Zelenskiy's U.S. Visit Sparks Political Firestorm

By RFE/RL staff - Sep 30, 2024

• Zelenskiy's visit to a munitions factory in Scranton, Pennsylvania, sparked controversy among Republicans, who viewed it as a partisan campaign event.
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• Trump and other Republicans have criticized US aid to Ukraine and suggested that Kyiv should negotiate with Russia.
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• The future of US support for Ukraine remains uncertain, with the outcome of the presidential election potentially having a significant impact on the war's trajectory.
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In 2020, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was dragged into the U.S. presidential election campaign. This time, just weeks before a vote that could have a massive influence on Kyiv's defense against the Russian invasion, he walked right into it.

On September 22, Zelenskiy toured a munitions factory in Scranton, Pennsylvania, that makes ammunition for his armed forces, thanking workers and signing one of the 155 mm shells that are crucial for Kyiv's war effort. He was joined by Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and two members of the House of Representatives, all Democrats.

Had Zelenskiy visited the plant during any of his four previous trips to the United States since Russia launched the full-scale invasion in February 2022, it might have been long forgotten by now.

Instead, it has turned into a flashpoint for Republicans, creating controversy that marred his the nearly weeklong visit to the United States, Ukraine's biggest backer, at a time when Russia is making gains on the battlefield, decimating Ukraine's energy infrastructure as winter approaches, and counting on Western support for Kyiv to wither.

Battleground

Scranton is President Joe Biden's hometown. Pennsylvania is a crucial battleground state whose voters could end up deciding the November 5 election between Republican former President Donald Trump and Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris.

For Zelenskiy, the factory tour was meant "to demonstrate and show…that the assistance to Ukraine is beneficial to the United States itself, because this assistance makes it possible to create new jobs," Alyona Getmanchuk, director of the Ukrainian think tank New Europe Center and a nonresident senior fellow at the U.S.-based Atlantic Council Eurasia Center, told RFE/RL in Kyiv.

Trump, she said, apparently "perceived this as an attempt to…influence the electoral balance, which is very fragile in the state of Pennsylvania. That is, he saw it exclusively in the context of the election."

As Zelenskiy's U.S. trip continued with speeches at the United Nations and meetings with Biden and Harris at the White House, Republicans lashed out over the factory tour. The speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, called it "a partisan campaign event" and demanded Zelenskiy "immediately fire" his ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova.

Charles Kupchan, an analyst at the New York-based Council on Foreign Relations, said the munitions plant visit "backfired."

"It's more an indication of the polarized debate between Democrats and Republicans than it is about any missteps taken by Zelenskiy," he told RFE/RL.

'Much More Difficult'

Mykola Byelyeskov, an analyst at the Ukrainian government-backed National Institute for Strategic Studies in Kyiv, suggested the U.S. election campaign makes navigating ties with Kyiv's most crucial backer particularly tricky.

"Zelenskiy is doing his best" on the U.S. trip, Byelyeskov told RFE/RL. "We see some results. I'm sure that we'll see more results. And we need to deal with every single faction in U.S. politics. And we are trying to do this. And it's much more difficult during the election season."

For Biden, it's also "very difficult to take radical steps that in his mind might bring the issue of escalation closer. Because all the surveys in the U.S., domestic ones, they say that the American population is indeed concerned with hypothetical nuclear escalation," he said. "That's why it makes it more difficult for Ukraine to argue for various things that we need."

During the visit, Zelenskiy did not secure a public promise that the United States would permit Kyiv to strike deeper into Russia with U.S. long-range missiles.

A group of Republicans in the House held up $61 billion in mostly military aid for Ukraine for six months, leading to a deficit of ammunition on the battlefield, in part on the grounds that the money could be better spent at home. The United States spends the majority of the aid money at home on restocking arms and equipment sent to Ukraine, and the trip to Scranton highlighted that fact.

