BISMARCK, N.D. – The U.S. Department of Transportation announced an award of $4,050,000 to Ward County. These funds were made available through the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant program.
Specifically, this BUILD grant funding will allow Ward County to conduct planning, environmental documentation, and preliminary design for three corridors and their connected intersections, including the Outer Connector from US Highway 2/52 to US Highway 83 along County Roads 14 and 16, and the Inner Connector from US Highway 2/52 to County Road 14 along 30th Street SW.
“Minot’s growth is a testament to the region’s strong economy and welcoming community, and this BUILD grant will enhance residential and commercial transportation options in the area,”said U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee.“This grant will help ensure the Magic City’s growth goes hand-in-hand with safer and more efficient travel.”
Cramer and the North Dakota delegation wrote a letter supporting the application submitted by the City of Minot and Ward County, highlighting the need for the project.
Clearly angered by the intensification of Russia’s air campaign against Ukraine, Donald Trump has pivoted from the suspension of US military assistance to Ukraine to promising its resumption. Russia’s strikes on major cities killed more civilians in June than have died in any single previous month, according to UN figures.
Over the past two weeks, the US president has made several disparaging comments about his relationship with Vladimir Putin, including on July 13 that the Russian president “talks nice and then he bombs everybody in the evening”.
Not only will the US resume delivery of long-promised Patriot air defence missiles, Trump is now also reported to be considering a whole new plan to arm Ukraine, including with offensive capabilities. And he has talked about imposing new sanctions on Putin’s regime.
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This is the background against which the eighth Ukraine Recovery Conference took place in Rome on July 10 and 11. The event, attended by many western leaders and senior business executives, was an important reminder that while the war against Ukraine will be decided on the battlefield, peace will only be won as the result of rebuilding Ukraine’s economy and society.
Ending the war anytime soon and on terms favourable to Kyiv will require an enormous effort by Ukrainians and their European allies. But the country’s recovery afterwards will be no less challenging.
According to the World Bank’s latest assessment, at the end of 2024 Ukraine’s recovery needs over the next decade stood at US$524 billion (£388 billion). And with every month the war continues, these needs are increasing. Ukraine’s three hardest-hit sectors are housing, transport and energy infrastructure, which between them account for around 60% of all damage.
At the same time, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) provided a relatively positive assessment of Ukraine’s overall economic situation at the end of June, forecasting growth of between 2% and 3% for 2025 – likely to grow to over 4% in 2026 and 2027. But the IMF also cautioned that this trajectory – and the country’s macroeconomic stability more generally – will remain heavily dependent on external support.
Taking into account a new €2.3 billion package from the EU, consisting of €1.8 billion of loan guarantees and €580 million of grants, the cumulative pledge of over €10 billion (£8.7 billion) made by countries attending the Ukraine recovery conference is both encouraging and sobering.
It is encouraging in the sense that Ukraine’s international partners remain committed to the country’s social and economic needs, not merely its ability to resist Russia on the battlefield.
But it is also sobering that even these eye-watering sums of public money are still only a fraction of Ukraine’s needs. Even if the EU manages to mobilise its overall target of €40 billion for Ukraine’s recovery, by attracting additional contributions from other donors and the private sector, this would be less than 8% of Ukraine’s projected recovery needs as of the end of 2024.
As the war continues and more of the (diminishing) public funding is directed towards defence expenditure by Kyiv’s western partners, this gap is likely to grow.
Overcoming the trauma of war
Money is not the only challenge for Ukraine recovery efforts. Rebuilding the country is not simply about undoing the physical damage.
The social impact of Russia’s aggression is hard to overstate. Ukraine has been deeply traumatised as a society since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Generally reliable Ukrainian casualty counts – some 12,000 civilians and 43,000 troops killed since February 2022 – are still likely to underestimate the true number of people who have died as a direct consequence of the Russian aggression. And each of these will have left behind family members struggling to cope with their loss. In addition, there are hundreds of thousands of war veterans.
Even before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, there were nearly half a million veterans from the “frozen” conflict that followed Russia’s annexation of Crimea and incursion into eastern Ukraine. By the end of 2024, this number had more than doubled to around 1 million. Most of them have complex social, economic, medical and psychological needs that will have to be considered as part of a society-wide recovery effort.
Returning refugees
According to data from the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), there are also some 7 million refugees from Ukraine and 3.7 million internally displaced people (IDPs). This is equivalent to one quarter of the country’s population. The financial needs of UNHCR’s operations in Ukraine are estimated at $800 million in 2025, of which only 27% was funded as of the end of April.
Once the fighting in Ukraine ends, refugees are likely to return in greater numbers. Their return will provide a boost to the country’s economic growth by strengthening its labour force and bringing with them skills and, potentially, investment. But like many IDPs and veterans, they may not be able to return to their places of origin, either because these are not inhabitable or remain under Russian occupation.
Some returnees are likely to be viewed with suspicion or resentment by those Ukrainians who stayed behind and fought. Tensions with Ukrainians who survived the Russian occupation in areas that Kyiv may recover in a peace deal are also likely, given Ukraine’s harsh anti-collaboration laws.
As a consequence, reintegration – in the sense of rebuilding and sustaining the country’s social cohesion – will be a massive challenge, requiring as much, if not more, of Ukraine’s partners’ attention and financial support as physical reconstruction and the transition from a war to a peace-time economy.
Given the mismatch between what is needed and what has been provided for Ukraine’s recovery, one may well be sceptical about the value of the annual Ukraine recovery conferences. But, to the credit of their organisers and attendees, they recognise that the foundations for post-war recovery need to be built before the war ends. The non-military challenges of war and peace must not fall by the wayside amid an exclusive focus on battlefield dynamics.
Stefan Wolff is a past recipient of grant funding from the Natural Environment Research Council of the UK, the United States Institute of Peace, the Economic and Social Research Council of the UK, the British Academy, the NATO Science for Peace Programme, the EU Framework Programmes 6 and 7 and Horizon 2020, as well as the EU’s Jean Monnet Programme. He is a Trustee and Honorary Treasurer of the Political Studies Association of the UK and a Senior Research Fellow at the Foreign Policy Centre in London.
Clearly angered by the intensification of Russia’s air campaign against Ukraine, Donald Trump has pivoted from the suspension of US military assistance to Ukraine to promising its resumption. Russia’s strikes on major cities killed more civilians in June than have died in any single previous month, according to UN figures.
Over the past two weeks, the US president has made several disparaging comments about his relationship with Vladimir Putin, including on July 13 that the Russian president “talks nice and then he bombs everybody in the evening”.
Not only will the US resume delivery of long-promised Patriot air defence missiles, Trump is now also reported to be considering a whole new plan to arm Ukraine, including with offensive capabilities. And he has talked about imposing new sanctions on Putin’s regime.
Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox.Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.
This is the background against which the eighth Ukraine Recovery Conference took place in Rome on July 10 and 11. The event, attended by many western leaders and senior business executives, was an important reminder that while the war against Ukraine will be decided on the battlefield, peace will only be won as the result of rebuilding Ukraine’s economy and society.
Ending the war anytime soon and on terms favourable to Kyiv will require an enormous effort by Ukrainians and their European allies. But the country’s recovery afterwards will be no less challenging.
According to the World Bank’s latest assessment, at the end of 2024 Ukraine’s recovery needs over the next decade stood at US$524 billion (£388 billion). And with every month the war continues, these needs are increasing. Ukraine’s three hardest-hit sectors are housing, transport and energy infrastructure, which between them account for around 60% of all damage.
At the same time, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) provided a relatively positive assessment of Ukraine’s overall economic situation at the end of June, forecasting growth of between 2% and 3% for 2025 – likely to grow to over 4% in 2026 and 2027. But the IMF also cautioned that this trajectory – and the country’s macroeconomic stability more generally – will remain heavily dependent on external support.
Taking into account a new €2.3 billion package from the EU, consisting of €1.8 billion of loan guarantees and €580 million of grants, the cumulative pledge of over €10 billion (£8.7 billion) made by countries attending the Ukraine recovery conference is both encouraging and sobering.
It is encouraging in the sense that Ukraine’s international partners remain committed to the country’s social and economic needs, not merely its ability to resist Russia on the battlefield.
But it is also sobering that even these eye-watering sums of public money are still only a fraction of Ukraine’s needs. Even if the EU manages to mobilise its overall target of €40 billion for Ukraine’s recovery, by attracting additional contributions from other donors and the private sector, this would be less than 8% of Ukraine’s projected recovery needs as of the end of 2024.
As the war continues and more of the (diminishing) public funding is directed towards defence expenditure by Kyiv’s western partners, this gap is likely to grow.
Overcoming the trauma of war
Money is not the only challenge for Ukraine recovery efforts. Rebuilding the country is not simply about undoing the physical damage.
The social impact of Russia’s aggression is hard to overstate. Ukraine has been deeply traumatised as a society since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Generally reliable Ukrainian casualty counts – some 12,000 civilians and 43,000 troops killed since February 2022 – are still likely to underestimate the true number of people who have died as a direct consequence of the Russian aggression. And each of these will have left behind family members struggling to cope with their loss. In addition, there are hundreds of thousands of war veterans.
Even before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, there were nearly half a million veterans from the “frozen” conflict that followed Russia’s annexation of Crimea and incursion into eastern Ukraine. By the end of 2024, this number had more than doubled to around 1 million. Most of them have complex social, economic, medical and psychological needs that will have to be considered as part of a society-wide recovery effort.
Returning refugees
According to data from the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), there are also some 7 million refugees from Ukraine and 3.7 million internally displaced people (IDPs). This is equivalent to one quarter of the country’s population. The financial needs of UNHCR’s operations in Ukraine are estimated at $800 million in 2025, of which only 27% was funded as of the end of April.
Once the fighting in Ukraine ends, refugees are likely to return in greater numbers. Their return will provide a boost to the country’s economic growth by strengthening its labour force and bringing with them skills and, potentially, investment. But like many IDPs and veterans, they may not be able to return to their places of origin, either because these are not inhabitable or remain under Russian occupation.
Some returnees are likely to be viewed with suspicion or resentment by those Ukrainians who stayed behind and fought. Tensions with Ukrainians who survived the Russian occupation in areas that Kyiv may recover in a peace deal are also likely, given Ukraine’s harsh anti-collaboration laws.
As a consequence, reintegration – in the sense of rebuilding and sustaining the country’s social cohesion – will be a massive challenge, requiring as much, if not more, of Ukraine’s partners’ attention and financial support as physical reconstruction and the transition from a war to a peace-time economy.
Given the mismatch between what is needed and what has been provided for Ukraine’s recovery, one may well be sceptical about the value of the annual Ukraine recovery conferences. But, to the credit of their organisers and attendees, they recognise that the foundations for post-war recovery need to be built before the war ends. The non-military challenges of war and peace must not fall by the wayside amid an exclusive focus on battlefield dynamics.
Stefan Wolff is a past recipient of grant funding from the Natural Environment Research Council of the UK, the United States Institute of Peace, the Economic and Social Research Council of the UK, the British Academy, the NATO Science for Peace Programme, the EU Framework Programmes 6 and 7 and Horizon 2020, as well as the EU’s Jean Monnet Programme. He is a Trustee and Honorary Treasurer of the Political Studies Association of the UK and a Senior Research Fellow at the Foreign Policy Centre in London.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Moscow, July 14 (Xinhua) — Three people, including a child, were killed by a lightning strike on a beach near a reservoir in Russia’s Tula region, the regional emergency ministry’s press service reported on Monday.
As TASS reports, citing the head of the Aleksinsky District administration, Pavel Fedorov, “one victim was hospitalized, his condition is described as serious. A total of four people were injured.”
The press service of the regional investigative department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation told TASS that an investigation has been launched into the deaths. The circumstances of the incident are being established.
Earlier on Monday, the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Emergency Situations for the Tula Region reported that, according to the Tula Center for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring, thunderstorms are expected in some places in the Tula Region in the next 1-3 hours and will continue until the end of the day on July 14, in some areas there will be heavy rain, hail, and squally winds with gusts of 12-17 m/s. –0–
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Greenpeace Africa calls on African ministers to uphold commitments and resist industry pressure at crucial continental meeting.
