The US and EU have reiterated their support for the UAE and its efforts to combat climate change, after some left-wing European and American legislators raised concerns over the coming Cop28 summit in Dubai.
A letter signed by a number of members of the US Congress and the European Parliament called for the influence of oil and gas lobbyists to be curbed at this year's climate talks.
The signatories include US progressives, Brussels politicians, clean energy lobbyists-turned-candidates and several other political figures with a track record of criticising Gulf countries.
It called on Dr Sultan Al Jaber, the UAE’s Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, to withdraw as the summit’s president-designate because he heads the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company.
The letter puts the signatories at odds with the US and EU’s top leadership.
“Dr Sultan Al Jaber is an experienced diplomat and business leader, including as chairman of renewable energy company Masdar,” a US government official told The National.
“The UAE is a crucial partner in advancing our joint efforts to combat the climate crisis, including through their Cop28 leadership.”
The official said President Joe Biden’s administration was “optimistic that we can collectively rise to meet the challenge of the climate crisis and build the clean energy economy of the future”.
Nicholas Lyons, Lord Mayor of London, said: “I think it's going to be a great Cop. The [UAE has] been extraordinarily methodical in how they've gone about it.
“It's really timely this is being hosted by a hydrocarbon economy and it's being chaired by someone who chairs a hydrocarbon company with a background as the chief executive of a renewable technology company.
“This whole issue is extraordinarily complicated and the truth is that there is going to be an element of hydrocarbon in the global energy mix for the next couple of decades.
“I think that gives the UAE presidency the authority and the licence to say to others that, if you are going to be part of this, demonstrate to us your journey of transition.”
Frans Timmermans, the EU’s top negotiator on climate change, said “vilifying and ignoring” private energy concerns would not help the green transition.
“If we want the energy transition to succeed, we have to get the energy companies on board,” Mr Timmermans said.
“Dr Sultan Al Jaber has also a long track record of investing in renewables within his company.”
The letter raising concerns over Cop28 was addressed to Mr Biden and to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Summit organisers said in response that Dr Al Jaber had “consistently called for aggressive climate action” and made Adnoc a significant investor in renewables.
He has attended 11 UN climate conferences including the talks that led to the Paris Agreement in 2015, a Cop28 representative said.
“Dr Sultan’s experience as an engineer, working across the energy spectrum, coupled with his experience as a senior global industry leader, are assets that will help drive the UAE’s transformative approach to Cop28,” the representative said.
US climate envoy John Kerry has previously described Dr Al Jaber as a “terrific choice” to head the talks, which begin on November 30 in Expo City, Dubai. The UK has also praised his “great leadership”.
Chris Hayward, the policy leader of the City of London, said he believed Cop28 would be “very productive”. He praised the UAE for “reaching out to developing countries and trying to bring a more sophisticated finance package to them”.
He told The National: “I think that the UAE is right to bring in these countries because net zero and climate action mean different things to different countries and different people.”
Former UK minister David Jones argued that criticism of UAE hosting Cop28 came from developed nations that had a “haughty and superior attitude” towards other countries.
The Conservative politician said it was “hypocritical” for countries that have their own oil industries to criticise.
“No one raised this as an issue when the UK, which has been producing oil and gas for half a century, hosted Cop26 in Glasgow,” he said.
“This is in no way an impediment.
“In fact, in the UAE companies such as Masdar are very much involved in developing alternative sources of energy.
“Given the UAE’s background in energy, it is a country with an informed view that would make it a very good host for this climate event.”
Who are the signatories?
The letter objecting to his presidency of Cop28 was co-sponsored by US Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and French MEP Manon Aubry.
It said they acknowledged that “engaging with industry can play a role” but called for tighter accountability rules for companies to attend Cop28.
Signatories from the US also include leftist Democrats such as Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, Senator Bernie Sanders and Senator Elizabeth Warren.
Mr Whitehouse, who has made his name as a campaigner against “dark money” in politics, in 2020 was accused of being influenced by clean energy donors in Rhode Island.
Many have been staunch advocates of renewable energy development, including Senator Ed Markey, who sponsored the Green New Deal legislation that aims to tackle the climate by promoting green industries.
Another signatory is Congressman Ro Khanna, who chairs the House Subcommittee on the Environment. He also supports the proposed Green New Deal but faced questions when it was revealed that his family had invested thousands of dollars in some of the nation's top polluters as recently as 2021.
Support for the letter from the European Parliament mostly came from members of the Greens, Social Democrats and the Left, but also from independents and one conservative MEP.
The parliament holds relatively little sway in Brussels compared to the European Commission and the EU’s 27 member states, but members can use their pulpit to put pressure on the bloc’s leaders.
Ms Aubry has led intensive scrutiny of meetings between EU politicians and Gulf representatives. A co-leader of the Left group, she has criticised her own country, France, for backing the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen.
Some signatories from the Greens-European Free Alliance group have declared interests in renewable energy, organic farming and in campaigning against nuclear power, some from before they took office.
The sole centre-right signatory, Sirpa Pietikainen, was once a board member of Finnish airline Finnair.
