Cop27, the global climate change conference, offers a unique moment for leaders from across the world to build pathways for a more resilient and sustainable agenda that places climate change at the forefront of future economic prosperity; with particular opportunities for emerging markets.
Many of those gathering this week at the UN General Assembly and at the World Economic Forum’s Sustainable Development Impact Meetings will also attend Cop27. These leaders would do well to keep the thoughts below in mind.
Cop27 is widely seen as being the first “Cop of implementation”. In particular, there will be a strong global push for climate finance to help fill the funding gap for climate mitigation and adaptation projects in the Global South.
With six of the previous 10 climate change conferences having taken place in Europe, the hosting of this year’s in Egypt and Cop28 in the UAE in 2023 is an opportunity to hear more voices from often under-represented regions particularly badly impacted by climate change.
Actions aimed at cutting emissions will never be successful unless emerging economies and people at all levels of society are involved in shaping the agenda and seeing its benefits first-hand.
Since the signing of the Paris Agreement in 2015, advanced economies have pledged $100 billion towards climate solutions and the signing of the Glasgow Climate Pact at last year’s Cop26 firmed up the global agreement to accelerate action this decade. In Sharm El Sheikh, they will be held to account in making good these commitments.
Food and water security is especially relevant to the Middle East and North Africa region, which is warming at twice the global average
But action on climate change cannot be taken by governments alone. The private sector will play a vital role in helping countries across the world meet their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) on reducing emissions and adapting to the impact of climate change.
On a positive note, November’s Cop27 meeting comes amid unprecedented momentum and participation from businesses in taking climate action, thereby also providing a unique moment to unlock the public-private co-operation required for reducing carbon emissions and tackling pollution.
And there are already many examples of such partnerships successfully driving action on climate change.
The World Economic Forum’s First Movers Coalition (comprising companies in hard-to-abate sectors) launched just last autumn at Cop26. There, partners showcased the first-ever piece of fossil-free steel. Since then, the first-ever truck made with this steel has rolled out of the factory and other partners have made progress toward their decarbonisation commitments for everything from aviation to aluminium. The World Economic Forum launched the Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders India as a high-level platform of business leaders across industries that aims to turn ambition on climate change into action through concrete plans that leverage multi stakeholder partnerships, private sector leadership and collective action.
In Africa, the Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP) sees the Forum work with governments in Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa on combating plastic pollution. Ghana, for example, is working to achieve zero plastic leakage into its oceans and waterways.
Cop26 ended with a commitment by richer nations to provide low and middle income countries with $40bn a year in adaptation finance to help communities protect themselves from the impact of climate change from 2025. So we can also expect the Egyptian presidency to put an equal emphasis on adaptation, such as food and water security, as well as climate mitigation measures, such as the energy transition.
Food and water security is especially relevant to the Middle East and North Africa region, which is warming at twice the global average and is particularly vulnerable to extreme weather events.
As the war in Ukraine continues to disrupt global food supply chains and droughts in the region harm the local agricultural yields, we could see the serious impacts of food insecurity.
Leaders for a Sustainable Mena, a high-level community of public and private sector leaders committed to scaling the roll-out of low-carbon technologies and infrastructure in the region, have identified three priority areas of climate action: mobilising a just and inclusive energy transition, driving resilient food and water systems, and unlocking innovation for a greener built environment.
However, they stress that filling the financing gap and raising the corporate ambition for net zero targets will be vital to address these priority areas.
Speaking ahead of the upcoming climate meeting, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi said: “I deeply believe that Cop27 is an opportunity to showcase unity against an existential threat that we can only overcome through concerted action and effective implementation.”
We at the Forum agree that through public-private co-operation, we can build a better, cleaner and more sustainable world for everyone. Cop27 is an ideal opportunity to build partnerships, and we need to take advantage of it.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Gertrude Bell's life in focus
A feature film
At one point, two feature films were in the works, but only German director Werner Herzog’s project starring Nicole Kidman would be made. While there were high hopes he would do a worthy job of directing the biopic, when Queen of the Desert arrived in 2015 it was a disappointment. Critics panned the film, in which Herzog largely glossed over Bell’s political work in favour of her ill-fated romances.
