NewzIntel.com

Category: Environment

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Another residential building under the renovation program will appear in the Kuzminki district

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    A house under the renovation program will be built in the Kuzminki district in the southeast of the capital – an urban development plan for the land plot has already been issued for this purpose. The facility will appear as part of the block development. This was reported by Juliana Knyazhevskaya, Chairman of the Committee for Architecture and Urban Development of Moscow (Moskomarkhitektura).

    “A new house with a maximum area of 27.9 thousand square meters will appear on a plot of one hectare. The new building will be erected at the address: Marshal Chuikov Street, land plot 18a. New residents will receive apartments in a modern house within walking distance of public transport stops and a park complex,” commented Yuliana Knyazhevskaya.

    Earlier Sergei Sobyanin told, that since the beginning of the year, 23 new buildings have been commissioned in the capital and 44 residential complexes have been handed over for occupancy under the renovation program.

    Renovation program approved in August 2017. It concerns about a million Muscovites and provides for the resettlement of 5,176 houses. In 2023 alone, 59 new buildings in the capital were handed over for settlement and the relocation of over 47 thousand people was ensured. Mayor of Moscow instructed to double the pace of implementation of the renovation program.

    Moscow is a leader among regions in terms of construction rates and volumes. Over the past five years, within the framework of the federal project “Housing” of the national project “Housing and Urban Environment”the volume of construction and commissioning of residential properties in the capital has doubled – from three million to five to seven million square meters per year. More information about the national projects being implemented in Moscow can be found find out here.

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

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    https://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/145237073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: BFAC appreciates Intellectual Property Department’s contribution to development of Hong Kong into regional intellectual property trading centre

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    The following is issued on behalf of the Business Facilitation Advisory Committee Secretariat:

         The Business Facilitation Advisory Committee held its 55th meeting today (October 15). At the meeting, members were briefed by the Intellectual Property Department (IPD) on various policy measures implemented by the Government to develop Hong Kong into a regional intellectual property (IP) trading centre, and the progress to date.

         The Government has been implementing a series of short-, medium- and long-term measures from three aspects, including strengthening the protection of IP rights, building capacity, and promoting widely, to promote the development of Hong Kong into a regional IP trading centre, thereby expanding Hong Kong’s competitive advantages in developing IP trading in the region. Key measures include, among others, implementing the “patent box” tax incentive and exploring further enhancement of the Copyright Ordinance (Cap. 528) regarding protection for development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

         The Inland Revenue (Amendment) (Tax Concessions for Intellectual Property Income) Ordinance 2024 was enacted in July 2024 to implement a “patent box” tax incentive in Hong Kong. The tax rate for qualifying profits derived from eligible IP (in particular patents) created through research and development activities is set at 5 per cent which is substantially lower than the prevailing normal profits tax rate of Hong Kong (i.e. 16.5 per cent). In addition, in view of the copyright issues arising from the rapid development of AI technology, the IPD, having launched its two-month public consultation (closed on September 8 this year), is considering stakeholders’ submissions in exploring further enhancement of the Copyright Ordinance regarding protection for such technology development to ensure that the local copyright regime remains robust and competitive.
     
         The Committee appreciated the IPD’s ongoing efforts in taking forward a series of policy measures to enable Hong Kong to seize the opportunity brought by IP trading and sustain its competitiveness, thereby ensuring the continuous high-quality development of the economy.
        
         The Committee also received the work reports of its three task forces:
     
    Wholesale and Retail Task Force (WRTF)
    ———————————————
     

    Hong Kong Customs briefed the WRTF on the scope of registration for dealers in precious metals and stones (DPMS) and the DPMS Registration System (DRS). Any person who is seeking to carry on a business of dealing in precious metals and stones in Hong Kong and engage in any transaction(s) with a total value at or above HK$120,000 in Hong Kong is required to register with the Commissioner of Customs and Excise. To advocate the Government’s vision to develop Hong Kong into a smart city, Hong Kong Customs has rolled out the DRS to support the submission of registration applications and progress checking by the trade at their convenience. The DRS adopts the dynamic QR code authentication technology to enable the industry and consumers to instantly validate the registration of dealers. The WRTF thanked Hong Kong Customs for the briefing and welcomed the e-service introduced by Hong Kong Customs for the registration for DPMS.

    The Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) briefed the WRTF on the Government Funding Scheme Management Centre (GFSMC) and the Biz Expands Easy (BEE) Platform. Since 2022, the GFSMC introduced the BEE 3-in-1 platform, which provides Hong Kong corporations with integrated information for 28 funding schemes. Registered users can log in to the platform to view and manage applications for multiple funding schemes under HKPC secretariat support. Furthermore, the GFSMC inaugurated the Biz Expands Easy Square in January 2024 to further enhance the accessibility of funding resources for Hong Kong corporations and start-ups, and also foster a network for applicants to share their successful experiences. The WRTF welcomed the BEE Platform, and considered the BEE Platform would enable users to further understand designated funding schemes and explore suitable funding schemes.

     
    Food Business and Related Services Task Force (FRSTF)
     

    The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) briefed and consulted the FRSTF on whether there is a need to retain composite food shop licences and extend the validity period of a full food business licence, in response to the views of the Legislative Council (LegCo)’s Public Accounts Committee. The FRSTF suggested that the FEHD retain the composite food shop licence with better promotion to the trades on the licence type. For the extension of the validity period of full licences, as trades would not have flexibility to choose a shorter licensing period and the annual compliance of fire safety requirements remains at the status quo, the FRSTF considered that the extension of the validity period of full licences may not facilitate the trades’ operations and there is no need for its implementation.

    The FEHD also briefed and consulted the FRSTF on enhanced measures against illegal operations of food businesses in response to the views of the LegCo’s Public Accounts Committee. To suppress the industry’s practice of operating food businesses before obtaining a provisional licence/full licence, in addition to taking enforcement actions, the FEHD suggested suspending the processing of licence applications and debarring the same applicant and his/her partners from applying for the same type of licence for the same premises for 12 months upon conviction of a relevant offence by the court. The FRSTF opined that the proposed administrative measures are too harsh and may undermine the catering business. The FRSTF suggested that the FEHD assist the trades to obtain a provisional licence more efficiently to address the issue of illegal operations.

     
    Task Force on Business Liaison Groups (BLGTF)
     

    The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) briefed the BLGTF on the initiative of the electronic filing (e-filing) of profits tax returns, including the need to take forward the mandatory e-filing, the benefits of e-filing, the enhanced e-filing services, the IRD’s support measures to taxpayers, and the timeline of the phased implementation of mandatory e-filing. The BLGTF welcomed the above initiatives and invited the IRD to brief and consult more small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on the initiative. The IRD undertook to keep up the ongoing work of soliciting suggestions and opinions from SMEs through different channels.

     
         The Committee also expressed appreciation of the commitment and achievements of the bureaux and departments in continuously implementing business facilitation measures under the Be the Smart Regulator Programme to enhance their business licensing services.
           
         Papers for the Committee meeting are available at www.gov.hk/en/business/supportenterprises/bf/advisory/index.htm for public access.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Briefing – Confirmation hearings of the Commissioners-designate: Jessika Roswall – Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy – 15-10-2024

    Source: European Parliament

    Jessika Roswall is a politician from the Moderate Party in Sweden, affiliated to the European People’s Party (EPP). Prior to her nomination for the post of Commissioner, Roswall was Sweden’s minister for European affairs, from October 2022 to September 2024. Between 2010 and 2022, she served as a member of the Swedish Parliament, holding the position of second vice-president of its EU affairs committee from 2019 to 2022. Roswall was also a member of the ‘transparency councils’ of the Swedish Consumer Agency (2015-2018), the County Administrative Board of Uppsala (2016-2022), and the Authority for Work Environment Expertise (2018-2019). Born in 1972 in the county of Uppsala, Jessika Roswall holds a law degree from Uppsala University. After graduating in 2002, she worked as a lawyer for the law firm Wigert & Placht, from 2002 to 2010.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Briefing – Confirmation hearings of the Commissioners-designate: Costas Kadis – Fisheries and Oceans – 15-10-2024

    Source: European Parliament

    Costas (Costantinos) Kadis is a scientist with a solid academic profile who has held ministerial portfolios in health, education and agriculture in various Cypriot governments. Kadis is professor of biodiversity conservation at Frederick University, where he also heads the Nature Conservation Unit and has been appointed as deputy president of the University Council. Between 2014 and 2023, Kadis served in two successive Cypriot governments without belonging to a political party. He was minister for education and culture (2014-2018), and minister for agriculture, rural development and environment (2018-2023). In the latter position, he was also responsible for fisheries and marine research. Born in Nicosia in 1967, Kadis graduated and obtained a PhD in biology from the University of Athens. After several research-related positions in Greece and Cyprus, he joined Frederick University in Cyprus in 2005, where he was appointed associate professor, founded the Nature Conservation Unit, and was Dean of the School of Education. He held these positions until 2014, apart from the period from July 2007 to February 2008 when he served as minister of health (as a member of the centre-right Democratic Party (DIKO). Kadis also chaired the Greek Cypriot Environment Committee from 2008 to 2014 as part of the government’s (unsuccessful) efforts to reunify Cyprus. This work did lead to important environmental cooperation agreements with the Turkish Cypriot community. This is one of a set of briefings designed to give an overview of issues of interest relating to the portfolios of the Commissioners designate. All these briefings can be found at: https://epthinktank.eu/commissioner_hearings_2024.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Briefing – Confirmation hearings of the Commissioners-designate: Magnus Brunner – Internal Affairs and Migration – 15-10-2024

    Source: European Parliament

    Magnus Brunner has been Austria’s federal minister for finance since December 2021. Prior to this role, he served as a state secretary in the Federal Ministry of Climate Protection, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology from 2020 to 2021. From 2018 to 2020, Brunner was vice-president of the Federal Council of Austria, after having served as a member of this institution from 2009 to 2020. Additionally, he served on the Municipal Council of the Höchst Municipality from 2000 to 2004. From 2009 to 2020 Brunner was a member of the Federal Council of the Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP), affiliated to the European People’s Party (EPP) group in the European Parliament. Brunner’s earlier professional experience includes serving as the political director of the Austrian Economic Association (2002-2005), as well as holding the position of head of corporate development, communication and strategic development at the Austrian energy company Illwerke VKw Group (2006). He was also on the Board of the Austrian energy company OeMAG (2007-2020). Born in 1972, Brunner is a graduate of King’s College London (LLM), the University of Innsbruck and the University of Vienna (where he obtained a PhD in law). This is one of a set of briefings designed to give an overview of issues of interest relating to the portfolios of the Commissioners designate. All these briefings can be found at: https://epthinktank.eu/commissioner_hearings_2024.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Briefing – Confirmation hearings of the Commissioners-designate: Dan Jørgensen – Energy and Housing – 15-10-2024

    Source: European Parliament

    Dan Jørgensen has most recently served as Danish Minister for Development Cooperation and Minister for Global Climate Policy. His role has been to oversee Denmark’s international development initiatives and global climate policies, including co-facilitating COP28 climate negotiations and co-chairing a number of working groups and alliances. Jørgensen is a member of the Social Democratic Party in Denmark, which is affiliated to the S&D group in the European Parliament. He has been a member of the Danish parliament since 2015 and previously served as Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, as well as Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities, where he co-facilitated COP26 and COP27 negotiations and served as chair of the International Energy Agency’s Global Commission on People-Centred Clean Energy Transitions. Jørgensen was a Member of the European Parliament (2004-2013), where he served as vice-chair of the Committee on Environment, president of the Animal Welfare Intergroup and head of the Danish delegation of Social Democrats (2009-2013). Born in 1975, Jørgensen holds a master’s degree in political science from Aarhus University. His professional career also includes academic positions as adjunct professor and external lecturer. This is one of a set of briefings designed to give an overview of issues of interest relating to the portfolios of the Commissioners designate. All these briefings can be found at: https://epthinktank.eu/commissioner_hearings_2024.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Briefing – Confirmation hearings of the Commissioners-designate: Christophe Hansen – Agriculture and Food – 15-10-2024

    Source: European Parliament

    Christophe Hansen was re-elected as a Member of the European Parliament in June 2024 where he sits in the EPP group and is currently a member of the Committees for International Trade, Employment and Social Affairs, and Transport and Tourism. In the previous parliamentary term, Hansen sat on the Committee on International Trade and the Subcommittee on Tax Matters. He also served as Quaestor for a year, before stepping down after being elected to the Luxembourg Parliament in October 2023. In 2014, Hansen joined the Luxembourg Permanent Representation to the EU, chaired the Council of the EU’s Working Party on the Environment during the Luxembourg Presidency (July-December 2015), and served as an economic and commercial attaché at the Luxembourg Embassy in Brussels. From March 2017 to August 2018, Hansen represented Luxembourg in the European Economic and Social Committee. From 2007 to 2014, he had worked in the European Parliament as a political adviser to the centre-right MEP Astrid Lulling on agriculture, the environment, and economic and monetary affairs. Christophe Hansen was born in 1982 in Wiltz, Luxembourg. He earned a master’s degree in geosciences, environmental sciences and risk management from Louis Pasteur University in Strasbourg in 2007.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to study on the rate of increase of global warming

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A study published in Nature Communications and Earth & Environment looks at the recent increase of global warming. 

