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Raoni, an indigenous leader from the Amazon region, says that Brazil's infrastructure plans are a threat to the Amazon forest.
Raoni Metuktire, a 93-year-old indigenous leader, has urged Brazil to empower natives in order to preserve the Amazon rainforest. She also warned that the plans to build infrastructure are a direct danger to the forest and the people who live there. In an exclusive interview with The Telegraph on Tuesday, Chief Raoni, a leader widely known as the chief of the Raoni tribe, warned that the proposed rail projects, oil wells and highways will harm people around the world. "These projects continue to destroy rivers and land. It's not good. Raoni, who spoke in his native Kayapo language with his grandson translating, said: "I had already said that there would be many very negative consequences for us." "It's going to be bad for us." You too. You're bringing your own consequences on yourself." The Luiz Inacio administration did not respond immediately to a comment request. Raoni was one of dozens Indigenous leaders who participated in the U.N. Climate Summit, COP30 this year, and demanded that they have more say on how forests are managed around the world. He criticised several Brazilian projects, in particular a plan to pave through the forest and a licence granted just a few weeks back allowing Brazil's Petrobras, the state-run oil firm, to explore offshore oil 500 km from the mouth the Amazon River. He said that none of these projects will be beneficial to the local population. Raoni, who is known for his distinctive yellow feather headdress and lip plate, has urged Lula da Silva's government to provide legal protection to tribal lands. He said, "I spoke to Lula before he became president and told him it was important to make it happen so that my people, my family, would finally have their land by right." He praised the early efforts of the government to demarcate certain Indigenous territories, and called for further action: "It's very important for protecting the lands." Lula's goal was to promote tropical forests around the world and the indigenous people of Brazil. He put them in the spotlight at this year's COP30, and held the event on the coast of rainforest city Belem. Raoni stated that the controversial projects, such as the proposal to blast an Amazon tributary, have alarming Indigenous groups. The chief attended Earth Rio Summit in 1992, which led to the creation of the U.N. Climate Treaty. This treaty helped launch the current climate negotiations. He stated that he had not seen any positive changes since 1992. "I went to the meeting to speak about the forest when there were forests all around. I told them that we must protect our forest. Raoni said that they destroyed everything, but continued to do so. "You non-Indigenous, you might have thought more about your children and grandchildren so that the forest could live and contribute to your grandchildren's lives." (Reporting and editing by Lisandra paraguassu, Leonardo Benassatto and Aurora Ellis.
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Gold edges lower on profit booking, traders await delayed U.S. data
Gold prices fell on Tuesday, as traders took profits after the price had reached a three-week high in the previous session. However, hopes that the Federal Reserve would cut rates next month due to a resumption in U.S. data limited losses. At 11:28 am, spot gold was down by 0.1% to $4,110.42 an ounce. ET (1628 GMT), after earlier reaching its highest level since October 23. U.S. Gold Futures for December Delivery fell by 0.1%, to $4116.30 an ounce. "We just hit good resistance around halfway back and that probably caused some profit-taking on the longs following yesterday's gains and possibly a little speculative sale up there," said Peter Grant. The U.S. Senate approved a compromise on Monday that will end the longest shutdown in government history. The shutdown has caused a blackout of data, which leaves policymakers and the markets without important indicators about jobs and inflation. Jerome Powell, the chair of the central bank, said that another rate cut is not certain this year. CME's FedWatch Tool shows that the markets see a 64% probability of a December rate cut. As gold is not a yielding asset, it tends to do well in environments with low interest rates. Jim Wyckoff is a senior analyst at Kitco Metals. He said that traders believe the Fed will cut rates in December if data shows a weakening of economic numbers. Last week, data showed that the U.S. economy lost jobs in October. Consumer sentiment also fell to its lowest point in three-and-ahalf years at the beginning of November. Stephen Miran, the Fed governor, suggested on Monday that a 50-basis-point reduction in December might be appropriate, given the softening of labor markets and declining inflation. Silver spot gained 0.2%, reaching $50.68 an ounce. This is its highest level since the 21st of October. Palladium rose 2.5% to 1,450.75 and platinum increased 0.6% to 1,586.60. (Reporting from Noel John in Bengaluru, Pablo Sinha in Mumbai and Kavya Baliaraman at the New York Times; editing by Leroy Leo.)
