Source: European Union 2
The European Commission and the European Investment Bank will jointly support 34 energy-related projects in nine EU countries. Funded by revenues from the EU Emissions Trading System, the €3.66 billion investment will help modernise energy systems in the EU to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
Source: Government of South Africa
By Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Velenkosini Hlabisa
We have begun with a comprehensive review process of the 1998 White Paper on Local Government. The review of the White paper demonstrates our collective commitment to addressing the challenges facing local governance and shaping a future that aligns with the aspirations of all South Africans.
The significance of the Local Government White Paper Review process is multifaceted, impacting various aspects of governance, community engagement and socio-economic development. This review is a crucial indicator of government’s commitment to improving local governance structures and service delivery, both fundamental to effective democracy and citizen satisfaction.
To understand this process fully, it is essential to consider the historical context of local governance in South Africa. The White Paper on Local Government, adopted in 1998, established the foundation for developmental local government as a key pillar of South Africa’s democracy.
This policy framework not only expanded access to basic services for millions but also defined the local government sphere as one that operates at the forefront of service delivery, working closely with citizens and other societal entities to address social, economic and material needs while improving the quality of life. The original White Paper was visionary, introducing a developmental model that emphasised collaboration and community participation.
Since the end of apartheid, local governments have played a crucial role in transforming communities, ensuring equitable service delivery, and fostering democratic participation. However, this journey has come with significant challenges. Many municipalities have struggled with inefficiencies, corruption and neglect, leading to public disillusionment and a lack of trust in local governance systems.
On 19 May 2025, we officially launched a review of the White Paper, emphasising that local governments must adapt to a changing world characterised by urban growth, climate challenges, youth unemployment and digital transformation. Without this evolution, municipalities risk becoming irrelevant and obsolete.
Central to the review is the need to restore public trust, which has been eroded by the issues and failures present in some municipalities. Rebuilding this trust is crucial and begins with accountability and the willingness to confront past mistakes.
The review poses the following challenging questions:
How can we ensure that councillors and municipal managers are qualified, accountable and focused on service delivery?
How can we restore fiscal discipline so that ratepayers’ money is used for delivery instead of waste?
How can we empower traditional leaders and rural communities without undermining constitutional principles?
We all agree that the rationale for this review is both urgent and strategic, as South Africa’s socio-economic landscape has shifted dramatically. The population has grown, and poverty and inequality remain deeply entrenched. Political instability, skills shortages and revenue shortfalls have weakened municipal performance.
In response, the review must address these and many other challenges by proposing structural changes that enhance accountability and efficiency. Additionally, the review aims to promote greater accountability and transparency in local governance.
By emphasising a participatory approach to governance, the review seeks to empower communities to engage actively with their local institutions. It aims to enhance transparency through measures such as open budgeting processes and public consultations, ensuring that municipal leaders are held accountable for their decisions and actions. This shift towards transparency is crucial for rebuilding trust between government and communities, allowing citizens to have a voice in the decision-making processes that affect their lives.
A key principle of the review recognises that meaningful community engagement is not just beneficial but necessary for effective governance. To this end, the White Paper calls for the establishment of forums, workshops and other platforms that allow citizens to express their concerns and suggestions. Such engagement serves two purposes: it empowers communities and helps local governments make informed decisions that truly reflect the needs of their constituents.
The review processes aim to rectify historical imbalances by ensuring that all voices are heard, particularly those that have been silenced in the past. It calls for inclusive engagement, reaching beyond the usual voices, and providing marginalised communities (such as informal traders, women, youth, traditional leaders and rural communities) the opportunity to participate. We emphasise this because real change must be rooted in lived experiences and supported by evidence.
This review presents an opportunity to rewrite the rulebook and introduce bold, forward-thinking reforms, including:
• Smart governance tools that track performance and improve transparency through real-time data systems.
• New funding models that incentivise ethical leadership and penalise mismanagement.
• The professionalisation of local government, establishing minimum qualifications and ethical standards for officials and councillors.
• Climate resilience strategies that future-proof infrastructure and services against environmental risks.
• Improved intergovernmental coordination, particularly through the District Development Model, to streamline planning and reduce duplication.
Consultations already underway across provinces are shaping a framework and roadmap that is practical, coherent, and values-driven. They reflect the spirit of the Constitution and the realities of 21st Century South Africa while being both inclusive and practical.
The outcome should be a modernised local governance structure that characterises and defines a new era of capable, developmental, ethical and innovative municipalities, ultimately improving lives, rebuilding communities and restoring the resilience of our democracy.
Every municipality must work, not just in theory, but in practice, and for everyone.
*This was first published on Public Sector Manager magazine.
Source: The Conversation – USA (3) – By Lori Hunter, Professor of Sociology, Director of the Institute of Behavioral Science, University of Colorado Boulder
Hurricanes, tornadoes and other extreme weather do not distinguish between urban and rural boundaries. But when a disaster strikes, there are big differences in how well people are able to respond and recover – and older adults in rural areas are especially vulnerable.
If a disaster causes injuries, getting health care can take longer in rural areas. Many rural hospitals have closed, leaving patients traveling longer distances for care.
At the same time, rural areas have higher percentages of older adults, a group that is more likely to have chronic health problems that make experiencing natural disasters especially dangerous. Medical treatments, such as dialysis, can be disrupted when power goes out or clinics are damaged, and injuries are more likely around property damaged by flooding or powerful winds.
As a sociologist who studies rural issues and directs the Institute of Behavioral Science at the University of Colorado Boulder, I believe that understanding the risks is essential for ensuring healthier lives for older adults. I see many different ways rural communities are helping reduce their vulnerability in disasters.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, about 20% of the country’s rural population is age 65 and over, compared with only 16% of urban residents. That’s about 10 million older adults living in rural areas.
There are three primary reasons rural America has been aging faster than the rest of the country: Young people have been leaving for college and job opportunities, meaning fewer residents are starting new families. Many older rural residents are choosing to “age in place” where they have strong social ties. And some rural areas are gaining older adults who choose to retire there.
An aging population means rural areas tend to have a larger percentage of residents with chronic disease, such as dementia, heart disease, respiratory illness and diabetes.
According to research from the National Council on Aging, nearly 95% of adults age 60 and older have at least one chronic condition, while more than 78% have two or more. Rural areas also have higher rates of death from chronic diseases, particularly heart disease.
At the same time, health care access in rural areas is rapidly declining.
Nearly 200 rural hospitals have closed or stopped providing in-patient care since 2005. Over 700 more — one-third of the nation’s remaining rural hospitals — were considered to be at risk of closing even before the cuts to Medicaid that the president signed in July 2025.
Hospital closures have left rural residents traveling about 20 miles farther for common in-patient health care services than they did two decades ago, and even farther for specialist care.
Those miles might seem trivial, but in emergencies when roads are damaged or flooded, they can mean losing access to care and treatment.
After Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans in 2005, 44% of patients on dialysis missed at least one treatment session, and almost 17% missed three or more.
When Hurricanes Matthew and Florence hit rural Robeson County, North Carolina, in 2016 and 2018, some patients who relied on insulin to manage their blood sugar levels went without insulin for weeks. The county had high rates of poverty and poor health already, and the healthy foods people needed to manage the disease were also hard to find after the storm.
Insulin is important for treating diabetes – a chronic disease estimated to affect nearly one-third of adults age 65 and older. But a sufficient supply can be harder to maintain when a disaster knocks out power, because insulin should be kept cool, and medical facilities and drugstores may be harder for patients to reach.
Rural residents also often live farther from community centers, schools or other facilities that can serve as cooling centers during heat waves or evacuation centers in times of crisis.
Cognitive decline also affects older adults’ ability to manage disasters.
Over 11% of Americans age 65 and older – more than 7 million people – have Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia, and the prevalence is higher in rural areas’ older populations compared with urban areas.
Caregivers for family members living with dementia may struggle to find time to prepare for disasters. And when disaster strikes, they face unique challenges. Disasters disrupt routines, which can cause agitation for people with Alzheimer’s, and patients may resist evacuation.
Living through a disaster can also worsen brain health over the long run. Older adults who lived through the 2011 Great East Japan earthquake and tsunami were found to have greater cognitive decline over the following decade, especially those who lost their homes or jobs, or whose health care routines were disrupted.
One thing that many rural communities have that helps is a strong social fabric. Those social connections can help reduce older adults’ vulnerability when disasters strike.
Following severe flooding in Colorado in 2013, social connections helped older adults navigate the maze of paperwork required for disaster aid, and some even provided personal loans.
Friends, family and neighbors in rural areas often check in on seniors, particularly those living alone. They can help them develop disaster response plans to ensure older residents have access to medications and medical treatment, and that they have an evacuation plan.
Rural communities and local groups can also help build up older adults’ mental and physical health before and after storms by developing educational, social and exercise programs. Better health and social connections can improve resilience, including older adults’ ability to respond to alerts and recover after disasters.
Ensuring that everyone in the community has that kind of support is important in rural areas and cities alike as storm and flood risks worsen, particularly for older adults.
Lori Hunter receives funding from the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.
– ref. The aftermath of floods, hurricanes and other disasters can be hardest on older rural Americans – here’s how families and neighbors can help – https://theconversation.com/the-aftermath-of-floods-hurricanes-and-other-disasters-can-be-hardest-on-older-rural-americans-heres-how-families-and-neighbors-can-help-247691
Source: City of York
City of York Council has announced a significant £500,000 capital investment over the next two years to revitalise parks, play areas, and public green spaces across the city.
The Executive is set to approve the proposed criteria and prioritisation framework that will guide the funding allocation and ensure the greatest community impact.
This initiative marks the first major investment in York’s public spaces in several years and comes in response to widespread resident support and strategic ambitions laid out in the Council Plan 2023 to 2027. A key focus is ensuring accessible and sustainable outdoor environments that enhance biodiversity, wellbeing, and social inclusion. Work on assessing the conservation needs of our much-valued War Memorials will take place alongside the parks projects.
Strategic Benefits
The funding aligns with national findings from the “Space to Thrive” report by The National Lottery, which highlights the vital role parks play in supporting physical and mental health, community engagement, and local economies. The council aims to amplify these benefits by engaging residents, community organisations, and volunteer groups in improving green spaces citywide.
The decision also aligns with the council’s core commitments to equality and health. By prioritising sites in high deprivation areas and those with ageing infrastructure, the programme seeks to redress inequalities in access to quality recreational space.
Next Steps
Council officers will assess potential projects over the summer, with a final decision on funded schemes to be presented to the Executive this September. Recruitment for a dedicated project officer is already underway to support delivery through March 2027.
Cllr Jenny Kent, Executive Member for Environment and Climate Emergency, said: “In investing in our parks and public spaces, we’re not just enhancing infrastructure or play equipment – we’re investing in communities, public health, and a greener future. York people love our parks and have spoken clearly about the value of these shared spaces. This project reflects our commitment to creating a more vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable city, with people and pride in place at its heart.”
For more information, visit the council’s website or read the Space to Thrive report at Space to Thrive – National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Source: US State of Connecticut
Weather forecasting is not easy. The truth is that predicting future weather conditions over broad, or even narrow, swathes of Earth’s surface comes down to complex microphysical processes, and as College of Engineering Associate Professor and UConn Atmospheric and Air Quality Modeling Group Leader Marina Astitha puts it, nature is chaotic.
Astitha and her research group are at the forefront of exploring ways to improve weather prediction using AI and machine learning to enhance existing physics-based models. They developed new methods for the prediction of snowfall accumulation and wind gusts associated with extreme weather events in three recent papers in the Journal of Hydrology, Artificial Intelligence for the Earth Systems, and another in the Journal of Hydrology.
Postdoctoral researcher Ummul Khaira Ph.D. ’24 led the snowfall prediction work during her time as a Ph.D student. Ph.D candidate Israt Jahan is passionate about building models that improve predictions of damaging wind gusts from storms.
The researchers met with UConn Today to discuss the importance and everyday applications of enhanced forecasting capabilities using these new technologies.
Astitha: There are characteristics about the Northeast that make it particularly difficult to make weather predictions for. This is especially true for winter weather because we have Nor’easters that can come from either the center of the country or from the Gulf. Some move slowly, and they are highly predictable. Some can be what we call a bomb cyclone, where they rush up here and dump a lot of snow in a small amount of time.
For weather forecasting, we traditionally use numerical weather prediction models that are based on physics principles and have seen large improvements over the last 20-30 years. We have been running our own weather forecasting system at UConn since 2014, based on physical models. However, numerical weather prediction comes with its own challenges due to uncertainty in parameterizations that are necessary when no physical laws are known for a specific process.
For windstorms, wind gusts specifically are a complicated variable. It’s wind, but the way we observe it and the way we model it is different.
Astitha: Precipitation is a microscale process. As air rises and cools, clouds form, and within those clouds, tiny cloud droplets develop through complex microphysical interactions. Over time, some of these droplets grow large enough to become raindrops or snowflakes. Once they reach a critical size, gravity causes them to fall to the ground as precipitation. This entire process is governed by microphysical processes.
We try to predict such microphysical processes embedded in numerical weather models by solving many equations and parameterizations. These models describe our atmosphere as a 3D grid, dividing it into discrete boxes where we solve equations based on first principles (motion, thermodynamics, and more). This approach poses a major challenge: even with increased resolution, each grid cell often represents a large volume of air, typically one to four square kilometers. Despite efforts to refine the grid, these cells still encompass vast areas, limiting the model’s ability to resolve smaller-scale processes.
Numerical prediction is what got me here. 20 years ago, I could run a code to numerically solve physics equations of the atmosphere, and then I could tell approximately what the weather would be like the next day. That, to me, was mind-blowing!
Once you run one deterministic model, you get one answer that the temperature is going to be, say 75 degrees tomorrow in Storrs. That’s one potential realization of the future. Models like that are not capable of giving us an exact answer, because nature is chaotic. I’ve always had the mindset of looking at multiple models to have an idea of that uncertainty and variability, and if 10 different realizations give you 74, 75, or 76 degrees, you know you’re close.