    Dr Kevin Collins, Senior Lecturer Environment and Systems, Open University, said:

    “With many people and places experiencing year on year record temperatures around the globe in the last decade, it is very human to assume global warming is accelerating or ‘surging’.  However, through an authoritative statistical analysis of temperature increases since 1970, this research concludes that there is no detectable surge. Yet.

    “Instead, the results suggest global warming is occurring at a steady state. However, as the authors acknowledge, this may be because the size of any acceleration is either statistically too small, or there is simply not enough data to detect a surge in the last decade.  In other words, it is still too early to tell if the last decade (the warmest on record) represents a ‘leap’ in the warming trend.  By 2035 or 2040 we may look back and be able to see from 2015 onwards there has been a fundamental shift in the warming trend.

    “There is a very real danger that the new research is misinterpreted to show that there is no global warming or that a steady state increase in temperature means we have lots of time to act.

    “The bald statistics of a global warming world are already being lived by many populations and communities whose livelihoods are being severely impacted by heatwaves, droughts, floods, sea-level rise and other environmental changes.”

    Prof Richard Allan, Professor of Climate Science, University of Reading and National Centre for Earth Observations, said:

    “The new research highlights the difficulty in detecting an increase in the rate of surface warming, which is influenced by natural variations such as swings between warm El Niño and cool La Niña events. However, satellite observations and ocean measurements already detect a steady increase in Earth’s heating rate that is less susceptible to year to year fluctuations at the sea surface.

    “In fact, when all lines of evidence are scrutinized it is apparent that climate change is accelerating rather continuing steadily. Halting global warming by stabilizing Earth’s climate and limiting further damage from worsening extreme weather and rising sea levels is only possible through rapid and massive cuts in greenhouse gas emissions.”

     

    ‘Is the Recent Surge in Global Warming Detectable?’ by Claudie Beaulieu et al. was published in Nature Communications Earth & Environment at 22:00 UK time on Monday 14th October.

    Declared interests:

    Dr Kevin Collins: No conflicts to declare.

    Prof Richard Allan: No conflicts to declare.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom signs legislation to prevent gas price spikes and save Californians money

    Source: US State of California 2

    Oct 14, 2024

    What you need to know: New measure will help prevent price spikes that cost Californians upwards of $2 billion last year, giving the state more tools to require that petroleum refiners backfill supplies and plan ahead for maintenance.

    SACRAMENTO – Today, surrounded by legislators and community leaders in the rotunda of the California State Capitol, Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation to help prevent gas price spikes and save consumers money at the pump.

    The legislation — ABX2-1 authored by Assemblymembers Gregg Hart and Cecilia Aguiar-Curry and Senator Nancy Skinner — allows the state to require oil refiners to maintain a minimum inventory of fuel to avoid supply shortages that create higher gasoline prices for consumers and higher profits for the industry. It also authorizes the California Energy Commission to require refiners to plan for resupply during refiner maintenance outages. A signing message can be found here.

    “Price spikes have cost Californians billions of dollars over the years, and we’re not waiting around for the industry to do the right thing — we’re taking action to prevent these price spikes and save consumers money at the pump. Now, the state has the tools to make sure they backfill supplies and plan ahead for maintenance so there aren’t shortages that drive up prices. I’m grateful to our partners in the Senate and Assembly for acting quickly to push this forward and help deliver relief for Californians.”

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    “With this new law, big oil companies are now responsible for stabilizing prices at the pump. It’s a critical accomplishment, but our work is not done. I will continue to fight to lower the cost of living, because housing, groceries and everyday necessities must be more affordable for all Californians.” — Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Salinas)

    “Today, we’re coming together to provide needed relief at the pump and help keep hard-earned dollars in the pockets of Californians. I’m grateful to Governor Newsom, Speaker Rivas, and members of the Senate and Assembly for taking swift action on this critical issue. That said, our work isn’t stopping. We’re going to continue to grind away to help lower the cost of living for folks in every corner of the Golden State. It’s a necessity.” — Senate President pro Tempore Mike McGuire (D-North Coast)

    Why it’s needed

    Price spikes at the pump are profit spikes for oil companies, and they’re overwhelmingly caused by refiners not backfilling supplies when they go down for maintenance. If this proposal had been in effect last year, Californians could have saved hundreds of millions — if not billions — of dollars at the pump according to analysis from the  Division of Petroleum Market Oversight (DPMO):

    Experts have come out in support of this measure, including Stanford economists who praised the proposal for being “an economically sound policy that addresses an important problem in a well-targeted way” and the “additional supply would free up refinery capacity to serve Nevada and Arizona, also reducing prices in these markets.”

    Supporters of the bill include mayors, local leaders, consumer organizations, environmental advocates, labor, business leaders and consumer groups. Last month, the Governor and supporters met and discussed how gasoline price spikes affect millions of Californians’ everyday lives, and shared why this plan will help California families.

    How we got here

    The Governor convened a special session to focus on saving Californians money at the pump. The proposal authorizes the California Energy Commission (CEC) to require petroleum refiners to maintain a minimum inventory of refined fuel throughout the distribution chain to avoid supply shortages that create higher prices at the pump for consumers. It also authorizes the CEC to require refiners to plan for resupply during scheduled refiner maintenance. The text of the proclamation calling for a special session is available here.

    Following gasoline price spikes in 2022, Governor Newsom called for a special session and worked in partnership with the Legislature to sign into law a package of reforms holding Big Oil accountable. 

    California’s new watchdog found that higher gasoline prices were caused by a suspicious market transaction, refinery maintenance without properly preparing for it, and more. 

    In January of this year, the watchdog sent Governor Newsom and the legislature a letter outlining specific proposals to reform California’s gasoline spot market, which included a minimum inventory requirement to prevent price spikes due to lack of stable supply.

    The state’s gasoline price watchdog also found that, in 2023, gasoline prices spiked largely due to refineries going offline without adequately planning to backfill supplies, which caused refining margins to spike as spot and retail prices jumped — indicating that refinery margins made up the largest proportion of the price spikes between July and September 2023.

    Convening experts, community leaders, and consumer advocates

    The Governor today also announced his appointments to the Independent Consumer Fuels Advisory Committee:

    Martha Dina Arguello, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to the Independent Consumer Fuels Advisory Committee. Arguello has been Executive Director at Physicians for Social Responsibility – Los Angeles since 2007. She was Director of Health and Environmental Programs at Physicians for Social Responsibility – Los Angeles from 1999 to 2007. Arguello is Co-Founder and Co-Chair of Standing Together Against Neighborhood Drilling and Californians for a Health and Green Economy. She is a member of the California Air Resources Board AB 32 Environmental Justice Advisory Committee and the Steering Committee of Californians for Pesticide Reform. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Arguello is a Democrat. 

    Michael Jorgenson, of Mill Valley, has been appointed to the Independent Consumer Fuels Advisory Committee. Jorgenson has served as Supervisory Deputy Attorney General at the California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General since 2018. He was Deputy County Counsel IV at the Marin County Counsel’s Office from 2017 to 2018. Jorgenson served in several roles at the California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General from 2003 to 2017, including Deputy Attorney General in the Public Rights Division, Supervising Deputy Attorney General in the Civil Division and Deputy Attorney General in the Civil Division. He was an Associate at Berman Tabacco from 2001 to 2003 and at Kelly Gill Sherburne & Herrera from 1999 to 2001. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and History from University of Michigan. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Jorgenson is a Democrat. 

    Neale Mahoney, of Stanford, has been appointed to the Independent Consumer Fuels Advisory Committee. Mahoney has been a Professor of Economics at Stanford University since 2020. He was a Special Policy Advisor for Economic Policy at The White House from 2022 to 2023. Mahoney was a Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago from 2013 to 2020. He earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Economics from Stanford University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Mathematics and Economics from Brown University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Mahoney is a Democrat. 

    Deborah “Debbie” Meeks, of Walnut Creek, has been appointed to the Independent Consumer Fuels Advisory Committee. Meeks has been Manager of United States West Coast Policy and Business Coordinator at Shell USA since 2021. She was a Manager of Alliances and Portfolios at Shell US Retail from 2017 to 2021. Meeks was Americas and Mexico Regional Manager, Principal Account Executive, and Senior Account Manager at Shell Catalysts and Technologies from 1995 to 2017. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from California State University, Long Beach. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Meeks is a Democrat. 

    Norman Rogers, of Santa Ana, has been appointed to the Independent Consumer Fuels Advisory Committee. Rogers has been Second Vice-President at United Steelworkers Local 675 since 2021, and a Plant Operator in Oil Movements at Marathon Petroleum Corporation since 2018. He was a Plant Operator for Oil Movements at Tesoro Refinery from 2013 to 2018. Rogers was a member of the Fire Brigade at the Carson Refinery from 2001 to 2021. He was Plant Operator for Oil Movements at BP from 2001 to 2013, and at Arco Refinery from 1999 to 2001. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Rogers is registered without party preference.

    Astrid Zuniga, of Modesto, has been appointed to the Independent Consumer Fuels Advisory Committee. Zuniga has been President at United Domestic Workers/AFSCME 3930 since 2024 and was Vice President from 2016 to 2024. She has been Executive Secretary/Treasurer at the Stanislaus and Tuolumne Central Labor Council since 2013, and an In-Home Support Services Caregiver since 1998. Zuniga is a member of the California Democratic Party Executive Board and the Women’s Advisory Committee for AFSCME International. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Zuniga is a Democrat. 

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom announces appointments 10.14.24

    Source: US State of California 2

    Oct 14, 2024

    SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

    Joe Shea, of Los Angeles, has been appointed Assistant Secretary for Salton Sea Policy at the California Natural Resources Agency. Shea has served in several positions at the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom since 2019, including Deputy Cabinet Secretary since 2022, Assistant Cabinet Deputy, and Special Assistant to the Governor. He was a Special Consultant for the California Governor-elect Gavin Newsom Transition from 2018 to 2019. From 2017 to 2018, Shea held multiple positions with Newsom for California Governor 2018, including Southern California Field Director and Northern California Organizer. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Policy from the University of Michigan. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $168,000. Shea is a Democrat.

    Allegra Curiel, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs at the California Department of Resources, Recycling, and Recovery (CalRecycle.) Curiel has been a Senior Policy Advocate at the California Council for Environmental and Economic Balance since 2023. She was a Policy Manager at Newlight Technologies Inc. from 2021 to 2023. Curiel held multiple positions at CalRecycle from 2017 to 2021, including Legislative Analyst from 2018 to 2021, Disaster Recovery Operations Analyst in 2018 and Executive Fellow with the Capital Fellows Program from 2017 to 2018. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political, Legal, and Economic Analysis from Mills College at Northeastern University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $135,036. Curiel is a Democrat.  