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Ethiopia will host the COP32 Climate Summit in 2027
Ethiopia announced on Tuesday that it will host the United Nations COP32 Climate Summit in 2027. It fought off a rival bid by Nigeria for an influential role which would allow it to influence the agenda and outcome of the event. Both Australia and Turkey are vying to host the COP31 next year. COP hosts are given a role as presidents, which gives them the opportunity to define goals for summits and highlight their own climate issues. They also have a major influence on resolving conflicts that may arise during negotiations. Ethiopia announced that it was endorsed by other African nations at a plenary meeting of the event this year in Brazil to host the 2027 Conference in Addis Ababa. This news was first reported on Monday. Leulseged Tadese Abebe (ambassador of Ethiopia to Brazil) said at a COP30 plenary that he was "deeply grateful" for the confidence and trust shown towards the Ethiopian government and people. "COP32 will be a key player in guiding climate change action in this crucial decade." The COP summits are rotated around the world and all decisions must be unanimous. It is still necessary to adopt the decision officially, but it has become a formality. The conference will be held in the Amazonian town of Belem this year. The choice of the next year's host within the "Western Europe & Others" group is still a mystery. Neither Turkey nor Australia has backed down. Australia's COP31 bid was made in partnership with Pacific Islands, one of the most vulnerable areas to climate change. Correa do Lago called on the countries of Western Europe to end their impasse in the shortest time possible. If the impasse cannot be resolved by Monday, the conference will be held in Bonn Germany, where is the U.N. Climate Agency based. Jochen Flasbarth, German State Secretary for the Environment Ministry, told reporters: "We would be forced to do it but we don't want to."
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Jamaica and Small Islands warn COP30 of the importance of 1.5 as a "lifeline".
The COP30 Climate talks begin in Brazil this Week Small island states are pushing for a new push to 1.5C. The discussion will also include how to pay climate damages Clar NiChonghaile UnaMay Gordon is a former director for climate change at the Jamaican Government and advisor to the Caribbean Community Climate Change Center that coordinates climate action. We lost our cultural heritage. 300-year old churches are gone. It also took a part of our own identity with it. Gordon told reporters that "people are hurting". According to Jamaica's Prime Minister, the strongest storm ever to hit the island left dozens of dead and caused billions in damage. This is roughly equivalent to 28-32% of last year’s gross domestic products. According to Imperial College London scientists, a Melissa-type storm at landfall today is four times more probable than in a preindustrial baseline. Gordon urged negotiators to take more action to limit global temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit), the target set in the Paris Agreement ten years ago. This goal is now in greater danger. Scientists claim that a temperature increase of 1.5C will cause irreversible changes such as melting ice sheets and accelerating sea level rise. This is a serious risk to small islands. The U.N. Environment Program stated in a report released last week that the world will soon surpass this goal. U.N. Sec.-General Antonio Guterres described it as a "redline for humanity" in his Belem speech last week. Science tells us now that a temporary exceedance of the 1.5 limit is inevitable, and will start at least in the early 2030s. He said that we need to make a paradigm change in order to reduce the magnitude and duration of this overshoot. The Alliance of Small Island States proposes a COP30 item that will track climate targets more aggressively as countries' plans veer from course. Toiata Apelu Uili, mitigation Coordinator for AOSIS and Samoan, who travelled two days from Belem to Belem, said, "Small Island states are here demanding we honor 1.5." "It's not a slogan. This is the lifeline to our survival and that of our small islands. "Our survival, the lives of our people and our own are not negotiable. "PAY UP" By 2035, the global emissions of planet-heating gases would have to drop by 60% from their 2019 levels. According to a U.N. update of the countries' Nationally Determined contributions, or climate plans, they are projected to fall by only around 12%. AOSIS has said that COP30 should work to correct the course of the world, a demand supported by the Least Developed Countries Group (LDC), which represents 44 countries most vulnerable against climate change. Evans Njewa (Malawian Chair of the LDC Group) told reporters Monday that the world cannot allow the 1.5C target to be lost. He said: "COP30 should deliver a credible road map to address the gaps in finance, ambition and implementation. Not promises for the future but commitments for today, backed up by adequate resources, and the best science available," he added. Small island states and LDCs also want more financial assistance to decarbonize their economies, and to adapt to climate change-related extreme weather. Years ago, the most difficult COP discussions centered around who should pay for this climate bill. During the COP29 last year in Baku, Azerbaijan, countries adopted a global finance target of $300 billion a yearly, but this was criticized by many countries as being insufficient. The Baku-Belem Roadmap will be at the heart of the COP30 discussions. This is a blueprint developed by Brazil and Azerbaijan that aims to mobilize a minimum of $1.3 trillion a yearly climate finance for developing nations by 2035. The hosts, Brazil, have called this "the COP of implementation". They hope to inspire the global mutirao. This is a Portuguese term derived from Indigenous Tupi and Guarani languages that refers to groups coming together to complete a common task. Some fear that progress will be hard to make, especially with President Donald Trump calling the climate change issue a "con-job" and political and budgetary pressures pushing it back. Gordon, who attended the 2015 Paris talks, wants the COP to hold the biggest emitters accountable for the 1.5C target and provide financial support to the most vulnerable nations to prepare and survive climate disasters.
