Joe Biden administration 'bent backwards' to be very polite in its public response to Canadian allegations against India: Expert

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'I think the US response was actually quite remarkable because Canada is a very close ally, and if it was any other country than India, I think the US response would've been much more vocal and much more strident'

PTI Washington Published 28.11.23

Representational image.File

The Biden administration, because of the significance it attaches to its ties with New Delhi, “bent backwards” to be very polite in its public responses following the Canadian allegations against India over the killing of one of its citizens, a top American expert on India-US relations has said.


“I think the US response was actually quite remarkable because Canada is a very close ally, and if it was any other country than India, I think the US response would've been much more vocal and much more strident,” Ashley J Tellis, the Tata Chair for Strategic Affairs and a senior fellow at the prestigious Carnegie Endowment for International Peace told PTI in an interview.

Tellis was responding to a question on the criticism in India about the US response to the Canadian allegations that they were investigating allegations that the Indian government was involved in the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.

India has dismissed the allegations as "absurd" and "motivated" and has told Canada to provide it with any evidence that it might have.
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The Biden administration has expressed concern over the allegations and urged India to cooperate with Canadian authorities in this investigation.

“I think this administration bent backwards to be very, very polite in its public response, encouraging India to obviously join the Canadian investigation, but without uttering any words of direct condemnation. And I think that is quite remarkable for the administration. I think people should recognise how different the administration's response was, both in its tonality and in its substance,” Tellis said in response to a question.

Tellis, who is considered to be the most respectable and foremost American expert on Indian issues, said that the three years of the Biden administration have been fantastic for the India-US relationship.

“It has been fantastic. When I look back, it is hard to imagine that any administration, particularly after Trump, would have put so much investment into this relationship with New Delhi. It is really to President (Joe) Biden's credit that he has taken responsibility for this relationship. You can see that very clearly in the way that he treated the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) when he came on the State Visit and all the initiatives that have occurred since,” he said.

“The big question now is whether the president will be able to go to India for Republic Day and for the QUAD meeting. Next year, my suspicion is even if the president goes, which would be wonderful if he can pull that off, I think will be a year that consumes both governments in different ways because of the election,” he said.

“So, the tempo of the relationship will obviously proceed as it has been in the last several years. But I do not think both sides will have the capacity for big initiatives because President Biden is going to be completely consumed by an election process that lasts almost the entire year all the way to November of next year. And Prime Minister Modi will be up for election sometime in the first half of the next calendar year,” he said.

“So, I think expecting big initiatives might be tough, but there is so much on the plate already that we don't need big initiatives. We need some time to just enjoy what we have eaten, and the digestion has to work its way through,” Tellis said.

The overall picture of the relationship, he said, is very good. “There is a remarkable commitment on the part of the leadership on both sides to take the relationship forward. Both Prime Minister Modi and President Biden have put very impressive chips on the table with respect to where they want to go,” he said.


“The strategic dimension of the relationship is well understood, but the technology dimension, the educational dimension, the issues relating to things that previously we did not pay too much attention to. Everything from agriculture to science and technology, everything now is on the table as an aspect of cooperation,” he said.


“In the context of the competition with China, the US competition with China, the effort that the administration is making to diversify the production base, particularly for manufacturing, is really very impressive. India features very highly in that plan because it is seen as a trusted partner. So, I think the future of the relationship is extremely bright. We will always have problems that have to be managed along the way, but as long as both sides keep their eye on the ball and focus on what the long-term opportunities are, I think we'll be in a very good place,” Tellis said.


China, he said, is a very important factor in the India-US relationship.


“And we should not pretend that it's not because it adds a dose of realism when we talk about the relationship. China has of course brought this situation about. I mean I think the US-India relationship was moving in the right direction even before China was seen as a strategic competitor.," he said.


"But China certainly accelerated that process because it has threatened India and pushed India in a sense almost into US arms. And it has threatened US interests in the Indo-Pacific. That has pushed the United States even closer to India because it sees India as a very important part of that global strategy of coping with China's rise,” Tellis said.

 

Can Cop28 elbow out fossil fuels amid ‘aggressive’ plan to triple renewable energy by end of decade?