NAIROBI, KENYA — As the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) convenes in Nairobi, Greenpeace Africa calls on the continent’s environmental ministers to demonstrate bold leadership on critical environmental challenges facing the continent and the world.
The 20th session of AMCEN marks a defining moment for Africa’s unified voice on environmental policy, bringing together ministers from all 54 African countries at a time when decisive action on plastic pollution, climate justice, and biodiversity loss is more urgent than ever.
Greenpeace Africa urges ministers to prioritize three critical areas:
1. Uphold Strong Plastics Treaty Commitment
African ministers must reaffirm the visionary leadership demonstrated at AMCEN 19/2 Decision, which called for a legally binding Global Plastics Treaty addressing pollution across its entire lifecycle. With negotiations entering a critical phase at INC-5.2 in Geneva this August, any retreat from Africa’s strong position would undermine the continent’s unified voice and environmental goals.
Hellen Dena, Project Lead, Pan African Plastic Project, said:
“The plastic pollution crisis is disproportionately affecting African communities. From open burning and illegal waste dumping in low-income communities, to the health threats of microplastics and toxic chemicals, it is often the most vulnerable that bear the brunt of this crisis. AMCEN must resist industry pressure and maintain its call for plastics production caps in the Global Plastics Treaty.”
2. Make Polluters Pay
New polling data reveals overwhelming public support for making oil and gas corporations pay for climate damage. A Greenpeace-Oxfam study shows 81% of respondents across 13 African countries support taxes on fossil fuel companies to fund climate recovery, including 85% in Kenya and 80% in South Africa.
Sherelee Odayar, Oil and Gas Campaigner said:
“AMCEN must champion reparations for climate damages and ensure that those who profited most from environmental destruction contribute to addressing the damage. This is not just environmental policy but a matter of justice for communities suffering the worst climate impacts.”
3. Protect Forests Through Direct Community Finance and rights recognition
As deforestation accelerates across the continent, AMCEN must commit to the implementation of deforestation action plans that center Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities with direct access to finance and recognition of their rights.
Dr Lamfu Yengong, Greenpeace Africa’s Lead Forest Campaigner, said:
“African forests are being decimated while those who have protected them for generations are sidelined. AMCEN must ensure direct finance and recognition of the rights of the Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities who are the most effective guardians of our biodiversity.”
AMCEN’s outcomes will directly shape Africa’s positions at major international forums, including INC 5.2, COP 30, and UNEA 7. Unity across the continent is essential to ensure that African priorities are not compromised in global negotiations.
“Africa’s strength lies in its unity,” added Koaile Monaheng, Greenpeace Africa’s Pan African Political Strategist. “Our leaders must act with courage, not caution—with conviction, not compromise. The people of Africa are demanding action, and AMCEN must deliver.”
ENDS
Media Contact:
Ferdinand Omondi, Communication and Story Manager, Greenpeace Africa, Email: [email protected], Cell: +254 722 505 233.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (1st District of Maine)
Today, House Republicans released the draft fiscal year 2026 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies funding bill, which will be considered in subcommittee tomorrow. Instead of lowering the cost of living and confronting the climate crisis, House Republicans are raising utility bills and energy prices. The legislation takes an aggressive anti-environment, pro-pollution stance with crippling cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and policy provisions that endanger public health and fail to confront the climate crisis. The bill also slashes funding for National Parks and arts programs.
The fiscal year 2026 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies bill includes $38 billion, which is $2.9 billion below the fiscal year 2025 enacted level and $9.2 billion above the budget request. The bill also provides $2.9 billion for the Wildfire Suppression Operations Reserve Fund.
The legislation:
Raises utility bills by shifting costs onto state and local governments and making electricity more expensive through funding cuts and extreme policies that would cripple renewable energy development.
Worsens the climate crisis by defunding critical Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) work.
Slashes funding for national parks,threatening Americans’ ability to enjoy public lands.
Guts resources for museums, arts, and culture, suppressing Americans’ engagement with the arts and art education.
Favors polluters over public health through dozens of harmful policies that undermine EPA’s ability to regulate pollution.
Promotes environmental discrimination against rural and poor communities by making it more difficult for hardworking people to deal with the rising costs associated with climate change.
Exploits public lands and accelerates ecosystem decline by allowing harmful and dirty mining activities and by removing Endangered Species Act protections for numerous species.
“With the release of the FY26 Interior bill, it’s clear House Republicans are once again pushing an agenda that accelerates the climate crisis, upends our National Parks system, and leaves local communities to fend for themselves—all while undermining the power of the Appropriations Committee and of Congress,” Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01) said.“We are still living with the fallout of last year’s failure to negotiate a full-year funding bill. Instead of correcting course, the bill released today delivers more of the same: it cuts water infrastructure funding, slashes EPA programs, and wipes out environmental justice and climate initiatives. It even blocks the EPA from completing its risk assessment on PFAS in sewage sludge—a forever chemical crisis Maine knows all too well. On top of the environmental attacks, Republicans are taking aim at the arts and cultural institutions that enrich communities and drive local economies. Cutting the NEA, NEH, and Smithsonian silences artistic expression and undermines the jobs, education programs, and cultural spaces that strengthen towns and cities across the country. Any arguments that these irresponsible cuts are somehow fiscally responsible ring hollow in the wake of Republicans adding $3.4 trillion to the national deficit thanks to their disastrous so-called ‘One Big Beautiful Bill.’ I urge my Republican colleagues to come to the table and support the essential work of this subcommittee: protecting public health, conserving our lands and waters, investing in resilience, and ensuring that every community—from rural Maine to urban centers—has access to a healthy environment and a vibrant cultural life.”
“President Trump promised to address the cost-of-living crisis, but instead, he and House Republicans are making it worse. House Republicans’ 2026 Interior funding bill raises utility bills and energy prices to benefit billionaires and big corporations,” Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) said. “Republicans are threatening the air we breathe and the water we drink and taking steps that damage our public lands, promote dirty energy, and hinder our ability to confront the climate crisis. In addition to these dangerous cuts, Republicans’ proposal would mean fewer trips to National Parks and less access to museums and the arts. House Republicans are more focused on lining the pockets of big oil companies than lowering prices for working class, middle class, rural, and vulnerable families; protecting our public health; and preserving the planet.”
A summary of House Republicans’ 2026 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies funding bill is here. A fact sheet is here. The text of the bill is here. The subcommittee markup will be webcast live and linked on the House Committee on Appropriations website.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (1st District of Maine)
Today, House Republicans released the draft fiscal year 2026 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies funding bill, which will be considered in subcommittee tomorrow. Instead of lowering the cost of living and confronting the climate crisis, House Republicans are raising utility bills and energy prices. The legislation takes an aggressive anti-environment, pro-pollution stance with crippling cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and policy provisions that endanger public health and fail to confront the climate crisis. The bill also slashes funding for National Parks and arts programs.
The fiscal year 2026 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies bill includes $38 billion, which is $2.9 billion below the fiscal year 2025 enacted level and $9.2 billion above the budget request. The bill also provides $2.9 billion for the Wildfire Suppression Operations Reserve Fund.
The legislation:
Raises utility bills by shifting costs onto state and local governments and making electricity more expensive through funding cuts and extreme policies that would cripple renewable energy development.
Worsens the climate crisis by defunding critical Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) work.
Slashes funding for national parks,threatening Americans’ ability to enjoy public lands.
Guts resources for museums, arts, and culture, suppressing Americans’ engagement with the arts and art education.
Favors polluters over public health through dozens of harmful policies that undermine EPA’s ability to regulate pollution.
Promotes environmental discrimination against rural and poor communities by making it more difficult for hardworking people to deal with the rising costs associated with climate change.
Exploits public lands and accelerates ecosystem decline by allowing harmful and dirty mining activities and by removing Endangered Species Act protections for numerous species.
“With the release of the FY26 Interior bill, it’s clear House Republicans are once again pushing an agenda that accelerates the climate crisis, upends our National Parks system, and leaves local communities to fend for themselves—all while undermining the power of the Appropriations Committee and of Congress,” Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01) said.“We are still living with the fallout of last year’s failure to negotiate a full-year funding bill. Instead of correcting course, the bill released today delivers more of the same: it cuts water infrastructure funding, slashes EPA programs, and wipes out environmental justice and climate initiatives. It even blocks the EPA from completing its risk assessment on PFAS in sewage sludge—a forever chemical crisis Maine knows all too well. On top of the environmental attacks, Republicans are taking aim at the arts and cultural institutions that enrich communities and drive local economies. Cutting the NEA, NEH, and Smithsonian silences artistic expression and undermines the jobs, education programs, and cultural spaces that strengthen towns and cities across the country. Any arguments that these irresponsible cuts are somehow fiscally responsible ring hollow in the wake of Republicans adding $3.4 trillion to the national deficit thanks to their disastrous so-called ‘One Big Beautiful Bill.’ I urge my Republican colleagues to come to the table and support the essential work of this subcommittee: protecting public health, conserving our lands and waters, investing in resilience, and ensuring that every community—from rural Maine to urban centers—has access to a healthy environment and a vibrant cultural life.”
“President Trump promised to address the cost-of-living crisis, but instead, he and House Republicans are making it worse. House Republicans’ 2026 Interior funding bill raises utility bills and energy prices to benefit billionaires and big corporations,” Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) said. “Republicans are threatening the air we breathe and the water we drink and taking steps that damage our public lands, promote dirty energy, and hinder our ability to confront the climate crisis. In addition to these dangerous cuts, Republicans’ proposal would mean fewer trips to National Parks and less access to museums and the arts. House Republicans are more focused on lining the pockets of big oil companies than lowering prices for working class, middle class, rural, and vulnerable families; protecting our public health; and preserving the planet.”
A summary of House Republicans’ 2026 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies funding bill is here. A fact sheet is here. The text of the bill is here. The subcommittee markup will be webcast live and linked on the House Committee on Appropriations website.
Global warming has picked up pace since around 2010, leading to the recent string of record warm years. Why this is happening is still unclear, and among the biggest questions in climate science today. Our new study reveals that reductions in air pollution – particularly in China and east Asia – are a key reason for this faster warming.
Cleanup of sulphur emissions from global shipping has been implicated in past research. But that cleanup only began in 2020, so it’s considered too weak to explain the full extent of this acceleration. Nasa researchers have suggested that changes in clouds could play a role, either through reductions in cloud cover in the tropics or over the North Pacific.
One factor that has not been well quantified, however, is the effect of monumental efforts by countries in east Asia, notably China, to combat air pollution and improve public health through strict air quality policies. There has already been a 75% reduction in east Asian sulphur dioxide emissions since around 2013, and that cleanup effort picked up pace just as global warming began accelerating.
Our study addresses the link between east Asian air quality improvements and global temperature, building on the efforts of eight teams of climate modellers across the world.
We have found that polluted air may have been masking the full effects of global warming. Cleaner air could now be revealing more of the human-induced global warming from greenhouse gases.
In addition to causing millions of premature deaths, air pollution shields the Earth from sunlight and therefore cools the surface. There has been so much air pollution that it has held human-induced warming in check by up to 0.5°C over the last century.
With the cleanup of air pollution, something that’s vital for human health, this artificial sunshade is removed. Since greenhouse gas emissions have kept on increasing, the result is that the Earth’s surface is warming faster than ever before.
Modelling the cleanup
Our team used 160 computer simulations from eight global climate models. This enabled us to better quantify the effects that east Asian air pollution has on global temperature and rainfall patterns. We simulated a cleanup of pollution similar to what has happened in the real world since 2010. We found an extra global warming of around 0.07°C.
While this is a small number compared with the full global warming of around 1.3°C since 1850, it is still enough to explain the recent acceleration in global warming when we take away year-to-year swings in temperature from natural cycles such as El Niño, a climate phenomenon in the Pacific that affects weather patterns globally.
Based on long-term trends, we would have expected around 0.23°C of warming since 2010. However, we actually measured around 0.33°C. While the additional 0.1°C can largely be explained by the east Asian air pollution cleanup, other factors include the change in shipping emissions and the recent accelerated increase in methane concentrations in the atmosphere.
