In the early 90s, there was a saying among environmental researchers and contract engineers in Abu Dhabi that destroying even one mangrove leaf could land them in jail. It was a joke, but one that summed up the emirate’s deep commitment to mangrove conservation long before climate change and global warming were buzz words. Australian researcher Ronald Loughland, who moved to Abu […]
Groundwater is rapidly declining around the world, often at accelerating rates, the largest assessment of its kind involving almost 1,700 aquifers has shown. The three-year study by researchers at UC Santa Barbara found that groundwater is dropping in more than two thirds, or 71 per cent, of the aquifers – in three times as many times places as […]
As a data ecology analyst, Amna Alhemeiri, 24, is among those helping to protect the UAE’s treasured mangroves and ensure that they prosper. The plants, championed by the UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, are an iconic part of the country’s ecosystem and are viewed as crucial to the planet’s sustainability. Ms […]
More than 1.4 billion people around the world – including 450 million children – live in areas that face high or extremely high water vulnerability, the UN children’s agency said. As a result, finding new and reliable sources of water is important for many communities, especially as the world’s population increases and climate change causes more severe drought. While […]
When my father was born, European and American homes were heated with coal, horses were still a common means of transportation, and there was no such thing as nuclear power. My children may well make it into the 22nd century when I hope today’s energy systems will seem as antiquated. In an attempt to overcome our […]
At the milestone Cop28 UN climate talks in Dubai, leaders and policymakers from around the world agreed to start the process of phasing out fossil fuels. As the work begins of putting the ambitious plans into action, Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Cop28 President and Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, tells The National about how the UAE Consensus was formed, […]
The British government has unveiled plans for what it describes as the country’s “biggest expansion of nuclear power for 70 years” to bolster energy security, bring down household bills and help the country meet carbon-emission targets. The Civil Nuclear Roadmap will explore the construction of a major new power station as big as Hinkley C and Sizewell […]
Global temperatures in 2024 could outstrip last year’s record, the World Meteorological Organisation has warned. The UN weather agency said 2023 was the hottest on record by a “large margin”, with average temperatures approaching 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Analysis by WMO of six international data sets found that the annual average global temperature in 2023 was warmer by 1.45°C, […]
Earth’s vital signs have reached unprecedented levels of degradation, posing a considerable risk to future life on the planet, a climate report has revealed. Published in Bioscience, the report indicates that 20 of the 35 monitored planetary vital signs, used as climate-change indicators, have reached historically adverse extremes. The research presents a collection of record-breaking climate-related occurrences […]
As the world grapples with climate change, the UAE stands at an enviable yet challenging crossroads. As the first country in the Gulf to set ambitious net-zero targets, the UAE is not just embracing global efforts to mitigate climate impact, it is also spearheading them. This commitment was echoed by Dr Sultan Al Jaber, President-designate of Cop28 and UAE’s […]
