I'm sorry but would you mind if we talk about the weather? I know it's not quite Abu Dhabi but it's been pretty warm in the UK over the past few days, including the country's hottest day ever. The news coverage has veered from wild excitement at that record-breaking achievement, to distress at melting railway tracks and a top five chart of the nation's favourite ice lollies. (The top spot went to the Magnum, in case you were wondering.)
It’s true that us Brits love a bit of small talk about sunshine and rain. A study earlier this year by Sky Arts TV channel about what it means to be British had talking about the weather in the number one spot. Not far below that was apologising for everything.
What is also true – both in the UK and around the world – is that we are all talking about the weather in completely the wrong way. We need to change that – urgently.
Here’s why. On July 25, BBC Weather’s Twitter account posted a weather map of the UK with the number 39 on it, along with the tweet “Morning, if we're going to do it TODAY'S THE DAY! We will of course keep you posted.” The tone was of palpable excitement that the record of the previous high of 38.5C might be broken.
Supporting news coverage featured the kind of heatwave stories that typify the British summer season: people flocking to beaches, ensuring you take water, and was it too hot to do the housework? (The answer to that final question was a definitive yes from me.)
This strange mix of breathless delight at a new temperature high, woven together with an assumption that hot weather is something to be shrugged off, is dangerous, because it directs us away from the gravity of the climate situation.
The World Wildlife Fund tweeted: “This is a #ClimateEmergency – not something that should be celebrated. #Hottestdayoftheyear.”
The way we think about global warming affects the steps we take to tackle it, as history shows.
In 1896, the Swedish scientist Svante Arrhenius proposed that widespread coal production would lead to more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and a rise in global temperatures. Arrhenius thought global warming was a good thing and that it would lead to “more equable” climates.
Until the mid-1970s vague terms such as “inadvertent climate modification” were used to designate this trend. Without the term having a sense of cause or tangible effect, no wonder little was done.
Next week marks the birthday of Wally Broecker's paper called "Are we on the brink of a pronounced global warming?" published in the journal Science in 1975. The article created a shift to the term "global warming".
This was reinforced when Nasa scientist James Hansen gave evidence at a Senate hearing in 1988 saying: “Global warming has reached a level such that we can ascribe with a high degree of confidence a cause and effect relationship between the greenhouse effect and observed warming.”
It was only in the 2000s that the term climate change became more popularised. It offers specificity about the outcomes we experience, because while the overall trend is towards a rise in global temperature, its impact is a broader change in weather conditions. The accuracy was important, but was potentially misused.
There are reports that in 2002 the Republican Party under George W Bush deliberately shifted the discourse towards “climate change” because it is sounds less terrifyingly specific.
As the heatwave reportage shows, we need to get our framing of the issue right, so we consider the issue more seriously and start taking the right practical steps. This is especially important, as there is an active movement to use language to undermine our efforts. A key proponent of this is US President Donald Trump.
Trump's tweets on global warming
In 2010, he said there was no global warming because it was cold. “With the coldest winter ever recorded, with snow setting record levels up and down the coast, the Nobel committee should take the Nobel Prize back from Al Gore,” he tweeted. Mr Gore had just been given the award for his work on the subject.
Mr Trump has even used the evolution of language as a way of denying the problem.
In February 2014, he tweeted: “Massive record setting snowstorm and freezing temperatures in US. Smart that GLOBAL WARMING hoaxsters changed name to CLIMATE CHANGE! $$$$”.
The way we talk about climate change has altered since it was first discussed at the end of the 19th century. But nearly 125 years on, we need to push back on misleading language, whether from exuberant weather experts or malicious global leaders. Language matters. And if we need to ring the alarm about the way we talk about the weather, then I’m not sorry about that at all.
Shelina Janmohamed is the author of Love in a Headscarf and Generation M: Young Muslims Changing the World
more from Janine di Giovanni
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.
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.
Who is Mohammed Al Halbousi?
The new speaker of Iraq’s parliament Mohammed Al Halbousi is the youngest person ever to serve in the role.
The 37-year-old was born in Al Garmah in Anbar and studied civil engineering in Baghdad before going into business. His development company Al Hadeed undertook reconstruction contracts rebuilding parts of Fallujah’s infrastructure.
He entered parliament in 2014 and served as a member of the human rights and finance committees until 2017. In August last year he was appointed governor of Anbar, a role in which he has struggled to secure funding to provide services in the war-damaged province and to secure the withdrawal of Shia militias. He relinquished the post when he was sworn in as a member of parliament on September 3.
He is a member of the Al Hal Sunni-based political party and the Sunni-led Coalition of Iraqi Forces, which is Iraq’s largest Sunni alliance with 37 seats from the May 12 election.
He maintains good relations with former Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki’s State of Law Coaliton, Hadi Al Amiri’s Badr Organisation and Iranian officials.
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
500 People from Gaza enter France
115 Special programme for artists
25 Evacuation of injured and sick
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Results
5pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m; Winner: Faiza, Sandro Paiva (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihe (trainer).
5.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 1,400m; Winner: Greeley, Connor Beasley, Helal Al Alawi.
6pm: Emirates Fillies Classic Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 1,600m; Winner: Marzaga, Jim Crowley, Ana Mendez.
6.30pm: Emirates Colts Classic Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 1,600m; Winner: Jawaal, Jim Crowley, Majed Al Jahouri.
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m; Winner: AF Ashras, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 2,200m; Winner: Somoud, Richard Mullen, Ahmed Al Mehairbi.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