Johnson had been instrumental in eventually getting the package through; his public ire over the plant visit signaled goodwill over that development is gone.

Kurt Volker, a Pennsylvania native who served as a special envoy to Ukraine under Trump in 2017-2019, called the timing of the factory tour "a huge mistake."

"It is a very sensitive time, a sensitive issue, a sensitive state -- like, the key swing state. It is just playing with fire, and Ukraine should do everything possible to avoid being a political subject in our election," said Volker, who is now an analyst at the Center for European Policy Analysis in Washington.

Way Back When

Lucian Kim, senior Ukraine analyst for the Crisis Group, called the visit a "misstep" on Zelenskiy's part that opened him up for criticism from opponents of aid for Ukraine within the Republican Party faction known as MAGA Republicans for their unyielding support for Trump and his policies.

"Bilateral U.S. support has been one of the foundations of Ukrainian foreign policy," Kim said. "That level of bipartisan support now seems to be in question. The MAGA wing, which is unsympathetic to Ukraine, is increasingly defining the Republican party."

The Pennsylvania plant visit was at last one factor raising doubts about an expected meeting between Zelenskiy and Trump -- whose relationship has been colored for years by a phone call in 2019, just months after the Ukrainian leader's election, that led to Trump's impeachment -- would take place.

Trump was impeached by the then-Democratic-controlled House of Representatives in December 2019 over the phone call in which he was accused of pressuring Zelenskiy to dig up dirt on the Biden family's activities in Ukraine. He was acquitted by the Senate, then controlled by the Republicans, in February 2020.

Trump took aim at Zelenskiy several times. At a campaign stop on September 25, he repeated his description of the Ukrainian president as "the greatest salesman in the world" -- a reference to the tens of billions of dollars in aid lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have approved since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion.

'Proposals For Surrender'

He also repeated his argument that Kyiv should have reached an agreement with Russia to stave off or end the invasion. "Any deal -- the worst deal -- would've been better than what we have now," he asserted. "If they made a bad deal, it would've been much better. They would've given up a little bit and everybody would be living."

Trump has said he would bring an end to Russia's war against Ukraine quickly if he is elected, several times saying it would happen even before the inauguration in January -- a claim he made again when he and Zelenskiy met in New York on September 27. He has not said how he would accomplish this, but his comments have raised concerns his efforts would involve exhorting Ukraine to hand territory to Russia.

On the main purposes of Zelenskiy's U.S. trip was to present Biden and others with a "victory plan" for the war against the Russian invasion, though details have not been released. Trump, in his debate against Harris on September 10, declined to answer directly when asked whether he wants Ukraine to win, saying, "I want the war to stop."

On September 26, Harris said suggestions that Kyiv should cede territory for the sake of peace are "dangerous and unacceptable." Such calls are "proposals for surrender," she said.

A Meeting In New York

In an interview with The New Yorker ahead of his U.S. visit, Zelenskiy said, "Trump doesn't really know how to stop the war even if he might think he knows how." He also said JD Vance, Trump's running mate, is "too radical" and has suggested he wants Ukraine "to give up our territories."

The atmosphere seemed warmer when Zelenskiy and Trump held talks at the Trump Tower in New York, with Trump praising Zelenskiy for his conduct during the impeachment process -- "he was a piece of steel" -- but there was no sign of a change in Trump's attitude toward the Russian invasion.

Trump again offered no details on how he would seek an end to the war, saying he believes that "we're going to get it resolved very quickly" if he wins the presidency. "If we have a win, I think long before January 20…we can work out something that's good for both sides this time," Trump said before the two sat down for the meeting.

"It's a shame but this is a war that should have never happened, and we'll get it solved," Trump said after the meeting. "It is a complicated puzzle.... Too many people dead."

In a Telegram post after what he called a “very meaningful meeting,” Zelenskiy said that he had presented his “victory plan” to Trump and that they “discussed used many details.”

"We have a common view that the war in Ukraine must be stopped. Putin cannot win. The Ukrainians must win," he said.

