Editor’s note: For the duration of the twenty-sixth Conference of the Parties (COP26), the Daily News Brief will include a special section dedicated to developments at the climate summit.
Top of the Agenda
COP26 Begins On Heels of G20’s Coal Agreement
The latest round of United Nations climate talks, the twenty-sixth Conference of the Parties (COP26), kicked off in Glasgow yesterday (WaPo) and two days of speeches from world leaders begin today. In what has been called the most important climate summit in years, COP26 will include countries’ presentations of national pledges (Vox) that have been updated since the Paris Agreement was reached in 2015.
Yesterday, Group of Twenty (G20) countries committed to stop financing overseas coal-fired power plants (Reuters) by the end of this year, but they did not agree on phasing out coal domestically and did not commit to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. Discussions at COP26 will weigh the details of (Bloomberg) climate finance for developing countries, international carbon markets, and targets for cutting coal and methane emissions.
Analysis
“The main battle lines shaping up at the Glasgow talks... have to do with who is responsible for the warming of the planet that is already underway, who should do what to keep it from getting worse, and how to live with the damage already done,” the New York Times’ Somini Sengupta writes.
“The issue of equity has previously emerged as a fault line in climate negotiations. The failure of the developed world to meet its financing goals has not served to close the distance,” CFR’s Alice C. Hill writes in Foreign Affairs.
India: The United Kingdom (UK) will back a $1 billion World Bank loan for India to develop green infrastructure, Reuters reported.
Middle East and North Africa
Iraq, Saudi Arabia Negotiate Deals on Energy, Petrochemicals, Water
Iraq’s state-run newspaper reported that the countries could soon finalize (National) deals worth tens of billions of dollars.
Yemen: A ballistic missile attack in Marib Governorate killed or injured twenty-nine people (Middle East Eye), Yemen’s information minister said. The minister said Houthi rebels were behind the attack, though they did not immediately claim responsibility.
This Day in History: November 1, 1993
The Maastricht Treaty goes into effect, formally establishing the European Union. The treaty is signed by representatives from twelve countries, and it lays the foundation for a single currency and expanded cooperation within Europe.
Sub-Saharan Africa
South Africa Holds Municipal Elections in Test for Ruling Party
Ethiopia: Rebel forces based in the Tigray region said they took control (AP, Reuters) of two cities, Dessie and Kombolcha, that are a main road leading to Ethiopia’s capital.
Europe
U.S. to Roll Back Steel, Aluminum Tariffs on EU
At the G20 summit, U.S. President Joe Biden and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a deal to roll back tariffs (NBC) imposed during the Donald Trump administration.
France/UK: After French President Emmanuel Macron said the UK should cede ground in a dispute over fishing rights or face trade reprisals, UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said Paris had forty-eight hours (Politico) to “back down” from its threats.
Americas
Brazilian Police Kill Twenty-Five People in Operation Against Bank Robbery
