Tony Blair: help the poor cut emissions because 'climate doesn't care where they're from'


Tim Stickings
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Rich countries must help the developing world to build green economies because “the climate doesn’t care where emissions come from,” Tony Blair has said.

The former UK prime minister said emissions cuts by wealthy nations would be of no use if they are cancelled out by economic growth in the global south.

In a new paper, the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change called for rich nations to use November’s Cop26 climate summit to set out a clear plan to decarbonise lower-income nations.

He spoke at an event hosted by London’s Science Museum on Thursday with US climate envoy John Kerry, who said coal-reliant countries needed scientific help to move to cleaner energies.

“The key is not — you have to stop growing. The key is, we’re going to put the right technologies and methodologies and help you to grow in a sustainable and clean way,” Mr Kerry said.

The developing world’s demands for Cop26 include the fulfilment of a long-standing promise to deliver $100 billion a year in climate funds.

Tony Blair and John Kerry speak at the event hosted by London’s Science Museum. YouTube
Tony Blair and John Kerry speak at the event hosted by London’s Science Museum. YouTube

Many countries in Africa are particularly vulnerable to extreme weather caused by climate change, such as floods and droughts.

“Developing nations, poor people, are going to get hit the hardest if we don’t move,” Mr Kerry said.

The US envoy called for the world’s biggest emitters to secure the $100bn funds which were first pledged at a Copenhagen summit in 2009.

But Mr Blair said more was needed, with developing countries needing not only money but help to grow in a sustainable way.

“The reality is the developing world needs to develop, they need that to feed their people, to give their people the benefits of the modern world,” he said.

“It’s going to require each of these countries to really have a specific plan for how they grow sustainably.

“In the end, of course, if you can’t get the developing world to grow sustainably, then even if the developed world takes the measures we want to see — the climate doesn’t care where emissions come from.”

Mr Blair's institute said it was unrealistic to expect economic development without any use of fossil fuels. Reuters
Mr Blair's institute said it was unrealistic to expect economic development without any use of fossil fuels. Reuters

The paper by Mr Blair’s institute said it was unrealistic for poorer countries to develop without any reliance on fossil fuels.

But it said that rich nations could help to minimise this problem by providing expertise on using renewable energies.

G20 countries are under pressure to speed up their own fossil fuel cuts, having spent $3.3 trillion subsidising them since the Paris Agreement in 2015.

Britain, which is hosting Cop26, is gathering pledges from governments and businesses to reduce their net emissions to zero by 2050.

This is regarded as crucial to meeting the Paris Agreement’s target of limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

Mr Kerry said the green transition did not have to be about “doom and gloom” but would help to spur economic growth.

“People are chasing new technologies. We have the ability to go on an incredible technology journey here,” he said.

Criticised in the past for his confidence in future technology, Mr Kerry said it did not exempt the world from having to take action now.

But he said: “I am confident that we’re going to have breakthroughs that are going to help facilitate this effort, and the jobs that can be created are extraordinary.”

Who has been sanctioned?

Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.

Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.

Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.

Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.

RESULT

Al Hilal 4 Persepolis 0
Khribin (31', 54', 89'), Al Shahrani 40'
Red card: Otayf (Al Hilal, 49')

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MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League final:

Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi

Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.

Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en

THREE
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The Bio

Ram Buxani earned a salary of 125 rupees per month in 1959

Indian currency was then legal tender in the Trucial States.

He received the wages plus food, accommodation, a haircut and cinema ticket twice a month and actuals for shaving and laundry expenses

Buxani followed in his father’s footsteps when he applied for a job overseas

His father Jivat Ram worked in general merchandize store in Gibraltar and the Canary Islands in the early 1930s

Buxani grew the UAE business over several sectors from retail to financial services but is attached to the original textile business

He talks in detail about natural fibres, the texture of cloth, mirrorwork and embroidery 

Buxani lives by a simple philosophy – do good to all

The specs

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Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

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While you're here
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHakbah%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2018%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENaif%20AbuSaida%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESaudi%20Arabia%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E22%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%24200%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Epre-Series%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EGlobal%20Ventures%20and%20Aditum%20Investment%20Management%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
RedCrow Intelligence Company Profile

Started: 2016

Founders: Hussein Nasser Eddin, Laila Akel, Tayeb Akel 

Based: Ramallah, Palestine

Sector: Technology, Security

# of staff: 13

Investment: $745,000

Investors: Palestine’s Ibtikar Fund, Abu Dhabi’s Gothams and angel investors

THE SPECS

Engine: Four-cylinder 2.5-litre

Transmission: Seven-speed auto

Power: 165hp

Torque: 241Nm

Price: Dh99,900 to Dh134,000

On sale: now

The Details

Article 15
Produced by: Carnival Cinemas, Zee Studios
Directed by: Anubhav Sinha
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Sayani Gupta, Zeeshan Ayyub
Our rating: 4/5 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
HOW DO SIM CARD SCAMS WORK?

Sim swap frauds are a form of identity theft.

They involve criminals conning mobile phone operators into issuing them with replacement Sim cards, often by claiming their phone has been lost or stolen 

They use the victim's personal details - obtained through criminal methods - to convince such companies of their identity.

The criminal can then access any online service that requires security codes to be sent to a user's mobile phone, such as banking services.

Liverpool 4-1 Shrewsbury

Liverpool
Gordon (34'), Fabinho (44' pen, 90' 3), Firmino (78')

Shrewsbury
Udoh (27'minutes)

Man of the Match: Kaide Gordon (Liverpool)

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Updated: July 30, 2021, 12:32 PM`