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Category: Environment

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Highlights – Action Plan for the European Automotive Sector – Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

    Source: European Parliament

    Vehicles © Image used under the license from Adobestock

    On 26 June 2025, the European Commission presented its newly adopted Industrial Action Plan for the European Automotive Sector, outlining a comprehensive strategy to support the industry’s transition towards clean, connected, and automated mobility while preserving its competitiveness and resilience. The Action Plan seeks to deliver targeted support to one of Europe’s most strategic sectors.

    It is structured around five key pillars – Innovation & Digitalisation, Clean Mobility, Competitiveness & Supply Chain Resilience, Skills & the Social Dimension, and a Level Playing Field & Business Environment.
    Members welcomed the Action Plan and underlined the critical timing of this initiative as the automotive sector undergoes profound transformation. Several Members emphasised the importance of ensuring access to affordable zero-emission vehicles, especially in rural and less-connected areas and called for accelerated investment in charging infrastructure and electricity grids. There was broad recognition of the need to maintain the EU’s global competitiveness while securing high environmental and social standards.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    July 2, 2025
  • MIL-OSI NGOs: The ‘Big, Beautiful’ Blunder: a bill that will live in infamy 

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 1, 2025)—In response to the passage of the “Big Beautiful Bill” in the United States Senate, Greenpeace USA Deputy Climate Program Director, John Noël, said: “This is a vote that will live in infamy. This bill is what happens when a major political party, in the grips of a personality cult, teams up with oil company CEOs, hedge fund donors, and climate deniers. All you need to do is look at who benefits from actively undercutting the clean energy industry that is creating tens of thousands of jobs across political geographies.  

    “The megabill isn’t about reform—it’s about rewarding the super rich and doling out fossil fuel industry handouts, all while dismantling the social safety nets on which millions depend for stability. It is a bet against the future.”


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

    MIL OSI NGO –

    July 2, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Human rights situation in the river basins of Curbaradó and Jiguamiandó in Bajo Atrato (Colombia) – E-002311/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002311/2025/rev.1
    to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
    Rule 144
    Isabel Serra Sánchez (The Left)

    National and international organisations are warning of the escalating human rights situation in the river basins of Curbaradó and Jiguamiandó in Bajo Atrato (Colombia). With illegal armed groups’ territorial control increasing, the ethnic communities that have historically defended human rights and the environment and put forward valuable peacebuilding proposals have been threatened and attacked. The region, one of the world’s most biodiverse and rich in natural resources, is the focus of many licit and illicit economic interests. A recent investigation by the Environmental Investigation Agency reported that timber illegally logged in the region was being imported into the EU. Furthermore, historic local leaders are being brought to trial.

    • 1.Is the EU delegation aware of the security situation of social and environmental leaders in Bajo Atrato?
    • 2.Within the framework of EU guidelines on human rights defenders, what is the Vice President / High Representative doing to monitor legal process 2022 (Chocó-Riosucio Ordinary Circuit Court, Summary No 030-132, Rd. 2761531890012022-00104-00), against historic leaders of Jiguamiandó (Carmen del Darién-Chocó) despite their proven status as victims of conflict and the precautionary measures of the IACHR (6-18 MC140-14CO) and the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (Auto 175 of 2019)?

    Submitted: 10.6.2025

    Last updated: 1 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    July 2, 2025
  • MIL-Evening Report: Memo to Shane Jones: what if NZ needs more regional government, not less?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jeffrey McNeill, Honorary Research Associate, School of People, Environment and Planning, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University

    If the headlines are anything to go by, New Zealand’s regional councils are on life support.

    Regional Development Minister Shane Jones recently wondered whether “there’s going to be a compelling case for regional government to continue to exist”. And Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is open to exploring the possibility of scrapping the councils.

    This has all been driven by the realisation that the government’s proposed resource management reforms would essentially gut local authorities of their basic planning and environmental management functions. Various mayors and other interested parties have agreed. While some are circumspect, there’s broad agreement a review is needed.

    At present, each territorial council writes its own city or district plan. Regional councils write a series of thematic plans addressing different environmental issues. All the plans contain the councils’ regulatory “rules” that determine what people can or cannot do.

    Under the coming reforms, the territorial and regional councils of each region would have only a single chapter each within a broader regional spatial plan. Their function would, for the main part, involve tweaking all-embracing national policies and standards.

    Further, all compliance and monitoring – now a predominantly regional council activity – is to be taken over by a national agency (possibly the Environment Protection Authority). This won’t leave much for regional councils to do, compared with their broad remits now.

    How regional government evolved

    In truth, regional councils have been targets since they were created as part of the Labour government’s 1989 local government reform. Carried out in lockstep with the drafting of the Resource Management Act (passed in 1991), this established two levels of local government.

    City and district councils were to be responsible for infrastructure and the built environment. The new regional councils were more opaque, essentially multi-function, special-purpose authorities, recognising that some government actions are bigger than local but smaller than national.

    In the event, they became what in many countries would be thought of as environmental protection agencies. Their boundaries were drawn to capture river catchments, reflecting their catchment board antecedents, which looked after soil erosion and flood management.

    Other functions were drawn from other government departments. Air-quality management came from the old Department of Health. Coastal management was partly inherited from the Ministry of Transport, shared with the Department of Conservation.

    Public transport and civil defence were tacked on, given their cross-territorial scale and lack of anywhere else to put them.

    Parochialism and politics

    All their various functions have meant regional councils determine who gets to use the region’s resources – and who misses out. And political decisions are a surefire way to make enemies.

    For example, the Resource Management Act applied the presumption that no one could discharge any contaminant into water unless expressly allowed by a rule or a resource consent. Regional councils therefore required their territorial councils to upgrade their rubbish dumps and sewage treatment systems.

    Similarly, farmers could no longer simply take water to irrigate or empty cowshed effluent straight into the nearest stream as of right. The necessary infrastructure upgrades were expensive.

    Ironically, these attempts to minimise the immediate impacts of such demands on water users saw urban voters and environmental groups criticise the councils and the government for being too soft on “dirty dairying” and other polluters.

    Parochialism also plays a part, as does the feeling in some rural communities that they’re forgotten by their regions’ cities, where most voters live. The perceived poor handling of events such as last year’s Hawke’s Bay flooding and the 2018 Wellington bus network failure have not helped.

    The government even replaced Environment Canterbury’s elected council with appointed commissioners in 2010 over performance concerns, particularly in water management.

    Yet the regional council model has largely survived intact – with two exceptions. The Nelson-Marlborough Regional Council was replaced by the Nelson City and Marlborough and Tasman District unitary councils in 1992, as a token sacrifice to the conservative wing of the National government, which vehemently opposed the new regions.

    The genesis of the Auckland Council super-region can be traced to the 1999–2008 Labour government’s frustration at getting a unified position from the city’s seven councils on where to build a stadium for the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Not everyone is happy with the resulting metro-regional solution.

    Who will be accountable?

    If regional government is indeed put to rest, it will be another phase in this piecemeal evolutionary process. But the new model will still require central government to have a significant regional presence – and commensurate central government funding.

    But central government has had a regional-scale presence for a long time. Police, the fire service, economic development and social welfare agencies all have their own regional boundaries. Public health and tertiary training and education are also essentially regional.

    All these functions are inherently political. And in many other countries, they are are delivered by regional governments. Maybe, once the implications are looked at more closely, leaving regional councils intact will seem the easier and cheaper option. Indeed, there is a counter argument that we need more regional government, not less.

    The current impulse for local government change – including district council amalgamation – continues an ad hoc process going back more than 30 years. As I have argued previously, the form, function and funding of local government need to be considered together.

    The regional level of administration will not go away. But the overriding question remains: who should speak for and be accountable to their communities for what are ultimately still political decisions, whoever makes them?

    Jeffrey McNeill 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. Memo to Shane Jones: what if NZ needs more regional government, not less? – https://theconversation.com/memo-to-shane-jones-what-if-nz-needs-more-regional-government-not-less-259778

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    July 2, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Australia: Snake in enclosure found on Bundaberg footpath

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Issued: 1 Jul 2025

    Wildlife rangers are asking for public assistance to find the owner of a snake and enclosure that was found on a footpath in the Bundaberg suburb of Avenell Heights.

    A man walking his dog made the unusual discovery and took snake and enclosure home before calling a local snake catcher.

    After retrieving the snake and the enclosure, the snake catcher handed it in to the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation.

    Senior Wildlife Ranger Amanda Yates said the snake is an albino Darwin carpet python, and it was most likely captive-bred and raised.

    The snake, an albino Darwin carpet python, was found in an enclosure on the footpath.

    “We are trying to determine why the snake and the enclosure were on the footpath,” Ms Yates said.

    “These snakes are not native to Queensland, but they are popular among the reptile trade due to their striking features.

    “The snake appears healthy and we’re appealing for public information so we can find the owner.

    “We hoping to return the snake to its owner, and anyone with information is encouraged to contact the

    department.”

    Anyone with information can call DETSI on 1300 130 372.

    In Queensland, people need a permit to keep native animals as pets. Information about wildlife permits can be found here.

    Media contact:                 DETSI Media Unit on (07) 3339 5831 or media@detsi.qld.gov.au

    MIL OSI News –

    July 2, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Australia: Mary River crocodile update

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Issued: 1 Jul 2025

    Wildlife rangers have humanely euthanised a three-metre estuarine (saltwater) crocodile on the banks of the Mary River at Dundathu, near Maryborough in the Wide Bay region due to the ongoing public safety risk.

    The crocodile was reported to Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation by a member of the public on 24 June 2025.

    The department thanks the person for submitting the crocodile sighting report.

    Crocodile sightings can be reported by using the QWildlife app, completing an online crocodile sighting report on the DETSI website, or by calling 1300 130 372. The department investigates every crocodile sighting report received.

    MIL OSI News –

    July 2, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New river legacy project connecting York with water, nature and climate resilience

    Source: City of York

    Published Tuesday, 1 July 2025

    Ousewem has launched a new flagship initiative in York, designed to reconnect residents with their rivers and neighbourhoods, whilst inspiring action on flood resilience and climate change.

    Building on the success of natural flood management (NFM) projects across the Swale, Ure, Nidd and Upper Ouse catchments, this new riverside route will tell the story of how communities, landscapes and local leadership are coming together to shape a more climate-resilient future.

    The project, will be co-designed with residents, schools and stakeholders, is being delivered in partnership with Innovate Educate -a creative consultancy known for embedding research, participation and place-based learning into every stage of their work.

    Councillor Jenny Kent, Executive Member for Environment and Climate Emergency at City of York Council, added:

    “This project shows our commitment to working with York communities in visible and lasting ways.

    “By telling the story of our rivers and the actions being taken to reduce flooding, we are helping people understand the value of nature-based solutions – not just in the countryside but here in the heart of the city.”

    Karen Merrifield, Director of Innovate Educate, said:

    “We believe creativity is a core part of climate resilience -not an afterthought.

    “This project is about more than signage or information, it is about co-creating something that belongs to York’s communities. From schoolchildren to heritage professionals, everyone has a part to play in imagining a future shaped by care, connection and the river itself.”

    The route will feature creative elements and educational resources, helping residents and visitors of all ages explore how nature-based solutions, land use and local action are shaping a safer, greener future for York. It will also act as a platform for partnerships that connect climate resilience with the region’s rich cultural assets – from libraries and archives to heritage schools and local artists.

    Opportunities for sponsorship may also be explored, supporting further investment in climate resilience and nature recovery across York and North Yorkshire. Just as rivers connect places upstream and downstream, this project links people across the catchment – from rural landowners to city residents – in a shared effort to live better with water.

    Early engagement will begin this summer, with schools, community groups and partners invited to shape how the story of York’s rivers is shared.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    July 2, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Russia: Seychelles’ Path to Macroeconomic Stability and Resilience

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    Comprehensive reforms have fueled Seychelles’ journey out of crisis and its continued resilience in the face of shocks

    Seychelles—a nation of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean—today enjoys a comparatively high degree of economic stability. Inflation is below 2 percent, real GDP has largely recovered from the pandemic, public debt is on course to reach the government’s target of less than 50 percent of GDP before 2030, and per capita income is the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa. But this stands in stark contrast to the country’s fortunes twenty years ago when it faced an economic crisis. What’s behind this turnaround?

    From times of crisis

    In the mid-2000s, Seychelles faced significant macroeconomic challenges stemming from expansionary fiscal policies and a rigid state-led economy. Large fiscal deficits were driven by high public spending on capital projects, subsidies, transfers to state enterprises and high debt service payments, while government revenues were constrained by significant tax concessions to foreign investors in the growing tourism sector. An expansionary monetary policy within a fixed exchange rate framework and extensive exchange controls led to external imbalances and depletion of foreign reserves. By 2008, gross public debt exceeded 192 percent of GDP and reserves had dwindled to just 2 weeks of import cover. The global financial crisis exacerbated these vulnerabilities, and the crisis came to a head in mid-2008 when the Seychelles authorities missed payments on the nation’s private foreign debt and Standard & Poor’s downgraded Seychelles to selective default.

    Changing course

    In response to this crisis, the government launched a comprehensive reform program with support from the IMF and other development partners. Key actions included abolishing all exchange restrictions and floating the rupee, consolidating public finances, reforming state enterprises, and abolishing indirect product subsidies in favor of a targeted social safety net. Paris Club creditors agreed to a debt stock reduction. These measures quickly yielded positive outcomes: inflation fell, foreign reserves were restored to over 3 months of import cover, and public debt declined to below 70 percent of GDP within five years. This turnaround rebuilt investor confidence, and the restoration of macroeconomic stability allowed policymakers room to shift from crisis management to macro-structural reforms in support of sustainable growth. 

    Resilience and commitment tested

    The COVID-19 pandemic, which caused a sudden collapse in global tourism, was another tremendous shock. But its years of macroeconomic stability enabled Seychelles to face this new challenge from a position of strength. Confronted with an economic contraction of nearly 12 percent in 2020, the government implemented timely fiscal and monetary measures to support households and businesses, utilized emergency financing from the IMF, and moved quickly to resume tourism. As tourism rebounded in 2021 and 2022, economic growth surged to nearly 13 percent in 2022, helping to regain lost ground. Foreign exchange reserves were maintained above 3 months of import cover, and the exchange rate was allowed to move to facilitate adjustment. Key to managing the effects of the pandemic and the international commodity shock that followed were the fiscal and foreign exchange buffers built up in prior years and a commitment to macro fiscal discipline demonstrated by the government. 

    Staying on course

    Given highly volatile global economic and financial conditions, Seychelles’ hard-won macroeconomic stability will likely be put to the test again. Environmental pressures limit scope to expand tourism, while vulnerability to external shocks argues for continued strong fiscal discipline and external buffers. To ensure continued economic growth and resilience, vital investments in infrastructure will be necessary, together with deeper development of human capital, more efficient public services, and financial sector deepening and inclusion. Concerted efforts are also needed to strengthen the social safety net and address critical social ills that hamper productivity and economic development. Some of these areas fall within the reform agenda under the current IMF-supported Extended Fund Facility and Resilience and Sustainability Facility, but others will require new policy commitments.

    Seychelles’ economic record highlights the importance of sound macroeconomic management and institutional strengthening in achieving and sustaining economic prosperity. Its journey offers valuable lessons for other small economies aiming at building resilience in an increasingly uncertain global landscape.

    Todd Schneider is IMF mission chief to Seychelles and an advisor in the IMF’s African Department, where Hany Abdel-Latif is an economist, Pedro Maciel is a senior economist, and Henry Quach is a research analyst.

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/07/01/cf-seychelles-path-to-macroeconomic-stability-and-resilience

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    July 2, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: Invasive carp threaten the Great Lakes − and reveal a surprising twist in national politics

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Mike Shriberg, Professor of Practice & Engagement, School for Environment & Sustainability, University of Michigan

    Invasive Asian carp are spreading up the Mississippi River system and already clog the Illinois River. AP Photo/John Flesher

    In his second term, President Donald Trump has not taken many actions that draw near-universal praise from across the political spectrum. But there is at least one of these political anomalies, and it illustrates the broad appeal of environmental protection and conservation projects – particularly when it concerns an ecosystem of vital importance to millions of Americans.

