The Saudi Electricity Company (SEC), the largest producer, transmitter and distributor of electric power in the Middle East and North Africa, has announced that it aims to reach net zero emissions by 2050, in line with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s efforts to achieve the carbon emissions milestone: neutrality by 2060 through the circular carbon economy approach, SPA reported.
The company will also work with its partners to promote domestic innovation and entrepreneurship and expand skills.
Lebanese Fadil Adib, an associate professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), won the 2023 Great Arab Minds in Engineering and Technology Award, for his contributions that have particularly expanded the odds of wireless sensing technology, enabling sensing walls and use. of wireless waves in medicine and search for survivors under the rubble.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Director of Dubai, said that innovation and artistic engineering have contributed to the progress of humanity and are a primary component of Arab civilization, which younger generations are seeking to pick up and contribute to their development achievements by employing generation and digitalization.
“Today, we are proud to announce the winner of the Great Arab Minds in Engineering and Technology Award, Professor Fadil Adib from Lebanon. He has published more than 80 study articles and holds patents in the fields of engineering and technology. Their significant contributions have served humanity in important spaces such as physical care, wireless sensing and ocean exploration,” he added.
“Today, in the Arab world, we have millions of programmers, engineers, computer scientists, and technology experts who are capable of producing an effective knowledge and development movement in their societies, economies and world. The Great Arab Minds initiative aims to honor the achievements of creative people among them so they can serve as role models for their peers,” the Ruler of Dubai said.
“With their achievements and their positions, Arabs are ambassadors of the values, talents and aspirations of the young Arab generations eager to expand their societies and move humanity forward,” he said.
Adib has developed a battery-free device that harnesses the power of ocean waves.
His doctoral dissertation, “See via Wall,” named one of MIT’s 50 Most Sensible Transformative Contributions to Computer Science over the past 50 years.
Launched by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, the Great Arab Minds Prize aims to showcase and celebrate the brightest minds in the Arab world, as well as honor those whose works have had a remarkable impact on their societies. The award also reflects the leader’s help to innovation and scientific, cultural and intellectual progress in the region.
Fadel’s cutting-edge studies and inventions have helped expand the possibilities of wireless sensor generation and advance in spaces important for the long-term progress of the Arab region and the world.
He harnessed wi-fi techniques in sensing what’s behind walls, enabling the detection of objects and vibrations. This advanced technology can be used to monitor patients’ health conditions around the clock, and in search and rescue operations under rubble and during disasters.
For his part, Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, president of the Great Arab Minds Initiative, said: “The Arab world has promising talents in complex generation and artistic engineering who are capable of unprecedented contributions to human wisdom and progress. “
He called on young Arabs to inform themselves of the reports of Arab geniuses like Adib.
The announcement of the winner in the Engineering and Technology category comes after having gone through all the stages of reception, selection and comparison of programs in the six categories: Engineering and Technology, Medicine, Economics, Architecture and Design, Natural Sciences and Literature and Arts.
The resolution to name a bridge in the Egyptian capital after the star Adel Emam, known as “The Leader,” has been widely praised in artistic circles.
Emam’s call went viral on Egyptian social media platforms, adding X, after the Cairo governorate’s official Facebook page announced the decision. According to the statement, the governorate’s executive council, chaired by the governor, approved “the naming of some schools and public projects after Egyptian martyrs and symbols, including Adel Emam, whose call will be given on the bridge near the Salah Salem crossing in the east. “Cairo. “
Egyptian artists described the move as a fitting tribute to Emam, who has amassed wonderful works since her debut in the 1960s and has represented Egypt on countless foreign platforms. Actress Majida Zaki said, “The so-called Emam is like a medal. He is the style actor who supported an entire generation of artists.
“My first role with him was in a series called ‘Dreams of the Flying Boy,’ and other people knew me from that production. Adel Emam’s family is loved and respected by all. They are known for their compassion. Emam is the mentor and compass not only for his family, but also for the entire artistic community,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat.
The actress Lebleba, who has collaborated with Emam on numerous works, said that “giving her call for a public commission is an honour and a source of pride and happiness for all artists”, adding that “it is incomparable”. He captivated his fans with a diverse diversity of artistic creations that continue to resonate in the hearts and minds of his fans. Emam’s enduring legacy as a remarkably exclusive artist has elevated him to iconic status. His commitment to creativity and his years committed to global art have cemented his unique position in the box of artistic genius, he added.
