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436 students graduate from UAE University
436 students graduate from UAE University (Wam) / 6 June 2013 His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on Wednesday attended the graduation ceremony of the 32nd batch of the UAE University (UAEU) students, held on the university campus in Al Ain. Shaikh Mohammed, Shaikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, Mariam Al Roumi, Minister of Social Affairs, senior officials and faculty members with the graduating students during the graduation ceremony at UAE University in Al Ain on Wednesday. — Wam The ceremony was held under the patronage of the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. It was also attended by Crown Princes Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi of Sharjah, Shaikh Mohammed bin Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi of Ras Al Khaimah, Shaikh Mohammed bin Hamed Al Sharqi of Fujairah, Shaikh Rashid bin Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla of Umm Al Quwain, and Shaikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi of Ajman. Also present were a number of Shaikhs, Ministers, directors of universities and colleges in the state, members of the diplomatic corps and parents of the 436 graduates from various scientific disciplines, 69 of whom obtained Masters and Doctoral degrees. Courtesy: Youtube.com/Sheikhmohammed.ae Shaikh Mohammed, along with Shaikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development and Dr. Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, Vice-Chancellor of UAEU, distributed certificates to graduates of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (FHSS), as well as the Faculties of Science, Administration and Economics, Law, Food and Agriculture and the Colleges of Engineering and Information Technology, and Medicine and Health Sciences (CMHS), who all swore an oath before Shaikh Mohammed and other attendees. Shaikh Mohammed also distributed certificates to students who obtained Masters and Doctoral Degrees and congratulated them. He wished them success in their lives and expressed his confidence that they will be the future leaders in both government and non-governmental institutions. He praised the scientific and technical levels of the university, especially noting the efforts of Shaikh Nahyan, who gave his time and effort to higher educational institutions, saying he was a model of sincerity in his work of service to the nation and its people. Shaikh Mohammed also wished Shaikh Hamdan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, success in his new assignments, stressing his competence and ability in carrying out the national duty with responsibility and efficiency. In his speech, Shaikh Nahyan thanked Shaikh Khalifa for his continuous support to the UAEU for it to always be a centre for enlightening and preparing graduates who occupy many of the top positions in the state. He expressed his thanks and appreciation to Shaikh Mohammed for his generous sponsorship of the university and support for its graduates and his keen interest in attending the graduation ceremony. Shaikh Nahyan also thanked General Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, for his follow-up on the progress of the university, bringing it into the ranks of global universities. Shaikh Nahyan pointed out that the university has a worldwide reputation, and provides all means of success to citizens. Continue reading
Call for balance between growth and environment
Call for balance between growth and environment Silvia Radan / 6 June 2013 The UAE is a land of rich beauty, but its environmental challenges, linked to those in the rest of the world, severely threaten nature in all forms. To mark World Environment Day, the Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research invited Dr. Terrence Pierson to talk about the UAE’s environmental successes and challenges. Pollution is a big worry when it comes to environmental challenges. Waste left by tourists at Wadi Wurayah. — KT file photo Dr. Pierson is the vice-president of Global Climate Change and Environmental Sciences at the USA’s RTI International, an independent, non-profit institute that provides research, development, and technical services to government and commercial clients worldwide. “What a beautiful country you have,” he said. Exceptional habitats in mountainous areas; shifting sand dune formations in Liwa; wildlife rich swamps such as Al Wathba where a record 39 flamingo chicks were born this spring; protected islands where endangered species such as the osprey and the dugong are thriving; and hardy coral reefs are all environmental treasures that need to be preserved, he said. The reefs were adapted to extreme sea water temperatures, which would become increasingly important as elsewhere coral reefs died out due to increased sea temperatures caused by climate change. However, there were quite a few environmental challenges standing in the way, Dr Pierson said. One of them was the increase of life-threatening carbon dioxide pollution, waste production, and water and energy consumption, all caused by the increase in living standards. “The number of urban developments between 2007 and 2012 increased by 300 per cent,” Dr Pierson said. In 2012, Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) alone had 383 infrastructure projects on its table, awaiting approval. Economic growth was important, but Dr Pierson warned the country needed a balance between growth and environmental protection if it was to have a future. In the past decades worldwide natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, tornados, floods and extreme weather patterns that affected the UAE as well, have indicated signs of climate change. Pollution is one of the big worries when it comes to environmental challenges, and health, and Abu Dhabi has plenty of it. “Measurements done by EAD showed the PM10 (pollution) in Abu Dhabi between 129 ppm and 203 ppm annually, while the World Health Organisation