    In May 2025, Trump issued a presidential memorandum supporting the construction of a physical barrier that is key to keeping invasive carp out of the Great Lakes. These fish have made their way up the Mississippi River system and could have dire ecological consequences if they enter the Great Lakes.

    It was not a given that Trump would back this project, which had long been supported by environmental and conservation organizations. But two very different strategies from two Democratic governors – both potential presidential candidates in 2028 – reflected the importance of the Great Lakes to America.

    As a water policy and politics scholar focused on the Great Lakes, I see this development not only as an environmental and conservation milestone, but also a potential pathway for more political unity in the U.S.

    A feared invasion

    Perhaps nothing alarms Great Lakes ecologists more than the potential for invasive carp from Asia to establish a breeding population in the Great Lakes. These fish were intentionally introduced in the U.S. Southeast by private fish farm and wastewater treatment operators as a means to control algae in aquaculture and sewage treatment ponds. Sometime in the 1990s, the fish escaped from those ponds and moved rapidly up the Mississippi River system, including into the Illinois River, which connects to the Great Lakes.

    Sometimes said to “breed like mosquitoes and eat like hogs,” these fish can consume up to 40% of their body weight each day, outcompeting many native species and literally sucking up other species and food sources.

    Studies of Lake Erie, for example, predict that if the carp enter and thrive, they could make up approximately one-third of the fish biomass of the entire lake within 20 years, replacing popular sportfishing species such as walleye and other ecologically and economically important species.

    Invasive carp are generally not eaten in the U.S. and are not desirable for sportfishing. In fact, silver carp have a propensity to jump up to 10 feet out of the water when startled by a boat motor. That can make parts of the Illinois River, which is packed with the invasive fish, almost impossible to fish or even maneuver a boat.

    Look out! Silver carp fly out of the water, obstructing boats and hitting people trying to enjoy a river in Indiana.

    The Brandon Road Lock and Dam solution

    Originally, the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River were not connected to each other. But in 1900, the city of Chicago connected them to avoid sending its sewage into Lake Michigan, from which the city draws its drinking water.

    The most complete way to block the carp from invading the Great Lakes would be to undo that connection – but that would recreate sewage and flooding issues for Chicago, or require other expensive infrastructure upgrades. The more practical, short-term alternative is to modify the historic Brandon Road Lock and Dam in Joliet, Illinois, by adding several obstacles that together would block the carp from swimming farther upriver toward the Great Lakes.

    The barrier, estimated to cost US$1.15 billion, was authorized by Congress in 2020 and 2022 after many years of intense planning and negotiations. For the first phase of construction, the project received $226 million in federal money from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to complement $114 million in state funding – $64 million from Michigan and $50 million from Illinois.

    On the first day of Trump’s second term, however, he paused a wide swath of federal funding, including funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. And that’s when two different political strategies emerged.

    A brief documentary explains the construction of a connection between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River basin.

    Pritzker vs. Whitmer vs. Trump

    Illinois, a state that has voted for the Democratic candidate in every presidential election since 1992, has the most financially at stake in the Brandon Road project because the project requires the state to acquire land and operate the barrier. When Trump issued his order, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a Democrat, postponed the purchase of a key piece of land, blaming the “Trump Administration’s lack of clarity and commitment” to the project. Pritzker essentially dared Trump to be the reason for the collapse of the Great Lakes ecosystem and fisheries.

    Another Democrat, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, a swing state with the most at stake economically and ecologically if these carp species enter the Great Lakes, took a very different approach. She went to the White House to talk with Trump about invasive carp and other issues. She defended her nonconfrontational approach to critics, though she also hid her face from cameras when Trump surprised her with an Oval Office press conference. When Trump visited Michigan, she stood beside him as they praised each other.

    When Trump released the federal funding in early May, Pritzker kept up his adversarial language, saying he was “glad that the Trump administration heard our calls … and decided to finally meet their obligation.” Whitmer stayed more conciliatory, calling the funding decision a “huge win that will protect our Great Lakes and secure our economy.” She said she was “grateful to the president for his commitment.”

    Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer greets President Donald Trump as he arrives in her state in late April 2025.
    AP Photo/Alex Brandon

    Why unity on carp?

    Whether coordinated or not, the net result of Pritzker’s and Whitmer’s actions drew praise from both sides of the aisle but was little noticed nationally.

    Trump’s support for the project was a rare moment of political unity and an extremely unusual example of leading Democrats being on the same page as Trump. I attribute this surprising outcome to two key factors.

    First, the Great Lakes region holds disproportionate power in presidential elections. Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania have backed the eventual winner in every presidential race for the past 20 years. This swing state power has been used by advocates and state political leaders to drive funding for Great Lakes protection for many years.

    Second, Great Lakes are the uniting force in the region. According to polling from the International Joint Commission, the binational body charged with overseeing waterways that cross the U.S.-Canada border, there is “nearly unanimous support (96%) for the importance of government investment in Great Lakes protections” from residents of the region.

    There aren’t any other issues with such high voter resonance, so politicians want to be sure Great Lakes voters are happy. For example, Vice President JD Vance has been particularly vocal about the Great Lakes. And Great Lakes restoration funding was one of the few things in the presidential budget that Democrats and Republicans agreed on.

    Both Pritzker and Whitmer likely had state-based and national motivations in mind and big aspirations at stake.

    Their combined effort has put the project back on track: As of May 12, 2025, Pritzker authorized Illinois to sign the land-purchase agreement he had paused back in February.

    And perhaps the governors have identified a new area for unity in a divided United States: Conservation and environmental issues have broad public support, particularly when they involve iconic natural resources, shared values and popular outdoor pursuits such as fishing and boating. Even when political strategies diverge, the results can bring bipartisan satisfaction.

    Mike Shriberg was previously the Great Lakes Regional Executive Director of the National Wildlife Federation, which entailed being a co-chair (and, for part of the time, Director) of the Healing Our Waters – Great Lakes Coalition.

    – ref. Invasive carp threaten the Great Lakes − and reveal a surprising twist in national politics – https://theconversation.com/invasive-carp-threaten-the-great-lakes-and-reveal-a-surprising-twist-in-national-politics-257707

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    July 2, 2025
  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Greenpeace welcomes new global initiative to advance tax reform on the super-rich

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    Sevilla, Spain – Spain,  Brazil and South Africa today launched a coalition to advance work on taxing the super-rich at the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development in Sevilla. The coalition reaffirmed political commitments to pursue effective taxation of the super-rich. They also signalled growing support for international tax negotiations at the UN that are gaining momentum.

    In response, Fred Njehu, Global Political Lead for Greenpeace’s Fair Share campaign, said[1]: “Financing is urgently needed for climate action and public services, not for polluting space travel and luxury weddings. This new coalition of governments working to tax the super-rich adds to the growing global momentum to make the world’s wealthiest pay their fair share. People are fed up with billionaires’ greed eroding the environment and communities we depend on. It’s time for world leaders to listen and act.”

    Last week Greenpeace Italy together with UK Action group Everyone hates Elon unfolded a banner reading ‘If you can rent Venice for your wedding, you can pay more tax’ on Piazza San Marco, ahead of Jeff Bezos’s reportedly multi-million dollar wedding in Venice.

    In a survey commissioned by Greenpeace International and Oxfam International across 13 countries, 86% of respondents want governments to close tax loopholes that benefit the super-rich and international corporations, and to use the increased revenue for public services.[2] 

    “Ultimately, we urge world leaders to support the on-going UN Tax Convention process as a global multilateral platform that will shape and determine the future of taxation, one rooted in equity and justice,” added Njehu.

    ENDS

    Notes:

    [1] Fred Njehu is with Greenpeace Africa, based in Nairobi, Kenya.

    [2] The research was conducted by first-party data company Dynata in May-June, 2025, in Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Kenya, Italy, India, Mexico, the Philippines, South Africa, Spain, the UK and the US, with approximately 1200 respondents in each country and a theoretical margin of error of approximately 2.83%. Together, these countries represent close to half the world’s population. Greenpeace / Oxfam – PPP survey results. 

    Contacts:

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

    Lee Kuen, Global Comms Lead – Fair Share campaign, Greenpeace International. +601112527489, [email protected]

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

    MIL OSI NGO –

    July 2, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: VelocityEHS Launches New “PSIF” AI to Identify the Next Serious Injury or Fatality Before It Happens

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO, July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — VelocityEHS, the global leader in EHS solutions and the pioneer in applying practical AI to workplace safety, today announced the release of AI PSIF Insights, a new feature within the company’s award-winning Incident Management solution on the VelocityEHS Accelerate® Platform. The feature leverages machine learning (ML) to uncover high risks companies carry forward hidden in “near miss” and other “minor” events, also known as Potential Serious Injuries and Fatalities (PSIFs) before they lead to life-altering harm.

    “EHS professionals have a professional and ethical responsibility to use AI and machine learning to reduce the risk of serious injuries and fatalities,” said Dr. Julia Penfield, Vice President of Research & Machine Learning at VelocityEHS.

    “AI PSIF Insights is built to put advanced risk detection into the hands of safety teams, regardless of their size or digital maturity. It helps them identify the most critical risks earlier, so they can act before harm occurs,” added Penfield.

    By analyzing incident and near miss reports, AI PSIF Insights identifies the potential for temporary and permanent disabilities, amputations, fatalities, and other severe outcomes without requiring any changes to workflows or additional forms. It automatically flags PSIF incidents and provides clear reasoning. Safety teams stay in control through human-in-the-loop validation, ensuring trust, transparency, and compliance.

    A Smarter, Faster Way to Surface Serious Risk

    Serious incidents seem to happen without warning, but the signs are often buried in incident or near miss reports when the underlying root causes are not identified or addressed. AI PSIF Insights surfaces those signals by:

    • Evaluating the quality of incident descriptions and offering instant, tailored suggestions to enhance the completeness, clarity, and actionable details of your documentation
    • Automatically analyzing incident reports to identify those with high potential for serious outcomes and send out automated notifications
    • Standardizing detection across sites and teams, improving safety performance and reporting accuracy
    • Enabling companies to focus their resources and investigations on risks hidden in minor incidents and near-misses with the highest potential for serious harm
    • Reducing manual triage time by 30–50% and freeing safety teams to focus on prevention instead of paperwork

    “This is not just a new release, it’s a shift in how safety gets done: helping EHS professionals get ahead of risk and act earlier, before harm happens,” said Matt Airhart, CEO of VelocityEHS. “Too often, serious injuries happen while safety teams are still trying to uncover hidden risks. AI PSIF Insights surfaces those risks sooner—no hoops to jump through, no new processes to learn, no additional set up, and no added cost.”

    No Extra Cost. No Extra Burden. No Excuses.

    AI PSIF Insights is especially valuable for mid-sized enterprise organizations in safety-critical industries, such as manufacturing, food & beverage, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals where near misses are common and consequences can be severe. The feature is available to all current and new Incident Management customers on the Accelerate Platform as part of their existing agreement.

    AI PSIF Insights is part of a broader VelocityEHS initiative to bring the power of machine learning and artificial intelligence to frontline EHS workflows.

    Other Velocity Features with Embedded ML/AI Include:

    • 3D Motion Capture (Industrial Ergonomics)
    • Ingredient Indexing (Chemical Management)
    • Automated review of Certificates of Insurance and OSHA Logs (Contractor Safety)

    Groundbreaking AI-Embedded Feature Launches Coming in 2025 Include:

    • Ergonomics Assessments for Hands (Industrial Ergonomics)
    • Job Safety Analysis Hazard and Control Recommendations (Operational Risk)
    • Hazard Type, Root Causes & Corrective Action Recommendations (Safety)

    Collectively, these tools empower organizations to improve regulatory compliance and enhance safety culture across every level of their business.

    For more information about the AI PSIF Insights feature and how it fits into the company’s broader AI strategy, visit https://www.ehs.com/solutions/safety/incident-management/.

    About VelocityEHS

    Relied on by over 10 million users worldwide, VelocityEHS is the global leader in true SaaS enterprise EHS & Sustainability technology. The VelocityEHS Accelerate® Platform delivers best-in-class software solutions for Safety, Ergonomics, Chemical Management, and Operational Risk, along with advanced applications for Contractor Safety, Permit to Work, Environmental Compliance, and GHG Reporting.

    The VelocityEHS team includes more certified professionals in health, safety, industrial hygiene, ergonomics, sustainability, and applied AI than any other EHS software provider. Recognized as a Leader in the Verdantix 2025 Green Quadrant, VelocityEHS is committed to driving innovation and industry leadership. The company maintains SOC 2 Type II attestation for top-tier data security and privacy.

    Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, VelocityEHS operates offices in Ann Arbor, MI; Tampa, FL; Oakville, ON; London, UK; Perth, AUS; and Cork, IRL. For more information, visit www.EHS.com.

    Media Contact

    Jennifer Sinkwitts
    jsinkwitts@ehs.com

    The MIL Network –

    July 2, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Illegal encampments cleared to reduce anti-social behaviour

    Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent

    The city council and its partners took swift action against the encampments – in Hartshill and Shelton – after the public raised concerns.

    Three unauthorised encampments in Stoke-on-Trent have been cleared as part of a crackdown on anti-social behaviour and criminality.

    The city council and its partners took swift action against the encampments – in Hartshill and Shelton – after the public raised concerns.

    As part of the operation, nine community protection warnings were issued in response to anti-social behaviour.

    Staffordshire Police made one arrest for criminal damage and threatening behaviour, and recovered goods stolen in a recent burglary in Stoke.

    The council’s Environmental Crime Unit also cleared a large amount of dumped waste.

    Targeted locations included Pyenest Street, Shelton, Hartshill Road, Hartshill, and Stoke Minster.

    The city council is committed to reducing homelessness and is currently leading a major multi-agency programme of support. That includes providing more help with access to housing, jobs and training, as well as support for substance addiction and mental health conditions linked to homelessness.

    At the same time, the council has a zero-tolerance approach to criminal and anti-social behaviour.

    As part of this approach – tackling both causes and consequences – the Rough Sleeper Team visited the sites ahead of the action to assess individual needs and offer tailored support.

    Four people were signposted to further help through The Hub.

    The Hub – based in Hanley – offers emotional and practical support to those who are currently experiencing, or are at risk of, homelessness. Support available includes access to a hot meal, showers, laundry facilities and healthcare. Financial guidance, mental health support, drug and alcohol support and accommodation advice can also be found at The Hub.

    The council is working closely with key partners, including Staffordshire Police, Changing Lives, CDAS (Community Drug & Alcohol Service) and other local support networks to deliver both the help and the enforcement needed to keep communities safe and ensure no one is left behind.

    Councillor Majid Khan, cabinet member for community resilience and safety at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “Our priority is to support those who are struggling, but we must also make it clear that we will not tolerate behaviour that puts others at risk or damages our communities.

    “We all have a responsibility to each other.

    “There’s incredible support available in Stoke-on-Trent for those ready to accept help. This work shows how we’re addressing both the causes and the consequences of rough sleeping and anti-social behaviour.

    “We’re committed to supporting our most vulnerable residents but everyone has a responsibility to contribute to safe, respectful communities.”  

    Councillor Chris Robinson, cabinet member for housing and planning at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “Homelessness is a complex issue which we know has been exacerbated over the last few years due to things like the cost of living crisis and housing pressures.

    “Locally, there are simply not enough affordable homes available to those on the lowest incomes. But we’re committed to doing everything we can to ensure everyone – including our most vulnerable residents – have a decent place to call home. And we want to make sure that they are being given the support they need to live independently.”

    Staffordshire Police Inspector Rebecca Price, from the Stoke South local policing team, said: “We continue to combat crime and anti-social behaviour across the city through our Making Great Places project.

    “This includes working closely with partner agencies to help vulnerable residents in our communities and ensure those who need assistance are receiving it.

