Welcome back to World Brief, where we’re looking at a landmark fossil fuel commitment at COP28, a lethal ambush on Israeli soldiers, and a deadly Russian missile strike.

Baby Steps

More than 200 countries at the United Nations climate change summit (known as COP28) finalized an agreement on Wednesday that calls for “transitioning away from fossil fuels.” The landmark text is the first such effort to explicitly call for the reduction of oil, gas, and coal use on a global scale.

“Humanity has finally done what is long, long, long overdue,” European Commissioner for Climate Action Wopke Hoekstra said in celebration of the passage of the draft, which took two weeks to craft.

As part of the deal, participating countries are encouraged to stop adding carbon monoxide into the atmosphere by 2050; triple the amount of renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power, by 2030; and slash methane emissions. Each nation will submit a formal proposal over the next two years detailing how it plans to curb greenhouse gases by 2035 based on the agreement’s recommendations.

Despite these historic efforts, many nations believe that the draft did not go far enough to combat global warming. The text itself is not legally binding; there is no enforcement mechanism to compel nations to meet the agreement’s goals and no punishments for those that do not. Still, experts say the COP28 pledges “send an important message to other leaders, companies, and local communities about the future of fossil fuels, trickling down to shape behavior and action,” FP’s Christina Lu reports.

The draft also does not call for a “phaseout” or even “phase-down” of fossil fuels, something that many climate change-vulnerable nations, as well as the European Union, the United States, Australia, and Canada, all argued for. Much of that is due to pushback from major oil producers Saudi Arabia and Iraq, growing economies India and Nigeria, and even COP28’s host, the United Arab Emirates.

This year’s summit saw a record number of fossil fuel lobbyists in attendance, with COP28 President Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber’s own corporation, the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, investing at least $150 billion in drilling over the next five years. Jaber has been accused of using the conference to further oil deals with 15 other nations, which he denies.

Scientists overwhelmingly agree that nations must cut greenhouse gas emissions around 43 percent by 2030 to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (or 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) compared to preindustrial levels. Jaber angered many experts and activists when he falsely claimed this month that there is “no science” that says ending fossil fuel use is necessary to combat global warming. This year has been the hottest year in recorded history, and many climate experts worry that without a strong commitment to fossil fuel reduction, global warming—with all of its deadly consequences—will only worsen.

Today’s Most Read

• Is There Such Thing as a Global South? by C. Raja Mohan
• Russia’s Bank Chief Is Running Her Own PR Campaign by Natalia Antonova
• COP28’s Dramatic but Empty Nuclear Pledge by Ted Nordhaus

What We’re Following

Lethal IED ambush. Palestinian militants killed nine Israeli soldiers, including two senior commanders, during an ambush in a Gaza City suburb on Wednesday, according to the Israeli military. The assault, which involved an improvised explosive device (IED), was one of the deadliest for the Israel Defense Forces since the military launched its ground offensive in Gaza late October, and it demonstrates that Hamas resistance remains strong in the Gaza Strip despite more than two months of intense fighting.

Much of the international community continues to condemn Israel’s attacks on Gaza. On Tuesday, about three-fourths of the U.N. General Assembly voted to approve a nonbinding resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire and calling on Israel to stop alleged indiscriminate strikes on civilians. The 22-nation Arab Group and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation initially proposed the resolution. “How many more thousands of lives must be lost before we do something?” asked General Assembly President Dennis Francis.

Missile assault on Kyiv. An onslaught of Russian missiles wounded at least 53 people in Kyiv on Wednesday. According to Ukrainian officials, Kyiv’s air defenses intercepted all 10 Russian ballistic missiles, but falling debris damaged homes and a children’s hospital. The strike comes just one day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Washington to request more U.S. aid for the war effort but left without securing new commitments.

Tuesday also saw a cyberattack on Ukraine’s largest mobile provider, Kyivstar, which hindered service for millions of people. Although it is still unclear who launched the cyberattack, Ukrainian intelligence said it would investigate Russia’s special services.

Emergency economics. Argentine Economy Minister Luis Caputo announced major fiscal changes on Tuesday that President Javier Milei says are necessary to counter the country’s economic emergency. The shock measures include a 50 percent devaluation of the peso to the U.S. dollar and cuts to the nation’s energy and transportation subsidies. Milei, who was sworn in on Sunday, campaigned heavily on promised economic reforms that aim to decrease the country’s fiscal deficit.

Argentina has battled record-high levels of economic instability for months. Annual inflation currently sits at 143 percent, Buenos Aires owes the International Monetary Fund $45 billion, and around 40 percent of citizens live in poverty. “Argentina is in a profoundly dysfunctional situation, and the last time its monetary policy produced a degree of stability over a long period of time was when it was pegged to the dollar,” FP columnist Adam Tooze said. Milei hopes to combat that with the abolition of the central bank, national privatizations, and a massive currency devaluation.

Odds and Ends

Tokyo will be adding matchmaking skills to its resume come 2024, when the city will help launch and promote an online dating app. With the nation’s capital being home to the country’s largest share of never-married people at age 50, local officials hope to boost declining birthrates and bring a little love into the new year. Start sharpening your cupid arrows now.