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UAE names oil company chief to lead UN climate talks COP28

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UAE

“Sultan al-Jaber has the credentials and background to lean into existing trends,” said Ryan Bohl, a Mideast analyst with the RANE Network, a risk-intelligence organization. “As an oilman, I don’t think that will be a major danger for him.”

Al-Jaber, a long-time climate envoy who is 49 years old, is in favor of “a pragmatic, practical, and solutions-oriented approach” to keep global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) by 2050, according to the Emirates’ state-run WAM. According to scientists, this restriction can avoid or at least mitigate some of the most devastating future climate change effects.

However, Al-nomination Jaber’s was met with swift condemnation. According to Harjeet Singh, the head of Global Political Strategy at Climate Action Network International, al-position Jaber’s as CEO of an oil corporation presents an “unusual and worrisome conflict of interest.”

“Polluters have no place in a climate conference, let alone presiding over a COP,” Singh remarked.

UAE Has More Climate Talks

“You wouldn’t ask arms merchants to conduct peace talks,” said Alice Harrison of Global Witness. So, why should oil execs be in charge of climate talks?” Greenpeace expressed “grave concern” about al-appointment, Jaber’s saying it “sets a hazardous precedent, jeopardizing the UAE’s reputation and the faith that has been placed in them.”

Each year, the country hosting the United Nations deliberations known as the Conference of the Parties — from which the acronym COP is derived — chooses a chairperson. Because the talks can be extremely difficult to direct between rival states and their interests, the hosts usually choose a senior diplomat. Delegates normally confirm the nominee’s position as “COP president” without opposition before the commencement of the negotiations.

When asked if Secretary-General Antonio Guterres thinks someone linked with fossil fuels should lead COP28, U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said the U.N. had “absolutely no participation” in the selection.

“Having said that, the evidence is crystal clear: We are losing the battle to mitigate the worst effects of the climate disaster,” Dujarric added. “The secretary-general reiterates that there is no way to avoid such a climatic disaster unless we abandon our reliance on fossil fuels.”

Foreign Minister Chastised

The caliber of COP presidents has shifted over time. Most people thought that Alok Sharma of the United Kingdom was energetic and driven to reach a high goal.

Egypt’s Foreign Minister, Sameh Shoukry, on the other hand, was chastised by some for the chaotic and, at times, the opaque manner in which he presided over the meeting last year.

During the summit in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, which Shoukry oversaw, a call by countries such as India and the United States for a phase-down of oil and natural gas, for example, was not discussed publicly.

Activists are concerned that the COP being held in a Mideast country relying on fossil fuel sales for the second year in a row may result in something similar happening in the Emirates.

According to WAM, the UAE has spent “more than $50 billion in renewable energy projects across 70 nations, with oil intentions to invest at least $50 billion over the next decade.”

30 Billion Invested In Renewable Energy

Masdar announced Friday that it had invested or committed $30 billion in renewable energy projects and oil. According to the New York-based research firm Global SWF, Mubadala,  UAE Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund, has invested $3.9 billion in renewable energy since 2018.

According to Global SWF, Mubadala invested $9.8 billion in oil and gas projects during the same period.

The UAE is home to a major solar park in Dubai and the Arabian Peninsula’s only atomic energy source, the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant. But it takes a lot of energy to run the desalination plants that bring green golf courses to the desert areas, the air conditioners that keep the huge malls cool in the summer, and heavy industries like aluminum smelters.

The UAE’s renewable energy policy expanded in the mid-2000s when its real-estate boom saw it build its tallest and enormous, palm-shaped archipelagos off its coast. At the time, the World Wildlife Fund said that each person in the UAE had the largest ecological footprint per capita in the world. This meant that on average, each person in the UAE used more resources than people in any other country. The UAE continues to rank highly on comparable lists.

UAE Says Lessons Were Learned

The Masdar City project arose from this fear of becoming tarnished before being scaled back.

“We had access to lessons learned that no one else had because we did it and invested money,” al-Jaber told The Associated Press in 2010. “We must learn, change, adapt, and progress. We can’t be too strict.”

The UAE then transformed Masdar City into a campus that today houses the United Nations International Renewable Energy Agency and the enterprise itself, which is investing in renewables both at home and abroad. In 2016, before leaving office as America’s vice president, Joe Biden visited Masdar City.

Analysts say that the Emirates is trying to make as much money as possible before the world moves toward renewable energy. The UAE has committed to be carbon neutral by 2050, a challenging aim to analyze and one that authorities still need to clearly define how they’ll achieve.

