Source: Secondary teachers question rationale for changes to relationship education guidelines
Following recent bad weather, the Recovery Office has noted an increase in homeowners asking to join the categorisation programme.
While we sympathise with homeowners across the region affected by flooding, we are unable to admit any further properties into the programme.
The programme was a limited, one-off scheme co-funded by Auckland Council and the Government in response to the 2023 North Island Weather Events.
Affected homeowners were able to voluntarily register for a risk assessment between June 2023 and October 2024, and the programme was widely publicised over the 15-month period including via regional and national media, paid advertising campaigns, social media, community events and through local MPs and councillors.
The agreement with the Government requires all category 3 purchases to be completed by the end of 2025.
Outside of this limited programme, the council does not, categorise private properties to determine risk, and is not funded to acquire properties that are at risk of future flooding.
The council’s Healthy Waters and Flood Resilience teams, along with Auckland Emergency Management, will continue to help homeowners understand their level of flood risk and what they can do to prepare for future flooding.
Category 3 and 2P properties progressing
As you can see in the graphic above, the Category 3 buy-outs are progressing well with 703 properties now settled.
Category 2P works are also progressing with 17 homeowners having completed their mitigations.
Source: Secondary teachers question rationale for changes to relationship education guidelines
Storm recovery efforts are well underway in Mt Roskill, with council and the community working together to build resilience after the major 2023 storms. But recent weather events have been a reminder that the job isn’t over — and that preparing for future storms is just as important as recovering from past ones.
Local groups, with support from therecovery planning Wesley and Roskill Leadership Rōpū, are working with flood-affected residents to understand what matters most to them in this space — including how to be better prepared for floods. The goal is to create a Community-Led Recovery Plan that genuinely reflects the needs of the people who live there.
Upcoming events will help bring together different voices and experiences, ensuring that everyone’s input shapes the future. The goal is to not just to recover from the 2023 storms, but to be stronger and more ready for what’s ahead.
Promoting emergency preparedness
Two local groups— Acts of Roskill Kindness (ARK) and Global Hope Missions (GHM) — have multiple projects planned to support connection and preparedness.
“With these events we are looking to understand what our community needs to feel recovered after flooding. Alongside that, we are conducting workshops with Auckland Emergency Management, Civil Defence, and other organisations to support these families and encourage them to be prepared so that in the event of a natural disaster our community is more resilient,” says Peter Leilua of ARK and GHM.
As part of this series of events, they have launched ‘Road to Recovery’ workshops to help young people in Wesley and Mt Roskill learn about how to stay safe during natural disasters like floods and cyclones.
“The 2023 storms caused a great deal of disruption in our families and communities, and a lot of those families are still suffering,” Peter adds. So, we are very excited to have such a diverse group of student leaders from various high schools participating in this community leadership project.”
Road to Recovery youth workshops:Saturday 23 May, 4-6pm followed by the free ‘Love and Light’ gig until 9pm. Roskill Youth Zone, 740 Sandringham Road, Mount Roskill. Performances by KMUX, Irene Folau, Lomez Brown, Switche, Brotherhood MUSIQ, and more.Registrations for workshops are essential. Those wanting to attend are invited toinvitedscan the QR code to register and answer some storm recovery questions.
Nik Naidu from the Wesley Whānau Community Hub
Engaging all communities
This Sunday, the Wesley Whānau Community Hub is hosting an Ethnic Communities Festival — a celebration of culture, connection, and recovery — at Mt Roskill War Memorial Hall.
“Our Roskill and Wesley communities are amazingly diverse, so our focus is really on hearing from as many different flood-affected locals as we can,” says Nik Naidu, event organiser.
“A celebration of ethnic diversity is a great way to start those conversations. We’ll be chatting with people about their experiences of recovery: what kind of support they still need; what a happy and healthy neighbourhood looks like for them; and what might be getting in the way.
“Puketāpapa is one of the most diverse areas in Aotearoa, and that’s something we’re proud to reflect in this event.”
Ethnic Communities Festival: Sunday 18 May, 4-8pm, Mt Roskill War Memorial Hall, 15 May Road, Mt Roskill. Supporting Community led Flood Recovery with food, dance, performances and kai vouchers for survey participants.
These events are part of a wider local effort to support community-led flood recovery in the Roskill–Wesley area.
If you’d like to help out, come along to an event, or share your thoughts, email Heather at thecommunitycollectivenz@gmail.com.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Glenn Thompson (5th District Pennsylvania)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representatives Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) and Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) today introduced the Community Services Block Grant Improvement Act of 2025 to update the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) program.
The CSBG program is the only federal program with the singular mission of fighting poverty. The program supports more than 1,000 Community Action Agencies (CAAs) in nearly every county across the United States.
For more than 60 years, CAAs have provided a range of holistic services to low-income individuals and communities across the country, including education, skills development, financial literacy, and other services promoting economic independence. CAAs serve an estimated 10 million low-income individuals annually, representing nearly 5 million families across the U.S., providing a critical “first stop” for those in need to navigate the resources available to them.
“The Community Services Block Grant fulfills a core American value: neighbors helping neighbors in need,” Rep. Thompson said. “This bipartisan legislation reaffirms our commitment to reducing poverty to strengthening communities across the country, provides much needed reforms to ensure community action agencies across the country can continue to serve vulnerable populations, and ultimately will help put those in poverty on the path to independence.”
“Congress created the Community Services Block Grant program to assist low-income individuals and families during challenging times while addressing the causes and conditions of poverty,” Rep. Bonamici said. “The program funds Community Action Agencies and benefits millions of people across the country. I am pleased to join my colleague Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson in leading this bipartisan update to CSBG to provide Oregonians and Americans with opportunities that will help them achieve stability so they can thrive rather than struggle.”
“Representatives Thompson and Bonamici have a proven record of putting Americans first, and we thank them for their leadership on this bipartisan bill. It supports strong, successful community programs nationwide and brings local solutions, innovation, opportunity and hope to every corner of the country. The bill also reinforces Community Action’s commitment to performance, accountability and using every federal dollar wisely. Thanks to the steadfast, bipartisan leadership of Representatives Thompson and Bonamici, this bill will be a breath of fresh air for every American community when it passes.”- David Bradley, National Community Action Foundation CEO
COMMUNITY SUPPORT “I am deeply thankful for Congressman GT Thompson, who has consistently been a true champion for Central Pennsylvania Community Action, Inc. and the Community Services Block Grant. His unwavering support ensures that we can continue to provide vital programs and services like the Weatherization Assistance Program, Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, sixteen (16) food pantries, Medical Assistance Transportation Program, and four (4) HUD subsidized housing projects to individuals and families across Clearfield and Centre Counties (10,312 individuals in 2024). Without his advocacy, our ability to meet the growing needs of the community would be severely limited. We are fortunate to have a representative who truly understands and values the impact of community action.” – Michelle Stiner, Executive Director, Central Pennsylvania Community Action
“Congressman Glenn Thompson has been a steadfast advocate for Armstrong County Community Action Partnership (ACCAP), consistently recognizing the vital role local organizations play in improving lives and creating stronger, more resilient communities. His support ensures that Armstrong County families have access to the tools, resources, and opportunities they need to thrive, including access to nutritious food, which is fundamental to health and stability. ACCAP operates the Armstrong County Foodbank; we have 16 food pantries spread throughout the county. In 2023, our foodbank distributed nearly 12,000 boxes of food, and in 2024, that number rose to nearly 19,000 boxes. That is a 63% increase in one year. Congressman Thompson understands these types of challenges communities face, especially in rural counties like Armstrong. We’re grateful for his continued commitment to the work our agency does every day – lifting people up, fostering self-sufficiency, and building a brighter future for everyone.” – Marlene Petro, Executive Director, Armstrong Country Community Action Partnership
“For the last sixty years, the Community Services Block Grant has been a catalytic tool employed across the United States to improve conditions for people with low incomes, empowering them to gain the skills needed to live stable, economically secure lives and be active and engaged members of their local communities. Organizations who steward the block grant in their local service territories have helped set the foundations for individuals and communities to flourish and thrive. Our agency has chosen to adopt food security and agricultural services as a foundational pillar of community health and vitality. Food security work is not simply concerned with the availability of food, but it is also concerned with the nutritional health of that food and how it contributes to the ability of a human being to grow and flourish. We believe that food, farms, and farmers are not only foundational to an individual’s ability to grow and flourish, but also to community health and prosperity. Representative G.T. Thompson’s interest in both agriculture and the Community Services Block Grant speaks to his leadership in these areas and his commitment to ensuring that communities across the nation maintain access to all the resources available that contribute to community and individual prosperity.” – Sandra Curry, Executive Director, Community Partnership, Inc.
“Congressman Thompson has been a steadfast advocate for Community Action, Inc. and the vital work we do to assist low-income individuals striving for self-sufficiency. His leadership as Vice Chair of the Congressional Community Action Caucus and his dedication to reauthorizing and improving the Community Services Block Grant Program demonstrate his unwavering commitment to fighting poverty. Congressman Thompson’s community-oriented approach, including his active participation in local events and openness to discussing collaborative projects, highlights his role as a true friend of the community. His efforts to expand resources and eligibility for CSBG ensure that the essential services we provide like emergency shelter, weatherization, food assistance and veteran housing assistance remain accessible to those who work hard but need a helping hand. His bipartisan advocacy continues to strengthen the foundation of Community Action, Inc. and uplift countless lives.” – Misty Fleming, CEO, Community Action, Inc.
