France's President Emmanuel Macron, left, and US President Joe Biden at the G7 Leaders' Summit in Hiroshima, Japan, where pledges for climate action have been renewed. AFP
France's President Emmanuel Macron, left, and US President Joe Biden at the G7 Leaders' Summit in Hiroshima, Japan, where pledges for climate action have been renewed. AFP
France's President Emmanuel Macron, left, and US President Joe Biden at the G7 Leaders' Summit in Hiroshima, Japan, where pledges for climate action have been renewed. AFP
France's President Emmanuel Macron, left, and US President Joe Biden at the G7 Leaders' Summit in Hiroshima, Japan, where pledges for climate action have been renewed. AFP

G7 remains committed to decarbonised road sector by 2030


Fareed Rahman
  • English
  • Arabic

The Group of Seven (G7) nations meeting in Japan on Saturday affirmed their goal of a highly decarbonised road sector by 2030 and net zero emissions on roads by 2050.

The world’s leading industrialised democracies said they are aiming for 100 per cent or a vast majority sales of zero emission vehicles in the light duty class by 2035.

The G7 is also focusing on 100 per cent electric vehicles in new passenger car sales by 2035 and promoting infrastructure and sustainable carbon-neutral fuels as part of their transition strategies.

“We note the opportunities that these policies offer to contribute to a highly decarbonised road sector, including progressing towards a share of over 50 per cent of zero emission LDVs (light duty vehicles) sold globally by 2030,” the statement said.

The G7 also aims to cut carbon dioxide emissions from its vehicle stock by at least 50 per cent by 2035 or earlier relative to the level in 2000.

Countries are intensifying efforts to limit global warming amid a growing threat to the environment. The US and the EU aim to reach net zero by 2050.

Investment in renewable energy technology globally hit a record of $1.3 trillion last year.

However, that figure must rise to about $5 trillion annually by 2030 to meet the Paris accord target of limiting temperature increases to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, Abu Dhabi-based International Renewable Energy Agency said in its World Energy Transitions Outlook 2023 preview in March.

The G7 reaffirmed its goals of zero emissions in international aviation and shipping by 2050.

It also repeated its commitment to the “developed country parties’ goal of jointly mobilising $100 billion annually in climate finance by 2020 through to 2025.”

“We stress the importance of mobilising finance, especially including private finance focusing on further implementation and development of clean technologies and activities,” it said.

More investments are needed in climate technologies, which can help create an economic development model focused on cutting emissions while ensuring growth, according to Dr Sultan Al Jaber, President-designate of the Cop28 summit.

“With the right policies stimulating the right investments, climate technologies could at least double their contribution to global growth, while removing 25 billion tonnes of carbon emissions annually,” Dr Al Jaber told the UAE Climate Tech forum this month.

Access to cheaper capital will play a significant role in boosting financing for energy transition projects in G20 countries, while collaboration between public and private sectors will help serve as a catalyst for institutional capital flows, the International Renewable Energy Agency said in a report last week.

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Our legal columnist

Name: Yousef Al Bahar

Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994

Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Mamo 

 Year it started: 2019 Founders: Imad Gharazeddine, Asim Janjua

 Based: Dubai, UAE

 Number of employees: 28

 Sector: Financial services

 Investment: $9.5m

 Funding stage: Pre-Series A Investors: Global Ventures, GFC, 4DX Ventures, AlRajhi Partners, Olive Tree Capital, and prominent Silicon Valley investors. 

 
Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

The advice provided in our columns does not constitute legal advice and is provided for information only. Readers are encouraged to seek independent legal advice. 

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Infiniti QX80 specs

Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6

Power: 450hp

Torque: 700Nm

Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000

Available: Now

Specs

Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request

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Volvo ES90 Specs

Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)

Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp

Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm

On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region

Price: Exact regional pricing TBA

Roll of honour 2019-2020

Dubai Rugby Sevens

Winners: Dubai Hurricanes

Runners up: Bahrain

 

West Asia Premiership

Winners: Bahrain

Runners up: UAE Premiership

 

UAE Premiership

Winners: Dubai Exiles

Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes

 

UAE Division One

Winners: Abu Dhabi Saracens

Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes II

 

UAE Division Two

Winners: Barrelhouse

Runners up: RAK Rugby

Specs

Engine: 51.5kW electric motor

Range: 400km

Power: 134bhp

Torque: 175Nm

Price: From Dh98,800

Available: Now

BMW M5 specs

Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor

Power: 727hp

Torque: 1,000Nm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh650,000

Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Red flags
  • Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
  • Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
  • Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
  • Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
  • Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.

Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

Everything Now

Arcade Fire

(Columbia Records)

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 biog

Simon Nadim has completed 7,000 dives. 

The hardest dive in the UAE is the German U-boat 110m down off the Fujairah coast. 

As a child, he loved the documentaries of Jacques Cousteau

He also led a team that discovered the long-lost portion of the Ines oil tanker. 

If you are interested in diving, he runs the XR Hub Dive Centre in Fujairah

 

Fanney Khan

Producer: T-Series, Anil Kapoor Productions, ROMP, Prerna Arora

Director: Atul Manjrekar

Cast: Anil Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai, Rajkummar Rao, Pihu Sand

Rating: 2/5 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
CREW
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Favourite things

Luxury: Enjoys window shopping for high-end bags and jewellery

Discount: She works in luxury retail, but is careful about spending, waits for sales, festivals and only buys on discount

University: The only person in her family to go to college, Jiang secured a bachelor’s degree in business management in China

Masters: Studying part-time for a master’s degree in international business marketing in Dubai

Vacation: Heads back home to see family in China

Community work: Member of the Chinese Business Women’s Association of the UAE to encourage other women entrepreneurs

Updated: May 20, 2023, 1:27 PM`