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Four New Reports Set Scene for Discussions on Climate Finance at COP27

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Four New Reports Set Scene for Discussions on Climate Finance at COP27

UN Climate Change News, 2 November 2022 – A key Committee dealing with climate finance has published four new reports that will form an important basis for discussions by governments at the UN Climate Change Conference COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh (6–18 November). The reports provide clarity on where the world stands in its efforts to mobilize the billions of dollars needed every year to green economies and build resilience to the inevitable impacts of climate change.

The reports published by the UNFCCC’s Standing Committee on Finance (SCF) build upon the experiences of countries, multilateral development banks, Climate Funds, and the financial community at large.

They provide a comprehensive landscape of climate finance from the perspective of current climate finance flows, progress towards achieving the goal of mobilizing jointly USD 100 billion per year, definitions on climate finance, and efforts aimed at making finance flows consistent with a pathway towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development (work related to Article 2, paragraph 1(c) of the Paris Agreement).

The reports show that while there has been an increase in the overall global climate finance flows, key targets to mobilize climate finance for developing countries have not been met.

At the same time governments and multilateral institutions have been working on methodologies, policies and approaches to improve the implementation of climate finance targets and scale up effectiveness of climate finance from all sources globally.

Here are the key findings of each report:

Fifth Biennial Assessment and Overview of Climate Finance Flows 

This report shows that global climate finance flows were 12 per cent higher in 2019-2020 than the previous biennium, reaching an annual average of USD 803 billion. The increase was mainly driven by more investment in energy efficiency in buildings, investments in electric vehicles and measures to adapt to climate change, such as building new defences against flooding.

Climate finance from developed to developing countries increased between 6 per cent and 17 per cent in 2019-2020, either directly from developed to developing countries, or through climate funds and multilateral development banks.

The report identified that finance for mitigation (cutting greenhouse gas emissions) constitutes the largest share of climate-specific financial support, but the share of adaptation finance continues to increase and grew at a higher rate than mitigation finance. In addition, adaptation finance is predominantly delivered through grants, while public mitigation finance predominantly takes the form of loans.

Meanwhile, ways to track domestic public climate finance are improving in both developed and developing countries.

The report reiterates that a sole focus on positive climate finance flows will be insufficient to meet the overarching purpose and goals of the Paris Agreement, and that finance flows must integrate climate risks into decision-making and avoid increasing the likelihood of negative climate outcomes.

Report on progress towards achieving the goal of mobilizing jointly USD 100 billion per year to address the needs of developing countries in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency of implementation 

The technical report on progress towards mobilizing jointly USD 100 billion per year for consideration by governments at COP27 represents the first effort of its kind undertaken by the SCF and looked at progress across three dimensions of the goal: a) the finance flows for USD 100 billion, b) how the needs of developing countries are being addressed, and c) progress on the context of meaningful mitigation action and transparency of implementation.

The report confirmed the goal was not met in 2020. It also identified the role of international public climate finance as critical in the face of the current economic challenges in developing countries due to extreme weather, food and energy crises.

Furthermore, the report identifies the need to overcome capacity gaps in building project pipelines in developing countries, for example through country platforms and investment plans outlined in national climate action plans (Nationally Determined Contributions, or ‘NDCs’), and the importance to scale up access to climate finance and innovative instruments such as sovereign guarantees.

Work on definitions of climate finance 

This work was based on 18 submissions received from Parties and 4 submissions from non-Party stakeholders. It highlights how views on definitions can differ in three areas: a) what climate-related activities should be financed; b) how finance should be accounted for; and c) which actors should be included.

It finds that different definitions are used for specific purposes such as tracking global climate finance, tracking finance from developed to developing countries, or tracking finance in government budgets.

Work relating to Article 2, paragraph 1(c) of the Paris Agreement (making finance flows consistent with a pathway towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development) 

In this work, the SCF identified ways of achieving the goal in Article 2, paragraph 1(c), of the Paris Agreement based on 14 submissions received from Parties and non-Party stakeholders. It identified the type of finance and actors that might be relevant to the goal, in particular asset managers and banks, as well as some ways that Parties could continue to work on this topic.

