An image captured by Nasa's Terra satellite on May 2, 2000, shows the North Patagonia Ice Sheet in Chile. A single large glacier covered with crevasses is visible, while a semi-circular terminal moraine indicates that the glacier was once more extensive. Nasa
An image captured by Nasa's Terra satellite on May 2, 2000, shows the North Patagonia Ice Sheet in Chile. A single large glacier covered with crevasses is visible, while a semi-circular terminal moraine indicates that the glacier was once more extensive. Nasa
A firefighter drags a hose closer to battle a grass fire in Knightsen, California.
A firefighter drags a hose closer to battle a grass fire in Knightsen, California.
La Concepcion reservoir, which supplies 30 per cent of the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa, during a severe drought caused by climate change. AFP
La Concepcion reservoir, which supplies 30 per cent of the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa, during a severe drought caused by climate change. AFP
A view of mountains that used to be covered by snow, during a warm winter day in Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian-administered Kashmir. Getty
A view of mountains that used to be covered by snow, during a warm winter day in Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian-administered Kashmir. Getty
An image captured from Nasa's Terra spacecraft shows a vast crack across the Pine Island Glacier, a major ice stream that drains the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. Eventually, the crack will extend all the way across the glacier.
An image captured from Nasa's Terra spacecraft shows a vast crack across the Pine Island Glacier, a major ice stream that drains the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. Eventually, the crack will extend all the way across the glacier.
In this Landsat 8 image, glacial retreat is revealed in the rugged wilderness region of Patagonia, site of the largest contiguous areas of ice cover outside Antarctica. USGS
In this Landsat 8 image, glacial retreat is revealed in the rugged wilderness region of Patagonia, site of the largest contiguous areas of ice cover outside Antarctica. USGS
Destructive fires have raged in California and strong winds could spark new blazes. AFP
Destructive fires have raged in California and strong winds could spark new blazes. AFP
A bird flies next to an ox walking on a smouldering field after a fire burnt a tract of the Amazon rainforest as it was cleared by farmers in Brazil. Reuters
A bird flies next to an ox walking on a smouldering field after a fire burnt a tract of the Amazon rainforest as it was cleared by farmers in Brazil. Reuters
US actress Jane Fonda, centre, participates in a climate change protest before being arrested by US Capitol Police in Washington. EPA
US actress Jane Fonda, centre, participates in a climate change protest before being arrested by US Capitol Police in Washington. EPA
Protesters gather outside the White House in Washington to protest against Donald Trump's decision to withdraw the US from the Paris climate change accord. AP
Protesters gather outside the White House in Washington to protest against Donald Trump's decision to withdraw the US from the Paris climate change accord. AP

Climate

Environment

What are the 5 main causes of climate change after release of UN report?

Global warming is caused by gases trapping heat in the Earth’s atmosphere

Georgia Tolley
Georgia Tolley

August 09, 2021

  • English
  • Arabic

Read also: Climate change: ‘Code red for humanity’ as UN report warns of disaster

Earth’s average temperature will reach 1.5ºC above preindustrial levels at about 2030, a UN assessment has found.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was published on Monday and said the tipping point would arrive a decade earlier than projected only three years ago.

Furthermore, the threshold will be breached by about 2050, no matter how aggressively humanity draws down carbon pollution.

Global warming is caused by gases such as carbon dioxide trapping solar radiation in the Earth’s atmosphere, making the climate warmer. This is commonly known as the greenhouse effect.

The IPCC report said the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are higher than they have been in two million years, and methane and nitrous oxide concentration is higher than any point in at least 800,000 years.

The National found out the five main culprits for this increase in greenhouse gases.