• Climate activists say increasing renewable energy is likely to push fossil fuel producers to expand their markets under the pretext of energy security
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• Targeting more renewable energy without limiting fossil fuel production is likely to slow the clean energy transition, a goal of many fossil fuel producers
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Biman Mukherji

Published: 1:30pm, 28 Nov, 2023

Global leaders are expected to thrash out a pact to triple renewable energy output at the Cop28 summit in Dubai on November 24-29, but such a deal would ultimately be unproductive if they cannot agree on a path to simultaneously phase out fossil fuels, analysts say.

“For some governments, it is a loophole where they are going to say, ‘We are going to aggressively pursue renewable energy’. But the bit they don’t say is that’s in addition to fossil fuels,” said Polly Hemming, director of the Australia Institute’s Climate & Energy programme.

More than 60 countries have already agreed to back the deal, spearheaded by the European Union, United States and United Arab Emirates, to triple renewable energy this decade ahead of the summit, according to a Reuters report.

‘Unacceptable’ G20 declaration: ‘boldest’ steps needed to tackle climate change

11 Sep 2023

A deal to significantly boost renewable energy has been in the making since the beginning of the year, and in September, the Group of 20’s New Delhi declaration included an agreement to triple its production. However, member nations have failed to agree on a timeline to reduce fossil fuels output.

Climate activists say increasing renewable energy will not automatically push out fossil fuels, which have been the biggest contributor to global warming. Instead, fossil fuel producers are likely to step up their backchannels and expand markets under the pretext of energy security.

Fossil fuel lobbyists will be “hard at work at the Cop space” trying to showcase ways to address climate change concerns without limiting fossil fuel production, Sunwoo Lee, head of international climate unit at South Korean non-profit group Solutions for Our Climate, said in a webinar by non profit organisation Global Gas & Oil Network last week.

These would likely include solutions such as carbon capture and storage technology “which a number of scientific reports have dismissed”, she said. Carbon capture technology stores emissions from industrial processes and burning fossil fuels deep underground.

Solar panels in Dubai. Climate activists say increasing renewable energy will not

 automatically push out fossil fuels that are the biggest contributor to global warming. Photo: AP

Targeting more renewable energy without restricting fossil fuel production is likely to slow the clean energy transition, climate activists say, but it is a goal many of the biggest fossil fuel producers are pushing for.

Australia, one of the largest exporters of coal and liquefied natural gas, has announced plans for domestic emissions reduction and to be a significant exporter of renewable energy. But the nation is still on track to increase, rather than reduce, its fossil fuel production, said Hemming.

Grim tidings

Southeast Asia, too, appears to be slowing its renewable energy transition.

Earlier this month, non-profit energy think tank Ember said the increase in solar and wind energy generation from countries in the Asean bloc had slowed to 22 per cent in 2022, down from an average annual growth of 43 per cent since 2015.

The region’s renewable energy potential is 40 to 50 times higher than the present electricity capacity, “but one of the challenges is that most of these countries are also pursuing gas expansion”, said Gerry Arances, executive director of the Center for Energy, Ecology and Development in the Philippines.

Southeast Asian nations have embarked on natural gas projects because it is perceived to be a relatively cleaner form of energy – generating about half the amount of carbon emissions as coal – but its production also spews methane, Arances said.

If you look at the whole value chain, the case for rejecting a ramp up in natural gas production should be a “no-brainer”, he added.

A woman cools down with a water spout amid a heatwave in Rio de Janeiro. The impact of record-breaking heatwaves and climate-induced disasters are becoming hard to ignore. Photo: Reuters

The International Energy Agency said in a report released earlier this month that demand for coal, oil and natural gas is set to peak this decade, in part because the impact of record-breaking heatwaves and climate-induced disasters are becoming hard to ignore.

But analysts warned against complacency when it came to fossil fuel production.

“We can’t solve the climate crisis by adding renewable energy on top of new fossil fuels – we need to rapidly replace and phase out all fossil fuels, including gas,” said Kelly Trout, research director at Oil Change International.

The US has built massive, unnecessary infrastructure to export gas, which will cause a glut of supply that is “incompatible with a liveable planet”, he said, highlighting findings from the IEA report.

Production of renewable energy may also face greater competition on another front – cheaper crude oil.

After benchmark oil prices rose above US$90 per barrel in the wake of Middle East tensions caused by the Israel-Gaza war in October, prices dropped to US$75 per barrel last week amid indications of disagreement among Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries members over maintaining production cuts next year.

