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Category: Climate Change

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Samsung Showcases AI Home Appliance Innovations at DA Global Tech Seminars Across Five Regions

    Source: Samsung

    From March to June, Samsung Electronics hosted Digital Appliances (DA) Global Tech Seminars across five regions — the United States, Europe, Latin America, Southeast Asia and Southwest Asia — to showcase its latest innovations to audiences around the world. The seminars welcomed about 240 media representatives and tech influencers from 40 countries to experience Samsung’s latest AI home appliances firsthand and observe how the company is tailoring features to meet the unique needs of each region.1 Attendees also participated in Q&A sessions with product developers, who shared in-depth insights and explanations.
     
    Samsung Newsroom recaps each regional seminar with on-site highlights and photos.
     
     
    United States: Large-Capacity Washer-Dryers Win Praise for Practicality and Efficiency
    ▲ 2025 DA Global Tech Seminar held in the U.S.
     
    The U.S. Tech Seminar took place on March 18 at Samsung Home, a Bespoke AI experience space in SoHo, New York City — a neighborhood synonymous with art and creative living.
     
    American consumers tend to prioritize practicality and efficiency. Taking this into account, Samsung set up a dedicated experience zone for the large-capacity Bespoke AI Laundry Vented Combo, featuring a product cutaway mock-up that allowed visitors to intuitively understand the product’s core technologies and features. In addition, a live cooking demonstration showcased the AI capabilities of the Bespoke AI Oven, while the Bespoke AI Hybrid Refrigerator — which boosts energy efficiency using a semiconductor-based Peltier module — also mesmerized guests.
     
     
    Europe: Bespoke AI Jet Ultra Takes Center Stage With Industry-Leading Suction Power
    ▲ 2025 DA Global Tech Seminar held in Germany
     
    On the same day, the European Tech Seminar kicked off in Frankfurt, Germany, at World of Samsung — a global showcase designed to provide an in-depth look at Samsung’s products.
     
    A key highlight was the Bespoke AI Jet Ultra, which features the world’s most powerful suction for a cordless stick vacuum cleaner at 400W. Samsung developers gave presentations, offering insight into the vacuum cleaner’s high-performance engineering. The Bespoke AI Jet Ultra recently earned 4.5 out of 5 stars from U.K.-based review outlet Trusted Reviews and ranked first among 43 cordless vacuums tested by German IT outlet Chip.
     
     
    Latin America: SmartThings-Connected Home Appliances Growing at Twice the Global Rate
    ▲ 2025 DA Global Tech Seminar held in Mexico
     
    The Latin America Tech Seminar took place on June 3 in the vibrant metropolis of Mexico City, Mexico, drawing media and influencers from 13 countries to experience Samsung’s new lineup firsthand. Consumers in the region have shown high interest in connected living, with SmartThings-connected appliance adoption growing at more than twice the global average.2
     
    Reflecting this demand, demonstrations highlighted various features including Map View, Bixby, Routines — all easily accessible via SmartThings or the AI Home screen. Attendees also visited Sam’s House, a premium residential showroom where they engaged in hands-on interactions with Samsung’s connected products.
     
     
    Southeast Asia: AI Appliances Optimized for Hot, Humid Climates
    ▲ 2025 DA Global Tech Seminar held in Thailand
     
    On June 20, Samsung held the Southeast Asia Tech Seminar at a showroom in Bangkok, Thailand, where attendees explored the company’s latest products in settings simulating both commercial and residential spaces.
     
    Through demonstrations, attendees experienced how the Voice ID feature on the Bespoke AI Family Hub refrigerator can recognize individual voices to deliver personalized responses. They also saw how Samsung is localizing AI home appliances to better suit Southeast Asia’s hot and humid climate — for example, the 1-Way Cassette system air conditioner and the Bespoke AI Top Load Washer. “The use of AI to enhance user experience and facilitate both usage and energy savings is particularly valuable and useful,” said Kemachad Gunpai of Future Trends Thailand who attended the seminar.
     
     
    Southwest Asia: AI-Powered, Efficient Cooling Solutions in the Spotlight
    ▲ 2025 DA Global Tech Seminar held in India
     
    Held on June 25 in Gurugram, India, the Southwest Asia Tech Seminar focused on SmartThings-connected solutions and energy-efficient features tailored to local preferences.
     
    Among the demonstrations were AI appliances responding to sleep patterns detected by motion sensors, alongside cooling solutions tailored for Indian consumers. Attendees also received detailed explanations on how to track energy usage via SmartThings, a particularly relevant feature amid rising electricity costs. Samsung employees also explained how each product operates in AI Energy Mode to maximize efficiency and minimize energy consumption.
     
    “Samsung will continue to develop and expand the Global Tech Seminars in ways that reflect the unique local characteristics of each region,” said Soohyuk Ro, Vice President and Head of Tech Insight Group at Digital Appliances (DA) Business, Samsung Electronics, as the seminars came to an end. “In doing so, we will provide even deeper insights into how Samsung’s AI Home and innovative AI appliances can bring meaningful benefits to daily life for everyone.”
     
     
    1 Product names and features mentioned in this article may vary by region.
    2 Based on internal data from Samsung, aggregated via BDC (BI & Analytics), reflecting the cumulative annual ratio of Wi-Fi-connected devices.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Giant baby Musk float in march for tax justice at UN summit in Sevilla: ‘Make rich polluters pay’

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    Sevilla, Spain – Greenpeace activists joined a civil society march today for Global Economic Justice, with a giant float of a baby Elon Musk holding a chainsaw threatening planet Earth. As the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) starts tomorrow in Sevilla, campaigners are calling on world leaders to advance commitments for new and fair global tax and debt rules, and to hold fossil fuel polluters accountable for climate and nature damages.[1] [2]

    The conference opens against a backdrop of intensifying conflicts, geopolitical tensions, rising inequality, and accelerating climate and environmental breakdown. The outcome document, the Compromiso de Sevilla, released ahead of the conference, does not go far enough. It delivers on some promises on international tax cooperation and encouraging taxes on environmental contamination and pollution. However, bold language on sovereign debt architecture reform was weakened by Global North governments during the negotiations, and the agreement falls short on responding to the urgency of the climate, nature and social crises.[3]

    Fred Njehu, Greenpeace Africa’s Global Political Lead for the Fair Share campaign,[4] said: “Sevilla is a rare opportunity for global economic justice and for urgent conversations on how billionaires and corporate polluters should pay their fair share of taxes to fund climate action, nature protection and social programmes. World leaders need to listen to what the public wants and deliver a tax system that works for all.”

    Eva Saldaña, Executive Director of Greenpeace Spain and Portugal, said: “Multilateral cooperation is key to addressing global threats and resource gaps for global climate and economic justice. It must not become an excuse for more powerful governments, in the Global North or elsewhere, to water down ambition. We must put people over greed and listen to the voices rising from the streets – in Seville and all over the world. All governments must actively support the UN Tax Convention process and pursue real solutions to the debt crisis, so that we can finally begin to transfer resources away from polluters and the super-rich for the wellbeing of all people and especially for those who are suffering the most from the climate emergency.”

    Greenpeace demands reforms in international tax cooperation and public financing for sustainable development. Specifically: 

    • Endorsement of the UN Tax Convention process for just and equitable global tax rules, that make the super-rich pay their fair share and make corporate polluters, such as the fossil fuel industry, pay for their climate damages.
    • Explicit commitments from governments – via the Global Solidarity Levies Task Force, and beyond – to remove fossil fuel production subsidies and introduce progressive taxes and fines on fossil fuel corporations, and other high emitting sectors. This builds on the FfD4 outcomes document’s endorsement of “taxes on environmental contamination and pollution.” The revenues should be used to pay for domestic climate action and international climate finance support  – in particular action to support communities to respond and recover from climate disasters.

    Rebecca Newsom, Global Political Lead for Greenpeace International’s Stop Drilling, Start Paying campaign, said: “While fossil fuel-driven floods, storms, wildfires and droughts increasingly hit communities around the world, people are crying out for their governments to tax oil, gas and coal corporations to pay for climate-related loss and damage. So what are political leaders waiting for? They must seize the opportunity of Sevilla to make polluters pay – or face growing public anger for continuing to let dirty industries off the hook.”

    Hanen Keskes, Campaigns Lead at Greenpeace Middle East North Africa, said: “This is not the time to lack ambition as civil society is calling for urgent debt relief and structural reform. The burden of debt is undermining the most vulnerable countries’ ability to respond to climate, nature and social crises. Governments must show that they are ready to build a fairer and more sustainable future – one rooted in justice, not extraction.”

    ENDS

    Members of the Greenpeace delegation in Seville are available for interviews in Spanish, English, German, and Swahili.

    Photos and Videos can be downloaded via Greenpeace Media Library and will be updated throughout the conference. 

    Notes:

    [1] Greenpeace Spain’s float of Elon Musk measures 2 metres wide by 3.5 –  4 metres high.

    [2] The Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4) is a once-in-a-decade opportunity to reform financing at all levels, including to support reform of the international financial architecture. FFD4 Conference will be held in FIBES Sevilla Exhibition and Conference Centre (30 June – 3 July 2025)

    [3] The Compromiso de Sevilla: Outcome | FFD4

    Contacts in Seville:

    Tal Harris, Global Media Lead – Stop Drilling Start Paying campaign, Greenpeace International. +41-782530550, [email protected]  

    Begoña Rodríguez, Media Lead – Climate Responsibility Team, Greenpeace Spain & Portugal. +34 605248097, [email protected]

    Additional contacts: 

    Christine Gebeneter, EU Communication lead, Greenpeace CEE based in Austria, +43 664 8403807, [email protected] 

    Lee Kuen, Global Comms Lead – Fair Share campaign, Greenpeace International. +601112527489, [email protected]

    Greenpeace International Press Desk, +31 (0)20 718 2470 (available 24 hours), [email protected]

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-Evening Report: NZ cities are getting hotter: 5 things councils can do now to keep us cooler when summer comes

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Welch, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

    Getty Images

    Stand on any car park on a sunny day in February and the heat will radiate through your shoes. At 30°C air temperature, that asphalt hits 50–55°C – hot enough to cause second-degree burns to skin in seconds.

    Right now, in the northern hemisphere summer, 100 million Americans are dealing with 38°C temperatures. Britain is preparing for hundreds of heat deaths. In New Zealand, of course, we’re still lighting fires and complaining about the cold.

    But that gives us time to prepare for our own heatwaves. Open-air car parks that sit empty for 20 hours a day could become cooling infrastructure instead. Transport routes can become cooling corridors.

    Replace asphalt with trees, grass and permeable surfaces, and you can drop surface temperatures by 12°C. It’s not complicated. It’s not even expensive.

    It’s getting hotter

    NIWA data shows New Zealand is already experiencing extreme temperatures five times more frequently than historical baselines. Wellington hit 30.3°C and Hamilton 32.9°C in January, both all-time records. Marine heatwaves are persisting around South Island coasts months longer than usual.

    Aucklanders will face 48 additional days above 25°C annually by 2099, as summer temperatures increase by 3.6°C. Auckland Council has already adopted the most severe warming scenario (3.8°C) for infrastructure planning, acknowledging previous models underestimated the pace of change.

    Even Wellington’s famously cool winds won’t offset the estimated 79% increase in residential cooling energy demand by 2090, driven by hotter, longer summers and more extreme-heat days.

    A quarter of New Zealand’s population will be over 65 by 2043, an age when heat regulation becomes harder and fixed incomes make cooling costs a real burden.

    Currently, 14 heat-related deaths occur annually among Auckland’s over-65 population when temperatures exceed just 20°C. As the mercury rises, our older population will be at a greater risk.

    Summer in the city: a vendor sells drinks and ice cream during a severe heat wave in Washington DC, June 23.
    Getty Images

    Greener is cooler

    While global average temperature increases of 1.5°C might appear modest, the actual temperatures we experience in our cities is far more extreme. The built environment – all that concrete and asphalt – traps heat like an oven.

    But converting car parks back to green space can knock the temperature down dramatically.

    Research from Osaka Prefecture in Japan recorded surface temperature reductions of up to 14.7°C when comparing asphalt to grass-covered parking during sunny summer conditions.

    Another study found temperature differences averaging 11.79°C between asphalt and grass surfaces, with air temperature differences of 7-8°C at human height.

    Trees are the heavy lifters here. Stand under a tree on a hot day, and it can feel 17°C cooler than standing in the sun. Add rain gardens (shallow, planted areas designed to capture and filter stormwater) and ground cover for another 2-4°C reduction. Layer these elements together, and you get cooling that works even on overcast days.

    Roads as cooling corridors

    Grassy and tree-covered car parks are just a starting point. Auckland’s 7,800 kilometres of roads could become the city’s cooling system. Every bus lane, cycleway and walking path is an opportunity for green infrastructure.

    If we stop thinking of transport corridors as merely a way to get from one place to another, and see them as multifunctional cooling networks, the possibilities multiply while the costs remain relatively low.

    Melbourne’s COVID-era parklet program proved this works: 594 small conversions created 15,000 square metres of public space at just A$300–900 per square metre.

    Converting even a small percentage of New Zealand’s parking infrastructure could create connected cooling corridors throughout our cities.

    Protecting cycleways with a tree canopy would encourage active transport while cooling neighbourhoods. Bus lanes with rain garden medians would improve service reliability while managing stormwater.

    5 things councils can do

    Summer is six months away – maybe not enough time to do all the work needed, but certainly enough to get a plan in place. Here are five things councils could do.

    1. Plant trees now: winter is planting season. Focus on car parks and heat-vulnerable neighbourhoods. Use fast-growing natives and protective rings to ensure survival. Trees planted now will provide shade by December.

    2. Install modular planters: test cooling locations with movable infrastructure before committing to permanent changes. Order now for spring placement when residents can see the benefits.

    3. Schedule paving replacements: when resurfacing is needed, switch to permeable options and get heat-reducing surfaces in place before summer.

    4. Design shade structures: plan and budget pop-up shade for the hottest areas. Having designs ready means quick installation when temperatures spike.

    5. Organise spring planting days: line up community groups now, source trees through winter nursery contracts, and hit the ground running in September. Small investments in coordination yield big cooling dividends.

    Auckland Council’s NZ$1 billion climate action package includes grants of $1,000 to $50,000 for climate projects. Wellington’s Climate and Sustainability Fund and Christchurch’s 50-year Urban Forest Plan provide similar frameworks.

    The Ministry for the Environment’s National Policy Statement on Urban Development creates opportunity by removing minimum parking requirements. This frees up land for trees, gardens and public spaces instead of underused asphalt, maximising climate co-benefits: cooler surfaces, better stormwater management and more pleasant streetscapes.

