Welcome to the weekly world briefing, a Tuesday feature to help you stay up to date with major happenings around the globe. Here, we dive into some of the world’s biggest issues and how they affect travelers. Is there something you think should be added to the next briefing? Tell us on Twitter.
In Buenos Aires…
Last week, leaders from the G20 nations met to discuss trade, climate change, migration, and international order. Reforming the World Trade Organization (WTO) dominated the talks. U.S. President Donald Trump used the summit to demand changes to international trade laws, which he believes currently favor China. After an all-night session, leaders emerged with a communiqué that recognized the WTO’s flaws. The U.S., which recently imposed tariffs on many Chinese goods, successfully kept any mention of “protectionism” out of the statement. However, the following statement was included against the wishes of the United States: “We renew our commitment to work together to improve a rules-based international order that is capable of effectively responding to a rapidly changing world.” The U.S. government rejects the term “rules-based” as it believes the rules are skewed against the country. Though the statement is non-binding, it will be used as a stepping stone in negotiations to reform the WTO.
The G20 was established in 1999 to promote international financial stability. Comprised of 19 countries with large economies plus the European Union, the group gained prominence during the 2008 world financial crisis. Since 2011, the group has met annually to guide international cooperation on broad economic issues. This year’s summit focused on the WTO, an organization founded in 1995 to regulate trade between participating countries. The organization has generally been successful in its mission of boosting trade. In 2001, China was granted access to the organization under the conditions that it open up sectors of its economy to foreign investment and reduce tariffs. In recent years, the U.S. has argued that China has not followed through on all its obligations. The U.S. has also accused China of manipulating its currency to gain an unfair advantage in trade. The Trump administration has acted by imposing tariffs on Chinese goods. Since the WTO promotes open trade, it has criticized the U.S. response.
In addition to trade, the G20 leaders (with the exception of the United States) reaffirmed their commitment to fighting climate change through the Paris Climate Agreement. New leaders were introduced, including Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison by German Chancellor Angela Merkel (who was caught using a cheat sheet). Tensions between nations were on display as several leaders confronted Russian President Vladimir Putin for his recent seizure of Ukranian ships. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman, who is accused of orchestrating the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, was generally avoided. However, the summit proved that international cooperation is still a priority to the world’s economic powers. That bodes well not only for trade, but also for peace, climate action, and travel.
Worldwide…
In 2016, oil prices fell to below $30 per barrel as a result of extremely high worldwide production. Since then, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has taken steps to reduce production to drive up prices. For instance, the organization entered an agreement with non-member Russia to curb production. Yet OPEC is still struggling to manage output and prices are still relatively low (oil was $60/barrel at the end of November). Low oil prices are a problem for many member states. Venezuela’s recent economic downturn can be partially blamed on falling oil prices, and Saudi Arabia claims oil must be traded at $73 per barrel to balance its budget. OPEC received more bad news on Monday when Qatar announced its departure. Qatar produces a relatively small amount of oil, but the move is still evidence of OPEC’s waning influence.
And oil production does not seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Thanks to an amendment slipped into last December’s tax bill, a large swath of untouched land in Alaska may be open to drilling within the decade. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is the size of South Carolina, and it could be sitting on 10 billion barrels of oil. It has been protected since 1960 with repeated efforts to drill thwarted by environmentalists and Democrats. Now, environmental evaluations are being fast-tracked to ensure the project is well-established before the 2020 elections, though drilling is still a long way off. Some worry that the seismic testing, which could occur as early as 2019, could negatively affect animals such as polar bears. The area’s polar bear population has already declined by 40 percent.
Though most Alaskans are in favor of drilling, oil spills are a concern. Alaska is familiar with one of the worst oil spills in history, and they are a common occurrence worldwide. Last week 8,000 barrels of oil were spilled in the Amazon after indigenous Peruvians cut a pipeline and prevented repair work. They were protesting local election irregularities. Since 2016, over 20,000 barrels have been spilled in the region due to attacks and regular leaks.
While oil continues to be produced at high levels, world leaders are meeting in Poland for the next two weeks to discuss how to reverse that trend. COP24, the 24th annual UN convention on climate change, is taking place Katowice, Poland. The city is lauded for its transformation from a mining town to green hub. The convention is expected to focus on meeting the requirements of the Paris Climate Agreement with recent daunting climate reports on the forefront of people’s minds. Opening statements highlighted the urgency of the issue.
Our Take: As we have mentioned in this briefing before, individual contributions to climate change pale in comparison to corporate emitters. But, there are ways to reduce your carbon footprint. As a traveler, the best way is to condense your trips. Air travel is a major contributor to global warming. If you are able, stretch your time off work and visit several locations in one visit abroad instead of going back and forth. And take advantage of public transport and clean transportation wherever you go.
In Mexico…
On Saturday, Andrés Manuel López Obrador was sworn in as president in Mexico, after winning 53 percent of the vote in a three-way race in July. He is the first leftist president in the country in more than 30 years. His presidency comes at a tense time for Mexico, which is both tied to and conflicted with the United States in many ways.
