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- Rise in number and severity of climate disasters poses a serious threat to global economy, warns Jukka Petteri Taalas
DUBAI: Jukka Petteri Taalas, secretary-general of the World Meteorological Organization, said that the UAE economy is less than 20 percent dependent on fossil fuels, making it a leading model in the Gulf region in this regard.
Discussing efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change, Taalas told Emirates News Agency that the shift away from relying on energy derived from fossil fuels has been carefully thought out.
“The World Economic Forum reaffirmed that climate change is a serious economic issue and that there are significant threats to the world economy if we don’t take action to mitigate or adapt to climate change during the next 10 years,” Taalas said.
“The World Meteorological Organization recorded a significant increase in ocean warming rates, in addition to an acceleration in snow melting, and sea level rise doubled during the last 20 years.
“Additionally, the world has started to witness a significant increase in climate disasters ,such as heatwaves in Europe, Asia and the US, the floods inundating Pakistan, and tropical cyclones in previously unseen locations such as southeast Africa.
“The organization has identified increasingly significant issues regarding water scarcity, drought and forest fires, all of which are extremely detrimental to human life.
“However, the use of electric vehicles, reasonably priced batteries for them, and other tactics are now part of a clearer picture that is being formulated on how to deal with this challenge.”
Concerning the UAE’s hosting of COP28, he expressed delight at visiting Abu Dhabi twice this year and meeting with COP28 President-Designate Sultan Ahmed Al-Jaber.
“The World Meteorological Organization is extremely pleased with the UAE’s actions, including their decision to increase investment in clean energy and other projects that support the organization’s strategy for addressing climate change issues, as well as their decision to host the headquarters of the International Renewable Energy Agency, which is a key player in this field,” he said.