Latest news with #NAMA
Sharjah 24
22-05-2025
- Business
- Sharjah 24
NAMA expands efforts to promote inclusive work environments
Hosted at Sharjah's House of Wisdom, the event forms part of the 'Irtiqa' initiative, launched under the directives of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah and NAMA Chairperson. Irtiqa seeks to support organisations in adopting practices that promote equal opportunities and foster work environments that advance women and ensure their full participation. During the workshop, participants gained insight into Irtiqa's goals and objectives, its implementation mechanisms, and the role of strategic collaborations with entities championing women's empowerment to amplify their participation in diverse sectors. Supportive work environments for women Commenting on the initiative, H.E. Mariam Al Hammadi, Director General of NAMA, said, 'The UAE's work environment is evolving rapidly, driven by a leadership vision that places people at the centre of development. While we have achieved significant progress in advancing women's empowerment and promoting equal opportunities, the next phase calls for a deliberate shift towards building more mature organisational frameworks that ensure inclusivity and fairness in policies, structures, and day-to-day practices.' 'What we presented through this workshop seeks to encourage a broader cultural shift within workplaces, and we aim to enhance organisations to help them succeed in performance as well as their ability to embrace diversity and unlock the potential of every individual without bias. At NAMA, we believe that inclusive workplaces are best positioned to foster innovation, remain competitive, and achieve long-term sustainability.' At the end of the workshop, NAMA invited all participating organisations to become active partners in supporting inclusive workplaces. The organisation reiterated its commitment to collaborating with organisations across sectors to help build fairer and more inclusive work environments; ultimately supporting its broader vision to empower women economically and strengthen their contribution to sustainable development.
Zawya
22-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
NAMA expands efforts to promote equitable and inclusive work environments
Mariam Al Hammadi: The UAE's work environment is evolving rapidly, driven by a leadership vision that places people at the centre of development Sharjah: As part of its ongoing efforts to promote inclusive workplaces, NAMA Women Advancement recently organised a workshop titled 'Towards Inclusive Workplaces: From Awareness to Action.' The workshop, part of a series, convened public and private sector stakeholders to explore practical steps for promoting inclusion in work environments. Hosted at Sharjah's House of Wisdom, the event forms part of the 'Irtiqa' initiative, launched under the directives of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah and NAMA Chairperson. Irtiqa seeks to support organisations in adopting practices that promote equal opportunities and foster work environments that advance women and ensure their full participation. During the workshop, participants gained insight into Irtiqa's goals and objectives, its implementation mechanisms, and the role of strategic collaborations with entities championing women's empowerment to amplify their participation in diverse sectors. Supportive work environments for women Commenting on the initiative, H.E. Mariam Al Hammadi, Director General of NAMA, said, 'The UAE's work environment is evolving rapidly, driven by a leadership vision that places people at the centre of development. While we have achieved significant progress in advancing women's empowerment and promoting equal opportunities, the next phase calls for a deliberate shift towards building more mature organisational frameworks that ensure inclusivity and fairness in policies, structures, and day-to-day practices.' 'What we presented through this workshop seeks to encourage a broader cultural shift within workplaces, and we aim to enhance organisations to help them succeed in performance as well as their ability to embrace diversity and unlock the potential of every individual without bias. At NAMA, we believe that inclusive workplaces are best positioned to foster innovation, remain competitive, and achieve long-term sustainability.' At the end of the workshop, NAMA invited all participating organisations to become active partners in supporting inclusive workplaces. The organisation reiterated its commitment to collaborating with organisations across sectors to help build fairer and more inclusive work environments; ultimately supporting its broader vision to empower women economically and strengthen their contribution to sustainable development.
