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Category: Environment

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Board member reappointed to Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Professor Ian Graham will rejoin the Board for a second term.

    Professor Ian Graham has been reappointed to the board of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew for a second term of three years.

    His term will run from 1 May 2025 to 30 April 2028.

    The reappointment has been made in accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

    Biography

    • Professor Graham is currently based at the University of York, in the Centre for Novel Agricultural Products and holds the Weston Chair in Biochemical Genetics. He has previously held roles in the University of Glasgow, University of Oxford, and Stanford University.
    • Professor Ian Graham completed his PhD in Plant Molecular Biology from the University of Edinburgh. His research interests now focus on plant natural products such as noscapine (anti-cancer), codeine (analgesic), and artemisinin (antimalarial).
    • Ian was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2016 and won the Biochemical Society’s 2017 Heatley Medal and Prize for “exceptional work in applying advances in biochemistry, and especially for developing practical uses that have created widespread benefits and value for society”.

    The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

    • The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is a world-famous scientific organisation, internationally respected for its outstanding collections as well as its scientific expertise in plant and fungal diversity, conservation and sustainable development in the UK and around the world.
    • Kew Gardens is a major international and a top London visitor attraction. Kew Gardens’ 132 hectares of landscaped gardens, and Wakehurst, Kew’s wild botanic garden in Sussex, attract over 2.5 million visits every year. Kew Gardens was made a UNESCO World Heritage site in July 2003 and celebrated its 260th anniversary in 2019. Wakehurst is home to Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank, the largest wild plant seed bank in the world, as well as over 500 acres of designed landscapes, wild woodlands, ornamental gardens and a nature reserve.
    • The Kew Madagascar Conservation Centre is Kew’s third research centre and only overseas office. RBG Kew receives approximately one third of its funding from government through the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and research councils. Further funding needed to support RBG Kew’s vital work comes from donors, membership and commercial activity including ticket sales.

    Updates to this page

    Published 12 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why ‘low carbon’ roses are flown around the world

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Will de Freitas, Environment + Energy Editor, UK edition

    Grown in Ecuador (Équateur en français), sold in Paris. Robert Crum / shutterstock

    As you read this, planes full of roses are heading from east Africa and South America to almost every corner of the world. If you buy someone a rose this Valentine’s Day, it may be in the air right now or perhaps in a refrigerated warehouse in the Netherlands.

    A huge logistical operation ensures those flowers are timed to be perfectly in bloom on the 14th. From flower farm to bouquet can take just a few days. In all, hundreds of millions of roses will be shipped internationally this week, and many will die before they can be sold.

    Can all this flying be justified?

    You’re reading the Imagine newsletter – a weekly synthesis of academic insight on solutions to climate change, brought to you by The Conversation. I’m Will de Freitas, energy and environment editor, covering for my colleague Jack Marley who is lovesick. This week, we’re looking at flowers.

    Many people don’t realise just how far a Valentine’s rose has probably travelled. Though roses can be grown in the UK (and some species are native), most of them won’t flower for at least another few months.

    Jill Timms and David Bek, academics at the University of Coventry who have researched the global flower trade point out: “This sort of localised growing does not satisfy the demand for volume, variety and year-round supply, or indeed guarantee sustainability in terms of energy, pesticide use and so on.”

    This means most roses are imported from countries with more land, more sunshine, and a cheaper workforce. Major growers include Colombia, Ecuador, Kenya and Ethiopia. The Netherlands is actually the biggest exporter of roses, partly due to its own production in greenhouses but mostly thanks to its position as a crucial hub for the global trade. Flowers sent to the UK from the Netherlands were probably grown elsewhere.

    To ensure they stay fresh, those flowers are kept cool as they’re transported in a series of refrigerated lorries, planes or boats, while some are sprayed with chemicals to freeze them.

    “Geography matters,” say Timms and Bek. “Some flowers travel by sea, some cargo plane and others in the hold of passenger jets, all with very different carbon footprints.”



    Read more:
    Valentine’s Day: five ways to ensure your flowers are ethical

    Low-carbon flowers, a long way away

    Figuring out a flower’s carbon footprint is not straightforward. Jennifer Lavers and Fiona Kerslake from the University of Tasmania compared cut flowers grown in heated or refrigerated greenhouses in the Netherlands with those grown in Kenya.

    “Maintaining the controlled environmental conditions inside these [Dutch] buildings requires artificial light, heat and cooling, so each rose grown in The Netherlands contributes an average of around 2.91kg of CO₂ to the atmosphere.”

    “In contrast”, they write, “a single rose grown on a farm in Kenya contributes only 0.5kg. This is largely because Kenyan hot houses do not use artificial heating or lighting, and most farm workers walk or cycle to work. As a result, flowers grown in tropical regions are sometimes considered low-carbon (of course, this doesn’t always factor in international transport).”



    Read more:
    Sustainable shopping: your guilt-free guide to flowers this Valentine’s Day

    Paul D. Larson of the University of Manitoba points out that, while local production would ground some of the international flower flights, “growing flowers in greenhouses can use as much energy as shipping them [to North America] from Colombia by air freight”.

    Larson, a professor of supply chain management, does highlight one major issue with “low carbon” flowers in the global south, however:

    “Since flowers are not classified as edible, they are often exempt from pesticide regulations. Thus, many flower production workers in Ecuador and Colombia have suffered from respiratory problems, rashes and eye infections caused by exposure to toxic chemicals in fertilizers, fungicides and pesticides.”



    Read more:
    Valentine’s Day: COVID-19 wilted the flower industry, but sustainability still a thorny issue

    The flower trade in Ecuador and Colombia was actually engineered a few decades ago to try and stem the flow of cocaine into the US, says Jay L. Zagorsky, an associate professor at Boston University’s business school.

    “One part of the strategy was to convince farmers in Colombia to stop growing coca leaves – a traditional Andean plant that provides the raw ingredient for making cocaine – by giving them preferential access to US markets if they grew something else.”

    Whether this policy helped stop drug production is unclear, says Zagorsky, but American domestic rose growing has collapsed and “many businesses in Colombia and Ecuador started growing and shipping flowers north”.



    Read more:
    Americans spend millions of dollars on Valentine’s Day roses. I calculated exactly how much

    No one expects you to know exactly how a flower was grown, what conditions were like for workers, or to conduct a full “life cycle assessment” of their carbon footprint. But what can you do to help this Valentine’s Day?

    Timms and Bek, the flower trade experts at Coventry University, wrote about five ways to ensure your flowers are ethical. They contrast flowers grown in the Netherlands and Kenya and say that “your priorities need to guide your purchase: environmental issues include carbon footprint, chemical use, ecological degradation and water use; social issues include health and safety standards, gender discrimination, precarious employment and land rights.”

    – ref. Why ‘low carbon’ roses are flown around the world – https://theconversation.com/why-low-carbon-roses-are-flown-around-the-world-249769

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Westbourne Green chosen for the central London’s largest Japanese style mini forest | Westminster City Council

    Source: City of Westminster

    London’s largest inner city forest has been planted just metres from the A40 Westway in Westbourne Green. The 426 new trees- known as a micro forest- will help to mitigate the effect of climate change by boosting biodiversity and reducing air and noise pollution in the local area.

    The project, a partnership between Westminster City Council, Ruth Wilmott Associates, and Creating Tomorrows Forests, sees nine different species of native trees including blackthorn, field maple, and crab apple introduced to the Westbourne Green Open Space in the central London’s biggest micro forest. The sapling trees were specifically chosen for their qualities in absorbing air pollution particulates, reducing noise, and adding to the area’s biodiversity by providing shelter, pollen, nectar, and fruit for local wildlife. Funding for the project has been provided through partnership with businesses working to provide community and environmental initiatives.

    Micro forests follow the Miyawaki Method, developed by Japanese biologist Akira Miyawaki, where saplings are densely planted to encourage ten times more rapid growth. Research suggests this method results in 18 times higher biodiversity than more widely spaced plantations as the faster growth rates accelerate the establishment of the micro forests.

    The council is aiming to plant a further 5000 more saplings in six micro forests new trees in the area, bringing Westminster’s total tree population to over 24,000. The new woodland area is part of the local authority’s broader environmental strategy to improve air quality and increase green space.

    Local primary schools are getting involved in the project, with children helping to name the new micro forest and sowing a wildflower meadow. Additional funding through the Rewild London Fund will provide materials to build animal boxes giving local children and their families the opportunity to learn about wildlife and get involved in conservation first hand.

    More information about Westminster City Council’s fairer environment strategy can be found on the council’s website. Creating Tomorrow’s Forests are also looking for businesses to get in touch to learn more about the project and funding.

    Councillor Ryan Jude, Cabinet Member for Climate Action, Ecology and Culture said:

    Not many people would think that a micro forest could be so central, but I’m thrilled that we are adding central London’s biggest plantation of trees to Westbourne Green. This is a huge step forward in mitigating climate change and helping our city become net zero by 2040.”

    “Westminster is home to some of London’s best green spaces so increasing biodiversity and plant life across the city underlines how serious we are improving biodiversity, protecting communities from harmful emissions and teaching younger residents about the value of nature.”

    Jack Gordon, a local resident to Westbourne Green added:

    Community based projects are the lifeblood of any close community and this is such an important way to help green the local area.”

    “More needs to be done understand how important trees and how they help mitigate the excesses of climate change and this can benefit us in so many different ways.”

    Elisabeth Boivin, Managing Director at Creating Tomorrow’s Forests said:

    We are delighted to be involved in this innovative project that will bring such direct benefits to residents around Westbourne Green Open Space, funded by our partnerships with businesses such as Wilmott Dixon and Ecologi. It will be fantastic to show how planting trees has such a positive impact on the local environment, and it is great to have this opportunity to educate people on the advantages of increasing biodiversity in our urban green spaces. We cannot wait to see how the micro forests grow and develop over time.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council unveils new £25m HGV and welfare bus fleet with enhanced safety features

    Source: Scotland – City of Edinburgh

    Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson alongside fleet colleagues at Bankhead Depot.

    Safety is at the heart of the Council’s fleet, with our entire fleet of new Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) along with our welfare buses all equipped with enhanced safety features.

    We’re investing over £25m into our new HGVs and welfare buses as part of our wider £56.8m Fleet Asset Management Plan 2023-2029.  

    We’ve taken inspiration from the Progressive Safe System (PSS) which was implemented by Transport for London (TfL) in October 2024 to enhance vehicle awareness and reduce the likelihood of collisions. There are seven key requirements under PSS:

    • Camera monitoring system fitted to the vehicle’s nearside
    • Class V and VI mirrors
    • Blind spot sensors fitted to the vehicles nearside
    • Moving off sensors fitted to the front of the vehicle
    • Side under-run protection on both sides of the vehicle
    • Audible warning alerts when vehicles turn left
    • Prominent visual warning signage

    In addition to adhering to PSS requirements, all our new vehicles are fitted with an Advanced Emergency Braking System (AEBS). AEBS uses sensors to monitor a vehicle’s surroundings and automatically apply the brakes if a collision is likely.

    Whilst there are no such safety requirement anywhere else in the UK outside of London, we took the decision to ensure all HGVs purchased as part of the replacement programme were equipped with the technology to meet this standard.

    Our 152 strong HGV fleet is comprised of refuse collection vehicles, road sweepers, road gritters, mobile library uses, construction vehicles in roads services, and utility trucks for maintaining streets and greenspace.

    Whilst our 27 welfare buses, which transport children with Additional Support Needs (ASN), are not classed as HGV we took the decision to order these buses with the new safety features. These vehicles operate in and around schools and built-up areas during peak travel times so it’s important they are as safe as possible for everyone.

    We’ve now taken delivery of over 70 of our new HGVs, with all new refuse collection vehicles due to arrive by the end of March 2025 and all other HGVs due to be in service this year.

    Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson said:

    I was delighted to go down to Bankhead this morning to see some of these new vehicles firsthand and talk to our colleagues who operate them. We have a responsibility to our colleagues and our residents to make sure our fleet is as safe as possible. This is why we’re investing tens of millions of pounds into our fleet.

    With these changes I’m confident that we have the most advanced local authority fleet in Scotland when it comes to safety features. I hope that other parts of Scotland and the UK will look to London and Edinburgh’s example and follow suit.

    Safety is an absolute priority for us when delivering our services and I have no doubt that these new features will have a positive impact.

    Published: February 12th 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: River Tame stocked with thousands of fish

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The Environment Agency has boosted the populations of dace, chub and roach in Greater Manchester as 4,000 fish have been released into the River Tame.

    Photo shows Luke Theaker, Environment Agency Fisheries Officer, on the left, and Chris Clarke, Chair of the River Tame Anglers, releasing fish into the River Tame.

    The fish were released at two locations in the river, near Hyde.

    The Fisheries Improvement Programme, which is paid for by rod licence sales, has funded work with the River Tame Anglers to create fish refuges and boost habitat to support fish survival in this area.

    Stocking occurs in winter because water temperatures are low and this minimises any stress on the fish, giving them the best possible survival rates.

    February is a good time to introduce the fish into rivers, as it enables them to acclimatise to their new surroundings, ahead of their spawning season in the spring.

    Fish also play a critical role in sustaining a river’s finely-balanced eco-system, so the wider natural environment will also get a helping hand, as a result of the restocking.

    ‘Amazing opportunity’ to boost fish numbers

    Mark Easedale, Area Environment Manager for the Environment Agency in Greater Manchester, said:

    The carefully coordinated releases on the River Tame provides an amazing opportunity to further boost fish numbers and support our local angling clubs.

    Our officers work closely with partners across Greater Manchester to protect and enhance local fish populations.

    This includes responding to reports of fish in distress, gathering evidence at pollution incidents, protecting or enhancing habitats for fish, improving angling access and addressing barriers to fish migration.

    We hope this stocking in the River Tame will encourage even more people to give fishing a go, but before you do go out to the banks, remember it’s important to buy a rod licence, as you could end up with a fine if you don’t.

    Photo shows Luke Theaker, Environment Agency Fisheries Officer, on the right, and Chris Clarke, Chair of the River Tame Anglers, releasing fish into the River Tame.

    Surveys help ensure fish released in right locations

    The new recruits to the Tame have all been reared at the Environment Agency’s National Coarse Fish Farm in Calverton, Nottinghamshire.

    Every year, the Environment Agency stocks almost half a million fish of nine different species into England’s rivers. Being the principal supply of coarse fish for 32 years, the fish farm plays a crucial role to help improve fisheries around the country.

    Fisheries officers use data from national surveys to identify where there are problems with poor breeding, issues with survival rates, or where numbers have been impacted following a pollution incident.

    These surveys help the officers ensure that fish are released into the right locations and where the need is greatest as well as supporting angling clubs to boost local fishing spots.

    Fisheries Officers inspect rod licences 24/7 throughout the North West, and work continually on cases of illegal fishing and other associated fisheries crime. Fishing illegally can result in a fine of up to £2,500, and offenders can also have their fishing equipment seized.

    It’s easy to buy a rod fishing licence online. Get yours here: Buy a rod fishing licence

    Illegal fishing and other offences can be reported to the Environment Agency’s Incident Hotline on 0800 807060.

    Background

    • Rod fishing licence income is vital to the work of the Environment Agency to maintain, improve and develop fisheries.
    • Revenue generated from rod fishing licence sales is reinvested to benefit angling, with work including tackling illegal fishing, protecting and restoring habitats for fish and improving facilities for anglers.
    • The Fisheries Improvement Programme invests in English rivers by funding projects to protect and improve fish stocks and habitats, provide new facilities for anglers, and give more people the opportunity to try fishing.

    Updates to this page

    Published 12 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gov. Pillen Appoints Jesse Bradley to be Interim Director of DEE and DNR

    Source: US State of Nebraska

    . Pillen Appoints Jesse Bradley to be Interim Director of DEE and DNR

     

    LINCOLN, NE – Today, Governor Jim Pillen announced his appointment of Jesse Bradley as interim director for the Department of Environment and Energy (DEE). Bradley will continue in his current role as interim director for the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). His duties overseeing DEE are effective immediately.

    Gov. Pillen called out Bradley’s steady leadership of DNR since assuming the position of interim director in August 2024. This is the second time Bradley has been interim director of that agency. He was appointed in 2020 as well.

    In his lead role at DNR, Bradley has worked with natural resources districts across the state to implement the Nitrogen Reduction Incentive Act. He has been part of the agency’s push to leverage new technologies to improve system processes to utilize data-informed management decisions.

    Bradley has been with DNR since 2006, when he started as an integrated water management analyst. In 2012, he became head of the Water Planning Division and two years later, was promoted to deputy director of DNR. He has degrees in environmental geology and hydrogeology and is a licensed professional geologist in Nebraska.

    “Water management is critical to the state of Nebraska – and we need to continue to innovate and improve water quantity and quality for the next seven generations,” said Gov. Pillen. “Jesse’s vast experience in that area, coupled with his ability to bridge the gap between local needs, the state and federal regulators, make him strongly qualified to lead DNR and DEE when they are combined through passage of LB317.”

    LB317, which has been introduced on behalf of the Governor by Senator Tom Brandt, proposes naming the newly formed agency the Department of Water, Energy and Environment. The bill will have a hearing before the Natural Resources Committee on Thursday, Feb. 13.

    The Environment Quality Council (EQC) provides names to the Governor for consideration as director of DEE. Gov. Pillen said he will continue to consult with the group as the legislation moves ahead.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Coca-Cola slides backwards again, plans to expose Americans to more toxic plastic bottles

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    Washington, D.C. (February 10, 2025)—In response to Coca-Cola’s statement that it will shift to using more plastic bottles instead of aluminum if the latest wave of tariffs from President Donald Trump take effect, Lisa Ramsden, Greenpeace USA’s senior plastics campaigner said: “Coca-Cola’s decision to double down on plastics in response to Trump’s tariffs is a reckless step backward in the fight against plastic pollution. Instead of investing in real solutions like refill and reuse they are choosing to pump more toxic plastic into our communities and the environment. Coca-Cola is already the world’s biggest plastic polluter, and this would ensure they remain number one for years to come.

