Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Two men prosecuted for dumping waste in village
Muddy tracks led to nearby house where excavation work had taken place. Environment Agency prosecution resulted in fines and costs totalling £6,400.
Farmer discovers dumped waste when looking to graze sheep on land.
The Environment Agency has successfully prosecuted two men for illegally dumping excavation waste at a site in West Haddon, Northamptonshire.
At Leicester Magistrates Court on Wednesday 23 July 2025, Richard Allen, 59, of Capeleira, Obidos, in Portugal, was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay £400 to the victims of the offence.
He was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £2,000 and a victim surcharge of £800.
At a previous hearing, on Wednesday 25 June 2025, David Thomas George Warden, 50, of Welland Avenue, Gartree, Market Harborough, was fined £350 and ordered to pay costs of £500 and a victim surcharge of £350.
Both pleaded guilty to knowingly causing and depositing controlled waste between 24 and 30 April 2024, on land off Ryehills Lane, West Haddon, without the necessary environmental permit.
Both also admitted to charges relating to failing to comply with waste transfer regulations.
Farmer discovered dumped waste
The court was told that officers from the Environment Agency were alerted by a farmer who discovered the dumped waste when looking to graze sheep on the land off Ryehills Lane.
The farmer found that the field had been covered in numerous mounds of excavation waste making it unsuitable for grazing.
Due to the wet weather, muddy tyre tracks leading away from the site led officers to a nearby house where excavation work had taken place.
That property was owned by Richard Allen’s daughter and son-in-law who informed officers that Allen had gained planning permission to build a house in the grounds of their property.
Allen informed the investigation that he had employed Warden’s company Sky CFG to carry out the building works. He also alleged he had gained permission, some three years previously, to dump the top soil on the Ryehills’ site.
However, Allen was unable to name the person from whom he had obtained permission.
The owners of the land confirmed there was no such agreement in place for anyone to deposit waste onto their field. In any event, regardless of whether permission had been granted, there was no environmental permit in place at the site to allow waste to be deposited there.
Both Allen and Warden said they had little knowledge of the environmental regulations despite having experience of waste disposal as part of their day-to-day businesses.
The court was told that some remediation work had taken place at the site albeit most of the soil had been spread across the field and that the land was now fit to graze animals.
A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said:
This case shows that operators in the waste sector should realise we will not tolerate illegal waste activities.
We will take enforcement action to protect the environment, people and legitimate businesses.
Anyone with suspicions of waste crime can call our incident hotline, 0800 807060, or Crimestoppers, on 0800 555111.
Background information
Charges
Richard Allen
Between 24 April 2023 and 30 April 2023, knowingly cause controlled waste namely excavation waste consisting of sand and soil to be deposited on land off Ryehills Lane, West Haddon when there was not in force an environmental permit authorising such a deposit contrary to section 33(1) (a) and (6) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, as amended.
Between 1 August 2023 and 30 September 2023 failed to comply with the duty of care imposed by section 34(1)(c)(ii) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 in that, being a person that is a waste broker of controlled waste, namely, a quantity of excavation waste consisting of sand and soil, did fail to take such measures as were reasonable in the circumstances to secure that, on transfer of the waste, that there was such a written description of the waste as to enable other persons to avoid any contravention of section 33 contrary to section 34(1)(c)(ii) and (6) Environmental Protection Act 1990.
David Thomas George Warden
Between 24 April 2023 and 30 April 2023, did deposit controlled waste namely excavation waste consisting of sand and soil in or on land at Ryehills Lane, West Haddon when there was no environmental permit in force authorising such a deposit contrary to section 33 (1) (a) and (6) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, as amended.
Between 24 April 2023 and 30 April 2023 failed to comply with the duty of care imposed by section 34(1)(c)(ii) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 in that, being a person that produces controlled waste, namely, a quantity of excavation waste consisting of sand and soil, did fail to take such measures as were reasonable in the circumstances to secure that, on transfer of the waste, that there was such a written description of the waste as to enable other persons to avoid any contravention of section 33 contrary to section 34(1)(c)(ii) and (6) Environmental Protection Act 1990.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)
WASHINGTON — Six months into the Trump Administration, Republicans in the 119th Congress are delivering on President Trump’s America First agenda. With the historic passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill and many more separate pieces of legislation, House Republicans have already voted to codify 50 of President Trump’s executive actions.
“The American people gave President Trump a clear mandate to enact his America First agenda – and House Republicans are answering that call. To date, we’ve voted to codify 50 of the President’s Executive Orders into law, from reining in waste, fraud, and abuse, to cutting bureaucratic red tape that has strangled America’s innovators, job creators, and entrepreneurs,” said Speaker Johnson. “The last four years under President Joe Biden made painfully clear how quickly progress can be undone unless Congress steps in. That’s why House Republicans are working around the clock to codify President Trump’s executive actions and enshrine his historic agenda into law.”
