The Morning Three: Kind Strangers, Trained Hands, Honest Trends

Wednesday, 11 November 2026. Today: an Irish walker’s journey across Jamaica, a solar firm training the installers it relies on and a mixed global emissions report. Each asks us to look closely before we judge.

Life: Let Experience Update Your Assumptions

What happened: Irish adventurer Johnny Coyne walked about 340km from St Mary to Negril over 18 days, the Jamaica Observer reported on 10 November. He said residents offered him meals and invited him into their homes, and that the stigma around crime and safety was “completely different” from what he experienced.

The lesson: In our view, the useful point is how often our picture of a place, or a person, comes from headlines rather than contact. One traveller’s 18 days do not settle questions about safety. But his story is a reminder that reputations are summaries, and summaries leave a lot out.

Try today: Think of one neighbourhood, group or colleague you know mostly second-hand. Spend 15 minutes on a direct conversation or call, and note one thing that surprised you.

Source: Jamaica Observer, “Irish adventurer walks 340km across Jamaica, praises island’s hospitality” by Brian Pitter (10 November 2026)

Leadership: Invest in the People Your Work Depends On

What happened: TW Solar, the solar distribution arm of the Tank-Weld Group, trained more than 100 independent Jamaican solar installers at a free workshop in Kingston on 7 November, with specialists from inverter maker Deye, the Jamaica Observer reported. Jamaica is targeting 50 per cent renewable electricity by 2030.

The lesson: One way to read this: a supplier’s reputation rests on installers it does not employ. If systems are fitted badly, customers blame the equipment. Whether the training lasts remains to be seen, but the principle travels: leaders are judged by the skill of everyone their work passes through.

Try today: Name one person whose work shapes yours, such as a colleague, volunteer or family member. Spend 15 minutes showing them one thing you know that would make their part easier.

Source: Jamaica Observer, “TW Solar moves to strengthen installer capacity with free technical training” (10 November 2026)

Solutions: Separate a Good Year From a Real Trend

What happened: Global fossil fuel CO2 emissions are projected to fall 0.4 per cent in 2026, according to the Global Carbon Budget, led by Professor Pierre Friedlingstein of the University of Exeter, Euronews reported on 10 November. Total CO2 including land use is still projected to rise, to 43.3 billion tonnes.

What worked: Solar and wind avoided an estimated 4.1 billion tonnes of CO2 in 2025, up from 0.28 billion in 2010, and solar, wind and electric vehicles met two-thirds of this year’s rise in energy demand. In 59 countries, 2025 emissions were below 2019 levels while their economies grew. These are measured trends; the 2026 figure is a projection in a preprint not yet peer reviewed.

The tradeoff: Part of the fall came from an energy shock linked to the Iran conflict, and India’s emissions are projected to rise 4.4 per cent. “A drop in emissions in one year is not a peak,” CICERO’s Glen Peters said in the University of Exeter release.

The lesson: Progress built on lasting change differs from progress handed to us by circumstance. For Caribbean islands pursuing renewable targets, and for any business reviewing a good quarter, the question is what caused the improvement.

Try today: Pick one number you track, such as sales, savings or attendance. Spend ten minutes writing down what drove its last change, and whether that cause will still be there next month.

Source: Euronews, “Fossil fuel emissions are expected to fall in 2026. Why aren’t climate experts celebrating?” by Angela Symons (10 November 2026); University of Exeter via ScienceDaily, “Global fossil fuel emissions set to fall in 2026, but total CO2 keeps rising” (10 November 2026)

Your Three for Today

Choose three priorities and give each a time:

• Move something forward: the one task that would make the biggest difference today.
• Support someone: who needs your attention, encouragement or a decision?
• Invest in yourself: one thing for your health, learning or wellbeing.

For example: check what drove a recent result by 10:00, show a colleague a useful shortcut at 13:00, and take a long walk somewhere new at 18:00. Your three will differ, and that is fine.

Today’s Question

Which opinion do you hold mostly second-hand that deserves a first-hand look?

This briefing was prepared with AI research and writing assistance under Colin Beharie’s editorial direction. Every fact links to its original source. Spot an error? See our Sources & Corrections policy.