The SCF also mapped out updated information relevant to the goal. For example, there has been a 16 per cent increase in the number of policy and regulatory measures on green finance since the end of 2020, and a number of new collective initiatives for the financial sector have been established operating under the Race to Zero and the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ). While there has been a rise in engagement of public sector financial institutions in developing countries in these initiatives, more participation from private financial institutions in developing countries is important for initiatives in the private sector.

Next steps for the consideration of the reports

At COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, the work of the SCF will be launched at a side event on 10 November and will inform the negotiations on finance-related agenda items as well as the high-level ministerial dialogues on the new collective quantified goal on climate finance (on 9 November) and on climate finance (on 14 November).

About the Standing Committee on Finance (SCF)

The Standing Committee on Finance (SCF) is made up of 20 climate finance experts and presided over by two Co-Chairs. The Committee assists the Conference of the Parties (COP) in exercising its functions in relation to the Financial Mechanism of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. This involves: improving coherence and coordination in the delivery of climate change financing, rationalization of the Financial Mechanism, mobilization of financial resources, and measurement, reporting and verification of support provided to developing country Parties. More information on the committee can be found here.

LINKS TO REPORTS

The Fifth Biennial Assessment and Overview of Climate Finance Flows  can be found here.

The Report on progress towards achieving the goal of mobilizing jointly USD 100 billion per year to address the needs of developing countries in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency of implementation can be found here.

Work on definitions of climate finance can be found here.

Work relating to Article 2, paragraph 1(c) of the Paris Agreement (making finance flows consistent with a pathway towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development) can be found here and here.

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Lawsuit can proceed against Kenosha shooter Kyle Rittenhouse

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Lawsuit can proceed against Kenosha shooter Kyle Rittenhouse

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A federal judge in Wisconsin ruled Wednesday that a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the father of a man shot and killed by Kyle Rittenhouse during a protest in 2020 can proceed against Rittenhouse, police officers and others.

The father of Anthony Huber, one of two men shot and killed by Rittenhouse, filed the lawsuit in 2021, accusing officers of allowing for a dangerous situation that violated his son’s constitutional rights and resulted in his death. Anthony Huber’s father, John Huber, also alleged that Rittenhouse, who was 17 at the time of the shootings, conspired with law enforcement to cause harm to protestors. John Huber is seeking unspecified damages from city officials, officers and Rittenhouse.

U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman on Wednesday dismissed motions filed by Rittenhouse and the government defendants seeking to dismiss the civil rights lawsuit.

In allowing the case against Rittenhouse and the others to proceed, the judge said that Anthony Huber’s death “could plausibly be regarded as having been proximately caused by the actions of the governmental defendants.”

Rittenhouse attorney Shane Martin said in a phone interview that it’s important to note the ruling doesn’t address the merits of the case, it only allows it to proceed to the next phase.

“While we respect the judge’s decision, we do not believe there is any evidence of a conspiracy and we are confident, just as a Kenosha jury found, Kyle’s actions that evening were not wrongful and were undertaken in self defense,” Martin said.

Attorneys and private investigators for John Huber spent over 100 hours trying to locate Rittenhouse, tracking down addresses in seven states before they found the home of his mother and sister in Florida. The lawsuit was served on Rittenhouse’s sister, who said that he wasn’t home. Adelman said that was sufficient to qualify as being served.

Rittenhouse had argued that the case against him should be dismissed because he wasn’t properly served with the lawsuit. Adelman dismissed that, saying that Rittenhouse “is almost certainly evading service.”

“Rittenhouse has been deliberately cagey about his whereabouts,” Adelman wrote. “Although he denies living in Florida, he does not identify the place that he deems to be his residence.”

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Attorneys for the law enforcement and government officials being sued did not immediately return emailed messages seeking comment.

The ruling puts Anthony Huber’s family “one step closer to justice for their son’s needless death,” said Anand Swaminathan, one of the attorneys for parents John Huber and Karen Bloom.

“The Kenosha officials that created a powder keg situation by their actions tried to claim that they cannot be held accountable for their unconstitutional conduct; that argument was soundly rejected today,” Swaminathan said in a statement.