    By next February, we can either be thanking ourselves for planting trees and converting car parks, or feeling the heat from that 50°C asphalt.

    Timothy Welch 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. NZ cities are getting hotter: 5 things councils can do now to keep us cooler when summer comes – https://theconversation.com/nz-cities-are-getting-hotter-5-things-councils-can-do-now-to-keep-us-cooler-when-summer-comes-259885

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Survey: Only four per cent of Canadians give schools an ‘A’ on climate education – students deserve better

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Karen S. Acton, Assistant Professor, Educational Leadership and Policy, OISE, University of Toronto

    Only nine per cent of Canadian students learn about climate change often in school, while 42 per cent say it’s rarely or never discussed in the classroom.

    These are some of the concerning findings from the new 2025 national survey at the nonprofit Learning for a Sustainable Future (LSF), where I serve as a research consultant. Our team surveyed over 4,200 people, including students, educators, parents and the general public.

    The report, called “From Awareness to Action: Canadians’ Views on Climate Change and Education,” reveals a widening gap between public concern and the education system’s lack of response.

    We conducted the survey in partnership with the pollster Leger and supported by the federal government. It comes at a critical moment as Canadians grapple with increasingly severe climate impacts and growing recognition that education is vitally important to addressing climate change.

    The message is clear: Canadians want schools to do more. A strong majority of respondents (62 per cent) believe climate change should be a high priority in education. More than half (56 per cent) believe it should be taught by all teachers.

    Understanding is slipping

    According to the survey, 80 per cent of Canadians accept that climate change is real and impacting their lives. Most (67 per cent) believe we are in a climate emergency, yet this belief has declined from 72 per cent in 2022.

    Also slipping is Canadians’ understanding of climate change, as the pass rate for the survey’s 10-question quiz dipped to 57 per cent in 2025 from 67 per cent in 2022.

    Fewer respondents correctly identified human activities as the primary cause of climate change, or named greenhouse gas emissions as the predominant factor. Many still mistakenly believe the ozone hole is to blame, highlighting one of many persistent climate misconceptions.

    Also concerning was the increase in Canadians who felt that the seriousness of climate change is exaggerated.

    A recent report by climate communications centre Re.Climate noted a similar decline in public perception of how much of a threat climate change poses. In 2023, 44 per cent of Canadians said reducing carbon emissions was a top energy policy priority. By 2025, that number had dropped to 31 per cent.

    Concern about climate change seems to have declined due to competing economic pressures, global instability and political polarization.

    Misinformation adds to the challenge

    The LSF survey highlights Canadians’ dissatisfaction with climate education. When asked to grade schools on how well they were addressing climate change issues, only four per cent gave schools an “A.” Three-quarters of Canadians gave a “C” or lower.

    One dominant concern included addressing the spread of climate misinformation. Only 17 per cent of Canadians felt confident in their ability to distinguish between real and false climate news.

    Misinformation is a growing barrier to public understanding and action on climate issues. For many young people, social media is a dominant source of climate information, but it’s not always a reliable one.

    To address this, almost 80 per cent of respondents, and in particular 87 per cent of educators, agree that climate education in schools should focus more on critical thinking and media literacy.

    Teachers willing, but under-supported

    The good news is that almost half of the educators we surveyed felt confident about their ability to teach climate change. Many are incorporating more climate-related projects and lifestyle and consumer changes into the classroom.

    However, many barriers remain. Most educators still spend fewer than 10 hours per year on climate topics, and 42 per cent rarely address it at all. A full 60 per cent of teachers told us they want to do more but need professional development to feel equipped.

    Teachers need more time, resources and strategies to address how climate change connects to broader issues like mental health, social justice and Indigenous knowledge.

    Educators are also seeking a school-wide culture that promotes climate change education, but nearly half said they lack support from their principal or school boards.

    Unsurprisingly, given the global nature of climate change, the challenges voiced by educators are not unique to Canada. Surveys of teachers in England and the United States found they face similar obstacles, compounded by low teacher confidence, the complexity of the topic and leadership not supporting climate change as a priority.

    Almost half of the educators surveyed felt confident about their ability to teach climate change, and many are incorporating more climate-related projects and lifestyle and consumer changes into the classroom.
    (Shutterstock)

    Students need the opportunity

    One of the most hopeful takeaways is that students want to learn more about climate change at school, beginning in the early grades. When asked what they would tell their teacher, students told us they wanted lessons that go beyond the science to include real-world solutions and personal empowerment.

    They called for open classroom discussions, a clearer understanding of the impacts of climate change and concrete strategies for action.

    As one student put it: “Present it to me in a way that’s relevant that I can understand, and tell me how I can personally make an impact.”

    Another added: “Everyone needs to do their part or nothing will change!”

    These appeals echo those from the recent Voice of 1,000 Kids survey, which found young people want adults to take the climate crisis more seriously and step up to help solve it.



    Read more:
    Kids care deeply about our planet, so adults need to start listening

    A path forward

    The LSF survey found that 76 per cent of respondents recognize that systemic change is needed to address climate challenges, yet only 19 per cent believe government is doing a good job.

    This suggests strong public demand for policy action. Canadian governments must introduce mandatory climate curriculum standards, increased funding for teacher professional learning and resources, and transformative teaching strategies to foster critical thinking and empowerment.

    Almost 70 per cent of respondents said they believe young people can inspire important climate action. Supporting school-wide cultures that embrace sustainability isn’t just good teaching — it’s a pathway to broader social change.

    Now more than ever, we need a reimagined education system that values climate learning as a core competency. Policymakers and education leaders must rise to meet this challenge before another generation of students graduate feeling unprepared to face the defining issue of their time.

    Karen S. Acton works as a consultant for Learning for a Sustainable Future (LSF).

    – ref. Survey: Only four per cent of Canadians give schools an ‘A’ on climate education – students deserve better – https://theconversation.com/survey-only-four-per-cent-of-canadians-give-schools-an-a-on-climate-education-students-deserve-better-259430

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Survey: Only four per cent of Canadians give schools an ‘A’ on climate education – students deserve better

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Karen S. Acton, Assistant Professor, Educational Leadership and Policy, OISE, University of Toronto

    Only nine per cent of Canadian students learn about climate change often in school, while 42 per cent say it’s rarely or never discussed in the classroom.

    These are some of the concerning findings from the new 2025 national survey at the nonprofit Learning for a Sustainable Future (LSF), where I serve as a research consultant. Our team surveyed over 4,200 people, including students, educators, parents and the general public.

    The report, called “From Awareness to Action: Canadians’ Views on Climate Change and Education,” reveals a widening gap between public concern and the education system’s lack of response.

    We conducted the survey in partnership with the pollster Leger and supported by the federal government. It comes at a critical moment as Canadians grapple with increasingly severe climate impacts and growing recognition that education is vitally important to addressing climate change.

    The message is clear: Canadians want schools to do more. A strong majority of respondents (62 per cent) believe climate change should be a high priority in education. More than half (56 per cent) believe it should be taught by all teachers.

    Understanding is slipping

    According to the survey, 80 per cent of Canadians accept that climate change is real and impacting their lives. Most (67 per cent) believe we are in a climate emergency, yet this belief has declined from 72 per cent in 2022.

    Also slipping is Canadians’ understanding of climate change, as the pass rate for the survey’s 10-question quiz dipped to 57 per cent in 2025 from 67 per cent in 2022.

    Fewer respondents correctly identified human activities as the primary cause of climate change, or named greenhouse gas emissions as the predominant factor. Many still mistakenly believe the ozone hole is to blame, highlighting one of many persistent climate misconceptions.

    Also concerning was the increase in Canadians who felt that the seriousness of climate change is exaggerated.

    A recent report by climate communications centre Re.Climate noted a similar decline in public perception of how much of a threat climate change poses. In 2023, 44 per cent of Canadians said reducing carbon emissions was a top energy policy priority. By 2025, that number had dropped to 31 per cent.

    Concern about climate change seems to have declined due to competing economic pressures, global instability and political polarization.

    Misinformation adds to the challenge

    The LSF survey highlights Canadians’ dissatisfaction with climate education. When asked to grade schools on how well they were addressing climate change issues, only four per cent gave schools an “A.” Three-quarters of Canadians gave a “C” or lower.

    One dominant concern included addressing the spread of climate misinformation. Only 17 per cent of Canadians felt confident in their ability to distinguish between real and false climate news.

    Misinformation is a growing barrier to public understanding and action on climate issues. For many young people, social media is a dominant source of climate information, but it’s not always a reliable one.

    To address this, almost 80 per cent of respondents, and in particular 87 per cent of educators, agree that climate education in schools should focus more on critical thinking and media literacy.

    Teachers willing, but under-supported

    The good news is that almost half of the educators we surveyed felt confident about their ability to teach climate change. Many are incorporating more climate-related projects and lifestyle and consumer changes into the classroom.

    However, many barriers remain. Most educators still spend fewer than 10 hours per year on climate topics, and 42 per cent rarely address it at all. A full 60 per cent of teachers told us they want to do more but need professional development to feel equipped.

    Teachers need more time, resources and strategies to address how climate change connects to broader issues like mental health, social justice and Indigenous knowledge.

    Educators are also seeking a school-wide culture that promotes climate change education, but nearly half said they lack support from their principal or school boards.

    Unsurprisingly, given the global nature of climate change, the challenges voiced by educators are not unique to Canada. Surveys of teachers in England and the United States found they face similar obstacles, compounded by low teacher confidence, the complexity of the topic and leadership not supporting climate change as a priority.

    Almost half of the educators surveyed felt confident about their ability to teach climate change, and many are incorporating more climate-related projects and lifestyle and consumer changes into the classroom.
    (Shutterstock)

    Students need the opportunity

    One of the most hopeful takeaways is that students want to learn more about climate change at school, beginning in the early grades. When asked what they would tell their teacher, students told us they wanted lessons that go beyond the science to include real-world solutions and personal empowerment.

    They called for open classroom discussions, a clearer understanding of the impacts of climate change and concrete strategies for action.

    As one student put it: “Present it to me in a way that’s relevant that I can understand, and tell me how I can personally make an impact.”

    Another added: “Everyone needs to do their part or nothing will change!”

    These appeals echo those from the recent Voice of 1,000 Kids survey, which found young people want adults to take the climate crisis more seriously and step up to help solve it.



    Read more:
    Kids care deeply about our planet, so adults need to start listening

    A path forward

    The LSF survey found that 76 per cent of respondents recognize that systemic change is needed to address climate challenges, yet only 19 per cent believe government is doing a good job.

    This suggests strong public demand for policy action. Canadian governments must introduce mandatory climate curriculum standards, increased funding for teacher professional learning and resources, and transformative teaching strategies to foster critical thinking and empowerment.

    Almost 70 per cent of respondents said they believe young people can inspire important climate action. Supporting school-wide cultures that embrace sustainability isn’t just good teaching — it’s a pathway to broader social change.

    Now more than ever, we need a reimagined education system that values climate learning as a core competency. Policymakers and education leaders must rise to meet this challenge before another generation of students graduate feeling unprepared to face the defining issue of their time.

    Karen S. Acton works as a consultant for Learning for a Sustainable Future (LSF).

    – ref. Survey: Only four per cent of Canadians give schools an ‘A’ on climate education – students deserve better – https://theconversation.com/survey-only-four-per-cent-of-canadians-give-schools-an-a-on-climate-education-students-deserve-better-259430

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • Monsoon reaches Delhi, covers entire country 9 days ahead of schedule: IMD

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The Southwest Monsoon has covered the entire country on Sunday, June 29 – nine days ahead of its normal schedule of July 8, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). With its further advance into the remaining parts of Rajasthan, West Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and the entire Delhi region, the monsoon’s early arrival signals a robust spell of rain across India.

    The IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall across large swathes of Northwest, Central, East, and Northeast India over the next seven days. Jharkhand is expected to witness isolated extremely heavy rainfall on June 29 and 30, while Odisha is likely to experience similar conditions on June 29.

    The ongoing monsoon activity is anticipated to bring significant showers to Uttarakhand from June 29 to July 3, and to Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Haryana on June 29 and 30.

    Gangetic West Bengal will receive heavy rain on June 29, while Odisha is expected to see continued rainfall from June 30 to July 5. Jharkhand may see another intense spell on July 1.

    In Uttar Pradesh, heavy rainfall is likely to continue in the western parts from June 29 to July 2 and in the eastern parts on June 30 and July 1. Madhya Pradesh and Bihar are also forecast to receive heavy rainfall from June 30 to July 2. Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, and East Rajasthan will also be affected, with East Rajasthan likely to receive intense rain on July 4 and 5.

    The Northeast, including Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura, is expected to witness heavy rainfall between July 2 and 5. Rain will also continue in Konkan & Goa, the ghat areas of Madhya Maharashtra, and Gujarat state over the next week.

    Weather forecast for Delhi-NCR

    In the national capital region, Delhi is set to experience a spell of rainy and relatively cooler weather through early July.

    On June 29, the weather is expected to remain generally cloudy with light to moderate rain, thunderstorms, and gusty winds ranging between 30–40 kmph during storms. The maximum temperature is forecast to stay between 31°C and 33°C, 4 to 6 degrees below normal, offering respite from the usual summer heat.

    On June 30, the sky will remain generally cloudy with light to moderate rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning. Temperatures are likely to range from 25°C to 27°C at night and 31°C to 33°C during the day, with both minimum and maximum temperatures remaining below seasonal norms. Winds will be relatively calm in the morning, picking up slightly during the afternoon and evening.

    Similar conditions are expected to prevail on July 1, with continued cloud cover and moderate rainfall. The temperature is likely to hover between 24°C and 26°C at night and 32°C to 34°C during the day, again remaining below normal levels. Light southwesterly winds in the morning are expected to shift to a northwesterly direction by afternoon, before settling again from the southwest in the evening.

    On July 2, Delhi will see a partly cloudy sky with light rain and possible thunderstorms. Daytime temperatures will slightly rise to a range of 33°C to 35°C, while nighttime temperatures will stay between 25°C and 27°C. While the temperature will still be below normal, a gradual warming trend is expected. Winds will vary through the day, becoming stronger in the afternoon before easing at night.

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Jun 29, 2025 Day 4-8 Severe Weather Outlook

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    Day 4-8 Severe Weather Outlook Issued on Jun 29, 2025

    Updated: Sun Jun 29 08:21:03 UTC 2025

     .

    D4
    Wed, Jul 02, 2025 – Thu, Jul 03, 2025
    D7
    Sat, Jul 05, 2025 – Sun, Jul 06, 2025

    D5
    Thu, Jul 03, 2025 – Fri, Jul 04, 2025
    D8
    Sun, Jul 06, 2025 – Mon, Jul 07, 2025

    D6
    Fri, Jul 04, 2025 – Sat, Jul 05, 2025
    (All days are valid from 12 UTC – 12 UTC the following day)

    Note: A severe weather area depicted in the Day 4-8 period indicates 15%, 30% or higher probability for severe thunderstorms within 25 miles of any point.