Obrador has spoken against free market, pro-trade policies, saying they’re partly to blame for income inequality. Jesús Silva-Herzog Márquez, a political scientist who teaches at the Tecnologico de Monterrey University, told the Washington post that Obrador’s mindset is “a historic, very important change for Mexico, and it’s very healthy in a country with the grotesque inequalities that we have.”
Obrador plans to sell the presidential jet and travel with commercial airlines, and he arrived to his inauguration in his own car. The Mexican White House was open to the public as a new park, which caused one resident to say, “I feel like I’m dreaming. We are poor people staring at these beautiful things for the first time.”
On Monday, he created a truth commission to investigate the 2014 disappearance of 43 students (many from Mexico’s poorest areas) that has come to symbolize the tens of thousands of others who have disappeared during Mexico’s drug war.
One of Obrador’s biggest and most immediate challenges is the immigration crisis on the U.S.-Mexico border. A new Remain in Mexico plan could keep migrants in Mexico while they wait for a decision on asylum in the U.S. President Trump has fueled tensions between the two countries by threatening to build a wall, making false claims about Mexican immigrants, insisting on negotiating a new trade agreement–U.S.M.C.A–to replace NAFTA, and pressuring Mexico to prohibit Central American migrants from seeking asylum in the U.S.
Throughout the French African Diaspora…
A report by a French art historian and a Senegalese economist advocates for the restitution of African art currently in France. If requested by an African government, the report claims that France should return artifacts stolen during colonization. Immediately following the report’s release, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France would return 26 bronze statues to Benin. Authorities in Benin, Senegal, and Ivory Coast praised the report’s findings. “The important thing is that we have access to [the artwork],” stated the director of the Museum of Civilisations in Ivory Coast.
From 1885-1960, European colonizers ransacked African palaces, museums, and cultural centers. Per the report, about 90 percent of African art is currently held outside of the continent. While France houses 90,000 works of African art, many thousands more are strewn throughout the UK, Belgium, Austria, and Germany. Though the report focuses specifically on France, it will likely put pressure on other countries to reconsider their collections as well.
In Britain, some museum directors were wary of the report’s findings. Hartwig Fischer of the London Institute stated that the findings do “not change the policy of the British Museum, nor legislation in Great Britain.” For its part, the UK has agreed to return a collection of art to Nigeria on loan, and is considering loaning the statue Hoa Hakananai’a (meaning “lost or stolen friend”) to the people of Easter Island. That is not enough for some, including Nigerian artist Victor Ehikhamenor. “I don’t like the word ‘loan’… [the artworks] belong to the kingdom and the Oba’s palace where they were taken.” The governor of Easter Island told the British, “you have our soul” when pleading for the return of Hoa Hakananai’a.
Some curators argue that African nations may not have the means to correctly preserve important pieces, but in this opinion piece, Christine Mungai argues that it is absurd to argue “that the cultural artefacts need to be protected from the very cultures that created them.” While the report definitely moves this discussion forward, it remains to be seen how many pieces of art European governments will agree to return.
Our Take: Of course it is a treat to visit Paris museums, and see fantastic French artwork, while also getting to learn about art from places like Benin and Senegal. But that treat is grounded in privilege. As Nigerian artists Enotie Ogbebor put it: “Imagine if in the last 100 years, all the works of Picasso, Monet and Michelangelo were removed from society for 100 years?” That’s what colonization did to much of Africa. Restitution would bring cultural pieces home. Perhaps, it could bring tourists as well.
In Italy…
“We don’t want tourists,” the mayor of Matera recently told the New York Times.
The ancient city in southern Italy’s Basilicata region will be the European Capital of Culture in 2019, meaning festivals, events, pride, and most likely many tourists.
“Tourism screws up the identity of a place,” one resident said. “The only way to solve this contradiction is to make sure you are obsessive about the identity of the place.” Another said, “I will be brutal: We do not want tourists. It should not be, ‘Let’s see a church and eat pasta and try those crunchy red peppers and leave a few pieces of plastic behind.’”
Matera isn’t the only city wary of tourism. Venice has installed checkpoints to limit visitors, demonstrators in Mallorca swarmed the airport with signs saying “tourism kills Mallorca,” and Greece imposed its first tourist tax. Dubrovnik limited the number of visitors that can enter the city center each day, Amsterdam hands out tickets to rowdy tourists, and the Lofoten Islands in Norway are asking visitors to voluntarily pay a fee to help keep the islands clean. And that’s just in Europe. Overtourism has hurt natural wonders from Thailand to Iceland, and even national parks in the United States. With the rise of social media and more people traveling than ever, it’s something many destinations will grapple with in the years to come.
Our take: we never want to discourage travel, but we do want you to travel better. Visit Matera, but take your time. Understand the heritage, go in the off season, clean up after yourself. For more tips on how to travel better in Italy (which can be applied for many destinations), read this.