Khaira: Few things are more humbling than a snowfall that defies prediction. My work lies in embracing that uncertainty in the chaos and building models not to promise perfection, but to offer communities and decision makers a clearer window into what might lie ahead.
Astitha: Imagine a Nor’easter coming our way during wintertime; they come with a lot of snow and wind. We work with the Eversource Energy Center and we’re interested not only on the scientific advancement, but also the impact and accuracy in predicting when and where that storm is going to happen in Connecticut. Weather prediction accuracy influences the estimation of impacts; for example, power outages. We might underestimate or overestimate the impact by a lot. That makes winter storms of particular interest because of the impact they have on our society, our transportation networks, and electrical power distribution networks.
Five years ago, we decided to test whether a machine learning framework could help with wind gust and snowfall prediction. It comes with its own challenges and uncertainties, but we quickly saw that there is a lot of promise for these tools to correct errors and do better than what numerical weather prediction can do and at a fraction of the time. Machine learning and AI can help improve the analysis of wind gusts and snowfall, but these systems are not perfect either. We want to be able to better predict storms over Connecticut and the Northeast US, which is why we started this exploration with ML/AI, even though most of the research out there about how to implement AI in weather prediction is either at the global scale or much coarser resolution, but we’re getting there.
Astitha: An example is when the trees are full of leaves like they are in late spring and summer, and a storm comes in with a lot of rain and intense wind. Whole trees can come down and topple the power lines, which causes many disruptions around the state.
Our close collaboration with the Eversource Energy Center involves our immediate collaborators taking this weather prediction information and operationally predicting power outages for Connecticut and other service territories. That information can go to the utility managers, so they can prepare two to three days in advance, indicating a direct link from science and engineering to the application and to the manager.
I understand people’s frustrations and the need for answers about weather forecasts and impacts of storms. You want to know if your family is going to be safe and if you should or should not be out during particular times of the day. We’re doing this research to improve the reliability and accuracy of weather forecasting, so communities and stakeholders are aware of what’s happening when the storm hits their area and can take appropriate actions.
Jahan: It’s incredibly rewarding to know that my work has the potential to improve early warnings and give communities more time to prepare. By combining AI and uncertainty analysis, we’re not just making gust predictions more accurate – we are helping decision-makers plan with greater confidence.
Source: US State of Connecticut
Weather forecasting is not easy. The truth is that predicting future weather conditions over broad, or even narrow, swathes of Earth’s surface comes down to complex microphysical processes, and as College of Engineering Associate Professor and UConn Atmospheric and Air Quality Modeling Group Leader Marina Astitha puts it, nature is chaotic.
Astitha and her research group are at the forefront of exploring ways to improve weather prediction using AI and machine learning to enhance existing physics-based models. They developed new methods for the prediction of snowfall accumulation and wind gusts associated with extreme weather events in three recent papers in the Journal of Hydrology, Artificial Intelligence for the Earth Systems, and another in the Journal of Hydrology.
Postdoctoral researcher Ummul Khaira Ph.D. ’24 led the snowfall prediction work during her time as a Ph.D student. Ph.D candidate Israt Jahan is passionate about building models that improve predictions of damaging wind gusts from storms.
The researchers met with UConn Today to discuss the importance and everyday applications of enhanced forecasting capabilities using these new technologies.
Astitha: There are characteristics about the Northeast that make it particularly difficult to make weather predictions for. This is especially true for winter weather because we have Nor’easters that can come from either the center of the country or from the Gulf. Some move slowly, and they are highly predictable. Some can be what we call a bomb cyclone, where they rush up here and dump a lot of snow in a small amount of time.
For weather forecasting, we traditionally use numerical weather prediction models that are based on physics principles and have seen large improvements over the last 20-30 years. We have been running our own weather forecasting system at UConn since 2014, based on physical models. However, numerical weather prediction comes with its own challenges due to uncertainty in parameterizations that are necessary when no physical laws are known for a specific process.
For windstorms, wind gusts specifically are a complicated variable. It’s wind, but the way we observe it and the way we model it is different.
Astitha: Precipitation is a microscale process. As air rises and cools, clouds form, and within those clouds, tiny cloud droplets develop through complex microphysical interactions. Over time, some of these droplets grow large enough to become raindrops or snowflakes. Once they reach a critical size, gravity causes them to fall to the ground as precipitation. This entire process is governed by microphysical processes.
We try to predict such microphysical processes embedded in numerical weather models by solving many equations and parameterizations. These models describe our atmosphere as a 3D grid, dividing it into discrete boxes where we solve equations based on first principles (motion, thermodynamics, and more). This approach poses a major challenge: even with increased resolution, each grid cell often represents a large volume of air, typically one to four square kilometers. Despite efforts to refine the grid, these cells still encompass vast areas, limiting the model’s ability to resolve smaller-scale processes.
Numerical prediction is what got me here. 20 years ago, I could run a code to numerically solve physics equations of the atmosphere, and then I could tell approximately what the weather would be like the next day. That, to me, was mind-blowing!
Once you run one deterministic model, you get one answer that the temperature is going to be, say 75 degrees tomorrow in Storrs. That’s one potential realization of the future. Models like that are not capable of giving us an exact answer, because nature is chaotic. I’ve always had the mindset of looking at multiple models to have an idea of that uncertainty and variability, and if 10 different realizations give you 74, 75, or 76 degrees, you know you’re close.
Khaira: Few things are more humbling than a snowfall that defies prediction. My work lies in embracing that uncertainty in the chaos and building models not to promise perfection, but to offer communities and decision makers a clearer window into what might lie ahead.
Astitha: Imagine a Nor’easter coming our way during wintertime; they come with a lot of snow and wind. We work with the Eversource Energy Center and we’re interested not only on the scientific advancement, but also the impact and accuracy in predicting when and where that storm is going to happen in Connecticut. Weather prediction accuracy influences the estimation of impacts; for example, power outages. We might underestimate or overestimate the impact by a lot. That makes winter storms of particular interest because of the impact they have on our society, our transportation networks, and electrical power distribution networks.
Five years ago, we decided to test whether a machine learning framework could help with wind gust and snowfall prediction. It comes with its own challenges and uncertainties, but we quickly saw that there is a lot of promise for these tools to correct errors and do better than what numerical weather prediction can do and at a fraction of the time. Machine learning and AI can help improve the analysis of wind gusts and snowfall, but these systems are not perfect either. We want to be able to better predict storms over Connecticut and the Northeast US, which is why we started this exploration with ML/AI, even though most of the research out there about how to implement AI in weather prediction is either at the global scale or much coarser resolution, but we’re getting there.
Astitha: An example is when the trees are full of leaves like they are in late spring and summer, and a storm comes in with a lot of rain and intense wind. Whole trees can come down and topple the power lines, which causes many disruptions around the state.
Our close collaboration with the Eversource Energy Center involves our immediate collaborators taking this weather prediction information and operationally predicting power outages for Connecticut and other service territories. That information can go to the utility managers, so they can prepare two to three days in advance, indicating a direct link from science and engineering to the application and to the manager.
I understand people’s frustrations and the need for answers about weather forecasts and impacts of storms. You want to know if your family is going to be safe and if you should or should not be out during particular times of the day. We’re doing this research to improve the reliability and accuracy of weather forecasting, so communities and stakeholders are aware of what’s happening when the storm hits their area and can take appropriate actions.
Jahan: It’s incredibly rewarding to know that my work has the potential to improve early warnings and give communities more time to prepare. By combining AI and uncertainty analysis, we’re not just making gust predictions more accurate – we are helping decision-makers plan with greater confidence.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Dante McGrath, Postdoctoral Researcher, Centre for Climate Repair, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge
Since 2019, the UK has been committed to the target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Legally binding net zero targets form the basis for national efforts to meet the international goals of limiting global warming to “well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels” and ideally to 1.5°C.
These goals, launched in 2015 as part of the UN’s Paris agreement, set the stage for climate action in a warming world. Much like the “reduce-reuse-recycle” sustainability initiative, various climate actions fit within three Rs — reduce, remove and reflect. These actions were the subject of a recent debate in the UK parliament.
My colleagues and I have reviewed how these three Rs differ in scope, scale and state of knowledge. Our analysis reveals that a range of climate interventions may complement intensified mitigation efforts (to reduce greenhouse gas emissions), but more research is urgently needed.
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is at centre stage. This is non-negotiable. Emissions reduction must be deep, rapid and sustained if we are to limit global warming to less than 2°C. These drastic cuts demand an ensemble cast, players from all sectors, from energy to agriculture. The energy to power modern society accounts for almost 75% of our greenhouse gas emissions.
We need a prop change at centre stage: an energy transition from fossil fuels to renewables. This requires electrification and energy efficiency measures — both are central to managing the growth in energy demand sustainably.
At stage right, greenhouse gas removal offers a supporting role by removing historical emissions and offsetting residual emissions from sectors lagging behind in the energy transition (such as shipping and aviation). A number of academics have stressed that a range of removal methods is required to achieve net zero emissions and halt the rise in global temperature.
Conventional carbon removal methods, such as forestation or the restoration of peatlands and wetlands, are vital. However, due to resource constraints (such as land and water security) and ecosystem impacts of global warming, we need to scale new methods rapidly to meet Paris agreement targets. These include ways to capture and store carbon on land and at sea.
Novel methods have many challenges, however, related to their effectiveness (including storage durability and permanence), unintended environmental consequences, economic costs and demands on natural resources. The challenges constraining the scale-up of novel removal methods must be addressed if we are to achieve net zero and halt global warming.
The consequences of climate change are outpacing efforts to abate it. With each year, the likelihood of exceeding 1.5 and 2°C warming increases, posing major risks to society and Earth’s ecosystems. That’s why the third R — reflect — needs to be assessed.
Read more:
UK funds controversial climate-cooling research
Sunlight reflection methods have been in the wings on stage left. In the context of limiting global warming to 1.5°C, they have been considered feasible in theory, but fraught with challenges in practice. As the chance of exceeding 1.5°C in the coming years increases, this form of climate intervention needs further consideration. Experts brought together by the UN Environment Programme have concluded that, although this intervention is “not a substitute for mitigation”, it is “the only option that could cool the planet within years”.
The most studied methods to reflect sunlight are called stratospheric aerosol injection and marine cloud brightening. These methods mimic natural processes that cool the earth by reflecting sunlight, be it through the release of reflective aerosols into the upper atmosphere, or the addition of droplet-forming salt crystals into marine clouds in the lower atmosphere.
Read more:
Five geoengineering trials the UK is funding to combat global warming
Sunlight reflection methods pose immense challenges with respect to research, ethics and governance. There are many scientific uncertainties about how these interventions will influence the climate. There is also no global regulatory framework in place. Any legislation needs to be based on scientific evidence and informed decisions.
Meeting climate goals requires an ensemble cast performing actions across the warming world stage. Emissions reduction is indispensable and should remain centre stage in climate policy. Climate interventions at stage right and left — in the form of greenhouse gas removal and sunlight reflection — need responsible and responsive direction. Their risks and benefits need to be assessed.
Before curtains are drawn, let’s make sure every climate action — reduce, remove and reflect — gets a fair hearing.
Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?
Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 45,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.
Dante McGrath does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. Reduce, remove, reflect — the three Rs that could limit global warming – https://theconversation.com/reduce-remove-reflect-the-three-rs-that-could-limit-global-warming-258413
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Dante McGrath, Postdoctoral Researcher, Centre for Climate Repair, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge
Since 2019, the UK has been committed to the target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Legally binding net zero targets form the basis for national efforts to meet the international goals of limiting global warming to “well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels” and ideally to 1.5°C.
These goals, launched in 2015 as part of the UN’s Paris agreement, set the stage for climate action in a warming world. Much like the “reduce-reuse-recycle” sustainability initiative, various climate actions fit within three Rs — reduce, remove and reflect. These actions were the subject of a recent debate in the UK parliament.
My colleagues and I have reviewed how these three Rs differ in scope, scale and state of knowledge. Our analysis reveals that a range of climate interventions may complement intensified mitigation efforts (to reduce greenhouse gas emissions), but more research is urgently needed.
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is at centre stage. This is non-negotiable. Emissions reduction must be deep, rapid and sustained if we are to limit global warming to less than 2°C. These drastic cuts demand an ensemble cast, players from all sectors, from energy to agriculture. The energy to power modern society accounts for almost 75% of our greenhouse gas emissions.
We need a prop change at centre stage: an energy transition from fossil fuels to renewables. This requires electrification and energy efficiency measures — both are central to managing the growth in energy demand sustainably.
At stage right, greenhouse gas removal offers a supporting role by removing historical emissions and offsetting residual emissions from sectors lagging behind in the energy transition (such as shipping and aviation). A number of academics have stressed that a range of removal methods is required to achieve net zero emissions and halt the rise in global temperature.
Conventional carbon removal methods, such as forestation or the restoration of peatlands and wetlands, are vital. However, due to resource constraints (such as land and water security) and ecosystem impacts of global warming, we need to scale new methods rapidly to meet Paris agreement targets. These include ways to capture and store carbon on land and at sea.
Novel methods have many challenges, however, related to their effectiveness (including storage durability and permanence), unintended environmental consequences, economic costs and demands on natural resources. The challenges constraining the scale-up of novel removal methods must be addressed if we are to achieve net zero and halt global warming.
The consequences of climate change are outpacing efforts to abate it. With each year, the likelihood of exceeding 1.5 and 2°C warming increases, posing major risks to society and Earth’s ecosystems. That’s why the third R — reflect — needs to be assessed.
Read more:
UK funds controversial climate-cooling research
Sunlight reflection methods have been in the wings on stage left. In the context of limiting global warming to 1.5°C, they have been considered feasible in theory, but fraught with challenges in practice. As the chance of exceeding 1.5°C in the coming years increases, this form of climate intervention needs further consideration. Experts brought together by the UN Environment Programme have concluded that, although this intervention is “not a substitute for mitigation”, it is “the only option that could cool the planet within years”.
