Neither China nor India has submitted updated climate plans to be included in an assessment of progress towards the Paris Agreement goals ahead of COP26. Only 110 out of 191 parties to the Paris Agreement have presented new or updated plans by the cut-off date for submissions to be included in the forthcoming UN progress report. This is despite the UN extending the deadline for them. The UN’s Patricia Espinosa has been pleading with governments to contribute their plans…
That the governments of half the world’s people have not complied suggests that either they are not taking the process seriously or they, more likely, don’t want to put in writing that they are failing to decarbonise. India and China are rushing to develop their economies and raise the living standards of hundreds of millions of their citizens from absolute poverty. That can’t be done if they are restrained by net zero commitments…
Academics have boycotted a government funded research centre, hailed by George Osborne as “putting the UK in pole position” in the new material’s research, after concerns were raised over industrial espionage.
Academics drafted into the National Graphene Institute (NGI) are worried by its collaboration with the Taiwanese owned BGT, which has recently announced further partnerships with a Chinese manufacturer and university. Chinese corporations are notoriously poor in their respect for intellectual property rights. Chinese intelligence agents steal trade secrets for their corporations…
Graphene, a newly developed ultra high-tech nano-material, is 200 times stronger than steel and has outperformed super-conductive materials in electrical tests. Scientists are worried that yet another Great British invention funded by British taxpayers will be commercialised by foreign corporations.
Academics might have seen this move coming, however, after Osborne showed off his pet project NGI to Chinese president Xi Jinping during his recent stay. Having pledged to protect UK subsidies for scientific research in the autumn statement, the British taxpayer should be keen to protect their own investment. There is a limit to kow-towing, by all means lay out the welcome mat, just don’t let the Chinese walk all over you…
H/T Sunday Times
David Cameron and President Xi have been for a pint near Chequers pic.twitter.com/njzCj1jBLV
— Sam Lister (@sam_lister_) October 22, 2015
— Sam Lister (@sam_lister_) October 22, 2015
It's the same pub the PM left daughter Nancy in but he jokes 'I'm not leaving my family here today' pic.twitter.com/MPS4Gyh0SE
— Sam Lister (@sam_lister_) October 22, 2015
Cameron and Xi tucked in to mini fish and chips during the visit to The Plough at Cadsden pic.twitter.com/8fqsY4LsUb
— Sam Lister (@sam_lister_) October 22, 2015
David Cameron wrote a little aide memoire to remind himself how to pronounce “Xi”. Don’t want to mess that up…
Via @CathyNewman
Only one question allowed at Downing Street’s ‘press conference’ with President Xi, but it was a punchy one from Laura Kuenssberg:
LK: “Why do you think members of the British public should be pleased to do more business with a country that is not democratic, is not transparent and has a deeply, deeply troubling attitude towards human rights?”
Xi: “China attaches great importance to the protection of human rights. We combine the universal value of human rights with China’s reality and we have found a part of human rights development suited to China’s national conditions. With regard to protection of human rights, looking round the world we know that there is always room for improvement. All countries need to continuously improve and strengthen human rights protection to meet the need of the time and the people. On the issue of human rights, I think the people of our respective countries are in the best position to tell, and China is ready to, on the basis of equality and mutual respect, increase exchanges and cooperation with the UK and other countries in the area of human rights.”
Xi then read out his answer to a question from the Chinese press. Almost as if he knew what he was going to be asked…