ABOUT THE BILL The Community Services Block Grant Improvement Act of 2025 will reauthorize this critical program for ten years and make long-overdue updates to improve federal efforts to reduce poverty. Updates to the CSBG program include:
Reauthorizing the CSBG Act for 7 years and increases the resources available to CAAs to fulfill the program’s mission
Permanently raising income eligibility for participation in the CSBG program to 200 percent of the poverty line, which is the current, temporary threshold for the program
Increasing transparency and accountability for federal CSBG dollars, ensuring states and CAAs are maximizing federal investments
Authorizing a Broadband Navigator Program to respond to the broadband and digital needs of low-income families and communities
Requiring federal and state training and technical assistance to be responsive to local economic conditions, including natural disasters, that may create economic insecurity
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11)
WASHINGTON, DC — Today, the House Energy and Commerce Committee advanced a strong, commonsense reconciliation bill after over twenty-six hours of debate. Upon passage, Rep. Pfluger released the following statement.
“After over twenty-six hours of Democrat distractions, falsehoods, and baseless debate, Energy and Commerce Republicans stayed focused on delivering real, commonsense results for the American people. We have now completed our part in advancing President Trump’s agenda through the ‘One, Big, Beautiful Bill.’ This package ends wasteful spending on woke Green New Deal-style programs, secures American energy dominance to support the rapid innovation of American industry, and preserves and protects Medicaid for all vulnerable Texans and Americans who truly need it. This legislation also expands rural connectivity through smart spectrum policy while safeguarding national security interests. Through these commonsense policies, we’re building a stronger, more secure America for generations to come.”
Among the many Republican-backed victories supported by Rep. Pfluger in this legislation, this bill includes several key priorities Rep. Pfluger has specifically championed, which will directly benefit Texans and all Americans alike:
Energy Wins:
· Expedited LNG Exports (Section 41003) — Expedites approvals by deeming applications to non-free trade countries “in the public interest” upon payment of a $1 million fee, eliminating a previously lengthy review process. This streamlining preserves existing legal and regulatory authorities while potentially reducing approval timelines from years to months. This directly aligns with Rep. Pfluger’s bill to strengthen energy leadership and expand LNG exports.
· Natural Gas Permitting Reform (Section 41005) — Creates a voluntary expedited permitting pathway with guaranteed timelines, requiring agencies to complete reviews within one year of fee payment ($10M or 1% of project cost). If review deadlines are missed, applications are automatically approved, and legal challenges are limited. This provision advances Rep. Pfluger’s permitting reform priority and provides greater certainty for major energy projects.
· Strategic Petroleum Reserve Funding (Section 41008) — Provides a $2 billion appropriation for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), including $218 million for cavern repairs, $1.32 billion for oil purchases, and directs the remaining funds to reverse prior mandated sales. This targeted investment strengthens U.S. energy security and reserve readiness and directly supports Rep. Pfluger’s priority to refill the SPR.
Environment Wins:
· Air Pollution Monitoring Limitation (Section 42105) — Repeals and rescinds unobligated funds from IRA Section 60105, which had allocated $281.5 million to the EPA for expanding air quality monitoring networks. This reduces the EPA’s ability to identify new non-attainment zones, limiting additional regulatory burdens. This acts on Rep. Pfluger’s priority to protect the Permian Basin from costly regulatory designations that could impact energy producers.
· Methane Emissions Program Delay (Section 42113) — Extends the timeline for the Methane Emissions Reduction Program charges by an additional 10 years. This extension reinforces Rep. Pfluger’s success with his legislation that President Trump signed into law earlier this year. It also supports his position against the immediate implementation of the harmful program’s current requirements.
Healthcare Wins:
· Affordable Care Act Exchange Reforms (Section 44201) — Amends the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) definition of “lawfully present” to exclude Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients. This change counters the Biden Administration’s May 2024 rule, which expanded ACA eligibility to include DACA recipients, a move with potential legal and financial implications. This aligns with Rep. Pfluger’s previous Congressional Review Act efforts to prevent ACA expansion to DACA recipients.
WATCH: Rep. Pfluger Dismantled Several Democrat Lies On Key Provisions in the Final Package, Including:
· Lies on the LNG export user feesHERE
· Work requirements for Medicaid benefitsHERE
How this bill protects Medicaid for vulnerable, eligible Americans HERE.
Source: Police investigating after shots fired at Hastings house
Date: 15 May 2025
The track, which links Hahei to the Mautohe Cathedral Cove Track, has been closed since early 2023 due to landslide risks and land movement following severe weather events including Cyclone Gabrielle.
“This track has been a priority for DOC since reopening walking access to Cathedral Cove,” says DOC Coromandel Operations Manager Nick Kelly.
“This area’s incredible nature is at the heart of its tourism economy. We know this link between Hahei and Cathedral Cove is important for the community.
“Given its cliff-side alignment through high-risk terrain, we weren’t sure a safe and affordable solution would be possible. It’s fantastic to now have a feasible design to progress.
“The proposed reroute offers greatly improved safety and resilience, avoiding the unstable upper section of the old track altogether. It follows moderate terrain and avoids the need for complex structures like staircases or bridges.
“Although it will still require some work including tree felling, groundwater management, and the installation of box steps, it’s been designed to keep ongoing maintenance requirements to a minimum.”
Initial funding will come from the $5M allocated from the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy in July 2024. This investment was designed to support restoring and maintaining access to Mautohe Cathedral Cove over the longer-term, says Nick Kelly.
“Initial estimates put the cost of this work around the design and delivery costs around $140,000 and we’ll carry out more detailed planning to confirm the final budget required.”
Construction is scheduled to begin in September and be completed by the end of November 2025.
“As always, we’ll need the community’s patience and support in giving work crews space to get the job done,” says Nick Kelly.
“We all have a role to play in caring for this place. We urge the community to help keep visitors safe by ensuring people stay off the track and away from the worksite until the reroute is completed.”
The Hahei reroute will branch off midway along the existing Hahei track and connect with Grange Road near the start of the Mautohe Cathedral Cove track.
Tourism on public conservation land is estimated to be worth $3.4 billion annually. More than 50% of international visitors and around 80% of New Zealanders visit protected natural areas a year.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Julia Brownley (D-CA)
Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) reintroduced the Renewable Energy Certificate Study Act, legislation that directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to evaluate how federal agencies use Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) and their efficacy in advancing our nation’s clean energy goals. While RECs, certifications that one megawatt-hour (MWh) of electricity was generated from a renewable source and delivered to the grid, have become a common tool for meeting renewable energy targets, there is still limited information on whether they are delivering real and measurable climate benefits. Brownley’s bill aims to provide Congress with the data needed to ensure that RECs are being used effectively, transparently, and in a way that maximizes environmental impact.
“Renewable Energy Certificates were created to help expand and stimulate the growth of the green energy market. Currently, RECs offer federal agencies and other entities a flexible tool to meet statutory and administrative energy procurement requirements, helping reduce emissions without the complexities of procuring renewable energy directly,” said Congresswoman Brownley.
“As the single largest energy user in the United States, the federal government has a responsibility to use RECs as intended. My bill calls for federal agencies to evaluate the effectiveness of RECs and assess the extent of their use across the federal government, which will provide Congress with critical data to improve federal energy policy.
“My bill will ensure the wise and effective use of taxpayer funds, while also improving RECs market-wide and helping to build a stronger, more sustainable clean energy future.”
Under requirements in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and the Biden Administration’s Executive Order on Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability, federal agencies have worked to increase the percentage of energy they procured from climate-friendly sources. To accomplish these goals, many federal agencies turned to RECs. However, research and reporting have raised concerns that RECs may not be meaningfully reducing emissions as intended. The Renewable Energy Certificate Study Act addresses these concerns by directing the GAO to analyze the effectiveness of RECs in advancing federal clean energy objectives.
The text of the Renewable Energy Certificate Study Act can be found here.
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Issues: 119th Congress, Climate Crisis, Energy and Environment
SACRAMENTO, CA (May 14, 2025) –In response to the recently released May revise of the California state budget, which revealed a projected $12 billion deficit, Benjamin Smith, Greenpeace USA Senior Strategic Partnerships Advisor, said: “Today’s news of the huge budget deficit in the May revise shows that California is sinking deeper into an affordability crisis. That’s why it’s crucial California legislators pass pieces of legislation like the Climate Superfund Act. Our investments in the future shouldn’t have to come from taxpayers who are already struggling to make ends meet.
“It’s time for the biggest polluters who created this toxic mess and the subsequent escalating, expensive climate disasters to pay their fair share. This is a common sense policy that is urgently needed to protect our public sector workers, critical social programs, and both state and local budgets.
“We can’t continue draining the coffers of services that Californians need, especially when there’s money available from some of the wealthiest corporations in history who have been making record profits. To take the words right out of President Trump’s mouth: instead of 30 yachts this year, the corporate CEOs making millions could do just fine with two.”
Greenpeace USA is part of a global network of independent campaigning organizations that use peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future. Greenpeace USA is committed to transforming the country’s unjust social, environmental, and economic systems from the ground up to address the climate crisis, advance racial justice, and build an economy that puts people first. Learn more at www.greenpeace.org/usa.
FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program Pays Tennesseans More Than $15 Million
FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program has paid $15.1 million to Tennessee policyholders to repair flood damage from Tropical Storm Helene. More than 83% of these claims came from areas at high risk for flooding.National Flood Insurance Program policyholders with flood damage from the storm can submit a claim even if they do not live in one of the eight Tennessee counties eligible for federal disaster assistance. While tropical storms like Helene can bring significant flooding far inland, anywhere it rains can experience overflowing rivers, flash flooding and dam or levee failures. Just an inch of water can cause $25,000 in damage and most homeowners and renters insurance policies do not cover flood damage.The National Flood Insurance Program was created to provide financial protection from flood damage to property owners, renters and businesses through government-backed flood insurance policies. Federal assistance can only provide a small amount of funding, so having flood insurance can help you recover more quickly after a flood.In Tennessee, to buy a flood insurance policy, your community must participate in the National Flood Insurance Program. Visit FEMA’s Community Status page for a list of participating communities. If your community is on the list, you can call the National Flood Insurance Program Direct Helpline at 877-336-2627, visit FloodSmart.gov and follow the prompt to get a quote or call your insurance agent to find out how much coverage may cost. kwei.nwaogu Wed, 05/14/2025 – 18:44
On March 15, 2024, near the peak of the current solar cycle, the Sun produced a solar flare and an accompanying coronal mass ejection (CME), a massive explosion of gas and magnetic energy that carries with it large amounts of solar energetic particles. This solar activity led to stunning auroras across the solar system, including at Mars, where NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover made history by detecting them for the first time from the surface of another planet.