RTÉ News
21-05-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
NAMA head never discussed housing czar salary, committee told
The head of NAMA has told the Oireachtas Committee on Finance that his salary was never discussed when he was approached to become the so-called housing czar. Brendan McDonagh said the first time he discussed a possible move to the Housing Activation Office was in April, when he met the Secretary General of the Department of Housing, after which he met Minister James Browne [on 16 April]. Sinn Féin's Pearse Doherty asked Mr McDonagh about what steps were taken by the Government in its approach to him as a potential chief executive of the Housing Activation Office. The Donegal TD asked Mr McDonagh about the process of moving away from NAMA and while he said it was not relevant to committee proceedings, he said he would be "open and frank" with him. Mr McDonagh said: "There was a lot of speculation in newspapers for a number of weeks, [but] nobody had discussed anything with me [at that time]." He said he met with the relevant people in the run up to Easter. Mr McDonagh said this was not a job he sought, but that Minister Browne told him his name had come up in conversation. He said he agreed to have his name circulated at Cabinet, following this meeting. Mr Doherty asked him if he had spoken to anyone else in the Government, to which he said no. Mr McDonagh said: "On the first of May, given there was a lot of political controversy about the role, I'm not a political person, I'm apolitical, I really felt I didn't want to be part of that...I'm a public servant and I really didn't want the story to be about me." Mr McDonagh said salary was never discussed. "Was it ever understood you were retaining your €430,000 salary?" Mr Doherty asked. Mr McDonagh accepted there was a lot of speculation about his salary, but said it had never been discussed. Mr Doherty also asked him about reports that he rented out a property for €10,000 per week considering the housing crisis, but Mr McDonagh said he would not answer questions about his personal circumstances.
Express Tribune
11-05-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Earning carbon credits in Pakistan
Listen to article Pakistan, being a Non-Annexe country party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), qualifies to earn carbon credits for various eligible activities. The carbon financing and Reducing Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+) are new and emerging areas that Pakistani experts have yet to understand and exploit. Therefore, enabling initiatives such as the REDD+ activities were established at the international level, which Pakistan has also benefited from in terms of establishing an enabling environment and capacity building. Other initiatives include, Methane Pledge led by the USA and also joined by Pakistan, the National Adaptation and Mitigation Actions (NAMA) facility and similar other initiatives that are aimed at supporting Pakistan to understand and embark on earning carbon credits. Pakistan, with around 5% of the total land area under forests, initiated REDD+ activities in 2010 to mitigate climate change through reduced carbon emissions from the forestry sector. Pakistan received REDD+ Readiness financial support from the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) of the World Bank for readiness preparations. In Pakistan, REDD+ is an important component supporting the National Climate Change Policy, National Development Vision 2025, and the National Forest Policy. These components, and specifically the preparation of the National REDD+ Strategy (NRS). Pakistan has gone through the REDD+ readiness process and is set to undertake carbon sequestration projects. Pakistan, with a very limited contribution of only 0.28% of the CO2 emissions, is the 7th most vulnerable country to the impacts of climate change. Floods, droughts, Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF), and other climate-triggered disasters are more common now than ever before. As carbon credits can be earned in two major ways, such as carbon credits that are bought and sold via a cap-and-trade system (Compliance market), and secondly, the Voluntary market, where carbon offsets can be traded by anyone under a voluntary market mechanism. The voluntary market is open to any entity, and even individuals, to earn carbon credits for eligible activities. It includes all businesses and people who aim to decrease their carbon footprint. One of the main challenges in the voluntary carbon markets is the lack of standardisation, integrity and transparency. Without clear standards for carbon credits, it can be difficult for companies or individuals to know whether they are truly reducing their emissions. The most prominent reason why carbon projects fail is that they are not additional to the business as usual, meaning that the project does not contribute to achieving additional climate benefits, compared to if the project had not existed. This can happen when carbon credits are issued by protecting forests which were never in danger. In addition, Pakistan lacks capacity, technical experts and resources to develop the carbon credit proposal as per the international standards and requirements. Article 6 of the Paris Agreement to the UNFCCC permits countries to collaborate voluntarily, utilising carbon markets as a means to fulfil their NDCs and raise their ambition level, while ensuring environmental integrity and promoting sustainable development. Articles 6.2, 6.4, and 6.8 provide guidelines for the creation and verification of carbon credits and safeguards against double counting. COP26 committed to establishing international standards for such markets. One of the good news for Pakistan is that it has developed Policy Guidelines for Trading in the Carbon Market; however, most of the proponents still lack technical skills to fully harness the benefits of such opportunities. These new and emerging areas require technical support, which is not only lacking but may require a great deal of financial resources. In addition, the voluntary carbon market is also loaded with an increased quantity of taxes on such earnings from carbon markets as envisaged in the Policy Guidelines for Trading in Carbon Market, which are given below: 5% of the credits generated by the project shall be deducted at source, in the form of credits, preferably to be adjusted towards Pakistan's voluntary NDCs. Corresponding Adjustment Fee (CAF) calculated at 12% of net revenues generated from the sale of carbon credits. 