Rittenhouse was charged with homicide, attempted homicide and reckless endangering for killing Anthony Huber and Joseph Rosenbaum and wounding a third person with an AR-style semi-automatic rifle in the summer of 2020 during a tumultuous night of protests over the shooting of a Black man, Jacob Blake, by a white Kenosha police officer.

Rittenhouse was acquitted of all charges in November 2021 after testifying he acted in self-defense. Rittenhouse’s actions became a flashpoint in the debate over guns, vigilantism and racial injustice in the U.S.

Rittenhouse went to Kenosha from his home in nearby Antioch, Illinois, after businesses were ransacked and burned in the nights that followed Blake’s shooting. He joined other armed civilians on the streets, carrying a weapon authorities said was illegally purchased for him because he was underage.

Rittenhouse first killed Rosenbaum, 36, in the parking lot of an auto dealership and as Rittenhouse ran from the scene he stumbled and fell. Anthony Huber, 26, struck Rittenhouse with his skateboard and tried to disarm him. Rittenhouse fell to the ground and shot Anthony Huber to death and wounded demonstrator Gaige Grosskreutz, 27.

This case is one of several ongoing civil lawsuits filed in the wake of the shootings. Grosskreutz last year filed a similar lawsuit against Rittenhouse.

Rittenhouse has maintained a high public profile, particularly on social media, where he is an outspoken advocate for gun rights. He has nearly 1 million followers on Twitter and has spoken at conservative gatherings.

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“Let’s Go Brandon” What does it mean

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"Let's Go Brandon" What does it mean

In recent times, the phrase “Let’s Go Brandon” has become quite popular, especially in the United States. It has been used in various contexts, from sports events to political rallies. But what does it actually mean, and how did it become so ubiquitous? In this article, we will explore the origins and significance of the “Let’s Go Brandon” meme.

The phrase “Let’s Go Brandon” first gained national attention during a post-race interview in October 2021 at the NASCAR Xfinity Series race in Alabama. The winner of the race, Brandon Brown, was being interviewed by a reporter from NBC News. In the background, the crowd began to chant “F*** Joe Biden” – a profanity-laced slogan that has become popular among some conservative Americans who are critical of the current President. The reporter, realizing the nature of the chant, attempted to interpret it as “Let’s Go Brandon,” perhaps to sanitize the language for the television audience.

The moment was captured on video and quickly went viral on social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram. Soon after, “Let’s Go Brandon” became a catchphrase among those who opposed Joe Biden and his administration’s policies. The meme has been used in various ways, from t-shirts to hashtags on social media, and has become a symbol of dissent against the President.

So why has “Let’s Go Brandon” caught on so quickly and become such a significant meme? Part of the reason may be its ambiguity. While some people use the phrase explicitly to criticize President Biden, others use it more ironically or humorously, as a way to poke fun at the original misinterpretation. The phrase has become a kind of cultural shorthand, allowing people to signal their political beliefs without necessarily spelling them out in explicit terms.

Another reason for the meme’s popularity may be its simplicity. “Let’s Go Brandon” is easy to remember and easy to say, making it easy to spread through social media and other channels. Additionally, the meme’s lack of specificity means that it can be used in a wide range of contexts, from political rallies to sporting events.

Of course, like any political meme, “Let’s Go Brandon” has also generated controversy. Some have criticized the phrase as disrespectful or vulgar, while others have pointed out that it is a clear example of the kind of polarization and divisiveness that is currently plaguing American politics. However, regardless of one’s opinion on the meme, it is clear that “Let’s Go Brandon” has become a significant cultural phenomenon, one that reflects the current state of American politics and society.

In conclusion, “Let’s Go Brandon” is a political meme that has become popular in the United States as a way for people to signal their political beliefs, particularly those critical of President Biden. The phrase’s origins lie in a misinterpretation of a profanity-laced chant at a NASCAR race, but it has since taken on a life of its own, spreading through social media and other channels. While the meme is controversial and divisive, it is also an intriguing cultural phenomenon that sheds light on the current state of American politics and society.

