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Category: Environment

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Rosen Push for Upholding Bipartisan EXPLORE Act to Benefit Lake Tahoe Basin

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
    Washington, D.C. – Today, Nevada Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) joined California Senators Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) in a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins and U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) Secretary Doug Burgum requesting that they make sure the Lake Tahoe Basin benefits from the bipartisan Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act, which was signed into law last Congress. Their letter comes in advance of the 29th Lake Tahoe Summit, which will take place on August 6, 2025.
    “Lake Tahoe is a beautiful, unique environment that both our states cherish and enjoy for its plentiful outdoor recreation opportunities and its precious natural resource value,” the Senators wrote. “We follow a line of previous California and Nevada Senators who have worked with numerous administrations across decades to preserve and protect Lake Tahoe for Californians, Nevadans, and the millions of people from beyond our states who visit Tahoe every year.” 
    In the letter, the lawmakers urge the agencies to take action on the opportunities presented by the EXPLORE Act, which includes improving outdoor recreation access on U.S. public lands, supporting gateway communities, strengthening conservation efforts, and boosting the outdoor recreation economy. The Senators request that USDA and DOI utilize the EXPLORE Act to implement the following in the Tahoe region:
    Select Tahoe’s long-distance bike trails for official designation and create a new unpaved trail that circumnavigates the region.  
    Account for the unique needs of Tahoe’s gateway community in terms of housing, municipal infrastructure, visitation, and expansion of visitation on federal land.  
    Direct a USDA pilot program with a pay-for-performance finance model for recreation projects on or benefiting Forest Service lands.  
    Affirm that Tahoe qualifies as a participant in the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program, making it eligible for grants to improve recreational opportunities. 
    Read the full letter here.
    Senators Cortez Masto and Rosen are champions for Nevada’s great outdoor spaces and public lands. They passed critical legislation to permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which protects public lands in Nevada and across the U.S. They passed bipartisan, bicameral legislation to reauthorize the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act, and they delivered critical funding to protect Lake Tahoe in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Cortez Masto has introduced legislation to ban oil and gas development in Nevada’s beautiful and pristine Ruby Mountains.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Enhancing trade corridors in the Pacific Northwest

    Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors Devin Dreeshen will attend this year’s Pacific NorthWest Economic Region (PNWER) Annual Summit and take part in a panel discussion and fireside chat to highlight the importance of economic corridors to facilitating Alberta’s mutually beneficial trade with the region.  

    Associate Minister of Water Grant Hunter will participate in two panels: Aquatic Invasive Species: Lurking Threat to the Regional Economy and Environment, and Technology and the Future of Water.

    MLA for Lac Ste. Anne-Parkland Shane Getson, MLA for Vermilion-Lloydminster-Wainwright Garth Rowswell, MLA for Cypress-Medicine Hat Justin Wright, MLA for Chestermere-Strathmore Chantelle de Jonge and MLA for Leduc-Beaumont Brandon Lunty will also attend the summit, teaming up to advance Alberta’s priorities in meetings, working groups and sessions.

    Alberta’s delegates will bring the province’s perspective to future-focused discussions on a broad range of priorities when meeting and engaging with U.S. state legislators, officials and influential corporate leaders from across the Pacific Northwest region. These priorities include making the case for enhancing Alberta-U.S. energy collaboration and working together to support the key policies, infrastructure and pathways needed to move even more of Alberta’s traditional and emerging energy products to our growing list of customers in the U.S.

    Alberta’s government and industry partners have begun preparations to host the 2026 PNWER Annual Summit. MLA Shane Getson will also take the opportunity to formally invite PNWER delegates to make the trip to Edmonton next July to see firsthand why Alberta’s vast resources and homegrown solutions are the answer to the United States’ prosperous future.

    “Alberta is a leader in collaborating with other jurisdictions to advance strategic trade corridors to position Canada as a global gateway and unlock access to new markets, strengthen national security and drive economic growth. I look forward to meeting with our U.S. partners and sharing Alberta’s successes in establishing economic corridors as well as highlighting our vision related to new corridors and nation-building projects.”

    Devin Dreeshen, Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors

    “Water is one of our most valuable resources, and this summit is a chance to have meaningful conversations that help to drive regional solutions for the issues that matter to Albertans. From drought and water infrastructure to the fight against aquatic invasive species, this is an opportunity to work with our neighbours, share what’s working and shape what comes next.”

    Grant Hunter, Associate Minister of Water

    “As the president of PNWER Canada, I am eager to strengthen our trade relationships with member states. I am confident that this year will grow the long list of influential U.S. decision makers who are committed to working with Alberta, aiding in decision-making that will benefit people on both sides of the border.”

    Shane Getson, MLA for Lac Ste. Anne-Parkland

    “We are a trading province, and our goal is to strengthen Alberta’s ties with the U.S. Pacific Northwest for the benefit of the people of Alberta, and every province and state represented at PNWER.

    I look forward to highlighting the countless opportunities to grow our economies, and our trading relationship as long-standing allies.”

    Garth Rowswell, MLA for Vermilion-Lloydminster-Wainwright

    “Along with our fellow Canadians in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Yukon and the Northwest Territories, Alberta has been a member of PNWER since its founding more than three decades ago. Our time at this year’s summit is a great opportunity to continue building on that legacy as Alberta prepares to host the 2026 PNWER Annual Summit in our capital city next July.”

    Justin Wright, MLA for Cypress-Medicine Hat

    “Alberta’s strengths in agriculture, energy, ground-breaking technologies, emissions reduction solutions and more make our province the perfect fit for addressing the priorities of our PNWER partners. I look forward to showcasing the important role that Alberta can play in building a resilient future through regional collaboration, innovation and enhanced trade across the Pacific Northwest and beyond.”

    Chantelle de Jonge, MLA for Chestermere-Strathmore

    “Alberta is a powerhouse of economic opportunity. Working alongside U.S. legislators to maintain and enhance cost-effective and efficient corridors between Alberta and our long-standing customers in the Pacific Northwest is key to ensuring our two nations contribute to one another’s overall success, including job security and economic stability for all our citizens.”

    Brandon Lunty, MLA for Leduc-Beaumont

    PNWER is a non-partisan, public/private partnership that was established in 1991 to advance the economic well-being, quality of life and common interests of its 10 member jurisdictions, which include the states of Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Montana and Washington, the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan, and the Yukon and Northwest Territories.

    Minister Dreeshen will travel with one staff member and Associate Minister Hunter will travel with two staff members. Mission expenses will be posted on the travel and expense disclosure page.

    Quick facts

    • The U.S. is Alberta’s largest trading partner, and Alberta is the second-largest provincial exporter to the U.S. after Ontario.
    • In 2024, Alberta’s exports to the U.S. totalled C$162.1 billion, accounting for 88.7 per cent of total provincial exports. The U.S. is also an important source of industrial inputs and consumer goods for the province.
    • The Pacific Northwest is an important trade region for Alberta. In 2024, bilateral trade between Alberta and the PNWER U.S. member states totalled C$21 billion.

    Itinerary for Minister Dreeshen*

    July 22
    • Travel to Bellevue, WA.
    • Meetings and sessions with legislators and decision makers at the 2025 PNWER Annual Summit.

    July 23
    • Participate as a panelist in the session on Economic Corridors: Ports, Routes & the Future of Trade.
    • Meetings and sessions with legislators and decision makers at the 2025 PNWER Annual Summit.

    July 24
    • Travel to Alberta.

    *Subject to change.

    Itinerary for Associate Minister Hunter*

    July 20
    • Travel to Bellevue, WA.
    • Meetings and sessions with legislators and decision makers at the 2025 PNWER Annual Summit.

    July 21
    • Participate in the session Aquatic Invasive Species: Lurking Threat to the Regional Economy and Environment.
    • Participate in the session Technology and the Future of Water.
    • Meetings and sessions with legislators and decision makers at the 2025 PNWER Annual Summit.

    July 22
    • Travel to Alberta.

    *Subject to change.

    Itinerary for MLAs Getson, Rowswell, de Jonge and Lunty*

    July 20
    • Travel to Bellevue, WA.
    • Meetings and sessions with legislators and decision makers at the 2025 PNWER Annual Summit.

    July 21-24
    • Meetings and sessions with legislators and decision makers at the 2025 PNWER Annual Summit.
    • Travel to Alberta.

    *Subject to change.

    Itinerary for MLA Wright*

    July 20
    • Travel to Bellevue, WA.
    • Meetings and sessions with legislators and decision makers at the 2025 PNWER Annual Summit.

    July 21-23
    • Meetings and sessions with legislators and decision makers at the 2025 PNWER Annual Summit.
    • Travel to Alberta.

    *Subject to change.

    Related information

    • Pacific NorthWest Economic Region (PNWER)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    July 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Topnotch Crypto Launches Revolutionary AI-Powered Cloud Mining Platform Ahead of 2025 Cryptocurrency Surge

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Houston, Texas, July 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Topnotch Crypto, a visionary leader in blockchain innovation, today proudly announces the launch of its revolutionary AI-powered cloud mining platform. This cutting-edge platform promises to redefine cryptocurrency mining by leveraging artificial intelligence and cloud computing to deliver unparalleled efficiency, accessibility, and sustainability.

    As cryptocurrency ushers in a wave of growth in 2025, Topnotch Crypto helps miners and investors seize the opportunity and mine Bitcoin efficiently.

    Artificial Intelligence: The Catalyst for Mining Evolution

    Historically, cryptocurrency mining was done with expensive hardware, a considerable amount of technical knowledge, and a huge amount of energy usage, among other things. Topnotch Crypto, gives users the ability to mine crypto without hardware expenses or technical hurdles, and still allows users to mine both profitably and efficiently, all thanks to a marketplace disruption that combines advanced AI algorithms that verify and optimize all aspects of mining from start-to-finish. 

    The AI can watch the network difficulty, energy costs, and profitability of mining in real-time and use all these variables to change mining parameters, reallocate standing computational power, determine when preventative maintenance will be needed, and maximize machine uptime and outputs, all in real-time. This all takes the potential for human error out of the process and decreases operational cost. 

    Overall, our AI based platform allows you the ability to mine cryptocurrencies at anytime, or anywhere, with almost no knowledge requirements or upfront capital. This degree of autonomy allows mining to expand to everyone. 

    User-Friendly and Scalable for All

    We built Topnotch Crypto’s cloud mining platform to be inclusive and flexible. Its user-friendly interface allows rookie users to mine in just a few minutes. More advanced and institutional users can take advantage of customizable and scalable contracts.

    Whether you’re an individual investor interested in generating passive income, or a large corporation looking to diversify your crypto portfolio, Topnotch allows for all sizes. Users can also easily scale mining power up and down depending on the market shifts and investment strategy.

    Topnotch’s mobile and desktop interfaces allow for easy on-the-go management so users can have control of their mining operations anywhere, at any time.

    Positioning for the 2025 Cryptocurrency Boom

    Market analysis suggests that 2025 will be a pivotal year for cryptocurrency. Adoption on an institutional level will be skyrocketing, and regulations across the globe will be relatively mature. Additionally, prices for Bitcoin and other large coins will have skyrocketed.

    At this time, Topnotch Crypto gives its users a unique advantage with its new AI powered mining platform. Users can mine before the boom and accumulate ownership of cryptocurrencies at a lower price, thus exponentially multiplying their profits when demand does catch up to prices.

    Unwavering Commitment to Security and Transparency

    As an industry suffering from security risks, Topnotch Crypto’s dedication to user assets and data has never been more essential. By utilizing end-to-end encryption, mufti-factor authentication and smart contracts on the blockchain, Topnotch Crypto is able to build a stronghold focused on protecting user assets and data against hacks and unauthorized access.

    Transparency is equally important. Users have access to detailed real time dashboards showing hash rates, user earnings, AI optimizations and transaction history. Every payout is verified on-chain as verifiable proof of the mining activity.

    Together, security and transparency can ensure user confidence and foster long-term trust.

    Leading the Charge Toward Sustainable Mining

    With concerns about the environment growing ever since the industry has become known for its high energy consumption, it is taking a toll on the image of cryptocurrency mining. Topnotch Crypto is setting a standard for the industry to follow, and they are tackling the issue in an environmentally friendly manner.

    Topnotch Crypto operates from energy-efficient data centres that utilize renewable sources of energy, such as solar and wind. Also, through Artificial Intelligence, the energy usage is continually optimized to eliminate waste and further reduce the carbon footprint without sacrificing performance.

    With this level of commitment to sustainability, Topnotch Crypto is positioning itself along with the global ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) initiatives, appealing to investors who care about the environment. 

    Platform Features That Set Topnotch Crypto Apart

    • AI Mining Optimization: Ensured productivity and performance maximized with real-time and automated changes to mining parameters. 

    • Zero threshold to participate: Register with your email address and receive a $15 newbie gift, and enjoy the free mining experience.

    • Security: Military grade encryption methods and blockchain smart contracts. 

    • Flexible and scalable packages: Built for independent miner users, although methodologies developed will also be able to scale for institutional clients. 

    • Withdrawals and reporting: You can access all your earnings or gains immediately,  along with blockchain verifiable proof of payment. 

    • Any Time, Anywhere: You can access either your desktop or favorite mobile device from anywhere in the world. 

    • Eco-Friendly Infrastructure: Committed to sustainable mining and utilizing electricity from renewable sources, with AI monitoring.

    About Topnotch Crypto

    Topnotch Crypto leads the blockchain industry in the area of democratizing access to cryptocurrency mining and investment. We use a combination of AI and cloud computing, with security and sustainability, to provide unique, innovative, solutions that empower every person around the world to participate in the digital economy, confidently.

    For more information, visit https://topnotchcrypto.com

    Media Contact: info@topnotchcrypto.com

    Embrace the future of cryptocurrency mining today. Join the AI-powered revolution and prepare for the 2025 crypto boom with Topnotch Crypto. 

    Disclaimer: The information provided in this press release does not constitute an investment solicitation, nor does it constitute investment advice, financial advice, or a trading recommendation. Cryptocurrency mining and staking involve risks and may result in the loss of funds. It is strongly recommended that you perform due diligence before investing or trading in cryptocurrencies and securities, including consulting a professional financial advisor.

    The MIL Network –

    July 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General Announces Members of Independent Scientific Panel on Effects of Nuclear War

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    NEW YORK, 18 July (United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs) — On 17 July, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced the appointment of an independent scientific panel of experts tasked with examining the physical effects and societal consequences of a nuclear war on a local, regional and planetary scale in the days, weeks and decades following a nuclear war.

    The panel was established pursuant to General Assembly resolution 79/238, titled “Nuclear War Effects and Scientific Research”, and is mandated to examine “the physical effects and societal consequences” of a nuclear war “on a local, regional and planetary scale, including, inter alia, the climatic, environmental and radiological effects, and their impacts on public health, global socioeconomic systems, agriculture and ecosystems, in the days, weeks and decades following a nuclear war”.

    The panel is tasked with publishing a comprehensive report on these matters, making key conclusions, and identifying areas requiring future research.  The report will be considered by the UN General Assembly at its eighty-second session in 2027.

    The last cross-sectional United Nations study of this kind was undertaken almost four decades ago in 1988 (Study on the Climatic and Other Global Effects of Nuclear War, United Nations publication, Sales No. E.89.IX.1).

    The panel consists of 21 members drawn from a range of scientific fields, including:  nuclear and radiation studies; atmospheric sciences and climate; environment and environmental studies; agriculture, biology and life sciences; public health and medicine; and behavioural and social sciences and applied economics.

    As mandated by resolution 79/238, the Secretary-General selected members of the panel based on “their leading scientific expertise across relevant disciplines, while ensuring impartiality, and equitable geographical and gender balance”.  In selecting the panel, the Secretary-General drew on the expertise and recommendations of relevant agencies from the United Nations system.

    The panel will engage the widest possible range of stakeholders, including international and regional organizations, the International Committee of the Red Cross, civil society, affected communities, and peoples from around the world, in order to understand local, regional and global perspectives on the effects of nuclear war.  Member States, relevant international and regional organizations and others are encouraged to support the panel’s work.

