Good afternoon: Today's PM — edited by Justin Green — is 398 words, a 2-minute read.
1 big thing: The future of mankind
Nothing is happening remotely fast enough to save humanity from facing the self-inflicted disaster of runaway climate change, writes Axios' Ben Geman.
- That's the key takeaway from a new UN report that shows greenhouse gas emissions increasing last year, despite the need to cut them substantially by 2030.
- Even more ominous, investment in clean energy in developing nations actually fell last year, led by China.
Between the lines: Concentrations of two other major greenhouse gases — methane and nitrous oxide — increased more in 2017–2018 than average increases over the prior 10 years.
- Why it matters: “There is no sign of a slowdown, let alone a decline, in greenhouse gases concentration in the atmosphere despite all the commitments under the Paris Agreement," World Meteorological Organization Secretary-General Petteri Taalas said in a statement with the report.
The big picture: The world needs to cut emissions by 25% by 2030 to keep warming to 2°C, and a much steeper 55% to keep it within 1.5°C.
- But under current pledges, the world is on course for a 3.2°C rise by century's end.
Bonus: Pic du jour

President Trump pardons "Butter" during the traditional event in the Rose Garden.
2. What you missed
- The House Judiciary Committee will hold an impeachment hearing on Dec. 4. Go deeper.
- Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the U.S. has a "duty" to investigate a debunked conspiracy theory that Ukraine interfered in the 2016 presidential election by hacking the Democratic National Committee's network servers. Go deeper.
- The Cave Fire, which is burning north of Santa Barbara, California, has forced at least 6,300 people to evacuate their homes and threatened an estimated 2,400 structures. Go deeper.
- The Indian government confirmed its Vikram lunar lander crashed or "hard landed" during its September mission. Go deeper.
- P.S. Michael Bloomberg's 2020 run is a test of America's entrepreneurial aspirations. Go deeper.
3. 1 fun thing
Soy sauce "has been transformed into a dollar-a-drop luxury to be fussed over like a fine wine," write Suryatapa Bhattacharya and River Davis for a Wall Street Journal A-hed (subscription).
- "Barrel-aged versions have been around in Japan for centuries, but only recently have caught on with foodies in other countries. That notice is giving upscale soy sauce a boost at home too."
- The price can reflect the craft: Shikoku's Kamebishi brewery offers 24-ounce bottles for as much as $85 — and even "has one batch that has been aging for 39 years reserved for special customers."