Executive Actions Passed by the House in the 119th Congress listed below and can be found here:
1. Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections
2. Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government
3. Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation
4. Imposing Sanctions on the International Criminal Court
5. Immediate Expansion of American Timber Production
6. Restoring Names that Honor American Greatness
7. Protecting American Communities from Criminal Aliens
8. Small Business Administration Overhaul of the Reckless Biden-era Lending Program
9. Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Open Borders
10. Making the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful
11. Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies: Advancing United States Interests When Funding Nongovernmental Organizations
12. Putting America First in International Environmental Agreements
13. Radical Transparency About Wasteful Spending
14. Withdrawing the U.S. from the World Health Organization
15. Withdrawing the U.S. from and Ending Funding to Certain U.N. Organizations and Reviewing U.S. Support to All International Organizations
16. Reevaluating and Realigning U.S. Foreign Aid
17. Restoring Freedom of Speech and Ending Federal Censorship
18. Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing
19. Securing Our Borders
20. Protecting Children from Surgical Mutilation
21. Expanding Migrant Operations Center at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay to Full Capacity
22. Expanding Access to In Vitro Fertilization
23. Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance
24. Declaring a National Emergency at the Southern Border of the U.S.
25. Reinvigorating America’s Beautiful Clean Coal Industry
28. Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday with the Garden of Heroes
29. Declaring a National Energy Emergency
30. Enforcing the Hyde Amendment
31. Immediate Measures to Increase American Mineral Production
32. Restricting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats
33. The Iron Dome for America
34. Clarifying The Military’s Role in Protecting the Territorial Integrity of the United States
35. Keeping Americans Safe in Aviation
36. Unleashing American Drone Dominance
37. Implementing the President’s “Department of Government Efficiency” Cost Efficiency Initiative
38. Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities
39. Reforming Accreditation to Strengthen Higher Education
40. Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy
41. Establishing the President’s Make America Healthy Again Commission
42. Further Amendment to Duties Addressing the Synthetic Opioid Supply Chain in the People’s Republic of China as Applied to Low-Value Imports
43. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Global Tax Deal (Global Tax Deal)
44. Protecting America’s Bank Account Against Fraud, Waste, and Abuse
45. Stopping Waste, Fraud, and Abuse by Eliminating Information Silos
46. Strengthening American Leadership in Digital Financial Technology
47. Honoring Jocelyn Nungaray
48. Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Biased Media
49. Restoring America’s Fighting Force
50. Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity
An international team of Greenpeace activists has abseiled from Scotland’s Forth Road Bridge to block an INEOS tanker from delivering its cargo of fracked American gas to the Grangemouth petrochemical facility.
The Greenpeace protest is aimed at chemicals giant INEOS, owned by billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe, which is opposing efforts by UN Member States to secure a Global Plastics Treaty to curb plastic pollution [1]. INEOS is the UK’s biggest plastics manufacturer, producing 30-35 billion nurdles (pellets) daily at its Grangemouth plant – enough to make 60 million plastic bottles.
The action comes less than a fortnight before governments meet in Geneva, Switzerland, for the sixth and final round of negotiations on the Global Plastics Treaty (5-14 August). Greenpeace is calling for these talks to agree to a cut in global plastic production of at least 75% by 2040, and for the UN to exclude lobbyists from INEOS and other fossil fuels companies from the treaty negotiations. Plastics producers including INEOS have collectively sent hundreds of lobbyists to exert their influence at every stage of the talks so far. Lobbyists have used tactics such as intimidation and harassment, to block an agreement that includes caps on plastic production.
The 10 climbers are confronting the giant INEOS tanker ‘INDEPENDENCE’. The vessel spent the last 10 days crossing the Atlantic carrying 27,500 cubic metres of ethane bound for Grangemouth where it will be used by INEOS in the production of virgin plastic.
Amy Cameron, Programme Director at Greenpeace UK said:
“Plastic pollution has reached a crisis point: it’s poisoning our land, seas, air, even our bodies. The Global Plastics Treaty offers us a once in a generation chance to tackle the problem for good, so it’s no surprise INEOS and its billionaire boss, Jim Ratcliffe, are doing everything they can to stop it.
Ratcliffe tries to distract us with sports teams and sponsorships, but we’re not going to let him fill our planet with plastic, so he can fill his pockets with profit. Ratcliffe is trying to block a strong Global Plastics Treaty, so today we’re blocking him.”
The highly-trained Greenpeace climbers [2] abseiled from beneath the bridge’s service walkway, unfurling six giant ‘Plastics Treaty Now’ banners. They will remain suspended 25 metres above the main shipping lane of the River Forth [3], preventing the tanker from reaching port with its hazardous cargo. They are supported by a rescue crew on the bridge and a boat team in the river below.
The Greenpeace protest comes during Donald Trump’s visit to Scotland. Over the past three years, INEOS Energy has made investments exceeding $3bn in the US oil and gas sector, and the US petrochemicals industry is investing heavily in new chemical and plastics production projects. Like INEOS, US Fossil Fuel giants are attempting to weaken the Global Plastics Treaty to avoid caps on virgin plastic production.