The focus of the Cop28 summit should be on providing policy and financial support to emerging nations to meet their huge energy needs, said Avinash Persaud, emeritus professor at Gresham College in England.

“The real issue is that there has been a massive increase in the need for energy from the Global South. If that is in fossil fuels, we have a real problem,” he said. “So let’s focus and make sure that any new facilities there are renewable energy-based, then we won’t have a huge impact.”

Biman Mukherji

Biman Mukherji has more than two decades of reporting and editing experience in Asia, focusing on Indian and Asia business.

U$A

The Feds Finally Banned the Use of Cyanide Bombs on BLM Lands

BY GEORGE WUERTHNER

NOVEMBER 28, 2023
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Coyote. Photo George Wuerthner. 

The Biden Administration’s Department of Interior has formally banned M-44 or what are known as cyanide bombs, from 245 million acres of Bureau of Land Management federal lands.

M-44 are spring-loaded ejectors that contain cyanide poison that has been used for decades to kill predators. The M-44 is indiscriminate killing or poisoning any animals or, in a few cases, humans that pull the triggers.

Animals that are poisoned suffer a horrific death. Many pets, and non-target wildlife, not to mention native predators, which have as much right to be on federal lands as any private livestock have suffered from these deadly devices.

According to the federal agency Wildlife Services’ data, in 2022, the program poisoned approximately 6,000 animals with M-44s in 10 states: Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas, West Virginia and Wyoming. State agencies in South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, New Mexico, and Texas are also authorized to use M-44s.

M-44s are banned on other Dept of Interior lands, such as the National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Reclamation. However, even with this ban of M-44s on Bureau of Land Management lands, they are still used on the 193,000,000-acre National Forest lands administered by the U.S. Forest Service.

Pressure to ban M-44s has been applied by conservation organizations, e.g., the 2023 APA petition jointly filed by Predator Defense and the Center for Biodiversity and signed by over 70 conservation groups.

Congress has responded to public pressure. Legislation introduced into Congress, known as Canyon’s Law, would ban M-44s on all public lands The legislation was introduced into the House by Rep. Jared Hoffmann (CA) and Steve Cohen (TN). Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley introduced a companion bill into the Senate.

It is worth noting that for years, Oregon Congressman Peter DeFazio was a staunch advocate for predators and led the charge to have M-44s banned. DeFazio recently retired, but in October of 2022, he, along with Rep. Jared Hoffmann sent this letter to Sec of Interior, Deb Haaland apparently paving the way for today’s ban. Here’s a press release from Rep. Hoffmann.

Even with the elimination of M-44s, native predators like coyotes, wolves, bears, mountain lions, and other wildlife will continue to be killed by Wildlife Services to benefit the livestock industry.

The question one must always ask in these situations is why public lands are degraded and ecologically compromised to support the livestock industry which exploits public lands for private profit.

I would be remiss if I did not mention that this announcement has special significance to Brooks Fahy of Predator Defense, who has pursued an M-44 ban for decades.

George Wuerthner has published 36 books including Wildfire: A Century of Failed Forest Policy. 

SOUTH AFRICA NEEDS A JUST TRANSITION

NUM calls for companies to be considerate as the country faces 10,000 job losses
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said the country could face major job losses in the coming months.
File Picture: Siphiwe Sibeko / Reuters

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said the country could face major job losses in the coming months.

The organisation said that it was shattered and disappointed by the high levels of possible job losses due to retrenchments in some of the companies, in particular mining.


“To this date, close to 10,000 jobs stand to be lost between now and January 2024,” NUM said.

This is a huge blow, according to the union, given how much unemployment the country is facing.

A number of precious mental mining companies have been looking at cutting thousands of jobs in SA.

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The main reasons for this have been, firstly, the fact that the price of metals has declined, and secondly, the huge export congestion that has resulted at our ports and rails.

Anglo American Plc is one such company that is facing these issues and has been mulling the fact that they have to reduce their employment capacity.

According to BusinessTech, in 2023, the price of major precious metals like platinum and palladium dropped by around 11% and 40%, respectively.

In October, Sibanye-Stillwater said that given the metal price decline, they could let go of four or their mines that are not making a profit, and this could lead to more than 4,000 jobs being cut.

In September, the mine said that it had initiated a Section 189 process with unions at its Kloof 4 shaft in Carletonville.

The mine said that close to 3,000 jobs were on the line.