One independent backer, Martin Buschmann, quit the Left group in 2020 after it was revealed he was once a member of the neo-Nazi National Democratic Party in Germany. He said he did not join out of conviction but because he fell in love with a female member.
The MEPs not attached to any group also include Catalan separatists who have Spanish arrest warrants hanging over them because of their link to a failed independence bid in 2017.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Breast cancer in men: the facts
1) Breast cancer is men is rare but can develop rapidly. It usually occurs in those over the ages of 60, but can occasionally affect younger men.
2) Symptoms can include a lump, discharge, swollen glands or a rash.
3) People with a history of cancer in the family can be more susceptible.
4) Treatments include surgery and chemotherapy but early diagnosis is the key.
5) Anyone concerned is urged to contact their doctor
PROFILE BOX
Company name: Overwrite.ai
Founder: Ayman Alashkar
Started: Established in 2020
Based: Dubai International Financial Centre, Dubai
Sector: PropTech
Initial investment: Self-funded by founder
Funding stage: Seed funding, in talks with angel investors
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
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Day 4, Dubai Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Lahiru Gamage appeared to have been hard done by when he had his dismissal of Sami Aslam chalked off for a no-ball. Replays suggested he had not overstepped. No matter. Two balls later, the exact same combination – Gamage the bowler and Kusal Mendis at second slip – combined again to send Aslam back.
Stat of the day Haris Sohail took three wickets for one run in the only over he bowled, to end the Sri Lanka second innings in a hurry. That was as many as he had managed in total in his 10-year, 58-match first-class career to date. It was also the first time a bowler had taken three wickets having bowled just one over in an innings in Tests.
The verdict Just 119 more and with five wickets remaining seems like a perfectly attainable target for Pakistan. Factor in the fact the pitch is worn, is turning prodigiously, and that Sri Lanka’s seam bowlers have also been finding the strip to their liking, it is apparent the task is still a tough one. Still, though, thanks to Asad Shafiq and Sarfraz Ahmed, it is possible.
Family reunited
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was born and raised in Tehran and studied English literature before working as a translator in the relief effort for the Japanese International Co-operation Agency in 2003.
She moved to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies before moving to the World Health Organisation as a communications officer.
She came to the UK in 2007 after securing a scholarship at London Metropolitan University to study a master's in communication management and met her future husband through mutual friends a month later.
The couple were married in August 2009 in Winchester and their daughter was born in June 2014.
She was held in her native country a year later.
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Gender pay parity on track in the UAE
The UAE has a good record on gender pay parity, according to Mercer's Total Remuneration Study.
"In some of the lower levels of jobs women tend to be paid more than men, primarily because men are employed in blue collar jobs and women tend to be employed in white collar jobs which pay better," said Ted Raffoul, career products leader, Mena at Mercer. "I am yet to see a company in the UAE – particularly when you are looking at a blue chip multinationals or some of the bigger local companies – that actively discriminates when it comes to gender on pay."
Mr Raffoul said most gender issues are actually due to the cultural class, as the population is dominated by Asian and Arab cultures where men are generally expected to work and earn whereas women are meant to start a family.
"For that reason, we see a different gender gap. There are less women in senior roles because women tend to focus less on this but that’s not due to any companies having a policy penalising women for any reasons – it’s a cultural thing," he said.
As a result, Mr Raffoul said many companies in the UAE are coming up with benefit package programmes to help working mothers and the career development of women in general.
QUALIFYING RESULTS
1. Max Verstappen, Netherlands, Red Bull Racing Honda, 1 minute, 35.246 seconds.
2. Valtteri Bottas, Finland, Mercedes, 1:35.271.
3. Lewis Hamilton, Great Britain, Mercedes, 1:35.332.
4. Lando Norris, Great Britain, McLaren Renault, 1:35.497.
5. Alexander Albon, Thailand, Red Bull Racing Honda, 1:35.571.
6. Carlos Sainz Jr, Spain, McLaren Renault, 1:35.815.
7. Daniil Kvyat, Russia, Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda, 1:35.963.
8. Lance Stroll, Canada, Racing Point BWT Mercedes, 1:36.046.
9. Charles Leclerc, Monaco, Ferrari, 1:36.065.
10. Pierre Gasly, France, Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda, 1:36.242.
Eliminated after second session
11. Esteban Ocon, France, Renault, 1:36.359.
12. Daniel Ricciardo, Australia, Renault, 1:36.406.
13. Sebastian Vettel, Germany, Ferrari, 1:36.631.
14. Antonio Giovinazzi, Italy, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:38.248.
Eliminated after first session
15. Antonio Giovinazzi, Italy, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:37.075.
16. Kimi Raikkonen, Finland, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:37.555.
17. Kevin Magnussen, Denmark, Haas Ferrari, 1:37.863.
18. George Russell, Great Britain, Williams Mercedes, 1:38.045.
19. Pietro Fittipaldi, Brazil, Haas Ferrari, 1:38.173.
20. Nicholas Latifi, Canada, Williams Mercedes, 1:38.443.
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