    The independent Scientific Panel on the Effects of Nuclear War will consist of the following 21 members, each participating in their personal capacity:

    Arlene Alves dos Reis, Head, Division of Dosimetry at the Brazilian Nuclear Energy Commission (CNEN);

    Ana María Cetto Kramis, former Deputy Director General, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).  Full research professor at the Physics Institute of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).  Founder and current holder of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Chair on Science Diplomacy and Heritage at UNAM;

    Manvendra K. Dubey, Senior Scientist and Fellow, Earth Systems Observations, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL);

    Friederike Renate Friess, Senior Scientist, BOKU University, Department of Landscape, Water and Infrastructure, Institute of Safety and Risk Sciences;

    Abel Gonzalez, Senior Adviser to the Argentina Nuclear Regulatory Authority, Olenum member of the National Academy of Sciences of Buenos Aires, the Argentine Academy of Environmental Sciences, the Argentine Academy of the Seas, and the International Nuclear Energy Academy;

    Md Ahsan Habib, Professor at the Department of Chemistry, University of Dhaka, Fellow, Chinese Academy of Sciences;

    Andrew Haines, Professor of Environmental Change and Public Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), Co-Director World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre on Climate Change, Sustainable Development and Health;

    Gi Hoon Hong, former President and Research Professor, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology;

    Togzhan Kassenova, Senior Fellow, Center for Policy Research, University at Albany, State University of New York, former member of the Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters (ABDM);

    Ausrele Kesminiene-Suonio, Senior Visiting Scientist, Environment and Lifestyle Epidemiology Branch, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO), former head of the Lithuanian Chernobyl Medical Centre;

    Peter Klimek, Director of the Supply Chain Intelligence Institute, Austria, Associate Professor, Section for Science of Complex Systems, Medical University of Vienna;

    Karina Meredith, Director of Environment Research and Technology at Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), Adjunct Professor in the Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences school at University of New South Wales;

    Thobela Nkukwana, Senior Lecturer, University of Pretoria, Sub-editor for the South African Journal of Animal Sciences, Editorial Board member and Sub-editor of Welwitschia International Journal of Agricultural Sciences;

    Sébastien Philippe, research scholar at the Princeton University Program on Science and Global Security, member of the Scientific Advisory Group of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons;

    Laura Revell, Associate Professor in Atmospheric Chemistry at the University of Canterbury, member of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Environmental Effects Assessment Panel (EEAP) panel;

    Neil Rowan, Professor, Faculty of Science and Technological Health, University of the Shannon, Adjunct Professor to the School of Medicine, Nursing and Biomedical Science at the University of Galway;

    Rabia Sa’id, Professor of atmospheric and space-weather physics and a researcher at Bayero University Kano, Co-founder of Nigeria’s Association of Women Physicists;

    Georgiy L. Stenchikov, Professor Emeritus at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Professor of Earth Sciences, Division of Physical Sciences and Engineering, Earth Sciences and Engineering Program, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology;

    Masao Tomonaga, Emeritus Director, Atomic Bomb Hospital, former Director of the Japanese Red Cross Nagasaki Atomic Bomb (Genbaku) Hospital, President of Nagasaki Prefecture Hibakusha Association and current President of IPPNW Nagasaki Branch.  A hibakusha from Nagasaki;

    Hüseyin Yalçinkaya, Anakara University Institute of Medical Sciences, Department of Animal Nutrition and Nutritional Diseases, Veterinary Officer at the Turkish Directorate General for Food and Control/Department of Border Control for Animal and Animal Products; and

    Zhao Wuwen, Professor at the Center for Strategic Studies, China Academy of Engineering Physics.

    Questions regarding the panel can be addressed to:  nweffectspanel@un.org.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    July 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Republicans Push Forward with Energy and Water Funding Bill that Weakens Our National Security and Increases Energy Costs

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09)

    **STATE-BY-STATE FACT SHEET** Republicans Slash Vital Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Funding for States

    Washington, DC — Today, House Democrats exposed how Republicans’ Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Subcommittee 2026 funding bill increases costs for American households, undermines infrastructure investments, and weakens our national security.

    The bill:

    • Increases energy costs, jeopardizes energy independence, and hurts United States’ competitiveness by slashing the Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy programs nearly in half, revoking more than $5 Billion from the Department of Energy’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law resources, and eliminating funding for the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations.
    • Weakens national security and leaves Americans more vulnerable to nuclear threats by cutting the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation account by 17 percent.
    • Abandons commitments to communities to clean up radioactive waste by eliminating funding for the Corps of Engineers’ Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program and cutting the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management by 9 percent.

    “Sadly, this Republican Energy and Water bill did not have bipartisan input, and does not meet the moment to set the course for our nation’s future in the new age frontiers of energy and water,” Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) said. “This bill cedes American leadership in the global energy race to adversaries including the Chinese Communist Party. It weakens vital nuclear nonproliferation programs that help keep our country and world safe. By turning their backs on communities suffering from the long lasting impact of our early atomic weapons programs, Republicans show the callous disregard they have for America’s forgotten communities. We must invest in energy independence in perpetuity — or we will live to regret it, as our children and grandchildren inherit a future devoid of opportunity. The passage of this ill considered, and careless bill will hurt our communities from coast to coast, and is a true disservice to all the generations to come.”

    Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur’s full remarks are here.

    “House Republicans are wrapping up a long, chaotic week by advancing yet another funding bill that increases costs. This time, they are raising energy costs for American families and businesses,” Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) said. “Their cut of nearly half the budget for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy is a direct attack on the programs that lower energy bills for working families, create good-paying jobs in our communities, and keep America competitive. Republicans’ funding bill undermines the very programs that help us stop the spread of nuclear weapons, detect nuclear activity, and uphold arms control efforts that make America and the world safer – and it underfunds efforts to clean up sites contaminated by our nation’s early atomic energy program. Instead of working with Democrats to lower prices and invest in technology that promotes our energy independence, House Republicans are pushing a bill that raises energy costs for families and businesses and eliminates good-paying jobs.”

    During today’s markup, Democrats fought to make changes to Republicans’ bill, including to:

    • Prohibit the implementation of tariffs that would raise consumer energy prices.
    • Prevent the Department of Energy and other agencies from terminating critical projects simply based on the alignment with administration policies.
    • Prohibit the Republican’s Bonanza for Billionaires efforts to modify or terminate clean energy tax credits.
    • Increase funds for the Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E).

    These changes were rejected by House Republicans.

    A summary of the bill is here. A fact sheet is here.
    The text of the bill, before the adoption of amendments in full committee, is here. The bill report, before the adoption of amendments in full Committee, is here. Information on Community Project Funding in the bill is here.
    A state-by-state breakdown of the amount of funding House Republicans are trying to slash from the Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) programs is here.

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: G20 signals support for fairer global tax rules but comes up short on taxing the super-rich

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    Durban, South Africa – Commenting on the outcome of the G20 3rd Finance Ministers and Central Bank Ministerial Meeting, Greenpeace welcomed the G20 ministers’ support for international tax negotiations at the United Nations. However, Ministers did not reference the proposal introduced under Brazil’s G20 presidency last year to tax the ultra-rich.[1]

    Fred Njehu, Global Political Lead of the Fair Share campaign, Greenpeace Africa, said: “This show of support for the UN Tax Convention is a welcome step in the right direction for new global tax rules that work for everyone, not just the select few. The G20 must now put words into action and engage constructively in the process as a global multilateral platform that will shape and determine the future of taxation, one rooted in equity, transparency and justice.

    “However, the G20 Finance Ministers are squandering an incredible opportunity to end financial apartheid and achieve a breakthrough on wealth taxation that could redistribute much needed funds to tackle the social, economic, environmental and climate polycrisis. Equality is not the accumulation of wealth and power in the hands of a few billionaires. We need to stand up to the power of billionaires who are a threat to our democracies, security and wellbeing.[2]

    “Turbulent economic times like these demand global cooperation and a multilateral response. G20 ministers have an historic obligation to help steer the global economy and environment towards safer waters. They must listen to growing public calls and build the political momentum for taxing the super-rich and set new global tax rules that work for all to achieve social and climate justice.”

    END

    Notes:

    [1] New global tax rules in an UN Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation are being negotiated, from now until 2027. It is a historic opportunity to redistribute power and wealth, and foster tax transparency and accountability. It aims to take control of global tax rules from the rich OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries to place it in the hands of the 193 member states of the United Nations. 

    [2] Greenpeace: Ramaphosa, G20 must end financial apartheid with tax on super-rich

    Contacts:

    Ibrahima Ka Ndoye, International Communications Coordinator, Greenpeace Africa. +221778437172, [email protected].

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

    MIL OSI NGO –

    July 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Peters Secures Funding to Strengthen Public Safety, Michigan Manufacturing, and Great Lakes Protections in Appropriations Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) helped secure funding in the Fiscal Year 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Act to fund Michigan priorities, high-impact local projects, and federal programs that support manufacturing, our environment and Great Lakes, public safety, law enforcement, and cutting-edge research.

    “This bipartisan legislation advances critical projects in Michigan and across the country,” said Senator Peters. “The bill makes needed investments to strengthen public safety, support local law enforcement, and boost Michigan’s economic competitiveness. It will also help safeguard our state’s precious natural resources and the Great Lakes for future generations. I’m proud to have helped secure this funding and will keep working to get it across the finish line.”

    Meanwhile, the House of Representatives is considering their own funding bills. The Senate and House will then need to reach an agreement on a final funding bill and have it pass both chambers before being sent to the President to be signed into law.

    The bill includes numerous measures led and supported by Peters, including:

    Strengthening Michigan’s Manufacturing Sector

    Preventing Illegal Trump Administration Cuts to Manufacturing Programs: The bill included language Senator Peters authored to prevent the Department of Commerce from unilaterally defunding or withdrawing contracts from Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Programs – like the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center. The bill also includes $175 million for the MEP program despite the Trump Administration’s budget proposal to eliminate it. This program helps small and medium manufacturers grow their business, integrate advanced manufacturing techniques and technology, and works to strengthen our domestic manufacturing supply chain. For every dollar of federal investment, MEP generates $24.60 in new sales growth for manufacturers and $27.50 in new investment. This translates into $4.3 billion in new sales annually. In 2024, the Michigan Manufacturing Tech Center estimated they helped 584 businesses produce over $150 million in sales growth and over $100 million in investments. For every $1 of a company’s investment, the Center returns $18 in financial returns.

    Addressing Unfair Chinese Trade Practices: Peters secured language in the bill recognizing that non-allied nations like China are becoming large global exporters of electric vehicles and underscoring a concern that these electric vehicles will soon flood the U.S. market. Some Chinese motor vehicle producers are seeking to establish manufacturing plants in Mexico and other strategic locations to sidestep U.S. tariffs. Peters’ provision in the bill directs the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), in consultation with other relevant departments and agencies, to examine non-allied nations’ non-market policies and practices related to electric vehicles, including policies that prevent U.S auto manufacturers from competing in their markets on a level playing field.

    USMCA: In the summer of 2026, the United States’ trade agreement with Mexico and Canada will undergo a mandatory review period. Peters secured language directing the Office of the United States Trade Representative to pursue changes to the agreement that will improve the agreement’s labor standards, prevent China from taking advantage of it, and onshore more manufacturing jobs throughout the United States, including Michigan.

    National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST): The bill invests heavily in the National Institute of Standards and Technology. These resources will help NIST advance research in cutting-edge fields like carbon dioxide removal, artificial intelligence, quantum information science, and cybersecurity. NIST will also develop standards, tools, and tests to help ensure AI systems operate safely.

    Making Michigan Communities Safer

    PAWS Act: Peters secured $3 million in the Fiscal Year 2026?Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for the Emergency and Transitional Pet Shelter and Housing Assistance Grant Program, which was established by Peters’ Pet and Women Safety (PAWS) Act. The grant program, administered by the Department of Justice, provides emergency and transitional shelter options for domestic violence survivors with companion animals. Peters secured language in the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Act encouraging the Department of Justice to continue providing robust funding for grants under the program.

    Project Safe Neighborhood: Peters secured funding in the bill for the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative – a nationwide law enforcement program that uses evidence-based and data-driven approaches to reduce violent crime. Last Congress, the Senate passed Peters’ bipartisan legislationto reauthorize the Project Safe Neighborhoods program.

    Promoting Community Policing in Oakland County: The bill includes $1 million to modernize Oakland County’s Courts and Law Enforcement Management Information Systems (CLEMIS), which will improve transparency of law enforcement activity and promote community policing.

    Improving Criminal Investigation in Van Buren County: Peters secured $576,000 in the bill for Van Buren County to support purchase of rapid-processing DNA technology, which will reduce a current backlog and enable crimes to be solved more efficiently.

    Purchasing New Patrol Vehicles in Kalamazoo: The bill includes $490,000 to help the City of Kalamazoo upgrade its public safety vehicles, which will allow personnel to respond to service calls safely and efficiently.

    Making Road Patrols Safer in Oakland County: The bill would provide $26,000 for the Oakland County Sherriff’s Office to purchase safety equipment for motorcycle patrol officers.

    Supporting Safe Traffic Stops in Warren: Peters secured $38,000 in the bill to help the City of Warren Police Department purchase new safety equipment to aid officers during traffic stops and investigations.

    Improving the Health of the Great Lakes: The bill includes $1,500,000 for the Great Lakes Commission to improve the health of the Great Lakes. Specifically, funding will help address water quality, nutrient pollution, harmful algal blooms, aquatic invasive species, and coastal management throughout the Great Lakes region.

    Upgrading Police Communications in Marquette: The bill would provide $264,000 for the City of Marquette to purchase new portable radios, which would improve emergency response for Marquette Police Department officers.

    Upgrading Aging Patrol Vehicle Fleet in Houghton: The bill includes $385,000 for the City of Houghton to purchase new police patrol vehicles, helping to improve emergency response throughout the region.

    Bolstering AI Research to Help Small and Medium Sized Manufacturers: Senator Peters secured $2,000,000 in this bill to support Michigan Tech’s research into and deployment of AI standards and practices that would help boost small and medium manufacturers in Michigan.

    Westland Police Technology Update: The bill also includes $100,000 to upgrade aging computer systems in police squad cars in Westland.

    Preventing Violence Against Women: The bill contains increased funding for the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) and its lifesaving programs. Grants from OVW programs support training for police officers, state domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions, rape prevention programs, homicide reduction initiatives, domestic violence hotlines, women’s shelters, transitional housing, and rural support services. In addition, Peters secured language in the bill directing the Department of Justice to develop best practices, in consultation with Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) community-based organizations, for the investigation and prosecution of violence against MENA women.

    Improving Police-Community Relations: The bill provides funding for State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance and Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Office grant programs which aim to strengthen police-community relations.

    Addressing Substance Use Disorder in Our Communities: The bill provides significant funding to help our communities and first responders address substance use disorders, including opioids, and to address drug trafficking.

    Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Program: Peters helped secure funding for the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) program. This program is critical to thousands of abused or neglected children who have highly trained and extremely dedicated advocates appointed on their behalf, and to child victims who are still waiting for the presence of a consistent, caring adult to speak for their best interests in the courtroom and in the community. This funding will help improve outcomes for every abused and neglected child, as was the intention of Congress when it enacted the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990.

    Investing in Sustainable Solutions to Protect Michigan’s Environment, Natural Resources

    Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory: The bill provides funding for the Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab (GLERL), which studies the dynamic environments and ecosystems of the Great Lakes. The work produced and shared by GLERL informs local decisions for safe and sustainable resource management throughout the Great Lakes Basin. GLERL research also plays a crucial role in the work carried out by the Coast Guard’s Center of Expertise for Oil Spill Preparedness and Response in Sault Ste Marie. Peters secured language in the bill recognizing the importance of continued support for the work of the Great Lakes Center of Expertise for Oil Spill Preparedness and Response, which examines the impacts of oil spills in freshwater environments and develops effective responses. Peters-led efforts made the Great Lakes Center of Expertise a reality. Peters authored and passed legislation into law establishing the Great Lakes Center of Expertise in 2018, and then successfully secured $4.5 million in total to kick-start the initiative the following year. Peters then announced the Great Lakes Center of Expertise will be headquartered in two Michigan locations to maximize research and operational capabilities. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, Peters has continued to secure funding to support the Center’s work.

    Great Lakes Monitoring: The U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) is the nation’s premier ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes observing program. The bill provides funding to fill critical gaps in our nation’s ocean and Great Lakes observation infrastructure. It will also ensure the availability of coastal data to inform management decisions on oil spill planning and response, navigation safety, fisheries management, and harmful algal blooms.

    Addressing Harmful Algal Blooms: The bill supports the National Ocean Service’s research on harmful algal blooms (HABs). This funding is vital to preserving the health of the Great Lakes, which provide drinking water to more than 40 million people; support a $16 billion recreational boating industry; and draw 37 million anglers, hunters, and bird watchers each year. HABs, which produce toxic or harmful effects on people and wildlife, have been reported in the Great Lakes and in every U.S. coastal state. According to NOAA, their occurrence may be on the rise.