The UAE “has made no bones about being a significant oil and gas producer, and presumably, he is extremely well linked to the country’s leadership,” according to Alden Meyer of the environmental think group E3G. “I hope (al-Jaber) has strong diplomatic and negotiation abilities and the capacity to reach consensus and compromise.”

COP28 will be hosted at Dubai’s Expo City from November 30 to December 12.

SOURCE – (AP)

 

Kiara Grace is a staff writer at VORNews, a reputable online publication. Her writing focuses on technology trends, particularly in the realm of consumer electronics and software. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for breaking down complex topics. Kiara delivers insightful analyses that resonate with tech enthusiasts and casual readers alike. Her articles strike a balance between in-depth coverage and accessibility, making them a go-to resource for anyone seeking to stay informed about the latest innovations shaping our digital world.

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Do Microplastics in the Atmosphere Endanger Your Fertility?

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HealthDay

(VOR News) – It is quite possible that the presence of small microplastic particles in the air may be a contributing factor to a wide variety of health problems, including malignancies of the lungs and colon.

This is something that needs additional research to be determined. There is one more item to take into consideration, and that is the potential that this is the exact circumstance.

A recent study found that tires and debris that are decomposing shed minute fragments of plastic that go airborne, so creating a form of air pollution that is not particularly widely known. This type of pollution is caused by the degradation of plastic. An example of this type of pollution is that which is discharged into the atmosphere.

The industry refers to microplastic as “air pollution.”

According to the findings of a researcher named Tracey Woodruff, who is a professor of obstetrics, gynaecology, and reproductive sciences at the University of California, San Francisco, “These microplastics are basically particulate matter from air pollution,” and it is common knowledge that this particular type of air pollution is particularly hazardous.

The researchers who supplied background notes stated that the size of microplastics is less than 5 millimetres, which is smaller than a grain of rice.

This information was provided, according to researchers. These details were supplied by the researchers who conducted the study. These particulars were provided by researchers who were responsible for carrying out the study.

The amount of plastic that is created on a yearly basis by enterprises all over the world is roughly 460 million tonnes, as indicated by the data that were provided by academics all over the world. The forecasts indicate that by the year 2050, this quantity is anticipated to have increased to 1.1 billion tonnes.

Driving is a substantial contributor to the amount of plastic that is floating around in the atmosphere, according to the conclusions of the experts who conducted the study about the phenomenon. When tires are worn down to the point where they scrape against the surface of the road, they allow microplastics to be released into the environment.

As a result of the tires wearing down, this occurs. This impact is brought about as a consequence of the inevitable amount of wear and tear that tires are subjected to.

A study that was published on December 18 in the journal Environmental Science & Technology was the result of researchers conducting an examination of data collected from over 3,000 previous investigations.

The paper was published as a consequence of this procedure. The review was constructed with the help of this analysis that was carried out.

Microplastic used this analysis to put together the review.

A number of diseases, such as cancer, lung problems, and infertility, may be influenced by the presence of microplastics in the air, according to the data, which led to the conclusion that this may be the case.

Despite the fact that the vast majority of the studies that were incorporated into the study were carried out on animals, the researchers claimed that it is very certainly plausible that the findings can also be applied to people. The fact that the majority of investigations were conducted on animals does not change the reality that this is the case.

“We urge regulatory agencies and policy leaders to consider the growing evidence of health harms from microplastics, including colon and lung cancer,” stated Nicholas Chartres, the principal investigator and senior research fellow at the University of Sydney.

The organisation reported this comment. The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) issued a press release on behalf of the organisation that contained this statement. The news release was disseminated to the public. We are convinced that state officials will act quickly to make sure that no leaks of this kind occur, which is of the highest importance.

SOURCE: USN

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Russian Oil Ships In The Kerch Strait Are Undergoing Rescue Operations.

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AP

(VOR News) – Following Sunday’s powerful storm, a Russian oil tanker carrying hundreds of tonnes of oil products ultimately broke apart, causing an oil spill into the Kerch Strait below. Additionally, Russian officials reported that the damage was causing problems for another vessel.

Sunday, Russian authorities announced an emergency rescue operation.

According to the Russian state news agency TASS, which claimed the Emergency Situations Ministry as its source, the Volgoneft-212 tanker, carrying fuel oil and carrying thirteen crew members, ran aground and suffered damage to its bow. A shipment of fuel oil was being transported by the tanker.

Authorities have told the public that the damage was brought on by the extreme weather conditions that are currently occurring.

A second tanker, the Volgoneft-239, was damaged during the storm and is currently stranded in the same area with 14 crew members on board, according to the Ministry of Emergency Situations. The tanker was discovered abandoned and alone in the same spot.