    “What Quincey fails to mention is that PET plastic bottles contain harmful chemicals linked to cancer, hormone disruption, obesity, early puberty in children, reproductive health problems and declining fertility. This move would lock consumers into a future of rising health risks and medical costs–at a time when Americans are already struggling with economic and health burdens. As long as corporations like Coca-Cola keep increasing our exposure to dangerous chemicals, making America healthy again will remain an unfulfilled promise.”

    Coca-Cola has already been increasing the amount of plastic it uses every year and currently produces more than 130 billion plastic bottles every year. In December, Coca-Cola walked back its commitment to sell 25% of its products in reusable packaging by 2030.   

    Contact: Tanya Brooks, Senior Communications Specialist at Greenpeace USA, [email protected]  

    Greenpeace USA is part of a global network of independent campaigning organizations that use peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future. Greenpeace USA is committed to transforming the country’s unjust social, environmental, and economic systems from the ground up to address the climate crisis, advance racial justice, and build an economy that puts people first. Learn more at www.greenpeace.org/usa.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Peters and Young Lead Bipartisan Legislation to Extend Federal Funding and Protections for the Great Lakes

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Todd Young (R-IN) are leading bipartisan legislation to extend federal funding and protections for the Great Lakes. The senators introduced the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2025 to reauthorize the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) through 2031 and increase the program’s annual authorized funding levels from $475 million to $500 million. The GLRI is the most significant investment ever made to restore and protect the Great Lakes. The GLRI combines federal and nonfederal efforts to stop the spread of carp and other invasive species, restore coastline and habitats connecting streams and rivers, clean up environmentally damaged Areas of Concern, and prevent future contamination. While providing vital support for these efforts, the GLRI also helps ensure we can address new and emerging threats to the Great Lakes.  

    “The Great Lakes are a national treasure and central to our economy, environment, and way of life in Michigan. Since its creation, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative has made significant headway in cleaning up Areas of Concern, protecting vital habitats, and restoring coastlines around the Great Lakes Basin,” said Senator Peters. “This bipartisan legislation will provide GLRI with the resources needed to build on that success and help protect and preserve the Great Lakes for future generations of Michiganders. I’m proud to again help lead the charge to strengthen this essential program.” 

    “The Great Lakes are an important part of Indiana’s ecosystem and economy,” said Senator Young. “The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative is a results-driven program that addresses the most serious issues threatening the wellbeing of the Great Lakes basin, including toxic substances, pollution, debris, and invasive species. Reauthorizing this program will continue to protect and preserve these lakes for generations to come.”   

    The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2025 is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Bernie Moreno (R-OH), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Jon Husted (R-OH), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tina Smith (D-MN), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), John Fetterman (D-PA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL).

    Since its inception, the GLRI has spurred tremendous progress throughout the Great Lakes region including nearly half of a million acres of habitat protected, restored, or enhanced, a five-fold increase in the successful cleanup and delisting of Areas of Concern, a ten-fold increase in the remediation of environmental and public health impairments, and reducing the threat of harmful algal blooms. The GLRI’s efforts have also resulted in economic returns of more than 3 to 1 across the region. 

    “The simple fact is the GLRI funds critical projects that make life better for the millions of Americans that depend on the Great Lakes. It also delivers a positive economic return on the government’s investment in cleaner water and healthier communities. Senator Peters and Senator Young along with other Great Lakes senators have our gratitude for introducing this important bill,” said Joel Brammeier, Alliance for the Great Lakes President and CEO. 

    “The GLRI is a landmark program that is making significant progress in restoring the waters, ecosystems, economies, and communities that make up the Great Lakes region,” said Erika Jensen, Executive Director of the Great Lakes Commission. “The Great Lakes Commission applauds Senators Peters and Young for introducing this important legislation, which will safeguard the economic and environmental health of the Great Lakes region for generations to come.” 

    “This bill is a winner for millions of people in the region,” said Laura Rubin, Director of the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition. “We thank Sens. Gary Peters and Todd Young for their bipartisan leadership and commitment to tackle the serious threats to our region’s drinking water, public health, jobs, and quality of life. Federal investments to restore the Great Lakes have been producing results, but serious threats remain. We look forward to working with the Great Lakes congressional delegation to pass this bipartisan bill that supports common sense solutions. If we scale back investments now, the problems will only get worse and more expensive to solve.” 

    “The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative provides critical investments in the health of the Great Lakes and the communities and businesses that rely on clean water. Communities across the region realize the lasting benefits of clean and healthy lakes, which attract visitors, create jobs, and sustain the Great Lakes way of life,” said Peter Laing, Great Lakes Business Network Co-Chair.  

    The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2025 enjoys broad support from Great Lakes advocates, including the Council of Great Lakes Governors, Great Lakes Fishery Commission, American Great Lakes Ports Association, Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, American Sportfishing Association, Ducks Unlimited, Trout Unlimited, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, League of Conservation Voters, National Wildlife Federation, Sierra Club, National Parks Conservation Association, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, National Audubon Society – Great Lakes, Environmental Law & Policy Center, MI League of Conservation Voters, Save the Dunes, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Clean Wisconsin, Ohio Environmental Council, Western Reserve Land Conservancy, and Minnesota Environmental Partnership.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Municipality Finance Plc Financial Statements Bulletin 1 January–31 December 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Municipality Finance Plc
    Financial Statements Bulletin
    12 February 2025 at 5:00 pm (EET)

    Municipality Finance Plc Financial Statements Bulletin 1 January–31 December 2024

    In brief: MuniFin Group in 2024

    • The Group’s net operating profit excluding unrealised fair value changes* increased by 2.9% (3.2%) in January–December and amounted to EUR 181 million (EUR 176 million). Net interest income* was at the same level as in year before and totalled EUR 260 million (EUR 259 million). Net operating profit excluding unrealised fair value changes was boosted by lower expenses and increased other income compared to the previous period.
    • Net operating profit* amounted to EUR 166 million (EUR 139 million). Unrealised fair value changes amounted to EUR -16 million (EUR -37 million) in the financial year. Unrealised fair value changes were influenced in particular by changes in interest rates and credit risk spreads in the Group’s main funding markets.
    • Costs* in the financial year amounted to EUR 81 million (EUR 82 million).
    • The Group’s leverage ratio remained at a strong level, standing at 12.3% (12.0%) at the end of December.
    • At the end of December, the Group’s CET1 capital ratio was very strong at 107.7% (103.4%). CET1 capital ratio was over seven times the required minimum of 15.0% (13.9%), taking capital buffers into account.
    • Long-term customer financing (long-term loans and leased assets) excluding unrealised fair value changes* totalled EUR 35,787 million (EUR 32,948 million) at the end of December and saw an increase of 8.6% (7.5%). New long-term customer financing* increased by 17.1% (0.0%) in January–December 2024 and amounted to EUR 5,056 million (EUR 4,319 million). Short-term customer financing* totalled EUR 1,825 million (EUR 1,575 million).
    • Of all long-term customer financing, the amount of green finance* aimed at environmentally sustainable investments totalled EUR 6,817 million (EUR 4,795 million), and the amount of social finance* aimed at investments promoting equality and communality totalled EUR 2,536 million (EUR 2,234 million) at the end of December. The total amount of this financing increased by 33.1% (41.0%) from the previous year. The ratio of green and social finance to long-term customer financing excluding unrealised fair value changes* grew by 4.8% percentage points to 26.1% (21.3%).
    • In 2024, new long-term funding* reached EUR 8,922 million (EUR 10,087 million). At the end of December, the total funding* was EUR 46,737 million (EUR 43,320 million), of which long-term funding* made up EUR 43,328 million (EUR 39,332 million).
    • The Group’s total liquidity* is very strong, standing at EUR 11,912 million (EUR 11,633 million) at the end of the financial year. The Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR) stood at 341% (409%) and the Net Stable Funding Ratio (NSFR) at 124% (124%) at the end of the year.
    • In early 2024, MuniFin reviewed the future and development potential of the consulting services offered by its subsidiary company Financial Advisory Services Inspira Plc (Inspira) and decided to discontinue Inspira’s consulting services in summer 2024.
    • The Board of Directors proposes to the Annual General Meeting to be held in spring 2025 a dividend of EUR 1.86 per share, totalling EUR 72.7 million. The total dividend payment in 2024 was EUR 1.69 per share, totalling EUR 66.0 million.
    • Outlook for 2025: The Group expects its net operating profit excluding unrealised fair value changes to be at the same level or lower in 2025 as in 2024. The Group expects its capital adequacy ratio and leverage ratio to remain strong. The valuation principles set in the IFRS framework may cause significant but temporary unrealised fair value changes, some of which increase the volatility of net operating profit and make it more difficult to estimate.

    Comparison figures deriving from the income statement and figures describing the change during the financial year are based on figures reported for the corresponding period in 2023. Comparison figures deriving from the balance sheet and other cross-sectional items are based on the figures of 31 December 2023 unless otherwise stated.

    * Alternative performance measure.

    Key figures (Group)

      Jan–Dec 2024 Jan–Dec 2023 Change, %
    Net operating profit excluding unrealised fair value changes (EUR million)* 181 176 2.9
    Net operating profit (EUR million)* 166 139 19.5
    Net interest income (EUR million)* 260 259 0.3
    New long-term customer financing (EUR million)* 5,056 4,319 17.1
    New long-term funding (EUR million)* 8,922 10,087 -11.6
    Cost-to-income ratio, %* 27.7 32.2 -14.0**
    Return on equity (ROE), %* 7.2 6.6 9.3**
      31 Dec 2024 31 Dec 2023 Change, %
    Long-term customer financing (EUR million)* 35,173 32,022 9.8
    Green and social finance (EUR million)* 9,353 7,029 33.1
    Balance sheet total (EUR million) 53,092 49,736 6.7
    CET1 capital (EUR million) 1,646 1,550 6.2
    Tier 1 capital (EUR million) 1,646 1,550 6.2
    Total own funds (EUR million) 1,646 1,550 6.2
    CET1 capital ratio, % 107.7 103.4 4.2**
    Tier 1 capital ratio, % 107.7 103.4 4.2**
    Total capital ratio, % 107.7 103.4 4.2**
    Leverage ratio, % 12.3 12.0 2.5**
    Personnel 178 185 -3.8

    * Alternative performance measure.
    ** Change in ratio.

    Comment on the 2024 financial year by President and CEO Esa Kallio

    The operating environment in global economy and international politics went through a whirlwind of changes in 2024. Even in the turmoil, Finland stood steady and secure: our society is built on long-standing practices and institutions that have been developed together and tried and tested over time. This stability also helps safeguard MuniFin’s strong performance through shifts in the operating environment. Finnish society must continue to operate in broad collaboration and develop the structures of society in the long term. Sometimes this requires difficult decisions in society in the short term.

    In 2024, the demand for MuniFin’s financing was especially high in the affordable social housing sector. In the future, however, the sector will be facing reductions on interest subsidy loan authorisations.

    The Finnish system for affordable social housing is a success story that has served as a model across Europe – and will hopefully continue to do so, especially now that the rising cost of living has led to a surge in homelessness in many countries. Our state-subsidised housing production system has proven effective in reducing homelessness and regional segregation, increasing the supply of affordable social housing in growth centres, advancing municipalities’ housing policy goals of ensuring a diverse housing structure, and providing high-quality housing also to students, senior citizens and people with disabilities.

    Especially in the past couple of years, affordable housing production has also significantly supported the vitality of the Finnish construction sector, helping offset the slump in housing construction. Finland’s well-functioning system should not be changed; rather, the current model and level of housing production subsidies should be kept as they are. Timely investments into affordable social housing production can also help level out construction cycles and support employment.

    In 2024, MuniFin reached new milestones in sustainable investments. In October, we issued our tenth green bond, the high demand of which was once again testament to our strong position as an international forerunner in the financial sector. Moreover, sustainable finance made up the majority of the new long-term customer financing we granted in 2024.

    Information on the Group results

    Consolidated income statement Jan–Dec 2024 Jan–Dec 2023 Change, % Jul–Dec 2024 Jul–Dec 2023 Change, %
    (EUR million)            
    Net interest income 260 259 0.3 132 135 -2.4
    Other income 2 0 >100 1 -1 >100
    Income excluding unrealised fair value changes 262 259 1.1 132 134 -1.4
    Commission expenses -17 -16 8.2 -9 -8 11.2
    HR expenses -21 -20 2.0 -10 -10 -4.3
    Other items in administrative expenses -23 -20 12.4 -12 -11 12.0
    Depreciation and impairment on tangible and intangible assets -6 -7 -7.8 -3 -3 -14.3
    Other operating expenses -14 -19 -27.0 -7 -7 -0.6
    Costs -81 -82 -1.9 -40 -39 3.0
    Credit loss and impairments on financial assets 0 -1 -72.9 -1 -1 -38.7
    Net operating profit excluding unrealised fair value changes 181 176 2.9 92 95 -2.8
    Unrealised fair value changes -16 -37 -58.4 -31 -33 -3.6
    Net operating profit 166 139 19.5 61 62 -2.4
    Income tax expense -33 -28 17.3 -12 -12 -2.3
    Profit for the period 133 111 20.1 48 50 -2.4

    The Group’s net operating profit excluding unrealised fair value changes

    MuniFin Group’s core business operations remained strong in 2024. The Group’s net operating profit excluding unrealised fair value changes increased by 2.9% (3.2%) and amounted to EUR 181 million (EUR 176 million). The growth was influenced both by an increase in other income and a decrease in costs as net interest income remained at the level of previous year.

    The Group’s income excluding unrealised fair value changes was EUR 262 million (EUR 259 million) and grew by 1.1% (6.5%). Net interest income grew by 0.3% (7.5%), totalling EUR 260 million (EUR 259 million). Net interest income was positively affected by growing business volumes. The increase in funding costs due to the market conditions and the shape of the yield curve slowed the growth of net interest income.

    Other income totalled EUR 2.0 million (EUR 0.1 million). It consisted mainly of the billing of MuniFin’s digital services and the turnover of the subsidiary company Inspira from the early part of the year. In the previous year, negative realised FX rate changes reduced other income. At 0.8% (0.1%), other income relative to income excluding unrealised fair value changes forms only a minor part of the Group’s income.

    The Group’s costs were EUR 81 million (EUR 82 million), down by 1.9% from the year before (+12.4%). The reduction in expenses was due to the fact that no contribution fee was collected for the Single Resolution Fund in 2024.

    Commission expenses totalled EUR 17 million (EUR 16 million), of which EUR 14 million (EUR 13 million) consisted of the guarantee commission collected by the Municipal Guarantee Board for guaranteeing MuniFin’s funding.

    HR and administrative expenses grew by 7.2% (9.0%) and reached EUR 44 million (EUR 41 million). HR expenses comprised EUR 21 million (EUR 20 million) and other administrative expenses EUR 23 million (EUR 20 million). The average number of employees in the Group was 187 (183) during the financial year. Other items in administrative expenses grew by 12.4% (8.8%), mainly due to the increased costs of maintaining and developing information systems.

    During the financial year, depreciation and impairment of tangible and intangible assets totalled EUR 6 million (EUR 7 million).

    Other operating expenses were EUR 14 million (EUR 19 million). The main reason for this decrease is that there was no contribution fee to the Single Resolution Fund in 2024. Other operating expenses excluding fees collected by authorities grew by 22.1% (9.9%) to EUR 11 million (EUR 9 million).

    Credit loss and impairments on financial assets were EUR 0.3 million (EUR 1.2 million). This item consists of expected credit losses (ECL). The Group updated the model used to estimate the probability of default and the forward-looking macro scenarios during the financial year. The Group’s management has assessed the impact of general cost inflation and increased interest rates on customer financing receivables and credit risk and decided to release the additional discretionary provision in full at the end of 2024 (the amount of the additional discretionary provision was EUR 0.6 million at the end of 2023, and in June 2024, EUR 0.4 million of the additional provision was released). The update of the probability of default model increased expected credit losses by EUR 0.9 million euros, as the amount of exposures that moved from stage 1 to stage 2 increased. Most of the transferred exposures were subject to the previous additional discretionary provision. Therefore, the Group’s management considered that there is no longer a basis for recording a group-specific additional provision.

    The Group’s overall credit risk position has remained low. The amount of forborne loans was EUR 561 million (EUR 497 million), while non-performing exposures amounted to EUR 292 million (EUR 142 million) at the end of the year. These non-performing exposures represented 0.8% (0.4%) of total customer exposures. At the end of December, the Group had EUR 13 million in receivables due to the insolvency of customers, for which the collateral realisation process is ongoing, or the credit receivable is due for payment by the guarantor (there were no such receivables at the end of 2023). All the Group’s customer financing receivables are from Finnish municipalities, joint municipal authorities, wellbeing services counties or joint county authorities, or accompanied by a securing municipal, joint municipal authority, wellbeing services county or joint county authority guarantee or a state deficiency guarantee supplementing real estate collateral, and therefore no final credit losses will arise. According to the management’s assessment, all receivables from customers will be fully recovered. During the Group’s history of 35 years, it has never recognised any final credit losses in its customer financing.

    The credit risk of the Group’s liquidity portfolio has likewise remained at a low level, and the average credit rating of the debt securities in the portfolio is AA+ (AA+).

    The Group’s profit and unrealised fair value changes

    The Group’s net operating profit was EUR 166 million (EUR 139 million). Unrealised fair value changes decreased the Group’s net operating profit by EUR 16 million (in 2023: decreased by EUR 37 million). In January–December, unrealised fair value changes in hedge accounting amounted to EUR -12 million (EUR -27 million) and unrealised net result on financial assets and liabilities through profit or loss to EUR -4 million (EUR -10 million).

