BARACK OBAMA:The one planet we’ve got

 

Hi there, Five years ago this week, the Paris Climate Accord went into effect. The agreement in Paris was the culmination of a project that stretched across my two terms in office: to create a strong global framework that would help protect our planet for future generations.    To mark the anniversary, I hope you’ll take a moment to learn about how the Paris Climate Accord came to life, and read the reflections of some of the members of my team who helped make it happen. We’ve always known that the Paris Climate Accord was not enough to solve the climate crisis. But the agreement created a new framework for international cooperation that makes further global progress possible.  As we continue to experience the effects of the climate crisis in our daily lives—more severe storms, raging wildfires, record-setting droughts—it can be easy to feel powerless. But what gives me hope is the passion and will of ordinary people pushing those in power to do the right thing before it’s too late.  That’s why my Foundation is committed to inspiring, empowering, and training the next generation of leaders, including those on the front lines of this fight.   We have no time to lose.  —Barack  Donate to empower rising leaders bringing hope to their communities. DONATE

Κοινή συνέντευξη Τύπου Ελληνα Πρωθουργού ,με την Καγκελάριο Angela Merkel

Τοποθετήσεις του Πρωθυπουργού Κυριάκου Μητσοτάκη κατά την κοινή συνέντευξη Τύπου με την Καγκελάριο της Γερμανίας Angela Merkel στο Μέγαρο Μα...29 Οκτωβρίου 2021


Πρόγραμμα του Πρωθυπουργού Κυριάκου Μητσοτάκη για σήμερα, Παρασκευή 29 Οκτωβρίου
28 Οκτωβρίου 2021
Ο Πρωθυπουργός Κυριάκος Μητσοτάκης θα συναντηθεί στις 10.50 το πρωί στο Μέγαρο Μαξίμου με την Καγκελάριο της Γερμανίας Angela Merkel. Μετά τη συνάντηση, θα ακολουθήσουν δηλώσεις στον Τύπο.

COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,update

Friday 29 October 2021
● Council of the EU
29/10/2021 15:15 | Press release |
Council approves 2020 climate finance figure

In 2020, €23.39 billion1 in climate finance was committed by the European Union and its 27 member states to support developing countries in reducing their greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to the impacts of climate change. This figure was approved by the Council today, in preparation for the United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), which will take place from 31 October to 12 November in Glasgow. The figure is based on new, more detailed EU climate finance reporting rules.2

In 2020, €23.39 billion1 in climate finance was committed by the European Union and its 27 member states to support developing countries in reducing their greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to the impacts of climate change. This figure was approved by the Council today, in preparation for the United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), which will take place from 31 October to 12 November in Glasgow. The figure is based on new, more detailed EU climate finance reporting rules.2

In 2020, close to 50% of the funding for developing countries was dedicated to either climate adaptation or cross-cutting action (involving both climate change mitigation and adaptation initiatives) and close to half of the total funding was committed in the form of grants, according to data compiled by the European Commission.

The EU and its member states are determined to continue scaling up their international climate finance towards the developed countries' collective goal of mobilising USD 100 billion per year, applicable through to 2025. They have recently made concrete pledges to enhance their contributions in the coming years as part of a climate finance ‘delivery plan’ that donor countries published on 25 October 2021.*

International public climate finance plays an important role in helping developing countries to implement the 2015 Paris climate change agreement.

1 Climate finance from public budgets includes EUR 2.5 billion from the EU budget and European Development Fund and EUR 2.7 billion from the European Investment Bank. The overall figure is calculated on the basis of commitments made for bilateral and multilateral support. As this represents a change compared to past reporting methodology, this year’s figure cannot be compared directly with figures reported in previous years. As certain commitments cover a multi-annual period, reported annual amounts may fluctuate over time.