50% of the CAF shall be directly transferred to the province where the project is based. Remaining portion (50%) of the CAF will be credited in Pakistan Climate Change Fund, to be used for climate change initiatives across the country, in consultation with the province where the credits are generated, giving preference to initiatives within the province, barring climate induced emergencies/exceptional circumstances to be determined by the Pakistan Climate Change Council. Administrative Costs, equating to 1% of gross revenues generated from the sale of carbon credits, will go to the Federal Government. The utilisation of CAF will be guided by the principles of sustainability, equity, and effectiveness in reducing greenhouse gas emissions while advancing sustainable development. In the presence of such huge taxation and fees, the Voluntary Carbon Market would not be able to claim any carbon credit. Instead of facilitating the development and submission of carbon credit proposals, the newly approved Policy Guidelines for Trading in the Carbon Market have imposed very high taxes that the proponents are not able to pay, coupled with increased cost of hiring international experts for developing the carbon credit proposals. This will certainly block the way to earn carbon credit for Pakistan and therefore, unlike other developing and non-Annexe parties to the UNFCCC, Pakistan may not avail the benefit from the carbon trade market. Way forward The Designated National Authority (DNA) of the UNFCCC and Carbon Financing in Pakistan, that is the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment Coordination, shall focus on the following points, aiming at developing and submitting successful carbon credit proposals: Review and remove all the taxes proposed in the Policy Guidelines for Trading in the Carbon Market. An invitation calls for registration and expression of interest in earning carbon credits from forestry, solar, brown energy, biogas, wind, hydropower, and other such renewable resources. Develop a database of voluntary and compliance market carbon credit registration in Pakistan at the individual, company, and corporate levels and facilitate them. Develop the capacity of the concerned agencies and the private sector for developing and processing carbon credit proposals. Connect the private sector overseas buyers and sellers from Pakistan under a voluntary market and display all such listings of international carbon credit buyers on the DNA website. Provide all the required services and expertise to the carbon credit-earning entities in Pakistan. The writer holds Ph.D in Forestry and is a climate change, forestry and environment expert
The Journal
06-05-2025
- Business
- The Journal
Plans to guarantee NAMA boss his €430,000 salary must be scrapped, says Pearse Doherty
THE €430,000 SALARY for NAMA CEO Brendan McDonagh should not be carried over into his new job when the public body is dissolved at the end of the year, according to Sinn Féin spokesperson on Finance, Pearse Doherty. Doherty has said the government must reverse its plan to push through legislation that will lock-in the high salary. The NAMA legislation, published back in July and which is currently at committee stage, sets out the management of the wind down of the NAMA, such as the secondment of staff and their pay. Advertisement The legislation sets out that there was a agreement negotiated that any person that worked with the body shall not, on the dissolution day of the agency, be subject to less beneficial terms, which includes the remuneration they have been receiving. This means McDonagh, if he returns to his position in the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA), will retain his €430,000 salary. Doherty said he had previously raised concerns at the Finance Committee about the matter and criticised the government's plan to guarantee an extraordinarily high public sector salary of €430,000, even when NAMA ceases to exist. 'The government is planning to push through the legislation in the coming months as NAMA is scheduled to be dissolved by the end of the year. 'That means that they are going to try and rush this legislation through, likely hoping they could bounce this through without anyone noticing the stroke they are pulling,' he said. Read Next Related Reads Chaos of housing tsar controversy is a symptom of a longer running dysfunction in Housing Tánaiste says it was correct to 'think through' housing tsar role but denies 'blocking' appointment Housing tsar controversy: McDonagh tells minister he no longer wants to be considered for job He said people are rightfully angry the controversy over the appointment of the housing tsar, which saw Fine Gael blocking the appointment last week, before McDonagh withdrew his name for consideration. Given that the IBRC Special Liquidation and Dissolution of NAMA Bill is still at committee stage, and has not yet passed all stages, there is space for amendments to the law. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
