Global negotiations on the Cop26 climate targets are shifting focus to the challenges likely to drive the next set of talks due to be hosted by Egypt at Cop27 and potentially the UAE at Cop28, according to Claire O'Neill, the former British president of the 26th meeting.
The Conservative politician predicted that a new emphasis could draw in formal declarations from sectors beyond governments and states, in particular from businesses, as part of the overall United Nations climate talks process which this month sees the Cop26 negotiations taking place in Glasgow.
Representing a global business coalition at the summit, she told The National that the gathering of parties for one, and perhaps two, conferences in the Middle East region between now and 2023 represented a great opportunity.
“It's going to be very interesting that the Cop will go to Egypt and then to the UAE,” said Ms O'Neill, who was the first UK nomination for president of Cop26.
“The point about this is that it is a global moment where we all get to focus on climate change and I think the next couple of years will be crucial. We want governments to be more ambitious to get the whole team on the pitch — governments, investors and the corporate sector.”
Particular issues that face the Middle East region are bound to be more sharply defined by successive Cop presidencies being run from countries which are facing some of the most serious climate change strains while also investing in new technologies to make the 1.5°C limit on rising global temperatures a realistic policy choice.
The UAE bid to lead the negotiations as host of the summit at Cop28 took a significant step forward this week when the Asia Pacific group of countries unanimously endorsed the offer. The UN will confirm the upcoming host at the end of the current summit.
Middle East companies look to UAE Cop presidency
Companies in the Middle East with a commitment to sustainable growth want to see the movement of Cop leadership roles into the region as a chance to put the spotlight on its issues centre stage, said Ms O'Neill, who is the managing director of climate and energy for the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD).
“The challenges in the region, of temperature stress, of water stress, of fossil fuel-based economies, are balanced by massive investments in renewable industries,” she said, from the business pavilion of the UK-hosted summit. “We sometimes don't hear enough about what those challenges look like.
“I think the next Cop cycle will be a new chance to amplify those of the world's most sustainable businesses who are committed to net zero by 2050, nature positive and committed to reducing inequality and total transparency in reporting.”
I want to see corporates and investors in there in the [Cop] negotiations themselves
Claire O'Neill
The WBCSD proposed its own framework this week for helping to achieve net-zero targets, not only for its members but as part of the UN's Cop structure, which is built on the concept of countries providing Nationally Determined Contribution documents that set out targets in line with the 2015 Paris Agreement
The Paris treaty calls for a limit on the overall rise in temperatures as a result of global warming to below 2C. The business coalition said at the Glasgow meeting that its more than 200 big business members would submit annual Corporate Determined Contributions to provide a private-sector mechanism to mirror the official process.
“I want to see Corporate Determined Contributions,” she said. “I want to see corporates and investors in there in the negotiations themselves.
“I want to see a focus on how this is done and beyond the theoretical pathways to net zero.”
The grouping's wider Business Manifesto for Climate Recovery is a 12-point action plan to reduce, remove and report greenhouse gas emissions.
“The majority of the economy activity is in the private sector and we have thought that by not having businesses at the table we are missing a trick,” Ms O'Neill said. “Increasingly, what we are not capturing is that ambition of the private sector on emissions.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Malcolm & Marie
Directed by: Sam Levinson
Starring: John David Washington and Zendaya
Three stars
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Xpanceo
Started: 2018
Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality
Funding: $40 million
Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)
SPECS
%3Cp%3EEngine%3A%20Twin-turbocharged%204-litre%20V8%3Cbr%3EPower%3A%20625%20bhp%3Cbr%3ETorque%3A%20630Nm%3Cbr%3EOn%20sale%3A%20Now%3Cbr%3EPrice%3A%20From%20Dh974%2C011%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
AS%20WE%20EXIST
%3Cp%3EAuthor%3A%20Kaoutar%20Harchi%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EPublisher%3A%20Other%20Press%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EPages%3A%20176%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAvailable%3A%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH DETAILS
Barcelona 0
Slavia Prague 0
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
'The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window'
Director:Michael Lehmann
Stars:Kristen Bell
Rating: 1/5
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
Things Heard & Seen
Directed by: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini
Starring: Amanda Seyfried, James Norton
2/5
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
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
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
'Morbius'
Director: Daniel Espinosa
Stars: Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona
Rating: 2/5
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESmartCrowd%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2018%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESiddiq%20Farid%20and%20Musfique%20Ahmed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%20%2F%20PropTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%24650%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2035%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EVarious%20institutional%20investors%20and%20notable%20angel%20investors%20(500%20MENA%2C%20Shurooq%2C%20Mada%2C%20Seedstar%2C%20Tricap)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
Company profile
Date started: January, 2014
Founders: Mike Dawson, Varuna Singh, and Benita Rowe
Based: Dubai
Sector: Education technology
Size: Five employees
Investment: $100,000 from the ExpoLive Innovation Grant programme in 2018 and an initial $30,000 pre-seed investment from the Turn8 Accelerator in 2014. Most of the projects are government funded.
Partners/incubators: Turn8 Accelerator; In5 Innovation Centre; Expo Live Innovation Impact Grant Programme; Dubai Future Accelerators; FHI 360; VSO and Consult and Coach for a Cause (C3)
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