    PREDICTABILITY TOO LOW is used to indicate severe storms may be possible based on some model scenarios. However, the location or occurrence of severe storms are in doubt due to: 1) large differences in the deterministic model solutions, 2) large spread in the ensemble guidance, and/or 3) minimal run-to-run continuity.

    POTENTIAL TOO LOW means the threat for a regional area of organized severe storms appears unlikely (i.e., less than 15%) for the forecast day.

     Forecast Discussion

    ZCZC SPCSWOD48 ALL
    ACUS48 KWNS 290819
    SPC AC 290819

    Day 4-8 Convective Outlook
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    0319 AM CDT Sun Jun 29 2025

    Valid 021200Z – 071200Z

    …DISCUSSION…
    The cold front which may result in severe weather on Day 3/Tuesday
    will move into the Atlantic and near the Gulf Coast across Florida.
    A reinforcing mid-level trough will maintain northerly flow across
    the eastern CONUS as an area of high pressure builds into the
    region. A drier, more continental airmass across the eastern CONUS
    will keep severe weather chances minimal.

    Upper 60s to low 70s dewpoints will remain across the Plains,
    beneath a strong upper-level ridge. By the time the ridge starts to
    break down on Day 6/Friday some severe weather is possible as a
    mid-level trough moves into the northern Plains. However, the ECMWF
    shows less than 20 knots of flow across the Plains. Therefore, shear
    will likely be limited. Thunderstorms will be likely along the cold
    front as it traverses the central and eastern CONUS next weekend.
    However, the lack of stronger mid-level flow casts doubt on storm
    organization. Therefore, no severe weather probabilities have been
    added at this time.

    ..Bentley.. 06/29/2025

    CLICK TO GET WUUS48 PTSD48 PRODUCT

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Romina Pourmokhtari takes part in UN Ocean Conference in Nice

    Source: Government of Sweden

    Minister for Climate and the Environment Romina Pourmokhtari is participating in the UN’s third Ocean Conference, UNOC-3, in Nice. At the Conference, a declaration is expected to be adopted on the implementation of measures to protect and preserve oceans.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: UN Ocean Conference highlights the need for more global measures to protect the world’s oceans

    Source: Government of Sweden

    The UN Ocean Conference in Nice concluded on 13 June with the adoption of the Nice Ocean Action Plan, a political declaration to strengthen global efforts to protect oceans. Minister for Climate and the Environment Romina Pourmokhtari headed Sweden’s delegation.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Jun 28, 2025 Day 4-8 Severe Weather Outlook

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    Day 4-8 Severe Weather Outlook Issued on Jun 28, 2025

    Updated: Sat Jun 28 08:02:03 UTC 2025

     .

    D4
    Tue, Jul 01, 2025 – Wed, Jul 02, 2025
    D7
    Fri, Jul 04, 2025 – Sat, Jul 05, 2025

    D5
    Wed, Jul 02, 2025 – Thu, Jul 03, 2025
    D8
    Sat, Jul 05, 2025 – Sun, Jul 06, 2025

    D6
    Thu, Jul 03, 2025 – Fri, Jul 04, 2025
    (All days are valid from 12 UTC – 12 UTC the following day)

    Note: A severe weather area depicted in the Day 4-8 period indicates 15%, 30% or higher probability for severe thunderstorms within 25 miles of any point.

    PREDICTABILITY TOO LOW is used to indicate severe storms may be possible based on some model scenarios. However, the location or occurrence of severe storms are in doubt due to: 1) large differences in the deterministic model solutions, 2) large spread in the ensemble guidance, and/or 3) minimal run-to-run continuity.

    POTENTIAL TOO LOW means the threat for a regional area of organized severe storms appears unlikely (i.e., less than 15%) for the forecast day.

     Forecast Discussion

    ZCZC SPCSWOD48 ALL
    ACUS48 KWNS 280800
    SPC AC 280800

    Day 4-8 Convective Outlook
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    0300 AM CDT Sat Jun 28 2025

    Valid 011200Z – 061200Z

    …DISCUSSION…
    A mid-level trough will move from the Great Lakes to the Northeast
    on Day 4/Tuesday. At the surface, a cold front will move east
    through the period. Moderate instability is expected along this
    front and some severe weather may be possible from the Mid-Atlantic
    to the Northeast. Slight risk (15%) probabilities may eventually be
    needed within this zone, but there is potential for
    cloudcover/thunderstorm activity from Monday evening to impact
    destabilization. Therefore, confidence is not high enough for
    probabilities at this time.

    Beyond Day 4, a relative lull in severe weather potential is
    expected. Multiple reinforcing mid-level troughs will amplify the
    larger-scale trough across the eastern CONUS. As this occurs, the
    surface cold front will move south, potentially to the Gulf Coast
    and into the western Atlantic. This will eliminate the very moist
    airmass which resulted in moderate to strong instability across much
    of the eastern CONUS for the past few weeks.

    The greater low-level moisture is expected to remain and perhaps
    advect north across the central Plains beneath a large-scale ridge.
    This could result in some thunderstorm activity, but shear is
    expected to be very weak, and the building ridge aloft may suppress
    convection on D5/Wednesday to D6/Thursday.

    By next weekend, this ridge is expected to flatten with some
    stronger mid-level flow moving across the northern Plains. The exact
    evolution of the upper-pattern remains uncertain and therefore,
    confidence is low, but severe weather chances may increase across
    the northern Plains by next weekend.

    ..Bentley.. 06/28/2025

    CLICK TO GET WUUS48 PTSD48 PRODUCT

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC – No MDs are in effect as of Sat Jun 28 08:04:02 UTC 2025

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    Current Mesoscale DiscussionsUpdated:  Sat Jun 28 08:05:03 UTC 2025 No Mesoscale Discussions are currently in effect.

    Notice:  The responsibility for Heavy Rain Mesoscale Discussions has been transferred to the Weather Prediction Center (WPC) on April 9, 2013. Click here for the Service Change Notice.
    Archived Convective ProductsTo view convective products for a previous day, type in the date you wish to retrieve (e.g. 20040529 for May 29, 2004). Data available since January 1, 2004.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Oxfam reaction: 2025 Bonn climate negotiations

    Source: Oxfam –

    In response to the outcome of the 2025 UN Bonn climate meetings, Oxfam Climate Policy Lead Nafkote Dabi said: 

    “The Bonn climate talks once again exposed the deep divide over who should bear the cost of climate harms, adaptation, and the shift to fossil fuel alternatives in the Global South. Rich countries’ refusal to accept responsibility alongside their go-slow tactics are wearing thin and ultimately benefit no-one. The world needs them to step up and pay their climate debt through public, grant-based finance to support climate action in developing countries.  

    In a world on track for 3°C or more of warming, all countries – especially the riches and biggest polluters – must push for ambitious climate plans ahead of COP30 in Brazil. We need urgent action now. 

    We are highly concerned that rich countries are opening the door ever wider for private investors from the global north to reap the profits from the climate crisis. This is simply another attempt to avoid their own commitments to mobilize publicly sourced climate finance at the scale needed. Rich countries are selling global development, humanitarianism and energy transition as profit-making centres to the highest bidder. This approach is not only unjust – the world’s poorest and most impacted people are being denied much needed public finance – but also threatens to worsen their lives. 

    “Private finance” will likely become the drumbeat from now through to COP30. But people’s lives must clearly be put front and center and big business not simply given the green light to access climate finance for their own profiteering.  

    These talks did however maintain the chance for a breakthrough in the process for a transformative and equitable shift away from fossil fuels and a just transition for all. If adopted in Belem, this text could help workers confronted with losing jobs or communities impacted by the risk of an extractive transition. It could potentially bring the world closer to the Paris goal and climate justice. We witnessed parties working cooperative and in good faith, and civil society organizations playing a pivotal role in negotiations.” 

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI China: China reports more frequent extreme weather events

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    China is vulnerable to global climate change, experiencing more frequent and intense extreme weather events, according to a blue book released by the China Meteorological Administration on Friday.

    Since the 1990s, China has been warming at a rate faster than the global average, and its annual average temperature and coastal sea levels both reached record highs in 2024, the blue book on climate change in China said.

    Due to the impacts of climate change, the country saw more frequent extreme high-temperature and heavy precipitation events from 1961 to 2024.

    The overall sea level along China’s coast has risen at an accelerating rate, and glaciers in western China have been melting more rapidly.

    Global warming has persisted, with the worldwide average surface temperature reaching its highest level in 2024 since meteorological records began in 1850.

    Xiao Chan, deputy director of the National Climate Center, said the increase in temperature should be attributed to human activities — primarily greenhouse gas emissions — and to natural variations within climate systems, such as the El Nino weather phenomenon. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Extreme weather events are increasingly common in China

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, June 28 (Xinhua) — China is becoming increasingly vulnerable to global climate change, increasingly exposed to intense extreme weather events, according to a blue book released by the National Meteorological Administration on Friday.

    Since the 1990s, China has warmed faster than the global average, with average annual temperatures and sea levels in coastal areas reaching record highs in 2024, according to the China Climate Change Blue Book.

    Due to the effects of climate change, the country experienced more extreme heat waves and heavy rainfall between 1961 and 2024.

    Overall sea levels along China’s coast are rising at an ever-increasing rate, and glaciers in western China are melting at an ever-increasing rate.

    Due to ongoing global warming, in 2024 the world’s average surface temperature will reach its highest level since meteorological records began in 1850.

    Xiao Chang, deputy director of the National Climate Center, said the temperature rise should be attributed to human activities, primarily greenhouse gas emissions, as well as natural changes in climate systems such as the El Niño weather phenomenon. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: El Gobernador Newsom firma un presupuesto estatal equilibrado que reduce los impuestos a los veteranos, financia completamente las comidas escolares gratuitas, construye más viviendas y crea empleos

    Source: US State of California Governor

    Jun 27, 2025

    ✅ CUMPLIDO: Reducción de impuestos para jubilados militares

    ✅ CUMPLIDO: Pre-kinder universal para todos

    ✅ CUMPLIDO: Ampliación de programas antes y después de clases y cursos de verano

    ✅ CUMPLIDO: Alimentación escolar gratuita para todos los niños

    ✅ CUMPLIDO: Impulso de la alfabetización y la lectura

    ✅ CUMPLIDO: Construyendo más viviendas, lo antes posible

    ✅ CUMPLIDO: Reduciendo los costos de los medicamentos

    ✅ CUMPLIDO: Ampliando el acceso al aborto con medicamentos con CalRx

    ✅ CUMPLIDO: Inversiones históricas en la lucha contra incendios y la seguridad pública

    ✅ CUMPLIDO: Protegiendo la icónica industria cinematográfica de California

    Próximamente se firmará un paquete histórico para reducir la burocracia, agilizar la construcción de viviendas y la infraestructura

    Sacramento, California – Ante el asalto económico de Donald Trump, el Gobernador Gavin Newsom firmó hoy el proyecto de ley de presupuesto estatal para el 2025 en colaboración con el Presidente del Senado Mike McGuire y el Presidente de la Asamblea Robert Rivas. Juntos, el Gobernador y la Legislatura están implementando un plan de gasto responsable y equilibrado que salvaguarda los valores de California y, al mismo tiempo, mantiene la salud fiscal a largo plazo. Este presupuesto y los próximos proyectos de ley incluyen nuevas políticas históricas que acelerarán la producción de viviendas e impulsarán la asequibilidad en comunidades de todo el estado – abordando así los desafíos más urgentes de California.

    Mientras enfrentamos el sabotaje económico de Donald Trump, este acuerdo presupuestario demuestra que California no solo se mantendrá firme – sino que irá aún más lejos. Es equilibrado, mantiene reservas sustanciales y se centra en el apoyo a los californianos – reduciendo drásticamente la burocracia e impulsando el desarrollo de vivienda e infraestructura, preservando los servicios esenciales del cuidado de salud, financia la educación preescolar universal y reduce los impuestos para los veteranos.

    Gobernador Gavin Newsom

    El Presidente del Senado Mike McGuire dice: “El Estado está entregando un presupuesto responsable y puntual en un año difícil, centrado en la restricción fiscal y la inversión en las personas y los programas que hacen de este estado un gran estado. Este presupuesto prioriza una financiación récord para nuestros hijos y escuelas públicas, protege el acceso a la atención médica para millones de las personas más vulnerables y creará más viviendas a una escala sin precedentes en años. Gracias a este acuerdo presupuestario, el estado ayudará a que más personas salgan de las calles y encuentren refugios permanentes, y ampliaremos los equipos de CalFire, desplegando cientos de bomberos adicionales de CalFire a tiempo completo, lo que salvará vidas y nos hará a todos más seguros contra incendios forestales. Y este acuerdo ayuda a preparar a nuestro estado para el caos continuo y la enorme incertidumbre causada por la administración de Trump. Gracias al líder del Comité de Presupuesto del Senado Scott Wiener, a la Asamblea y al Gobernador Newsom y a sus equipos por su arduo trabajo para la gente de California.”

    El Presidente de la Asamblea Robert Rivas dice: Este es un momento increíblemente difícil para los californianos. Trump está socavando nuestra economía con aranceles imprudentes, recortes drásticos y agentes de ICE aterrorizando a nuestras comunidades. En un momento en que tantos ya están en dificultades, está aumentando el miedo y la inestabilidad. En contraste, los demócratas han presentado un presupuesto que protege a California. Reduce la burocracia para construir más viviendas con mayor rapidez, porque la vivienda es la base de la asequibilidad y la oportunidad. Preserva inversiones cruciales en atención médica, salud femenina, educación y seguridad pública. Y cumple con nuestro compromiso de no aumentar los impuestos a las familias, los trabajadores ni a las pequeñas empresas. En tiempos sin precedentes, en circunstancias difíciles, los demócratas están cumpliendo con los californianos.

    Recortes de impuestos para veteranos, tamaños de clases escolares más reducidas y comidas escolares gratuitas

    El presupuesto refleja un compromiso compartido para proteger las oportunidades y mejorar la accesibilidad en California, frente a los ataques selectivos de la administración de Trump. Preserva programas clave de cuidado médico para los californianos que han sido atacados por los republicanos. También preserva programas esenciales de la red de seguridad social, incluyendo servicios de apoyo domiciliario y la salud reproductiva femenina, a la vez que realiza inversiones históricas en la educación pública, desde el pre-kínder universal y las comidas escolares gratuitas hasta la ampliación de los programas antes y después de la escuela, los cursos de verano, clases con menos estudiantes y el fortalecimiento de la formación profesional y la educación superior. El presupuesto demuestra el compromiso del estado con el reconocimiento de los veteranos mediante la creación de recortes de impuestos para los jubilados militares, reconociendo su servicio y apoyando su seguridad financiera.

