NewzIntel.com

Category: Environment

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Work begins at state-of-the-art weather centre headquarters

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Work begins at state-of-the-art weather centre headquarters

    Construction has begun on the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, marked by a breaking ground ceremony on Wednesday 9 July.

    Left to right: Jonathan Richards – Project Director, Mace, Andy Brown – Director of Research, ECMWF, Mark Bourgeois – CEO, the GPA, Lord Vallance – Minister for Science, Research and Innovation, Penny Endersby, CEO of the Met Office and President of the ECMWF Council and Professor Van De Noort CBE – Vice Chancellor, University of Reading

    Construction has begun on a new cutting-edge facility for meteorological research and forecasting, marked by a breaking ground ceremony.

    The event took place today (July 9) at the site of the new headquarters for the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) at the University of Reading’s Whiteknights Campus, led by Lord Vallance, Minister of State for Science, Innovation and Technology. 

    Also in attendance were key stakeholders in the project including ECMWF Directors, Penny Endersby, CEO of the Met Office and President of ECMWF Council, Mark Bourgeois, CEO at the Government Property Agency (GPA) which is delivering the scheme, and representatives of the University of Reading, Mace – design and build construction partners, project advisors AtkinsRéalis and BDP – the architects.

    Construction of the modern, accessible and highly sustainable headquarters, which is being funded through the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), is expected to be ready for occupation in early 2027. 

    ECMWF will move from its existing premises in Reading, where it has been for half a century, to the new headquarters. Once operational the building will accommodate up to 300 scientists and staff to support world-leading work on all aspects of weather prediction systems, forecast production and research into climate change. The state-of-the-art facility will support the use of the latest advances made in areas such as data assimilation, earth system modelling, predictability and reanalysis to improve weather predictions and understanding of climate.

    UK Science Minister Lord Vallance said:

    The UK is proud to continue to host the headquarters of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. This state-of-the-art facility places the UK at the heart of international efforts that are helping us to make better sense of our weather and climate.

    By improving our weather predictions we can optimise our energy consumption estimates, adjust transport schedules effectively and give our farmers time to prepare for extreme weather – helping people and businesses to save money, cut energy use and stay safe.

    With the university’s Department of Meteorology and parts of the UK Met Office, National Environment Research Council (NERC) National Centre for Atmospheric Sciences and NERC National Centre for Earth Observation all currently located within the university – and now the new ECMWF HQ – means the town of Reading is home to an exceptional cluster of weather, climate research and operational forecasting facilities.

    Florence Rabier, ECMWF Director General said: 

    After 50 years at Shinfield Park in Reading, we are pleased that this move to state-of-the-art sustainable premises will provide excellent facilities for our staff and visitors, and bring us even closer to many colleagues at the university.

    ECMWF is an intergovernmental organisation with 35 member and cooperating states that have built a strong international collaboration with each of these countries’ meteorological services. As well as traditional numerical weather prediction and research, together with our member and cooperating states, we are spearheading the artificial intelligence/machine learning revolution in weather science for the benefit and protection of citizens.

    Mark Bourgeois, the GPA’s CEO said:

    It is a landmark occasion to get construction underway of this new facility, which has been designed to industry-leading net zero carbon standards. This project is a perfect example of cross-government collaboration which will deliver a modern, inspirational and energy-efficient headquarters for ECMWF’s forecasting, research and training functions, retaining a world-leading scientific organisation and attracting long-term investment into the region.

    It’s another milestone for us at the GPA to deliver smart, modern, sustainable and digitally connected workplaces that focus on supporting productivity and wellbeing.

    For media enquiries, email: pressoffice@gpa.gov.uk

    Updates to this page

    Published 9 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Parks Canada and British Columbia invest more than $8 million to improve ecological connectivity

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    From Parks Canada: 
    https://www.canada.ca/en/parks-canada/news/2025/07/parks-canada-and-british-columbia-invest-more-than-8-m-to-improve-ecological-connectivity.html

    Today, the Honourable Stephen Fuhr, Secretary of State for Defense procurement, on behalf of the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister responsible for Parks Canada, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture, and Minister responsible for Official Languages, announced $5.3 million in federal funding to support an agreement to advance ecological corridor projects, nature conservation and Indigenous stewardship in British Columbia.

    The Honourable Randene Neill, Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, announced that the Province of British Columbia is contributing an additional $3 million, further strengthening this collaborative effort to improve ecological connectivity.

    Many animals need to reach habitat well beyond the boundaries of protected areas to survive, and ecological connectivity is the movement of these wild species and the flow of natural processes through a landscape. With support from both governments, the Stewardship of Ecological Corridors in British Columbia agreement focuses on identifying, planning, and acting to improve movement through ecological corridors — linkages that connect natural habitats, including protected and conserved areas. Ecological corridors provide biodiversity and human well-being benefits and are vital for the long-term health of ecosystems.

    The project will build on existing natural resource programs and partnerships to promote and accelerate stewardship and conservation. It will advance ecological connectivity in areas of shared national, provincial, and Indigenous priority, and strengthen collaboration between all partners. Indigenous leadership and involvement are central to the approach, guiding planning and achieving on-the-ground action.

    This collaborative approach reflects the shared commitment to halt and reverse biodiversity loss, mitigate the impacts of climate change, and honour Indigenous stewardship. It helps create connections that matter for wildlife, communities and generations to come.

    Through this investment, the Parks Canada National Program for Ecological Corridors and the British Columbia Ministry of Water, Lands and Resource Stewardship are building a strong foundation for the long-term conservation of the diverse and changing landscapes in British Columbia.

    Quotes:

    The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister responsible for Parks Canada, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages –

    “Protecting the rich biodiversity in Canada takes teamwork. The partnership between Parks Canada and the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship of British Columbia supports a core part of our identity as Canadians: nature. By elevating Indigenous stewardship and by working together, this important work on ecological corridors in British Columbia helps wildlife thrive, safeguards the health of ecosystems, and strengthens resilience to climate change for future generations – ensuring a sustainable, resilient future for nature and people across Canada.”

    The Honourable Stephen Fuhr, Secretary of State for Defence procurement and member of Parliament for Kelowna, British Columbia –

    “This investment marks a powerful step forward in safeguarding the natural legacy in Canada and British Columbia. By fostering strong partnerships and uplifting Indigenous-led stewardship, we are not only protecting the land — we are honouring it. Here in Kelowna and across the province, reconnecting natural spaces strengthens ecosystems, supports wildlife, and nurtures a healthier, more resilient future for all who call this land home.”

    The Honourable Randene Neill, B.C. Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship –

    “Prioritizing biodiversity and ecosystem health is about more than protecting our natural spaces – it’s also about helping connect these spaces and removing barriers so that animals can move freely and safely. We’re working with Parks Canada to recognize important corridors, informed by science, Indigenous and local knowledge. Together, with many partners, we’re helping wildlife adapt to a changing climate and taking care of our natural spaces for future generations.”

    Quick Facts:

    • Ecological corridors deliver many benefits beyond biodiversity conservation and climate change adaptation. They contribute to sustainable livelihoods for local communities, they increase opportunities for people to connect with nature, and they promote human-wildlife coexistence.
    • Launched in 2022, Parks Canada’s National Program for Ecological Corridors promotes the creation of ecological corridors in key areas across Canada.
    • Parks Canada’s National Program for Ecological Corridors supports Indigenous leadership by recognizing Indigenous stewardship values as a priority goal for corridors. The program also supports Indigenous-led corridor initiatives and other initiatives that are engaging with and collaborating with local Indigenous communities.

    Related links:

    Parks Canada National Program for Ecological Corridors: https://parks.canada.ca/nature/science/conservation/corridors-ecologiques-ecological-corridors

    Ecological connectivity at Parks Canada: https://parks.canada.ca/nature/science/conservation/connectivite-connectivity

    Tripartite Framework Agreement on Nature Conservation: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/natural-resource-stewardship/tripartite-framework-agreement-on-nature-conservation

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Electronic Drilling Rig Safety Inspection Checklist Now Available

    Source: International Association of Drilling Contractors – IADC

    Headline: Electronic Drilling Rig Safety Inspection Checklist Now Available

    Safety is vitally important on the rigs. The electronic IADC Drilling Rig Safety Inspection Checklist will help keep the operational integrity of the rig compliant. Regular use of the IADC Drilling Rig Safety Inspection Checklist promotes facility safety by identifying safety concerns before they become hazards. The Safety Inspection Checklist is published under the auspices of the IADC Health, Safety and Environment Committee.

    The forms are available in user-friendly zoomable PDF format imprinted with the unique file number which cannot be edited. Each purchase comprises a month’s supply, providing 31 editable, savable, and easily shareable PDF forms. For further details, reach out to us at bookstore@iadc.org.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Improving Catskill Conservation and Public Access

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced two milestones that will both enhance recreational access for New Yorkers and ensure long-term protections in unique and ecologically important locations in the Catskill Forest Preserve. New York State acquired 900 acres in Ulster County that form the largest addition to the Catskill Forest Preserve since 2011 and will help ensure the long-term protection of drinking water in the Ashokan Reservoir watershed. In addition, expansive upgrades at the Peekamoose Blue Hole are now complete, helping enhance safety and accessibility to the popular attraction in the town of Denning, Ulster County.

    “The Catskill region provides countless ways to get offline, get outside and connect with nature,” Governor Hochul said. “With the acquisition of 900 acres of forested beauty and water quality protection, and enhancements at one of the State’s most frequented natural wonders, New York State is continuing to invest in the Catskills to ensure their continued natural legacy and the ability of all New Yorkers to enjoy it.”

    The State’s acquisition of 900 acres in the town of Olive ensures an undisturbed viewshed of the Catskills from all points east, including the Ashokan Reservoir and Kingston-Rhinecliff bridge. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) worked closely with the Open Space Institute to secure the parcel after the organization took ownership in 2019. Notable landmarks include Wagon Wheel Notch, Low Point, and Little High Point, and the property provides significant opportunities for public recreation and expanded access to forest preserve lands. The property will be managed by DEC in conjunction with the adjoining State-owned forest preserve lands that make up the Sundown Wild Forest.

    The $4.2 million purchase was the State’s first land acquisition funded by the Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022. This acquisition and others underway are part of the Governor’s ‘30×30’ Initiative to protect 30 percent of New York’s lands and waters by 2030.

    New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton said, “With Governor Hochul’s leadership, DEC is making comprehensive and meaningful investments to support Catskill communities. We are protecting New York’s invaluable natural resources and improving access and safety to open spaces here in Ulster County and throughout the region. This marks our first land acquisition funded through the historic Environmental Bond Act and we are grateful to our partners at the Open Space Institute for ensuring the permanent protection of 900 acres in this special place. As we protect these important places, we are advancing significant upgrades to the Peekamoose Valley Riparian Corridor to improve safety and support local governments and we are addressing key aspects of visitor use management across the region. DEC is demonstrating our commitment to the Catskill Forest Preserve and the region’s communities.”

    Open Space Institute President and CEO Erik Kulleseid said, “The Open Space Institute celebrates the sale of the Golden properties to DEC as an addition to the Catskill Forest Preserve. By keeping these landscapes wild and undisturbed, we are protecting vital wildlife habitat, creating new recreational opportunities, mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, and preserving the land’s natural ability to filter water flowing into the Ashokan watershed, a critical resource for millions of people and businesses. These properties are in good hands with our partners at DEC, and we also thank the Golden family for preserving these landscapes and working with OSI and DEC to ensure that they are protected forever.”

    In addition to conserving land and providing watershed protections to ensure the Catskills region continues to provide clean water to the millions of New Yorkers who depend on it, DEC also continues to improve safety and access to public lands in the region. As part of Governor Hochul’s Get Offline, Get Outside initiative, the Peekamoose Blue Hole’s newly constructed parking lot and first phase of a 3,270-foot accessible connector trail improves the visitor experience and promotes sustainable use of natural resources in the three-mile Peekamoose Valley Riparian Corridor.

    The second and final phase of the connector trail will include constructing a footbridge and retaining wall. Visitors are reminded that a permit is required for use of the entire Peekamoose Valley Riparian Corridor between May 15 and September 15 annually and can be obtained through DEC’s website. A new video detailing the Blue Hole visitation requirements and recommendations can be found at DEC’s YouTube page.

    State Senator Pete Harckham said, “With this important land acquisition and land improvement project in the Catskill Forest Preserve, New York State continues to achieve its 30×30 goals of preserving its open spaces and protecting water sources while also offering unparalleled opportunities to experience the natural world. The collaboration between state government and land conservation advocates that has led to this remarkable expansion of protected land deserves thanks to all involved.”

    Assemblymember Deborah Glick said, “Digital addiction is a growing concern for both children and adults. It’s important to put down our devices and spend time outdoors, getting fresh air and exercise. We’re fortunate to have beautiful and ecologically significant spaces across the state, from forest preserves to city parks, where New Yorkers can unplug and reconnect with nature. Governor Hochul’s recent acquisition of 900 acres in the Catskills to protect water quality and preserve critical habitat is a prime example of how we can expand access to the outdoors. It’s also a meaningful investment of Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act funds, helping us reach our ‘30×30’ goal of protecting 30 percent of New York’s lands and waters by 2030.”

    Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger said, “As someone who’s had the opportunity to walk these trails and see the transformation firsthand, I’m thrilled to celebrate these major milestones for Ulster County and the Catskills. The upgrades at Peekamoose Blue Hole will make this beloved destination safer and more accessible for all, while the 900-acre land acquisition in Olive — one of the largest additions to the Catskill Forest Preserve in recent memory — will protect critical watershed lands and expand opportunities for public recreation. I want to thank Governor Hochul, the Department of Environmental Conservation, and the Open Space Institute for their leadership and partnership in preserving the natural beauty and ecological integrity of our region for generations to come.”