    “I’m pleased we have been able to work alongside the city council to tackle this issue and hopefully allow local residents to feel safer in their neighbourhood.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    July 2, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Air quality isn’t just bad in cities – here’s why and how we’re tracking pollution from upland fires

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Rebecca Brownlow, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Science, Sheffield Hallam University

    Peatland burns over the reservoir in Langsett, a village in South Yorkshire. Wendy Birks, CC BY-NC-ND

    Early one October afternoon in 2023, thick grey smoke drifted across Sheffield’s western skyline. As much of the city became blanketed, residents turned to social media to complain about “bonfire smoke”, while others were forced to leave the city due to breathing difficulties.

    However, this smoke did not originate within the city. It was drifting in from the Peak District, more than nine miles away, where controlled heather burning was taking place on the moorlands. For around six hours, levels of fine particulate matter (known as PM2.5), tiny airborne pollutants known to harm human health, exceeded 40 micrograms per cubic metre of air (µg/m³) and peaked at 70µg/m³, well above the guidelines recommended by the World Health Organization.

    This single incident points to the wider and largely invisible problem of the routine burning of the UK’s uplands. This can be a serious source of air pollution, but because most official air pollution monitoring concentrates on urban areas, the effects are overlooked. This is why we have started monitoring upland fires and the pollution they cause.

    Prescribed burning is a longstanding land management practice often used to control vegetation for grouse shooting or livestock grazing. It happens across a range of upland landscapes. Many of the areas being burned sit on deep peat, an organic-rich soil made from layers of slowly decomposed plant material formed over thousands of years in waterlogged conditions.

    Peatlands are incredibly important. They are one of the most carbon-rich ecosystems on the planet. In the UK, they cover around 12% of the land area and store an estimated 3.2 billion tonnes of carbon. This is equivalent to all the forests of Germany, France and the UK combined. Most of the UK’s peat is found in Scotland, but notable areas in England include the Peak District and North York Moors. However, their value goes well beyond carbon.

    Around 70% of Britain’s drinking water comes from upland areas that are largely peatland, and healthy peatlands help reduce flooding by slowing the flow of water from hills to towns and cities. They also provide vital habitats for birds, insects and rare plants, forming the UK’s largest area of semi-natural habitat.




    Read more:
    Wildfire smoke can harm human health, even when the fire is burning hundreds of miles away – a toxicologist explains why


    Despite their ecological importance, more than 80% of English peatlands are classified as degraded, often through historic air pollution, draining, overgrazing and, importantly, repeated burning.

    One hidden consequence of that burning is air pollution. These burns are often viewed as isolated rural events, but their effect on regional air quality can be substantial. On that day in Sheffield, pollution levels briefly rivalled those seen across the city during bonfire night, a well-known peak in urban air pollution.

    In response to that October event, our research team launched a new pilot monitoring network across part of the Peak District national park. This FireUp project combines air quality sensors, satellite data and community observations to detect and measure pollution from upland fires.

    Planned burning event in the Peak District captured via Copernicus Sentinel-2 data (2024), retrieved from Copernicus SciHub and processed by European Space Agency.
    CC BY

    By using a mix of technologies and local reporting, we have documented spikes in PM2.5 pollution that would have otherwise been missed. Our system offers a clearer picture of when and where fires occur, and how far their smoke spreads, opening the door for better planning and stronger protections for public health. But the problem is not just a lack of data, it is also a failure of regulation. England’s current upland burning regulations are limited on four fronts.

    Heather and grass burning regulations introduced in 2021 prohibit burning only on peat deeper than 40cm inside designated sites. That means 60% of upland peat is excluded from these protections.

    With more than 95% of PM2.5 monitors located in urban areas, smoke from moorland fires in remote rural locations is rarely registered on official networks.

    The resources for organisations responsible for enforcing regulations have shrunk over the last decade. Natural England, one of the government’s statutory bodies responsible for environmental protection, has experienced a 4% decrease in funding for 2024-25 compared to the previous year.

    Prosecutions for illegal burning are exceptionally rare, with satellite analyses pointing to a higher level of unlicensed activity than official records suggest.

    In short, narrow legal scope, limited monitoring coverage and under-resourced enforcement leave many prescribed burns undetected and unaccounted for, along with the health and environmental risks they carry.

    Our FireUp system improves fire detections and helps quantify the effects of air pollution from these burns. As the UK government reviews regulations as part of the 2025 heather and grass burning consultation for England, and as upland fire risk increases, this kind of evidence is essential, not just to track what is happening, but to help shape a healthier and better future for the UK’s uplands.

    Our next step is to develop a citizen science app that makes it easier for people to report peatland fire incidents and upland burning to help improve regulation and log the effects of changes in air quality.


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

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


    James is a member of the Welsh Government Clean Air Advisory Panel, and Promoting Awareness of Air Quality Delivery Group. James also sits on the Scottish Government’s Air Quality Advisory Group.

    Maria Val Martin receives funding from UKRI and is a member of the DEFRA Air Quality Expert Group.

    Rebecca Brownlow 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. Air quality isn’t just bad in cities – here’s why and how we’re tracking pollution from upland fires – https://theconversation.com/air-quality-isnt-just-bad-in-cities-heres-why-and-how-were-tracking-pollution-from-upland-fires-258034

    MIL OSI Analysis –

    July 1, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Plastics threaten ecosystems and human health, but evidence-based solutions are under political fire

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Tony Robert Walker, Professor, School for Resource and Environmental Studies, Dalhousie University

    Negotiations toward a global, legally binding plastics treaty are set to resume this summer, with the United Nations Environment Programme announcing that the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on plastic pollution will reconvene in August.

    The committee was established to develop an international legally binding instrument — known as the plastics treaty — to end plastic pollution, one of the fastest-growing environmental threats.




    Read more:
    Here’s how the new global treaty on plastic pollution can help solve this crisis


    Globally, 40 per cent of plastics production goes into the production of single-use plastic packaging, which is the single largest source of plastic waste and is a threat to wildlife and human health. Without meaningful action, global plastic waste is projected to nearly triple by 2060, reaching an estimated 1.2 billion tonnes.

    As the world prepares for another round of talks, Canada’s own plastic problem reveals what’s at stake, and what’s possible for the future.

    Canada’s plastic problem

    Canada is no exception to the global plastic crisis. Nearly half (47 per cent) of all plastic waste in Canada comes from the food and drink sector, contributing 3,268 million tonnes annually. Canadians use 15 billion plastic bags annually and nearly 57 million straws daily, yet only nine per cent of plastics are recycled — a figure that is not expected to improve.

    Most of Canada’s plastic — except for plastic bottles made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) — are uneconomical or difficult to recycle because of the complexity of mixed plastics used in our economy. As a result, 2.8 million tonnes of plastic waste — equivalent to the weight of 24 CN Towers — end up in landfills every year.

    This is not a trivial problem, as Ontario is projected to run out of landfill space by 2035. Plastic pollution poses growing risks to both urban and rural infrastructure.

    In addition to landfill overflow, around one per cent of Canada’s plastic waste leaks into the environment. In 2016, this was 29,000 tonnes of plastic pollution. Once in the environment, plastics disintegrate into tiny particles, called microplastics (small pieces of plastic less than five millimetres long).

    We drink those tiny microplastic particles in our tap water, and eat them in our fish dinners. Some are even making their way into farmland.

    Plastics are everywhere, including inside us

    More than 93 per cent of Canadians have expressed concerns over single-use plastics used in food packaging and have supported government bans. There is a good reason for concern over the mounting levels of plastics in the environment, in our food and in us.

    Growing evidence indicates that plastics can cause harmful health effects in humans and animals. Microplastics and smaller nanoplastics (less than one micron in length) have been found in humans, including infants and breast milk. They can cause metabolic disorders, interfere with our immune and reproductive systems and cause behavioural problems.

    These health problems may be caused by chemicals added to plastics, including single-use plastics, of which 4,200 chemicals have been identified as posing a hazard to human and ecosystem health.

    It is for these reasons that the Canadian government introduced a ban on single-use plastics in 2022 as part of a plan to reach zero plastic waste in Canada by 2030.

    The decision was based extensive public and industry consultation, as well as decades of data on plastic pollution gathered from the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup. This data shows the most common plastic litter items found in the environment across Canada, known as the “dirty dozen” list.

    Six of these items were included in the federal ban. Three eastern Canadian provinces had already implemented single-use plastic bag bans before the federal government, with little to no public or industry opposition. Prince Edward Island was the first Canadian province to implement a province-wide plastic bag ban in July 2019, closely followed by Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia in October 2020.

    The politics of plastic

    Despite overwhelming scientific consensus, debates around plastic pollution are becoming increasingly politicized.

    In February in the United States, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the U.S. government to “stop purchasing paper straws and ensure they are no longer provided within federal buildings.”

    Trump told reporters at the White House: “I don’t think plastic is going to affect a shark very much, as they’re munching their way through the ocean.” Almost 2,000 peer-reviewed studies have reported, however, that more than 4,000 species have ingested or been entangled by plastic litter.

    In Canada, plastic has also become a political flashpoint. During the recent federal election, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said he would scrap the federal government’s ban on single-use plastics and bring back plastic straws and grocery bags. He argued the government’s ban was about “symbolism” rather than “science,” saying, “the Liberals’ plastics ban is not about the environment, it’s about cost and control.”

    His promise would have harmed Canadians by dismissing the overwhelming scientific evidence showing that plastics in our bodies are linked to health impacts. Legislation to ban single-use plastics can be highly effective, ranging from 33 to 96 per cent reductions in plastic waste and pollution in the environment, depending on the policy and jurisdiction.

    Canada’s single-use plastics ban is a great example of evidence-based policymaking. The latest data from the conservation group Ocean Wise shows there was a 32 per cent drop in plastic straws found on Canadian shorelines in 2024 compared to the previous year.

    Science-based policies are needed

    It is indisputable that growing plastic production is directly related to plastic pollution in the environment and in human beings. Increasing plastic pollution is a global threat to human and ecosystem health, regardless of borders and political affiliation.

    As negotiators gear up for another round of talks to finalize a Global Plastics Treaty to end plastic pollution, the need for policies that are supported by scientific evidence is more urgent than ever.

    Future generations deserve a healthy and sustainable planet. The path towards a healthy and sustainable planet requires supporting action based on scientific evidence, not misinforming people with catchy phrases and political rhetoric.

    Tony Robert Walker receives funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Canada Foundation for Innovation, and Research Nova Scotia. He is also a non-remunerated member of the Scientists’ Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty.

    Miriam L Diamond receives funding from Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks, Future Earth, and Environment and Climate Change Canada. She is affiliated with the University of Toronto, serves as a paid expert for the Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel of the Global Environment Facility, and has non-remunerated positions with the International Panel on Chemical Pollution (Vice-Chair), is a member of the Scientist Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty, and sits on the board of the Canadian Environmental Law Association.

    – ref. Plastics threaten ecosystems and human health, but evidence-based solutions are under political fire – https://theconversation.com/plastics-threaten-ecosystems-and-human-health-but-evidence-based-solutions-are-under-political-fire-256764

    MIL OSI –

    July 1, 2025
  • MIL-Evening Report: Micronesian Summit in Majuro this week aims to be ‘one step ahead’

    By Giff Johnson, editor, Marshall Islands Journal/RNZ Pacific correspondent in Majuro

    The Micronesian Islands Forum cranks up with officials meetings this week in Majuro, with the official opening for top leadership from the islands tomorrow morning.

    Marshall Islands leaders are being joined at this summit by their counterparts from Kiribati, Nauru, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Palau.

    “At this year’s Leaders Forum, I hope we can make meaningful progress on resolving airline connectivity issues — particularly in Micronesia — so our region remains connected and one step ahead,” President Hilda Heine said on the eve of this subregional summit.

    The Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia have been negotiating with Nauru Airlines over the past two years to extend the current island hopper service with a link to Honolulu.

    “Equally important,” said President Heine, “the Forum offers a vital platform to strengthen regional solidarity and build common ground on key issues such as climate, ocean health, security, trade, and other pressing challenges.

    “Ultimately, our shared purpose must be to work together in support of the communities we represent.”

    Monday and Tuesday featured official-level meetings at the International Conference Center in Majuro. Tomorrow will be the official opening of the Forum and will feature statements from each of the islands represented.

    Handing over chair
    Outgoing Micronesian Island Forum chair Guam Governor Lourdes Leon Guerrero is expected to hand over the chair post to President Heine tomorrow morning.

    Other top island leaders expected to attend the summit: FSM President Wesley Simina, Kiribati President Taneti Maamau, Nauru Deputy Speaker Isabela Dageago, Palau Minister Steven Victor, Chuuk Governor Alexander Narruhn, Pohnpei Governor Stevenson Joseph, Kosrae Governor Tulensa Palik, Yap Acting Governor Francis Itimai, and CNMI Lieutenant-Governor David Apatang.

    Pacific Islands Forum Secretary-General Baron Waqa is also expected to participate.

    Pretty much every subject of interest to the Pacific Islands will be on the table for discussions, including presentations on education, health and transportation. The latter will include a presentation by the Marshall Islands Aviation Task Force that has been meeting extensively with Nauru Airlines.

    In addition, Pacific Ocean Commissioner Dr Filimon Manoni will deliver a presentation, gender equality will be on the table, as will updates on the SPC and Secretariat of the Pacific Region Environment Programme North Pacific offices, and the United Nations multi-country office.

    The Micronesia Challenge environmental programme will get focus during a luncheon for the leaders hosted by the Marshall Islands Marine Resources Authority on Thursday at its new headquarters annex.

    Bank presentations
    Pacific Island Development Bank and the Bank of Guam will make presentations, as will the recently established Pacific Center for Island Security.

    A special night market at the Marshall Islands Resort parking lot will be featured Wednesday evening.

    Friday will feature a leaders retreat on Bokanbotin, a small resort island on Majuro Atoll’s north shore. While the leaders gather, other Forum participants will join a picnic or fishing tournament.

    Friday evening is to feature the closing event to include the launching of the Marshall Islands’ Green Growth Initiative and the signing of the Micronesian Island Forum communique.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    July 1, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Under new management: Pevensey Bay scheme to protect community

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Under new management: Pevensey Bay scheme to protect community

    Responsibility for 8.5km of frontage returns to Environment Agency after 25 years with a plan to better protect 3,000 properties – eventually rising to 18,000.

    The 8.5km frontage of Pevensey Bay is back under Environment Agency management

    A crucial new coastal defence scheme that will protect thousands of homes and businesses from flooding has been launched at Pevensey Bay beach. 

    The Environment Agency met community representatives on Friday 27 June to launch the short-term Pevensey coastal defence phase of the broader Pevensey Bay to Eastbourne Coastal Management scheme. 

    The short-term project will manage the 8.5km Pevensey Bay frontage for the next two years, with contractor VolkerStevin leading operational beach activities under the oversight of new beach managers Paul Levitt and Amber Carr.  

    Protection for 3,000 properties, rising to 18,000 in the future

    Managing the beach will involve moving thousands of tonnes of shingle along the Sussex shore to reduce flood risk

    The initiative will protect over 3,000 homes and businesses from flooding during this period, while the broader scheme aims to safeguard up to 18,000 properties over the next century. 

    The event marks a significant milestone as operational responsibility returns to the Environment Agency after 25 years of management under a Public-Private Partnership arrangement. 

    Attendees met the project team, saw beach machinery, and joined a guided beach walk to learn about coastal defence operations. 

    Community views are wanted to shape the coast’s long-term strategy

    The new beach managers spoke about the coastal management plans, upcoming beach works and asked residents for their feedback on the Pevensey Bay Community longer-term strategy. This feedback, along with Eastbourne Borough Council’s Seafront Strategy Survey, will help shape a 100-year coastal management plan starting from 2037. 

    Anyone who couldn’t attend still has time to take the survey: Valuing the coast between Pevensey and Eastbourne: now and in the future. 