2 EU Member States have, this year, reported data on commitments pursuant to Article 19.3 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2018 (‘Governance Regulation’) and Article 6 and Annexes III-V of Commission Implementing Regulation 2020/1208.
* COP26 - Climate finance delivery plan: meeting the US$100 billion goal
Council conclusions on climate finance, 5 October 2021
Addendum to the Council conclusions on climate finance

● Council of the EU
29/10/2021 12:46 | Press release |

COVID-19: Council adds Argentina, Colombia, Namibia and Peru to the list of countries for which travel restrictions should be lifted
Following a review under the recommendation on the gradual lifting of the temporary restrictions on non-essential travel into the EU, the Council updated the list of countries, special administrative regions and other entities and territorial authorities for which travel restrictions should be lifted. In particular, Argentina, Colombia, Namibia and Peru were added to the list.

Non-essential travel to the EU from countries or entities not listed in Annex I is subject to temporary travel restriction. This is without prejudice to the possibility for member states to lift the temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the EU for fully vaccinated travellers.

As stipulated in the Council recommendation, this list will continue to be reviewed every two weeks and, as the case may be, updated.

Based on the criteria and conditions set out in the recommendation, as from 28 October 2021 member states should gradually lift the travel restrictions at the external borders for residents of the following third countries:
Argentina (new)
Australia
Bahrain
Canada
Chile
Colombia (new)
Jordan
Kuwait
Namibia (new)
New Zealand
Peru (new)
Qatar
Rwanda
Saudi Arabia
Singapore
South Korea
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
Uruguay
China, subject to confirmation of reciprocity

Travel restrictions should also be gradually lifted for the special administrative regions of China Hong Kong and Macao.

Under the category of entities and territorial authorities that are not recognised as states by at least one member state, travel restrictions for Taiwan should also be gradually lifted.

Residents of Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican should be considered as EU residents for the purpose of this recommendation.

The criteria to determine the third countries for which the current travel restriction should be lifted were updated on 20 May 2021. They cover the epidemiological situation and overall response to COVID-19, as well as the reliability of the available information and data sources. Reciprocity should also be taken into account on a case by case basis.

Schengen associated countries (Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway, Switzerland) also take part in this recommendation.

AΘ.ΜΠΟΥΡΑΣ:Υπεγράφη η Απόφαση «Ανέγερση 4ου Δημοτικού σχολείου Μεγαρέων»

ΒΟΥΛΗ ΤΩΝ ΕΛΛΗΝΩΝ
ΑΘΑΝΑΣΙΟΣ ΜΠΟΥΡΑΣ
Αντιπρόεδρος
Βουλευτής Δυτικής Αττικής – ΝΕΑ ΔΗΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΑ

Αθήνα, 29.10.2021 

Υπεγράφη από τον Αναπληρωτή Υπουργό Εσωτερικών, Στυλιανό Πέτσα, η Απόφαση ένταξης του έργου με τίτλο «Ανέγερση 4ου Δημοτικού σχολείου Μεγαρέων» στον Άξονα «Παιδεία, Πολιτισμός, Τουρισμός και Αθλητισμός», του Προγράμματος «ΑΝΤΩΝΗΣ ΤΡΙΤΣΗΣ» (επισυνάπτεται).

Η χρηματοδότηση του έργου πραγματοποιείται μέσω επενδυτικού δανείου που χορηγείται από το Ταμείο Παρακαταθηκών και Δανείων, συνομολογείται με δανειακή σύμβαση μεταξύ του Κύριου του Έργου και του Ταμείου Παρακαταθηκών και Δανείων και αποπληρώνεται από πόρους του Προγράμματος Δημοσίων Επενδύσεων (ΠΔΕ) του Υπουργείου Εσωτερικών.

