Dr Nawal Al-Hosany is permanent representative of the UAE to the International Renewable Energy Agency
December 27, 2021
At the start of 2021, I said that renewable energy had a big year ahead. Now, as we reach the end of the year, this has turned out to be something of an understatement – although, it is easy to be wise after the event.
As we stand on the precipice of 2022, and face down the possibility that we rather might be about to enter ‘2020 two’, we must double down on the commitments, pledges and actions taken in this extraordinary year to ensure that we pragmatically transition to a world powered by renewable and clean energy solutions.
The last 12 months have tested the reserves of human innovation and tried the resilience of the renewables sector in equal measure. Both have come up trumps. And both – humanity and renewable energy – must move forward, hand in hand, drawing strength and support from each other to forge a more sustainable future for all.
From the US rejoining the Paris Agreement to a burst of net-zero strategies from the Gulf states, through to the UNFCC’s selection of the Emirates to host Cop28 in 2023, it has been a year that has delivered on some key promises. At the same time, it has also seen leaders, governments and industries demonstrate a critical awareness that so much more still needs to be done if we are to “keep 1.5 alive” – that is, preserve the goal of no more than a 1.5ºC temperature rise, as the slogan of Cop26 in Glasgow said.
We should enter the new year not with fear or trepidation, but with confidence and optimism. A brief review of what we achieved in the face of unprecedented adversity should show why.
Despite the seismic impact of the pandemic, our world got greener and more efficient, as renewable energy stepped up to the plate. Industry got cleaner. Technology got smarter. Climate action became more urgent.
Across, 2021 we’ve seen electricity generated from solar panels, wind turbines and other renewable sources accelerating faster than ever, across the world. The latest findings from the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) show that 2021 could set a new all-time record for the number of new global renewable energy installations.
In fact, current projections show that newly installed renewable energy capacity is set to reach almost 300 gigawatts this year – up from 260 in 2020, which set the record at the time.
Last year, more than 80 per cent of all new electricity capacity was renewable, with solar and wind accounting for 91 per cent of new renewables. In the next five years, we are looking at 95 percent of all new electricity capacity coming from renewable solutions.
The UAE is set to host Cop28 in 2023. Photo: Abu Dhabi Media Office
Last year, more than 80 per cent of all new electricity capacity was renewable
These numbers are revealing. After almost two years of adjusting to the new demands placed on society by the pandemic, it has both exposed the deeply entrenched vulnerabilities of the current energy system, and served as a wake-up call to any leader who has been sleepwalking their way into this climate crisis.
Now, as governments face the complicated balancing act of controlling the health emergency while introducing major stimulus packages, we must have an eye on the future. We must align the short-term interests of overcoming a fresh wave of Covid-19 with the long-term goals of the Paris Agreement.
This is progress and reason to be cautiously optimistic that the transition we desperately need is underway. I say “cautiously” because we know two things for certain.
First, deployment of renewable solutions across key industrial sectors must accelerate if we are to achieve net-zero emissions by the middle of the century. Second, the global energy transition must be inclusive and equitable.
This second point is a message that cannot be emphasised enough. One of the real highlights of Cop26 this year was seeing leaders like Barbados’s Prime Minister, Mia Mottley, shift the climate action spotlight onto small island and developing states.
Her message that “no one is safe until everyone is safe”, though rooted in the global response to the pandemic, is one that should have applied to the climate crisis long before the virus emerged. It is for this reason that initiatives like the Energy Transition Accelerator Financing Platform are critical. Launched by the UAE and Irena at Cop26, the platform aims to secure up to $1 billion in funding to accelerate the transition to renewable energy in developing countries by financing 1.5 gigawatts of new renewable energy by 2030. The power of partnerships must be harnessed. Because no one is safe until everyone is safe.
So, what should we expect to see in 2022? In three words: partnerships, technology and finance.
Whether it’s green hydrogen technologies under the UAE Green Hydrogen Leadership Roadmap, pioneering partnerships in the joint US-UAE AIM for Climate (AIM4C) initiative, or investing in the talent, the youth and – as my previous writings in these pages have emphasised – the women who will lead the way to realising the UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative, balancing these priorities will be critical to navigating towards a greener 2022 successfully.