    Pevensey Bay is a ‘vital’ line of defence

    Richard Fuller, project lead at the Environment Agency, said: 

    Managing the shingle defences in Pevensey Bay is vital to keeping homes and businesses safe.   

    I’m very pleased to be starting this project and welcoming local residents and media to meet the team and learn more about how we’re managing the coastline now and into the future.

    Paul Levitt, beach manager of Pevensey Bay, said: 

    I feel privileged to be offered this important role where I am entrusted to manage the beach to protect your homes and businesses from coastal flooding. 

    I will ensure regular updates on beach management activities are continued to residents, especially those that live along the beach frontage who are directly affected by our operations.

    The short, medium and long-term phases

    The Environment Agency’s work involves importing sediment and moving thousands of tonnes of shingle by dumper trucks along the Sussex shore to protect the community from flooding risk.

    The short-term project is the first phase of a comprehensive coastal management strategy: 

    • Short-term (2025-2027): Management of 8.5km of Pevensey Bay frontage
    • Medium-term (2027–2037): Combining the 15km Eastbourne and Pevensey Bay coastal frontage under one phase, including upgrades to existing groynes
    • Long-term Strategy (2037 onwards): Development of sustainable approaches to address projected sea level rises of over a metre by the end of the century

    The broader scheme covers 15km of varied coastline featuring chalk cliffs, shingle beaches, long promenades, heritage sites and a large marina, making it one of the most important projects in the country for reducing flood risk. 

    Background

    • Between 2000 and 2025 this 8.5km of beach in Pevensey Bay, East Sussex, was managed by Pevensey Coastal Defence Limited (PCDL) under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.
    • The initiative is being delivered by the Environment Agency in partnership with Eastbourne Borough Council, East Sussex County Council, Rother District Council, and Wealden District Council.
    • Regular monitoring and surveys of the beach will continue throughout the project to track shingle volumes and movement.
    • The beach will remain open to the public throughout the works, though visitors should follow safety guidance around working machinery.
    • The Pevensey bay to Eastbourne Coastal Management Scheme community survey is available here: Valuing the coast between Pevensey and Eastbourne: now and in the future
    • Residents living in flood risk areas are urged to check their flood risk, sign up for free flood warnings and keep up to date with the latest situation at www.gov.uk/check-flood-risk, call Floodline on 0345 988 1188 or follow @EnvAgencySW on X for the latest flood updates.

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    Published 1 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    July 1, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Russia: Bon voyage: diplomas awarded to full-time graduates

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Dean of the Faculty of Civil Engineering Andrey Nikulin (right) with the best graduates

    1788 full-time graduates of SPbGASU received higher education diplomas.

    By the time of graduation, 61% of graduates are employed, 72% of them in their specialty.

    Faculty of Architecture

    There are 409 graduates in the Faculty of Architecture, 39 of whom received honors degrees.

    “In addition to the vast knowledge and skills acquired at the university, you have learned to work hard and persevere. Continue your education, come and share your successes!” – the dean of the architecture faculty, Ekaterina Voznyak, advised the graduates.

    “We are very happy that you have come this long way with us. This is our first major graduation of urban planners – we are graduating four groups. There were difficulties, there were joyful moments, competitions, conferences, exhibitions. We are happy that you have reached the finish line, and we sincerely hope that you will remain in the profession and increase the glory of SPbGASU,” said the head of the urban planning department, Yulia Yankovskaya.

    Automobile and Road Engineering Faculty

    This year, 223 people graduated from the Automobile and Road Engineering Faculty, 45 of whom graduated with honors.

    “It would take a long time to list the achievements of the faculty, but the most important of them are the graduates. I wish them not to stop there. I wish them courage to pursue their goals, wisdom in making decisions and faith in their own strengths. May their professional path be eventful, interesting and worthy. And remember that SPbGASU is your alma mater, which, having once opened its doors for you, continues to keep them open, ready for cooperation and assistance. We invite bachelors to enroll in the master’s program, and specialists and masters – in postgraduate studies. Forward to new heights, dear graduates!” – said the dean of the faculty Andrey Zazykin.

    Faculty of Civil Engineering

    The Faculty of Construction has 607 graduates, 156 of whom received diplomas with honors.

    Representatives of the National Association of Surveyors and Designers (NOPRIZ), Samolet Group of Companies, Vostok-Service Company, and Lider Group Group of Companies took part in the award ceremony.

    Dean of the Faculty of Construction Andrey Nikulin considers the day of the graduation ceremony to be special: “The future of our country depends on you. You will create the 21st century, build houses, bridges, roads and entire cities, solve urgent problems of the construction industry and find ways of development in the conditions of a rapidly changing world. May your path of professional growth be successful, full of discoveries and new opportunities. The University is proud of each of you and is always ready to support your endeavors. We believe that many of you will soon take up management positions in the largest construction companies and continue our common cause of building a strong state.”

    Faculty of Environmental Engineering and Urban Management

    This year, 263 people graduated from the Faculty of Environmental Engineering and Urban Management, including 82 with honors.

    Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Engineering and Urban Management Dmitry Ulrikh is sure that a diploma is not a finish line, but a runway. “Let the knowledge you receive at SPbGASU become a compass that shows you the right path. I wish you courage in your endeavors, persistence in achieving your goals, and faith in yourself. May your every step be meaningful and useful to the world. Dare, dream, and realize your boldest ideas and plans!” Dmitry Vladimirovich wished.

    Faculty of Economics and Management

    143 people completed their studies at the Faculty of Economics and Management, 27 of whom received diplomas with honors.

    “Dear graduates, I congratulate you on completing another important stage in your life! Today you stand on the threshold of new opportunities and challenges. Let the knowledge you received within the walls of our university become a reliable foundation for you to achieve grandiose goals,” wished Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Management Galina Tokunova.

    Faculty of Forensic Science and Law in Construction and Transport

    The Faculty of Forensic Science and Law in Construction and Transport graduated 143 people, 20 of whom received honors degrees.

    Dean of the faculty Dmitry Ivanov emphasized that graduates have achieved significant success both in scientific activities and in the professional sphere, demonstrating an active civic position and a desire for development.

    “We sincerely congratulate you on completing your studies and entering a new, responsible and inspiring chapter of your life! Today, you are leaving the university mature, purposeful, ready for professional achievements. May the knowledge, experience and values obtained during your years of study become a solid foundation for your successful career and a worthy life. I wish you a high calling, wise decisions, correct guidelines and inspiration every day. May you be accompanied by luck, respect from colleagues and confidence in your own strengths,” said Dmitry Valerievich.

    “Student years became a time of opportunity”

    Graduates shared words of gratitude to their alma mater.

    The best graduate of ADF in the nomination “Educational activity” Karina Sarkisova: “The university gave me a lot: friends, the opportunity to realize myself and prove myself in various industries, a foundation in the professional sphere. I have only pleasant and warm memories of the university. My future plans are to enter a master’s program and gain new knowledge in the field of automobile transport.”

    The best graduate of the SF in the nomination “Educational activity” Zlata Zolotykh: “I am very grateful to each teacher with whom I had the opportunity to study, as well as to all those who believed in me and supported me on the path to achieving goals and completing tasks. I am sure that thanks to hard work and patience, I have earned this title, which is very valuable to me. In the future, I plan to enroll in a master’s program and continue to develop in my chosen field.”

    The best graduate of the Faculty of Economics and Management in the nomination “Educational Activity” Daniil Talalaev: “I first entered the walls of SPbGASU at the age of 14, when I came to the open day. And even then I realized that this was the university where I wanted to spend my student years. The energy that was in the air then (and has not dissolved to this day), the creative and interesting people that I saw within the walls of the university – all this immediately made me understand that it was here that I would be able to acquire both new knowledge, important for my future life, and new personal qualities. During my studies, I managed to participate in many student events, stage the “Golden Faculty”, speak at conferences, publish a scientific article, participate in the TIM championship and, together with my team, win the all-Russian stage. Thank you to this university for the people who gave me not only knowledge, but also their kindness! I hope that we do not say goodbye, because I am planning to enter a master’s program.”

    The best graduate of the SF in the nomination “Community Activity” Aigul Orazdurdyeva: “For me, my student years at SPbGASU became a time of opportunities, growth and bright discoveries. The university gave me not only fundamental knowledge in my specialty, but also taught me to think critically, work in a team and not be afraid of difficult tasks. I am especially grateful to the teachers – their wisdom, patience and faith in students helped me to reveal my potential. But the main wealth of these years is the people who have become a real family. Together we experienced sleepless nights before the session, rejoiced at the first victories and filled student life with unforgettable moments. Now I am on the threshold of a new stage and am entering graduate school, at the same time I continue to work on the implementation of a startup, and I am also already working in my specialty.”

    The best graduate of the SF in the nomination “Sports Activity” Vladimir Lipin: “SPbGASU gave me not only professional knowledge, but also self-confidence. Here I learned to solve complex problems, negotiate with people, work in a team and see the results of my work. I plan to enroll in a master’s program and develop in the construction industry, while continuing to play sports – after all, it helps me maintain tone and clarity of thought. I firmly believe that a healthy body and discipline are the basis for professional achievements.”

    The best graduate of the FIEiGH in the nomination “Educational activity” Alina Kizchenko: “The university gave me not only deep knowledge, but also important life skills, forming in me a sense of purpose and confidence. My future plans are to apply the knowledge I have gained in practice and continue to develop professionally, making my contribution to the industry.”

    The best graduate of the SF in the nomination “Scientific activity” Yulia Trunina: “I received the ability to set precise goals and achieve them, despite the difficulties, the ability to think in several directions, considering the situation from different sides. After all, our specialty only at first glance seems exclusively technical. A creative approach and persistence are half the success. But I do not plan to stop there. Ahead is still graduate school and a candidate’s dissertation.”

    We wish the graduates success and career growth!

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    July 1, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: ProLogium’s Next-Generation Lithium Ceramic Battery Shipments Surpass 2.4 Million Units

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TAIPEI, Taiwan, July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ProLogium Technology, a global leader in next-generation lithium ceramic batteries, today announced that its cumulative shipments have officially surpassed 2.4 million units, marking a major milestone since its production in 2013. A key driver of this achievement is the production ramp-up at ProLogium’s first Giga-scale super factory in Taoyuan, Taiwan (Taoke Plant), which has contributed over 500,000 units within just 18 months of operation. This strong performance demonstrates the reliability and scalability of ProLogium’s mass production capabilities. The company’s batteries have been adapted across multiple sectors including electric mobility, wearables, automotive electronics, and industrial system, highlighting the strong commercial maturity and stable supply capability of its products across diverse applications.

    Leveraging both its technological leadership and mature manufacturing infrastructure, ProLogium has proven its readiness to support large-scale market demands. This milestone also lays a solid foundation for the company’s upcoming Giga factory project in Dunkirk, France, currently preparing for construction.

    From R&D to Mass Production: Catalyzing a Paradigm Shift in the Battery Industry
    Founded in 2006, ProLogium is committed to developing safe, high-performance, scalable, and sustainable lithium ceramic batteries. It is the first and only company worldwide capable of mass-producing this next-generation battery technology using automated production systems. Following the dual approval of EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) and building permits for its Giga factory in Dunkirk, France at the end of 2024, ProLogium is now leading the industry into the fourth generation all-inorganic solid-state electrolyte architecture. Construction is set to begin in 2026, with mass production planned for 2028. This marks a crucial step in the company’s global expansion, while also accelerating the transformation and upgrading of the battery supply chain, unlocking long-term value and growth potential.

    All-Ceramic Separator + All-Inorganic Electrolyte + All-Silicon Anode
    A True Next-Gen Battery beyond Conventional Solid-State Technologies
    While continuously optimizing current mass production technologies, ProLogium is also actively advancing its fourth-generation all-inorganic electrolyte architecture. By leveraging innovative inorganic electrolyte fluidization technology, ProLogium has successfully combined the respective advantages of solid-state and liquid batteries, eliminating their inherent performance trade-offs.

    This architecture significantly enhances six key performance metrics—safety, energy density, thermal stability, fast-charging capability, energy efficiency, and low-temperature performance—while addressing one of the greatest hurdles in solid-state battery commercialization: the high cost of materials and manufacturing processes. The result is a scalable, cost-effective battery that redefines the value structure of both solid-state and liquid batteries.

    Furthermore, the innovative design overcomes the interface bottleneck typically found between solid electrolytes and active materials, laying the groundwork for the widespread adoption of next-generation batteries and providing a truly scalable and sustainable energy transition solution.

    “Next-generation batteries are not only the cornerstone of the energy transition but also a critical engine driving electrification and smart device innovation” said Vincent Yang, Founder and CEO of ProLogium.

    “We are pleased that our technology has been adopted and validated by leading strategic partners around the world and introduced into a wide range of applications. Beyond business expansion, we look forward to collaborating with industry, government, academia, and research institutions to form strategic alliances that can accelerate energy transition and contribute to global sustainable development.”

    About ProLogium

    Founded in 2006, ProLogium Technology is an innovative energy company focused on the development and manufacturing of next-generation lithium ceramic batteries for electric vehicles, consumer electronics, and industrial applications. The company holds over 900 global patents (granted and pending) and has delivered more than 12,000 battery samples for testing and module development to global automotive OEMs.

    ProLogium’s first GWh-level Giga factory (Taoke) in Taoyuan, Taiwan, began production in 2024 and supplies global markets. The company surpassed the milestone of 2.4 million battery units shipped. In May 2024, ProLogium unveiled its first overseas R&D center in Paris-Saclay, designed to tailor solutions for the European market. Its first overseas Giga factory in Dunkirk, France, received dual approvals for EIA and building permits in late 2024, with construction scheduled for 2026 and mass production in 2028.

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/819c258c-214e-4297-a7cb-5378ed4b4e37

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/62c8721a-977d-46e7-95da-31d7639e06ad

    The MIL Network –

    July 1, 2025
  • MIL-Evening Report: ‘I’m going to send letters’: the deadline for Trump’s ‘reciprocal’ trade tariffs is looming

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Draper, Professor, and Executive Director: Institute for International Trade, and Director of the Jean Monnet Centre of Trade and Environment, University of Adelaide

    Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images

    US President Donald Trump’s 90-day pause on implementing so-called “reciprocal” tariffs on some 180 trading partners ends on July 8.

    How are countries responding to the threat, and will the tariffs be re-applied from July 9?

    What the US thinks ‘reciprocal’ means

    The United States is demanding four things from all trading partners, while offering little in return. So these negotiations are anything but “reciprocal”.

    The main demand is to rebalance bilateral goods trade between the US and other countries. Nations with trade surpluses – meaning they export a greater value of goods than they import from the US – will be encouraged to import more from the US and/or export less to it.

    The US is also pushing countries to eliminate a range of “non-tariff barriers” that may affect US export competitiveness. These barriers are drawn from the United States Trade Representative’s (USTR) March 2025 report and include a variety of perceived “unfair” practices, from value-added taxes (such as the Goods and Services Tax) to biosecurity standards such as those Australia applies to agricultural imports.

    In a nod to the “tech bros”, (alleged) restrictions on digital trade services, such as Australia’s media bargaining code, and digital service taxes must be removed, along with taxes on the tech giants. On Monday, Canada dropped a new digital service tax on firms such as Google and Meta after Trump suspended trade talks.

    Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Tesla CEO Elon Musk at President Trump’s inauguration ceremony.
    Saul Loeb/Pool/AFP via Getty Image

    Countries must also agree to reduce reliance on inputs from China in any exports to the United States. That means companies that moved manufacturing from China to countries such as Vietnam during President Trump’s first term trade wars will face challenges in sourcing input components from China.

    Put together, this is a difficult package for any government to accept without securing something in return.

    Who holds the cards?

    Trump has been fond of saying the United States holds “all the cards” in trade negotiations.

    It’s not known precisely how many countries are negotiating bilateral deals with Washington. Between 10 and 18 countries are priority “targets”, or to use an early, colourful phrase, were targeted as the “Dirty 15”.

