The BIC Reacts to the COP27 Final Agreement
The BIC notes that, with two days of delay, the final text of the COP27, the Sharm el-Sheikh Implementation Plan, was agreed by all Parties on the 20th of November 2022. Among significant outcomes, the agreement reaffirms commitments towards achieving the target +1.5°C set by the Paris Agreements in 2015. However, this key pillar of global climate action was worryingly put into question during the negotiations.
Scene Setter before Final Negotiations at the COP27
As forecasted, discussions at COP27 this year were mainly articulated around the issues of green financing and loss and damage in developing countries, topics that are underpinning the broader question of climate justice. After two weeks of tense and polarized negotiations, final deliberations are coming to an end, with probably no great achievements expected this year.
Afghanistan Marks Anniversary of Taliban Takeover
The BIC notes the one-year anniversary of the return of Taliban rule in Afghanistan, and continues to be concerned at the continued repression of citizens, particularly women and girls whose freedoms to be educated and work have become severely restricted, as well as the escalating poverty crisis causing millions to go without food.
The BIC's Political Analyst, Ben Lowings, said:
Why Afghanistan’s Opium Trade May Flourish Under the Taliban
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A field-based commentary from the province of Kandahar showcasing how successive droughts and financial hardship have pushed more farmers to start cultivating opium under the new Taliban regime.