“This exciting discovery opens up new possibilities for auroral research and confirms that auroras could be visible to future astronauts on Mars’ surface.” said Elise Knutsen, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oslo in Norway and lead author of the Science Advances study, which reported the detection. Picking the right aurora On Earth, auroras form when solar particles interact with the global magnetic field, funneling them to the poles where they collide with atmospheric gases and emit light. The most common color, green, is caused by excited oxygen atoms emitting light at a wavelength of 557.7 nanometers. For years, scientists have theorized that green light auroras could also exist on Mars but suggested they would be much fainter and harder to capture than the green auroras we see on Earth. Due to the Red Planet’s lack of a global magnetic field, Mars has different types of auroras than those we have on Earth. One of these is solar energetic particle (SEP) auroras, which NASA’s MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN) mission discovered in 2014. These occur when super-energetic particles from the Sun hit the Martian atmosphere, causing a reaction that makes the atmosphere glow across the whole night sky. While MAVEN had observed SEP auroras in ultraviolet light from orbit, this phenomenon had never been observed in visible light from the ground. Since SEPs typically occur during solar storms, which increase during solar maximum, Knutsen and her team set their sights on capturing visible images and spectra of SEP aurora from Mars’ surface at the peak of the Sun’s current solar cycle. Coordinating the picture-perfect moment Through modeling, Knutsen and her team determined the optimal angle for the Perseverance rover’s SuperCam spectrometer and Mastcam-Z camera to successfully observe the SEP aurora in visible light. With this observation strategy in place, it all came down to the timing and understanding of CMEs. “The trick was to pick a good CME, one that would accelerate and inject many charged particles into Mars’ atmosphere,” said Knutsen. That is where the teams at NASA’s Moon to Mars (M2M) Space Weather Analysis Office and the Community Coordinated Modeling Center (CCMC), both located at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, came in. The M2M team provides real-time analysis of solar eruptions to the CCMC for initiating simulations of CMEs to determine if they might impact current NASA missions. When the simulations suggest potential impacts, the team sends out an alert. At the University of California, Berkeley, space physicist Christina Lee received an alert from the M2M office about the March 15, 2024, CME. Lee, a member of the MAVEN mission team who serves as the space weather lead, determined there was a notable solar storm heading toward the Red Planet,which could arrive in a few days. She immediately issued the Mars Space Weather Alert Notification to currently operating Mars missions. “This allows the science teams of Perseverance and MAVEN to anticipate impacts of interplanetary CMEs and the associated SEPs,” said Lee. “When we saw the strength of this one,” Knutsen said, “we estimated it could trigger aurora bright enough for our instruments to detect.” A few days later, the CME impacted Mars, providing a lightshow for the rover to capture, showing the aurora to be nearly uniform across the sky at an emission wavelength of exactly 557.7 nm. To confirm the presence of SEPs during the aurora observation, the team looked to MAVEN’s SEP instrument, which was additionally corroborated by data from ESA’s (European Space Agency) Mars Express mission. Data from both missions confirmed that the rover team had managed to successfully catch a glimpse of the phenomenon in the very narrow time window available. “This was a fantastic example of cross-mission coordination. We all worked together quickly to facilitate this observation and are thrilled to have finally gotten a sneak peek of what astronauts will be able to see there some day,” said Shannon Curry, MAVEN principal investigator and research scientist at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder). The future of aurora on Mars By coordinating the Perseverance observations with measurements from MAVEN’s SEP instrument, the teams could help each other determine that the observed 557.7 nm emission came from solar energetic particles. Since this is the same emission line as the green aurora on Earth, it is likely that future Martian astronauts would be able to see this type of aurora. “Perseverance’s observations of the visible-light aurora confirm a new way to study these phenomena that’s complementary to what we can observe with our Mars orbiters,” said Katie Stack Morgan, acting project scientist for Perseverance at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. “A better understanding of auroras and the conditions around Mars that lead to their formation are especially important as we prepare to send human explorers there safely.”
More About Perseverance and MAVEN The Mars 2020 Perseverance mission is part of NASA’s Mars Exploration Program portfolio and NASA’s Moon to Mars exploration approach, which includes Artemis missions to the Moon that will help prepare for human exploration of the Red Planet. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is managed for the agency by Caltech, built and manages operations of the Perseverance rover. The MAVEN mission, also part of NASA’s Mars Exploration Program portfolio, is led by LASP at CU Boulder. It’s managed by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and was built and operated by Lockheed Martin Space, with navigation and network support from NASA’s JPL. — By Willow ReedLaboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP), University of Colorado Boulder Media Contact: Karen Fox / Molly Wasser Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / molly.l.wasser@nasa.gov Nancy N. JonesNASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. DC AgleJet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.818-393-9011agle@jpl.nasa.gov
Housing for migrant workers in Western Canada. Many workers live in poorly maintained housing and face surveillance and harassment from employers.(Elise Hjalmarson/RAMA Okanagan)
In today’s political climate, temporary migrants in Canada are being scapegoated for everything from rising grocery bills to the affordable housing crisis. Yet migrant workers, particularly farm workers, face a hidden housing crisis that needs urgent attention.
Much of Canada’s ability to produce food hinges on hiring migrant agricultural workers from countries like Mexico, Guatemala, Jamaica and elsewhere. Yet, housing for migrant agricultural workers in Canada is often overcrowded, dangerous and undignified.
Amid government inaction, our group of 29 researchers, clinicians and advocates with the Coalition for National Housing Standards for Migrant Agricultural Workers (CoNaMi), have developed a proposal for national housing standards. This work is backed by clinical experience, hundreds of interviews and surveys and migrant agricultural workers’ own advocacy.
Inadequate housing
When two of us — Anelyse and Susana — interviewed 151 migrants in Ontario and British Columbia as part of our research, workers described conditions of isolation, crowding, inadequate ventilation, poor maintenance and close proximity to hazards such as agrochemicals.
Both during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, many workers struggled to access health care, groceries and social services. In addition, their phone and internet access was often unreliable.
Some workers reported employer-imposed restrictions on leaving the property, and bans on visitors. These living conditions pose serious risks to workers.
Similarly to research led by the Centre for Climate Justice in British Columbia, we also encountered several workers who endured significant hardships as a result of extreme weather events.
Consistent with recent research in Nova Scotia, we found that a lack of meaningful union representation, precarious status and low wages created coercive conditions in which workers felt forced to accept poor living conditions.
Furthermore, migrants are geographically separated from their families for months or years at a time. Research that Adam has conducted in Atlantic Canada and Ontario, Jill in Québec and Susana in Ontario and British Columbia, outlines how poor housing conditions not only threaten workers’ health and well-being, but also contribute to their marginalization and exploitation.
Workers often describe feeling demeaned and controlled, and they wonder why Canada, a country so willing to accept their labour, is so reluctant to accept their common humanity.
In 2024, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery has described Canada’s temporary foreign worker program, accessed by migrant agricultural workers to come to Canada, as “a breeding ground for contemporary forms of slavery,” a statement echoed by international human rights watchdog Amnesty International.
Yet the federal government has failed to meaningfully improve housing conditions or establish clear, enforceable and mandatory standards. This inaction persists despite years of reviews, consultations and recommendations.
In fact, a study commissioned by the federal government to review the possibility of a national housing standard for migrant agricultural workers in 2018 called for greater consistency in housing quality assessments.
Furthermore, safeguarding housing quality requires policy changes that provide meaningful status and adequate collective bargaining representation to migrant workers, as these conditions underlie their vulnerability in housing.
In the 2020 Auditor General of Canada report, the need for national minimum accommodation requirements for migrant agricultural workers was identified. However, housing remains a key concern for these workers who have not yet benefited from such proposed recommendations.
National housing standard
A national housing standard for migrant agricultural workers is a crucial step towards protecting their rights and mitigating their vulnerability. These standards must include:
Appropriate and enforced housing standards: Ensure robust and proactive enforcement of housing standard. Living quarters must be well-constructed, safe and dignified.
Privacy, security, access and freedom: Guarantee workers’ rights to privacy, movement, access to health and social services and freedom from surveillance. Workers must have access to transportation and be able to enjoy rest, leisure and a social life.
Dignified living conditions: Safeguard basic rights to comfort, storage and personal care by prescribing minimum standards and ratios for private bedrooms, common areas, laundry and cooking facilities. Workers should have private bedrooms and reliable internet access.
Health and safety in housing: Protect workers from the spread of illness, extreme weather events and other hazards through proper air conditioning, ventilation and reduced occupancy ratios for bathrooms and kitchens.
Co-ordinated government leadership: Prevent different jurisdictions passing the buck by mandating co-ordination, data-sharing and training among federal, provincial and municipal governments. For example, inspectors should be trauma-informed and armed with strategies to mitigate implicit bias and to anticipate barriers this group faces because of their precarious status. The federal government must lead with adequate funding and policy reform to address barriers that prevent workers from advocating for decent housing.
The evidence is clear. Canadian governments must raise the bar from the floor, and create national standards for migrant agricultural workers’ housing.
C. Susana Caxaj has received Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada to carry out this research. Previously, her work has been funded by the Canadian Institute of Health Research, Vancouver Foundation and Western University. She is a co-founder and member of the Migrant Worker Health Expert Working Group.
Anelyse Weiler receives funding from SSHRC and the Hari Sharma Foundation. She is a board member with the B.C. Employment Standards Coalition and is involved with the Worker Solidarity Network.
