Brazil's Lula da Silva: Cop30 promises to be a moment of truth

Today, in the Brazilian Amazon, the Belem Summit opens ahead of the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (Cop30). I have convened world leaders in the days leading up to the Cop so that we can all commit to acting with the urgency the climate crisis demands.

If we fail to move beyond speeches into real action, our societies will lose faith, not only in the Cops, but in multilateralism and international politics more broadly. That is why I have summoned leaders to the Amazon: to make this the Cop of Truth, the moment we demonstrate the seriousness of our shared commitment to the planet.

Humanity has shown its ability to overcome great challenges when it acts together and guided by science. We protected the ozone layer. The global response to the Covid-19 pandemic proved that the world can act decisively when there is courage and political will.

Climate themes to watch in 2025

Brazil hosted the Earth Summit in 1992. We approved the Conventions on Climate, Biodiversity and Desertification, and adopted principles that defined a new paradigm for preserving our planet and our humanity. Over the past 33 years, these gatherings have produced important agreements and targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions – from ending deforestation by 2030 to tripling renewable energy use.

We want the world to see the true state of the forests, the planet’s largest river basin, and the millions of people who live in the region

More than three decades later, the world returns to Brazil to confront climate change. It is no coincidence that Cop30 takes place in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. This is an opportunity for politicians, diplomats, scientists, activists and journalists to witness the reality of the Amazon.

We want the world to see the true state of the forests, the planet’s largest river basin, and the millions of people who live in the region. Cops cannot be mere showcases of good ideas or annual gatherings for negotiators. They must be moments of contact with reality and of effective action to tackle climate change.

To confront this crisis together, we need resources. And we must recognise that the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities remains the non-negotiable foundation of any climate pact.

That is why the Global South demands greater access to resources – not out of charity, but justice. Rich countries have benefited most from the carbon-based economy. They must now rise to their responsibilities, not only by making commitments but by honouring their debts.

Brazil is doing its part. In just two years, we have already halved deforestation in the Amazon, showing that concrete climate action is possible.

In Belem, we will launch an innovative initiative to preserve forests: the Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF). It is innovative because it operates as an investment fund, not a donation mechanism. The TFFF will reward those who keep their forests standing and those who invest in the fund. A genuine win-win approach to tackling climate change. Leading by example, Brazil has announced a $1 billion investment in the TFFF, and we expect equally ambitious announcements from other countries.

We also set an example by becoming the second country to present a new Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). Brazil has committed to reducing its emissions by 59 to 67 per cent, covering all greenhouse gases and all sectors of the economy.

In this spirit, we call on all countries to present equally ambitious NDCs and to implement them effectively.

The energy transition is fundamental to meeting Brazil’s NDC. Our energy matrix is among the cleanest in the world, with 88 per cent of our electricity coming from renewable sources. We lead in biofuels and are advancing in wind, solar and green hydrogen energy.

Redirecting revenues from oil production to finance a just, orderly and equitable energy transition will be essential. Over time, oil companies worldwide, including Brazil’s Petrobras, will transform into energy companies, because a growth model based on fossil fuels cannot last.

People must be at the centre of political decisions about climate and the energy transition. We must recognise that the most vulnerable sectors of our society are the most affected by the impacts of climate change, which is why just transition and adaptation plans must aim to combat inequality.

We cannot forget that two billion people lack access to clean technologies and fuels for cooking, and 673 million still live with hunger. In response, we will launch in Belem a Declaration on Hunger, Poverty and Climate. Our commitment to fight global warming must be directly linked to the fight against hunger.

It is also fundamental that we advance the reform of global governance. Today multilateralism suffers from the paralysis of the UN Security Council. Created to preserve peace, it has failed to prevent wars. It is our duty, therefore, to fight for the reform of this institution.

At Cop30, we will advocate for the creation of a UN Climate Change Council linked to the General Assembly. It would be a new governance structure with the force and legitimacy to ensure that countries deliver on their promises, and an effective step towards reversing the current paralysis of the multilateral system.

At every Climate Conference, we hear many promises but see too few real commitments. The era of declarations of good intentions has ended: the time for action plans has arrived. That is why today we begin the Cop of Truth.