Whether Zelenskiy's visit will affect the outcome of the U.S. election is an open question.

"Foreign policy issues in general don't determine [U.S.] electoral outcomes. People vote on the economy, on immigration, on crime, what's on their radar screen on a day-to-day basis," Kupchan said.

And exactly how a win for Trump or for Harris might change the course of the war is also unclear.

Kupchan said that despite Trump's rhetoric, he will struggle to cut a deal with Putin if elected and likely end up approving aid for Ukraine.

"Trump would not want to be the American president who lost Ukraine. And so even if he gets elected and tries to negotiate an end game, he too is going to end up having to send support to Ukraine," he said.

By RFE/RL

Climate Change and Geopolitics Collide at COP29

By Eurasianet - Oct 01, 2024

• Azerbaijan's financial aid to small island nations for COP29 participation is viewed as a strategic move in its geopolitical feud with France.
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• The initiative aligns with Azerbaijan's efforts to counter France's support for Armenia and criticize its policies in the Pacific region.
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• While Azerbaijan frames its support as climate-focused, observers see it as a way to challenge France's influence and amplify its own voice on the international stage.

Azerbaijani leader Ilham Aliyev is stoking a geopolitical grudge with France, issuing a pledge to fund the participation of small island developing states, some of which have French connections, in the upcoming COP29 environmental conclave.

Azerbaijan’s financial assistance would cover airfare, accommodation and per diems for up to four delegates for each island state participating in COP29, which will be held in Baku in November. The assistance offer comes several months after Aliyev proposed establishing a special fund to help small island states address the effects of climate change.

Azerbaijani officials portray the initiative in altruistic terms, motivated by a desire to “amplify the voices” of nations that stand to be the hardest hit by global warming and rising ocean levels.

“We will not have an inclusive process [at COP29] if we do not take every measure to ensure participation from frontline communities,” said Azerbaijan’s Ecology Minister Mukhtar Babayev, who is also president-designate of the annual UN environmental conference. “We need these perspectives and experiences to guide our approach and strongly believe in our moral duty to support these nations.”

Some observers see a more cynical purpose in packing COP29 with representatives of small island nations — a desire on Aliyev’s part to get under the skin of French President Emmanuel Macron. The two leaders have been engaged in a tit-for-tat feud for more than a year, revolving around the aftermath of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which ended with Azerbaijan’s decisive defeat of Armenian forces and Baku’s reconquest of the territory.

France has been an unwavering supporter of Armenia amid Yerevan’s efforts to negotiate a lasting peace deal with Azerbaijan, rankling Aliyev. In turn, Aliyev’s administration has antagonized the French leadership, accusing France of “neo-colonial” behavior in the Pacific region. In the late spring of this year, Paris accused Baku of stirring up separatist sentiment in the French Pacific dependency of New Caledonia, after earlier recalling the French envoy to Azerbaijan. The initiative to fund a robust islander presence at COP29 can be seen as an extension of Azerbaijan’s antagonism toward France. Aliyev is on record as saying COP29 will “spotlight” the need to protect island states from the consequences of global warming.

In August, Babayev participated in a meeting hosted by the island nation of Tonga during which participants from 56 countries, including 33 island states, signed a memorandum “aimed at enhancing climate action” beneficial to signatories. Azerbaijan announced in late September a contribution of $10 million to the group’s joint efforts to promote “climate resilience, improve disaster preparedness and support sustainable development.”

The recent UN General Assembly session in New York witnessed another round of Franco-Azerbaijani verbal sparring. Macron reiterated strong support for Armenia, saying “the international community must be there to ensure that [Armenia-Azerbaijani] peace negotiations are successful and internationally recognized borders are preserved.” The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry portrayed the French stance on the peace process “unconstructive.” Babayev, meanwhile, touted the environmental cause of small island states during the general assembly.

