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Climate should be at the top of everyone's agenda, sustainable development expert and Cop28 speaker Saudi Princess Noura bint Turki Al Saud has said.
Princess Noura and Princess Mashael Saud Al Shalan are co-founders of Aeon, a Riyadh-based sustainable development advisory firm that specialises in strategy and policy design and project management.
In an exclusive interview with The National, the princesses told how Saudis are striving to meet environmental challenges, with youth taking a prominent role.
A leading figure on sustainability in the kingdom and an advisory board member of the International Energy Agency intergovernmental organisation, Princess Noura will be speaking at Cop28, which opens in Dubai on Thursday.
While the UN climate change summit at Expo City Dubai has a tough challenge in keeping global temperature rises to no more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, Princess Noura believes change is possible – but to achieve that all parties must get involved.
“You need every player, every sector to play a role in that and I think that's what we're trying to do,” she said.
“Climate should be on the top of everyone's agenda.”
We're very excited about Cop28. But if you're really serious, you have to think of Cop30. You have to think of this longer-term trajectory
Princess Mashael Saud Al Shalan,
co-founder of Aeon
Princess Noura said Cop28 was all about engaging with people from all across the board.
The summit is vital for “building bridges from a diplomatic aspect, having conversations with people from across the globe from the policy side and from the civil society”, she said.
But Princess Mashael, who guides Aeon’s overall strategy, thinks a longer view is needed.
“If you're really serious, you have to think of Cop30. You have to think of this longer-term trajectory,” she said.
“How can you push certain mandates from ideas on a piece of paper to things that people coalesce on?”
Under the Saudi Green Initiative two years ago, the kingdom set a target of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2060.
“They're talking about climate, they're talking about environmental stewardship, and this trickles all the way from top to bottom … it's really involving everyone and it's giving everyone that sense of urgency that they can do more, and they can contribute to this effort,” said Princess Noura.
“You're trying to regenerate and rebuild some of the lost wealth – whether it's biodiversity, or your culture and heritage … so, it's about a multitude of issues and that's really what guides us and what drives us.”
The princess said a lot of work is being done on planet-positive interventions, which focus on solutions, but also on innovation and policymaking to “develop what we're hopefully going to have in the next few years, this planetary repair skills bank”.
Youth participation
“Our region primarily is quite young, and there's a lot of energy investment going into the pipeline,” said Princess Mashael.
During the Middle East and North Africa climate week, held in Riyadh this year, in co-operation with the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change secretariat, Princess Noura said international attendees were pleasantly surprised to see how deeply involved Saudi youth were.
The week-long climate event brought together private sector companies, policymakers, campaigners, and stakeholders in sustainability for discussions on energy and climate.
“The youth are part of the policymaking process. They are in the negotiation rooms they are on these boards they are in the rooms with ministers and with the Crown Prince [Mohammed bin Salman] voicing their concerns voicing but actually thinking about solutions,” said Princess Noura.
When Saudi youth first started working in the energy and climate sector they realised there was a very big gap in how policies were relating to projects on the ground, “specifically the developmental projects that touch communities”.
Princess Noura said societal values inspire Aeon, which was founded in 2016, because “in the end it's the individual in society that you want to influence”.
“We're Bedouins and we take pride in the Bedouin ethos and approach. I call it this Bedouin approach to policymaking. We like to under-commit, and hopefully over-deliver in certain arenas, Princess Mashael said.
Consistent leadership
Princess Mashael says there is a need to address empty rhetoric to help translate a lot of this work into pragmatic action that's felt on the ground.
“I think what's very lacking is consistent leadership and consistent vision,” she said.
“And how do you translate that to action on the ground? We always allude to this big win.
“That we were very happy to be able to push across the finish line with the Saudi Green Initiative.”
New projects to highlight the importance of art and culture to sustainable means of living will be launched next year.
“We are the indigenous communities that lived here for centuries,” said Princess Noura.
“Maybe there are communities who have different ways of life who are still more in touch with traditional practices but essentially everyone is indigenous in one way or another to this land.”
Aeon now has a network of physical sites around the world. The company said these can build and share knowledge and create a space where people can have conversations on everything from policy innovation to technical solutions.
Despite the progress, Princess Noura thinks Saudis “will never be content with the status quo … they're always going to strive for better and better”.
“It's really something to be proud of … you can just see it in their eyes and feel it in the way that they're engaging.”