Air pollution causes cooling by reflecting sunlight or by changing the properties of clouds so they reflect more sunlight. The cleanup in east Asian air pollution influences global temperatures because it reduces the shading effect of the pollution over east Asia itself. It also means less pollution is blown across the north Pacific, causing clouds in the east Pacific to reflect less sunlight.
The pattern of these changes across the North Pacific simulated in our models matches that seen in satellite observations. Our models and temperature observations also show relatively strong warming over the North Pacific, downwind from east Asia.
The main source of global warming is still greenhouse gas emissions, and a cleanup of air pollution was both necessary and overdue. This did not cause the additional warming but rather, removed an artificial cooling that has for a time helped shield us from some of the extreme weather and other well-established consequences of climate change.
Global warming will continue for decades. Indeed, our past and future emissions of greenhouse gases will affect the climate for centuries. However, air pollution is quickly removed from the atmosphere, and the recent acceleration in global warming from this particular unmasking may therefore be short-lived.
Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?
Laura Wilcox receives funding from the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), the Research Council of Norway, the Clean Air Fund, and Horizon Europe.
Bjørn H. Samset receives funding from the Research Council of Norway, the Clean Air Fund, and Horizon Europe.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Welsh Water must pay £36,000 for Herefordshire pollution incident
Environment Agency investigation into sewage treatment plant at Clehonger. Water company admits exceeding permitted levels of ammonia 7 times in a year.
Aerial photograph of River Wye
The Environment Agency has successfully prosecuted Welsh Water for breaking conditions of an environmental permit at a Herefordshire sewage treatment works 7 times in a 5 month period.
At Kidderminster Magistrates Court on 11 July 2025, Welsh Water was fined £24,000 for exceeding permitted levels of sewage effluent from the Clehonger Sewage Treatment Works near Hereford. The company was also ordered to pay costs of £11,835.86 and a surcharge of £181.
Sewage treatment works treat raw sewage to produce an effluent which is discharged without damaging the local watercourse. At Clehonger, the water is discharged into the Cage Brook which is a tributary of the River Wye.
The court was told that officers from the Environment Agency were alerted to an issue following routine sampling results in November 2020.
The environmental permit states that Welsh Water must not discharge effluent containing more than 18 milligrams/litre of ammonia on more than 2 occasions in a 12-month period.
Results showed that in a 5 month period from 23 November 2020 to 17 April 2021 the limit had been exceeded 7 times ranging from 18.2 mg/l to 26.2 mg/l.
Officials from Welsh Water told the Environment Agency that the company was aware of additional loading coming into the site from a new development.
In mitigation, Welsh Water said that it had spent a significant amount of money to improve the infrastructure at the site. Adding, that since this incident there had been no further issues or breaches of permit condition.
Adam Shipp, a Senior Environment Officer at the Environment Agency who led the investigation, said:
Incidents like this are preventable and are completely unacceptable, particularly at a time when the need to protect the water environment for wildlife and people has never been greater.
Water companies are aware that their activities have the potential for serious environmental impacts, and they know that we will take action when they cause pollution.
The Environment Agency does and will continue to hold water companies to account when their performance falls below acceptable standards.
The Charge
Failing to comply with, or contravening, an environmental permit condition, contrary to Regulation 38(2) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016.
The particulars of the offence are as follows:
Dwr Cymru Cyfyngedig (trading as Welsh Water), Company Number 02366777, between the 23 November 2020 and the 17 April 2021, at the Clehonger Sewage Treatment Works, Herefordshire, failed to comply with, or contravened, an environmental permit condition, namely Condition 3.1.2 and Schedule 3 to Discharge Consent AH1000401, by exceeding the permitted level of 18 milligrams per litre of ammonia in the discharge from the said works to the Cage Brook, on seven occasions within the said period.
The people constructed an illegal hut and used that as a base for other illegal activity.
Targeted patrols conducted in the Curtis Island National Park in August 2024 led to the discovery of an illegal hut and evidence of significant illegal activity.
Rangers from the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) identified the people who built the hut in a remote area of the park.
Regional Director Great Barrier Reef and Marine Parks Region Tina Alderson said it is illegal to build any structure in a protected area and rangers will have the hut removed.
“Building an illegal structure in a protected area essentially excludes others from the area and causes damage to the environment. This hut was also used as a base for other illegal activities,” Ms Alderson said.
“People who want to build a hut for their own personal use for activities such as fishing, hunting and vehicle-based activities can do so on private land but not in a national park.
“Multiple fines and warnings have been issued for illegal activity within the protected areas of Curtis Island, and eighteen offenders have been identified.
“QPWS is serious about compliance and anyone who builds an illegal structure in a protected area will be caught.
“So far we have issued 22 penalty infringement notices totalling $7606, which includes two people receiving fines of more than $1000 each for their role in the offending.”
The illegal activities include:
Illegal fires in a protected area putting rangers, neighbours and other park users at risk
Bringing domestic dogs into a protected area impacting the environment and native wildlife
Hunting, including the use of firearms and other weapons putting rangers, neighbours and other park users at risk.
Multiple driving offences including driving in restricted access areas, use of unregistered vehicles and traveling with unrestrained people.
Illegal clearing and harvest of trees to construct the hut.
Anyone with information about illegal activities in Queensland’s protected areas is encouraged to call 1300 130 372. Information can be provided anonymously.
Gov. Kelly Armstrong and representatives from more than a dozen state agencies visited the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians (TMBCI) today in Belcourt to strengthen state-tribal partnerships and identify shared priorities for further collaboration.
The visit was part of Armstrong’s commitment to visit all five tribal nations in North Dakota during his first year in office. The North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission is facilitating the visits to the tribal nations introduce the new administration and build stronger relationships and effective partnerships.
“We want to build on our relationships, partnerships and conversations that began at the Government to Government seminar and bring these conversations to you,” Armstrong said. “These visits serve as listening sessions, opportunities to hear directly from tribal leaders and community members, gain a deeper understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities each nation faces and foster mutual respect rooted in history, culture and sovereignty.”
The governor and Cabinet agency leaders met with TMBCI Chairman Jamie Azure and Tribal Council members and agency representatives, District 9 state legislators and other stakeholders at Sky Dancer Event Center. Discussion covered a wide range topics including health care and behavioral health, education, economic and workforce development, public safety and law enforcement, corrections, emergency management, transportation, gaming, natural resources, hunting access, and the need to extend natural gas service to the reservation.
State agencies and offices represented in today’s discussions included the North Dakota Department of Transportation, Highway Patrol, Department of Commerce, Department of Environmental Quality, Department of Health and Human Services including the Commissioner of Recovery and Reentry, Department of Public Instruction, State Fire Marshal, Governor’s Office, Game and Fish Department, and Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Job Service ND, Insurance & Securities Department, Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the state-tribal Northland Narcotics Task Force. Other participating partners included the North Dakota Tribal College System, First Nation Women’s Alliance (MMIP), Broadband Association of North Dakota, Spirit Lake Nation, and United and Turtle Mountain Communications, Tribal Nations Research Group, USDA Rural Development, Turtle Mountain Recovery Center and U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Before breakout sessions, Armstrong challenged participants to move the dialogue forward into actionable solutions and address problems before they become crises. He emphasized the importance of open lines of communication, citing as an example the state’s role in helping Turtle Mountain battle wildfires that burned thousands of acres in early May.
Azure, the TMBCI chairman, said he’s hoping the dialogue and “hard discussions” can lead to more substantive action, and he thanked Armstrong for bringing his administration and other state agencies to Belcourt.
“We appreciate people coming to our lands,” he said. “You can see with your own eyes … a lot of the issues, a lot of the infrastructure needs. While you’re here, you are guests, you are friends.”
Gov. Kelly Armstrong and representatives from more than a dozen state agencies visited the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians (TMBCI) today in Belcourt to strengthen state-tribal partnerships and identify shared priorities for further collaboration.
The visit was part of Armstrong’s commitment to visit all five tribal nations in North Dakota during his first year in office. The North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission is facilitating the visits to the tribal nations introduce the new administration and build stronger relationships and effective partnerships.
“We want to build on our relationships, partnerships and conversations that began at the Government to Government seminar and bring these conversations to you,” Armstrong said. “These visits serve as listening sessions, opportunities to hear directly from tribal leaders and community members, gain a deeper understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities each nation faces and foster mutual respect rooted in history, culture and sovereignty.”
The governor and Cabinet agency leaders met with TMBCI Chairman Jamie Azure and Tribal Council members and agency representatives, District 9 state legislators and other stakeholders at Sky Dancer Event Center. Discussion covered a wide range topics including health care and behavioral health, education, economic and workforce development, public safety and law enforcement, corrections, emergency management, transportation, gaming, natural resources, hunting access, and the need to extend natural gas service to the reservation.
State agencies and offices represented in today’s discussions included the North Dakota Department of Transportation, Highway Patrol, Department of Commerce, Department of Environmental Quality, Department of Health and Human Services including the Commissioner of Recovery and Reentry, Department of Public Instruction, State Fire Marshal, Governor’s Office, Game and Fish Department, and Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Job Service ND, Insurance & Securities Department, Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the state-tribal Northland Narcotics Task Force. Other participating partners included the North Dakota Tribal College System, First Nation Women’s Alliance (MMIP), Broadband Association of North Dakota, Spirit Lake Nation, and United and Turtle Mountain Communications, Tribal Nations Research Group, USDA Rural Development, Turtle Mountain Recovery Center and U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Before breakout sessions, Armstrong challenged participants to move the dialogue forward into actionable solutions and address problems before they become crises. He emphasized the importance of open lines of communication, citing as an example the state’s role in helping Turtle Mountain battle wildfires that burned thousands of acres in early May.
Azure, the TMBCI chairman, said he’s hoping the dialogue and “hard discussions” can lead to more substantive action, and he thanked Armstrong for bringing his administration and other state agencies to Belcourt.
“We appreciate people coming to our lands,” he said. “You can see with your own eyes … a lot of the issues, a lot of the infrastructure needs. While you’re here, you are guests, you are friends.”
Water sustains life; it is a vital resource for people, nature and our economy. It is more important now than ever that we invest in protecting our freshwater to build a cleaner, safer and sustainable future for all.
The Great Lakes Watershed is a critical freshwater system that we have here in Canada. It supports industry, recreation, ecosystems, and culture. It also holds spiritual and cultural significance for Indigenous peoples and their way of life.
Today, the Honourable Julie Dabrusin, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, and Minister responsible for the Canada Water Agency, announced an investment of $9.3 million in 26 freshwater projects in the Great Lakes.
These projects are delivered through the Canada Water Agency’s Great Lakes Freshwater Ecosystem Initiative. Each project addresses key environmental challenges affecting water quality and ecosystem health in the region. They are also key in advancing Canada’s commitments under the Canada-United States Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. Each of these initiatives is community-led, facilitating collaboration on freshwater science and management.
Among the funded projects, four will support freshwater restoration in Hamilton and Burlington, representing a $1.6 million investment over four years:
Royal Botanical Gardens will receive up to $150,000 to enhance habitat resilience in Cootes Paradise Marsh in the Hamilton Harbour Area of Concern through invasive species control, shoreline restoration, and ecological monitoring.
Hamilton Region Conservation Authority will receive up to $228,000 to engage landowners in implementing watershed improvement initiatives that reduce nutrient and sediment runoff in the Hamilton Harbour Area of Concern.
Halton Region Conservation Authority will receive up to $242,000 to develop a science-based nutrient management plan for the Grindstone Creek watershed. This includes analyzing water quality data, identifying nutrient sources, and engaging stakeholders to recommend targeted best management practices.
The Regional Municipality of Halton will receive up to $995,000 to restore two kilometers of shoreline and dune ecosystems at Beachway Park in Burlington using nature-based restoration approaches.
This investment will help improve water quality in the Hamilton Harbour Area of Concern and throughout the Great Lakes. Local projects like these drive measurable improvements in water quality and ecosystem health across the region. These projects are also creating lasting economic and social value by supporting sustainable fisheries, protecting drinking water sources, restoring vital habitats, and engaging local communities and landowners in stewardship efforts that strengthen both environmental resilience and regional well-being.