    Town of Denning Supervisor David Brooks said, “The Town has been working closely with DEC for many years to assist with the management of the Peekamoose Blue Hole. The completed upgrades will make the area safer for both residents and visitors. I greatly appreciate the cooperation of all agencies involved.”

    Town of Olive Supervisor Jim Sofranko said, “The acquisition and preservation of forestland by DEC helps Olive achieve its goal of maintaining a rural character. It is satisfying to know this land will remain “forever wild” and sustain natural habitats for future generations.”

    This week, DEC also released a draft Visitor Use Management Plan for the Formerly Trailless Catskill High Peaks to help address impacts like soil compaction, increased erosion, and damage to vegetation and wildlife habitat from increased visitation. The draft plan is helping fulfill a recommendation from the Catskill Strategic Planning Advisory Group by outlining sustainable management strategies for ecologically sensitive high-elevation peaks in the Forest Preserve that were historically managed to be free of trails and other recreational facilities. DEC is holding a hearing on the draft plan August 6 and will be accepting public comments until September 15. Visit DEC’s website for more information.

    DEC encourages all visitors to forests, trails, waterways, and other natural areas to “Love Our New York Lands” and be safe, respectful, and responsible. Simple actions – like staying on trails, picking up trash, and being prepared – help keep these areas clean, healthy, and enjoyable for all. By working together, we can make sure that these beautiful lands and the habitat they provide stay accessible and protected for future generations. Learn more by visiting DEC’s website.

    New York’s Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act
    On Nov. 8, 2022, New York voters overwhelmingly approved the $4.2 billion Environmental Bond Act. State agencies, local governments, and partners will be able to access funding to protect water quality, help communities adapt to climate change, improve resiliency, and create green jobs. Bond Act funding will support new and expanded projects across the state to safeguard drinking water sources, reduce pollution, and protect communities and natural resources from climate change. Progress on implementing funding continues, with New York State awarding approximately $1.25 billion, or 25 percent, of Bond Act funds to date. For more information and to sign up for progress updates, go to the Environmental Bond Act webpage.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: The Great Lakes are powerful. Learning about ‘rip currents’ can help prevent drowning

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Chris Houser, Professor in Department of Earth and Environmental Science, and Dean of Science, University of Waterloo

    Between 2010 and 2017, there were approximately 50 drowning fatalities each year associated with rough surf and strong currents in the Great Lakes.

    In addition to the personal loss experienced by family and friends, these drownings create an annual economic burden on the regional economy of around US$105 million, and that doesn’t include the direct costs of search and rescue.

    Types of rip currents

    Rip currents — commonly referred to as rips or colloquially as rip tides — are driven by the breaking of waves. These currents extend away from the shoreline and can flow at speeds easily capable of carrying swimmers far from the beach.

    Structural rips are common throughout the Great Lakes (Grand Haven on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, for example) and develop when groynes, jetties and rock structures deflect the alongshore current offshore, beyond the breaking waves. Depending on the waves and the structure, a shadow rip can also develop on the other side of the groyne or jetty.

    Rips can also develop anywhere that variations in the bathymetry (the topography of the sand underwater) — such as nearshore bars — causes wave-breaking to vary along the beach, which makes the water thrown landward by the breaking waves return offshore as a concentrated flow at the water’s surface. These are known as channel or bathymetric rips and are they can form along sand beaches in the Great Lakes.

    While it can be difficult to spot a channel rip, they can be identified by an area of relatively calm water between breaking waves, a patch of darker water or the offshore flow of water, sediment and debris.

    A person caught in a rip is transported away from shore into deeper water, but they are not pulled under the water. If they are a weak swimmer or try to fight the current, they may panic and fail to find a way out of the rip and back to shore before submerging.

    Rip current hazards

    Most rip fatalities occur on unsupervised beaches or on supervised beaches when and where lifeguards are not present. While many popular beaches near large urban centres have lifeguards, many beaches don’t. Along just the east coast of Lake Huron, there are more than 40 public beaches, including Goderich, Bayfield, Southampton and Sauble Beach, but only two have lifeguard programs (Sarnia and Grand Bend).

    Simple warning signs are used on many beaches, but visitors either don’t pay attention or don’t know how to interpret the warning.

    Non-local visitors are a high-risk group for drownings. They are less likely to make safe swimming choices than residents or regular beach-goers, because visitors are generally unfamiliar with the beach and its safety measures, have poor knowledge of beach hazards like rip currents and breaking waves and are overconfident in their swimming ability.

    Recent findings from a popular beach on Lake Huron suggest that those with less experience at the beach tend to make decisions of convenience rather than based on beach safety. Residents with greater knowledge of the local hazards tend to avoid swimming near where the rip can develop.

    But even when people are aware of rip currents and other beach hazards, they may not make the right decisions. Despite the presence of warnings, people’s actions are greatly influenced by the behaviour of others, peer pressure and group-think. The social cost of not entering the water with the group may appear to outweigh the risk posed by entering the water.

    Rip channel and current on Lake Huron. (Chris Houser)

    The behaviour of beach users is affected by confirmation bias, a cognitive shortcut where a person selectively pays attention to evidence confirming their pre-existing beliefs and ignores evidence to the contrary. When someone enters the water and does not encounter strong waves or currents, they’re more likely to engage in risky behaviour on their next visit to that beach or a similar beach.

    Vacationers and day visitors can stay safe only if they are aware that there is the potential for rip currents and rough surf at beaches in the Great Lakes. Just because a beach is accessible and has numerous attractions does not mean it is safe.

    Advocating for beach safety

    In the United States, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration runs programs designed to educate beach users about surf and rip hazards. But Canada hasn’t implemented a national beach safety strategy.

    Education about rips and dangerous surf falls on the shoulders of advocates, many of whom have been impacted by a drowning in the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project has been tracking and educating school and community groups about rip currents and rough surf in the Great Lakes since 2010.

    Several new advocacy groups have started in recent years, including Kincardine Beach Safety on Lake Huron and the Rip Current Information Project on Lake Erie. Given that there is limited public interest in surf-related drownings and limited media coverage, these advocacy groups are helping to increase awareness of rip currents and rough surf across the Great Lakes.

    To ensure a safe trip to the beach, beachgoers should seek out more information about rip currents and other surf hazards in the Great Lakes.

    Chris Houser receives funding from NSERC.

    – ref. The Great Lakes are powerful. Learning about ‘rip currents’ can help prevent drowning – https://theconversation.com/the-great-lakes-are-powerful-learning-about-rip-currents-can-help-prevent-drowning-260060

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: The Great Lakes are powerful. Learning about ‘rip currents’ can help prevent drowning

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Chris Houser, Professor in Department of Earth and Environmental Science, and Dean of Science, University of Waterloo

    Between 2010 and 2017, there were approximately 50 drowning fatalities each year associated with rough surf and strong currents in the Great Lakes.

    In addition to the personal loss experienced by family and friends, these drownings create an annual economic burden on the regional economy of around US$105 million, and that doesn’t include the direct costs of search and rescue.

    Types of rip currents

    Rip currents — commonly referred to as rips or colloquially as rip tides — are driven by the breaking of waves. These currents extend away from the shoreline and can flow at speeds easily capable of carrying swimmers far from the beach.

    Structural rips are common throughout the Great Lakes (Grand Haven on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, for example) and develop when groynes, jetties and rock structures deflect the alongshore current offshore, beyond the breaking waves. Depending on the waves and the structure, a shadow rip can also develop on the other side of the groyne or jetty.

    Rips can also develop anywhere that variations in the bathymetry (the topography of the sand underwater) — such as nearshore bars — causes wave-breaking to vary along the beach, which makes the water thrown landward by the breaking waves return offshore as a concentrated flow at the water’s surface. These are known as channel or bathymetric rips and are they can form along sand beaches in the Great Lakes.

    While it can be difficult to spot a channel rip, they can be identified by an area of relatively calm water between breaking waves, a patch of darker water or the offshore flow of water, sediment and debris.

    A person caught in a rip is transported away from shore into deeper water, but they are not pulled under the water. If they are a weak swimmer or try to fight the current, they may panic and fail to find a way out of the rip and back to shore before submerging.

    Rip current hazards

    Most rip fatalities occur on unsupervised beaches or on supervised beaches when and where lifeguards are not present. While many popular beaches near large urban centres have lifeguards, many beaches don’t. Along just the east coast of Lake Huron, there are more than 40 public beaches, including Goderich, Bayfield, Southampton and Sauble Beach, but only two have lifeguard programs (Sarnia and Grand Bend).

    Simple warning signs are used on many beaches, but visitors either don’t pay attention or don’t know how to interpret the warning.

    Non-local visitors are a high-risk group for drownings. They are less likely to make safe swimming choices than residents or regular beach-goers, because visitors are generally unfamiliar with the beach and its safety measures, have poor knowledge of beach hazards like rip currents and breaking waves and are overconfident in their swimming ability.

    Recent findings from a popular beach on Lake Huron suggest that those with less experience at the beach tend to make decisions of convenience rather than based on beach safety. Residents with greater knowledge of the local hazards tend to avoid swimming near where the rip can develop.

    But even when people are aware of rip currents and other beach hazards, they may not make the right decisions. Despite the presence of warnings, people’s actions are greatly influenced by the behaviour of others, peer pressure and group-think. The social cost of not entering the water with the group may appear to outweigh the risk posed by entering the water.

    Rip channel and current on Lake Huron. (Chris Houser)

    The behaviour of beach users is affected by confirmation bias, a cognitive shortcut where a person selectively pays attention to evidence confirming their pre-existing beliefs and ignores evidence to the contrary. When someone enters the water and does not encounter strong waves or currents, they’re more likely to engage in risky behaviour on their next visit to that beach or a similar beach.

    Vacationers and day visitors can stay safe only if they are aware that there is the potential for rip currents and rough surf at beaches in the Great Lakes. Just because a beach is accessible and has numerous attractions does not mean it is safe.

    Advocating for beach safety

    In the United States, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration runs programs designed to educate beach users about surf and rip hazards. But Canada hasn’t implemented a national beach safety strategy.

    Education about rips and dangerous surf falls on the shoulders of advocates, many of whom have been impacted by a drowning in the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project has been tracking and educating school and community groups about rip currents and rough surf in the Great Lakes since 2010.

    Several new advocacy groups have started in recent years, including Kincardine Beach Safety on Lake Huron and the Rip Current Information Project on Lake Erie. Given that there is limited public interest in surf-related drownings and limited media coverage, these advocacy groups are helping to increase awareness of rip currents and rough surf across the Great Lakes.

    To ensure a safe trip to the beach, beachgoers should seek out more information about rip currents and other surf hazards in the Great Lakes.

    Chris Houser receives funding from NSERC.

    – ref. The Great Lakes are powerful. Learning about ‘rip currents’ can help prevent drowning – https://theconversation.com/the-great-lakes-are-powerful-learning-about-rip-currents-can-help-prevent-drowning-260060

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Suez University Hosts Series of Online Projects

    Source: International Association of Drilling Contractors – IADC

    Headline: Suez University Hosts Series of Online Projects

    In addition to a rich program of in-person networking, team building, and technical events, the IADC Suez University Student Chapter has also organized a variety of online educational forums and competitions for its students over the past 6+ months. 

    Online Technical Camp | OCT-DEC 2024

    The Online Technical Camp was a global virtual learning initiative designed to equip students with essential technical knowledge and introduce them to the core disciplines of petroleum engineering. With over 50 attendees from around the world, the camp marked a major step in building a strong foundation for aspiring engineers in the oil and gas industry. This camp was designed to enhance technical skills and serve as a launchpad for students’ professional journeys. 

    It was divided into 3 main tracks: 

    • Drilling: Included workshops on Well Control & Well Completion
    • Reservoir: Covered Reservoir Management & Water Flooding
    • Production (sponsored by ALS): Focused on Artificial Lift systems

    Well Servicing Online Event | 13-15 MAR 2025

    This three-day technical program brought together students and industry professionals to delve into the fundamentals and advancements in well intervention.  An engaging and educational experience, this event offered participants deep insights into essential well servicing operations, promoting knowledge exchange and fostering technical and professional growth.

    Each day focused on a specific well servicing topic:

    • Day 1 – Wireline Operations: Tools, techniques, and applications
    • Day 2 – Coiled Tubing: Role in intervention and operational efficiency
    • Day 3 – Well Integrity: Ensuring long-term safety and performance

    Well Testing Online Bootcamp | 25-26 MAR 2025

    The Well Testing Online Bootcamp was a focused 2-day online event that united students and industry professionals as they explored essential well testing concepts and operations. This immersive bootcamp offered valuable insights into both the technical and environmental aspects of well testing, supporting participants’ knowledge growth and career development.

    The interactive program covered: 

    • Day 1: Introduction to Well Testing – Covered fundamentals, well test design, and data acquisition & interpretation
    • Day 2: Well Testing Operations & Environmental Impact – Discussed operational procedures alongside the environmental considerations and sustainability practices in well testing

    DrillMaster Competition | 05-20 MAY 2025

    Held under the theme “From Surface to Stream,” the DrillMaster Challenge 2025 was a strategic and hands-on competition that brought together junior petroleum engineering students to simulate a real world drilling operation — from the initial surface assessment to a fully tested and production-ready well. 

    Organized by the IADC Suez University Student Chapter and sponsored by Borais Petroleum Investment Company, the competition offered participants a platform to transform classroom knowledge into a fully integrated, field-ready project. Most notably, Borais generously offered three exclusive internship opportunities to the winning team, making this challenge a significant step toward real-world industry engagement.