    The Group’s effective tax rate in the financial year was 19.9% (20.2%). Taxes in the Consolidated income statement amounted to EUR 33 million (EUR 28 million). After taxes, the Group’s profit for the financial year was EUR 133 million (EUR 111 million).

    The Group’s full-year return on equity (ROE) was 7.2% (6.6%). Excluding unrealised fair value changes, the ROE was 7.9% (8.4%).

    The Group’s other comprehensive income includes unrealised fair value changes of EUR 169 million (EUR 109 million). During the financial year, the most significant item affecting the other comprehensive income was net change in fair value due to changes in own credit risk of financial liabilities designated at fair value through profit or loss totalling EUR 137 million (EUR 75 million). The cost-of-hedging amounted to EUR 30 million (EUR 25 million). Net change in fair value of financial assets at fair value through other comprehensive income was EUR 2 million (EUR 8 million).

    On the whole, unrealised fair value changes net of deferred tax affected the Group’s equity by EUR 122 million (EUR 57 million) and CET1 capital net of deferred tax in capital adequacy by EUR 13 million (EUR -3 million). The cumulative effect of unrealised fair value changes on the Group’s own funds in capital adequacy calculations was EUR 58 million (EUR 45 million).

    Unrealised fair value changes reflect the temporary impact of market conditions on the valuation levels of financial instruments at the time of reporting. The value changes may vary significantly from one reporting period to another, causing volatility in profit, equity and own funds in capital adequacy calculations. The effect on individual contracts will be removed by the end of the contract period. In the financial year, unrealised fair value changes were influenced in particular by changes in interest rates and credit risk spreads in the Group’s main funding markets.

    In accordance with its risk management principles, the Group uses derivatives to financially hedge against interest rate, exchange rate and other market and price risks. Cash flows under agreements are hedged, but due to the generally used valuation methods, changes in fair value differ between the financial instrument and the respective hedging derivative. Changes in the shape of the interest rate curve and credit risk spreads in different currencies affect the valuations, which cause the fair values of hedged assets and liabilities and hedging instruments to behave in different ways. In practice, the changes in valuations are not realised on a cash basis because the Group holds financial instruments and their hedging derivatives almost always until the maturity date. The counterparty credit risk related to derivatives is comprehensively covered by collateral management. Changes in credit risk spreads are not expected to be materialised as credit losses for the Group, because the Group’s liquidity reserve has been invested in instruments with low credit risk.

    The Parent Company and subsidiary company Inspira’s results

    In 2024, MuniFin’s net interest income amounted to EUR 260 million (EUR 259 million) and net operating profit to EUR 166 million (EUR 139 million).

    The turnover of MuniFin’s subsidiary company, Financial Advisory Services Inspira Ltd, was EUR 0.4 million (EUR 1.4 million), and its net operating result amounted to EUR -0.5 million (EUR 0.0 million). The Group discontinued Inspira’s advisory services in the spring. In the future, the subsidiary company will provide some of the digital added value services MuniFin offers to its customers.

    The Group’s financial performance in July–December

    In the second half of 2024, the Group’s net operating profit excluding unrealised fair value changes amounted to EUR 92 million (Jul–Dec 2023: EUR 95 million), remaining almost at the same level as in the year before. Net interest income totalled EUR 132 million (Jul–Dec 2023: EUR 135 million) and costs EUR 40 million (Jul–Dec 2023: EUR 39 million) in July–December. Unrealised fair value changes weakened the net operating profit by EUR 31 million (in the comparison period Jul–Dec 2023: weakened by EUR 33 million). The Group’s net operating profit amounted to EUR 61 million (Jul–Dec 2023: EUR 62 million) in July–December.

    In the second half of the year, the Group’s net operating profit excluding unrealised fair value changes increased by 3.1% from the first half. Net interest income went up by 2.4% from the first half of the year. Costs amounted to EUR 40 million in July–December and to EUR 41 million in January–June. The Group’s net operating profit totalled EUR 61 million in July– December, decreasing by 42.4% from January–June. In the second half of the year, unrealised fair value changes affected the net operating profit by EUR -31 million, while in the first half of the year, their effect was EUR 16 million.

    Outlook for 2025

    Europe’s economy is starting 2025 off from a weaker position than anticipated. Business cycle expectations are subdued, and the global operating environment is fraught with uncertainty. Donald Trump’s presidential administration is expected to pursue protectionist trade policies, which could, at worst, severely slow down the euro area’s economic recovery.

    However, if Europe is exempted from the planned universal tariff on all US imports and the euro continues to weaken, businesses in the euro area could even find new opportunities to expand their market share in the US. Europe could also suffer negative economic effects if capital needed to improve productivity is increasingly allocated to strengthening military defence and supply security. The political turmoil in France and Germany adds another layer of uncertainty into the euro area economy.

    To counterbalance the growing economic uncertainty, the European Central Bank is expected to continue brisk interest rate cuts in 2025. Short-term market rates are projected to come down to about two per cent or even slightly below that by mid-year.

    The sharp interest rate cuts will be the most crucial booster for the Finnish economy in 2025. Although the overall tone of the economic turnround is still relatively subdued, the simultaneous recovery of demand drivers could boost annual GDP growth to surprisingly strong figures. Even so, macroeconomic forecasts continue to be very uncertain. Finland’s two most important export markets, the US and Germany, both entail considerable risks, and a sharperthan-expected decline in employment casts a shadow over the recovery of the domestic market. From the Group’s perspective, the 2024 rise in credit risk spreads is expected to push up the cost of funding, weakening the Group’s net interest income in 2025.

    Municipalities are undergoing sizeable adjustment programmes, but their financing deficit is nevertheless expected to grow again in 2025. Municipal finances are strained by several factors: central government transfer cuts resulting from the balancing of health and social services reform transfers, increased net investments, health and social services facilities that are left unused by wellbeing services counties but continue to incur maintenance, conversion and demolition costs, as well as uncertainty surrounding the actual costs of the employment services reform. In addition, the weakened employment outlook poses a serious risk to tax revenues.

    Privately funded housing production is expected to take an upward turn in 2025, but its volume will nevertheless remain well below normal levels. The housing market is starting to gradually pick up, and housing prices are expected to start rising moderately from 2025 onwards. In contrast, state-subsidised housing production will see fewer building starts due to reductions on interest subsidy loan authorisations. In March 2025, the Housing Finance and Development Centre of Finland (Ara) will cease to operate as an independent government agency and its operations will instead be integrated under the Ministry of the Environment. This change does not mean the end of state-subsidised housing production; rather, it aims to improve the administration of affordable social housing production. According to MuniFin’s analysis, the integration will not have a direct effect on MuniFin’s business. Interest subsidy loans will continue to be granted to state-subsidised housing production, but the related processes will be administered at the Ministry of the Environment. MuniFin will monitor the practical implications closely. With the managing authority changing, the Company may need to make changes to some of its processes in response.

    Considering the above-mentioned circumstances, the Group expects its net operating profit excluding unrealised fair value changes to be at the same level or lower in 2025 as in 2024. The Group expects its capital adequacy ratio and leverage ratio to remain strong. The valuation principles set in the IFRS framework may cause significant but temporary unrealised fair value changes, some of which increase the volatility of net operating profit and make it more difficult to estimate.

    These estimates are based on a current assessment of the development of MuniFin Group’s operations and the operating environment.

    Municipality Finance Plc

    Further information:

    Esa Kallio, President and CEO, tel. +358 50 337 7953

    Harri Luhtala, Executive Vice President, Finance, CFO, tel. +358 50 592 9454

    MuniFin (Municipality Finance Plc) is one of Finland’s largest credit institutions. The owners of the company include Finnish municipalities, the public sector pension fund Keva and the State of Finland. The Group’s balance sheet is over EUR 53 billion.

    MuniFin’s customers include municipalities, joint municipal authorities, wellbeing services counties, joint county authorities, corporate entities under the control of the above-mentioned organisations, and affordable social housing. Lending is used for environmentally and socially responsible investment targets such as public transportation, sustainable buildings, hospitals and healthcare centres, schools and day care centres, and homes for people with special needs.

    MuniFin’s customers are domestic, but the Company operates in a completely global business environment. The Company is an active Finnish bond issuer in international capital markets and the first Finnish green and social bond issuer. The funding is exclusively guaranteed by the Municipal Guarantee Board.

    Read more: www.munifin.fi

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Amendments to the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004

    Source: International Marine Contractors Association – IMCA

    Headline: Amendments to the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004

    The International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004 (the BWM Convention) is intended to prevent the spread of harmful aquatic organisms, and damage to the marine environment, from ballast water discharge by minimising the uptake and discharge of sediments and organisms.

    A key element of the BWM Convention is the recording of ballast water discharge operations from ships through the maintenance of a ballast water record book (BWRB). 

    New requirements for the reporting of ballast water discharge come into force this year, following resolutions made at the 80th session of the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee in July 2023. These changes, summarised in IMCA Information Note 1669, include a new form for reporting ballast water discharges from 1 February 2025 and, from 1 October 2025, a requirement for flag state administrations to approve the use of electronic BWRBs.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI: Surfshark releases annual company report for 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Surfshark Annual Wrap-up 2024 highlights another year of Surfshark’s growth and impact. In 2024, Surfshark increased product offerings, social responsibility efforts, and global outreach.

    “At Surfshark, we’re dedicated to building the most beloved security products people can rely on. Our mission is to deliver a service that earns trust and provides genuine value. We’ve recognized that our strength lies in creating a seamless user experience and outstanding service — which every team member contributes to. Especially in uncertain times, we aim to offer stability through convenient, accessible multi-product solutions that simplify online security and remove the worry of staying protected,” says Vytautas Kaziukonis, CEO at Surfshark. 

    “In 2024, we landed among the top 50 in the Financial Times 1000: Europe’s Fastest Growing Companies list. This achievement is not just about rapid growth but also about maintaining balanced, long-term, and stable development,” adds V.Kaziukonis.

    Technical Advancements in 2024

    In 2024, Surfshark focused on enhancing the quality of its services to better meet the needs of users. The technical team introduced several new features to ensure stronger privacy and security for everyone. One of the standout innovations was Alternative Number, a unique feature designed to protect users’ phone numbers online. Additionally, Surfshark expanded support for Apple TV, enabling seamless privacy protection across more devices. To further empower users, Surfshark introduced a free Data Leak Checker, allowing individuals to assess the safety of their personal information at no cost.

    Incogni’s Milestones and Expansion

    Incogni, Surfshark’s data removal product, had a remarkable year. In 2024, Surfshark acquired Ironwall to expand its offerings for individuals concerned about data protection. Ironwall specializes in online privacy protection for public servants and businesses, with a focus on judges, law enforcement, healthcare professionals, and financial institutions. Additionally, Incogni underwent a rebranding, giving it a fresh new look while staying true to its mission of protecting digital privacy in a clear and effective manner.

    Research Initiatives and Cybersecurity Awareness

    Surfshark’s research team had a productive year, rolling out impactful studies and initiatives aimed at raising awareness about cybersecurity. One major launch was the Smart Homes Privacy Checker, a tool that allows users to assess the privacy risks associated with their smart home devices.

    Surfshark also continued to track and report on the state of global internet freedom with the Internet Shutdown Tracker. Additionally, the Global Data Breach Statistics report provided insights into the increasing number of data breaches worldwide, helping promote better online safety practices.

    Commitment to Social Responsibility

    Surfshark’s dedication to corporate social responsibility remained strong in 2024. The company deepened its partnerships with trusted NGOs and nonprofits, such as the Open Observatory of Network Interference (OONI) and Open Rights Group (ORG), to advance digital rights and internet freedom.

    A major highlight was the launch of Surfshark’s first-ever Impact Report, showcasing its Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) efforts. This included the use of renewable energy, carbon emission mapping, and contributions to causes such as aid for Ukraine and marine conservation efforts.

    Additionally, Surfshark continued its Emergency VPN initiative, providing free VPN access to over 300 journalists, NGO workers, and activists facing internet censorship and surveillance.

    Read the full report here: surfshark.com/media/Surfshark_Annual_Wrap-Up_2024.pdf 

    NOTES TO EDITORS

    Surfshark is a cybersecurity company focused on developing humanized privacy and security solutions. The Surfshark One suite includes one of the very few VPNs audited by independent security experts, an officially certified antivirus, a private search tool, and a data leak alert system. Surfshark is recognized as the Tech Advisor’s Editor’s Choice for 2024. For a closer look at Surfshark in 2024, check our annual wrap-up. For more research projects, visit our research hub at: surfshark.com/research

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Address science misinformation not by repeating the facts, but by building conversation and community

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Anne Toomey, Associate Professor of Environmental Studies and Science, Pace University

    Using communication strategies that tap into people’s social networks can help agencies combat misinformation. arthobbit/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    Misinformation about scientific topics, including falsehoods such as vaccines cause autism and climate change being an entirely natural phenomenon, is an issue scientists have been discussing more and more. Widespread misinformation can lead to confusion about public health and environmental issues and can hinder those working to solve societal problems.

    As an environmental social scientist who researches how science can have an impact on society, I seek effective ways to address misinformation.

    There are many approaches that can work to some extent: for example, counteracting erroneous information with statements about scientific topics based on quality research that convey that the majority of experts agree, and “inoculating” people by preparing them to spot the fallacies in misinformation before they are first exposed to it.

    But one of the most important ways to counteract misinformation is less about the facts and more about how those facts move within social networks and communities. In other words, it’s not enough for science to be right – it has to be accepted within people’s social circles to have any meaningful impact.

    Can facts change minds?

    Most people tend to assume that their knowledge and ideas are based on a rational, objective analysis of information. And that’s sometimes the case – if it’s snowing outside, people don’t insist that it’s sunny and warm, no matter how much they might like it to be.

    Similarly, if a person comes across some novel fact in the news, such as the discovery of a new type of plant in the Amazon, they might just absorb that information and go about their day.

    But rationality and the ability to embrace new information goes out the window when it comes up against ideas that challenge one’s preexisting worldviews or social identities. Such information can feel like a personal attack, leading the body to release cortisol, a hormone associated with stress. So, certain facts can feel threatening or offensive.

    Sometimes, people accept new information without much thought. But when new information challenges their existing beliefs, they may double down on their point of view.

    Compounding what is happening in the brain is what’s happening in people’s communities. Humans are social animals who turn to others they trust to help them understand what’s what. People are attuned to what is considered normal or acceptable in their social environments, so if their social group holds a particular belief, they are more likely to adopt that belief too.

    One’s cultural and political identities often dictate how they interpret the same information, leading to disagreements even when presented with the same evidence.

    These cultural identities explain why, for example, research finds that science-skeptical behaviors, such as vaccine hesitancy and climate denialism, tend to cluster in social and geographical pockets. In these pockets, people’s skepticism is reinforced by others with similar beliefs in their social network. In such cases, providing more evidence on a certain topic won’t help, and it may even result in people digging in their heels deeper to deny the evidence.

    So if facts don’t necessarily change minds, what will?

    Leveraging community networks

    Recent research provides a solution for scientists and agencies hoping to correct misinformation: Rather than fighting against humans’ social nature, work with it.

    When people see trusted individuals within their social networks holding a certain belief, that belief becomes more credible and easier to adopt. Leveraging those community connections can allow new ideas to gain traction.

    One great example of using social networks to fight misinformation is how polio was eradicated in India. In 2009, India was the polio epicenter of the world, home to half of the world’s cases. These cases were largely clustered in vaccine-hesitant regions of the country. But by 2011, only two years later, India had only one case, and the country formally celebrated the eradication of polio in 2014.

    How did India go from having half of the world’s cases to just one case in under two years?

    Public health agencies asked volunteers from within vaccine-resistant communities to go on a listening campaign and become ambassadors for the vaccine. The volunteers were trained in interpersonal communication skills and tasked with spending time with parents. They built trust and rapport through regular visits.

    Because the volunteers were known within the communities, they were able to make headway where health workers from urban areas had not. As they established rapport, hesitant parents shared their concerns, which typically went beyond polio to include other health issues.

    Over time, more and more parents decided to vaccinate their children, until there was a tipping point and vaccination became a social norm. Perhaps most notably, the campaign led to full routine immunization rates in some high-risk regions of the country.

    A medical volunteer administers polio immunization drops to a child in India, years after the country’s last reported polio case.
    AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh

    India’s incredible success emphasizes the importance of personal interactions for changing minds, which means moving beyond simply presenting the facts. Building trust, listening to concerns and engaging with communities in a meaningful way were integral to India’s eradication of polio.

    The power of conversations

    Another example of using the power of social networks to talk about controversial science topics comes from a method called deep canvassing. Deep canvassing is a unique communication method that involves going door to door to have conversations with members of the public.

    But unlike traditional canvassing, which often focuses on rallying existing supporters, deep canvassing deliberately seeks to engage with those who hold different viewpoints, focusing efforts in communities where the topic is controversial.

    In deep canvassing, canvassers seek to have longer and more in-depth conversations, to share perspectives and relate with the residents they’re visiting.
    AP Photo/Greg Wahl-Stephens

    Canvassers are trained to ask questions to better understand the other person’s experiences and perspectives on the issue, and then they share their own personal stories. This helps to create a human connection, where both parties feel heard and respected. This connection can help to reduce the negative emotions that may emerge when someone is challenged to rethink their beliefs.

    One notable example of deep canvassing in action is the work of Neighbours United, an environmental nonprofit in Canada. They used a deep-canvassing approach to engage people in conversations about climate change.

    They piloted the method in a rural, conservative community called Trail, home to one of the largest zinc and lead smelters in the world. Prior efforts to engage community members hadn’t had much of an effect, as taking action on climate change was largely seen as being in conflict with how many people made their living.

    But the deep-canvassing method worked. Going door to door, the canvassers listened to residents’ concerns, shared their own stories about the impact of climate change and highlighted local environmental successes.

    As a result, 1 in 3 residents shifted their views about the importance of taking action to address climate change. This broad community support led the City Council to vote to transition to 100% renewable energy by 2050.