The most studied methods to reflect sunlight are called stratospheric aerosol injection and marine cloud brightening. These methods mimic natural processes that cool the earth by reflecting sunlight, be it through the release of reflective aerosols into the upper atmosphere, or the addition of droplet-forming salt crystals into marine clouds in the lower atmosphere.
Read more:
Five geoengineering trials the UK is funding to combat global warming
Sunlight reflection methods pose immense challenges with respect to research, ethics and governance. There are many scientific uncertainties about how these interventions will influence the climate. There is also no global regulatory framework in place. Any legislation needs to be based on scientific evidence and informed decisions.
Meeting climate goals requires an ensemble cast performing actions across the warming world stage. Emissions reduction is indispensable and should remain centre stage in climate policy. Climate interventions at stage right and left — in the form of greenhouse gas removal and sunlight reflection — need responsible and responsive direction. Their risks and benefits need to be assessed.
Before curtains are drawn, let’s make sure every climate action — reduce, remove and reflect — gets a fair hearing.
Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?
Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 45,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.
Dante McGrath does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. Reduce, remove, reflect — the three Rs that could limit global warming – https://theconversation.com/reduce-remove-reflect-the-three-rs-that-could-limit-global-warming-258413
Source: US State of California 2
SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the deployment of skilled Urban Search and Rescue Team members to Texas to assist with ongoing response efforts related to severe flooding impacts.
“California stands with all those who have lost loved ones, homes, and livelihoods in the devastating aftermath of these summer floods in Texas. California is sending these specialized resources to support critical emergency response and recovery efforts.”
Governor Gavin Newsom
In close coordination with FEMA, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) is deploying these crews.
“Cal OES is proud to deploy these experienced teams to help those in need in Texas,” said Cal OES Director Nancy Ward. “These search and rescue professionals have the training needed to navigate extreme conditions.”
Potential exists for additional flood impacts in the area.
These teams are highly experienced in major disaster rescue operations, including the September 11, 2001 attacks, the World Trade Center, Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita, Hurricane Ian, the Camp Fire in Paradise, the Oklahoma City Bombing, and the Montecito Mudslides.
This deployment does not impact California’s emergency response and firefighting capabilities.
Source: US State of Hawaii
HONOLULU – Governor Josh Green, M.D., today signed significant bills into law to stabilize the state’s property insurance market and expand essential resources for youth and young adults facing homelessness. As Hawai‘i continues to face a nuanced housing crisis, Governor Green’s administration remains committed to actively reducing barriers to safe, stable, reliable and insurable housing for all residents.
SB 1044: RELATING TO THE STABILIZATION OF PROPERTY INSURANCE
Due to the instability in the insurance market that has been exacerbated by local and national environmental disasters, Senate Bill 1044 (Act 296) aims to stabilize the state’s property insurance market amid escalating premiums and limited coverage options.
“The rising cost of insurance has become yet another unbearable burden for Hawaiʻi and its residents over several years and mirrors a similar crisis on the mainland,” said Governor Green. “I am appreciative of the Legislature, the Hawaiʻi Insurance Division and all the passionate stakeholders for the dedicated and collaborative effort over the past two years as we addressed this challenge.”
Act 296 reactivates the Hawaiʻi Hurricane Relief Fund (HHRF) to provide insurance coverage in scenarios where the private market fails to do so. Applications are now being accepted by the HHRF for Condominium and Townhouse Associations of Apartment Owners (AOAOs) seeking to obtain hurricane commercial property insurance coverage.
“This bill is a lifeline for thousands of Hawai‘i residents crushed by soaring insurance costs — and finally gives them somewhere to turn,” said Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee Chair Jarrett Keohokalole.
Act 296 enhances the powers of the Hawaiʻi Property Insurance Association (HPIA) to provide additional coverage options, establishes the Condominium Loan Program to help buildings remain insurable, and mandates the Insurance Commissioner to conduct a comprehensive study aimed at developing sustainable strategies for market stabilization.
“We targeted this bill to help the average condominium building, not the luxury high-rises,” said Representative Scot Z. Matayoshi, chair of the House Consumer Protection and Commerce Committee. “In addition to increasing the market capacity for insurance coverage, which will allow many associations to return to the lower-cost admitted market, this bill also contains a low-interest loan pilot program, encouraging condominiums to make specific high-impact repairs that should lower insurance premiums and raise unit values. The long-term solution is for condominiums to address essential repairs and deferred maintenance, which will help them secure insurance in the future and improve the lives of their residents.”
Formed in 1993 in response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Iniki, the HHRF was established to address the gap in property insurance coverage created when many private insurers withdrew from the hurricane insurance market. As time passed and private insurers resumed offering hurricane coverage, the HHRF ceased operation and remained dormant. In 2024, Governor Green reactivated the HHRF to address the growing instability in the property insurance market caused by major climate events, rapidly rising premiums, and a decrease in available insurers, which created significant barriers to obtaining coverage for many AOAOs.
“The HHRF board of directors worked tirelessly to get the program operational to bring additional coverage availability for the market. We anticipate this program can provide every eligible association with full coverage or a portion of their full coverage,” said Acting Insurance Commissioner Jerry Bump. “In just two weeks, we’ve seen pricing pressure and market competition significantly decrease the cost of coverage.”
“The condominium community will now benefit from much-needed premium relief. As we have already seen in some of the initial submissions, properties of all sizes have seen upwards of 70% savings on their hurricane insurance,” added Alex McLaury, commercial insurance agent at ACW Group.
To be eligible to apply for hurricane insurance under the HHRF, an AOAO must: (1) have been previously denied hurricane coverage by at least two state licensed insurance companies operating in Hawaiʻi; and (2) have buildings with a total insured value exceeding $10 million.
Commercial property insurance policies offered under the HHRF are limited to hurricane coverage only and this is excess coverage that only can cover the portion of losses above $10 million. AOAOs must purchase separate primary insurance to cover hurricane losses up to $10 million. All applications must be submitted through a licensed insurance producer.
More information about the HHRF, including frequently asked questions (FAQs), application and other forms are available at https://hhrf.hawaii.gov.
HB 613: RELATING TO HOMELESS YOUTH
House Bill 613 (Act 297) makes permanent the youth pilot program originally established under Act 130, Session Laws of Hawai‘i 2022. The measure creates a safe space and youth program in each county for youth and young adults experiencing or at risk of homelessness. These safe spaces will provide 24/7 access to lodging, meals, showers, medical and behavioral health services, as well as educational and employment support. Through the joint efforts of state and county departments, those in need of further support shall be connected to nonprofit institutions with the expertise to offer long-term support and shelter. Reports of this program will be submitted to the Legislature. Appropriations will be $871,016 for fiscal year 2026 and $1.8 million for fiscal year 2027.
“This is how we break the cycle of homelessness,” said Governor Green. “By investing in people, especially our youth, we are shaping a future where everyone has a chance to thrive. This program shows what is possible when a community comes together with a purpose.”
“House Bill 613 makes the Safe Places for Youth program permanent, providing 24-hour access to shelter, mental health care, education support, and job training for homeless youth,” said Representative Lisa Marten, chair of the House Committee on Human Services and Homelessness. “With continued services on Oʻahu and Hawaiʻi Island and plans to expand statewide, this program is a lifeline for our most vulnerable youth. I am thankful to all the advocates who made this possible.”
The complete list of bills signed includes the following. Click the link to see full details of the bill enacted into law.
SB 1231 (ACT 298) RELATING TO PARENTAGE
Video of the Insurance Stabilization bill signing can be seen here.
Video of the bill signing relating to Houseless Youth can be seen here.
The Insurance Stabilization slide deck presented by the Governor can be viewed here.
The slide deck for the bill relating to Houseless Youth can be viewed here.
Photos of the bill signing ceremonies, courtesy Office of the Governor, will be uploaded here.
Source: Government of India
Source: Government of India (4)
Extreme heat and worsening drought situations are gripping large parts of Europe, sparking wildfires, triggering red alerts and intensifying global calls for effective climate actions. Driven by climate change, scientists warn, these conditions signal a new era of drought, threatening food security, energy security, ecosystems and economies.
The worrying part is that heatwaves and wildfires are constantly growing deadlier and costlier. If the European Environment Agency (EEA) is to be believed, heatwaves and wildfires are costing Europe billions of euros every year. Estimatedly, in 2023 alone, such climate-related disasters cost around 45 billion euros to 38 European countries, including EU, other European Economic Area (EEA) members, and cooperating countries.
If we take into account the total economic losses from weather and climate related calamities, they exceeded 790 billion euros across the European Economic Area, comprising 32 EEA member states and six Western Balkan countries between 1980 and 2023.
In recent years, Europe has faced an alarming rise in climate-driven calamities like extreme weather conditions, particularly heatwaves and wildfires. These disasters are endangering lives and ecosystems, while at the same time imposing severe economic burdens on governments, local communities and industries. Germany, Italy, France and Spain faced the highest economic losses, however, as per the environmental agency, little of this damage was insured.
According to the European Environment Agency, the leading causes of the damage are floods, storms, wind and hail, while heatwaves cause the most deaths in majority of the countries. As far as economic losses are concerned, they may vary from year to year and country to country, but trends suggest there is a sharp rise in economic damage, which may go beyond 50 billion euros annually.
There is little doubt that people across the world are struggling with sweltering hot temperatures fuelled by climate change, but the way the sweltering summer is gripping southern Europe, parts of the US and the UK is unprecedented.
The scourge of the rising temperature can be understood from the fact that southern Spain experienced 46 degrees Celsius temperature a few days earlier, which is a new record for the month of June. According to the national weather agency, Barcelona has set a new record for its hottest month in June this year, forcing the authorities to urge people to seek shelter from this excruciating heat condition.
A number of countries including France and Italy, have stationed their ambulances near tourist hotspots to treat people if they suffer from heatstroke. Among the vulnerable are people over 65 years of age, pregnant women, children and those with chronic health conditions.
In June, fires caused by the heat and strong winds struck France, Turkey, Greece, Italy and a few other countries, making situations worse than even expected. Germany, the largest economy of Europe and the third largest globally, is also facing a similar situation, as the temperature this year is hovering around 40 degrees Celsius. The town of Andernach in western Germany recorded 39.3 degrees Celsius, marking the highest temperature so far this year, according to the German Weather Service (DWD). Germany’s all-time heat record is 41.2 degrees Celsius, recorded on July 25, 2019.
The worsening heat situations have forced quite a few countries to issue heat alerts. Sixteen regions in France including Paris and other parts of southern and eastern Europe have heat alerts in place. The soaring temperatures forced its Climate Minister, Agnes Pannier-Runacher to call the situation an unprecedented one. Heat alerts are also in place in several parts of Spain, Portugal, Italy, Britain and Balkan countries like Croatia. Several countries have recorded their hottest June this year.
Besides emergency services being put in place in several countries and warnings being issued for people to stay inside as much as possible, around 200 schools across France are either closed or partially closed as a result of the heatwave conditions.
Heatwaves are impacting many parts of Central Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, North America and a few others also, but the way Europe is facing heat conditions calls for urgent measures, as the region is not known for such heatwave conditions.
Studies suggest more than two-thirds of the heatwave conditions have hit Europe since 2000 and the conditions are gradually worsening. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Sixth Assessment Report shows that by 2050, around half of the people in Europe may be exposed to heatwave conditions during summer.
It is also undeniably true that the effects of heatwave conditions are more pronounced in cities, as urban environments are significantly warmer than rural areas due to a large number of paved surfaces, huge multi-story buildings, large number of all kinds of vehicles and several other heat-generating sources.
A new UN report says droughts have risen 30% since 2000, now affecting all sectors from agriculture and energy to healthcare and infrastructure. Owing to very high temperatures, the economic distress of people is growing fast.
Just as COVID-19 strained the insurance sector, rising temperatures are now compounding the pressure, with insurers reassessing the risks and costs of covering properties in high-risk zones across Europe.
Public infrastructure is also not immune to the stress being thrown upon by rising temperatures. Roads, railways, power grids and hospitals also suffer heatwave-related wear and tear. Wildfires destroy homes, farmlands and forests, which require billions for reconstruction and recovery.
The economic toll can be gauged from the fact that some countries are already losing up to 10% of GDP annually, as suggested by some environmental and economic reports. The OECD warns drought-related costs could double again by 2035.
Hence, environmentalists and those who understand these damaging trends urge urgent global investment in early warning systems, drought monitoring, nature-based solutions and climate-resilient infrastructure. Without strong action and better implementation of national plans, droughts could spiral into global economic and humanitarian shocks.
Clearly, the need for urgent and coordinated action has never been more critical, as heatwaves intensify across Europe and the globe, driven by accelerating climate change. Mitigating these impacts requires multi-fold efforts, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions to slow global warming and investing heavily in adaptation measures to protect people, economies and ecosystems from escalating heat extremes.
For Europe, this means upgrading infrastructure to withstand extreme heat, expanding green urban spaces to reduce the urban heat island effect and strengthening public health systems to respond to heat-related health conditions. Since the majority of the countries in Europe are not prepared to face such heatwave conditions, they need to improve early warning systems, ensure access to cooling centers for vulnerable populations and integrate climate resilience into housing and city planning.
On global scale, cooperation and coordination among countries are essential, as climate change-related calamities are not going to be restricted to a few regions. Hence, sharing technology, funding nature-based solutions like reforestation and watershed restoration and supporting climate-vulnerable regions are key to having a holistic solution. The world also requires a proactive and science-driven approach along with an equity-based climate strategy before the human and economic cost becomes unmanageable for us.
Source: European Investment Bank
The European Investment Bank (EIB) has signed a €150 million loan agreement with Alfasigma, a global pharmaceutical company founded in Italy, whose products are present in more than 100 markets worldwide.