Greenpeace press officer on the ground at Forth Road Bridge: Kai Tabacek – 07984 127025
Greenpeace spokespeople are available for interviews on the ground in Scotland and in London
Please find all photos and videos of the protest HERE. Additional pictures and footage will be added as they become available.
Notes to editors
Speaking at the EFRA Parliamentary Committee on 8th July, on the UK Government’s priorities for the final plastics treaty negotiations, INEOS’s Technology Director, Peter Williams firmly opposed production caps because of potential “unintended consequences.”
The international team of Greenpeace activists include climbers from: UK, Argentina, Croatia, Germany, Hungary, Finland, France, Italy, Netherlands and Taiwan.
The main span of the iconic Forth Road Bridge is a little over a kilometre long, around 50 metres above water level. The highly-trained Greenpeace climbers are spaced at intervals of around 20 metres in an attempt to block the INEOS tanker.
York Mansion House, the 300-year-old Georgian landmark, is set to reopen its doors this August following the successful completion of the first phase of a major £1.3 million restoration project.
To mark this milestone, ninety City of York residents will be offered the opportunity to explore the newly-restored areas through a series of exclusive, free ‘behind-the-scenes’ tours.
Organised by Buttress Architects in partnership with City of York Council, the tours will take place on Tuesday 12 August, offering a unique glimpse into the craftsmanship and conservation efforts that have gone into preserving one of York’s most iconic civic buildings. The tours follow the Georgian Festival (7-11 August) and celebrate the Mansion House’s reopening in its 300th anniversary year.
Led by Hannah Bellerby, Senior Architect at Buttress, and Richard Pollitt, Mansion House Manager and Curator, the tours will guide visitors through the building’s most significant spaces and will explain more about the repair work undertaken. Most of the restoration has focused on protecting the fabric of the building following a comprehensive inspection, as well as external repairs. The Mansion House is now even more accessible than before, and the experts will explain further what has been improved and restored behind the scenes.
The tours will start in the state room before taking in the Lord Mayor’s drawing room, the principal staircase, the dining room, the butler’s pantry, the historic kitchen, the basement vault, external passageway, courtyard, and both the rear and front elevations.
The Right Honourable The Lord Mayor of York, Cllr Martin Rowley BEM, said:
“Work to build the house began in 1725 and was completed in 1732, making it one of the earliest civic buildings in England in the classical style.
“As city’s civic hub, the Mansion House holds and displays an important collection of items which tell York’s history and we’re delighted to welcome you back.”
Cllr Claire Douglas, Leader of City of York Council, said:
“These tours will give residents an exclusive insight into the essential maintenance, accessibility upgrades and safety improvements to secure the Mansion House’s future as a cultural and civic asset.
“They’ll find out about how the building’s environmental performance and accessibility is now the best it’s ever been – that’s good for the environment and residents!
“Working with our architects at Buttress and building contractor Birch, we’ve solved issues that this 300 year old building has presented so that it can reopen on 6 August ahead of the Georgian Festival. Please book your tickets for these special free tours now, or please book a regular visit at a time that suits you.”
Hannah Bellerby from Buttress commented:
“We’re excited to welcome local residents to see the results of our conservation works which help to ensure the longevity of the Mansion House for future generations to enjoy.
“Our focus has been on preserving the building’s historical integrity while ensuring it remains accessible and sustainable. This is a much-loved civic treasure, and its reopening – 300 years after its completion in 1725 – is a truly special moment.”
One of the most exciting discoveries during the restoration was made in the Lord Mayor’s drawing room, where seven layers of historic wallpaper were uncovered dating back to the 18th century. These layers, found on a narrow strip of wall, were then carefully removed and separated by wallpaper conservator Allyson McDermott and magnified to reveal the evolving decorative styles of the room over the centuries – providing invaluable insight for the restoration team.
A paint analysis, undertaken by Hirst Conservation, also found what appears to be a full archaeological paint record to the interior spaces of the hallway and principal staircase which allowed for an informed decision to be made on the redecoration of the spaces based on physical evidence.
Buttress Architects were appointed in October 2024 to lead the restoration, providing specialist heritage consultancy and conservation architecture. The second phase of works is expected to conclude in December 2025.
United Kingdom helps Guatemala to combat plastic pollution
Deputy Head of Mission (DHM) Paul Huggins participated in the launch of Guatemala’s National Plastics Action Partnership (NPAP).
During the event, he offered closing remarks highlighting the United Kingdom’s commitment to the Global Plastics Action Partnership (GPAP), of which Guatemala has been a member since January 2025, and underscored the importance of international collaborations in addressing global environmental challenges.
DHM Huggins praised Guatemala’s leadership in creating inclusive, evidence-based policies and welcomed its recent membership in the UK-founded High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution (HAC). He also reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s commitment to concluding negotiations for a legally binding global treaty on plastics by August of this year.
The event was attended by the Minister of Environment, Patricia Orantes; the Vice Minister for Climate Change, Edwin Castellanos, and representatives of partner organizations and implementers of the NPAP in Guatemala.
The UK, through the Blue Planet Fund and in collaboration with other partners has contributed £24 million to the GPAP program since 2018, supporting initiatives that promote the circular economy and improve the conditions of informal waste workers.
Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
On July 25, at 08:54 Moscow time, the Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicle with the Fregat upper stage was launched from the Vostochny Cosmodrome, which delivered two heliogeophysical spacecraft Ionosfera-M No. 3 and No. 4, as well as a group of 18 small space satellites, to their calculated orbits.
The launch of the Ionosfera-M series satellites completed the formation of a group of four devices of the Ionozond space complex, which will monitor the geophysical environment to conduct fundamental scientific research and solve applied problems.
The complex was created in the interests of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Federal Service of Russia for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring. The Ionosfera-M satellites are designed for a comprehensive study of the upper layers of the Earth’s atmosphere. They will observe various physical processes in the ionosphere, including natural and man-made impacts, changes in electromagnetic fields, atmospheric composition, and ozone distribution. The data obtained will be used by Roshydromet in combination with ground-based observations. The Russian Academy of Sciences plans to conduct ground-space experiments to study the ionosphere’s response to natural phenomena such as hurricanes and volcanic eruptions.
Also, 18 small satellites have been launched into orbit. Nine of them were created by Geoscan and will be engaged in photographing the Earth, tracking the movement of ships and aircraft, exploring near space and much more. Some of the devices are intended for educational purposes.
Ivan Bortnik, Advisor to the General Director of the Foundation for Assistance to Innovations, highly appreciated the significance of today’s launch: “This is a great achievement for Roscosmos – the completion of the formation of the Ionosfera-M satellite group for research by our scientists, representatives of fundamental science. Also in this launch are many devices from private satellite-building companies. One of the devices from the Geoscan company is included inSpace Pi project, this is important for the Innovation Promotion Fund and for the Polytechnic University as the founder and leader of the project. This is the first of a series of satellites with which schoolchildren will be able to hunt for supernovae. We, as the Innovation Promotion Fund, held a competition and determined the winners who will begin to manufacture such devices; I hope that they will fly next year.”
According to Ivan Bortnik, the nanosatellite “239Alferov” of the Presidential Physics and Mathematics Lyceum No. 239 and the Lyceum “Physics and Technology School named after Zh. I. Alferov” will open a new direction of the Space Pi project – the launch of target devices. This is the first of a series of satellites equipped with X-ray sensors that will hunt for supernovae. This will be possible thanks to the network of ground stations created by the company “Geoscan”, covering almost the entire territory of Russia.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
The Environmental Protection Department announced today that the GREEN$ Electronic Participation Incentive Scheme (GREEN$ ePIS) will be fully digitised on April 1, 2026, under which citizens can redeem gifts at more than 500 supermarkets and retail stores as well as free MTR tickets and local ecotours via the GREEN$ mobile app.
They will no longer need to visit GREEN@COMMUNITY to redeem a limited selection of around 10 types of gifts with the full digitisation, the department noted.
Noting that about 87% of the approximately 1.06 million users of GREEN$ ePIS are using the mobile app that allows the seamless transition to full digitisation, the department said it will offer an extra 50 GREEN$ points to those who return their physical cards and switch to the GREEN$ mobile app from August 1 to September 30, 2025.
The public will be given time to adapt and transition to the new arrangements, as physical gifts will remain available for redemption at GREEN@COMMUNITY until the first quarter of 2026.
Physical cards will cease operation on April 1, 2026. GREEN@COMMUNITY staff will assist people in installing the GREEN$ mobile app and demonstrate how to use the e-point redemption feature.
For those without smartphones, their existing physical cards will not be cancelled. They can register their cards at designated GREEN@COMMUNITY facilities and continue to use the GREEN$ points in the physical cards for redeeming gifts.
After the full digitisation, members of the public can continue to donate GREEN$ points to charitable organisations, the department added.
Click here for figures including the five most popular gifts redeemed at GREEN@COMMUNITY and the total recyclables collected by GREEN@COMMUNITY in the past years.
Governor Newsom praises the State Water Board for incorporating the Healthy Rivers and Landscapes Program into the Bay-Delta Plan
What you need to know: The Newsom Administration’s innovative Healthy Rivers and Landscapes Program, which improves environmental conditions and provides more water supply certainty for California’s communities, farms, and businesses, is moving forward for consideration in the Bay-Delta Plan. This comes alongside a recent legislative proposal to streamline the adoption of water quality plans through new CEQA exemptions.
SACRAMENTO – Today, the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) proposed an update to its Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan that will help protect the Sacramento River, the Delta and associated tributaries (Sacramento/Delta) for generations to come and safeguard water supplies for millions of Californians. The new plan update will help maintain a strong balance between protecting precious ecosystems and ensuring the state can meet the needs of Californians. If adopted, the plan will update environmental science, restore tens of thousands of acres of habitat, and incorporate a groundbreaking program developed by the Newsom administration, creating voluntary agreements with water users, including municipal water agencies, agriculture, and other water rights holders. Advancing California’s Abundance Agenda, the Governor is also introducing a legislative proposal through a separate trailer bill to create new CEQA exemptions for water quality plans.