    Sociologist Anthony Giddens described interpersonal interactions between experts, such as doctors or scientists, and the public as access points. He argued that these points are vital for maintaining trust in governmental and scientific institutions, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the Environmental Protection Agency.

    These face-to-face interactions with experts can help people see them as kind, warm and professional, which can lead to trust.

    These examples show that creating support for attitudes and behaviors based on science requires more than just presenting facts. It requires creating meaningful dialogue between skeptical groups and scientific messengers. It’s also a reminder that while social networks may serve to propagate misinformation, they can also be an important tool for addressing it.

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

    – ref. Address science misinformation not by repeating the facts, but by building conversation and community – https://theconversation.com/address-science-misinformation-not-by-repeating-the-facts-but-by-building-conversation-and-community-249121

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Dmitry Patrushev: Work at the facilities of the “Wastewater Treatment Facilities” incident will continue until the standard indicators are reached

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Dmitry Patrushev held a meeting on the “Wastewater Treatment Facilities” incident

    February 12, 2025

    Dmitry Patrushev held a meeting on the “Wastewater Treatment Facilities” incident

    February 12, 2025

    At the meeting on the “Wastewater Treatment Facilities” incident, which was chaired by Dmitry Patrushev

    February 12, 2025

    Dmitry Patrushev held a meeting on the “Wastewater Treatment Facilities” incident

    February 12, 2025

    Previous news Next news

    Dmitry Patrushev held a meeting on the “Wastewater Treatment Facilities” incident

    Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev held a meeting within the framework of the “Wastewater Treatment Facilities” incident. It was attended by the heads of the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Ministry of Construction, Rosprirodnadzor, representatives of the Federal Assembly and heads of regions.

    “The national project “Ecology” has been completed. However, work within the framework of its two federal projects is forced to continue. The construction of treatment facilities directly affects the quality of life of citizens. Therefore, it is important to complete the work that has been started. There are positive examples of regions where the construction and reconstruction of treatment facilities were carried out in good faith and on time. This suggests that everything is feasible with the correct choice of design solutions and competent management,” said Dmitry Patrushev.

    At the meeting, the heads of the Astrakhan, Samara, Ulyanovsk regions and the Trans-Baikal Territory reported on the work done.

    The Deputy Prime Minister instructed the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Ministry of Construction to form a working group for a prompt visit to all unfinished facilities in the regions involved in the incident. Solutions to eliminate factors holding back construction must be found directly on site and deadlines must be set. If necessary, supervisory authorities will be involved in the work. Dmitry Patrushev emphasized that all facilities must be completed as quickly as possible.

    The weekly joint meetings of the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Ministry of Construction will continue. Corrective decisions will be made at their venue.

    Dmitry Patrushev particularly noted that for the systematic and effective implementation of the new national project “Environmental Well-Being”, it is important to develop regulations for interdepartmental interaction and the procedure for organizing work on the construction and reconstruction of treatment facilities.

    Incident No. 55 “Wastewater Treatment Facilities” was created on June 15, 2024 to coordinate work on the construction and reconstruction of wastewater treatment facilities implemented within the framework of the national project “Ecology”, as well as to ensure the operation of these facilities with the achievement of the parameters of standard wastewater treatment. Currently, work is being considered at 145 facilities in 19 regions.

    When working in the incident format, a special project management system is used, which is deployed on the basis of the Government Coordination Center. It allows for prompt coordination of the actions of participants and monitoring of project implementation in real time.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Cameroon: Greenpeace Africa calls on the covernment to cancel the decree creating Ma Mbed Mbed Park

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    Yaoundé, 12-02-2025 – In 2020, the Cameroonian government issued a decree establishing Ma Mbed Mbed Park, covering an area of more than 12,000 hectares. This decree has sparked reactions from local communities, who have taken to the streets demanding its cancellation. They fear the project could lead to conflicts between humans and wildlife, particularly elephants, and result in the loss of their land. They also criticize the government for not sufficiently consulting them during the decision-making process.

    Professor Ngoussandou Bello Pierre, National Coordinator of Jag Sir, the National Toupouri Cultural Association, said:
    “The Toupouri community believes this is a scheme against their land and their livelihoods. Elephants do not distinguish between ethnic groups, religions, or professions—their presence is a threat to everyone, including the BIR camp, which is less than 12 km away. Kidnappers frequently operate in Taibong and Guidiguis before seeking refuge in a protected area in Chad. Expanding this area with the new park would only worsen insecurity. The government must acknowledge its mistake and revoke the decree to ease tensions. Given the determination of the local population, if the government persists, the extermination of elephants will become inevitable.”

    Cameroon’s Far North is already facing significant challenges, particularly concerning security, and is one of the regions most affected by climate change. Last year, it experienced multiple waves of flooding. Food insecurity remains a persistent issue.

    Dr. Lamfu Fabrice, Forest Campaigner at Greenpeace Africa, said:
    “This park was created to combat climate change and promote social and professional integration—objectives that are commendable. However, the project significantly reduces the land and resources available to local populations. This is why their essential role in the sustainable management of their land and environment must be recognized. When decisions are made without their free, prior, and informed consent, it can unfortunately lead to delicate situations like this one. We call on the government to reconsider the project. This is one threat too many for the people of the Far North.”

    This protest follows a similar demonstration that took place a few weeks ago in the southern region, where local residents of the Camvert project in Campo took to the streets, demanding that the company revise its specifications. According to the residents, the document does not sufficiently account for their rights. The current situation in the Far North presents similar challenges to those faced by the people of Campo, particularly regarding human-wildlife conflicts, land grabbing, and the lack of consultation with local communities before project development.

    Media Contacts:

    Luchelle Feukeng
    Communications and Storytelling Manager, Greenpeace Africa
    Email: [email protected]
    Telephone: +237 656 46 35 45 (WhatsApp)
    Greenpeace Africa Newsdesk: [email protected] 

    Dr. Lamfu Fabrice
    Forest Campaigner, Greenpeace Africa
    Email: [email protected]
    Telephone: +237 678 06 57 58

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI China: China builds over 2,100 ‘quiet communities’ to combat noise pollution

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    China has completed the construction of 2,132 “quiet communities” across the country as part of its efforts to tackle noise pollution, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment said on Wednesday.
    The initiative aims to create residential areas with reduced noise levels to ensure improved sleep quality for residents, addressing one of the most common environmental complaints in urban areas.
    The ministry has also expanded its noise-monitoring network, installing 4,005 automatic monitoring stations across 338 cities at or above the prefecture level by the end of 2024.
    In a significant regulatory move, approximately 177,000 industrial enterprises have been brought under a noise-emissions permit system, which will achieve full coverage by the end of 2025.
    In 2024, 11 provincial-level regions designated a total area of over 860 square kilometers as noise-sensitive building zones.
    Urban noise levels have improved over the past five years, with compliance rates for both daytime and nighttime noise standards trending upward in designated functional zones, according to the ministry.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ19: Lifesaving services at swimming pools

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    LCQ19: Lifesaving services at swimming pools
    LCQ19: Lifesaving services at swimming pools
    ********************************************

         Following is a question by the Hon Kenneth Fok and a written reply by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, in the Legislative Council today (February 12): Question:      It is learnt that the Leisure and Cultural Services Department has installed artificial intelligence (AI) drowning detection systems developed by the University of Hong Kong and France at the Kwun Tong Swimming Pool and the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park Swimming Pool respectively to help strengthen lifesaving services at public swimming pools. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council: (1) whether the Government has examined the manpower and financial expenditure (including acquisition costs, installation costs and system maintenance fees) involved since the commissioning of the aforesaid two AI systems and reviewed their effectiveness; if so, of the details; if not, whether it will expeditiously commence the relevant work before the summer swimming season; (2) whether the Government has assessed and compared the actual operation of the aforesaid two systems, including their effectiveness, accuracy, ease of operation and interface with lifeguards and lifesaving mechanisms at swimming pools, with a view to providing a reference point for the retrofitting of such systems at more public swimming pools in the future; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and (3) given that according to a report released by the Office of The Ombudsman in March last year on its direct investigation into the regulation of licensed swimming pools by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD), the FEHD has not put in place an accident notification mechanism for licensed swimming pools, whether the Government will consider mandating private swimming pools to install AI drowning detection systems and establish a real-time notification mechanism to ensure that the FEHD and the relevant government departments can be expeditiously informed of drowning incidents, thereby enhancing regulatory efforts on private swimming pools; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that? Reply: President,      Having consulted relevant government departments, my reply to the questions raised by the Hon Kenneth Fok is as follows: (1) The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) has all along prioritised the safety of swimmers in both the facilities as well as the operation of its venues. Apart from providing sufficient lifeguards, the LCSD has put on trial two different sets of artificial intelligence (AI) drowning detection systems at Kwun Tong Swimming Pool and Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park Swimming Pool respectively to assist lifeguards in monitoring the real-time condition of swimmers and locating drowning victims promptly with a view to further strengthening life-saving services.      The AI drowning detection system developed by the University of Hong Kong Sport AI Laboratory has been on trial at the outdoor secondary pool of Kwun Tong Swimming Pool since August 2023. Through AI detection technology, the system analyses the videos and images captured by cameras installed underwater and calculates the drowning probability of swimmers. If suspected drowning is detected, the system will alert the lifeguards to carry out a rescue. The system was developed with a grant of around $900,000 by the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau. The LCSD has subsequently installed additional sets of underwater detection devices and upgraded the existing sets of underwater cameras in the secondary pool. The project cost was around $700,000, with an estimated annual expenditure on system maintenance of around $130,000.           The AI drowning detection system developed by a French company was installed at the indoor main pool and training pool of Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park Swimming Pool in September 2024. The system uses cameras installed above the pools to capture images and performs comprehensive tracking and analysis of swimmers’ motions. If a swimmer is found to remain stationary for over 10 seconds, the system will consider it a case of suspected drowning, trigger the alarm and display the drowning location for lifeguards to carry out a rescue. Relevant installation cost of the system was about $7.9 million, with an annual maintenance cost of approximately $1.1 million. In addition, equipment and devices of the system require a comprehensive inspection every three years to ensure its stability and safety. The estimated cost of such inspection is around $500,000. (2) At present, the two detection systems mentioned above are still in trial phase. The LCSD needs to adjust the systems from time to time based on the actual environment and usage, and observe the operation of the systems in different seasons so as to ensure the stability and reliability of the data collected. Hence, a comprehensive set of data for assessment has yet to be available. Upon completion of tests and data analyses in different seasons, the LCSD will review and compare the cost-effectiveness of the two systems before deciding whether to extend the application of the systems to other public swimming pools. (3) To strengthen the regulation of licensed swimming pools, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) has, in response to the recommendations of the Office of the Ombudsman, established a notification mechanism for fatal drowning cases in licensed swimming pools. In May 2024, the FEHD issued a letter to swimming pool licensees imposing new licensing conditions which require the reporting of cases involving casualties within a prescribed period. The FEHD officers will conduct site inspections for fatal drowning cases to ascertain whether the swimming pools concerned have provided sufficient life-saving attendants and appropriate life-saving equipment as required by the law and the licensing conditions. The FEHD will also examine the relevant cases and require the licensed swimming pools to take additional measures to further protect the safety of swimmers as necessary.      The FEHD and the LCSD share experience and exchange information from time to time on the regulation and management of swimming pools, including the application of technology to enhance swimmers’ safety. As the AI drowning detection system is still in the trial stage, the FEHD will maintain contact with the LCSD to understand the application of the system.

     
    Ends/Wednesday, February 12, 2025Issued at HKT 11:15

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ6: Developing educational tours

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    LCQ6: Developing educational tours
    LCQ6: Developing educational tours
    **********************************

         ​Following is a question by the Hon Tang Fei and a reply by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, in the Legislative Council today (February 12):      There are views that educational tours, which integrate education with tourism, will not only enhance travel experiences, but also promote cultural exchanges and knowledge dissemination, thereby driving the growth of the local tourism, catering, accommodation and related industries and further stimulating the economic development of Hong Kong. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council: (1) whether it has plans to make dedicated efforts to promote educational tours by bringing together Hong Kong’s historical and cultural resources, technology and innovative facilities as well as renowned academic institutions to attract student groups from the Mainland and overseas to Hong Kong to conduct study exchanges; if so, of the specific targets, promotion strategies and expected benefits; if not, the reasons for that, and whether it will formulate relevant plans in the future; (2) whether it will consider launching dedicated educational tour itineraries targeting different age groups and catering for different needs, such as innovation and technology itineraries focusing on visits to universities and scientific research institutions, cultural exploration itineraries featuring tours around museums and historic buildings, ecological experience itineraries on nature education and red itineraries on patriotism education; if so, of the specific plans; if not, the reasons for that; and (3) whether it has considered collaborating with local enterprises to introduce supporting services and concessionary measures specifically for educational tours; if so, of the specific plans; if not, the reasons for that? Reply:  President,      In respect of the question raised by the Hon Tang Fei, the reply is as follows:           The Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau (CSTB) promulgated the Development Blueprint for Hong Kong’s Tourism Industry 2.0 (Blueprint 2.0) on December 30,2024, setting out four major development strategies covering four areas of work including product development, expanding visitor source markets, technology innovation and enhancing services. In terms of expansion of visitor source, Blueprint 2.0 proposes to examine the travel needs of silver-haired, family, study tour and youth visitor segments in detail. The CSTB, together with the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), will promote the development of inbound study tours to Hong Kong through three areas, namely product development, enhancing promotion and upgrading support services.      In terms of product development, Hong Kong has world-class resources in the areas of culture, sports and ecology, etc., which are suitable for integration into study tours. Through exploring and consolidating resources, the CSTB and the HKTB will encourage the trade to develop more study tour itineraries and products with Hong Kong characteristics so as to satisfy the needs of students and parents of different age groups and learning needs.           An example of resource exploration is that the Ocean Park Corporation (the Park) has become the only entity outside the Mainland to be successfully certified by the Guangdong Study Travel Association and the Education Bureau of Guangzhou Municipality as a “Study Tour Base in Guangdong Province” and the “Fourth Batch of Study Tours Base for Primary and Secondary School Students in Guangzhou” respectively last year. These achievements further solidified the Ocean Park’s leading role in the field of conservation and education (C&E) in the region and enhanced Hong Kong’s appeal as a destination for study tours. We will continue to facilitate the Ocean Park to organise familiarisation tours and seminars for educational institutions in the Mainland as well as participate in exchange activities in the Mainland and overseas with a view to further promoting the Park’s C&E programmes and activities. Currently, the Ocean Park is actively exchanging views with study tour organisations in various provinces/municipalities in the Mainland and Southeast Asia to explore the possibility of arranging their students to visit the Ocean Park for study tours.           As for the consolidation of resources, there are many landmarks and attractions suitable for study tours in various districts of Hong Kong, such as the Hong Kong Intangible Cultural Heritage Centre, the Tai Kwun, the Hong Kong Sha Tau Kok Anti-war Memorial Hall and the Mai Po Nature Reserve. The HKTB has consolidated the relevant information and combined them into nine major tourism themes, namely Hong Kong’s Past and Present, Revitalisation and Conservation, Cultural Arts, Hong Kong Intangible Cultural Heritage, Natural Ecology, Environmental Protection, Technological Development, Public Services and Red Tourism. The list of tourism resources has been distributed to trade representatives, offering Mainland and overseas inbound study tours with information and reference materials for a wide range of learning experiences and activities to facilitate planning for suitable itineraries and routes.           On enhancing promotion, the HKTB held an online briefing in August last year to introduce the relevant themes, landmarks and attractions for study tours to travel trade and related sectors in Hong Kong. Subsequently, the HKTB invited delegation of Mainland study tour travel agents and educational institutions to Hong Kong for a five-day familiarisation trip for meeting and exchange with Hong Kong travel trade partners and experience Hong Kong’s rich study tour resources, products and services first-hand, including visits to the Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority Information Centre, the Police Museum, WEEE · PARK at Tuen Mun EcoPark, social enterprise restaurants and docent tours organised by the Mills, as well as participation in Hong Kong’s traditional dim sum workshops.           In future, the HKTB will continue to actively develop study tour market segment and promote Hong Kong tourism targeting the youth and study tour groups in the Mainland and overseas markets, including organising briefings for trade and inviting representatives of relevant groups and organisations from overseas and the Mainland to visit Hong Kong, with a view to deepening their understanding of Hong Kong’s resources for developing study tours.           In terms of enhancement of supporting facilities, it is very important to ensure the product quality and service standard, as well as to improve the management system as study tour is targeted at the youth segment. In this regard, Blueprint 2.0 proposed holistically a series of measures to enhance the service quality and standard of supporting facilities of the tourism industry. Based on the operational characteristics of study tours, the CSTB will examine whether the supporting facilities, such as accommodation and tourist guides, could meet the development needs of the industry and reach out to organisations with potential to develop into study tour destinations, so as to comprehensively enhance Hong Kong’s ability in exploring the source markets for study tours.           Thank you, President.

     
    Ends/Wednesday, February 12, 2025Issued at HKT 15:10

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ5: Promoting trail tourism

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is a question by the Hon Vincent Cheng and a reply by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, in the Legislative Council today (February 12):
     
    Question:

         â€‹It has been reported that a recently released documentary film on four Hong Kong trails is widely acclaimed. There are views that as Hong Kong has beautiful trails and ridgelines, the Government should adopt a new mindset or a new perspective in promoting trail tourism. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
     
    (1) of the Government’s plans in place to enhance the ancillary facilities on trails or in country parks, such as providing additional replenishment and rest stations, water-filling stations, toilets and directional signs, so as to meet the needs of different types of hikers, and to further promote trail tourism and a safe hiking culture;
     
    (2) of the Government’s plans and publicity strategies in place to promote Hong Kong’s trails to tourists from different places, such as whether it will consider taking the initiative to invite renowned runners to promote the trails, or supporting the broadcasting of the aforesaid documentary film on international streaming platforms or in places outside Hong Kong, so as to attract tourists from abroad; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
     
    (3) in order to further promote Hong Kong’s trail tourism, whether the Government will consider supporting the organisation and promotion of trail races or cross-country races, so as to attract more local and non-local people to take part in such races, thereby stepping up publicity on Hong Kong’s beautiful natural trails?
     