    Coastal Zone Management Grants: This bill provides much-needed funding for NOAA’s Coastal Zone Management Program, which provides grants to states with approved coastal zone management plans for the protection, restoration, and enhancement of coastal zone areas, including those in the Great Lakes region. All eight Great Lakes states have active Coastal Zone Management programs committed to preserving the health of the Lakes and the $6 trillion regional economy they help sustain. This unique program is essential to the economic and ecological importance of our coastlines and Great Lakes shorelines while supporting state and local efforts to address critical management issues such as coastal hazards, habitat, and water quality.

    Marine Debris Program: The NOAA Marine Debris Program is a joint effort that supports national and international efforts to prevent, identify, and reduce the occurrence of marine debris. The program leverages resources from state and local agencies, tribes, non-governmental organizations, academia, and industry for innovative research, outreach, and education initiatives. This bill provides funding to allow this important work to continue.

    Improving the Census Process to Ensure Michigan Communities Are Accurately Represented

    Census Bureau: The bill provides funding for the U.S. Census Bureau, however, it provides less funding than is required to meet the needs of the upcoming 2030 decennial census. The census and other key federal surveys are tied to important outcomes for communities in Michigan and across the country, including federal resources for education, health care and infrastructure. The resources allocated by this bill will give the Census Bureau the tools it needs to prepare for the 2030 Census, produce critical economic data, and ensure the public can access high-quality data that keeps pace with the needs of our nation. This funding is essential to ensuring the Bureau does not fall behind on crucial preparations and can control long-term costs. The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, where Peters serves as Ranking Member, is responsible for conducting oversight of the Census Bureau. Peters previously convened a hearing in downtown Detroit to examine impacts of the 2020 Census on Michigan. Peters also convened a hearing in 2021 with senior federal officials to examine how lawmakers can work to improve operations at the Census Bureau. Peters has also pressed the Census Bureau to ensure it addresses 2020 Census undercounts and improves annual population data.

    Investing in Science, Innovation, and the STEM Workforce

    Michigan Technological University AI Program: Peters secured $2.5 million in funding from the Safe and Secure AI Manufacturing Implementation Program for Michigan Technological University to support research into and deployment of AI standards and practices to support small and medium manufacturers.

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA): The bill provides continued funding for key NASA science and STEM education programs that support cutting edge research and scholarships at Michigan’s Universities. The STEM education programs also strengthen our aerospace workforce pipeline. These programs were partially eliminated under the Trump Administration’s budget request.,

    Fully Fund the Artemis Space Mission: This bill includes full funding that Senator Peters’ championed for the Artemis Mission, which is set to take the United States back to the Moon as well as, eventually, to Mars. This mission was partially eliminated under the Trump budget proposal. The Artemis program is supported by Michigan Aerospace manufacturers and one of the astronauts participating in the upcoming Artemis III mission is a Michigander, Christina Koch.

    National Science Foundation: Senator Peters helped secure $9 billion in funding for the National Science Foundation. This level of funding avoids the catastrophic 55% cut proposed by the Trump Administration, which would have devastated U.S. scientific and STEM leadership, and harmed Michigan’s research institutions’ ability to continue to do cutting edge research.

    Implementation of Peters’ PROSWIFT Act: Peters secured funding for the pilot program Peters created through his Promoting Research and Observations of Space Weather to Improve the Forecasting of Tomorrow (PROSWIFT) Act. The program aims to strengthen our nation’s ability to predict severe space weather events and mitigate their harmful impacts on Earth – work being spearheaded at Michigan’s own Universities.

    Improving Access to Reentry: Peters secured language in the bill directing Residential Reentry Centers, where individuals often go between prison and full return to their communities, to better collect ID-related data. A 2022 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report found that opportunities exist to better assist incarcerated people with obtaining ID documents prior to release. Peters’ language requires an assessment from BOP regarding the feasibility of contracting with additional state DMVs to provide identification document services to qualifying individuals prior to release.

    National Marine Fisheries Services – Studying PFAS in Fish: The bill recognizes the threat posed by the concentration of PFAS detected in fish tissue. The bill directs NOAA to conduct fish tissue sampling and monitoring of PFAS to evaluate the impacts on aquatic health.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Canada Invests in Wildfire Innovation and Resilience Through New Centre of Excellence

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    July 18, 2025                                               Ottawa, Ontario                                                 Natural Resources Canada

    With wildfires impacting Canadians across the country, the federal government is taking action to prevent wildfires, mitigate their effects and boost resilience. The Government of Canada’s first priority is protecting Canadians and supporting those affected by wildfire.

    Today, the Honourable Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, and the Honourable Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience, announced an investment of $11.7 million over four years to establish the Wildfire Resilience Consortium of Canada (WRCC). Funded through the Wildfire Resilient Futures Initiative, the WRCC will serve as a national centre of excellence and virtual hub for wildland fire innovation and knowledge exchange.

    The WRCC will advance many of the actions in the Kananaskis Wildfire Charter, agreed to by the leaders of the G7 this spring in Canada and endorsed by the leaders of Australia, India, Mexico, the Republic of Korea and South Africa. It will bring together domestic and international governments, communities impacted by wildfires, the private sector and individual experts to share knowledge, facilitate collaboration and accelerate the use of cutting-edge science and technology in wildfire prevention, mitigation, preparedness and response. It will also support Indigenous fire stewardship and the cultural use of fire, recognizing and respecting traditional knowledge as a critical component of wildfire resilience.

    Minister Hodgson also delivered the latest national wildfire forecast. Looking ahead, Environment and Climate Change Canada’s weather forecasts point to above-average temperatures across much of Canada from July through August, with dry conditions expected to intensify in the coming weeks, particularly in the west and north.                                                 

    Based on these weather forecasts, Natural Resources Canada’s modelling predicts elevated wildfire risk from Yukon eastward to northwestern Ontario and in Nova Scotia and eastern New Brunswick. By August, wildfire activity is expected to continue to increase and persist to well-above-average conditions over much of western Canada, with the highest fire danger in southern British Columbia.

    Throughout this wildfire season and beyond, Canada is coordinating cross-jurisdictional collaboration, supporting those on the front lines, protecting Canadians and equipping communities with the tools and knowledge they need to stay informed and stay safe.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    July 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CS chairs meeting of steering committee on inter-departmental handling of typhoons (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

         With Tropical Storm Wipha approaching Hong Kong, the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, chaired a meeting of the steering committee on inter-departmental handling of typhoons this afternoon (July 18) to ensure comprehensive and adequate preparations and response planning by relevant departments to cope with possible threats of Wipha. The Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing; the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan; the Acting Secretary for Security, Mr Michael Cheuk; and representatives from relevant bureaux and departments attended the meeting.
     
         At the meeting, members were briefed by the Director of the Hong Kong Observatory on the latest assessment on Wipha. According to the present forecast, Wipha will enter within 800 kilometres of Hong Kong around midnight tonight. The Observatory will issue the Standby Signal No. 1 then, and consider issuing the Strong Wind Signal No. 3 during the day on Saturday (July 19). Wipha will be rather close to the vicinity of the Pearl River Estuary on Sunday (July 20). There will be heavy squally showers and thunderstorms. The Observatory will assess, on Saturday afternoon, the need of issuing higher tropical cyclone warning signals thereafter based on the latest weather information, including Wipha’s distance to the Pearl River Estuary, its intensity and the change in local winds. The public is advised to pay close attention to the latest weather forecast and warnings from the Observatory.
     
         In response to the possible adverse weather conditions, Mr Chan co-ordinated the preparatory work of relevant departments at the meeting, which includes:
     

    • The Emergency Monitoring and Support Centre (EMSC) under the Security Bureau has made advance preparation and stands ready for activation. It will be fully activated upon the issuance of Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8. Utilising the Common Operational Picture, the EMSC will conduct real-time citywide monitoring, and integrate updates from various departments to swiftly assess risks and formulate response plans and measures. Various emergency response teams, including the Fire Services Department, the Hong Kong Police Force, the Civil Aid Service and the Auxiliary Medical Service have completed all necessary preparatory work and are on standby, with sufficient manpower deployed to handle possible emergencies during heavy rainstorms and high wind, and to provide assistance to those in need.
    • The Emergency Transport Co-ordination Centre of the Transport Department will continue to operate round-the-clock. It will also closely monitor traffic and transport conditions with public transport agencies, and disseminate emergency traffic information and public transport service arrangements to the public in a timely manner.
    • The Development Bureau (DEVB) is co-ordinating preparation work to deal with flooding, landslides and fallen trees and ensure safety of building structures. Emergency control centres of various departments are fully prepared to respond. The DEVB has also pooled the resources from contractors of works departments to ensure that sufficient manpower and resources are available for handling emergency situations.
    • The Drainage Services Department (DSD) completed the special inspection and carried out necessary clearance at about 240 locations which are prone to flooding due to blockages today. The “just-in-time” arrangement will continue, with at most 180 emergency response teams to conduct inspection and clearance of drainage channels in different districts across the territory. For coastal low-lying or windy residential areas with high risks, the DSD and the Civil Engineering and Development Department have established management measures in advance, including early warning systems and emergency response arrangements.
    • The Geotechnical Engineering Office and the Observatory closely monitor weather conditions and will issue a landslip warning when appropriate. Relevant departments have completed inspections of government man-made slopes with relatively higher potential impacts.
    • The Buildings Department has reminded property management companies to inspect building maintenance facilities, such as bamboo scaffolding, gondolas, signboards, solar panels and the like, to ensure their stability.
    • Relevant departments have completed tree risk assessments and mitigation work at locations with high risks.
    • The Highways Department (HyD) inspected again the flood warning systems installed at Kwun Tong Road Underpass and 16 pedestrian subways along Shing Mun River in Sha Tin, Lam Tsuen River in Tai Po and Tai Po River with a higher risk of flooding from July 16 to 18 to ensure normal operation. In collaboration with the DSD, the department also carried out special inspections and clearance of public road sections which are prone to flooding due to blockages, including high speed road sections, such as San Tin Highway. The HyD also carried out special inspections and clearance of the drainage channels at roadside man-made slopes. In addition, the HyD has reminded relevant staff members and contractors to pay close attention to weather conditions and information released by the Observatory in order to make early preparations for the activation of the Emergency Control Centres.
    • District Offices have initiated relevant response measures, including co-ordinating with other departments and organisations to enhance preparedness, preparing sandbags and water-stop boards, etc. They will also mobilise District Council members, members of “the three committees” and Care Teams to disseminate the latest weather information to residents in flood-prone areas, reminding them to make necessary preparations.

     
         The Education Bureau will closely monitor the weather conditions and announce the arrangement for schools as early as necessary to facilitate parents and students in making early preparations.
     
         The Labour Department reminded employers to make prior work arrangements for employees in times of typhoons and rainstorms as early as possible, including arrangements on reporting for duty, release from work, resumption of work and remote work (if applicable). In drawing up and implementing the arrangements, employers should give prime consideration to employees’ safety and the feasibility of employees travelling to and from their workplaces, etc. Employers should also give consideration as much as possible to the different situations and actual difficulties faced by individual employees, and adopt a sympathetic and flexible approach.

         The Government departments will continue to serve with dedication and make preparations on all fronts to safeguard the lives and property of the public as well as public safety. The Government urges the public to stay alert and stay away from dangerous places such as rivers and slopes in adverse weather conditions, refrain from water sports, and continue to pay attention to the latest news released by the Government.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    July 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sojourner Truth State Park Improvements Underway

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced the groundbreaking for the buildout of major elements of Sojourner Truth State Park in Ulster County, including a new swimming facility and bathhouse pavilion. Funded in part by the Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act, other highlights slated to be completed by summer of 2026 include a new park entrance, entry road, trails and restrooms for visitors, and staff maintenance and administrative buildings. Named in honor of the life and legacy of 19th century African American abolitionist and suffragist, Sojourner Truth, the new park reclaims more than 500 acres of Hudson River shoreline land shared by the City of Kingston and the Town of Ulster and advances New York State’s commitment to Bond Act investments in disadvantaged communities.

    “A lack of access to safe and convenient swimming opportunities has denied far too many New Yorkers the chance to get off line and get outside by engaging with the water and learning foundational water safety skills,” Governor Hochul said. “The buildout at Sojourner Truth State Park is a step in the right direction to effect real change for Hudson Valley communities. This time next year, Ulster County residents and visitors will be welcomed to Lake Sophia to beat the heat and enjoy all that Sojourner Truth State Park has to offer, with more exciting park amenities continuing to be unveiled through 2027.”

    On the western side of the park, spring-fed quarry lake waters will become a public swimming facility named in honor of Sojourner Truth’s daughter, Sophia — the first new swimming facility in the State Parks system in 20 years (previous was Sandy Island Beach in 2005). Aligning with Governor Hochul’s Statewide Investment in More Swimming (NY SWIMS) initiative that invests in expanding swimming access across the State, Lake Sophia will offer hundreds of swimmers the option to enjoy a more structured swimming experience within a 12,000-square-foot floating swim crib or in a more adventurous deep-swim area. The swim crib will provide a safe environment for those learning to swim or who would benefit from the comprehensive accessible design. An adjacent pavilion will include public restrooms and showers, a first aid station and lifeguard facilities.

    Other park improvements that will be completed by summer 2026 include a new convenient park entrance directly off of Route 32 in Kingston that will lead visitors to upgraded roadways, parking lots, and sitewide trails in the park. Restoration of existing historic structures that illustrate the manufacturing history of the park grounds will also be completed within this timeframe.

    Additional buildout throughout Sojourner Truth State Park completed by 2027 will include additional trails including a scenic overlook destination; a repurposed industrial site with public restrooms, designed to host outdoor community events; and installations to interpret the area’s Indigenous Lenape heritage, industrial history, geology and natural environment. The entire project was designed to minimize the footprint of the improvements, maximize accessibility, foster the re-establishment of native ecosystems in the post-industrial landscape, and improve recreational opportunities in disadvantaged communities.

    The $75.6 million dollar project is largely supported by $68.1 million in funding from the Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act at a location ideal for conservation, revitalization, and recreational public use. An additional $7.5 million in funding is supported by New York Works funding.

    New York State Parks Commissioner Pro Tempore Randy Simons said, “State Parks is thrilled to be building our first new swimming facility in two decades, expanding access to outdoor recreation, and fostering lifelong community connections at Sojourner Truth State Park for a community that’s suffered significant disinvestment for too long. Under the leadership of Governor Hochul, the public-private partnership between State Parks and the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, with initial momentum from Scenic Hudson, is continuing to transform this former industrial site into a phenomenal regional landmark and tribute to the legacy of a revolutionary New Yorker.”

    New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton said, “With Governor Hochul’s leadership, the Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act continues to advance projects in disadvantaged communities that build healthier and more resilient communities and improve access to affordable outdoor recreation for all. The new swimming facility and upgrades to Sojourner Truth State Park will help Hudson Valley residents, particularly those in the city of Kingston, keep cool during extreme heat and connect to nature in this historically significant location. DEC is thrilled to join Governor Hochul in celebrating this major investment and getting more New Yorkers offline and outside.”

    Palisades Interstate Park Commission Executive Director Joshua Laird said, “Sojourner Truth State Park will be our first state park serving the Kingston community and beyond. The site’s beautiful, rugged landscape also offers fantastic views of the Hudson River and reveals a compelling story of the area’s history, from its earliest native inhabitants to the emergence of Sojourner Truth as an activist for abolition and women’s rights, and the later industries that produced brick and stone for a growing region. PIPC is thrilled to be a part of improving this remarkable site with our partners at New York State Parks and offers its thanks to Governor Hochul for supporting the park and the development of our first new swimming facility in many years.”

    State Senator Michelle Hinchey said, “Every community deserves access to the outdoors, and having a free local spot to swim is an important public resource for staying healthy, cooling off in the summer, and enjoying a good quality of life. It’s incredibly special that the first new swimming facility in New York’s State Parks system in 20 years is being built right here in Ulster County, at Sojourner Truth State Park—a space that represents equity and access for everyone in our community. I’m thrilled to support this project and thank Governor Hochul, State Parks, and all involved for investing in Ulster County.”

    Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger said, “These visionary recreational improvements to Sojourner Truth State Park, including the creation of a new natural swim area, will expand opportunities to connect with nature and beat the heat of a changing climate, especially for underserved communities in the City of Kingston and Town of Ulster. To be able to cool off and play safely in a stunning fresh-water quarry lake is truly a gift to our communities, and I thank Governor Hochul and the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historical Preservation for transformative investments that will benefit public health and community quality of life for generations to come.”

    Kingston Mayor Steve Noble said, “We are so fortunate to have the Sojourner Truth State Park right here in Kingston, which provides spectacular outdoor opportunities in our unique environment, and whose name honors one of our cherished local heroes. With these new amenities, we will truly have a world-class facility that will be a regional destination. I thank Governor Hochul for recognizing Kingston’s special natural resources and for championing this park, which will be enjoyed for generations to come.”

    Scenic Hudson President Ned Sullivan said, “Imagine the delight of dipping into the brisk water of a spring-fed quarry lake – surrounded by the natural beauty of upstate New York – for an inspiring swim on a hot summer day. We are grateful to Governor Hochul for spearheading the next phase of exciting improvements to Sojourner Truth State Park, continuing the transformation of a once-contaminated and abandoned industrial site into a vital resource and destination for the community and visitors. It’s an honor to partner with State Parks and the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, and we pledge our continued support.”

    The project builds on Governor Hochul’s efforts to encourage affordable outdoor recreation. The Fiscal Year 2026 Budget includes $200 million for State Parks to invest in and aid the ongoing transformation of New York’s flagship parks and support critical infrastructure projects throughout the park system. The Governor’s new Unplug and Play initiative also earmarks $100 million for construction and renovation of community centers through the Build Recreational Infrastructure for Communities, Kids and Seniors (NY BRICKS), $67.5 million for the Places for Learning, Activity and Youth Socialization (NY PLAYS) initiative helping New York communities construct new playgrounds and renovate existing playgrounds; and an additional $90 million for the continuation of the NY SWIMS initiative.

    NY SWIMS focuses on underserved communities and areas prone to extreme heat and reverses decades of disinvestment to ensure public parks offer new, state-of-the-art swimming facilities which can serve thousands of daily visitors. This project also advances the Bond Act’s goal of investing at least 35 percent of funding on disadvantaged communities (DACs) that shoulder a disproportionate burden of negative environmental outcomes such as pollution exposure and lack of access to open space.

    Nearly 50,000 people in racially and ethnically diverse communities live within five miles of Sojourner Truth State Park. About half the site is in a Low to Moderate Income area as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and 17.9 percent of the people in the location’s zip code are below the census-defined poverty level. It’s the second park named after a trailblazing Black woman.

    Sojourner Truth was born Isabella Baumfree (Bomefree), enslaved among Dutch people in Ulster County. A dynamic abolitionist, suffragist, and human rights advocate, she “walked away by day-light,” freeing herself from slavery one year before legal enslavement ended in New York. Her accomplishments and vital contributions to American history are recognized with the Ulster County park’s naming and the installation of a bronze statue at Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park, created by the sculptor Vinnie Bagwell. The elevation of her story is a key example of State Parks’ Our Whole History (OWH) initiative which seeks to reveal and share historically undertold stories of ordinary and extraordinary people across New York State.

    After Governor Hochul announced the park name at a groundbreaking in 2022, Scenic Hudson, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, and the Palisades Interstate Park Commission partnered to build a waterfront trail and 2,000-square-foot shaded community pavilion at Sojourner Truth State Park that was unveiled in 2023. Newly planted native trees, shrubs and grasses enhance the site’s ongoing recovery from its historic past as a hub for brick and cement manufacturing and provide new habitat for wildlife. The waterfront area contains bilingual interpretive signs about the river and the site’s history, bike racks, and seasonal toilet facilities.

    A paved, ADA-compliant River Pavilion Trail leads from the Hudson River Brickyard Trail/Empire State Trail to the waterfront, near the park’s northern entry. The trail features a small overlook area where visitors can rest while enjoying expansive views, including the Kingston-Rhinecliff bridge to the north. Another connector trail, longer and unpaved, leads to the Steep Rocks overlook and is currently being used by locals and visitors alike.

    The park’s new amenities were designed by Field Operations, LLC. The Construction Manager is Hudson Meridian Construction Group, LLC and General Contractors for the buildout include Buildings: Andron Construction Corporation, Site & Civil: A. Colarusso & Son, Inc., J&J Sass Electric, Inc., S&O Construction Services, Inc., all of whom were selected through a competitive bidding process.

    The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, recreational trails, golf courses, boat launches and more, which saw a record 88 million visits in 2024. For more information on any of these recreation areas, visit parks.ny.gov, download the free NY State Parks Explorer app or call 518.474.0456. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, the OPRHP Blog or via the OPRHP Newsroom.

    Formed in 1900, PIPC is the nation’s first bi-state partnership established to protect and conserve natural lands. PIPC operates Palisades Interstate Park in New Jersey and the Palisades Region of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation. PIPC’s early work helped inspire the emerging fields of environmental stewardship and education, pioneered the goal of exposing children to nature through its group campgrounds, and served as a model for the early growth of the national park system. The Commission’s maple and oak leaf logo represents the official state trees of New York and New Jersey.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Minister Dabrusin, alongside Indigenous leaders, to launch one of the world’s largest Indigenous-led land conservation projects in the Northwest Territories

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Gatineau, Quebec – July 18, 2025 – Media representatives are advised that the Honourable Julie Dabrusin, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, alongside Indigenous leaders, will launch one of the world’s largest Indigenous-led land conservations projects in the Northwest Territories. She will be joined by the Honourable Rebecca Alty, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations; Danny Yakeleya, Chair of the Our Land for the Future Trust; representatives from local Indigenous governments; the Government of Northwest Territories; and philanthropic organizations to celebrate this important milestone to conserve more nature in the Northwest Territories.

    Event: Announcement
    Date: Monday, July 21, 2025
    Time: 10:30 a.m. (PDT)
    Location: The Explorer Hotel
    4825 49 Avenue
    Katimavik, Room D
    Yellowknife, Northwest Territories

    To be made aware of any changes, media representatives are encouraged to register for this in-person event by contacting Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Media Relations at media@ec.gc.ca.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    July 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: The US Environmental Protection Agency’s retreat from science endangers the health of people and the planet

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Scott Glaberman, Associate Professor of Comparative Toxicology, University of Birmingham

    Andromeda stock/Shutterstock

    Pollution causes more illness and early death than any other environmental threat, accounting for one in six deaths worldwide. For decades, the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Research and Development (ORD) has driven many of the biggest advances for safeguarding human health and ecosystems from chemicals.

    But this year, the Trump administration began dismantling the office by terminating programmes, cutting staff, closing laboratories and moving remaining scientists into regulatory offices. Legal challenges temporarily blocked mass government layoffs.

    But that changed when a recent Supreme Court ruling gave the Trump administration the green light to proceed with widespread redundancies and the total elimination of ORD.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    Now, in so doing, the US is not just gutting its own scientific foundation. It’s also putting decades of global progress in chemical safety, pollution control and public health at risk.

    ORD is the EPA’s independent science arm, conducting research that supports clean air, water and land. From detecting pollutants and assessing health risks to guiding environmental cleanup, it ensures EPA decisions are grounded in credible, evidence-based research. ORD develops this science under intense scientific, policy, political and legal scrutiny, which means it produces the best available science that is credible and robust.

    ORD doesn’t just study pollution, it uncovers threats before they become crises. Take North Carolina’s Cape Fear River, which supplies drinking water to an estimated 2 million people.

    While most scientists focused on known pollutants, ORD used advanced screening tools to detect GenX, a little-known synthetic “forever chemical”. Despite evidence that GenX was contaminating the river basin since the 1980s, not much was known about its potential to harm living systems.

    Forever chemicals were found to be polluting North Carolina’s Cape Fear River in the US.
    Kosoff/Shutterstock, CC BY-NC-ND

    ORD rapidly filled this void, linking GenX to decreased birth weight and increased mortality in newborn rats, prompting swift regulatory action against the manufacturer to ensure cleaner, safer water for local communities. No other government agency in the world delivers this kind of rapid, science-led response.

    It’s not just the strength of ORD’s science that sets it apart, but also its visionary thinking. Among ORD’s most influential ideas is a model that maps out how a chemical is causing harm.

    This works like a chain of building blocks, linking tiny effects (like a chemical disrupting a hormone) to much bigger problems, such as cancer or even extinction. Each step shows how one change leads to another until it reaches something we truly care about. This approach helps scientists detect danger early, before it leads to irreversible damage.

    Then there’s the EPA’s groundbreaking work in computational toxicology. Nearly two decades ago, leading scientists warned that chemical safety testing relied too heavily on outdated methods and animal experiments.

    In response, ORD built ToxCast, a system that uses tiny cells and computer models to screen thousands of chemicals for effects like endocrine disruption or cell damage. It’s faster, cheaper and more humane, and helps scientists predict which substances may pose serious risks.

    These scientific breakthroughs don’t come from policy offices. They require researchers with the independence to explore and innovate.

    Beyond the US

    Europe has bold goals to phase out animal testing. Much of the science driving this shift comes from ORD.

    Tools like Ecotox (the world’s largest chemical toxicity database) and the CompTox dashboard (a platform that links predictive models and non-animal test data for over a million substances) are widely used across the EU and UK. Without ORD, these vital resources, hosted by EPA, could disappear, stalling global progress toward safer, more ethical chemical testing.

    EPA also collaborates closely with European partners. It maintains formal agreements and joint programmes with the European Chemicals Agency and the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Areas of focus include air quality, computational toxicology and chemical risk assessment.

    ORD is a leading scientific institution with global reach. Its tools and ideas have shaped how governments detect hazardous chemicals, understand their effects, and protect people and the planet. From toxicity databases to modern, non-animal testing methods, ORD underpins how we respond to pollution. Eliminating it would create a dangerous void, just as chemical and climate threats are accelerating.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 45,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Scott Glaberman previously worked at the US EPA.

    North Carolina State University receives funding from the California Air Resources Board for a research project for which Dr. Frey is a co-principal investigator. H. Christopher Frey served from 2022 to 2024 as Assistant Administrator for the Office of Research and Development, and as Science Advisor, at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

    Tamara Tal previously worked at the US EPA in the Office of Research and Development.

    – ref. The US Environmental Protection Agency’s retreat from science endangers the health of people and the planet – https://theconversation.com/the-us-environmental-protection-agencys-retreat-from-science-endangers-the-health-of-people-and-the-planet-260956

    MIL OSI –

    July 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fischer Advances $5 Million for Nebraska’s Research Institutions

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nebraska Deb Fischer

    Today, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that she advanced $5 million for Nebraska’s research institutions through the Senate Appropriations Committee to fund bioeconomy, biomedical, and water quality research efforts. The funding was included in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026Commerce, Justice, and Science (CJS) Appropriations Act, which now awaits consideration on the Senate Floor.

    “Nebraska’s research institutions are the backbone of the future bioeconomy, conservation, and biomedical research workforce. This funding not only fuels groundbreaking research – it strengthens local economies by supporting the contractors and businesses that make this work possible. I’m proud to advance this investment in Nebraska’s innovative research ecosystem and ensure that our institutions have the resources they need to succeed,” Fischer said.

    Funding projects advanced by Fischer for Nebraska are listed below:

    Growing Nebraska’s Bioeconomy
    Project Description:     Purchase equipment and develop space to design, build, test, model, and validate products that grow Nebraska’s bioeconomy.

    The project will provide resources for a new bio-engineering facility to support applications and solutions in biomedical research, agriculture, and biosecurity. Nebraska’s agriculture leadership uniquely positions the state to lead on these solutions across academia, industry, and government.
    Project Location: University of Nebraska – Lincoln
    Amount: $1,000,0000

    Instrumentation for Advanced Water Research
    Project Description:     Equipment upgrades at the Water Sciences Laboratory and Conservation and Survey Division of the University of Nebraska—Lincoln to support water quality research.

    Groundwater as a drinking water source is increasingly impacted by environmental variables and agricultural production. The Water Sciences Laboratory, Conservation and Survey Division, and College of Engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln provide quantitative methods for a wide variety of persistent and emerging challenges in water quality.
    Project Location: University of Nebraska—Lincoln
    Amount: $1,000,000

    Scientific Instrumentation for Biomedical Research
    Project Description:     Modernize and expand comparative biomedical research training at the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK).

    At UNK, experiential learning is a cornerstone of the undergraduate learning experience with each student required to complete a hands-on learning project. A growing number of UNK students are pursuing health care careers. This funding expands and modernizes the current comparative biomedical research infrastructure to meet the demands of training these students.
    Project Location: University of Nebraska—Kearney
    Amount: $3,000,000

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ezell Leads Bipartisan Coalition Requesting Funding for the Lower Mississippi River Comprehensive Management Study

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mike Ezell (Mississippi 4th District)

    Representatives Mike Ezell (R-MS) and Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-LA) led a letter with four other Members of Congress to the Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development asking them to provide at least $7.5 million for the Lower Mississippi River Comprehensive Management Study (LMRCMS) in the next fiscal year. The study aims to provide recommendations for a range of issues related to navigation, flood risk management, water quality, recreation, and ecosystem restoration needs within the Mississippi River and Tributaries system.

    “For nearly a century, the management of the Mississippi River has remained mostly unchanged despite evolving commerce and environmental issues. This study is a pivotal opportunity to align navigation efficiency and safety, flood control systems, and restoration efforts to foster a healthier, safer river system that benefits all stakeholders and river communities,” the Members wrote.

    The USACE sought to complete the $25 million study in five years to provide updated recommendations to Congress and the government by December 2027. Recent extreme high and low water events are creating stressors on the system. This study will propose solutions for the future dynamic operation of structures within the system for successful flood risk management, navigational security, and ecosystem protection. Delays in completing this study can lead to obsolete analysis and cost overruns. Resources are now urgently needed to restart and advance this work.

    The study addresses specific Gulf Coast issues of concern, including saltwater intrusion, which threatens the drinking water supplies of the New Orleans metro region in 2023, and shipping concerns along America’s most important maritime transportation lanes. Other regional issues of concern include addressing agricultural run-off that has led to a 5,500 square mile “dead zone” in the Gulf of America.

    “Funding for the remainder of this study is critical to improving water quality and the long-term health of fisheries and wildlife in the lower Mississippi River Basin,” said Chris Macaluso, director of fisheries and the Mississippi River Program at the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “The Corps has been working closely with anglers and hunters throughout this process and our concerns about water and habitat management are being taken seriously. We cannot afford to lose the progress that’s already been made.”

    “This study can provide us with the opportunity to revitalize and reimagine how we manage the Lower Mississippi River to better serve both people and nature. After 85 years of largely unchanged management, the study will provide recommendations that can modernize flood control, navigation, recreation and restoration,” said Elizabeth Crow, director of government relations for the Mississippi River Basin at the Nature Conservancy. “These solutions will strengthen local economies while also making the lower river safer, healthier and more resilient. Congress needs to fulfill its obligation under the 2020 Water Resources Development Act and restart funding for the Army Corps of Engineers to complete the study. It’s time for the lower river’s management to evolve and meet the needs of today.”

    “This study will provide critically important information to bring the management of the Mississippi River into the 21st Century and find win-win solutions that can protect life and property from flooding and preserve American seafood production in the estuaries of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama affected by distribution of the “fresh” River water. It makes no sense to waste the money already spent by ending this study before it is complete. Many thanks to these Congressmen for their leadership,” said Gerald Blessey, Counsel for the Mississippi Sound Coalition.

    Background:

    The letter was signed by 6 Members of Congress, including Reps. Mike Ezell (R-MS), Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-LA), Cleo Fields (D-LA), Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Steve Cohen (D-TN), and André Carson (D-IN).

    Read the full letter here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: LANCASTER – Department of Conservation Natural Resources to Unveil New Statewide Outdoor Recreation Plan at 2nd Annual Outdoors for All Day at Culliton Park

    Source: US State of Pennsylvania

    July 20, 2025 – Lancaster, PA

    ADVISORY – LANCASTER – Department of Conservation Natural Resources to Unveil New Statewide Outdoor Recreation Plan at 2nd Annual Outdoors for All Day at Culliton Park

    Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Deputy Secretary Claire Jantz, Pennsylvania Director of Outdoor Recreation Nathan Reigner, and DCNR Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Arlene Marshall-Hockensmith will join Lancaster officials, Let’s Go 1-2-3, SoWe, environmental groups, and outdoor industry leaders to celebrate the Commonwealth’s second annual Outdoors for All Day and release a new statewide plan for outdoor recreation.