    The challenge welcomed teams of three students, acting as their own drilling and completion services company, to create and submit a full well delivery plan. Their technical report covered every critical phase of a drilling operation, including:

    • Project and company profile
    • Geological assumptions and formation analysis
    • Pre-drilling logistics and safety planning
    • Drilling and casing program
    • Mud design and BHA configuration
    • Logging and formation evaluation strategy
    • Well testing design and data interpretation
    • Completion planning and production readiness
    • Budget and timeline estimation
    • Innovation, safety, and sustainability highlights

    Unconventional Drilling | 19-20 MAY 2025

    The Unconventional Drilling online technical event was held over two days and aimed at advancing student knowledge in specialized drilling technologies. This event brought together industry professionals and students to explore innovative techniques shaping the future of drilling operations.

    Day 1 – Casing While Drilling (CWD)

    Focused on the integration of casing and drilling into a single step, this session covered tools, advantages, operational challenges, and real-world applications aimed at reducing non-productive time and enhancing wellbore stability.

    Day 2 – Managed Pressure Drilling (MPD)

    Participants explored how MPD technology enables precise pressure control in complex drilling environments, improving safety and operational efficiency. Experts discussed practical implementations and field results.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Flood protection for more people in West Kent one step closer

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Flood protection for more people in West Kent one step closer

    Another major milestone has been reached at the Leigh Flood Storage Area (FSA) after new central gate is installed as part of works to increase its capacity.

    Leigh Flood Storage Area centre gate being installed (Environment Agency)

    • Second flood gate installed at Leigh Flood Storage Area as part of major upgrade.
    • Once completed approximately 25% more floodwater can be stored – bringing the total storage capacity up to the equivalent of 2,800 Olympic swimming pools.
    • Over 1,800 homes and 575 non-residential properties better protected from flooding.

    Another major milestone has been reached at the Leigh Flood Storage Area (FSA) after the new central gate, the second of three new gates, has been installed as part of works to increase its capacity.

    The Leigh Flood Storage Area, the largest Environment Agency-owned and operated flood storage reservoir in Kent, currently reduces the risk of flooding from the River Medway to 1,200 homes and businesses in Tonbridge and Hildenborough.

    The scheme works by storing additional water in a storage area, similar to a large lake, and is operated during periods of heavy rain to reduce the volume of water travelling downstream to protect vulnerable homes and businesses.

    Over the last year, the Environment Agency has been working tirelessly to reduce the flood risk to a further 600 homes and 575 businesses by replacing the 44-year-old original gates and raising sections of the embankment. Replacing the gates has extended the life of the structure to at least 2060.

    Ian Nunn, Flood and Coastal Risk Management Operations Manager, Environment Agency, said:

    The installation of the new centre gate is a huge achievement and another great step forward in the project to reduce the flood risk to over 1,800 homes and 575 non-residential properties in Tonbridge and Hildenborough.

    People can be assured that the flood storage area will remain operational throughout the project, to continue to protect people, homes and businesses.

    Thank you to local residents for their continued patience while the work is ongoing.

    The Environment Agency are currently delivering the government’s long-term funding programme of flood defences, investing £2.65 billion over 2024/5 and 2025/6 to scale up national resilience through building new and improving existing flood defences. The improvement works at the Leigh Flood Storage Area are part of this programme. The Environment Agency prioritises maintenance work on assets to provide the greatest flood risk reduction for people, homes, and businesses.

    Leigh Flood Storage Area centre gate being lifted by crane (Environment Agency)

    The new central gate, lifted into place by a 300-tonne crane, is the second of the three new gates that will be installed during construction. The third and final gate is expected to be installed in late summer. The new gates were delivered in pieces and welded together on site. Each gate weighs around 12.5 tonnes – equivalent to the weight of a single-decker bus!

    By replacing the gates and raising the clay core in sections of the embankment, the flood storage area will be able to store approximately 25% more water than it does now.

    Increasing the current capacity of 5.58 million cubic metres to over 7 million cubic metres of flood water, the equivalent of 2,800 Olympic size swimming pools, will help to better protect more than 600 additional homes from flooding, as well as 575 non-residential properties.

    Cllr Matt Boughton, Leader of Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, said:

    It’s fantastic to see the construction of this vital project progressing so well. The scale of the engineering involved is truly impressive, not least the installation of the enormous gates which will provide reassurance for thousands of homes and businesses in our borough who will see their properties far better protected from the devastating impact that flooding can have.

    I’d like to thank the Environment Agency and all involved for their work so far and very much look forward to successful completion of the scheme in the coming months.   

    Liz Gibney, Kent and Medway Economic Partnership (KMEP) Chair said:

    While we are going through a dry spell currently, we ought not to forget the devastating effect that flooding can have on local businesses, residents, and communities. KMEP prioritised this project for investment to provide peace of mind to business leaders, knowing their premises and livelihoods are better protected.

    The second new gate at Leigh marks a significant milestone in this important project, and is a vital step towards a safer, more resilient future for everyone. We thank the Environment Agency and partners for their hard work.

    Ends

    Media enquiries

    Notes to Editors

    There are around 90,000 Environment Agency maintained assets, worth £26 billion, that reduce the risk of flooding to 2.3 million properties. These assets benefit the economy by reducing the annual average flood damages of £2.8 billion.   

    For more information – please visit the scheme’s GOV.UK page: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/leigh-expansion-and-hildenborough-embankments-scheme/leigh-expansion-and-hildenborough-embankments-scheme

    To find out more about how the two elements of the scheme work, you can view our YouTube animations:

    Working in partnership

    The Environment Agency is working to deliver the scheme in partnership with:

    • Kent County Council
    • Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council
    • Kent and Medway Economic Partnership

    Funding is through the government’s Flood Defence Grant in Aid (FDGiA), with contributions from Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, Kent County Council and the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (now the Kent and Medway Economic Partnership).

    Scheme progress

    It is expected that the scheme will be completed by the end of winter 2025/26.

    This is a complex programme and timings could change depending on external factors, such as the weather. Regular scheme updates are provided to residents and stakeholders via newsletters and on GOV.UK.

    Updates to this page

    Published 9 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Sacred sites in South Africa can protect natural heritage and culture: here’s how

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Ndidzulafhi Innocent Sinthumule, Associate Professor, University of Johannesburg

    Nature isn’t confined to officially protected areas. A lot can be done to conserve biodiversity in other places too. The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity agreed in 2018 on the idea of “other effective area-based conservation measures” (OECMs). These are geographically defined areas which can be managed in ways that protect biodiversity, ecosystem functions and “where applicable, cultural, spiritual, socio-economic, and other locally relevant values.” Geographer Ndidzulafhi Innocent Sinthumule has explored the potential for sacred natural sites in South Africa to contribute to nature conservation.

    Why does South Africa need to protect more land?

    In South Africa, although protected areas play a vital role in biodiversity conservation, they are not sufficient. A lot of biodiversity occurs outside formal protected areas. Protected areas make up only 9.2% (or 11,280,684 hectares) of the country’s total land area. The National Protected Area Expansion Strategy, which was last updated in 2016, aims to increase the percentage of protected areas in the country to 16%.

    My view is that the target can only be achieved by recognising other areas that have high conservation value, such as sacred natural sites. These are places with special spiritual and cultural value.

    Recognising sacred natural sites as “other effective area-based conservation measures” entails officially declaring them as protected areas.

    There are also other sites with conservation potential. These could be on public, private or community land. This means they are governed by a variety of rights holders. Apart from sacred natural sites, other examples include military land and waters, and locally managed marine areas.

    Whatever their other, primary purpose, they can also deliver conservation of biodiversity.

    Where are South Africa’s sacred natural sites?

    There are areas in South Africa known as sacred sites because of their cultural, spiritual, or historical value, often linked to ancestral beings, religion and traditional beliefs.

    They are often places of reverence, where rituals, ceremonies, burials, or pilgrimage are conducted, and where the custodians of the areas feel a deep connection to something larger than themselves.

    Read more: Sacred rivers: Christianity in southern Africa has a deep history of water and ritual

    Examples of sacred natural sites include these in Limpopo province, in the north of the country:

    In the province of KwaZulu-Natal, there are Mazizini and Mabasa forests, regarded as sacred by local communities.

    In the Free State province, the local Basotho people regard certain caves as sacred and ancestral sites:

    How do the sites fit in with protecting diversity?

    The study aimed to assess opinions and perceptions about the opportunities and challenges of sacred natural sites in contributing to global conservation goals.

    I interviewed academics involved in research on Indigenous knowledge, people involved in discussions about conservation, and custodians of sacred natural sites – 39 people in all.

    Study participants identified a number of opportunities. They said:

    • Sacred natural sites frequently harbour high levels of biodiversity, including rare and endemic species, because they have been protected for a long time through cultural practices. Giving them more legal protection and funding, and integrating them into national conservation strategies, would protect hotspots of biological diversity.

    • Integrating traditional ecological knowledge and practices into mainstream conservation efforts would promote more inclusive and culturally sensitive approaches to environmental management.

    • It would expand the total land area under conservation.

    • It might create conservation corridors that would facilitate movement of animals and ecological processes between isolated habitat patches.

    • Sacred natural sites could serve as carbon sinks or storehouses of carbon emissions. Sacred forests have old, tall trees and well developed canopy – the layer of foliage that forms the crown of a forest.

    • They can serve as tourist destinations where visitors will learn about biodiversity and about religious and cultural practices.

    Read more: ‘Sacred forests’ in West Africa capture carbon and keep soil healthy

    The study participants also identified challenges.

    • A big one was access rights and harmonising cultural and formal conservation practices. Access to sacred natural sites and the use of resources by the public is usually not permitted.

    • There was a fear that external intervention by government, nongovernmental organisations and conservationists might sideline local people and lead to the loss of their sacred sites.

    • External interventions might promote scientific knowledge at the expense of the traditional ecological knowledge that has protected sacred natural sites for millennia.

    • Respondents were concerned about elites capturing all the benefits and not sharing them equitably.

    • A methodological challenge might be how to study conservation effectiveness while respecting cultural sensitivities.

    How would a sacred natural site be officially recognised?

    At the moment, sacred natural sites are not designated or recognised as an “other conservation measure”. Currently, there are no standard procedures, criteria, or guidelines available for declaring them as such in South Africa. These would have to be determined by the national Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.

    The process should begin with identifying all sacred natural sites to understand where they are and what contribution they could make towards biodiversity conservation. The department should do this in consultation with local communities and traditional leaders who understand the local environment. It should be in line with the international principle of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent. This acknowledges the right of Indigenous peoples to give or withhold their consent for any action that would affect their lands.

    Read more: South African communities vs Shell: high court victories show that cultural beliefs and practices count in climate cases

    This will set up sacred natural sites as a conservation model that contributes to both biodiversity protection and cultural heritage preservation. The involvement of communities will ensure that sacred natural sites are a sustainable solution.

    All the respondents in my study said that designating a site as an “other conservation measure” should give control or legal protection, ownership and stewardship roles to local communities who have protected the area for ages.

    – Sacred sites in South Africa can protect natural heritage and culture: here’s how
    – https://theconversation.com/sacred-sites-in-south-africa-can-protect-natural-heritage-and-culture-heres-how-260207

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Sacred sites in South Africa can protect natural heritage and culture: here’s how

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Ndidzulafhi Innocent Sinthumule, Associate Professor, University of Johannesburg

    Lake Fundudzi By Iris Auda – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, CC BY

    Nature isn’t confined to officially protected areas. A lot can be done to conserve biodiversity in other places too. The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity agreed in 2018 on the idea of “other effective area-based conservation measures” (OECMs). These are geographically defined areas which can be managed in ways that protect biodiversity, ecosystem functions and “where applicable, cultural, spiritual, socio-economic, and other locally relevant values.” Geographer Ndidzulafhi Innocent Sinthumule has explored the potential for sacred natural sites in South Africa to contribute to nature conservation.

    Why does South Africa need to protect more land?

    In South Africa, although protected areas play a vital role in biodiversity conservation, they are not sufficient. A lot of biodiversity occurs outside formal protected areas. Protected areas make up only 9.2% (or 11,280,684 hectares) of the country’s total land area. The National Protected Area Expansion Strategy, which was last updated in 2016, aims to increase the percentage of protected areas in the country to 16%.

    My view is that the target can only be achieved by recognising other areas that have high conservation value, such as sacred natural sites. These are places with special spiritual and cultural value.

    Recognising sacred natural sites as “other effective area-based conservation measures” entails officially declaring them as protected areas.

    There are also other sites with conservation potential. These could be on public, private or community land. This means they are governed by a variety of rights holders. Apart from sacred natural sites, other examples include military land and waters, and locally managed marine areas.

    Whatever their other, primary purpose, they can also deliver conservation of biodiversity.

    Where are South Africa’s sacred natural sites?

    There are areas in South Africa known as sacred sites because of their cultural, spiritual, or historical value, often linked to ancestral beings, religion and traditional beliefs.

    They are often places of reverence, where rituals, ceremonies, burials, or pilgrimage are conducted, and where the custodians of the areas feel a deep connection to something larger than themselves.



    Read more:
    Sacred rivers: Christianity in southern Africa has a deep history of water and ritual

    Examples of sacred natural sites include these in Limpopo province, in the north of the country:

    In the province of KwaZulu-Natal, there are Mazizini and Mabasa forests, regarded as sacred by local communities.

    In the Free State province, the local Basotho people regard certain caves as sacred and ancestral sites:

    How do the sites fit in with protecting diversity?

    The study aimed to assess opinions and perceptions about the opportunities and challenges of sacred natural sites in contributing to global conservation goals.

    I interviewed academics involved in research on Indigenous knowledge, people involved in discussions about conservation, and custodians of sacred natural sites – 39 people in all.

    Study participants identified a number of opportunities. They said:

    • Sacred natural sites frequently harbour high levels of biodiversity, including rare and endemic species, because they have been protected for a long time through cultural practices. Giving them more legal protection and funding, and integrating them into national conservation strategies, would protect hotspots of biological diversity.

    • Integrating traditional ecological knowledge and practices into mainstream conservation efforts would promote more inclusive and culturally sensitive approaches to environmental management.

