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
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
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
Gavin Esler is an author and broadcaster, and a UK affairs columnist for The National
August 10, 2021
If you are in Turkey, Greece, Croatia or Italy right now then you will already know about wildfires. If you are in the western United States or British Columbia, you may be dealing with the charred remnants of houses from similar fires after record temperatures reached 50°C.
An online California fire tracker follows the still-burning Antelope, McFarland, Dixie and Tamarack blazes. Australians saw wildfires last year. In Germany and Belgium, small towns and villages are clearing up after last month’s flash floods, which killed almost 200 people. In China a million residents had to leave their homes after floods in Henan province. You can call all this "climate change" or "global warming", although an American climate scientist once memorably told me he preferred "global weirding". He meant human environmental impacts have produced various kinds of extremely "weird" weather conditions.
The Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research reports that the Gulf Stream is being disrupted in ways not seen for 1600 years with “almost complete loss of stability”. Scientists believe it is caused by man-made carbon dioxide emissions, changing our climate to become hotter, wetter, in some places colder and generally less predictable.
The journal Nature reported that from 2010 through 2019, Brazil’s Amazon basin – once called “the lungs of the world” – is now an emitter of CO2 as a result of humans clearing and burning the forest. The Amazon gave off 16.6billion tonnes of CO2, while drawing down only 13.9bn tonnes.
The good news is that climate change deniers have for the most part gone quiet or found other targets for their unscientific outpourings. There is an online debate in scientific communities about how to counter with facts those who still believe climate change is a hoax, and other counter-factual conspiracies.
Despite the deniers, most of us now accept that climate change is a problem, even if the proposed solutions can seem unpalatable or make us uncomfortable. Some suggest giving up meat or dairy products, cutting down on flying, driving and other kinds of consumption, switching to electric cars, investing more in wind and solar energy.
We are now about 100 days from Cop26, when world leaders will be represented at high level climate talks hosted by the British government in Glasgow. This important conference gives leaders, especially of the biggest economies and the biggest polluters, a chance to agree on a plan which could save the planet, or what is left of it, after our extractive industries have impacted so much of our natural wealth.
A protester holds a placard during a demonstration. Extinction Rebellion activists blocked a major road in Cambridge in five minute intervals to draw attention to the way the climate is changing. Getty
In the run up I will be hosting in London discussions between concerned business leaders and environmentalists seeking practical solutions. I am cheered immensely by knowing that forward-thinking business leaders understand that their businesses can do well by doing good for the environment.
But so far, coherent British government leadership is lacking. The British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s climate spokesperson, Allegra Stratton, was asked for tips for saving the planet. She suggested that we should not rinse dishes before putting them in a dishwasher; that we should freeze uneaten bread and perhaps join the Green Party.
Since Ms Stratton speaks on behalf of a Conservative government, even her fellow Conservatives thought such advice was a bit odd. Then there is Britain’s climate minister Alok Sharma. He’s been outed as an inveterate globe-trotter, flying to 30 countries in seven months, despite coronavirus and despite the fact that it would take quite a lot of unwashed dinner plates to offset his carbon footprint.
Not to be outdone, Mr Johnson flew to Scotland – when there is an excellent train service available – to talk up his supposed environmental credentials. Mr Johnson praised his predecessor Margaret Thatcher, in what his aides claimed was a joke, by saying: "Thanks to Margaret Thatcher, who closed so many coal mines across the country, we had a big early start and we're now moving rapidly away from coal altogether.”
As Conservative prime minister in the 1980s, Margaret Thatcher defeated an extremely bitter coal miner’s strike. From roughly 200,000 British miners at that time, the industry in Britain now employs only around 10,000.
To remind British workers of the most brutal industrial dispute of our lifetimes and the enormous social cost to mining communities was not the best way to set the tone for the world’s hugely significant environmental conference.
Global warming, or weirding, is no joke. The world expects and needs leadership. It will take more than un-rinsed dinner plates and clumsy attempts at being seen as witty.
How they line up for Sunday's Australian Grand Prix
1 Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
2 Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari
3 Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari
4 Max Verstappen, Red Bull
5 Kevin Magnussen, Haas
6 Romain Grosjean, Haas
7 Nico Hulkenberg, Renault
*8 Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull
9 Carlos Sainz, Renault
10 Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes
11 Fernando Alonso, McLaren
12 Stoffel Vandoorne, McLaren
13 Sergio Perez, Force India
14 Lance Stroll, Williams
15 Esteban Ocon, Force India
16 Brendon Hartley, Toro Rosso
17 Marcus Ericsson, Sauber
18 Charles Leclerc, Sauber
19 Sergey Sirotkin, Williams
20 Pierre Gasly, Toro Rosso
* Daniel Ricciardo qualified fifth but had a three-place grid penalty for speeding in red flag conditions during practice
Closing the loophole on sugary drinks
As The National reported last year, non-fizzy sugared drinks were not covered when the original tax was introduced in 2017. Sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, 20 grams of sugar per 500ml bottle.
The non-fizzy drink AriZona Iced Tea contains 65 grams of sugar – about 16 teaspoons – per 680ml can. The average can costs about Dh6, which would rise to Dh9.
Drinks such as Starbucks Bottled Mocha Frappuccino contain 31g of sugar in 270ml, while Nescafe Mocha in a can contains 15.6g of sugar in a 240ml can.
Flavoured water, long-life fruit juice concentrates, pre-packaged sweetened coffee drinks fall under the ‘sweetened drink’ category
Not taxed:
Freshly squeezed fruit juices, ground coffee beans, tea leaves and pre-prepared flavoured milkshakes do not come under the ‘sweetened drink’ band.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
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
How to apply for a drone permit
Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
Submit their request
What are the regulations?
Fly it within visual line of sight
Never over populated areas
Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
Should have a live feed of the drone flight
Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
If you go
The flights
There are direct flights from Dubai to Sofia with FlyDubai (www.flydubai.com) and Wizz Air (www.wizzair.com), from Dh1,164 and Dh822 return including taxes, respectively.
The trip
Plovdiv is 150km from Sofia, with an hourly bus service taking around 2 hours and costing $16 (Dh58). The Rhodopes can be reached from Sofia in between 2-4hours.
The trip was organised by Bulguides (www.bulguides.com), which organises guided trips throughout Bulgaria. Guiding, accommodation, food and transfers from Plovdiv to the mountains and back costs around 170 USD for a four-day, three-night trip.
How to wear a kandura
Dos
Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
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
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples. Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts. Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
