Africa is the most vulnerable continent to climate change. Africans lose up to 15 per cent of their potential GDP to climate-related risks, including failed seasonal rains, drought and loss of livestock. By 2100, this might rise to as much as 64 per cent of forgone GDP, equivalent to hundreds of millions of people prevented from escaping poverty. The need for transformational change is therefore not only apparent but urgent.
That is why Africa is holding the Africa Climate Summit in September, co-hosted by Kenya and the African Union Commission. Africa would like to build consensus and take concrete steps forward. We want to use the Summit as a springboard for Africa’s engagement with the next global round of climate diplomacy at Cop28 in the UAE in November.
Africa has abundant renewable resources that could transform the global energy sector, ensuring green growth with low greenhouse gas emissions. Our continent’s renewable energy potential is rated as “superabundant”. With the right technologies and supportive financing mechanisms, Africa holds the world’s potential to change the renewable energy narrative for the entire world.
Moreover, in Africa we have between 30 to 40 per cent of the minerals that will be indispensable in the world’s green industrial revolution. Africa’s arable land could feed the globe without the adoption of industrial agriculture and its attendant contribution to climate change. All these enlisted resources, coupled with the carbon sinks in Africa’s equatorial and tropical forests, would demonstrate that Africa holds part of the solution to climate change.
Africans lose up to 15 per cent of their potential GDP to climate-related risks. By 2100, this might rise to 64 per cent
Cop28 could not have come at a better time and at a better venue. African leaders, heads of state and heads of government will have concluded the inaugural Africa Climate Summit and adopted a declaration that will outline the continent’s road map for diplomatic engagement with the world on climate change. As part of the Nairobi declaration, African leaders are expected to come up with a climate change financing architecture that works for all Africans.
The UAE, the host nation of Cop28, though a fossil fuel producer, is leading in global transition to renewable energy. The examples and lessons of the Emirates’ transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy should enlighten the global debate on fossil fuels, renewable energies and just transitions.
The UAE will be leading by example, providing much-needed conversations on just transitions. Moreover, Dr Sultan Al Jaber, the Cop28 President-designate, has repeatedly spoken of the UAE’s commitment to ensuring that climate finance should be available, affordable and accessible.
The position taken by the Cop28 President-designate on climate financing resonates with the African leaders’ anticipated new financing architecture for climate change. Nairobi, essentially, thanks to the Africa Climate Summit declaration, will hand Dr Al Jaber the button at Cop28 to finish the race on climate change financing architecture for the globe in general, and for Africa, in particular.
Africa’s shortcomings in dealing with climate change, despite its immense resource potential, are related to inaccessible and inadequate financing. Outstanding pledges to provide up to $100 billion per year of climate finance have remained unfulfilled. In other frontiers, only 2 per cent of the $3 trillion invested in renewable energy worldwide over the past 20 years have come to Africa.
If we are to accelerate climate action as a continent, we need better collaboration and new partnerships. Africa is proposing trade and investment as the pathway to tackling climate change. We have seen over the years that donor aid rarely comes to bear in dealing with this challenge.
This is why a different global conversation on climate change financing needs to begin; that conversation will progress in Nairobi during the Africa Climate Summit and its results will come to fruition in the UAE at Cop28.
It is Kenya’s belief that this new financial architecture will provide the financing required to reduce fossil fuel emissions by making available adequate funds for renewable energy development, as well as technologies that are critical enablers in the race to net-zero emissions. This will ensure that energy transition is just and equitable throughout the world, and that developing countries are empowered to opt for low-carbon development pathways.
As co-hosts of the Africa Climate Summit, Kenya looks forward to hosting Dr Al Jaber and his delegation in Nairobi from September 4 to 6. We believe that the Africa Climate Summit will provide necessary tools for diplomatic engagement on climate financing architecture and just transitions for the renewable energy campaign, as Dr Al Jaber prepares to pitch for Africa and other regions of the world that bear the greatest brunt of climate change at Cop28.
