Natural historian Sir David Attenborough has been named a climate change champion ahead of the Cop 26 summit.
Attenborough will address world leaders as a "people’s advocate" at the Cop 26 talks being held in Glasgow in November.
With six months to go before the key climate talks, the broadcaster will put forward the case for taking climate action.
“I am greatly honoured to be given the role of people’s advocate," Attenborough said.
"There could not be a more important moment that we should have international agreement.
“The epidemic has shown us how crucial it is to find agreement among nations if we are to solve such worldwide problems, but the problems that await us within the next five to 10 years are even greater.
"It is crucial that these meetings in Glasgow, Cop26, have success, and that at last the nations will come together to solve the crippling problems that the world now faces.”
He previously described Cop26 as possibly “our last opportunity to make the necessary step-change” towards protecting the planet.
Attenborough will address world leaders at major international events over the next six months, including the G7 Summit in Cornwall in June.
The aim is to push climate and the protection of nature to the top of the global agenda.
As part of its environmental efforts, the UK is investing in a green recovery that creates sustainable jobs and addresses the urgent and linked challenges of public health, climate change and loss of biodiversity.
"Sir David Attenborough has already inspired millions of people in the UK and around the world with his passion and knowledge to act on climate change and protect the planet for future generations," British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said.
“There is no better person to build momentum for further change as we approach the Cop26 climate summit in November.
"I am hugely grateful to Sir David for agreeing to be our people’s advocate.”
This year, Britain announced at the climate change leaders’ summit, hosted by US President Joe Biden, that it planned more ambitious cuts in carbon emissions.
"Climate change is the greatest threat facing humanity and the stakes could not be higher for our planet," Cop26 President Alok Sharma said.
“The next decade will be make, or break, for cutting global emissions sufficiently to avoid the worst effects of climate change.
"That is why I am delighted to be working with Sir David, a hero for our country and our planet, to inspire action ahead of Cop26."
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The view from The National
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The biog
Hometown: Birchgrove, Sydney Australia
Age: 59
Favourite TV series: Outlander Netflix series
Favourite place in the UAE: Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque / desert / Louvre Abu Dhabi
Favourite book: Father of our Nation: Collected Quotes of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan
Thing you will miss most about the UAE: My friends and family, Formula 1, having Friday's off, desert adventures, and Arabic culture and people
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What is Reform?
Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.
It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.
Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.
After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.
Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.
The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.
Cultural fiesta
What: The Al Burda Festival
When: November 14 (from 10am)
Where: Warehouse421, Abu Dhabi
The Al Burda Festival is a celebration of Islamic art and culture, featuring talks, performances and exhibitions. Organised by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, this one-day event opens with a session on the future of Islamic art. With this in mind, it is followed by a number of workshops and “masterclass” sessions in everything from calligraphy and typography to geometry and the origins of Islamic design. There will also be discussions on subjects including ‘Who is the Audience for Islamic Art?’ and ‘New Markets for Islamic Design.’ A live performance from Kuwaiti guitarist Yousif Yaseen should be one of the highlights of the day.
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
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Normcore explained
Something of a fashion anomaly, normcore is essentially a celebration of the unremarkable. The term was first popularised by an article in New York magazine in 2014 and has been dubbed “ugly”, “bland’ and "anti-style" by fashion writers. It’s hallmarks are comfort, a lack of pretentiousness and neutrality – it is a trend for those who would rather not stand out from the crowd. For the most part, the style is unisex, favouring loose silhouettes, thrift-shop threads, baseball caps and boyish trainers. It is important to note that normcore is not synonymous with cheapness or low quality; there are high-fashion brands, including Parisian label Vetements, that specialise in this style. Embraced by fashion-forward street-style stars around the globe, it’s uptake in the UAE has been relatively slow.
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