This Weekend's News: China and Latin America and The Onion

We have been pumping hard on some writing deadlines last week and through the weekend, so this is going to be short and sweet. After laboring to wrap up our series on how climate change will affect the different services and combatant commands, it turned out The Onion beat us to the story anyway. Drat.

So just an FYI for your Monday morning: it appears that China has pledged another $20 billion to Hugo Chavez for infrastructure and other items that ensure that Venezuela’s oil keeps flowing. For reference, we know Venezuela has a ton of oil, but I looked to their R/P ratio (pdf) and BP clocks it at more than 100 years. The United States, for comparison, currently stands at 12.4.

More Venezuelan oil likely just means we’ll all have more stable oil prices, and Venezuela may get a little more cash. And we love more oil, right? And more cash for Chavez? I can promise you this: the next time someone tries to tell me that resources do not guide foreign policy, I am going to slam them with this gem.

With our lack of attention to the news this weekend, feel free to send us any good ones to share with the group. Luckily, there are a lot of events this week for you all, below. See you all tomorrow!

The Week Ahead

On Tuesday, the Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources will receive testimony over carbon capture and sequestration legislation, starting at 10:00 AM.

Early Wednesday evening, beginning at 4:00 PM, check out the World Resources Institute for an opportunity to hear from the Chief of Energy Branch in UNEP’s Division of Technology, Industry and Economics, Mark Radka, at Finance for Climate Change: 2010 Opportunities in Developing Countries.

Thursday begins with a hearing at the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries and Coast Guard over The Environmental and Economic Impacts of Ocean Acidification, beginning at 10:00 AM. At the same time, the House Committee on Science and Technology Subcommittee on Investigations & Oversight will discuss the Causes and Consequences of the Helium-3 Supply Crisis, over in Rayburn building. At 2:00 PM the Institute for Policy Studies is holding a panel discussion over the World Bank, Climate Change and Climate Finance. That evening, check out Climate Change and Competitiveness, featuring the Secretary-General Angel Gurría of the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development, hosted by SAIS, beginning at 5:00 PM.

Friday morning at 7:30 AM, the Elliot School over at George Washington University will be holding an event on Policy Comparisons and Business Perspectives: The Coal and Solar Sectors in China, U.S.A. and Germany. At noon, swing by the Center for National Policy for a discussion with FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate on Disasters and Resilience. SAIS will feature Josette Sheeran, executive director of the United Nations World Food Programme, at Food Security at the Tipping Point, beginning at 12:30 PM. Closing out the week, the World Resource Institute will hold an event to discuss The World Bank’s New Energy Strategy: Perspectives from Various Stakeholders.