Borat, Belem and Ballots (The Roundup)
All the important stories you've missed (Nov 8, 2025)
👋 Welcome to A World Reconfigured - your guide to a world changed by climate, geopolitics and technology. I write about how climate change is creating a new world with new rules, and often cover topics like the ❄️Arctic, 🤷♂️Rare Earths and 💻Data Centers.
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TL;DR
The Bigger Things:
Data Centers are on the Ballot (Too much attention for an industry that tries to stay hidden)
World leaders gather in the Amazon to talk climate plans (COP30 a feel?)
US & Kazakhstan are now best friends (they have more than just Borat, you know)
The Smaller Things:
EU 2040 emissions rules were finally approved (the meh version)
Keir Starmer swears he’s good for the climate targets he promised (but UK policy is still confusing)
Worried about Greenland? It’s Alaska you should be worried about (China > Russia)
The Talk of the Town:
Lessons from China visit, data centers, Virginia elections and more!
Creator Spotlight:
Distilled (Michael Thomas really knows where all the data centers are)
The Bigger Things
The biggest stories you probably missed:
Data Centers are on the Ballot
What Happened? Data Centers were front and center in many of the political races that took place in the US this week. While most attention this week was given to one Zohran K. Mamdani, critical races in Virginia and Georgia (for Governorship, House and Public Service Commission) were won largely thanks to a focus on data centers and rising consumer prices.
Why Care? 🤷♂️ Because this spells trouble for the US’s position in the AI race. The backlash is bipartisan and widespread, and has now gobbled-up US politics. This also puts an uncomfortable spotlight on an industry that tries to stay hidden.
My Take:✍️ I’d pay attention to Virginia, where two races were decided thanks to data center backlash. Virginia is the DC capital of the world, with 13% of global data center capacity. What starts in Virginia may be a harbinger for the rest of the US.
World leaders gather in the Amazon to talk climate plans
What Happened? It’s that time of the year again… COP. This year, world leaders descended on the Amazon rainforest to attend COP30 at Belem. As expected, COP30 drew many (justified) laments over the state of the climate, announcements and even a heartfelt letter by President Lula. He slept in a boat, by the way (am I the only one who sees the irony here? Not by a long shot)
Why Care? 🤷♂️ I’m actually not sure, to be honest. COPs are a climate tradition, but everyone seems to be unhappy with them. Still, some important announcements have already been made, including the brand new Baku to Belem $1.3T investment framework and the Tropical Forest Forever Facility designed to support rainforest conservation worldwide.
My Take:✍️ This is classic ‘damned if you do, damned if you don’t.’ COPs are performative, but at least they remind leaders that nothing is fine.
US and Kazakhstan Are Best Friends Now
What Happened? Yak Shi Mash!
Kazakhstan has signed a memorandum of understanding with the US, signaling a new era in the relationships between the two countries. While the White House touted a shopping list made by the Kazakhs and accession to the Abraham Accords, Rare Earth Elements were probably the real reason for this agreement. This MoU allows the US to access nearly 800,000 tonnes of REEs and a bunch load of Tungsten.
Why Care? 🤷♂️ Because this is the latest installment in the Rare Earth Cold War. The US is rushing to secure non-Chinese deposits in attempt to release Chinese chokehold on REEs and other critical minerals. The Trump Administration is doing so the best way it knows how: trade agreements.
My Take: ✍️ This cold war is just getting started. We’re likely to see more agreements like this. The US is forming a new world order, one where mines are destinations, minerals are currency and trade agreements are the train tracks. Or something like that.
The Smaller Things
The stories you should have on your radar:
EU Approved A Meh Version of its 2040 Rules
What Happened: The EU has FINALLY approved its 2040 emissions reduction rules. The Only problem is: it’s the meh version.
After much deliberation, the EU’s Commission approved a plan to reduce 90% of 1990 emissions by 2040, while agreeing to delay some moves, like the EU carbon market, to appease skeptical countries.
Still, the word on the street is that this is a “meh” version that shows this last ditch effort to agree and avoid embarrassment at COP30:
The deal meant the EU will not go empty-handed to COP30, where European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will meet other world leaders on November 6.
Why Care? 🤷♂️ Because this is a prime example of the bind Europe is in when it comes to climate (and just about anything else). This dynamic will continue to be the norm, just when Europe needs to be brave on a number of topics.
My Take: ✍️ Well… 👇
Keir Starmer Swears He’s Good for It
What Happened: Two weeks ago, I wrote about how the UK has not decided what role it wants to play in the energy transition. Now, ahead of COP30, UK PM Starmer swears he’s good for his promises, stating that “Britain isn’t waiting to act – we’re leading the way, as we promised.”
Why Care? 🤷♂️ Because those are big words from someone whose advisors wanted to avoid COP30 altogether and refrained from supporting Brazil’s landmark Forestation Facility (see above). UK’s policy remains confusing (though personally I’m rooting for Starmer on this one).
My Take: ✍️ I mean, I get it. It’s not easy. Starmer faces a choice: break his promises or hand Reform UK more ammunition. But that’s why the job is hard. We should expect leaders to navigate rising costs and decarbonization.
Talk of the Town:
I read way too much Linkedin, Twitter and Substack for my own good. Here are a few of my favorites this week:
✍️
reported on the latest US REE deal, with a Govt-ReElements partnership worth $1.4B that aims to create a mine-to-magnet supply chain.✍️
wrote about the latest Virginia elections and what it means for data centers✍️
shared what space data centers look like, and they are cool!🖇️ CTVC’s Kim Zhou chronicled her visit to China and the lessons learned from the industrial juggernaut of the 21st Century
🐣 Zeke Hausfather shared a great take about Bill Gates’s climate memo.
Creator Shoutout
Every week I’m going to highlight a writer/creator I am inspired by.
This week’s shoutout goes to:
Cleanview
omas really knows his data centers. He and his team chronicle the ins and outs of the AI boom by finding most of the planned data centers, bringing readers troves of information.
But that’s not all. Cleanview is a smart, well-written substack about the energy transition and about clean energy, and provides readers with a great, evidence-based stories.
Check it out here!
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See you next week!
Honored to be included in your post! Great piece!