J. Adam Perry receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
Jill Hanley receives funding from SSHRC and CIHR for her research on farmworkers. She is affiliated with the Immigrant Workers Centre and the SHERPA University Institute.
Philippine Academic Society for Climate and Disaster Resilience (PASCDR) is an organization dedicated to consolidate academic resources and expertise to assist in climate change adaptation (CCA) and disaster risk reduction (DRR).
PASCDRis conceived as a platform where the Filipino academic community can share knowledge, experiences, resources and commitment towards our resilience to disasters and climate crises.
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, May 14, 2025/APO Group/ —
The African Development Bank www.AfDB.org has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to collaborating with African civil society to advance the continent’s development agenda. This was a key message of the 2025 Civil Society Organizations (CSO) Forum, which was successfully held on Thursday, May 8, 2025, in Abidjan.
The forum, organized under the theme: “Celebrating the Contribution of Civil Society to Africa’s Development,” brought together over 150 participants at the Bank’s headquarters, with thousands more connected online across Africa and the diaspora.
A Novel Action Plan to Deepen Engagement
This edition of the CSO Forum marked a pivotal step in reinforcing a solid, transformative, and trust-based partnership between the African Development Bank and civil society organizations. This enduring alliance is essential for collectively serving African populations and achieving impactful development across the continent.
The forum provided an opportunity for the Bank to present its Civil Society Engagement Action Plan (2024–2028), reaffirming its commitment to an inclusive and participatory development process.
Zeneb Touré, Manager of the Civil Society and Community Engagement Division, presented the strategic framework to Beth Dunford, the African Development Bank Group’s Vice-President for Agriculture, Human, and Social Development, who accepted it on behalf of the institution’s President, Akinwumi Adesina.
Demonstrating the Bank’s commitment to a diverse and inclusive partnership, Dunford shared the Action Plan with representatives of key civil society components: the Bank-Civil Society Committee, the Climate and Energy Coalition, and a continental network of women entrepreneurs’ associations.
Augustine Njamnshi, a prominent voice in the civil society climate and energy movement, welcomed its adoption: “The approval of this Action Plan marks a historic turning point in our collaboration with the African Development Bank Group. Born from a shared vision, this document becomes our collective legacy. We express our sincere gratitude to the Bank for this profound act of trust.”
Highlighting the essential role of civil society as an integral part of Africa’s progress, Kolyang Palebele, representative of the Platform of Farmers’ Organizations of Africa, expressed the spirit of collaboration, praising “the Bank’s unique power to unite the continent’s driving forces around a common vision of improving the lives of African people.” “Civil society is not on the margins of development dynamics; it is the very essence, its living memory and its engine for change,” Mr. Palebele stated.
“Over the years, civil society engagement has become a cornerstone of the African Development Bank’s work. What was once an aspiration has become evolved into a structured, institutionalized, and results-oriented collaboration partnership.” Ms. Dunford emphasized.
Empowering Communities Through Decentralized Engagement
During the forum, an important session highlighted the progress made in decentralizing the Bank’s engagement with civil society. Successful experiences from the five regions of Africa were presented. This localized approach was strongly commended by the Vice-President for Regional Development, Integration and Service Delivery, Nnenna Nwabufo, who appreciated a transformative cross-border initiative between the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The project has provided over 2.4 million people with access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene, while strengthening community resilience and fostering cooperation.
Fostering Mutual Accountability Through Open Dialogue
The forum culminated in an unprecedented and frank dialogue between senior representatives from seven strategic departments of the Bank and leaders of civil society organizations. Discussions focused on crucial areas such as access to information, environmental and social safeguards, climate action, agriculture, gender equality, youth empowerment, and grievance mechanisms. This essential interaction highlighted a shared commitment to transparency, responsiveness, and mutual accountability in the pursuit of sustainable development outcomes.
Source: United States Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo)
During a disaster management subcommittee hearing of the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) highlighted victims of recent natural disasters and the insurance companies that defrauded them.
“This isn’t charity that we’re talking about. [Americans] turn to their insurance companies because they pay premiums to those insurance companies. It’s a contract,” said Senator Hawley. “And unfortunately, time after time they find when disaster strikes–in their moment of utmost need–the insurance companies come back to them and they delay, and they deny, and they offer excuses, and they send out two adjusters and three adjusters and 15 adjusters and 25 adjusters, and they constantly change the estimates. And at the end of the day, they just won’t pay what is due. What is required. What is just.”
The hearing featured homeowners whose property was severely damaged by recent storms, insurance adjuster whistleblowers who were pressured by companies to doctor reports to cut payouts, and the executive director of the American Policyholder Association, a consumer advocacy group that investigates fraud by insurance companies.
“When we needed Allstate the most, they failed us,” one disaster victim noted.
“This is no longer about just a roof,” said another. “It’s about the failure of a system that leaves families vulnerable after catastrophic events.”
Senator Hawley concurred.
“It’s not like it’s happened to just one family,” he said. “It is a deliberate strategy to maximize profits.”
Senator Hawley also called out Allstate and State Farm for defrauding their policyholders and intimidating whistleblowers.
“We’ve just heard testimony here–sworn testimony from multiple adjusters–that your company ordered them to delete or alter damage estimates to reduce payouts and to make you profits,” Senator Hawley said. “It sounds to me like you’re running a system of institutionalized fraud.”
Senator Hawley has been drawing attention to insurance company victims since President Trump shed light on the issue during his January visit to North Carolina where he met with those impacted by Hurricane Helene.
Watch the full subcommittee hearing here.
Question for written answer E-001806/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Nikolas Farantouris (The Left)
Greece’s Natural Environmental and Climate Change Agency (NECCA), which is supervised by the Ministry of the Environment and Energy, was established in 2020 following the transposition into Greek law of Directive (EU) 2018/844 and Directive (EU) 2019/692 of the European Parliament and of the Council. The agency is responsible for coordinating national environmental and biodiversity protection policy.
Recent reports from Greek and European media outlets have denounced that NECCA awarded contracts for communication services[1] worth more than EUR 1 million to companies owned by persons with ties to the ruling Nea Dimokratia party – namely Thomas Varvitsiotis and Yiannis Olympios[2]. The reports reveal that one of these companies, Blue Skies, employs staff that in fact work for the Nea Dimokratia party propaganda team, ‘Team Truth’, raising serious questions about the possible diversion of national and European environmental funds for party purposes[3].
At the same time, civil society organisations complain[4] that NECCA is failing to manage protected areas, secure funding and fulfil the country’s obligations under EU law.
In light of the above, can the Commission say:
1.Is the Commission aware of these complaints, which may call into question Greece’s compliance with environmental protection obligations?
2.Does the Commission intend to investigate whether funds earmarked for environmental protection are being misused to fund the ruling group’s political propaganda machine?
The EU Solidarity Fund (EUSF)[1] can only be activated at the request of Greece which has a deadline of 12 weeks as from when the first damage occurred, demonstrating that the total direct damage exceeds the thresholds specified in Article 2 Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002. The EUSF may cover a part of the costs for emergency and recovery operations incurred by public authorities[2]. Private damage is not eligible.
Member States hit by natural disasters may also benefit from the flexibilities provided by the Regional Emergency Support to Reconstruction (RESTORE) Regulation which entered into force on 24 December 2024[3]. RESTORE primarily focuses on reconstruction, but it can also support disaster resilience. In the 2021-27 programming period, all EU-funded infrastructure with a lifespan of more than 5 years must undergo a climate proofing assessment.
Although defence was identified as one of the priorities of the mid-term review, climate adaptation and disaster risk management continue to be key priorities for Cohesion Policy. For instance, interventions addressing flood, drought or desertification risks are part of the actions envisaged under the water priority[4]. Moreover, dedicating funding to defence remains voluntary.
Directive 2007/60/EC[5] establishes a framework for the assessment and management of flood risks, aiming at the reduction of adverse consequences associated with floods. It stipulates that the Flood Risk Management Plans, drawn up by Member States, shall take into account inter alia costs and benefits, and shall in particular address all aspects of flood risk management focusing on prevention, protection, and preparedness. The design and implementation of concrete measures lies with the competent authorities.
[1] Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 of 11 November 2002 establishing the European Union Solidarity Fund (OJ L 311, 14.11.2002, p. 3) as amended by Regulation (EU) No 661/2014 of the European Parliament and the Council of 15 May 2014 (OJ L 189, 27.6.2014, p. 143) and by Regulation (EU) 2020/461 of the European Parliament and the Council of 30 March 2020 (OJ L 99, 31.3.2020, p. 9). https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:32002R2012.
[2] This means, for example, the recovery of essential infrastructure, provision of temporary accommodation to the population, cleaning-up operations, and protection of the cultural heritage.
[3] Regulation (EU) 2024/3236 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 December 2024 amending Regulations (EU) 2021/1057 and (EU) 2021/1058 as regards Regional Emergency Support to Reconstruction (RESTORE) https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/3236.
[5] Directive 2007/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2007 on the assessment and management of flood, OJ L 288, 6.11.2007, p. 27-34. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2007/60/oj/eng.
Greece’s climate law sets the objective of reaching climate neutrality by 2050 (see trajectory in Figure 1) and of delivering a 55 % reduction of net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030 compared with 1990. Greece accounted for 2.3 % of the EU’s net GHG emissions in 2023, and achieved a net emissions reduction of 48.5 % from 2005 to 2023, greater than the EU average reduction of 30.5 % over the same period. Emissions from sectors under the EU emissions trading system (ETS) fell by almost two thirds. Greece’s land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) sector has functioned as a moderate carbon sink throughout the 2005-2023 period. For the effort-sharing sectors, Greece has consistently overachieved its targets. Greece’s national recovery and resilience plan, amended with a REPowerEU chapter, dedicates 38.2 % of investment to the green transition. Greece submitted a draft updated national energy and climate plan (NECP) in November 2023. The European Commission assessed it and made recommendations for the final updated NECP, which was submitted in January 2025. In a 2023 survey, 44 % of Greeks, compared with an EU average of 46 %, identified climate change to be one of the four most serious problems facing the world. Most expect national government (74 %), the EU (73 %) and/or business and industry (73 %) to tackle climate change. Less than a third find it to be a personal responsibility. This briefing is one in a series covering all EU Member States.