“I am proud to see the Healthy Rivers and Landscapes Program represented in this plan update — it’s a testament to California’s commitment to a collaborative, science-driven approach to managing our water for the benefit of our communities, economy, and fish and wildlife. However, our work is not yet done — I have proposed legislation to create a CEQA exemption for all Water Quality Control Plans that would accelerate the time it takes to get these critical plans done by removing unnecessary and redundant process requirements. We’re done with barriers and obstacles to our state’s success. We must work together to protect our natural resources for the benefit of the habitats and people of our state.”
Governor Gavin Newsom
The Newsom Administration, along with state, federal, and local leaders, developed the Healthy Rivers and Landscapes (HRL) Program as an innovative alternate approach to traditional regulatory requirements to improve environmental conditions while providing more water supply certainty to communities, farms, and businesses throughout California. Now, the program has advanced to the State Water Board for consideration as an implementation pathway in the Bay-Delta Plan.
“The State Water Board’s draft plan update marks a crucial step toward safeguarding the Bay Delta’s water quality,” said California Environmental Protection Agency Secretary Yana Garcia. “By embracing collaborative, science-driven solutions, the board is actively ensuring a more sustainable water future for communities, ecosystems, and generations to come.”
The Bay-Delta Plan update now includes two regulatory pathways for water users:
A comprehensive Healthy Rivers and Landscapes Program, which would produce ecosystem benefits through a combination of flow and habitat projects.
A flow-only approach for those who are not parties to the HRL program.
Following a public comment period, the plan will advance before the State Water Board for final consideration. The plan, developed with extensive public input, including public water agencies, environmental nonprofits, tribal partners, and local governments, is a win for all Californians.
Streamlining Government to Work Better
The Bay-Delta Plan for the Sacramento/Delta has not been meaningfully updated since 1995. Continuing to operate under a plan that does not reflect the most current science, a growing population, or a changing climate is a disservice to California’s communities and ecosystems. In 2022, Governor Newsom brought together local, state, and federal partners to submit an actionable framework for the Voluntary Agreements, later named the Healthy Rivers and Landscapes Program, to the State Water Board.
If adopted by the State Water Board, the HRL program would dedicate a large quantity of water to the environment and restore more than 45,000 acres of aquatic habitat for fish and other animals. In addition, Governor Newsom secured funding commitments totalling $2.9 billion to implement the HRL program over the next 8 years.
“This program will improve the health of our rivers by both restoring river flows and revitalizing habitat,” said California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot. “After all, fish and wildlife need both to thrive. It also improves coordination and collaboration among public agencies charged with improving river conditions and will enable real-time, science-based decision making that we desperately need to better manage our river systems.”
“The Healthy Rivers and Landscapes Program will allow for a more collaborative and scientifically sound way to balance conflicting demands for water in an extremely complex watershed. We’re grateful to the State Water Board for embracing this approach as a potential pathway within their regulatory framework,” said California Department of Water Resources Director Karla Nemeth. “Working together, we will find new solutions to the old problem of balancing the needs of ecosystems and economies.”
“The inclusion of voluntary agreements in the development of this plan will be a big win for California, and will help provide more opportunities for our partners across the state to support California’s irreplaceable fish populations and habitats,” said California Department Fish and Wildlife Director Charlton H. Bonham. “By focusing on the science of restoration, and prioritizing additional flows to support healthy habitats, we can ensure the best possible outcomes for California’s precious natural resources, now and in years to come.”
Furthering the administration’s agenda to reduce barriers to progress and move projects that Californians need forward, Governor Newsom has also introduced trailer bill language to streamline the adoption of water quality control plans and create new exemptions for water projects under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). This would expedite the potential adoption of the Bay-Delta Plan and the ecosystem benefits it would provide, while still allowing for vital public process and input.
More information about the proposed Bay-Delta Plan update is available on the State Water Board’s website.
Press releases, Recent news
Recent news
Jul 24, 2025
News Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom issued the following statement today on a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit striking down California’s ammunition background check law, which was passed by voters in 2016: Strong…
Jul 23, 2025
News What you need to know: Through Governor Newsom’s support of local government efforts and state investments, California is reversing decades of inaction on homelessness. Last year’s 2024 point-in-time count showed California had outperformed the nation by slowing…
Jul 23, 2025
News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today approved the predeployment of firefighting resources in Nevada, Sierra, and Plumas counties in response to critical fire weather conditions forecasted to impact Northern California starting Wednesday, July 23, through…
Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav on Thursday reaffirmed India’s global leadership in wetlands conservation at the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. Addressing the High-Level Ministerial Segment in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, the Minister highlighted India’s message of “Oneness with Nature” and the country’s integrated approach to sustainable lifestyles in wetland management.
India currently hosts 91 Ramsar Sites covering 1.36 million hectares—forming Asia’s largest, and the world’s third-largest, network of protected wetlands. Over the past decade, this network has expanded by 250 percent. Yadav proudly noted that for the first time, two Indian cities—Indore and Udaipur—have been internationally recognised as Wetland Cities, underscoring the nation’s commitment to conserving urban wetlands.
