Energy Update: Week of October 10th

Friends,

Happy Columbus/Indigenous Peoples Day…Speaking of Columbus Day, this weekend, I was in Columbus at Ohio State, and I attended a great Italian festival that I happened across on Friday after my game. I couldn’t possibly have eaten any more…Salsiccia (sausage/peppers), Lasagna and Cannoli all out of this world.

The big event this week is DOE’s Hydrogen Summit starting today while later in the week, Reuters holds a Hydrogen North America forum in Houston.  A lot going on in the hydrogen space related to the energy transition, as well as the infrastructure and climate laws. Secretary Granholm kicks it all off today and Air Liquide, FECHA, Plug Power and SoCal Gas are all speaking on specific hydrogen topics. In Houston, Air Liquide’s President of Hydrogen Energy and Mobility Katie Ellet, FECHA head Frank Wolak and SoCal Gas’ expert Neil Navin all make key remarks.

Also tomorrow, the US Chamber Foundation will host the 2022 Sustainability and Circular Economy Summit. This event will convene corporate responsibility professionals, government leaders, academics, and sustainability changemakers to learn and educate one another on replicable, successful sustainability and circular economy initiatives. Axios also holds an event at Dock 5 tomorrow taking a global look at energy security, reliability and independence amidst the shift to cleaner sources. Axios Climate & Energy Reporter Andrew Freedman and Energy Reporter Ben Geman will host one-on-one conversations with former EIA head and current RFF President Richard Newell and former FERC Chair Neil Chatterjee.

With all the talk about OPEC and gas prices, we are following that closely so let me know what you need. I discussed the topic with Julie Mason Friday on Sirius XM’s P.O.T.U.S.’s Mason Mornings.  I know I’m on the right track, because I heard my friend and expert Bob McNally say similar things on Fox News this morning…and he actually knows what he is talking about.

NHL open this week while Major League Baseball Playoff continue with semifinal match ups set as the Phillies, Padres, Cleveland and Seattle advanced. Finally, I mentioned Fat Bear Week last week. The finals are TOMORROW, so get you votes IN!!!!  Bear 747 is in the Finals…

Wow, hard to believe but we are less than 30 days from COP 27 and mid-term Election Day!!!  Call with questions.

Best,

Frank Maisano

(202) 828-5864

C. (202) 997-5932

FRANKLY SPOKEN

"There are not a lot of good options when oil prices are going against you; what you have to do is not make mistakes that make it worse. We have to stop bad ideas like using the Strategic Petroleum Reserve or export bans. The only thing worse than OPEC managing the oil markets, is OPEC not managing oil markets."

Bob McNally on Fox News today when discussing gas prices and the global oil market with our friend Dana Perino.

ON THE PODCAST

Timmerman Outlines EU Energy Security, Plans for COP27 – Columbia Energy Exchange this week features host Jason Bordoff’s interview with Frans Timmermans from Columbia’s World Leaders Forum. Frans is the executive vice-president of the European Commission for the European Green Deal and the European commissioner for climate action. Jason and Frans talk about how the European Union can balance decarbonization, affordability, and energy security in the upcoming months. They also discuss what this crisis means for energy planning in the long-term.

Future Fuel Podcast Talks with Long-Time Fuels Veteran Eichberger – In today’s Fueling the Future podcast, host Tammy Klein sits down with Fuels Institute Executive Director John Eichberger to discuss clean conventional fuels in the late 1990s, the rise of electrification and the critical need to address GHG emissions from the existing vehicle fleet.

FUN OPINIONS

WaPo: Saudi Engagement has Been a Failure – In an editorial, the Washington Post writes there could be no more troubling evidence of how badly Mr. Biden’s efforts earlier this year to mend fences with the de facto Saudi ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, have failed. “Congress and the Biden administration should avoid any action, in the heat of an election campaign, that might make matters worse. One probably counterproductive step would be restricting U.S. exports of petroleum products. Supporters argue that this would shield domestic customers from foreign competition, thus reducing upward price pressure. More likely, it would punish the Latin American and European countries that buy U.S. products while reducing incentives for U.S. refiners to expand production for everyone. The net impact could even be higher prices at the pump. Also unwise would be further releases from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which is already at its lowest levels since the mid-1980s. Legislation to lift the sovereign immunity of OPEC’s state-owned oil companies, subjecting them to U.S. price-fixing lawsuits — the so-called NOPEC bill — is worth considering but also fraught with potential unintended consequences, including retaliatory legal action against the United States and its businesses.