Through the newly established Canada Water Agency, the Government of Canada is strengthening coordination and collaboration with provinces, territories, and Indigenous peoples to address freshwater challenges and opportunities in the Great Lakes and across the country. These efforts are part of a broader commitment to building a cleaner, more secure, and more prosperous future, because when we protect our water, we protect what makes Canada strong.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 13, 2025
Contact: Jin.Choi@mail.house.gov
Rep. Barragán Celebrates Grand Opening of Urban Orchard After Securing Fundingto Improve Underserved Communities’ Access to Outdoor Recreation
South Gate, CA — Yesterday, Congresswoman Nanette Barragán (CA-44) celebrated the grand opening of the Urban Orchard, a new park located in South Gate, along the Los Angeles River.
Rep. Barragán secured a $3 million federal grant through the Land and Water Conservation Fund in 2023 for this project, as well as another $50,000 grant from the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation. Furthermore, the Congresswoman authored the Outdoors for All Act to improve access to outdoor recreation in urban and underserved communities. This legislation was ultimately included in the EXPLORE Act, which was signed into law by President Joe Biden this past January.
“I am proud to return to Urban Orchard to celebrate its grand opening. This is more than just a park — it is a powerful investment in health, equity, and environmental justice,” said Rep. Barragán. “Urban Orchard is a safe, welcoming place for families to gather and learn. Donald Trump wants to destroy our community resources and safe spaces, like Urban Orchard, through the devastating cuts against our conservation programs and community green space funding in his Big Ugly Bill. But House Democrats will continue to fight in Congress to protect these investments because every family, no matter their zip code, deserves access to clean air, public safety, and a space for community.”
“This park is the result of years of vision, hard work, and collaboration,” said Maria Davila, Mayor of South Gate. “Urban Orchard Park proves what’s possible when a city invests in its people and its environment. This is how we build a better future together. Urban Orchard Park is for everyone. Whether you’re walking your dog, enjoying a sunny afternoon with your kids, or simply enjoying the fresh air and fruit trees, this is a space for community and connection.”
“Urban Orchard is a national model for how partnership and strategic planning can curb some of the most pressing issues of our time. The 200 fruit trees, educational garden, storm water infrastructure, wetland, walking paths, and long-term job opportunities are all testimony to how non-profits, donors, city leaders and agencies can partner to achieve shared goals even amidst challenging economic times,” said Nola Talmage, the Los Angeles Parks for People Program Director. “Trust for Public Land is proud to see years of partnership coming to fruition, as the collective investment in Urban Orchard will improve community health, provide climate resilience, spur economic growth for the city, and provide essential access to the outdoors, now and for many generations to follow.”
Communities like South Gate have long faced the harmful impacts of pollution, overcrowded housing, and limited green space. The park was designed to address these issues by diverting and treating storm water run-off from the Los Angeles River, as well as providing a space for outdoor recreation for South Gate residents. The park is fully furnished with green space, fruit trees, wetlands, an education garden, and now stands as a model for stormwater capture, climate resilience, and equitable access to green space, and a replicable approach for other underserved areas.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44)
For Immediate Release
July 12, 2025
Contact: jin.choi@mail.house.gov
Rep. Barragán and Sen. Markey IntroduceResolutionto Confront Rising Public Health Threats fromClimateChange
WASHINGTON, D.C. — This week, Congresswoman Nanette Barragán (CA-44), a member of the Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Health, and Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, introduced a resolution recognizing climate change as a growing threat to public health and calling for a coordinated federal strategy to protect communities from worsening climate-fueled harms. The resolution urges the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other federal agencies to lead a whole-of-government effort to protect public health and improve resiliency against climate-related threats throughout the health sector. Representatives Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Doris Matsui (CA-07), and Brad Schneider (IL-10) co-led the resolution in the House.
The climate crisis is here. In 2024, the United States experienced 27 climate disasters that caused more than a billion dollars each in damage. Increasingly frequent and extreme events—like wildfires, floods, and heat waves—are driving spikes in illness, displacement, and death. More than 150 million Americans live in areas with unhealthy air, and people with disabilities are 2 to 4 times more likely to die or be injured in climate-related disasters. Frontline workers in agriculture, construction, delivery, and manufacturing face growing health risks from extreme heat and poor air quality on the job.
“The climate crisis affects us all, but especially economically disadvantaged communities, communities of color, and other marginalized communities,” said Representative Barragán. “Now more than ever, we see families across the country facing significant health risks as a result of climate disasters such as extreme heat, excessive flooding, and unpredictable storms. Yet the Trump Administration has dangerously chosen to ignore the threat of climate change to our public health – firing staff and canceling programs that were focused on improving our resilience to harmful environmental exposures, such as the HHS Office of Climate Change and Health Equity. That is why I am proud to lead this bicameral resolution with Senator Markey and Representatives Carbajal, Matsui, and Schneider to acknowledge the federal government’s responsibility to mitigate the impacts of climate change and protect the health and well-being of all Americans.”
“With deadly extreme weather disasters, devastating heat waves, and pollution that triggers asthma and other health crises all on the rise, climate change is a full-blown public health emergency—and we need to treat it that way,” said Senator Markey. “This resolution calls on our government to protect the people most at risk from climate-related threats—those on the frontlines of the climate crisis, including Black and Indigenous communities, low-income families, and workers, especially those in construction, delivery, manufacturing, and warehouses. While Republicans pass bills that kick people off their health care, we are fighting for a resilient health system that helps everyone survive a warming and increasingly chaotic world.”
“It doesn’t matter if you live in a red or blue state, every American will be affected by climate change,” said Congressman Salud Carbajal.“We’re calling on the Administration to reinstate the OCCHE because it’s essential to protecting the health and well-being of every community in this country.”
“Over the past six months, President Trump and Congressional Republicans have launched a full-scale attack on the environment and public health,” said Congresswoman Matsui. “By blatantly disregarding climate change, they are driving us towards a dangerous future. Climate change is already harming human health nationwide, driving up heat-related deaths, increasing vector-borne illnesses, and disrupting medical care. This resolution demands urgent action to address the health impacts from climate change to prevent countless deaths across the country.”
“Climate change threatens every corner of our nation and must be mitigated through swift, coordinated action by our government,” said Congressman Schneider. “The Office of Climate Change and Health Equity is a critical asset in understanding the dire health implications of climate change and mobilizing strategies that ensure no community is left behind. The decision by the Trump Administration to place all OCCHE staff on leave poses a real threat to American lives and wellbeing. I’m proud to join my colleague Rep. Barragan in urging the Trump Administration to reinstate of the Office of Climate Change and Health Equity (OCCHE) and its Office of Environmental Justice.”
Specifically, the resolution:
Demands the release of funding appropriated by Congress that would help to address climate-related health threats that has been held up by Federal agencies;
Details the public health dimensions of the climate crisis, including increased risks of respiratory illness, cardiovascular disease, mental health stressors, pregnancy complications, infectious disease outbreaks, and disaster-related displacement;
Highlights the disproportionate health burdens on children, people with disabilities, low-income households, communities of color, Tribal nations, and workers in high-risk occupations;
Calls on the Department of Health and Human Services to lead cross-agency coordination to strengthen health system climate resilience, support frontline providers, close gaps in climate-health data, and help the health sector lower its own environmental impact;
Affirms the importance of engaging environmental justice and community-based organizations in local climate-health preparedness and response efforts;
Urges the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to adopt a national worker heat protection standard; and,
Calls for annual public reporting on federal climate-health resilience investments and progress.
The resolution is cosponsored by Senators Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Representatives Hank Johnson (GA-04), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-00), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), and Ritchie Torres (NY-15).
The resolution is endorsed by Health Care Without Harm, Center for American Progress, Climate Justice Alliance, International Transformational Resilience Coalition, Climate and Community Institute, Earthjustice Action, Public Citizen, Deep South Center for Environmental Justice, Center for Oil and Gas Organizing, Physicians for Social Responsibility, and the American College of Physicians.
“Health Care Without Harm applauds Senator Markey for introducing this important resolution and is pleased to endorse it,” said Jenny Keroack, Director of Program Strategy & Management in the U.S.ClimateProgram. “Climate change is causing more severe and frequent storms, wildfires, and extreme heat events, creating safety and public health crises across our country. Our government must have a science-based, coordinated approach to prepare for and respond to these growing threats, and the Department of Health and Human Services has an indispensable role to play as the guardian of our nation’s health and well-being. Vital programs have been attacked, including a grant program that assists families with energy costs so they can afford to cool and heat their homes, funding that helps hospitals stay open and operational when the grid goes down, and research on how best to protect farmworkers from increasing heat waves. Such programs and the expert civil servants who help protect our communities from environmental health threats like climate change must be immediately reinstated and supported. Now is not the time to retreat.”
“With climate change and extreme weather events driving illness, injury, and death across the United States, the Department of Health and Human Services must harness its resources, leverage its authorities, and coordinate its expertise and action to prepare for and respond to the health and financial impact,” said Jill Rosenthal, Director of Public Health at the Center for American Progress.
“This resolution is crucial because climate change isn’t just an environmental problem; it’s a public health crisis hurting families right now,” said KD Chavez, Executive Director of theClimateJustice Alliance. “Low-income communities bear the brunt – suffering more asthma attacks, heatstroke, and toxic exposure. But these communities also have the answers! They’ve developed practical, replicable solutions. We need bold action: stronger environmental safeguards, smart investments in resilient infrastructure, and policies that prioritize everyone’s health and safety, no matter where they live. Let’s protect our families and build a healthier future for all.”
“The International Transformational Resilience Coalition (ITRC) strongly endorses this resolution,” said ITRC Founder and Coordinator Bob Doppelt. “We do so because the climate crisis is a public health crisis that requires significant leadership, support, and investments by the federal government to prevent and heal the accelerating climate-generated mental health, psychosocial, and physical health issues experienced by newborns, young children, adolescents, working age, and older adults nationwide.”
“Our hospitals and clinics are already seeing the devastating health effects of climate change every day – from children struggling to breathe polluted air to seniors collapsing in extreme heat,” said Ranjani Prabhakar, Legislative Director of Healthy Communities, Earthjustice Action. “Over 200 medical journals have called climate change the greatest threat to human health this century, and Senator Markey’s resolution affirms this data by putting health at the center of environmental solutions. Recognizing this crisis for the public health emergency that it is, is essential to protect our families and communities.”
“As the planet enters a period of increasing climate chaos, our collective response will either deepen disparities or address the drivers of climate breakdown and health inequity together,” said Batul Hassan, Labor Director at theClimateand Community Institute. “This resolution from Senator Markey establishes the urgent need for coordinated action across health and public health systems to ensure all people and generations to come can thrive in a warming world.”
The full text of the legislation can be found here.
Based on what power plant owners and operators have reported to EIA, the total operating capacity of U.S. coal-fired power plants is scheduled to fall from 172 gigawatts (GW) in May 2025 to 145 GW by the end of 2028, according to our Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory. On a regional basis, 58% of the planned coal capacity retirements are in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions.
Coal consumption in the U.S. electric power sector has fallen since its peak in the late 2000s because of increased competition from other electricity sources, especially from natural gas and renewables. Furthermore, coal-fired power plants have been subject to regulations regarding emissions that require plants to add equipment, modify processes, or stop operation.
Our inventory of operating capacity and planned retirements reflects power plant operators’ responses to our monthly survey as of May 2025. These plans may change as operators respond to changing environmental and other policies and power market dynamics.
For example, Talen Energy, in collaboration with the PJM Interconnection and other entities, recently agreed to delay retirement of its Brandon Shores coal-fired power plant in Maryland until 2029. Talen Energy had previously planned to retire Brandon Shores in June 2025. Similarly, in May 2025, the U.S. Department of Energy ordered a 90-day delay of the planned retirement of Consumers Energy’s J.H. Campbell plant in Michigan.
Potential changes to regulations add uncertainty to power plant operation and retirement decisions. In particular, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is reconsidering several regulations that would affect coal plants. For example, in April 2024, EPA released new steam electric effluent limitations guidelines (ELG) that limit the discharge of toxic metals and other pollutants in wastewater coming from coal-fired power plants. These more stringent limitations are currently set to take effect in 2028 but are among the regulations EPA is reconsidering.
