What Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine Means for the Pacific
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has changed the world as we know it. Russian President Vladimir Putin sending one of the world’s strongest military forces to brutally invade a much smaller, sovereign nation is akin to declaring war on the liberal world order. It’s now Putin vs. democracy and therefore, the war’s impacts go well beyond Eastern Europe. Amid the fog of war, there are still a lot of unknowns, but one thing that is certain is that Putin has unified Europe in way not previously seen. The European Union and NATO have condemned Putin and imposed a suite of devastating economic sanctions. Ongoing military and economic aid to Ukraine is resolute. After years of the U.S. lobbying Europe to increase defense spending, Putin’s invasion achieved this almost overnight. Most notably, Germany announced $110 million to immediately boost the strength of the country’s armed forces. “It is clear that we must invest significantly more in the security of our country, in order to protect our freedom and democracy” to ensure that Putin “does not turn the clocks back,” said German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Furthermore, the alliance is growing. Previously neutral European states such as Switzerland and Sweden have tacitly joined the ranks, adding sanctions on Russia and sending arms to Ukraine, while Kosovo, Georgia, Finland, Sweden, Moldova, and, of course, Ukraine have since Russia’s invasion either requested to join NATO or the EU or are more seriously considering doing so. Naturally, a unified Europe has thus emerged as a global superpower and with this we should expect a more comprehensive and truly global foreign policy. Nations across the Asia-Pacific will be particularly keen to see if Europe will take a bolder stance against China’s efforts to undermine democracy across their region.
India targets net-zero carbon emissions by 2070, says Modi
India’s economy will become carbon neutral by the year 2070, the country’s prime minster has announced at the COP26 climate crisis summit in Glasgow. The target date is two decades beyond what scientists say is needed to avert catastrophic climate impacts. India is the last of the world’s major carbon polluters to announce a net-zero target, with China saying it would reach that goal in 2060, and the United States and the European Union aiming for 2050.
COP26: What climate summit means for one woman in Bangladesh
China's carbon emissions are vast and growing, dwarfing those of other countries. Experts agree that without big reductions in China's emissions, the world cannot win the fight against climate change. In 2020, China's President Xi Jinping said his country would aim for its emissions to reach their highest point before 2030 and for carbon neutrality before 2060. His statement has now been confirmed as China's official position ahead of the COP26 global climate summit in Glasgow. But China has not said exactly how these goals will be achieved.
Why China's climate policy matters to us all
China's carbon emissions are vast and growing, dwarfing those of other countries. Experts agree that without big reductions in China's emissions, the world cannot win the fight against climate change. In 2020, China's President Xi Jinping said his country would aim for its emissions to reach their highest point before 2030 and for carbon neutrality before 2060. His statement has now been confirmed as China's official position ahead of the COP26 global climate summit in Glasgow. But China has not said exactly how these goals will be achieved.
Deliver on promises, developing world tells rich at climate talks
A crucial U.N. conference heard calls on its first day for the world's major economies to keep their promises of financial help to address the climate crisis, while big polluters India and Brazil made new commitments to cut emissions. World leaders, environmental experts and activists all pleaded for decisive action to halt the global warming which threatens the future of the planet at the start of the two-week COP26 summit in the Scottish city of Glasgow on Monday. The task facing negotiators was made even more daunting by the failure of the Group of 20 major industrial nations to agree ambitious new commitments at the weekend.