    Reply:
     
    President,
     
         Hong Kong has rich green and eco-tourism resources, including hiking trails and country parks throughout the city, with breathtaking great outdoors that are only minutes away from the urban hustles, attracting numerous tourists each year for hiking and outdoor activities. Further capitalising on Hong Kong’s abundant ecological resources for promoting green tourism development, is in fact one of the directions in diversifying tourism products as outlined in the Development Blueprint for Hong Kong’s Tourism Industry 2.0 that we announced at the end of last year.
          
         In respect of the question raised by the Hon Vincent Cheng, in consultation with the Environment and Ecology Bureau, the reply is as follows:
          
         To promote green tourism, the Tourism Commission, in collaboration with the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), has been taking forward the Enhancement of Hiking Trails since 2018 to enhance the tourism supporting facilities of 20 hiking trails in country parks which are popular and with tourism potential, and to enhance the “Enjoy Hiking” thematic website. Enhancement works include improvement to existing hiking trail network, control of soil erosion at trails, enhancement of vegetation coverage, addition of lookout points and enrichment of visitor information. The enhancement works on 12 hiking trails have been completed, and those for the remaining eight hiking trails are expected to be completed progressively by the first quarter of 2026.
          
         The AFCD also seeks to enhance hiking trails and provide supporting facilities in country parks, including the provision of 57 flushing toilets and over 120 portable toilets; 289 pavilions, 37 water filling stations and about 30 drinks vending machines. The Government has set aside $500 million to enhance country parks, including the improvement and addition of facilities, as well as gradually setting up large-scale enhancement facilities such as tree-top adventure and open museum of historical relics. Examples of the works involved are the construction of five toilets and reconstruction of six toilets at popular hiking spots. These toilets will adopt low-carbon and environmentally-friendly designs, and will be gradually rolled out from 2026 to 2028. The viewing platform overlooking Po Pin Chau and the Lin Ma Hang Lead Mine Cave Revitalisation Project were opened to the public in end-2024.
          
         The AFCD makes use of school visits, guided tours, online videos, social media, etc, to promote the unique natural scenery and hiking experiences of Hong Kong, provide information on hiking safety and hill fire prevention, and advocate “take your litter home”. Apart from placing directional signs in country parks, the AFCD also provides consolidated information of hiking trails, including maps, distance, level of difficulty and attractions along the trails, through the “Enjoy Hiking” website, to facilitate locals and tourists’ planning of their itineraries. The mobile application “Enjoy Hiking Hiker Tracking Service” also records users’ location, thereby shortening the search and rescue time in case of accidents. Furthermore, the AFCD collaborates with the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices (ETOs) in the Mainland and the Forestry Administration of Guangdong Province to promote Hong Kong’s natural scenery and hiking routes, as well as to disseminate hiking safety messages, through their social media platforms in the Mainland. The AFCD will continue to review and refine its promotion strategy and information, and through diverse information distribution channels, to ensure locals and tourists safely enjoy the natural wonders of Hong Kong. At the same time, the Hong Kong Police Force, the Fire Services Department, the Government Flying Service and the Civil Aid Service also raise hiker’s awareness on hiking safety through various channels and activities.
          
         Apart from the AFCD’s promotion, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), through its “Hong Kong Great Outdoors” year-round promotional platform, introduces in detail hiking trails in different districts accompanied by stories to deepen understanding of the trails, as well as docent activities and tourism products by the travel trade and other organisations, allowing tourists to appreciate Hong Kong’s inspiring natural landscape. Besides, films are also a very effective promotional channel. For example, the film “Four Trails” documents a recent trail running event, featuring participants from various places who challenge their limits by crossing mountains and valleys, while simultaneously showcasing Hong Kong’s unique natural scenery. The Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA) is collaborating with overseas ETOs and the film festival partners worldwide to promote this film at overseas film festivals. In addition, CCIDA will strive for opportunities of showing this film on both international and Mainland streaming platforms to attract more tourists to experience the natural beauty of Hong Kong. Also, the HKTB previously invited the director and producer of the film to share Hong Kong’s great natural scenery and trail running experiences with overseas media.
          
         In addition, various trail running and cross-country events are held by different organisations every year, along with other leisure trail events. The Government has supported and promoted some of these events to encourage more tourists to come to Hong Kong and participate. The Government will continue to promote green tourism based on the principles of nature conservation and sustainable development to pursue the concept of “tourism is everywhere” in Hong Kong.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ21: Making good use of tourism resources in Sha Tau Kok area

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    LCQ21: Making good use of tourism resources in Sha Tau Kok area
    LCQ21: Making good use of tourism resources in Sha Tau Kok area
    ***************************************************************

         Following is a question by the Hon Yiu Pak-leung and a written reply by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, in the Legislative Council today (February 12): Question:      In recent years, the Government has been committed to developing Sha Tau Kok (STK) into a tourist hotspot, including launching the First Phase “STK Pier opening up scheme” and the second phase of the STK opening-‍up plan, upgrading the tourism supporting facilities in STK, as well as providing photo-taking spots. In addition, there are views that the official opening of the Robin’s Nest Country Park on November 2 last year has added more highlights to the STK area. On making good use of the tourism resources in the STK area, will the Government inform this Council: (1) of the respective numbers of individual visitors and tour group visitors visiting STK each month since the launch of the second phase of the STK opening-up plan in January last year, and among which the numbers of non-local visitors (set out in Table 1); Table 1

    Month
    Total number of visitors
    Number of individual visitors(among which the number of non-local visitors)
    Number of tour group visitors(among which the number of non-local visitors)

     
     
     
     

     (2) of the respective numbers of individual visitors and tour group visitors on the 10 dates with the highest number of visitors to STK last year, and among which the numbers of non-local visitors (set out in Table 2); Table 2

    Date
    Total number of visitors
    Number of individual visitors(among which the number of non-local visitors)
    Number of tour group visitors(among which the number of non-local visitors)

     
     
     
     

     (3) as it is learnt that the Police can generally complete the processing of applications for electronic Tourism Closed Area Permits for access to STK at an earlier time (which originally required a minimum of three working days), of the distribution of the time taken by the Police to vet and approve such permits last year (i.e. (i) within four ‍hours, (ii) more than four hours to 12 hours, (iii) more than 12 hours to 24 hours, (iv) more than 24 hours to 48 hours, (v) more than 48 ‍hours to 72 hours, and (vi) more than 72 hours), and set out in Table 3 a breakdown by the type of applicants (i.e. (a) individual visitors and (b) tour group visitors, and (I) local visitors and (II) ‍non-‍local visitors); Table 3

    Vetting and approval time
    (a)
    (b)

    (I)
    (II)
    (I)
    (II)

    (i)
     
     
     
     

    ……
     
     
     
     

    (vi)
     
     
     
     

    Total
     
     
     
     

     (4) as some members of the industry have relayed that it takes time for non-local visitors to apply for electronic Tourism Closed Area Permits to gain access to STK, which is not conducive to travel agencies promoting relevant tourism products to tourists, whether the authorities will consider introducing visa-on-arrival arrangements for tour groups visiting on a “group in, group out” basis, so as to facilitate travel agencies in arranging for more tourists to visit STK; (5) as it is learnt that currently the seven MacIntosh Forts built along the Shenzhen River are no longer in practical operational use, and two of them have undergone basic revitalisation works and are conditionally open to the public, whether the authorities have considered fully opening these two revitalised forts; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; whether the authorities will consider using the forts as visitor service centres or open museums to make good use of heritage resources, thereby enhancing the attractiveness of Robin’s Nest Country Park; (6) given that the “contactless channels” at the Chung Ying Street Checkpoint in STK became operational on December 23 last year, of the progress of exploring the possibility of allowing Hong Kong tour groups to enter Chung Ying Street via such checkpoint on a “group in, group out” basis (including the estimated earliest implementation date); and (7) given that with effect from January 24 this year, the Security Bureau has opened a specified section of road within the frontier closed area near Lin Ma Hang Village in STK, exempting the requirement to apply for a closed area permit for people travelling by green minibus passing through this section of road, with a view to facilitating tourists to travel to Robin’s Nest Country Park, whether the authorities will consider allowing tourist coaches to access this section of road, so as to facilitate the launch of relevant tourism products by the industry? Reply President,      The Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau (CSTB) published the Action Plan on Sha Tau Kok Cultural Tourism Zone on December 30, 2024, in tandem with the promulgation of the Development Blueprint for Hong Kong’s Tourism Industry 2.0. The CSTB will continue to promote the tourism development in Sha Tau Kok (STK) under the overall principle of “low density, high quality” and through enriching its historical and cultural elements. Specifically, the Government is progressively opening up STK Frontier Closed Area (FCA) for tourism, including rolling out of the second phase of the STK Opening-up Plan in January 2024, under which local and non-local visitors are allowed to enter STK FCA (except Chung Ying Street) for sightseeing. In light of its proximity to the Robin’s Nest Country Park, STK has effectively linked up various tourists spots of the Blue and Green Recreation, Tourism and Conservation Circle of the district, serving as a starting point for visitors travelling by ferry to the surrounding islands and areas, such as Lai Chi Wo, Kat O and Ap Chau.      In consultation with the Security Bureau (SB), the Development Bureau and the Environment and Ecology Bureau, the consolidated reply to the question raised by the Hon Yiu Pak-leung is as follows: (1) and (2) The monthly figures of electronic Tourism Closed Area Permit (e-CAP) issued by the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) for entering STK in 2024, and the ten dates with most e-CAP issued in the same year, are set out at Annex.(3) To facilitate the implementation of the second phase of the STK Opening-up Plan starting from January 2024, the HKPF launched e-CAP on December 1, 2023. The HKPF has been committed to processing applications as soon as possible. Upon submission by applicants of all the documents required and verification of the relevant information, the vast majority of the e-CAP applications were approved within three working days. The HKPF does not maintain breakdown information of the time required for approval of e-CAP as mentioned in the question. (4) and (6) Since 2022, the SB has, in collaboration with relevant bureaux and departments, formulated specific measures to progressively open-up STK FCA in accordance with the principle of gradual and orderly progress. The SB has fully consulted the local community in the process, closely monitored the implementation of the opening-up plan, as well as maintaining close liaison with relevant stakeholders to ensure timely responses to the concerns raised and implement the opening-up plan in an orderly manner.            As far as Chung Ying Street is concerned, due to its unique historical background and geographical factors, Chung Ying Street directly adjoins the Mainland without any barrier as a boundary demarcation. It is also the only place in Hong Kong where there is no boundary control facilities, while cross-boundary movement of people and cargo is allowed. In light of the boundary security considerations from the SB, Chung Ying Street has not been opened to tourists for entry from Hong Kong STK over the years.           With the gradual opening-up of STK FCA for tourism, the Government will continue to adopt an open stance in exploring the promotion of tourism at Chung Ying Street, as well as other feasible measures that can further facilitate the trade and tourists visiting STK FCA, with a view to fostering the development of cultural tourism in STK. The CSTB, the SB and Shenzhen Municipal Government, have been in ongoing communication with each other over the development of cultural tourism in both Hong Kong and Shenzhen STK, and will explore the feasible option of allowing Hong Kong group tours to enter Chung Ying Street for sightseeing via the Chung Ying Street Checkpoint on a “group in, group out” basis, with a view to further deepening the historical and cultural elements of STK tourism. (5) For security reason, the seven MacIntosh Forts located at the boundary of New Territories are currently not opened to the public. In view of the establishment of the Robin’s Nest Country Park on March 1, 2024, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) installed an interpretation panel near the MacIntosh Fort (Kong Shan) at the Lin Ma Hang Country Trail to introduce the Forts. The AFCD also featured a thematic introduction of the Forts in an episode of the video series titled “Discovering Robin’s Nest Country Park”, which was produced in celebrating the establishment of the Robin’s Nest Country Park, covering the history of the Forts and its role in boundary defence in the past. (7) Starting from January 24, 2025, a section of road within the FCA near Lin Ma Hang Village in STK has been opened for public travelling on public light buses on scheduled service (i.e. green minibuses), by exempting the requirement to apply for a closed area permit. Members of the public concerned can enter Lin Ma Hang Village via the said section of road, thereby facilitating them to visit the Robin’s Nest Country Park and nearby areas. The current exemption is applicable to passengers travelling by green minibuses, but does not apply to private vehicles, taxis or other vehicles without a valid closed road permit, and to members of the public using other means of travel such as walking or cycling. Taking into account the limitations in the road design and safety considerations of the concerned section, the said section of road is not suitable for entry by large coach buses. The Government will examine the effectiveness of the exemption and, on the premise that boundary security and traffic safety can be ensured, keep an open mind in studying the feasibility of extending the exemption arrangement in the future to cover other transportation means.

     
    Ends/Wednesday, February 12, 2025Issued at HKT 14:42

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom announces appointments 2.11.25

    Source: US State of California 2

    Feb 11, 2025

    SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

    Karen Morrison, of Sacramento, has been appointed Director at the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. Morrison has held multiple positions at the Department of Pesticide Regulation since 2018, including Chief Deputy Director and Science Advisor since 2022, Assistant Director and Chief Science Advisor from 2019 to 2022, and Environmental Program Manager and Science and Policy Advisor from 2018 to 2019. She was a Senior Environmental Scientist and Policy Advisor at the California Department of Resources, Recycling, and Recovery from 2014 to 2018. Morrison was a Science and Technology Policy Fellow at the California Council on Science and Technology from 2013 to 2014. She earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Chemistry from the University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign, and she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Harvey Mudd College. This position requires Senate confirmation, and compensation is $213,651. Morrison is registered without party preference. 

    Nicholas Lutton, of Fresno, has been appointed to the State Council on Developmental Disabilities. Lutton was the Program Manager at Family Voices of California from 2022 to 2024. He was an Educational Resource Specialist at EPU Children’s Center from 2019 to 2022. Lutton is a member of the Editorial Board at the American Association of Pediatrics and Fresno County In-Home Services Advisory Committee. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Lutton is a Democrat.

    Eric Bergersen, of Long Beach, has been appointed to the Physician Assistant Board. Bergersen has been the Regional Medical Director at Bicycle Health Medical Group since 2020. He was the APC Director at VEP Healthcare from 2018 to 2020. Bergersen was an Emergency Medicine Physician Assistant at VEP Healthcare from 2017 to 2019. He was a Clinical Consultant at GYANT from 2018 to 2019. Bergersen was the Lead Emergency Department Technician at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center from 2012 to 2015. He is a member of Physician Assistants in Virtual Medicine and Telemedicine. Bergersen earned a Master of Science degree in Health Care Administration from Oklahoma State University, a Master of Science degree in Physician Assistant Studies from George Washington University, and Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Neuroscience from Northeastern University. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Bergersen is a Democrat.

    Ed Perez, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the Physician Assistant Board. Perez was a manager at Labor Relations and Performance Management, California Department of Water Resources from 2019 to 2024. He was a Labor Relations Specialist, Department of Water Resources from 2015 to 2019. Perez was a Labor Relations Specialist & Labor Relations Analyst at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from 2013 to 2015. He is a member of the Asian Pacific American Public Affairs Association (APAPA), the Hamptons Community Foundation, the Hamptons Owners Association, the Gardenland-Northgate Neighborhood Association, and a Community Activist with AARP. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Perez is a Democrat.

    Drake Dillard, of Los Angeles, has been reappointed to the California Commission on Disability Access, where he has served since 2020. Dillard has been a Senior Project Manager at Perkins & Will since 2014. He was a Senior Healthcare Architect at Parsons from 2007 to 2013. Dillard was a Project Architect at Kaiser Permanente from 1989 to 1998. He is a member of the Crenshaw Design Review Panel, American Institute of Architects and the National Organization of Minority Architects. Dillard earned a Master of Arts degree in Architecture from Howard University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Architecture from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Dillard is registered without party preference.

    Jaqueline Jackson, of San Diego, has been reappointed to the California Commission on Disability Access, where she has served since 2020. Jackson has been a Non-Profit Management Consultant since 1994. She was Development Director and Consultant for the San Diego Center for the Blind from 2002 to 2004. Jackson was Director of Charter School Development for Norman and Norman Inc. from 1996 to 2005. She was an Education Consultant for the School Futures Research Foundation from 1994 to 1996. Jackson was the Director of Education for Health and Family Support Services at the San Diego Urban League from 1988 to 1994. She is a member of the City of San Diego Accessibility Advisory Board, City of San Diego Senior Affairs Advisory Board, and the County of San Diego Registrar of Voters Accessibility Advisory Committee. Jackson earned a Master of Education degree from the University of San Diego and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from California State University, San Diego. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Jackson is a Democrat.

    Press Releases, Recent News

    Recent news

    Feb 11, 2025

    News What you need to know: Across all of state government, highly-specialized personnel and response equipment are on the ground working to protect communities statewide from storm impacts.  Los Angeles, California – With another significant winter storm system…

    Feb 11, 2025

    News What you need to know: Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order today ordering the state to ensure that childcare providers impacted by the recent wildfires in Los Angeles are aware of their potential eligibility for Disaster Unemployment Assistance and…

    Feb 11, 2025

    News What you need to know: The fastest large-scale debris removal in modern state history began today in Altadena and the Pacific Palisades, in roughly half the time it took to start similar operations after the devastating 2018 Woolsey Fire.  LOS ANGELES – Governor…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: With biggest winter storm of the season looming, California takes early, proactive steps to protect communities and harden burn scar areas  

    Source: US State of California 2

    Feb 11, 2025

    What you need to know: Across all of state government, highly-specialized personnel and response equipment are on the ground working to protect communities statewide from storm impacts. 

