November 10, 2021

Daily News Brief

November 10, 2021

Editor’s note: There will be no Daily Brief on Thursday, November 11, for Veterans Day.

Top of the Agenda

Draft UN Climate Deal Mentions Coal, Fossil Fuel Subsidies for First Time

In what would be a first for UN climate agreements, the draft resolution (UNFCCC) [PDF] for the twenty-sixth Conference of the Parties (COP26) calls on countries to phase out coal and subsidies for fossil fuels, though it doesn’t offer a deadline. In the coming days, delegates will finalize the statement, which also urges governments to present new emissions-reduction goals by 2022 (WaPo) and calls for wealthy countries to boost funding for poorer countries to adapt to climate change. However, it does not mention establishing an international carbon market. 

The draft comes as the watchdog Climate Action Tracker projects that the world will warm 2.4°C (BBC) with countries’ current commitments for 2030 under the Paris Agreement. Meanwhile, thirty governments pledged to phase out sales (NYT) of new gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles by 2040, and France announced it will begin constructing nuclear reactors (Reuters) for the first time in decades. 

Analysis

“The proposed texts provide a foundation which must be built up, not watered down, particularly in terms of finance—for mitigation, adaptation and loss and damage—if we are to come out of Glasgow with a package to ‘keep [the goal of only 1.5°C of warming] alive’ and respond to the urgent financial needs of developing countries and vulnerable communities,” E3G’s Iskander Erzini Vernoit says.

“Major coal and fossil fuel producers, such as China, Saudi Arabia and Australia may push back against language calling for an accelerated phaseout of such energy sources and subsidies for them, which is unprecedented for a COP but has been in G8 and G20 statements before,” Axios’s Andrew Freedman writes.

The Why It Matters podcast discusses how the world is rethinking the use of nuclear energy to tackle climate targets.

Pacific Rim

Japan Appoints Foreign Minister Known for Promoting Relations With China 

Yoshimasa Hayashi headed a nonpartisan parliamentary group (Kyodo) that advocated for improving ties with China. 

Asia Pacific: At the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) virtual summit, ministers agreed to accelerate COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing (AP). 

This In Brief examines global progress and inequity on COVID-19 vaccinations almost one year after the first vaccine was approved.

South and Central Asia

Nepal’s Army Chief Visits India 

The four-day visit that began yesterday (Indian Express) is part of Nepal’s broader push to improve ties with India. An Nepalese army spokesperson said Nepal has been concerned by rising China-India tensions.

Myanmar: A court charged American journalist Danny Fenster (CNN), who has been detained for more than five months, with terrorism and sedition. The charges could carry a prison sentence of up to twenty years, his lawyer said.  

Middle East and North Africa

UAE Foreign Minister Visits Damascus in Overture to Assad Government

The foreign minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, is the first Emirati official (Al Jazeera) to visit Damascus since Syria’s 2011 uprising. Although Abu Dhabi previously backed opposition fighters in Syria’s war, yesterday’s meeting yielded a pledge to strengthen ties with President Bashar al-Assad’s government.

Libya: A U.S. judge ruled to pause a lawsuit (WaPo) against Libyan rebel commander Khalifa Haftar until after Libya’s presidential election, in which Haftar is expected to run. Multiple lawsuits in the U.S. state of Virginia accuse Haftar of committing war crimes in Libya’s conflict.

This Day in History: November 10, 1995

Environmental and human rights activist Ken Saro-Wiwa is among eight people killed by Nigeria’s military regime. The execution leads to international outrage and Nigeria’s suspension from the Commonwealth of Nations.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Ethiopian Authorities Detain UN Staffers

An Ethiopian government spokesperson said sixteen UN employees were detained (AP) for “participation in terror.” All of them are ethnic Tigrayans.

UAE: The UAE’s Mashreq Bank agreed to pay $100 million (Reuters) to resolve a U.S. probe into sanctions it violated by doing business in Sudan between 2005 and 2009.

Europe

EU’s Von Der Leyen Visits White House

European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen and U.S. President Joe Biden are expected to discuss (Reuters) Ukraine, the Western Balkans, and trade ties between the United States and European Union (EU). 

CFR’s Jennifer Hillman looks at whether a U.S.-EU trade and technology council can succeed.

Ukraine: The country’s only major English-language newspaper, the Kyiv Post, announced it is closing (Moscow Times) over what its staff called a dispute about editorial independence.

Americas

U.S., Canadian, Mexican Leaders to Meet in Person

The summit, which could occur as early as next week, will be the first (CBC) between the three countries’ leaders in five years.  

This webinar discusses the future of U.S.-Mexico relations.

Mexico: Authorities said they arrested a man (WaPo) on allegations of involvement in illegally tapping a reporter’s phone. It is Mexico’s first detention in connection to the Pegasus spyware scandal.

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