The Minister credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visionary leadership, referencing key environmental campaigns such as Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) and Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam. He urged the global community to embrace nature-friendly living and symbolic actions like tree plantation in honor of one’s mother.
India’s citizen-led initiatives, including Mission Sahbhagita and the Save Wetlands Campaign, have mobilised over two million people. These efforts have resulted in the mapping and boundary demarcation of over 170,000 wetlands across the country, contributing significantly to informed conservation strategies.
Yadav emphasized that India’s wetlands conservation efforts are firmly grounded in constitutional mandates, legal instruments, and policy frameworks. Wetlands are an integral part of national plans such as the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan and the National Wildlife Action Plan. He also highlighted India’s support for the UNEA Resolution 6/8 on promoting sustainable lifestyles, reiterating the importance of integrating such values into conservation policies.
On the sidelines of the summit, the Minister held bilateral meetings with representatives of key global environmental conventions, including the Ramsar Secretariat, CITES, and the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS). He also met with Zimbabwe’s Minister of Environment, Climate and Wildlife, Dr. Evelyn Ndlovu, to discuss enhanced cooperation in wetland restoration and knowledge exchange.
Highlighting India’s broader global environmental initiatives, Yadav urged international participation in platforms such as the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA), the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), the International Solar Alliance (ISA), and global movements for sustainable living.
COP15 of the Ramsar Convention has brought together 172 contracting parties, international organisations, scientists, and civil society representatives to chart out the wetland conservation agenda for the next triennium.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) announced today (July 25) that, along with technological advancements, the GREEN$ Electronic Participation Incentive Scheme (GREEN$ ePIS) will be fully digitised on April 1, 2026. The digitalisation will enhance the connections of GREEN$ ePIS with more reward platforms and gift redemption locations in the market. Members of the public will no longer be required to visit GREEN@COMMUNITY to redeem a limited selection of around 10 types of gifts. Instead, they can redeem their favourite or required gifts at more than 500 supermarkets and retail stores, as well as free MTR tickets and local ecotours, through the GREEN$ mobile app.
The EPD spokesperson said, “Among the approximately 1.06 million current users of GREEN$ ePIS, about 920 000 users (i.e. 87 per cent), are already using the mobile app, allowing them to transition seamlessly to full digitisation. To encourage physical card users to switch to the GREEN$ mobile app promptly and enjoy the benefits of digitalisation, the EPD will launch a summer promotion to offer an extra 50 GREEN$ points to those who return their physical cards and switch to the use of the GREEN$ mobile app during the period from August 1 to September 30, 2025.”
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Government gazetted today (July 25) the Gas Safety (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 (the Ordinance).
A spokesman for the Environment and Ecology Bureau said, “The Ordinance amends the definition of ‘gas’ under the Gas Safety Ordinance (Cap. 51) to bring ‘regulated hydrogen’ used or intended to be used as fuel to propel vehicles, trains, machinery, etc under the regulatory framework of the Gas Safety Ordinance. This Ordinance establishes a regulatory framework governing the importation, manufacture, storage, transport, supply and use of hydrogen that is used or intended to be used as fuel.”
The Ordinance empowers the Chief Executive in Council to make regulations in relation to “regulated hydrogen” and its relevant matters. The Government will introduce subsidiary legislation on the regulation of “regulated hydrogen” into the Legislative Council for negative vetting within 2026. The Ordinance and the relevant subsidiary legislation will come into effect on the same day. The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department will consult the trade on the proposed subsidiary legislation to ensure that the relevant regulations could effectively assure the safe use of hydrogen in Hong Kong.
The spokesman added, “The relevant subsidiary legislation will cover the entire supply chain of ‘regulated hydrogen’ to provide a clear legal framework and stable regulatory environment for the local hydrogen energy industry, enabling both local and international investors to develop hydrogen-related businesses in Hong Kong with greater confidence.”
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and relevant central ministries held the eighth Joint Conference on Advancing Hong Kong’s Full Participation in and Contribution to the Belt and Road Initiative (B&RI) in Beijing today (July 25).
Vice Chairman of the NDRC Mr Zhou Haibing attended the conference with Mainland officials led by him, including representatives from the NDRC, the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, the Supreme People’s Court, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Transport, the People’s Bank of China, the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, the National Financial Regulatory Administration, and the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR.
The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, in his capacity as chairperson of the Working Group on Belt and Road (B&R) Development under the Steering Group on Integration into National Development, led HKSAR Government officials to attend the conference. They included the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, who was also the Hong Kong-side Convenor of the Joint Conference, and representatives from the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau (CEDB), the Department of Justice, the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau, the Development Bureau, the Environment and Ecology Bureau, the Belt and Road Office of the CEDB, and the Office of the Government of the HKSAR in Beijing. The Chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Professor Frederick Ma, and a representative from the Airport Authority Hong Kong also attended the meeting.