In addition, an April 8 executive order provided 47 companies with a two-year exemption from more stringent Mercury and Air Toxic Standards (MATS) issued by EPA last year. The exemption runs from July 8, 2027, to July 8, 2029. Many coal-fired plants added pollution-control systems in the previous decade to comply with MATS regulations.
While the typical voter may not think much about judicial elections, political operatives and political scientists, like me, know they have consequences.
I think it’s important that voters understand what a retention election is and why state judicial elections are growing in political importance in the U.S.
Retention elections
Federal judges are appointed by the U.S. president, confirmed by the U.S. Senate, and can serve for the rest of their lives. State judges, however, are put in place in a variety of ways.
The most powerful state courts are the so-called “courts of last resort.” These are essentially the supreme courts of each state. The method for selecting judges in these courts has varied over time and across the states. Currently, states use either gubernatorial appointment, legislative appointment, partisan elections, nonpartisan elections, or a merit process for selecting the judges of their highest courts.
Pennsylvania has partisan elections, meaning judges run for office attached to political parties, just like a candidate would run for governor or president. However, it is only in their first race for office that a judge runs in a competitive partisan election. After they assume the bench, they participate in retention elections every 10 years. These retention elections are considered nonpartisan, since party labels do not appear on the ballot.
Essentially, a retention election is an up or down vote. If more than 50% of voters cast a vote in opposition to a sitting judge, that judge will be out of the office at the end of their term. The governor, who is currently Democrat Josh Shapiro, then makes a temporary appointment to fill the seat with a special election held in the next odd year – in this case, 2027. But any appointments would need to be confirmed by the Republican-controlled state Senate, which may not confirm his picks.
Politicization of the state courts
Judges win retention elections over 90% of the time. So why should people bother to cast their vote?
Courts, including state courts, have become highly politicized over the past several decades. A marked increase in politicization occurred for the U.S. Supreme Court after the failed nomination of Robert Bork in the 1980s.
State supreme courts have always made big decisions, but the nationalization of American politics – where national partisan politics drive voter behavior in local elections – has elevated the controversy over state supreme court decisions on issues such as reproductive rights, trans rights, COVID-19 restrictions, environmental protection and more.
This issue became more acute when courts in battleground states were thrust to the center of adjudicating false claims of election fraud during the 2020 U.S. presidential election. And judges have faced increasing threats, particularly when opposing actions of the Trump administration, as President Donald Trump is prone to calling out specific judges in decisions that he does not like.
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has received additional attention, in part due to the outsized role it has played in recent redistricting. In 2018, the court threw out the congressional districts drawn by the General Assembly in 2011 and invited a new plan from the governor and General Assembly. The two came to a political loggerhead, so the Supreme Court ended up using its own map as a replacement.
In 2022, the state Supreme Court once again took control of redistricting after Pennyslvania’s then-Gov. Tom Wolf vetoed the congressional district map approved by the General Assembly.
Former prosecutor Susan Crawford won the highly politicized race for Wisconsin Supreme Court justice in 2025. It was the most expensive state supreme court race in U.S. history. Scott Olson via Getty Images
That was one seat.
Pennsylvania has three up for grabs in November 2025, with the potential to swing the current Democratic majority.
And retention elections are politically simple for opponents. As one Republican political consultant told investigative news outlet Spotlight PA: “This is a political consultant’s dream, because your message is just one thing, and that’s ‘No.’”
This can give some advantage to Republicans in a state that Trump won in 2024 and in a low-turnout election. The question will be whether there is more energy motivating opponents to turn out against the Democratic majority or supporters seeking to maintain the status quo.
The 2025 retention elections could change the balance of power in the court. AP Photo/Aimee Dilger
The stakes for Pennsylvania in 2025
Much is at stake for Pennsylvanians in the fall. Republicans see this as their best opportunity to break the firm 5-2 Democratic majority on the court. This would pave the way for very different judicial decisions. Many of the court’s recent election-related rulings were made on narrow 4-3 votes that could swing differently if the composition of the court changes.
Republicans have had their power in Harrisburg diminished with Shapiro in the governor’s mansion and a one-seat Democratic majority in the state House of Representatives over the past two terms.
A Republican majority on the court would significantly change the balance of power in Harrisburg.
But it is important to focus not only on the top court. The state’s two appellate-level courts – one step below the state Supreme Court – also have two important races and two retention votes in November that will decide the judiciary’s relationship with the governor and General Assembly.
Daniel J. Mallinson 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.
While the typical voter may not think much about judicial elections, political operatives and political scientists, like me, know they have consequences.
I think it’s important that voters understand what a retention election is and why state judicial elections are growing in political importance in the U.S.
Retention elections
Federal judges are appointed by the U.S. president, confirmed by the U.S. Senate, and can serve for the rest of their lives. State judges, however, are put in place in a variety of ways.
The most powerful state courts are the so-called “courts of last resort.” These are essentially the supreme courts of each state. The method for selecting judges in these courts has varied over time and across the states. Currently, states use either gubernatorial appointment, legislative appointment, partisan elections, nonpartisan elections, or a merit process for selecting the judges of their highest courts.
Pennsylvania has partisan elections, meaning judges run for office attached to political parties, just like a candidate would run for governor or president. However, it is only in their first race for office that a judge runs in a competitive partisan election. After they assume the bench, they participate in retention elections every 10 years. These retention elections are considered nonpartisan, since party labels do not appear on the ballot.
Essentially, a retention election is an up or down vote. If more than 50% of voters cast a vote in opposition to a sitting judge, that judge will be out of the office at the end of their term. The governor, who is currently Democrat Josh Shapiro, then makes a temporary appointment to fill the seat with a special election held in the next odd year – in this case, 2027. But any appointments would need to be confirmed by the Republican-controlled state Senate, which may not confirm his picks.
Politicization of the state courts
Judges win retention elections over 90% of the time. So why should people bother to cast their vote?
Courts, including state courts, have become highly politicized over the past several decades. A marked increase in politicization occurred for the U.S. Supreme Court after the failed nomination of Robert Bork in the 1980s.
State supreme courts have always made big decisions, but the nationalization of American politics – where national partisan politics drive voter behavior in local elections – has elevated the controversy over state supreme court decisions on issues such as reproductive rights, trans rights, COVID-19 restrictions, environmental protection and more.
This issue became more acute when courts in battleground states were thrust to the center of adjudicating false claims of election fraud during the 2020 U.S. presidential election. And judges have faced increasing threats, particularly when opposing actions of the Trump administration, as President Donald Trump is prone to calling out specific judges in decisions that he does not like.
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has received additional attention, in part due to the outsized role it has played in recent redistricting. In 2018, the court threw out the congressional districts drawn by the General Assembly in 2011 and invited a new plan from the governor and General Assembly. The two came to a political loggerhead, so the Supreme Court ended up using its own map as a replacement.
In 2022, the state Supreme Court once again took control of redistricting after Pennyslvania’s then-Gov. Tom Wolf vetoed the congressional district map approved by the General Assembly.
Former prosecutor Susan Crawford won the highly politicized race for Wisconsin Supreme Court justice in 2025. It was the most expensive state supreme court race in U.S. history. Scott Olson via Getty Images
That was one seat.
Pennsylvania has three up for grabs in November 2025, with the potential to swing the current Democratic majority.
And retention elections are politically simple for opponents. As one Republican political consultant told investigative news outlet Spotlight PA: “This is a political consultant’s dream, because your message is just one thing, and that’s ‘No.’”
This can give some advantage to Republicans in a state that Trump won in 2024 and in a low-turnout election. The question will be whether there is more energy motivating opponents to turn out against the Democratic majority or supporters seeking to maintain the status quo.
The 2025 retention elections could change the balance of power in the court. AP Photo/Aimee Dilger
The stakes for Pennsylvania in 2025
Much is at stake for Pennsylvanians in the fall. Republicans see this as their best opportunity to break the firm 5-2 Democratic majority on the court. This would pave the way for very different judicial decisions. Many of the court’s recent election-related rulings were made on narrow 4-3 votes that could swing differently if the composition of the court changes.
Republicans have had their power in Harrisburg diminished with Shapiro in the governor’s mansion and a one-seat Democratic majority in the state House of Representatives over the past two terms.
A Republican majority on the court would significantly change the balance of power in Harrisburg.
But it is important to focus not only on the top court. The state’s two appellate-level courts – one step below the state Supreme Court – also have two important races and two retention votes in November that will decide the judiciary’s relationship with the governor and General Assembly.
Daniel J. Mallinson 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.
While the typical voter may not think much about judicial elections, political operatives and political scientists, like me, know they have consequences.
I think it’s important that voters understand what a retention election is and why state judicial elections are growing in political importance in the U.S.
Retention elections
Federal judges are appointed by the U.S. president, confirmed by the U.S. Senate, and can serve for the rest of their lives. State judges, however, are put in place in a variety of ways.
The most powerful state courts are the so-called “courts of last resort.” These are essentially the supreme courts of each state. The method for selecting judges in these courts has varied over time and across the states. Currently, states use either gubernatorial appointment, legislative appointment, partisan elections, nonpartisan elections, or a merit process for selecting the judges of their highest courts.
Pennsylvania has partisan elections, meaning judges run for office attached to political parties, just like a candidate would run for governor or president. However, it is only in their first race for office that a judge runs in a competitive partisan election. After they assume the bench, they participate in retention elections every 10 years. These retention elections are considered nonpartisan, since party labels do not appear on the ballot.
Essentially, a retention election is an up or down vote. If more than 50% of voters cast a vote in opposition to a sitting judge, that judge will be out of the office at the end of their term. The governor, who is currently Democrat Josh Shapiro, then makes a temporary appointment to fill the seat with a special election held in the next odd year – in this case, 2027. But any appointments would need to be confirmed by the Republican-controlled state Senate, which may not confirm his picks.
Politicization of the state courts
Judges win retention elections over 90% of the time. So why should people bother to cast their vote?
Courts, including state courts, have become highly politicized over the past several decades. A marked increase in politicization occurred for the U.S. Supreme Court after the failed nomination of Robert Bork in the 1980s.
State supreme courts have always made big decisions, but the nationalization of American politics – where national partisan politics drive voter behavior in local elections – has elevated the controversy over state supreme court decisions on issues such as reproductive rights, trans rights, COVID-19 restrictions, environmental protection and more.
This issue became more acute when courts in battleground states were thrust to the center of adjudicating false claims of election fraud during the 2020 U.S. presidential election. And judges have faced increasing threats, particularly when opposing actions of the Trump administration, as President Donald Trump is prone to calling out specific judges in decisions that he does not like.
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has received additional attention, in part due to the outsized role it has played in recent redistricting. In 2018, the court threw out the congressional districts drawn by the General Assembly in 2011 and invited a new plan from the governor and General Assembly. The two came to a political loggerhead, so the Supreme Court ended up using its own map as a replacement.
In 2022, the state Supreme Court once again took control of redistricting after Pennyslvania’s then-Gov. Tom Wolf vetoed the congressional district map approved by the General Assembly.
Former prosecutor Susan Crawford won the highly politicized race for Wisconsin Supreme Court justice in 2025. It was the most expensive state supreme court race in U.S. history. Scott Olson via Getty Images
That was one seat.
Pennsylvania has three up for grabs in November 2025, with the potential to swing the current Democratic majority.
And retention elections are politically simple for opponents. As one Republican political consultant told investigative news outlet Spotlight PA: “This is a political consultant’s dream, because your message is just one thing, and that’s ‘No.’”
This can give some advantage to Republicans in a state that Trump won in 2024 and in a low-turnout election. The question will be whether there is more energy motivating opponents to turn out against the Democratic majority or supporters seeking to maintain the status quo.
The 2025 retention elections could change the balance of power in the court. AP Photo/Aimee Dilger
The stakes for Pennsylvania in 2025
Much is at stake for Pennsylvanians in the fall. Republicans see this as their best opportunity to break the firm 5-2 Democratic majority on the court. This would pave the way for very different judicial decisions. Many of the court’s recent election-related rulings were made on narrow 4-3 votes that could swing differently if the composition of the court changes.
Republicans have had their power in Harrisburg diminished with Shapiro in the governor’s mansion and a one-seat Democratic majority in the state House of Representatives over the past two terms.