The agreement, announced today by EIB Vice-President Gelsomina Vigliotti and Alfasigma’s Chief Financial Officer Tatiana Simonelli, will support the development of breakthrough therapies in the areas of rare diseases and specialty care. The EIB financing aims to support Alfasigma’s R&D activities over the three-year period from 2025 to 2027, focusing on new treatments in gastroenterology and hepatology, vascular medicine, and rheumatology. It will help accelerate the translation of scientific advances into patient-centred solutions, aiming to address unmet needs and deliver high-impact health outcomes.
The operation is part of the EIB’s strategy to bolster competitiveness and innovation in the European healthcare sector and to create highly skilled jobs.
“This financing confirms the EIB’s commitment to promoting scientific innovation and supporting European biopharmaceutical research,” said EIB Vice-President Gelsomina Vigliotti. “Investing in research, development and innovation is key to strengthening Europe’s industrial competitiveness and to offering new therapeutic solutions to those currently without alternatives.”
“We are grateful to the EIB for this agreement, which will help us to fast-track our ambitious growth strategy, particularly in expanding our footprint in rare diseases and specialty care innovations to better address the unmet needs of the patients and communities we serve”, said Alfasigma Chief Financial Officer Tatiana Simonelli.
Background information
The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. Built around eight key priorities, we finance investments that contribute to EU policy objectives by bolstering climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and bioeconomy, social infrastructure, the capital markets union, and a stronger Europe in a more peaceful and prosperous world. The EIB Group, which also includes the European Investment Fund (EIF), signed over 900 projects worth nearly €89 billion in 2024, boosting Europe’s competitiveness and security. The EIB Group signed 99 operations totalling €10.98 billion in Italy in 2024, helping to unlock almost €37 billion of investment in the real economy. All projects financed by the EIB Group are in line with the Paris Climate Agreement, as pledged in our Climate Bank Roadmap. Almost 60% of the EIB Group’s annual financing supports projects directly contributing to climate change mitigation, adaptation, and a healthier environment. Fostering market integration and mobilising investment, the funds made available by the Group unlocked over €100 billion in new investment for Europe’s energy security in 2024 and mobilised a further €110 billion for startups and scale-ups. Around half of the EIB’s financing within the European Union is directed towards cohesion regions, where per capita income is lower than the EU average.
Alfasigma is a global pharmaceutical company founded over 75 years ago in Italy, where it is headquartered (in Bologna and Milan). The group operates in over 100 markets spanning Europe, North and South America, Asia and Africa. It has offices in many countries, including Italy, the United States, Spain, Germany, Mexico and China; production sites in Italy (Pomezia, Rome; Alanno, Pescara; Sermoneta, Latina; and Trezzano Rosa, Milan), Spain (Tortosa, Baix Ebre) and the United States (Shreveport, Louisiana); and research and development labs in Italy (Pomezia and Bergamo). Alfasigma employs approximately 4 000 people dedicated to research, development, production and distribution of medicinal products, contributing to its mission to provide better health and a better quality of life for patients, caregivers and healthcare providers. It focuses on three main therapeutic areas: gastroenterology, vascular and rheumatology. Its portfolio ranges from speciality care to rare disease medications and consumer health products, including nutraceuticals.
Source: European Parliament
Danish Presidency
At 10:30, Mette Frederiksen, Prime Minister of Denmark, will present her country’s priorities for its six-month Council presidency, which began on 1 July. Maroš Šefčovič, European Commissioner responsible for interinstitutional relations will also attend. Parliament President Roberta Metsola will hold a press conference with Prime Minister Frederiksen in the Daphné Caruana Galizia press room from 12:15.
Thomas HAAHR
(+32) 470 88 09 87
presse-DK@europarl.europa.eu
EU-China relations
Earlier, at 9:00, the day will begin with a joint debate on EU China relations. MEPs will first prepare for the 2025 EU-China summit, to take place later in July. Plenary will then move on to discuss the issue of China’s export restrictions on critical raw materials. A vote on a resolution on the latter is scheduled for Thursday. The debate will include statements by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Danish European Affairs Minister Marie Bjerre, for the Council.
Viktor ALMQVIST
(+32) 470 88 29 42
Snjezana KOBESCAK SMODIS
(+32) 470 96 08 19
@EP_ForeignAff
Situation in the Middle East
In a mid-afternoon debate with Danish European Affairs Minister Marie Bjerre and Commissioner Jessika Roswall, MEPs will review the latest events in the Middle East and what the EU can do to help restore peace.
Viktor ALMQVIST
(+32) 470 88 29 42
Snjezana KOBESCAK SMODIS
(+32) 470 96 08 19
@EP_ForeignAff
European Climate Law
A new 2040 greenhouse gas reduction target of 90% compared with 1990 levels, to be included in the EU Climate Law, is one of a new set of proposals adopted by the Commission on 2 July. Members will vote at noon on whether to fast-track Parliament’s work on the file. A debate with Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra on the proposals will start at about 15:30.
Thomas HAAHR
(+32) 470 88 09 87
@EP_Environment
In brief
Gas storage. Members will vote at noon on a draft law to address gas market speculation and reduce prices by introducing greater flexibility in gas refilling rules ahead of the winter season. Parliament and Council have already reached an informal agreement on the file.
Chemicals package. An action plan to boost the EU’s chemicals industry and measures to simplify EU chemicals laws are part of a new package Commission Executive Vice-President Stéphane Séjourné and Commissioner Jessika Roswall will present to Parliament at 15:00.
Media freedom. The implementation of the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) will be the subject of a debate with Danish European Affairs Minister Marie Bjerre and Commissioner Michael McGrath starting after the votes. A seminar on the EMFA for journalists, with key MEPs and experts, will take place at 15:00 in room De Madariaga S5. Journalists can follow it in person or via Interactio.
Enlargement. In the evening, Parliament and Commission Executive Vice-President Stéphane Séjourné and Commissioner Jessika Roswall will debate the Commission’s 2023 and 2024 reports on progress made by Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Georgia towards EU accession. The votes will take place on Wednesday.
Votes
At noon, MEPs will vote, among others, on:
Live coverage of the plenary session can be found on Parliament’s webstreaming site and on EbS+.
For detailed information on the session, please also see our newsletter.
Find more information regarding plenary.
Source: Government of South Africa
By Bernice Swarts
South Africa continues to face a host of interconnected socioeconomic and environmental challenges. These include the triple challenges of inequality, poverty, and unemployment, which are further compounded by climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.
These threats are not theoretical — they are realities already affecting our families and communities, especially the most vulnerable. Yet, within these challenges lie opportunities, and our department is taking bold steps to transform policy into real, life-changing action.
National Dialogue
Over the past 30 years, we have made great strides as a nation – expanding freedom, deepening democracy and building a better life for millions. Yet we also face persistent challenges: inequality, unemployment, social divisions and a growing disconnect between citizens and institution. In this spirit, President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for an inclusive National Dialogue – a people-led, society-wide process to reflect, reset and reimagine South Africa’s future. The National Dialogue is a chance for all South Africans, from all walks of life, to come together and help shape the next chapter of our democracy.
At this point I wish to also express my support for the planned National Dialogue as a forum to unite South Africans behind a shared vision and approach towards addressing structural challenges as a result of the apartheid legacy.
For the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, the National Dialogue presents an opportunity to engage meaningfully with all South Africans — particularly youth, women, and persons with disabilities — about the socioeconomic opportunities available within our sector.
We believe the outcomes of this important national engagement must translate into practical solutions that enable our people to contribute and benefit meaningfully from the work we do as both a department and a government.
One Million Trees in One Day
Under the Presidential Flagship “Ten Million Trees Programme,” our department has set out to do something remarkable – plant 1 million trees in one day under the rallying call, “My Tree, My Oxygen. Plant Yours Today,” we invite every South African — from schoolchildren to corporates — to participate.
This isn’t just a symbolic act. It’s a movement for environmental justice and climate resilience. Trees are nature’s air purifiers, carbon sinks, and shelters for biodiversity. We are in the final year of this programme, and with renewed vigour, we’re mobilising every corner of society to ensure we meet and exceed our target.
Small-Scale Fisheries – Voices from the Coastline
Our oceans offer abundant resources, but for too long, small-scale fishers have been left behind. That’s why we convened the Small-Scale Fishing Co-operatives Summit in Mthatha in May. We heard firsthand about the struggles fishers face: poor infrastructure, limited market access, and lack of support.
The summit wasn’t just a talk-shop. It was a collective turning point. We are now developing technical support packages, mentorship programmes, and policy enhancements to bring dignity and sustainability to the sector. When fishing co-ops thrive, entire coastal communities thrive.
Tackling E-Waste: A Crisis Turned Opportunity
Did you know that South Africa generates over 360,000 tons of electronic waste each year? Shockingly, only about 10% of that is properly recycled. The rest — from broken TVs to outdated cellphones — ends up in our landfills or is dumped illegally, contaminating soil and water and endangering our ecosystems.
To combat this, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) has rolled out a groundbreaking e-Waste Recycling Pilot Project. Launched in Limpopo, Mpumalanga and North West, the project has already collected over 30 tons of e-waste from rural municipalities. This isn’t just about waste removal — it’s about building a circular economy, holding producers accountable through Extended Producer Responsibility regulations, and creating green jobs.
Importantly, this initiative comes as South Africa assumes the G20 Presidency, where we have identified the circular economy and waste management as priorities.
Supporting Communities Through Forestry
Transformation in the Commercial Forestry Sector is no longer aspirational — it is underway. The DFFE is transferring eight state-owned plantations to local communities through Community Forestry Agreements. Alongside this, we’re providing post-settlement support, including business development, training, and job creation.
This initiative alone is expected to generate over 7,000 work opportunities and 550 full-time jobs, especially in impoverished rural areas. It’s forestry with a human face — empowering people to become stewards of their own natural resources.
Restoring Biodiversity, One Landscape at a Time
Through the GEF7-funded Sustainable Land Management Project, we are actively reversing land degradation in Limpopo and the Northern Cape. We have trained 129 community champions, employed over 170 people, and cleared invasive species from vast grazing lands.
Furthermore, our commitment to combating Desertification, Land Degradation and Drought (DLDD) is echoed on the global stage as a priority under our G20 Presidency.
Infrastructure for Nature and People
Our work isn’t only environmental — it’s infrastructural too. The Lowveld National Botanical Garden in Nelspruit, recently restored after flood damage, now boasts a new raised bridge and viewing deck. These are not mere cosmetic upgrades; they are symbols of resilience and investments in nature-based tourism that support SMMEs and jobs.
Last year alone, the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) implemented over 50 infrastructure projects, while its Kids in Gardens programme reached more than 153,000 young people with environmental education. We are seeding not only trees, but a new generation of conservationists.
Building a Just, Green Future
Our collective mission is clear: we must transition to an environmentally sustainable, economically inclusive society. And that requires partnerships — across sectors, provinces, and people.
As we deliver on our budget priorities, let us rally behind bold, practical and transformative action — from planting a tree to recycling e-waste to supporting a community forestry project. These aren’t just departmental initiatives. They are building blocks of a just transition that leaves no one behind.
Together, let us restore our land, empower our people, and green our future.
*Bernice Swarts is the Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
Source: University of Aberdeen
Tree planting at Glensaugh farm (James Hutton Institute)
Land managers, farmers, foresters, researchers, and policy makers will gather in Aberdeen for a landmark event to explore how integrating more trees into farmland could play a pivotal role in tackling climate change, improving biodiversity, and supporting resilient rural economies.
Agroforestry—the practice of integrating trees into crop or livestock systems—offers a range of benefits from improved water cycling and the enrichment of soil health to carbon sequestration and a reduction in erosion.
Trees can also provide shade and shelter for animals, act as windbreaks and create habitats for pollinators and wildlife.
The Farm Woodland Forum Annual Meeting, organised in partnership with the University of Aberdeen and The James Hutton Institute, will be held in Aberdeen for the first time in 30 years.
Themed ‘The role of agroforestry in integrated land management’, the eventwill highlight how trees can work alongside farming to deliver both economic and environmental benefits.
Dr Josie Geris, Reader in Hydrology at the University and lead host of the conference said: “Farmland trees have often been overlooked in traditional agricultural models, this event will shine a spotlight on their increasing importance in addressing the challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and food production.
“In addition to increasing environmental and farm resilience, well-planned tree planting can deliver wide-ranging benefits, including timber, fruit, fodder and biomass production, alongside other alternative income and energy sources.”
The conference will take place July 9–10, 2025, starting with a full day of talks and poster sessions at King’s College Conference Centre, followed by a field visit to Glensaugh Research Farm, home of the James Hutton institute’s climate-positive farming initiative where participants will explore long-term agroforestry trials and tree-based climate resilience measures in action.
Highlights include first-hand insights from farmers integrating trees into livestock and arable systems, research on the role of trees in reducing flooding, improving soil health, and enhancing biodiversity, updates on policy and payment schemes supporting farm woodland expansion and a look at decision-support tools helping farmers plan tree planting to fit their land and business goals.
Dr Julie Rostan, whose UKRI Treescapes programme funded research with colleagues at the University of Aberdeen and James Hutton Institute has looked at balancing socio-economic and environmental factors of the potential for agroforestry across Scotland, will showcase her work at the event.
She said: “The research has developed farmed based knowledge and practical tools that can help with decision making about integrating trees into farms for a more strategic approach to planting which can be tailored to individual needs whether it is improving benefits for livestock or farm ecosystem health.”
“Understanding of the importance and challenges to integrate tree planting into farmland is gaining momentum and this conference is an opportunity to hear from practitioners already seeing the benefits, as well as scientists developing the tools and knowledge to support wider adoption, and third sector organisations that facilitate this.
“Agroforestry is not about choosing between trees and food production. It’s about designing systems where both thrive.”
Glensaugh Research Farm has several areas of mature agroforestry which were planted in 1988 to explore the production benefits of integrating trees within a livestock farming system. These were planted as part of a National Network of seven UK research sites, co-ordinated by the Farm Woodland Forum (then the UK Agroforestry Forum). Three species were selected (Scots Pine, Hybrid Larch and Sycamore) and planted at a range of different densities, which allowed comparison of these differences on a range of factors including tree growth, grass production and livestock output. Findings from this have contributed significantly to advancing agroforestry research and knowledge.