Mr Lam said that the HKSAR Government has been taking forward B&R co-operation to go deeper and deliver outcomes, thereby fully participating in and contributing to the B&RI under the continued guidance of the eight major steps the country has been taking to support high-quality B&R co-operation, with a view to facilitating Hong Kong’s active integration into overall national development. With the country’s support, Hong Kong will continue to deepen international exchanges and co-operation and will actively utilise its own advantages to exert a greater role in the country’s high-level opening up to the world.
He pointed out that over the past year, the HKSAR Government has actively served as a proponent for institutional openness through Hong Kong’s strengths as a platform for two-way opening up; a pioneer for co-operation in new fields through strengths in education, science and technology and talent; and a facilitator for people-to-people bonds through strengths as a melting pot of diversified cultures. The HKSAR Government has been exploring emerging markets such as the Middle East, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and other B&R countries, while making full use of Hong Kong’s professional services aligned with international standards, thereby building Hong Kong as the gateway between the country and the world and highlighting Hong Kong’s role as the premier B&R functional platform. He expressed gratitude to the Central Government for the staunch support of hosting the International Organization for Mediation headquarters in Hong Kong, which will help strengthen Hong Kong’s roles as an international dispute resolution services centre and a capital for international mediation.
Mr Yau stated in the meeting that the HKSAR Government will fully capitalise on the 10th Belt and Road Summit to showcase Hong Kong’s important roles as an active participant and the premier B&R functional platform to the Mainland and overseas. He reported on Hong Kong’s progress in carrying out B&R work, including the CEDB’s ongoing pursuit of the early accession of Hong Kong to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, the pursuit of early conclusion of ongoing negotiations for free trade and investment agreements, and actively following up on the plan to establish Economic and Trade Offices in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to fully take forward the economic and trade relations between Hong Kong and B&R countries.
The meeting also focused its discussion on the seven work proposals on further promoting the B&RI that the HKSAR Government put forward for consideration by central ministries, covering capacity building, deepening exchanges and co-operations with B&R countries, legal and dispute resolution services, cross-boundary financing, and the expansion of international co-operation and ties in innovation and technology. Representatives of relevant Joint Conference Mainland ministries introduced their respective work in supporting Hong Kong’s participation in and contribution to the B&RI and provided feedback on the HKSAR Government’s work proposals. The HKSAR Government is grateful for the support expressed by relevant central ministries at the meeting on various work proposals and will actively follow up with them.
In addition, the meeting noted the HKSAR Government’s key areas and major work in its future participation and contribution to the B&RI, including leveraging Hong Kong’s role as a B&R functional platform to explore business opportunities and facilitating business matching and participation in B&R projects. The HKSAR Government will continue to consolidate Hong Kong’s unique advantage of connecting with the Mainland and the rest of the world under “one country, two systems”, seize the enormous opportunities brought about by national development, strengthen and deepen exchanges and co-operations with B&R countries, and give full play to its role as a “super connector” and “super value-adder”.
The Arrangement between the NDRC and the HKSAR Government for Advancing Hong Kong’s Full Participation in and Contribution to the B&RI, signed between the HKSAR Government and the NDRC in 2017, provides the direction and a blueprint for Hong Kong’s full participation in and contribution to the B&RI, as well as sets up the Joint Conference mechanism to discuss relevant matters, with meetings convened at least once a year.
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Kamchatka Krai will present its exposition at the exhibition “Far East Street”, which will be held from September 3 to 9 as part of the tenth, anniversary Eastern Economic Forum. The exhibition is organized by the Roscongress Foundation with the support of the Office of the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President in the Far Eastern Federal District.
The central zone of the space – “The Will of Man” – will be dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the victory over Japan, and in particular to the legendary Kuril landing operation. It will act as an interactive museum of Kamchatka military glory, and will harmoniously weave in stories about the Great Patriotic War and the special military operation.
“We are celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory. I believe that it is impossible not to touch upon the topic of the victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War. Kamchatka made a significant contribution to the victory. This is not only the supply of products, but also the mobilization of human resources, the heroic defense of borders and preparation for strategically important operations. It is important to always remember and honor the heroic and selfless feat of home front workers, soldiers and officers, indigenous peoples – all who gave their lives for the freedom and independence of the Motherland. It is necessary to show what heroic feats and efforts were needed to create the victory,” said Deputy Prime Minister – Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District, Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Eastern Economic Forum Yuri Trutnev.
“80 years ago, ordinary residents of the Kamchatka Region played a decisive role in ending World War II by conquering, as it seemed then, the impregnable islands of the Kuril Ridge. Then 306 Kamchatka residents gave their lives in the fight against Japanese militarism. We will never forget the price of this victory. And the main task that we set for ourselves is not to allow the events of those years to be distorted: every young resident of our region and the country as a whole should know and honor the pages of history that turned the tide of the war. That is why, on the instructions of the President of the Russian Federation, an open-air museum will be opened on Shumshu Island, and young people from all over the country, including Kamchatka guys, will go on a search expedition to the places of glory of our soldiers. The play “Ballad of the Kuril Landing” will be staged in Kamchatka, which will be presented to viewers on August 18,” said Vladimir Solodov, Governor of the Kamchatka Region.
