The Daily Update: US - China Climate Agreement / European Super League Thoughts

Despite the ongoing strains in their relationship, one area that China and the US have found common ground is an agreement to cooperate more on climate change. After high profile meetings in Shanghai between China Special Envoy for Climate Change Xie Zhenhua and the US’s Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, the two released a joint statement stating that climate change ‘must be addressed with seriousness and urgency’ and agreed will work closer to strengthen the implementation of the Paris Agreement. ‘The United States and China will continue to discuss, both on the road to COP 26 and beyond, concrete actions in the 2020s to reduce emissions aimed at keeping the Paris Agreement-aligned temperature limit within reach’ the statement said.

The agreement came less than a month after US government officials had tense meetings with their Chinese counterparts sparking an unusually public exchange of diplomatic insults. However, this time round China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment said the talks between Kerry and Xie had been ‘candid, in-depth and constructive’. ‘Both sides recognize that climate change is a serious and urgent threat to the survival and development of mankind’ the ministry said, adding that the US and China ‘will strengthen cooperation, work together with other parties to address the climate crisis’.

Also, my thoughts on yesterday’s announcement on the proposed new European Super League. Man Utd, Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs. Ban them from all competitions for the rest of the season. Do not allow them to play any further premiership games. Impose transfer bans. Throw them out of the premiership at the end of the season. Promote the top six from the championship at the same time. Let the six play in their own mini league next season in which just one will get promoted back to the premiership. As Sir Matt Busby said ‘Football is nothing without fans’. What was proposed yesterday was not the game billions around the world know and love, it was 100% about pure self-indulgent greed.