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Overall standings
1. Christopher Froome (GBR/Sky) 68hr 18min 36sec,
2. Fabio Aru (ITA/AST) at 0:18.
3. Romain Bardet (FRA/ALM) 0:23.
4. Rigoberto Uran (COL/CAN) 0:29.
5. Mikel Landa (ESP/SKY) 1:17.
Liverpool's all-time goalscorers
Ian Rush 346
Roger Hunt 285
Mohamed Salah 250
Gordon Hodgson 241
Billy Liddell 228
On Instagram: @WithHopeUAE
Although social media can be harmful to our mental health, paradoxically, one of the antidotes comes with the many social-media accounts devoted to normalising mental-health struggles. With Hope UAE is one of them.
The group, which has about 3,600 followers, was started three years ago by five Emirati women to address the stigma surrounding the subject. Via Instagram, the group recently began featuring personal accounts by Emiratis. The posts are written under the hashtag #mymindmatters, along with a black-and-white photo of the subject holding the group’s signature red balloon.
“Depression is ugly,” says one of the users, Amani. “It paints everything around me and everything in me.”
Saaed, meanwhile, faces the daunting task of caring for four family members with psychological disorders. “I’ve had no support and no resources here to help me,” he says. “It has been, and still is, a one-man battle against the demons of fractured minds.”
In addition to With Hope UAE’s frank social-media presence, the group holds talks and workshops in Dubai. “Change takes time,” Reem Al Ali, vice chairman and a founding member of With Hope UAE, told The National earlier this year. “It won’t happen overnight, and it will take persistent and passionate people to bring about this change.”
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
Key changes
Commission caps
For life insurance products with a savings component, Peter Hodgins of Clyde & Co said different caps apply to the saving and protection elements:
• For the saving component, a cap of 4.5 per cent of the annualised premium per year (which may not exceed 90 per cent of the annualised premium over the policy term).
• On the protection component, there is a cap of 10 per cent of the annualised premium per year (which may not exceed 160 per cent of the annualised premium over the policy term).
• Indemnity commission, the amount of commission that can be advanced to a product salesperson, can be 50 per cent of the annualised premium for the first year or 50 per cent of the total commissions on the policy calculated.
• The remaining commission after deduction of the indemnity commission is paid equally over the premium payment term.
• For pure protection products, which only offer a life insurance component, the maximum commission will be 10 per cent of the annualised premium multiplied by the length of the policy in years.
Disclosure
Customers must now be provided with a full illustration of the product they are buying to ensure they understand the potential returns on savings products as well as the effects of any charges. There is also a “free-look” period of 30 days, where insurers must provide a full refund if the buyer wishes to cancel the policy.
“The illustration should provide for at least two scenarios to illustrate the performance of the product,” said Mr Hodgins. “All illustrations are required to be signed by the customer.”
Another illustration must outline surrender charges to ensure they understand the costs of exiting a fixed-term product early.
Illustrations must also be kept updatedand insurers must provide information on the top five investment funds available annually, including at least five years' performance data.
“This may be segregated based on the risk appetite of the customer (in which case, the top five funds for each segment must be provided),” said Mr Hodgins.
Product providers must also disclose the ratio of protection benefit to savings benefits. If a protection benefit ratio is less than 10 per cent "the product must carry a warning stating that it has limited or no protection benefit" Mr Hodgins added.
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1.45pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,400m
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2.15pm: Handicap Dh90,000 1,400m
Winner: Kidd Malibu, Sandro Paiva, Musabah Al Muhairi
2.45pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,000m
Winner: Raakezz, Tadhg O’Shea, Nicholas Bachalard
3.15pm: Handicap Dh105,000 1,200m
Winner: Au Couer, Sean Kirrane, Satish Seemar
3.45pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,600m
Winner: Rayig, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
4.15pm: Handicap Dh105,000 1,600m
Winner: Chiefdom, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
4.45pm: Handicap Dh80,000 1,800m
Winner: King’s Shadow, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
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GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
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Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
Results
2.30pm: Dubai Creek Tower – Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (Dirt) 1,200m; Winner: Marmara Xm, Gary Sanchez (jockey), Abdelkhir Adam (trainer)
3pm: Al Yasmeen – Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m; Winner: AS Hajez, Jesus Rosales, Khalifa Al Neyadi
3.30pm: Al Ferdous – Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m; Winner: Soukainah, Sebastien Martino, Jean-Claude Pecout
4pm: The Crown Prince Of Sharjah – Prestige (PA) Dh200,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: AF Thayer, Ray Dawson, Ernst Oertel
4.30pm: Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup – Handicap (TB) Dh200,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: George Villiers, Antonio Fresu, Bhupat Seemar
5pm: Palma Spring – Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Es Abu Mousa, Antonio Fresu, Abubakar Daud
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