FROG BLOG

Reviving American Manufacturing – In an opinion piece in Real Clear Energy, former Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair and SAFE Center for Strategic Industrial Materials Director Joe Quinn write after decades of complacency, America’s leaders now recognize the importance of securing domestic supply chains for our nation’s crucial energy and transportation needs.  The IRA law provides new incentives for U.S. companies to invest in domestic production of strategic industrial materials like steel, iron, and aluminum. These are not only essential to making automobiles, but to nearly every function of modern life – from aircraft and ships to buildings to the electric grid to packaging and more.

FUN FACTS

• Global Net Zero Pledges Ahead of COP 27: About 91% of the global economy has pledged to cut emissions to zero, and at least 128 countries have net-zero targets. However, it is unclear what these pledges or targets mean. They have been made many times yet, not many seem to follow through. Meanwhile, the US has passed several pieces of major legislation aimed at climate issues.

IN THE NEWS

API Comments Urge More Energy Development – API submitted comments urging the Department of the Interior to open offshore acreage to safe and environmentally responsible American energy development. In the comments in response to the 2023-2028 National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Proposed Program and Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement, API highlighted the importance of offshore leasing to U.S. economic strength and energy security and called on the Department of the Interior to uphold their statutory responsibility to take current and future energy needs into account by promptly issuing a final program that includes 11 lease sales. Oil production from federal waters provides approximately 628 million barrels – or more than 15% – of total U.S. oil production. On June 30, 2022, as the current 5-year program expired, Interior put the U.S. in the unprecedented position of having a substantial gap between programs for the first time since this process began in the early 1980s. Without a 5-year program in place, no new offshore lease sales can be held outside of the three sales mandated by the Inflation Reduction Act, limiting domestic producers’ ability to meet future energy demand. According to an API poll from earlier this year, 9 in 10 Americans support the U.S. developing its own domestic sources of energy rather than relying on other regions of the world and 84% agree that producing natural gas and oil here in the U.S. helps make our country and allies more secure against actions by other countries such as Russia.

AGA Raises Concerns on DOE Furnace Rule – The American Gas Association (AGA) filed comments on DOE’s notice of proposed rulemaking for Energy Conservation Standards for Consumer Furnaces, saying:

"AGA has long supported improved building and appliance energy codes and standards that are technologically feasible, economically justified, and follow the law. The Proposed Rule suffers from an array of economic, technical, and procedural flaws that will render it harmful to consumers, counterproductive to energy efficiency goals, and unlawful.”  

DOE’s proposal will eliminate natural gas furnaces that millions of American homes are currently designed for and use. The proposed rule requires condensing furnace equipment, which costs more to install and requires a different ventilation system and a drainage solution to dispose of water. As a result, DOE would force many consumers to replace their natural gas furnaces with other equipment that is more expensive to operate in order to avoid the enormous cost of remodeling their homes.

If finalized, the proposed rulemaking would result in higher overall costs for nearly one in five gas furnace consumers, including 15% of senior-only households, 14% of low-income households, and 20% of small business consumers. However, a careful examination of DOE’s economic analysis reveals that 29% of households with non-weatherized gas furnaces affected by this rule will face negative impacts due to the proposed rule. Moreover, 40% of all low-income consumers across the country with non-weatherized gas furnaces impacted by this rule will have higher costs forced on them. AGA has identified material errors and methodological defects in the model and assumptions that DOE has used to justify its proposal. AGA has brought these issues to the Department's attention on several occasions and has not received any substantive response.

API, AFPM to Sec. Granholm: Export Ban Will Disrupt Global Markets, Harm Consumers – API President Mike Sommers and AFPM President Chet Thompson sent a letter to US Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm raising significant concerns that the administration could pursue a ban or limits on refined petroleum products. 

“Banning or limiting the export of refined products would likely decrease inventory levels, reduce domestic refining capacity, put upward pressure on consumer fuel prices, and alienate U.S. allies during a time of war.”