Dr Al Jaber’s calls for the tripling of global renewable energy capacity to 11,000 GW by 2030 are in accord with the African leaders’ aspirations. This should make diplomacy easy and self-reinforcing for the UAE, the Cop28 presidency and African leaders.
In our view, as Africa, Cop28 will be a crucial moment to restore hope and optimism that the continent can turn its resources in energy, arable land, critical minerals and carbon sinks into a source of abundance. We can become a continent that starts to tackle climate change and provide solutions to the rest of the world.
Kenya is convinced that in the UAE we have a formidable partner that will help encourage the world to ensure that Africa attains its potential for sustainable development. Each time we speak about climate change, we know that the collective global fortunes are all tied together.
If Cop28 in the UAE succeeds, Kenya will have succeeded, and Africa and the entire globe will have succeeded. And that is why for now, we are all systems go for the Africa Climate Summit, as well as for Cop28, and we look forward to hosting the Cop28 President-designate in Nairobi this September.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 48V hybrid
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: Dh359,000
On sale: now
Apple product price list
iPad Pro
11" - $799 (64GB)
12.9" - $999 (64GB)
MacBook Air
$1,199
Mac Mini
$799
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
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
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Recent winners
2002 Giselle Khoury (Colombia)
2004 Nathalie Nasralla (France)
2005 Catherine Abboud (Oceania)
2007 Grace Bijjani (Mexico)
2008 Carina El-Keddissi (Brazil)
2009 Sara Mansour (Brazil)
2010 Daniella Rahme (Australia)
2011 Maria Farah (Canada)
2012 Cynthia Moukarzel (Kuwait)
2013 Layla Yarak (Australia)
2014 Lia Saad (UAE)
2015 Cynthia Farah (Australia)
2016 Yosmely Massaad (Venezuela)
2017 Dima Safi (Ivory Coast)
2018 Rachel Younan (Australia)
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Power: 592bhp
Torque: 620Nm
Price: Dh980,000
On sale: now
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Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
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
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
MATCH INFO
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Ajax v Real Madrid, midnight (Thursday), BeIN Sports
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
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
PROFILE OF INVYGO
Started: 2018
Founders: Eslam Hussein and Pulkit Ganjoo
Based: Dubai
Sector: Transport
Size: 9 employees
Investment: $1,275,000
Investors: Class 5 Global, Equitrust, Gulf Islamic Investments, Kairos K50 and William Zeqiri
Company%20profile
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Francesco Totti's bio
Born September 27, 1976
Position Attacking midifelder
Clubs played for (1) - Roma
Total seasons 24
First season 1992/93
Last season 2016/17
Appearances 786
Goals 307
Titles (5) - Serie A 1; Italian Cup 2; Italian Supercup 2
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
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
The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh135,000
Engine 1.6L turbo
Gearbox Six speed automatic with manual and sports mode
Power 165hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 240Nm @ 1,400rpm 0-100kph: 9.2 seconds
Top speed 420 kph (governed)
Fuel economy, combined 35.2L / 100km (est)
Naga
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WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Buy farm-fresh food
The UAE is stepping up its game when it comes to platforms for local farms to show off and sell their produce.
In Dubai, visit Emirati Farmers Souq at The Pointe every Saturday from 8am to 2pm, which has produce from Al Ammar Farm, Omar Al Katri Farm, Hikarivege Vegetables, Rashed Farms and Al Khaleej Honey Trading, among others.
In Sharjah, the Aljada residential community will launch a new outdoor farmers’ market every Friday starting this weekend. Manbat will be held from 3pm to 8pm, and will host 30 farmers, local home-grown entrepreneurs and food stalls from the teams behind Badia Farms; Emirates Hydroponics Farms; Modern Organic Farm; Revolution Real; Astraea Farms; and Al Khaleej Food.
In Abu Dhabi, order farm produce from Food Crowd, an online grocery platform that supplies fresh and organic ingredients directly from farms such as Emirates Bio Farm, TFC, Armela Farms and mother company Al Dahra.
