Live updates: Follow the latest news on Cop28
Landmark announcements on food and finance, along with impassioned calls to act from global leaders, raised the ambition on the second day of Cop28.
At least 134 leaders endorsed a UAE declaration on sustainable agriculture, resilient food systems and climate action, while a separate $30 billion climate finance pledge was made that aims to find solutions to the world's funding challenges.
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed announced the $30 billion drive during his opening speech at Friday’s World Climate Action Summit in Dubai.
“The lack of financing has long been one of the biggest obstacles to advancing climate action globally,” he said.
The UAE also on Friday made a separate pledge of US$200m (Dh735 million) to help climate resilience in vulnerable countries.
A vast, frightening experiment of changing every ecological condition all at once
King Charles on human behaviour
The food initiative included a vow to cut emissions from farming – about a third of the world’s greenhouse gas footprint – by shifting to “more sustainable production and consumption”.
“Today signals a turning point, embedding sustainable agriculture and food systems as critical components in both dealing with climate change and building food systems fit for the future,” said Mariam Al Mheiri, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment and Cop28 food systems lead. “Together we will deliver lasting change for families, farmers and the future.”
Gernot Laganda, climate director of the World Food Programme, told The National the announcement was a breakthrough.
“WFP supports the declaration,” he said. “The biggest driver of hunger in the world is still conflict, but climate, I think, is following very closely, especially in places where conflict and climate intersect.”
World leaders also addressed the summit on Friday, taking turns to lament over the state of the planet and urge more action to correct course.
'Praying with all my heart'
King Charles III said he was “praying with all my heart” that Cop28 would be a “critical turning point” in the fight against climate change.
He said the world was carrying out a “vast, frightening experiment of changing every ecological condition all at once”.
The monarch, a lifelong advocate for the environment, seemed to chuckle in frustration at how long he had been talking about protecting the planet and pointed out he had addressed the 2015 Paris Cop that resulted in the landmark deal to try to limit temperatures to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
“The Earth does not belong to us, we belong to the Earth,” he said.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who has just visited Antarctica to see melting ice scientists believe is linked to climate change, said keeping the 1.5°C threshold was only possible if the world stopped “burning all fossil fuels”.
The UN has warned that this year could be the hottest ever, and it also cautioned before Cop28 started that the world could be on track for warming of 3°C which would have devastating consequences for the lives and livelihoods of billions of people.
“Not reduce, not abate,” said Mr Guterres. “Phaseout – with a clear time frame aligned with 1.5°C.”
Jordan's King Abdullah II warned climate change will exacerbate the impact of war, amid a worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, while Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the world didn’t have much time to correct “mistakes of the past century” while also stating India would seek to host Cop33.
The second day of the summit sought to continue the momentum of the opening day where the contentious loss and damage fund was capitalised after a fraught year-long process over its operation. But delegates still face a tough few days ahead when the future of fossil fuels is set to be debated further.
A first draft of an agreement on the global stocktake published in the early hours of Friday did include fossil fuels but it was a very early text and subject to change. The global stocktake is the first assessment of how the world is doing against the goals of the Paris deal and is a critical part of Cop28.
The opening and leader speeches injected a sense of urgency and occasion into the often dry world of UN negotiations, with the opening event featuring traditional UAE music and, after Sheikh Mohamed ended his speech, his father and UAE Founding Father – the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan – appeared in a 3D hologram with a backdrop of rolling dunes and stars.
One of the most impassioned speeches of the day came from Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who sounded a note of caution about the challenges ahead. Since he became president a year ago, Lula has brought Brazil back to the centre of the climate fight and eased destruction of the vital Amazon rainforest. Cop30 takes place there in 2025.
Mr Lula rebuked those who were not following through on their commitments and were spending a fraction on climate compared with weapons.
“The world is already convinced of the potential of renewable sources of energy,” he told attendees, his voice thundering through the auditorium.
“Now is the time to face the debate about the slow-motion pace of the decarbonisation of the planet, and to work towards an economy that will be less reliant on fossil fuel. We have to do it, and in a way that is urgent and fair.”
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
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A%20QUIET%20PLACE
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Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
Company%20Profile
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Countries recognising Palestine
France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra
World record transfers
1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m
Essentials
The flights
Etihad (etihad.ae) and flydubai (flydubai.com) fly direct to Baku three times a week from Dh1,250 return, including taxes.
The stay
A seven-night “Fundamental Detox” programme at the Chenot Palace (chenotpalace.com/en) costs from €3,000 (Dh13,197) per person, including taxes, accommodation, 3 medical consultations, 2 nutritional consultations, a detox diet, a body composition analysis, a bio-energetic check-up, four Chenot bio-energetic treatments, six Chenot energetic massages, six hydro-aromatherapy treatments, six phyto-mud treatments, six hydro-jet treatments and access to the gym, indoor pool, sauna and steam room. Additional tests and treatments cost extra.
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
Price: from Dh94,900
On sale: now
The%20specs%20
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More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Fixtures
50-over match
UAE v Lancashire, starts at 10am
Champion County match
MCC v Surrey, four-day match, starting on Sunday, March 24, play starts at 10am
Both matches are at ICC Academy, Dubai Sports City. Admission is free.
Mina Cup winners
Under 12 – Minerva Academy
Under 14 – Unam Pumas
Under 16 – Fursan Hispania
Under 18 – Madenat
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
Get Out
Director: Jordan Peele
Stars: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Catherine Keener, Bradley Whitford
Four stars
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
'The Lost Daughter'
Director: Maggie Gyllenhaal
Starring: Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, Dakota Johnson
Rating: 4/5
The Orwell Prize for Political Writing
Twelve books were longlisted for The Orwell Prize for Political Writing. The non-fiction works cover various themes from education, gender bias, and the environment to surveillance and political power. Some of the books that made it to the non-fiction longlist include:
- Appeasing Hitler: Chamberlain, Churchill and the Road to War by Tim Bouverie
- Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me by Kate Clanchy
- Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez
- Follow Me, Akhi: The Online World of British Muslims by Hussein Kesvani
- Guest House for Young Widows: Among the Women of ISIS by Azadeh Moaveni
AndhaDhun
Director: Sriram Raghavan
Producer: Matchbox Pictures, Viacom18
Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Tabu, Radhika Apte, Anil Dhawan
Rating: 3.5/5
'Brazen'
Director: Monika Mitchell
Starring: Alyssa Milano, Sam Page, Colleen Wheeler
Rating: 3/5
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
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
SPEC SHEET
Display: 10.4-inch IPS LCD, 400 nits, toughened glass
CPU: Unisoc T610; Mali G52 GPU
Memory: 4GB
Storage: 64GB, up to 512GB microSD
Camera: 8MP rear, 5MP front
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C, 3.5mm audio
Battery: 8200mAh, up to 10 hours video
Platform: Android 11
Audio: Stereo speakers, 2 mics
Durability: IP52
Biometrics: Face unlock
Price: Dh849
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