By Eurasianet.org

WWIII

Malaysia Expands Oil and Gas Drilling in Disputed South China Sea

By Tsvetana Paraskova - Oct 02, 2024

Despite Chinese pressure, Malaysia has stepped up oil and gas exploration activities in the disputed South China Sea, even as the China Coast Guard has constantly pressured Malaysian oil and gas operations this year, a new report by Washington-based Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative showed.

The long-running dispute in the South China Sea involves territorial claims by China as well as Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Brunei, and Malaysia. China has territorial claims to about 90% of the South China Sea, which has put it at odds with its neighbors.

Territorial disputes in the South China Sea erupted after Beijing laid a sweeping claim to sovereignty over the sea—home to an estimated 11 billion barrels of untapped oil. Disputes over the South China Sea date back to the 1970s when countries began to claim various zones and islands in the sea, such as the Spratly Islands, which possess rich natural resources and fishing areas. 

Automatic Identification System data shows that the China Coast Guard (CCG) has operated in Malaysian-claimed waters “like clockwork” so far this year, the report found. Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) found that between January 1 and September 30 nine different CCG vessels that spent time patrolling in Malaysia’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and continental shelf.

China’s ships on patrol in Malaysia’s EEZ spent most of their time near Luconia Shoals, a group of mostly submerged reefs 80 nautical miles northwest of Sarawak, AMTI said.

“Despite the CCG’s efforts, Malaysia has not only continued its existing oil and gas production but also expanded exploratory activity,” the report reads.

China’s continuous presence in Malaysia’s zone is a fraction of the number of ships it has deployed farther north in the Spratly Islands to monitor and contest Philippine activities in disputed waters, according to AMTI.

“However, with Malaysia’s expanding drilling and a potential reduction in China-Philippine tensions, Beijing could ratchet up the pressure on Malaysian hydrocarbon production,” the think tank said.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

Chinese Missile Boats Use Laser to Harass Philippine Patrol Plane

A PLA Navy Type 22 missile boat shadows a Philippine fishery vessel near Half Moon Shoal (BFAR)

Published Oct 1, 2024 4:16 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

 

A Chinese PLA Navy missile boat repeatedly used a high-intensity laser to harass a Philippine patrol plane last week, according to Manila's Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). Laser illumination can impair or damage pilots' eyesight, potentially putting the aircraft at risk, and it is illegal in many nations. 

On Friday, a BFAR patrol plane was operating in the Philippine exclusive economic zone near Half Moon Shoal, about 60 nautical miles off the coast of Palawan. It was accompanying two BFAR surface ships, the BRP Romapenet and the BRP Taradipit, which were under way on a mission to deliver supplies to fishermen at the reef. The shoal is closer to the Philippine home islands than most of the contested features in the Spratly archipelago, and has not historically seen high levels of Chinese military activity. 

According to Philippine outlet ABS-CBN (which had a reporter aboard BRP Romapenet), two Hubei-class Type 22 guided missile boats began following the BFAR fishery ships as they transited to Half Moon Shoal. As the PLA Navy vessels tailed the Philippine ships, they illuminated the BFAR patrol plane with a high-intensity laser. 

Chinese government vessels have previously used targeting lasers to harass the Philippine Coast Guard, but this event involved an aircraft and saw repeated use of the laser device. After the BFAR aircraft challenged the Chinese missile boats and asked them to stop, one of the boats used the laser twice more, at intervals of about five minutes. 

The pilots reported "high intensity white light" resulting in eye discomfort. Targeting lasers are typically in the green, red or infrared parts of the spectrum. 

The Type 22 is a high-speed missile boat operated by the PLA Navy, armed with eight antiship cruise missiles and capable of making 42 knots (reduced to 20 knots in higher sea states). It has not been seen before in the Philippine EEZ, security analyst Dr. Chester Cabalza told ABS CBN. "This is alarming because it was a missile ship that shadowed our civilian vessel. We all know that if a grey ship [naval vessel] was used, it was meant to intimidate us," he said. 