The project continues to provide a living demonstration of the longer-term practicalities of agroforestry management as well as wider environmental benefits for climate change mitigation and adaptation and biodiversity. Currently, several research projects associated with the farm, including the UKRI-funded ‘FARM TREE’ project in collaboration with the University of Aberdeen, which is part of the Future of UK Treescapes Programme. The ‘FARMTREE’ project concerns balancing farm and landscape-scale demands for integrating trees on agricultural land and is developing practical tools for farmers to enhance the expansion of trees on agricultural land.
Building on lessons learned from these original research plots, as well as from agroforestry studies elsewhere, Hutton researchers planted a new design of silvopastoral agroforestry in early 2024. This integrates oak, a range of other amenity trees and grazing pasture, aiming to maximise the multiple potential benefits and minimise any disbenefits from such a system.
Professor Alison Hester, who heads up the Climate-Positive Farming Initiative at Glensaugh, said, “We’re delighted to host day two of this year’s farm Woodland Forum Annual Meeting at Glensaugh. Glensaugh has been a core site for agroforestry research since the 1980s and it is wonderful to see the bourgeoning enthusiasm for greater integration of trees into farming systems with all the multiple benefits that this can bring.”
Source: Government of India
Source: Government of India (4)
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday said that active monsoon conditions are likely to prevail over central parts of the country during next 4-5 days, with the possibility of extremely heavy rainfall (over 21 cm) at isolated locations in eastern Madhya Pradesh.
Widespread very heavy rainfall is also expected across several regions. Areas likely to be affected today include Uttarakhand, Tripura, Mizoram, Gujarat region, Telangana, Gangetic West Bengal, and Odisha. Konkan & Goa and the ghat areas of central Maharashtra are likely to receive intense rain on July 9. Vidarbha and Chhattisgarh are expected to receive heavy rainfall today and tomorrow, while Madhya Pradesh may continue to see heavy rain through July 11. East Rajasthan is forecast to receive heavy showers on July 11 and 12.
Weather forecast for Delhi-NCR
According to the forecast, the capital city is expected to witness a generally cloudy sky today along with expected light to moderate rain and possible thunderstorms. Maximum temperatures are expected to range between 35°C and 37°C, near normal for this time of year.
Today, the capital will witness a generally cloudy sky with light to moderate rain and possible thunderstorms. Maximum temperatures are expected to range between 35°C and 37°C, near normal for this time of year.
On July 9, the temperature is forecast to drop slightly, with maximum temperatures between 32°C and 34°C and minimum temperatures between 24°C and 26°C, which is 1–2°C below normal. Rain and thunderstorms are likely to persist throughout the day.
By July 10, the sky will be partly cloudy with very light to light rain expected. The maximum and minimum temperatures will be below normal by 3–5°C and 1–3°C, respectively.
Similar conditions will continue on July 11, with light rain and thunderstorms likely, and temperatures expected to range between 33°C and 35°C during the day and 23°C to 25°C at night.
Wind speeds in Delhi are expected to remain light, generally between 10–20 kmph, varying in direction from southwest to northeast over the forecast period.
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
RIO DE JANEIRO, July 8 (Xinhua) — Addressing the plenary sessions of the 17th BRICS summit on Sunday and Monday, Chinese Premier Li Qiang called for commitment to building an open world economy, opposed unilateralism and protectionism, and stressed the need to maintain stability and smooth operation of industrial and supply chains.
At the plenary sessions, the Chinese premier also touched upon topics such as strengthening multilateralism, artificial intelligence, environmental protection and climate change, and global health. The sessions were attended by leaders of BRICS countries, partner countries, guest countries, and representatives of international organizations.
Li Qiang noted that the current international economic and trade order and the multilateral trading system are facing serious challenges, and global economic recovery remains a difficult task. In expanding cooperation, BRICS should remain true to the founding purpose of the organization, meet the demands of the times, uphold and practice multilateralism, promote a fair and open international economic and trade order, join forces in the Global South, and make greater contributions to global stability and development, he said.
According to the Prime Minister, when expanding cooperation, BRICS must support the basic principles of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and promote liberalization and simplification of trade and investment procedures.
Mentioning the establishment of the China Cooperation Center for the Development of Special Economic Zones in the BRICS countries this year, Li Qiang expressed China’s readiness to work with all parties to build a network of practical cooperation.
He called on all parties to remain committed to strengthening international financial cooperation, expressing support for the expansion and strengthening of the New Development Bank and welcoming the willingness of countries in the Global South to invest in China’s financial market.
He called for an accelerated review of the World Bank’s equity stakes and the adjustment of quota shares by the International Monetary Fund, and stressed the need to enhance the representation and voice of developing countries.
Li Qiang noted that greater cooperation within BRICS should open up a “new blue ocean” of economic growth, calling for cooperation in new areas such as the digital and green economy, to make artificial intelligence (AI) the driving force of all industries and benefit every household, and to help strengthen the capacity of countries in the Global South.
China will launch the Global South Digital Development Initiative under the Global Development Initiative and plans to provide 200 training programs on digital economy and AI to Global South countries over the next five years, he said.
He added that China welcomes the participation of all countries in the World Conference on Artificial Intelligence to be held later in July.
Highlighting the growing risks in the areas of climate, environment and health, Li Qiang said the international community should form a broad consensus, take active actions and join efforts to address common challenges.
He called on the international community to strengthen global synergy in combating climate change, resolutely implement the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement, adhere to the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, and deepen cooperation in clean energy, carbon markets and other areas.
Developed countries must fulfill their commitments to climate change financing, technology transfer and other areas, Li Qiang stressed.
According to him, the world must achieve more tangible results in the field of environmental protection, adhere to the principle of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature, advocate for a systems approach to management and more effectively implement the Convention on Biological Diversity and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification.
He also called for increased capacity building for public health systems, calling on the international community to support the World Health Organization’s coordinating role in global health governance, make full use of platforms such as the BRICS Vaccine Research and Development Centre, and provide more public goods to countries in the Global South.
China always fulfills its obligations and makes active contributions to global challenges within its capabilities, Li said, adding that China will continue to take concrete actions, fulfill its responsibilities and cooperate with all parties to promote greener, healthier and more sustainable global development.
The summit resulted in the adoption of the BRICS Leaders’ Statement on Global Governance in Artificial Intelligence and the BRICS Leaders’ Framework Declaration on Climate Finance. –0–
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
As Pakistan grapples with deadly monsoon floods and a projected $1.2 trillion cost of climate inaction, the British High Commission has launched a nationwide climate journalism training initiative to empower media professionals to drive awareness and action.
The training will spotlight the crucial role journalists play in encouraging climate action. Journalists can spotlight climate change solutions, encourage climate action, and can help their readers and viewers to understand how climate change affects them.
The cost of inaction on climate change in Pakistan is $1.2 trillion by 2050. Within that figure is countless lives lost, countless numbers of people pushed into poverty, and countless livelihoods lost. It can be a bleak picture, but climate journalism is at the heart of showing us that there is another option. Climate journalism can incentivise action, spotlight solutions, and create change. I look forward to seeing the stories journalists go on to produce.
Having delivered trainings to the Express Group (Express Tribune, Express News and Daily Express), Geo News, Daily Jang, The News, The Nation and Nawa-e-Waqt in Islamabad, the High Commission will now travel to Lahore and Karachi, to continue their training programme.
British High Commission will be joined by a number of Chevening alumni, who honed their climate expertise through the prestigious scholarship where they studied a master’s qualification in the UK. This includes Syed Muhammad Abubakar, Environmental Journalist and PhD Scholar at George Mason University, U.S; Hammad Naqi Khan, Director General WWF Pakistan; and Sana Munir, Director of Local Government Audit.
They will also be joined by Muhammad Talal, senior sub-editor of Samaa digital, and Muhammad Asim Siddique, General Manager Samaa digital, both alumni of the High Commission’s Chevening climate mentorship programme. They have been supported by Adil Shahzeb, who has shared his insights on integrating climate stories into Dawn’s primetime show, ‘Live with Adil Shahzeb’.
Leo Hickman, editor and director of the Carbon Brief, is supporting the training programme. The High Commission will run a competition for all training participants. Journalists will submit their best climate story, and the winner will receive mentorship from Hickman.
Chevening Scholarships are the UK government’s global scholarships programme. Established in 1983, these scholarships support study at UK universities – mostly one-year Masters’ degrees – for students with demonstrable potential to become future leaders, decision-makers and opinion formers. In Pakistan, there are nearly 2000 alumni to date. Applications will open in August.
For updates on the British High Commission, please follow our social media channels:
Source: Samsung
Today’s consumers are redefining what it means to live well. Beyond simple consumption, they strive to make environmentally responsible choices throughout the entire purchasing journey. As a result, sustainability is no longer a trend — it has become a way of life. Brands are working to communicate their messages effectively while fully embracing and reflecting these eco-conscious values.
Launched this year, Samsung Electronics’ Color E-Paper (EMDX model) is a next-generation signage solution that significantly reduces power consumption in digital content advertising. NONO SHOP, a zero-waste store and café in Seoul’s Itaewon neighborhood, has introduced Color E-Paper displays into its space — taking a proactive step toward more sustainable operations.
▲ Julian Quintart, Founder and Owner of NONO SHOP
Samsung Newsroom visited NONO SHOP to explore how the space has become even more eco-conscious with the integration of Color E-Paper.
Less Waste, More Flexibility
NONO SHOP is a zero-waste store and vegan café offering plant-based beverages, desserts and groceries, along with a refill station to reduce single-use packaging. The shop promotes sustainability through customer engagement programs such as recycling campaigns and Climate Fresk workshops, where participants learn about climate change.
Even with ongoing efforts to minimize waste, operating a store inevitably generates some trash. One example is printed promotional materials — including seasonal menus, event posters and schedule announcements — which must be updated frequently. As a result, a significant amount of paper-based signage was being discarded each month.
▲ Quintart shares the many advantages of Samsung Color E-Paper including reduced waste, power consumption and flexible installation options.
By adopting Color E-Paper, NONO SHOP has significantly reduced waste from printed promotional materials. Images and text can be easily updated through a dedicated mobile app, eliminating the need to print and mount posters. The displays now allow for real-time content updates while delivering more impactful visuals.
“Samsung Color E-Paper doesn’t feel like a digital screen,” said Julian Quintart, a Belgian entertainer and founder of NONO SHOP. “It looks so much like real printed material that, unless you look very closely, you’d think it was just an ordinary paper poster.”
“The ability to instantly update images through the mobile app makes daily operations much more efficient,” added Juwon Shim, a manager at NONO SHOP. “It helps us save not only the resources and energy required for printing, but also time.”
▲ Samsung Color E-Paper offers simple hanging installation options thanks to its 2.5kg-light and 17.9 millimeter-slim profile
Sustainably Crafted From Packaging to Product
Color E-Paper is highly effective in reducing the energy typically required to operate and maintain commercial spaces. By applying ink technology to digital paper and using ambient light to render images, the displays eliminate the need for a backlight unit — the component in traditional screens that consumes energy to emit light. As a result, power consumption drops to 0.00 watts1 when content remains static. Even during updates, Color E-Paper uses significantly less energy than conventional digital signage.
“When introducing new devices into the store, it’s important to consider not just their power consumption, but also their overall environmental impact,” said Quintart. “Color E-Paper is especially appealing because its energy use is significantly lower than that of traditional digital displays.”
▲ The packaging of Color E-Paper also reflects a strong commitment to sustainability.
The product’s design and packaging also reflect a strong commitment to sustainability. Color E-Paper features 100% paper-based packaging and incorporates recycled plastic in more than half of its cover.
“Even the packaging was thoughtfully designed,” he emphasized. “All these small efforts add up and represent a meaningful step toward resource circulation.”
▲ Zoe McTackett, a regular customer at NONO SHOP, appreciates that the cover of Color E-Paper is made from recycled plastic.
Reactions to the Color E-Paper signage have been positive.
“I was really surprised to learn that recycled plastic was used in Color E-Paper,” said Zoe McTackett, a regular customer at NONO SHOP. “Knowing that Samsung values not just technology, but also the environment, makes me trust the brand even more.”
Built To Fit Anywhere
Color E-Paper effortlessly integrates into any space, preserving the aesthetic of existing interiors and resembling framed artwork. Equipped with a patent pending color imaging algorithm, the display optimizes content for enhanced visibility — delivering smooth edge rendering, seamless gradients and rich color expression for a look and feel strikingly similar to printed posters.
▲ NONO SHOP not only uses Color E-Paper for in-store displays but also uses it as versatile screens during workshops
“Even though it’s a digital screen, it doesn’t feel too sharp — it has a natural, paper-like quality,” said McTackett. She noted how comfortable it was to view, even in bright daylight or well-lit environments, thanks to its non-reflective surface.
“I hope customers see the display not just as a digital device, but as a framed piece,” Quintart added. “Once they realize it’s actually digital paper, they focus more on the content and respond to the product more organically.”
Weighing just 2.5 kilograms with the battery and measuring only 17.9 millimeters thick, Color E-Paper features an ultra-lightweight design with exceptional installation flexibility — easily mounted on walls, ceiling rails or stands without the need for additional structures.
▲ Color E-Paper can be installed almost anywhere thanks to its ultra-lightweight and ultra-slim design.
“Depending on the setting, Color E-Paper can be used in various formats — on a stand, wall-mounted or hanging,” Shim explained. “One of its biggest advantages is that it can transform the store’s atmosphere without requiring major interior changes.”
“When mounted on a movable stand, Color E-Paper is easy to reposition and can be set up near the entrance or beside the checkout counter,” she continued. “Hanging the display with wires is especially space-efficient since it takes up virtually no space.”
Samsung’s Color E-Paper eliminates the trade-offs once associated with sustainable practices. Just as a single small action can spark meaningful change, Samsung remains committed to creating positive environmental impact — a mission now shared with NONO SHOP through Color E-Paper.