That means that more than 7,000 jobs could be lost at just one mining company.

On Monday, Wesizwe Platinum said it is planning to restructure its “bloated” Bakubung mine in the North West.

Wesizwe Platinum has 761 staff members at the Bakubung mine, and 571 employees could lose their jobs.

BE CONSIDERATE

The NUM is calling on businesses in all sectors to be “considerate of the situation in the country as the level of poverty continues to be a worrying factor”.

“As a trade union, we are ready to constructively engage in a process that will protect jobs, prevent future job losses, and prolong the jobs of those who are already employed. We call upon companies to launch new projects. These companies should not wait for the so-called right time while workers are struggling.“

It has also cited that the energy crisis in SA has been a reason used by a number of companies to issue Section 189 notices.

“Clearly, for as long as there is still no solution to the electricity challenges, we will continue to lose jobs. We are calling on the government to proactively attend to this as a matter of urgency,” the union said.



South African Mining Sector Braces for Massive Job Losses

Published November 28, 2023
By Miriam Matoma

Potential Job Losses in South African Mining Sector:
The article highlights the imminent threat of substantial job cuts, estimated at around 10,000 within the next two months, across various companies operating in South Africa's platinum group metal (PGM) sector.

Factors Driving Workforce Reductions: Declining prices of crucial metals like platinum and palladium, coupled with operational disruptions and escalating operational costs such as electricity and water, have prompted major mining companies like Anglo American Platinum, Wesizwe Platinum, Sibanye Stillwater, ArcelorMittal, and Impala Platinum to consider restructuring and downsizing.

Industry Response and Market Impact: Companies have initiated consultations and restructuring plans, with Wesizwe Platinum already exploring significant job cuts at one of its mines, causing share prices to plummet. While some firms offer voluntary separation packages, the overarching impact of these potential job losses on South Africa's employment landscape and economy is profound and concerning.

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) in South Africa has issued a dire warning, indicating that approximately 10,000 jobs within the mining sector are at risk of being axed in the upcoming two months. This announcement casts a dark shadow over the nation’s already challenging employment landscape, leaving workers and their families in distress during what should be a celebratory festive season.

The distressing revelation emerges against the backdrop of a tumultuous period for companies operating within the South African platinum group metal (PGM) sector. A confluence of factors, including substantial drops in metal prices and persistent operational disruptions, has propelled several prominent entities—Anglo American Platinum, Wesizwe Platinum, Impala Platinum, and Sibanye Stillwater—to contemplate substantial workforce reductions.

The plummeting prices of crucial precious metals like platinum and palladium have significantly impacted the profitability of these companies, with declines of approximately 11% and 40%, respectively, over the course of this year alone.

Anglo-American Platinum made headlines recently by signaling potential staff reductions at two of its South African units. However, the extent of these cuts remains undisclosed pending further consultations.

Wesizwe Platinum, partially owned by the Chinese group Junchuan Group International Resources, has initiated discussions to potentially slash 571 out of 761 positions (75%) at the Bakubung platinum project mine in the North West province. The company stressed the absence of viable alternatives and the necessity to implement measures to bolster efficiencies and pave the way for Bakubung’s profitability and growth.

The repercussions of these announcements reverberated through the financial markets, evident in Wesizwe’s share price plummeting by over 13% on the JSE.

Sibanye-Stillwater, in an October declaration, unveiled plans to restructure its PGM operations, impacting 4,095 full-time employees and contractors across various mining shafts. The company attributed this restructuring to escalating electricity and water costs coupled with the declining prices of PGM.

ArcelorMittal, not immune to the industry’s turmoil, confirmed deliberations about potentially cutting around 3,500 jobs at its Vereeniging and Newcastle plants. This underscores the widespread impact of economic challenges on multiple sectors within South Africa.

Impala Platinum, earlier this month, announced its proposal for “voluntary job cuts” at its Rustenburg mining complex in the North West province. The exact number of job cuts remains undisclosed, although the company’s spokesperson highlighted the earnest efforts to curtail expenses, citing labor as a significant cost factor.

In the face of these challenges, companies are exploring various avenues to trim costs, with labor being a focal point through the provision of voluntary separation packages. The evolving situation within the mining sector casts a somber outlook on the immediate future, exacerbating the already alarming unemployment levels in South Africa.

