Omar Al-Ubaydli is a Bahraini economist and a columnist for The National
January 02, 2024
Protecting biodiversity is one of those activities where most governments’ zeal for talking the talk is often matched by their reluctance to walk the walk, due to the considerable economic costs that designating protected areas usually implies. Sadly, the EU has fallen into this trap, as recent studies confirm the total failure of certain elements of its conservation policy. By studying and learning from this dysfunction, Gulf countries can become models of biodiversity protection.
When a certain form of costly behaviour is considered morally favourable, the result is a dual incentive. On the one hand, people want to be perceived to be engaging in the behaviour, to appear righteous and earn the associated social prestige. On the other, they want to covertly avoid pursuing that behaviour, because of the costs it entails.
At present, the topical illustration of this phenomenon is “environmental friendliness”, with self-proclaimed green celebrities often traveling by private jet as they seek to avoid the cost of having to mingle with normal people in an airport. The existence of an incentive to deceive others in the environmental domain makes economists particularly suspicious of green agendas, underscoring the need to conduct meticulous research regarding the actual effectiveness of green policies.
Today, the availability of high-resolution satellite imagery and the affordability of computing power means that scholars can conduct highly sophisticated research on issues such as biodiversity. In yesteryear, more primitive tools were deployed, though that did not prevent scholars from detecting one of the most famous examples of a nominally green policy backfiring in spectacular fashion: the 1973 US Endangered Species Act.
The existence of an incentive to deceive others in the environmental domain makes economists particularly suspicious of green agendas
According to the legislation, upon detecting the presence of an endangered species in a plot of land, it would be transformed into a protected conservation area. The unintended consequence was colloquially referred to as “shoot, shovel and shut up”, as it gave farmers an incentive to expunge their land from endangered species before government agents could discover them and decommercialise the property. During the years it took for the suitable reforms to be implemented, extinction rates rose for certain species.
Garden-variety public sector incompetence and bureaucratic sclerosis probably account for this failed policy. However, it is likely that there was also a role for politicians caring more about implementing a policy that sounds effective, regardless of how effective (or counterproductive) it actually is. After all, who could argue with the idea of fencing off the habitat of a rare owl?
In 2023, a new paper by Dr Tristan Earle Grupp, Dr Prakash Mishra, Dr Arthur van Benthem (all at the University of Pennsylvania), and Dr Mathias Reynaert (Toulouse School of Economics) suggests similar mechanisms at work in the EU. The authors used the staggered designation of protected areas across the bloc since 1985 to infer the effectiveness of the designations in promoting biodiversity. They leveraged detailed satellite imagery relating to vegetation and night lights.
The paper’s sobering conclusion was that the protected area policies had no meaningful effect on biodiversity. The authors speculated that EU policymakers were successfully identifying land that has either never been threatened, or has recently been greening. This in turn was likely caused by the officials selecting sites with low economic opportunity costs in the pursuit of green credentials. Alternatively, policymakers have sought low-hanging fruit in their attempts to adhere to the stipulations of area-based targets, such as the Kunming-Montreal global biodiversity agreement, which requires 30 per cent of land area to be protected by 2030.
In Gulf countries, biodiversity remains an important goal, especially along coastal areas where economic activities always carry a higher risk of posing threats to wildlife. It is a good idea to start institutionalising the relationship between the local research community and environmental policy, so that research conducted by local scholars on which areas are in greatest need of protection and how to protect them is embedded into policymaking from the beginning, rather than becoming an afterthought, as it did in the EU.
Getting as much biodiversity data in the region as possible and making it available to researchers in real time can also help to ensure that policies not yielding expected outcomes can be refined quickly and effectively. And that in turn helps to ensure that green policies are truly dispassionate.
A nice template in the context of ocean protection in the Arabian Gulf was recently provided in a paper by Dr Claire Fieseler and her colleagues, published in the September 2023 issue of Royal Society Open Science. The study spells out how policymakers and researchers can collaborate on improving marine biodiversity in the Gulf, building on the existing success of the Regional Organisation for the Protection of the Marine Environment, an eight-member coalition that coordinates biodiversity efforts in the region.