1 According to International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 62301 standards, power consumption under 0.005 watts is displayed as 0.00 watts.
Source: Government of India
Source: Government of India (4)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday received a warm welcome from members of the Indian diaspora as he arrived in the Brazilian capital for a State Visit. Touched by the gesture, PM Modi described it as a “memorable welcome” and praised the diaspora for staying connected with their roots.
“Landed in Brasília a short while ago. The Indian community accorded a memorable welcome, once again highlighting how passionate our diaspora is and how connected they remain with their roots,” PM Modi wrote on X.
PM Modi arrived in Brasília to the beats of a traditional Brazilian Samba Reggae performance after wrapping up a “very productive” visit to Rio de Janeiro for the 17th BRICS Summit. The Indian Prime Minister, who is in the capital for a State Visit, was received at the airport by Brazil’s Defence Minister Jose Mucio Monteiro Filho.
During his stay in Brasília, PM Modi will meet President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to discuss various issues related to India-Brazil relations.
PM Modi also shared on X, “At Brasília airport, the Batala Mundo band played some wonderful compositions. Theirs is a global effort to promote Afro-Brazilian percussion, in particular the Samba Reggae from Salvador da Bahia, Brazil.”
Earlier, the Prime Minister described his Rio de Janeiro visit as “very productive”.
“Now on the way to Brasília for the State Visit. Will hold detailed talks with President Lula on different aspects of India-Brazil ties. The Rio leg of my Brazil visit was very productive. We had extensive deliberations at the BRICS Summit. I compliment President Lula and the Brazilian Government for the work they’ve done through their BRICS Presidency in making this platform even more effective. My bilateral meetings with world leaders will also boost India’s friendship with various nations,” PM Modi said in a post on X.
Earlier on Monday, PM Modi praised BRICS for prioritising key global issues such as the environment and health security. He underlined these subjects as crucial for humanity’s future, adding that for India, climate justice is not merely a choice but a moral obligation.
Speaking at the BRICS session on Environment, COP-30, and Global Health, PM Modi said climate change and environmental protection have always been top priorities for India. “For us, it is not just about energy, it is about maintaining a balance between life and nature,” the Prime Minister said.
“I am glad that under the chairmanship of Brazil, BRICS has given high priority to important issues like environment and health security. These subjects are not only interconnected but are also extremely important for the bright future of humanity.
“This year, COP-30 is being held in Brazil, making discussions on the environment in BRICS both relevant and timely. Climate change and environmental safety have always been top priorities for India. For us, it’s not just about energy, it’s about maintaining a balance between life and nature. While some see it as just numbers, in India, it’s part of our daily life and traditions. In our culture, the Earth is respected as a mother. That’s why, when Mother Earth needs us, we always respond. We are transforming our mindset, our behaviour, and our lifestyle,” he said.
He added, “Guided by the spirit of ‘People, Planet, and Progress’, India has launched several key initiatives — such as Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ (A Tree in the Name of Mother), the International Solar Alliance, the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, the Green Hydrogen Mission, the Global Biofuels Alliance, and the Big Cats Alliance.
“During India’s G20 Presidency, we placed strong emphasis on sustainable development and bridging the gap between the Global North and South. With this objective, we achieved consensus among all countries on the Green Development Pact. To encourage environment-friendly actions, we also launched the Green Credits Initiative.”
—IANS
Source: Government of India
Source: Government of India (4)
Search teams plodded through muddy riverbanks and flew aircraft over a flood-ravaged central Texas landscape on Monday as hopes dimmed for finding more survivors among dozens still missing from a disaster that has claimed at least 96 lives, many of them children.
Three days after a torrential predawn downpour transformed the Guadalupe River into a raging, killer torrent, a Christian girls’ summer camp devastated by the flash flood confirmed that 27 campers and counselors were among those who had perished.
Ten girls and a camp counselor were still unaccounted for, officials said on Monday, as search-and-rescue personnel faced the potential of more heavy rains and thunderstorms while clawing through tons of muck-laden debris.
The bulk of the death toll from Friday’s flooding was concentrated in and around the riverfront Hill Country town of Kerrville, including the ill-fated grounds of Camp Mystic.
By Monday afternoon, the bodies of 84 flood victims – 56 adults and 28 children – were recovered in Kerr County, most of them in the county seat of Kerrville, according to the local sheriff.
As of midday Sunday, state and local officials said 12 other flood-related fatalities had been confirmed across five neighboring south-central Texas counties, and that 41 other people were still listed as missing outside Kerr County.
The New York Times, one of numerous news media outlets publishing varying death tolls on Monday, reported that at least 104 people had been killed across the entire flood zone.
‘ROUGH WEEK’ AHEAD
While authorities continued to hold out hope that some of the missing would turn up alive, the likelihood of finding more survivors diminished as time passed.
“This will be a rough week,” Mayor Joe Herring Jr said at a briefing on Monday morning.
Camp Mystic, a nearly century-old Christian girls’ retreat on the banks of the Guadalupe was at the epicenter of the disaster.
“Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy,” the camp said in a statement on Monday.
Richard “Dick” Eastland, 70, Mystic’s co-owner and director, died trying to save children at his camp from the flood, multiple media, including the Austin American-Statesman reported. He and his wife, Tweety Eastland, have owned the camp since 1974, according to its website.
“If he wasn’t going to die of natural causes, this was the only other way, saving the girls that he so loved and cared for,” Eastland’s grandson, George Eastland, wrote on Instagram.
MISHAP IN THE SKY
Authorities lost one of their aviation assets on Monday when a privately operated drone collided in restricted airspace over the Kerr County flood zone with a search helicopter, forcing the chopper to make an emergency landing. No injuries were reported, but the aircraft was put out of commission, according to the Kerr County Sheriff’s Office.
National Weather Service forecasts on Monday predicted that up to 4 more inches of rain could douse Texas Hill Country, with isolated areas possibly receiving as much as 10 inches (25 cm).
Allison Santorelli, a meteorologist with the NWS Weather Prediction Center in College Park, Maryland, said the potential for renewed flooding was particularly heightened by the saturated condition of the soil and mounds of debris already strewn around the river channel. A flood watch was posted until 7 p.m.
State emergency management officials had warned on Thursday, ahead of the July Fourth holiday, that parts of central Texas faced the possibility of flash floods based on National Weather Service forecasts.
But twice as much rain as was predicted ended up falling over two branches of the Guadalupe just upstream of the fork where they converge, sending all of that water racing into the single river channel where it slices through Kerrville, City Manager Dalton Rice said.
Rice said the outcome, the result of an unpredictable combination of circumstances, was unforeseen and unfolded in a matter of two hours.
“Why didn’t we evacuate? Well, evacuation is a delicate balance,” he said in response to reporters’ questions on Monday. “If you evacuate too late, you then risk putting buses, or cars, or vehicles or campers on roads into low-water areas, trying to get them out, which then can make it even more challenging.”
“It’s very tough to make those calls, because what we also don’t want to do is cry wolf.”
The chief meteorologist for commercial forecaster AccuWeather, Jonathan Porter, said authorities had ample time to move people to higher ground before the flood struck.
Rice and other public officials, including Governor Greg Abbott, said the circumstances of the flooding, and the adequacy of weather forecasts and warning systems, would be scrutinized once the immediate situation was brought under control.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer on Monday asked a government watchdog to investigate whether budget cuts imposed by the Trump administration contributed to any delays or inaccuracy in forecasting the floods.
U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican, said there would be time to examine whether more could have been done to prevent the loss of life but that now was not the time for “partisan finger-pointing.”
(Reuters)
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
LONDON, July 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Diginex Limited (“Diginex” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: DGNX), a leading provider of Sustainability RegTech solutions, today announced that on July 1, 2025 the Diginex Board of Directors (the “Board”) adopted resolutions recommending that its shareholders approve an eight-for-one (8:1) forward stock split.
The Board has scheduled an extraordinary general meeting of its shareholders to be held on July 29, 2025 (the “EGM”) for shareholders of record as of July 3, 2025 (the “Record Date”) to vote on the forward stock split and the filing of a second amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (the “Proposals”). Should the Proposals be approved by shareholders the forward stock split will be effective from August 1, 2025.
Should the Proposals be approved at the EGM, (i) each ordinary share of US$0.00005 par value shall be subdivided into eight (8) ordinary shares of US$0.00000625 par value each; (ii) each preferred share of US$0.00005 par value shall be subdivided into eight (8) preferred shares of US$0.00000625 par value each; and (iii) the authorized share capital of the Company shall become US$50,000 divided into 7,680,000,000 ordinary shares of par value US$0.00000625 each and 320,000,000 preferred shares of par value US$0.00000625 each. Any fractional shares, as a result of the forward stock split, will be rounded up. There will be no cash in lieu shares payments.
The forward stock split is intended to make Diginex’s shares more accessible to a wider range of investors while maintaining the company’s market capitalization.
“We are pleased to propose this forward stock split, which reflects our commitment to enhancing shareholder accessibility and liquidity,” said Miles Pelham, Chairman and Founder of Diginex. “This move aligns with our strategic goals to broaden our investor base and support the long-term growth of our business.”
The forward stock split will not affect the total value of an investor’s holdings of Diginex shares at the time of the forward split. The Notice of the Extraordinary General Meeting, Proxy Statement and Proxy Card has been mailed on or about July 7, 2025, to all shareholders of the Company as of the Record Date. Shareholders can review copies the Notice of the Extraordinary General Meeting, Proxy Statement and Proxy Card at www.sec.gov in the Company’s Form 6-K and at https://www.cstproxy.com/diginex/2025.
About Diginex
Diginex Limited (Nasdaq: DGNX; ISIN KYG286871044), headquartered in London, is a sustainable RegTech business that empowers businesses and governments to streamline ESG, climate, and supply chain data collection and reporting. The Company utilizes blockchain, AI, machine learning and data analysis technology to lead change and increase transparency in corporate regulatory reporting and sustainable finance. Diginex’s products and services solutions enable companies to collect, evaluate and share sustainability data through easy-to-use software.
The award-winning diginexESG platform supports 17 global frameworks, including GRI (the “Global Reporting Initiative”), SASB (the “Sustainability Accounting Standards Board”), and TCFD (the “Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures”). Clients benefit from end-to-end support, ranging from materiality assessments and data management to stakeholder engagement, report generation and an ESG Ratings Support Service.
For more information, please visit the Company’s website:
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this announcement are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on the Company’s current expectations and projections about future events that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “approximates,” “believes,” “hopes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “projects,” “intends,” “plans,” “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” “may” or other similar expressions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results disclosed in the Company’s filings with the SEC.
Diginex
Investor Relations
Email: ir@diginex.com
IR Contact – Europe
Anna Höffken
Phone: +49.40.609186.0
Email: diginex@kirchhoff.de
IR Contact – US
Jackson Lin
Lambert by LLYC
Phone: +1 (646) 717-4593
Email: jian.lin@llyc.global
IR Contact – Asia
Shelly Cheng
Strategic Financial Relations Ltd.
Phone: +852 2864 4857
Email: sprg_diginex@sprg.com.hk
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
LONDON, July 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Diginex Limited (“Diginex” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: DGNX), a leading provider of Sustainability RegTech solutions, today announced that on July 1, 2025 the Diginex Board of Directors (the “Board”) adopted resolutions recommending that its shareholders approve an eight-for-one (8:1) forward stock split.
The Board has scheduled an extraordinary general meeting of its shareholders to be held on July 29, 2025 (the “EGM”) for shareholders of record as of July 3, 2025 (the “Record Date”) to vote on the forward stock split and the filing of a second amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (the “Proposals”). Should the Proposals be approved by shareholders the forward stock split will be effective from August 1, 2025.
Should the Proposals be approved at the EGM, (i) each ordinary share of US$0.00005 par value shall be subdivided into eight (8) ordinary shares of US$0.00000625 par value each; (ii) each preferred share of US$0.00005 par value shall be subdivided into eight (8) preferred shares of US$0.00000625 par value each; and (iii) the authorized share capital of the Company shall become US$50,000 divided into 7,680,000,000 ordinary shares of par value US$0.00000625 each and 320,000,000 preferred shares of par value US$0.00000625 each. Any fractional shares, as a result of the forward stock split, will be rounded up. There will be no cash in lieu shares payments.
The forward stock split is intended to make Diginex’s shares more accessible to a wider range of investors while maintaining the company’s market capitalization.
“We are pleased to propose this forward stock split, which reflects our commitment to enhancing shareholder accessibility and liquidity,” said Miles Pelham, Chairman and Founder of Diginex. “This move aligns with our strategic goals to broaden our investor base and support the long-term growth of our business.”
The forward stock split will not affect the total value of an investor’s holdings of Diginex shares at the time of the forward split. The Notice of the Extraordinary General Meeting, Proxy Statement and Proxy Card has been mailed on or about July 7, 2025, to all shareholders of the Company as of the Record Date. Shareholders can review copies the Notice of the Extraordinary General Meeting, Proxy Statement and Proxy Card at www.sec.gov in the Company’s Form 6-K and at https://www.cstproxy.com/diginex/2025.
About Diginex
Diginex Limited (Nasdaq: DGNX; ISIN KYG286871044), headquartered in London, is a sustainable RegTech business that empowers businesses and governments to streamline ESG, climate, and supply chain data collection and reporting. The Company utilizes blockchain, AI, machine learning and data analysis technology to lead change and increase transparency in corporate regulatory reporting and sustainable finance. Diginex’s products and services solutions enable companies to collect, evaluate and share sustainability data through easy-to-use software.
The award-winning diginexESG platform supports 17 global frameworks, including GRI (the “Global Reporting Initiative”), SASB (the “Sustainability Accounting Standards Board”), and TCFD (the “Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures”). Clients benefit from end-to-end support, ranging from materiality assessments and data management to stakeholder engagement, report generation and an ESG Ratings Support Service.