    • It would expand the total land area under conservation.

    • It might create conservation corridors that would facilitate movement of animals and ecological processes between isolated habitat patches.

    • Sacred natural sites could serve as carbon sinks or storehouses of carbon emissions. Sacred forests have old, tall trees and well developed canopy – the layer of foliage that forms the crown of a forest.

    • They can serve as tourist destinations where visitors will learn about biodiversity and about religious and cultural practices.



    Read more:
    ‘Sacred forests’ in West Africa capture carbon and keep soil healthy

    The study participants also identified challenges.

    • A big one was access rights and harmonising cultural and formal conservation practices. Access to sacred natural sites and the use of resources by the public is usually not permitted.

    • There was a fear that external intervention by government, nongovernmental organisations and conservationists might sideline local people and lead to the loss of their sacred sites.

    • External interventions might promote scientific knowledge at the expense of the traditional ecological knowledge that has protected sacred natural sites for millennia.

    • Respondents were concerned about elites capturing all the benefits and not sharing them equitably.

    • A methodological challenge might be how to study conservation effectiveness while respecting cultural sensitivities.

    How would a sacred natural site be officially recognised?

    At the moment, sacred natural sites are not designated or recognised as an “other conservation measure”. Currently, there are no standard procedures, criteria, or guidelines available for declaring them as such in South Africa. These would have to be determined by the national Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.

    The process should begin with identifying all sacred natural sites to understand where they are and what contribution they could make towards biodiversity conservation. The department should do this in consultation with local communities and traditional leaders who understand the local environment. It should be in line with the international principle of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent. This acknowledges the right of Indigenous peoples to give or withhold their consent for any action that would affect their lands.



    Read more:
    South African communities vs Shell: high court victories show that cultural beliefs and practices count in climate cases

    This will set up sacred natural sites as a conservation model that contributes to both biodiversity protection and cultural heritage preservation. The involvement of communities will ensure that sacred natural sites are a sustainable solution.

    All the respondents in my study said that designating a site as an “other conservation measure” should give control or legal protection, ownership and stewardship roles to local communities who have protected the area for ages.

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

    – ref. Sacred sites in South Africa can protect natural heritage and culture: here’s how – https://theconversation.com/sacred-sites-in-south-africa-can-protect-natural-heritage-and-culture-heres-how-260207

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Sacred sites in South Africa can protect natural heritage and culture: here’s how

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Ndidzulafhi Innocent Sinthumule, Associate Professor, University of Johannesburg

    Lake Fundudzi By Iris Auda – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, CC BY

    Nature isn’t confined to officially protected areas. A lot can be done to conserve biodiversity in other places too. The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity agreed in 2018 on the idea of “other effective area-based conservation measures” (OECMs). These are geographically defined areas which can be managed in ways that protect biodiversity, ecosystem functions and “where applicable, cultural, spiritual, socio-economic, and other locally relevant values.” Geographer Ndidzulafhi Innocent Sinthumule has explored the potential for sacred natural sites in South Africa to contribute to nature conservation.

    Why does South Africa need to protect more land?

    In South Africa, although protected areas play a vital role in biodiversity conservation, they are not sufficient. A lot of biodiversity occurs outside formal protected areas. Protected areas make up only 9.2% (or 11,280,684 hectares) of the country’s total land area. The National Protected Area Expansion Strategy, which was last updated in 2016, aims to increase the percentage of protected areas in the country to 16%.

    My view is that the target can only be achieved by recognising other areas that have high conservation value, such as sacred natural sites. These are places with special spiritual and cultural value.

    Recognising sacred natural sites as “other effective area-based conservation measures” entails officially declaring them as protected areas.

    There are also other sites with conservation potential. These could be on public, private or community land. This means they are governed by a variety of rights holders. Apart from sacred natural sites, other examples include military land and waters, and locally managed marine areas.

    Whatever their other, primary purpose, they can also deliver conservation of biodiversity.

    Where are South Africa’s sacred natural sites?

    There are areas in South Africa known as sacred sites because of their cultural, spiritual, or historical value, often linked to ancestral beings, religion and traditional beliefs.

    They are often places of reverence, where rituals, ceremonies, burials, or pilgrimage are conducted, and where the custodians of the areas feel a deep connection to something larger than themselves.



    Read more:
    Sacred rivers: Christianity in southern Africa has a deep history of water and ritual

    Examples of sacred natural sites include these in Limpopo province, in the north of the country:

    In the province of KwaZulu-Natal, there are Mazizini and Mabasa forests, regarded as sacred by local communities.

    In the Free State province, the local Basotho people regard certain caves as sacred and ancestral sites:

    How do the sites fit in with protecting diversity?

    The study aimed to assess opinions and perceptions about the opportunities and challenges of sacred natural sites in contributing to global conservation goals.

    I interviewed academics involved in research on Indigenous knowledge, people involved in discussions about conservation, and custodians of sacred natural sites – 39 people in all.

    Study participants identified a number of opportunities. They said:

    • Sacred natural sites frequently harbour high levels of biodiversity, including rare and endemic species, because they have been protected for a long time through cultural practices. Giving them more legal protection and funding, and integrating them into national conservation strategies, would protect hotspots of biological diversity.

    • Integrating traditional ecological knowledge and practices into mainstream conservation efforts would promote more inclusive and culturally sensitive approaches to environmental management.

    • It would expand the total land area under conservation.

    • It might create conservation corridors that would facilitate movement of animals and ecological processes between isolated habitat patches.

    • Sacred natural sites could serve as carbon sinks or storehouses of carbon emissions. Sacred forests have old, tall trees and well developed canopy – the layer of foliage that forms the crown of a forest.

    • They can serve as tourist destinations where visitors will learn about biodiversity and about religious and cultural practices.



    Read more:
    ‘Sacred forests’ in West Africa capture carbon and keep soil healthy

    The study participants also identified challenges.

    • A big one was access rights and harmonising cultural and formal conservation practices. Access to sacred natural sites and the use of resources by the public is usually not permitted.

    • There was a fear that external intervention by government, nongovernmental organisations and conservationists might sideline local people and lead to the loss of their sacred sites.

    • External interventions might promote scientific knowledge at the expense of the traditional ecological knowledge that has protected sacred natural sites for millennia.

    • Respondents were concerned about elites capturing all the benefits and not sharing them equitably.

    • A methodological challenge might be how to study conservation effectiveness while respecting cultural sensitivities.

    How would a sacred natural site be officially recognised?

    At the moment, sacred natural sites are not designated or recognised as an “other conservation measure”. Currently, there are no standard procedures, criteria, or guidelines available for declaring them as such in South Africa. These would have to be determined by the national Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.

    The process should begin with identifying all sacred natural sites to understand where they are and what contribution they could make towards biodiversity conservation. The department should do this in consultation with local communities and traditional leaders who understand the local environment. It should be in line with the international principle of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent. This acknowledges the right of Indigenous peoples to give or withhold their consent for any action that would affect their lands.



    Read more:
    South African communities vs Shell: high court victories show that cultural beliefs and practices count in climate cases

    This will set up sacred natural sites as a conservation model that contributes to both biodiversity protection and cultural heritage preservation. The involvement of communities will ensure that sacred natural sites are a sustainable solution.

    All the respondents in my study said that designating a site as an “other conservation measure” should give control or legal protection, ownership and stewardship roles to local communities who have protected the area for ages.

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

    – ref. Sacred sites in South Africa can protect natural heritage and culture: here’s how – https://theconversation.com/sacred-sites-in-south-africa-can-protect-natural-heritage-and-culture-heres-how-260207

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Skip company to pay over £48,000 for operating illegal waste site

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Skip company to pay over £48,000 for operating illegal waste site

    A Birmingham skip hire company must pay financial penalties of more than £48,000 after the Environment Agency brought a prosecution for operating illegally.

    • Investigation by Environment Agency finds company without necessary environmental permit
    • Court issues remediation order for site to be cleared of waste within 3 months
    • Case heard at Birmingham magistrates on Monday 7 July 2025.

    At Birmingham magistrates’ court on 7 July 2025, Action Skip Hire Limited of Trent Street, Digbeth, were found guilty of 2 offences and admitted another.

    The court imposed a fine of £12,000 for operating a regulated facility in Oxford Street, Birmingham, without the necessary environmental permit. They were also ordered to pay a surcharge of £190 and costs of £26,376.58.

    The company was fined a further £6,000 for failing to comply with a Notice to provide waste transfer notes. They were ordered to pay a £2,000 surcharge and costs of £1,522.38.

    The court was told that the company held an environmental permit for a waste site at Trent Street, Digbeth. However, not for land off Oxford Street where the company illegally stored and processed wastes.

    Officers from the Environment Agency visited the Oxford Street site on 10 August 2023 following reports of waste activity taking place.

    Investigations found the site were storing mixed general and construction and demolition wastes including trommel fines, tyres, mattresses and wood.

    Further investigations revealed that the land was leased to Action Skip Hire Limited. Inspections by Environment Agency Officers during September and October of 2023 showed that the Oxford Street site was still being used for waste activities.

    This resulted in the Environment Agency serving a Section 59 (1) (a) Enforcement Notice on 20 November 2023 requiring the company to remove waste from the land. The notice was not complied with.

    Further visits were carried out throughout 2024 which found wastes remaining on the site.

    A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said:

    We welcome this outcome and will continue to work tirelessly to pursue and prosecute those involved in illegal waste activities.

     Failure to comply with these legal requirements is a serious offence that can damage the environment and undermine legitimate businesses.

     Anyone with suspicions of waste crime can call our incident hotline, 0800 807060, or Crimestoppers, on 0800 555111.

    Background

    • Between 1 February 2021 and the 16 July 2024, at a site off Oxford Street, Birmingham, B5 5NY, did operate a regulated facility, namely a waste operation for the deposit, treatment, and storage of waste, except under and to the extent authorised by an environmental permit. Contrary to Regulations 12 (1) (a) and 38 (1) (a) Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016

    • On and after 29 February 2024 Action Skip Hire Limited failed, without reasonable excuse, to comply with a notice dated the 20 November 2023 and served on the company pursuant to Section 59 (1) (a) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 in that the company failed to remove controlled waste from land off Oxford Street, Birmingham, B5 5NY.

    • On 28 November 2024 Action Skip Hire Limited failed to comply with the requirements of a Notice dated 20 November 2024, which required that written descriptions of waste removed from 39 Trent Street, Birmingham, B5 5NL, covering the period 5 August 2024 to 19 November 2024, be provided to the Environment Agency within 7 days, contrary to Section 34(5) and (6) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and Regulation 35 of the Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011.

    Remediation Order:

    A Regulation 44 Remediation Order was issued to the Company requiring them to remove all waste from the site within 3 months.

    Updates to this page

    Published 9 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: EPW Favorably Reports NRC and EPA Nominees, Approves GSA Resolutions at Business Meeting

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

    [embedded content]

    To watch Chairman Capito’s opening statement, click here or the image above.

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, led a business meeting to consider the nominations of Usha-Maria Turner to be Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the Office of International and Tribal Affairs and David Wright to be a member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and 32 Committee Resolutions to approve prospectuses from the General Services Administration (GSA).

    Both nominations were favorably reported by the EPW Committee, and the GSA resolutions were approved by voice vote. The nominations head to the full U.S. Senate for consideration. 

    Below is the opening statement of Chairman Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) as delivered.

    “I want to thank everybody for attending today’s business meeting to vote on the nominations of David Wright to be a member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Usha-Maria Turner to be EPA Assistant Administrator for the Office of International and Tribal Affairs.

    “I will support both of these nominees this morning.

    “As our nation’s independent nuclear safety regulator, the NRC is critically important to our energy future. Congress directed the NRC to be more efficient and we expect the NRC, under the leadership and direction of the Chair and the Commission, to accelerate this work.

    “Through Chairman Wright’s leadership, the NRC has taken some initial, positive steps. The Commission updated its Mission Statement, reduced the timeframe to approve new nuclear licenses, and is addressing unique regulatory challenges with new reactor designs.

    “I will work in a bipartisan manner to hold the Commission, including Chairman Wright, accountable to expedite their efforts while maintaining their focus on ensuring nuclear safety.

    “In response to questions for the record I submitted jointly with Ranking Member Whitehouse, Chairman Wright affirmed that he is committed to preserving the NRC’s independent authority to license and oversee the civilian use of nuclear material. I appreciate that commitment and will support Chairman Wright’s nomination.

    “I will also vote for Usha-Maria Turner to lead the EPA’s Office of International and Tribal Affairs.

    “Her experience in energy and environmental regulatory affairs makes her well prepared to represent the EPA around the world and with our Tribal partners. I urge my colleagues to support these nominations.

    “I also encourage my colleagues to support the 32 GSA resolutions that authorize important repair and alternation projects and leases across the country.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cotton Introduces Bill to Eliminate Challenges to Countering China

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    Contact:     Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353
    July 9, 2025

    Cotton Introduces Bill to Eliminate Challenges to Countering China 

    Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, today introduced the Necessary Environmental Exemptions for Defense Act, legislation that would establish environmental waivers for commercial projects deemed necessary to counter the Chinese Communist Party by the Secretary of Defense.

    “Current environmental laws put our readiness to counter Communist China at risk and waste taxpayer dollars on projects that stall out and die on the vine. This bill will create jobs, better arm and prepare our soldiers, and spend taxpayer dollars more efficiently,” said Senator Cotton.

    Text of the Necessary Environmental Exemptions for Defense Act may be found here.

    The Necessary Environmental Exemptions for Defense Act would:

    • Establish a waiver for activities related to countering the threat of Communist China.
    • The waivers would apply to regulations under the:
      • National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
      • Endangered Species Act (ESA)
      • Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA)
      • Federal Water Pollution Control Act (FWPA)

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: South Africa: Minister Dion George on 47th World Heritage Committee session

    Source: APO


    .