On Saturday, later in the mission, a Chinese military helicopter closely shadowed BRP Romapenet near Sabina Shoal, flying within 20 meters of the vessel. The BFAR vessels completed their transit and delivered food, fuel and medications to about 100 fishermen near Half Moon Shoal.  

 

IEA: Policy and Demand Uncertainty Slows Green Hydrogen Adoption

By Tsvetana Paraskova - Oct 02, 2024,

Uncertainty around demand and incentives coupled with cost pressures are weighing on the global adoption of low-carbon hydrogen despite an uptick in final investment decisions in the past year, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in a new report on Wednesday.

World demand for hydrogen rose by 2.5% to 97 million tons in 2023, with demand concentrated in refining and chemicals, and mostly covered by hydrogen produced from unabated fossil fuels, the IEA said in its annual Global Hydrogen Review 2024.

“As in previous years, low-emissions hydrogen played only a marginal role, with production of less than 1 Mt in 2023,” the agency said.

The report found that the number of low-emission hydrogen projects that have reached a final investment decision (FID) is growing. Announced production that has taken FID doubled compared with last year to reach 3.4 million tons per annum (Mtpa). The split is roughly even between electrolysis, 1.9 Mtpa, and fossil fuels with carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS)—1.5 Mtpa.

In green hydrogen, the total electrolyzer capacity that has reached a final investment decision now stands at 20 gigawatts (GW) globally.

If all announced projects are realized worldwide, total production could reach almost 50 million tons a year by the end of this decade. But this would need the hydrogen sector to grow at an unprecedented rate of over 90% each year between now and 2030, well above the growth experienced by solar PV during its fastest expansion phases, the IEA noted.

Moreover, “several projects have faced delays and cancellations, which are putting at risk a significant part of the project pipeline,” the agency said.

Most recently, Shell and Equinor have ditched plans for low-hydrogen production and transportation in north Europe, due to a lack of demand.

According to the IEA, the main reasons for the slow uptake of low-carbon hydrogen “include unclear demand signals, financing hurdles, delays to incentives, regulatory uncertainties, licensing and permitting issues and operational challenges.”

“[F]or these projects to be a success, low-emissions hydrogen producers need buyers,” said IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol.

“Policymakers and developers must look carefully at the tools for supporting demand creation while also reducing costs and ensuring clear regulations are in place that will support further investment in the sector.”

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

 

Japan Maintains Energy Policy Focused on Boosting Nuclear and Renewables

By Tsvetana Paraskova - Oct 02, 2024,

Japan aims to continue restarting nuclear power plants and boost renewables capacity, the new industry minister said on Wednesday, signaling that the new government will not alter materially the country’s current energy policy.

“We can use renewable power to the maximum, and we will restart nuclear power, the safe one, as much as possible,” Industry Minister Yoji Muto, appointed by the new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, told reporters in the first press conference as minister, as carried by Reuters.

Ishiba, who won the leadership race of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, and by default became the new prime minister, had opposed reviving nuclear in the early stages of his campaign.

However, Ishiba stopped calling for ending nuclear power shortly after winning the race to be Japan’s new prime minister.

Currently, Japan is bringing back nuclear power as a key energy source, looking to protect its energy security in the wake of the energy crisis that led to surging fossil fuel prices.

The resource-poor country which needs to import about 90% of its energy requirements, made a U-turn in its nuclear energy policy at the end of 2022, as its energy import bill soared amid the energy crisis and surging costs to import LNG at record-high prices.

At present, fossil fuels account for about 70% of Japan’s electricity, which would clash with its net-zero goal.

Earlier this year, a government projection showed that Japan would need to increase its electricity output by between 35% and 50% by 2050 to meet a proportionate surge in demand.