For more information, please visit the Company’s website:
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this announcement are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on the Company’s current expectations and projections about future events that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “approximates,” “believes,” “hopes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “projects,” “intends,” “plans,” “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” “may” or other similar expressions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results disclosed in the Company’s filings with the SEC.
Diginex
Investor Relations
Email: ir@diginex.com
IR Contact – Europe
Anna Höffken
Phone: +49.40.609186.0
Email: diginex@kirchhoff.de
IR Contact – US
Jackson Lin
Lambert by LLYC
Phone: +1 (646) 717-4593
Email: jian.lin@llyc.global
IR Contact – Asia
Shelly Cheng
Strategic Financial Relations Ltd.
Phone: +852 2864 4857
Email: sprg_diginex@sprg.com.hk
ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on July 8, 2025.
Being kind to people – the new challenge for the public service
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jennifer Smith-Merry, Director, Centre for Disability Research and Policy, University of Sydney When Labor was re-elected in May, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese used his acceptance speech to describe the type of country he wanted to lead. He spoke of how the Australian people had voted for fairness,
It’s harder than you think to become a top sports official in football, soccer and the rugby codes
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kath O’Brien, Senior Lecturer – Faculty of Health (School Exercise & Nutrition Sciences), Queensland University of Technology Brendon Thorne/Getty Images Sport officials, regardless of which code they supervise, are appointed to be impartial figures. They have to quickly interpret infractions, adjudicate rules and communicate commands, all while
First it was ‘protein goals’, now TikTok is on about ‘fibre goals’. How can you meet yours?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Saman Khalesi, Senior Lecturer and Head of Course Nutrition, HealthWise Research Group Lead, Appleton Institute,, CQUniversity Australia Westend61/Getty Images “Protein goals” have long been a thing on TikTok and Instagram. But now social media users are also talking about “fibre goals”. This reflects a positive broader shift
Bougainville election process begins as writs issued for September poll
RNZ Pacific The Bougainville election process begins today with the issuance of the writs yesterday. Nominations open Tuesday, July 8, and close on Thursday, July 10. Voting is scheduled for one week starting on September 2, allowing seven weeks of campaigning. Candidates will be vying for a total of 46 seats, with the autonomous Parliament
Australia is set to get more AI data centres. Local communities need to be more involved
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bronwyn Cumbo, Transdisciplinary social researcher and lecturer, University of Technology Sydney A Google data centre in Hertfordshire, United Kingdom. Richard Newstead/Getty Data centres are the engines of the internet. These large, high-security facilities host racks of servers that store and process our digital data, 24 hours a
How can you keep kids off screens during the winter holidays?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Victoria Minson, Senior Lecturer in Early Childhood Education, Australian Catholic University Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Children’s Games, 1560. ©KHM-Museumsverband, CC BY-NC The winter school holidays can be a tricky time for families. Parents are often juggling work and chilly conditions make it easy for kids to end
Quitting the quit-aid: people trying to stop vaping nicotine need more support – here are some strategies to help
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joya Kemper, Associate Professor in Marketing, University of Canterbury Getty Images New Zealand is among a number of countries that encourage vaping (the use of e-cigarettes) as a tool to help people stop smoking tobacco. But what happens when people want to quit vaping? Nicotine vapes can
If you have a pet as a kid, does this lower your risk of asthma and eczema?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samantha Chan, Immunology and Allergy Lead, Snow Centre for Immune Health, WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research) Catherine Delahaye/Getty Images As the number of people with allergies grows worldwide, scientists are trying to work out precisely how and why these conditions – such as
A top court has urged nations to clamp down on fossil fuel production. When will Australia finally start listening?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wesley Morgan, Research Associate, Institute for Climate Risk and Response, UNSW Sydney GREG WOOD/AFP via Getty Images As Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen tours the Pacific this week to spruik his government’s commitment to climate action, fossil fuel exporters such as Australia are under unprecedented
Kumanjayi Walker inquest: racism and violence, but findings too little and too late
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Thalia Anthony, Professor of Law, University of Technology Sydney First Nations people please be advised this article speaks of racially discriminating moments in history, including the distress and death of First Nations people. The inquest findings into the death of 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker are among the most
Cape Town’s sewage treatment isn’t coping: scientists are worried about what the city is telling the public
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lesley Green, Professor of Earth Politics and Director: Environmental Humanities South, University of Cape Town Urban water bodies – rivers, lakes and oceans – are in trouble globally. Large sewage volumes damage the open environment, and new chemicals and pharmaceutical compounds don’t break down on their own.
View from The Hill: Albanese’s Curtin speech becomes latest political football in debate over US relationship
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Anthony Albanese seems to find himself on eggshells whenever the Australian-American relationship comes up. After the G7 debacle, he’s persistently pursued – to his obvious irritation – by journalists asking when he’ll have his first face-to-face meeting with Donald Trump.
A Shakespearean, small-town murder: why Australia became so obsessed with the Erin Patterson mushroom case
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Xanthe Mallett, Criminologist, CQUniversity Australia The “mushroom murder trial”, as it has popularly become known, has gripped Australia over the past 11 weeks. More than that, it’s prompted worldwide headlines, multiple daily podcasts, and even YouTube videos of self-proclaimed “body language experts” assessing defendant Erin Patterson’s every
Peter Russell-Clarke’s greatest gift was how he made you feel like one of the family
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wendy Hunt, Senior Lecturer, Academic Chair, Food Science and Nutrition, Murdoch University Impressions/Getty Images Throughout my teenage years, our lounge room sang “Come and get it, come and get it” and all in earshot would carol back, “with Peter. Russell. Clarke!” The chef, restaurateur, cookbook author and
Sleep divorce: could sleeping separately from your partner lead to a better night’s rest?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alix Mellor, Research Fellow, Psychology, Monash University Cemile Bingol/Getty Images Hundreds of years ago, it was common for married couples among the European upper classes to have separate bedrooms. Sleeping separately was a symbol of luxury and status historically reserved for royalty and the very wealthy. Nowadays,
A test of political courage: Yoorrook’s final reports demand action, not amnesia
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jeremie M Bracka, Law Lecturer and Transitional Justice Academic, RMIT University Australia’s colonial era may be formally over but its legacies of inequality, land dispossession and systemic racism continue to shape daily life for First Peoples. Last week, the Victorian Yoorrook Justice Commission delivered its two final
Erin Patterson has been found guilty in the mushroom murder trial. Legal experts explain why
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rick Sarre, Emeritus Professor in Law and Criminal Justice, University of South Australia After seven weeks of evidence, six days of summing up, and six and a half days of jury deliberation in the Victorian Supreme Court sitting in Morwell, Victoria, the verdict is finally in. Erin
In Texas, parents search flood debris for missing kids. Are Australians ready for our own sudden floods?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Erica Kuligowski, Vice-Chancellor’s Senior Research Fellow, School of Engineering, RMIT University Harrowing stories are emerging in the wake of catastrophic and sudden flooding over the fourth of July weekend in Texas – where many people were camping, and children were at riverside summer camp. More than 80
What is rejection sensitive dysphoria in ADHD? And how can you manage it?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Victoria Barclay-Timmis, Adjunct Lecturer in Psychology, University of Southern Queensland Vitalii Khodzinskyi/Unsplash Imagine your friend hasn’t replied to a message in a few hours. Most people might think, “they are probably just busy”. But someone with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) might spiral into a flood of thoughts
NZDF not considering recruiting personnel from Pacific nations
By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) is not considering recruiting personnel from across the Pacific as talk continues of Australia doing so for its Defence Force (ADF). In response to a question from The Australian at the National Press Club in Canberra about Australia’s plans to potentially recruit from
ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on July 8, 2025.
Being kind to people – the new challenge for the public service
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jennifer Smith-Merry, Director, Centre for Disability Research and Policy, University of Sydney When Labor was re-elected in May, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese used his acceptance speech to describe the type of country he wanted to lead. He spoke of how the Australian people had voted for fairness,
It’s harder than you think to become a top sports official in football, soccer and the rugby codes
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kath O’Brien, Senior Lecturer – Faculty of Health (School Exercise & Nutrition Sciences), Queensland University of Technology Brendon Thorne/Getty Images Sport officials, regardless of which code they supervise, are appointed to be impartial figures. They have to quickly interpret infractions, adjudicate rules and communicate commands, all while
First it was ‘protein goals’, now TikTok is on about ‘fibre goals’. How can you meet yours?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Saman Khalesi, Senior Lecturer and Head of Course Nutrition, HealthWise Research Group Lead, Appleton Institute,, CQUniversity Australia Westend61/Getty Images “Protein goals” have long been a thing on TikTok and Instagram. But now social media users are also talking about “fibre goals”. This reflects a positive broader shift
Bougainville election process begins as writs issued for September poll
RNZ Pacific The Bougainville election process begins today with the issuance of the writs yesterday. Nominations open Tuesday, July 8, and close on Thursday, July 10. Voting is scheduled for one week starting on September 2, allowing seven weeks of campaigning. Candidates will be vying for a total of 46 seats, with the autonomous Parliament
Australia is set to get more AI data centres. Local communities need to be more involved
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bronwyn Cumbo, Transdisciplinary social researcher and lecturer, University of Technology Sydney A Google data centre in Hertfordshire, United Kingdom. Richard Newstead/Getty Data centres are the engines of the internet. These large, high-security facilities host racks of servers that store and process our digital data, 24 hours a
How can you keep kids off screens during the winter holidays?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Victoria Minson, Senior Lecturer in Early Childhood Education, Australian Catholic University Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Children’s Games, 1560. ©KHM-Museumsverband, CC BY-NC The winter school holidays can be a tricky time for families. Parents are often juggling work and chilly conditions make it easy for kids to end
Quitting the quit-aid: people trying to stop vaping nicotine need more support – here are some strategies to help
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joya Kemper, Associate Professor in Marketing, University of Canterbury Getty Images New Zealand is among a number of countries that encourage vaping (the use of e-cigarettes) as a tool to help people stop smoking tobacco. But what happens when people want to quit vaping? Nicotine vapes can
If you have a pet as a kid, does this lower your risk of asthma and eczema?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samantha Chan, Immunology and Allergy Lead, Snow Centre for Immune Health, WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research) Catherine Delahaye/Getty Images As the number of people with allergies grows worldwide, scientists are trying to work out precisely how and why these conditions – such as
A top court has urged nations to clamp down on fossil fuel production. When will Australia finally start listening?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wesley Morgan, Research Associate, Institute for Climate Risk and Response, UNSW Sydney GREG WOOD/AFP via Getty Images As Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen tours the Pacific this week to spruik his government’s commitment to climate action, fossil fuel exporters such as Australia are under unprecedented
Kumanjayi Walker inquest: racism and violence, but findings too little and too late
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Thalia Anthony, Professor of Law, University of Technology Sydney First Nations people please be advised this article speaks of racially discriminating moments in history, including the distress and death of First Nations people. The inquest findings into the death of 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker are among the most
Cape Town’s sewage treatment isn’t coping: scientists are worried about what the city is telling the public
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lesley Green, Professor of Earth Politics and Director: Environmental Humanities South, University of Cape Town Urban water bodies – rivers, lakes and oceans – are in trouble globally. Large sewage volumes damage the open environment, and new chemicals and pharmaceutical compounds don’t break down on their own.
View from The Hill: Albanese’s Curtin speech becomes latest political football in debate over US relationship
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Anthony Albanese seems to find himself on eggshells whenever the Australian-American relationship comes up. After the G7 debacle, he’s persistently pursued – to his obvious irritation – by journalists asking when he’ll have his first face-to-face meeting with Donald Trump.
A Shakespearean, small-town murder: why Australia became so obsessed with the Erin Patterson mushroom case
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Xanthe Mallett, Criminologist, CQUniversity Australia The “mushroom murder trial”, as it has popularly become known, has gripped Australia over the past 11 weeks. More than that, it’s prompted worldwide headlines, multiple daily podcasts, and even YouTube videos of self-proclaimed “body language experts” assessing defendant Erin Patterson’s every
Peter Russell-Clarke’s greatest gift was how he made you feel like one of the family
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wendy Hunt, Senior Lecturer, Academic Chair, Food Science and Nutrition, Murdoch University Impressions/Getty Images Throughout my teenage years, our lounge room sang “Come and get it, come and get it” and all in earshot would carol back, “with Peter. Russell. Clarke!” The chef, restaurateur, cookbook author and
Sleep divorce: could sleeping separately from your partner lead to a better night’s rest?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alix Mellor, Research Fellow, Psychology, Monash University Cemile Bingol/Getty Images Hundreds of years ago, it was common for married couples among the European upper classes to have separate bedrooms. Sleeping separately was a symbol of luxury and status historically reserved for royalty and the very wealthy. Nowadays,
A test of political courage: Yoorrook’s final reports demand action, not amnesia
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jeremie M Bracka, Law Lecturer and Transitional Justice Academic, RMIT University Australia’s colonial era may be formally over but its legacies of inequality, land dispossession and systemic racism continue to shape daily life for First Peoples. Last week, the Victorian Yoorrook Justice Commission delivered its two final
Erin Patterson has been found guilty in the mushroom murder trial. Legal experts explain why
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rick Sarre, Emeritus Professor in Law and Criminal Justice, University of South Australia After seven weeks of evidence, six days of summing up, and six and a half days of jury deliberation in the Victorian Supreme Court sitting in Morwell, Victoria, the verdict is finally in. Erin
In Texas, parents search flood debris for missing kids. Are Australians ready for our own sudden floods?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Erica Kuligowski, Vice-Chancellor’s Senior Research Fellow, School of Engineering, RMIT University Harrowing stories are emerging in the wake of catastrophic and sudden flooding over the fourth of July weekend in Texas – where many people were camping, and children were at riverside summer camp. More than 80
What is rejection sensitive dysphoria in ADHD? And how can you manage it?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Victoria Barclay-Timmis, Adjunct Lecturer in Psychology, University of Southern Queensland Vitalii Khodzinskyi/Unsplash Imagine your friend hasn’t replied to a message in a few hours. Most people might think, “they are probably just busy”. But someone with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) might spiral into a flood of thoughts
NZDF not considering recruiting personnel from Pacific nations
By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) is not considering recruiting personnel from across the Pacific as talk continues of Australia doing so for its Defence Force (ADF). In response to a question from The Australian at the National Press Club in Canberra about Australia’s plans to potentially recruit from
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
This aerial photo taken on Aug. 4, 2023 shows waves caused by the Qiantang River tidal bore in Yanguan Township of Haining City, east China’s Zhejiang province. [Photo/Xinhua]
China’s Ministry of Water Resources on Monday activated a Level-IV emergency response to flooding in the eastern provinces of Zhejiang and Fujian as Typhoon Danas approaches.