    The Minister, Dr Dion George, has wished the South African delegation negotiating for the proposed extension of iSimangaliso Wetland Park into Maputo National Park in Mozambique well, as they participate at the 47th Session of the World Heritage Committee in Paris, France.

    South Africa is among 195 other countries participating in the 47th Session currently taking place at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Headquarters until 16 July 2025. The delegation is led by the Director-General of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Ms Nomfundo Tshabalala, who is supported by South Africa’s Permanent Representative to UNESCO, Dr Phil Mjwara, and the Chief Executive Officer of iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority, Mr Sibusiso Bukhosini.

    “In line with our strategy to elevate our iconic natural sites into world class destinations, the expansion of iSimangaliso into Maputo National Park would translate into ecological protection, job creation, and inclusive tourism, benefitting both South Africans and Mozambicans,” said Minister George.

    The proposed extension of iSimangaliso has been recommended for listing on the UNESCO World Heritage List by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Through the negotiations, team South Africa will propose strong recommendations for sustainable development and reporting, guided by environmental legislations, joint governance structures, as well as matters of a joint management framework for the proposed Transboundary World Heritage Site, should it be successfully listed.

    The World Heritage Committee is an intergovernmental structure that oversees the implementation of the 1972 World Heritage Convention. South Africa has been a member of this Convention since 1997.

    The two week-long Session will discuss, amongst others, statutory matters such as a report of the World Heritage Centre and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Advisory bodies; State of Conservation (SoC) reports of sites on the World Heritage List and World Heritage List in Danger; Nominations to the UNESCO World Heritage List; and World Heritage Fund requests.

    It is important to also note that ahead of the tabling of the proposed extension of iSimangaliso into Maputo National Park, the South African government undertook a stakeholder consultation process in the month of June 2025. This process was made possible through financial support received from Peace Parks Foundation.

    “The consultation process is an integral part of the process and subsequent tabling of the possible extension at the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee,” said Minister George.

    As per the timetable, the proposed extension of iSimangaliso Wetland Park into Mozambique will be discussed by the World Heritage Committee between the 11 – 13 July 2025.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic Of South Africa: Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Ministers Hodgson and Arsenault to hold media availabilities in Charlottetown

    Source: Government of Canada News

    CHARLOTTETOWN — The Honourable Tim Hodgson, Canada’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, and the Honourable Gilles Arsenault, Prince Edward Island’s Minister of Environment, Energy and Climate Action, will hold a joint media availability to conclude the Energy and Mines Ministers’ Conference (EMMC) in Charlottetown.

    Date: Friday, July 11, 2025

    Time: 1:30 p.m. AT

    Later that afternoon, Minister Hodgson will make an announcement regarding energy investments for Atlantic Canada. He will be joined by Minister Arsenault and leaders from the Maritime energy sector. A media availability will follow. 

    Date: Friday, July 11, 2025

    Time: 3 p.m. AT

    All accredited media are asked to pre-register by emailing media@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca. Details on how to participate will be provided upon registration.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ will have Americans paying higher prices for dirtier energy

    Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Daniel Cohan, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rice University

    Congress passed Donald Trump’s tax and spending bill on July 3, 2025. Kevin Carter/Getty Images

    When congressional Republicans decided to cut some Biden-era energy subsidies to help fund their One Big Beautiful Bill Act, they could have pruned wasteful subsidies while sparing the rest. Instead, they did the reverse. Americans will pay the price with higher costs for dirtier energy.

    The nearly 900-page bill that President Donald Trump signed on July 4, 2025, slashes incentives for wind and solar energy, batteries, electric cars and home efficiency while expanding subsidies for fossil fuels and biofuels. That will leave Americans burning more fossil fuels despite strong public and scientific support for shifting to renewable energy.

    As an environmental engineering professor who studies ways to confront climate change, I think it is important to distinguish which energy technologies could rapidly cut emissions or need a financial boost to become viable from those that are already profitable but harm the environment. Unfortunately, the Republican bill favors the latter while stifling the former.

    The Spring Creek Mine in Decker, Mont., is just one mine in the Powder River Basin, the most productive coal-producing region in the U.S.
    AP Photo/Matthew Brown

    Cuts to renewable electricity

    Wind and solar power, often paired with batteries, provide over 90% of the new electricity added nationally and around the world in recent years. Natural gas turbines are in short supply, and there are long lead times to build nuclear power plants. Wind and solar energy projects – with batteries to store excess power until it’s needed – offer the fastest way to satisfy growing demand for power. Recent technological breakthroughs put geothermal power on the verge of rapid growth.

    However, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act rescinds billions of dollars that the Inflation Reduction Act, enacted in 2022, devoted to boosting domestic manufacturing and deployments of renewable energy and batteries.

    It accelerates the phaseout of tax credits for factories that manufacture equipment needed for renewable energy and electric vehicles. That would disrupt the boom in domestic manufacturing projects that had been stimulated by the Inflation Reduction Act.

    Efforts to build new wind and solar farms will be hit even harder. To receive any tax credits, those projects will need to commence construction by mid-2026 or come online by the end of 2027. The act preserves a slower timeline for phasing out subsidies for nuclear, geothermal and hydrogen projects, which take far longer to build than wind and solar farms.

    However, even projects that could be built soon enough will struggle to comply with the bill’s restrictions on using Chinese-made components. Tax law experts have called those provisions “unworkable,” since some Chinese materials may be necessary even for projects built with as much domestic content as possible. For example, even American-made solar panels may rely on components sourced from China or Chinese-owned companies.

    Princeton University professor Jesse Jenkins estimates that the bill will mean wind and solar power generate 820 fewer terawatt-hours in 2035 than under previous policies. That’s more power than all U.S. coal-fired power plants generated in 2023.

    That’s why BloombergNEF, an energy research firm, called the bill a “nightmare scenario” for clean energy proponents.

    However, one person’s nightmare may be another man’s dream. “We’re constraining the hell out of wind and solar, which is good,” said U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, a Texas Republican who is backed by the oil and gas industry.

    Federal tax credits for homeowners who install solar panels will now expire at the end of 2025.
    AP Photo/Michael Conroy

    Electric cars and efficiency

    Cuts fall even harder on Americans who are trying to reduce their carbon footprints and energy costs. The quickest phaseout comes for tax credits for electric vehicles, which will end on Sept. 30, 2025. And since the bill eliminates fines on car companies that fail to meet fuel economy standards, other new cars are likely to guzzle more gas.

    Tax credits for home efficiency improvements such as heat pumps, efficient windows and energy audits will end at the end of 2025. Homeowners will also lose tax credits for installing solar panels at the end of the year, seven years earlier than under the previous law.

    The bill also rescinds funding that would have helped cut diesel emissions and finance clean energy projects in underserved communities.

    Federal tax credits for buying electric vehicles will end on Sept. 30, 2025.
    AP Photo/Jae C. Hong

    Support for biofuels and fossil fuels

    Biofuels and fossil fuels fared far better under the bill. Tens of billions of dollars will be spent to extend tax credits for biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel.

    Food-based biofuels do little good for the climate because growing, harvesting and processing crops requires fertilizers, pesticides and fuel. The bill would allow forests to be cut to make room for crops because it directs agencies to ignore the effects of biofuels on land use.

    Meanwhile, the bill opens more federal lands and waters to leasing for oil and gas drilling and coal mining. It also slashes the royalties that companies pay to the federal government for fuels extracted from publicly owned land. And a new tax credit will subsidize metallurgical coal, which is mainly exported to steelmakers overseas.

    The bill also increases subsidies for using captured carbon dioxide to extract more oil and gas from the ground. That makes it less likely that captured emissions will only be sequestered to combat climate change.

    Summing it up

    With fewer efficiency improvements, fewer electric vehicles and less clean power on the grid, Princeton’s Jenkins projects that the law will increase household energy costs by over $280 per year by 2035 above what they would have been without the bill. The extra fossil fuel-burning will negate 470 million tons of anticipated emissions reductions that year, a 7% bump.

    The bill will also leave America’s clean energy transition further behind China, which is deploying more solar and wind power and electric vehicles than the rest of the world combined.

    No one expected President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act to escape unscathed with Republicans in the White House and dominating both houses of Congress, even though many of its projects were in Republican-voting districts. Still, pairing cuts to clean energy with support for fossil fuels makes Trump’s bill uniquely harmful to the world’s climate and to Americans’ wallets.

    This article includes some material previously published on June 10, 2025.

    Daniel Cohan receives research funding from the Carbon Hub at Rice University. He previously received research funding from Project InnerSpace, the Mitchell Foundation, the National Science Foundation, NASA, and the Environmental Protection Agency.

    – ref. ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ will have Americans paying higher prices for dirtier energy – https://theconversation.com/big-beautiful-bill-will-have-americans-paying-higher-prices-for-dirtier-energy-260588

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ will have Americans paying higher prices for dirtier energy

    Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Daniel Cohan, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rice University

    Congress passed Donald Trump’s tax and spending bill on July 3, 2025. Kevin Carter/Getty Images

    When congressional Republicans decided to cut some Biden-era energy subsidies to help fund their One Big Beautiful Bill Act, they could have pruned wasteful subsidies while sparing the rest. Instead, they did the reverse. Americans will pay the price with higher costs for dirtier energy.

    The nearly 900-page bill that President Donald Trump signed on July 4, 2025, slashes incentives for wind and solar energy, batteries, electric cars and home efficiency while expanding subsidies for fossil fuels and biofuels. That will leave Americans burning more fossil fuels despite strong public and scientific support for shifting to renewable energy.

    As an environmental engineering professor who studies ways to confront climate change, I think it is important to distinguish which energy technologies could rapidly cut emissions or need a financial boost to become viable from those that are already profitable but harm the environment. Unfortunately, the Republican bill favors the latter while stifling the former.

    The Spring Creek Mine in Decker, Mont., is just one mine in the Powder River Basin, the most productive coal-producing region in the U.S.
    AP Photo/Matthew Brown

    Cuts to renewable electricity

    Wind and solar power, often paired with batteries, provide over 90% of the new electricity added nationally and around the world in recent years. Natural gas turbines are in short supply, and there are long lead times to build nuclear power plants. Wind and solar energy projects – with batteries to store excess power until it’s needed – offer the fastest way to satisfy growing demand for power. Recent technological breakthroughs put geothermal power on the verge of rapid growth.

    However, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act rescinds billions of dollars that the Inflation Reduction Act, enacted in 2022, devoted to boosting domestic manufacturing and deployments of renewable energy and batteries.

    It accelerates the phaseout of tax credits for factories that manufacture equipment needed for renewable energy and electric vehicles. That would disrupt the boom in domestic manufacturing projects that had been stimulated by the Inflation Reduction Act.

    Efforts to build new wind and solar farms will be hit even harder. To receive any tax credits, those projects will need to commence construction by mid-2026 or come online by the end of 2027. The act preserves a slower timeline for phasing out subsidies for nuclear, geothermal and hydrogen projects, which take far longer to build than wind and solar farms.

    However, even projects that could be built soon enough will struggle to comply with the bill’s restrictions on using Chinese-made components. Tax law experts have called those provisions “unworkable,” since some Chinese materials may be necessary even for projects built with as much domestic content as possible. For example, even American-made solar panels may rely on components sourced from China or Chinese-owned companies.

    Princeton University professor Jesse Jenkins estimates that the bill will mean wind and solar power generate 820 fewer terawatt-hours in 2035 than under previous policies. That’s more power than all U.S. coal-fired power plants generated in 2023.

    That’s why BloombergNEF, an energy research firm, called the bill a “nightmare scenario” for clean energy proponents.

    However, one person’s nightmare may be another man’s dream. “We’re constraining the hell out of wind and solar, which is good,” said U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, a Texas Republican who is backed by the oil and gas industry.

    Federal tax credits for homeowners who install solar panels will now expire at the end of 2025.
    AP Photo/Michael Conroy

    Electric cars and efficiency

    Cuts fall even harder on Americans who are trying to reduce their carbon footprints and energy costs. The quickest phaseout comes for tax credits for electric vehicles, which will end on Sept. 30, 2025. And since the bill eliminates fines on car companies that fail to meet fuel economy standards, other new cars are likely to guzzle more gas.

    Tax credits for home efficiency improvements such as heat pumps, efficient windows and energy audits will end at the end of 2025. Homeowners will also lose tax credits for installing solar panels at the end of the year, seven years earlier than under the previous law.

    The bill also rescinds funding that would have helped cut diesel emissions and finance clean energy projects in underserved communities.

    Federal tax credits for buying electric vehicles will end on Sept. 30, 2025.
    AP Photo/Jae C. Hong

    Support for biofuels and fossil fuels

    Biofuels and fossil fuels fared far better under the bill. Tens of billions of dollars will be spent to extend tax credits for biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel.

    Food-based biofuels do little good for the climate because growing, harvesting and processing crops requires fertilizers, pesticides and fuel. The bill would allow forests to be cut to make room for crops because it directs agencies to ignore the effects of biofuels on land use.

    Meanwhile, the bill opens more federal lands and waters to leasing for oil and gas drilling and coal mining. It also slashes the royalties that companies pay to the federal government for fuels extracted from publicly owned land. And a new tax credit will subsidize metallurgical coal, which is mainly exported to steelmakers overseas.

    The bill also increases subsidies for using captured carbon dioxide to extract more oil and gas from the ground. That makes it less likely that captured emissions will only be sequestered to combat climate change.

    Summing it up

    With fewer efficiency improvements, fewer electric vehicles and less clean power on the grid, Princeton’s Jenkins projects that the law will increase household energy costs by over $280 per year by 2035 above what they would have been without the bill. The extra fossil fuel-burning will negate 470 million tons of anticipated emissions reductions that year, a 7% bump.

    The bill will also leave America’s clean energy transition further behind China, which is deploying more solar and wind power and electric vehicles than the rest of the world combined.

