The UN’s climate change champion for Cop27 Egypt said financing clean energy projects is critical and bringing together investors and communities across the same table is crucial.
Mahmoud Mohieldin, UN Climate Change High Level Champion for Egypt and UN Special Envoy on Financing 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, is looking forward to working with the UAE in the months leading up to Cop28.
The economist with more than 30 years of experience in international finance and development spoke at the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week on Tuesday.
His message was that climate change discussions cannot be ‘elitist', or held in a vacuum and that it is important to include people who are affected but never part of the dialogue.
The cost of doing nothing is huge
Mahmoud Mohieldin,
UN climate change high-level champion for Egypt Cop27
“There are many good solutions in farming, for instance, that can improve productivity or knowledge sharing about best crops or crop insurance,” he told The National in an interview.
“All these new solutions are about people but we need to put them in simple language, not to get people frightened.
"It’s not an elitist topic and I think hosting the Cop in Egypt and here in the UAE, that gets in closer to common people from the developing economies.”
High cost of doing nothing
Drawing in civil society, non-government institutions, universities and the private sector will be an essential part of the preparations before the next Cop in November.
He has already met senior officials in the UAE team, including his counterpart, Razan Al Mubarak, the UN climate change high-level champion for the UAE Cop28, and discussed this and other priorities.
“This was the subject that took a lot of time between me and Razan Al Mubarak, the new champion from the UAE,” he said.
He spoke of the need to convey to the wider public that “the cost of doing nothing is even more”, saying the price of handling the damage caused by climate change would be far higher than investing in solutions.
Identifying strong green energy projects will provide an important road map for investment bankers looking for viable programmes, he said.
He was confident that the UAE, with its collaboration between the government and investors, would build on the work done in the Egyptian city of Sharm El Sheikh last year.
Having travelled extensively and seen projects introduced, Mr Mohieldin is enthusiastic about plans for wind farms, clean cooking and water management in South Asia and Africa that are among 128 projects identified by the UN in a pipeline of “investible opportunities” to help countries adapt.
Listening to economies in distress
The former minister of investment of Egypt is also an advocate of a level playing field.
He has outlined a bold approach of financing energy plans on concessional terms for middle and low-income countries with interest rates not exceeding 1 per cent, a grace period of no less than 10 years and repayment of 20 years.
This “holistic approach” takes into consideration countries in economic distress, particularly, with the war in Ukraine, amid soaring food prices and the energy crisis.
“I cannot just talk about climate finance as if there is no debt crisis looming in many countries,” he said.
“What we need to do is make climate finance as part of a holistic approach. We need to consider that there is more than 60 per cent of developing economies in debt distress. We cannot just say it’s going to be business as usual.”
Forced migration
Mr Mohieldin has also warned that the figure of $100 billion a year that rich countries pledged at Copenhagen at Cop15 in 2009 to help developing nations meet climate action goals was outdated.
A report before the Egypt summit last year said developing nations need $1 trillion a year until 2025 and $2.4 trillion until 2030 to deal with damage from climate change, cut emissions, adapt and boost resilience.
“I don’t like to play this card a lot but there is the fear factor as well,” he said.
“If we are not going to be contributing adequately to stop the problems, we are going to be seeing floods, more concerns about heat and people will not just complain about it, they will move.
“You will have an influx of refugees in the form of forced migration.
“People are displaced within their country first and then if one has an alternative somewhere in a cooler area, they will try all possible means to reach these places to protect their families.
“So let’s get into good acts of collaboration.
“I know, it’s very for many countries facing difficult economic conditions but actually the cost of doing nothing is huge.”
Mr Mohieldin believes limiting global temperatures to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels is achievable with financing projects, the exchange of technology between countries, solar and wind solutions being invented.
He said: “1.5 degrees, it’s still alive.
“I actually see opportunities even in the worst of the political crisis today in Ukraine.
“In the short term it pushed some countries to burn everything and anything they can burn in order to produce energy including from coal.
“But at the same time it has renewed their interest in renewables and green solutions for energy as well.”
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.
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”.
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
HWJN
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UAE%20set%20for%20Scotland%20series
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Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Titanium Escrow profile
Started: December 2016
Founder: Ibrahim Kamalmaz
Based: UAE
Sector: Finance / legal
Size: 3 employees, pre-revenue
Stage: Early stage
Investors: Founder's friends and Family
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
EMIRATES'S%20REVISED%20A350%20DEPLOYMENT%20SCHEDULE
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Kill%20
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DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin
Director: Shawn Levy
Rating: 3/5
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Sui Dhaaga: Made in India
Director: Sharat Katariya
Starring: Varun Dhawan, Anushka Sharma, Raghubir Yadav
3.5/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder MHEV
Power: 360bhp
Torque: 500Nm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Price: from Dh282,870
On sale: now
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
500 People from Gaza enter France
115 Special programme for artists
25 Evacuation of injured and sick
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
if you go
The flights
Emirates have direct flights from Dubai to Glasgow from Dh3,115. Alternatively, if you want to see a bit of Edinburgh first, then you can fly there direct with Etihad from Abu Dhabi.
The hotel
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Located in the heart of Mackintosh's Glasgow, the Dakota Deluxe is perhaps the most refined hotel anywhere in the city. Doubles from Dh850
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Events and tours
There are various Mackintosh specific events throughout 2018 – for more details and to see a map of his surviving designs see glasgowmackintosh.com
For walking tours focussing on the Glasgow Style, see the website of the Glasgow School of Art.
More information
For ideas on planning a trip to Scotland, visit www.visitscotland.com
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