A documentary
A project that did do justice to Bell arrived the next year: Sabine Krayenbuhl and Zeva Oelbaum’s Letters from Baghdad: The Extraordinary Life and Times of Gertrude Bell. Drawing on more than 1,000 pieces of archival footage, 1,700 documents and 1,600 letters, the filmmakers painstakingly pieced together a compelling narrative that managed to convey both the depth of Bell’s experience and her tortured love life.
Books, letters and archives
Two biographies have been written about Bell, and both are worth reading: Georgina Howell’s 2006 book Queen of the Desert and Janet Wallach’s 1996 effort Desert Queen. Bell published several books documenting her travels and there are also several volumes of her letters, although they are hard to find in print. Original documents are housed at the Gertrude Bell Archive at the University of Newcastle, which has an online catalogue.
The story in numbers
18
This is how many recognised sects Lebanon is home to, along with about four million citizens
450,000
More than this many Palestinian refugees are registered with UNRWA in Lebanon, with about 45 per cent of them living in the country’s 12 refugee camps
1.5 million
There are just under 1 million Syrian refugees registered with the UN, although the government puts the figure upwards of 1.5m
73
The percentage of stateless people in Lebanon, who are not of Palestinian origin, born to a Lebanese mother, according to a 2012-2013 study by human rights organisation Frontiers Ruwad Association
18,000
The number of marriages recorded between Lebanese women and foreigners between the years 1995 and 2008, according to a 2009 study backed by the UN Development Programme
77,400
The number of people believed to be affected by the current nationality law, according to the 2009 UN study
4,926
This is how many Lebanese-Palestinian households there were in Lebanon in 2016, according to a census by the Lebanese-Palestinian dialogue committee
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
Match info
Bournemouth 0
Liverpool 4 (Salah 25', 48', 76', Cook 68' OG)
Man of the match: Andrew Robertson (Liverpool)
MATCH INFO
Europa League semi-final, second leg
Atletico Madrid (1) v Arsenal (1)
Where: Wanda Metropolitano
When: Thursday, kick-off 10.45pm
Live: On BeIN Sports HD
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4-litre%20flat-six%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E525hp%20(GT3)%2C%20500hp%20(GT4)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E465Nm%20(GT3)%2C%20450Nm%20(GT4)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeven-speed%20automatic%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh944%2C000%20(GT3)%2C%20Dh581%2C700%20(GT4)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
UAE SQUAD
Omar Abdulrahman (Al Hilal), Ali Khaseif, Ali Mabkhout, Salem Rashed, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Zayed Al Ameri, Mohammed Al Attas (Al Jazira), Khalid Essa, Ahmed Barman, Ryan Yaslam, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Habib Fardan, Tariq Ahmed, Mohammed Al Akbari (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmin (Al Wasl), Adel Al Hosani, Ali Hassan Saleh, Majed Suroor (Sharjah), Ahmed Khalil, Walid Abbas, Majed Hassan, Ismail Al Hammadi (Shabab Al Ahli), Hassan Al Muharrami, Fahad Al Dhahani (Bani Yas), Mohammed Al Shaker (Ajman)
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo
Power: 374hp at 5,500-6,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm from 1,900-5,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.5L/100km
Price: from Dh285,000
On sale: from January 2022
What's in the deal?
Agreement aims to boost trade by £25.5bn a year in the long run, compared with a total of £42.6bn in 2024
India will slash levies on medical devices, machinery, cosmetics, soft drinks and lamb.
India will also cut automotive tariffs to 10% under a quota from over 100% currently.
Indian employees in the UK will receive three years exemption from social security payments
India expects 99% of exports to benefit from zero duty, raising opportunities for textiles, marine products, footwear and jewellery
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
The biog
Name: Abeer Al Shahi
Emirate: Sharjah – Khor Fakkan
Education: Master’s degree in special education, preparing for a PhD in philosophy.
Favourite activities: Bungee jumping
Favourite quote: “My people and I will not settle for anything less than first place” – Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid.
Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
Company Profile
Company name: OneOrder
Started: October 2021
Founders: Tamer Amer and Karim Maurice
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Industry: technology, logistics
Investors: A15 and self-funded