“From the United States’ approximately 18 MMBD of refining capacity, about 3.5 MMBD of gasoline, diesel, and other refined products are exported,” Sommers and Thompson said. “Restricting these exports would cut off important supply from the international market, putting upward pressure on prices, threatening the global flow of essential energy, undermining U.S. allies and creating negative global economic consequences, including here in the United States.”

“Global commodity prices—including for crude oil, gasoline, and diesel—are set by the global market, not by refiners, in the same way, that farmers do not control the price of corn or wheat,” Sommers and Thompson wrote. “Gasoline and diesel fuel prices are primarily driven by the cost of crude oil, which accounted for much of the changes in gasoline and diesel prices through the first seven months of 2022. Refiners’ crude oil acquisition costs represented close to 60 percent of the retail price at the gasoline pump in 2022, according to the EIA.”

“The U.S. refining sector, bolstered by our technologically advanced facilities and best-in-class workforce, is the most competitive, efficient, and resilient in the world. Participation in the global market is foundational to our position as the world’s refining leader, benefitting American consumers and fuel manufacturers alike.”

Sommers and Thompson urged the Biden administration to speak clearly and with one voice to disavow a refined product export ban or export restrictions, which would only further raise global and U.S. prices, roil energy markets, and deter needed investments across the U.S. energy supply chain.

218 Chambers, Associations from 47 States Call on Biden Admin to Strengthen US Energy Production – A coalition including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, state and local Chambers from across the nation and trade associations called on the Biden Administration to remove impediments to greater domestic energy production—including abandoning an Administration proposal to ban new offshore lease sales. 204 Chambers representing 47 states and 14 national associations told President Biden that businesses of all sizes are facing burdens from increased costs for goods, services and transportation which are threatening the economy. They said that mixed signals from the Biden Administration regarding domestic energy production are complicating necessary investments in refining capacity, exploration and production. The Chamber’s specifically called for ending the ban on new oil and natural gas exploration on federal lands and waters, restoring cancelled lease sales, and adopting a 5-Year Plan for offshore oil and gas development that allows the U.S. to fully leverage its offshore energy potential.

"With analysts predicting a return to high oil and natural gas prices this fall and winter, businesses are bracing for even more pressure," said Marty Durbin, President of the U.S. Chamber’s Global Energy Institute. "While we recognize that policies supporting increased production won’t solve our challenges overnight, it will send important market signals that could help unlock investment, helping avoid long term supply shortages and elevated prices."

"New Jersey companies need access to oil and natural gas in order to maintain our diverse economy," said Thomas Bracken, President and CEO of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce. "Oil and natural gas play an important role in everything from chemicals to pharmaceuticals to manufacturing, all of which are important industries in our state. Limiting domestic production of these resources at this critical time is not what is needed."

"Energy security and competitive prices have continued to set the U.S. apart as an economic superpower," said Sandy K. Baruah, President and CEO of the Detroit Regional Chamber. "As a center for manufacturing and emerging technology, it is especially important to our region that the Administration act to ensure energy access, affordability and reliability to keep our competitive advantage."

The letter from the Chambers comes as the Administration missed the deadline to finalize a new Five Year Plan for offshore oil and gas development—the first time in history that a lapse has occurred. The Department of Interior’s proposed plan includes an option for zero lease sales, effectively banning all new offshore energy production. The Department has also failed to maintain the onshore leasing schedule that federal law requires. The letter also notes that U.S. oil and gas could help reduce global dependence on Russian energy, which will help curb funding for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and provide environmental benefits because Russia’s oil and gas production is among the dirtiest in the world, while America’s is among the cleanest.

ON THE SCHEDULE THIS WEEK

DOE Hydrogen Summit Set – The Sustainable Energy Council and the U.S. Department of Energy announce the 2^nd Hydrogen Americas Summit taking place today and tomorrow. The Summit convenes Government representatives, hydrogen and energy stakeholders, service providers and end-users to identify opportunities and get insights into the latest projects and policy developments that will be crucial to drive the Region’s industry forward. View the Program. Sect Granholm headlines a host of DOE and state speakers while Air Liquide CEO Adam Peters is among the industry speakers. See the list here.