standard is only 20 micrograms per cubic meter,” revealed Dr. Pierson. PM stands for particular matter, meaning the amount of solid and liquid particles found in the air, and PM10, measured in parts per million or ppm, refers to the big particles that are between 2.5 and 10 micrometers. They are caused by natural elements such as dust, but also by all kinds of man-made pollution such as fumes from petrol or waste burning. “High levels of PM10 can cause diseases such as lung cancer,” warned Dr Pierson. “In the UAE, the high level PM10 comes mostly from dust, and most international studies for PM10 are based on carbon levels, not dust,” he added. Greenhouse Gases (GHG), which include water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and ozone, greatly affect the temperature. Without them, the planet’s average temperature would be about 33 degrees colder. But since the 1900s, when industries took over the developed world, one particular GHG, carbon dioxide, has increased to 400 ppm due to fossil fuels burning. “In the UAE, carbon dioxide accounts for 79 per cent of all GHG emissions,” said Dr. Pierson. “GHG increased emissions will lead to many environmental challenges. One of them is the sea level rising, which is a big concern here in UAE, because of coastal developments,” he added. In fact, the energy sector is responsible for 72.6 per cent of direct GHG emissions, followed by waste at 6.9 per cent, agriculture at 4 per cent and industrial processes at 1 per cent. Saving energy has become almost synonymous with more efficient air conditioning, since over 60 per cent of total electricity used in Abu Dhabi emirate is from air conditioning. Water quality — and consumption — as well as waste management are also major environmental challenges that are also affected by the UAE’s growing population and higher living standards. silvia@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
Economy to benefit as Enoc and Eppco cut diesel prices
Economy to benefit as Enoc and Eppco cut diesel prices Amanda Fisher / 2 June 2013 Dubai’s transport sector is in line for a boon with expectations savings could be passed on to consumers, after the emirate’s petrol stations announced a 20 fil reduction per litre of diesel — though costs in other parts of the country remain much lower. Emirates National Oil Company announced the price of diesel at its more than 100 Enoc and Eppco petrol stations would drop from Dh3.7 a litre to Dh3.5, effective from Saturday. An Al Khail Road pump showing the revised price. KT photo by Rahul Gajjar The prices of both petrol and diesel in the country are heavily subsidised, with diesel in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain Adnoc petrol stations retailing for Dh2.35 a litre. Prices were at a record Dh4.56 per litre in 2008, during a volatile period when diesel prices fluctuated heavily. However, the price has been climbing steadily with little respite ever since, with transport companies such as Dubai-based Euro Movers International feeling the pinch, according to director Khurram Abdulla. “The last five years the fuel costs have been going up, so any reduction is obviously very welcome, so it will have a positive impact on our bottom line.” Abdulla said his company spent about half-a-million dirhams each year on fuel for their local and international transport companies, which relied on seven vans and trucks using diesel. “I think this is the first time it’s actualy coming down. Normally we’re used to it just going up.” He said he was optimistic the price reduction would remain in place for some time, in which case the company could look to pass on savings to customers. “It’s very competitive (in) our industry and Dubai in general is very competitive, so whatever we can do to make ourselves more competitive (we will). We’ll definitely pass that on…We’ll wait for a month to see how much we can pass on…we might be able at the end of the month to see a reduction of five per cent,” Abdulla said after doing a few calculations based on the new lowered price. While fuel costs only amounted to about 10 per cent of the company’s overall costs, Abdulla said the company would hope to see secondary savings in their international arm, if shipping companies they contracted also passed the savings from the lowered international price of diesel. Enoc retail managing director Burhan Al Hashemi said Enoc had revised the price of diesel in line with the international price trends for crude and refined products. “The recent decline in international prices has provided us an ideal window of opportunity to pass on the price benefits to diesel users. The price decrease will have a positive impact on the overall economy, given the vital role that diesel plays in the logistics sector,” he said in a statement. Al Hashemi said the price revision should benefit the manufacturing sector and other supply companies with large fleets that use diesel. However, economic advisers Nasser Saidi and Associates founder Nasser Saidi said the price reduction would have just a minor impact. “Diesel, of course, is important for transport so to that extent it will lower the cost…and it will effectively mean at a consumer level, although to a very marginal level, (product prices) will decline.” However, that needed to be put “in perspective”. “Transport costs are important but not the main determinate of consumer prices…at best this will have a marginal effect. Clearly the people who use diesel in the cars will see the effect but that’s a minority of people.” Saidi also warned the reduction would be temporary as international prices would rise again. He attributed the fall in global prices to seasonal patterns, with the diesel used for heating major northern hemisphere markets of the United States and Europe not needed as they headed into summer. Saidi put out a plea to the government to instead of passing on the “negligible” savings to consumers, that they be reinvested in the sector to develop renewable energy. amanda@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