    Category 1 likely comprises many more countries than those in the US’s naughty corner. These countries were saddled with large reciprocal tariffs despite the tariff formula’s evident shortcomings. To paraphrase Trump, these countries don’t hold the cards and have limited negotiating power.

    They have no choice but to make concessions. The smarter ones will take the opportunity to make reforms and blame the bully in Washington. Mostly these are developing countries, some with high dependency on the US market, including the poorest such as Bangladesh, Cambodia, and Lesotho.

    To make matters worse, they must keep one eye on China for fear of retribution in case Beijing perceives any promises to reduce dependence on Chinese inputs would compromise Chinese interests.

    Category 2 consists of countries that “hold cards”, or have some degree of leverage. Some, such as Canada, Japan, India and the EU, will secure limited US concessions although they may resort to retaliation to force this outcome. From discussions with our government and academic sources, Japan and India likely won’t retaliate, but Canada has previously and the EU likely will.

    Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese initially said he would not negotiate and has repeated US reciprocal tariffs “are not the act of a friend”.

    However, the Australian government is wisely looking to bolster its negotiation cards, such as creating a critical minerals strategic reserve.




    Read more:
    Plans to stockpile critical minerals will help Australia weather global uncertainty – and encourage smaller miners


    No doubt policy makers are also reminding the US of their favourable access to Australia’s military infrastructure which could be essential to any US-China military confrontation.

    China is category 3.

    The Chinese government is determined not to kowtow to Washington as they did in Trump’s first term. The so-called “Phase 1 deal” was signed but instantly forgotten in Beijing.

    Beijing has several cards, notably dominance of processed critical minerals and their derivative products, particularly magnets, and the US’s lack of short-term alternative supply options.

    After China expanded export controls on rare earths and critical minerals, shortages hit the auto industry around the world and Ford was forced to idle plants.

    What happens next?

    Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, suggested on Friday more deals may be signed before July 8. But Trump is likely to undermine and/or negate them as his transactional whims change.

    The British, after announcing their US deal that included relatively favourable automotive and steel export market access, watched in horror as Trump doubled tariffs on steel imports to 50%, and reimposed the 25% tariff on the UK.

    The UK government was reminded this US administration cannot be trusted. That is why countries negotiate binding trade treaties governed by domestic and international laws.

    Many countries are waiting on the outcomes from various US court battles testing whether the president or Congress should have the power to impose unilateral tariffs. After all, if there is a chance the Supreme Court rules Trump cannot change tariffs by decree, then why negotiate with a serially untrustworthy partner?

    The Japanese government, for example, recently announced it is pausing negotiations after the US demanded increased defence spending.

    ‘I’m going to send letters’

    Trump on Sunday suggested he would simply send letters to foreign nations setting a tariff rate. “I’m going to send letters, that’s the end of the trade deal,” he said.

    That does not bode well for countries negotiating in good faith. It’s likely tariffs will be reimposed and bilateral negotiations will drag on to September or beyond as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said.

    After all, even the US government has limited bandwidth to process so many simultaneous negotiations. Category 2 trading partners will increasingly test their own political limits. And the rest of the world is hoping for a favourable Supreme Court ruling that may, like the character Godot in the play Waiting for Godot, never come.

    Nathan Gray receives funding from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

    Kumuthini Sivathas and Peter Draper do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. ‘I’m going to send letters’: the deadline for Trump’s ‘reciprocal’ trade tariffs is looming – https://theconversation.com/im-going-to-send-letters-the-deadline-for-trumps-reciprocal-trade-tariffs-is-looming-259983

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    July 1, 2025
  • MIL-Evening Report: ‘I’m going to send letters’: the deadline for Trump’s ‘reciprocal’ trade tariffs is looming

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Draper, Professor, and Executive Director: Institute for International Trade, and Director of the Jean Monnet Centre of Trade and Environment, University of Adelaide

    Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images

    US President Donald Trump’s 90-day pause on implementing so-called “reciprocal” tariffs on some 180 trading partners ends on July 8.

    How are countries responding to the threat, and will the tariffs be re-applied from July 9?

    What the US thinks ‘reciprocal’ means

    The United States is demanding four things from all trading partners, while offering little in return. So these negotiations are anything but “reciprocal”.

    The main demand is to rebalance bilateral goods trade between the US and other countries. Nations with trade surpluses – meaning they export a greater value of goods than they import from the US – will be encouraged to import more from the US and/or export less to it.

    The US is also pushing countries to eliminate a range of “non-tariff barriers” that may affect US export competitiveness. These barriers are drawn from the United States Trade Representative’s (USTR) March 2025 report and include a variety of perceived “unfair” practices, from value-added taxes (such as the Goods and Services Tax) to biosecurity standards such as those Australia applies to agricultural imports.

    In a nod to the “tech bros”, (alleged) restrictions on digital trade services, such as Australia’s media bargaining code, and digital service taxes must be removed, along with taxes on the tech giants. On Monday, Canada dropped a new digital service tax on firms such as Google and Meta after Trump suspended trade talks.

    Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Tesla CEO Elon Musk at President Trump’s inauguration ceremony.
    Saul Loeb/Pool/AFP via Getty Image

    Countries must also agree to reduce reliance on inputs from China in any exports to the United States. That means companies that moved manufacturing from China to countries such as Vietnam during President Trump’s first term trade wars will face challenges in sourcing input components from China.

    Put together, this is a difficult package for any government to accept without securing something in return.

    Who holds the cards?

    Trump has been fond of saying the United States holds “all the cards” in trade negotiations.

    It’s not known precisely how many countries are negotiating bilateral deals with Washington. Between 10 and 18 countries are priority “targets”, or to use an early, colourful phrase, were targeted as the “Dirty 15”.

    Category 1 likely comprises many more countries than those in the US’s naughty corner. These countries were saddled with large reciprocal tariffs despite the tariff formula’s evident shortcomings. To paraphrase Trump, these countries don’t hold the cards and have limited negotiating power.

    They have no choice but to make concessions. The smarter ones will take the opportunity to make reforms and blame the bully in Washington. Mostly these are developing countries, some with high dependency on the US market, including the poorest such as Bangladesh, Cambodia, and Lesotho.

    To make matters worse, they must keep one eye on China for fear of retribution in case Beijing perceives any promises to reduce dependence on Chinese inputs would compromise Chinese interests.

    Category 2 consists of countries that “hold cards”, or have some degree of leverage. Some, such as Canada, Japan, India and the EU, will secure limited US concessions although they may resort to retaliation to force this outcome. From discussions with our government and academic sources, Japan and India likely won’t retaliate, but Canada has previously and the EU likely will.

    Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese initially said he would not negotiate and has repeated US reciprocal tariffs “are not the act of a friend”.

    However, the Australian government is wisely looking to bolster its negotiation cards, such as creating a critical minerals strategic reserve.




    Read more:
    Plans to stockpile critical minerals will help Australia weather global uncertainty – and encourage smaller miners


    No doubt policy makers are also reminding the US of their favourable access to Australia’s military infrastructure which could be essential to any US-China military confrontation.

    China is category 3.

    The Chinese government is determined not to kowtow to Washington as they did in Trump’s first term. The so-called “Phase 1 deal” was signed but instantly forgotten in Beijing.

    Beijing has several cards, notably dominance of processed critical minerals and their derivative products, particularly magnets, and the US’s lack of short-term alternative supply options.

    After China expanded export controls on rare earths and critical minerals, shortages hit the auto industry around the world and Ford was forced to idle plants.

    What happens next?

    Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, suggested on Friday more deals may be signed before July 8. But Trump is likely to undermine and/or negate them as his transactional whims change.

    The British, after announcing their US deal that included relatively favourable automotive and steel export market access, watched in horror as Trump doubled tariffs on steel imports to 50%, and reimposed the 25% tariff on the UK.

    The UK government was reminded this US administration cannot be trusted. That is why countries negotiate binding trade treaties governed by domestic and international laws.

    Many countries are waiting on the outcomes from various US court battles testing whether the president or Congress should have the power to impose unilateral tariffs. After all, if there is a chance the Supreme Court rules Trump cannot change tariffs by decree, then why negotiate with a serially untrustworthy partner?

    The Japanese government, for example, recently announced it is pausing negotiations after the US demanded increased defence spending.

    ‘I’m going to send letters’

    Trump on Sunday suggested he would simply send letters to foreign nations setting a tariff rate. “I’m going to send letters, that’s the end of the trade deal,” he said.

    That does not bode well for countries negotiating in good faith. It’s likely tariffs will be reimposed and bilateral negotiations will drag on to September or beyond as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said.

    After all, even the US government has limited bandwidth to process so many simultaneous negotiations. Category 2 trading partners will increasingly test their own political limits. And the rest of the world is hoping for a favourable Supreme Court ruling that may, like the character Godot in the play Waiting for Godot, never come.

    Nathan Gray receives funding from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

    Kumuthini Sivathas and Peter Draper do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. ‘I’m going to send letters’: the deadline for Trump’s ‘reciprocal’ trade tariffs is looming – https://theconversation.com/im-going-to-send-letters-the-deadline-for-trumps-reciprocal-trade-tariffs-is-looming-259983

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    July 1, 2025
  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for July 1, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on July 1, 2025.

    Trauma is carried in your DNA. But science reveals a more complicated story
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tara-Lyn Camilleri, Postdoctoral researcher of transgenerational effects, Monash University Radu Bercan/Shutterstock As war continues to rage in Gaza and Ukraine, there is concern about how the related trauma might be transmitted to future generations of people in those regions. More generally, interest in the idea of transgenerational

    Aamir Khan’s big screen comeback, Sitaare Zameen Par, features an all-star neurodivergent cast – a Bollywood first
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yanyan Hong, PhD Candidate in Communication, Media and Film Studies, University of Adelaide Bharti Dubey/X Bollywood star Aamir Khan’s return to the big screen after a three-year hiatus has been far from ordinary. Sitaare Zameen Par (2025) which translates to “stars on Earth”, is the first major

    The rising rate of type 2 diabetes in young New Zealanders is becoming a health crisis
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lynne Chepulis, Associate Professor, Health Sciences, University of Waikato vadimguzhva/Getty Images No longer just a condition of middle age, type 2 diabetes is increasingly affecting children, teenagers and young adults in New Zealand. And our health system is nowhere near ready to manage this surge. Type 2

    Understanding the ‘Slopocene’: how the failures of AI can reveal its inner workings
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Binns, Senior Lecturer, Media & Communication, RMIT University AI-generated with Leonardo Phoenix 1.0. Author supplied Some say it’s em dashes, dodgy apostrophes, or too many emoji. Others suggest that maybe the word “delve” is a chatbot’s calling card. It’s no longer the sight of morphed bodies

    Trump’s worldview is causing a global shift of alliances – what does this mean for nations in the middle?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dilnoza Ubaydullaeva, Lecturer in Government – National Security College, Australian National University Since US President Donald Trump took office this year, one theme has come up time and again: his rule is a threat to the US-led international order. As the US political scientist John Mearsheimer famously

    We have drugs to manage HIV. So why are we spending millions looking for cures?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bridget Haire, Associate Professor, Public Health Ethics, School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Alim Yakubov/Shutterstock Over the past three decades there have been amazing advances in treating and preventing HIV. It’s now a manageable infection. A person with HIV who takes HIV medicine consistently, before their immune

    Sexy K-pop demons, a human lie detector and shearers on strike: what to watch in July
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Mickel, Adjunct Associate Professor, School of Justice, Queensland University of Technology Tomorrow marks exactly halfway through 2025. Luckily there’s a suite of streaming options to help get you through the mid-year bump. We’ve got iconic classics celebrating major anniversaries, as well as an animated K-Pop spectacle,

    Fiji human rights coalition challenges Rabuka over decolonisation ‘unfinished business’
    Asia Pacific Report The NGO Coalition on Human Rights in Fiji (NGOCHR) has called on Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka as the new chair of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) to “uphold justice, stability and security” for Kanaky New Caledonia and West Papua. In a statement today after last week’s MSG leaders’ summit in Suva, the

    Battle of Ideas: Political Lawfare and the Destitution of Pedro Castillo
    Source: Council on Hemispheric Affairs – Analysis-Reportage COHA On June 29, Radio Negro Primero, a community-based station in Venezuela, and affiliates, will examine the jailing and prosecution of Peru’s constitutional president, Pedro Castillo. The program, Battle of Ideas, hosted by William Camacaro (Senior Analyst for COHA) and Mary Dugarte (Venezuelan Journalist), will feature distinguished panelists:

    In Struggle and Solidarity: The Enduring Legacy of Joaquín Domínguez Parada
    Source: Council on Hemispheric Affairs – Analysis-Reportage By Fred Mills and Evelyn Gonzalez Mills Silver Spring, MD Joaquín Domínguez Parada, a renowned Salvadoran attorney and tireless advocate for refugees of war and persecution, passed away on Thursday, June 26, 2025, four days after his 77th birthday in El Salvador, leaving a legacy of love, integrity,

    Here’s how First Nations landholders can share the benefits of the NSW energy transition
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Heidi Norman, Professor of Australian and Aboriginal history, Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture, Convenor: Indigenous Land & Justice Research Group, UNSW Sydney Hay Local Aboriginal Land Council staff and members with researchers and actuaries from Finity Consulting. UNSW Indigenous Land and Justice Research Group The shift

    Warmer seas are fuelling the dangerous ‘weather bomb’ about to hit NSW
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steve Turton, Adjunct Professor of Environmental Geography, CQUniversity Australia Heavy surf and intense rains hit Sydney beaches during a 2020 East Coast Low. Lee Hulsman/Getty Right now, a severe storm likely to be the first significant east coast low in three years is developing off the coast

    ‘I’m just exhausted’: sexual harassment at work is still rife. These new laws would help
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Ailwood, Associate Professor, School of Law, University of Wollongong FG Trade/Getty Last week, the Australian Human Rights Commission launched a new report on sexual harassment, called Speaking From Experience. It includes the voices of more than 300 victim-survivors of workplace sexual harassment from vulnerable communities. In

    My shins hurt after running. Could it be shin splints?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Krissy Kendall, Senior Lecturer in Exercise and Sports Science, Edith Cowan University lzf/Getty If you’ve started running for the first time, started again after a break, or your workout is more intense, you might have felt it. A dull, nagging ache down your shins after you exercise.

    Australia’s cutest mammal is now Australia’s cutest three mammals
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cameron Dodd, PhD Student in Evolutionary Biology and Taxonomy, The University of Western Australia The long-eared kultarr (_A. auritus_) is the middle child in terms of body size, but it has by far the biggest ears. Ken Johnson Australia is home to more than 60 species of

    Occupational therapists tackle obstacles in the home, from support to cook a meal, to navigating public transport
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Danielle Hitch, Senior Lecturer in Occupational Therapy, Deakin University Occupational therapists (OTs) have been in the spotlight this month after the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) froze NDIS payments for these services at $193.99 per hour for the sixth year. The NDIA also cut travel payments for

    Do you have Bitcoin? Be aware of the tax consequences of selling your investment
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christina Allen, Senior lecturer, Curtin University Bitcoin is ubiquitous. It is impossible to open a social media stream or news source without encountering yet another mention of the topic. Many Australians have invested, hoping for a good return. But they may not have considered the tax consequences

    On her new album, Lorde creates pop at its purest – performative, playful and alive to paradox
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rosemary Overell, Senior Lecturer in Communication Studies, University of Otago “✏️Describe the vibe” goes the demand to commenters underneath the YouTube video for Lorde’s latest single, “Hammer”. Fans form a flow; a “vibe check” in Zillenial parlance: The pure rawness … (@lynmariegm) A more raw true-to-self form

    Men traded wares – but women traded knowledge: what a new archeological study tells us about PNG sea trade
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Skelly, Archaeologist, Monash University Women loading pots on a Motu lakatoi trading vessel, in this photograph published in 1887. J. W. Lindt Australia’s closest neighbour, Papua New Guinea, is a place of remarkable cultural diversity. Home to cultures speaking more than 800 languages, this region has

    Unsafe and unethical: bed shortages mean dementia patients with psychiatric symptoms are admitted to medical wards
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cindy Towns, Senior Lecturer in General Medicine and Geriatrics, University of Otago Getty Images New Zealand’s mental health crisis is well documented in the government’s 2018 inquiry, He Ara Oranga, which shows one in five people experience mental illness or significant mental distress. However, an almost singular

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    July 1, 2025
  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for July 1, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on July 1, 2025.