    The plan, Outdoor Places, Shared Spaces, outlines 14 goals and 55 action steps to meet the outdoor recreation needs of all Pennsylvanians. Outdoors for All Day is part of the Shapiro-Davis Administration’s work to make sure all Pennsylvanians – of all abilities and backgrounds – have the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors.

    WHO:
    DCNR Deputy Secretary Claire Jantz
    Pennsylvania Director of Outdoor Recreation Nathan Reigner
    DCNR Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Arlene Marshall-Hockensmith
    Lancaster Public Works Director Stephen Campell
    Let’s Go 1-2-3 Executive Director Keisha Scovens
    SoWe Communications and Engagement Manager Jacquie Morges

    WHEN:
    Saturday, July 20, 2025, 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
    Speakers will deliver remarks at 1:00 PM

    WHERE:
    Culliton Park
    200 South Water Street
    Lancaster, PA 17603

    MEDIA CONTACT:
    Wesley Robinson, werobinson@pa.gov, 717.877.6315

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: G20 members commit to addressing debt vulnerabilities

    Source: Government of South Africa

    Members of the G20 have pledged to address the mounting debt pressures in low and middle-income economies amid the global financial turbulence.

    This is according to Deputy Finance Minister Dr David Masondo who addressed a media briefing on Friday following the third G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) Meeting held in Kwa-Zulu Natal this week.

    Developing and emerging economies – particularly those in Africa – are grappling with high and rising debt vulnerabilities, shrinking fiscal flexibility and high borrowing costs.

    “[Members]…reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen the implementation of the G20 Common Framework. To give effect to this, the G20 FMCBG endorsed the G20 Note on Lessons Learned from the Initial Common Framework Cases and the G20 Note on Steps of a Debt Restructuring under the Common Framework.

    “These documents have been published on the G20 website. In addition, fact sheets on the Common Framework country cases for Chad, Zambia and Ghana have also been published on the G20 and Paris Club websites to improve information sharing,” he said.

    WATCH | Closing media briefing

    [embedded content]

    In further discussions, the members also acknowledged the G20 Note on Special drawing rights [SDRs] which, the Deputy Minister said, “highlights the achievement of exceeding $100 billion in voluntary channelling of SDRs or equivalent contributions for countries in need.”

    The pledges to this currently stand at some $113.8 billion coming from 35 countries. 

    “Members also underscored the need for enhancing the representation and voice of developing countries in decision-making in MDBs [Multilateral Development Banks]and other international economic and financial institutions.

    “Members recognised the relative resilience of capital flows in Emerging Market and Developing Economies [EMDEs] despite heightened global policy uncertainty – underscored by strong macroeconomic fundamentals and sound policy frameworks.

    “They also highlighted the growing influence of non-bank financial institutions [NBFIs] and stressed the importance of gaining a deeper understanding of their impact on these flows. Members further emphasised the significance of structural reforms in fostering long-term sustainable capital flows to EMDEs,” said the Deputy Minister.

    Energy transitions

    Regarding energy transitions, Masondo said during the meeting, Ministers and central bank Governors considered key recommendations for “enhancing collaboration among Vertical Climate and Environment Funds, Multilateral Development Banks, National Development Banks and the private sector”.

    “Members reaffirmed the urgency of scaling up financing for adaptation and just transitions and reflected on key recommendations emerging from a comprehensive analysis undertaken by multiple knowledge partners. These included guidance on integrating adaptation into voluntary transition planning, addressing insurance protection gaps, scaling financing mechanisms, and strengthening enabling environment.

    “[They] also received an update on the work of the Climate Data Steering Committee, which has developed a set of principles for the development of a Common Carbon Credit Data Model aimed at promoting interoperability and improving transparency of carbon markets. 

    “They noted that the draft data model is currently undergoing a public consultation with both the private and public sectors,” the Deputy Minister said.

    The full communique of the third FMCGB meeting is available at https://www.treasury.gov.za/comm_media/press/2025/3rd%20G20%20FMCBG%20Communique.pdf and on the g20.org website. 

    READ | Fair trade is key cog in global economy 

    The Third Meeting of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) took place on 17 and 18 July 2025 in Durban.

    READ | Global challenges require ‘bold, cooperative leadership’ – Godongwana

    The National Treasury and the South African Reserve Bank are jointly responsible for overseeing the work of the G20 Finance Track under the co-chairship of Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana and Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago.
    – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

    July 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tax credits drive carbon capture deployment in our Annual Energy Outlook

    Source: US Energy Information Administration

    In-brief analysis

    July 18, 2025

    Data source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Annual Energy Outlook 2025 (AEO2025)

    In our recently published Annual Energy Outlook 2025 (AEO2025), we introduce our new Carbon Capture, Allocation, Transportation, and Sequestration module (CCATS), which allows us to model carbon capture in the coming decades.

    The CCATS module allocates projected supply of captured CO2 across the energy system for either enhanced oil recovery or geologic storage using a network representation of capture facilities, transshipment points, and sequestration sites.

    In AEO2025, we project CO2 capture at electric power and industrial facilities will increase through the 2030s, primarily due to increased tax credit values. Captured emissions peak at 1.5%–3.5% of energy emissions in the late 2030s in most cases.

    In most of our cases, we considered laws and regulations in place as of December 2024, which meant including tax credit values implemented under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). We did not include changes in the recent One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), which essentially preserved tax credits for carbon capture but made them more generous in the case of utilization.

    Under the IRA, developers could claim the tax credits, known as 45Q, for projects that begin construction before January 1, 2033, for up to 12 years once placed in service. The 12-year period will end between the late 2030s through the mid-2040s. We project CO2 capture will decrease as the tax credits expire through 2050 across all AEO2025 cases.

    How do CO2 capture rates look through 2050?
    Projected peak CO2 capture amounts vary by AEO2025 case. In the Reference case, CO2 capture peaks at just under 71 million metric tons (MMmt) in 2039, or about 2% of overall energy emissions. Projected peak captured emissions are lowest in the Alternative Electricity case, at 56 MMmt in 2037, and highest in the High Oil Price case, at 122 MMmt in 2039.

    Our Alternative Electricity case has less carbon capture activity because it does not model Clean Air Act 111 regulations implemented in 2024, which effectively require carbon capture for coal and natural gas power plants. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently proposed to repeal the rule.

    Data source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Annual Energy Outlook 2025
    Note: ZTC= Zero-Carbon Technology Cost

    Historically, most CO2 capture has occurred at ethanol and natural gas processing plants. We project CO2 capture at coal power plants, natural gas power plants, and hydrogen facilities to surpass these industries across many of the AEO2025 cases. In addition, we project that no bioenergy with carbon capture and storage is deployed in any of our cases, and CO2 capture at cement facilities remains small—between 1 MMmt and 2.5 MMmt in 2035.

    How will CO2 be sequestered?
    We modeled CO2 sequestered in saline storage—deep underground formations containing saltwater—and injected into oil fields to increase output, a process known as enhanced oil recovery (EOR). The 45Q tax credit under the IRA was $60 per metric ton of CO2 for EOR and $85 per metric ton for saline storage. The recently passed OBBBA increased the value of the credit for EOR to $85 per metric ton, but the new value is not included in our analysis.

    In all our cases, we project captured CO2 sent to saline storage will increase through the mid- to late-2030s. In the Reference case, we project CO2 sequestered in saline storage will increase from essentially none in 2024 to 52 MMmt in 2040. Less CO2 is sequestered in saline formations after 2041 as the 45Q tax credits expire because we do not model other sources of revenue.

    We project CO2 sequestered for EOR sites will increase in the Reference case from 12 MMmt of CO2 in 2024 to 26 MMmt of CO2 in 2044. The amount of CO2 sequestered at EOR sites through the projection period stays relatively steady because revenue from increased oil production supports the projects even after 45Q tax credits expire.

    What portion of emissions is captured and sequestered?

    Data source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Annual Energy Outlook 2025

    CO2 capture remains small relative to overall energy emissions across AEO2025 cases. We project that for the electric power sector, gross emissions decline in all cases while CO2 capture increases. Peak CO2 capture in the electric power sector ranges from 2.8% to 15.6% of sector emissions, depending on the AEO2025 case. In the industrial sector, we project that gross CO2 emissions increase in most cases and captured CO2 emissions remain low. Peak CO2 capture ranges from 2.6% to 3.9% of industrial sector emissions in our projections.

    Previous Today in Energy articles for the AEO2025 presented key findings on crude oil and natural gas exports, energy consumption growth, and electricity use for commercial computing.

    Principal contributors: Will Sommer, Jeff Bennett, Kendyl Partridge, Anna Cororaton

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Britain’s ban on lead ammunition could save tens of thousands of birds from poisoning

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Deborah Pain, Visiting Academic, University of Cambridge; Honorary Professor, University of East Anglia, University of Cambridge

    CHUYKO SERGEY/Shutterstock

    The UK’s environment minister Emma Hardy has announced a ban on toxic lead ammunition to protect Britain’s countryside. This ban includes the sale and use for hunting of both lead shotgun ammunition (each cartridge of which contains hundreds of small lead pellets called “shot”), used mainly for hunting small game animals like gamebirds, and large calibre lead bullets, used for hunting large game animals like deer.

    This is great news for Britain’s birds because the ban will eventually prevent the deaths and suffering of the vast numbers affected by lead poisoning each year after ingesting lead from ammunition.

    Most shot fired do not hit their targets and thousands of tonnes of lead shot are scattered in the environment every year.

    Waterbirds and land-based gamebirds mistakenly eat these because they look like food or the grit they ingest to help grind up their food. Shot are retained in their gizzards (a muscular part of the stomach), ground up, and the lead dissolved and absorbed into the bloodstream.

    Lead poisoning kills an estimated 50,000-100,000 waterbirds annually in the UK. These birds suffer considerably before they die. Many more birds are poisoned, but not killed.

    While this additional “sublethal” poisoning does not kill birds directly, they may be more likely to die of other causes. This is because lead poisoning affects the immune system and behaviour.

    Gamebirds will no longer be able to be killed using lead shot under a new ban in Britain.
    AdamEdwards/Shutterstock

    The use of lead shot for hunting waterfowl and over certain wetlands is already banned in England and Wales. It is also banned for shooting over all wetlands in Scotland.

    However, compliance with the regulations in England is only about 30%, and is also low in Scotland, although has not been measured in Wales. This new comprehensive ban should dramatically improve the situation across all habitats throughout Britain.

    Birds of prey, including eagles, common buzzards and red kites ingest lead fragments when they scavenge flesh from animals killed by lead ammunition, or prey on animals wounded by lead ammunition. The acidic conditions in their stomachs help dissolve the lead.

    Our research shows that while fewer birds of prey than waterbirds are estimated to die of lead poisoning, it can have a far greater effect on their populations, especially for species that first breed at a later age, produce fewer young, and would otherwise have higher annual adult survival rates.

    The lead ban will benefit birds that live in Britain permanently or for just part of the year. But it will not entirely solve the problem for migratory species. If lead shot continues to be used elsewhere, these species may still ingest it on migration or on their breeding or wintering grounds.

    Beyond borders

    To protect all species, lead ammunition needs to be replaced by non-lead alternatives everywhere. The use of lead shot is already banned in many wetlands globally. Across the EU, a ban on the use of lead shot in or close to wetlands came into force in February 2023.

    Denmark was the first country to ban lead ammunition across all habitats. In 1996, it banned the use of lead shot and in April 2024, it banned lead bullets. Our research shows that the lead shot ban in Denmark has been very effective, with good levels of compliance.

    Now, Britain is set to become the second country to ban most uses of lead ammunition. This has been made possible by the increasing availability of safe, efficient and affordable non-lead ammunition alternatives, primarily steel shot and copper bullets.

    In February 2025, the European Commission published a draft regulation banning most uses of lead ammunition and fishing weights. This awaits approval under EU processes – if successful, it will represent a major step forward.

    Beyond birds

    Birds are particularly susceptible to the effects of ingested lead from ammunition due to their muscular gizzards and stomach acidity. But it also puts the health of many other animals at risk, including pets and people.

    In the UK, we found average lead concentrations in raw pheasant dog food from three suppliers to be tens of times the legal maximum residue limit for lead in animal feed.

    The UK government based its decision to ban lead ammunition on a report by the Health and Safety Executive which highlighted risks to the health of young children and women of pregnancy age if they frequently eat meat from game hunted with lead ammunition. Children’s developing nervous systems are particularly sensitive to the effects of lead.

    We recently urged the EU’s committee of member states for Reach (the chemicals regulation), the European parliament and council to fully support the European Commission’s proposal to restrict lead ammunition.

    We also encouraged the European Food Safety Authority to recommend that the European Commission set a legal maximum level for lead in game meat marketed for human consumption. This maximum level should be similar to the one already set for meat from most farmed animals.

    Until this happens, and more countries follow suit by banning all use of lead ammunition for hunting, the health of wildlife, domestic animals and vulnerable groups of people will continue to be threatened by the toxic effects of lead from ammunition.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 45,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Deborah Pain is an Honorary Professor at the University of East Anglia (Biological Sciences) and a Visiting Academic in the Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge. She has been an independent scientist since April 2018. She has received no remuneration for research on lead poisoning since that time, but, along with colleagues, has received funding for the costs of research and chemical analysis from a number of sources, as acknowledged in published papers. She was a member of the UK REACH Independent Scientific Expert Pool (RISEP) and within this the Challenge Panel on Lead in Ammunition and received payment for that work. However, her published research on lead poisoning was independent of that process.

    Rhys Green has received funding for research from several organisations including the RSPB, where he was principal conservation scientist until 2017. He is now retired. He is an unpaid volunteer research scientist at RSPB and Emeritus Honorary Professor of Conservation Science in the Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge. He is a member of the UK REACH Independent Scientific Expert Pool (RISEP), which is an expert group set up by a UK government agency, the Health & Safety Executive. He receives occasional payments for work done on behalf of RISEP. He is on the Board of Trustees of Chester Zoo.

    Niels Kanstrup does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Britain’s ban on lead ammunition could save tens of thousands of birds from poisoning – https://theconversation.com/britains-ban-on-lead-ammunition-could-save-tens-of-thousands-of-birds-from-poisoning-260958

    MIL OSI –

    July 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Bluetongue outbreak endangers UK livestock – what you need to know about the virus

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Cate Williams, Knowledge Exchange Fellow at Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University

    Bluetongue causes illness and death in cattle, sheep, goats and other ruminants. Juice Flair/Shutterstock

    A tiny midge, no bigger than a pinhead, is bringing UK farming to its knees. The culprit? A strain of the bluetongue virus that’s never been seen before.

    As of July 1, the whole of England has been classed as an “infected area” due to bluetongue virus serotype 3 (BTV-3).

    There are movement restrictions and testing in place in Scotland, Wales and the island of Ireland. No animals from England – or that have passed through England – are allowed to attend this year’s Royal Welsh Show on July 21-24, for example.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    The virus, which causes illness and death in sheep, cattle, goats and other ruminants, is spread by biting midges. Although it poses no risk to humans and can’t be transmitted from one animal to another, the latest outbreak is more severe than previous ones. And it could cause lasting damage to UK farming.

    Bluetongue isn’t new to the UK, however. A different strain, BTV-8 was detected in 2007 and contained. But BTV-3 is a different story. First detected in the Netherlands in late 2023, it was quickly spotted in the UK, where an early containment effort initially appeared successful.

    But the virus made a comeback in autumn 2024 – and this time it spread. On its second attempt, the virus was able to circulate and caused an outbreak. With little existing immunity, BTV-3 has now established itself, prompting concerns about animal welfare, food production and farming livelihoods.

    What does the disease do?

    Sheep tend to be the most severely affected, though all ruminants are at risk. Clinical signs are species-specific but can include swelling of the face, congestion, nasal discharge, ulcers in the mouth and nose, difficulty breathing and abortion or birth deformities.

    Bluetongue can cause the animal’s tongue to swell. It can also turn blue from lack of blood flow – although this is somewhat rare.

    Bluetongue disease causes suffering in animals, and while there is a vaccine, there is no treatment for the disease once it’s contracted.

    BTV-3 appears to be more lethal than earlier strains. In the Netherlands, vets report that BTV-3 is causing more severe symptoms than BTV-8 did.

    Vets in England reported that in some herds 25-40% of cows failed to get pregnant, and there was a high rate of birth defects and stillborn calves. One farm in Suffolk started the calving season with 25% of their cows not pregnant and ended with just 48 calves from 97 cows.