A Republican majority on the court would significantly change the balance of power in Harrisburg.
But it is important to focus not only on the top court. The state’s two appellate-level courts – one step below the state Supreme Court – also have two important races and two retention votes in November that will decide the judiciary’s relationship with the governor and General Assembly.
Daniel J. Mallinson 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.
While the typical voter may not think much about judicial elections, political operatives and political scientists, like me, know they have consequences.
I think it’s important that voters understand what a retention election is and why state judicial elections are growing in political importance in the U.S.
Retention elections
Federal judges are appointed by the U.S. president, confirmed by the U.S. Senate, and can serve for the rest of their lives. State judges, however, are put in place in a variety of ways.
The most powerful state courts are the so-called “courts of last resort.” These are essentially the supreme courts of each state. The method for selecting judges in these courts has varied over time and across the states. Currently, states use either gubernatorial appointment, legislative appointment, partisan elections, nonpartisan elections, or a merit process for selecting the judges of their highest courts.
Pennsylvania has partisan elections, meaning judges run for office attached to political parties, just like a candidate would run for governor or president. However, it is only in their first race for office that a judge runs in a competitive partisan election. After they assume the bench, they participate in retention elections every 10 years. These retention elections are considered nonpartisan, since party labels do not appear on the ballot.
Essentially, a retention election is an up or down vote. If more than 50% of voters cast a vote in opposition to a sitting judge, that judge will be out of the office at the end of their term. The governor, who is currently Democrat Josh Shapiro, then makes a temporary appointment to fill the seat with a special election held in the next odd year – in this case, 2027. But any appointments would need to be confirmed by the Republican-controlled state Senate, which may not confirm his picks.
Politicization of the state courts
Judges win retention elections over 90% of the time. So why should people bother to cast their vote?
Courts, including state courts, have become highly politicized over the past several decades. A marked increase in politicization occurred for the U.S. Supreme Court after the failed nomination of Robert Bork in the 1980s.
State supreme courts have always made big decisions, but the nationalization of American politics – where national partisan politics drive voter behavior in local elections – has elevated the controversy over state supreme court decisions on issues such as reproductive rights, trans rights, COVID-19 restrictions, environmental protection and more.
This issue became more acute when courts in battleground states were thrust to the center of adjudicating false claims of election fraud during the 2020 U.S. presidential election. And judges have faced increasing threats, particularly when opposing actions of the Trump administration, as President Donald Trump is prone to calling out specific judges in decisions that he does not like.
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has received additional attention, in part due to the outsized role it has played in recent redistricting. In 2018, the court threw out the congressional districts drawn by the General Assembly in 2011 and invited a new plan from the governor and General Assembly. The two came to a political loggerhead, so the Supreme Court ended up using its own map as a replacement.
In 2022, the state Supreme Court once again took control of redistricting after Pennyslvania’s then-Gov. Tom Wolf vetoed the congressional district map approved by the General Assembly.
Former prosecutor Susan Crawford won the highly politicized race for Wisconsin Supreme Court justice in 2025. It was the most expensive state supreme court race in U.S. history. Scott Olson via Getty Images
That was one seat.
Pennsylvania has three up for grabs in November 2025, with the potential to swing the current Democratic majority.
And retention elections are politically simple for opponents. As one Republican political consultant told investigative news outlet Spotlight PA: “This is a political consultant’s dream, because your message is just one thing, and that’s ‘No.’”
This can give some advantage to Republicans in a state that Trump won in 2024 and in a low-turnout election. The question will be whether there is more energy motivating opponents to turn out against the Democratic majority or supporters seeking to maintain the status quo.
The 2025 retention elections could change the balance of power in the court. AP Photo/Aimee Dilger
The stakes for Pennsylvania in 2025
Much is at stake for Pennsylvanians in the fall. Republicans see this as their best opportunity to break the firm 5-2 Democratic majority on the court. This would pave the way for very different judicial decisions. Many of the court’s recent election-related rulings were made on narrow 4-3 votes that could swing differently if the composition of the court changes.
Republicans have had their power in Harrisburg diminished with Shapiro in the governor’s mansion and a one-seat Democratic majority in the state House of Representatives over the past two terms.
A Republican majority on the court would significantly change the balance of power in Harrisburg.
But it is important to focus not only on the top court. The state’s two appellate-level courts – one step below the state Supreme Court – also have two important races and two retention votes in November that will decide the judiciary’s relationship with the governor and General Assembly.
Daniel J. Mallinson 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.
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., July 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Check Point® Software Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: CHKP), a pioneer and global leader of cyber security solutions, today released its 2024 Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Report: “Sustainability in Security.” The third annual ESG report details the company’s progress and vision for a secure, sustainable digital future — where cyber protection serves as the foundation for trust, resilience, and societal advancement.
“At Check Point, our mission is clear: We are here to secure the digital future through trusted innovation, responsible leadership, and unwavering commitment to people and the planet,” said Nadav Zafrir, CEO at Check Point. “As laid out in our 2024 ESG report, our cyber security solutions don’t just defend against threats — they create the foundation for sustainable, responsible digital transformation.”
Safeguarding the Digital Backbone of Society Check Point’s 2024 ESG report underscores the company’s expansive global impact:
Over 10 million cyberattacks prevented daily via 50+ Infinity ThreatCloud AI engines
More than 3.9 billion threats blocked annually across 100,000+ organizations worldwide
Protection of critical sectors including finance, healthcare, energy, and government
Billions of files, websites, and applications analyzed daily
Every threat prevented helps fortify the global digital ecosystem — positioning cyber security not just as a business imperative, but as a social good.
Environmental Progress and Innovation Check Point achieved several key environmental milestones in 2024, including:
100% renewable energy usage at the company’s International Headquarters and Tel Aviv offices
Introduction of new power efficient security appliances compared to throughput threat prevention, helping customers reduce power consumption while improving protection
Expanding Social Impact The company continued advancing its social responsibility goals:
Significant progress toward the goal of training 1 million people in cyber security by 2028, addressing the global talent shortage
Ongoing investments in cyber security education and workforce development
Governance as a Foundation Strong governance remains central to Check Point’s ESG approach, with highlights including:
Continued board independence and oversight
Comprehensive compliance training and responsible AI practices
Ongoing focus on data privacy, supply chain ethics, and transparent business operations
A Vision for the Future Check Point’s 2024 ESG report makes clear that security, sustainability, and ethical leadership are interconnected imperatives. As the pace of innovation accelerates, organizations that integrate robust cyber security with responsible business practices will be best positioned to lead.
About Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (www.checkpoint.com) is a leading protector of digital trust, utilizing AI-powered cyber security solutions to safeguard over 100,000 organizations globally. Through its Infinity Platform and an open garden ecosystem, Check Point’s prevention-first approach delivers industry-leading security efficacy while reducing risk. Employing a hybrid mesh network architecture with SASE at its core, the Infinity Platform unifies the management of on-premises, cloud, and workspace environments to offer flexibility, simplicity and scale for enterprises and service providers.
Legal Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or our future financial or operating performance. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements related to our expectations regarding future growth, the expansion of Check Point’s industry leadership, the enhancement of shareholder value and the delivery of an industry-leading cyber security platform to customers worldwide. Our expectations and beliefs regarding these matters may not materialize, and actual results or events in the future are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those projected. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to other risks and uncertainties, including those more fully described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 2, 2024. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to Check Point as of the date hereof, and Check Point disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by law.
Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Narend Singh, has urgently called for global leaders to address climate action and provide the necessary support for mitigation and adaptation.
Singh was speaking during the second Group of 20 (G20) Environment and Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG) meeting at the Kruger National Park in Mpumalanga, on Monday.
“I wish to reiterate what was said during the first G20 ECSWG meeting in March this year: we are less than five years away from our deadline to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and the end of this critical decade for climate action.
“Yet, we are still far from attaining these goals and action targets,” he said.
According to the Deputy Minister, poverty levels are worsening, pollution from hazardous chemicals has been increasing, and greenhouse gas emissions reached record highs last year.
“This calls for an urgent acceleration of our efforts. Our commitment to achieve these goals must not waver, as we are all negatively affected. That is why South Africa has placed solidarity, equality and sustainability at the centre of our G20 Presidency.”
South Africa’s G20 Presidency has outlined an ambitious agenda for this Working Group following the successful convening of the inaugural virtual meeting earlier this year.
Singh said the five interrelated priorities have now been expanded into six, with the splitting of the climate change and air quality priorities into separate areas of focus.
“This will provide us with an opportunity to delve into these two key issues more deeply and systematically.”
During this five-day meeting, delegates from G20 member nations will focus on several key priorities.
These include biodiversity and conservation; land degradation, desertification, drought; chemicals and waste management; air quality; oceans and coasts; and climate change, with a particular emphasis on Just Transitions.
According to Singh, Just Transition encompasses energy transition, adaptation, resilience, loss and damage.
“This priority also includes a sub-priority on mitigation within the context of low-carbon economic development and other co-benefits beyond the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.”
Singh stated that the G20 process offers a chance to discuss and agree on actions that can expedite climate action and support at the necessary scale, as highlighted in the results of the first global stocktake.
As a primary outcome of South Africa’s G20 Presidency this year, the country will explore ways that the G20 can leverage opportunities to increase the scale and flows of climate finance.
“It is paramount for developing economy countries to be actively supported in their efforts to achieve ‘whole of society and whole of economy’ Just Transitions to sustainable development on the ground, through scaled access to low-cost finance, technology, capacity development, and skills transfer,” the Deputy Minister said.
Singh believes that the blue economy approach can make a significant contribution to the livelihood of coastal communities around the globe, as well as addressing climate change.
“It’s sustainable, long-term development should be promoted and enhanced through collective action at the level of the G20.
“It is also recognised that plastic pollution poses a significant threat to coastal and marine environments, affecting marine life, human health, and livelihoods, which needs to be addressed in an integrated and coordinated manner.”
Singh announced that the final meetings of the Working Group and Ministerial sessions will be held from 13-15 October in Cape Town.
During these meetings, the final versions of the technical papers and the draft of the Ministerial Declaration will be discussed.
This will be followed by the G20 ECSWG Ministerial meeting scheduled for 16 – 17 October in Cape Town, where the Ministerial Declaration and other deliverables of the Working Group will be presented. – SAnews.gov.za
The Private Columbaria (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 came into force on May 30, 2025. The Food & Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today announced that eligible “pre-cut-off columbaria” intending to make new applications for exemption may apply to the Private Columbaria Licensing Board (PCLB) from September 1 to November 30.
By obtaining an exemption, eligible “pre-cut-off columbaria” may keep the niches sold before the enactment date of the Private Columbaria Ordinance on June 30, 2017 and continue to operate at its current scale.
Under the amendment ordinance, “pre-cut-off columbaria” making new applications for exemption must meet the new eligibility criteria and specified conditions to minimise their impact on the neighbourhood.
The PCLB has uploaded the application guide to the FEHD’s dedicated website.
The FEHD’s Private Columbaria Affairs Office will also contact the eligible “pre-cut-off columbaria” individually to explain the application details and assist them in submitting the application.
A journalist who was on the Rainbow Warrior voyage to Rongelap last night condemned France for its “callous” attack of an environmental ship, saying “we haven’t forgotten, or forgiven this outrage”.
David Robie, the author of Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the Rainbow Warrior, said at the launch that the consequences of almost 300 US and French nuclear tests – many of them “dirty bombs” — were still impacting on indigenous Pacific peoples 40 years after the bombing of the ship.
French saboteurs had killed “our shipmate Fernando Pereira” on 10 July 1985 in what the New Zealand prime minister at the time, David Lange, called a “sordid act of international state-backed terrorism”.
Although relations with France had perhaps mellowed over time, four decades ago there was a lot of hostility towards the country, Dr Robie said.
“And that act of mindless sabotage still rankles very deeply in our psyche,” he said at the launch in Auckland Central’s Ellen Melville Centre on the anniversary of July 10.
About 100 people gathered in the centre’s Pioneer Women’s Hall for the book launch as Dr Robie reflected on the case of state terrorism after Greenpeace earlier in the day held a memorial ceremony on board Rainbow Warrior III.