In May, Japan launched the most important energy policy discussions in its post-World War Two history, aiming to strike a balance between the need to boost its energy security with conventional sources and its pledge to become a net-zero economy by 2050.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

 

A.P. Moller Plans to Turn a Hard-to-Find Green Bunker Fuel Into Plastic

Chemical plants and tank farms at Port of Antwerp, Europe's largest integrated chemical-industry cluster (Port of Antwerp)

Published Sep 30, 2024 6:21 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

 

The family holding company A.P. Moller is known best as the owner of Maersk, and it has invested heavily to build a green-methanol supply chain for Maersk Line's growing portfolio of dual-fuel methanol boxships. Green methanol is an essential ingredient for the shipping industry's transition, and it is in short supply; A.P. Moller's in-house energy portfolio allows Maersk to run some of its ships on low-carbon fuel, a competitive advantage as regulations tighten. A.P. Moller has now announced plans to turn some of this fuel into plastic instead. 

On Monday, a newly formed fossil-free plastics company announced plans to build a large plant in Antwerp that will draw its feedstock from A.P. Moller's green methanol sourcing network. The plant will turn green methanol into polypropylene (commonly used for packaging) and polyethylene (often used for disposable plastic bags and bottles). These are non-biodegradable products with the same attributes as conventional plastics, but made with a renewable source of methanol. 

The A.P. Moller-owned firm, Vioneo, says that it has designed its plant with proven technologies and will run its facility on renewable power, eliminating all CO2 emissions from production. The company believes that this will save up to six kilos of CO2 per kilo of plastic produced, and will achieve the lowest cost of carbon abatement on the market. The firm's name comes from the Latin words for "journey" and "new," and Vioneo says that it "has the potential to revitalize the European chemicals sector and position Europe as a leader in defossilizing the [plastics] industry."

Vioneo's first plastics plant will begin consuming green methanol in 2028, two years ahead of the IMO target date for decarbonizing five percent of the global bunker fuel supply. 

"A.P. Moller Holding is committed to driving the transition to low-carbon and fossil-free sources by advancing green methanol production and its applications across various sectors. The launch of Vioneo marks a significant step in this commitment," said A.P. Moller CIO Jan T. Nielsen in a statement. 

In August, A.P. Moller Holding's Maersk unit announced plans to order up to 60 dual-fuel newbuilds, including - for the first time - an unspecified number of LNG dual-fuel ships. Until the August announcement, Maersk was solely committed to green methanol as its dual fuel, and its executives had previously dismissed the potential of LNG as "another fossil fuel." 

Haiti's Main Seaport Closed After Gangs Attack Shooting Ships and Workers

The CPS terminal in Port-au-Prince (file image courtesy Caribbean Port Services)

Published Sep 27, 2024 4:53 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

 

For the second time this year, Haiti’s main seaport has been closed due to violence from the armed gangs that have been terrorizing the country. This is despite the efforts by the police and army with the assistance of troops from Kenya leading to calls at the United Nations this week for more urgent actions.

Port operator Caribbean Port Services announced that it was closing road access to the port and terminal at Port-au-Prince between September 26 and 29. The goal is to give the police and army time to attempt to secure the port and restore safety after the area was reportedly overrun this week by the armed gangs. Containers in the port were also reportedly looted.

The gangs were said to be shooting at ships attempting to dock and the dockworkers according to Reuters. One crane operator was shot according to the Miami Herald, which did an in-depth story on the port problems on Friday. Their sources said the crane operator was preparing to start offloading when he was shot twice. The Miami Herald reports luckily none of the bullets hit major organs and that the operator is expected to recover. The newspaper reports another person was shot earlier in the month at the port.

The unnamed vessel, reportedly operating for Miami’s Antillean Marine Shipping Company was the first scheduled to arrive in Port-au-Prince in over two weeks. The reports indicate that ships have been diverting due to safety concerns with some offloading cargo bound for Haiti in either the Dominican Republic or Jamaica. Efforts however to drive cargo from the Dominican Republic are hampered because the border between the two countries on the island is closed.