    No one expected President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act to escape unscathed with Republicans in the White House and dominating both houses of Congress, even though many of its projects were in Republican-voting districts. Still, pairing cuts to clean energy with support for fossil fuels makes Trump’s bill uniquely harmful to the world’s climate and to Americans’ wallets.

    This article includes some material previously published on June 10, 2025.

    Daniel Cohan receives research funding from the Carbon Hub at Rice University. He previously received research funding from Project InnerSpace, the Mitchell Foundation, the National Science Foundation, NASA, and the Environmental Protection Agency.

    – ref. ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ will have Americans paying higher prices for dirtier energy – https://theconversation.com/big-beautiful-bill-will-have-americans-paying-higher-prices-for-dirtier-energy-260588

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: AI and art collide in this engineering course that puts human creativity first

    Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Francesco Fedele, Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology

    A Georgia Tech University course links art and artificial intelligence. Yuichiro Chino/Moment via Getty Images

    Uncommon Courses is an occasional series from The Conversation U.S. highlighting unconventional approaches to teaching.

    Title of course:

    Art and Generative AI

    What prompted the idea for the course?

    I see many students viewing artificial intelligence as humanlike simply because it can write essays, do complex math or answer questions. AI can mimic human behavior but lacks meaningful engagement with the world. This disconnect inspired the course and was shaped by the ideas of 20th-century German philosopher Martin Heidegger. His work highlights how we are deeply connected and present in the world. We find meaning through action, care and relationships. Human creativity and mastery come from this intuitive connection with the world. Modern AI, by contrast, simulates intelligence by processing symbols and patterns without understanding or care.

    In this course, we reject the illusion that machines fully master everything and put student expression first. In doing so, we value uncertainty, mistakes and imperfection as essential to the creative process.

    This vision expands beyond the classroom. In the 2025-26 academic year, the course will include a new community-based learning collaboration with Atlanta’s art communities. Local artists will co-teach with me to integrate artistic practice and AI.

    The course builds on my 2018 class, Art and Geometry, which I co-taught with local artists. The course explored Picasso’s cubism, which depicted reality as fractured from multiple perspectives; it also looked at Einstein’s relativity, the idea that time and space are not absolute and distinct but part of the same fabric.

    What does the course explore?

    We begin with exploring the first mathematical model of a neuron, the perceptron. Then, we study the Hopfield network, which mimics how our brain can remember a song from just listening to a few notes by filling in the rest. Next, we look at Hinton’s Boltzmann Machine, a generative model that can also imagine and create new, similar songs. Finally, we study today’s deep neural networks and transformers, AI models that mimic how the brain learns to recognize images, speech or text. Transformers are especially well suited for understanding sentences and conversations, and they power technologies such as ChatGPT.

    In addition to AI, we integrate artistic practice into the coursework. This approach broadens students’ perspectives on science and engineering through the lens of an artist. The first offering of the course in spring 2025 was co-taught with Mark Leibert, an artist and professor of the practice at Georgia Tech. His expertise is in art, AI and digital technologies. He taught students fundamentals of various artistic media, including charcoal drawing and oil painting. Students used these principles to create art using AI ethically and creatively. They critically examined the source of training data and ensured that their work respects authorship and originality.

    Students also learn to record brain activity using electroencephalography – EEG – headsets. Through AI models, they then learn to transform neural signals into music, images and storytelling. This work inspired performances where dancers improvised in response to AI-generated music.

    The Improv AI performance at Georgia Tech on April 15, 2025. Dancers improvised to music generated by AI from brain waves and sonified black hole data.

    Why is this course relevant now?

    AI entered our lives so rapidly that many people don’t fully grasp how it works, why it works, when it fails or what its mission is.

    In creating this course, the aim is to empower students by filling that gap. Whether they are new to AI or not, the goal is to make its inner algorithms clear, approachable and honest. We focus on what these tools actually do and how they can go wrong.

    We place students and their creativity first. We reject the illusion of a perfect machine, but we provoke the AI algorithm to confuse and hallucinate, when it generates inaccurate or nonsensical responses. To do so, we deliberately use a small dataset, reduce the model size or limit training. It’s in these flawed states of AI that students step in as conscious co-creators. The students are the missing algorithm that takes back control of the creative process. Their creations do not obey AI but reimagine it by the human hand. The artwork is rescued from automation.

    What’s a critical lesson from the course?

    Students learn to recognize AI’s limitations and harness its failures to reclaim creative authorship. The artwork isn’t generated by AI, but it’s reimagined by students.

    Students learn chatbot queries have an environmental cost because large AI models use a lot of power. They avoid unnecessary iterations when designing prompts or using AI. This helps reducing carbon emissions.

    The Improv AI performance on April 15, 2025, featured dancer Bekah Crosby responding to AI-generated music from brain waves.

    What will the course prepare students to do?

    The course prepares students to think like artists. Through abstraction and imagination they gain the confidence to tackle the engineering challenges of the 21st century. These include protecting the environment, building resilient cities and improving health.

    Students also realize that while AI has vast engineering and scientific applications, ethical implementation is crucial. Understanding the type and quality of training data that AI uses is essential. Without it, AI systems risk producing biased or flawed predictions.

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

    – ref. AI and art collide in this engineering course that puts human creativity first – https://theconversation.com/ai-and-art-collide-in-this-engineering-course-that-puts-human-creativity-first-256673

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: ​​​​​​​‘Do not invest in US gas exports’ Greenpeace warns EU, backed by new report

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    ‘Do not invest in US gas exports’ Greenpeace warns EU, backed by new report

    Brussels – As European leaders and companies are pushing for increased imports of US liquefied gas (LNG), a new report by Greenpeace USA, Earthworks, and Oil Change International highlights the climate threats and financial risks posed by five major new liquefied gas export projects proposed for the US Gulf Coast, most of them still awaiting a final investment decision.[1]

    “What we found was crystal clear – any further investment in LNG is not compatible with a livable climate,” said Andres Chang, Senior Research Specialist at Greenpeace USA and lead author of the report. “The massive growth in infrastructure along the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast has already created significant public health and ecosystem impacts, threatening entire coastal communities. But it doesn’t stop there. We believe this report shows that, if built, these projects would put global climate goals even further out of reach.”

    The report analyses five major US LNG projects – Venture Global CP2, Cameron LNG Phase II, Sabine Pass Stage V, Cheniere Corpus Christi LNG Midscale 8-9, and Freeport LNG Expansion – and finds that each would fail the climate test derived from models in the US Department of Energy’s 2024 LNG Export public interest studies.[2] Each would increase greenhouse gas emissions by edging out renewable energy and driving up global fossil fuel use, undermining the world’s ability to meet the Paris Agreement targets and driving more frequent and intense extreme weather events. The report suggests that future US administrations could therefore revoke export authorisations issued under current US President Trump.

    Pressured by Trump and facing the threat of sweeping tariffs, the EU Commission is proposing increased LNG imports.[3] It has also agreed to look into direct public investments by the EU and its member states in gas export facilities outside the EU – including potentially the five US LNG projects analysed in this report – in its Affordable Energy Action Plan released in February 2025.[4]

    “Increasing US gas imports will deepen Europe’s dependence on the US, making the EU and national governments even more vulnerable to Trump’s political extortion. EU leaders must break free from fossil fuel dependency and take control of Europe’s future by investing in a renewable, secure and peaceful energy system. A ban on all new fossil fuel projects in the EU would be the right first step, certainly not funding projects abroad,” said Thomas Gelin, Greenpeace EU climate and energy campaigner.

    Another result of Trump’s pressure is the calls by some Member States and other EU policymakers to weaken the EU methane regulation, which was adopted just last year, in order to continue importing US liquefied gas despite the fact that its production – mostly coming from fracking – is associated with particularly high methane emissions.[5][6]

    “This report adds to a rapidly growing body of evidence that financing U.S. LNG is not a sound decision for insurers, investors, or purchasers – something the EU and America’s Asian allies must keep in mind as President Trump pressures them to increase their imports of U.S. LNG under threat of sweeping tariffs. Countries with climate commitments, such as those in the EU, should be very wary of the climate cost of importing US LNG,” said Dr Dakota Raynes, Senior Manager of Research, Policy, and Data at Earthworks.

    European energy companies have already signed long-term purchase agreements for four of the projects analysed in the report. These contracts extend well beyond 2035, the year by which Europe must phase-out fossil gas if it is serious about meeting its international climate commitments. These companies include SEFE (Germany), BASF (Germany), GASTRADE S.A. (Greece), DTEK (Ukraine), TotalEnergies (France), PKN Orlen (Poland), Gap (Portugal) and Equinor (Norway) – several of which are fully or partially state-owned.[7] 

    “Fossil fuel dependency has long externalized its true costs, forcing communities to bear the burden of pollution, sickness, and economic instability,” says James Hiatt, founder and director of For a Better Bayou. “For decades the oil and gas industry has known about the devastating health and climate impacts of its operations, yet it continues to expand, backed by billions in private and public financing. These harms are not isolated – they’re systemic, and they threaten all of us. This report is a call to conscience. It’s time we stop propping up deadly false solutions and start investing in a transition to energy systems that sustain life, not sacrifice it.”

    Greenpeace calls on EU leaders to stop new long-term purchase agreements for liquefied gas and drop the proposal for direct financial investments in gas export facilities. Instead, the EU should impose a ban on all new fossil fuel projects, including new liquefied gas import terminals, stop all public investments in fossil fuel infrastructure and agree to end fossil gas by 2035 at the latest.

    ENDS

    Notes

    Read the full report: Failing the climate test: LNG projects awaiting final investment decision do not stand up to US Government analysis

    Read the European media briefing

    Watch the press conference recording

    [1] At the time of drafting of the report, all five were awaiting a final investment decision. On June 24, 2025, Cheniere Corpus Christi LNG announced a positive final investment decision.

    [2] December 2024 | ENERGY, ECONOMIC, AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF US LNG EXPORTS

    [3] Trump says EU must buy $350B of US energy to get tariff relief – POLITICO

    [4] Action Plan for Affordable Energy 

    [5] The Member States are: Bulgaria, Czechia, Greece, Hungaria, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.

    [6] Liquefied natural gas carbon footprint is worse than coal | Cornell Chronicle

    [7] Source: Sierra Club US LNG Export Tracker, date as of 4 June 2025

    Contacts

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

    Katie Nelson, Senior Communications Specialist, Greenpeace USA, [email protected], +1 (678) 644-1681, (GMT -8)

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: My city was one of hundreds expecting federal funds to help manage rising heat wave risk – then EPA terminated the grants

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Brian G. Henning, Professor of Philosophy and Environmental Studies and Science, Gonzaga University

    The Pacific Northwest heat wave of 2021 left cities across Washington state sweltering in dangerous temperatures. AP Photo/Ted S. Warren

    In June 2021, a deadly heat wave pushed temperatures to 109 degrees Fahrenheit (43 Celsius) in Spokane, Washington, a northern city near the Idaho border where many homes weren’t built with central air conditioning.

    As the heat lingered for over a week, 19 people died in Spokane County and about 300 visited hospitals with signs of heat-related illnesses.

    Scientists say it’s not a matter of if, but when, another deadly heat wave descends on the region. To help save lives, the city teamed up with my university, Gonzaga, to start preparing for a hotter future.

    A chart of all deaths, excluding COVID-19, shows the extraordinary impact the 2021 heat dome had in Washington.
    ‘In the Hot Seat’ report, 2022

    We were excited and relieved when the community was awarded a US$19.9 million grant from the Environmental Protection Agency to help it take concrete steps to adapt to climate change and boost the local economy in the process. The grant would help establish resilience hubs with microgrids and help residents without air conditioning install energy-efficient cooling systems. The city doesn’t have the means to make these improvements on its own, even if they would save lives and money in the long run.

    Less than a year later, the Trump administration abruptly terminated the funding.

    Spokane’s grant wasn’t the only one eliminated – about 350 similar grants that had been awarded to help communities across the country manage climate changes, from extreme heat and wildfire smoke to rising seas and flooding, were also terminated on the grounds that they don’t meet the White House’s priorities. Many other grants to help communities have also been terminated.

    Many of the communities that lost funding are like Spokane: They can’t afford to do this kind of work on their own.

    Why cities like Spokane need the help

    Like many communities in the American West, Spokane was founded in the late 19th century on wealth from railroads and resource extraction, especially gold, silver and timber.

    Today, it is a city of 230,000 in a metro area of a half-million people, the largest on the I-90 corridor between Minneapolis and Seattle. In many ways, Spokane could be on the cusp of a renaissance.

    In January 2025, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced a $48 million grant to develop a tech hub that could put the Inland Northwest on a path to become a global leader in advanced aerospace materials. But then, in May, the Trump administration rescinded that grant as well.

    The lost grants left the economy – and Spokane’s ability to adapt fast enough to keep up with climate changes – uncertain.

    Heat waves are becoming a growing risk in Spokane, known for its river and falls that tumble near downtown.
    Roman Eugeniusz/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

    This is not a wealthy area. The median household income is nearly $30,000 less than the state average. More than 13 out of every 100 people in Spokane live in poverty, above the national average, and over 67% of the children are eligible for free or reduced lunch.

    The city is a light blue island in a dark red sea, politically speaking, with a moderate mayor. Its congressional district has voted Republican by wide margins since 1995, the year that then-House Speaker Tom Foley lost his reelection bid.

    Lessons from the 2021 heat dome

    The 2021 heat wave was a catalyzing event for the community. The newly formed Gonzaga Institute for Climate, Water and the Environment brought together a coalition of government and community partners to apply for the EPA’s Climate and Environmental Justice Community Change Grant Program. The grants, funded by Congress under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, were intended to help communities most affected by pollution and climate change build adaptive capacity and boost the safety of their residents.