“One of the celebrated French newspapers, Le Monde, played a critical role in the investigation into the Rainbow Warrior affair — what I brand as ‘Blundergate’, in view of all the follies of the bumbling DGSE spy team,” he said.
Plantu cartoon “And one of the cartoons in that newspaper, by Plantu, who is a sort of French equivalent to Michael Leunig, caught my eye.
“You will notice it in the background slide show behind me. It shows François Mitterrand, the president of the French republic at the time, dressed in a frogman’s wetsuit lecturing to school children during a history lesson.
“President Mitterrand says, in French, ‘At that time, only presidents had the right to carry out terrorism!’
Tahitian advocate Ena Manurevia . . . the background Plantu cartoon is the one mentioned by the author. Image: Asia Pacific Report
He noticed that in the Mitterrand cartoon there was a “classmate” sitting in the back of the room with a moustache. This was none other than Edwy Plenel, the police reporter for Le Monde at the time, who scooped the world with hard evidence of Mitterrand and the French government’s role at the highest level in the Rainbow Warrior sabotage.
Dr Robie said that Plenel now published the investigative website Mediapart, which had played a key role in 2015 revealing the identity of the bomber that night, “the man who had planted the limpet mines on the Rainbow Warrior — sinking a peace and environmental ship, and killing Fernando Pereira.”
Jean-Luc Kister, a retired French colonel and DGSE secret agent, had confessed to his role and “apologised”, claiming the sabotage operation was “disproportionate and a mistake”.
“Was he sincere? Was it a genuine attempt to come to terms with his conscience. Who knows?” Dr Robie said, adding that he was unconvinced.
Hilari Anderson (right on stage), one of the speakers, with Del Abcede and MC Antony Phillips (obscured) . . . the background image shows Helen Clark meeting Fernando Pereira’s daughter Marelle in 2005. Image: Greenpeace
French perspective Dr Robie said he had asked Plenel for his reflections from a French perspective 40 years on. Plenel cited three main take ways.
“First, the vital necessity of independent journalism. Independent of all powers, whether state, economic or ideological. Journalism that serves the public interest, the right to know, and factual truths.
“Impactful journalism whose revelations restore confidence in democracy, in the possibility of improving it, and in the usefulness of counterbalancing powers, particularly journalism.”
Secondly, this attack had been carried out by France in an “allied country”, New Zealand, against a civil society organisation. This demonstrated that “the thirst for power is a downfall that leads nations astray when they succumb to it.
“Nuclear weapons epitomise this madness, this catastrophe of power.”
Eyes of Fire 10 years ago . . . same author, same publisher. Video: Pacific Media Centre
Finally, Plenel expressed the “infinite sadness” for a French citizen that after his revelations in Le Monde — which led to the resignations of the defence minister and the head of the secret services — nothing else happened.
“Nothing at all. No parliamentary inquiry, no questioning of François Mitterrand about his responsibility, no institutional reform of the absolute power of the president in a French republic that is, in reality, an elective monarchy.”
‘Elective monarchy’ trend Dr Robie compared the French outcome with the rapid trend in US today, “a president who thinks he is a monarch, a king – another elective monarchy.”
He also bemoaned that “catastrophe of power” that “reigns everywhere today – from the horrendous Israeli genocide in Gaza to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, from Trump to Putin to Netanyahu, and so many others.”
The continuous Gaza massacres were a shameful indictment of the West that had allowed it to happen for more than 21 months.
Dr Robie thanked many collaborators for their help and support, including drama teacher Hilari Anderson, an original crew member of the Rainbow Warrior, and photographer John Miller, “who have been with me all the way on this waka journey”.
He thanked his wife, Del, and family members for their unstinting “patience and support”, and also publisher Tony Murrow of Little Island Press.
Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the Rainbow Warrior . . . published 10 July 2025. Image: David Robie/Little Island Press
Launching the book, Greenpeace Aotearoa programme director Niamh O’Flynn said one thing that had stood out for her was how the legacy of the Rainbow Warrior had continued despite the attempt by the French government to shut it down 40 years ago.
“We said then that ‘you can’t sink a rainbow’, and we went on to prove it.
“When the Rainbow Warrior was bombed in Auckland harbour, it was getting ready to set sail to Moruroa Atoll, to enter the test exclusion zone and confront French nuclear testing head-on.”
So threatened The French government had felt so threatened by that action that it had engaged in a state-sanctioned terror attack to prevent the mission from going ahead.
“But we rebuilt, and the Rainbow Warrior II carried on with that mission, travelling to Moruroa three times before the French finally stopped nuclear testing in the Pacific.
“That spirit and tenacity is what makes Greenpeace and what makes the Rainbow Warrior so special to everyone who has sailed on her,” she said.
“It was the final voyage of the Rainbow Warrior to Rongelap before the bombing that is the focus of David Robie’s book, and in many ways, it was an incredibly unique experience for Greenpeace — not just here in Aotearoa, but internationally.
“And of course David was a key part in that.”
O’Flynn said that as someone who had not even been born yet when the Rainbow Warrior was bombed, “I am so grateful that the generation of nuclear-free activists took the time to pass on their knowledge and to build our organisation into what it is today.
“Just as David has by writing down his story and leaving us with such a rich legacy.”
Greenpeace Aotearoa programme director Niamh O’Flynn . . . “That spirit and tenacity is what makes Greenpeace and what makes the Rainbow Warrior so special to everyone who has sailed on her.” Image: APR
Other speakers Among other speakers at the book launch were teacher Hilari Anderson, publisher Tony Murrow of Little Island Press, Ena Manuireva, a Mangarevian scholar and cultural adviser, and MC Antony Phillips of Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga.
Anderson spoke of the Warrior’s early campaigns and acknowledged the crews of 1978 and 1985.
“I have been reflecting what these first and last crews of the original Rainbow Warrior had in common, realising that both gave their collective, mostly youthful energy — to transformation.
“This has involved the bonding of crews by working hands-on together. Touching surfaces, by hammer and paint, created a physical connection to this beloved boat.”
She paid special tribute to two powerful women, Denise Bell, who tracked down the marine research vessel in Aberdeen that became the Rainbow Warrior, and the indomitable Susi Newborn, who “contributed to naming the ship and mustering a crew”.
Manuireva spoke about his nuclear colonial experience and that of his family as natives of Mangareva atoll, about 400 km from Muroroa atoll, where France conducted most of its 30 years of tests ending in 1995.
He also spoke of Tahitian leader Oscar Temaru’s pioneering role in the Nuclear-Free and Independent Pacific (NFIP) movement, and played haunting Tahitian songs on his guitar.
NASA astronaut Shannon Walker retired July 10, concluding a career that spanned 38 years, including 30 years of federal service and more than 21 years as an astronaut. During two spaceflights, she spent 330 days in orbit, contributing to hundreds of scientific experiments and technology demonstrations for the benefit of humanity. Walker served as a mission specialist during NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1 mission to the International Space Station in 2020, the first crewed operational Dragon spacecraft flight. She also was the first woman to fly aboard a Dragon spacecraft. Once aboard the orbiting laboratory, Walker joined the Expedition 64/65 crew and briefly commanded Expedition 65, logging 167 days in space before returning to Earth in May 2021. She spent 163 days in space during her first spaceflight in 2010 as a member of the space station’s Expedition 24/25 crew. She was the pilot of the Soyuz TMA-19, which became the first crew to dock with the station’s Rassvet module. “Shannon’s dedication to human space exploration has left an incredible impact, not just here in Houston, but across the industry,” said Steve Koerner, acting director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. “Her leadership and guidance will be missed immensely, but she leaves behind a legacy of excellence that will continue to inspire the next generation of explorers for decades to come.” Most recently, Walker served as the deputy chief of the Astronaut Office. She also oversaw the 2021 class of astronaut candidates, supervising their training and graduation in 2024. “Shannon and I were a part of the same astronaut class back when we first started,” said Joe Acaba, chief of the Astronaut Office at NASA Johnson. “She has been a great friend to me ever since and a great leader within the Astronaut Office. I could not imagine a better partner by my side when, nearly 20 years later, we’d become chief and deputy chief. She has undoubtedly been a positive influence on this office, and her retirement is well-deserved.” Walker began her career as a flight controller in the Mission Control Center at NASA Johnson, supporting several shuttle missions. She next worked in the International Space Station Program Office, helping to develop, build, and integrate hardware for the space station. In the early days of the space station, she returned to mission control, leading the engineering team responsible for the space station’s technical health. She was selected as an astronaut in 2004. After completing her initial two years of training, she served as a crew support astronaut and worked as a capsule communicator, or capcom. She also held leadership positions within the several branches of the Astronaut Office focused on International Space Station operations, crew Soyuz missions, and supporting astronauts with flight assignments. She also commanded the NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations project, or NEEMO 15 underwater mission. “I had always known I wanted to be an astronaut when I grew up, but looking back on the past 38 years, I never would have imagined how many adventures my career would take me on,” said Walker. “I feel fortunate to have been able to work with people all over the world in the pursuit of space exploration. I have seen a lot of change in the evolution of human spaceflight, and I know the future is in good hands with all the talented people we have here and the generations yet to come.” The Houston native attended Rice University in her hometown, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in physics, followed by a master’s degree and doctorate in space physics. Learn more about how NASA explores the unknown and innovates for the benefit of humanity at: https://www.nasa.gov/ -end- Chelsey Ballarte Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 Chelsey.n.ballarte@nasa.gov
Global warming has picked up pace since around 2010, leading to the recent string of record warm years. Why this is happening is still unclear, and among the biggest questions in climate science today. Our new study reveals that reductions in air pollution – particularly in China and east Asia – are a key reason for this faster warming.
Cleanup of sulphur emissions from global shipping has been implicated in past research. But that cleanup only began in 2020, so it’s considered too weak to explain the full extent of this acceleration. Nasa researchers have suggested that changes in clouds could play a role, either through reductions in cloud cover in the tropics or over the North Pacific.
One factor that has not been well quantified, however, is the effect of monumental efforts by countries in east Asia, notably China, to combat air pollution and improve public health through strict air quality policies. There has already been a 75% reduction in east Asian sulphur dioxide emissions since around 2013, and that cleanup effort picked up pace just as global warming began accelerating.
Our study addresses the link between east Asian air quality improvements and global temperature, building on the efforts of eight teams of climate modellers across the world.
We have found that polluted air may have been masking the full effects of global warming. Cleaner air could now be revealing more of the human-induced global warming from greenhouse gases.
In addition to causing millions of premature deaths, air pollution shields the Earth from sunlight and therefore cools the surface. There has been so much air pollution that it has held human-induced warming in check by up to 0.5°C over the last century.
With the cleanup of air pollution, something that’s vital for human health, this artificial sunshade is removed. Since greenhouse gas emissions have kept on increasing, the result is that the Earth’s surface is warming faster than ever before.
Modelling the cleanup
Our team used 160 computer simulations from eight global climate models. This enabled us to better quantify the effects that east Asian air pollution has on global temperature and rainfall patterns. We simulated a cleanup of pollution similar to what has happened in the real world since 2010. We found an extra global warming of around 0.07°C.
While this is a small number compared with the full global warming of around 1.3°C since 1850, it is still enough to explain the recent acceleration in global warming when we take away year-to-year swings in temperature from natural cycles such as El Niño, a climate phenomenon in the Pacific that affects weather patterns globally.
Based on long-term trends, we would have expected around 0.23°C of warming since 2010. However, we actually measured around 0.33°C. While the additional 0.1°C can largely be explained by the east Asian air pollution cleanup, other factors include the change in shipping emissions and the recent accelerated increase in methane concentrations in the atmosphere.
Air pollution causes cooling by reflecting sunlight or by changing the properties of clouds so they reflect more sunlight. The cleanup in east Asian air pollution influences global temperatures because it reduces the shading effect of the pollution over east Asia itself. It also means less pollution is blown across the north Pacific, causing clouds in the east Pacific to reflect less sunlight.
The pattern of these changes across the North Pacific simulated in our models matches that seen in satellite observations. Our models and temperature observations also show relatively strong warming over the North Pacific, downwind from east Asia.