Chamber Sustainability Summit Set – The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation will host the 2022 Sustainability and Circular Economy Summit tomorrow in Washington, D.C. This event will convene corporate responsibility professionals, government leaders, academics, and sustainability changemakers to learn and educate one another on replicable, successful sustainability and circular economy initiatives. This year's conference will feature top leaders to discuss how companies are navigating these uncertain times, cutting-edge strategies for achieving sustainability goals, and how to leverage collaboration and innovation to channel emerging trends into lasting systemic change. Duke Energy’s Katherine Neebe​ speaks.

Axios Hosts Newell, Chatterjee – Tomorrow at 8:00 a.m., Axios in Washington, D.C. holds an event at Dock 5 offering a global look at energy security, reliability and independence amidst the shift to cleaner sources. Axios Climate & Energy Reporter Andrew Freedman and Energy Reporter Ben Geman will host one-on-one conversations with former EIA head and current RFF President Richard Newell and former FERC Chair Neil Chatterjee.

WRI Looks at Just Energy Transition for Workers – Tomorrow at 11:00 a.m., World Resources Institute holds a forum on a just energy transition.  This issue should be a major point of discussion at the COP27 climate summit in November, but how countries implement and fund a just transition remains a key question. This webinar will share insights from just transition efforts in various stages of development worldwide, including specific examples in South Africa, India and the US.

White House Holds IAQ Summit – Tomorrow at 1:00 p.m., the White House is holding a Summit on Indoor Air Quality via livestream. The White House Summit on Indoor Air Quality will focus on our collective efforts to chart a path towards more buildings adopting indoor air quality improvements so that more Americans can benefit from its health protections. The Summit will promote clean indoor air as a force multiplier for reducing the spread of infectious diseases like COVID-19 and help share best practices from leaders in the public and private sectors who have improved indoor air quality in their buildings.

Group to Discuss Grid Resilience – Tomorrow at 1:00 p.m., the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) looks at grid modernization strategies and technologies. This webinar will explore the various technologies and strategies that can be used to modernize the grid and improve climate resilience, those technologies at scale, and policy mechanisms and steps that can accelerate their adoption.

E&E Reporters Tackle EV Issues – E&E News holds its Insights News Briefing tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. on the Inflation Reduction Act and its billions of investment dollars to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles in the US. However, automakers and the mining industry face tight deadlines to meet the requirements to unleash the federal funding, and it isn't clear if they can meet them or if charging stations and other infrastructure are ready for the new EVs. E&E News reporters David Ferris, Jael Holzman and Nick Sobczyk provide insights into the road ahead for electric vehicles.

Brouillette Headlines Gulf Energy Forum – The 4^th annual Gulf Coast Energy Forum will be held in New Orleans on Wednesday to Friday. Former Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette, now president of Sempra Infrastructure will Keynote on Thursday while CLNG’s Charlie Reidl and former EIA head Jay Hakes speak on Friday.

Heritage Tackles Climate Politics – On Wednesday, the Heritage Foundation holds a forum on the politics of climate change. 

USEA Talks with Cal ISO – In the next installment of USEA's Energy Management webinar series hosted by USAID's Bureau for Development, Democracy, and Innovation (DDI), USEA and US AID will host experts on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. from CAISO and XM to discuss energy reserves and transmission. Speakers include Guillermo Bautista, Director, Market Analysis and Forecasting at CAISO, and Esteban Tobón, a planning specialist with XM.

RFF To Look at Urban Wildlife Interaction – Resources for the Future (RFF) on Wednesday for the second RFF Live event in the “Sparking Solutions” webinar series, where they will discuss the benefits and challenges of addressing the wildland-urban interface problem. The session will touch on the costs and effectiveness of alternative approaches, including land use policies, building codes, landscaping ordinances, homeowner education programs, and more; examples of community success stories; and other potential creative solutions. US Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station Patricia Champ is among the speakers.