    Marybel Batjer, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the California Wildfire Safety Advisory Board. Batjer has been a Partner at California Strategies since 2021. She was President of the California Public Utilities Commission from 2019 to 2021. Batjer was Secretary of the California Government Operations Agency from 2013 to 2019. She was Vice President of Public Policy and Corporate Social Responsibility at Caesars Entertainment Inc. from 2005 to 2013. Batjer was Cabinet Secretary in the Office of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger from 2003 to 2004. She was Chief of Staff in the Office of Nevada Governor Kenny Guinn from 2000 to 2003. Batjer was Executive-in-Residence of Hotel Management and Casino Operations at the Mirage from 1998 to 2000. She was Undersecretary at the California Business, Transportation and Housing Agency from 1997 to 1998. Batjer was Chief Deputy Director at the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing from 1992 to 1997. She was a Special Assistant to the U.S. Secretary of the Navy from 1989 to 1993. Batjer was a National Security Affairs Special Assistant to President Ronald Regan from 1987 to 1989. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Administration and Legal Processes from Mills College at Northeastern University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Batjer is a Democrat. 

    John Laird, of Santa Cruz, has been appointed to the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission. Laird has served as a California State Senator representing Senate District 17 since 2020. He served as Secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency from 2011 to 2019. Laird was a member of the California Integrated Waste Management Board from 2009 to 2010. He served as a California State Assemblymember representing Assembly District 27 from 2002 to 2008. Laird was Executive Director at the Santa Cruz AIDS Project from 1991 to 1993. He was a Budget Analyst for the County of Santa Cruz from 1974 to 2002. Laird was a Legislative Aide in the Office of Congressman Jerome Waldie from 1972 to 1974. He is a member of the California Democratic Party. Laird earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Politics from the University of California, Santa Cruz. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Laird is a Democrat. 

    Recent news

    Oct 14, 2024

    News What you need to know: New measure will help prevent price spikes that cost Californians upwards of $2 billion last year, giving the state more tools to require that petroleum refiners backfill supplies and plan ahead for maintenance. SACRAMENTO – Today,…

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Central Consumer Protection Authority Issues Guidelines for ‘Prevention and Regulation of Greenwashing and Misleading Environmental Claims’

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Central Consumer Protection Authority Issues Guidelines for ‘Prevention and Regulation of Greenwashing and Misleading Environmental Claims’

    Guidelines prohibits companies from engaging in Misleading Environmental Claims and Greenwashing

    Posted On: 15 OCT 2024 3:00PM by PIB Delhi

    In exercise of the mandate to regulate matters relating to misleading advertisements which is prejudicial to the interest of public and consumers, Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has issued guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Greenwashing and Misleading Environmental Claims to address the issue of greenwashing and misleading environmental claims, informed Smt. Nidhi Khare, Secretary Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India, who is also Chief Commissioner of the Authority, here today.

    These Guidelines seek to foster truthful practices where environmental claims are both truthful and meaningful, thus enhancing consumer trust and encouraging sustainable business practices.

    A committee chaired by Smt. Khare, Chief Commissioner CCPA was constituted on greenwashing. Amongst the members from Academia (Professor Dr.Sushila, NLU, Delhi and Prof Ashok R. Patil, Vice Chancellor, NLU Ranchi); Practitioners (Nishith Desai Associates), Activists/Organizations (Shirish Deshpande, Mumbai Grahak Panchayat and S.Saroja, Consumer Voice) and representatives from ASCI, FICCI, Assocham, and CII formed the wide spectrum of stakeholders. After adequate deliberations the committee submitted its recommendations. Based on the recommendations of the committee the Department placed the Draft Guidelines for Greenwashing for public comments on 20th February 2024. Public suggestions were received from 27 various stakeholders. The notable suggestions include:

    • Specific environmental claims must be supported by disclosure about credible certification, reliable scientific evidence.
    • Words such as sustainable, natural, organic, regenerative and similar assertions shall not be used without adequate, accurate and accessible qualifier.
    • Adequate disclosures on claims are essential for environmental claims such as ‘natural’;’organic’;’pure’.

    The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) after considerations of the suggestions unveiled the guidelines titled “Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Greenwashing or Misleading Environmental Claims, 2024” to prevent greenwashing and misleading environmental claims, ensuring transparency and accuracy in advertisements related to environmental sustainability.

    The guidelines are drafted in the wake of the rapid increase of advertisement of green (environmental friendly) products and the growing number of environmentally aware consumers. “Greenwashing” is a term that plays on the word ‘whitewashing’ and refers to the marketing tactic where companies falsely claim or exaggerate the environmental benefits of their products or services, often using vague or unsubstantiated terms such as “natural,” “eco-friendly,” or “green.” Therefore, by creating an illusion of environmental responsibility, many unscrupulous companies end up exploiting consumers’ growing environmental sensitivity. This deceptive practice not only misleads well-intentioned consumers but also diverts attention from broader environmental efforts. These guidelines are progressive regulations intended to harmonise the proactive efforts of manufacturers and service providers to address environmental issues and rising consumer interest in environmentally positive goods and services.

    These guidelines are designed not to stifle companies’ environmental efforts of manufactures and service providers but to ensure that such claims are transparentand made with integrity. Companies are encouraged to highlight their environmental initiatives, provided these claims are backed with proper disclosures and credible evidence. The primary goal of these guidelines is to shield consumers from misleading information while promoting genuine environmental responsibility within the business community. By mandating that companies substantiate their environmental assertions, the guidelines seek to foster a marketplace where environmental claims are both truthful and meaningful, thus enhancing consumer trust and encouraging sustainable business practices.

    Few key Highlights of the guidelines:

    1. Definition of Environmental claims [section 2(e)]
    2. Definition of greenwashing [section 2(f)]
    3. Application of the guidelines [section 3]
    4. Clear guidelines on Prohibition against engaging in greenwashing or misleading environmental [section 4]
    5. Substantiation and adequate disclosure clauses [Section 5]

    Key Features of the Guidelines:

    1. Clear Definitions: The guidelines provide clear definitions of terms related to greenwashing and environmental claims, ensuring that both businesses and consumers have a common understanding.
    2. Transparency Requirements: Manufacturers and service providers are required to substantiate their environmental claims with credible evidence. This includes providing detailed information on the methodology and data used to support such claims.
    3. Prohibition of Misleading Terms: The use of vague or misleading terms such as “eco-friendly,” “green,” and “sustainable” without proper substantiation is sought to be prohibited.
    4. Third-Party Certifications: Third-Party Certificationsare also accepted in substantiation of environmental claims.
    5. Adequate Disclosures: The companies are required to provideclear and accessible disclosures of material information. Claims must specify the aspect refer to (good, manufacturing process, packaging, etc.) and be supported by credible certification or reliable scientific evidence.

    Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) seeks to work closely with industry stakeholders, consumer organizations, and regulatory bodies to ensure effective implementation and compliance with the guidelines in the interest of consumers and public.

    (The guidelines are available on the Department of Consumer Affairs website Greenwashing_Guidelines.pdf (consumeraffairs.nic.in)

    ****

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: The Government of Canada Honours Mr. Floyd H. Prosser as a Hometown Hero

    Source: Government of Canada News

    The Government of Canada Honours Mr. Floyd H. Prosser as a Hometown Hero

    Saturday, October 12, 2024               Halifax, Nova Scotia                         Parks Canada

    The Government of Canada is committed to sharing the stories of the people, places, and events who have contributed to our country’s rich and diverse heritage.  

    Today, Darren Fisher, Member of Parliament for Dartmouth-Cole Harbour paid tribute to Mr. Floyd H. Prosser through Parks Canada’s Hometown Heroes program on behalf of the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada. The ceremony was held in Halifax, Nova Scotia at the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site in the presence of dignitaries and family members.

    Mr. Floyd H. Prosser
    Born in 1920 in Elgin, New Brunswick, Floyd H. Prosser enlisted in the Canadian Army Active Service Force in 1941 in Moncton, New Brunswick. Transferred overseas, Prosser trained for 2 years with the tanks in England and Scotland before being sent to Italy in 1943. Prosser was present at many of the 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade’s famous battles and in addition to the tough enemy soldiers they were fighting, he and the other Canadian troops endured the extreme weather condition of hot summers and frigid winters. After leaving Italy, Prosser landed in France in March of 1945 when the 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade was sent to support the liberation of Europe. During his time away, he saw Winston Churchill, and King George VI in person as he stood on guard for inspection. In addition, he, along with other Canadian troops was blessed by the Pope when they arrived in Rome.

    He returned home to civilian life in 1946 after serving nearly 5 years away from home, working as an industrial electrician for Westinghouse Canada until his retirement in 1975. After retirement, he became actively involved with the Royal Canadian Legion and visited fellow veterans who were in the hospital.

    To mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day in 2024, Parks Canada is honoured to add Floyd H. Prosser to the Hometown Heroes program. This individual joins a growing list of Canadians who have been recognized for their contributions as strong community leaders who are in alignment with the Parks Canada mandate and its priorities, and for their efforts to help protect and promote natural and cultural heritage in Canada as part of the Hometown Heroes program. His story will be added to the Fortress Halifax: A City Shaped by Conflict exhibit at Halifax Citadel National Historic Site in a display dedicated entirely to Parks Canada Hometown Heroes from across the country.

                                                                                                                                        -30-

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: GOOD PROGRESS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF AGE WELL SG

    Source: Government of Singapore

            To provide more conducive environments and reach more seniors, the Ministry of Health (MOH) will dedicate $140 million to enhance and expand our Active Ageing Centres (AACs). We will also roll out the enhanced Home Personal Care (HPC+) service island-wide by end-2025, to further strengthen care support in the community. These were announced by Minister for Health, Mr Ong Ye Kung, at the Silver Generation Office’s (SGO) 10th Anniversary celebration event today, as he provided an update on Age Well SG.

     2.    Announced in November 2023, Age Well SG is our national programme to help our seniors age well in the community. As announced in Budget 2024, the Government has set aside $3.5 billion for this effort over the next decade.

    Encouraging Active Ageing

    3.    Key to the Age Well SG strategy is to anchor ageing in the community. Our AACs serve as key nodes for seniors to stay socially engaged and physically active.

    4.    We have been reaching out to seniors across Singapore to understand their needs and connect them to the AACs. Since 2022, SGO has been conducting door-to-door Preventive Health Visits to engage seniors, to find out about their health and social needs and connect them to a nearby AAC or relevant support services in the community. To date, more than 480,000 seniors have been engaged through these visits, with the support of our Silver Generation Ambassadors.

    5.    We are also making good progress in expanding our AAC network and programmes, and stepping up engagement efforts to reach more seniors.

    a. Over the past year, we have added 60 more AACs, bringing the total number of AACs to 214. We are on track to reach 220 AACs by 2025.

    b. All AACs have now expanded their programmes beyond the confines of their centres, including at Residents’ Networks, sports centres and community decks. Beyond traditional programmes like Rummy O and morning exercise, AACs now offer programmes such as robotics, carpentry and language classes. More than eight in 10 AACs now offer programmes in at least four out of five domains (social, physical, cognitive, learning and volunteerism).

    c. AACs have also been stepping up engagement of seniors in their assigned boundaries. As of FY2023, senior attendances at AACs have more than doubled to an average of 42 seniors per day, up from an average of 17 seniors per day in FY2021. Close to 80,000 seniors took part in the AAC programmes in FY2023, up from around 17,000 in FY2021.  

    d. More seniors are volunteering at the AACs. Since the launch of the Silver Guardian Programme in April this year, SGO has recruited, trained and placed more than 800 volunteers in the AACs. We are on track to reach 2,400 Silver Guardians at the AACs by 2028.

    6.    We will continue to invest in our AACs to improve service delivery for seniors. To date, we have set aside $800 million from FY2024 to FY2028 to fund a wider range of AAC programmes and services for seniors such as communal dining and frailty programmes.

    7.    In addition, we will be dedicating another $140 million from FY2025 to FY2027 to allow infrastructural upgrades for existing AACs. This will support over 100 existing AACs to expand or refurbish their centres to provide a more conducive and attractive environment for seniors, and expand existing AACs that are operating from smaller sites.

    Strengthening Care Support in the Community

    8.    We are developing more options for seniors to receive timely and appropriate care where they are residing in the community.