    Trauma is carried in your DNA. But science reveals a more complicated story
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tara-Lyn Camilleri, Postdoctoral researcher of transgenerational effects, Monash University Radu Bercan/Shutterstock As war continues to rage in Gaza and Ukraine, there is concern about how the related trauma might be transmitted to future generations of people in those regions. More generally, interest in the idea of transgenerational

    Aamir Khan’s big screen comeback, Sitaare Zameen Par, features an all-star neurodivergent cast – a Bollywood first
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yanyan Hong, PhD Candidate in Communication, Media and Film Studies, University of Adelaide Bharti Dubey/X Bollywood star Aamir Khan’s return to the big screen after a three-year hiatus has been far from ordinary. Sitaare Zameen Par (2025) which translates to “stars on Earth”, is the first major

    The rising rate of type 2 diabetes in young New Zealanders is becoming a health crisis
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lynne Chepulis, Associate Professor, Health Sciences, University of Waikato vadimguzhva/Getty Images No longer just a condition of middle age, type 2 diabetes is increasingly affecting children, teenagers and young adults in New Zealand. And our health system is nowhere near ready to manage this surge. Type 2

    Understanding the ‘Slopocene’: how the failures of AI can reveal its inner workings
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Binns, Senior Lecturer, Media & Communication, RMIT University AI-generated with Leonardo Phoenix 1.0. Author supplied Some say it’s em dashes, dodgy apostrophes, or too many emoji. Others suggest that maybe the word “delve” is a chatbot’s calling card. It’s no longer the sight of morphed bodies

    Trump’s worldview is causing a global shift of alliances – what does this mean for nations in the middle?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dilnoza Ubaydullaeva, Lecturer in Government – National Security College, Australian National University Since US President Donald Trump took office this year, one theme has come up time and again: his rule is a threat to the US-led international order. As the US political scientist John Mearsheimer famously

    We have drugs to manage HIV. So why are we spending millions looking for cures?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bridget Haire, Associate Professor, Public Health Ethics, School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Alim Yakubov/Shutterstock Over the past three decades there have been amazing advances in treating and preventing HIV. It’s now a manageable infection. A person with HIV who takes HIV medicine consistently, before their immune

    Sexy K-pop demons, a human lie detector and shearers on strike: what to watch in July
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Mickel, Adjunct Associate Professor, School of Justice, Queensland University of Technology Tomorrow marks exactly halfway through 2025. Luckily there’s a suite of streaming options to help get you through the mid-year bump. We’ve got iconic classics celebrating major anniversaries, as well as an animated K-Pop spectacle,

    Fiji human rights coalition challenges Rabuka over decolonisation ‘unfinished business’
    Asia Pacific Report The NGO Coalition on Human Rights in Fiji (NGOCHR) has called on Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka as the new chair of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) to “uphold justice, stability and security” for Kanaky New Caledonia and West Papua. In a statement today after last week’s MSG leaders’ summit in Suva, the

    Battle of Ideas: Political Lawfare and the Destitution of Pedro Castillo
    Source: Council on Hemispheric Affairs – Analysis-Reportage COHA On June 29, Radio Negro Primero, a community-based station in Venezuela, and affiliates, will examine the jailing and prosecution of Peru’s constitutional president, Pedro Castillo. The program, Battle of Ideas, hosted by William Camacaro (Senior Analyst for COHA) and Mary Dugarte (Venezuelan Journalist), will feature distinguished panelists:

    In Struggle and Solidarity: The Enduring Legacy of Joaquín Domínguez Parada
    Source: Council on Hemispheric Affairs – Analysis-Reportage By Fred Mills and Evelyn Gonzalez Mills Silver Spring, MD Joaquín Domínguez Parada, a renowned Salvadoran attorney and tireless advocate for refugees of war and persecution, passed away on Thursday, June 26, 2025, four days after his 77th birthday in El Salvador, leaving a legacy of love, integrity,

    Here’s how First Nations landholders can share the benefits of the NSW energy transition
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Heidi Norman, Professor of Australian and Aboriginal history, Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture, Convenor: Indigenous Land & Justice Research Group, UNSW Sydney Hay Local Aboriginal Land Council staff and members with researchers and actuaries from Finity Consulting. UNSW Indigenous Land and Justice Research Group The shift

    Warmer seas are fuelling the dangerous ‘weather bomb’ about to hit NSW
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steve Turton, Adjunct Professor of Environmental Geography, CQUniversity Australia Heavy surf and intense rains hit Sydney beaches during a 2020 East Coast Low. Lee Hulsman/Getty Right now, a severe storm likely to be the first significant east coast low in three years is developing off the coast

    ‘I’m just exhausted’: sexual harassment at work is still rife. These new laws would help
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Ailwood, Associate Professor, School of Law, University of Wollongong FG Trade/Getty Last week, the Australian Human Rights Commission launched a new report on sexual harassment, called Speaking From Experience. It includes the voices of more than 300 victim-survivors of workplace sexual harassment from vulnerable communities. In

    My shins hurt after running. Could it be shin splints?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Krissy Kendall, Senior Lecturer in Exercise and Sports Science, Edith Cowan University lzf/Getty If you’ve started running for the first time, started again after a break, or your workout is more intense, you might have felt it. A dull, nagging ache down your shins after you exercise.

    Australia’s cutest mammal is now Australia’s cutest three mammals
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cameron Dodd, PhD Student in Evolutionary Biology and Taxonomy, The University of Western Australia The long-eared kultarr (_A. auritus_) is the middle child in terms of body size, but it has by far the biggest ears. Ken Johnson Australia is home to more than 60 species of

    Occupational therapists tackle obstacles in the home, from support to cook a meal, to navigating public transport
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Danielle Hitch, Senior Lecturer in Occupational Therapy, Deakin University Occupational therapists (OTs) have been in the spotlight this month after the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) froze NDIS payments for these services at $193.99 per hour for the sixth year. The NDIA also cut travel payments for

    Do you have Bitcoin? Be aware of the tax consequences of selling your investment
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christina Allen, Senior lecturer, Curtin University Bitcoin is ubiquitous. It is impossible to open a social media stream or news source without encountering yet another mention of the topic. Many Australians have invested, hoping for a good return. But they may not have considered the tax consequences

    On her new album, Lorde creates pop at its purest – performative, playful and alive to paradox
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rosemary Overell, Senior Lecturer in Communication Studies, University of Otago “✏️Describe the vibe” goes the demand to commenters underneath the YouTube video for Lorde’s latest single, “Hammer”. Fans form a flow; a “vibe check” in Zillenial parlance: The pure rawness … (@lynmariegm) A more raw true-to-self form

    Men traded wares – but women traded knowledge: what a new archeological study tells us about PNG sea trade
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Skelly, Archaeologist, Monash University Women loading pots on a Motu lakatoi trading vessel, in this photograph published in 1887. J. W. Lindt Australia’s closest neighbour, Papua New Guinea, is a place of remarkable cultural diversity. Home to cultures speaking more than 800 languages, this region has

    Unsafe and unethical: bed shortages mean dementia patients with psychiatric symptoms are admitted to medical wards
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cindy Towns, Senior Lecturer in General Medicine and Geriatrics, University of Otago Getty Images New Zealand’s mental health crisis is well documented in the government’s 2018 inquiry, He Ara Oranga, which shows one in five people experience mental illness or significant mental distress. However, an almost singular

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    July 1, 2025
  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Greenpeace – Government moves to further weaken freshwater protections as new report highlights poor state of New Zealand drinking water

    Source: Greenpeace

    Greenpeace says it is deeply disturbed by the findings of the latest Taumata Arowai report, which shows that seven registered water supplies exceeded levels of nitrate associated with an increased risk of preterm birth. The organisation says it is also concerning that this news comes while the Government is consulting on proposals that would further weaken freshwater protections in Aotearoa.
    Greenpeace spokesperson Will Appelbe says, “This Government wants to weaken freshwater protections at the worst time, allowing polluting corporations like Fonterra to profit from the contamination of rural communities’ drinking water. This latest data from Taumata Arowai shows that, as we already know, water quality in New Zealand is poor. Now, Luxon’s Government wants to make it worse.”
    “Everyone, no matter where they live, deserves to have access to clean, safe drinking water. We should all be able to take a dip in the local lake or river without getting sick. But these basic freedoms that all New Zealanders should be able to enjoy are being taken away for the sake of making a few individuals even more wealthy.”
    During 2024, Taumata Arowai received 4 notifications of samples from registered supplies that exceeded the maximum allowable value of 11.3 mg/L for nitrate. Two were for Waimate District Council’s Lower Waihao supply, which supplies Glenavy, and two for Te Kowhai School, a rural school near Hamilton. Seven supplies exceeded 5.56 mg/L – the level of nitrate which international studies have shown is associated with an increased risk of preterm birth.
    “Rural communities are most at risk of contaminated drinking water because of their proximity to intensive dairying – a major source of freshwater pollution in New Zealand,” says Appelbe.
    “Right now, this Government is consulting on a host of Resource Management Act changes that will, in practice, put corporate interests ahead of the health of people and the environment, especially when it comes to freshwater.
    “These changes will give more prioritisation to corporate uses of water, like intensive dairy. This would enable dairy expansion, which means more effluent, nitrate and pathogens like E. coli polluting New Zealand’s rivers and drinking water.
    “People across the country want change. They want clean, healthy rivers and water that’s safe to drink. In Canterbury, one of the hotspots of Aotearoa’s freshwater crisis, water protection is set to be a key issue in the upcoming Environment Canterbury elections. Politicians who aim to pollute freshwater should expect resistance.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    July 1, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Post-flood recovery: lessons from Germany and Nigeria on how to help people cope with loss and build resilience

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Olasunkanmi Habeeb Okunola, Senior Research Associate, United Nations University – Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS), United Nations University

    Extreme climate events — floods, droughts and heatwaves — are not just becoming more frequent; they are also more severe.

    It’s important to understand how communities can recover from these events in ways that also build resilience to future events.

    In a recent study, we analysed how communities affected by the extreme flood events of 2021 in Germany’s Ahr Valley and in Lagos, Nigeria, grappled with recovery from floods.

    Our aim was to identify the factors – and combinations of factors – that served as barriers (or enablers) to recovery from disasters.

    We found that financial limitations, political interests and administrative hurdles led to prioritising immediate relief and reconstruction over long-term sustainable recovery.

    In both cases immediate and long-term recovery efforts were siloed, underfunded and focused on reconstruction to pre-disaster conditions.

    We concluded from our findings that the success of recovery efforts lies in balancing short-term relief and a long-term vision. While immediate aid is essential after a disaster, true resilience hinges on proactive measures that address systemic challenges and empower communities to build a better future.

    Recovery should not be merely action-oriented and building back infrastructure (engineering). It should also include insights in other areas, like governance and psychology, helping people to deal with losses and to heal.

    What worked

    To understand the recovery pathways of the two regions, we reviewed relevant literature, newspaper articles and government documents. We also interviewed government agencies, NGO representatives, volunteers and local residents in the communities where these floods occurred.

    We found that in the Ahr Valley, recovery wasn’t just about rebuilding structures, it was about empowering individuals.

    Through initiatives like mental health and first aid courses, residents learned to support one another. This fostered a sense of community and resilience that was essential for meeting the emotional challenges posed by the disaster.

    The focus on rebuilding with a sustainable vision also included environmental initiatives. For example, a type of heating system was put in place that didn’t rely on fossil fuels.

    Not only did this reduce carbon emissions, it also served as a symbol of hope. It showed there was an opportunity to create a more sustainable and environmentally friendly community.

    In Lagos, too, residents found strength in community and innovation. Grassroots efforts using sustainable materials like bamboo and palm wood highlighted the ingenuity and resourcefulness of the people. Faith-based organisations provided material aid as well as emotional and spiritual support. This reinforced the bonds that held the community together.

    Each community faced unique challenges. But they shared a common thread: the importance of adaptive governance – flexible decision-making and strong community ties.

    For example, established building codes in the Ahr Valley provided a framework for reconstruction, ensuring that new structures were resilient and safe.

    In Lagos, the absence of strong government support highlighted the critical role of community organisations in providing services and fostering a sense of shared responsibility.

    What needs improvment

    In both the Ahr Valley and Lagos, the journey towards recovery has been fraught with obstacles as well.

    In the Ahr Valley, bureaucratic red tape has become a formidable barrier. Residents, eager to rebuild their lives, find themselves entangled in a complex web of regulations and lengthy approval processes. This has delayed their access to insurance and recovery funds. Waiting for months or even years has eroded hope and fuelled a sense of abandonment.

    Meanwhile, in Lagos, insufficient government support has left communities to fend for themselves, creating a breeding ground for uncertainty and conflict.

    Land tenure disputes, fuelled by a lack of clear property rights, sow seeds of distrust and hinder resettlement efforts. Political disagreements complicate the picture, as competing interests divert attention and resources away from those who need them most.

    In Lagos, none of the respondents reported having insurance to help them to recover from disaster-related losses.

    While some residents in the Ahr Valley did have insurance, many were under-insured.

    The Ahr Valley’s building codes offer a framework for reconstruction. But it’s clear that processes should be streamlined so communities can take ownership of their recovery.

    In Lagos, the importance of robust social safety nets is clear. Partnerships between communities and authorities are also needed.

    A different approach

    Recovery isn’t a separate process that occurs after disasters only. It should be seen as an essential part of managing risks. It’s important to understand what recovery involves and what resources are needed.

    This will help reduce future risks and increase resilience after extreme events.

    Governments should encourage flexible governance structures that value community voices and local knowledge to enable recovery. A good example is the New Orleans Recovery Authority, established after Hurricane Katrina. It involved local residents and city officials in planning and rebuilding efforts.

    Grassroots efforts in Lagos demonstrated the power of sustainable materials and community-led initiatives. Seeing things from the community’s point of view can help tailor solutions that fit the situation and adapt to evolving challenges.

    Training and capacity-building programmes empower communities to be active in their own recovery.

    Mental health and first aid courses were successful in the Ahr Valley. Equipping individuals with skills in sustainable practices and disaster preparedness helps weave a social fabric capable of weathering future storms.

    Olasunkanmi Habeeb Okunola is a Visiting Scientist at, the United Nations University – Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS)

    Saskia E. Werners works with United Nations University, Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS). She is grateful to have received research grants in support of her research on climate change adaptation and recovery.

    – ref. Post-flood recovery: lessons from Germany and Nigeria on how to help people cope with loss and build resilience – https://theconversation.com/post-flood-recovery-lessons-from-germany-and-nigeria-on-how-to-help-people-cope-with-loss-and-build-resilience-240260

    MIL OSI –

    July 1, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Air quality isn’t just bad in cities – here’s why and how we’re tracking pollution from upland fires

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Rebecca Brownlow, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Science, Sheffield Hallam University

    Peatland burns over the reservoir in Langsett, a village in South Yorkshire. Wendy Birks, CC BY-NC-ND

    Early one October afternoon in 2023, thick grey smoke drifted across Sheffield’s western skyline. As much of the city became blanketed, residents turned to social media to complain about “bonfire smoke”, while others were forced to leave the city due to breathing difficulties.

    However, this smoke did not originate within the city. It was drifting in from the Peak District, more than nine miles away, where controlled heather burning was taking place on the moorlands. For around six hours, levels of fine particulate matter (known as PM2.5), tiny airborne pollutants known to harm human health, exceeded 40 micrograms per cubic metre of air (µg/m³) and peaked at 70µg/m³, well above the guidelines recommended by the World Health Organization.