    A key lesson from the 2021 heat dome was that temporary, or pop-up, cooling centers don’t work well. People just weren’t showing up. Our research found that the best approach is to strengthen existing community facilities that people already turn to in moments of difficulty.

    Half the $19.9 million award was for outfitting five resilience hubs in existing libraries and community centers with solar arrays and battery backup microgrids, allowing them to continue providing a safe, cool space during a heat wave if the power shuts down.

    The locations and plans for five resilience hubs to serve Spokane, and the infrastructure they would receive.
    Gonzaga Institute for Climate, Water and the Environment

    Another $8 million in grant funding was meant to provide 300 low- to moderate-income homeowners with new high-efficiency electric heat pump heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, providing more affordable utility bills while improving their ability to cool their homes and reducing fossil fuel emissions.

    Communities are left with few options

    Now, this and other work is at risk in Spokane and cities and towns like it around the country that also lost funding.

    According to the Trump administration, the program – designed to help hundreds of communities around the country become safer – was “no longer consistent with EPA funding priorities.”

    A class action lawsuit was recently filed over the termination of the grants by a coalition that includes Earth Justice and the Southern Environmental Law Center. If the case is successful, Spokane could see its funding restored.

    Meanwhile, the city and my team know we have to move fast, with whatever money and other resources we can find, to help Spokane prepare for worsening heat. We formed the Spokane Climate Resilience Collaborative – a partnership between community organizations, health officials and the city – as one way to advance planning for and responding to climate hazards such as extreme heat and wildfire smoke.

    As concentrations of heat-trapping gasses accumulate in the atmosphere, both the frequency and severity of heat waves increase. It is only a matter of time before another deadly heat dome arrives.

    Brian G. Henning receives funding from the Environmental Protection Agency.

    – ref. My city was one of hundreds expecting federal funds to help manage rising heat wave risk – then EPA terminated the grants – https://theconversation.com/my-city-was-one-of-hundreds-expecting-federal-funds-to-help-manage-rising-heat-wave-risk-then-epa-terminated-the-grants-259009

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Westminster’s green makeover: £500,000 funding boost for public spaces | Westminster City Council

    Source: City of Westminster

    Westminster City Council has selected 16 local projects to receive funding through its Greening Westminster grants programme — a community-led initiative to make the city’s public spaces greener, healthier, and more welcoming. 
     
    This year, almost £500,000 has been awarded to a range of local groups and partner organisations to deliver green projects in parks, on highways and housing estates.   

    From tree planting and pollinator-friendly flowers to edible gardens and greener play areas, the chosen projects showcase a creative, community-driven approach to bring more nature into Westminster’s built-up urban environment. 

     The Greening Westminster programme is a key part of the Council’s Fairer Westminster strategy, which helps improve the environment and supports communities to make positive changes in their neighbourhoods. The programme also aims to give residents greater access to high-quality green spaces that benefit their health and wellbeing.  

     Projects include:  

    • The Onion Garden (Victoria): Adding more plants and wildlife features to a popular community garden.
    • Charfield Court in Bloom  (Amberley Estate): Residents are adding greenery to their housing estate.
    • Covent Garden Playground: Making the playground greener with plants and showcasing a sustainable approach
    • University of Westminster: Improving green spaces on campus and along Marylebone Road.
    • North Paddington Food Bank – The Roots Garden Kitchen: Creating a garden to grow food for the community by the community.  
    • Parish of St Marylebone: Turning church gardens into greener, more welcoming public spaces.
    • Paddington Now BID: Putting up flower baskets with pollinator-friendly plants on Eastbourne Terrace. 

    Cllr Geoff Barraclough, Westminster City Council Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Development, said:  

    “We’re proud to support these inspiring community-led projects that will help make Westminster greener, healthier, and more welcoming for everyone.  

    “By working together with local groups, we’re transforming public spaces into vibrant places that bring people closer to nature and to each other, which is part of our Fairer Environment commitment.” 

    For more information and a full list of funded projects, visit: 
    www.westminster.gov.uk/greening-westminster 

    ENDS 

    • The Council received 20 applications for its Greening Westminster grants programme and approved 16  
    • Since 2017, Greening Westminster has supported 51 projects across Westminster  

    The 16 recipients who have successfully been awarded funding: 

    Walterton and Elgin Community Homes (WECH) 
    Parish of St Marylebone
    Covent Garden Playground
    St Augustine’s School
    St Barnabas Church
    St Stephens Church 
    North Paddington food bank
    The Onion Garden
    University of Westminster
    Stone Wharf Gardens
    Charfield Court Resident Group – Amberley Estate 
    Grosvenor Residents Association – Edric House
    Hallfield Estate
    Oldham’s Walk
    Community 4 All – Lydford Hall garden

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ3: Roadside skips

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

    Following is a question by the Hon Chan Pui-leung and a reply by the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, in the Legislative Council today (July 9):

    Question:

    There are views that roadside skips unlawfully occupying public roads not only affects the safety of road users, but also poses environmental hygiene problems. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

    (1) of the information on the enforcement actions taken by the Hong Kong Police Force and the Lands Department against roadside skips in the past five years, including the number of complaints or referrals received, the number of statutory notices posted or warnings issued to operators, as well as the number of skips removed; among them, the number of cases in which prosecutions were instituted and the number of convicted cases, as well as the relevant penalties imposed;

    (2) of the current utilisation situations of the four sites made available for use by the trade for storing skips; as the Government indicated in its reply to a question raised by this Council in May 2023 that the skip storage site in Tseung Kwan O Area 137 would become part of the new community, and that the Government would make arrangements in due course, of the progress of the relevant arrangements, including whether alternative sites will be identified for the operation of the skips trade; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

    (3) as there are views that the regulation of roadside skips involves a number of government departments, whether the Government will consider assigning a designated department to take full responsibility so as to improve enforcement efficiency; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

    Reply:

    President,

    Construction waste is generated from construction sites, buildings under maintenance and shops under renovation, which is then transported to landfills or public fill banks for handling. Before skips emerged in the market, most construction waste from construction and renovation sites were piled up at roadside before it was collected for delivery. This not only affected the environmental hygiene, but also caused nuisance to residents and pedestrians, and even affected the road safety. Skips could store relatively large quantity of waste, in particular, construction waste. Using skips can avoid waste being placed everywhere and help maintain a clean and hygienic environment and road safety. It also helps the construction and renovation industry handle construction waste in a neat and orderly way.

    Skips are primarily placed at site of use, such as construction sites, renovation sites, shopping malls, housing estates and designated locations nearby, to collect construction waste generated by construction or renovation works in the buildings nearby. Skips that are not being used need to be stored. According to the result of a questionnaire survey with the trade, there are about 1 500 roadside skips in Hong Kong. Among these, about half of them need to be stored while there is only storage space for 330 skips on four pieces of land provided. Under such a circumstance, some skip operators may place the skips at roadside or other improper locations.

    Management of skips involves various bureaux and departments. Through the Joint Working Group on Management of Roadside Skips (Working Group), the Government coordinates the work on enhancing management of roadside skips among the Environment and Ecology Bureau, the Development Bureau, the Transport and Logistics Bureau, the Environmental Protection Department, the Lands Department (LandsD), the Transport Department, the Highways Department, the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF), the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, and the Home Affairs Department. Since skips placed on at roadside is also a problem of district concern, the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration also looks into this problem with the bureaux and departments concerned through inter-departmental meetings. 

    In response to the question raised by the Hon Chan Pui-leung, in consultation with the HKPF and the LandsD, a consolidated reply is as follows:

    (1) Currently, the HKPF handles complaints involving roadside skips in accordance with the Summary Offences Ordinance (Cap. 228). Over the past five years, the HKPF has received a total of 5 913 complaints about skips. Police officers will, in light of the circumstances at the scene, make assessments and issue advice and/or warnings to the skip operators concerned if found. In most cases, the operators would remove the skips on their own within hours after receiving the advice and/or warning, with five cases requiring the HKPF to engage contractors to remove the skips. A total of 18 cases were prosecuted under police summons and were convicted. The convicted persons were fined between $300 and $9,000 by the court.

    Over the past five years, the LandsD has received a total of 3 674 complaints concerning skips. Among these complaints, 3 per cent were referred by other departments (including the HKPF), and the other 97 per cent were lodged by the public. Within two working days upon receiving a complaint or referral, the LandsD will conduct an on-site inspection and post a notice according to Section 6 of the Land (Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance (Cap. 28) requiring the person concerned to remove the skip and to stop occupying the government land before the specified deadline no less than one clear day, otherwise it will be removed by the LandsD’s contractor. Over the past five years, the LandsD has removed a total of 27 skips, with the remaining removed by relevant persons on their own before the deadlines.

    (2)  As mentioned above, there are about 1 500 skips in Hong Kong. Considering factors such as job rotations, the trade estimates that about 600 to 700 idling skips would require space for storage each day. At present, the Government has provided four sites to the trade for storage of idling skips through short-term tenancy mechanism. These sites are located at Pak Shing Kok, an area next to the Tseung Kwan O Area 137 (TKO 137) Fill Bank, Siu Lang Shui in Tuen Mun, and adjacent to Tsing Nam Street in Tsing Yi respectively, altogether providing storage space for a total of 330 skips. The site at Pak Shing Kok can store about 110 skips; the site next to the TKO 137 Fill Bank can store about 120 skips; the site at Siu Lang Shui in Tuen Mun can store about 80 skips; and the site at Tsing Nam Street in Tsing Yi can store about 20 skips.

    To tie in with the future residential development of TKO 137, according to the current development timetable, the site leased to the trade under short-term tenancy for storing skips is expected to be returned in the second quarter of 2026 the earliest. Meanwhile, the Government has completed the open tendering process for a site at Tsing Chau Wan on Lantau Island, which is initially expected to accommodate approximately 100 skips and to be awarded within this year. To further improve the situation that some skip operators placed their skips at roadside or other improper locations, the Working Group also strives to find more suitable sites for skip storage by the trade through short-term tenancy tenders.

    (3) The management of roadside skips involves works of different departments and various pieces of legislation. Hence, the Government has its reason and need to coordinate relevant departments’ work through the Working Group. The Government is adopting a multipronged approach and looking for more effective ways to improve the problem of improper placement of skips. At the current stage, the Government focuses on enhancing enforcement on illegally placed skips that pose safety risk to road users. 

    Thank you, President.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Ghana Deposit Protection Corporation Board Inaugurated

    Source: APO


    .

    Deputy Minister for Finance, Hon. Thomas Ampem Nyarko has inaugurated the Board of the Ghana Deposit Protection Corporation (GDPC)

    During the inauguration he stated that one of the critical roles of the GDPC was to safeguard the deposits of ordinary Ghanaians and strengthen public confidence in the financial system.

    The Board is chaired by Governor of the C Bank of Ghana, Dr. Johnson Pandit Asiamah, Other members include Galahad Alex Andoh, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Deposit Protection Corporation; Mr. Prosper Ayinbilla Awuni, representing the Ministry of Finance; Benjamin Amenumey; and Paul Kwasi Agyemang.

    The Board Chairman expressed gratitude to His Excellency the President and the Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, for the confidence reposed in the team.

    He again gave assurance of the Board’s commitment to providing effective leadership and strengthening the deposit protection scheme.

    Dr. Asiamah further noted that the Board will ensure transparency, good governance, and the use of innovative tools to improve the Corporation’s operations.

    Additionally, he stated the the Board’s plans to explore the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and integrate Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles, among other strategies, to enhance how the Corporation serves the people.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Finance – Republic of Ghana.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: The EBA consults on the revision of product oversight and governance Guidelines for retail banking products to consider products with ESG features and greenwashing risks

    Source: European Banking Authority

    The European Banking Authority (EBA) today launched a public consultation proposing to revise the EBA Guidelines on product oversight and governance (POG) arrangements for retail banking products. The proposed revision aims to prevent greenwashing and ensure that financial institutions meet the highest standards of business conduct when offering products with Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) features to consumers. The consultation runs until 9 October 2025.

    The proposed amendments aim to strike the right balance between clarifying existing POG requirements for products with ESG features to prevent consumer detriment (e.g. risks of misleading commercial practices, mis-selling of products etc.) that might occur if financial institutions fail to comply with conduct requirements when offering product with ESG features, without imposing additional regulatory burden on FIs.

    In June 2024, the EBA published a report on greenwashing, highlighting an increase in potential cases across all sectors, including among EU banks. In light of this report and recent legislative changes such as amendments to the Capital Requirement Directive (CRD) and the Capital Requirements Regulation (CRR) regarding ESG risks, the EBA concluded that it is necessary to give further consideration to products with ESG features and greenwashing risks in the existing POG Guidelines.

    The consultation paper proposes a targeted approach, adjusting only a limited number of existing requirements in the POG GLs related to the subject matter, manufacturer’s internal control functions, the target market, distribution channels, information for distributors and information and support for the manufacturer’s arrangements.

    The EBA expects to publish its final guidelines in Q1 2026, which will be applied as of 1 December 2026.

    Consultation process and next steps

    Comments to this consultation can be sent to the EBA by clicking on the “send your comments” button on the consultation page. Please note that the deadline for the submission of comments is 9 October 2025. All received contributions will be published at the end of the consultation, unless requested otherwise.

    The EBA will hold a virtual public hearing on the consultation paper on 11 September 2025 from 14:30 to 16:30 CET. Please register for the hearing here by 8 September 2025 by 17:00 CET. The dial-in details will be communicated to those who have registered for the meeting.

    Background

    The EBA issued its initial POG Guidelines in 2016 to address conduct failures of financial institutions. These Guidelines are addressed to manufacturers and distributors of retail banking products in EBA’s remit, namely mortgages, personal loans, deposits, payment accounts, payment services, and electronic money. Recent legislative developments necessitate a revision to incorporate ESG objectives and greenwashing risks and to ensure compliance with the highest standards of business conduct.