    Belgium has seen a fall in calf births, reduced milk deliveries and higher mortality in small ruminants compared to the previous three years.

    How is it spread?

    Bluetongue virus is transmitted by midges from the Culicoides genus. These are tiny, biting insects that thrive in mild, wet conditions.

    Multiple midges can bite the same animal, and it only takes one of them to carry BTV before that animal becomes a host for further transmission. When animals are transported long distances, infected individuals can be bitten again and introduce the virus to previously uninfected midge populations.

    Climate change is making outbreaks like this more likely. Milder winters and cooler, wetter summers are ideal for midges, increasing both their numbers and their biting activity.

    While there’s no danger to human health, the consequences of BTV-3 are far-reaching. Limitations on movement, exports and imports are being imposed to help prevent the spread of the disease, but this could also hamper farming practices and trade.

    The disease and its associated restrictions pose another source of stress for farmers, 95% of whom have ranked mental health as the biggest hidden problem in farming.

    Genetic pick and mix

    One of the reasons bluetongue is so tricky to manage is its ability to evolve. It has a segmented genome, meaning its genetic material, in this case RNA, is split into ten segments. This characteristic is exclusive to “reassortment viruses” and means that they can easily exchange segments of RNA. It’s like a genetic pick and mix with ten different types of sweets that come in an unlimited number of flavours.

    This allows BTV to create new, genetically distinct “serotypes”, which may have a selective advantage or a disadvantage. Those with an advantage will emerge and spread successfully, while those with a disadvantage will not emerge at all. This process, known as “reassortment”, is partly responsible for the numerous influenza pandemics throughout history and has even allowed diseases to jump the species barrier.

    Although bluetongue doesn’t affect humans directly, its spread poses a growing threat to the UK’s livestock sector and food supply. It’s important to learn from other countries that are further along in the BTV-3 outbreak so that the likely effects can be anticipated in the UK.

    Cate Williams does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Bluetongue outbreak endangers UK livestock – what you need to know about the virus – https://theconversation.com/bluetongue-outbreak-endangers-uk-livestock-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-virus-260229

    MIL OSI –

    July 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Peters, Johnson Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Digitize the Permitting Process

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Scott Peters (52nd District of California)

    The ePermit Act would digitize the permitting process across the federal government

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representatives Scott Peters (D-CA) and Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) introduced the bipartisan ePermit Act to digitize the United States permitting process, reducing processing time for all federal permits, including National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reviews.

    In April, President Trump published a memorandum to emphasize the importance of modernizing permitting technology. This process began under the Biden Administration in the codification of an e-NEPA study that explored the creation of a digital permitting system. The ePermit Act builds on this momentum and provides legislative clarity and direction on how agencies should implement such an electronic permitting system.

    “Our permitting system is old, complicated, and slow — if we want to build the infrastructure, roads, bridges, broadband, and clean energy of the future, we need to modernize and streamline the permit process,” said Peters. “Our bipartisan ePermit Act builds on the efforts of the last two administrations and brings our permitting process into the 21st century. I look forward to working with Representative Johnson to pass this commonsense bill into law.”

    “The government, industries, and citizens all agree that it takes too long to build in America,” said Johnson. “Completing the permitting process by paper is an archaic waste of time. Digitizing the system will speed up the process, save federal dollars, and cut down delays. Making this commonsense change will unleash investment in American communities and workers.”

    Background:

    The current permitting process has failed to ensure project permitting is on-time and on-task. Oftentimes, the root causes of delays in the environmental review process have little to do with questions about environmental protection and a lot to do with failure to embrace modern technology and move on from legacy bureaucratic approaches, like paper forms.

    Congress must address the root causes for delays, which include compiling and reviewing lengthy paper documents, a lack of accessibility and transparency – leading to misunderstanding, conflicts, and all too often, protracted litigation – and continued reliance on outdated technologies and processes for interagency review and comment.

    The ePermit Act would address these root causes by establishing a framework for agencies to implement a digital permitting system and unified portal.

    Click here for bill text.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: SIM Mining Launches Enhanced Cloud Mining Security Measures Today

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Lancaster, UK, July 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As institutional and retail interest in cryptocurrency mining continues to accelerate, SIM Mining has implemented a suite of enhanced security protocols designed to safeguard user data and platform operations. The announcement follows a broader industry trend prioritising secure, automated, and energy-efficient blockchain infrastructure amid rising cloud mining adoption.

    According to a recent article on Yahoo Finance, leading cloud mining providers are scaling renewable-powered facilities while increasing transparency and mitigating risk. In response, SIM Mining has reviewed and reinforced its encrypted platform to align with these evolving standards, ensuring a secure environment for digital asset mining.

    The latest audit of SIM Mining’s infrastructure, conducted by an external cybersecurity firm, focused on key risk areas including data encryption, access authentication, and network resilience. Following the review, the platform integrated multi-layer firewalls, real-time threat detection systems, and regionally distributed data backups. These improvements aim to address increasing cyber threats associated with cloud-based blockchain services.

    “In today’s digital economy, trust begins with infrastructure,” said Elena Kim, Chief Security Officer at SIM Mining. “Our priority is to provide users with a secure cloud mining environment that adapts to evolving risk landscapes, regulatory expectations, and sustainability demands.”

    Cloud Mining Trends and Security Expectations

    The global cloud mining sector is undergoing significant evolution in 2025. Industry data shows that

    • Over 60% of cloud mining services now use renewable energy sources.
    • Approximately 50% of all new users prioritise platforms with verified third-party security audits.
    • The adoption rate of AI-powered automation in mining operations has risen by over 35% year-over-year.

    This momentum signals a shift from speculative trading to infrastructure-focused participation, where ease of access and data protection are critical components. SIM Mining’s recent platform hardening efforts directly address these user expectations while supporting broader ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) initiatives.

    A Global Rollout of Security-First Infrastructure

    As part of the announcement, SIM Mining confirmed its phased rollout of new security architecture across North America, Europe, and parts of Asia. The upgrade includes region-specific compliance enhancements, encrypted traffic protocols, and isolated recovery nodes designed to withstand physical and digital threats.

    In addition to platform-level changes, SIM Mining has expanded its global support infrastructure, introducing multilingual assistance teams and localized safety briefings for users in more than 100 countries. These efforts aim to democratize access to mining while educating users on safe participation in the blockchain economy.

    “We recognise that many of our users are entering this space for the first time,” added Kim. “Providing secure infrastructure is one thing; helping users understand and benefit from it is equally important.”

    Focus on Sustainable and Compliant Operations

    Aligned with the industry’s clean energy shift, SIM Mining’s data centers operate on renewable sources, including solar and wind power. This commitment not only helps reduce the environmental impact of mining but also supports platform scalability under growing demand.

    Security enhancements were developed in parallel with sustainability improvements, creating a model of resilient, responsible infrastructure—one that meets increasing scrutiny from regulatory agencies and institutional stakeholders.

    About SIM Mining

    SIM Mining is a technology-driven cloud mining platform offering secure, encrypted, and sustainable blockchain participation to users worldwide. The platform integrates automated mining tools, renewable-powered data centers, and enterprise-grade security to deliver a streamlined and accessible digital asset experience.

    Learn more at: https://simmining.com

    Media contact:
    Full name: Olive Wild
    Email: info@simmining.com
    Website: https://simmining.com 
    City: Lancaster; Country: United Kingdom
    Address: Dalton House, 9 Dalton Square

    Disclaimer: This release is strictly informational and not intended as investment or legal guidance. Cryptocurrency markets remain volatile. Please consult a financial professional before investing.

    Attachment

    • SIM Mining

    The MIL Network –

    July 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Government assures the public on ARV residues in drinking water

    Source: Government of South Africa

    The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has assured the public that the presence of anti-retroviral (ARV) residues in drinking water poses no health risk and cannot result in HIV transmission.

    This follows the release of a study by North West University’s Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management and the Africa Unit for Transdisciplinary Health Research, which found measurable levels of ARV residues in some South African water sources.

    The report, titled “Quantification, Fate, and Hazard Assessment of HIV-ARVs in Water Resources”, revealed that ARVs are entering the water supply primarily through municipal wastewater treatment systems.

    These facilities, originally not designed to eliminate such pharmaceutical compounds, allow residues to pass into rivers and into drinking water sources.

    The most detected ARVs included lopinavir and efavirenz, with concentrations at some sites far exceeding global norms.

    Despite this, the department emphasised that the presence of ARV residues in drinking water is harmless, although “prolonged exposure to the broader population may lead to antimicrobial resistance, a subject of ongoing research”.

    In a joint statement with the Water Research Commission (WRC), the department noted that the appearance of ARVs in water is a result of South Africa’s massive programme to curb HIV and AIDS treatment programme.

    As a result, traces of ARVs are entering municipal sewage systems and passing through these systems into rivers.

    “Pharmaceuticals such as ARVs are drugs used to treat diseases – they do not cause diseases. Therefore, the presence of traces of ARVs in the water will not result in people contracting HIV.

    “At present, there is limited knowledge of environmental toxicity, potential adverse effects on ecosystems and viral resistance of these compounds. The study did not find any ARVs in fish,” the department said.

    Emerging global challenge

    The Water Research Commission, alongside local and international partner research organisations, has since early 2000 commissioned several studies on the presence of contaminants of emerging concern (CEC) in water resources and drinking water.

    The WRC’s research has focused on CECs such as microplastics, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals that could potentially pose risks to human health and the environment. These studies inform the water quality guidelines and regulations issued by DWS.

    “However, CECs are a relatively new area of research globally, particularly relating to the causes and effects of CEC, the human health risks, treatment methods to remove CECs, and potential regulatory measures that can be taken to address the problem.”

    The study commissioned by the WRC and carried out by North West University found that:

    • Almost all the concentrations in drinking water samples at the test sites were below limits of quantification. The most frequently detected compound was fluconazole (28 detections from 72 samples), with concentrations ranging between 0.06-1.8 μg/L (nanograms per litre).
    • Nevirapine and efavirenz were the second most detected compounds, both with 22 detections out of 72 samples.
    • However, on average, lopinavir and efavirenz had the highest concentrations of the compounds analysed, while Didanosine and zidovudine were the least detected compounds (2 and 6 detections out of 72 samples).

    The department has also assured that the key water quality risks to human health of a biological and microbiological nature, are well understood and regulated in South Africa.

    “The South African National Standard SANS241 for water quality is based on World Health Organisation standards, ensuring that the human health risks are mitigated. 

    “This has enabled DWS to implement monitoring programmes such as the blue and green drop programmes to provide information to the public on the performance of municipal water and wastewater systems relative to SANS241.

    “The traces of pharmaceuticals, microplastics and other such CECs that have been found in water resources in South Africa are very small quantities, measured in nanograms (one billionth of a gram). Conventional water and wastewater treatment technologies are designed to remove much larger contaminants such as particles of faeces and bacteria,” the department said.

    To access the report visit: wrc.org.za/wp-content/uploads/mdocs/2594 – Volume 1.pdf and https://wrcwebsite.azurewebsites.net/wp-content/uploads/mdocs/31661.pdf. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

    July 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: About a third of pregnant women in the US lack sufficient vitamin D to support healthy pregnancies − new research

    Source: The Conversation – USA (3) – By Melissa Melough, Assistant Professor of Nutrition Science, University of Delaware

    Higher vitamin D levels in a mother’s blood during pregnancy have been linked to higher IQ scores in early childhood and reduced behavioral problems.
     gpointstudio/iStock via Getty Images

    Children whose mothers had higher vitamin D levels during pregnancy scored better on tests of memory, attention and problem-solving skills at ages 7 to 12 compared with those whose mothers had lower levels. That is a key finding of a new peer-reviewed study that my colleagues and I published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

    While vitamin D has long been known for its role in maintaining bone health, scientists have since uncovered its importance in regulating immune function, reducing inflammation and protecting the nervous system. Now, growing evidence – including our new findings – suggest it may also support brain development beginning in the womb.

    My team and I found that the link between prenatal vitamin D levels and childhood cognition was strongest among Black families, who also face higher rates of vitamin D deficiency.

    This suggests that vitamin D supplementation may be a promising, low-cost strategy to support brain development while reducing racial disparities. Our study also suggested that vitamin D levels early in pregnancy may be most important for childhood cognitive development, highlighting the importance of early action by health care providers.

    We analyzed more than 900 mother-child pairs across the U.S. who participated in a large national study called ECHO, short for Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes. We measured vitamin D in the mothers’ blood during pregnancy and assessed children’s cognitive abilities using a standardized test battery. We also accounted for other important factors that shape childhood development such as the mother’s education, neighborhood conditions and the child’s age and sex.

    This new study builds on our earlier findings that higher vitamin D levels during pregnancy are linked to higher IQ in early childhood and with reduced behavioral problems in middle childhood.

    Collectively, these studies suggest that vitamin D plays a crucial role in brain development during pregnancy, with lasting benefits for children’s cognitive and behavioral outcomes.

    The children of mothers who had higher vitamin D levels during pregnancy scored better on tests of memory, attention and problem-solving skills at ages 7 to 12.
    Prostock-Studio/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    Why it matters

    Vitamin D deficiency is a common global problem.

    In the U.S., about 42% of adults have vitamin D levels below 20 nanograms per milliliter, or ng/ml, a commonly used cutoff for deficiency. About a third of U.S. pregnant women are deficient, and the rates are even higher among Black pregnant women, with 80% found to be deficient. This racial difference is partly due to differences in skin pigmentation, as melanin pigment reduces the skin’s ability to produce vitamin D from sunlight.

    Although we can get vitamin D both from sun exposure and our diets, deficiency is common because these sources don’t meet everyone’s needs. Sunlight isn’t always a reliable source, especially for people with darker skin, those living in northern climates or those who often wear sunscreen or sun-protective clothing. Natural food sources such as fatty fish, egg yolks and certain mushrooms contain some vitamin D, and fortified products such as milk and breakfast cereals help, but not everyone eats enough of these foods to maintain healthy vitamin D levels.

    That’s why supplements are often necessary and are recommended in many cases by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

    Although current guidelines recommend that pregnant women consume 600 international units, or IUs, of vitamin D daily, higher doses of at least 1,000 to 2,000 IU are often needed to correct deficiency. On average, U.S. women consume only 168 IU from food and beverages, and many prenatal vitamins provide just 400 IU. This highlights an important opportunity for clinicians to improve screening and support around vitamin D supplementation both before and during pregnancy.

    If a simple, low-cost strategy such as prenatal vitamin D supplementation can help support brain development, it may yield lasting benefits for children. Long-term studies have shown that higher cognitive scores in childhood are linked to better memory and reasoning in older age, as well as longer lifespan.

    What still isn’t known

    While our studies have linked higher vitamin D levels in pregnancy to improved cognitive and behavioral development in children, we cannot yet prove that vitamin D is the direct cause.

    Therefore, studies called randomized controlled trials – the gold standard of research – are needed to confirm these findings and determine how best to translate them into clinical practice. These studies will be essential for determining the optimal target levels for vitamin D to support brain development in pregnancy.

    The Research Brief is a short take on interesting academic work.

    Melissa Melough receives funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

    – ref. About a third of pregnant women in the US lack sufficient vitamin D to support healthy pregnancies − new research – https://theconversation.com/about-a-third-of-pregnant-women-in-the-us-lack-sufficient-vitamin-d-to-support-healthy-pregnancies-new-research-259433

    MIL OSI –

    July 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: EU efforts to measure companies’ environmental impacts have global effects. Here’s how to make them more just

    Source: The Conversation – France – By Mira Manini Tiwari, Research Associate at the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, European University Institute

    If you choose to buy a sustainable product at the supermarket, or invest in a sustainable portfolio at your bank, how far does that sustainability reach? Does the product’s “sustainable” label account for the environmental and labour costs where the raw materials were extracted? Does the portfolio include renewable energy in countries where the investment is needed most?

    In the EU, whether you are an individual or represent a company or financial institution, these questions are governed by the bloc’s non-financial reporting (NFR) regulations. The latest ones include the European Sustainable Reporting Standards (ESRS), which are gradually coming into force through 2029. The ESRS set out reporting standards and requirements, while the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) determines which companies these standards apply to, to what extent, and when.

    These EU regulations also have strong implications for the Majority World, the countries and territories outside Europe and North America where most people live, at a time when global, systemic policy effects are more important than ever. As supply chains become longer and more interconnected, and as communities involved in them confront the fragilities of economic, political and climate shifts, the regulations that govern the sustainability of these chains and that enable or prohibit participation in them must be crafted and implemented to minimise harm to the most vulnerable.