    Enhanced HPC+ Service

    9.    Since March 2023, the enhanced HPC+ service has been rolled out as a pilot at 11 sites. It is now able to provide more responsive and frequent support to seniors. We have also introduced new features and modules such as the 24/7 technology-enabled monitoring and response element to detect falls and incidents. Findings from the pilot study have been positive, with HPC+ being able to support the demand for higher intensity and frequency of care among seniors. We have also observed lower nursing home admission rates among frailer seniors.

    10.    MOH will mainstream HPC+ island-wide by end-2025 to benefit more seniors, including more than 4,500 seniors currently on the existing home personal care service who will be transited to HPC+.

    Streamlining Care Journey for Seniors

    11.    We are also working to streamline the care journey for seniors. Today, seniors and their families may have to interact with multiple care providers and undergo repeated assessments by each provider.

    12.    To provide a more seamless care journey for seniors and their caregivers, we will appoint an Integrated Community Care Provider (ICCP) to oversee care coordination for each region. We have been in consultation with key stakeholders and many of our sector partners are supportive of this effort. The first Request for Proposals for regions without existing providers will be launched by Q4 2024. We will encourage existing providers to come together and form partnerships to perform the ICCP functions, and are working towards implementing this across Singapore by 2026.

     

    Improvements to the Living Environment

    Enhancing Homes and Communities to Make Them More Senior-friendly 

    13.    Under Age Well SG, we are making a bigger and more concerted push to further enhance the living environment to make it safer and easier for seniors to engage in their daily activities.

    a. Under the Silver Upgrading Programme (SUP), around 24,000 seniors across 26 precincts with higher densities of seniors in Ang Mo Kio, Bukit Merah, Queenstown, and Toa Payoh can look forward to new active ageing facilities like therapeutic gardens and fitness trails, barrier-free access, rest points along pathways, as well as dementia-friendly elements to aid in navigation. These senior-friendly enhancements will be progressively carried out over the next five years, with all works estimated to be completed by 2029. 

    b. Future projects under the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP) will also include more senior-friendly amenities as part of estate rejuvenation works. These amenities will enhance the safety and connectivity of our neighbourhoods while helping seniors to stay active and engaged within their community. 

    c. Similar upgrading works will also be carried out at selected older private residential estates under the Estate Upgrading Programme (EUP).

    14.    Within homes, we have expanded the Enhancement for Active Seniors (EASE) programme to offer a wider range of senior-friendly features.

    a. From 1 April this year, seniors can choose from 11 different fittings, including newly introduced fittings such as foldable shower seats, the Home Fire Alarm Device (HFAD), lowered toilet entrance kerbs, and handrails at multi-step flat entrances, to create a safer environment at home that supports ageing-in-place.

    b. Since the programme’s launch in July 2012, more than 293,000 households have had senior-friendly fittings installed in their flats, either in conjunction with the Home Improvement Programme, or through direct application to HDB. Fittings offered under EASE are heavily subsidised, and flat owners pay as low as 5% of the cost of the chosen fittings, depending on their flat type.

    15.    For vulnerable seniors living in public rental flats, we will progressively expand the provision of the wireless alert alarm system to all public rental households with at least one senior aged 60 and above from early 2025. Seniors who press the alert device in their homes will be connected to CareLine, a 24/7 hotline that responds to callers in distress. The expansion is expected to benefit around 26,800 more seniors living in around 170 rental blocks.

    16.    We also expanded our housing options for seniors.

    a. Harmony Village @ Bukit Batok, Singapore’s first Community Care Apartment (CCA) project, will be completed by October 2024. CCA is a public housing typology that pairs senior-friendly housing with on-site social activities and care services that can be customised according to the senior’s care needs. Seniors living in CCAs will be supported by a community manager who will facilitate light social programming, basic health checks, assistance with simple household fixes, and round-the-clock emergency monitoring and response service.

    b. At the upcoming October sales exercise, the fourth CCA project featuring 260 CCAs will be launched in MacPherson.

    c. By 2030, we will launch up to 30 CCA projects, if the model of care provision proves to be effective and scalable. These projects will be in different locations across Singapore, so that more seniors can have the option to spend their golden years in neighbourhoods that they are familiar with.

    Friendly Streets

    17.     Commuting, especially within the local neighbourhood, is an integral part of the daily living experience of our seniors. We have thus introduced the Friendly Streets initiative, which will make our neighbourhood roads more pedestrian-friendly with features such as: more barrier free crossings, more road humps and raised zebra crossings to slow down traffic, and longer and more frequent green-man signals.

    18.    As of September 2024, we have completed two Friendly Streets pilots at Ang Mo Kio Street 31 and West Coast Road. Works on the other three Friendly Streets pilot locations are ongoing and will be progressively completed by 2025. We have also commenced engagements with the local communities for the next batch of Friendly Streets in 10 more towns as announced at MOT’s Committee of Supply 2024. By 2030, the Friendly Streets initiative will be expanded to all towns to make walking and cycling safer, more inclusive and comfortable for seniors and the community.

    19.    Beyond Friendly Streets, improvements will also be made to commuter infrastructure over the next 10 years to support walking as the first- and last-mile mode of commuting, improve public transport experience, and support seniors commuting in the community. They include: 

    a. Building more covered linkways to connect MRT stations to Friendly Streets and key amenities nearby;

    b. Upgrading more bus stops with senior-friendly features such as additional seats with arm and back rests, and ensuring these are wheelchair accessible; and

    c. Retrofitting more pedestrian overhead bridges with lifts to provide barrier-free access, especially those near public transport nodes and healthcare institutions.

    20.    More details can be found on http://www.agewellsg.gov.sg. Together with the efforts of the community and the family, we will continue to make Singapore a home where seniors can age well in their homes and communities, while remaining connected to their loved ones.

     
    MINISTRY OF HEALTH

    MINISTRY OF NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

    MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT

    12 OCTOBER 2024

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Govt’s shameful backtrack on marine conservation

    Source: Green Party

    The Green Party has condemned the Government’s late change to allow commercial fishing in protected areas in the Hauraki Gulf.

    “This Government has bent over backwards to give fishing lobbyists exactly what they asked for, in an area of precious biodiversity facing ecological collapse,” says the Green Party Spokesperson for the Environment, Lan Pham. 

    “Healthy marine environments are the lifeblood of our planet. We can have healthy and thriving fisheries and marine life – now and in the future – if we give fish stocks a chance to recover. 

    “The Auckland and wider Hauraki Gulf community alongside iwi and hapū have worked hard for many years to develop a framework for protecting the health of the Gulf, under the guidance of the Hauraki Gulf Forum, but this coalition comes along and rides roughshod over that mahi at the whim of commercial fishing.

    “To exempt commercial fishing from the provisions in the Hauraki Gulf Protection Bill means the Government is prepared to allow stocks of various fish and marine species to tip over the edge into extinction.

    “The Minister’s spin about ‘significant protection’ should fool nobody. The Government is backtracking on marine conservation goals long established through community consensus, placing the ecological health of Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana at grave risk.

    “This is how the Luxon Government approaches lawmaking – erode the agency of community-driven consensus, particularly where it relates to the environment – in order to line the pockets of their industry mates.

    “The Bill had been supported unanimously by coalition parties at the Environment Select Committee, with careful consideration of different uses of the Gulf. So to come in at the last minute and exempt commercial fishing in this backhanded manner is another undemocratic trait of this Government.

    “Be it tobacco, fossil fuels, seabed mining or fisheries, this Government has made it crystal clear that the rules which apply to everyone else in our democratic and legislative processes don’t apply to industry and companies who have the ear of ministers. 

    “New Zealanders deserve a government that acts in the interests of our whole community, not the lobbyists with the deepest pockets,” says Lan Pham.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Rio Tinto class action begins over ‘toxic’ Bougainville mine disaster

    By Harry Pearl of BenarNews

    An initial hearing of a class action against mining giant Rio Tinto over the toxic legacy of the Panguna copper mine on the autonomous island of Bougainville has been held in Papua New Guinea.

    The lawsuit against Rio Tinto and its subsidiary Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL) is seeking compensation, expected to be in the billions of dollars, for what plaintiffs allege is historic mismanagement of the massive open copper-and-gold mine between 1972 and 1989.

    More than 5000 claimants backed by anonymous investors are seeking damages for the destruction that sparked a 10-year-long civil war.

    The Panguna mine closed in 1989 after anger about pollution and the unequal distribution of profits sparked a landowner rebellion. As many as 20,000 people — or 10 percent of Bougainville’s population — are estimated to have died in the violence that followed between pro-inependence rebels and PNG.

    Although a peace process was brokered in 2001 with New Zealand support, deep political divisions remain and there has never been remediation for Panguna’s environmental and psychological scars.

    The initial hearing for the lawsuit took place on Wednesday, a day ahead of schedule, at the National Court in Port Moresby, said Matthew Mennilli, a partner at Sydney-based Morris Mennilli.

    Mennilli, who is from one of two law firms acting on behalf of the plaintiffs, said he was unable to provide further details as court orders had not yet been formally entered.

    A defence submitted
    Rio Tinto did not respond to specific questions regarding this week’s hearing, but said in a statement on September 23 it had submitted a defence and would strongly defend its position in the case.

    The lawsuit is made up by the majority of villagers in the affected area of Bougainville, an autonomous province within PNG, situated some 800km east of the capital Port Moresby.

    Martin Miriori, the primary litigant in the class action lawsuit, photographed in Bougainville, June 2024. Image: Aubrey Belford/OCCRP

    At least 71 local clan leaders support the claim, with the lead claimant named as former senior Bougainville political leader and chief of the Basking Taingku clan Martin Miriori.

    The lawsuit is being bankrolled by Panguna Mine Action, a limited liability company that stands to reap between 20-40 percent of any payout depending on how long the case takes, according to litigation funding documents cited by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project.

    While the lawsuit has support from a large number of local villagers, some observers fear it could upset social cohesion on Bougainville and potentially derail another long-standing remediation effort.

    The class action is running in parallel with an independent assessment of the mine’s legacy, supported by human rights groups and the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG), and funded by Rio Tinto.

    Locals walk by buildings left abandoned by a subsidiary of Rio Tinto at the Panguna mine site, Bougainville taken June 2024. Image: Aubrey Belford/OCCRP

    Rio Tinto agreed in 2021 to take part in the Panguna Mine Legacy Impact Assessment after the Melbourne-based Human Rights Law Centre filed a complaint with the Australian government, on behalf of Bougainville residents.

    Legacy of destruction
    The group said the Anglo-Australian mining giant has failed to address Panguna’s legacy of destruction, including the alleged dumping of more than a billion tonnes of mine waste into rivers that continues to affect health, the environment and livelihoods.

    The assessment, which is being done by environmental consulting firm Tetra Tech Coffey, includes extensive consultation with local communities and the first phase of the evaluation is expected to be delivered next month.

    ABG President Ishmael Toroama has called the Rio Tinto class action the highest form of treason and an obstacle to the government’s economic independence agenda.

    “This class action is an attack on Bougainville’s hard-fought unity to date,” he said in May.

    In February, the autonomous government granted Australian-listed Bougainville Copper a five-year exploration licence to revive the Panguna mine site.

    The Bougainville government is hoping its reopening will fund independence. In a non-binding 2019 referendum — which was part of the 2001 peace agreement — 97.7 percent of the island’s inhabitants voted for independence.

    PNG leaders resist independence
    But PNG leaders have resisted the result, fearful that by granting independence it could encourage breakaway movements in other regions of the volatile Pacific island country.

    Former New Zealand Governor-General Sir Jerry Mateparae was appointed last month as an independent moderator to help the two parties agree on terms of a parliamentary vote needed to ratify the referendum.

    In response to the class action, Rio Tinto said last month its focus remained on “constructive engagement and meaningful action with local stakeholders” through the legacy assessment.

    The company said it was “seeking to partner with key stakeholders, such as the ABG and BCL, to design and implement a remedy framework.”

