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COP28: What Key Issues Will Be Discussed at 2023 UN Climate Change Conference? (Maria)
The author writes, “Following a year of record heat and drought, this year’s UN climate summit will feature a contentious set of issues for countries working to find common ground in tackling climate change, including whether to phase out fossil fuels and how to finance the energy transition in developing countries. Here are the key issues in the two-week COP28 negotiations starting Nov. 30 in Dubai.”
Hamas’s Asymmetric Advantage (Sean)
From Foreign Affairs: “Hamas has proved difficult, if not impossible, to vanquish with military force. Technology has shrunk the gap between states and terrorists, allowing nonstate groups to behave in ways that mimic the operations of countries; Hamas can launch sophisticated attacks and spread propaganda much as Israel can. Ancient tactics, too, such as the construction of a warren of tunnels beneath Gaza, have helped Hamas fend off a more powerful adversary. And Hamas gained leverage by capturing some 240 hostages. States have always struggled to defeat terrorist groups, but the Israel-Hamas war shows why it has gotten even harder to do so.”
Dutch Election Winner Geert Wilders Is an Anti-Islam Firebrand Known as the Dutch Donald Trump (Reader Steve)
The author writes, “He’s been called the Dutch Donald Trump. He’s been threatened with death countless times by Islamic extremists, convicted of insulting Moroccans, and Britain once banned him from entering the country. Now Geert Wilders has won a massive victory in a Dutch election and is in pole position to form the next governing coalition and possibly become the Netherlands’ next prime minister.”
This Gen Z Investigative Reporter Is Rocking Conservative Media (Al)
From Politico: “Aaron Sibarium says he’s providing Old School, shoe-leather reporting from a conservative point of view. Except he’s not conservative.”
The 20 Farming Families Who Use More Water From the Colorado River Than Some Western States (Laura)
From ProPublica and The Desert Sun: “Tens of millions of people — and millions of acres of farmland — rely on the Colorado River’s water. But as its supply shrinks, these farmers get more water from the river than entire states.”
EV Batteries Have a Dirty Secret. This Company Has a Plan to Clean Them Up (Reader Jim)
From Wired: “Here’s the inconvenient truth about your electric vehicle: Making its battery has a big impact on the environment. Producing an EV often generates more emissions than building a conventional car, with the benefits of going electric realized only after a good amount of driving. ‘Building batteries is creating a very large amount of carbon,’ says Peter Carlsson, CEO of European battery manufacturer Northvolt. … Wired caught up with Carlsson to find out more about the company’s plan to green the battery sector.”
New Hampshire Man Had No Car and No Furniture, But Died With a Big Secret, Leaving His Town Millions (Dana)
The author writes, “Geoffrey Holt was unassuming as the caretaker of a mobile home park in Hinsdale, New Hampshire, where he lived a simple, but curious life. Residents would see Holt around town in threadbare clothes — riding his lawn mower, headed to the convenience store, parked along the main road reading a newspaper or watching cars pass. He did odd jobs for others, but rarely left town. … But Holt died earlier this year with a secret: He was a multimillionaire. And what’s more, he gave it all away to this community of 4,200 people.”