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Simandou aims to leverage global high-grade ore with Guinea's launch
Guinea wants to maintain high prices on premium iron ore, according to senior officials, as the giant Simandou Project, which is expected to reach a peak of 120 million metric tonnes per year, enters the market in this month. This may cause a conflict with China, the main customer and owner of the mine, who has taken steps to centralize imports in order to drive down prices. Simandou has 75% Chinese ownership, which means that three quarters of the company's output will be shipped to China. Bouna Sylla, Guinea's Mines Minister, said in Conakry that "our main interest is to maintain high prices." He did not give any details but said that Conakry would tap Rio Tinto expertise. The ownership of Simandou has been split between a Singaporean consortium and a Chinese consortium, WCS. WCS is owned by Chinese state-owned Baowu, which also has indirect ownership in Rio's joint venture Simfer. This week, iron ore prices fell to their lowest level since the beginning of July as fears about China's demand and swollen inventories dampened prices. The prices also highlighted fragile fundamentals despite temporary support from supply problems. GUINEA TAKES ON THE GREEN STAINLESS MARKET Sylla stated that Guinea is looking to bypass China by selling its high-grade Simandou iron ore to Europe and the Middle East. Simandou ore with a 65% iron grade targets the premium segment for green steels that are less carbon intensive. Erik Hedborg is the head of raw materials at CRU Group, a metals consultancy. He said that Guinea will receive 15% of the total output of each of Simandou’s two mining blocks. This gives it a rare advantage in a market for green, sustainable steel, which is dominated by Australia, and Brazil. Rio Tinto, which operates the blocks 3 and 4, will be in direct competition with Brazil’s Vale. "In Australia, there is no premium." This gives Rio the chance to sell both Pilbara's 62-grade ore and Simandou premium ore to European steel mills, and possibly the Middle East for green steel. Rio has stated that it will not comment on any commercial issues. Vale didn't immediately respond to an inquiry for comment. Hay suggested that one way Guinea could possibly increase prices is by working with other major producers to manage their collective export rate. Hay explained that Guinea's pricing strength is somewhat diminished because China is the primary target market for Simandou ore. "Simandou ore will almost certainly be shipped by Chinese ships, and it represents only 1% of seaborne trade that is dominated primarily by China." Hedborg said that China will continue to rely heavily on Australia and Brazil. However, Simandou’s mid-cost product is competitive enough for it to replace more expensive supply and change the market dynamics. The Simandou Project has been delayed for decades Simandou's production, which was originally planned for 1997, is now years behind schedule. Guinea's ruling party ordered that development be stopped in 2022. It said it wanted to clarify how the interests of Guinea would be protected. Guinea holds 15% of the mines, infrastructure and future steel plants in this $20 billion project. Officials claim that this model of co-development reduces costs and provides long-term revenue to the state. Guinea will also build pellet and direct-reduced iron plants in Europe and America to meet the demand for green steel. By leveraging its close proximity, it can reduce costs. Djiba Dikite, Guinea's chief staff said: "Simandou's not just a mine project. It's a geopolitical tool and an economic one." "We are pro-African, defending Guinean interests." Maxwell Akalaare Adombila, Veronica Brown and Jan Harvey (Reporting)
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Gaza residents still without electricity, despite ceasefire
Hanan al-Joujou is a Palestinian mother of three who has to feed them in the dark using a flashlight. There is still no electricity in Gaza, even after the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas last month. They go hungry when they can't afford to charge their flashlight. Al-Joujou, speaking of the Muslim sunset devotion, said: "We remain in darkness once the sun has set and the Maghrib Prayer is called." If the flashlight is handy, we will light it. We go to bed without food or light if we don't have electricity. Since the war began, her family has lived without electricity. They relied on candles to get by when they first moved into the city of Rafah at the southern end of the Palestinian enclave. They eventually gave up on that too, for fear of a fire in their tent. "We tried to use a simple LED lamp, but it was broken. We don't have the money to repair it. "We tried to buy a battery but it was expensive