    In an article in Environment and Development Economics, my co-authors and I developed a set of proposals to improve the global sustainability of the NFR regulations. These call for collaborative development of regulations across the value chain, better data accessibility, measuring of and accounting for cross-border environmental damage, and greater integrity and engagement from financial actors.


    A weekly e-mail in English featuring expertise from scholars and researchers. It provides an introduction to the diversity of research coming out of the continent and considers some of the key issues facing European countries. Get the newsletter!

    Cooperation, not compliance

    As the ESRS come into force, reporting requirements are being applied to companies’ full value chains. This means that Majority World actors, such as those that extract raw materials for European products, may be indirectly subjected to the NFR regulations. This is important, as it holds companies and consumers, EU and non, accountable for the ethics of the goods and services they rely on. However, when regulations are built without directly involving those they will affect, they risk causing collateral, longer-term damage. For example, reporting requirements that feel inaccessible to smaller organisations can foster distrust and backlash, or cause companies to withdraw from contexts where data are less accessible, taking away key sources of income for communities.

    While global climate negotiations have come under public scrutiny for their Minority World dominance, there has been relatively less scrutiny of global organisations governing financial and corporate sustainability standards. On their boards, the Majority World is conspicuous by its absence, demonstrating the dearth of attention to its agency in enabling greater sustainability, both locally and globally. European investors and policymakers are already shifting capital from the Majority World back to the EU in response to the NFR regulations, citing the difficulty of accounting for activities along the length of value chains. The damage falls on livelihoods, industries and essential investments, such as in renewable energy, which can suddenly disappear.

    Developing NFR regulations in collaboration with all stakeholders, rather than only at the top, can provide a regulatory landscape that is, from the outset, more implementable, accessible and effective in the long run.

    Democratic data and digitalisation

    Efficacy in global NFR regulations relies on global data cooperation, which could lower the administrative burden on those reporting and enable greater accountability. The increasing number of EU NFR regulations do not exist in a vacuum: they have been accompanied by shifts in global regulations and a proliferation of national regulations. With regulations expanding to cover the full value chain, actors are increasingly likely to be subjected to multiple regulatory bodies, or have to provide data to reporting entities upstream. The time, financial resources and practical challenges involved in identifying, collecting, processing and sharing data are considerable, both for those submitting data and those receiving and verifying them. This makes divestment or significant losses more likely. Furthermore, the expansion of regulations can result in isolated streams of data and closed-circuit processes, which, in turn, cut out civil society organisations and individuals who use data to help hold firms to account for their social and environmental responsibilities.

    Aside from EU calls for a European Single Access Point for corporate data, Majority World contexts offer particularly fertile ground for reimagining and building data infrastructures. Digitalisation in low- and middle-income countries is growing rapidly, and demonstrates the ability to make digital financial and business instruments democratic and accessible to those with the fewest resources. Such efforts should involve statisticians and local data experts from the outset to determine and harmonise appropriate data, along with transnational entities with the mandate of establishing links across data systems.

    Support for international emissions accounting

    Corporate reporting on environmental impacts must be accompanied by their reduction. Indeed, the work and transparency required to identify impacts in the first place, let alone mitigate them, underpins decisions to simply detach from the system, moving economic activity to local contexts where impacts are more traceable.

    Firms that cannot afford to bring their activities onshore must account for emissions that occur from assets not directly under their ownership or control, which are known as Scope 3 emissions. In some cases, these emissions constitute well over half of a firm’s total value chain emissions. However, the implementation of the ESRS has designated the reporting of Scope 3 emissions, and climate impacts in general, to be largely discretionary, under the condition that firms provide evaluations of the economic and material implications of a given activity in their value chains.

    The glaring gaps between some firms’ targets, actions and declarations are in part enabled by reporting systems that allow the omission of more distant climate risks and impacts, maintaining the misalignment between climate pledges and actions aimed at achieving them. While the number of firms showing readiness to comply with Scope 3 accounting is increasing, data on global investor preferences suggests that investors do not necessarily prioritise companies’ performance on these emissions when making investment decisions. For ethics to exist on the ground, they must be prioritised in financial flows.

    Investment with integrity

    In light of the above, financial institutions have a core responsibility to engage with NFR. These institutions’ economic leverage and centrality in the value chains and activities of several sectors give them incentivising power to catalyse a shift from the submission of reports to the building of living data systems and the achievement of fuller value chain accountability. Currently, many investors are not willing to accept reductions in their returns in exchange for the pursuit of social or environmental goals. Surveys suggest this is in part due to perceptions of low quality of environmental information, limited ability to assess the data received, and the difficulty of making investment decisions accordingly. In the current landscape of Minority World-led reporting, such mistrust is likely to be greater with respect to Majority World data, reiterating the need for data systems and reporting mechanisms built on equal footing.

    Financial institutions can operate proactively, using their privileged access to data to bridge Minority and Majority World actors engaging in sustainable practices, such as microfinance bodies, local communities and relevant investors. Doing so could plug, at least in part, an information and trust gap that can hinder Minority World firms’ investment in unfamiliar contexts.

    Regulating for whom?

    The research underpinning our article initially involved a recommendation on streamlining and supporting reporting by small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which account for more than 60% of the EU’s corporate emissions. For these firms, especially, regulators face a critical balance between lowering the entry barrier of the reporting ecosystem and setting robust environmental targets. The nature, data points and timelines of reporting under the CSRD are currently under review following calls for simplification and greater support, and decision-makers are wrestling with the tension between accessibility and integrity.

    Our work also included a recommendation that turns from the supply side, the focus of the preceding proposals, to the demand side: the data and sustainability literacy of the individual who walks into the supermarket to buy that sustainable product, or wants family investments to do more good than harm. Across sectors – public policy, investment and citizen engagement – resources must be dedicated to these literacies, so that actors are better placed to hold each other to account. Regulation becomes easily abstracted, reduced to figures and PDFs, databases and scores. Beneath each regulation is a world of citizens whose homes, livelihoods and health depend on them.

    The author was affiliated with the University of Siena during the period in which she and her colleagues did the original work for the scholarly article that is mentioned in this piece. The author’s affiliation came via a project that, overall, was financed by the Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). The scholarly article and the present article were not outputs for the project.

    – ref. EU efforts to measure companies’ environmental impacts have global effects. Here’s how to make them more just – https://theconversation.com/eu-efforts-to-measure-companies-environmental-impacts-have-global-effects-heres-how-to-make-them-more-just-261226

    MIL OSI Analysis –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: EU efforts to measure companies’ environmental impacts have global effects. Here’s how to make them more just

    Source: The Conversation – France – By Mira Manini Tiwari, Research Associate at the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, European University Institute

    If you choose to buy a sustainable product at the supermarket, or invest in a sustainable portfolio at your bank, how far does that sustainability reach? Does the product’s “sustainable” label account for the environmental and labour costs where the raw materials were extracted? Does the portfolio include renewable energy in countries where the investment is needed most?

    In the EU, whether you are an individual or represent a company or financial institution, these questions are governed by the bloc’s non-financial reporting (NFR) regulations. The latest ones include the European Sustainable Reporting Standards (ESRS), which are gradually coming into force through 2029. The ESRS set out reporting standards and requirements, while the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) determines which companies these standards apply to, to what extent, and when.

    These EU regulations also have strong implications for the Majority World, the countries and territories outside Europe and North America where most people live, at a time when global, systemic policy effects are more important than ever. As supply chains become longer and more interconnected, and as communities involved in them confront the fragilities of economic, political and climate shifts, the regulations that govern the sustainability of these chains and that enable or prohibit participation in them must be crafted and implemented to minimise harm to the most vulnerable.

    In an article in Environment and Development Economics, my co-authors and I developed a set of proposals to improve the global sustainability of the NFR regulations. These call for collaborative development of regulations across the value chain, better data accessibility, measuring of and accounting for cross-border environmental damage, and greater integrity and engagement from financial actors.


    A weekly e-mail in English featuring expertise from scholars and researchers. It provides an introduction to the diversity of research coming out of the continent and considers some of the key issues facing European countries. Get the newsletter!

    Cooperation, not compliance

    As the ESRS come into force, reporting requirements are being applied to companies’ full value chains. This means that Majority World actors, such as those that extract raw materials for European products, may be indirectly subjected to the NFR regulations. This is important, as it holds companies and consumers, EU and non, accountable for the ethics of the goods and services they rely on. However, when regulations are built without directly involving those they will affect, they risk causing collateral, longer-term damage. For example, reporting requirements that feel inaccessible to smaller organisations can foster distrust and backlash, or cause companies to withdraw from contexts where data are less accessible, taking away key sources of income for communities.

    While global climate negotiations have come under public scrutiny for their Minority World dominance, there has been relatively less scrutiny of global organisations governing financial and corporate sustainability standards. On their boards, the Majority World is conspicuous by its absence, demonstrating the dearth of attention to its agency in enabling greater sustainability, both locally and globally. European investors and policymakers are already shifting capital from the Majority World back to the EU in response to the NFR regulations, citing the difficulty of accounting for activities along the length of value chains. The damage falls on livelihoods, industries and essential investments, such as in renewable energy, which can suddenly disappear.

    Developing NFR regulations in collaboration with all stakeholders, rather than only at the top, can provide a regulatory landscape that is, from the outset, more implementable, accessible and effective in the long run.

    Democratic data and digitalisation

    Efficacy in global NFR regulations relies on global data cooperation, which could lower the administrative burden on those reporting and enable greater accountability. The increasing number of EU NFR regulations do not exist in a vacuum: they have been accompanied by shifts in global regulations and a proliferation of national regulations. With regulations expanding to cover the full value chain, actors are increasingly likely to be subjected to multiple regulatory bodies, or have to provide data to reporting entities upstream. The time, financial resources and practical challenges involved in identifying, collecting, processing and sharing data are considerable, both for those submitting data and those receiving and verifying them. This makes divestment or significant losses more likely. Furthermore, the expansion of regulations can result in isolated streams of data and closed-circuit processes, which, in turn, cut out civil society organisations and individuals who use data to help hold firms to account for their social and environmental responsibilities.

    Aside from EU calls for a European Single Access Point for corporate data, Majority World contexts offer particularly fertile ground for reimagining and building data infrastructures. Digitalisation in low- and middle-income countries is growing rapidly, and demonstrates the ability to make digital financial and business instruments democratic and accessible to those with the fewest resources. Such efforts should involve statisticians and local data experts from the outset to determine and harmonise appropriate data, along with transnational entities with the mandate of establishing links across data systems.

    Support for international emissions accounting

    Corporate reporting on environmental impacts must be accompanied by their reduction. Indeed, the work and transparency required to identify impacts in the first place, let alone mitigate them, underpins decisions to simply detach from the system, moving economic activity to local contexts where impacts are more traceable.

    Firms that cannot afford to bring their activities onshore must account for emissions that occur from assets not directly under their ownership or control, which are known as Scope 3 emissions. In some cases, these emissions constitute well over half of a firm’s total value chain emissions. However, the implementation of the ESRS has designated the reporting of Scope 3 emissions, and climate impacts in general, to be largely discretionary, under the condition that firms provide evaluations of the economic and material implications of a given activity in their value chains.

    The glaring gaps between some firms’ targets, actions and declarations are in part enabled by reporting systems that allow the omission of more distant climate risks and impacts, maintaining the misalignment between climate pledges and actions aimed at achieving them. While the number of firms showing readiness to comply with Scope 3 accounting is increasing, data on global investor preferences suggests that investors do not necessarily prioritise companies’ performance on these emissions when making investment decisions. For ethics to exist on the ground, they must be prioritised in financial flows.

    Investment with integrity

    In light of the above, financial institutions have a core responsibility to engage with NFR. These institutions’ economic leverage and centrality in the value chains and activities of several sectors give them incentivising power to catalyse a shift from the submission of reports to the building of living data systems and the achievement of fuller value chain accountability. Currently, many investors are not willing to accept reductions in their returns in exchange for the pursuit of social or environmental goals. Surveys suggest this is in part due to perceptions of low quality of environmental information, limited ability to assess the data received, and the difficulty of making investment decisions accordingly. In the current landscape of Minority World-led reporting, such mistrust is likely to be greater with respect to Majority World data, reiterating the need for data systems and reporting mechanisms built on equal footing.

    Financial institutions can operate proactively, using their privileged access to data to bridge Minority and Majority World actors engaging in sustainable practices, such as microfinance bodies, local communities and relevant investors. Doing so could plug, at least in part, an information and trust gap that can hinder Minority World firms’ investment in unfamiliar contexts.

    Regulating for whom?

    The research underpinning our article initially involved a recommendation on streamlining and supporting reporting by small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which account for more than 60% of the EU’s corporate emissions. For these firms, especially, regulators face a critical balance between lowering the entry barrier of the reporting ecosystem and setting robust environmental targets. The nature, data points and timelines of reporting under the CSRD are currently under review following calls for simplification and greater support, and decision-makers are wrestling with the tension between accessibility and integrity.

    Our work also included a recommendation that turns from the supply side, the focus of the preceding proposals, to the demand side: the data and sustainability literacy of the individual who walks into the supermarket to buy that sustainable product, or wants family investments to do more good than harm. Across sectors – public policy, investment and citizen engagement – resources must be dedicated to these literacies, so that actors are better placed to hold each other to account. Regulation becomes easily abstracted, reduced to figures and PDFs, databases and scores. Beneath each regulation is a world of citizens whose homes, livelihoods and health depend on them.

    The author was affiliated with the University of Siena during the period in which she and her colleagues did the original work for the scholarly article that is mentioned in this piece. The author’s affiliation came via a project that, overall, was financed by the Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). The scholarly article and the present article were not outputs for the project.

    – ref. EU efforts to measure companies’ environmental impacts have global effects. Here’s how to make them more just – https://theconversation.com/eu-efforts-to-measure-companies-environmental-impacts-have-global-effects-heres-how-to-make-them-more-just-261226

    MIL OSI Analysis –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: SPbGASU has proven that the aesthetics of solid waste facilities increases their efficiency

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Valeria Supranovich, Arina Safronova

    SPbGASU has proven that the aesthetics of a solid municipal waste (MSW) handling facility increases its energy efficiency, energy conservation and environmental friendliness throughout its entire service life.

    During her five-year research, Valeria Supranovich, PhD in Architecture and Associate Professor of the Department of Architectural Design at SPbGASU, identified a number of possible high-quality architectural solutions that, in conjunction with technological systems for self-sufficiency of buildings and facade elements, will allow them to organically fit into the urban system. The Associate Professor also developed ways to integrate additional public functions into these objects at various economic costs. All this will allow the implementation of sustainable development goals in the architecture of solid waste management facilities. Valeria Supranovich completed this research work, “Methods of Functional Planning Organization of Solid Waste Management Facilities in Russia,” within the framework of the grant of scientific and pedagogical workers of SPbGASU 2025.

    Since March 2024, amendments to Federal Law No. 451 “On Production and Consumption Waste” have come into force, which have completely updated the waste management system and the regulatory process in terms of extended responsibility of the manufacturer of goods. Moreover, within the framework of the programs of the XXIV International Forum “Ecology of the Big City” and the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, held in St. Petersburg in 2025, agreements were signed to finance projects for the construction of waste disposal facilities, the creation of the necessary infrastructure to reduce the percentage of waste disposal and the country’s transition to a “closed loop” economy (a production and consumption model that involves reuse, recovery and recycling of existing materials and products for as long as possible) to achieve the goals of sustainable development of the country. This is a powerful impetus for the active implementation of solid waste management facilities in the existing urban system.

    “Today, approaches to the design of solid waste facilities and the facilities themselves do not meet the goals of sustainable development, as they are considered economically inexpedient. However, in the course of scientific research conducted from 2020 to 2025, I was able to identify the opportunity to revise the existing methods of project activities. One example of waste management facilities that meet the goals of sustainable development is the world’s largest W2E plant “Shenzhen Energy Ring” (Shenzhen, China). The new plant is designed to process 5,000 tons of waste per day and simultaneously produce 600 million kilowatt-hours per year. The facility has a round shape, uncharacteristic for manufacturing enterprises, to combine all production units into a single structure and simultaneously reduce the area of the plant, includes zones for the formation and popularization of waste disposal procedures, and photovoltaic panels are provided for on the roof. The architecture of the facility is not utilitarian, it corresponds to the context of the environment,” explained Valeria Supranovich.

