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CARL AZUZ: The date, November 2, 2021.
The show, CNN 10.
The host, what Carl Azuz.
Total running time exactly 10 minutes, so let's get rolling.
COP 26 is not a police officer.
The COP stands for Conference of the Parties, a gathering of
members of the United Nations.
And the 26 is because this is the 26th year
that the global climate summit has been held.
That's happening this week and next week in Glasgow, Scotland.
Tens of thousands of world leaders,
their representatives, negotiators, businesses,
and citizens are there.
And all of these COP conferences are focused
on the issue of climate change.
The UN says, this was a fringe issue when the summits began.
And that it's now a global priority,
though different nations have different levels of commitment
to it.
Carbon dioxide emissions are front and center here.
Most scientists say these emissions are harming
the global environment by causing
Earth's average temperatures to heat up.
A smaller group of scientists say, climate
change happens naturally and that the Earth can
absorb human carbon emissions.
But the goal of these UN summits is for member countries
to lay out new plans to reduce their emissions
of carbon dioxide.
A significant event took place during COP21 in 2015.
It was held in the French capital.
In what became known as the Paris Agreement,
countries committed to reduce their carbon
emissions by certain amounts.
This could include relying less on coal for energy,
and more on renewable forms, like solar or wind power.
The COP 21 commitments were not legally binding,
meaning there was no penalty if nations failed to meet them.
And while supporters of the Paris Agreement,
like former US President Barack Obama,
called it quote, "the best chance to save the planet,"
the United Nations says, the COP21 commitments didn't come
close to achieving their goals.
So during COP26, the UN is pushing
for even greater efforts to reduce carbon emissions.
ANGUS WATSON: The Australian government
on Tuesday announcing its pledge to take the country to net zero
carbon emissions by 2050.
Whereby greenhouse gas production is limited
and any remaining greenhouse gases in the atmosphere
are removed.
This coming ahead of the COP26 climate
talks in Glasgow, Scotland.
But Australia has not pledged to be more ambitious on its 2030
carbon reductions targets.
Australia says it's on track to reduce
its carbon emissions by 26% to 28% of 2005 levels by 2030.
Speaking Tuesday, prime Minister Scott Morrison
said his targets would not compromise jobs in
the Australian mining industry.
Australia is one of the world's largest exporters of coal.
Instead they would rely on new technologies, such as carbon
soil sequestration and new green energy technologies,
which are so far unproven.
SCOTT MORRISON: Australians want action on climate change.
They're taking action on climate change,
but they also want to protect their jobs
and their livelihoods.
They also want to keep the cost of living down
and they also want to protect the Australian way
of life, especially in rural and regional areas.
CARL AZUZ: 10 second trivia.
Which of these adjectives is derived from a Latin
term meaning steerman?
Gubernatorial, sartorial, navel, or avuncular?
Gubernator sounds like the Latin term for steersman or governor.
And it's where we get our word gubernatorial.
And two US gubernatorial races factor into our next report
this Tuesday.
One of them is in the Garden State, New Jersey.
The other is in the Old Dominion state, Virginia.
Both are being held today and while most gubernatorial races
don't get the amount of national attention
that presidential elections do, these two in particular
are closely watched as types of forecasts
about how America's two main political parties are faring.
Interest is particularly high during a time
of deep political divisions and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Here's CNN 10 contributor, Rachel Janfaza,
with a look at events in two Eastern states.
RACHEL JANFAZA: Both Virginia and New Jersey
hold their elections for governor one year
after a presidential election, Carl.
You may have heard these races referred
to as bellwether elections, but you might be wondering,
what does a bellwether election really mean?
Well, the term bellwether refers to something
that's a predictor for, or resembles a larger phenomenon.
The word actually comes from old middle English.
When a bell was put around the neck of a ram,
also known as a wether, to lead a flock of sheep
in one direction.
Think of a bellwether as a leader,
or to put it in the context of 2021, an influencer.
Back to our politics, these gubernatorial races
can provide a glimpse into how the country
is feeling one year after a general election season.
