The Middle East, one of the most vulnerable regions in the world to the effects of global warming, is at a tipping point in the fight against climate change, with its soaring temperatures, increasing water scarcity and the threat of rising sea levels.
According to the World Economic Forum, the Mena region has been heating up at twice the global average for the past four decades, and is projected to be 4°C warmer by the middle of this century. This surge in temperatures is exacerbating water stress in an already arid region, threatening food security and intensifying extreme weather events. The economic implications are equally dire, with the World Bank estimating that climate change could reduce gross domestic product in some Mena countries by up to 14 per cent by 2050.
These stark realities underscore the need for immediate and comprehensive climate action. The transition to renewable energy, implementation of water conservation strategies and development of climate-resilient infrastructure are not just environmental imperatives but economic and social necessities.
In this scenario, artificial intelligence can be a tool capable of accelerating and scaling climate solutions across the Middle East. While this technology may not be a magic wand, it is already proving highly effective in the rapid scaling of solutions. Let us look more closely at some of these prospective solutions.
AI can analyse vast amounts of climate data to predict extreme weather events and monitor changes in climate patterns – helping in early warning systems and disaster preparedness. AI algorithms are already improving the efficiency of energy systems by predicting energy demand and optimising the use of renewable energy sources to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and lower greenhouse gas emissions.
This transformative technology is helping farmers enhance irrigation, predict crop yields, and manage pests more effectively. This leads to advanced sustainable farming practices and limiting the environmental impact of agriculture. AI, combined with satellite imagery, can monitor deforestation and land-use changes in real time. This can improve conservation efforts and enable carbon storage tracking in forests. AI is also accelerating the discovery of new materials that can be used in renewable energy technologies, such as more efficient solar panels and batteries.
Through optimising waste collection routes and recycling processes, it helps reduce the carbon footprint of waste management systems. AI can process and analyse large datasets from climate research, helping scientists understand complex climate systems and develop more accurate climate models.
As the leading environmental regulatory and policymaking body in the emirate, the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) manages 26 AI-led programmes, and endeavours to drive AI-enabled climate action in Abu Dhabi, the wider UAE and beyond.
In August, we linked up with the environmental technology company Dendra Systems to launch an AI-based assessment programme to take stock of Abu Dhabi’s natural terrestrial habitats. This is considered the largest field research project ever implemented in the region. The accuracy of the data gathered will enable informed decision making and improve our abilities to cope with new challenges.
Likewise, EAD recently initiated a first-in-region sea cages aquaculture project in Abu Dhabi off Delma Island that uses AI monitoring and data collection tools to conduct scientific studies and develop environmental protocols on culturing local fish species. EAD’s AI-based early warning systems that can predict environmental disasters long before they occur – by analysing weather patterns, historical data and satellite imagery – continue to save lives and greatly improve emergency response times.
AI is already emerging as a force multiplier in catalysing climate action. However, not everyone is optimistic about its game-changing effect in this space considering how hugely energy-intensive it is. Some argue that the technology will do more harm than good.
So, how can we get beyond this impasse and ensure that AI remains a benevolent force that will heal the planet? With record heat waves and floods around the world, it is already critical to use AI to save planet Earth, the high cost of energy required for AI notwithstanding.
According to the think tank Chatham House, cement accounts for about eight per cent of carbon emissions. In a single moderate-capacity cement plant that produces a million tonnes of cement, a minute AI-assisted process and quality control lead to the reduction of about 7,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year.
AI applications could also help design more energy-efficient buildings, improve power storage and optimise renewable energy deployment by feeding solar and wind power into the electricity grid as needed. By 2030, the technology could help cut green house gas emissions by four per cent, according to a PwC study for Microsoft.
The opportunity then outweighs the risk. And turning to renewable energy as a probable solution to offset the energy-intensive nature of AI could be a viable prospect to ensure a sustainable future for all.
The time to act is now. With AI as our ally, the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi and its partners have the tools and the capability to meet the climate challenge head on. Our future depends upon the choices we make today. Choosing wisdom, innovation and collective action can set us on course to a sustainable tomorrow.
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Winners
Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski
Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Best Women's Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)
Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea
Best Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona
Best Defender of the Year: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)
Best Goalkeeper of the Year: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)
Best Coach of the Year: Roberto Mancini (Italy)
Best National Team of the Year: Italy
Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello
Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)
Player Career Award: Ronaldinho
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
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Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
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WandaVision
Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany
Directed by: Matt Shakman
Rating: Four stars
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
'Top Gun: Maverick'
Rating: 4/5
Directed by: Joseph Kosinski
Starring: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Ed Harris
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Palestine and Israel - live updates
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The specs: 2018 Ducati SuperSport S
Price, base / as tested: Dh74,900 / Dh85,900
Engine: 937cc
Transmission: Six-speed gearbox
Power: 110hp @ 9,000rpm
Torque: 93Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.9L / 100km
TOP 5 DRIVERS 2019
1 Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, 10 wins 387 points
2 Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes, 4 wins, 314 points
3 Max Verstappen, Red Bull, 3 wins, 260 points
4 Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, 2 wins, 249 points
5 Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari, 1 win, 230 points
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup – Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Juliet, Naked
Dir: Jesse Peretz
Starring: Chris O'Dowd, Rose Byrne, Ethan Hawke
Two stars
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The most expensive investment mistake you will ever make
When is the best time to start saving in a pension? The answer is simple – at the earliest possible moment. The first pound, euro, dollar or dirham you invest is the most valuable, as it has so much longer to grow in value. If you start in your twenties, it could be invested for 40 years or more, which means you have decades for compound interest to work its magic.
“You get growth upon growth upon growth, followed by more growth. The earlier you start the process, the more it will all roll up,” says Chris Davies, chartered financial planner at The Fry Group in Dubai.
This table shows how much you would have in your pension at age 65, depending on when you start and how much you pay in (it assumes your investments grow 7 per cent a year after charges and you have no other savings).
|
Age
|
$250 a month
|
$500 a month
|
$1,000 a month
|
|
25
|
$640,829
|
$1,281,657
|
$2,563,315
|
|
35
|
$303,219
|
$606,439
|
$1,212,877
|
|
45
|
$131,596
|
$263,191
|
$526,382
|
|
55
|
$44,351
|
$88,702
|
$177,403
|
Jawan
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The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont
Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950
Engine 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox Eight-speed automatic
Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre, four-cylinder turbo
Transmission: seven-speed dual clutch automatic
Power: 169bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh54,500
On sale: now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
