Climate May-hem ??

Welcome to this month's edition of The Climate Loop, where we serve up the latest climate news, trends, jobs, and events from across the Middle East.

This month, we're starting talking about sustainable tourism... and unsustainable temperature rises.

Global News

• BP faces green protest over new climate goals. BP's chairman faced opposition from major UK pension funds and climate protesters due to the company's decision to scale back its efforts to reduce emissions by the end of the decade. However, despite the dissenting votes, the majority of shareholders, including Helge Lund, were in favour of his reappointment.
• Alarming ocean temperatures alarm scientists. ?Ocean surface heat is at?record-breaking levels for this time of year. This has triggered concern that the climate crisis is progressing faster than predicted. The impacts of a warming ocean are potentially catastrophic if temperatures continue to head off the charts. Higher rates of coral bleaching, extinction of marine life, unusual weather patterns and rising sea levels are all much more likely the hotter our oceans get.
• NGOs sue the EU for inclusion of gas in their green taxonomy. Gas power plants will be considered as a “transitional” technology under the EU taxonomy provided they replace existing coal-fired power stations, and “subject to clear limits and phase-out periods”. Two groups of NGOs have filed lawsuits claiming that this classification breaks both European Union law and the Paris Agreement.

Local News

• Abu Dhabi Department for Culture and Tourism (DCT) promotes sustainable tourism. DCT has announced a number of initiatives aimed at align making Abu Dhabi a sustainable tourism destination, including three key initiatives: the launch of six sector-specific Sustainable Tourism Guidelines; the development of a Carbon Calculator to estimate the hotel industry’s carbon footprint baseline in Abu Dhabi, and an energy saving audit for all hotels in the emirate.
• UAE launches green education partnership roadmap. The roadmap identified environment-and-climate-friendly initiatives that the MoE aims to achieve by the start of COP28 and afterwards. For instance, the MoE will transform 50 per cent of all the UAE’s schools and campuses to be green accredited; and provide training to more than 2,400 educators and 1,400 principals.

With less than six months until COP, activities around COP are beginning to pick up. We help you stay on top of all of the latest developments with this new 'Countdown to COP28' section.

Last week, the UAE published its high-level COP28 agenda. The agenda was surprising for its departure from the traditional pillars of the Paris Agreement and focus on thematic days centred around "real world"?sectors. Underpinning each day will 'crosscutting' themes that underpin delivery, such as:

• Technology and Innovation
• Inclusion (including but not limited to Indigenous Peoples and local communities, youth empowerment, and gender equality)
• Frontline communities
• Finance

Find out more about the agenda here.

Extreme heat has hit Spain with parts of the country experiencing temperatures of over 40C... and it's only April.

An unprecedented heatwave has resulted in exceptionally high temperatures across Spain, surpassing historical records for the month of April. The cities of Seville, Cordoba, and Granada are experiencing scorching heat, with temperatures reaching up to 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit). These temperatures were substantially higher than the average for April in these areas.

A group of international scientists have analysed the heatwave and stated that the extreme weather "would have been almost impossible in the past, colder climate", adding, "We will see more intense and frequent heat waves in the future as global warming continues".

David Attenborough's "A Life on Our Planet" is a thought-provoking read that is sure to inspire anyone interested in conservation. Attenborough's writing style is engaging and his passion for the natural world is evident on every page. He narrates the audiobook, which makes it that much more enjoyable to anyone familiar with his documentaries.??

The book provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges facing our planet, focusing on topics such as climate change, deforestation, and species loss. Attenborough draws on his own experiences as a naturalist and filmmaker to illustrate the impact of these problems on the natural world. His resume is more extensive than many imagine - he shot the first video of an orangutan in the wild in 1959,?shot the first TV show of gorillas and the work of Dian Fossey in the 1970s, and has met and documented native tribes in New Guinea that had never before had contact with the outside world.?He also highlights some examples of successful solutions, such as rewilding projects and the use of sustainable farming methods.

However, the book does have some limitations. While Attenborough offers a lot of information about the problems we face, he stops short of providing detailed steps that the reader can take to save the world.?Some solutions are obvious - eat less meat, use less energy - but not sufficiently practical.?Other ideas - dedicate more land to wildlife, or improve the lives of people in developing countries so that they have fewer babies and lower population growth - are easier said than done.?Some readers may find this frustrating, as they are left with a sense of uncertainty about what they can do to make a difference.

That being said, "A Life on Our Planet" is still a valuable read for anyone who is interested in conservation. Attenborough's writing is accessible and informative, and he provides a unique perspective on the challenges we face as a species. The book also introduces some interesting topics that readers may not be familiar with, such as silvopasture techniques and fertilization of the oceans from whale dung. While the book may not provide all the answers, it is a valuable contribution to the ongoing conversation about how we can protect our planet for future generations.

• World Utilities Congress, May 8 - 10, Abu Dhabi
• UAE Climate Tech Conference, May 10 & 11, Abu Dhabi Energy Centre
• Climate Club MeetUp, May 18, join our whatsapp group to attend
• International Biodiversity Day, May 22nd
• Green Goals Summit by Fast Company Middle East, May 17, Armani Hotel Dubai
• U.S. Chamber GreenTech Business Delegation to the United Arab Emirates, 29 May - 1st June, Abu Dhabi and Dubai (fee to enter)
• Surviving the Heat: The Struggle of Marine Turtles Against Climate Change, May 10th, 6-8pm, NYUAD Campus, Conference Center

Sustainability Specialist, People Partners, Dubai

Associate Consultant - Net Zero & Sustainability Strategy, AESG, Dubai

Manager, Sustainability Consultant, JLL, Dubai

Environmental Consultant, SGS, Dubai

Senior Advisor, GHD, Abu Dhabi

Senior Manager - Sustainability, Expo City, Dubai

Sustainability Director, Parsons Corporation, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Senior Manager/Director, Climate Change and Sustainability Services, EY, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Sustainability Policy & Engagement Specialist, ARAMCO, Jeddah, Makkah, Saudi Arabia

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?? The Climate Loop is a newsletter developed by?Matcha Studios,?a Dubai-based creative impact studio specialising in green content, consulting and?courses. Follow us for updates on things going on in the region.