As the industry grapples with these adversities, urgent measures and sustainable strategies are imperative to safeguard jobs and foster a path toward economic recovery. The National Union of Mineworkers remains steadfast in its commitment to advocating for the welfare of workers and seeks viable solutions in collaboration with stakeholders to mitigate the looming crisis gripping the mining sector in South Africa.

Climate change already reducing global GDP

The figures reflect direct consequences and spill-over impacts

AFP |

A flooded area in Dolow, Somalia. Photo: AFP


Climate change is already shaving billions off the world's economy, with developing countries hardest hit, according to a new report published Tuesday ahead of COP28 climate negotiations.

The report by the University of Delaware estimated that impacts from human-caused climate change cut 6.3% from global economic output last year, when weighted across populations.


The figures reflect both direct consequences of climate change - such as disruptions to agriculture and manufacturing, and reduced productivity from high heat - as well as spill-over impacts on global trade and investments.

"The world is trillions of dollars poorer because of climate change and most of that burden has fallen on poor countries," said lead author James Rising of the University of Delaware.

"I hope that this information can clarify the challenges that many countries already face today and the support they urgently need to address them," he added.

When calculated without taking into account impacts borne by the average person, the global GDP loss was 1.8 percent of GDP - or about $1.5 trillion dollars - in 2022.

"The difference between those two numbers reflects the uneven distribution of impacts, which concentrate in low-income countries and tropical regions that typically have more population and less GDP," the authors said in a statement.

Least developed countries experienced higher population-weighted GDP loss of 8.3%,, with Southeast Asia and Southern Africa particularly affected - losing 14.1% and 11.2% of their GDP respectively.

On the other hand, some developed countries benefited. Thanks to warmer winters Europe saw a nearly five percent net gain in GDP last year.

But such gains are "poised to erode" as hotter summers offset milder winters, warns the report.

At last year's COP27 talks in Egypt, nations agreed to set up a dedicated fund to help vulnerable countries cope with "loss and damage" from climate disasters and extreme weather.

While some details were recently agreed, the fund -- and in particular who contributes to it and how much -- will be a key point of negotiation at this year's COP28 talks in Dubai, which begin on Thursday.

Low- and middle-income countries have experienced a combined loss in capital and GDP totaling $21 trillion, about half of the total 2023 GDP of the developing world, in the last 30 years, the report said.

The authors specify that losses are "conservative estimates" because the analysis does not account for non-market losses and impacts.

PULLING A TRUMP

Poland’s Duda swears in phoney PiS government with expected lifetime of two weeks

The line-up of the hugely controversial new PiS government that is expected to last just two weeks as the party lacks the majority to win a confidence vote / President Duda's office


By bne IntelliNews November 28, 2023

Poland’s President Andrzej Duda swore in a Law and Justice (PiS) government led by Mateusz Morawiecki on November 27 despite the proposed cabinet’s clear lack of majority in the new parliament that emerged after last month’s election.

PiS came in first in the election but is a considerable margin of 37 seats away from a majority in the parliament. Still, President Duda designated Morawiecki as PM in early November, saying it was a “good tradition” to give the party that won the most votes the first go at forming a government.

The centre-left coalition led by former PM and European Council President Donald Tusk decried Duda’s decision – and Morawiecki’s going along with it.

"Poles voted for a change for the better, not for a ludicrous two-week cabaret. It's a waste of time and a pity for Poland,” the expected deputy PM in the Tusk government, Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, told the media.

President Duda kept up appearances during the swearing-in ceremony.

“I wish you good luck … The Prime Minister is conducting negotiations regarding support for this cabinet. I wish him every success in this regard,” said the president, who is a staunch ally of PiS.

The line-up of the “paragovernment” – as the incoming new majority has dubbed it – is mostly less-known officials linked to PiS. Ministers from the previous Morawiecki cabinet, which was in power from 2019 until November, include Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak and Marlena Malag, who took over the Ministry of Development and Technology.

Former deputy Foreign Minister Szymon Szynkowski vel Sek and former deputy Justice Minister Marcin Warchol are now the heads of their respective ministries.

As the new cabinet is all but certain to lose a confidence vote in early December, the next step will be the Tusk-led parliamentary majority designating him as the next PM and a new confidence vote will be held.

The new majority has a comfortable 248 seats in the 460-seat parliament. The confidence vote marking the takeover of power by Tusk is expected to take place by mid-December.