And can predict trends for how the country
may act one year moving forward during the midterm elections.
Often, but not always, these elections
go in favor of the party not in the White House.
For example, in 2005 Democrats clinched in both Virginia
and New Jersey.
At the time pundits said that served
as a warning sign for Republicans
and President George W. Bush.
And in 2009, Republicans won in both states,
which didn't look so great for President Barack Obama.
Though both President Bush and President
Obama ended up completing two full terms as president.
So while what happens in Virginia
and New Jersey isn't a direct creed for what will happen
across the country moving forward,
it can give a sense of how America's
feeling in the off year.
CARL AZUZ: Up next, CNN Heroes.
The top 10 of them for 2021.
If you've been watching our show throughout this calendar year,
you might remember several of these faces.
These are people being recognized
for their extraordinary efforts to improve others' lives.
CNN has chosen the top 10 heroes,
but who chooses the overall winner?
And what exactly does he or she win?
ANDERSON COOPER: I'm Anderson Cooper.
This year we celebrate a milestone.
The 50th anniversary of CNN Heroes.
For a decade and a half we've had the honor of introducing
you to extraordinary everyday people
who are changing the world.
And in a time when we need kindness and courage more
than ever, we're thrilled to announce
this year's top 10 CNN Heroes.
From Philadelphia, pediatric surgeon,
Ella Stanford saw COVID 19 ravaging communities of color.
So she built trust and brought testing and vaccinations
to more than 75,000 people.
From San Francisco, David Flink is building understanding
and confidence using his journey with ADHD and dyslexia
to help kids with learning differences
across America thrive.
In New York City, Hector Guadalupe uses fitness training
to help formerly incarcerated men
and women like himself get family sustaining jobs
and build careers.
From Cartagena, Colombia, Jennifer Colpas
brings eco-friendly energy, safe water
and sanitation to struggling Colombians living
in remote areas.
Linda Doughty of Phippsburg, Maine
monitors 2,500 miles of coastline,
providing life saving support and medical care
to thousands of marine animals.
From Bali, Indonesia.
Exchanging plastic waste for rice, restaurant owner,
Made Janur Yasa has sent tons of plastic for recycling,
and provided food to thousands of families
during the pandemic.
And in Simi Valley, California, Michelle Neff Hernandez
has turned her profound grief into sustaining
support for the widowed.
Oncologist, Patricia Gordon, walked away
from her Beverly Hills private practice
to save women around the world from dying
of preventable and treatable cervical cancer.
On LA's Skid Row, Shirley Reigns brings dignity and respect
to thousands of homeless people every week, rain or shine.
And in Maiduguri, Nigeria, Zainab Mustafa
educates orphaned children from both sides
of a violent extremist conflict, providing
support to more than 2000 boys and girls a year.
Congratulations the top 10 CNN Heroes of 2021.
Now it's time for you to choose who inspires you the most.
Who should be named CNN Herro of the year
and received 100,000 to continue their great work?
Go to cnnheroes.com right now to vote.
And be sure to watch the 15th annual CNN Heroes
all-star tribute as we announce the hero of the year
and celebrate all this year's honorees live Sunday,
December 12th.
CARL AZUZ: 26 days from the start of Hanukkah
and 53 days from Christmas.
It seems like this might be on someone's wish list.
It's a Japanese hover bike.
It's a hybrid with four battery powered
motors and a gas engine.
Its range is about 40 minutes of flight time
and its top speed is said to be around 60 miles per hour.
Of course, you might need a pilot's license to operate it,
and you will need $700,000 to put
it in your garage or hangar.
But you can bike on having fans hover around when you get
that fly ride off the ground.
When they hear this sound they'll
all abound like a flock of birds all fluttering downtown.
All bound to try and hound you.
If you're lost but then get found.
You get props when yours get wound and see
what's up when you get down.
I wasn't planning a wrap today, but that one
just kind of took off.
Shout out goes out to Katusa high school
in Katusa, Oklahoma.
Thank you for watching on YouTube.
I'm Carl Azuz for CNN.