Danas — the fourth typhoon of this year, as counted by China’s meteorological authorities — made landfall in Taiwan late Sunday night and exited to sea early Monday morning. It is forecast to make a second landfall along the coast between Taizhou in Zhejiang and Ningde in Fujian sometime between Tuesday afternoon and Tuesday evening, the ministry said.
The typhoon will bring heavy rainfall to affected regions from Monday to Thursday, with parts of southeastern Zhejiang, the eastern coast of Fujian and central-eastern Jiangxi province expected to experience heavy to torrential rains.
Rivers, including the Qiantang River in Zhejiang and its tributaries, will experience significant rises in water levels. Some small and medium-sized rivers within the rainstorm zone could rise past warning levels, and there are high risks of mountain torrents in hilly areas, the ministry has warned.
It is closely monitoring Danas’ path and development, and is guiding local water authorities on specific preparation measures, said the ministry, adding that it has dispatched a team to Zhejiang to assist with local typhoon response efforts.
China has a four-tier flood control emergency response system, with Level I being the most severe response.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Monday expressed the mainland’s deep sympathy for those in Taiwan affected by Typhoon Danas, which resulted in casualties and financial losses.
Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, conveyed the mainland’s sympathy for the lives lost in the disaster, extended condolences to the bereaved families, and expressed concern for all those injured.
“We hope that those affected will be able to return to normal life and work at an early date,” he said.
Typhoon Danas made landfall in Taiwan late Sunday night and exited to sea early Monday morning, leaving two people dead and hundreds injured, according to Taiwan media.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
As the desperate search continues for survivors of the flash floods in Central Texas, concerns have already been raised about the shortcomings of the United States’ weather warning service and the response of local authorities.
The death toll stood at 82 late on Sunday, with Texas Governor Greg Abbott saying that 41 people were unaccounted for across the state, adding that more people could be missing, local media reported.
In Kerr County, home to Camp Mystic and other youth camps in the Texas Hill Country, searchers have found the bodies of 68 people, including 28 children, said Sheriff Larry Leitha, who pledged to keep searching until “everybody is found”.
The flash floods happened in a region where the natural beauty of rivers, lakes and hills has made it a popular destination for summer vacations. The Guadalupe River bank area had attracted many visitors for the long Fourth of July weekend.
However, before daybreak on Friday destructive, fast-moving waters rose rapidly on the river in only 45 minutes, washing away homes and vehicles.
Questions are growing about whether enough warnings were issued in an area long vulnerable to flooding and whether enough preparations were made.
Families were allowed to look around Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp along the river where 10 girls and a counselor were still unaccounted for, on Sunday morning.
One girl was seen walking out of a building carrying a large bell. A woman and a teenage girl, both wearing rubber waders, briefly went inside one of the cabins, which stood next to a pile of soaked mattresses, a storage trunk and clothes. At one point, the pair doubled over, sobbing before they embraced.
Father’s sacrifice
Several of those who died in the floods have already been praised by loved ones for their heroism.
Julian Ryan, 27, died trying to save his mother, his fiancee Christina Wilson, and the couple’s two young children, according to local media reports.
Wilson told a Houston television station the water came to the front step of their trailer home near the river in Ingram before dawn on Friday and rose fast. Their mattress began to float. The door was stuck shut and Ryan broke a window with his arm for the family to escape. However, he suffered serious cuts from the broken glasses and soon bled to death.
“He had lost so much blood and knew he wasn’t going to make it,” Wilson said. “He said, ‘I love you. I’m so sorry.’ In minutes, he was gone. He died trying to save us.”
Camp Mystic director Dick Eastland, 70, died while trying to rescue campers during the catastrophic flooding, according to a tribute shared by his grandson on Instagram on Saturday.
“If he wasn’t going to die of natural causes, this was the only other way — saving the girls that he so loved and cared for,” George Eastland wrote. “That’s the kind of man my grandfather was. He was a husband, father, grandfather, and a mentor to thousands of young women.”
A Camp Mystic employee, Glenn Juenke, told CNN Eastland died “remaining a true hero until the very end”.
Almost a century old and founded in 1926, Camp Mystic had been run by Dick and Tweety Eastland since 1974 and can host up to 700 children.
In Kerrville, Tivy High School boys soccer coach Reece Zunker and his wife Paula died in the flood, according to a Facebook post. Their two young children were missing.
The Guadalupe River Heart O’ the Hills Camp announced on its website that its director and co-owner Jane Ragsdale was killed in the flood. Luckily no children were at the camp at the time.
Two sisters from Dallas, Blair and Brooke Harber, 11 and 13 respectively, were staying with their grandparents in a cabin along the Guadalupe River, which was washed away by the flood. The sisters were confirmed dead and their grandparents were missing, according to The New York Times.
Too late, inaccurate
The National Weather Service first issued a forecast on Thursday afternoon that heavy rain was coming and flooding was possible. It predicted 127 to 177 millimeters of rain.
The flood warning was issued at 1:14 am on Friday when most people were asleep. It triggered Wireless Emergency Alerts which sent notifications to all the mobile phones in the emergency area.
However, it’s a feature that mobile phone users can disable and parts of the Hill Country lack good mobile phone reception.
The rain began to fall around midnight, but actual rainfall far exceeded the forecast. Some local weather stations recorded 305 mm of rainfall by sunrise on Independence Day, local meteorologists said.
The water level rose rapidly. The water gauge in a section of the Guadalupe River gauge where it forks recorded a 6.7-meter rise in only two hours, Bob Fogarty, a meteorologist at the NWS Austin/San Antonio office said.
In Kerrville, the water level rose from 0.3 meters to 10.3 meters between 2 am and 7 am on Friday.
Fogarty said the alert was updated nine times throughout Friday. The most serious warning came at 4:03 am when NWS issued a flood emergency, warning of an “extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation “and urging “immediate evacuations”.
The riverbank overflow occurred about three hours after the first flood warning, with the strong torrent washing away cabins and vehicles.
Some meteorologists said local authorities are partially responsible for the devastating consequences of the floods.
“The heartbreaking catastrophe that occurred in Central Texas is a tragedy of the worst sort because it appears evacuations and other proactive measures could have been undertaken to reduce the risk of fatalities had the organizers of impacted camps and local officials heeded the warnings of the government and private weather sources, including AccuWeather,” AccuWeather chief meteorologist Jonathan Porter wrote in a statement on Saturday morning.
Local officials blamed the NWS for inadequate weather information. Nim Kidd, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management pointed to NWS forecasts that projected up to 152 mm of rain. “It did not predict the amount of rain that we saw,” Kidd said.
Facing questions on why officials didn’t organize evacuations, Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly said: “We didn’t know this flooding was coming. Rest assured, no one knew this kind of flood was coming.”
Kelly said they deal with floods frequently and locals know the area as “flash flood valley”. However, Kerr County doesn’t have a flood warning system in place. Kelly said the county considered implementing one a few years ago, but the plan was put aside due to the cost.
Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice told the media that the suddenness and intensity of the flood caught city officials flat-footed.
“This happened very quickly over a very short amount of time that could not be predicted,” Rice said,”… things like this happen in a very strategic, very isolated area and when those two things converge you have what happened today.”
Staff shortage at NWS
The unexpectedness of the flood has led many to question whether the understaffed NWS has contributed to the tragedy.
Its ability to help the entire country prepare for natural disasters was also questioned due to funding cuts under the Trump administration’s Big Beautiful Bill which was passed the day before July 4.
Federal funding cuts made earlier by the Department of Government Efficiency led to staff cuts in the NWS, which the service says has resulted in many of its local offices being understaffed.
Its mission statement is to: “Provide weather, water and climate data, forecasts, warnings, and impact-based decision support services for the protection of life and property and enhancement of the national economy.”
Accurate weather warnings are the key to “give every individual a fighting chance to survive nature’s worst”, it adds.
Since President Donald Trump took office, almost 600 people have left the NWS, equivalent to the total number of employees who left the service in the past 15 years.
Many of those who left were seasoned meteorologists with experience in dealing with a variety of weather scenarios. Experts had previously warned that the service had already been crippled due to its large number of vacant positions and sudden departure of senior staff.
The NWS Austin/San Antonio Office, which oversees flood-devastated Kerr County, is currently short six staff members. A senior hydrologist, staff forecaster and meteorologist in charge were missing, according to the NWS website.
While no one at the NWS has explained the big gap between the forecast and actual rainfall, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the administration, saying that it’s hard to accurately predict rainfall.
Noem argued that the technology was “ancient” and that the Trump administration is working to upgrade it.
“We know that everybody wants more warning time, and that’s why we’re working to upgrade the technologies that have been neglected (for) far too long,” Noem said at a Saturday news conference.
Houston has a problem
Jason Walls, a Houston resident, told China Daily the tragedy unfolding in Central Texas had made him worried about his own safety in Houston.
“We are in the hurricane season right now. I can’t imagine how many people would die from an inaccurate weather forecast and inadequate warning because we are much more populated than Central Texas. I am very concerned,” Walls said.
He’s aware that the NWS Houston/Galveston Office has a serious staff shortage with 11 positions out of 25 vacant. The departures happened after a number of experienced meteorologists left due to the DOGE cuts.
The vacancies include meteorologist-incharge, warning coordination meteorologist, science and operations officer, and port meteorological officer. In addition, four meteorologists, including two senior positions, are also vacant.
Meteorologist Jeff Masters, a former National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration hurricane hunter, earlier told the Texas Tribune that most of the roles won’t be able to be filled in time for the 2025 hurricane season.
“This was done very inefficiently,” Masters told the newspaper. “First, all of the probationary employees were fired, then incentives were given to get the most experienced managers out through early retirement. Now they’re trying to do some rehiring, and then it’s just not being done very efficiently.”
Masters said that the local offices across the country have lost critical institutional knowledge and expertise. Nationwide, reduced staff numbers have meant fewer weather balloon launches, therefore fewer data critical to accurate storm modeling is available.
Currently, the Houston office is being helped by members from other NWS locations, and a meteorologist in Oklahoma is helping as an acting meteorologist-incharge for Houston.
“Look at what happened in Kerr County when the NWS local office is without a warning coordination meteorologist,” Walls said. “We are in a worse situation in Houston — we don’t have a warning coordinator, we don’t have one in charge, we are missing almost half of very critical positions. How can we be ready for any weather disaster in the coming months?”
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Chinese premier urges developed countries to meet commitment to tackling climate change
RIO DE JANEIRO, July 7 — Chinese Premier Li Qiang urged developed countries to meet their climate commitments on financing, technology transfer and other areas.
Li made the remarks when addressing the plenary sessions of the 17th BRICS Summit on Sunday and Monday, calling for strengthening global synergy in tackling climate change.
He called on the international community to resolutely implement the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement, and uphold the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities.
Source: US Congressman Mike Lawler (R, NY-17)
Washington, D.C. – 7/7/25… Today, Representatives Mike Lawler (NY-17), joined by Josh Riley (NY-19) and Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-08) introduced the Conservation and Regenerative Optimization Practices for Farming Act, or the CROP for Farming Act, a targeted, bipartisan proposal to strengthen conservation efforts and equip farmers with new tools to improve soil health, enhance productivity, and reduce harmful emissions through voluntary practices.
The bill updates the Food Security Act of 1985 to recognize and support farming efforts to reduce nitrous oxide and methane emissions, while promoting carbon storage in soil and vegetation, all through existing conservation incentive contracts under the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Through commonsense updates to the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), the bill encourages practices such as no-till farming, cover cropping, and improved grazing management —strategies that enhance soil fertility, improve water retention, and support long-term farm resilience.
“Our farmers are the backbone of our economy and the original conservationists,” said Congressman Mike Lawler. “The CROP for Farming Act empowers them to continue adopting responsible land management practices that protect natural resources and ensure long-term viability, not just for their farms, but for our food supply and our environment. This bill ensures federal policy reflects the realities on the ground and supports producers who are making smart, forward-looking decisions.”
“Upstate farmers are leading on climate-smart ag—using cover crops, rotational grazing, and precision fertilizer to cut emissions and rebuild the soil. The CROP for Farming Act makes sure USDA conservation funding supports those efforts. It directs more resources to practices that fight climate change and strengthen rural economies. It’s practical, it’s bipartisan, and I’m proud to sponsor it,” said Congressman Josh Riley.
“The success of our farmers and protecting the environment go hand in hand,” said Congresswoman McDonald Rivet. “I hear from farmers all the time whose families have worked their land for generations and who want to conserve that same land for future generations. Through the CROP Farming Act, I am working with both parties to make that easier to achieve.”
“Our farmers need federal conservation programs that support the soil management practices essential for addressing today’s environmental and economic challenges. The CROP for Farming Act takes an important step by formally recognizing carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas reductions as conservation priorities. This legislation affirms the role of farmers in increasing carbon sequestration while stewarding healthy landscapes for soil health and water quality. We applaud Representatives Lawler and McDonald Rivet for advancing this bipartisan legislation that invests in the economic and environmental sustainability of both our farmers and their future,” said Daphne Yin, Director of Land Policy at Carbon180.
The following organizations have endorsed the CROP for Farming Act:
Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of Congress and represents New York’s 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties. He was rated the most effective freshman lawmaker in the 118th Congress, 8th overall, surpassing dozens of committee chairs.
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Full text of the bill can be found HERE.