    In the course of the current scientific research, she studied the theoretical components of the concept of “sustainable architecture” and proposed a system of their interaction. It was established that the aesthetic qualities of the object allow not only to humanize the appearance of the enterprise, but also to ensure high energy efficiency, environmental friendliness and energy saving of the building throughout the expected service life. The goals of sustainable development in the architecture of waste management facilities should be implemented taking into account their typological affiliation, Valeria Supranovich clarified.

    Some theoretical results of this study were implemented in her diploma work “Technopark complex with waste processing function, Saint Petersburg, Yuntolovo district” by Arina Safronova, a graduate of the master’s program of the Department of Architectural Design of SPbGASU (supervisor – Valeria Supranovich).

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: African Union and European Union join hands to promote and invest in Circular Economy and Sustainable Growth

    Source: APO


    .

    The African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU) officially announced the launch of the Continental Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP) for Africa (2024–2034) today. Introduced by Moses Vilakati, AU Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment, and Jessika Roswall, EU Commissioner Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, the plan is designed to advance sustainability, drive economic growth, and enhance resource efficiency across Africa over the next decade.

    The CEAP focuses on transitioning African economies to a circular model by reducing waste, promoting resource reuse, and encouraging recycling. As a key component of the African Union’s Agenda 2063,  the initiative was developed with co-financing and technical support from the European Union. The CEAP offers a strategic framework for sustainable investments aligned with the Europe-Africa Global Gateway Investment Package and international partnerships. The CEAP will focus on priority sectors including agriculture, packaging, energy, construction, manufacturing, electronics, technology, as well as the fashion and textiles industries.

    Following a comprehensive approach, the CEAP will:

    • Foster Circular Economy Across Sectors: The plan seeks to promote sustainable practices in key areas such as agriculture, industry, and energy by transforming waste into resources and encouraging innovation in resource management.

    • Improve Waste Management: CEAP will enhance waste management systems and recycling infrastructure, particularly through the application of green technologies and local innovations.

    • Create Green Jobs: The initiative aims to generate millions of green jobs and foster sustainable entrepreneurship, particularly among young and women.

    • Enhance Regional Cooperation: The plan will facilitate cross-border collaboration to share best practices, align policies, and create a collective impact across the continent.

    • Build Climate Resilience: By reducing consumption and promoting sustainable production, CEAP will help mitigate climate change and support biodiversity conservation.

    AU Commissioner Moses Vilakati said “The launch of the Continental Circular Economy Action Plan is a pivotal moment for Africa’s sustainable development. Through this collaboration with the EU, we are setting the stage for a green, inclusive, and resilient future. This plan represents a unique opportunity for Africa to lead in the global circular economy and tackle the challenges of climate change head-on.”

    EU Commissioner Jessika Roswall added “The CEAP is a landmark initiative that builds on the strong partnership between the EU and AU. It is an opportunity to drive economic growth, create jobs, and reduce environmental impact. By adopting circular economy principles, we can achieve sustainable development and build a stronger future for both Africa and Europe.”

    The launch of CEAP reflects the joint commitment of the African Union and the European Union to tackle global environmental challenges and advance sustainable development. Both unions are actively supporting its implementation by providing financial assistance, technical expertise, and capacity-building resources to ensure its success across all African countries. The overarching goal, however, is for the CEAP to serve as a transformative driver of sustainable economic growth throughout the continent. To achieve this, the AU is seeking additional support from international partners, including development banks and the private sector. 

    The CEAP was launched on the sidelines of the African Ministerial Conference on Environment, with attendance from African Ministers of Environment, representatives from Regional Economic Communities, UN Agencies, the private sector, and Micro, Small and Medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), who  showcased their circular economy initiatives.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Delegation of the European Union to Kenya.

    MIL OSI Africa –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New report finds systemic water company failure and underperformance

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    New report finds systemic water company failure and underperformance

    Serious pollution incidents up 60% in 2024 from previous year

    • Serious pollution incidents up 60% in 2024 from previous year, new report shows 

    • Three water companies responsible for 81% of serious incidents 

    • Environment Agency now has greater powers and more funding than ever to hold poor performers to account 

    The number of water company pollution incidents across England rose sharply last year, a new report from the Environment Agency has found. The report shows consistently poor performance from all nine water and sewerage companies in the region, with serious pollution incidents in 2024 up 60% from 2023. 

    The Environment Agency (EA) assesses all pollution incidents, with category 1 (major) and category 2 (significant) incidents being the most serious. In 2024, 75 category 1 and 2 incidents were recorded, a steep rise from 47 serious incidents the previous year. 81% of these serious incidents were the responsibility of just three water companies – Thames Water (33 incidents), Southern Water (15 incidents) and Yorkshire Water (13 incidents). All pollution incidents (category 1 to 3) have increased by 29%: last year water companies recorded 2,801 incidents, up from 2,174 in 2023. 

    The EA is particularly concerned about the increasing trend in pollution spills from pipes carrying wastewater uphill – these accounted for 20% of the serious incidents in 2024 and impacted some protected waters for wildlife and swimming.  

    Reasons behind the 2024 results include persistent underinvestment in new infrastructure, poor asset maintenance, and reduced resilience due to the impacts of climate change.  

    Last financial year, the EA carried out over 4,000 inspections of water company assets. With more inspections, the EA discovers more non-compliance: last year 24% of sites breached their permits. The EA is clear that none of these factors, including wet weather, can excuse the unacceptable number of incidents last year, and water companies must meet their legal obligations to the environment and communities or face enforcement action.  

    Alan Lovell, Chair of the Environment Agency said: 

    This report demonstrates continued systemic failure by some companies to meet their environmental targets. 

    The water industry must act urgently to prevent pollution from occurring and to respond rapidly when it does.  

    We have made significant changes to tighten our regulation of the water industry and ensure companies are held to account. With a dedicated larger workforce and increased funding, our officers are uncovering and acting on failures to comply with environmental law.

    The EA’s expectations for water companies are set out in the Water Industry Strategic Environmental Requirements (WISER) guide, which states there should be a trend to zero serious pollution incidents by 2025, a reduction in all pollution incidents and high levels of water company self-reporting. It is evident that some companies are failing to meet these targets. 

    Under the Water (Special Measures) Act, the EA will have greater powers to take swift action against polluting companies, allowing them to close the justice gap and ultimately deter illegal activity from happening in the first place. To boost funding for water regulation, the EA is consulting on a new levy on the water sector to recover the cost of enforcement activities.  

    It comes as last week, Defra confirmed an £189m uplift for the EA’s water regulation, coming from charges paid by the sector rather than the public purse. This represents a 64% increase in funding since 2023/2024.  

    So far, the EA is on track to deliver 10,000 inspections of water company assets next year and we will continue to work closely with government and fellow regulators to hold companies to account so they deliver the environmental improvements for communities and wildlife.  

    The Act also requires companies to produce annual Pollution Incident Reduction Plans to address the root cause of persistent problems and prevent pollution incidents.

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    Published 18 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: No More Compromise: Groups Push Australia to Finalise Strong and Binding Global Plastics Treaty

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    Today, 31 First Nations and environmental groups call on the Australian Government to continue pushing for a robust and ambitious Global Plastics Treaty ahead of negotiations recommencing in Geneva this August. 

    The only way to end ocean plastic pollution here at home and around the world is through bold and binding global action to cut plastic production and consumption, and take a full lifecycle approach to managing plastics – including plastic fishing and aquaculture gear. 

    Plastic pollution is now a global environmental disaster that impacts every corner of Australia’s coastline: 

    • nationally, plastics make up 81% of all litter collected by Clean Up Australia volunteers;
    • in Northern Australia, the prevalence of ghost fishing gear is increasing, the ghost nets strangling, entangling and capturing thousands of turtles;
    • in New South Wales, AUSMAP measured over 12,000 microplastics per m2 in Sydney Harbour and Adrift Lab researchers recently found so much plastic inside seabird chicks on Lord Howe Island that the young birds crunched when handled;
    • in Victoria, Beach Patrol collected 738 kg of rubbish from Discovery Bay in under 2.5 hours;
    • in Western Australia, Tangaroa Blue Foundation coordinated 7.3 tonnes of rubbish being removed from beaches across the state;
    • in Queensland, 80% of green sea turtles have ingested plastic;
    • in South Australia, microplastics have been detected inside seafood we eat;
    • in Tasmania; shockingly high levels of microplastics have been found in waters off Bicheno; and
    • on the remote Torres Strait and Cocos (Keeling) Islands, pristine beaches are being buried under hundreds of tonnes of plastic pollution including from plastic bottles, thongs, lighters and polystyrene fragments.

    Recycling alone will not end plastic pollution. Voluntary pledges have failed. The only path forward is a strong and robust Global Plastics Treaty with ambitious and enforceable rules to end plastic pollution.

    Low ambition from a handful of countries with vested interests in plastic production cannot be allowed to derail this global opportunity to end plastic pollution. There is no time for compromise. Plastic pollution is choking our oceans, killing marine life, and threatening ecosystems from coast to coast. It is also entering our food chain, directly impacting seafood consumption by First Nations peoples and all Australians.

    We welcome the Australian Government’s renewed commitment to support a strong Global Plastics Treaty. The Australian Government must use all diplomatic means to finalise a strong, legally binding plastics treaty at INC-5.2. Now is the time to act – for our environment, for our climate, and for future generations.

    This statement is supported by:

    1. Australian Marine Conservation Society
    2. Dhimurru Aboriginal Corporation
    3. Vonda Malone Consultancy
    4. Boomerang Alliance
    5. OceanEarth Foundation
    6. Sea Shepherd
    7. Australian Microplastic Assessment Project (AUSMAP) 
    8. Total Environment Centre
    9. Plastic Collective
    10. No More Butts
    11. BeachPatrol 3280-3284
    12. Youth Plastic Action Network
    13. Take 3 for the Sea
    14. Ocean Impact Organisation 
    15. Australian Seabird and Turtle Rescue
    16. Clean Up Australia
    17. Adrift Lab
    18. Toys for Turtles, The University of Adelaide
    19. No Balloon Release Australia
    20. Plastic Free Foundation
    21. Ocean Conservancy
    22. Global Ghost Gear Initiative
    23. Tangaroa Blue Foundation
    24. Surfers for Climate
    25. Friends of the Earth Melbourne 
    26. Greenpeace Australia Pacific
    27. Marine Wildlife Rescue – Central Coast
    28. Surfrider Foundation Australia
    29. WWF-Australia
    30. Keep Top End Coasts Healthy
    31. Protect Ningaloo

    MIL OSI NGO –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for July 18, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on July 18, 2025.

    WA had the highest rates of Indigenous child removal in the country. At last, the state is finally facing up to it
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jenna Woods, Dean, School of Indigenous Knowledges, Murdoch University Matt Jelonek/Getty Images First Nations people please be advised this article speaks of racially discriminating moments in history, including the distress and death of First Nations people. In 1997, Australia was confronted with the landmark Bringing Them Home

    Separated men are nearly 5 times more likely to take their lives than married men
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Wilson, Research Fellow and PhD Candidate in Men’s Mental Health, The University of Melbourne Breakups hurt. Emotional and psychological distress are common when intimate relationships break down. For some people, this distress can be so overwhelming that it leads to suicidal thoughts and behaviours. This problem

    Thinking of trekking to Everest Base Camp? Don’t leave home without this expert advice
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Heike Schanzel, Professor of Social Sustainability in Tourism, Auckland University of Technology Purnima Shrestha /AFP via Getty Images Tourists in Kathmandu are tempted everywhere by advertisements for trekking expeditions to Everest Base Camp. If you didn’t know better, you might think it’s just a nice hike in

    Pragmatic engagement – what Albanese’s visit reveals about China relations in a turbulent world
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Edward Sing Yue Chan, Postdoctoral Fellow in China Studies, Australian National University The Albanese government has faced an increasingly uncertain world since its re-election in May. US President Donald Trump has cast a long shadow over the Australia–US alliance, raising fresh questions about Canberra’s long-term regional strategy.

    ‘Don’t tell me!’ Why some people love spoilers – and others will run a mile
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anjum Naweed, Professor of Human Factors, CQUniversity Australia DreamBig/Shutterstock, The Conversation This article contains spoilers! I once leapt out of a train carriage because two strangers were loudly discussing the ending of the last Harry Potter book. Okay – I didn’t leap, but I did plug my

    Keith Rankin Analysis – Letter from Westphalia, Germany; 6 June 1933
    Analysis by Keith Rankin. On Saturday I came into possession of this letter, transcript below. I will note that the recipient of the letter is someone I know a bit about; I would like to know more about his time in London, circa 1930-1932. I understand that he attended the London School of Economics. I

    Australian law is clear: criticism of Israel does not breach the Racial Discrimination Act
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bill Swannie, Senior Lecturer, Thomas More Law School, Australian Catholic University Earlier this month, the Federal Court found controversial Muslim cleric Wissam Haddad breached the Racial Discrimination Act. Justice Angus Stewart ruled a series of speeches Haddad posted online were “fundamentally racist and antisemitic [and] profoundly offensive”

    New Barbie with type 1 diabetes could help kids with the condition feel seen – and help others learn
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lynne Chepulis, Associate Professor, Health Sciences, University of Waikato Mattel Inc/AP, The Conversation, CC BY Barbie has done many things since she first appeared in 1959. She’s been an astronaut, a doctor, a president and even a palaeontologist. Now, in 2025, Barbie is something else: a woman

    Rising seas threaten to swallow one of NZ’s oldest settlement sites – new research
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter N. Meihana, Senior Lecturer in History, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University Veronika Meduna, CC BY-SA One of Aotearoa New Zealand’s oldest settlement sites is at risk of being washed away by rising seas, according to new research. Te Pokohiwi o Kupe (Wairau Bar) near

    AI is now part of our world. Uni graduates should know how to use it responsibly
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Fitzgerald, Associate Professor and Deputy Associate Dean (Academic), Faculty of Business, Economics and Law, The University of Queensland MTStock Studio/ Getty Images Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming an everyday part of lives. Many of us use it without even realising, whether it be writing emails, finding

    Susi Newborn among activists featured in Pacific ‘nuclear free heroes’ video
    Pacific Media Watch Greenpeace pioneer and activist Susi Newborn is among the “nuclear free heroes” featured in a video tribute premiered this week in an exhibition dedicated to a nuclear-free Pacific. The week-long exhibition at Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland’s Ellen Melville Centre, titled “Legends of the Pacific: Stories of a Nuclear-Free Moana 1975-1995,” closes tomorrow afternoon.

    Grattan on Friday: New parliament presents traps for Albanese and Ley
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Anthony Albanese hasn’t been in any rush to convene the new parliament, which Governor-General Sam Mostyn will open on Tuesday. It’s only mildly cynical to observe that governments of both persuasions often seem to regard having pesky members and senators

    Police protection for New Caledonian politicians following death threats
    By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk New Caledonian politicians who inked their commitment to a deal with France last weekend will be offered special police protection following threats, especially made on social media networks. The group includes almost 20 members of New Caledonia’s parties — both pro-France and pro-independence — who took

    12 countries agree to confront Israel collectively over Gaza after Bogotá summit
    ANALYSIS: By Mick Hall Collective measures to confront Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people have been agreed by 12 nations after an emergency summit of the Hague Group in Bogotá, Colombia. A joint statement today announced the six measures, which it said were geared to holding Israel to account for its crimes in Palestine and

    Rainbow Warrior bombing by French secret agents remembered 40 years on
    SPECIAL REPORT: By Te Aniwaniwa Paterson of Te Ao Māori News Forty years ago today, French secret agents bombed the Greenpeace campaign flagship  Rainbow Warrior in an attempt to stop the environmental organisation’s protest against nuclear testing at Moruroa Atoll in Mā’ohi Nui. People gathered on board Rainbow Warrior III to remember photographer Fernando Pereira,

    Why a surprise jump in unemployment isn’t as bad as it sounds
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jeff Borland, Professor of Economics, The University of Melbourne New figures show Australia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate unexpectedly rose to 4.3% – its highest level since late 2021 – in June this year, up from 4.1% in May. While this is bad news, it’s not as bad

    Australia got off on a technicality for its climate inaction. But there are plenty more judgement days to come
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wesley Morgan, Research Associate, Institute for Climate Risk and Response, UNSW Sydney This week, the Federal Court found the Australian government has no legal duty to protect Torres Strait Islanders from climate change. The ruling was disappointing, but it’s not the end of the matter. The plaintiffs,

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    July 18, 2025
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