    Reduciendo los costos de los medicamentos recetados, proteger la atención reproductiva y las redes de seguridad

    El presupuesto preserva programas clave de atención médica para los californianos que están en la mira de los republicanos. Conserva programas vitales de protección social, como los servicios de apoyo domiciliario y la salud reproductiva femenina. Como parte del presupuesto, el Gobernador firmará legislación que protege al acceso al cuidado médico, el presupuesto lidera los esfuerzos para otorgar licencias y regular a los Administradores de Beneficios Farmacéuticos por primera vez, aumentando la transparencia y la rendición de cuentas en la cadena de suministro farmacéutica. La legislación también amplía la autoridad de CalRx para adquirir medicamentos de marca y responder a interrupciones del suministro por motivos políticos, ayudando a proteger el acceso a medicamentos críticos como la mifepristona.

    Luces, camara, trabajos

    El presupuesto protege la posición de California como la cuarta economía más grande del mundo – apoyando a las empresas y el continuo crecimiento económico, incluyendo la emblemática industria cinematográfica californiana. La próxima semana, el Gobernador firmará legislación adicional como parte de la expansión del programa de crédito fiscal para cine y televisión, lo que catapultará aún más el impacto del programa a $750 millones anuales.

    El ataque económico de Trump

    El presupuesto equilibrado se produce en un momento en que California continúa enfrentando importantes presiones fiscales impulsadas por las imprudentes políticas económicas y de inmigración de la administración de Trump. Según el Departamento de Finanzas de California, se proyecta que el régimen arancelario de Trump le costará al estado aproximadamente $16 mil millones en ingresos del Fondo General durante el próximo año fiscal. Un nuevo estudio publicado el 17 de junio por el Instituto Económico de la Área de la Bahía (Bay Area Council Economic Institute), en colaboración con UC Merced, concluyó que las deportaciones masivas de Trump podrían recortar $275 mil millones de la economía de California, eliminar $23 mil millones en ingresos fiscales anuales y afectar gravemente a industrias clave como la agricultura, la construcción y la industria hotelera. 

    Ante estos crecientes desafíos, el Gobernador emitió una proclamación para acceder a las reservas estatales bajo. Y este presupuesto responsable y equilibrado protege a los californianos, crea más viviendas, preserva programas esenciales, refuerza la disciplina fiscal e invierte en la fortaleza económica a largo plazo del estado. 

    El Gobernador anunció hoy la firma de los siguientes proyectos de ley:

    • AB 102 by Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino) – Budget Act of 2025.
    • AB 118 by the Committee on Budget – Human services.
    • AB 121 by the Committee on Budget – Education finance: education omnibus budget trailer bill.
    • AB 123 by the Committee on Budget – Higher education budget trailer bill.
    • AB 134 by the Committee on Budget – Public Safety.
    • AB 136 by the Committee on Budget – Courts.
    • AB 143 by the Committee on Budget – Development Services.
    • SB 101 by Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) – Budget Act of 2025.
    • SB 103 by Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) – Budget Acts of 2022, 2023, and 2024.
    • SB 120 by the Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review – Early childhood education and childcare.
    • SB 124 by the Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review – Public resources trailer bill.
    • SB 127 by the Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review – Climate change.
    • SB 128 by the Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review – Transportation.
    • SB 132 by the Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review – Taxation.
    • SB 141 by the Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review – California Cannabis Tax Fund: Department of Cannabis Control: Board of State and Community Corrections grants.
    • SB 142 by the Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review – Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program.

    La firma del Gobernador en el presupuesto estatal depende de la promulgación de la AB 131 o la SB 131 el lunes 30 de junio.

    To read this release in English, click here. 

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: Mongolia: Staff Concluding Statement of the 2025 Article IV Mission

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    June 27, 2025

    A Concluding Statement describes the preliminary findings of IMF staff at the end of an official staff visit (or ‘mission’), in most cases to a member country. Missions are undertaken as part of regular (usually annual) consultations under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, in the context of a request to use IMF resources (borrow from the IMF), as part of discussions of staff monitored programs, or as part of other staff monitoring of economic developments.

    The authorities have consented to the publication of this statement. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. Based on the preliminary findings of this mission, staff will prepare a report that, subject to management approval, will be presented to the IMF Executive Board for discussion and decision.

    Washington, DC: An International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff mission, led by Mr. Tahsin Saadi Sedik, conducted discussions as part of the 2025 Article IV consultation with the Mongolian authorities in Ulaanbaatar during June 4–18, 2025. At the end of the visit, the mission issued the following statement, summarizing its key findings and recommendations.

    • During 2023‒24, record-high coal exports and increased government spending led to buoyant economic activity, which, along with fiscal surpluses and successful debt rollovers, also helped reduce vulnerabilities.
    • The resource boom is weakening amid rising risks. With coal exports declining in recent months, mainly due to falling prices, and increased global uncertainty, the near-term outlook has become less favorable, and downside risks have increased amid limited policy buffers.
    • The policy priority is to increase resilience of the Mongolian economy to downside risks by restoring both internal and external balances, and by preserving buffers. This requires greater fiscal prudence and adherence to fiscal rules, tight monetary and macroprudential policies, and increased exchange rate flexibility.
    • Should downside risks materialize, significant and timely policy adjustments—particularly fiscal tightening—will be required to safeguard macroeconomic and financial stability.

    Recent economic developments, outlook, and risks

    Since the 2023 Article IV consultation, Mongolia’s macroeconomic conditions have improved. A resource-driven boom during 2023‒24 led to buoyant economic activity, despite a sharp contraction in the agriculture sector. Budget revenues from the mining sector more than doubled, enabling fiscal surpluses and contributing to the accumulation of foreign exchange reserves and savings in the sovereign wealth fund despite a significant increase in public spending, which together with debt repayments helped reduce debt-to-GDP ratio from 64.5 percent in 2022 to 44.5 percent in 2024 (IMF staff definition). Rating agencies have upgraded Mongolia’s sovereign credit rating to B+/B2, and its sovereign spread narrowed to historically low levels before the volatility spiked amid global trade tensions. The IMF staff’s Sovereign Risk and Debt Sustainability Framework (SRDSF) indicates a moderate risk rating compared to the high-risk rating in the 2023 SRDSF. However, the sharp increase in public spending in 2023-24, including wages and capital expenditures, resulted in a highly expansionary fiscal policy stance, which together with the policy rate cuts, despite the tightening of reserve requirements, fueled rapid credit growth and inflation pressures, and led to a surge in imports and a shift in the current account from surplus to deficit in 2024.

    In early 2025, the commodity boom began to lose momentum, and the outlook has weakened amid rising downside risks. Mongolia’s coal export receipts declined sharply, mainly due to falling prices, resulting in a sizeable shortfall in budget revenues and a further widening of the current account deficit, which led to a reduction in foreign exchange reserves and increased depreciation. Credit growth and inflation remain high despite some recent moderation, with inflation standing above the Bank of Mongolia (BOM)’s target band.

    Policies to Navigate a Weaker Outlook and Increased Risks 

    Fiscal policy

    Greater fiscal prudence and adherence to the fiscal rules are critical to restoring external and internal balances and preserving fiscal buffers. Despite the decline in revenues, the authorities plan to meet the structural fiscal balance target envisaged in the 2025 Budget and the recently approved medium-term fiscal framework through expenditure restraint. To achieve this objective, the government needs to articulate detailed and credible measures. It is critical that these measures safeguard social spending to protect the most vulnerable. Should downside risks materialize, an ambitious consolidation strategy would be needed to preserve macroeconomic stability. To ensure the credibility of fiscal rules as a policy anchor, compliance with the rules will be critical. In particular, large investment projects should be implemented within the fiscal deficit and debt rules, as defined in the Fiscal Stability Law.

    As a priority, the tax package currently under discussion should be reconsidered. While the package includes several positive elements, such as modernizing the tax administration, broadening VAT base, introducing digital service tax and strengthening progressive tax structure, it would result in a substantial and permanent reduction in non-mining tax revenues. This would increase the overall deficit, reduce the government’s fiscal space to implement critically needed development projects, and hinder compliance with fiscal rules, while also increasing the budget’s vulnerability to volatile mining revenues. In addition, some elements of the tax package need to be further refined to align with international best practices. The package also includes some measures, such as a progressive VAT, for which Mongolia’s tax administration is not yet prepared. Instead, reform efforts should focus on strengthening non-mining revenue mobilization by streamlining tax incentives, collecting tax arrears, and implementing tax and customs administration reforms.

    Further reforms are needed to mitigate fiscal risks. Efforts should focus on improving the targeting of social assistance, which would help address the perceived inequitable distribution of mining wealth. Implementation of mega projects should be prioritized according to the availability of external financing and the economy’s absorptive capacity. Coordination with subnational entities needs to be strengthened to ensure fiscal discipline of the general government. Legal frameworks governing state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and public-private partnerships should be enhanced. Building on recent efforts, the Ministry of Finance’s capacity to monitor and mitigate related fiscal risks should be further strengthened. The Development Bank of Mongolia’s long-standing balance-sheet and governance issues need to be addressed promptly. Expanding domestic debt issuance is critical to establishing a benchmark yield curve to help develop domestic markets and to reduce Mongolia’s reliance on external borrowing.

    Monetary and Exchange Rate Policies

    Domestic financial conditions should remain tight to contain credit growth and inflation. Despite the policy rate hike in early 2025 and some moderation in recent months, inflation is expected to stay above the BOM’s target band over 2025–26. A further rate increase may be warranted if the recent decline in inflation reverses, including through exchange rate depreciation. At the same time, there is scope to recalibrate reserve requirements. Excessive reliance on reserve requirements may incentivize banks to seek external funds with more than one year maturity, which are excluded from these requirements, thus increasing the BOM’s exposure to exchange rate risks through its foreign exchange swaps with banks.

    Greater exchange rate flexibility would strengthen Mongolia’s resilience to external shocks. The BOM should pursue opportunistic accumulation of reserves when market conditions allow. The BOM should support a more effective exchange rate price-discovery mechanism by gradually reducing its role as an intermediary and structural provider of FX to the market. In addition, the BOM should support the development of domestic FX derivatives markets and phase out its role as the dominant provider of FX hedging instruments to banks.

    Reforms to strengthen the BOM’s effectiveness should be accelerated. As a priority, the BOM should fully withdraw from subsidized mortgage program, which undermines the transmission of monetary policy and jeopardizes the independence of the central bank. The government should expedite the transfer of the BOM’s subsidized mortgage program and relieve the BOM of its obligation to channel the newly established Savings Fund toward the expansion of the mortgage program. Moreover, the proposed amendments to the central bank law, aimed at strengthening the BOM’s mandate, as well as the operational autonomy, and governance, should be finalized and submitted to Parliament. Furthermore, the Ministry of Finance and the BOM need to agree on a memorandum of understanding that outlines a gradual recapitalization strategy for the BOM that is consistent with fiscal sustainability.

    Macroprudential and Financial Sector Policies

    Macroprudential frameworks and financial oversight should be strengthened to mitigate financial stability risks, including rapid credit growth. The recent tightening of macroprudential measures, including the reduction of Debt-Service-To-Income (DSTI) limits, for banks and non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) is a welcome development. Further efforts are needed, including aligning the DSTI limit for NBFIs with that of banks and expanding the BOM’s macroprudential toolkit to include countercyclical capital buffers, liquidity coverage ratios, and net stable funding ratios. Macroprudential and monetary policies should be separated in terms of formulation and implementation. The ongoing transition toward a risk-based, forward‑looking supervisory approach is welcome. The interconnections between banks and NBFIs should be closely monitored. Amendments to the BOM and Banking Laws are critical to ensure greater legal protection for supervisors and more effective inter-agency information sharing and coordination. The strengthening of crisis management arrangements and clarifying the resources available for resolutions would also help reduce financial stability risks.  

    Reforms are also needed to enhance the financial sector’s ability to lend to creditworthy entities. The objective is to reduce the cost of lending, especially to small and medium-sized enterprises. This could be done by amending the Credit Information and Insolvency Laws to enable more effective and timely credit assessment and collateral evaluation, and to streamline foreclosure and insolvency processes. In addition, efforts to diversify bank ownership structures should continue, which may require increasing ownership limits, and allowing investment in multiple banks. This should be complemented with effective supervision of complex ownership structures to mitigate the risks associated with connected and related-party lending.  

    Structural Policies

    Further improvements to the business climate and governance that build on recent progress would boost Mongolia’s long-term growth prospects. The substantial state footprint in the economy and frequent regulatory changes dampen private sector initiatives and discourage FDI. Reform efforts should focus on reducing red tape, streamlining licensing procedures, improving tax compliance and land use processes, and ensuring consistent and transparent judicial and regulatory enforcement. Governance in the public sector also requires strengthening. This includes addressing corruption vulnerabilities in revenue institutions, strengthening the transparency and accountability of public procurement and SOEs, and implementing legislative reforms, including the SOE Law and Whistleblower Protection Law. Mongolia has made satisfactory progress in strengthening its anti‑money laundering and counter-financing of terrorism legal framework, though challenges related to effective implementation remain.

    Climate adaptation, mitigation, and green transition will require significant investments and policy reforms. Adaptation actions are needed given increase in the frequency and intensity of natural hazards, such as harsh winters and floods, while mitigation actions are needed to address Mongolia’s high carbon intensity and to reduce air pollution. In addition, preparations are needed to address the expected decline in China’s coal demand as it advances its energy transition and decarbonization agenda. So far, implementation of Mongolia’s climate agenda remains limited. Climate adaptation measures have yet to be fully integrated into sectoral policies and budget processes. Moreover, there is no dedicated climate change law to mandate cross-sectoral coordination. Advancing Mongolia’s climate objectives will require significant financial contributions from both the public and private sectors, underscoring the importance of creating fiscal space.

    The staff team expresses its sincere gratitude to the authorities and to a broad range of public and private sector counterparts for their warm hospitality and for the candid, constructive discussions.