Lithuania’s national climate change management agenda sets emissions reduction targets with a view to reaching climate neutrality by 2050 (see trajectory in Figure 1). Lithuania accounted for 0.4 % of the EU’s net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2023 and had reduced its net emissions by 31.5 % since 2005, slightly above the EU average reduction of 30.5 % over the same period. Emissions from sectors under the EU emissions trading system (ETS) were more than halved (-57.5 %). For the effort-sharing sectors, Lithuania overachieved its target for the 2013-2020 period and expects to reach its 2030 target. Lithuania’s land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) sector is an important carbon sink, absorbing around a third of the country’s GHG emissions. In June 2023, Lithuania modified its recovery and resilience plan, adding a REPowerEU chapter. Lithuania submitted a draft updated national energy and climate plan (NECP) in July 2023. The European Commission assessed it and made recommendations for the final updated NECP, which was published in October 2024. In a 2023 survey, a third of Lithuanians, compared with an EU average of 46 %, identified climate change as one of the four most serious problems facing the world. Most expect national government (57 %) and/or business and industry (56 %) to tackle climate change, 50 % see it as a task of the EU, while 37 % find it to be a personal responsibility. This briefing is one in a series covering all EU Member States.
In 2023, Romania accounted for around 2 % of the EU’s net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and had achieved a net emissions reduction of 50.8 % compared with 2005 (Figure 1). The country’s total emissions decreased by 30.1 % between 2005 and 2023, while its net carbon removals in the land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) sector increased by 50 %. Emissions from sectors covered by the effort-sharing legislation had risen by 8.4 % since 2005. In 2023, they were more than three times higher than those from sectors under the EU emissions trading system (ETS), which fell by 68.2 % over the same period. Romania has committed to the EU’s target of climate neutrality by 2050 (see the trajectory in Figure 1). However, to meet its energy needs, the country still relies mainly on fossil fuels; the deployment of various renewable energy sources for the shift towards a sustainable economy requires further efforts. Romania’s recovery and resilience plan dedicates 44 % of investments to the green transition, with a focus on industry decarbonisation, sustainable transport, and building renovation. Romania submitted its final updated national energy and climate plan (NECP) in October 2024. In a 2023 survey, 23 % of Romanians, compared with a 46 % EU average, identified climate change as one of the four most serious problems facing the world. Most expect national government (40 %), the EU (37 %), and/or business and industry (33 %) to tackle climate change; 18 % find it to be a personal responsibility. This briefing is one in a series covering all EU Member States.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
ALMATY, May 14 (Xinhua) — The 7th Central Asian Conference on Climate Change was held in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, from Tuesday to Wednesday. The main theme of the event was stated as “Achieving the global goal of climate finance through regional and national actions in Central Asia,” the International Information Center of Turkmenistan reported on Wednesday.
The conference was organized by the Regional Environmental Center for Central Asia and the Government of Turkmenistan, and was held with the support of the World Bank and the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ).
Over the course of two days, representatives of countries in the region and international organizations discussed common approaches to combating climate challenges.
The opening ceremony featured welcoming speeches from the Minister of Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan, as well as high-ranking representatives of the World Bank, GIZ, the EU and the UN Development Programme. During a special session, representatives of the World Bank, the UK, the EU and Italy outlined their approaches and spoke about climate finance opportunities for Central Asian countries. Particular attention was paid to mechanisms for the effective use of funds raised.
The key topics of the second day of the event were transboundary landscape restoration and combating land degradation.
Conference participants confirmed their understanding of common climate challenges and the readiness of Central Asian countries to work together, naming the transition from discussions to practical actions as a priority goal and promising to continue work on forming a regional climate agenda and preparing for future summits. –0–
As the Island marks the 80th anniversary of VE Day, this year’s Isle of Wight Armed Forces Day on Sunday 29 June promises a truly stirring spectacle.
The organiser has confirmed a very special addition to the commemorations — a breath-taking air display by the renowned Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF).
In a moving tribute, two iconic aircraft — a Spitfire and a Hurricane — will take to the skies above Ryde in a full display, evoking the courage and sacrifice of those who defended our skies during the Second World War.
Ian Dore, event organiser, shared the significance of the moment: “Following the tragic loss of Squadron Leader Mark Long, the BBMF were grounded last season. Now, a year on, they are flying once more — and we are honoured to welcome them with not one, but two aircraft.
“The Spitfire and Hurricane will perform a dynamic display, one chasing the other in a rare and thrilling aerial ballet. It’s a real privilege for the Island.”
This poignant display is made possible thanks to the generous support of Fishbourne Parish Council.
Their sponsorship reflects the deep ties between the local community and the Armed Forces. Within the ward stands a war memorial bearing the names of several RAF personnel, including Sgt Edmund Eric Shepperd.
Sgt Shepperd joined the RAF in 1935 and served with distinction during the Battle of Britain as a Sergeant Pilot with 152 Squadron. He is credited with downing multiple enemy aircraft, including a Messerschmitt 109, three Junkers, and a Stuka.
Ian added: “We owe a huge debt of gratitude to Fishbourne Parish Council. They understand the importance of this display — not just as a tribute to the past, but as an inspiration for future generations. For heroes like Sgt Shepperd, and all who served, we remember them with pride.
“We will also be honouring the memory of Squadron Leader Mark Long, a gifted pilot who brought joy to so many. The Spitfire expected to fly — TE311 — was the one he flew the most and now bears his name along its starboard side. To see it soar, especially in his memory, will be one of the most emotional and uplifting moments of this year’s event.”
The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight is scheduled to appear shortly after the Remembrance segment of the day’s proceedings.
Islanders are encouraged to gather and witness what promises to be a highlight of Armed Forces Day — a soaring salute to courage, sacrifice, and enduring legacy.
A family of five who were stranded on Route 510 outside of Happy Valley-Goose Bay during a severe winter storm were safely rescued on May 10, 2025. Happy Valley-Goose Bay RCMP, Happy Valley-Goose Bay Ground Search and Rescue (GSAR), and Grey Rock Mining worked together to respond to this challenging situation.
On Saturday, Happy Valley-Goose Bay RCMP responded to a report of a stranded motorist on Route 510, approximately 55 kilometers outside of Happy Valley-Goose Bay. The vehicle, carrying five occupants, was stuck in the snow. Weather conditions were extremely poor with high winds, heavy snowfall and frigid temperatures. One of the occupants, a woman, departed the vehicle to seek help.
RCMP officers responded in two separate police vehicles, and encountered dangerous road conditions and low visibility. Police activated GSAR for assistance, who in turn engaged Grey Rock Mining to request the deployment of snowplows to support the rescue effort.
Approximately 45 kilometers outside of town, the two officers exited their vehicle and walked the highway in an effort to locate the woman. The officers located the woman a short distance away, covered in snow and extremely cold and covered her in their clothing to help shield her from the weather. She was escorted to a police vehicle, and officers contacted the emergency department at Labrador Health Centre for direction while waiting for paramedics to arrive.
A short time later GSAR and paramedics — led by snowplow — arrived at the location. The woman was treated on scene by paramedics for suspected hypothermia.
Grey Rock Mining dispatched a second snowplow to help reach the remaining four occupants of the stranded vehicle. The vehicle was freed, and all occupants were safely accounted for. The snowplows then led the convoy of all parties back to Happy Valley-Goose Bay, ensuring their safe return.
RCMP NL thanks the responding police officers, Happy Valley-Goose Bay Ground Search and Rescue (GSAR) and Grey Rock Mining for their collaboration and effort in safely rescuing this family.
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Kevin Kirkman, Professor of Grassland Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal
South Africa’s rangelands have always had great value for the country. These areas offer more than just grazing for livestock. They provide services like purifying water, storing carbon and conserving biodiversity.
The grassland biome (28%), along with the savanna (32.5%) and the Nama-Karoo (19.5%), are collectively referred to as rangelands. They make up almost 80% of the land area of South Africa.
Their ecological services haven’t always been fully appreciated. Research into rangelands has evolved in response to environmental changes, human needs and scientific discoveries.
Commercial livestock production was the main concern when academics, researchers and practitioners met for the first congress of the Grassland Society of Southern Africa in 1966. Less than 15% of South Africa’s land surface area is arable. The only agricultural production possible on the balance of the land is livestock production from natural rangeland. Livestock production is thus a cornerstone of agriculture and food production in South Africa.
Six decades on, the Grassland Society has reflected – through a special issue of its journal, the African Journal of Range and Forage Science – on how it has tackled research challenges and adapted to shifting perceptions of rangelands.
Research has explored aspects of global change, bush encroachment and other changes in rangeland composition and function. Land transformation is another research area. Peri-urban sprawl, open-cast mining, timber plantations and other developments reduce and fragment rangeland. The result is increased pressure on the remaining, intact rangelands.
Widening scope
A review of research over the 60 years shows that early efforts focused mainly on forage production to support livestock industries. Research topics included rotational grazing and burning, as well as reinforcing rangelands by adding nutrients, forage grasses and legumes.
By the 1980s, it became clear that rangelands offered more than just grazing – they were vital ecosystems.
Rangelands in southern Africa span diverse climates and landscapes, from arid deserts to moist mountains.Kevin Kirkman, Author provided (no reuse)
In the early 1990s, around the onset of democracy in South Africa, local researchers became part of global conversations around rangeland ecology. In doing so, they started to use the international terminology, instead of the old Dutch-derived word “veld”.
This shift was not just about geography, but about scope. Rangelands were increasingly seen as multifaceted ecosystems critical in the fight against climate change. Increasing temperatures, increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels and changing rainfall patterns pose a threat to all ecosystems. Understanding the response of rangelands is increasingly important in devising management strategies to adapt to these changes.