The UAE hosting Cop28 represents the latest step in a sequence of tangible green steps taken by Gulf countries under the Sustainability Agenda framework. The summit affirmed the fact that protecting the environment entails significant economic cost – a fact that incentivised too many European policymakers to cut corners and go for image over authenticity in their environmental policies. Involving the local research community in the genesis of environmental policy will help the Gulf countries overcome some of the flaws exposed by the EU’s recent conservation efforts.
Manchester City v Southampton, Tuesday, 11.45pm (UAE)
How it works
Each player begins with one of the great empires of history, from Julius Caesar's Rome to Ramses of Egypt, spread over Europe and the Middle East.
Round by round, the player expands their empire. The more land they have, the more money they can take from their coffers for each go.
As unruled land and soldiers are acquired, players must feed them. When a player comes up against land held by another army, they can choose to battle for supremacy.
A dice-based battle system is used and players can get the edge on their enemy with by deploying a renowned hero on the battlefield.
Players that lose battles and land will find their coffers dwindle and troops go hungry. The end goal? Global domination of course.
Brolliology: A History of the Umbrella in Life and Literature
By Marion Rankine
Melville House
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.
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
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
What is dialysis?
Dialysis is a way of cleaning your blood when your kidneys fail and can no longer do the job.
It gets rid of your body's wastes, extra salt and water, and helps to control your blood pressure. The main cause of kidney failure is diabetes and hypertension.
There are two kinds of dialysis — haemodialysis and peritoneal.
In haemodialysis, blood is pumped out of your body to an artificial kidney machine that filter your blood and returns it to your body by tubes.
In peritoneal dialysis, the inside lining of your own belly acts as a natural filter. Wastes are taken out by means of a cleansing fluid which is washed in and out of your belly in cycles.
It isn’t an option for everyone but if eligible, can be done at home by the patient or caregiver. This, as opposed to home haemodialysis, is covered by insurance in the UAE.
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Fixtures All matches start at 9.30am, at ICC Academy, Dubai. Admission is free
Thursday UAE v Ireland; Saturday UAE v Ireland; Jan 21 UAE v Scotland; Jan 23 UAE v Scotland
UAE squad Rohan Mustafa (c), AshfaqAhmed, GhulamShabber, RameezShahzad, Mohammed Boota, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Shaiman Anwar, AhmedRaza, Imran Haider, QadeerAhmed, Mohammed Naveed, AmirHayat, Zahoor Khan
Scoreline
Liverpool 4
Oxlade-Chamberlain 9', Firmino 59', Mane 61', Salah 68'
Manchester City 3
Sane 40', Bernardo Silva 84', Gundogan 90' 1
Pearls on a Branch: Oral Tales
Najlaa Khoury, Archipelago Books
How the bonus system works
The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.
The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.
There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).
All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.
MATCH INFO
Euro 2020 qualifier
Ukraine 2 (Yaremchuk 06', Yarmolenko 27')
Portugal 1 (Ronaldo 72' pen)
RESULT
Shabab Al Ahli Dubai 0 Al Ain 6
Al Ain: Caio (5', 73'), El Shahat (10'), Berg (65'), Khalil (83'), Al Ahbabi (90' 2)
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
ENGLAND SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Jack Butland, Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope Defenders: John Stones, Harry Maguire, Phil Jones, Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, Gary Cahill, Ashley Young, Danny Rose, Trent Alexander-Arnold Midfielders: Eric Dier, Jordan Henderson, Dele Alli, Jesse Lingard, Raheem Sterling, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Fabian Delph Forwards: Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy, Marcus Rashford, Danny Welbeck
Warlight,
Michael Ondaatje, Knopf
'How To Build A Boat'
Jonathan Gornall, Simon & Schuster
Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