    Los Angeles, California – With another significant winter storm system expected to reach California later this week, work continues statewide to ensure communities impacted by recent wildfires – including the firestorms in Los Angeles – are protected.

    To prepare for this storm, Governor Gavin Newsom is directing a whole-of-government response to bolster local resources.

    In Altadena today, Governor Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom surveyed ongoing work by state crews to prepare the Eaton Fire burn scar area ahead of rain. 

    At Governor Newsom’s direction, the state has installed emergency protection materials to contain burn scar debris from the Eaton and Palisades fires from entering creeks, rivers, and other bodies of water. The state is coordinating locally requested materials such as K-rails (concrete barriers) to divert debris flow and has completed debris basin clean-up activities over the last month to mitigate potential impacts in vulnerable areas.

    California has been in a constant state of readiness preparing for extreme winter weather. Crews have been on the ground for weeks working to secure areas against possible mudslides and debris flows. If you’re in the storm’s path, please remain vigilant and follow all guidance of local authorities.

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    California is monitoring storm impacts, in particular to burn scar areas that pose the threat of mudslides and debris flows. According to the National Weather Service, this storm system will bring far-reaching impacts across the state, including risks of urban flooding and burn scar impacts in Southern California, high winds and heavy snow. 

    State actions to protect communities include:

    • 319,000 sandbags and 5,600 super sacks have been deployed to Southern California locations through the Department of Water Resources (DWR).
    • 242 total CAL FIRE engines are deployed throughout the state to rapidly respond, including 109 engines CAL FIRE Southern Region and 133 engines CAL FIRE Northern Region.
    • Cal OES has prepositioned flood fighting and debris flow resources and more than 400 personnel in 8 counties, including Colusa, Fresno, Los Angeles, Orange, Glenn, Tulare, Ventura and Santa Barbara. In total the state is deploying through the Fire and Rescue Mutual Aid System the following:
      • 48 fire engines
      • 8 dozers 
      • 5 helicopters
      • 8 dispatchers
      • 6 hand crews
      • 8 swiftwater rescue teams
      • 3 local Incident Management Teams
      • 1 Regional Task Force
      • 2 excavators 
      • 2 loaders
      • 5 heavy rescue teams
    • Nearly 120 miles of emergency protection materials, including straw wattle, compost sock and silt fencing, have been installed through the California Conservation Corps to contain burn scar debris from entering creeks, rivers and other bodies of water. 
    • 30 watershed protection specialists have been deployed to burn scar areas.
    • Caltrans is placing erosion-control devices, including wattles, to limit mudflows. Caltrans is mobilizing crew members to monitor for rocks and other debris falling from burned slopes on the Pacific Coast Highway and Topanga Canyon Boulevard. 
    • 14 geologists are deployed to study and map burn scars of the Palisades, Eaton and Kenneth fires. The California Geological Survey is using this information to determine where debris flow could occur and where to install mitigation. The department also coordinated aerial flights over the scars to gather LiDAR data to further study burn areas for possible debris flow.
    • 70 soldiers and heavy engineering equipment through the California National Guard are deployed in the area to support debris removal efforts.
    • The California Department of Social Services is coordinating with local partners on shelters and warming centers to serve impacted communities.
    • The California Department of Public Health is supporting licensed healthcare facilities. 

    These early actions add on to the work the state has done in recent weeks to protect California communities and boost the state’s water supply. On January 31, the Governor signed an executive order to direct state agencies to direct additional water storage by maximizing excess water from winter storms.

    Residents in affected areas are urged to stay informed about potential debris flow risks, especially during storms, and to follow guidance from local emergency officials. For resources and information specific to the Los Angeles firestorms, visit CA.gov/LAfires.

    Preparing for upcoming weather

    On Thursday, rainfall rates could approach 1” per hour near thunderstorms. In addition, there’s anticipated heavy mountain snow, with levels dropping to 2,000-3,000 feet across the north and down to 6,500 feet in the far south. Parts of the state will see wind gusts of 35-55 mph in Central and Southern California.

    The incoming storm could bring an increased risk of power outages, flooding in small streams and low-lying areas, and debris, rocks and mudslides on roadways.

    Residents are encouraged to not drive through flooded roadways, prepare in advance for power outages and reduce injury risks from falling limbs and trees by staying inside during high wind events.

    Residents are urged to stay informed and listen to local authorities about actions they should take including evacuation orders or safety recommendations. In burn scar areas, officials recommend preparing for possible sudden debris flows by having a go-bag packed and knowing evacuation routes.

    For more information on winter storm preparedness visit ready.ca.gov.

    Recent news

    Feb 11, 2025

    News What you need to know: Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order today ordering the state to ensure that childcare providers impacted by the recent wildfires in Los Angeles are aware of their potential eligibility for Disaster Unemployment Assistance and…

    Feb 11, 2025

    News What you need to know: The fastest large-scale debris removal in modern state history began today in Altadena and the Pacific Palisades, in roughly half the time it took to start similar operations after the devastating 2018 Woolsey Fire.  LOS ANGELES – Governor…

    Feb 10, 2025

    News What you need to know: The state continues to upgrade CA.gov/LAfires to provide more resources and information for firestorm survivors.  LOS ANGELES – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced new efforts to provide accountability with ongoing Los Angeles firestorm…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: In Altadena, Governor Newsom joins federal and state leaders to launch new phase of firestorm debris removal

    Source: US State of California 2

    Feb 11, 2025

    What you need to know: The fastest large-scale debris removal in modern state history began today in Altadena and the Pacific Palisades, in roughly half the time it took to start similar operations after the devastating 2018 Woolsey Fire. 

    LOS ANGELES – Governor Gavin Newsom today joined federal and local partners to begin work on structural debris removal from the Los Angeles firestorms, building on the US EPA’s work already underway to initially remove household hazardous waste.

    The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) began private property debris removal Tuesday morning in Altadena and Tuesday afternoon in Pacific Palisades, closely coordinating efforts with local officials. The Governor also highlighted the completion of debris removal from an Altadena K-8 school, the site of this morning’s announcement. 

    “The new phase of debris removal that’s starting today marks a foundational step in helping Angelenos build back stronger. I’m grateful to the state and federal workers who are clearing debris at record-pace so firestorm survivors can begin the rebuilding process as quickly and safely as possible.”

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    The removal process that began today comes only 35 days after the fires ignited — roughly half the time it took to start similar operations after the devastating 2018 Woolsey Fire.
     
    Under Governor Newsom’s leadership, California has expedited the cleanup process by cutting red tape and eliminating bureaucratic barriers, allowing highly trained crews to enter impacted communities sooner and help survivors rebuild their lives faster. 

    The Los Angeles County Department of Public Works, in partnership with six locally affected jurisdictions, has worked around the clock to collect Right-of-Entry (ROE) forms from residents, develop haul routes, and coordinate safe transport of fire ash and debris.
     
    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is rapidly completing the removal of household hazardous materials at record speed, clearing the way for this next phase of cleanup.
     
    Last month, Governor Newsom announced that FEMA, working with the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), had tasked the EPA with safely removing and disposing of hazardous materials from homes and structures impacted by the fires. This crucial first step — one of the most complex phases of wildfire cleanup — paved the way for the structural debris removal now underway.

    As these operations continue, residents should anticipate an increased presence of debris removal teams in their communities and plan accordingly. The agencies involved appreciate the public’s support and patience as crews work to eliminate health and safety risks from impacted properties.

    Since the fires began, Governor Newsom has led an aggressive, coordinated, whole-of-government response to support impacted communities. Prior to the fires breaking out, the state had already deployed thousands of firefighters and personnel, with more than 16,000 boots on the ground at the peak of response efforts. In the days that followed, the state has launched historic recovery and rebuilding efforts to ensure Los Angeles communities receive the support they need.

    Fire survivors can sign up for the federal debris removal program by visiting a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) or online at ca.gov/LAFires

    Recent news

    Feb 10, 2025

    News What you need to know: The state continues to upgrade CA.gov/LAfires to provide more resources and information for firestorm survivors.  LOS ANGELES – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced new efforts to provide accountability with ongoing Los Angeles firestorm…

    Feb 10, 2025

    News What you need to know: The state and federal government are working at record-pace to remove debris from the Los Angeles area firestorms. LOS ANGELES – The State of California, in coordination with federal and local partners, is rapidly advancing wildfire cleanup…

    Feb 10, 2025

    News What you need to know: Governor Newsom is sponsoring new legislation to allow homeowners who receive insurance payments for lost or damaged property to receive the interest accrued rather than lenders.  LOS ANGELES — As part of the state’s ongoing efforts to…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ13: Lantau Tomorrow Vision

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is a question by the Hon Paul Tse and a written reply by the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, in the Legislative Council today (February 12):Question:     It is learnt that the Government has yet to confirm the commencement date of the reclamation project for the Kau Yi Chau Artificial Islands under the Lantau Tomorrow Vision. According to a paper submitted by the Government to the Panel on Development of this Council on December ‍29, 2022, the Government’s target was to commence the reclamation works for the Artificial Islands at the end of 2025. The Government subsequently indicated that the reclamation works “would be slightly deferred”. At the meeting of the Panel on Development of this Council on October 22 last year, the Secretary for Development advised that hopefully the reclamation works could commence within the current term of the Government (i.e. by June 30, 2027). On the 7th of last month, the Secretary for Development remarked that at present there was no need to fix a date for the commencement of the reclamation works; while a commentary article “The Lantau Tomorrow Vision is yesterday’s dream” published on the Ta Kung Wen Wei website on the same day pointed out that the Government had no choice but to slow down the pace of creating artificial land by reclamation under the Lantau Tomorrow Vision or even shelve the development plan, highlighting that the Lantau Tomorrow Vision has become “a thing of the past”. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:(1) as there are views that the Government has been procrastinating on the commencement date of the works for the Lantau Tomorrow Vision, and the subsequent remark made by the Secretary for Development that at present there is no need to fix a date for the commencement of the reclamation works is entirely different from the remark in the commentary article “The Lantau Tomorrow Vision is yesterday’s dream” on the Ta Kung Wen Wei website, of the latest update of the project;      (2) whether the principal officials in charge of the Lantau Tomorrow Vision will formally and publicly give an account of the retention or otherwise of the project; and(3) given that the aforesaid commentary article has highlighted that “the Lantau Tomorrow Vision has become a thing of the past”, of the detailed expenditures incurred by the Government to date on the preliminary studies, design and consultancy work relating to the Lantau Tomorrow Vision; whether the Government will immediately suspend or freeze such work in order to minimise unnecessary expenditures; if so, of the estimated amount of expenditures that can be saved; if not, the reasons for that?Reply:President,     According to the findings of the study “Hong Kong 2030+: Towards a Planning Vision and Strategy Transcending 2030”, the target for supply of developed land in the 30 years from 2019 to 2048 is about 7 000 hectares, of which 1 000 hectares of land will come from the proposed Kau Yi Chau Artificial Islands (KYCAI) project. This 1 000 hectares of newly reclaimed land, geographically located at a strategical position, will expand the scope and capacity of the development of Hong Kong and provide transport infrastructures connecting the Northern Metropolis and Lantau Island. It helps to support Hong Kong’s sustainable development in the medium to long term.     The replies to various parts of Hon Paul Tse’s questions are as follows:(1) The article cited in this question was contributed by an individual to the relevant media. It is understood that it does not represent the position of the media, let alone the position of the Government.(2) The KYCAI is a project necessary for Hong Kong’s long-term development. The Government is taking forward the project in a steady and prudent manner, and will formulate the project implementation strategy in light of the progress of various studies of the project, as well as the priority and overall deployment of the Government’s various land creation and infrastructure projects.     The Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) submitted the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report for the reclamation part to the Environmental Protection Department on December 31 last year, with the target of completing the approval work within 2025. In addition to the EIA report for the reclamation part, the CEDD still needs to complete a series of tasks, including completing the EIA for the strategic roads and land development, and progressively commencing a series of detailed engineering studies (including formulating specific design and construction requirements for key infrastructure projects, and conducting relevant financial studies and analysis). The Government announced its forecast for the supply of developed land in the next 10 years in October last year, including 300 hectares of reclaimed land from the KYCAI project. At that time, it was expected that such land would only become available in the later stage of the decade. For such large-scale land development project, the current priority is to prudently complete the necessary preparatory work in the study and planning stages so that construction work can commence as quickly as possible at the appropriate time in the future.     The Government has reiterated the above position in the 2024 Policy Address, the Legislative Council’s Panel on Development’s Policy Address briefing, media interviews for the Secretary for Development, social media, and the KYCAI project’s dedicated website. When we applied for the block vote funding from the Legislative Council’s Public Works Subcommittee in January this year, we also explained the contents of the detailed engineering studies to Members.      (3) At its meeting on December 4, 2020, the Legislative Council’s Finance Committee approved a funding of $550.4 million for the ongoing planning and engineering study on the KYCAI (i.e. PWP Item No. 768CL “Studies related to artificial islands in the Central Waters”) to engage a consultant to carry out the relevant study and related site investigation works for KYCAI. By the end of the 2024/2025 financial year, the CEDD projects an expenditure of about $400 million. As explained in the reply in Part (2) above, the Government is taking forward the project in a steady and prudent manner, including continuing with the statutory EIA work and necessary studies.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana Turns One

    Source: Government of India

    PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana Turns One

    Powering India’s Solar Revolution

    Posted On: 12 FEB 2025 12:48PM by PIB Delhi

    Introduction

    On February 13, 2025, the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana (PMSGMBY) will mark its first anniversary, celebrating a year of empowering households with affordable solar energy and accelerating India’s transition to a sustainable future. Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 13, 2024, this groundbreaking initiative aims to provide free electricity to households by facilitating the installation of rooftop solar panels. The PMSGMBY, the world’s largest domestic rooftop solar initiative, is reshaping India’s energy landscape with a bold vision to supply solar power to one crore households by March 2027.

    As of January 27, 2025, the scheme has already benefitted 8.46 lakh households through rooftop solar installations. The rapid adoption of solar energy is evident in the tenfold increase in monthly installation rates, which now stand at around 70,000 installations per month, significantly surpassing pre-scheme levels. The scheme offers a subsidy of up to 40%, making renewable energy more affordable and accessible. So far, ₹4,308.66 crore has been disbursed as Central Financial Assistance (CFA) to 5.54 lakh residential consumers, with an average subsidy of ₹77,800 per household. Additionally, an estimated 45% of the beneficiaries are now receiving zero electricity bills, depending on their solar power generation and consumption patterns.

    Top 5 states with the highest number of households benefiting under the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana.

     

    Key Benefits

    The PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana offers several significant benefits to participating households:

    • Free Electricity for Households: The scheme provides households with free electricity through the installation of subsidized rooftop solar panels, significantly reducing their energy costs.

     

    • Reduced Electricity Costs for the Government: By promoting the widespread use of solar power, the scheme is expected to save the government an estimated ₹75,000 crore annually in electricity costs.

     

    • Increased Use of Renewable Energy: The scheme encourages the adoption of renewable energy sources, contributing to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly energy mix in India.

     

    • Reduced Carbon Emissions: The transition to solar energy under this scheme will help lower carbon emissions, supporting India’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint.

    Subsidy Details

    The subsidy provided under the scheme varies based on the household’s average monthly electricity consumption and the corresponding suitable rooftop solar plant capacity:

    Average Monthly Electricity Consumption (units)

    Suitable Rooftop Solar Plant Capacity

    Subsidy Support

     

    0-150

    1-2 kW

    ₹ 30,000/- to ₹ 60,000/-

    150-300

    2-3 kW

    ₹ 60,000/- to ₹ 78,000/-

    > 300

    Above 3 kW

    ₹ 78,000/-

     

    Subsidy Application and Vendor Selection: Households can apply for the subsidy through the National Portal, where they can also select a suitable vendor for installing rooftop solar. The National Portal will assist in decision-making by providing information on appropriate system sizes, a benefits calculator, vendor ratings, and other relevant details. With all credentials are entered correctly on the National Portal, the average time taken in processing the CFA is around 15 days after redemption request made by the consumer.

     

    Collateral-Free Loans: Households will have access to collateral-free, low-interest loans at around 7% interest for the installation of residential rooftop solar (RTS) systems up to 3 kW.

    Eligibility

    Application Process

    The application process involves following nine specific steps to ensure a smooth and efficient submission and approval of solar panel installation.

    Impact

    The   PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana is expected to have far-reaching outcomes, both for individual households and the nation as a whole:

    • Household Savings and Income Generation: Households will benefit from significant savings on their electricity bills. Additionally, they will have the opportunity to earn extra income by selling surplus power generated by their rooftop solar systems to DISCOMs. For instance, a 3-kW system can generate over 300 units per month on average, providing a reliable source of energy and potential revenue.

     

    • Expansion of Solar Capacity: The scheme is projected to add 30 GW of solar capacity through rooftop installations in the residential sector, significantly contributing to India’s renewable energy goals.

     

    • Environmental Benefits: Over the 25-year lifetime of these rooftop systems, it is estimated that the scheme will generate 1000 BUs of electricity while reducing CO2 emissions by 720 million tonnes, making a substantial positive impact on the environment.

     

    • Job Creation: The scheme is also expected to create approximately 17 lakh direct jobs across various sectors, including manufacturing, logistics, supply chain, sales, installation, operations and maintenance (O&M), and other services, thereby boosting employment and economic growth in the country.

     

    Model Solar Village

    Under the “Model Solar Village” component of the scheme, the focus is on establishing one Model Solar Village per district throughout India. This initiative aims to promote solar energy adoption and empower village communities to achieve energy self-reliance. An allocation of ₹800 crore has been designated for this component, with ₹1 crore provided to each selected Model Solar Village.

    To qualify as a candidate village, it must be a revenue village with a population of over 5,000 (or 2,000 in special category states). Villages are selected through a competitive process, evaluated on their overall distributed renewable energy (RE) capacity six months after being identified by the District Level Committee (DLC).