and not available," al-Joujou explained. Gaza was largely dependent on electricity imported from Israel before the war. However, supplies were inconsistent. Gaza officials claim that the enclave received 120 megawatts of electricity from Israel, while its lone power station supplied 60 MW. Israel placed Gaza under "total seige" shortly after the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas militants on south Israel that killed 1,200 according to Israeli statistics. After its power station ran low on fuel, Gaza lost electricity. In a camp for displaced persons in the Nuseirat neighborhood in Gaza, family activities are mostly over when the sun sets. Al-Joujou’s children use a torch for their homework whenever it is possible to charge the device. Ahmed, Hanan's 35-year-old husband, said: "We barely make enough money for our daily needs." Some residents have set up charging stations, powered by private generators or solar power. This is because the war destroyed Gaza's electric grid and cables. Mohammed al-Hor and his family run a charging business that uses solar power. The family installed it at their home, which was struck by an Israeli attack. The 32-year old said that the charging point had also been bombed and his brother was killed inside. PUNISHMENT Israeli Minister Eli Cohen stated in March this year that he had instructed the Electric Corporation not to sell electricity to Gaza, as a punishment against Hamas. Even after the ceasefire is reached, rebuilding Gaza's infrastructure -- which was reduced to rubble by Israeli bombing -- will require massive investment. Gaza's media director, who is also the company's head of communications, said that the war had already destroyed over 80% of Gaza's electrical distribution networks. Initial estimates of losses to the infrastructure and machinery were estimated at $728 million. "Gaza Strip has had no electricity for the last two years." Mohammed Thabet said that the amount of electricity in Gaza was zero, whereas pre-war requirements were 600 megawatts. COGAT, an arm of Israel's military that supervises the aid flow into the Gaza Strip said Israel was fully committed to fulfilling its obligation to allow the entry of trucks carrying humanitarian aid, including fuel for electricity. This is in line with the terms and conditions of the ceasefire accord. COGAT also added that two desalination plants were supported by the Kela electricity line, which was installed in Israel. Israel connected a powerline to a U.N. managed desalination facility in Khan Younis, a southern Gaza city located near the border with Egypt. This was done to provide more drinking water for Palestinians. (Reporting and writing by Mahmoud Alwazeer and Haseeb Abdallah; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne).
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Gold prices rise as traders expect delayed U.S. rate cuts
Gold prices reached a three-week high Tuesday. This was boosted by the expectation that the U.S. Government shutdown could be over and the Federal Reserve would reduce interest rates in the next month. At 9:47 am, spot gold was up by 0.3% to $4,127.12 an ounce. ET (1447 GMT), after earlier reaching its highest level since October 23. U.S. Gold Futures for December Delivery rose by 0.3%, to $4133.20 an ounce. As gold is not a yielding asset, it tends to do well in environments with low interest rates. Jim Wyckoff is a senior analyst at Kitco Metals. He said: "Traders are expecting weaker economic data that will prompt the Fed in December to lower interest rates. This has probably encouraged the bulls of the gold and silver markets today." The U.S. Senate approved a compromise on Monday that will end the longest shutdown in government history. The shutdown has caused a blackout of data, which leaves policymakers and the markets without important indicators about jobs and inflation. Jerome Powell, the chair of the central bank, said that a further cut in rates this year was far from certain. CME's FedWatch Tool shows that the markets see a 64% probability of a December rate cut. Last week, data showed that the U.S. economy lost jobs in October. Consumer sentiment also fell to its lowest point in over three-and-a-half years at the beginning of November. Stephen Miran, the Fed governor, suggested on Monday that a 50-basis-point cut could be appropriate in December due to a softening of the labor market and falling prices. UBS noted that gold demand is expected to be at its highest level in this and next year. They added that "any significant increase in political and financial markets risks could push the gold towards our upside target of US $4,700/oz". Silver spot gained 0.6%, reaching $50.83 an ounce. This is its highest price since October 21. Platinum was unchanged at $1,578.02 while palladium rose 0.6% to 1,423.25.
