Veteran campaigner Zac Goldsmith sees reasons for optimism that countries will deliver on their spending promises at Cop28, four months after leaving the UK government with a withering attack on a prime minister “uninterested” in the environment.
The 48-year-old quit his job in Rishi Sunak's government in June but will be a keen participant in the Cop28 meeting in Dubai in November and December.
Mr Goldsmith joined the UK government as environment minister as it hosted the Cop26 climate summit in 2019 and said Cop28 is well placed to offer an opportunity for a reboot.
Quitting government gave him greater scope, he said, to ensure nature is at the heart of global efforts to keep global warming on track.
“My concern more recently was that we were losing that momentum,” he told The National. “The ground changing thing that emerged from Cop26 was that we brought nature in from the periphery, from the margins.
“There's no pathway to net zero that doesn't involve massive efforts to protect and restore nature and that was reflected in [Egypt's] Cop27 and it will undoubtedly be reflected in Cop28 as well – [Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Cop28 President-designate] and the team have really made that very clear.”
In another time, not one marked by the climate emergency, Mr Goldsmith's intense dedication to the natural world would be seen as iconoclastic and a personal obsession, not trailblazing campaigning.
The Old Etonian often seems more at home in rainforest glades than the red benches of the UK House of Lords, where he remains a legislator.
Mr Goldsmith's primary concern revolves around promoting and extending commitments on forests and mangroves, issues that he sees as “high up the agenda” for the forthcoming UAE meeting.
His mantra in his work is not only stopping damage to nature but to “shift it to renewal”. That means not only working with countries where the issues are most stark but with finance, philanthropy and business to mobilise funding and remove “perverse incentives” for planetary destruction.
“My focus now that I'm freed from ministerial responsibilities is to make good those promises of Cop – so far the UAE Presidency have been fantastically helpful,” he said.
“We have big, big moments at the start of Cop28 where leaders are going to be given an opportunity to report back not just to country leaders but the private sector, philanthropy and so on.
“From what I've seen so far, it looks like we are nearly on track with the spending commitments that were made by different donor countries. I think in terms of promises being made and kept, the story is better than I think I and others had expected it to be.”
For Mr Goldsmith, the countries in the “better-than-expected” category could well include the UK, despite his resignation warning that the country would lose leadership prestige if it went off track.
In the months since, Mr Sunak rolled back commitments within the UK's Net Zero by 2050 plan on deadlines for installing gas boilers in homes and banning new combustion engine cars.
The final straw for Mr Goldsmith was backsliding on a target of £11.6 billion the UK had pledged for climate and nature funding made in 2019. Mr Goldsmith had a hand in the “earthmoving commitments” behind the 2019 Forests Declaration and says resources pledged to nature-based solutions to climate are a litmus test for action.
He hopes the world will be on track for an end to deforestation by the end of this decade.
In government, he thought the target was being lost, particularly as a result of a lack of direction from Mr Sunak, but he has since detected something of a change of heart, with new commitments from his old colleagues.
“I hope I'm not putting too optimistic a spin on it, but it feels to me that on the finances, money side of things, we are gradually moving back into the position where we belong, which is making promises and keeping them,” he said.
The climate and nature pledge makes the three big regions of concern – the Congo Basin, the Amazon and Indonesian rainforests – a top priority.
“If we lose any one of these huge biomes, it's game over in terms of climate change,” he observed.
The Congo Basin provides much of Africa's rainfall and a key part of saving it is the Great Green Wall project across the Sahel. As a result of it, and even the wider push on issues like restoring mangroves in the Arab world, he says Saudi Arabia wants to influence this work, which he celebrates.
“The beauty of mangroves is obviously great in terms of mitigation and when as they grow they also provide coastal protection so are an adaptation partner,” he said. “They provide jobs as it's quite labour intensive to repair and protect them. And mangroves are where a lot of the deep sea fish can thrive.
“The UAE has given us some great champions on this. The President and supporting him is two great high level champions. Razan Mubarak really understands very deeply this inextricable link between climate and nature, she gets that fully and really is a great ambassador.
“You've got Mariam Al Mheiri [UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment], she, too, is a great champion when it comes to things like mangroves and nature restoration.
“I'm pretty optimistic when it comes to this part of the agenda.”
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
Listen to Extra Time
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
match info
Maratha Arabians 138-2
C Lynn 91*, A Lyth 20, B Laughlin 1-15
Team Abu Dhabi 114-3
L Wright 40*, L Malinga 0-13, M McClenaghan 1-17
Maratha Arabians won by 24 runs
Four motivational quotes from Alicia's Dubai talk
“The only thing we need is to know that we have faith. Faith and hope in our own dreams. The belief that, when we keep going we’re going to find our way. That’s all we got.”
“Sometimes we try so hard to keep things inside. We try so hard to pretend it’s not really bothering us. In some ways, that hurts us more. You don’t realise how dishonest you are with yourself sometimes, but I realised that if I spoke it, I could let it go.”
“One good thing is to know you’re not the only one going through it. You’re not the only one trying to find your way, trying to find yourself, trying to find amazing energy, trying to find a light. Show all of yourself. Show every nuance. All of your magic. All of your colours. Be true to that. You can be unafraid.”