    The village in each district with the highest RE capacity will receive a central financial assistance grant of ₹1 crore. The State/UT Renewable Energy Development Agency, under the supervision of the DLC, will oversee the implementation, ensuring these model villages successfully transition to solar energy and set a benchmark for others across the country.

    Conclusion

    In conclusion, the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana is set to significantly reshape India’s energy landscape by empowering millions of households with solar power. By March 2025, installations are expected to exceed 10 lakh, doubling to 20 lakh by October 2025, reaching 40 lakh by March 2026, and ultimately achieving the ambitious one crore target by March 2027. This transformative initiative is set to save the government ₹75,000 crores annually in electricity costs, reinforcing India’s leadership in clean energy innovation. Through substantial subsidies, accessible financing options, and a focus on renewable energy, the initiative will not only provide free electricity to households but also contribute to significant savings for the government, reduced carbon emissions, and job creation.

    The Model Solar Village initiative further supports rural areas in becoming energy self-reliant, underscoring the government’s commitment to sustainable development. This ambitious programme sets India on a path toward a greener, more energy-efficient future, reinforcing its leadership in renewable energy.

    References:

    v https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2005596

    v https://www.myscheme.gov.in/schemes/pmsgmb

    v https://www.pmsuryaghar.gov.in/whatIsNew

    v https://cdnbbsr.s3waas.gov.in/s3716e1b8c6cd17b771da77391355749f3/uploads/2024/08/2024080998431910.pdf

    v https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2080833

    v https://sansad.in/getFile/annex/266/AU945_gOv3Tm.pdf?source=pqars

    Kindly find the pdf file 

    ****

    Santosh Kumar/ Sarla Meena/ Anchal Patiyal

    (Release ID: 2102149) Visitor Counter : 38

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Briefing – Circularity requirements for vehicle design and management of end-of-life vehicles – 12-02-2025

    Source: European Parliament

    The EU’s automotive sector is resource-intensive. There are 286 million motor vehicles on the road in the EU, and every year around 6.5 million vehicles become waste. If improperly managed, these vehicles may cause environmental damage and the economy may lose millions of tonnes of materials. In July 2023, the European Commission presented a proposal for a regulation addressing the whole life cycle of vehicles, from design to end-of-life, aimed at improving design and end-of-life management of vehicles for a more resource-efficient automotive sector. It would set circularity requirements on vehicle design and production concerning reusability, recyclability, recoverability and the use of recycled content. It would also lay down requirements on information and labelling of parts, components and materials in vehicles. In addition, the proposed regulation would establish requirements on extended producer responsibility, collection and treatment of end-of-life vehicles, and on the export of used vehicles from the EU to third countries. The proposal is now in the hands of the co-legislators. In the European Parliament, the Committees on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) and Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) are jointly responsible for the file. The joint committee vote is scheduled for June 2025. Second edition. The ‘EU Legislation in Progress’ briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: WRRC Webinar: Unlocking Financial Potential: Scalable Solutions for Resilient Recovery

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Venue

    Online participation via Zoom

    This session aims to recognize the main barriers and potential solutions to that countries and international organizations face in terms of design and implementation of recovery finance strategies. Real cases will help showcase actionable solutions that can be applied by governments, the private sector and community organizations to achieve more inclusive and comprehensive financial coverage for recovery efforts.

    This webinar is jointly organized by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF), the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), and the United Nations University – Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS).

    Objectives

    The session will serve as a precursor to the technical session at the World Resilient Recovery Conference (WRRC), gathering feedback on key recovery finance topics and elements identified. It will explore the challenges countries face when tackling finance recovery readiness, identifying key barriers to effective recovery. It will share successful strategies and tools for financing recovery processes. Interested stakeholders will be engaged in the WRRC, fostering collaboration and broadening participation. Groundwork will be conducted for ensuring meaningful discussions at the WRRC, setting the foundation for impactful conversations moving forward.

    The webinar further aims to:

    1. Highlight the role of different finance recovery stakeholders.
    2. Highlight key challenges and lessons learned from past disasters.
    3. Formulate concrete challenges countries and international partners face in recovery financing.
    4. Set the stage for in-depth discussions at the WRRC technical session.

    How to register:

    Online (Zoom), 15 April, 2-3.30 pm CET:

     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ11: Work of the Joint Office for Investigation of Water Seepage Complaints

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is a question by the Hon Kwok Wai-keung and a written reply by the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, in the Legislative Council today (February 12):     Question:     Some members of the public have relayed that even through complaints about water seepage problems in building units have been lodged with the Joint Office for Investigation of Water Seepage Complaints (JO) formed by the Buildings Department and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, the problems remain unresolved because the occupants of the units suspected of causing water leakage cannot be found, or water seepage has recurred after JO’s intervention and handling of the cases. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:(1) of the following statistics on cases of water seepage in buildings handled by JO in each of the past three years: the respective numbers of reports (i) received and (ii) handled, (iii) cases with consultants engaged to conduct investigation, (iv) cases with the source of water seepage successfully identified and investigation completed, (v) cases with the source of water seepage not identified but investigation terminated, (vi) cases referred to other government departments, (vii) cases with Nuisance Notices issued, cases with (viii) Warrants to Effect Entry into Premises and (ix) Nuisance Orders issued by the court, and cases with (x) prosecutions instituted and (xi) convictions secured, and set out in the table below a breakdown by District Council district and nature of cases (i.e. (a) cases handled for the first time and (b) recurring cases (i.e. those with water seepage reportedly occurring at the same address as a case previously handled));District Council district:                                                             (2) of the respective average costs incurred by the JO in handling cases mentioned in (1)(iii) and (iv) in the past three years;(3) given that according to the information of the JO, for simple and straightforward cases with the co-operation of the owners/occupants concerned, the investigation and tests can normally be completed within 90 working days, whereas for cases in which the investigation cannot be completed within 90 working days, the complainants will be notified of the investigation progress in writing, (i) whether the JO has broken down the 90 working days for handling cases into work stages and drawn up performance pledges for each of them; (ii) whether the JO will inform the complainants in writing of the relevant investigation and test results; if not, of the reasons for that; and (iii) among the cases mentioned in (1)(ii) in the past three years, of the number and proportion of those in which the investigation could not be completed within 90 working days;(4) given that in the reply to a question raised by a Member of this Council on January 10 last year, the authorities indicated that most of the cases in which the JO could not complete the investigation within 90 working days were more complicated (e.g. involving more than one source of water seepage, repeated or intermittent water seepage, requiring multiple tests to identify the source, and failure of owners or occupants to co-operate with the investigation), whether the authorities have kept a breakdown of such cases by the reasons for not being able to complete the investigation within 90 working days; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;(5) whether the authorities have compiled statistics on, among the cases referred to other government departments as mentioned in (1)(vi) in the past three years, (i) the number of cases in which the handling has been completed as well as the average time taken to handle them, and (ii) the number of cases in which the handling has yet to be completed; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;(6) as it is learnt that at present, the JO is conducting on a trial basis Stage II initial investigation and Stage III professional investigation in parallel under the General Procedures for Investigating Water Seepage in six “pilot districts” (i.e. Wong Tai Sin, North, Yuen Long, Islands, Tai Po and Kwai Tsing Districts), and has introduced new testing technologies such as infrared thermography and microwave tomography at Stage III in most districts, whether the authorities will consider standardising the relevant procedures, extending such new testing technologies across the territory, and conducting the Stage II and Stage III investigation procedures in parallel in all districts, so as to enhance investigation efficiency; if so, of the timetable; if not, the reasons for that; and(7) as there are views that water seepage or leakage caused by defective fresh water mains, gutters or waterproofing membranes at rooftops of buildings cannot be dealt with under the existing section 12(1)(b) of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132), resulting in JO having no alternative but to refer relevant complaints received to other government departments, and thus prolonging the time during which members of the public are subjected to nuisances, whether the authorities will consider amending the legislation to bring the aforesaid situation under the regulation of Cap. 132 or expanding the JO’s functions, so as to save the time required for referral of cases among government departments; if so, of the timetable; if not, the reasons for that?Reply:President,     If water seepage occurs in private buildings, the owners concerned may first co-operate among themselves to engage professionals/consultancy firms for carrying out water seepage investigation to identify the source of seepage and conducting necessary repair works to fulfill owners’ responsibilities of proper management, maintenance and repair of buildings. Consultancy firms or professionals are also available in the market to provide services for investigating and resolving water seepage problems. A list of consultancy firms and experts providing professional advice and services on water seepage problems has also been uploaded onto the websites of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) and the Buildings Department (BD) for public reference. When the water seepage condition concerned has caused health nuisance, risk to structural safety of the building or water waste, the Government will intervene to handle the case in accordance with the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132) (PHMSO), the Buildings Ordinance (Cap. 123) (BO) and the Waterworks Ordinance (Cap. 102) respectively.     If owners are unable to resolve water seepage problems in consultation with their neighbours, they can seek assistance from the Joint Office (JO) jointly set up by the FEHD and the BD. Through inter-departmental co-ordination, the JO seeks to identify the source of water seepage using one-stop and systematic testing methods and require the owners concerned to carry out repair works by exercising the powers conferred by the law, leveraging the expertise of relevant departments and with co-operation of the owners or occupants concerned.     Having consulted the Environment and Ecology Bureau and the FEHD, the replies to the various parts of the question are as follows:(1) The investigation of water seepage cases in buildings by the JO can be divided into the following stages (Note):     Stage I: Identify the water seepage situation;     Stage II: Conduct initial investigation; and     Stage III: Conduct professional investigation.     The statistics of water seepage cases in buildings and repeated reports handled by the JO in each of the past three years are set out at Annex.  (2) The manpower and expenses involved in handling each water seepage case by the JO vary, depending on factors such as the complexity (e.g. water seepage involving multiple sources of seepage or intermittent seepage), the investigations required for each case (e.g. not all cases will undergo Stage II or III investigations). The need to engage consultancy firms to assist in professional investigations also requires appropriate arrangements to be made in light of the actual circumstances (e.g. internal renovations of the premises affected by the water seepage), and the cost of each case also varies. Although the JO does not compile statistics of the relevant average cost, the annual cost of engaging consultancy firms for Stage III investigation is about $40 million.(3) For cases that are simple and easy to handle (i.e. officers can access the premises for investigation, there is no difficulty in tracing the source of water seepage, multiple sources or multiple tests are not involved, and there is no need to confirm the test results of the source of water seepage with government laboratories) and where the owners/occupants concerned are willing to co-operate in the investigation, the performance indicator of the JO is to complete the investigation within 90 working days from the receipt of the report and to notify the informant of the investigation results in writing.     Although the JO has not set specific performance pledges for each of the stages mentioned above, for such simple cases, investigation can generally be completed within 90 working days: the processing time for Stage I was six working days, 32 working days for Stage II, and 52 working days for Stage III.     Based on statistics of reported cases received, including those simple and easy to handle as well as those relatively complicated cases, the percentage of cases in which investigation could be completed within 90 working days from the receipt of the report and the informant could be notified of the investigation result was 70 per cent, 68.5 per cent and 65.4 per cent in 2021, 2022 and 2023 respectively. The corresponding figures for cases that could not be completed or for which the informant could not be notified of the results within 90 working days were 30 per cent, 31.5 per cent and 34.6 per cent respectively.      In addition to the performance indicator mentioned above, the existing performance pledges of the JO include contacting the informant within six working days upon receipt of a case about water seepage to arrange for investigation at the premises concerned; and issuing a Nuisance Notice within seven working days upon verification of the investigation results on the source of the water seepage nuisance.(4) The progress of investigation depends on multiple factors, including the complexity of cases. For example, a case may involve more than one source of water seepage, repeated or intermittent water seepage requiring multiple tests to identify the source, and co-operation of owners or occupiers with the JO’s investigation. Moreover, each case may involve more than one factor. The JO does not compile statistics on the reasons affecting the progress of investigation.     Nevertheless, the JO will continue to optimise the workflow for handling water seepage cases to expedite investigation. In terms of regulations, the Government is working on amending the relevant legislation on environmental hygiene, which include proposals to extend the time for entering premises suspected of causing public health nuisance (including water seepage in buildings) to the evening, as well as making non-compliance with the Notice of Intended Entry issued by government officers illegal, so as to enable government officers to promptly enter the relevant premises for investigation.     In terms of the handling process, the current procedure involves conducting Stage I and Stage II investigations first, and only proceeding to Stage III professional investigation if the water seepage source cannot be identified. The JO has implemented a pilot to carry out in parallel Stage II and Stage III investigations in six pilot districts, namely Wong Tai Sin, North District, Yuen Long, Islands, Tai Po, and Kwai Tsing. Under this arrangement, Stage III professional investigation can be carried out earlier without waiting for the results of Stage II investigation, which aims to reduce the investigation time required for most of the applicable cases by approximately 30 per cent from 90 working days to about 64 working days.  (5) Cases are referred to the relevant departments for appropriate follow-up and enforcement actions in accordance with their respective purview. For example, cases involving building structural issues, defective exposed drain pipes in buildings, or where suspected water seepage source involves “actionable” unauthorised building works will be referred to the BD; and cases involving defective water supply pipes will be referred to the Water Supplies Department (WSD). Therefore, the JO does not compile breakdown statistics of the number of cases completed by the relevant departments or their average processing time. The JO would explore the feasibility of periodically requesting the relevant departments to provide updates on the status of case processing.(6) The JO is implementing the pilot to carry out Stage II and Stage III investigations in parallel in the six pilot districts as mentioned in Part (4) above. The JO will review the effectiveness of the new investigation mode in the pilot districts, continuously optimise relevant workflow and technical guidelines, and assess resources, manpower arrangement, and the availability of consultancy service providers with a view to considering gradual extension of the parallel investigation mode to more districts.     Infrared thermography and microwave tomography (advanced testing technologies) used during Stage III professional investigation are mainly for detecting the location and extent of the water seepage area and whether waterproofing facilities of floor slabs are defective. Up to December 2024, the JO has extended the use of advanced testing technologies as a preferred investigation tool in the stage of professional investigation for applicable cases in 16 districts and the relatively complicated cases in the remaining two districts. The JO will review the supply of relevant service providers in the market and extend the application of advanced testing technologies to applicable cases in the remaining two districts progressively. Nevertheless, under special circumstances where the advanced technologies cannot be applied effectively due to site conditions, such as spalling of ceiling concrete affected by water seepage, uneven surfaces or tile finishes, blockage by pipes or other facilities on the ceiling, the JO has to continue to employ the conventional testing methods (such as colour water test for drains or ponding test for floor slabs) in order to identify the source of water seepage.(7) Upon receiving a report regarding water seepage in a building, the JO will send officers to the concerned premises to conduct inspections and tests. After confirming the source of the water seepage, if the source is a water nuisance specified in section 12 of the PHMSO, the JO would issue a Nuisance Notice to the owner(s) of the premises causing the water seepage problem. Other cases not involving nuisances under the PHMSO, including water seepage caused by water supply pipes, exposed drain pipes or rooftop issues, there is already a mechanism for referring the cases expediently in order to handle them effectively under the relevant regulations.     For example, in respect of water seepage cases caused by water supply pipes, the JO will immediately refer relevant cases involving continuous dripping or visible seepage of water supply pipes discovered during investigation to the WSD for follow-up in parallel. The WSD will investigate whether the cases has caused water wastage due to seepage in the water supply system. If so, the WSD will issue a repair notice to the registered user concerned in accordance with the Waterworks Ordinance and require them to repair the defective pipes within a specified period. If the user fails to comply with the requirements of the repair notice and complete the repair, the WSD will consider arranging disconnection of water supply.     In cases of water seepage caused by damaged waterproofing layers on building rooftops or rainwater pipes, if building structural safety hazards (such as spalling concrete from ceiling and rusty reinforcement) or problems with improper or defective exposed drain pipes (such as rainwater pipes or foul water pipes) are identified during the water seepage investigation, the JO will immediately refer the case to the BD for follow-up under the BO, including issuing advisory letters and/or building repair orders, investigation orders or drainage repair orders under the BO to the owners concerned. For defective buildings or drainage systems, any person who fails to comply with the statutory orders served on him under the BO for remedial works shall be liable to prosecution.Note: Generally speaking, the JO carries out investigation on water seepage cases in three stages. Stage I investigation ascertains whether the moisture content of the water seepage areas reaches 35 per cent or above. The JO will not investigate reports of water seepage with moisture content below 35 per cent. If the moisture content reaches 35 per cent or above, Stage II investigation will be arranged. Stage I (confirmation of water seepage) and Stage II (initial investigation, including monitoring of moisture content at the water seepage areas, dye tests for drain pipes, and reversible pressure tests for water supply pipes) are carried out by JO officers. If the source of water seepage cannot be identified, Stage III professional investigation will be conducted. In Stage III, the JO will engage contract consultancy firms to assist in carrying out investigation, including monitoring of moisture content at the water seepage areas, ponding tests for floor slabs, water spray test on walls, and reversible pressure tests for water supply pipes. New testing technologies such as microwave tomography and infrared thermography will be employed for suitable cases.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: India – France Joint Statement on the visit of Shri Narendra Modi, Hon’ble Prime Minister of India to France

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 12 FEB 2025 3:22PM by PIB Delhi

    At the invitation of the President of the French Republic, H.E. Mr. Emmanuel Macron, the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, paid a visit to France on 10-12 February 2025. On 10 and 11 February 2025, France and India co-chaired the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit, gathering Heads of State and Government, leaders of international organizations, small and large enterprises, representatives of academia, non-governmental organizations, artists and members of civil society, in order to build on the important milestones reached during the Bletchley Park (November 2023) and Seoul (May 2024) summits. They underlined their commitment to take concrete actions to ensure that the global AI sector can drive beneficial social, economic and environmental outcomes in the public interest. Prime Minister Modi congratulated President Macron on France’s successful organization of AI Action Summit. France welcomed India’s hosting of the next AI Summit.

