologies for the transition and it’s not going to happen overnight.
“All of us see a future that is potentially all-renewable but how do we get there?
“If we want to make it happen, we need to define what is the transition period, what will be the technologies for the transition period and do we incentivise those technologies that will be used in the transition.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MORE ON INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE
Results
5.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,400m; Winner: Mcmanaman, Sam Hitchcock (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer)
6.05pm: Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Bawaasil, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson
6.40pm: Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (Dirt) 1,400m; Winner: Bochart, Fabrice Veron, Satish Seemar
7.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: Mutaraffa, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
7.50pm: Longines Stakes – Conditions (TB) Dh120,00 (D) 1,900m; Winner: Rare Ninja, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
8.25pm: Zabeel Trophy – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh120,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Alfareeq, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
9pm: Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (T) 2,410m; Winner: Good Tidings, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
9.35pm: Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (T) 2,000m; Winner: Zorion, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi, Helal Al Alawi
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 502hp at 7,600rpm
Torque: 637Nm at 5,150rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Price: from Dh317,671
On sale: now
What's in the deal?
Agreement aims to boost trade by £25.5bn a year in the long run, compared with a total of £42.6bn in 2024
India will slash levies on medical devices, machinery, cosmetics, soft drinks and lamb.
India will also cut automotive tariffs to 10% under a quota from over 100% currently.
Indian employees in the UK will receive three years exemption from social security payments
India expects 99% of exports to benefit from zero duty, raising opportunities for textiles, marine products, footwear and jewellery
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20IPHONE%2014%20PRO%20MAX
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More from Neighbourhood Watch
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Points to remember
- Debate the issue, don't attack the person
- Build the relationship and dialogue by seeking to find common ground
- Express passion for the issue but be aware of when you're losing control or when there's anger. If there is, pause and take some time out.
- Listen actively without interrupting
- Avoid assumptions, seek understanding, ask questions
Day 4, Dubai Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Lahiru Gamage appeared to have been hard done by when he had his dismissal of Sami Aslam chalked off for a no-ball. Replays suggested he had not overstepped. No matter. Two balls later, the exact same combination – Gamage the bowler and Kusal Mendis at second slip – combined again to send Aslam back.
Stat of the day Haris Sohail took three wickets for one run in the only over he bowled, to end the Sri Lanka second innings in a hurry. That was as many as he had managed in total in his 10-year, 58-match first-class career to date. It was also the first time a bowler had taken three wickets having bowled just one over in an innings in Tests.
The verdict Just 119 more and with five wickets remaining seems like a perfectly attainable target for Pakistan. Factor in the fact the pitch is worn, is turning prodigiously, and that Sri Lanka’s seam bowlers have also been finding the strip to their liking, it is apparent the task is still a tough one. Still, though, thanks to Asad Shafiq and Sarfraz Ahmed, it is possible.
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THE BIO
Bio Box
Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul
Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader
Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet
Favorite food: seafood
Favorite place to travel: Lebanon
Favorite movie: Braveheart
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