Forum to Feature IPCC Panelists – The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) holds a briefing on Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. looking at the implications of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC’s) most recent report—the Sixth Assessment Report—for the upcoming international climate negotiations in Egypt (COP27) and for work on Capitol Hill. The IPCC Assessment Reports are designed to pull together information from around the globe on climate change, including on the physical science; climate impacts and adaptation; and possible greenhouse gas emission trajectories and mitigation opportunities. Panelists, who participated in drafting sections of the report, will discuss key findings from the report and how the information can be used by decision-makers at the national and international levels.

Resource Code Will Help with Building Codes – On Wednesday at 2:00 p.m., New Buildings Institute will hold a webinar to share a new resource, the recently released Existing Buildings Decarbonization Code, to help jurisdictions set clear and approachable pathways to cut carbon emissions through existing building codes.

Brookings Hosts Nick Stern Climate Report – On Wednesday at 2:30 p.m., the Brookings Global Economy and Development program will host an in-person event to provide an opportunity for dissemination of the findings and recommendations of the report. Following presentations of the report, a panel of climate experts will bring perspectives from the G-7 and the developing world. A link to the report will be made available at the time of this event, following release by the G-7.

BCSE 30^th Anniversary Celebration – Wednesday 6:00 p.m. at Sonoma.

Forums Look at USAID Climate Strategy – As part of the release of USAID’s 2022-2030 Climate Strategy, Climatelinks is hosting two webinar series starting on Thursday at 8:30 a.m. The USAID Climate Strategy Launch Webinar Series occurred in May 2022 and consisted of three webinars to introduce a broad audience to USAID’s 2022-2030 Climate Strategy. The USAID Climate Strategy Deep Dive Webinar Series began in June 2022. The first webinar in the Deep Dive series highlighted Climate Finance, the second offered insights into Climate-Smart Agriculture, and the third focused on Nature-based Solutions. The fourth and final Deep Dive webinar will highlight Climate Partnerships and USAID’s Climate Strategy.

Forum to Look at Grid Challenges – The US Energy Association holds a forum on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. on challenges to the grid regarding variable energy resources and their impacts. Panelists will discuss challenges to the network strength of the grid and challenges to scheduling.

Forum to Focus on Chemical Industry Decarb – On Thursday at 12:00 noon, Information Technology & Innovation Foundation holds an online forum on decarbonizing the chemical industry.  The  event shares new work from ITIF, George Mason’s Center for Energy Science and Policy, and the Center for Houston’s Future that investigates these pathways and explores policy options to decarbonize chemical production.  Our friend Brett Perlman from CHF is among the speakers.

Forum Looks at Floating Offshore Wind – The Clean Energy States Alliance holds a forum on Thursday at 1:00 p.m. on floating offshore wind technology. Adrienne Downey with offshore wind project developer Hexicon Group will present the current state of floating offshore wind technology around the world and will chat with California Energy Commissioner Kourtney Vaccaro about the potential of floating offshore wind in the US and the obstacles to its adoption.

Forum to Look at Climate Security Risks – The Center for New American Security (CNAS) will host a virtual event on climate and national security on Thursday at 2:00 p.m. to discuss the acute impact of climate security risks The event will be the first in a series, focusing on the geostrategic and operational impacts of climate change on U.S. national security interests.

Wilson Hosts COP26 President – On Friday at 10:00 a.m., the Wilson Center, in partnership with the British Embassy, Washington D.C. hosts a highly anticipated conversation with COP26 President Alok Sharma. On the heels of his trip to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Kenya and ahead of COP27, Sharma, who is also a British Cabinet minister, will reflect on how climate change—and responses to it—are reshaping our world, and how the global community can collaborate more effectively to forge the path ahead for climate action. Sharma's speech will be followed by a conversation on the achievements and challenges of COP26, his experience leading the negotiations, and what the next steps are in the global effort to act on climate change.

Curtis Holds Climate Event in Utah – Rep John Curtis holds a forum on Friday in Utah to discuss conservative solutions to strengthen US energy, national security, economy, and agriculture. Featured speakers include Speaker Brad Wilson, Vice-Admiral Lee Gunn, US (Ret.), Benji Backer, Carson Jorgensen, Ambassador Robert O’Brien, and others.

IN THE FUTURE

CCS Report Launching – The Global CCS Institute is hosting the launch of the Global Status of CCS 2022 Report on Monday October 17^th at 10:00 a.m. The flagship Status Report provides a comprehensive overview of the progress of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology over the last year, including newly released numbers of CCS facilities in operation and under development.