    The EBA developed these draft Guidelines in accordance with Article 16 of Regulation (EU) No 1093/2010 which empowers the EBA to issue guidelines to ensure the effective and consistent application of European Union law. 

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: The EBA consults on the revision of product oversight and governance Guidelines for retail banking products to consider products with ESG features and greenwashing risks

    Source: European Banking Authority

    The European Banking Authority (EBA) today launched a public consultation proposing to revise the EBA Guidelines on product oversight and governance (POG) arrangements for retail banking products. The proposed revision aims to prevent greenwashing and ensure that financial institutions meet the highest standards of business conduct when offering products with Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) features to consumers. The consultation runs until 9 October 2025.

    The proposed amendments aim to strike the right balance between clarifying existing POG requirements for products with ESG features to prevent consumer detriment (e.g. risks of misleading commercial practices, mis-selling of products etc.) that might occur if financial institutions fail to comply with conduct requirements when offering product with ESG features, without imposing additional regulatory burden on FIs.

    In June 2024, the EBA published a report on greenwashing, highlighting an increase in potential cases across all sectors, including among EU banks. In light of this report and recent legislative changes such as amendments to the Capital Requirement Directive (CRD) and the Capital Requirements Regulation (CRR) regarding ESG risks, the EBA concluded that it is necessary to give further consideration to products with ESG features and greenwashing risks in the existing POG Guidelines.

    The consultation paper proposes a targeted approach, adjusting only a limited number of existing requirements in the POG GLs related to the subject matter, manufacturer’s internal control functions, the target market, distribution channels, information for distributors and information and support for the manufacturer’s arrangements.

    The EBA expects to publish its final guidelines in Q1 2026, which will be applied as of 1 December 2026.

    Consultation process and next steps

    Comments to this consultation can be sent to the EBA by clicking on the “send your comments” button on the consultation page. Please note that the deadline for the submission of comments is 9 October 2025. All received contributions will be published at the end of the consultation, unless requested otherwise.

    The EBA will hold a virtual public hearing on the consultation paper on 11 September 2025 from 14:30 to 16:30 CET. Please register for the hearing here by 8 September 2025 by 17:00 CET. The dial-in details will be communicated to those who have registered for the meeting.

    Background

    The EBA issued its initial POG Guidelines in 2016 to address conduct failures of financial institutions. These Guidelines are addressed to manufacturers and distributors of retail banking products in EBA’s remit, namely mortgages, personal loans, deposits, payment accounts, payment services, and electronic money. Recent legislative developments necessitate a revision to incorporate ESG objectives and greenwashing risks and to ensure compliance with the highest standards of business conduct.

    The EBA developed these draft Guidelines in accordance with Article 16 of Regulation (EU) No 1093/2010 which empowers the EBA to issue guidelines to ensure the effective and consistent application of European Union law. 

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Algeria deepens trade ties with other African countries as it gears up for Africa’s biggest marketplace

    Source: APO

    Algeria is working towards increasing its share of trade with other African countries by tapping into opportunities created by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

    In a keynote address during the Algeria Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) 2025 Business Roadshow, Algeria’s Minister of Foreign Trade and Export Promotion, H.E. Prof. Kamal Rezig stated that this includes enhancing continental connectivity through infrastructure projects such as the Trans-Sahara Highway and the Zouerate Road project linking the Tindouf border with Mauritania and the Nigeria-Algeria gas pipeline and fibre optic cable.

    “In order to improve the business climate in Algeria, the State has endeavoured to ensure a stable, transparent, stimulating and attractive economic and institutional environment for investment. This is in addition to ensuring stability of legislation that regulates local and foreign investment, and simplifying administrative procedures, development and strengthening of the banking system, the capital market and the insurance sector, as well as development of human resources capabilities and skills, with the aim of adapting its economy to global transformations,” H.E. Rezig said, adding that besides developing key sectors, the country is also promoting exports in the continent within the framework of AfCFTA.

    In 2024, Algeria’s share of total intra-African trade stood at 2.2%, marginally growing from 1.9% in 2022, according to African Trade Report 2025 (http://apo-opa.co/44BzJhH). Mineral fuels and oils make up 91.5% of its exports. The country’s top-five African export partners in 2023 based on volumes are Tunisia (70.7%), South Africa (6.7%), Cote d’Ivoire (3.6%), Nigeria (3.1%) and Senegal (2.7%) states the Country at a Glance: Algeria 2024 report (http://apo-opa.co/4m4chRF) while its top-five import partners  are Mauritania (38.8%), Tunisia (32.7%), Cote d’Ivoire (9%), Morocco (6%) and Uganda (2.2%).

    The Algeria IATF2025 Business Roadshow focused on promoting intra-African trade, bringing together government officials, the trade community, including businesses, investors, and executives from African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank). Hosted by Afreximbank, in collaboration with the Government of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, the roadshow was one of the five roadshows hosted in key cities including Accra, Nairobi, Johannesburg, and Lagos in the run up to the fourth edition of IATF, Africa’s premier trade and investment event that is held biennially, scheduled to take place in Algiers, Algeria, from 4 – 10 September 2025 hosted by the Government of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria. IATF provides a platform for businesses to showcase goods and exchange trade and investment information within the continent’s single market.

    The Chairman of IATF2025 Advisory Council and former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, H.E. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo said that intra-African trade presents a huge opportunity for African economies to enhance their resilience in today’s rapidly changing world.

    “Through the IATF, the largest, go-to trade and investment fair on the continent, Africa needs to join hands and build on the gains that have been achieved so far in promoting trade with itself under the AfCFTA framework. AfCFTA provides an opportunity for the continent to achieve economic emancipation and self-reliance and build the Africa We Want. This will help unlock the continent’s vast potential while accelerating industrialisation and job creation,” H.E. Obasanjo added.

    The past three editions of IATF have attracted over 70,000 participants and 4,500 exhibitors, and hosted buyers and sellers from over 130 countries, generating more than $100 billion in trade and investment deals. This provides a glimpse of the immense potential that exists for intra-African trade and investment.

    Afreximbank’s Executive Vice-President, Intra-African Trade & Export Development, Mrs Kanayo Awani noted that whereas conventional wisdom attributes Africa’s low intra-continental trade to infrastructure deficits, a more fundamental barrier is the lack of access to trade and market information.

    “Afreximbank launched the IATF —not merely as an exhibition but as a marketplace for the AfCFTA and a platform to close the trade information gap. Since its inception in 2018, IATF has held three resoundingly successful fairs. In these fairs, Algeria showed up strongly and directly benefited from facilitated trade and investment deals worth over $2 billion. Now, Algeria has the opportunity to host the fourth edition. As Africa’s largest country by land and the fourth-largest economy by GDP, Algeria has both the duty and the opportunity to lead. Algeria’s competitive advantages—energy, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, financial services, light manufacturing, ICT, and automotive assembly—are all primed for scale and export across the continent,” Mrs Awani said. She challenged businesses and government agencies in Algeria and the North African region to take centre stage at IATF2025, where over 2,000 exhibitors from Africa and beyond will showcase their products to more than 35,000 visitors and buyers from over 140 countries, resulting in trade and investment deals in excess of US$44 billion.

    IATF2025 will feature a trade exhibition by countries and businesses; and the Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) programme spotlighting cultural industries with a dedicated exhibition and summit on fashion, music, film, arts and craft, sports, literature, gastronomy and culinary arts. It will also include a four-day Trade and Investment Forum featuring leading African and international speakers; and the Africa Automotive Show for auto manufacturers, assemblers, original equipment manufacturers and component suppliers. Special Days will highlight countries, public and private sector entities, tourism, cultural attractions, and Global Africa Day celebrating ties with the African diaspora. Additional activities include business-to-business and business-to-government matchmaking, the AU Youth Start-Up programme, the Africa Research and Innovation Hub, and the African Sub-Sovereign Governments Network (AfSNET) to promote local trade and cultural exchanges. The IATF Virtual platform is also live, connecting exhibitors and visitors year-round.

    Planning for IATF2025 is in top gear with significant progress made in ensuring a seamless logistical experience and delivering a successful event.

    The theme of Algeria IATF2025 Business Roadshow was ‘Harnessing Regional and Continental Value Chains: Accelerating Africa’s Industrialisation and Global Competitiveness under the AfCFTA’. It was also attended by H.E Ms. Baleka Mbete, the founder of NaLHISA and former Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa; H.E Zitouny El-Tayeb, Minister of Internal Trade; H.E. Selma Mansouri, the Secretary of State to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, in charge of African Affairs; H.E. Moses Vilakati, AU Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment and Acting Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Minerals; and Mr. Jean Louis-EKRA, former President of Afreximbank and Deputy Chair of the Intra-African Trade Fair Advisory Council.

    To participate in IATF2025 please visit www.IntrAfricanTradeFair.com. 

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

    Media contact: 
    media@intrafricatradefair.com 
    press@afreximbank.com

    About the Intra-African Trade Fair:
    Organised by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) is intended to provide a unique platform for facilitating trade and investment information exchange in support of increased intra-African trade and investment, especially in the context of implementing the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). IATF brings together continental and global players to showcase and exhibit their goods and services and to explore business and investment opportunities in the continent. It also provides a platform to share trade, investment and market information with stakeholders and allows participants to discuss and identify solutions to the challenges confronting intra-African trade and investment. In addition to African participants, the Trade Fair is also open to businesses and investors from non-African countries interested in doing business in Africa and in supporting the continent’s transformation through industrialisation and export development. 

    Media files

    .

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: When lived experience speaks, everyone listens 

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    News story

    When lived experience speaks, everyone listens 

    How ACE drives mission impact at pace in some of the hardest-hitting situations facing government and wider society.

    On June 18th the Accelerated Capability Environment (ACE) brought together over 80 people across government, industry and academia, to tackle some of the most pressing issues facing government and wider society, with a focus on knife crime.  

    We demonstrated our ability to drive mission impact at pace through a range of work, from Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RASSO) to the world of deepfakes.  

    We shared inspirational capabilities, tools and approaches already helping to solve some of these challenges, through 10 suppliers and universities from the ACE community. 

    We provided a collaborative space to have open conversations and share ideas on how we might pull together and intervene, to lead to better outcomes.  

    But there was one part of the day that really hit home. Where the emotion was so raw and the stories so powerful, that everyone stopped and listened. We got to hear stories from three people with lived experience about the devastating impact of knife crime. 

    Martin Cosser, the father of 17-year-old Charlie Cosser, who was murdered almost two years ago, shared his family’s story. Charlie’s death, perpetrated by someone who decided to carry and use a knife, led to the creation of Charlie’s Promise, a campaign against knife crime.  

    Chantell Hayles, a knife crime survivor, spoke about her own experiences of bullying and violence from other young girls, and an abusive relationship which only ended when her partner died suddenly. She now runs Living Without Limits, to provide young people with a platform to be heard and to support those living through similar experiences, especially young girls who are often overlooked in knife crime narratives. 

    Tim Haigh, a former gang member and knife carrier, told how his early potential was derailed by crime, leading to nine years in prison and a near fatal addiction. He now works through Lived Experience Speakers, helping others avoid the path he took. 

    At ACE we create experiences and connections to some of the hardest-hitting situations facing society. We don’t shy away from the cutting emotion or minimise the realities that people face. Instead, we give them a voice, a platform and access to the people that can make a difference and help others avoid similar situations.  

    Lived experiences working alongside industry, academia and government.  

    To find out more, get in touch with the team at ace@homeoffice.gov.uk.  

    Updates to this page

    Published 9 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Import of poultry meat and products from areas in Korea suspended

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (July 8) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Gimhae-si of Gyeongsangnam-do Province and Gangjin-gun of Jeollanam-do Province in Korea, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the above-mentioned areas with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

    A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 60 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and about 5.33 million poultry eggs from Korea in the first three months of this year.

    “The CFS has contacted the Korean authority over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the WOAH and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreaks. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation,” the spokesman said.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Climate crisis tripled death toll of Europe’s latest heatwave: Greenpeace calls for polluters to pay

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    Amsterdam – Responding to a rapid study by scientists at Imperial College London and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine that found that the number of heat-related deaths across 12 European cities tripled due to the climate crisis in the 10 day period between 23 June and 2 July, as well as to preliminary data published by the Copernicus Climate Change Service that June 2025 was the hottest ever June for Western Europe and the third-warmest June globally.[1][2]

    Ian Duff, Head of Greenpeace International’s Stop Drilling Start Paying campaign said: “It is society’s most vulnerable – in Milan, Barcelona, Paris, London and elsewhere – who suffer most in the midst of record temperatures. Europe’s dependence and soft hand on oil and gas corporations who are fueling this extreme heat is giving a death blow to our parents and grandparents.” 

    “This heatwave comes when public finances are already stretched and it is only fair that those most responsible are made to pay. For European cities to become safe spaces for society’s most vulnerable, polluters like Shell and TotalEnergies must face fines and taxes to pay for soaring climate and health costs.”

    Beyond excess mortality, the latest heatwave in Europe resulted in restrictions on outdoor work hours in Italy, the closure of more than 2,200 schools in France, and wildfires breaking out in Greece, Spain, and Turkey.

    Eight out of 10 people support taxing oil and gas corporations to pay for climate damages, according to a global survey commissioned by Greenpeace International and Oxfam International. The two organisations are part of the Polluters Pay Pact, a global alliance of over 170,000 people, including first responders like firefighters, humanitarian groups and political leaders. It demands that governments around the world make oil, coal and gas corporations pay their fair share for the damages they cause

    ENDS

    Notes:

    [1] “Climate change tripled heatwave death toll in European cities during last week’s heatwave” – Imperial College London and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

    [2] “Third-warmest June globally – Heatwaves in Europe amid temperature extremes across both hemispheres” – Copernicus 

    Contact:

    Tal Harris, Global Media Lead – Greenpeace International’s Stop Drilling Start Paying campaign, +41-782530550, [email protected] 

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

    MIL OSI NGO –