Positive talk is the key to engaging with city leaders and businesses in the Race to Zero campaign, Razan Al Mubarak has said.
The UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for Cop28 warned against conversations “drowning in the doom and gloom”.
She emphasised the need for an atmosphere filled with hope when it comes to building on the successes of the campaign’s first three years.
Speaking at an event that kick-started London Climate Action Week, Ms Al Mubarak said partners who have signed up to the drive must “be consistent year on year” if goals are to be achieved.
The Race to Zero is a global campaign which aims to rally leadership and support from businesses, cities, regions and investors for a zero-carbon recovery that prevents future threats to the environment, opens up jobs and unlocks sustainable growth.
The objective is to build momentum around the shift to a decarbonised economy, where governments will be propelled into strengthening their contributions to the Paris Climate Agreement.
More than 8,000 firms, almost 600 financial institutions, 1,136 cities and 52 states and regions have signed up to the coalition.
On the opening day of London Climate Action Week, Ms Al Mubarak noted how “it’s really easy to drown in the doom and gloom but we need to as a community communicate good case studies”.
“They’re not going to be perfect, but they’re going to be good,” she continued.
“Let good not be the enemy of perfect. Let us communicate and work together to encourage participation and really movement.
“There is no transition in history that has ever happened just depending on technology. Technology is there and will be the tool but you will not have a green transition without a socio-cultural transition underpinning it. With communication, with collaboration, with consistency across sectors, I am confident that we will get there.”
As the UAE prepares to host Cop28 in November, Ms Al Mubarak said she is determined to work with figures close to home, and also farther afield, in a bid to bring them on board with the Race to Zero and its sister campaign, the Race to Resilience.
The Race to Resilience, launched by Cop26 President Alok Sharma, aims to catalyse action by non-state actors that builds the resilience of 4 billion people from vulnerable groups and communities to climate risks by 2030.
Ms Al Mubarak said she is working to engage with decision makers to explore ways in which the initiatives “resonate more regionally, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa region, Asia, Latin America”.
The three components that lie at the heart of the campaigns are consistency, collaboration and communication, she said. She also touched on the importance of female engagement in the climate debate and bringing more small and medium-sized businesses into the fold.
The critical role nature plays in reaching climate goals was also mentioned by Ms Al Mubarak, who is President of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
“Nature, for me, is not ornamental, but fundamental in our quest to a more resilient future, a more inclusive future,” she said. “You can’t talk about nature conservation without local communities and indigenous communities from around the world.”
Sheikh Mohammed reviews hosting of Cop28 – in pictures
Isle of Dogs
Director: Wes Anderson
Starring: Bryan Cranston, Liev Schreiber, Ed Norton, Greta Gerwig, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Scarlett Johansson
Three stars
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 650hp at 6,750rpm
Torque: 800Nm from 2,500-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 11.12L/100km
Price: From Dh796,600
On sale: now
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
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Need to know
When: October 17 until November 10
Cost: Entry is free but some events require prior registration
Where: Various locations including National Theatre (Abu Dhabi), Abu Dhabi Cultural Center, Zayed University Promenade, Beach Rotana (Abu Dhabi), Vox Cinemas at Yas Mall, Sharjah Youth Center
What: The Korea Festival will feature art exhibitions, a B-boy dance show, a mini K-pop concert, traditional dance and music performances, food tastings, a beauty seminar, and more.
For more information: www.koreafestivaluae.com
Smart words at Make Smart Cool
Make Smart Cool is not your usual festival. Dubbed “edutainment” by organisers Najahi Events, Make Smart Cool aims to inspire its youthful target audience through a mix of interactive presentation by social media influencers and a concert finale featuring Example with DJ Wire. Here are some of the speakers sharing their inspiration and experiences on the night.
Prince Ea
With his social media videos accumulating more half a billion views, the American motivational speaker is hot on the college circuit in the US, with talks that focus on the many ways to generate passion and motivation when it comes to learning.
Khalid Al Ameri
The Emirati columnist and presenter is much loved by local youth, with writings and presentations about education, entrepreneurship and family balance. His lectures on career and personal development are sought after by the education and business sector.
Ben Ouattara
Born to an Ivorian father and German mother, the Dubai-based fitness instructor and motivational speaker is all about conquering fears and insecurities. His talk focuses on the need to gain emotional and physical fitness when facing life’s challenges. As well managing his film production company, Ouattara is one of the official ambassadors of Dubai Expo2020.
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
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The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
The five pillars of Islam