    This single incident points to the wider and largely invisible problem of the routine burning of the UK’s uplands. This can be a serious source of air pollution, but because most official air pollution monitoring concentrates on urban areas, the effects are overlooked. This is why we have started monitoring upland fires and the pollution they cause.

    Prescribed burning is a longstanding land management practice often used to control vegetation for grouse shooting or livestock grazing. It happens across a range of upland landscapes. Many of the areas being burned sit on deep peat, an organic-rich soil made from layers of slowly decomposed plant material formed over thousands of years in waterlogged conditions.

    Peatlands are incredibly important. They are one of the most carbon-rich ecosystems on the planet. In the UK, they cover around 12% of the land area and store an estimated 3.2 billion tonnes of carbon. This is equivalent to all the forests of Germany, France and the UK combined. Most of the UK’s peat is found in Scotland, but notable areas in England include the Peak District and North York Moors. However, their value goes well beyond carbon.

    Around 70% of Britain’s drinking water comes from upland areas that are largely peatland, and healthy peatlands help reduce flooding by slowing the flow of water from hills to towns and cities. They also provide vital habitats for birds, insects and rare plants, forming the UK’s largest area of semi-natural habitat.




    Read more:
    Wildfire smoke can harm human health, even when the fire is burning hundreds of miles away – a toxicologist explains why


    Despite their ecological importance, more than 80% of English peatlands are classified as degraded, often through historic air pollution, draining, overgrazing and, importantly, repeated burning.

    One hidden consequence of that burning is air pollution. These burns are often viewed as isolated rural events, but their effect on regional air quality can be substantial. On that day in Sheffield, pollution levels briefly rivalled those seen across the city during bonfire night, a well-known peak in urban air pollution.

    In response to that October event, our research team launched a new pilot monitoring network across part of the Peak District national park. This FireUp project combines air quality sensors, satellite data and community observations to detect and measure pollution from upland fires.

    Planned burning event in the Peak District captured via Copernicus Sentinel-2 data (2024), retrieved from Copernicus SciHub and processed by European Space Agency.
    CC BY

    By using a mix of technologies and local reporting, we have documented spikes in PM2.5 pollution that would have otherwise been missed. Our system offers a clearer picture of when and where fires occur, and how far their smoke spreads, opening the door for better planning and stronger protections for public health. But the problem is not just a lack of data, it is also a failure of regulation. England’s current upland burning regulations are limited on four fronts.

    Heather and grass burning regulations introduced in 2021 prohibit burning only on peat deeper than 40cm inside designated sites. That means 60% of upland peat is excluded from these protections.

    With more than 95% of PM2.5 monitors located in urban areas, smoke from moorland fires in remote rural locations is rarely registered on official networks.

    The resources for organisations responsible for enforcing regulations have shrunk over the last decade. Natural England, one of the government’s statutory bodies responsible for environmental protection, has experienced a 4% decrease in funding for 2024-25 compared to the previous year.

    Prosecutions for illegal burning are exceptionally rare, with satellite analyses pointing to a higher level of unlicensed activity than official records suggest.

    In short, narrow legal scope, limited monitoring coverage and under-resourced enforcement leave many prescribed burns undetected and unaccounted for, along with the health and environmental risks they carry.

    Our FireUp system improves fire detections and helps quantify the effects of air pollution from these burns. As the UK government reviews regulations as part of the 2025 heather and grass burning consultation for England, and as upland fire risk increases, this kind of evidence is essential, not just to track what is happening, but to help shape a healthier and better future for the UK’s uplands.

    Our next step is to develop a citizen science app that makes it easier for people to report peatland fire incidents and upland burning to help improve regulation and log the effects of changes in air quality.


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

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


    James is a member of the Welsh Government Clean Air Advisory Panel, and Promoting Awareness of Air Quality Delivery Group. James also sits on the Scottish Government’s Air Quality Advisory Group.

    Maria Val Martin receives funding from UKRI and is a member of the DEFRA Air Quality Expert Group.

    Rebecca Brownlow 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. Air quality isn’t just bad in cities – here’s why and how we’re tracking pollution from upland fires – https://theconversation.com/air-quality-isnt-just-bad-in-cities-heres-why-and-how-were-tracking-pollution-from-upland-fires-258034

    MIL OSI –

    July 1, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Submissions: ‘Completely unexpected’: Antarctic sea ice may be in terminal decline due to rising Southern Ocean salinity

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Alessandro Silvano, NERC Independent Research Fellow in Oceanography, University of Southampton

    Adélie penguins rely on Antarctic sea ice for habitat. Nick Dale Photo/Shutterstock

    The ocean around Antarctica is rapidly getting saltier at the same time as sea ice is retreating at a record pace. Since 2015, the frozen continent has lost sea ice similar to the size of Greenland. That ice hasn’t returned, marking the largest global environmental change during the past decade.

    This finding caught us off guard – melting ice typically makes the ocean fresher. But new satellite data shows the opposite is happening, and that’s a big problem. Saltier water at the ocean surface behaves differently than fresher seawater by drawing up heat from the deep ocean and making it harder for sea ice to regrow.

    The loss of Antarctic sea ice has global consequences. Less sea ice means less habitat for penguins and other ice-dwelling species. More of the heat stored in the ocean is released into the atmosphere when ice melts, increasing the number and intensity of storms and accelerating global warming. This brings heatwaves on land and melts even more of the Antarctic ice sheet, which raises sea levels globally.

    Our new study has revealed that the Southern Ocean is changing, but in a different way to what we expected. We may have passed a tipping point and entered a new state defined by persistent sea ice decline, sustained by a newly discovered feedback loop.

    The Southern Ocean surrounds Antarctica, which is fringed by sea ice.
    Nasa

    A surprising discovery

    Monitoring the Southern Ocean is no small task. It’s one of the most remote and stormy places on Earth, and is covered in darkness for several months a year. Thanks to new European Space Agency satellites and underwater robots which stay below the ocean surface measuring temperature and salinity, we can now observe what is happening in real time.

    Our team at the University of Southampton worked with colleagues at the Barcelona Expert Centre and the European Space Agency to develop new algorithms to track ocean surface conditions in polar regions from satellites. By combining satellite observations with data from underwater robots, we built a 15-year picture of changes in ocean salinity, temperature and sea ice.

    What we found was astonishing. Around 2015, surface salinity in the Southern Ocean began rising sharply – just as sea ice extent started to crash. This reversal was completely unexpected. For decades, the surface had been getting fresher and colder, helping sea ice expand.

    The annual summer minimum extent of Antarctic sea ice dropped precipitously in 2015.
    NOAA Climate.gov/National Snow and Ice Data Center

    To understand why this matters, it helps to think of the Southern Ocean as a series of layers. Normally, the cold, fresh surface water sits on top of warmer, saltier water deep below. This layering (or stratification, as scientists call it) traps heat in the ocean depths, keeping surface waters cool and helping sea ice to form.

    Saltier water is denser and therefore heavier. So, when surface waters become saltier, they sink more readily, stirring the ocean’s layers and allowing heat from the deep to rise. This upward heat flux can melt sea ice from below, even during winter, making it harder for ice to reform. This vertical circulation also draws up more salt from deeper layers, reinforcing the cycle.

    A powerful feedback loop is created: more salinity brings more heat to the surface, which melts more ice, which then allows more heat to be absorbed from the Sun. My colleagues and I saw these processes first hand in 2016-2017 with the return of the Maud Rise polynya, which is a gaping hole in the sea ice that is nearly four times the size of Wales and last appeared in the 1970s.

    What happens in Antarctica doesn’t stay there

    Losing Antarctic sea ice is a planetary problem. Sea ice acts like a giant mirror reflecting sunlight back into space. Without it, more energy stays in the Earth system, speeding up global warming, intensifying storms and driving sea level rise in coastal cities worldwide.

    Wildlife also suffers. Emperor penguins rely on sea ice to breed and raise their chicks. Tiny krill – shrimp-like crustaceans which form the foundation of the Antarctic food chain as food for whales and seals – feed on algae that grow beneath the ice. Without that ice, entire ecosystems start to unravel.

    What’s happening at the bottom of the world is rippling outward, reshaping weather systems, ocean currents and life on land and sea.

    Feedback loops are accelerating the loss of Antarctic sea ice.
    University of Southampton

    Antarctica is no longer the stable, frozen continent we once believed it to be. It is changing rapidly, and in ways that current climate models didn’t foresee. Until recently, those models assumed a warming world would increase precipitation and ice-melting, freshening surface waters and helping keep Antarctic sea ice relatively stable. That assumption no longer holds.

    Our findings show that the salinity of surface water is rising, the ocean’s layered structure is breaking down and sea ice is declining faster than expected. If we don’t update our scientific models, we risk being caught off guard by changes we could have prepared for. Indeed, the ultimate driver of the 2015 salinity increase remains uncertain, underscoring the need for scientists to revise their perspective on the Antarctic system and highlighting the urgency of further research.

    We need to keep watching, yet ongoing satellite and ocean monitoring is threatened by funding cuts. This research offers us an early warning signal, a planetary thermometer and a strategic tool for tracking a rapidly shifting climate. Without accurate, continuous data, it will be impossible to adapt to the changes in store.


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

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


    Alessandro Silvano is a Natural Environment Research Council (United Kingdom Research and Innovation) Independent Research Fellow.

    – ref. ‘Completely unexpected’: Antarctic sea ice may be in terminal decline due to rising Southern Ocean salinity – https://theconversation.com/completely-unexpected-antarctic-sea-ice-may-be-in-terminal-decline-due-to-rising-southern-ocean-salinity-259743

    MIL OSI –

    July 1, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Food security in Africa: managing water will be vital in a rapidly growing region

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Christian Siderius, Senior researcher in water and food security, London School of Economics and Political Science

    Sub-Saharan Africa’s population is growing at 2.7% per year and is expected to reach two billion by the year 2050. The region’s urban population is growing even faster: it was at 533 million in 2023, a 3.85% increase from 2022.

    The need to feed this population will put pressure on land and water resources.

    I’m part of a group of researchers who have looked at whether regional food production would be sufficient to supply growing urban populations. By and large, we have found high levels of food self-sufficiency. But climate change could put a spanner in the works.

    We have also looked at the potential of local water conservation measures to help achieve food self-sufficiency in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Our study shows that measures such as better irrigation or water harvesting could boost food production while buffering the vagaries of weather.

    We found that ambitious – yet realistic – adoption of such measures increases food supply to cities and makes the region as a whole self-sufficient.

    A new model

    In large parts of eastern Africa, rainfall is relatively abundant and well distributed over the growing season, resulting in good yields. In future, however, the gap between water availability and crop water demand is expected to increase.

    We wanted to know whether sub-Saharan Africa would be able to increase its food production to meet future demand, in a changing climate. To do so, we built a novel foodshed model which simulates crop production using climate data and links urban demand to nearby food supply. Foodsheds have been defined as areas where supply matches demand. We assessed various water management measures that could buffer weather variability or increase production (or both). Understanding the potential of such measures can help mobilise and target much needed investments in Africa’s food system.

    Conserving water and growing more food

    First, we looked at whether regional food production was sufficient to supply growing urban populations.

    Combining large databases and crop simulations, we outlined the regions that food might come from for urban areas. Sub-Saharan Africa produces 85% of its overall crop food demand at present, according to our calculations, much of it in eastern Africa. Tanzania, Kenya, and even Uganda – if it were to use its food exports for domestic consumption – come close to being self-sufficient.

    Local exceptions are the large cities of Mombasa, the largest port city in Kenya, and Arusha, an important tourism and diplomatic and conference hub in Tanzania, and their immediate surroundings.

    In future, a larger population will demand more food. At the same time, the gap between how much water is available and how much crops need is expected to increase. Higher water losses due to higher temperatures will not be fully compensated for by changes in rainfall, according to climate model projections. And even where rainfall is projected to increase, more extreme events are likely to affect crop production. It might rain either too much or too little, which will lead to higher year-to-year variability.

    Our study shows that local water conservation measures could buffer some of the projected negative impacts of climate change in eastern Africa. It could also boost food production.

    Water harvesting, soil conservation and making sure water infiltrates in the soil would slow runoff and store more water in the soil.

    Irrigation systems should be gradually upgraded to drip irrigation or sprinklers. This will improve irrigation efficiency and water consumption. On rainfed areas, rainwater harvesting reservoirs should be installed. The water stored could be used for supplemental irrigation during dry periods. Soil moisture conservation measures will also be applied. These measures will prevent water from evaporating from the bare soil. Irrigation could offset occasional drought risk and so provide better financial stability or create possibilities for planting a different or a second or third crop, further increasing production and income.

    Even the foodsheds of rapidly growing cities such as Dar es Salaam in Tanzania will be able to supply enough to meet demand from relatively short distances.

    Large scale expansion of irrigation onto new lands should, however, be considered carefully. Potential trade-offs with energy and tourism incomes must equally be considered.

    In an earlier study, assessing Tanzania’s ambitious formal irrigation expansion plans, we found that expansion without water conservation measures would pose considerable risk to hydropower production in the new Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project. It would also be a risk to river-dependent ecosystems and national parks and the substantial tourism income that they generate.




    Read more:
    Kenya needs to grow more food: a focus on how to irrigate its vast dry areas is key


    Why our findings matter

    Producing more food in Africa is essential to keep pace with population growth and changing diets. The alternative is an increasing dependence on imports from outside the continent. In 2021, the total value of Africa’s food imports was roughly US$100 billion. Imports can be a useful supplement to local production, but major food exporters in Europe and America are already producing at peak productivity. They have limited scope to increase area and production.

    Security concerns around global supply chains in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and broader geo-political realignment have also made countries wary of relying too much on others.

    Our study confirms the potential of Africa to supply much of the increased demand for food within the continent. We looked at all food crops, including regionally important ones such as cassava, beans and millet. Countries in eastern Africa play a pivotal role.

    Improved productivity due to measures proposed would reduce the need for more land elsewhere to grow crops, and limit conflicts related to land use. This is equally important for biodiversity and tourism.




    Read more:
    Diet and nutrition: how well Tanzanians eat depends largely on where they live


    Looking forward

    What we propose requires large investments. Exploring these costs against benefits in a case study in the Rufiji basin in Tanzania we found that most water management measures would be cost effective, but only when considering the overall impact of water conservation on agriculture, hydropower production, and the riverine ecosystem.

    Not all farmers will be able to finance these measures themselves. The government and private sector have to provide incentives, reduce risks and increase access to affordable loans.

    Nor should these measures be taken in isolation. Other buffer mechanisms to support a stable food supply are increased storage facilities for food, diversified production, and stable and diversified trade relationships.
    With farmers innovating, the region’s infrastructure rapidly developing, and expanding urban areas becoming catalysts for growth, there is both the need and the scope to further invest in and improve the region’s food system.

    Christian Siderius received funding to conduct this research from the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL) for the Future Water Challenges project (E555182DA/5200000978/9) and in preparation of the 2021 United Nations Food Systems Summit. Other cited work was carried out under the Future Climate for Africa UMFULA project with financial support from the UK Natural Environment Research Council (grants NE/M020398/1 and NE/M020258) and the UK government’s former
    Department for International Development.

    Christian is a director and founder of Uncharted Waters Ltd, a not-for-profit climate-food system analytics company, and a Visiting Senior Fellow at the Grantham Research Institute of the London School of Economics and Political Science in the United Kingdom, and Visiting Senior Researcher the Water Resources Management group at Wageningen University in the Netherlands

    – ref. Food security in Africa: managing water will be vital in a rapidly growing region – https://theconversation.com/food-security-in-africa-managing-water-will-be-vital-in-a-rapidly-growing-region-241281

    MIL OSI –

    July 1, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Counting Uganda’s lions: we found that wildlife rangers do a better job than machines

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Alexander Richard Braczkowski, Research Fellow at the Centre for Planetary Health and Resilient Conservation Group, Griffith University

    Lions are a symbol of Africa’s last wild places. It’s a species central to many of the continent’s cultures and religions. But lion populations have reportedly declined over the past 50 years, especially in parts of west and east Africa.