1. Fossil fuels

Around $3.5 trillion is required between now and 2050 to meet targets for a 'sustainable path', according to the International Energy Agency. AP Photo
Around $3.5 trillion is required between now and 2050 to meet targets for a 'sustainable path', according to the International Energy Agency. AP Photo
The makeshift Suweida camp for internally displaced people in Yemen’s Marib province. The effects of climate change have exacerbated the displacement of local populations during the country’s war. AFP
The makeshift Suweida camp for internally displaced people in Yemen’s Marib province. The effects of climate change have exacerbated the displacement of local populations during the country’s war. AFP
A firefighter monitors a controlled burn, near Jolon, California.Frequent wildfires are an indication of climate change further getting out of control, say environmentalists. Bloomberg
A firefighter monitors a controlled burn, near Jolon, California.Frequent wildfires are an indication of climate change further getting out of control, say environmentalists. Bloomberg
Wildfire burns through the Angeles National Forest in Los Angeles County, north of Azusa, California. AFP
Wildfire burns through the Angeles National Forest in Los Angeles County, north of Azusa, California. AFP
Steam rises from a steel mill in Duisburg, Germany. Some countries are using the coronavirus pandemic to wind back climate change commitments, say environmentalists. Getty Images
Steam rises from a steel mill in Duisburg, Germany. Some countries are using the coronavirus pandemic to wind back climate change commitments, say environmentalists. Getty Images
A deforested area close to Sinop, Mato Grosso State, Brazil. Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon rainforest rose by almost 22 percent from August 2020 to July 2021, compared with the same period the year before, reaching a 15-year high. AFP
A deforested area close to Sinop, Mato Grosso State, Brazil. Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon rainforest rose by almost 22 percent from August 2020 to July 2021, compared with the same period the year before, reaching a 15-year high. AFP

Gases such as carbon dioxide and methane trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere. They are mostly created by humans burning fossil fuels – coal, oil, wood and natural gas.

Climate change activists say humans must stop burning these energy sources, and countries and companies need to pledge zero-emission targets.

2. Deforestation

Since about 1960, forests, soil and oceans have steadily absorbed 56 per cent of all the carbon dioxide humanity has put into the atmosphere, despite the 50 per cent rise in emissions.

But trees are being cut down at an alarming rate, in particular in the Amazon rainforest.

It was traditionally viewed as the lungs of the planet, absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. But figures released in June showed deforestation approached record levels last year.

A total of 8,712 square kilometres of forest cover – almost the size of Puerto Rico – was destroyed from August 2020 to July 2021, according to satellite data from Brazil’s space agency INPE.

The consequence is that not enough carbon dioxide is being soaked up from the Earth’s atmosphere.

3. Increasing livestock farming

Intensive farming of livestock adds to greenhouse gases.
Intensive farming of livestock adds to greenhouse gases.

A growing demand for meat has led to intensive agriculture of animals.

Cows and sheep produce large amounts of methane when they digest their food, and this gas adds to the greenhouse effect on the Earth.

Furthermore, animals need fields to graze on, and this leads to deforestation.

Climate change activists suggest humans should choose to eat less meat.

4. Fertilisers containing nitrogen

Intensive farming quickly exhausts the naturally occurring nutrients in the soil, farmers therefore use fertilisers to boost their agricultural output.

But fertilisers containing nitrogen produce nitrous oxide emissions, which increases the warming effect on the Earth’s atmosphere.

Other fertilisers, such as green manure and compost, blood meal, bone meal and seaweed extracts are available. Crop rotation can increase the nutrients in the soil naturally.

5. Fluorinated gases

These particularly damaging gases are emitted from equipment and products such as commercial and industrial refrigerators, air-conditioning systems and heat pumps.

They are also used as blowing agents for foams, fire extinguishers, solvents and aerosol propellants.

Such emissions have a very strong warming effect, up to 23,000 times greater than that of carbon dioxide.

There are options other than fluorinated gases. For instance, hydrocarbons and ammonia, used in refrigeration, are considered safe and energy-efficient.