For her part, Actress Sherine described “the decision as a thoughtful gesture” adding that “honoring the name of the leader is an appreciation of art and its value. Naming cinemas and theaters after artistic symbols is an esteemed tradition that the Egyptian state is accustomed to.”
Artist Salah Abdullah said he was delighted with the decision, “a great surprise that the leader deserves.” “Paying tribute to our mentor is an honor to the entire artistic movement and an appreciation of symbols who gave a lot to the Egyptian art,” he told “Asharq Al-Awsat”.
Actress Elham Shahein applauded the tribute, calling it “a triumph for all artists. “
Hani Ramzi also commented on this resolution, stressing that it is an appreciation of the role and message of art. “Paying tribute to legend Adel Emam is a tribute to each and every Egyptian artist and the role of comfortable power,” he wrote on Facebook. Artist Khaled Sarhan also welcomed the resolution and addressed the leader on Facebook saying, “Your calling is a milestone in itself, master. “
The Egyptian Union of Film Professions and the Emam family also applauded the decision, while his producer brother Issam Emam described it as “an honor for his profession and his family. “
Before “the leader”, the names of numerous Egyptian stars were given to public institutions, Samir Ghanem, Mahmoud Abdelaziz and Mahmoud Yassin.
Last August, Egypt’s National Theatre Festival celebrated Adel Emam by naming its edition after him as a tribute to his 60-year career.
Saudi Arabia’s Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) has announced the arrival of a new Arabian leopard at the Arabian Leopard Breeding Centre (ALBC) in Taif, as part of its efforts to maintain the Arabian leopard and contribute to AlUla’s environmental balance. and align with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals.
As a component of the breeding agreement, UCR agreed to potentially move leopards to larger centers across the peninsula in the future, sharing their wisdom and experience in the breeding process.
Catastrophic rains in East Africa have been exacerbated by human-caused climate change, which has made them up to twice as intense, a team of weather scientists said on Thursday.
The study comes from World Weather Attribution, an organization of scientists studying whether and to what extent human-induced climate change has altered the likelihood and magnitude of an extreme weather event.
Hundreds of people have died and millions more have been affected since the rains began in October.
October to December is a “short rainy” season in East Africa, and the frequency and intensity of rainfall are influenced by two natural weather phenomena: the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), either of which are a year in conditions of increasing the likelihood of heavy rainfall.
To assess the potential effect of the weather update on this year’s season, 10 researchers used climate data from the three countries, as well as simulations of weather styles, to compare the season update to the current climate, which has warmed by about 1. 2 degrees. Celsius (2. 2 degrees Fahrenheit), with a cooler pre-industrial climate.
They found that the amount of precipitation had nearly doubled due to global warming. The scientists also said that the IOD contributed almost similarly to the intensity.
They found that the rainfall recorded between October and December was “one of the heaviest on record” in the “short rainy” seasons of the past 40 years.
Joyce Kimutai, a senior meteorologist at the Kenya Meteorological Department and leader of the study, said the findings underscore the risks of continued global warming and the need for humanity to reduce emissions, because “whatever we do is definitely not on track. “
“What the planet is telling us is that ‘You’re continually warming me, and there’s no way I can dispel that heat other than to increase in the way the atmosphere behaves,’” said Kimutai, who is also a researcher at Imperial College London.
The effects show the effect of burning fossil fuels, practiced mainly in rich countries, on vulnerable populations. The world is experiencing more and more extreme weather events. Emissions of greenhouse gases, which trap heat and warm the planet, are at record levels. The World Meteorological Organization said last week that 2023 would indeed be the year on record and warned of more worrying weather events.
Climate change could lead to extreme weather events even worse than the heavy rains East Africa is experiencing, said John Musingi, a professor of climatology and climate change at the University of Nairobi.
“We don’t want global temperatures to rise too high to destabilize the formula for life on Earth,” said Musingi, who was not involved in the study. “Once the climate balance is altered, it will be catastrophic. “
The study also looked at the effect of heavy rains on communities in the region. Researchers have found that other people are struggling to cope with the effects of the rains because they are not yet recovering from the devastating impacts of a three-year storm. drought that has also been exacerbated by climate change. They said the growing dangers of excessive weather may simply affect the responses of governments and humanitarian organizations.
Torrential rains and flash floods have caused rampant deaths, displacement, and destruction of infrastructure in parts of Eastern Africa, affecting millions since they began in October.
In Kenya, at least another 154 people have been killed and nearly a million displaced. In neighboring Somalia, the death toll stood at 110 on Monday, with more than a million displaced. And in Ethiopia, the rains have killed another 57 people. people and displaced more than 600,000 as of 27 November. And in Tanzania, heavy flooding and landslides in the north of the country killed at least 68 other people and injured 100 last weekend.