    This was Prime Minister Modi’s sixth visit to France, and follows President Macron’s visit to India in January 2024 as the Chief Guest for the 75th Republic Day of India. Prime Minister Modi and President Macron held bilateral discussions on the entire gamut of the exceptionally strong and multifaceted bilateral cooperation and on global and regional matters. Both leaders also went to Marseille where President Macron hosted a private dinner for Prime Minister Modi, reflecting the excellent relationship between the two leaders. They jointly inaugurated India’s Consulate General in Marseille. They also visited the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor facility.

    President Macron and Prime Minister Modi reaffirmed their shared vision for bilateral cooperation and international partnership, outlined in the Joint Statement issued following President Macron’s State Visit to India in January 2024 and in the Horizon 2047 Roadmap published during the visit of Prime Minister Modi to France in July 2023 as the Chief Guest of the Bastille Day Celebrations on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Strategic Partnership. They commended the progress achieved in their bilateral cooperation and committed to accelerating it further across its three pillars.

    The two leaders reiterated their call for reformed and effective multilateralism to sustain an equitable and peaceful international order, address pressing global challenges and prepare the world for emerging developments, including in the technological and economic domains. The two leaders stressed, in particular, the urgent need for the reform of the United Nations Security Council and agreed to coordinate closely in multilateral fora, including on UNSC matters. France reiterated its firm support for India’s permanent membership of the UNSC. The two leaders agreed to strengthen conversations on regulation of use of the veto in case of mass atrocities. They held extensive discussions on long-term global challenges and current international developments and agreed to intensify their global and regional engagement, including through multilateral initiatives and institutions.

    Acknowledging the paramount importance of advancing scientific knowledge, research and innovation, and recalling the long and enduring engagement between India and France in those areas, President Macron and Prime Minister Modi announced the grand inauguration of the India-France Year of Innovation in New Delhi in March 2026 by launching its Logo.

    Partnership for Security and Sovereignty

    Recalling the deep and longstanding defence cooperation between France and India as part of the Strategic Partnership, President Macron and Prime Minister Modi welcomed the continuation of the cooperation of air and maritime assets in line with the ambitious Defence Industrial Roadmap agreed in 2024. Both leaders commended progress in collaboration in construction of Scorpene submarines in India, including indigenization, and in particular the work carried out with a view to the integration of DRDO developed Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) into P75-Scorpene submarines and the analyses conducted regarding the possible integration of the Integrated Combat System (ICS) into the future P75-AS submarines. Both leaders welcomed the commissioning of the sixth and final submarine of the P75 Scorpene-class project, INS Vaghsheer, on 15 January 2025.Both sides welcomed the ongoing discussions in missiles, helicopter engines and jet engines. They also welcomed the excellent cooperation between the relevant entities in the Safran group and their Indian counterparts. Prime Minister Modi also invited the French Army to take a closer look at the Pinaka MBLR, emphasizing that an acquisition of this system by France would be another milestone in Indo-French defence ties. In addition, President Macron welcomed the decision to include India as an observer to the Eurodrone MALE programme managed by OCCAR, which is another step forward in the growing strength of our partnership in defence equipment programmes.

    Both leaders appreciated the regular conduct of military exercises in all domains including maritime exercises and joint patrolling by maritime patrol aircraft. They noted the recent visit of the French Carrier Strike Group Charles De Gaulle to India in January 2025, followed by the Indian Navy’s participation in the French multinational exercise La Perouse, and the future conduct of the Varuna exercise in March 2025.

    They welcomed the launch of FRIND-X (France-India Defence Startup Excellence) in Paris on 5-6 December 2024, involving the DGA and the Defence Innovation Agency, in line with the vision enshrined in HORIZON 2047 and the India-France Defence Industrial Roadmap. This collaborative platform brings together key stakeholders across both defence ecosystems, including defence startups, investors, incubators, accelerators, and academia, fostering a new era of defence innovation and partnership.

    In order to deepen the research and development partnerships in defence, both leaders stressed on the early launch of an R&D framework through a Technical Arrangement for cooperation in defence technologies between DGA and DRDO. Inaddition, both leaders welcomed the ongoing discussions between L’Office National d’Etudes et de Recherches Aérospatiales (ONERA) and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to identify technologies for R&D partnerships. Further, India welcomes the participation of Indian students, alongside French students, in the challenge on distributed intelligencelaunched recently by Interdisciplinary Center for Defence and Security from the Institut Polytechnique de Parisand encourages organizing of more joint challenges in the future to evoke the interest of students in defence.

    Both leaders had a detailed conversation on international issues, including on the Middle-East and the war in Ukraine. They agreed to pursue their efforts to coordinate and remain closely engaged on a regular basis.

    The two leaders recalled the launch of the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEC) on the margins of the G20 Summit in Delhi in September 2023 and agreed to work together more closely on implementing the initiative. Both leaders stressed the importance of IMEC to foster connectivity, sustainable growth trajectories and access to clean energy across these regions. In this regard, they acknowledged the strategic location of Marseille in the Mediterranean Sea.

    They underlined the key importance of strengthening EU-India relations, in view of the upcoming India-EU summit at the earliest possible in New Delhi.

    They appreciated the growing cooperation in trilateral format with Australia and with the United Arab Emirates. They commended the joint military exercises that took place between France, India and the United Arab Emirates, as well as the participation of India, France and Australia in each others’ multilateral military exercises. At the invitation of the United Arab Emirates and India, France joined the Mangrove Alliance for Climate. They directed their concerned officials to work together with officials from the Governments of United Arab Emirates and Australia, towards identifying concrete projects of trilateral cooperation in the field of economy, innovation, health, renewable energy, education, culture, and the maritime domain, including under the IPOI and IORA as identified during the focal points meeting held virtually last year for both the trilateral dialogues.

    The two leaders underlined their common commitment to a free, open, inclusive, secure and peaceful Indo-Pacific region.

    They reiterated their desire to continue to deepen bilateral cooperation in the space sector. Taking note of the substantial contribution of the first two sessions of the India-France Strategic Space Dialogue to furthering this objective, they agreed to hold its third session in 2025. They commended the strength of the partnership between CNES and ISRO and supported the development of collaborations and synergies between their space industries.

    The two leaders reaffirmed their unequivocal condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism. They called for the disruption of terrorism financing networks and safe havens. They further agreed that no country should provide safe haven to those who finance, plan, support, or commit terrorist acts. The leaders also called for concerted action against all terrorists, including through designations of individuals affiliated with groups that are listed by the UN Security Council 1267 Sanctions Committee. The two sides emphasized the importance of upholding international standards on anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism, consistent with Financial Action Task Force recommendations. Both countries reiterated their commitment to work together in FATF, No Money For Terror (NMFT) and other multilateral platforms.

    They commended the cooperation between the National Security Guard (NSG) of India and the Groupe d’Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale (GIGN) for agency-level cooperation in the field of counter-terrorism. The two leaders welcomed the outcomes of the counter-terrorism dialogue held in April 2024, reflecting the growing India – France counter-terrorism and intelligence cooperation. The two leaders also looked forward to the successful organization of Milipol 2025 in New Delhi.

    They welcomed the ongoing discussions to create a comprehensive framework for an enhanced bilateral cooperation in the civil aviation sector, which are at advanced stages.

    Prime Minister Modi and President Macron launched an India-France Roadmap on Artificial Intelligence (AI), rooted in the philosophical convergence in their approaches focusing on the development of safe, open, secure and trustworthy artificial intelligence. They welcomed the inclusion of Indian startups at the French Startup Incubator Station F. They also welcomed the expanded possibilities for using India’s real-time payment system – Unified Payments Interface (UPI) – in France. The two leaders reiterated the strategic significance of cyberspace and their wish to strengthen their coordination at the United Nations regarding the application of international law and the implementation of the framework for responsible State behaviour in cyberspace, as well as the need to address issues arising from the proliferation of malicious cyber tools and practices. They looked forward to the next India-France Strategic Cybersecurity and Cyberdiplomacy Dialogues to be held in 2025.

    Partnership for the Planet

    Prime Minister Modi and President Macron stressed that nuclear energy is an essential part of the energy mix for strengthening energy security and transitioning towards a low-carbon economy. Both leaders acknowledged the India-France civil nuclear ties and efforts in cooperation on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, notably in relation with the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Plant Project. They welcomed the first meeting of the Special Task Force on Civil Nuclear Energy, and welcomed the signing of a letter of intent on Small Modular Reactor (SMR) and Advanced Modular Reactor (AMR) and the Implementing Agreement between India’s GCNEP, DAE and France’s INSTN, CEA for cooperation in training and education of nuclear professionals.

    The two leaders reaffirmed their countries’ commitment to jointly address the environmental crises and challenges including climate change and promoting sustainable lifestyles. The leaders welcomed the renewal of bilateral cooperation in the field of environment between the Ministries of Environment. Both leaders reiterated their commitment to the principles established by the Paris Pact for People and the Planet for reform of the international financing system towards supporting vulnerable countries in addressing both the eradication of poverty and the preservation of the planet. Both leaders affirmed the significance of United Nations Oceans Conference (UNOC-3) as an important milestone in international efforts towards conservation and sustainable use of oceans. In the context of upcoming UNOC-3 to be held in Nice in June 2025, France and India recognize the importance of the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity Beyond Areas of Natural Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement), as one of the pillars of inclusive and holistic international ocean governance. Having already signed the treaty, they called for its entry into force at the earliest. Prime Minister Modi offered India’s support to France for UNOC-3 in June 2025.

    They lauded the launching of the India-France Indo-Pacific Triangular Development Cooperation, aiming to support climate- and SDG-focused projects from third countries in the Indo-Pacific region. The two leaders welcome the partnership between Proparco and the concerned Indian microfinance institutions for an equity agreement of 13 million Euros in the areas of financial inclusion and women empowerment. They also commended the strong and fruitful cooperation within the framework of the Franco Indian presidency of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure and the International Solar Alliance.

    Noting the record level of bilateral trade in 2024, they acknowledged that there is vast untapped potential for trade and investment between the two countries. Both leaders highlighted the need to maintain strong confidence for companies investing in France and in India. They commended the numerous economic cooperation projects announced in 2024 in the field of urban development. They recalled the participation of India as guest of honor of the 7th Choose France Summit in Versailles in May 2024. The two leaders were delighted with the organization of the bilateral CEOs Forum in November 2024 and February 2025.

    The two leaders expressed their satisfaction with the unprecedented momentum initiated for cooperation between the two Ministries of Health, with the first mission in Paris of India’s Ministry for Health and Family Welfare last January. Digital health, anti-microbial resistance and exchange of health professionals have been identified as the main priorities for bilateral cooperation in 2025. The two leaders welcomed the signature of a Letter of Intent between PariSante Campus and the C-CAMP (Centre for Molecular Platforms), and the creation of the Indo-French Life Sciences Sister Innovation Hub.

    Partnership for the People

    Recalling the ambition underpinning the Letter of Intent signed on the occasion of Prime Minister Modi’s visit to France in July 2023, President Macron and Prime Minister Modi welcomed the signature of the Agreement between the National Museum in Delhi and France Muséums Développement in December 2024. This agreement paves the way for further collaboration as well as broader museum cooperation including training of Indian professionals. France offered to continue consultations on its participation in the development of the National Maritime Heritage Complex.

    To celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the signing of the first cultural agreement between India and France in 1966, both sides agreed to undertake multiple cultural exchanges and programs in the context of the Year of Innovation 2026 which is a cross-sectoral initiative that includes culture.

    Prime Minister Modi congratulated President Macron on the successful organization of the Paris Olympics and Paralympics 2024 and thanked President Macron’s willingness to share France’s experience and expertise regarding the organization and securing of major international sporting events in the context of India’s bid to host the Olympics and Paralympics Games in 2036.

    Both Leaders welcomed the launch of a regional edition of the Raisina Dialogue focusing on Mediterranean issues in Marseille in 2025, to foster high-level dialogue involving representatives of governments, industry leaders, experts on trade and connectivity issues and other relevant stakeholders with an aim to enhance trade and connectivity between the Mediterranean and the Indo-Pacific regions.

    Both leaders welcomed the successful launch in September 2024 of the International Classes Scheme under which Indian students are taught French as a foreign language, and methodology and academic contents in highly reputed French universities in France during one academic year, before entering their chosen curricula in France. It will create conducive conditions to increase student mobility and meet the target of 30,000 Indian students in France by 2030. In that regard, they welcomed the rising number of Indian students in France, with 2025 figures expected to reach an unprecedented 10,000.

    Both leaders also welcomed the operationalization of the Young Professionals Scheme (YPS) under India-France Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement (MMPA) which will facilitate two way mobility of youth and professionals, further strengthening the bonds of friendship between people of India and France. Moreover, both leaders stressed on early conclusion of the Memorandum of Understanding to foster cooperation in the fields of skill development, vocational education and training which will create opportunities for both countries to strengthen cooperation in this field.

    To foster their dynamic and comprehensive Strategic Partnership, both countries committed to constantly deepen their long-term cooperation following the ambitions expressed in the bilateral Horizon 2047 Roadmap.

    ***

    MJPS/SR/SKS

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: List of Outcomes: Visit of the Prime Minister to France

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 12 FEB 2025 3:20PM by PIB Delhi

    S. No. MoUs/ Agreements/ Amendments Areas

    1.

    India France Declaration on Artificial Intelligence (AI)

    Technology & Innovation, S&T

    2.

    Launch of the Logo for the India-France Year of Innovation 2026

    Technology & Innovation, S&T

    3.

    Letter of Intent between Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India and Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique (INRIA) France to establish the Indo-French Center for the Digital Sciences

    Technology & Innovation, S&T

    4.

    Agreement for hosting 10 Indian Startups at the French Start-up incubator Station F

    Technology & Innovation, S&T

    5.

    Declaration of Intent on establishment of partnership on Advanced Modular Reactors and Small Modular Reactors

    Civil Nuclear Energy

    6.

    Renewal of MoU between Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), India and Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives of France (CAE), France concerning cooperation with Global Center for Nuclear Energy Partnership (GCNEP)

    Civil Nuclear Energy

    7.

    Implementing Agreement between DAE of India and CEA of France concerning cooperation between GCNEP India and Institute for Nuclear Science and Technology (INSTN) France

    Civil Nuclear Energy

    8.

    Join Declaration of Intent on Triangular Development Cooperation

    Indo-Pacific/ Sustainable Development

    9.

    Joint Inauguration of India’s Consulate in Marseille

    Culture/ People-to-People

    10.

    Declaration of Intent between The Ministry for the Ecological Transition, Biodiversity, Forests, Marine Affairs and Fisheries and The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in the Field of Environment.

    Environment

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Prime Minister holds bilateral talks with President of France

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 12 FEB 2025 3:24PM by PIB Delhi

    In a special gesture reflecting the personal rapport between the two leaders, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and President Emmanuel Macron flew together from Paris to Marseille in the French Presidential Aircraft yesterday. They held discussions on the full spectrum of bilateral relations and key global and regional issues. This was followed by delegation level talks after arrival in Marseille. The leaders reaffirmed their strong commitment to the India-France Strategic Partnership, which has steadily evolved into a multifaceted relationship over the past 25 years.

    The talks covered all aspects of the India-France strategic partnership. The two leaders reviewed cooperation in the strategic areas of Defence, Civil Nuclear Energy and Space. They also discussed ways to strengthen collaboration in the fields of Technology and Innovation. This area of partnership assumes greater salience in the backdrop of the just concluded AI Action Summit and the upcoming India-France Year of Innovation in 2026. The leaders also called for enhancing trade and investment ties and in this regard welcomed the report of the 14th India- France CEOs Forum.

    ⁠Prime Minister and President Macron expressed satisfaction at the ongoing collaboration in the fields of health, culture, tourism, education and people-to-people ties. They committed to further deepen engagement in the Indo-Pacific and in global forums and initiatives.

    A Joint Statement outlining the way forward for India- France ties was adopted after the talks. Ten outcomes in the areas of Technology and Innovation, Civil Nuclear Energy, Triangular Cooperation, Environment, Culture and People to People relations were also finalized (list attached).

    President Macron hosted a dinner in honour of Prime Minister in the coastal town of Cassis, near Marseille. Prime Minister invited President Macron to visit India.

    List of Outcomes: Visit of the Prime Minister to France (10-12 February 2025)

    S. No. MoUs/ Agreements/ Amendments Areas

    1.

    India France Declaration on Artificial Intelligence (AI)

    Technology & Innovation, S&T

    2.

    Launch of the Logo for the India-France Year of Innovation 2026

    Technology & Innovation, S&T

    3.

    Letter of Intent between Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India and Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique (INRIA) France to establish the Indo-French Center for the Digital Sciences

    Technology & Innovation, S&T

    4.

    Agreement for hosting 10 Indian Startups at the French Start-up incubator Station F

    Technology & Innovation, S&T

    5.

    Declaration of Intent on establishment of partnership on Advanced Modular Reactors and Small Modular Reactors

    Civil Nuclear Energy

    6.

    Renewal of MoU between Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), India and Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives of France (CAE), France concerning cooperation with Global Center for Nuclear Energy Partnership (GCNEP)

    Civil Nuclear Energy

    7.

    Implementing Agreement between DAE of India and CEA of France concerning cooperation between GCNEP India and Institute for Nuclear Science and Technology (INSTN) France

    Civil Nuclear Energy

    8.

    Join Declaration of Intent on Triangular Development Cooperation

    Indo-Pacific/ Sustainable Development

    9.

    Joint Inauguration of India’s Consulate in Marseille

    Culture/ People-to-People

    10.

    Declaration of Intent between The Ministry for the Ecological Transition, Biodiversity, Forests, Marine Affairs and Fisheries and The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in the Field of Environment.

    Environment

    ***

    MJPS/SR/SKS

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