ENGLAND TEAM

England (15-1)
George Furbank; Jonny May, Manu Tuilagi, Owen Farrell (capt), Elliot Daly; George Ford, Ben Youngs; Tom Curry, Sam Underhill, Courtney Lawes; Charlie Ewels, Maro Itoje; Kyle Sinckler, Jamie George, Joe Marler
Replacements: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ellis Genge, Will Stuart, George Kruis, Lewis Ludlam, Willi Heinz, Ollie Devoto, Jonathan Joseph

Results

3pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,400m, Winner: Lancienegaboulevard, Adrie de Vries (jockey), Fawzi Nass (trainer).

3.35pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (Turf) 1,600m, Winner: Al Mukhtar Star, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass.

4.10pm: Handicap Dh165,000 (D) 2,000m, Winner: Gundogdu, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer.

4.45pm: Handicap Dh185,000 (T) 1,200m, Winner: Speedy Move, Sean Kirrane, Satish Seemar.

5.20pm: Handicap Dh185,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Moqarrar, Dane O’Neill, Erwan Charpy.

5.55pm: Handicap Dh175,000 (T) 1,800m, Winner: Dolman, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.

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

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Email sent to Uber team from chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi

From: Dara

To: Team@

Date: March 25, 2019 at 11:45pm PT

Subj: Accelerating in the Middle East

Five years ago, Uber launched in the Middle East. It was the start of an incredible journey, with millions of riders and drivers finding new ways to move and work in a dynamic region that’s become so important to Uber. Now Pakistan is one of our fastest-growing markets in the world, women are driving with Uber across Saudi Arabia, and we chose Cairo to launch our first Uber Bus product late last year.

Today we are taking the next step in this journey—well, it’s more like a leap, and a big one: in a few minutes, we’ll announce that we’ve agreed to acquire Careem. Importantly, we intend to operate Careem independently, under the leadership of co-founder and current CEO Mudassir Sheikha. I’ve gotten to know both co-founders, Mudassir and Magnus Olsson, and what they have built is truly extraordinary. They are first-class entrepreneurs who share our platform vision and, like us, have launched a wide range of products—from digital payments to food delivery—to serve consumers.

I expect many of you will ask how we arrived at this structure, meaning allowing Careem to maintain an independent brand and operate separately. After careful consideration, we decided that this framework has the advantage of letting us build new products and try new ideas across not one, but two, strong brands, with strong operators within each. Over time, by integrating parts of our networks, we can operate more efficiently, achieve even lower wait times, expand new products like high-capacity vehicles and payments, and quicken the already remarkable pace of innovation in the region.

This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval in various countries, which we don’t expect before Q1 2020. Until then, nothing changes. And since both companies will continue to largely operate separately after the acquisition, very little will change in either teams’ day-to-day operations post-close. Today’s news is a testament to the incredible business our team has worked so hard to build.

It’s a great day for the Middle East, for the region’s thriving tech sector, for Careem, and for Uber.

Uber on,

Dara

Tips for used car buyers

Choose cars with GCC specifications
Get a service history for cars less than five years old
Don’t go cheap on the inspection
Check for oil leaks
Do a Google search on the standard problems for your car model
Do your due diligence. Get a transfer of ownership done at an official RTA centre
Check the vehicle’s condition. You don’t want to buy a car that’s a good deal but ends up costing you Dh10,000 in repairs every month
Validate warranty and service contracts with the relevant agency and and make sure they are valid when ownership is transferred
If you are planning to sell the car soon, buy one with a good resale value. The two most popular cars in the UAE are black or white in colour and other colours are harder to sell

Tarek Kabrit, chief executive of Seez, and Imad Hammad, chief executive and co-founder of CarSwitch.com

UAE currency

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Company Profile

Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million

Tamkeen's offering

Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
Option 2: 50% across three years
Option 3: 30% across five years

Developer: Ubisoft Montreal / Ubisoft Toronto
Publisher: Ubisoft
Platforms: Playstation 4, Xbox One, Windows
Release Date: April 10

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