Ocean heat reached record highs in 2021, with warming rates in the top 2,000 metres of the seas increasing over the past two decades and warmth reaching greater depths. PA
Ocean heat reached record highs in 2021, with warming rates in the top 2,000 metres of the seas increasing over the past two decades and warmth reaching greater depths. PA
Ocean heat reached record highs in 2021, with warming rates in the top 2,000 metres of the seas increasing over the past two decades and warmth reaching greater depths. PA
Ocean heat reached record highs in 2021, with warming rates in the top 2,000 metres of the seas increasing over the past two decades and warmth reaching greater depths. PA

UN condemns failure to tackle climate change after record readings in 2021


Paul Carey
  • English
  • Arabic

Extreme weather led to hundreds of billions of dollars in economic losses and took a heavy toll on human life in 2021, the World Meteorological Organisation has said.

The day-to-day “face” of climate change set off shocks for food and water security and displacement that have grown in 2022, the said.

Four important climate change indicators – greenhouse gas concentrations, sea level rise, ocean heat and ocean acidification – set new records last year, in what the WMO described as “yet another clear sign that human activities are causing planetary scale changes on land, in the ocean, and in the atmosphere, with harmful and long-lasting ramifications for sustainable development and ecosystems".

The annual State of the Global Climate report from the UN body also said the oceans were becoming more acidic as carbon dioxide dissolved into seawater, threatening wildlife.

WMO secretary general Petteri Taalas said extreme weather had the most immediate effects on our daily lives.

“Years of investment in disaster preparedness means that we are better at saving lives, though economic losses are soaring," said Mr Taalas.

“But much more needs to be done, as we are seeing with the drought emergency unfolding in the Horn of Africa, the recent deadly flooding in South Africa and the extreme heat in India and Pakistan.

“Early warning systems are critically required for climate adaptation, and yet these are only available in less than half of WMO’s members. We are committed to making early warnings reach everyone in the next five years."

The report also gave a warning that global temperatures increased to 1.1°C above what they were in the 19th century.

Last year was one of the seven warmest on record, lower than other recent years due to the cooling effects of the natural La Nina weather pattern, but the years since 2015 have been the hottest on record.

It is “just a matter of time” before the world reported more record temperatures, Mr Taalas said.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres described the new report as a “dismal litany of humanity’s failure to tackle climate disruption”.

He called for action to accelerate the shift to renewable energy, including sharing technology, driving forward battery storage for clean power, scaling up supply chains and investment, and halting subsidies for polluting oil, gas and coal.

“The global energy system is broken and bringing us ever closer to climate catastrophe. Fossil fuels are a dead end – environmentally and economically," Mr Guterres said.

“The war in Ukraine and its immediate effects on energy prices is yet another wake-up call. The only sustainable future is a renewable one.”

In a video message, Mr Guterres proposed five critical actions to jump-start the renewable energy transition. They include greater access to renewable energy technology and supplies, a tripling of private and public investments in renewables and an end to subsidies on fossil fuels that amount to about $11 million a minute.

The annual report from the WMO showed the four key climate indicators set new records in 2021.

Greenhouse gas concentrations reached a global high in 2020, with carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere climbing by 49 per cent above what they were in pre-industrial times, and then continuing to rise in 2021 and into 2022.

Ocean heat also reached record highs in 2021, with warming rates in the top 2,000 metres of the seas increasing over the past two decades and warmth reaching greater depths.

Much of the ocean experienced at least one “strong” marine heatwave in 2021.

Global average sea levels rose to a record high in 2021, the report said.

Seas were rising at an average 4.5 millimetres a year between 2013 and 2021, more than double the rate recorded between 1993 and 2002, as ice loss from the ice sheets accelerated, raising risks for hundreds of millions living in coastal areas.

The report also said the ocean absorbed about a quarter of the annual carbon dioxide emissions from human activity.

The carbon dioxide reacts with water to make the seas more acidic, threatening wildlife and habitats such as coral and hitting food security, tourism and coastal protection provided by reefs.