The newspaper reports that cargo shipments were suspended earlier in September after two crewmembers from a chartered containership were kidnapped. The two individuals who are reported to be Filipinos are still in the custody of the gangs held for ransom.

Trucks that were attempting to enter to exit the port also reported that they were being stopped by the armed gangs. The reports said the gangs are demanding money from the drivers to let the trucks proceed. 

It was the second report of violence overrunning the port after similar reports in March. With the efforts to stabilize Haiti having failed so far, it became a focus of the discussions at the United Nations. Officials told the organization that at least 3,661 people have been killed in Haiti since January due to rampant gang violence, “maintaining the high levels of violence seen in 2023,” the UN human rights office said in a report issued on Friday. Indications are that the gangs control 80 percent of Port-au-Prince and that more than 700,000 people are displaced and living in temporary arrangements.

Stabilizing the port at Port-au-Prince is critical as it handles 80 percent of the commercial cargo entering the country. It is vital for food and medical supplies. The smaller ports remain open but are unable to handle larger vessels.

The President of Kenya speaking at the UN said they were still committed to an additional 2,500 police officers to be deployed to Haiti over the next four months. However, he said that Kenya and other Caribbean and African countries are “hindered by insufficient equipment, logistics and funding."

The United States promised additional financial while the UN continues to discuss the next steps to restore security. Some are calling for the issue to go before the Security Council which would be required for the authorization of a new UN peacekeeper force. Officials from the UN Human Rights Office said tackling insecurity in the Caribbean country must be the utmost priority urging the international community to do more to protect people and prevent further suffering.
 

Haiti’s displaced facing ‘catastrophic’ food insecurity

Issued on: 01/10/2024 - 

Aid workers test for malnutrition at a centre for displaced people in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Septeber 20, 2024. © Reuters/WFP

Video by:Sam BALL

A new report has found that more than half of Haiti’s population is suffering from acute hunger amid political instability and a security crisis that has seen armed gangs take control of vast swaths of the country. The country’s large number of internally displaced are at particular risk, according to the UN’s World Food Programme.

02:17

 

Report: Developing World Ports Need $80M Each for Green Transition

The sprawling port of Santos, Brazil (Porto de Santos)

Published Sep 29, 2024 8:22 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

 

As shipping stakeholders convene this week for the IMO’s 82nd MEPC (Marine Environment and Protection Committee) session, the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAOH) has released a new report exploring progress in decarbonization of port infrastructure in developing nations. The consultancy Maritime & Transport Business Solutions (MTBS) prepared the study  on behalf of IAPH.

Using case studies of ports in Kenya, Indonesia, Solomon Islands, Brazil and India, the report identified investments needed for port climate adaptation in developing countries. While a lot of focus in shipping decarbonization is directed towards future clean fuels, readying ports for the energy transition must also be prioritized.

Unfortunately, building port infrastructure for green bunkering and electrification of terminals with renewable energy is going to be a tall order for developing countries. According to IAPH, the total investment for this transition is between $55 and $83 million. This depends on port size, existing infrastructure and prior climate adaptation investments.

Although IMO member states have yet to reach consensus on market-based measures such as GHG pricing, IAPH views it as a possible source of funds for the exorbitant cost of port decarbonization in developing countries.

“The risk of a market-based measure increasing transport costs, which places added pressure on countries with lower efficiency infrastructure and less connectivity to the global trade network, could be offset by the potential revenues allocated to them for port-related adaptation and mitigation measures to kick start the energy transition,” said Patrick Verhoeven, IAPH Managing Director.

With this week’s MEPC session anticipated to finalize a framework to guide carbon pricing in shipping, IAPH has said it remains neutral as to the choice of instrument. Currently, there are four policy proposals on the carbon levy. However, IAPH has indicated it is supportive of a carbon pricing mechanism that will provide a strong incentive to invest in port infrastructure and enable commercial viability of low and zero carbon fuels.