The rains have also caused an increase in cholera and other waterborne diseases in some parts.
“What we are witnessing in Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia is a devastating blow to an already fragile humanitarian situation,” said Melaku Yirga, Mercy Corps regional director for Africa. “The floods have swept away entire villages, destroying homes, farmland and critical infrastructure needed for immediate recovery and the movement of much-needed people, goods and humanitarian assistance. “
He called on world leaders to live up to their commitments for communities to adapt and cope with the challenging challenges posed by climate change.
The situation in East Africa underscores the urgent need for climate adaptation and a regional strategy to deal with the crisis, said Musavenana Chibwana, regional head of defence and humanitarian policy for Eastern and Southern Africa at the humanitarian organization Save the Children.
“Just months ago, back-to-back drought in the Horn of Africa and lack of water claimed lives; now, flood waters are doing the same,” he said. “This is a clear indication of a climate crisis which is getting worse.”
The Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma’aden) signed a memorandum with the Royal Commission of Jubail and Yanbu to identify a mangrove park in the Kingdom, supporting carbon sequestration and biodiversity preservation.
The agreement was signed by Ma’aden CEO Robert Wilt and Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu CEO Mahmood Al Theeb, in the presence of Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Al-Fadley, Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef, and Deputy Minister for Mining Affairs Khalid Al-Mudaifer at the Saudi Green Initiative (SGI) which took place during the COP28 climate summit in Dubai.
As part of the agreement, Ma’aden and the Jubail and Yanbu Royal Commission will expand a mangrove park and plantation projects on Gurmah Island in Jubail, which is home to a rich natural mangrove habitat.
The two sides will also cooperate on study projects similar to mangrove planting and ecosystem fitness and expand local network systems that help ecosystem recovery and environmental awareness.
“This partnership is focused on preserving the Kingdom’s unique natural environment. Mangroves provide one of the most effective natural carbon-capture ecosystems and our ability strategy provides a roadmap towards restoring and enhancing the biodiversity of our coastline, in line with Ma’aden’s vision for sustainable growth in Saudi Arabia,” Wilt said.
According to Al Theeb, “the partnership with Ma’aden will continue to maintain and expand mangrove ecosystems in Jubail. “
“Together we will scale up impactful projects that will leverage the local grid and contribute to the Kingdom’s Sustainable Development Goals,” he said.
Ma’aden also launched a dedicated mangrove plantation strategy during SGI that aims to protect existing forests, restore degraded areas and contribute to carbon reduction and biodiversity enhancement. The company has committed to planting 10 million terrestrial trees and 10 million mangroves by 2040, in line with its ambitions as an environmental, social, and governance (ESG) leader to be carbon neutral by 2050.
The strategy supports the Saudi Green Initiative’s goal of planting one hundred million mangroves in Saudi Arabia by 2030, which will offset approximately 96 million tonnes of carbon emissions and stabilize the Kingdom’s coastal ecosystems.
The head of USAID on Wednesday pledged 20 upcoming cities to tackle climate replacement and announced more than $2 billion in new adaptation finance from the private sector, Agence France Presse (AFP) reported.
Samantha Power, administrator of the U. S. Agency for International Development, is visiting the COP28 climate summit in Dubai. USAID has pledged $53 million to 23 cities in the upcoming global transition to low-carbon and climate-resilient activities, adding electric vehicles.
The target cities are Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, Rajkot in western India, Mbombela in northeastern South Africa, and Hermosillo and Merida in Mexico.
Urban spaces are responsible for three-quarters of global carbon emissions. USAID also announced the mobilization of another $2. 3 billion in private sector investments as part of a push by President Joe Biden for projects such as early warning systems, climate-resilient food infrastructure, and new monetary products.
Twenty-one companies have newly committed funding through the initiative, dubbed the President’s Emergency Plan for Adaptation and Resilience, including IBM and Visa, USAID said, after 10 founding members joined last year at COP27 in Egypt.
Power, the last senior U. S. official to replace chief negotiator John Kerry in the marathon talks, is focusing his efforts on helping emerging countries adapt to climate change.
“COP28 comes at the end of yet another year where people around the world saw their lives turned upside down by record-high temperatures and extreme weather — from the catastrophic drought and now devastating flooding in the Horn of Africa to the hottest summer in Earth’s recorded history,” Power said.
“We want to do more to deal with the weather crisis and we are doing that,” he told AFP ahead of his arrival.