Scientists expanded their attention to preserving soil health, restoring degraded landscapes, and maintaining biodiversity. Issues like overgrazing, soil erosion and invasive species gained recognition in southern Africa. Degradation of rangelands in South Africa was first highlighted in the mid 1700s, and became a “mainstream” issue in the 1930s. Replacing a diverse group of wild animals with a single species of grazer, such as cattle, is the reason generally given for degradation. Fire has also been linked to it (often unfairly).
The Grassland Society responded by promoting ideas like adaptive grazing management (making decisions in response to conditions, rather than following a recipe approach). It also encouraged integrating indigenous knowledge with scientific research to create more sustainable and resilient land-use systems. This has helped shape land management practices across the region.
Rangelands are dynamic, especially in the Karoo, where vegetation cover can shift dramatically in response to rainfall and grazing.Justin du Toit, Author provided (no reuse)
Many southern African rangelands face the challenge of balancing grazing with biodiversity conservation. Research on conservation agriculture and integrating livestock and wildlife systems is helping farmers and conservationists to find common ground. Wildlife, both in the conservation and the game production contexts, plays a critical role in South Africa’s economy. Tourism is one of the major contributors.
Land management is particularly important in the Mediterranean-climate regions of South Africa, where poor crop farming practices have damaged soil health. The research is guiding the development of more sustainable farming systems focused on soil regeneration and biodiversity.
A key indicator of ecosystem degradation is a decline in grassland forbs (herbaceous plants that are not grasses). They are highly sensitive to grazing pressure. So the role of wildflowers in ecosystem health and animal wellbeing has also become an important research area.
Climate change, fire suppression and overgrazing drive woody plant encroachment, where grasslands are turning into shrublands. This calls for integrated management approaches that consider fire, grazing and even controlled rewilding.
Fire is a natural element in many grassland ecosystems, and research has helped advance understanding of how it can be monitored and controlled to reduce risks while promoting healthy rangelands.
People and grasslands
Grazing contrast.Justin du Toit
Rangeland management has important social dimensions. Research is addressing issues such as land tenure, governance, community management systems on communal rangelands and indigenous knowledge in management decisions. These topics are essential for creating sustainable solutions that account for people’s livelihoods and needs.
In addition to these ecological, social and management advances, the Grassland Society of Southern Africa has worked to develop the next generation of rangeland scientists and practitioners. Through its congresses, workshops and journal publications, the society continues to foster dialogue across disciplines and communities. Its 60th congress will be held in July 2025.
– Southern Africa’s rangelands do many jobs, from feeding cattle to storing carbon: a review of 60 years of research – https://theconversation.com/southern-africas-rangelands-do-many-jobs-from-feeding-cattle-to-storing-carbon-a-review-of-60-years-of-research-254736
South Africa’s rangelands have always had great value for the country. These areas offer more than just grazing for livestock. They provide services like purifying water, storing carbon and conserving biodiversity.
The grassland biome (28%), along with the savanna (32.5%) and the Nama-Karoo (19.5%), are collectively referred to as rangelands. They make up almost 80% of the land area of South Africa.
Their ecological services haven’t always been fully appreciated. Research into rangelands has evolved in response to environmental changes, human needs and scientific discoveries.
Commercial livestock production was the main concern when academics, researchers and practitioners met for the first congress of the Grassland Society of Southern Africa in 1966. Less than 15% of South Africa’s land surface area is arable. The only agricultural production possible on the balance of the land is livestock production from natural rangeland. Livestock production is thus a cornerstone of agriculture and food production in South Africa.
Six decades on, the Grassland Society has reflected – through a special issue of its journal, the African Journal of Range and Forage Science – on how it has tackled research challenges and adapted to shifting perceptions of rangelands.
Research has explored aspects of global change, bush encroachment and other changes in rangeland composition and function. Land transformation is another research area. Peri-urban sprawl, open-cast mining, timber plantations and other developments reduce and fragment rangeland. The result is increased pressure on the remaining, intact rangelands.
Widening scope
A review of research over the 60 years shows that early efforts focused mainly on forage production to support livestock industries. Research topics included rotational grazing and burning, as well as reinforcing rangelands by adding nutrients, forage grasses and legumes.
By the 1980s, it became clear that rangelands offered more than just grazing – they were vital ecosystems.
In the early 1990s, around the onset of democracy in South Africa, local researchers became part of global conversations around rangeland ecology. In doing so, they started to use the international terminology, instead of the old Dutch-derived word “veld”.
This shift was not just about geography, but about scope. Rangelands were increasingly seen as multifaceted ecosystems critical in the fight against climate change. Increasing temperatures, increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels and changing rainfall patterns pose a threat to all ecosystems. Understanding the response of rangelands is increasingly important in devising management strategies to adapt to these changes.
Scientists expanded their attention to preserving soil health, restoring degraded landscapes, and maintaining biodiversity. Issues like overgrazing, soil erosion and invasive species gained recognition in southern Africa. Degradation of rangelands in South Africa was first highlighted in the mid 1700s, and became a “mainstream” issue in the 1930s. Replacing a diverse group of wild animals with a single species of grazer, such as cattle, is the reason generally given for degradation. Fire has also been linked to it (often unfairly).
The Grassland Society responded by promoting ideas like adaptive grazing management (making decisions in response to conditions, rather than following a recipe approach). It also encouraged integrating indigenous knowledge with scientific research to create more sustainable and resilient land-use systems. This has helped shape land management practices across the region.
Many southern African rangelands face the challenge of balancing grazing with biodiversity conservation. Research on conservation agriculture and integrating livestock and wildlife systems is helping farmers and conservationists to find common ground. Wildlife, both in the conservation and the game production contexts, plays a critical role in South Africa’s economy. Tourism is one of the major contributors.
Land management is particularly important in the Mediterranean-climate regions of South Africa, where poor crop farming practices have damaged soil health. The research is guiding the development of more sustainable farming systems focused on soil regeneration and biodiversity.
A key indicator of ecosystem degradation is a decline in grassland forbs (herbaceous plants that are not grasses). They are highly sensitive to grazing pressure. So the role of wildflowers in ecosystem health and animal wellbeing has also become an important research area.
Climate change, fire suppression and overgrazing drive woody plant encroachment, where grasslands are turning into shrublands. This calls for integrated management approaches that consider fire, grazing and even controlled rewilding.
Fire is a natural element in many grassland ecosystems, and research has helped advance understanding of how it can be monitored and controlled to reduce risks while promoting healthy rangelands.
People and grasslands
Rangeland management has important social dimensions. Research is addressing issues such as land tenure, governance, community management systems on communal rangelands and indigenous knowledge in management decisions. These topics are essential for creating sustainable solutions that account for people’s livelihoods and needs.
In addition to these ecological, social and management advances, the Grassland Society of Southern Africa has worked to develop the next generation of rangeland scientists and practitioners. Through its congresses, workshops and journal publications, the society continues to foster dialogue across disciplines and communities. Its 60th congress will be held in July 2025.
Kevin Kirkman receives funding from the National Research Foundation.
Helga van der Merwe receives funding from the National Research Foundation.
Craig Morris 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.
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, May 14, 2025/APO Group/ —
The African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) have reinforced their strategic partnership to enhance collective efforts in addressing fragility and building resilience across Africa. This commitment follows a high-level technical exchange held from 22-23 April at the Bank headquarters in Abidjan.
The two-day mission brought together senior officials from both institutions to align approaches, share best practices, and strengthen collaboration to address complex challenges– particularly in transition states or experiencing fragility. This meeting builds on previous engagements between the two development institutions, including a 2019 Civil Society deep dive facilitated by the African Development Bank’s Civil Society Division, where key areas for joint action were initially identified.
“This strategic alliance with IsDB reinforces our shared vision of addressing complex challenges in transition states through tailored, context-specific approaches,” said Yero Baldeh, Director of the Transition States Coordination Office at the African Development Bank. “By aligning our methodologies and leveraging our complementary strengths, we can deliver more sustainable solutions in places where development needs are most acute.”
The IsDB delegation was led by Ahmed Berthe, Lead NGO and Civil Society Specialist, and included Esra Sayhi and Abass Kassim, both Senior Fragility and Resilience Specialists.
“Our institutions serve many of the same member countries facing similar challenges,” noted Berthe. “What has impressed us most is the African Development Bank’s shift toward anticipatory action and prevention rather than simply responding to crises. This partnership creates a framework for maximizing our collective impact through coordinated investments, shared knowledge, and aligned strategic priorities.”
The exchange spotlighted the African Development Bank’s Transition Support Facility (TSF), which committed more than $610 million to projects in fragile contexts in 2024. Discussions explored how the TSF’s approach could complement IsDB’s financing tools and create stronger synergies in countries where both institutions operate.
Climate security emerged as a key theme, with both partners recognizing the role of environmental challenges exacerbating fragility, particularly in vulnerable regions such as the Sahel and the Horn of Africa. The partnership will help develop integrated approaches that address immediate needs and build long-term resilience for both institutions.
The exchange also explored ways to harmonize assessment methodologies, coordinate financial instruments, and implement integrated approaches to climate security, with both institutions agreeing to establish a joint technical working group to operationalize the partnership.
“In line with our 2022-2026 Strategy for Addressing Fragility and Building Resilience in Africa, this partnership reflects the Bank’s strategic emphasis on building alliances that amplify our development impact,” said Ozong Agborsangaya-Fiteu, Chief Operations Officer at RDTS. “By combining our institutional strengths with IsDB, we’re creating a more powerful platform for advancing resilience where it’s needed most.”
The partnership includes a structured implementation framework scheduled for 2025-2026, in line with the duration of both institutions’ strategies for fragility and resilience. A joint technical working group will operationalize the partnership, ensuring that concrete actions follow this strategic alignment.