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Six Reasons Why Your Business Needs a Secure Web Gateway

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Six Reasons Why Your Business Needs a Secure Web Gateway

A secure web gateway is essential to any security strategy for your business. It enables organizations to protect employees from online threats while also increasing productivity.

A secure web gateway inspects incoming traffic and checks it against its allowed list, allowing only approved sites to pass. It can also prevent data exfiltration, which occurs when unauthorized information leaves an organization’s site.

Increased Security

Whether you are protecting your company’s internal network, data, or reputation, secure web gateways like those from Versa Networks are necessary. They provide a first defense against malware, ransomware, and other threats.

They can also help prevent data exfiltration, preventing unauthorized information from leaving your network and harming your business.

A secure web gateway acts as an intermediary between your users and the Internet, inspecting each request before allowing it to pass through. It can be software or hardware-based, or cloud-based.

It works similarly to firewalls. They use rules and traffic inspection to identify threats.

Reduced Risk of Data Breach

One of the most significant benefits of having secure web gateway is that it can reduce your risk of a data breach. These gateways are designed to stop hackers from accessing your network and potentially leaking sensitive information, such as credit card numbers or personal information, out into the open.

A secure web gateway (SWG) firewall filters internet traffic at the application level and prevents users from accessing malicious websites and links. These gateways inspect and filter traffic in real-time.

As web traffic passes through the secure web gateway, it’s analyzed and blocked based on policies. This includes URL filtering, advanced machine learning, anti-virus scanning, sandboxing, and data loss prevention. In addition, SWGs often incorporate cloud access security brokers (CASB) and other integrated technologies to improve threat detection and control.

Increased Productivity

A secure web gateway provides an organization real-time web traffic monitoring to ensure it complies with security policies. Using a URL category database, the SWG can determine whether to allow or block content based on company policy.

Another critical feature of SWGs is the ability to decrypt SSL and TLS data before sending it to a user or web server. This allows for a thorough traffic inspection, detecting and preventing malware.

In addition, a secure web gateway can also detect and limit applications employees are accessing to improve productivity and network performance. This can include social networking, instant messaging, and file uploads.

Better Customer Service

A secure web gateway is a virtual proxy between your organization and the Internet that acts as a firewall, a web filter and a content-blocking snooper. It can be a hardware, software or virtual appliance.

Aside from protecting you from phishing and malware, an SWG can also improve employee productivity by giving your team granular control over the websites their employees access. For example, you can restrict users from accessing adult content or prevent employees from spending their work hours on social media.

A secureeb gateway can be found in many forms, including a cloud-based solution that uses the latest encryption technologies like SSL and HTTPS to protect your organization from cyber-attacks. It also has the most powerful content-blocking features to guard against malicious sites and applications. The best part? The gateway can be deployed anywhere and in any configuration to fit your unique needs.

Increased Revenue

If your business sells products online, a secure web gateway can help you increase revenue by reducing the number of transactions your customers need to make. Instead of charging your clients a higher fee each time they purchase, you can only charge them a small percentage.

SWGs can also protect data against malware and other types of security threats circulating on the Internet. Because they inspect all incoming data before passing it on to users, they can prevent many phishing attacks and other types of malware from getting into your network.

This includes enabling them to block threats from popular social networks and instant messaging applications. Those features are essential in sectors such as government, healthcare and retail, where data is often sensitive, and many trusts rely on social media interactions.

Reduced Costs

A secure web gateway (SWG) reduces costs by keeping user devices and access to sensitive data protected from malicious attacks. This helps ensure employee productivity and the integrity of company information.

SWGs can be deployed as software, cloud-based services or physical appliances positioned at the edge of your network. They inspect real-time traffic to ensure it aligns with your security policies.

For example, if you don’t want employees accessing adult content while on your network, an SWG can enforce your policy.

SWGs categorize incoming web traffic, including HTTPS and application names, to enable the enforcement of regulatory requirements like the payment card industry data security standard (PCI) and the European Union’s general data protection regulation (GDPR). This granular control allows you to apply policies to specific data per compliance requirements.

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