Daily News Brief

December 13, 2023

Top of the Agenda

After many delegates at this year’s UN climate conference slammed a previous draft deal, countries approved (AP) a new compromise agreement today in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. For the first time, the text calls for the world to contribute to “transitioning away” from fossil fuels. Countries that had opposed each other days before, such as Saudi Arabia and European Union (EU) nations, celebrated the agreement. UN Climate Secretary Simon Stiell said that while the Dubai conference did not “turn the page on the fossil fuel era” by calling for a complete phase-out of the fuels, the outcome marked “the beginning of [its] end.” 

The deal also includes a goal of tripling the world’s renewable energy capacity by 2030, but fell short of stricter language (Bloomberg) on the obligations of rich countries to finance climate transitions in lower-income ones. Conservation groups celebrated (The Guardian) the inclusion of a 2030 global goal on deforestation in the final agreement, as well as new language emphasizing the role of Indigenous communities.

Analysis

“The COP28 climate conference in Dubai has delivered a historic and unmistakable message that the global energy system must move away from the use of coal, oil and gas,” the Financial Times editorial board writes. “[It] marks a step forward—rather than the retreat that many had feared.”

“The ‘transitioning away from fossil fuels’ language is new and sends a useful signal to the market but the critical task is to peak global emissions as soon as possible with immediate and sustained reductions thereafter and there is no decision text on peaking global emissions,” Tufts University’s Kelly Sims Gallagher posts. “From my vantage point, the only headline outcome of COP28 is the establishment of the Loss and Damage Fund, with new pledges of $792 million.”

This Backgrounder by Lindsay Maizland looks at the successes and failures of global climate agreements. 

United States

During Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksyy’s visit to Washington yesterday, U.S. President Joe Biden stressed that there is still bipartisan support (CBS) for more aid to Ukraine. While Republicans praised Kyiv’s war effort, some have been conditioning aid on stricter immigration and border policy. U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said yesterday that it was “practically impossible” (WSJ) for a Ukraine and border deal to pass in Congress before the holiday recess. 

Pacific Rim

The five-year package includes incentives (Bloomberg) for battery makers to diversify their supply chains and invest in manufacturing in areas where they would financially benefit from the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act.

This episode of the Why It Matters podcast discusses the global race to supply batteries.

Japan: Prime Minister Kishida Fumio told a news conference today that he would swap out members of his cabinet (Reuters) amid a scandal over the potential improper use of party funds. He is due to announce the exact changes in the coming days; the move comes three months after a cabinet overhaul.

South and Central Asia

The decision to overturn a graft conviction against former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif removes an obstacle (Bloomberg) for his candidacy in next year’s general election, in which he is widely seen as a top contender. The former three-time prime minister was ousted in each of his terms. He had been living in the United Kingdom for four years amid fallout from the graft allegations and returned to Pakistan in October.

Bangladesh: Disinformation generated by artificial intelligence (AI) is being deployed ahead of Bangladesh’s January 7 general election, the Financial Times reported, such as videos by AI-generated news anchors. An opposition party official said tech giant Meta’s Facebook platform has been slow to remove content flagged as fake; Meta took down such a video after the Financial Times asked the company for comment.

Middle East and North Africa

The margin in favor of a truce was higher (AP) than the previous UN General Assembly resolution calling for a humanitarian pause, which 120 nations backed. Twenty-three countries abstained from yesterday’s vote. The United States opposed the resolution, with U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield saying (NPR) that it was diplomacy on the ground that made the previous weeklong humanitarian pause possible. 

Israel/Palestinian territories: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the Palestinian Authority should not control the Gaza Strip (NYT) after the end of the current war. His comments in a video statement publicly rejected weeks of U.S. pressure for that outcome. In another sign of divergence between the United States and Israel, President Biden said at a fundraiser yesterday that Israel’s “indiscriminate bombing” in the war was costing them international support.

The Center for Preventive Action tracks the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 

Sub-Saharan Africa

President William Ruto had previously announced visa exceptions for visitors of certain nationalities but said the policy would expand (Economic Times) to include all countries in an effort to open up and boost economic activity in Kenya. 

Central/West Africa: More than forty-nine million people are expected to experience hunger (Reuters) next year in West and Central Africa amid conflict, climate change, and high food prices, the United Nations said yesterday. The total represents a 4 percent increase from 2023. In some Sahel countries, the cost of a daily nutritious diet is 110 percent higher than the minimum wage. 

In this article, CFR’s Natalie Caloca examines the burden of climate and conflict on unstable regions. 

Europe

The deal between the European Council and European Parliament would create a body (Bloomberg) that fights money laundering and terrorism-related financing, the Council said. Nine EU countries are seeking to host the body.

Hungary: The EU is preparing to unfreeze (FT) more than $10 billion worth of financing for Hungary that has been held up over rule of law concerns as part of efforts to win Hungary’s backing for more war aid for Ukraine and political support for Kyiv’s eventual accession to the bloc. An EU summit that will weigh both matters begins tomorrow.

Americas

Argentina’s government announced a devaluation (Buenos Aires Herald) of 54 percent, the steepest devaluation since 2002. Economy Minister Luis Caputo announced the measure as well as a series of government spending cuts yesterday as part of efforts to combat inflation in President Javier Milei’s administration.

U.S./Honduras: The United States is imposing visa curbs (Reuters) on some Honduran officials for “fomenting violence” and undermining the rule of law through an irregular appointment of the country’s top prosecutor, a U.S. State Department spokesperson said. 

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