    Copyright ©2015-2024, BenarNews. Republished with the permission of BenarNews.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DLNR News Release – WAIMĀNALO HOMELESS SHELTER GETS NEW LEASE ON LIFE, Oct. 11, 2024

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    DLNR News Release – WAIMĀNALO HOMELESS SHELTER GETS NEW LEASE ON LIFE, Oct. 11, 2024

    Posted on Oct 11, 2024 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

     

     

    DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES 

     

    JOSH GREEN, M.D. 
    GOVERNOR 

     

    DAWN CHANG 
    CHAIRPERSON 

     

    NEWS RELEASE 

     

    WAIMĀNALO HOMELESS SHELTER GETS NEW LEASE ON LIFE

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

    Oct. 11, 2024

     

    (HONOLULU) – Today, the state Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) agreed to set aside nearly 11 acres of DLNR land in Waimānalo for a kauhale housing project.

     

    A community homeless shelter known as Hui Mahi‘ai ‘Āina has been operating at the site since 2020 without BLNR approval. However, the DLNR expressed a willingness to have nonprofit entities engage in helping occupants obtain proper authorization to be on the land.

     

    The department’s primary concern was that the current collection of small single-, double- and family shelters lie in a flood zone. After a topographical study, discussions with Aunty Blanche McMillan who currently provides housing for 80 people, the aio Foundation which will build out the new location, as well as state and county authorities, it was determined that another portion of the same property is elevated enough to allow for the residential development and the remainder of the property would be used for agricultural uses to support the community village.

     

    “The department is in full support of this project. Under the collaboration with aio Foundation, DLNR was reassured that our concerns were addressed. More importantly, when I visited Aunty Blanche’s Hui Mahi‘ai ‘Āina in Waimānalo, I was moved by the sense of community the residents felt for each other, for the place and for themselves,” stated DLNR Chair Dawn Chang.

     

    With the set-aside, the Statewide Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions (SOHHS), along with the nonprofit aio Foundation is planning to build a community village for homeless individuals off ʻOluʻolu and Hilu Streets.

     

    The proposed project will have 32 single units, 18 double rooms, six family units, and two units for cancer patients. The 58 units will have shared kitchen and bathroom facilities, a laundry room, and classrooms.

     

    In its BLNR submittal, the DLNR Land Division noted, “aio Foundation has experience in this type of development involving public and private partnership with its development and operation of Kahauiki Village near the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. It is a 144-unit community, housing nearly 700 adults and children.

     

    That property is under a set-aside to the City and County of Honolulu, which in turn issues a lease to the aio Foundation. The same approach is planned for the Waimānalo parcel in which the aio Foundation plans to obtain a lease from SOHSS. The BLNR will have to consent to the lease at a future meeting when more specific terms and conditions are available.

     

    Chapter 343 Environmental Assessment of the project was suspended by a Governor’s Proclamation, dated Jan. 23, 2023, to the extent necessary to expedite the provision of housing for homeless persons.

     

    Aunty Blanche, as she is affectionately known as by the dozens of people she’s helped over the past five years, is excited about the future. The land which currently has structures will be fully converted to food production for the community. She expects construction of new tiny homes on the parcel approved by the BLNR will take about a year.

     

    “Sharing and how to give back and how to love our people,” she said, is the most important thing. “Taking care of the houseless, our kūpuna, and even sick folks with stage 4 cancer is my style. I love it and I love teaching other people how to care. I believe that everything is going to fall in place,” McMillen added.

     

    # # #

     

     

    RESOURCES 

    (All images/video courtesy: DLNR) 

     

    HD video – Waimānalo homeless shelter site and SOTs (Oct. 10, 2024):

    [embedded content]

    (Shot sheet/transcription attached)

     

    Photographs – Waimānalo homeless shelter site (Oct. 10, 2024):

    https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/inmw75uniqmfnfni7wofl/AM6sz9PKFe3I0H8PXvQIPeQ?rlkey=9enouz1hw9b07t3f3htvkiw0b&st=aeeik7fk&dl=0

     

     

    Media Contact: 

    Dan Dennison 

    Communications Director 

    808-587-0396 

    [email protected] 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Sustainable Habits, No Matter Big Or Small, Can Be Evergreen

    Source: Asia Pacific Region 2 – Singapore

    Data security in e-waste recycling, public hygiene, and hawker culture highlighted this year.

     

    Singapore, 13 October 2024 – More than 1000 Clean & Green activities in the form of events or talks, involving partners such as schools, grassroots organisations, NGOs and the corporate sector, plus visits to sites of environmental interest and volunteer deployments, have been held so far across Singapore throughout 2024. In total, the activities saw more than 400,000 participants. The CGS movement encourages everyone to do our part as stewards of a Clean & Green Singapore. To continue our journey of sustainable development, we invite all in Singapore to champion a sustainable way of life, conserve our greenery and biodiversity, adopt green practices, and contribute to a more gracious society. 

    2          The National Environment Agency (NEA)’s annual Clean & Green Singapore (CGS) flagship event, CGS Day, will be held on 3 November 2024. Leading up to CGS Day, four satellite events will be held for members of the public, featuring fun family activities.

    International E-waste Day 2024 Celebration

    13 Oct 2024 (Sun), 10 am – 6 pm @ Westgate Mall

    3          This year’s International E-waste Day (IEWD) 2024 “Secure E-Waste Recycling: Let’s Make a Difference Together”, focuses on data security. Launched by Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment, Dr Amy Khor, IEWD 2024 aims to raise wider awareness of the secure recycling of data-bearing devices such as mobile phones and laptops. Visitors can learn about e-waste management, especially the data sanitisation and dismantling processes that the e-waste recyclers undertake, by going through educational booths and activities by ALBA E-Waste Smart Recycling and other industry and community stakeholders. IEWD 2024 underscores the overall importance of recycling in Singapore as we move towards becoming a zero-waste nation. More information on the recycling of data-bearing devices can be found in Annex A and B.

    4          As part of IEWD 2024, contests such as the E-Waste Song Challenge, Photo Contest and Community E-waste Recycling Drive were organised to encourage members of public to play an active role in e-waste recycling. The song challenge and photo contest received 66 entries in total, while five community groups, comprising NGOs, Institutes of Higher Learning, and grassroots organisations, participated in the Community E-waste Recycling Drive.

    Eco Paddle with Ola

    13 October 2024 (Sun), 8.30am – 11.30am @ Siloso Beach, Sentosa

    5             Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and the Environment, Mr Baey Yam Keng, joined a kayak litter-picking and beach clean-up activity at Siloso Beach, Sentosa this morning. Organised by Ola Beach Club, the event saw over 100 volunteers from Coca-Cola Singapore, Singapore Paddle Club, Friends of ACE (a migrant worker volunteer network under the Ministry of Manpower), the NEA Volunteer Corps, and the Public Hygiene Council (PHC). The event highlights the important role volunteers play in contributing to a clean environment, as well as supporting marine conservation efforts. The event was also supported by partners, such as Mount Faber Leisure Group, Sentosa Development Corporation and Soffell Singapore. Members of the public who missed this event can sign up for similar activities under CGS Experiences at https://www.cgs.gov.sg/events/eco-paddles-with-ola/, available till end November 2024.

    Community Clean Up @ Upper Boon Keng

    19 October 2024 (Sat), 9am – 11am, Upper Boon Keng Market & Food Centre

    6         SMS Dr Koh Poh Koon, along with Minister Josephine Teo, Adviser to Jalan Besar GRC GROs, is set to join 50 volunteers for a community clean up at Upper Boon Keng. The event brings together a diverse group comprising SG Clean Ambassadors, Friends of ACE, Kolam Ayer GRO members, and representatives and volunteers from the Federation of Merchants’ Associations Singapore (FMAS), and Kao Singapore. The event will feature litter-picking activities to promote public cleanliness within the estate, as well as the distribution of Magiclean disinfectants and kitchen cleaners, sponsored by Kao Singapore, to hawkers at the Upper Boon Keng Market & Food Centre. The Community Clean Up @ Upper Boon Keng aims to shine a spotlight on good hygiene practices in the F&B industry. The event also demonstrates how stakeholders from different groups, such as residents, merchant associations, corporate partners, migrant workers, and volunteers, can come together for the common cause of keeping shared public spaces clean. This community spirit of taking greater ownership of the environment is the core driver of the Clean & Green Singapore movement.

    Flag-off of Race to Sustainability! 2024

    23 October 2024 (Wed), 9.30am – 10.30am, Gardens by the Bay

    7             Gardens by the Bay’s flagship educational programme, Race to Sustainability!, will return this October. For the first time, it will be open to both lower primary and tertiary students, in addition to upper primary and secondary school students, to engage a wider range of youths. The expanded participation signifies the importance of engaging students and youth of all ages on sustainability issues, to help ensure a Clean & Green future for Singapore. This year’s theme centres on exploring sustainability through imagination and creative play, and offers tailored activities based on students’ levels. These include guided tours, talks, and hands-on challenges in an ‘Amazing Race’ format throughout the Gardens, where participants will learn about Singapore’s sustainability journey, the Gardens’ sustainability strategies, climate change and plant diversity. Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, Ms Grace Fu, will be flagging off the race on 23rd October 2024.

    8          Additionally, the public can also look forward to a series of exhibitions focused on sustainability, open until 1 December 2024. More details are available at https://www.gardensbythebay.com.sg/racetosustainability.

    CGS Day 2024

    3 Nov 2024 (Sun), 9am – 11am @ West Coast Park and National University of Singapore (NUS)

    9          The four satellite events will be capped off by CGS Day 2024, with Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat as Guest-of-Honour. The event will feature the opening of a new PHC CleanPod[1] at West Coast Park, followed by a community clean-up activity, a tree-planting at NUS UTown, and the presentation of the Environmental Services Star Awards and Community-In-Bloom Ambassador Awards. CGS Day celebrates the environmental efforts of schools, grassroots, corporate partners and outstanding individuals this past year, as well as reaffirm the community’s commitment to keeping Singapore clean and green. More details on CGS Day will be available closer to date.

    10        CGS aims to inspire Singaporeans to care for our environment by adopting a clean, green, and sustainable lifestyle. Each of us can shape our neighbourhoods and common spaces through our green practices, championing a sustainable way of life, and by being a more gracious society. More information on CGS is available at https://www.cgs.gov.sg/.

    ————

    [1] CleanPods are fully equipped storage sheds that the public can apply to the Public Hygiene Council (PHC) for access to. The public can then borrow tools such as metal tongs and buckets from the sheds, to conduct their own clean-up activities. PHC has set up CleanPods in various housing estates, beaches and parks. To find out more about CleanPods, please visit: https://www.publichygienecouncil.sg/resources/cleanpod/

     

     

    ~~ End ~~

    For more information, please submit your enquiries electronically via the Online Feedback Form or myENV mobile application.

     

    ANNEX A

    Factsheet on Singapore’s Regulated E-waste Management System

     

    Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Scheme for E-waste

    1          In July 2021, Singapore implemented a nationwide e-waste management system for regulated products, also known as the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme for E-waste. Producers of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) are physically and/or financially responsible for the collection and proper treatment of discarded EEE. NEA has appointed ALBA E-waste Smart Recycling Pte Ltd (ALBA) to operate the Producer Responsibility Scheme (PRS) in Singapore. As the PRS Operator, ALBA coordinates the collection and proper treatment of consumer e-waste on behalf of the producers.

    2          Since the implementation of e-waste EPR, ALBA has set up over 800 e-waste collection points that includes e-waste bins and manned collections. They have also partnered organisations such as corporates and public agencies to improve e-waste collections.  As of June 2024, more than 20,000 tonnes of e-waste (equivalent to weight of 73 Airbus A380 airplanes) was collected and recycled under the EPR Scheme for E-waste, up from the total of over 16,000 tonnes as of December 2023.          

    Data security in e-waste recycling

    3             International E-waste Day (IEWD) is a global initiative to raise wider awareness about the growing problem of electronic waste and its impact on the environment and human health. This year’s IEWD, themed “data security” aims to create awareness on data security measures and provide assurance on secure e-waste recycling. Members of the public are encouraged to perform the following steps to protect their information prior to e-waste recycling.

