The success of the new global climate treaty under negotiation depends on whether the US will seriously commit to cutting its greenhouse gas emissions, according to the head of the jury for the Zayed Future Energy Prize.
"The big question is what the USA will be able to bring to the table," said Dr Rajendra Pachauri, explaining that concessions by other big polluters depend on what cuts America commits to. "They have to make up for lost time."
The treaty, expected to be signed at a high-profile meeting in Copenhagen in December, will replace the Kyoto Protocol, which limits emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and five other gases that are released when fossil fuels are burnt to produce energy. The Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012.
Even though America is one of the world's largest per capita CO2 emitters, it has not been part of international efforts to deal with the problem.
In 1997, the former US president, Bill Clinton, signed the Kyoto Protocol, but the US Senate did not ratify the document, and it was later renounced by his successor, George W Bush, on the grounds that it would have been bad for the US economy.
The world is now trying to negotiate an even more ambitious deal amid a global recession, and America's participation is necessary for the success of these efforts, said Dr Pachauri, who is also chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
When the IPCC was named a co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize for 2007, along with the former US vice president Al Gore, it was Dr Pachauri who accepted the prize on behalf of the organisation. The panel he heads is part of an initiative of the Abu Dhabi Government that awards achievement in renewable energy.
Addressing Barack Obama and other heads of state during a climate-change meeting in New York on Tuesday, Dr Pachauri described the US president as "very committed".
In June, the US Congress passed Mr Obama's climate-change bill, which calls for emission cuts of 17 per cent on 2005 levels in 2020. But the document, whose targets are less ambitious than those sought for Copenhagen, has met with serious opposition by the powerful lobbies of the coal and oil sectors, as well as those of industrialised farming and energy-intensive industries. It has yet to be ratified by the US Senate.
Dr Pachauri said that despite these and other hurdles, he was "cautiously optimistic" about the new climate deal.
"My feeling is, it would be an agreement that is fairly comprehensive and generally effective," he said.
Dr Pachauri urged the UAE, which as a developing country has so far not been required to commit to emissions cuts, to do more to reduce its greenhouse tally.
Many of the technologies that can help bring about a low-carbon future already exist. However, they are expensive and this has been preventing their widespread application.
"That is a bit of a chicken or egg problem," he said.
He suggested that governments intervene by creating large markets and bring about cost reductions through economies of scale.
"Government policy can make a lot of difference," he said. "If governments were to play a role, they can help develop larger markets." Governments could also partner with the private sector to encourage more research and development activities, thus sharing the costs of innovation with industry.
Most governments have been short-sighted in their approach, he said, explaining that the interest in renewable energy in the 1970s, motivated by high oil prices, quickly ended when oil became cheaper.
"Once oil prices dropped in 1985, all those resources dried out," he said. "The only example I found of a government that deviates from this is the government of Japan. Their science and technology budget is not reduced even in times of recession."
vtodorova@thenational.ae
Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
THE BIO
Bio Box
Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul
Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader
Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet
Favorite food: seafood
Favorite place to travel: Lebanon
Favorite movie: Braveheart
Company%20Profile
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
Frida%20
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
SPECS%3A%20Polestar%203
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Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
Match info
Costa Rica 0
Serbia 1
Kolarov (56')
Company%20Profile
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if you go
The flights
Flydubai flies to Podgorica or nearby Tivat via Sarajevo from Dh2,155 return including taxes. Turkish Airlines flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Podgorica via Istanbul; alternatively, fly with Flydubai from Dubai to Belgrade and take a short flight with Montenegro Air to Podgorica. Etihad flies from Abu Dhabi to Podgorica via Belgrade. Flights cost from about Dh3,000 return including taxes. There are buses from Podgorica to Plav.
The tour
While you can apply for a permit for the route yourself, it’s best to travel with an agency that will arrange it for you. These include Zbulo in Albania (www.zbulo.org) or Zalaz in Montenegro (www.zalaz.me).
The biog
Title: General Practitioner with a speciality in cardiology
Previous jobs: Worked in well-known hospitals Jaslok and Breach Candy in Mumbai, India
Education: Medical degree from the Government Medical College in Nagpur
How it all began: opened his first clinic in Ajman in 1993
Family: a 90-year-old mother, wife and two daughters
Remembers a time when medicines from India were purchased per kilo
Iftar programme at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding
Established in 1998, the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding was created with a vision to teach residents about the traditions and customs of the UAE. Its motto is ‘open doors, open minds’. All year-round, visitors can sign up for a traditional Emirati breakfast, lunch or dinner meal, as well as a range of walking tours, including ones to sites such as the Jumeirah Mosque or Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.
Every year during Ramadan, an iftar programme is rolled out. This allows guests to break their fast with the centre’s presenters, visit a nearby mosque and observe their guides while they pray. These events last for about two hours and are open to the public, or can be booked for a private event.
Until the end of Ramadan, the iftar events take place from 7pm until 9pm, from Saturday to Thursday. Advanced booking is required.
For more details, email openminds@cultures.ae or visit www.cultures.ae
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
Company%20profile
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MORE ON THE US DEMOCRATIC PRIMARIES
Biog
Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara
He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada
Father of two sons, grandfather of six
Plays golf once a week
Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family
Walks for an hour every morning
Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India
2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business