Ο κ. Μπούρας, με ιδιαίτερη ικανοποίηση χαιρετίζει αυτή τη θετική εξέλιξη, έχοντας πάντα την πεποίθηση, ότι οι βελτιώσεις σε δομές στο εκπαιδευτικό σύστημα είναι αναγκαία προϋπόθεση για την αναβάθμιση της ποιότητας της παρεχόμενης εκπαίδευσης.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Βουλή των Ελλήνων, 100 21 Αθήνα-τηλ.:2103708401-2, fax: 2103707888

Θεμιστοκλέους 3, 10677 Αθήνα, Τηλ.: 210 3303066, Φαξ: 210 3301970

e-mail: vice.president_c@parliament.gr, bouras@parliament.gr

IMF:G20 Summit | COP26 | Global Data | India | Sub-Saharan Africa | Supply Chains

 

Dear maria, Welcome to the Weekend Read! In today's edition we focus on an agenda for G20 leaders, the start of COP26, the role of the IMF in battling climate change, the need for a global approach to data in the digital age, India's outlook, sub-Saharan Africa's winding road, inflation expectations, and much more.  G20 Summit (PHOTO: REMO CASILLI/REUTERS/NEWSCOM) The G20's Urgent To-do List Ahead of the G20 leaders summit in Rome this weekend, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva laid out three big tasks the G20 can undertake to help drive a more durable and equitable recovery: End the pandemic by closing financing gaps and sharing vaccine doses. Help developing countries cope financially. Commit to a comprehensive package to reach net-zero carbon emissions by mid-century. Read the Blog Read the IMF Report to the G20 COP26 COP26: Building Support for Climate Action  The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) starts next week in Glasgow, Scotland. Climate change presents a major threat to people's lives and to countries' long-term growth and prosperity, and it has a direct impact on the economic well-being of all countries. The IMF has an important role to play, helping its members address climate change through fiscal and macroeconomic policies. Visit our new "Countdown to COP26" website to find out more about how the IMF is addressing the challenge of climate change.   Did you also know that the latest, climate-themed issue of Finance & Development Magazine was produced in conjunction with COP 26? Read the Full September Finance & Development Issue on Climate F&D Magazine F&D: Climate Cooperation On the eve of COP26, it's worth noting how the IMF is putting climate change at the heart of its work with member countries. In the latest issue of Finance & Development Magazine, produced in conjunction with COP26, the IMF's Eddie Buckley explains how the Fund is approaching climate work in five key areas.  Read the full article on the web or download a PDF. Read the Full September Finance & Development Issue Want to get a print copy delivered to your home or office? Click here. Global Data A Global Approach to the Data in the Digital Age Data is the ultimate portable good, but moving it across borders requires countries to have coherent policies that build trust. Without global principles for managing data, we could face deepening digital fault lines between nations, as massive data pools become increasingly isolated. This would be especially costly for smaller and lower-income countries, the IMF's Vikram Haksar, Yan Carrière-Swallow, Kathleen Kao, and Gabriel Quirós-Romero write in a new blog. As part of a new staff paper, the authors make a case for common global principles, such as a common understanding of definitions in government rules to protect personal privacy. Read the Blog Read the Staff Paper (Photo: iStock by Getty images/BDphoto)   MF Podcast: India's Outlook In our latest podcast, Luis Breuer, IMF Senior Representative to India, Nepal and Bhutan, says India is recovering thanks to its response and scaled-up vaccine production but the pandemic is still clouding the country's outlook. (Photo: peeterv by Getty Images)   Africa at a Crucial Point Sub-Saharan Africa is set to grow by 3.7 percent in 2021. This welcomed rebound is relatively modest by global standards, leading to a widening income disparity with developed economies. A new Country Focus article tells the story of the forecast for the region in seven charts.  (Photo: IMF Photo/Lisa Marie David)   Resurgence and Recovery A resurgent virus is keeping Asia's recovery slower than it should be, IMF Asia and Pacific Department Director Changyong Rhee writes in an op-ed this week. Policymakers should carefully navigate the uncertainties and adjust their policy responses accordingly. Quote of the Week “Making sure that there is much more improved access to vaccines … is going to be important to putting this pandemic behind us and look forward to an economic recovery.”   —IMF African Department Director Abebe Aemro Selassie in an interview on CGTN America's "The Heat" WEEKLY ROUND-UPΙ 01. Caution over Inflation Dynamics "We need to be very watchful about what is happening with inflation," IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said this week on CNBC's "Closing Bell." She said supply and demand mismatches combined with supply-side disruption is putting upward pressure on prices. "We expect this pressure to continue all the way until mid-next year, maybe all the way to end of 2022," she said in a wide-ranging interview that also discussed climate change and carbon taxes. 02. Regional Economic Outlook: Caucasus and Central Asia “There are opportunities to move the region from being a corridor to a platform in terms of trade and the global value chain,” Jihad Azour, Director, Middle East and Central Asia Department, said in a panel discussion this week on the outlook for the Caucasus and Central Asia. The event on the IMF's recently released Regional Economic Outlook for the Caucasus and Central Asia featured Martin Galstyan, Governor of the Central Bank of Armenia; Murat Koshenov, Deputy Chairman, Halyk Bank; and Johannes F. Linn, Non-Resident Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution. The panel covered everything from policies to accelerate growth and safeguard financial stability to the forces that could undermine the fragile recovery. Watch the Discussion 03. Strengthening the Credibility of Public Finances Raphael Espinoza of the IMF’s Fiscal Affairs Department presented key findings of the latest Fiscal Monitor at an October 28 seminar organized by the Centre for Policy Research and the Graduate Institute of Geneva. Espinoza says that the debt accumulated by countries during the pandemic has created difficult policy tradeoffs. But these tradeoffs are easier to manage when countries have sound public finances, with a credible set of rules and institutions to guide them. The seminar was moderated by CEPR’s Beatrice Weder di Mauro and also featured Giancarlo Corsetti of the University of Cambridge. Watch the event. 03. Stronger Economic Foundations IMF Deputy Managing Director Antoinette M. Sayeh chaired a Capacity Development Dialogue with about 20 development partners of the IMF on October 28, focusing on how to regain momentum towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), foster an inclusive recovery, strengthen resilience, and build a sustainable foundation for long-term growth. Vitor Gaspar, Director of the Fiscal Affairs Department; Rhoda Weeks-Brown, General Counsel and Director of the Legal Department; and Roger Nord, Deputy Director of the Institute for Capacity Development, also joined the event. Get a longer recap here.   MARK YOUR CALENDARS 01. The IMF's Annual Research Conference The International Monetary Fund will hold its 22nd Jacques Polak Annual Research Conference virtually on November 4-5, 2021. The conference will focus on strategies to bring about a resilient recovery by boosting growth and reducing inequality across and within countries. Some highlights include a conversation between IMF Chief Economist Gita Gopinath and Raghuram Rajan of the University of Chicago on vaccines and divergence and the Mundell-Fleming Lecture by Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas of the University of California-Berkley. 02. Tax Avoidance in Africa's Mining Sector The IMF is hosting a high-level panel discussion on Friday, November 5 at 8 a.m. ET on tax avoidance in sub-Saharan Africa’s mining sector. The event, moderated by IMF Deputy Managing Director Antoinette M. Sayeh, will feature Ipumbu Shiimi, Minister of Finance of Namibia; Lassané Kaboré, Minister of Economy, Finance and Development of Burkina Faso; Tom Butler, former CEO of the International Council on Mining and Metals; and Léonce Ndikumana, a member of the Independent Commission for the Reform of International Taxation. The panel will discuss the importance of mining in sub-Saharan Africa, the role of multinational enterprises (MNEs), and how mining needs to contribute to financing public spending and economic recovery. The panel will also examine new evidence from an IMF departmental paper. Watch the event live. Chart of the Week Our latest chart of the week blog by the IMF's Parisa Kamali and Alex (Shiyao) Wang shows suppliers’ delivery times in the United States and the European Union have hit record highs since late 2020 (the data goes back to 2007). The recent sharp drop in the delivery times index reflects surging demand, widespread supply constraints, or a combination of both. During such times, suppliers usually have greater pricing power, causing a rise in prices. Adam Behsudi Editor IMF Weekend Read abehsudi@IMF.org   P.S. As COP26 starts next week, make sure to read our latest, climate-themed issue of Finance & Development Magazine produced in conjunction with COP26.