Daily Brief: U.S. to Repeal Clean Power Plan

Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. October 10, 2017 Daily News Brief   TOP OF THE AGENDA U.S. to Repeal Clean Power Plan U.S. President Donald J. Trump's administration plans today to repeal a major Obama-era environmental policy aimed at curbing emissions from power plants (NYT), with Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt saying that the "war on coal is over." The policy, called the Clean Power Plan, had yet to be implemented (NPR) since it was put on hold by the Supreme Court last year pending a ruling on its legality. The legislation mandated that states reduce their use of high-emissions energy sources like coal (Bloomberg) in favor of solar, wind, and gas, and was a central part of the U.S. commitment to reduce its carbon footprint (The Hill) in line with the Paris Agreement on climate.  ANALYSIS "Recent analysis suggests the costs of satisfying Obama's Clean Power Plan actually have gone down, as the United States makes strides toward meeting its carbon-cutting targets and less-polluting energy sources such as wind, solar, and natural gas prove less expensive than anticipated," Jennifer A. Dlouhy writes for Bloomberg. "While the repeal of the Clean Power Plan offers a reprieve for America's coal industry, it is unlikely to halt the decline of coal altogether," Lisa Friedman and Brad Plumer write for the New York Times. "Writing a new proposal would take years and would be a sign that Pruitt—who has questioned the human role in changing the climate—acknowledges EPA's legal obligation to regulate greenhouse gas emissions," Emily Holden writes for Politico. CFR's Tenth Annual Preventive Priorities Survey CFR's Center for Preventive Action conducts an annual survey to assist policymakers in planning for ongoing and potential conflicts and sources of instability. What threats will emerge or escalate in 2018? Tell us what you think.   PACIFIC RIM UN Bans Four Ships Over Deliveries to North Korea The United Nations has banned four ships registered in the Comoros, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and North Korea from visiting any global port after they were found to have delivered prohibited goods to North Korea (BBC). A UN expert described the move as unprecedented. THAILAND: Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, head of the ruling military junta, said a general election will be held in November 2018 (Al Jazeera). The junta has delayed elections since coming to power in a 2014 coup (DW). SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Afghanistan Air Strikes Hit Seven-Year High The United States and its allies dropped 751 weapons on Afghanistan in September (Military Times), a 50 percent increase compared to preceding months. The U.S. Air Forces Central Command said the rise was due to President Trump's strategy to "more proactively target extremist groups." Daniel Byman and Steven Simon discuss the difficulty in ending the war in Afghanistan in Foreign Affairs. BANGLADESH: The United Nations launched on Tuesday a cholera vaccination campaign (AFP) targeting 650,000 people in refugee camps in southeast Bangladesh. Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims have fled to the country from Myanmar since August. Lynn Kuok discusses the crisis in Myanmar in Foreign Affairs. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA UN Relocates Thousands of Migrants in Libya The United Nations has transferred some four thousand migrants (Reuters) from informal camps in the city of Sabratha to a hangar there after clashes between rival groups fighting to control the city. Crossings into Europe from Sabratha, a smuggling hub, dropped sharply in July when one armed group struck a deal with the Tripoli government to block departures. SAUDI ARABIA: The oil firm Saudi Aramco has announced a "mega investment plan" for India (Bloomberg) that includes a new refinery on the country's west coast. The South Asian nation is set to surpass China as the fastest-growing oil market (Indian Express) in the region. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Liberians Vote for Sirleaf's Successor Liberians head to the polls Tuesday to choose a successor to Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Africa's first woman president. Sirleaf is stepping down after twelve years (Guardian) in power, setting the country up for its first democratic transition of power (DW) in seven decades. ZIMBABWE: President Robert Mugabe has fired his finance minister (FT), an ally of Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa. The move follows accusations by First Lady Grace Mugabe that Mnangagwa was plotting a coup; both are vying to succeed President Mugabe. EUROPE Catalan President to Address Parliament Catalan President Carles Puigdemont will address the region's parliament Tuesday evening amid heightened tensions with Madrid after an October 1 independence referendum favored secession. Analysts speculate Puigdemont may announce a break from Spain (BBC). R. Joseph Huddleston discusses Madrid's response to the Catalan vote in Foreign Affairs. ROMANIA: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has launched a new force in Romania (Reuters) of up to four thousand soldiers, bolstering the nine hundred U.S. troops already there, to counter Russia's growing presence around the Black Sea. AMERICAS Haiti Asks U.S. to Extend Protected Status for Migrants Haiti's ambassador to the United States has requested the country extend temporary protected status by eighteen months (Miami Herald) for sixty thousand Haitians living there. The diplomat cited recent hurricanes and cholera as impeding recovery in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake. This CFR Backgrounder looks at the U.S. immigration debate. COLOMBIA: Colombia has suspended four police officers who fired into a crowd (Guardian) in the country's southwest during protests against coca eradication efforts. The incident left six people dead. UNITED STATES At Least Ten Dead in California Wildfires More than 1,500 homes and businesses were destroyed as wildfires raged across eight counties (NYT) in northern California on Monday, prompting twenty thousand people to evacuate.          Council on Foreign Relations — 58 East 68th Street — New York, NY 10065 CFR does not share email addresses with third parties. Forward This Email | Subscribe to CFR Newsletters | Unsubscribe - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  

From: dailybrief@e.cfr.org

Date: October 10, 2017 at 10:02PM