Additional tankers also suffered damage. The 132-meter-long cruiser, which was constructed in 1973, hangs the Russian flag around its neck.

The footage posted by state media showed the 136-meter Volgoneft-212 tanker, which was cut in two with its bow underwater, and waves crashing over its deck. At least one person lost his life as a result of this tragedy. This led to the opening of two distinct criminal investigations by the Russian authorities to look into potential violations of certain safety regulations.

Having flown the Russian flag since 1969, the yacht was finished.

Rosmorrechflot, the Russian government agency in charge of water transportation, reported a petroleum product spill.

It is believed that the cargo capacity of each tanker is around 4,200 tonnes of oil products.

The magnitude of the leak and the cause of the substantial damage one of the tankers received were not specified in the official remarks. This is in accordance with the official remarks.

Several news sites cited Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov as saying that President Vladimir Putin directed the formation of a working committee to handle the rescue effort and lessen the effects of the oil disaster.

Peskov recommended that the government appoint the working committee’s members. This comment was made public right after Putin met with the ministries responsible for ecology and disaster management.

The Russian government has said that it will be sending more than fifty individuals and pieces of equipment to the area in response to the current crisis. Mi-8 helicopters and rescue tugboats are examples of these people and tools.

The news that experts are presently investigating the damage at the event site was announced by Svetlana Radionova, who is in charge of Rosprirodnadzor, Russia’s natural resources regulating entity.

Kommersant reports that Volgoneft-212 used 4,300 tonnes of fuel oil.

The footage, which showed a partially submerged ship and murky water on rough seas, was posted to Telegram without the owner’s consent.

The warships were located in the Kerch Strait, which separates Crimea from the Russian mainland, when the distress signals were sent out.

The Kerch Strait is a crucial international marine passage that connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Azov, allowing for easier traffic between the two bodies of water. It also acts as a border between Russia and the Crimean Peninsula, which is under Russian occupation. The Kerch Strait is located in the centre of the two nations.

The peninsula has remained a major source of contention between the two national governments ever since Russia annexed it from Ukraine in 2014. Russia was the one who seized the peninsula. Ukraine brought legal action against Russia before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016.

Specifically, the lawsuit claimed that Russia intended to illegally take over a location. The argument was supported by evidence pertaining to Russia’s conduct in the region. In 2021, the Russian Federation closed the strait for several consecutive months

SOURCE: VN

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Japan List Cannabis as Narcotic Criminalizes Recreational Use

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Japan started criminalizing the use of cannabis and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)

TOKYO – Japan updated its cannabis and narcotics control legislation on Thursday, criminalizing cannabis (Marijuana) use and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), imposing a maximum seven-year prison sentence.

While the possession, transmission, and cultivation of cannabis and THC were already prohibited in Japan, the new rules will classify them as narcotics and criminalize their use as well, with a prison sentence of up to seven years for violations.

The amended regulations also legalize medical items containing cannabis-derived compounds that are beneficial and safe.

In 2019, 1.8 percent of the Japanese population had used cannabis at least once, making it the country’s second most popular illicit substance behind methamphetamine.

In 2023, a record 6,703 people were probed in cannabis-related criminal cases in Japan, topping methamphetamine cases for the first time, according to the Health, Labour, and Welfare Ministry. Seventy percent of instances involved people under the age of thirty.

A nationwide poll performed the same year by the ministry’s research group estimated that approximately 200,000 people had consumed marijuana within the previous year.

Japan previously did not penalize cannabis usage, apparently taking into account farmers who may have accidentally ingested the drug while producing cannabis plants for use in hemp products.

The amendments will also lift a restriction on cannabis-derived medicines, putting them under a licensing system similar to other drugs used for pain relief and other purposes.

Drugs derived from cannabis plants were only allowed in clinical studies in Japan, but patient groups have been advocating for access to cannabis-derived cannabidiol treatments already licensed in Europe and the United States for illnesses like severe epilepsy.

Cannabis cultivation dates back to the Jōmon period of Japanese prehistory, roughly six to ten thousand years ago (source: Wikipedia).

Cannabis hemp, as one of Japan’s first cultivated plants, provided an essential supply of plant fibre for clothing, cordage, and Shinto ritual goods, among other uses.

For much of Japanese history, hemp was common for fabric and food before cotton emerged as the country’s dominant fibre crop during industrialization during the Meiji period.

Following the end of World War II and the occupation of Japan, the Cannabis Control Law prohibited cannabis possession and manufacturing.

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