     

    Table 1. Mongolia: Selected Economic and Financial Indicators, 2022-30

     

     

    2022

    		  

    2023

    2024

    		  

    2025

    		  

    2026

    2027

    2028

    2029

    2030

     Actual

    		      

                      Projections

         (In percent of GDP, unless otherwise indicated)

    National Accounts

    		                      

    Real GDP growth (percent change)

    5.0

    7.4

    4.9

    5.5

    5.5

    5.5

    5.3

    5.0

    5.0

    Nominal GDP (in USD million)

    17,146

    20,315

    23,586

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    Contributions to Real GDP (ppts)

    Domestic Demand

    11.4

    5.6

    21.2

    6.6

    4.4

    7.1

    7.2

    6.5

    6.2

    Exports of G&S

    13.9

    17.9

    0.5

    4.2

    5.4

    2.8

    2.3

    1.7

    1.8

    Imports of G&S

    -20.3

    -16.2

    -16.8

    -5.3

    -4.2

    -4.4

    -4.2

    -3.3

    -3.0

    Consumption

    65.8

    57.5

    66.1

    		  

    72.1

    72.0

    72.5

    72.5

    73.0

    73.0

      Private

    51.9

    44.5

    49.8

    		  

    55.6

    55.9

    56.6

    56.6

    57.2

    57.3

             Public

    13.9

    13.0

    16.3

    16.5

    16.1

    16.0

    15.9

    15.8

    15.7

    Gross Capital Formation

    42.3

    33.9

    34.6

    32.3

    30.7

    30.7

    30.9

    30.7

    30.4

    Gross Fixed Capital Formation

    29.8

    25.3

    26.8

    24.3

    23.7

    23.7

    23.9

    23.7

    23.4

    Public

    7.1

    7.4

    9.9

    8.3

    8.0

    7.9

    7.8

    7.8

    7.9

    FDI

    14.2

    10.7

    11.6

    9.5

    9.0

    8.8

    8.6

    7.8

    7.7

    Domestic Private (including SOEs)

    8.6

    7.3

    5.3

    6.5

    6.7

    7.0

    7.5

    8.0

    7.8

    Gross national saving

    28.9

    34.5

    24.1

    17.5

    17.6

    17.4

    17.9

    17.8

    17.7

     

    Prices

    Consumer Prices (Avg; percent change)

    15.1

    10.4

    6.2

    8.7

    8.6

    7.9

    7.2

    6.7

    6.4

    Consumer Prices (EoP; percent change)

    13.3

    7.7

    8.3

    9.0

    8.2

    7.5

    6.8

    6.5

    6.2

        Copper prices (US$ per ton)

    8,829

    8,491

    9,142

    8,981

    8,897

    8,983

    9,056

    9,122

    9,167

      Coal prices (US$ per ton)

    123

    131

    107

    68

    73

    72

    72

    72

    72

        GDP deflator (percent change)

    17.7

    21.8

    8.2

    6.1

    8.0

    7.5

    7.3

    6.5

    6.5
                       

    General government accounts 1/

    		                    

    Primary balance (IMF definition)

    2.2

    		  

    4.3

    		  

    2.8

    		  

    1.0

    		  

    0.5

    -1.0

    -0.8

    -0.8

    -0.7

    Total revenue and grants

    34.4

    		  

    34.6

    		  

    39.2

    		  

    35.1

    		  

    33.6

    31.5

    31.2

    31.1

    30.9

    Primary expenditure and net lending

    32.2

    		  

    30.3

    36.5

    34.1

    		  

    33.0

    32.5

    32.1

    31.8

    31.6

    Interest

    1.5

    1.6

    1.5

    1.7

    1.9

    2.1

    2.2

    2.4

    2.5

    Overall balance (IMF definition)

    0.7

    2.7

    1.3

    -0.7

    -1.4

    -3.1

    -3.1

    -3.1

    -3.2

    Non-mineral primary balance (in percent of GDP)

    -6.3

    -5.7

    -8.9

    -7.4

    -8.3

    -9.4

    -9.0

    -8.6

    -8.2

    Gross financing needs

    3.8

    9.0

    4.7

    5.4

    5.6

    7.5

    7.8

    8.6

    11.9

       General government debt 2/

    64.5

    45.9

    44.5

    44.7

    46.8

    49.5

    51.5

    53.0

    53.7

    Domestic

    4.4

    2.6

    3.2

    3.0

    3.0

    3.2

    3.2

    3.4

    3.6

               External

    60.1

    43.3

    41.3

    41.7

    43.8

    46.4

    48.3

    49.6

    50.1

     

    Monetary sector

    Broad money growth (percent change)

    6.5

    26.8

    15.2

    13.4

    12.7

    11.7

    11.8

    14.1

    11.8

    Reserve money growth (percent change)

    39.9

    7.4

    51.9

    0.7

    12.7

    11.7

    11.8

    14.1

    12.7

    Credit growth (percent change)

    8.6

    22.0

    30.9

    25.0

    21.2

    19.5

    17.5

    15.5

    15.5

     

     

    Balance of payments

    		                          

    Current account balance

    -13.4

    0.6

    -10.5

    		  

    -14.8

    -13.1

    -13.3

    -13.0

    -12.9

    -12.7

    Exports of goods

    57.5

    68.5

    62.5

    53.6

    53.5

    51.4

    49.8

    47.9

    46.1

    Imports of goods

    50.3

    46.1

    49.5

    		  

    46.2

    45.1

    44.2

    43.7

    42.9

    41.5

    Gross official reserves (in USD million)

    3,400

    4,922

    5,510

    		  

    4,566

    4,627

    4,669

    4,864

    5,045

    5,212

    (In months of imports)

    3.0

    3.6

    4.0

    		  

    3.2

    3.1

    3.0

    3.0

    3.0

    3.0

    (net of bank’s FX deposits held at the BOM)

    1,949

    3,491

    4,233

    		  

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    Net international reserves (NIR) 3/

    -788

    1,152

    1,768

    		  

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

     

    Exchange rate

    		                    

    Togrog per U.S. dollar (eop)

    3,445

    3,411

    3,420

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    Sources: Mongolian authorities; and IMF staff projections.      

    		                        

    1/ These projections were prepared ahead of the supplementary budget for 2025 currently under discussion. They include the tax package approved by the previous

    Cabinet.    
                                                                                                                     

    2/ Includes DBM’s total debt, explicit government’s guarantees to SOE as well as government’s liabilities to BOM related to the TDB settlement regarding Erdenet. Excludes BOM liabilities to PBOC.

    3/ NIR is defined as GIR excl. commercial banks’ and government’s US$ deposits held at the BOM, the PBOC swap line, and liabilities to the IMF.
    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Pemba Sherpa

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/06/27/mongolia-staff-concluding-statement-of-the-2025-article-iv-mission

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Mfume, Maryland Delegation Urges President Trump to Approve Disaster Declaration for Allegany, Garrett Counties Following Destructive Floods

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Kweisi Mfume (MD-07)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Maryland Congressional Delegation – U.S. Congressman Kweisi Mfume, Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks and U.S. Representatives April McClain Delaney, Steny Hoyer, Andy Harris, Jamie Raskin, Glenn Ivey, Sarah Elfreth, and Johnny Olszewski (all Md.) – urged President Donald Trump to exercise his authority under the Stafford Act to approve the State of Maryland’s request for a presidential disaster declaration in response to damage from the flash flooding that occurred in Allegany and Garrett Counties on May 13, 2025. The flash floods drove water levels at the North Branch of the Potomac River and two creeks in Western Maryland to rise rapidly, leading to extensive damage in the communities of Midland, Lonaconing, Barton, and Westernport.

    Governor Wes Moore has requested a major disaster declaration for Public Assistance for Allegany and Garrett Counties and the availability of the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) for all jurisdictions in Maryland. A federal disaster declaration would unlock Public Assistance funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help reimburse emergency response efforts during and after the floods as well as necessary repairs to damaged public infrastructure and facilities. Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funds would support efforts to prevent or reduce long-term risk to life and property from future flooding and other similar natural disasters.

    “We are writing as the Maryland Congressional Delegation to express our strong support for and urge your favorable consideration of Maryland Governor Wes Moore’s request for the declaration of a major disaster for the State of Maryland as a result of the impacts from flash flooding on May 13, 2025,” Team Maryland began. “Given the tremendous impact that this flooding has had on state and local resources in Maryland, we respectfully request that you expeditiously approve the provision of supplementary federal assistance, pursuant to the Stafford Act.

    The lawmakers noted the severe extent of the flooding, writing, “Emergency Service personnel responded from 24 agencies in nine counties across three states to carry out recovery efforts. By boat, EMS units successfully evacuated 200 students and personnel who had been trapped at Westernport Elementary School and provided shelter until they could be picked up by family members. Students from two other schools in Georges Creek were evacuated by EMS units in vehicles to Mountain Ridge High School in Frostburg until they could be picked up by family members. Twelve students remained sheltered at Mountain Ridge overnight into Wednesday morning.” 

    They went on to note the costs of recovery will be significant, stating, “Recovery efforts will include debris removal and permanent work to repair infrastructure damaged by flooding. Allegany and Garrett Counties bore the brunt of the storm, with an estimated $15,831,417 in damages in those two counties as a result.”

    “We agree with Governor Moore that supplementary federal assistance is necessary and warranted under the Stafford Act. Therefore, we urge you to expeditiously review and approve the State of Maryland’s request for a major disaster declaration for the flooding of May 13, 2025,” they concluded.

    The full text of the letter is available here and below.

    Dear Mr. President:

    We are writing as the Maryland Congressional Delegation to express our strong support for and urge your favorable consideration of Maryland Governor Wes Moore’s request for the declaration of a major disaster for the State of Maryland as a result of the impacts from flash flooding on May 13, 2025. Given the tremendous impact that this flooding has had on state and local resources in Maryland, we respectfully request that you expeditiously approve the provision of supplementary federal assistance, pursuant to the Stafford Act.

    On May 13, 2025, heavy rains began in the morning hours with more than five inches of rainfall causing the water level in Georges Creek to rise more than six feet by mid-afternoon to reach Major Flood Stage of 12 feet. In Cumberland, Wills Creek rose eight feet and the North Branch of the Potomac River rose nearly 15 feet after 3:00 p.m. and crossed into Major Flood Stage just before midnight. Flash flooding heavily impacted significant portions of Garrett and Allegany Counties in Maryland and, in particular, the communities of Midland, Lonaconing, Barton, and Westernport sustained extensive damage to roads, water and sewer infrastructure, utilities, and property. On May 15, Governor Moore declared a state of emergency in response to the historic flooding.  

    Emergency Service personnel responded from 24 agencies in nine counties across three states to carry out recovery efforts. By boat, EMS units successfully evacuated 200 students and personnel who had been trapped at Westernport Elementary School and provided shelter until they could be picked up by family members. Students from two other schools in Georges Creek were evacuated by EMS units in vehicles to Mountain Ridge High School in Frostburg until they could be picked up by family members. Twelve students remained sheltered at Mountain Ridge overnight into Wednesday morning. 

    Recovery efforts will include debris removal and permanent work to repair infrastructure damaged by flooding. Allegany and Garrett Counties bore the brunt of the storm, with an estimated $15,831,417 in damages in those two counties as a result.  

    Individual Assistance Joint Preliminary Damage Assessments conducted in both Allegany and Garrett Counties found numerous destroyed and damaged structures, including public facilities, schools, public libraries, businesses, and homes. These assessments support the need for the requested declaration and assistance.

    We agree with Governor Moore that supplementary federal assistance is necessary and warranted under the Stafford Act. Therefore, we urge you to expeditiously review and approve the State of Maryland’s request for a major disaster declaration for the flooding of May 13, 2025. Thank you for your timely consideration of this request, and we look forward to your response. 

    Sincerely,

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: USGS Colorado River Basin Actionable and Strategic Integrated Science and Technology (ASIST) Initiative Science Co-Development Virtual Workshop, June 24-25, 2025

    Source: US Geological Survey

    The Colorado River Basin is currently experiencing its worst drought in recorded history. Drought impacts include worsening habitat conditions for several threatened and endangered species, wildland fire risks, reduced snowpack, changes in water availability and agricultural production; reduced recreation opportunities at National Parks, Wildlife Refuges, and Conservation areas; and impacts to…

    Learn More

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Notice of Availability: Draft Programmatic Agreement and Request for Public Comments

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Notice of Availability: Draft Programmatic Agreement and Request for Public Comments

    Notice of Availability: Draft Programmatic Agreement and Request for Public Comments

    Annapolis City Dock Flood Mitigation UndertakingPHILADELPHIA– The City of Annapolis, Maryland has applied through the Maryland Department of Emergency Management to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) and Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) Grant Program for a flood resiliency and stormwater improvement undertaking in the downtown Annapolis area in Anne Arundel County, Maryland

    The proposed undertaking consists of four separate, yet connected projects (HMGP-4491-0043-MD, LPDM-PJ-03-MD-2023-002, HMGP-4261-0013-MD, LPDM-PJ-03-MD-2024-003) that involve the design and construction of a comprehensive stormwater and flood mitigation system at the City Dock area

    The overall undertaking includes storm drain realignment; construction of three pump stations including wet wells, electric control building, and backup generator; deployable flood barriers; and grading modifications

     The purpose of this undertaking is to implement strategies to protect historic downtown Annapolis, the US Naval Academy, and surrounding areas against flooding to advance the City’s economy and safeguard the City’s cultural and historic heritage

    The City Dock is a busy hub in the historic heart of Annapolis City that has served as an important port within Annapolis and the Chesapeake Bay region for at least 350 years

    The project is needed because the City Dock is vulnerable to flooding, which threatens its structural integrity and functionality, importance to the local economy, and use by the community as well as the safety of those using the area

    FEMA is considering the effects of this undertaking on historic properties pursuant to 36 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 800, the regulations implementing Section 106 of NHPA (Section 106) (54 U

    S

    C

    §§ 300101-306108)

    FEMA, consistent with Section 106 and 36 CFR § 800

    16(d), has defined the undertaking’s Area of Potential Effects (APE)

    The APE is the geographic area within which an undertaking may directly or indirectly cause alterations in the character or use of historic properties, if any such properties exist

    A historic property is any prehistoric or historic district, site, building, structure, or object included on, or eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP)

    FEMA determined the undertaking has the potential to affect historic properties including National Historic Landmarks (NHL), which are historic properties that illustrate the heritage of the United States

    In accordance with 36 CFR § 800

    10 and Section 110(f) of the NHPA, FEMA must, to the maximum extent possible, undertake such planning and actions as may be necessary to minimize harm to any NHL that may be directly and adversely affected by an undertaking

    The undertaking’s construction schedule and access constraints within the APE limit surveys to fully identify and evaluate historic and cultural resources to determine if they are historic properties, determine if the undertaking would have adverse effects on historic properties, or fully avoid, minimize, or mitigate adverse effects, prior to completing the appropriate NEPA documentation and FEMA’s approval of the undertaking

    When completing the Section 106 process prior to making a final decision on a particular undertaking is not practical, the regulations allow an agency to pursue a “project” Programmatic Agreement (PA) under 36 CFR § 800