This strategic collaboration advances the African Development Bank’s approach to staying engaged in fragile contexts, focusing on prevention rather than crisis response, and building strategic partnerships across the humanitarian-development-peace nexus—all key principles of its fragility and resilience strategy.
Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
Wildfires are becoming more intense, more frequent, and more destructive, stretching across continents, ecosystems, and communities.
In the 2023-2024 season, 3.9 million km² of land burned globally, with carbon emissions 16% above average. Major wildfire events included Canada’s worst season, with 150,000 km² burned and 232 thousand people evacuated, Greece’s largest wildfire on record (900 km²), and deadly fires in Hawaii and Chile, claiming over 200 lives, according to the State of Wildfires 2023-24: CAMS data support assessment – Copernicus. As we approach the 2025 fire season in the Northern Hemisphere, which typically runs from June to October, California has already faced devastating fires in January, outside the usual fire season.
This growing trend of longer and more intense fire seasons highlights that wildfires are no longer confined to a specific time of year, but are now a year-round global threat.
Wildfires are escalating into a global crisis, with far-reaching consequences for ecosystems, public health, and the climate. They worsen air pollution, increase carbon emissions, disrupt water supplies, and increase the risk of floods and landslides, compounding vulnerabilities in both rural and urban areas.
Recognizing this urgency, the UNECE/FAO Working Party on Forest Statistics, Economics and Management, a UN expert body that facilitates technical cooperation on forest data, management, and policy, and oversees expert teams working on these topics, brought together country delegates and experts to explore what is driving this crisis, what it is doing to our forests, and what can be done to manage it.
Fire is not always an enemy. It has long played a vital role in many forest ecosystems, clearing dead vegetation, recycling nutrients, and fostering diversity. Some forest types even depend on periodic burns to regenerate. When strategically managed, including through practices like controlling and prescribed burning, fire becomes a powerful tool to maintain healthy forests and reduce the risk of larger, more destructive wildfires.
The balance, however, is shifting. Driven primarily by climate change, wildfires are now pushing ecosystems to their limits. Longer dry seasons, hotter temperatures, and erratic weather are turning manageable fires into landscape-scale disasters.
As countries prepare for the 2025 UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP30) in Belém, Brazil, the session emphasized that wildfire risk must be integrated into climate strategies. Forests are a key line of defense against global warming, but only if they are protected and managed sustainably.
The session concluded with a clear message: a proactive, data-driven, and climate-smart approach is essential.
Stronger forest resilience measures are needed, including sustainable management, landscape restoration, and fuel load reduction through prescribed burns. Increased investment in firefighting capacity and improved land-use planning are also crucial to protect communities in fire-prone areas.
Experts highlighted the importance of cross-border collaboration, citing initiatives like the Global Fire Management Hub and tools such as EFFIS and INForest to support data collection and evidence-based policies.
The path forward must recognize fire’s dual role: as both a threat and a tool in building resilient forest landscapes.
An outrigger canoe would typically have several paddlers and one navigator.AP Photo/David Goldman
Wet and shivering, I rose from the outrigger of a Polynesian voyaging canoe. We’d been at sea all afternoon and most of the night. I’d hoped to get a little rest, but rain, wind and an absence of flat space made sleep impossible. My companions didn’t even try.
It was May 1972, and I was three months into doctoral research on one of the world’s most remote islands. Anuta is the easternmost populated outpost in the Solomon Islands. It is a half-mile in diameter, 75 miles (120 kilometers) from its nearest inhabited neighbor, and remains one of the few communities where inter-island travel in outrigger canoes is regularly practiced.
A documentary team made a recent visit to Anuta.
My hosts organized a bird-hunting expedition to Patutaka, an uninhabited monolith 30 miles away, and invited me to join the team.
Wayfinding techniques vary, depending upon geographic and environmental conditions. Many, however, are widespread. They include mental mapping of the islands in the sailors’ navigational universe and the location of potential destinations in relation to the movement of stars, ocean currents, winds and waves.
Western interest in Pacific voyaging
Disney’s two “Moana” movies have shined a recent spotlight on Polynesian voyaging. European admiration for Pacific mariners, however, dates back centuries.
In 1768, the French explorer Louis Antoine de Bougainville named Sāmoa the “Navigators’ Islands.” The famed British sea captain James Cook reported that Indigenous canoes were as fast and agile as his ships. He welcomed Tupaia, a navigational expert from Ra‘iātea, onto his ship and documented Tupaia’s immense geographic knowledge.
In 1938, Māori scholar Te Rangi Hīroa (aka Sir Peter Buck) authored “Vikings of the Sunrise,” outlining Pacific exploration as portrayed in Polynesian legend.
In 1947, Thor Heyerdahl, a Norwegian explorer and amateur archaeologist, crossed from Peru to the Tuamotu Islands aboard a balsa wood raft that he named Kon-Tiki, sparking further interest and inspiring a sequence of experimental voyages.
Ten years later Andrew Sharp, a New Zealand-based historian and prominent naysayer, argued that accurate navigation over thousands of miles without instruments is impossible. Others responded with ethnographic studies showing that such voyages were both historic fact and current practice. In 1970, Thomas Gladwin published his findings on the Micronesian island of Polowat in “East Is a Big Bird.” Two years later, David Lewis’ “We, the Navigators” documented wayfinding techniques across much of Oceania.
A final strand has been experimental voyaging. Most celebrated is the work of the Polynesian Voyaging Society. They constructed a double-hull voyaging canoe named Hōkūle‘a, built from modern materials but following a traditional design. In 1976, led by Micronesian navigator Mau Piailug, they sailed Hōkūle‘a over 2,500 miles, from Hawai‘i to Tahiti, without instruments. In 2017, Hōkūle‘a completed a circumnavigation of the planet.
In traversing Earth’s largest ocean, one can travel thousands of miles and see nothing but sky and water in any direction. Absent a magnetic compass, much less GPS, how is it possible to navigate accurately to the intended destination?
Which stars are visible, as well as their rising and setting points, changes throughout the year. Therefore, navigation requires detailed astronomical understanding.
Also, stars are constantly in motion. One that is positioned directly over the target island will soon either rise too high to be useful or sink below the horizon. Thus, a navigator must seek other stars that follow a similar trajectory and track them as long as they are visible and low on the horizon. Such a sequence of guide stars is often called a “star path.”
Of course, stars may not align precisely with the desired target. In that case, instead of aiming directly toward the guide star, the navigator keeps it at an appropriate angle.
A navigator must modify the vessel’s alignment with the stars to compensate for currents and wind that may push the canoe sideways. This movement is called leeway. Therefore, celestial navigation requires knowledge of the currents’ presence, speed, strength and direction, as well as being able to judge winds’ strength, direction and effect on the canoe.
During daylight, when stars are invisible, the Sun may serve a similar purpose. In early morning and late afternoon, when the Sun is low in the sky, sailors use it to calculate their heading. Clouds, however, sometimes obscure both Sun and stars, in which case voyagers rely on other cues.
Navigating requires deep understanding of waves, in the form of both swells and seas. AP Photo/Esteban Felix
Waves, wind and other indicators
A critical indicator is swells. These are waves produced by winds that blow steadily across thousands of miles of open sea. They maintain their direction regardless of temporary or local winds, which produce differently shaped waves called “seas.”
The helmsman, feeling swells beneath the vessel, gleans the proper heading, even in the dark. In some locations, as many as three or four distinct swell patterns may exist; voyagers distinguish them by size, shape, strength and direction in relation to prevailing winds.
Once sailors near their target island, but before it is visible, they must determine its precise location. A common indicator is reflected waves: swells that hit the island and bounce back to sea. The navigator feels reflected waves and sails toward them. Pacific navigators who have spent their lives at sea appear quite confident in their reliance on reflected waves. I, by contrast, find them difficult to differentiate from waves produced directly by the wind.
Certain birds that nest on land and fish at sea are also helpful. In early morning, one assumes they’re flying from the island; in late afternoon, they’re likely returning to their nesting spots.
Navigators sometimes recognize a greenish tint to the sky above a not-yet-visible island. Clouds may gather over a volcanic peak.
And sailors in the Solomon Islands’ Vaeakau-Taumako region report underwater streaks of light known as te lapa, which they say point toward distant islands. One well-known researcher has expressed confidence in te lapa’s existence and utility. Some scholars have suggested that it could be a bioluminescent or electromagnetic phenomenon. On the other hand, despite a year of concerted effort, I was unable to confirm its presence.
Estimating one’s position at sea is another challenge. Stars move along a given parallel and indicate one’s latitude. To gauge longitude, by contrast, requires dead reckoning. Navigators calculate their position by keeping track of their starting point, direction, speed and time at sea.
Some Micronesian navigators estimate their progress through a system known as etak. They visualize the angle between their canoe, pictured as stationary, and a reference island that is off to one side and represented as moving. Western researchers have speculated on how etak works, but there is no consensus yet.
For millennia, Pacific voyagers have relied on techniques such as these to reach thousands of islands, strewn throughout our planet’s largest ocean. They did so without Western instruments. Instead, they held sophisticated knowledge and shared understandings, passed by word of mouth, through countless generations.
Richard (Rick) Feinberg has, in the past, received research funding from the National Science Foundation, the National Institute for Mental Health, and Kent State University. He is a member of the American Anthropological Association, the Association of Senior Anthropologists, and the Association for Social Anthropology in Oceania. He has maintained connections with people of the islands on which he has conducted research.
Washington, D.C. – 5/14/25… This week, Reps. Mike Lawler (NY-17), Mike Flood (NE-01), Cleo Fields (LA-06), Sarah McBride (DE-At large), and Shri Thanedar (MI-13) introduced the Equal Opportunity for All Investors Act.
The Equal Opportunity for All Investors Act provides additional pathways for Americans to become an accredited investor by allowing individuals seeking the status to take an examination, which will be established by the Securities and Exchange Commission and administered by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).
