Well, that was quite the week – and this week promises to be just as busy. But before we look ahead, let’s reflect on exactly what happened last week, and what it all means.

Looking Back:

COP29:

The outcome? A deal! Was it a good deal? Well, that probably depends on your view of the issue, and where in the world you call home.

Climate summit ends with a long-fought deal — and a lot of anger

Here’s a bit more on COP29:

  • What goes into creating such a complex and important international agreement? The Financial Times breaks it down.

Climate COPs and the art of the deal 

  • One outcome of COP29 is creating a larger role for culture and the arts in climate solution-making. Will this strategy work? Some have doubts.

Nations at Cop29 have emphasised the role culture can play in climate recovery – as a playwright, I’m sceptical

  • With COP16 (biodiversity) and COP29 (climate) in the books, where to from here? Well, according to one analysis, the two interlinked issues are increasingly on a collision course…with each other.

The climate and biodiversity crises are entwined, but we risk pitting one against the other

G20:

Right, that also happened last week! Remember how we wondered if the international meeting of influential leaders might get derailed by ever-changing current events and global conflicts? Well…

The pre-Trump G20 and the patron saint of lost causes

Here’s a bit more on why people are worried about a destabilized world:

  • Substack journalist Paul Wells has an excellent podcast with two global thinkers that we highly recommend.

Democracy Under Threat: Anne Applebaum, Timothy Snyder

  • And lest you think Canada can’t influence international affairs, understand a bit more about our history on the world stage and what the future might hold for our relationship with our American neighbours. That’s right, it’s another excellent Paul Wells podcast, this time with the Canadian War Museum’s Chief Historian Tim Cook:

Historian Tim Cook on the Canada-US Alliance

Looking Ahead:

What’s on tap for this week?

Nova Scotia Election:

You lucky students in Nova Scotia: it’s your time in the sun! Well, not the actual sun; it looks like a pretty rough weather week for y’all. We were, of course, referring to the electoral sun, which promises to shine brightly! Your mighty maritime province, after all, heads to the polls tomorrow – Tuesday the 26th – to decide who will govern the province over the next several years. What are the polls saying, you ask?

Abacus Data Poll: Nova Scotia PCs headed for landslide win bucking anti-incumbency trend.

Even if the election result looks to be a foregone conclusion, we’ll be here to breakdown the election for you in real-time, just like we did for students in BC, New Brunswick, and Saskatchewan earlier this fall.

Join us on TikTok tomorrow night, won’t you?

COP1 (Maybe):

Another UN summit?! 😶 Yes! (How many of these things do they have?!) (Spoiler: a lot!)

This time, the world is gathering to discuss plastics pollution and is attempting to create an international treaty to curb the problem. If they succeed? We’ll be granted a Conference of the Parties (COP) name and numbering system. How much fun will that be?! Okay, maybe not so much fun, especially as hope for a plastics treaty is already on the rocks and the talks haven’t even started yet. (Actually, that sounds very COP-ish, doesn’t it?)

Want to learn more? Start here:

UN wants to end world’s plastic addiction. 5 things could derail it.

Before You Go:

Here are a couple of other stories that we think are worth your attention, as they offer new opinions on ideas we’ve been covering in your classes:

  • Do we need a new peer review system?

The peer review system no longer works to guarantee academic rigour – a different approach is needed

  • By killing wolves to save caribou (a strategy that is working, by the way), have we accidentally opened Pandora’s box?

Is BC’s Wolf Cull Setting the Stage for a Disaster?

  • How do we weigh the opinions of experts when making decisions in the era of expertise?

Strategy in an Era of Abundant Expertise

  • You know how we keep talking about the importance of happiness? Well, a new study says we’re on to something!

The future looks bright: Study shows optimistic youth lead healthier lives

Now you’re set for the week ahead. Back to class!

Nature Labs