    14(b)(1)(ii)

    Accordingly, to outline the phased Section 106 process, account for inadvertent discoveries and effects, and to create a proposal to resolve potential adverse effects, FEMA intends to execute a PA in accordance with Stipulation II

    C

    6

    c of the Maryland Statewide Programmatic Agreement

    In accordance with the terms of the PA, studies shall be undertaken to identify both aboveground and belowground historic properties within the APE, evaluate the undertaking’s effects on these historic properties, and complete efforts to minimize or avoid adverse effects

    The City of Annapolis or its contractors will complete further site identification and evaluation efforts for the undertaking and archaeological monitoring

    The PA outlines consultation procedures for evaluating the NRHP eligibility of newly identified historic properties including archaeological sites, assessing the undertaking’s effects on all historic properties, and resolving adverse effects, if needed

    FEMA seeks to notify the public of this undertaking and involve potential consulting parties in the Section 106 process, including implementation of the PA

    According to 36 CFR § 800

    2, the following parties have consultative roles in the Section 106 process for undertakings not on tribal lands: the State Historic Preservation Officer (and the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO)), Indian Tribes (Tribes) and Native Hawaiian organizations, representatives of local governments with jurisdiction over the area in which the effects of an undertaking may occur, applicants for federal assistance, and additional consulting parties (individuals and organizations with a demonstrated interest in the undertaking)

    Individuals or organizations with a demonstrated interest in this undertaking should contact FEMA using the instructions below

    The Draft PA is available for review and comment, and can be viewed on and/or downloaded here or from the City of Annapolis website

    The comment period on the Draft PA will conclude 30 days from today, June 27, 2025

    Written comments on the Draft PA, or Section 106 comments on potential effects to historic properties can be mailed or emailed to the contact listed below

    If no substantive comments are received, FEMA will seek to execute the Draft PA

     Contact Information:ATTENTION: Annapolis City Dock Section 106 CommentsFEMA Region 3 Environmental and Historic Preservation615 Chestnut Street, 6th FloorPhiladelphia, PA 19106Email: FEMA-R3-EHP-PublicComment@fema

    dhs

    govSelect documents are included in the Draft PA exhibits

    FEMA will provide additional documents upon request; please contact us by email at FEMA-R3-EHP-PublicComment@fema

    dhs

    gov

    ###FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters

     FEMA Region 3’s jurisdiction includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia

     Follow us on X at @femaregion3 and on LinkedIn at linkedin

    com/company/femaregion3
    erika

    osullivan
    Fri, 06/27/2025 – 16:12

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to New York Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by Hurricane Debby

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP)organizations in New York of the July 28 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by Hurricane Debby occurring Aug. 5-10, 2024.

    The declaration covers the New York counties of Albany, Allegany, Chemung, Dutchess, Fulton, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lewis, Livingston, Montgomery, Ontario, Orange, Oswego, Putnam, Rensselaer, Rockland, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schuyler, Steuben, St. Lawrence, Sullivan, Ulster, Warren, Washington, Yates and Oswego; the New Jersey counties of Passaic and Sussex as well as the Pennsylvania counties of Pike, Potter, and Tioga.

    Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.

    EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the small business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

    “Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for PNPs with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    To apply online visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    Submit completed loan applications to SBA no later than July 28, 2025.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to New York Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by Hurricane Debby

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP)organizations in New York of the July 28 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by Hurricane Debby occurring Aug. 5-10, 2024.

    The declaration covers the New York counties of Albany, Allegany, Chemung, Dutchess, Fulton, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lewis, Livingston, Montgomery, Ontario, Orange, Oswego, Putnam, Rensselaer, Rockland, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schuyler, Steuben, St. Lawrence, Sullivan, Ulster, Warren, Washington, Yates and Oswego; the New Jersey counties of Passaic and Sussex as well as the Pennsylvania counties of Pike, Potter, and Tioga.

    Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.

    EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the small business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

    “Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for PNPs with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    To apply online visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    Submit completed loan applications to SBA no later than July 28, 2025.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: At Chimney Rock State Park Reopening, Governor Josh Stein Calls for Travelers to “Rediscover the Unforgettable” Western North Carolina

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: At Chimney Rock State Park Reopening, Governor Josh Stein Calls for Travelers to “Rediscover the Unforgettable” Western North Carolina

    At Chimney Rock State Park Reopening, Governor Josh Stein Calls for Travelers to “Rediscover the Unforgettable” Western North Carolina
    lsaito

    Raleigh, NC

    Governor Josh Stein today reopened Chimney Rock State Park and announced “Rediscover the Unforgettable,” a new tourism initiative to bring more visitors back to western North Carolina. Advanced reservations are required to access the park, which will be open with limited hours. At the reopening, Governor Stein also signed House Bill 1012: Disaster Recovery Act of 2025 – Part II into law.  

    “Nine months ago, Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina’s economy. Let’s make sure our neighbors know we haven’t forgotten them,” said Governor Josh Stein. “We can support the region’s recovery just by showing up. If you’re planning your summer vacation or a weekend getaway, make sure to experience something that makes western North Carolina unforgettable. And that includes beautiful Chimney Rock State Park.” 

    “Tourism is essential to western North Carolina’s economy, and our rural communities are home to so many natural and cultural treasures. It’s important that we keep the recovery going strong by spending our tourist dollars here,” said First Lady Anna Stein. “I’m proud to be focusing on rural tourism and grateful to be spending time this summer out west – I encourage my fellow North Carolinians to join me.” 

    “Chimney Rock State Park is a vital landmark that typically attracts 400,000 visitors per year,” said Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Secretary Pamela Cashwell. “It has been an all-hands-on-deck effort to reopen the park, and I am grateful to our team and our partners who have worked so hard on this goal. We are committed to supporting park staff and local partners as the park begins welcoming visitors once again.” 

    “Hurricane Helene damaged thousands of roads and bridges across the state, including the bridge leading to Chimney Rock State Park,” said Department of Transportation Secretary Joey Hopkins. “Our team has worked tirelessly to restore connectivity by repairing and reopening roads and will continue to do so until complete, so people can once again enjoy everything our state has to offer.” 

    “Whether you’re a foodie, a hiker, or a waterfall enthusiast, Western North Carolina has the unique experiences that make every trip here unforgettable,” said Visit NC Executive Director Wit Tuttell. “As the state’s tourism marketing organization, Visit NC has dedicated the past nine months to telling Western North Carolina’s story. Now, we are proud to be working with Governor Stein to promote our exceptional mountains.” 

    Chimney Rock experienced severe devastation because of Hurricane Helene, and the loss of key roads, bridges, and trails made Chimney Rock State Park inaccessible. Nine months later, thanks to dedicated efforts by the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, the Division of Parks and Recreation, the Department of Transportation, and local partners, Chimney Rock State Park is able to reopen on a limited basis: from Fridays to Mondays to visitors who make advance reservations. While the village of Chimney Rock has not yet officially reopened, several local businesses are open and welcoming tourists.  

    Hurricane Helene devastated businesses and tourist attractions, particularly during the critical fall foliage season. Now as a new tourism season begins, Governor Stein and VisitNC are teaming up with a new tourism initiative, “Rediscover the Unforgettable Western North Carolina.” This campaign will be available to local chambers of commerce, tourism boards, and small businesses for their promotional efforts. Musician and western North Carolina native Eric Church is the proud voice of a new video highlighting the initiative.

    I’m proud to be from Western North Carolina. It’s where I was born, it’s where my soul finds rest,” said Eric Church. “Our family has lived here for generations, and it has become a part of the fabric that has made me the man that I am now. It’s an honor to be the voice that invites more people to discover and visit a place we love.”

    Governor Josh Stein continues to advocate for western North Carolina, asking the Trump administration and the U.S. Congress to send $19 billion to North Carolina for disaster relief – $11.5 billion in new appropriations and $7.5 billion in allocations from previous appropriations. Last week, Stein worked with the Department of Commerce to launch Renew NC, a new housing recovery program that is now accepting applications from homeowners impacted by Hurricane Helene. North Carolinians are encouraged to apply at renewnc.org.   

    Jun 27, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE OVER $40 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING FOR 16 AIRPORTS ACROSS NEW YORK STATE

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer

    Region

    Recipient

    Project Description

    Award

    Capital Region

    Albany International Airport

    Reconstructing 60,000 square feet of existing terminal, including main entrance, lobby, security, baggage areas, canopies, and sidewalks

    $21,915,184

    Capital Region

    Floyd Bennett Memorial Airport

    Taxiway reconstruction  

    $210,803

    Capital Region

    Schenectady County Airport

    Conducting an airport drainage study and updating the airport master plan study

    $658,540

    Central NY

    Cortland County/Chase Field Airport

    Replacing snow removal equipment

    $369,550

    Central NY

    Griffiss International Airport

    Reconstructing airfield signage and updating navigational aids 

    $580,367

    Central NY

    Hamilton Municipal Airport

    Constructs a new 1,350 square foot terminal to accommodate the movement of passengers and baggage. This grant funds the final phase, which consists of interior construction including architectural, plumbing, mechanical and electrical

    $190,935

    Central NY

    Oswego County Airport

    Replacing snow removal equipment

    $513,750

    Finger Lakes

    Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport

    Reconstructing the existing terminal by replacing six vestibule doors, three elevators and fire alarm system

    $6,371,281

    Finger Lakes

    Canandaigua Airport

    Rehabilitating pavement

    $320,150

    Hudson Valley

    Columbia County Airport

    Weather system replacement

    $87,252

    Hudson Valley

    Columbia County Airport

    Terminal parking lot reconstruction

    $87,058

    Hudson Valley

    Hudson Valley Regional Airport

    Runway extension to enhance safety 

    $78,185

    Hudson Valley

    Joseph Y Resnick Airport

    Automated weather system replacement

    $87,639

    North Country

    Potsdam Municipal Airport

    Constructing 15,400 feet of wildlife fencing and four manual gates to enhance safety

    $96,258

    North Country

    Potsdam Municipal Airport

    Rotating beacon replacement

    $171,707

    NYC

    LaGuardia Airport

    Runway reconstruction

    $6,264,504

    Southern Tier

    Elmira Corning Regional Airport

    Snow removal equipment

    $615,943.00

    Southern Tier

    Elmira Corning Regional Airport

    Replacing terminal roof

    $1,580,131

    Western NY

    Cattaraugus County-Olean Municipal Airport

    Parking lot construction 

    $313,813

    Western NY

    Cattaraugus County-Olean Municipal Airport

    Replacing terminal septic system 

    $87,400

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Dingell Announces $20.5 Million in NSF Grants for the University of Michigan

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)

    Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-06) today announced that the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor will receive $20,539,108 in grant funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support a wide range of research initiatives. The funding will advance work in critical areas including artificial intelligence, quantum photonics, neuroscience, wildfire and flood response, social science, advanced manufacturing, cyber-physical systems, and more.

    “The University of Michigan continues to lead in innovation that addresses real-world challenges and drives economic growth,” said Dingell. “These investments will support breakthrough research across diverse fields, from improving public safety and infrastructure to exploring new materials and technologies to strengthening Michigan’s role as a national leader in science and innovation while building a smarter, healthier, and more sustainable future.”

    Projects receiving funding include:  

    • $31,443.00 for Doctoral Dissertation Research: The fitness impact of female social resource competition

    • $20,000.00 for Broadening Student Participation to the 7th Annual Learning for Dynamics and Control Conference (L4DC25); Ann Arbor, Michigan; 4-6 June 2025

    • $20,000.00 for A Conference on the Geometry, Topology, and Dynamics of Infinite-Type Surfaces

    • $66,962.00 for Bootcamp for the 2025 Algebraic Geometry Summer Research Institute

    • $70,007.00 for RAPID: 2025 Southern California Fires Embers Project: Crowdsourcing Data on the Distribution and Transport of Firebrands

    • $302,965.00 for SBIR Phase I: Turmeric Assisted Pressure Sterilization

    • $499,742.00 for ACED: GRAM-CAROLINE: Grammar-Reinforced AI Modeling with Conditional Autoencoder and Relevance-Oriented Learning for Interpretable knowledge Extraction

    • $20,000.00 for IUCRC Planning Grant University of Michigan: Cyber and Terrorism Insurance Studies (CATIS) Center

    • $500,000.00 for CPS: Small: Lifted Hybridization: A New Representation for Efficient Control and Verification of Cyber-Physical Systems

    • $31,500.00 for Doctoral Dissertation Research: Craft Specialization and Economic Organization

    • $35,000.00 for Conference: CBMS Conference: Strong Matrix Properties and the Inverse Eigenvalue Problem

    • $1,000,000.00 for IUCRC Phase I University of Michigan: Center for Digital Twins in Manufacturing (CDTM)

    • $750,000.00 for Collaborative Research: CS2: A Comprehensive Pipeline for Formal Verification of Floating-Point Errors and Compilation for Scientific Computing

    • $500,000.00 for ACED: A Unified Framework of Physics-informed and Domain-Adapted Generative Diffusion Model for Efficient and Reliable Nanophotonics Inverse Design

    • $599,998.00 for CAREER: Topography-mediated Immunomodulation for Implant-associated Infections

    • $640,000.00 for High-Intensity Tunable Light by Frequency Upshifting in Plasma Waves

    • $690,000.00 for CAREER: Empowering People Who are Blind to Create Personal Assistive Technology

    • $600,000.00 for CAREER: Bringing Structure to the Unstructured: Robust Causal and Statistical Modeling of High-dimensional Unstructured Data

    • $599,491.00 for CAREER: Data-Driven Extrusion-Based Robotic Three-Dimensional Printing of Reinforced Concrete

    • $1,753,908.00 for Research Infrastructure: Leveraging the Research Data Ecosystem for ICPSR’s Comprehensive Data Archive

    • $25,000.00 for Conference: Modern Perspectives in Representation Theory

    • $9,250.00 for Conference: Travel support for trainees to attend Dynein 2025; Ann Arbor, Michigan; 22-24 July 2025

    • $1,244,153.00 for SBIR Phase II: Ubiquitous Flood Forecasting using Sensors and Analytics

    • $10,024,230.00 for Expanding the Industries of Ideas: Understanding the link between research investments, jobs, and skills

    • $205,596.00 for Collaborative Research: NERC-NSFGEO–Constraining Longwave Energy Flows in Cold Climates (CLEFCC)

    The National Science Foundation(NSF) supports research, innovation, and discovery that provides the foundation for economic growth in this country. By advancing the frontiers of science and engineering, our nation can develop the knowledge and cutting-edge technologies needed to address the challenges we face today and will face in the future.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Climate, conflict and energy security – our research shows how the EU’s industrial policy must change to face this polycrisis

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Richard Bärnthaler, Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Ecological Economics, University of Leeds

    Green energy sites like Flevoland in the Netherlands will be part of the EU’s industrial future. fokke baarssen/Shutterstock

    Industrial policy is back – it’s currently central to the agendas of both the EU and the UK. This resurgence comes amid a polycrisis marked by climate breakdown, social inequality, energy insecurity and geopolitical instability. And it reflects a wider shift. Governments across G20 countries are stepping in more actively to shape their economies, moving away from the idea that markets should be left to run themselves.