The assessment, which draws on data from weather and science bodies, as well as UN agencies, also highlighted the exceptional heatwaves that hit last year, with the mercury setting a Canadian record of 49.6°C in British Columbia in June and a provisional European record of 48.8°C in Sicily in August.

Flooding caused heavy loss of life and huge economic losses in places including China and Western Europe, while drought affected many parts of the world, with potentially devastating effects in eastern Africa.

Extreme weather events in 2021 worsened food insecurity and the risk of famine, and displaced millions of people from their homes, the report said.

Rain fell for the first time at Summit Station, the highest point on the Greenland ice sheet, at 3,216 metres.

“Our climate is changing before our eyes. The heat trapped by human-induced greenhouse gases will warm the planet for many generations to come," Mr Taalas said.

“Sea level rise, ocean heat and acidification will continue for hundreds of years unless means to remove carbon from the atmosphere are invented.

“Some glaciers have reached the point of no return and this will have long-term repercussions in a world in which more than two billion people already experience water stress.”

Dr Shaun Fitzgerald, director of the Centre for Climate Repair at Cambridge, said the report highlighted the threats from climate change.

“We will see many more millions of climate refugees as severe weather events increase in frequency and severity, and with sea level rising every year we will see more and more coastal regions being overcome," he said.

“The need for climate repair has never been greater, and unfortunately that need isn’t going away.”

Reducing emissions is critical, he said, but it will only curb the rate at which the problem was getting worse, so there is need to go “beyond zero emissions” and develop initiatives to remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
Number of staff: 22 
 
Investment raised: $4 million 
Tonight's Chat on The National

Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.

Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster who has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others.

Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.

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Tips to stay safe during hot weather
  • Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
  • Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
  • Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
  • Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
  • Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
  • Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
  • Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
  1. Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
  2. Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
  3. Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
  4. Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
  5. Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
  6. The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
  7. Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269

*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year

8 UAE companies helping families reduce their carbon footprint

Greenheart Organic Farms 

This Dubai company was one of the country’s first organic farms, set up in 2012, and it now delivers a wide array of fruits and vegetables grown regionally or in the UAE, as well as other grocery items, to both Dubai and Abu Dhabi doorsteps.

www.greenheartuae.com

Modibodi  

Founded in Australia, Modibodi is now in the UAE with waste-free, reusable underwear that eliminates the litter created by a woman’s monthly cycle, which adds up to approximately 136kgs of sanitary waste over a lifetime.

www.modibodi.ae

The Good Karma Co

From brushes made of plant fibres to eco-friendly storage solutions, this company has planet-friendly alternatives to almost everything we need, including tin foil and toothbrushes. 

www.instagram.com/thegoodkarmaco

Re:told

One Dubai boutique, Re:told, is taking second-hand garments and selling them on at a fraction of the price, helping to cut back on the hundreds of thousands of tonnes of clothes thrown into landfills each year.

www.shopretold.com

Lush

Lush provides products such as shampoo and conditioner as package-free bars with reusable tins to store. 

www.mena.lush.com

Bubble Bro 

Offering filtered, still and sparkling water on tap, Bubble Bro is attempting to ensure we don’t produce plastic or glass waste. Founded in 2017 by Adel Abu-Aysha, the company is on track to exceeding its target of saving one million bottles by the end of the year.

www.bubble-bro.com

Coethical 

This company offers refillable, eco-friendly home cleaning and hygiene products that are all biodegradable, free of chemicals and certifiably not tested on animals.

www.instagram.com/coethical

Eggs & Soldiers

This bricks-and-mortar shop and e-store, founded by a Dubai mum-of-four, is the place to go for all manner of family products – from reusable cloth diapers to organic skincare and sustainable toys.

www.eggsnsoldiers.com

Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.

Company profile

Name: The Concept

Founders: Yadhushan Mahendran, Maria Sobh and Muhammad Rijal

Based: Abu Dhabi

Founded: 2017

Number of employees: 7

Sector: Aviation and space industry

Funding: $250,000

Future plans: Looking to raise $1 million investment to boost expansion and develop new products

ELIO

Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett

Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina

Rating: 4/5

The White Lotus: Season three

Creator: Mike White

Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell

Rating: 4.5/5

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Updated: May 18, 2022, 4:53 PM`