The EU's new climate chief Wopke Hoekstra on Thursday said he aimed to “increase the level of ambition” at the upcoming Cop28 in Dubai.
In his first public comments after receiving the European Parliament's final approval as EU commissioner for climate action, Mr Hoekstra said his priorities would be geared towards “making sure the world’s community comes together at the Cop to take another tremendously important step”.
Lawmakers in Strasbourg voted overwhelmingly in favour of Mr Hoekstra, a 48-year old Dutch politician, with 279 votes for him, 173 against and 33 abstentions.
A positive vote had been expected after the EU parliament's environment committee earlier this week agreed to back Mr Hoekstra as the bloc's new international climate negotiations lead.
After a three-hour question-and-answer session on Monday evening, Mr Hoekstra was asked to answer further queries in writing, including clarifications on how the EU would reduce carbon emissions by more than 95 per cent by 2040.
On Wednesday, he obtained the support of two-thirds of the committee's coordinators, paving the way for a vote in a plenary session.
Mr Hoekstra told reporters in Strasbourg that he wanted to break “the financial deadlock” at Cop28, in an apparent reference to earlier statements in which he expressed a strong desire to set up a loss and damage fund for developing countries.
The fund, which was approved at Cop27, has faced hurdles in implementation.
Mr Hoekstra said: “All the conversations I will be having … in the weeks and in the months to come will be geared towards making sure that we break the financial deadlock, increasing the level of ambition and making sure the world’s community comes together at the Cop to take another tremendously important step.”
The EU will finalise its negotiating position at Cop28, which starts in the UAE next month, at a meeting of environment ministers on October 16 in Luxembourg. Mr Hoekstra has said that he would argue for dropping or limiting the reference to “unabated fossil fuels”.
The EU Commission argues that fossil fuels need to be phased out as fast as possible and that carbon capture technology should be focused on covering a limited amount of emissions in the sectors where it is hard to abate them.
“We have some two months to make the Cop into a success,” said Mr Hoekstra. “That is a very steep climb. It is something I am anxious to get started.”
EU Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic, who will lead the implementation of the EU's ambitious green laws that aim to make the continent carbon-neutral by 2050, also obtained the backing of the European Parliament on Thursday, with 322 votes in favour, 158 against and 37 abstentions.
Before the final vote, Mr Sefcovic also had to answer further questions in writing to explain how he would push through with the EU's green policies before the Commission's mandate ends next June.
He now heads the so-called European Green deal – in addition to his previous portfolio as interinstitutional relations commissioner.
Both candidates needed a simple majority in the parliament to receive the final approvals for their new roles. They replace Dutch politician Frans Timmermans, who used to oversee both portfolios but quit in August in a bid to become The Netherlands's next prime minister.
MATCH INFO
First Test at Barbados
West Indies won by 381 runs
Second Test at Antigua
West Indies won by 10 wickets
Third Test at St Lucia
February 9-13
RESULTS
6.30pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 Group One (PA) US$65,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
Winner RB Money To Burn, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer).
7.05pm Handicap (TB) $175,000 (Turf) 1,200m
Winner Ekhtiyaar, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson.
7.40pm UAE 2000 Guineas Trial Conditions (TB) $100,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Commanding, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
8.15pm Singspiel Stakes Group Two (TB) $250,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner Benbatl, Christophe Soumillon, Saeed bin Suroor.
8.50pm Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner Zakouski, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
9.25pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 Group Two (TB) $350,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Kimbear, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
10pm Dubai Trophy Conditions (TB) $100,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner Platinum Star, Christophe Soumillon, Saeed bin Suroor.
10.35pm Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner Key Victory, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby.
TUESDAY'S ORDER OF PLAY
Centre Court
Starting at 2pm:
Malin Cilic (CRO) v Benoit Paire (FRA) [8]
Not before 4pm:
Dan Evans (GBR) v Fabio Fogini (ITA) [4]
Not before 7pm:
Pablo Carreno Busta (SPA) v Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) [2]
Roberto Bautista Agut (SPA) [5] v Jan-Lennard Struff (GER)
Court One
Starting at 2pm
Prajnesh Gunneswaran (IND) v Dennis Novak (AUT)
Joao Sousa (POR) v Filip Krajinovic (SRB)
Not before 5pm:
Rajeev Ram (USA) and Joe Salisbury (GBR) [1] v Marin Cilic v Novak Djokovic (SRB)
Nikoloz Basilashvili v Ricardas Berankis (LTU)
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
Basquiat in Abu Dhabi
One of Basquiat’s paintings, the vibrant Cabra (1981–82), now hangs in Louvre Abu Dhabi temporarily, on loan from the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
The latter museum is not open physically, but has assembled a collection and puts together a series of events called Talking Art, such as this discussion, moderated by writer Chaedria LaBouvier.
It's something of a Basquiat season in Abu Dhabi at the moment. Last week, The Radiant Child, a documentary on Basquiat was shown at Manarat Al Saadiyat, and tonight (April 18) the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is throwing the re-creation of a party tonight, of the legendary Canal Zone party thrown in 1979, which epitomised the collaborative scene of the time. It was at Canal Zone that Basquiat met prominent members of the art world and moved from unknown graffiti artist into someone in the spotlight.
“We’ve invited local resident arists, we’ll have spray cans at the ready,” says curator Maisa Al Qassemi of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi's Canal Zone Remix is at Manarat Al Saadiyat, Thursday April 18, from 8pm. Free entry to all. Basquiat's Cabra is on view at Louvre Abu Dhabi until October
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
SQUADS
Pakistan: Sarfraz Ahmed (capt), Azhar Ali, Shan Masood, Sami Aslam, Babar Azam, Asad Shafiq, Haris Sohail, Usman Salahuddin, Yasir Shah, Mohammad Asghar, Bilal Asif, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Amir, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Abbas, Wahab Riaz
Sri Lanka: Dinesh Chandimal (capt), Lahiru Thirimanne (vice-capt), Dimuth Karunaratne, Kaushal Silva, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Roshen Silva, Niroshan Dickwella, Rangana Herath, Lakshan Sandakan, Dilruwan Perera, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Gamage
Umpires: Ian Gould (ENG) and Nigel Llong (ENG)
TV umpire: Richard Kettleborough (ENG)
ICC match referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)
