Although the shutdown of Japan’s nuclear power plant in Fukushima slowed down carbon emissions between 2014 and 2015, experts have said more long-term sustainable systems must be found to tackle climate change.
And with the world working towards curbing emissions to meet the Paris agreement's main goal of limiting the average global temperature increase to below 2C, more work needs to be done.
“Any country, regardless of its location, has to find its own system,” said Tomoaki Ishigaki, director of climate change at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tokyo. “For the Gulf countries which have a high dependency on fossil fuels, they have to think of an energy pathway to diversify and move much more to renewable energy sources.”
A report released earlier this year predicted a 10 to 35 per cent increase in air conditioning demand by 2050 in the UAE. Mr Ishigaki said solar energy would play a major role.
“We have to really think of ways we spend energy and those come from baby steps,” he said. “There are small ways but it’s shown results. Similar things can be done in the UAE, it takes a certain approach.”
Organisations such as the Japan International Cooperation Agency are studying ways to improve carbon emissions worldwide. “We have to start action to mitigate climate change,” said Kobayashi Hiroyuki, deputy director general at the agency. “We need more power development but we also have to reduce emissions. It’s a very difficult situation because once we create a new power plant, they emit exhaust gases so resolving this question is a dilemma.”
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With Japan’s few natural resources and experience in serious energy crises in 1993 and 1997, the government and private sector have developed technologies to overcome the issue, including highly efficient technologies, renewable energy and energy conservation. “Those technologies can be very useful to solve the international dilemma,” he said. “We might have to reach zero emissions one day so we have to work on it from now.”
The agency started joint research on how to store carbon dioxide underground. “This technology can help us in the future to be able to store it all underground,” he added. “We can’t apply this tomorrow but in the future, we have to try new ideas.”
It is also working on installing hybrid grid systems on islands and using satellite technology to detect steam spots in the ground instead of drilling.
The UAE has also made great strides. “It’s remarkable to think how things have changed in the UAE,” Mr Ishigaki said. “But what’s still common is how to develop the economy and still be environmentally sound. That still hasn’t changed and Japan can’t solve this global problem on its own so to find the transition process from fossil fuel to renewable is difficult but beneficial for all.”
Bringing in more efficient power plants will be key. “We’re very much interested in hydrogen and hybrid systems for cars,” said Misako Takahashi, director of economic security at the ministry. “We’re also trying to come up with new innovation systems which can be compatible with climate change requirements and we have quite an ambitious plan to cut carbon emissions by 26 per cent by 2030. It all depends on how our energy mix can develop.”
Four motivational quotes from Alicia's Dubai talk
“The only thing we need is to know that we have faith. Faith and hope in our own dreams. The belief that, when we keep going we’re going to find our way. That’s all we got.”
“Sometimes we try so hard to keep things inside. We try so hard to pretend it’s not really bothering us. In some ways, that hurts us more. You don’t realise how dishonest you are with yourself sometimes, but I realised that if I spoke it, I could let it go.”
“One good thing is to know you’re not the only one going through it. You’re not the only one trying to find your way, trying to find yourself, trying to find amazing energy, trying to find a light. Show all of yourself. Show every nuance. All of your magic. All of your colours. Be true to that. You can be unafraid.”
“It’s time to stop holding back. It’s time to do it on your terms. It’s time to shine in the most unbelievable way. It’s time to let go of negativity and find your tribe, find those people that lift you up, because everybody else is just in your way.”
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
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Education reform in Abu Dhabi
The emirate’s public education system has been in a constant state of change since the New School Model was launched in 2010 by the Abu Dhabi Education Council. The NSM, which is also known as the Abu Dhabi School Model, transformed the public school curriculum by introducing bilingual education starting with students from grades one to five. Under this new curriculum, the children spend half the day learning in Arabic and half in English – being taught maths, science and English language by mostly Western educated, native English speakers. The NSM curriculum also moved away from rote learning and required teachers to develop a “child-centered learning environment” that promoted critical thinking and independent learning. The NSM expanded by one grade each year and by the 2017-2018 academic year, it will have reached the high school level. Major reforms to the high school curriculum were announced in 2015. The two-stream curriculum, which allowed pupils to elect to follow a science or humanities course of study, was eliminated. In its place was a singular curriculum in which stem -- science, technology, engineering and maths – accounted for at least 50 per cent of all subjects. In 2016, Adec announced additional changes, including the introduction of two levels of maths and physics – advanced or general – to pupils in Grade 10, and a new core subject, career guidance, for grades 10 to 12; and a digital technology and innovation course for Grade 9. Next year, the focus will be on launching a new moral education subject to teach pupils from grades 1 to 9 character and morality, civic studies, cultural studies and the individual and the community.
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EOlive%20Gaea%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECo-founders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Vivek%20Tripathi%2C%20Jessica%20Scopacasa%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELicensed%20by%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%20World%20Trade%20Centre%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Climate-Tech%2C%20Sustainability%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%241.1%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ECornerstone%20Venture%20Partners%20and%20angel%20investors%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
T20 World Cup Qualifier, Muscat
UAE FIXTURES
Friday February 18: v Ireland
Saturday February 19: v Germany
Monday February 21: v Philippines
Tuesday February 22: semi-finals
Thursday February 24: final
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
PAST 10 BRITISH GRAND PRIX WINNERS
2016 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2015 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2014 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2013 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes-GP)
2012 - Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing)
2011 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari)
2010 - Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing)
2009 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)
2008 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
2007 - Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)