Climate Conversation with MIT Expert – The Embassy of France hosts a conversation next Monday at 6:00 p.m. with MIT’s Susan Solomon on climate change. Dr. Susan Solomon, a leader in atmospheric science, has accepted to deliver remarks and engage in an insightful conversation on ways to tackle climate change.

Offshore Wind Conference Set for Rhode Island – American Clean Power holds its annual Offshore WINDPOWER Conference and Exhibition at the Rhode Island Convention Center In Providence on October 18^th and 19^th.  The event starts on Monday with a tour of Vestas’ Ocean State Offshore wind site.

Hydro Conference Set for Sacramento – The National Hydropower Association’s Clean Currents national waterpower tradeshow and conference will be held on October 18-20^th in Sacramento, CA. Designed with industry participation, the event hosts professionals from conventional hydropower, pumped storage, small hydro, and marine energy together to advance our leading role in the renewable clean energy future.

Forum Look at COP27 – The Stimson Center hosts a forum on Tuesday, October 18^th 11:00 a.m. featuring a robust discussion with US leadership, the World Bank, and the COP 27 Presidency’s Egyptian government on the pathway forward and the tools such as CORVI needed to achieve success. Motaz Zahran, Ambassador of Egypt to the United States; Monica Medina, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans Environment and Science (OES) and Valerie Hickey, Global Director, Environment, Natural Resources and Blue Economy, the World Bank all speak.

Forum Looks at Green Global Infrastructure – On Wednesday, October 19^th at 9:00 a.m., the Wilson Center hosts a forum on green infrastructure and climate challenges. At this webinar, speakers will help bring into focus the increasingly busy landscape of global green infrastructure initiatives. Elizabeth Losos (Duke University) will kick off the session with an overview of obstacles to private investment and the recent boom of new standards and monitoring systems needed to ensure the quality of green infrastructure. Christoph Nedopil Wang (Green Finance & Development Center) will examine the promise of China’s Green Light System to better assess the sustainability of BRI projects. Carmel Lev (Global Infrastructure Facility) will highlight how the FAST-Infra, a public-private initiative led by the HSBC and the World Bank that has brought more than 50 organizations to mobilize private finance and de-risk sustainable infrastructure investments in developing countries. Finally, Peter Thorin (U.S. Department of State) will lay out the potential of the Blue Dot Network, another global infrastructure initiative developed by the governments of the U.S., Australia, and Japan, and endorsed by the G-7.

Forum Looks at Clean Energy – The Interstate Renewable Energy Council holds the IREC Vision Summit on Wednesday, October 19^th. The Summit brings together clean energy stakeholders - including prominent industry leaders, state and federal decision-makers, advocates, and others - for a deep dive into policies and practices that are essential for all Americans to benefit from clean energy.

Forum to Look at Climate Loss, Damage – The Environmental and Energy Study Institute holds a briefing on Thursday, October 20^th at 11:00 a.m. looking at what you need to know about loss and damage from climate change in the lead-up to the international climate negotiations in Egypt (COP27). Panelists will discuss the tools the international community has designed so far to address loss and damage, the current status of international climate negotiations on this issue, expectations of what might happen next on the topic at COP27, and why the international conversation on loss and damage matters for U.S. policymakers.

Forum Looks at Storage Report – On Thursday October 20^th at 1:00 p.m., the Clean Energy States Alliance will look at customer-sited solar+storage during grid outages. A new report by Berkeley Lab estimates the performance of commercially available solar+storage systems in providing behind-the-meter critical-load or whole-building backup power during long-duration outages. Researchers modeled scenarios across a wide range of geographies, building types, and power interruption conditions. The study also considers a set of 10 historical long-duration power outage events and evaluates how solar+storage could have performed in providing backup power during those specific events. In this webinar, hosted by Clean Energy Group, report co-authors Galen Barbose and JP Carvallo will present the findings.

COP 27 Begins in Egypt – The United National climate meetings (COP 27) begin on Sunday November 6^th in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. The conference will run through November 18^th.

ELECTION DAY – Mid-Term Election, Tuesday November 8^th