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Alpine skiing: Glaciers disappearing, ski seasons shrinking: FIS says athletes will drive change
According to FIS Chief Urs Lehmann, melting glaciers and shrinking cover of snow could have a devastating effect on Alpine skiing and Snowboarding. However, athletes can help spread the message that climate change must be addressed. Lehmann said, "The ripple effects of climate change are truly frightening," during a conference held on the Great Aletsch Glacier in Switzerland. It turns out that snow sports, not just at the competitive level but also for the entire community that revolves around ski resorts is one of the first to directly experience this devastating effect. Lehmann was a member of a FIS delegation, which was joined by scientists from the World Meteorological Organisation and WMO on Switzerland's Jungfraujoch in order to raise awareness regarding the changing climate of Alpine regions. Stefan Uhlenbrook is the Director of Hydrology Water Resources and Cryosphere at the WMO. He says that the rapid retreat of glaciers in the Alpine ski towns has already been a serious problem since the 1990s. Climate data for Switzerland show a decreased number of snow days, especially in lower altitudes. This makes winter snow sports in these regions more uncertain, he said. Glacier Monitoring Switzerland data shows that Swiss glaciers lost a quarter of their volume over the past 10 years. Lehmann says that while the outlook may be gloomy for winter, skiing and snowboarding are great ways to get people moving. "There's only one way of doing this that is credible and effective: Through science and knowledge." "That is the focus of today," he said at the event. Alexandra Meissnitzer (twice world champion), now in charge of Special Projects for FIS, stated that athletes, while not scientists, had a part to play. She said that elite athletes are devoted to their results and performances, but it's easy to forget the bigger picture. The FIS-WMO partnership is a bridge that connects snow sports with science. "Athletes can't contribute the expertise needed to combat the climate crisis but they can act as a powerful voice to raise awareness and encourage action." (Reporting and editing by Ken Ferris; Martyn Herman)
Draft shows that EU countries want to delay the deforestation legislation for another year.
A draft EU negotiation document revealed that the European Union wants to delay its anti-deforestation legislation by an additional year. This is as they prepare to quickly negotiate changes to the laws before it's due to apply next month.
Last month, the European Commission proposed changes to the anti-deforestation laws for smallholders as well as businesses. However, the first green policy in the world would not be delayed.
A draft EU negotiation proposal, seen by on November 10, showed that EU countries planned to accept the Commission’s proposed changes but also push for a delay in the application of the new law until December 30, 2026, for larger firms, and to June 30, 2027, for smaller ones.
The draft stated that "the Commission proposal alone is not sufficient" for many countries.
Critics say that measures are burdensome and expensive
The EU's green agenda includes a ban on the import of palm oil, cocoa and other products linked to the destruction of forests. However, some industries and governments are pushing back against the measure, claiming it is too costly and burdensome.
Brussels has already pushed it back by an additional year. It was initially due to come into effect at the end of 2024. This has not stopped some EU countries from complaining, as well as trading partners such the United States and Brazil.
Antonie Fountain is the head of VOICE Network, which campaigns for reform of the cocoa sector. She said that delaying this proposal would "dramatically undermine the credibility of EU", make it harder to do business within the EU, and cause more forest losses.
He said, "During the week that the COP is in Brazil it could not be ironic."
The European Parliament and EU countries are rushing to reach an agreement on the final changes before mid-December to avoid the law taking effect.
According to the law known as the EU Deforestation Regulation, sellers of beef and cocoa into the EU will be required to submit a due diligence report proving that their products don't cause deforestation.
A spokesperson from Denmark, the country that currently holds the rotating EU presidency and has drafted the EU nations' negotiating document said the document was intended to win the countries' support quickly so they can negotiate a final agreement in time.
The spokesperson stated that "Most Member States do not want EUDR to come into effect in its current form by the end the year." Reporting by Kate Abnett, May Angel and Alison Williams; editing by Alex Richardson and Alison Williams
(source: Reuters)