    Concern over this decline has prompted large financial commitments to shore up numbers. These investments must go hand in hand with the critical work of closely monitoring lion populations. It’s important to understand how their numbers and their distribution respond to conservation actions such as anti-poaching, managing conflicts with cattle farmers, and securing protected areas.

    Many traditional methods used to count lions can produce unreliable results. And many existing estimates are based on assumptions about vast expanses which have not been surveyed.

    We are researchers with over 50 years of combined experience in conservation, big cat ecology, and the complexities of people and wildlife living together. We have long suspected wildlife tourism rangers operating within our study locations in Uganda could help us find lions in hard-to-reach places and map their distribution. After all, tourism rangers are government employees whose primary role is to guide tourists in observing and photographing wildlife daily. They have a deeper understanding of animal behaviour than most others.

    We therefore set out to study the efficacy of wildlife tourism rangers in collecting data necessary for estimating lion population numbers. We compared their performance to another commonly used field method to count big cats: remote infrared camera traps. We found that an approach led by wildlife rangers could be very useful in counting lions in many parts of their African range.

    Counting the lions of the Nile River

    As the morning sun rises on the banks of the River Nile in north-western Uganda, two wildlife rangers turn on their iPhones, preloaded with tracking software which will help them monitor where they have searched for lions. Lilian Namukose and Silva Musobozi head into the heart of Murchison Falls National Park. Here, their daily work is to locate and photograph the region’s largest predator: the African lion.

    The study area is the Nile Delta region (255km²) of the park, Uganda’s largest protected area. The region flanks the upper reaches of the Nile River, Africa’s longest waterway. It is a biodiversity hotspot but faces immense human pressures, from commercial oil extraction and wire snare poaching.




    Read more:
    The fast, furious, and brutally short life of an African male lion


    For these reasons it is critical to establish robust measures of how many lions still exist there, and develop monitoring schemes which will be long lasting.

    Over 76 sampling days we collaborated with Namukose and Musobozi, who drove 2,939km searching for lions. At the same time, we deployed infrared camera traps across 32 locations in the same study area. This allowed us to compare how these two methods performed head-to-head in exactly the same study area and time period. What we measured was the number of individually identifiable lions through their unique whisker spot patterns, suitable for advanced scientific analysis called spatial capture-recapture modelling.

    At the end of our survey period the rangers detected 30 lions 102 times, generating an estimate of 13.91 individuals per 100km² with acceptable precision. By contrast, the infrared camera traps could not reliably identify lions. There were only two usable detections because of poor image quality.

    One of the most important results of our surveys was that the ranger-led survey was 50% cheaper than running camera traps, and each detection by a camera trap was 100 times more expensive than a detection by a ranger.

    What rangers could mean for lion conservation across Africa

    Our survey of Murchison’s Nile Delta region showed us two key things. First, rangers’ intimate knowledge of lion behaviour (especially specific thickets, and regions of high lion activity) helped us achieve high lion detection rates. Second, using tourism rangers as lion monitors gives rangers an entry point into the conservation science field.

    This approach not only empowers rangers as active conservation stakeholders, but builds the local capacity that’s needed in many of the places where lions still roam. This science capacity is key if lion populations are to be monitored accurately and regularly (ideally yearly).

    This is all the more critical in key source sites of lions in Uganda which have experienced significant declines in recent years, especially Kidepo Valley and Queen Elizabeth National Park. The current lion population in Uganda is estimated at 291 individuals, far lower than many other places in east Africa (the Maasai Mara alone holds about 400 lions).

    Silva Musobozi, one of the rangers who did the fieldwork of the scientific study, adds:

    Rangers are arguably the closest group to wildlife on the ground and have good knowledge of animal behaviour. Through capacity building and training, rangers can be better incorporated into the scientific and management process.

    Nicholas Elliot of Wildlife Counts in Nairobi, Kenya, contributed to the research on which this article is based.

    Alexander Richard Braczkowski receives funding from Northern Arizona University and Griffith University.

    Duan Biggs is a member of the IUCN (World Conservation Union).

    Arjun M. Gopalaswamy and Peter Lindsey do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Counting Uganda’s lions: we found that wildlife rangers do a better job than machines – https://theconversation.com/counting-ugandas-lions-we-found-that-wildlife-rangers-do-a-better-job-than-machines-244206

    MIL OSI –

    July 1, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Industrial scale farming is flawed: what ecologically-friendly farming practices could look like in Africa

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Rachel Wynberg, Professor and DST/NRF Bio-economy Research Chair, University of Cape Town

    African Perspectives on Agroecology is a new book with 33 contributions from academics, non-governmental organisations, farmer organisations and policy makers. It is free to download, and reviewers have described it as a “must read for all who care about the future of Africa and its people”. The book outlines how agroecology, which brings ecological principles into farming practices and food systems, can solve food shortages and environmental damage caused by mass, commercial farming. We asked the book’s editor and the South African Research Chair on Environmental and Social Dimensions of the Bio-economy, Rachel Wynberg, to set out why this book is so important.

    What’s wrong with the current system of food production?

    The dominant model of modern agriculture in the world is based on monoculture, where one crop is grown across large areas using chemical fertilisers and pesticides. It relies on seeds that are owned by big corporations and are often subsidised by governments at a high cost.

    The book outlines how this approach to growing food is flawed. Firstly, it carries major costs. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation’s State of Food and Agriculture 2024 report, the costs of diet-related disease, hunger and malnutrition and other costs amount to about US$8 trillion a year. Countries in the global south carry much of the burden.

    Secondly, the current approach is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. This happens through deforestation and land degradation, livestock and fertiliser emissions, energy use, and the globalised nature of agriculture. Food is often produced far from where it is consumed.

    Huge farmlands also wipe out biodiversity and degrade one third of all soils, globally. Industrial agriculture has many negative impacts on ecosystem health, livestock and human wellbeing.

    What’s the alternative?

    Agroecology is a good alternative. It uses natural processes such as fixing nitrogen in the soil by planting legumes, and conserving natural habitat to encourage beneficial predators that keep pests in check. It includes planting a diversity of crops, rather than just one, to prevent pest outbreaks, and avoiding synthetic pesticides and herbicides.

    Agroecology places importance on building natural, local, economically viable and socially just food systems. It aims to support farmers and rural communities.




    Read more:
    Africa’s worsening food crisis – it’s time for an agricultural revolution


    As a result, it fosters more equal social relations and improves food and nutritional security.

    Agroecology also recognises local ways of knowing and doing things, and respects the rights of Indigenous people to seeds and plants that they have planted for many generations. Transforming research and education are an important part of agroecology.

    What are the advantages?

    Agroecology increases the capacity of farming systems to adapt to climate change. Studies show how agroecology increases crop yields, regulates water and nutrients, increases agricultural diversity and reduces pests.

    It gives farmers more choice about what to grow and eat. This enables them to produce a wider variety of healthy food.

    Can agroecology grow enough food for everyone?

    Agroecology can be scaled up through:

    • farmer-to-farmer knowledge exchanges

    • creating professional networks of agroecology practitioners

    • local seed-saving networks or groups that share different seeds that are adapted to local conditions




    Read more:
    Indigenous plants and food security: a South African case study


    • solidarity networks: community-based groups or movements that aim to support each other, cooperate and take collective action.

    • the revival and use of indigenous and under-utilised crops and livestock breeds such as pearl and finger millet, sorghum and Nguni cattle

    • linking producers with consumers and markets.

    What needs to be done?

    Urgent actions are needed, especially in the climate “hotspot” of sub-Saharan Africa. Agroecology needs supportive policies and funding. South Africa has had a draft agroecology strategy for more than 10 years but this has not yet been adopted.

    Development aid for farmers often undermines agroecology. It typically promotes a “new” African Green Revolution that uses hybrid seeds, agrochemicals, new technologies, and links to markets. However, hybrid seed, especially genetically modified seed, can contaminate local seed systems that are better adapted to local conditions.

    The book illustrates what can go wrong. Maize is said to have “modernised” development and promoted foreign investment in Africa. But it has displaced indigenous crops such as sorghum and millet which are more nutritious and drought-resistant.




    Read more:
    Amazing ting: South Africa must reinvigorate sorghum as a key food before it’s lost


    Subsidy programmes and state support for hybrid maize also back multinational agrochemical and seed companies.

    Governments, industry and those funding research, innovation and consumer marketing must actively move away from a maize culture and invest in a bigger range of crops.

    For millions of smallholder African farmers, there is a deep understanding of how animals, plants, soil, people and weather patterns are connected to and affect one another. Agricultural development programmes, chemical fertilisers, pesticides, and herbicides, and genetically modified seeds disrupt these relationships. They can devalue local knowledge and skills in favour of “expert”-led innovations. This means that farmers lose their capacity to understand their environment and their ability to react appropriately.




    Read more:
    Agriculture training in South Africa badly needs an overhaul. Here are some ideas


    Lastly, agriculture research and training needs to be rethought. Research and development is now mostly shaped by market-led approaches that favour crops grown by large-scale commercial farmers. A public sector research and development agenda for agroecology needs to be developed. It should be based both on scientific knowledge as well as traditional and local knowledge.

    What would help?

    Agricultural research should be co-created by everyone involved. Farmer-led research and innovation can support food system transformations.

    New ways of seeing and doing research are evolving. Western scientific and traditional knowledges are mixing in ways that can transform farming. Our book points out that social movements are emerging as a powerful force for change.

    We hope to support these efforts through a new, four year, European Union supported initiative to establish a research and training network: the Research for Agroecology Network in Southern Africa. New agroecology knowledge networks in South Africa and Zimbabwe have also been started to coordinate research and develop curricula.

    Rachel Wynberg’s research is supported by a grant from the Seed and Knowledge Initiative and South Africa’s National Research Foundation. She is a Board member of the NGO Biowatch South Africa.

    – ref. Industrial scale farming is flawed: what ecologically-friendly farming practices could look like in Africa – https://theconversation.com/industrial-scale-farming-is-flawed-what-ecologically-friendly-farming-practices-could-look-like-in-africa-245579

    MIL OSI –

    July 1, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Pope Francis and Laudato Si’: an ecological turning point for the Catholic Church

    Source: The Conversation – France – By Bernard Laurent, Professeur, EM Lyon Business School

    In Laudato Si’, Pope Francis called for a radical break with consumerist lifestyles. Ricardo Perna/Shutterstock

    On May 24, 2015, Pope Francis signed his encyclical Laudato Si’ – “Praise be to you” in medieval Italian. This letter to Roman Catholic bishops was no half measure: it took many Catholics by surprise with its uncompromising conclusions and call for an in-depth transformation of our lifestyles. In France, it managed to bring together both conservative currents – such as the Courant pour une écologie humaine (Movement for a Human Ecology), created in 2013 – and more open-minded Catholic intellectuals such as Gaël Giraud, a Jesuit and author of Produire plus, polluer moins : l’impossible découplage ? (Produce more, Pollute Less: the Impossible Decoupling?).

    The Pope was taking a cue from his predecessors. Benedict XVI, John Paul II and Paul VI had also expressed concern about the dramatic effects of an abusive exploitation of nature on humanity:

    “Man is suddenly becoming aware that by an ill-considered exploitation of nature he risks destroying it and becoming in his turn the victim of this degradation.”

    What does Pope Francis’s encyclical teach us? And how does it reflect the Catholic Church’s vision, and his own?



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


    The “green” pope

    In the text, Pope Francis describes a situation in which the environment is deteriorating rapidly:

    “There is […] pollution that affects everyone, caused by transport, industrial fumes, substances which contribute to the acidification of soil and water, fertilizers, insecticides, fungicides, herbicides and agrotoxins in general.” (§-20)

    Laudato Si’ was published by the Vatican on June 18, 2015, a few months prior to the Paris climate conference. For the “green” pope, the aim was to raise public awareness around the challenges of global warming by creating a relational approach that included God, human beings and the Earth. It was the first time an encyclical had been devoted wholly to ecology.

    In it, the Pope voiced his concern about the effects of global warming:

    “Warming has effects on the carbon cycle. It creates a vicious circle which aggravates the situation even more, affecting the availability of essential resources like drinking water, energy and agricultural production in warmer regions, and leading to the extinction of part of the planet’s biodiversity.” (§-24)

    Criticizing a “technocratic paradigm”

    Since Pope Leo XIII’s Rerum Novarum, the various social encyclicals have consistently rejected the liberal idea of a society solely regulated by the smooth functioning of the market. The French sociologist of religion Émile Poulat summed up the Church’s position perfectly in 1977 in his book Église contre bourgeoisie. Introduction au devenir du catholicisme actuel, in which he writes that the Church “never agreed to abandon the running of the world to the blind laws of economics.”

    In 2015, Pope Francis rejected technical solutions that would not truly be useful, as well as the belief in the redeeming virtues of a self-regulating market. He accused “the technocratic paradigm” of dominating humankind by subordinating the economic and political spheres to its logic (§-101). His comments are reminiscent of the unjustly forgotten French Protestant philosopher Jacques Ellul and his idea of a limitless “self-propulsion” of technology, which has become the alpha and omega of our societies.

    For Jacques Ellul, technology is anything but neutral since it represents genuine power driven by its own movement.
    Wikimedia, CC BY-SA

    The pope’s charge against the supposed virtues of the market was spectacular. Among others, he criticized the following:

    • overconsumption in developed countries:

    “Since the market tends to promote extreme consumerism in an effort to sell its products, people can easily get caught up in a whirlwind of needless buying and spending.” (§-203);

    • the glorification of profit and a self-regulating market:

    “Some circles maintain that current economics and technology will solve all environmental problems.” (§-109);

    • the hypertrophy of speculative finance:

    “Politics must not be subject to the economy, nor should the economy be subject to the dictates of an efficiency-driven paradigm of technocracy.” (§-189);

    • the unequal distribution of wealth in the world:

    “In fact, the deterioration of the environment and of society affects the most vulnerable people on the planet: […] the gravest effects of all attacks on the environment are suffered by the poorest.” (§-48);

    • the unequal levels of development between countries, leading Francis to speak of an “ecological debt” owed by rich countries to the least developed ones (§-51).

    Social justice and shrinking growth

    In Francis’s words, the goals of saving the planet and social justice go hand in hand. His approach is in keeping with the work of the [economist Louis-Joseph Lebret, a Dominican, who in 1941 founded the association Économie et humanisme. Father Lebret wanted to put the economy back at the service of humankind, and work with the least economically advanced countries by championing an approach based on the virtues of local communities and regional planning.

    Pope Francis, for his part, is calling for a radical break with the consumerist lifestyles of rich countries, while focusing on the development of the poorest nations (§-93). In Laudato Si’, he also wrote that developed countries’ responses seemed insufficient because of the economic interests at stake (§-54).

    This brings us back to the principle of the universal destination of goods – the organizing principle of property defended by the Catholic Church’s social doctrine, which demands that goods be distributed in such a way as to enable every human being to live in dignity.

    In addition to encouraging the necessary technical adjustments and sober individual practices, Pope Francis is urging citizens in developed countries not to be content with half measures deemed largely insufficient. Instead, he is calling for people to make lifestyle changes in line with the logic of slowing growth. The aim is to enable developing countries to emerge from poverty, while sparing the environment.

    “Given the insatiable and irresponsible growth produced over many decades, we need also to think of containing growth by setting some reasonable limits and even retracing our steps before it is too late. […] That is why the time has come to accept decreased growth in some parts of the world, in order to provide resources for other places to experience healthy growth.” (§ -193).

    Nearly 10 years on, Laudato Si’ resonates fully with our concerns. In the United States, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who both identify as Catholic, would be well advised to read it anew.

    Bernard Laurent is a member of the CFTC and of the IRES Scientific Council

    – ref. Pope Francis and Laudato Si’: an ecological turning point for the Catholic Church – https://theconversation.com/pope-francis-and-laudato-si-an-ecological-turning-point-for-the-catholic-church-253977

    MIL OSI –

    July 1, 2025
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