“It’s time to stop holding back. It’s time to do it on your terms. It’s time to shine in the most unbelievable way. It’s time to let go of negativity and find your tribe, find those people that lift you up, because everybody else is just in your way.”
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
Quarter-finals
Saturday (all times UAE)
England v Australia, 11.15am
New Zealand v Ireland, 2.15pm
Sunday
Wales v France, 11.15am
Japan v South Africa, 2.15pm
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
Five personal finance podcasts from The National
To help you get started, tune into these Pocketful of Dirham episodes
·
Balance is essential to happiness, health and wealth
·
What is a portfolio stress test?
·
What are NFTs and why are auction houses interested?
·
How gamers are getting rich by earning cryptocurrencies
·
Should you buy or rent a home in the UAE?
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
What drives subscription retailing?
Once the domain of newspaper home deliveries, subscription model retailing has combined with e-commerce to permeate myriad products and services.
The concept has grown tremendously around the world and is forecast to thrive further, according to UnivDatos Market Insights’ report on recent and predicted trends in the sector.
The global subscription e-commerce market was valued at $13.2 billion (Dh48.5bn) in 2018. It is forecast to touch $478.2bn in 2025, and include the entertainment, fitness, food, cosmetics, baby care and fashion sectors.
The report says subscription-based services currently constitute “a small trend within e-commerce”. The US hosts almost 70 per cent of recurring plan firms, including leaders Dollar Shave Club, Hello Fresh and Netflix. Walmart and Sephora are among longer established retailers entering the space.
UnivDatos cites younger and affluent urbanites as prime subscription targets, with women currently the largest share of end-users.
That’s expected to remain unchanged until 2025, when women will represent a $246.6bn market share, owing to increasing numbers of start-ups targeting women.
Personal care and beauty occupy the largest chunk of the worldwide subscription e-commerce market, with changing lifestyles, work schedules, customisation and convenience among the chief future drivers.
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
Crops that could be introduced to the UAE
1: Quinoa
2. Bathua
3. Amaranth
4. Pearl and finger millet
5. Sorghum
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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2.
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China
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3.
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UAE
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4.
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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6.
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Canada
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7.
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Singapore
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8.
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
Generational responses to the pandemic
Devesh Mamtani from Century Financial believes the cash-hoarding tendency of each generation is influenced by what stage of the employment cycle they are in. He offers the following insights:
Baby boomers (those born before 1964): Owing to market uncertainty and the need to survive amid competition, many in this generation are looking for options to hoard more cash and increase their overall savings/investments towards risk-free assets.
Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980): Gen X is currently in its prime working years. With their personal and family finances taking a hit, Generation X is looking at multiple options, including taking out short-term loan facilities with competitive interest rates instead of dipping into their savings account.
Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996): This market situation is giving them a valuable lesson about investing early. Many millennials who had previously not saved or invested are looking to start doing so now.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3EFounder%3A%20Hani%20Abu%20Ghazaleh%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20with%20an%20office%20in%20Montreal%3Cbr%3EFounded%3A%202018%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20Virtual%20Reality%3Cbr%3EInvestment%20raised%3A%20%241.2%20million%2C%20and%20nearing%20close%20of%20%245%20million%20new%20funding%20round%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%2012%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Company Profile
Founder: Omar Onsi
Launched: 2018
Employees: 35
Financing stage: Seed round ($12 million)
Investors: B&Y, Phoenician Funds, M1 Group, Shorooq Partners
'Champions'
Director: Manuel Calvo
Stars: Yassir Al Saggaf and Fatima Al Banawi
Rating: 2/5
TOURNAMENT INFO
Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier
Jul 3- 14, in the Netherlands
The top two teams will qualify to play at the World T20 in the West Indies in November
UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (captain), Chamani Seneviratne, Subha Srinivasan, Neha Sharma, Kavisha Kumari, Judit Cleetus, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Heena Hotchandani, Namita D’Souza, Ishani Senevirathne, Esha Oza, Nisha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi
How to report a beggar
Abu Dhabi – Call 999 or 8002626 (Aman Service)
Dubai – Call 800243
Sharjah – Call 065632222
Ras Al Khaimah - Call 072053372
Ajman – Call 067401616
Umm Al Quwain – Call 999
Fujairah - Call 092051100 or 092224411
Pari
Produced by: Clean Slate Films (Anushka Sharma, Karnesh Sharma) & KriArj Entertainment
Director: Prosit Roy
Starring: Anushka Sharma, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Ritabhari Chakraborty, Rajat Kapoor, Mansi Multani
Three stars
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
Fixtures
Opening day Premier League fixtures for August 9-11
August 9
Liverpool v Norwich 11pm
August 10
West Ham v Man City 3.30pm
Bournemouth v Sheffield Utd 6pm
Burnley v Southampton 6pm
C Palace v Everton 6pm
Leicester v Wolves 6pm
Watford v Brighton 6pm
Tottenham v Aston Villa 8.30pm
August 11
Newcastle v Arsenal 5pm
Man United v Chelsea 7.30pm
The view from The National