    4          Before recycling any data-bearing devices such as laptops, tablets, and mobile phones, the public is advised to protect their personal information by first backing up their data. They should also log out from their personal accounts and remove any storage media before performing a factory reset on their data-bearing devices. A factory reset is an irreversible process; this ensures that any outstanding data is wiped, providing users with a piece of mind before they recycle their data-bearing devices. Detailed steps to recycling data bearing devices can be found in Annex B.

    5          Devices placed in e-waste bins are collected by ALBA E-waste Smart Recycling Pte Ltd and sent to e-waste recyclers for treatment and recycling.

    6            E-waste recyclers take further steps to ensure that data is destroyed before recycling the devices. A data-bearing device is first dismantled to obtain the storage hard drive. The hard drive may then be fed into a degausser machine, which disables the data storage ability of the hard drive using a high magnetic field. Devices may also be crushed or shredded by use of a crusher or shredder machine. This ensures that the data bearing device is physically destroyed and data cannot be recovered by any means.

    Call-for-action to recycle our e-waste

    7          Through proper e-waste treatment and recycling, precious materials such as lithium, cobalt, copper, gold, silver and aluminium can be recovered, which reduces the need to mine for more raw materials. Reducing the need for mining also lowers pollution, as the process of mining has an impact on our environment. In addition, recycled material from e-waste, such as metal and plastic, can be reused to make new products.

    8          Proper recycling of e-waste also safeguards human and environmental health. Improper disposal of e-waste leads to environmental pollution, and this may in turn harm human health. E-waste comprises many different components and requires specialised equipment to dismantle, shred, process and extract the constituent materials. This has to be performed within a controlled environment to prevent pollution while ensuring workplace safety and health. Choosing to recycle instead of discarding e-waste, ensures that they can undergo the proper treatment processes.

    9          To do your part, the public can conveniently drop off e-waste at more than 870 collection points in accessible locations such as electronics retail outlets, shopping malls, community centres, supermarkets, government and commercial buildings.

    – End –

     

    ANNEX B

    Steps to Recycle your Data-Bearing Devices

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China rolls out measures to promote green finance

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    China has unveiled a guideline on the development of green finance, outlining 19 important measures for key areas to promote the building of a beautiful China.

    Focusing on key areas such as the green development of key industries and ecological protection and restoration, China will work to create a project library for the building of a beautiful China and effectively improve the precision of financial support, according to the guideline jointly issued by four government agencies, including the People’s Bank of China and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment.

    The guideline stresses enhancing the capacities of financial institutions to provide green financial services and enriching products and services for the area.

    Efforts should be made to increase loan issuance and beef up financing support for green development, the document states.

    It also calls for stepping up innovation in green financial products for key links and areas such as regional ecological and environmental protection projects, the development of the carbon market and green consumption.

    A coordination mechanism across government agencies will be established to ensure implementation of these measures, the guideline says.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected scheduled dried shark fins, dried sea cucumbers and proprietary Chinese medicine with ingredients of suspected scheduled Gastrodia Elata (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected scheduled dried shark fins, dried sea cucumbers and proprietary Chinese medicine with ingredients of suspected scheduled Gastrodia Elata (with photos)
    Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected scheduled dried shark fins, dried sea cucumbers and proprietary Chinese medicine with ingredients of suspected scheduled Gastrodia Elata (with photos)
    ******************************************************************************************

         Hong Kong Customs on October 10 seized about 460 kilograms of suspected scheduled dried shark fins, 200kg of suspected scheduled dried sea cucumbers and 3 300 boxes of proprietary Chinese medicine with ingredients of suspected scheduled Gastrodia Elata, with a total estimated market value of about $2.3 million, at Hong Kong International Airport.     Through risk assessment, Customs officers inspected an air consignment, declared as carrying household goods and arriving in Hong Kong from Indonesia, on that day. Upon inspection, the batch of dried shark fins, sea cucumbers and proprietary Chinese medicine suspected to be scheduled under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance (Ordinance) (Cap. 586), was found inside 33 carton boxes.     The case was handed over to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) for follow-up action.     Under the Ordinance, any person importing, exporting or possessing specimens of endangered species not in accordance with the Ordinance commits an offence and will be liable to a maximum fine of $10 million and imprisonment for 10 years upon conviction with the specimens forfeited. For licensing requirements for the species listed on different appendices, members of the public may visit the website: http://www.cites.hk. For enquiries, please contact the AFCD through email (hk_cites@afcd.gov.hk) or call 1823.     Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002/).

     
    Ends/Sunday, October 13, 2024Issued at HKT 15:15

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Eight animals found dead in Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         â€‹The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) announced today (October 14) that eight animals were found dead in the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens (HKZBG) yesterday (October 13), including one De Brazza’s Monkey, one Common Squirrel Monkey, three Cotton-top Tamarins and three White-faced Sakis. The LCSD had liaised with the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department. Necropsy and laboratory tests have been arranged immediately to help find out their cause of death.

         While awaiting test results, the Mammals Section of the HKZBG will be closed from today for disinfection and cleaning works. We will also closely monitor the health conditions of other animals. During this period, other facilities of the HKZBG will remain open.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Saltwater Creek becomes outdoor classroom for planting day

    Source: Environment Canterbury Regional Council

    Ashley Rakahuri School, an Enviroschool for 14 years, first partnered with their Enviroschools facilitator, Siobhán Culhane, Waimakariri Biodiversity Trust (WBT), and Daiken last year to connect the students to this area.

    This year, they took it further by investigating the terrestrial invertebrates and planting native seedlings, which Daiken generously provided.

    These native seedlings were specially chosen to restore this area to being a wetland.

    The year three to five students tried out three fun activities:

    • planting native trees along Saltwater Creek to create this wetland environment
    • recording the bugs, worms and creepy crawlies living under logs, and in the grasses and bushes.
    • looking at the mayflies, caddis larvae, snails and flatworms that live in the creek.

    The students were engaged, eager, and enthusiastic to get planting and reporting!

    The 46 ākonga/students, with help from kaimahi/staff from Daiken and other organisations, planted 630 native seedlings, including kahikatea, tōtara, and mataī in just over three hours!

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Work to strengthen Auckland’s planning rules amps up

    Source: Auckland Council

    Over the next few months, Auckland Council will take the first steps to engage and consult Aucklanders on work to strengthen how the Auckland Unitary Plan addresses natural hazards, including flooding, erosion and landslides.  

    Councillor Richard Hills, Chair of the Policy and Planning Committee, explains how a process known as deliberative democracy will be used to consult with a representative sample of Aucklanders.  

    “The deliberative democracy process allows us to gain insights from Aucklanders on what can be quite a complicated subject. We’re early in the engagement and consultation process for the plan change, but doing this work means we’re able to capture the views of Aucklanders as it shapes up. As a result, our communities’ views are considered at different stages, rather than just through the Resource Management Act submissions process.  

    “It’s also one of the steps we can take to get feedback from Aucklanders while we wait for changes that the government is making to legislation, so we can change the Auckland Unitary Plan to better deal with natural hazards. Even though we’ve heard loud and clear our communities want urgent action since our devastating floods and storms in 2023, we cannot move forward on this until the government changes the law to allow us to do so.”  

    What is deliberative democracy? 

    Deliberative democracy allows a diverse group of people to learn about a topic in detail, before coming to a collective decision to answer a question. Aucklanders will take part in this process, and will represent the demographics, needs and interests of those living in the region. 

    Participants are randomly selected beforehand, so they represent the wide-ranging views of Aucklanders. The process is often used to gain views on complex topics. It allows participants to have fair and reasonable discussions, share their views, hear the views of others and deliberate before coming to a collective view at the end of the process. 

    These views are then collated with others gained from across Auckland’s communities to give direction on the next stages of the plan change.  

    What is being asked?  

    Phill Reid, Manager Aucklandwide Planning, explains that participants will get an overview of why the work to strengthen the Unitary Plan is needed and what it could entail, saying that they will also discuss changing the Auckland Unitary Plan to better address the risks that natural hazards pose. 

    “While the Unitary Plan can’t stop natural hazards from happening, there are rules and regulations we can add or change to strengthen it against the risks from those hazards. Before we can do this work, we need to understand the level of risk that Aucklanders feel is tolerable or intolerable – this will influence any new rules or restrictions that are brought in and this is what participants will be asked to come to a consensus on.

    “For example, should new homes be able to be built in areas subject to flooding at all? If the group decides they should, then we need to look at what changes we can make to planning rules that don’t negatively impact those living there, their neighbours and their properties.

    “We know Aucklanders would like the Unitary Plan to address natural hazards – and we were given this direction by the council’s Planning, Environment and Parks Committee in mid-2023. The insight we get from this type of engagement will help shape up the next steps.”  

    Would you like take part in future deliberative democracy processes?  

    Deliberative democracy is a form of engagement Auckland Council uses on different topics ahead of a full consultation or submissions process. If you’d be interested in taking part in this kind of process, you can let us know here.   

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Protecting future kiwi this Save the Kiwi week

    Source: Department of Conservation

    Date:  14 October 2024

    DOC Biodiversity Ranger Kelly Brider says the projected increase is a testament to landscape-scale predator control and community trapping, which has made this large tract of forest a stronghold for Western North Island brown kiwi.

    “The increase would result in 9000 kiwi in Whanganui National Park and surrounds by 2030. But for this to happen, kiwi must grow up in a safe environment, so they will survive and have chicks of their own,” Kelly says.

    Save the Kiwi Week is underway from 14-20 October, so it’s a perfect time to encourage communities to protect kiwi.

    A kiwi avoidance course for dogs is scheduled for 26 October at Gordon Park Scenic Reserve in Whanganui, which is a great way to help keep kiwi safe from dogs.

    “Any dog, big or small, can kill a kiwi, and small dogs can fit into burrows and do significant damage. If you are thinking about taking a dog hunting, or have a farm dog, it’s really important that you do this training,” Kelly says.

    “A single adult kiwi can lay up to 200 eggs in her lifetime, and her offspring can produce 800 chicks, so even one death is devastating for populations.”

    As well as ensuring your dog is ‘kiwi avoidance trained’, dog owners can follow other steps to prevent their dogs from harming kiwi.

    “Keep your dog contained on your property, and under control on a lead when out walking. And don’t let your dog roam, as roaming dogs can harm themselves and people, as well as posing a threat to wildlife like kiwi,” Kelly says.

    Check DOC’s website information on where you can take your dog. Dogs are not permitted in kiwi sanctuaries and in many conservation areas.

    For more information about kiwi avoidance training and to book, visit http://www.kiwiavoidancetraining.nz or contact DOC’s Whanganui office whanganui@doc.govt.nz.

    Contact

    For media enquiries contact:

    Email: media@doc.govt.nz

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Expect delays for your bus journeys into the centre city this weekend

    Source: Environment Canterbury Regional Council

    Detour for southbound buses heading to the Bus Interchange

    Manchester Street at the Lichfield Street intersection will be closed from 9pm, Friday 18 October to 6am, Monday 21 October, causing a detour for most buses heading to the Bus Interchange.

    Affected buses will instead travel down Hereford, Colombo and Lichfield Streets in order to reach the Bus Interchange.

    Eastbound traffic can make the left turn from Lichfield Street onto Manchester Street.

    Route 80 Lincoln/Parklands will travel down St Asaph, Colombo and Tuam Streets instead, and Route 8 Port-to-Port will go via Hereford Street, Durham Street South and Tuam Street, Public Transport operations manager Derek Walsh says.

    “This is expected to cause around six-minutes delay to each bus journey, which will affect the reliability of our services across the network,” he says.

    Bus stop closure on Hereford Street

    Bus stop #53163 on Hereford Street, between Manchester and Colombo Streets, will be affected by the closure. Customers can board or disembark at the Bus Interchange instead. Signage will be up at this bus stop for affected customers.

    “We encourage our customers to leave extra time to get to their destinations, while our buses travel the detour route to the Bus Interchange,” Derek says.

    “We want to thank our customers for their understanding.”

    The planned works are expected to finish by 6am, Monday 21 October.

    Updates on the timing of the work will be available to view on Christchurch City Council’s Facebook page.

