Sheikh Mohamed announces 2023 as the ‘Year of Sustainability’

The President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has announced that 2023 will be the “Year of Sustainability”, highlighting UAE’s significant efforts in sustainability and environment protection.

The UAE would focus on many initiatives that aim to project the values of the UAE's founder, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. This year, the UAE would focus on environmental sustainability globally, which is in line with the UAE’s national strategy.

According to WAM, the UAE aims to provide solutions to challenges like energy, climate change, and other issues related to sustainability. The UAE President has affirmed the need to invest in clean energy solutions.

The UAE President also said that the “Year of Sustainability” is important for the country as it prepares to host the 28th session of the United Nations climate change summit, the Conference of Parties (COP28). The COP28 is scheduled to take place from 30 November to 12 December 2023 at Expo City, Dubai, UAE.

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed said, “Sustainability has been a fundamental principle in the UAE since its unification.” Since the 1970s, the UAE has launched various initiatives in sustainability and environmental preservation. The UAE signed the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer in 1989. The UAE joined the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1995. The UAE also joined the Paris Climate Agreement in 2015, which aims to address issues related to global warming and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The UAE has also declared a climate neutrality strategy initiative, the UAE Net Zero by 2050, under which, the UAE aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

The country also launched the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) in order to work in the field of clean energy and sustainable development. The company has invested over US$30 billion in international projects. The company is currently supported by three leading Emirati energy companies, the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC); Mubadala; and the Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA).

ADNOC, the State-owned oil company of the UAE and the world's 12th-largest oil company by production, supports the initiatives related to climate action and sustainability. The UAE’s Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant also aims to tackle climate change.

Recently, Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) was held in the UAE. Various state leaders participated at ADSW. The leaders discussed various challenges related to climate change.

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Bombay High Court Restricts Bursting of Firecrackers in Mumbai During Diwali to These Timings

The festival of Diwali, often referred to as the "Festival of Lights," is celebrated with great enthusiasm and fervor across India. While the tradition of lighting lamps and bursting firecrackers has been an integral part of the festivities, concerns over air pollution and its adverse effects on public health have prompted authorities to regulate the use of fireworks. The Bombay High Court , in a recent decision, has imposed restrictions on the bursting of firecrackers in Mumbai during Diwali, specifying designated timings to minimize the environmental impact. In an effort to strike a balance between celebrating the festival and safeguarding the environment, the Bombay High Court issued a directive that restricts the use of firecrackers to specific time slots. The court's decision is a response to the rising concerns about air quality and noise pollution during Diwali, which often reaches hazardous levels in several Indian cities. These timings aim to strike a balance b...

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