    This is an important development. But current frameworks for industrial policy risk deepening the crises they are meant to solve.

    In our research with Sebastian Mang of the New Economics Foundation, we have found that in the case of the EU, its industrial policy framework is riddled with contradictions.

    It seeks resilience, yet fails to strengthen essential public services that underpin stability. It aims for strategic autonomy, yet reinforces resource dependencies. And while it gestures towards sustainability, it remains tethered to private-sector strategies that delay the phase-out of harmful industries.

    Eroding foundations

    EU industrial policy aims to strengthen the resilience of the bloc’s single market by preventing supply chain disruptions. It rightly views Europe’s economy as an interconnected ecosystem, where shocks in one sector ripple across others. But it fails to prioritise the foundational sectors that sustain everyday life. These include essential services such as food, utilities, housing, healthcare and public transport.

    Two core issues drive this failure. First, deregulation in the single market has often extended to essential services, pushing providers to operate like private businesses. For example, liberalisation of the energy sector has contributed to volatile prices and energy poverty. And EU competition law and state aid rules have historically constrained social housing provision.

    Yet social resilience — the capacity of communities to withstand and recover from crises — and, by extension market resilience, rely on these essential services. But affordable housing, universal healthcare and affordable energy for households are often not prioritised.

    Second, EU industrial policy lacks a clear definition of which sectors are “critical” and why. This results in inconsistent lists of priority industries and technologies, while foundational sectors like energy and housing often remain overlooked.

    These blind spots have real consequences. Around 40% of Europe’s workforce is employed in foundational sectors. These sectors are where low-income households spend about two-thirds of their income. Yet they often remain precarious and undervalued, leaving Europe more exposed to economic shocks.

    To build real resilience, industrial policy must reassert public control over essential services and recognise them as priorities. This means redefining what counts as “critical”, supporting jobs in foundational sectors and accelerating public investment. This investment could be enabled through measures such as reforming the fiscal rules and with joint borrowing by member states.

    The scramble for resources

    Europe is pushing for strategic autonomy (the capacity of the bloc to act in strategically important areas, without being dependent on non-member countries). The aim is to reduce reliance on imports in key industries such as green technology.

    But to make this happen, the EU should put reducing demand for resources and energy at the centre of its industrial policy. Instead, however, its Critical Raw Materials Act foresees skyrocketing consumption of rare earths, lithium and other inputs.

    This strategy is self-defeating. It increases the likelihood of European aggression towards the rest of the world and ultimately threatens long-term security and peace for all. These tensions are already surfacing. Export restrictions on things such as nickel, cobalt and rare earth minerals are multiplying. In an era of geopolitical ruptures, these tendencies are likely to intensify.

    At the same time, resource conflicts are also escalating within Europe itself. Tensions are emerging in countries including Serbia, Portugal and Greece over lithium and copper, and the environmental and social costs of mining them. And indigenous communities such as the Sámi in northern Europe face threats to their land and rights.

    This is not to argue against increasing the extraction of raw materials within Europe. However, without an absolute reduction in energy and material use, these contradictions will deepen. To avoid these problems, the EU must centre industrial policy on reducing unnecessary demand. Some key moves could include investing in public transport instead of subsidising cars, prioritising retrofitting over new building, ending planned obsolescence and backing agro-ecology over industrial farming.

    Investing in public rather than private transport will help European nations reduce their demand on energy and materials.
    The Global Guy/Shutterstock

    Research shows that this kind of strategy could significantly lower Europe’s energy use. It could also drastically cut reliance on critical imports and contribute to achieving energy independence by 2050. This is all without compromising basic quality of life.

    If Europe wants peace and security, demand reduction is a rational approach that must be at the heart of the EU’s industrial strategy. This should be adopted alongside strengthening ties of cooperation and integration with the rest of Eurasia and the global south, rather than ramping up antagonism towards these neighbours.

    Green transition

    The EU’s vision of “competitive sustainability” rests on the belief that market incentives and the private sector can drive the green transition. Yet despite decades of efficiency improvements, high-income countries have not decoupled material use and emissions from economic growth at the speed and scale required.

    The EU remains reliant on derisking – using public subsidies, guarantees and looser regulations to make green investments attractive to private finance. But as this approach leaves both the pace and direction of change to private capital, it slows the phase-out of harmful industries.

    What’s missing is more effective economic planning to restore public control over decarbonisation. Achieving this means building on existing mechanisms capable of delivering change — such as public credit guidance. This sets rules to limit the flow of finance from commercial banks to damaging sectors while directing investment toward sustainable ones.

    China offers an example whereby the central bank has used public credit guidance to shift finance to cleaner sectors. The European Central Bank also experimented with credit guidance between 2022 and 2023, introducing climate scores for companies. And post-war France used planned credit to modernise infrastructure over two decades.

    Europe and the UK are rearming, climate shocks are intensifying and global power dynamics are shifting. This moment demands a new industrial strategy — one that prioritises foundational sectors and creates fiscal space to build resilience. Reducing demand must be a prerequisite for security, peace and strategic autonomy. And reviving economic planning tools, such as public credit guidance, can accelerate the green transition.

    Without these shifts, Europe and the UK face an increasingly unstable future. Industrial policy must change because the stakes are existential.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Climate, conflict and energy security – our research shows how the EU’s industrial policy must change to face this polycrisis – https://theconversation.com/climate-conflict-and-energy-security-our-research-shows-how-the-eus-industrial-policy-must-change-to-face-this-polycrisis-259477

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Climate, conflict and energy security – our research shows how the EU’s industrial policy must change to face this polycrisis

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Richard Bärnthaler, Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Ecological Economics, University of Leeds

    Green energy sites like Flevoland in the Netherlands will be part of the EU’s industrial future. fokke baarssen/Shutterstock

    Industrial policy is back – it’s currently central to the agendas of both the EU and the UK. This resurgence comes amid a polycrisis marked by climate breakdown, social inequality, energy insecurity and geopolitical instability. And it reflects a wider shift. Governments across G20 countries are stepping in more actively to shape their economies, moving away from the idea that markets should be left to run themselves.

    This is an important development. But current frameworks for industrial policy risk deepening the crises they are meant to solve.

    In our research with Sebastian Mang of the New Economics Foundation, we have found that in the case of the EU, its industrial policy framework is riddled with contradictions.

    It seeks resilience, yet fails to strengthen essential public services that underpin stability. It aims for strategic autonomy, yet reinforces resource dependencies. And while it gestures towards sustainability, it remains tethered to private-sector strategies that delay the phase-out of harmful industries.

    Eroding foundations

    EU industrial policy aims to strengthen the resilience of the bloc’s single market by preventing supply chain disruptions. It rightly views Europe’s economy as an interconnected ecosystem, where shocks in one sector ripple across others. But it fails to prioritise the foundational sectors that sustain everyday life. These include essential services such as food, utilities, housing, healthcare and public transport.

    Two core issues drive this failure. First, deregulation in the single market has often extended to essential services, pushing providers to operate like private businesses. For example, liberalisation of the energy sector has contributed to volatile prices and energy poverty. And EU competition law and state aid rules have historically constrained social housing provision.

    Yet social resilience — the capacity of communities to withstand and recover from crises — and, by extension market resilience, rely on these essential services. But affordable housing, universal healthcare and affordable energy for households are often not prioritised.

    Second, EU industrial policy lacks a clear definition of which sectors are “critical” and why. This results in inconsistent lists of priority industries and technologies, while foundational sectors like energy and housing often remain overlooked.

    These blind spots have real consequences. Around 40% of Europe’s workforce is employed in foundational sectors. These sectors are where low-income households spend about two-thirds of their income. Yet they often remain precarious and undervalued, leaving Europe more exposed to economic shocks.

    To build real resilience, industrial policy must reassert public control over essential services and recognise them as priorities. This means redefining what counts as “critical”, supporting jobs in foundational sectors and accelerating public investment. This investment could be enabled through measures such as reforming the fiscal rules and with joint borrowing by member states.

    The scramble for resources

    Europe is pushing for strategic autonomy (the capacity of the bloc to act in strategically important areas, without being dependent on non-member countries). The aim is to reduce reliance on imports in key industries such as green technology.

    But to make this happen, the EU should put reducing demand for resources and energy at the centre of its industrial policy. Instead, however, its Critical Raw Materials Act foresees skyrocketing consumption of rare earths, lithium and other inputs.

    This strategy is self-defeating. It increases the likelihood of European aggression towards the rest of the world and ultimately threatens long-term security and peace for all. These tensions are already surfacing. Export restrictions on things such as nickel, cobalt and rare earth minerals are multiplying. In an era of geopolitical ruptures, these tendencies are likely to intensify.

    At the same time, resource conflicts are also escalating within Europe itself. Tensions are emerging in countries including Serbia, Portugal and Greece over lithium and copper, and the environmental and social costs of mining them. And indigenous communities such as the Sámi in northern Europe face threats to their land and rights.

    This is not to argue against increasing the extraction of raw materials within Europe. However, without an absolute reduction in energy and material use, these contradictions will deepen. To avoid these problems, the EU must centre industrial policy on reducing unnecessary demand. Some key moves could include investing in public transport instead of subsidising cars, prioritising retrofitting over new building, ending planned obsolescence and backing agro-ecology over industrial farming.

    Investing in public rather than private transport will help European nations reduce their demand on energy and materials.
    The Global Guy/Shutterstock

    Research shows that this kind of strategy could significantly lower Europe’s energy use. It could also drastically cut reliance on critical imports and contribute to achieving energy independence by 2050. This is all without compromising basic quality of life.

    If Europe wants peace and security, demand reduction is a rational approach that must be at the heart of the EU’s industrial strategy. This should be adopted alongside strengthening ties of cooperation and integration with the rest of Eurasia and the global south, rather than ramping up antagonism towards these neighbours.

    Green transition

    The EU’s vision of “competitive sustainability” rests on the belief that market incentives and the private sector can drive the green transition. Yet despite decades of efficiency improvements, high-income countries have not decoupled material use and emissions from economic growth at the speed and scale required.

    The EU remains reliant on derisking – using public subsidies, guarantees and looser regulations to make green investments attractive to private finance. But as this approach leaves both the pace and direction of change to private capital, it slows the phase-out of harmful industries.

    What’s missing is more effective economic planning to restore public control over decarbonisation. Achieving this means building on existing mechanisms capable of delivering change — such as public credit guidance. This sets rules to limit the flow of finance from commercial banks to damaging sectors while directing investment toward sustainable ones.

    China offers an example whereby the central bank has used public credit guidance to shift finance to cleaner sectors. The European Central Bank also experimented with credit guidance between 2022 and 2023, introducing climate scores for companies. And post-war France used planned credit to modernise infrastructure over two decades.

    Europe and the UK are rearming, climate shocks are intensifying and global power dynamics are shifting. This moment demands a new industrial strategy — one that prioritises foundational sectors and creates fiscal space to build resilience. Reducing demand must be a prerequisite for security, peace and strategic autonomy. And reviving economic planning tools, such as public credit guidance, can accelerate the green transition.

    Without these shifts, Europe and the UK face an increasingly unstable future. Industrial policy must change because the stakes are existential.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Climate, conflict and energy security – our research shows how the EU’s industrial policy must change to face this polycrisis – https://theconversation.com/climate-conflict-and-energy-security-our-research-shows-how-the-eus-industrial-policy-must-change-to-face-this-polycrisis-259477

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI: Eavor Announces Leadership Transition: John Redfern to Step Down as CEO

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CALGARY, Alberta, June 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Eavor Technologies Inc., a leader in next generation geothermal technology, today announced that John Redfern will be stepping down as Chief Executive Officer for personal reasons. Redfern, as an eight-year company veteran and co-founder, will continue his association with the company in a strategic advisory role. As CEO, Redfern has led the company from inception through numerous major accomplishments, including raising over half a billion in equity, overseeing first of a kind technology development through several demonstrations globally, and driving the team to its first commercial project in Geretsried, Germany which is scheduled to come on stream later this year.  

    “I am immensely proud of all my colleagues at Eavor and what they’ve accomplished,” said Redfern. “We’ve gone from having this initially counter-intuitive idea for a closed-loop geothermal system, to now implementing the technology on a commercial-scale. It has been a privilege to be part of such an extraordinary team and its mission. You can be certain I will continue to support the Eavor team in any way I can as it embarks on this next stage of its journey and again redefines what is possible.”

    In the interim, Robert Winsloe, currently serving as EVP Origination, will assume the role of CEO while the company conducts its search for a permanent successor. Winsloe has been with Eavor for eight years, demonstrating exceptional leadership and strategic vision, making him well-positioned to guide the organization during this transitional period.

    “We are grateful for John’s leadership and dedication to Eavor,” said Doug Beach, Chair of the Board. “John’s vision has been instrumental in driving our success, and we are pleased he will continue his work with us in an advisory role. As we begin the search for our next CEO, we are confident that Robert will provide the requisite leadership and stability.”

    Winsloe, one of Eavor’s co-founders and the architect behind Eavor’s market development strategy and the pipeline of Eavor-Loop™ projects around the world, also expressed his appreciation for Redfern’s significant contribution and the opportunity to step in as CEO: “I would like to thank John for his visionary leadership and dedication to Eavor in bringing us to within touching distance of first power at our commercial project in Germany. It’s an exciting time to step into the role and lead our incredibly talented team as we continue to focus on our long-held mission of making geothermal power development possible at scale, everywhere.”

    Additional Information

    • In June 2025, Eavor secured up to C$138 million to support the global scale-up of our proprietary Eavor-Loop™ system.
    • Located in Bavaria, the Geretsried project is the first commercial deployment of the Eavor-Loop™ system. It is designed to deliver approximately 8.2 MW of electricity and 64 MW of thermal energy for district heating, with a projected annual offset of over 44,000 tonnes of CO₂.
      • The project was awarded €91.6 million from the EU Innovation Fund.
      • Named “Geothermal Deal of the Year” by IJGlobal (2024).
    • For more, read our 2024 Year in Review and learn about Eavor’s technology developments here.