    You can view all the detours on the Metro website.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Public urged to prepare for floods after wettest 18 months on record

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

    Environment Agency launches Flood Action Week to ensure every person knows their flood risk, marking one year on from Storm Babet

    The Environment Agency is urging the public to ensure they are prepared for a flood as the nation marks the annual ‘Flood Action Week’, which this year runs from 14-20 October. 

    This year’s awareness campaign coincides with the one-year anniversary of Storm Babet, which brought significant flooding across the country.  

    According to the Met Office, Storm Babet saw the third wettest three-day period in a series for England and Wales since 1891. 

    Nearly 96,900 properties were protected by the Environment Agency during Storm Babet, though sadly around 2,150 were flooded. 

    As climate change brings more extreme weather, there has already been flooding this autumn. Only last month, heavy rainfall led to the first major incident of the season with almost a thousand properties flooded. It followed the wettest 18 months on record in England up to February 2024.  

    This campaign is all about showing people that they can easily take a few steps to reduce the devastation caused by floods to their homes and businesses, with around 5.5 million properties in England at risk from flooding. Recent data suggests that nearly half the country is unsure of how to find information on local flood risks, making this campaign all the more important. 

    The best way to protect yourself from flooding is early preparation and knowing what to do in advance. Some of the actions people can take to reduce the dangers are:   

    • Check your long-term flood risk. You can use this free service to find out the long-term flood risk for an area in England, the possible causes of flooding, and how to manage flood risk. 

    • Sign up for flood warnings by phone, text or email  

    • Taking steps to protect yourself from future flooding – including storing important documents in a secure, waterproof location, taking rugs and small furniture upstairs, checking how to turn off your electricity and water, preparing a flood kit. 

    The Environment Agency and its partners are continuing to help communities become more resilient to extreme weather and rising sea levels, but authorities can never stop all flood impacts.  

    Caroline Douglass, Environment Agency Executive Director of Flood and Coastal Risk Management, said:

    Climate change means extreme weather events are happening more frequently, and we have already seen an unusually wet September this year.  

    We can’t always predict where the rain will fall or where flooding will occur, but we do know which areas are at risk.  

    That is why it is essential we all do our part by checking our flood risk and signing up for flood warnings this Flood Action Week.  While we at the Environment Agency are stepping up our preparations to increase the nation’s resilience to flooding as we head into the winter, taking small steps today can immediately improve your own readiness. 

    Following the flooding caused by Storms Ciara and Dennis in 2020, it was estimated that the average insurance claim per household was £32,000. 

    The impacts of flooding to mental health can be equally as harmful as the physical damage and disruption. People whose homes have been damaged by extreme weather are more likely to have poor mental health than the rest of the population. 

    Floods Minister Emma Hardy said:

    Flooding can be a destructive force that puts everything in life on hold. I’ve seen the impacts firsthand and am determined to ensure as much as possible others do not. 

    Through the recent launch of our Floods Resilience Taskforce, this government is taking decisive action to accelerate the development of flood defences and bolster the nation’s resilience to extreme weather. 

    But this Flood Action Week, we must be all be proactive in taking steps to protect ourselves by checking our flood risk and signing up for flood warnings. 

    Last winter, Storm Babet was followed in quick succession by Storms Ciaran and Henk, which each led to more significant flooding, though flood defences operated well overall. While around 5,000 properties were sadly flooded, around 250,000 properties were protected thanks to the investments the Environment Agency has made in flood and coastal defences. 

    In the year since Storm Babet, the Environment Agency has undertaken a thorough assessment of the condition of flood defense assets across the country to ensure they are up to the required standard. 

    It has conducted over 200,000 checks on the state of assets in the past year – up from 150,000 in an average year – and increased our spend on asset maintenance and repair to £236 million, up from £200 million.  

    Pumps have been pre-emptively deployed at seven strategic depots in vulnerable regions around the country to ensure they can be rolled out rapidly as and when required. 

    The public are also urged to explore the longer-term Property Flood Resilience (PFR) measures they can adopt to protect their own homes. The Environment Agency estimates nine out of 10 properties fitted with PFR in England saw the measures delivered via its flood and coastal risk management investment programme, ensuring better protection. 

    Flood Re is a joint initiative between the Government and insurers aiming to make the flood cover part of household insurance policies more affordable. Its Build Back Better initiative enables householders to install property flood resilience measures up to the value of £10,000 when repairing their properties after a flood. 

    Flood Re Interim CEO Stuart Logue said:

    One year on from Storm Babet and we are seeing yet more severe weather and flooding across the country, causing not only physical devastation to homes, but also placing a unique burden on the mental health and wellbeing of families who are affected. 

    This acts as a stark reminder of the importance of our Build Back Better scheme where householders can access up to £10,000 to build resilience into their homes when carrying our flood repairs.  

    Householders can find out which insurance providers are part of the scheme on our website by searching Flood Re Build Back Better.

    During a flood, it is especially important that drivers take particular care on roads, stay away from swollen rivers and do not drive through flood water, just 30cm of flowing water is enough to move your car.   

    Updates to this page

    Published 14 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Songs of freedom: Unplugging rules that prevent venues choosing their music

    Source: New South Wales Government 2

    Headline: Songs of freedom: Unplugging rules that prevent venues choosing their music

    Published: 13 October 2024

    Released by: Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy, Minister for Planning and Public Spaces

    Baffling restrictions on licensed venues that include “no entertainment” clauses are being torn up as part of the Minns Labor Government’s committment to bring back live music and nightlife to Sydney and across the state.

    Red tape that has built up in the system includes development consent conditions that specify what genre of music can be played at a venue – or stipulate that only a soloist, duo or trio can play, while a band is out of bounds.

    Specific approval conditions in some cases get so granular as to allow a cover band to play a venue but prevent original music being performed – or prevent live entertainment altogether.

    Pocket Bar in Terrigal has been forced to turn away a choir for having more than three members.

    Barangaroo House operates under conditions that make strobe lights and a disco ball a contravention.

    At the Mitch Hotel in Alexandria, management has wanted to stage acoustic music on Sunday afternoons but have been prevented by no entertainment restrictions in their venue’s Development Consent.

    Erskineville Hotel is barred from providing entertainment and Petersham Public House can’t have amplified music in the beer garden.

    At the South Dubbo Tavern, licence restrictions included a clause on hosting “small cover bands” rather than original rock bands. This effectively meant the Tavern could host an AC/DC cover band but if Angus Young came to town he would be unable to plug in his guitar and play Thunderstruck.

    Councils can currently apply “no entertainment” clauses regardless of the type of entertainment, noise impacts or community desire. This can mean even a mime artist is technically not allowed to perform at a local venue.

    Giving musical programming back to the venues that know their audiences is another milestone in the Minns Labor Government’s crusade against pointless red tape on going-out. This will be delivered in the second tranche of the Vibrancy Reforms, along with:

    Ending the antiquated rule that prevents people living within five kilometres of a registered club from signing in without first becoming a member
    Binning the restriction on outdoor dining approvals that prevented patrons from standing while drinking outside a licenced premises.

    The first round of Vibrancy Reforms delivered improvements that:

    • Permanently relaxed rules for outdoor dining to allowing venues to make the most of their outdoor space
    • Ended single noise complaints from shutting down pubs and other licensed venues
    • Made it easier to activate streets for festivals and events (Open Streets program) and a regulatory model that allows streamlined approvals for repeat events (Permit, Plug, Play)
    • Expanded Special Entertainment Precincts that empower local councils to change the rules around noise and opening hours in a designated area to support live entertainment and nightlife
    • Increased incentives for live music and live performance, with two hours extended trading and an 80% reduction in liquor licence fees for licensed venues offering live music and performance
    • Created easier pathways for extended trading hours for major events like the Olympics and World Cups.

    Stifling rules have diminished opportunities for artists in NSW and the right of communities to engage with new voices and be part of the emergence of the next big act from their local area.

    A number of Sydney venues are restricted to playing recorded music, locking out any additional opportunities for live performers.  Development consent conditions may even specify how many instruments can be played inside a venue.

    Similar conditions were removed from liquor licences by legislation in November 2020.

    At present, removing conditions requires venues to formally apply to council to modify the development consent, which is costly, time-consuming and not guaranteed to succeed. It also means more administrative burden for councils.

    Under the soon to be introduced second tranche Vibrancy Reforms, the outdated conditions will be turned off for all licensed venues in the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act. For hotels, clubs and small bars, the prohibition on live entertainment will also be overridden.

    Minister for Music and the Night-Time Economy John Graham said:

    “When it’s a DA not the DJ choosing the tracks, you know the system has lost its way.

    “People don’t want their local councillor or state minister deciding what they listen to and what live music they can see.

    “How can anyone have faith in rules that allow a cover band to play but tell the band that wrote the songs to hit the road?

    “The Vibrancy Reforms are remastering a tangle of red tape and restrictions that do not pass the pub test, quite literally.

    “This plan to remove red tape builds on the Minns Labor Government’s multi-faceted support for live music that offers extended trading for venues that stage live performance, soundproofing grants to help live venues prosper in their” neighbourhoods and direct support for musicians and roadies via the Touring and Travel Fund.”

    Minister for Planning Paul Scully said:

    “These proposed changes will provide greater clarity for venues that host live music and encourage even more venues to support live entertainment.

    “It’s a chance to support performers and provide even greater opportunities for the people of NSW to enjoy a great night, or day, out.”

    Mitch Hotel at Alexandria owner Brett Davis said:

    “Acoustic duos or trios on a Sunday afternoon is something else our patrons can enjoy and maybe draw some more people to the venue; we’re not looking to have DJ sets or big bands.

    “However, the costs and time to have the current condition removed is too excessive, so we have decided not to pursue it.

    “We welcome these proposed changes to support venues like ours.”

    CEO of House of Pocket Hospitality Group Karl Schlothauer

    “The existing restrictive consent conditions limit our engagement with the local creative community and places a ceiling on being able to creatively use the space.  It stops our ability to diversify the venue offerings, and you have to be able to do this in regional areas and particularly tourism areas like the Central Coast in order to have your business survive all year round.

    “If the conditions were removed, we would be able to employ more local artists and trial new things. The Central Coast has a large population of creative practitioners, but they are stifled in not having many venue opportunities to perform.

    Sydney-based PEPTALK band member Phoebe Sinclair said:

    “If venues can host entertainment more regularly without so many restrictions there will absolutely be more employment opportunities for musicians.

    “This in turn will help so many artists to actually work in the industry full time, as it can be a difficult leap without consistency in the live performance space.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Supporting clean energy in the Hunter

    Source: Australian Executive Government Ministers

    The Port of Newcastle and broader Hunter region are on track to become hydrogen-ready and contribute to Australia’s transformation to net zero.

    Supported by $100 million funding from the Albanese Government, the Port of Newcastle’s Clean Energy Precinct has reached a major milestone signing agreements for key design work and environmental impact studies.

    The precinct will renew a disused 220-hectare industrial site to facilitate clean energy production, storage, transmission, domestic distribution and international export. 

    The Government is supporting these latest studies along with the procurement and delivery of enabling works for the precinct. The project is being delivered in partnership with the NSW Government through a Federation Funding Agreement Schedule.

    The Port of Newcastle plays an important economic role as a major deep-water global gateway.

    The commencement of Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) studies follow previous work by the Port of Newcastle including public and industry engagement and feasibility studies. Formal community consultation and further industry engagement will now be undertaken by the Port. 

    Quotes attributable to Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King:

    “This Clean Energy Precinct demonstrates how legacy infrastructure can be repurposed towards making Australia a renewable energy superpower.

    “Through our investment, we are supporting Australia’s transition to net zero while creating jobs and economic opportunities in the Hunter region.

    “The project will help position Australia as a global leader in technologies and products that reduce carbon emissions including hydrogen and green ammonia.”

    Quotes attributable to Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen:

    “The Hunter has been industrial and economic powerhouse for decades, making the Port of Newcastle an ideal location for a clean energy precinct that can support decarbonisation of heavy industry and connect Australia’s renewable resources to the world.

