An historic climate change agreement was signed today by 196 states in Paris. The goal is to restrict greenhouse gas emissions sufficiently to prevent a 2° C. temperature increase above historical averages. Additional language was added to the agreement voicing the aspiration to limit the increase to 1.5º C. The agreement, however, is historic only because states have made the commitment. In reality, the language of the agreement does not ensure that the commitment will be realized, although it does create mechanisms to verify and monitor those commitments. There are no enforcement mechanisms, nor are there any provisions sufficient to ensure that poorer countries will be assisted in reaching the goals. But the fact that the US and China have made a public commitment is a real breakthrough.
For the first time, women have been allowed to vote in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The voting was not necessarily equal: 1.35 million men and only 130,637 women were registered to vote. According to the report: “There are 6,917 candidates, of which there are 979 women, standing for 3,159 places on 284 councils.” The results of the elections will be announced on Sunday, but no matter what the outcome, the election marks a turning point in Saudi politics.
The simmering violence in Burundi exploded on Friday as almost 90 people were killed in violent protests against President Pierre Nkurunziza. The President ran for an unconstitutional third term and the move re-triggered ethnic violence which has plagued the country for many decades. That conflict, pitting Hutus against Tutsis, has dominated that region of central Africa in many different countries. That conflict has its roots in the tensions created by colonial rule by the Germans and Belgians in the 19th and 20th centuries.
And now for a bit of historic memorabilia:
World Politics News 
Leave a comment