The main source of global warming is still greenhouse gas emissions, and a cleanup of air pollution was both necessary and overdue. This did not cause the additional warming but rather, removed an artificial cooling that has for a time helped shield us from some of the extreme weather and other well-established consequences of climate change.
Global warming will continue for decades. Indeed, our past and future emissions of greenhouse gases will affect the climate for centuries. However, air pollution is quickly removed from the atmosphere, and the recent acceleration in global warming from this particular unmasking may therefore be short-lived.
Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?
Laura Wilcox receives funding from the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), the Research Council of Norway, the Clean Air Fund, and Horizon Europe.
Bjørn H. Samset receives funding from the Research Council of Norway, the Clean Air Fund, and Horizon Europe.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, the UAE’s minister of climate change and environment, concluded a high-level visit to China from July 7-10, the UAE Embassy in Beijing said, as the two countries seek to deepen cooperation on climate action, sustainable agriculture and food security.
UAE Ambassador to China Hussein Ibrahim Al Hammadi (R) and UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak (L) pose for photo in Beijing, July 7, 2025. [Photo Provided to China.org.cn]
Al Dahak described UAE-China relations as “a comprehensive and interconnected strategic partnership and a unique model for successful cooperation across various fields and projects.”
She said the UAE views China as an important partner and hopes to combine China’s agricultural innovation capabilities with the UAE’s National Food Security Strategy 2051 to boost food production in both countries while expanding climate cooperation and people-to-people exchanges.
UAE Ambassador to China Hussain bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi said the visit “opens a new chapter for cooperation between the two countries in climate, agriculture and other fields, reflecting the vision of leaders of both countries to build a prosperous future.”
Representatives from China and the UAE pose for a group photo at the UAE-China Friendship Forest of Date Palm in Wenchang, Hainan province, July 10, 2025. [Photo Provided to China.org.cn]
A key part of the delegation’s itinerary was a visit to the UAE-China Friendship Forest of Date Palm in Wenchang, south China’s Hainan province. The project, launched by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during his 2019 visit to China, aims to plant 100,000 date palm seedlings.
Two phases of planting have been completed so far, totaling 25,000 seedlings. The remaining 75,000 will be planted in two phases in 2026 and 2028.
The delegation also visited institutions including the Beijing Tongzhou International Seed Industry Science and Technology Centre, Tsinghua University and the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences to exchange views on seed science, the circular economy and the transfer of sustainable agricultural technologies.
Meetings on air pollution control and solid waste management were conducted with the Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, alongside discussions on data transparency with the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs. Some members also visited technology firm Inspur Group to explore tech-based environmental solutions.
The delegation comprised senior officials from the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, agricultural institution heads and university experts.
The embassy said the visit reflects the UAE’s comprehensive determination to deepen cooperation with China at the government, academic and private sector levels.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
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Here is an item of interest to swimmers.
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (July 12) that according to the Beach Water Quality Forecast System of the Environmental Protection Department (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/environmentinhk/water/beach_quality/forecast_system.html), the Beach Water Quality Forecast Index for Golden Beach in Tuen Mun District is 4, which means the predicted water quality at this beach is “Very Poor” due to potential transient water quality fluctuations caused by heavy rain. The red flag has been hoisted, and beachgoers are advised not to enter the water to safeguard their health.
Federated Farmers is calling for new proposed ‘green’ finance rules to be scrapped, warning they’re ideologically driven, unworkable, and risk doing real harm to rural communities.
In a letter sent to Ministers and key officials on July 11, the organisation outlined a series of serious concerns with the Sustainable Finance Taxonomy.
“This framework is fundamentally flawed,” Federated Farmers banking spokesperson Mark Hooper says.
“It has been created without meaningful input from working farmers, it imposes unrealistic standards, and it risks cutting off financial services to legitimate, productive rural businesses.”
TheSustainable Finance Taxonomyis being developed by the Centre for Sustainable Finance and the Ministry for the Environment to provide a consistent framework for defining what is ‘green’ or ‘sustainable’ in financial markets.
Federated Farmers says it would create major risks for New Zealand’s agricultural sector and is urging the Government to halt the process entirely.
“One of our core concerns is the lack of practical farming expertise involved in developing the taxonomy,” Hooper says.
“There are no hands-on farmers involved with the Technical Advisory Group. Instead, it’s full of shiny-shoed bankers, sustainability advisors, and forestry lobbyists.
“If you’re designing a finance framework for agriculture, farmers must be at the table. This is a total governance failure.”
Without real-world knowledge of farming systems, the framework fails to reflect the operational realities and sustainability efforts already embedded in New Zealand’s primary sector.
For example, the proposed taxonomy defines ‘green’ farming as producing less than one tonne of CO₂ equivalent per hectare per year.
“This threshold is so low that no working New Zealand farm could realistically qualify, even though we’re home to the most emissions-efficient food producers in the world,” Hooper says.
A journalist who was on the Rainbow Warrior voyage to Rongelap last night condemned France for its “callous” attack of an environmental ship, saying “we haven’t forgotten, or forgiven this outrage”.
David Robie, the author of Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the Rainbow Warrior, said at the launch that the consequences of almost 300 US and French nuclear tests – many of them “dirty bombs” — were still impacting on indigenous Pacific peoples 40 years after the bombing of the ship.
French saboteurs had killed “our shipmate Fernando Pereira” on 10 July 1985 in what the New Zealand prime minister at the time, David Lange, called a “sordid act of international state-backed terrorism”.
Although relations with France had perhaps mellowed over time, four decades ago there was a lot of hostility towards the country, Dr Robie said.
“And that act of mindless sabotage still rankles very deeply in our psyche,” he said at the launch in Auckland Central’s Ellen Melville Centre on the anniversary of July 10.
About 100 people gathered in the centre’s Pioneer Women’s Hall for the book launch as Dr Robie reflected on the case of state terrorism after Greenpeace earlier in the day held a memorial ceremony on board Rainbow Warrior III.
“One of the celebrated French newspapers, Le Monde, played a critical role in the investigation into the Rainbow Warrior affair — what I brand as ‘Blundergate’, in view of all the follies of the bumbling DGSE spy team,” he said.
Plantu cartoon “And one of the cartoons in that newspaper, by Plantu, who is a sort of French equivalent to Michael Leunig, caught my eye.
“You will notice it in the background slide show behind me. It shows François Mitterrand, the president of the French republic at the time, dressed in a frogman’s wetsuit lecturing to school children during a history lesson.
“President Mitterrand says, in French, ‘At that time, only presidents had the right to carry out terrorism!’
Tahitian advocate Ena Manurevia . . . the background Plantu cartoon is the one mentioned by the author. Image: Asia Pacific Report
He noticed that in the Mitterrand cartoon there was a “classmate” sitting in the back of the room with a moustache. This was none other than Edwy Plenel, the police reporter for Le Monde at the time, who scooped the world with hard evidence of Mitterrand and the French government’s role at the highest level in the Rainbow Warrior sabotage.
Dr Robie said that Plenel now published the investigative website Mediapart, which had played a key role in 2015 revealing the identity of the bomber that night, “the man who had planted the limpet mines on the Rainbow Warrior — sinking a peace and environmental ship, and killing Fernando Pereira.”
Jean-Luc Kister, a retired French colonel and DGSE secret agent, had confessed to his role and “apologised”, claiming the sabotage operation was “disproportionate and a mistake”.
“Was he sincere? Was it a genuine attempt to come to terms with his conscience. Who knows?” Dr Robie said, adding that he was unconvinced.
Hilari Anderson (right on stage), one of the speakers, with Del Abcede and MC Antony Phillips (obscured) . . . the background image shows Helen Clark meeting Fernando Pereira’s daughter Marelle in 2005. Image: Greenpeace
French perspective Dr Robie said he had asked Plenel for his reflections from a French perspective 40 years on. Plenel cited three main take ways.
“First, the vital necessity of independent journalism. Independent of all powers, whether state, economic or ideological. Journalism that serves the public interest, the right to know, and factual truths.
“Impactful journalism whose revelations restore confidence in democracy, in the possibility of improving it, and in the usefulness of counterbalancing powers, particularly journalism.”
Secondly, this attack had been carried out by France in an “allied country”, New Zealand, against a civil society organisation. This demonstrated that “the thirst for power is a downfall that leads nations astray when they succumb to it.
“Nuclear weapons epitomise this madness, this catastrophe of power.”
Finally, Plenel expressed the “infinite sadness” for a French citizen that after his revelations in Le Monde — which led to the resignations of the defence minister and the head of the secret services — nothing else happened.
“Nothing at all. No parliamentary inquiry, no questioning of François Mitterrand about his responsibility, no institutional reform of the absolute power of the president in a French republic that is, in reality, an elective monarchy.”
‘Elective monarchy’ trend Dr Robie compared the French outcome with the rapid trend in US today, “a president who thinks he is a monarch, a king – another elective monarchy.”
He also bemoaned that “catastrophe of power” that “reigns everywhere today – from the horrendous Israeli genocide in Gaza to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, from Trump to Putin to Netanyahu, and so many others.”
The continuous Gaza massacres were a shameful indictment of the West that had allowed it to happen for more than 21 months.
Dr Robie thanked many collaborators for their help and support, including drama teacher Hilari Anderson, an original crew member of the Rainbow Warrior, and photographer John Miller, “who have been with me all the way on this waka journey”.
He thanked his wife, Del, and family members for their unstinting “patience and support”, and also publisher Tony Murrow of Little Island Press.
Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the Rainbow Warrior . . . published 10 July 2025. Image: David Robie/Little Island Press
Launching the book, Greenpeace Aotearoa programme director Niamh O’Flynn said one thing that had stood out for her was how the legacy of the Rainbow Warrior had continued despite the attempt by the French government to shut it down 40 years ago.
“We said then that ‘you can’t sink a rainbow’, and we went on to prove it.
“When the Rainbow Warrior was bombed in Auckland harbour, it was getting ready to set sail to Moruroa Atoll, to enter the test exclusion zone and confront French nuclear testing head-on.”
So threatened The French government had felt so threatened by that action that it had engaged in a state-sanctioned terror attack to prevent the mission from going ahead.
“But we rebuilt, and the Rainbow Warrior II carried on with that mission, travelling to Moruroa three times before the French finally stopped nuclear testing in the Pacific.
“That spirit and tenacity is what makes Greenpeace and what makes the Rainbow Warrior so special to everyone who has sailed on her,” she said.
“It was the final voyage of the Rainbow Warrior to Rongelap before the bombing that is the focus of David Robie’s book, and in many ways, it was an incredibly unique experience for Greenpeace — not just here in Aotearoa, but internationally.
“And of course David was a key part in that.”
O’Flynn said that as someone who had not even been born yet when the Rainbow Warrior was bombed, “I am so grateful that the generation of nuclear-free activists took the time to pass on their knowledge and to build our organisation into what it is today.
“Just as David has by writing down his story and leaving us with such a rich legacy.”
Greenpeace Aotearoa programme director Niamh O’Flynn . . . “That spirit and tenacity is what makes Greenpeace and what makes the Rainbow Warrior so special to everyone who has sailed on her.” Image: APR
Other speakers Among other speakers at the book launch were teacher Hilari Anderson, publisher Tony Murrow of Little Island Press, Ena Manuireva, a Mangarevian scholar and cultural adviser, and MC Antony Phillips of Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga.
Anderson spoke of the Warrior’s early campaigns and acknowledged the crews of 1978 and 1985.
“I have been reflecting what these first and last crews of the original Rainbow Warrior had in common, realising that both gave their collective, mostly youthful energy — to transformation.
“This has involved the bonding of crews by working hands-on together. Touching surfaces, by hammer and paint, created a physical connection to this beloved boat.”
She paid special tribute to two powerful women, Denise Bell, who tracked down the marine research vessel in Aberdeen that became the Rainbow Warrior, and the indomitable Susi Newborn, who “contributed to naming the ship and mustering a crew”.
Manuireva spoke about his nuclear colonial experience and that of his family as natives of Mangareva atoll, about 400 km from Muroroa atoll, where France conducted most of its 30 years of tests ending in 1995.
He also spoke of Tahitian leader Oscar Temaru’s pioneering role in the Nuclear-Free and Independent Pacific (NFIP) movement, and played haunting Tahitian songs on his guitar.