     

    “The Albanese Labor Government is supporting industrial regions like the Hunter to take advantage of the economic and job opportunities that come with more affordable and reliable renewable energy.”

    Quotes attributable to Federal Member for Newcastle Sharon Claydon:

    “The Clean Energy Precinct is a major economic boost for our region.”

    “Newcastle and the Hunter have powered Australia for Generations. This project makes sure we will continue to do so for generations to come as we lead the transition to Net Zero.”

    “Establishing the Port as a hydrogen exporter will ensure good local jobs are protected and created into the future.”

    Quotes attributable to NSW Minster for the Hunter Yasmin Catley: 

    “The Hunter has powered our state for decades and we’re ensuring it continues to do so for many years to come.

    “Our energy market is transforming and we’re playing a central role; this project will support almost 6,000 local jobs and add billions to the regional economy.

    “Today’s announcement will help ensure a bright future for the Hunter.”

    Quotes attributable to NSW Member for Newcastle Tim Crakanthorp: 

    “I’ve been working closely with the Port of Newcastle over the last ten years to support them in their diversification away from coal.

    “With Newcastle’s existing infrastructure and skilled workforce, there is no better place in NSW for this precinct.”

    Quotes attributable to Port of Newcastle CEO, Craig Carmody:

    “The Port of Newcastle Clean Energy Precinct is expected to support around 5,800 jobs throughout construction and provide new business growth and expanded career pathways for the region, adding an estimated $4.2 billion to the Hunter regional economy.

    “The FEED and EIS studies will cover electrical infrastructure, water services, general infrastructure, storage, berth infrastructure and pipelines to berth. The studies will be completed by successful tenderers Lumea (electrical), coNEXA (water) and GHD (general infrastructure, storage, berth and pipelines), informing future site enablement, site layout and land platform design, which will be used to prepare concept planning approvals.

    “Pending planning and legislative requirements and timeframes, our production partners, KEPCO, are expected to begin construction of facilities in 2027, with the precinct to be operational from 2030.”

    For more information, visit http://www.portofnewcastle.com.au/landside/major-projects/clean-energy-precinct. 

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Backing the bittern: The bird on the brink

    Source: Environment Canterbury Regional Council

    Threats facing the Australasian Bittern (Matuku-hūrepo)

    The bittern’s declining numbers are reflective of the region’s shrinking wetlands, where they’re commonly found. Since European settlement, 90 per cent of freshwater and natural wetlands and half of our coastal wetlands in Waitaha have been lost through human impact. 

    Other threats include collisions with vehicles and starvation caused by:

    • changes in water levels that leave birds ‘high and dry’,
    • lack of food and/or habitat where the species can hunt,
    • and murky water quality (sedimentation) – as bittern are visual feeders. 

    One of the best ways we can help the species is to protect and enhance our remaining wetlands, and where possible, create new wetlands, to provide an optimum breeding and feeding habitat.

    A starving juvenile bittern that was rehabilitated and successfully released – Photo credit: Peter Langlands – Wild Capture

    Elusive ‘spy’ behaviour

    If you’ve seen a bittern, consider yourself lucky! They’re known for their cryptic behaviour and are very good at avoiding people. Principal biodiversity advisor Frances Schmechel says bittern have been referred to as the James Bond of the bird world. 

    “They’re like spies in that they’re very elusive. They kind of skulk around and do a great job at hiding. 

    “If they are in a situation where they’re startled, they’ll stand upright with their bill pointing skyward and sway.” 

    The bittern are also known for the “booming” call that the males make during spring. 

    “It’s such a mystical type of sound to hear in a wetland,” Frances explains. “Some say it’s almost spiritual.”

    Listen to the ‘booming’ sound on this Department of Conservation (DOC) webpage.

    A skulking bittern at Old Mill Lane Wetland – Photo credit: Hilton and Melva Ward

    Preserving raupō habitat

    90 per cent of bittern sightings in Waitaha over the last 15 years have occurred in the Te Waihora and Pegasus Bay areas. Their most important habitat is dense/mature raupō beds on river, wetland or lake edges.

    The wetlands around the margin of Te Waihora are the largest remaining area of wetland habitat in lowland Canterbury, covering around 4,500 hectares. A DOC-run willow control programme, which we’re helping fund, is a key initiative for supporting bittern.

    Not only do willows suck up large volumes of water but they also encroach on native wetland vegetation such as raupō. They create a dense canopy and interfere with the function of the wetland, including destroying spawning grounds for benthic fish (fish that deposit their spawn on or near the bottom of the sea or lake) – which the bittern feed on.

    Their most important habitat is dense/mature raupō beds on river, wetland or lake edges

    At Te Waihora, willows were invading the raupō at an alarming rate. The ‘bittern habitat’ aspect was a key driver for establishing and maintaining the control programme, which began in 2011. 

    DOC biodiversity ranger Allanah Purdie says reversing the spread of willow is a cost-effective and efficient way to support bittern. 

    “Raupō is by far their preferred habitat – so when you remove the willow, you get bittern.” 

    As Allanah points out, the species’ perilous future is representative of the overall condition of wetland systems that remain. 

    “It’s an indicator for all our other wetland species and the health of the ecosystem as a whole, all of which are suffering as a result of long-term wetland degradation.” 

    Community conservation efforts

    In Waimakariri, the Bittern Īnanga Rushland wetland is one of three Kaiapoi projects being undertaken by an extended family who are passionate about restoring biodiversity to the area. 

    One of the aims is to attract bittern, and the site has also been identified as a potential Canterbury mudfish habitat. It is receiving $15,000 in funding this financial year through the Waimakariri Water Zone Committee. 

    The support will help with the control of willows and poplars, along with more than 350 metres of fencing to create a large buffer to protect the rushland and make room for plantings. 

    Landowner Nicky Auld says a bittern is now frequenting the area. 

    “It was very rewarding seeing a bittern for the first time, and it is now a regular visitor to the rushland – where it feeds on eels, fish and whitebait.  

    “We’ve been scattering raupō seeds in the hope that the rushland may become even more attractive to these magnificent birds, and a breeding ground.” 

    Others who have raupō on their property are already in a good position to help. 
    Allanah says wet areas with fresh standing water – about 20 cm deep – are ideal habitat. 

    “Bittern need areas to take-off and land in, so consider keeping the larger stature plants back at least ten metres from the water, with Carex around the margin and then raupō in the middle.  

    “The species is intrinsically linked to areas with marginal or dense vegetation. They don’t like being out in the open and are very prone to disturbance. If you have a disturbance event in a wetland they’ll go to ground or disappear.” 

    Bittern are known for being highly mobile, so when they do disappear – it can be to quite a distance away. One that was fitted with a transmitter was tracked flying from Te Waihora to Blenheim – more than 300 km. 

    The Great Matuku Muster

    Another initiative that’s helping raise awareness of the bittern’s plight is The Great Matuku Muster – which calls on people to listen out for, and record, the males’ ‘boom’ sound. 

    The events take place on one day each month in spring, with the next due on Saturday 19 October and Saturday 16 November, for up to an hour from sunset. 

    The muster is supported by a series of workshops around New Zealand to help people learn more about the bird and what to listen for. To find out more or to sign up, visit lovebittern.com. 

    This initiative runs alongside annual monitoring by regional councils, DOC and volunteers – aligning with bittern breeding season from October to December.  

    Our monitoring is getting underway now at key sites on Environment Canterbury managed land – helping build an updated picture of the species’ local population size. 

    Preventing extinction

    Conservationist Peter Langlands, who’s carried out extensive monitoring of bittern in Waitaha, describes the situation as ‘critical’. 

    “I’m worried that we may lose the source population of bittern in Canterbury. We must act now if we’re to save the species.” 

    Peter believes a collaborative approach to large scale habitat restoration projects, and scaling up wetland creation, will lead to the best conservation outcomes.  

    Frances echoes Peter’s sentiment. 

    “They’re such a mysterious, and surprisingly graceful bird. When you see one for the first time – it’s special. It would be really unfair if we didn’t manage to conserve that experience for people.” 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Coastal comeback: shorebirds digging in for another breeding season

    Source: New South Wales Environment and Heritage

    Each year threatened birds such as Little Terns, Pied Oystercatchers, Hooded Plovers and Beach Stone-curlews lay their eggs on beaches up and down the east coast, where they are highly camouflaged and can be very difficult to see.

    Due to threats including native and introduced predators, crushing and disturbance from vehicles, humans and domestic dogs, flooding of nesting sites and adverse weather conditions, most beach-nesting birds remain endangered in NSW.

    Here are a few small things you can do to ‘share the shore’ and help endangered beach-nesting birds raise their chicks on our beaches:

    • Keep an eye out for and respect bird nesting signs and fenced-off nesting areas on the beach.
    • Make sure dogs are only walked on an approved dog-beach and always kept on a leash.
    • Walk on the wet sand to avoid nesting birds.
    • Only drive on designated 4WD beaches and stay below the high tide mark to avoid accidentally crushing a chick.
    • Ensure you take fishing lines and rubbish with you, to ensure avoidable deaths from entanglement or ingesting rubbish are avoided.

    Last season was a good one for Little Terns which experienced an almost 15 percent increase in breeding pairs from the previous season across the state.

    For more information on shorebirds in NSW, visit Share the Shore.

    Quotes attributable to NPWS Threatened Species Project Officer Katherine Howard:

    ‘Beach-nesting birds rely on the camouflage of their eggs and chicks to keep them safe, but on busy summer beaches, this strategy can really backfire. You might not see the eggs or chick until it’s too late.

    ‘We need all beach users to “share the shore” with our feathered friends by following a few easy guidelines and leaving some space for birds to raise their families.

    ‘Off-leash dogs may seem harmless, but they are terrifying to birds, causing them to fly away and leave eggs unguarded. Please check online whether dogs are allowed at your beach before you go, keep them on a leash and keep them well away from nesting birds.’

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Cutting power bills for social housing tenants

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 14 October 2024

    Released by: Minister for Housing

    Tenants in more than 1,000 NSW social housing properties are saving on their energy bills, thanks to energy efficient upgrades delivered by the Commonwealth and NSW Governments.

    Backed with matched funding by the Albanese and Minns Labor Governments, the $175 million Social Housing Energy Performance Initiative (SHEPI) is providing crucial upgrades to reduce energy bills, keep homes more liveable year-round, and lower emissions.

    Upgrades include new heat pump hot water heaters, solar sharing systems, ceiling insulation, electric stoves and split system air conditioners.

    Since the initiative’s launch in January this year, households in Regional NSW and Western Sydney have received these upgrades with more to be rolled out across the state.

    The upgraded properties so far are a mix of NSW Government-owned and managed homes, along with those managed by Aboriginal community housing providers.

    Approximately 24,000 social housing dwellings in NSW are set to benefit through the course of the initiative to June 2027.

    SHEPI is a collaboration between the Commonwealth and NSW Governments including the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Homes NSW, the Aboriginal Housing Office (AHO), and both Aboriginal and Community Housing Providers.

    Along with energy upgrades to their home, tenants are provided with information and guidance on how to best operate their home as efficiently as possible with the new features.

    Quote attributable to Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen:

    “The Albanese Government is driving down energy bills with social housing upgrades to help bring cost of living relief to some 24,000 NSW homes.

    “Working with the Minns Government to deliver better energy performance in social housing means warmer homes in winter, cooler homes in summer and cheaper bills year-round.”

    Quote attributable to Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Josh Wilson:

    “This milestone shows that the strong Albanese-Minns partnership is making a real difference right now for social housing tenants, who are among the least able to afford energy efficiency upgrades, and yet most affected by energy costs.

    “The Albanese Government is making sure everyone can benefit from technologies that improve the energy performance of their homes.”

    Quote attributable to Minister for Housing Rose Jackson:

    “This program is a crucial initiative that demonstrates our commitment to improving the living conditions of social housing tenants in NSW.

    “The installation of solar systems, heat pumps, and insulation across NSW social housing is a significant step towards creating homes that are more affordable to maintain and better equipped to withstand changing environmental conditions.”

    For more information on the SHEPI program, visit Upgrades for Social Housing | NSW Climate and Energy Action.

    MIL OSI News –