Squid Game season two

Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk 

Stars:  Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun

Rating: 4.5/5

SUCCESSION%20SEASON%204%20EPISODE%201
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreated%20by%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJesse%20Armstrong%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Brian%20Cox%2C%20Jeremy%20Strong%2C%20Kieran%20Culkin%2C%20Sarah%20Snook%2C%20Nicholas%20Braun%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

While you're here
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
New UK refugee system

 

  • A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
  • Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
  • A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
  • To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
  • Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
  • Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
Going grey? A stylist's advice

If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”

David Haye record

Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4

Specs

Engine: 51.5kW electric motor

Range: 400km

Power: 134bhp

Torque: 175Nm

Price: From Dh98,800

Available: Now

While you're here
While you're here
On Women's Day
Teachers' pay - what you need to know

Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:

- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools

- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say

- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance

- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs

- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills

- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month

- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues

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 
Most wanted allegations
  • Benjamin Macann, 32: involvement in cocaine smuggling gang.
  • Jack Mayle, 30: sold drugs from a phone line called the Flavour Quest.
  • Callum Halpin, 27: over the 2018 murder of a rival drug dealer. 
  • Asim Naveed, 29: accused of being the leader of a gang that imported cocaine.
  • Calvin Parris, 32: accused of buying cocaine from Naveed and selling it on.
  • John James Jones, 31: allegedly stabbed two people causing serious injuries.
  • Callum Michael Allan, 23: alleged drug dealing and assaulting an emergency worker.
  • Dean Garforth, 29: part of a crime gang that sold drugs and guns.
  • Joshua Dillon Hendry, 30: accused of trafficking heroin and crack cocain. 
  • Mark Francis Roberts, 28: grievous bodily harm after a bungled attempt to steal a £60,000 watch.
  • James ‘Jamie’ Stevenson, 56: for arson and over the seizure of a tonne of cocaine.
  • Nana Oppong, 41: shot a man eight times in a suspected gangland reprisal attack. 
Wicked: For Good

Director: Jon M Chu

Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater

Rating: 4/5

Dubai Bling season three

Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed 

Rating: 1/5

Whiile you're here
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
Number of staff: 22 
 
Investment raised: $4 million 
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
TECH%20SPECS%3A%20APPLE%20WATCH%20SERIES%209
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDisplay%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2041mm%20%E2%80%93%20352%20x%20430%3B%2045mm%20%E2%80%93%20396%20x%20484%3B%20always-on%20Retina%20LTPO%20OLED%2C%202000%20nits%20max%3B%20Ion-X%20glass%20(aluminium%20cases)%2C%20sapphire%20crystal%20(stainless%20steel%20cases)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EProcessor%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Apple%20S9%2064-bit%2C%20W3%20wireless%2C%202nd-gen%20Ultra%20Wideband%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECapacity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2064GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMemory%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPlatform%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20watchOS%2010%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EHealth%20metrics%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Blood%20oxygen%20sensor%2C%20electrical%20heart%20sensor%20and%20ECG%2C%203rd-gen%20optical%20heart%20sensor%2C%20high%20and%20low%20heart%20rate%20notifications%2C%20irregular%20rhythm%20notifications%2C%20sleep%20stages%2C%20temperature%20sensing%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEmergency%20services%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Emergency%20SOS%2C%20international%20emergency%20calling%2C%20crash%20detection%2C%20fall%20detection%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EConnectivity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20GPS%2FGPS%20%2B%20cellular%3B%20Wi-Fi%2C%20LTE%2C%20Bluetooth%205.3%2C%20NFC%20(Apple%20Pay)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDurability%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20IP6X%2C%20water%20resistant%20up%20to%2050m%2C%20dust%20resistant%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20308mAh%20Li-ion%2C%20up%20to%2018h%20regular%2F36h%20low%20power%3B%20wireless%20charging%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECards%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20eSIM%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFinishes%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Aluminium%20%E2%80%93%20midnight%2C%20pink%2C%20Product%20Red%2C%20silver%2C%20starlight%3B%20stainless%20steel%20%E2%80%93%20gold%2C%20graphite%2C%20silver%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIn%20the%20box%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Watch%20Series%209%2C%20woven%20magnetic-to-USB-C%20charging%20cable%2C%20band%2Floop%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Starts%20at%20Dh1%2C599%20(41mm)%20%2F%20Dh1%2C719%20(45mm)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Updated: June 22, 2023, 12:43 PM
Climate change