The G7 countries on Friday promised to make their electricity grids mostly carbon-neutral by 2035 and cut funding for fossil fuels by the end of this year, toughening their climate commitments at a time of crisis in their domestic energy markets.
Current G7 chair Germany hailed what it said were “enormous steps forward” at a two-day meeting of the group’s climate and energy ministers, held in Berlin in the shadow of the war in Ukraine and a resulting surge in fuel prices.
An 84-point agreement said any fossil fuel subsidies to mitigate the fallout from Russia’s invasion should be “temporary and targeted” as countries try to stay on track with their climate change goals.
German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck said it was more important than ever to speed up the shift away from fossil fuels at a time when Europe’s dependency on Russian oil and gas is complicating its response to the war.
“Protecting the climate, exiting coal and expanding renewable energies are questions of national, European and international energy security that we need to tackle resolutely together,” Mr Habeck said.
The G7 countries — Britain, Germany, France, Italy, the US, Canada and Japan — set a goal of having “predominantly decarbonised electricity sectors by 2035”, going further than a previous pledge to do this at some point in the 2030s.
They said they would do this by “rapidly scaling up the necessary technologies and policies for the clean energy transition”. Countries including Britain and Germany plan to massively increase offshore wind power generation.
Electricity is only one part of their energy consumption. The countries said they would also “drastically increase” the use of renewable fuels in heating, air conditioning and transport.
Mr Habeck has described the expansion of wind and solar power as geopolitically prudent to prevent countries such as Russia from monopolising energy. But the fuel squeeze has also stirred interest in using more fossil fuels.
The seven countries adopted tougher language on cutting methane emissions, saying reductions were necessary to keep alive the Paris Agreement target of limiting global warming to 1.5°C over pre-industrial levels.
And in what Germany hailed as a significant breakthrough, Japan for the first time promised to end all subsidies for overseas fossil fuel plants — joining the other six countries in pledging this by the end of 2022.
A communique after last year’s summit, when Britain held the G7 presidency, had only extended this promise to coal power, regarded as the most environmentally damaging fossil fuel.
This year’s talks ended with a separate declaration on protecting the oceans in which the seven nations said they were “ready to do our utmost” to tackle plastic pollution.
All seven countries have committed to reduce their net greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050. The talks come six months after the Cop26 summit in Glasgow brought about numerous pledges to drive down carbon emissions.
The Glasgow summit ended in acrimony after India pushed through an amendment to water down a global commitment to reduce coal power consumption.
“I’m going home with a good feeling after this G7 meeting,” said German Environment Minister Steffi Lemke, who said the club of rich democracies was responsible for dealing with the outsized environmental damage it has caused.
“Despite Russia’s terrible war against Ukraine, despite the pandemic and discussions about energy security, the community of nations is sending a clear signal of doing more to protect nature and the environment.”
Analysts at climate think tank E3G said the announcements were a step in the right direction but there was much still to do when German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hosts the G7 leaders for their annual summit next month.
Mr Scholz’s main proposal is to create a separate “climate club” of green-minded nations to drive through commitments that would struggle to find consensus in forums such as the UN and G20.
Brick Medak, the head of E3G’s Berlin office, said there were gaps in “the actions needed in this decade to phase out coal and mobilise the trillions necessary for a global green transition”.
“Olaf Scholz must show up at the leader’s level ready to go beyond his pet project climate club and move G7 leaders on where the climate and energy ministerial fell short,” he said.
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
UNpaid bills:
Countries with largest unpaid bill for UN budget in 2019
USA – $1.055 billion
Brazil – $143 million
Argentina – $52 million
Mexico – $36 million
Iran – $27 million
Israel – $18 million
Venezuela – $17 million
Korea – $10 million
Countries with largest unpaid bill for UN peacekeeping operations in 2019
USA – $2.38 billion
Brazil – $287 million
Spain – $110 million
France – $103 million
Ukraine – $100 million
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
One in nine do not have enough to eat
Created in 1961, the World Food Programme is pledged to fight hunger worldwide as well as providing emergency food assistance in a crisis.
One of the organisation’s goals is the Zero Hunger Pledge, adopted by the international community in 2015 as one of the 17 Sustainable Goals for Sustainable Development, to end world hunger by 2030.
The WFP, a branch of the United Nations, is funded by voluntary donations from governments, businesses and private donations.
Almost two thirds of its operations currently take place in conflict zones, where it is calculated that people are more than three times likely to suffer from malnutrition than in peaceful countries.
It is currently estimated that one in nine people globally do not have enough to eat.
On any one day, the WFP estimates that it has 5,000 lorries, 20 ships and 70 aircraft on the move.
Outside emergencies, the WFP provides school meals to up to 25 million children in 63 countries, while working with communities to improve nutrition. Where possible, it buys supplies from developing countries to cut down transport cost and boost local economies.
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
WandaVision
Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany
Directed by: Matt Shakman
Rating: Four stars
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
BEACH SOCCER WORLD CUP
Group A
Paraguay
Japan
Switzerland
USA
Group B
Uruguay
Mexico
Italy
Tahiti
Group C
Belarus
UAE
Senegal
Russia
Group D
Brazil
Oman
Portugal
Nigeria
How England have scored their set-piece goals in Russia
Three Penalties
v Panama, Group Stage (Harry Kane)
v Panama, Group Stage (Kane)
v Colombia, Last 16 (Kane)
Four Corners
v Tunisia, Group Stage (Kane, via John Stones header, from Ashley Young corner)
v Tunisia, Group Stage (Kane, via Harry Maguire header, from Kieran Trippier corner)
v Panama, Group Stage (Stones, header, from Trippier corner)
v Sweden, Quarter-Final (Maguire, header, from Young corner)
One Free-Kick
v Panama, Group Stage (Stones, via Jordan Henderson, Kane header, and Raheem Sterling, from Tripper free-kick)
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
Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
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
more from Janine di Giovanni
More on animal trafficking
Ways to control drones
Countries have been coming up with ways to restrict and monitor the use of non-commercial drones to keep them from trespassing on controlled areas such as airports.
"Drones vary in size and some can be as big as a small city car - so imagine the impact of one hitting an airplane. It's a huge risk, especially when commercial airliners are not designed to make or take sudden evasive manoeuvres like drones can" says Saj Ahmed, chief analyst at London-based StrategicAero Research.
New measures have now been taken to monitor drone activity, Geo-fencing technology is one.
It's a method designed to prevent drones from drifting into banned areas. The technology uses GPS location signals to stop its machines flying close to airports and other restricted zones.
The European commission has recently announced a blueprint to make drone use in low-level airspace safe, secure and environmentally friendly. This process is called “U-Space” – it covers altitudes of up to 150 metres. It is also noteworthy that that UK Civil Aviation Authority recommends drones to be flown at no higher than 400ft. “U-Space” technology will be governed by a system similar to air traffic control management, which will be automated using tools like geo-fencing.
The UAE has drawn serious measures to ensure users register their devices under strict new laws. Authorities have urged that users must obtain approval in advance before flying the drones, non registered drone use in Dubai will result in a fine of up to twenty thousand dirhams under a new resolution approved by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai.
Mr Ahmad suggest that "Hefty fines running into hundreds of thousands of dollars need to compensate for the cost of airport disruption and flight diversions to lengthy jail spells, confiscation of travel rights and use of drones for a lengthy period" must be enforced in order to reduce airport intrusion.
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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UAE squad to face Ireland
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