“The Equal Opportunity for All Investors Act is about opening up high-growth investment opportunities to more Americans. By expanding the definition of ‘accredited investor’ to include those who pass an SEC and FINRA certification, we’re modernizing outdated rules and ensuring that qualified individuals, not just the wealthiest, can participate in these valuable markets,” said Congressman Lawler.
“It is my firm belief that greater access to our capital markets should be accessible due to merit and knowledge, not just wealth. The Equal Opportunity for All Investors Act creates a new pathway for investors to gain accredited investor status by passing a thorough investment exam administered by FINRA. Thank you to my colleagues for joining this effort, and I look forward to bringing this before the full committee,” said Congressman Flood.
“Louisiana families understand that wealth-building shouldn’t be restricted by arbitrary income thresholds. I’ve met countless constituents with the skills to evaluate sophisticated investments who simply don’t meet outdated wealth requirements. This common-sense reform creates credential-based entry points to private markets, maintaining essential safeguards while expanding access based on merit rather than means. By enabling qualified investors of all backgrounds to participate, we strengthen both public and private capital formation, building a more inclusive economy that reflects our values of opportunity and fairness,” said Congressman Fields.
“Everyone deserves a fair shot at opportunity. The Equal Opportunity for All Investors Act is a commonsense, bipartisan step toward financial inclusion. By expanding the pool of accredited investors, we’re cutting through unnecessary red tape and opening the doors of our capital markets to a broader, more diverse group of Americans. That means greater access to capital for women, veterans, and communities of color — and more innovation, small business growth, and a stronger economy for everyone. I’m grateful to my colleague, Representative Flood, for his partnership,” said Congresswoman McBride.
“As someone who came from deep poverty, I know firsthand that the financial system isn’t set up for those without means to succeed. One of my top priorities in Congress is facilitating economic development in communities across Michigan’s 13th Congressional District. By allowing more Americans to become accredited investors, we can allow each American to have a better shot at chasing their American Dream of a better life for themselves and their family. I am pleased to support Congressman Flood’s bipartisan bill again this Congress, and I look forward to seeing this critical legislation passed into law,” said Congressman Thanedar.
Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of Congress and represents New York’s 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties. He was rated the most effective freshman lawmaker in the 118th Congress, 8th overall, surpassing dozens of committee chairs.
With the extensive overlap between the themes of Agriculture and Food Systems, as well as Waste and Circularity, these two series are being strategically combined into a single event which will take place on the above mentioned date. The synergistic agenda shall drive comprehensive discussions along the entire spectrum of the supply chain right from agtech, farm to table, packaging innovations, and waste management policy.
Bringing together renowned experts with decades of combined agriculture, waste management and sustainable circularity experience, this event promises to be a can’t-miss gathering for those interested in ensuring abundant food security, maintaining enviro-human health securing the farming future of the Southern California region, and waste management innovations.
Recognized pioneers and policy experts from Southern California and surrounding regions will converge to share their invaluable perspectives, practical insights, and vision with attendees across a broad spectrum of areas.
Speaker sessions and panel discussions shall be primarily explore the following thematic areas:
1. Urban Agriculture
Key experts shall discuss fundamental issues such as encouraging locally-sourced food ecosystems including farm-to-table initiatives; developing incentive structures to enable businesses to switch to affordable, eco-packaging; and exploration of ‘beyond the green bin’ end-of-life strategies in the secondary markets.
Speakers shall delve into Case Study A on AgTech and Soil Health, weaving together issues related to regenerative practices, soil health and agtech advancements.
2. Combating the “Ick” Factor Associated with SB1383
One of the key challenges in sustainable waste management is the separation of green waste at the household and business levels. Some of the foremost minds at the intersection of behaviour change and sustainability shall enlighten attendees on designing educational and infrastructure systems that encourage a high-level of compliance to strenghten SB1383 (“California’s Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Strategy”).
Moreover, innovations on managing kitchen and bin odors that present a challenge to our cities shall be discussed.
In a special session, experts from Sustain SoCal and OC Waste and Recycling shall review their findings in the Multifamily Roundtable series.
Case Study B on SB54 and Regulatory Burdens (“Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act”) shall also be presented, including issues of extended producer responsibility (EPR) and encouraging the streamlining of waste management efforts.
3. Hazardous Waste Management
In the third section of the event, invited speakers shall unpack efforts to improve the waste management of dangerous items such as paint and batteries; and share their perspectives on business opportunities in secondary life systems.
The event also offers attendees a unique opportunity to directly engage with thought leaders and leverage their expertise to better understand cutting-edge concepts, technologies, future market opportunities, products, services, and the regulatory landscape.
C. Scott Kitcher, President, and CEO of Sustain SoCal, emphasized the importance of the event, stating,
“We are pleased to offer a new initiative – Agriculture, Food Systems and Waste Stream Innovations which shall provide a new-age forum for industry experts, businesspersons and agricultural enterprises, policymakers and academics. To drive progress on sustainability, it is more important than ever to take a multi-pronged strategy integrating our knowledge of farmers’ challenges, restaurant business practices, technology-enabled sustainability practices, end-of-life strategies, wider educational initiatives and public innovations, and sharpen the design, adoption and implementation of supportive regulatory regimes and outreach activities. At the May event, invited experts will also share their perspectives and practical opportunities on agricultural science, business, behavorial and policy innovation, and sustainable circularity in the farm-to-restaurant supply chain and other secondary waste markets. We would like to extend special thanks to UCI Beall Applied Innovation that have remained incredibly steadfast in their support for our mission for over a decade. Their profound expertise would be a great asset to anyone in the industry making this a must-attend event for farmers, local food service workers and waste management professionals, both in Southern California and beyond.”
Sustain SoCal, a non-profit organization, accelerates sustainability and economic growth through innovation, collaboration and education in Southern California. The organization has a ten-year history of exploring and implementing pragmatic, real-world solutions to the challenges created by growth, change and inefficiency. It conducts conferences, workshops and networking events that lead to initiatives that positively impact our region’s economic progress and sustainability. For more information, please visit www.sustainsocal.org.
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ALBANY, NEW YORK – Isiah Ti-Quan Clements, aka “Zay,” age 38, of Troy, New York, pled guilty today to marijuana trafficking and money laundering.
United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III; Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division; Troy Police Chief Daniel DeWolf; and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.
United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “This prosecution of a sophisticated marijuana trafficking and money laundering organization was made possible by the close collaboration of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies on both coasts. Marijuana remains illegal under federal law and we continue to investigate and prosecute the criminal organizations profiting mightily from its illicit distribution.”
Clements admitted to being a member of a marijuana and tetrahydrocannabinols (THC) trafficking organization that cultivated marijuana on a commercial scale in Fresno, California, and shipped thousands of kilograms of marijuana and THC from Fresno to locations throughout the United States, including the Capital Region of New York. Clements also admitted to laundering marijuana and THC proceeds for the organization.
Clements admitted to receiving packages of marijuana shipped by Dwight A. Singletary, II, aka “Nutt” and “Mike Jones,” and McKenzie Merrialice Coles, aka “Kenzie,” from a shipping store in Fresno, Fast Pack & Ship, at his home and a restaurant in Troy. Clements also arranged shipments of marijuana to his sister, LaFay Pearson, aka “Lala,” at her apartment in Troy, and coordinated the receipt of shipments of marijuana by his aunt, Consanga Harris, aka “Sondy,” at her home in Troy. After the packages of marijuana were delivered to the defendant, Harris, and Pearson, they were picked up by or dropped off to David Singletary, aka “DB.”
Clements was notified of the shipments of marijuana by Coles and Dwight Singletary and was paid between $300 and $400 for each package of marijuana received. Between June 2018 and May 2022, the defendant received and coordinated the receipt of approximately 1,102 kilograms (2,429 pounds) of marijuana.
Clements also laundered marijuana and THC proceeds for the organization, including by exchanging $110,200 in cash drug proceeds consisting of small bills for large bills at a bank and credit union in the Capital Region; purchasing over $127,000 in cashier’s checks with cash drug proceeds; flying from the Capital Region to Fresno with suitcases full of cash drug proceeds; depositing cash drug proceeds into business and other accounts held by Coles and Dwight Singletary; sending over $20,000 in money transfers purchased with cash drug proceeds from the Capital Region to Fresno and Modesto, California; and paying contractors working on properties in the Capital Region owned by Dwight Singletary and his company, DAS Empire, Inc., with cash drug proceeds.
Clements faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison on the two counts to which he pled guilty, conspiring to distribute marijuana and conspiring to commit money laundering; fines of up to $10.25 million; and a term of supervised release of between 5 years and life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Clements was charged in an indictment with Dwight Singletary, David Singletary, Coles, Pearson, Harris, and 18 other people charging marijuana distribution and money laundering conspiracies, firearms offenses, and other crimes. Dwight Singletary, David Singletary, and Coles have pled not guilty and are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations as to them.
The ATF, DEA, Troy Police Department and HSI are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cyrus P.W. Rieck and Dustin C. Segovia are prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Islanders are invited to come along to a free cycling event this Saturday at Les Quennevais Cycle Track, 11am to 4pm.
A range of activities will be on offer for all ages and abilities, whether a regular cycle commuter or learning to ride for the first time:
Try-a-bike: test ride cycles including adapted cycles, cargo cycles, e-bikes and pedal bikes with Powerhouse, Bicycle Workshop and Cycle Without Limits
Learn to ride: join a session with Jersey Sport, open to all ages
Guided cycle rides: to Corbière or St Peter’s Village and return
Cycle clinic: get your cycle safety checked for free by a qualified mechanic
Talk to representatives: from Better Journeys Week and States of Jersey Police
Get a free heart health check: with the cardiology nursing team.
The event is being hosted by I&E’s Climate Change Engagement team with Jersey Sport and local cycle shops also taking part.
More information about the event, including timings of activities can be found on gov.je: Cycle Saturday.