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
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
Earth under attack: Cosmic impacts throughout history
- 4.5 billion years ago: Mars-sized object smashes into the newly-formed Earth, creating debris that coalesces to form the Moon
- 66 million years ago: 10km-wide asteroid crashes into the Gulf of Mexico, wiping out over 70 per cent of living species – including the dinosaurs.
- 50,000 years ago: 50m-wide iron meteor crashes in Arizona with the violence of 10 megatonne hydrogen bomb, creating the famous 1.2km-wide Barringer Crater
- 1490: Meteor storm over Shansi Province, north-east China when large stones “fell like rain”, reportedly leading to thousands of deaths.
- 1908: 100-metre meteor from the Taurid Complex explodes near the Tunguska river in Siberia with the force of 1,000 Hiroshima-type bombs, devastating 2,000 square kilometres of forest.
- 1998: Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 breaks apart and crashes into Jupiter in series of impacts that would have annihilated life on Earth.
-2013: 10,000-tonne meteor burns up over the southern Urals region of Russia, releasing a pressure blast and flash that left over 1600 people injured.
Silent Hill f
Publisher: Konami
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Rating: 4.5/5
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
If you go
The flights
Emirates (www.emirates.com) and Etihad (www.etihad.com) both fly direct to Bengaluru, with return fares from Dh 1240. From Bengaluru airport, Coorg is a five-hour drive by car.
The hotels
The Tamara (www.thetamara.com) is located inside a working coffee plantation and offers individual villas with sprawling views of the hills (tariff from Dh1,300, including taxes and breakfast).
When to go
Coorg is an all-year destination, with the peak season for travel extending from the cooler months between October and March.
“Join in with a group like Cycle Safe Dubai or TrainYAS, where you’ll meet like-minded people and always have support on hand.”
Stewart Howison, co-founder of Cycle Safe Dubai and owner of Revolution Cycles
“When you sweat a lot, you lose a lot of salt and other electrolytes from your body. If your electrolytes drop enough, you will be at risk of cramping. To prevent salt deficiency, simply add an electrolyte mix to your water.”
Cornelia Gloor, head of RAK Hospital’s Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy Centre
“Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can ride as fast or as far during the summer as you do in cooler weather. The heat will make you expend more energy to maintain a speed that might normally be comfortable, so pace yourself when riding during the hotter parts of the day.”
Chandrashekar Nandi, physiotherapist at Burjeel Hospital in Dubai
Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
Available: Now
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Red flags
Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.
A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.
Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
UK’s AI plan
AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
£10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
£100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
Key recommendations
Fewer criminals put behind bars and more to serve sentences in the community, with short sentences scrapped and many inmates released earlier.
Greater use of curfews and exclusion zones to deliver tougher supervision than ever on criminals.
Explore wider powers for judges to punish offenders by blocking them from attending football matches, banning them from driving or travelling abroad through an expansion of ‘ancillary orders’.
More Intensive Supervision Courts to tackle the root causes of crime such as alcohol and drug abuse – forcing repeat offenders to take part in tough treatment programmes or face prison.
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
Gulf Under 19s final
Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B
What you as a drone operator need to know
A permit and licence is required to fly a drone legally in Dubai.
Sanad Academy is the United Arab Emirate’s first RPA (Remotely Piloted Aircraft) training and certification specialists endorsed by the Dubai Civil Aviation authority.
It is responsible to train, test and certify drone operators and drones in UAE with DCAA Endorsement.
“We are teaching people how to fly in accordance with the laws of the UAE,” said Ahmad Al Hamadi, a trainer at Sanad.
“We can show how the aircraft work and how they are operated. They are relatively easy to use, but they need responsible pilots.
“Pilots have to be mature. They are given a map of where they can and can’t fly in the UAE and we make these points clear in the lectures we give.
“You cannot fly a drone without registration under any circumstances.”
Larger drones are harder to fly, and have a different response to location control. There are no brakes in the air, so the larger drones have more power.
The Sanad Academy has a designated area to fly off the Al Ain Road near Skydive Dubai to show pilots how to fly responsibly.
“As UAS technology becomes mainstream, it is important to build wider awareness on how to integrate it into commerce and our personal lives,” said Major General Abdulla Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief, Dubai Police.
“Operators must undergo proper training and certification to ensure safety and compliance.
“Dubai’s airspace will undoubtedly experience increased traffic as UAS innovations become commonplace, the Forum allows commercial users to learn of best practice applications to implement UAS safely and legally, while benefitting a whole range of industries.”