    For media inquiries, please contact:

    Tracy Larsson
    Senior Communications Specialist
    368-338-8154
    tracy.larsson@eavor.com

    About Eavor Technologies Inc.
    Eavor (pronounced “Ever”) is a next-generation geothermal technology company led by a team dedicated to creating a clean, reliable, and affordable energy future on a global scale. Eavor’s solution (Eavor-Loop™) represents the world’s first truly scalable form of clean, dispatchable, baseload capable, and flexible heat and power. Eavor achieves this by mitigating or eliminating many of the issues that have traditionally hindered geothermal energy. Eavor instead circulates a benign working fluid that is completely isolated from the environment in a closed-loop, through a massive subsurface radiator. This radiator simply collects heat from the natural geothermal gradient of the Earth via conduction. Eavor has been supported by equity investments made by several leading global energy producers, investors, developers, and venture capital funds including Vickers Venture Partners, bp Ventures, Chubu Electric Power, BDC Capital, Temasek, BHP Ventures, OMV, Canada Growth Fund, Kajima Corporation, and Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund. Learn more at Eavor.com.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Lagos plastics ban is a bold step forward, not a threat to industry

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    Lagos, Nigeria — Greenpeace Africa and the Nigeria Climate Justice Movement strongly reject the self-serving Manufacturers Association of Nigeria’s (MAN) opposition to the proposed ban on single-use plastics in Lagos State. We stand firmly with the Lagos State Government in its bold move to tackle plastic pollution—an urgent environmental and public health crisis.

    MAN’s claim that the plastics ban would harm Nigeria’s petrochemical and manufacturing sectors, increase unemployment, and worsen poverty is not only misleading, it ignores the environmental urgency and economic opportunity that such a policy presents. MAN has made suggestions on recycling” and “waste management” as alternatives to the ban. We state clearly: that is corporate greenwashing.

    This is not an attack on business, it is a call to evolve. The proposed ban is a necessary intervention to protect public health, restore ecosystems, and unlock new opportunities through innovation and sustainable production. Manufacturers now stand at a crossroads: the chance to pioneer sustainable innovation or risk being left behind in a rapidly evolving global market.

    Nigeria generates an estimated 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste every year. Less than 10 percent of this is recycled. For decades, plastic production in Nigeria has operated under the veil of “industrial progress.” But progress for who? While a few manufacturers celebrate quarterly profits, millions of Nigerians are forced to live with the aftermath. 

    The rest clogs drainage systems, pollutes coastlines, poisons food chains, litters communities, and contributes to flooding and disease outbreaks. Most single-use plastics, such as carrier bags and styrofoam, are not designed to be recycled and often end up in landfills, oceans, or incinerated—releasing toxic chemicals into the environment.

    Plastic pollution is not just an environmental crisis. It is a human rights issue. You cannot recycle your way out of a problem you are actively expanding.

    Communities located near petrochemical plants and waste disposal sites are exposed to dangerous pollutants that increase the risk of cancer, respiratory diseases, and developmental disorders. These health burdens fall disproportionately on low-income and marginalised communities. Continuing with business-as-usual is no longer an option.

    MAN’s assertion that bans devastate industries is contradicted by real-world evidence. In Kenya, the 2017 plastic bag ban led to the growth of new businesses in the production of reusable bags and packaging. It did not result in mass layoffs, but rather a wave of job creation and local innovation. In Lagos, the 2024 ban on styrofoam and selected single-use plastics has already encouraged entrepreneurs to explore safer alternatives.

    Greenpeace Africa calls on the Lagos State Government to maintain its leadership and accelerate the implementation of the proposed ban. The state can support a just transition by offering incentives to manufacturers that invest in safe, affordable, and scalable alternatives. This will help build local industries, reduce production costs over time, and ensure accessible solutions for informal traders and everyday consumers.

    The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria must recognise that the future of business lies in sustainability. We reject the tired narrative that environmental regulation threatens livelihoods. The trope has been weaponised for decades by fossil fuel lobbyists and polluters worldwide.

    Reuse and refill systems, biodegradable packaging, and circular economy models offer pathways for growth that align with both market trends and public expectations. It is time to move beyond outdated arguments and embrace innovation that benefits people and the planet.

    As Nigeria plays a key role in global negotiations for a binding plastics treaty and holds significant influence within ECOWAS, it must lead by example. Domestic policies must reflect the ambition the country presents on the international stage.

    You cannot call for global action on plastic pollution while resisting local change. Nigeria’s credibility and leadership depend on what we do at home. This ban is a vital step in the right direction.

    Signed by;

    1. BluerAfrica

    2. African Research Centre for Climate and Environmental Justice (ARCCEJ)

    3. Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA)

    4. Centre for Blue Economy Research and Development Ltd/Gte

    5. GreenYouth Environmental Sustainability Network (GESN)

    6. Women Environmental Programme (WEP).

    7. Foundation for Environmental Rights Advocacy & Development (FENRAD)

    8. Greenpeace Africa

    9. Keep The Ocean Clean Initiative (KOCI)

    10. Surge Africa

    ENDS

    Media Contact:

    Ferdinand Omondi, Communication and Story Manager, Greenpeace Africa, Email: [email protected], Cell: +254 722 505 233

    Greenpeace Africa Press Desk: [email protected]

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Global: What Danish climate migration drama, Families Like Ours, gets wrong about rising sea levels

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Florian Steig, DPhil Student, Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford

    In the Danish TV drama Families Like Ours, one melancholic line from high-school student Laura captures the emotional toll of climate displacement: “Soon we will vanish like bubbles in a creek.” This seven-part series imagines a near future in which Denmark is being evacuated due to rising sea levels – a government-mandated relocation of an entire population.

    The series challenges the fantasy that wealthy western countries are immune to the far-reaching effects of climate change. Rather than focusing on catastrophic storylines, Families Like Ours portrays the mundane, bureaucratic and affective aspects of relocating a population in anticipation of a creeping crisis: the scramble for visas, the fractures that appear between families, and the inequalities in social and economic capital that shape people’s chances for a new life.

    Yet, the idea that Denmark could soon get submerged is not grounded in science. More worryingly, the narrative of the unavoidable uninhabitability of entire nations and millions of international migrants flooding Europe is misleading, dangerous, and sidelines deeply political questions about adaptation to sea level rise that should be dealt with now.

    The trailer for Families Like Ours.

    Sea levels are rising by a few millimetres a year. That pace is accelerating. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicts that, by 2100, sea levels could rise by up to one metre on average. Beyond 2100, sea levels could rise by several metres, although these long-term scenarios are highly uncertain.

    Even in extreme scenarios, these developments would unfold over several decades and centuries. It’s unlikely that permanent submergence of large areas of land will make Denmark uninhabitable.

    Still, sea level rise poses a serious risk to the livelihoods of millions of people living in coastal zones. In the UK, many homes in Norfolk and Fairbourne, Wales, are already at risk from coastal erosion, for instance.

    These changes are subtle. They do not warrant the evacuation of an entire nation, but degrade coastal livelihoods over time. Houses in high-risk areas like these may become uninsurable, devalued or too risky to live in. This will force people to move.

    In addition, sea level rise makes coastal flooding more likely. In European high-income countries, including Denmark, rising waters already threaten coastal communities. Without adaptation, hundreds of thousands of homes in cities such as Copenhagen could be at risk.

    The danger of mass migration narratives

    However, depicting climate change as a driver of uncontrolled mass migration is misleading. Sea level rise will contribute to coastal migration, and state-led relocation is already a reality especially in Africa and Asia. But climate migration predominantly occurs within countries or regions. International migration from climate change impacts is the exception, not the norm.

    To capture these complexities, some researchers prefer the term “climate mobility”. Mobility can be forced or voluntary, permanent or temporary, even seasonal. Some communities and people resist relocation plans and stay put.

    Families Like Ours reinforces longstanding narratives that frame certain parts of the world as destined to become uninhabitable. Even UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned of a “mass exodus of entire populations on a biblical scale” due to sea level rise.

    As a researcher working on climate adaptation, I notice that sea level rise and climate migration are increasingly discussed at the global level. Discussions focus, for example, on the protection of affected populations and continued statehood of nations after their potential submergence. A new global alliance of cities and regions tackling sea level rise called the Ocean Rise & Coastal Resilience Coalition considers a “managed retreat” not only as inevitable but as a rational and desirable adaptation pathway for many cities and regions.

    Scientists have warned that creative storylines highlighting the “uninhabitability” of low-lying countries and regions, such as the Pacific, are not helpful. The mass migration narrative can be used by governments to justify extreme protectionist action and sideline urgent adaptation debates.

    States are not helpless in the face of sea level rise and submergence is not inevitable. As geographer Carol Farbotko and colleagues suggest, “habitability is mediated by human actions and is not a direct consequence of environmental change”. People often develop their own ways of living with rising waters, resisting narratives of submergence. State-led adaptation is possible, but depends on finance, which is unequally distributed.

    People’s migration decisions can seldomly be attributed to just climate impact. A community’s capacity to respond hinges on social, political, economic and demographic factors. Adaptation measures are costly. This raises deeply political questions over who gets to be protected, who is left behind, and how managed retreat can benefit the most affected people and places in a fair way. We need to overcome mass migration myths and start a serious and justice-focused debate about the future of our shorelines.

    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.

    Florian Steig receives funding from the German Academic Scholarship Foundation (Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes).

    – ref. What Danish climate migration drama, Families Like Ours, gets wrong about rising sea levels – https://theconversation.com/what-danish-climate-migration-drama-families-like-ours-gets-wrong-about-rising-sea-levels-259234

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Seafood Companies Receive Climate Change Funding

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    NOTE: The list of funding recipients and projects follows this release.

    The Province is supporting 22 seafood companies and related organizations throughout Nova Scotia to support efforts in lowering their carbon emissions.

    The Fisheries and Aquaculture Energy Efficiency Innovation Fund is investing $1.73 million in projects that range from electrifying vessels to installing solar systems.

    “Our seafood sector is a key partner in addressing climate change,” said Kent Smith, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture. “This funding will help seafood organizations in their efforts to reduce fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, while also helping the industry lower its operational costs.”

    The three-year fund, administered by Efficiency Nova Scotia, will provide a total of $6.5 million to industry climate change projects.

    There will be a third call for project funding applications later this year.

    Quotes:

    “Nova Scotia’s fisheries and aquaculture industry is a cornerstone of our economy, supporting jobs and communities across the province. Energy efficiency is a powerful way for organizations in the sector to reduce costs and boost productivity both in the short and long term – and this fund is helping more businesses adopt innovative, energy-efficient practices that support a more resilient and sustainable future. We’re excited to see the initiatives from these new fund recipients come to life, driving innovation and sustainability across the sector.”
    — Stephen MacDonald, President and CEO, EfficiencyOne

    “Nova Scotia produces the best seafood in the world and the investments announced today will help make our processing sector more efficient and productive. With the many challenges Canada has faced lately, every step in streamlining and modernizing our sector is vital in competing globally and supporting communities and jobs at home. These investments show that the Province understands these challenges and is working to grow the sector.”
    — Ian McIsaac, President, Seafood Producers Association of Nova Scotia

    Quick Facts:

    • 36 projects have received funding to date through the Fisheries and Aquaculture Energy Efficiency Innovation Fund, totalling $3.54 million
    • the fund is a commitment in Our Climate, Our Future: Nova Scotia’s Climate Change Plan for Clean Growth
    • the Department of Energy provided $2 million to the fund
    • the Nova Scotia Fisheries and Aquaculture Loan Board will make available $10 million over three years in dedicated lending to support eligible applicants

    Additional Resources:

    Fisheries and Aquaculture Energy Efficiency Innovation Fund: https://www.efficiencyns.ca/business/business-types/agriculture/fisheries-and-aquaculture-energy-efficiency-innovation-fund/

    Nova Scotia Fisheries and Aquaculture Loan Board lending program: https://nsfishloan.ca/energy-efficiency

    Our Climate, Our Future: Nova Scotia’s Climate Change Plan for Clean Growth: https://climatechange.novascotia.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/ns-climate-change-plan.pdf

    Approved projects:

    • Mersey Seafoods – $28,000 toward wharf electrification infrastructure to eliminate idling of three vessels while tied up at the wharf

    • Waycobah First Nation – $18,953 for data logging on lobster vessel to explore potential for future vessel electrification

    • Membertou Fisheries Ltd. Partnership – $250,000 for charging infrastructure to support electric lobster vessel

    • Asadalia Fisheries – $250,000 for a hybrid diesel-electric lobster vessel

    • Canadian Red Crab Co. Ltd. – $38,500 for a two-degree heat exchanger in their live lobster holding facility, to reduce refrigeration loads

    • Saww Lobster Inc. – $18,000 for a floating head condenser refrigeration for their live lobster holding facility

    • RRPM Lobster Inc. – $97,500 for floating head refrigeration and two-degree heat exchanger for the refurbishment of their lobster pound

    • Twin Seafood Ltd. – $52,500 for floating head refrigeration in their live lobster holding facility

    • Deep Cove Aqua Farms Ltd. – $100,000 for floating head refrigeration and two-degree heat exchanger to expand their live lobster holding capacity

    • Lobster Hub Inc. – $100,000 for floating head refrigeration and two-degree heat exchanger for a new lobster pound

    • Age Lobster Inc. – $25,000 to add floating head refrigeration and two-degree heat exchanger to their currently unrefrigerated tanks

    • Emery Smith Fisheries Ltd. – $100,000 for floating head refrigeration, two-degree heat exchanger and settling tank to assist with water level issues at their live lobster holding facility

    • Fisherman’s Market International Inc. – $35,000 for floating head refrigeration in their live lobster holding facility to help reduce their electrical load

    • Hot Lobster Fisheries Ltd. – $56,984 for a ground-mounted solar photovoltaic system to offset their lobster processing facility

    • Hailmar Investments Ltd. – $100,000 for a roof-mounted solar photovoltaic system to offset their electrical load at their lobster pound

    • South Shore Lobster Ltd. – $87,155 for a roof-mounted solar photovoltaic system to offset their electrical load at their lobster pound

    • Shoal Cove Developments – $24,826 for a roof-mounted solar photovoltaic system at their marine/boat repair shop

    • Shandaph Oysters Co. Inc. – $33,997 for a roof-mounted solar photovoltaic system with storage capability to electrify their off -grid aquaculture operations

    • Ryan’s Fancy Fisheries Ltd. – $67,571 for a roof-mounted solar photovoltaic system on infrastructure supporting their commercial fishing operations at two sites

    • Innovative Fishery Products – $95,165 for a ground-mounted solar photovoltaic system at their operational facility

    • Aqualitas Inc. – $100,000 for a ground-mounted solar photovoltaic system at their finfish aquaculture facility

    • Right Source Group Ltd. – $50,867 for a roof-mounted solar photovoltaic system at their seafood processing facility

    MIL OSI Canada News –