The exhibition will introduce guests and participants of the EEF-2025 to the unique features of Kamchatka, including its natural beauty.
“Kamchatka is a unique region, the pearl of our country. It is truly a land of fire and ice. Active volcanoes, geysers, thermal springs form a unique landscape. This is one of the most promising territories of our country for tourism development. New hotels open every year. Thanks to the implementation of the master plan, the urban environment of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is gradually changing. A new modern airport welcomes guests of the peninsula,” concluded Yuri Trutnev.
The pavilion will feature a “Traveler’s Passport” zone, designed in the style of a travel agency. At the entrance to the pavilion, visitors will receive a personal traveler’s passport with information about tours, discounts from Kamchatka operators, and gifts from restaurants and shops.
A separate zone, “The Power of the Ocean”, will be dedicated to demonstrating the natural and economic potential of Kamchatka as a unique oceanic territory. The big screen will systematize and present such areas as marine logistics, the fishing industry, scientific ocean research, tourism, sea cruises and yachting, and Pacific cuisine.
In the “Volcano Energy” space, visitors will be able to get acquainted with the region’s potential for implementing projects in the fields of tourism, construction, agriculture, education and science. In the “New Kamchatka Facilities in 360” zone, it will be possible to take a full 3D tour of the Kamchatka Regional Hospital, airport and greenhouse complex.
The “Specially Protected Natural Areas” area will feature the heroes of the documentary “Fire Fox”. Visitors to the stand will also be able to familiarize themselves with information about the “Far East – Land of Adventure” competition and learn about new tourist routes in the region. In addition, the area will display images from street cameras, supplemented with elements of wild nature.
A souvenir pavilion and a stage will be opened next to the main exposition of the Kamchatka Territory. In addition, the Falcon House will be open, where the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Russia will prepare its own exposition.
The 10th Eastern Economic Forum will be held on September 3–6 at the campus of the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok. During these days, the exhibition will be available to forum participants, and on September 7, 8, and 9, it will be open to everyone. The EEF is organized by the Roscongress Foundation.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
News story
Appointments to the Board of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Three new appointments and two reappointments made
A series of appointments and reappointments have been made to the Board of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Dame Dervilla Mitchell, Dr Fiona Pathiraja and Sarah Greasley have been appointed as Trustees. Dervilla and Fiona’s four-year terms commenced on 1 July 2025. Sarah’s four-year term will commence on 1 October 2025.
Steve Almond and Kate Priestman have been reappointed as Trustees for a second term of four years from 2 October 2025 to 1 October 2029.
These appointments have been made in accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments published by the Cabinet Office. All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process.
Biographies
Dame Dervilla Mitchell
Dervilla is an experience engineering leader who has been involved in significant infrastructure programmes at Heathrow, Dublin and Abu Dhabi airports. She has also led the design of a range of new build and renovation projects in different sectors. She spent the majority of her career at Arup, a trust-owned organisation, latterly serving as Global Deputy Chair and Ethics Director.
She became involved in the decarbonisation agenda whilst a member of the Council for Science and Technology and subsequently took on the role of Chair of the National Engineering Policy Centre’s decarbonisation working group. Her non-executive experience has been gained through Trustee roles as Vice President of the Royal Academy of Engineering and serving as a school governor at three different girls’ schools in London.
She was awarded a DBE for Services to Engineering in 2024, having previously received a CBE in 2014. She has received Honorary Doctorates from University College Dublin, as well as Imperial College London, where she now sits on the Industry Advisory Board for the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
Dr Fiona Pathiraja
Fiona is an investor and philanthropist. She is Managing Partner of Crista Galli Ventures, a pan-European healthtech venture capital firm. She serves on several boards and is currently a trustee of the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Arts. Fiona leads philanthropic endeavours at IPQ Capital, her Family Office, and is vice-chair of London Business School’s fundraising board.
A former NHS consultant radiologist at University College London Hospital, Fiona has held a range of strategic and leadership roles across healthcare, including Clinical Advisor to the Department of Health and Social Care. She is a Fellow of the Royal College of Radiologists, a Member of the Faculty of Public Health, and holds Master of Business Administration and Master of Public Health degrees. Fiona is an advocate for greater diversity in technology and investment.
Sarah Greasley
Sarah is an accomplished technology leader with more than 40 years’ expertise working in both the technology and financial services industries. She was Solutions Architecture Director for Europe, Middle East and Africa at Amazon Web Services, and prior to that, she was Group Chief Technology Officer at Direct Line Group and a Distinguished Engineer at IBM. She has a broad range of leadership experience across new technologies, strategy, risk and resilience. She also has a strong focus on increasing diversity, equity and inclusion.
She has a degree in Mathematics from the University of Cambridge and is a Chartered Fellow of the British Computing Society, as well as a Fellow of the Institute of Engineering and Technology. Sarah is a Trustee of the British Exploring Society and a Governor at Charterhouse School.
Steve Almond
After obtaining a BA in History at Royal Holloway College, University of London, Steve trained as a Chartered Accountant at Deloitte and spent much of his career there as an Audit Partner specialising in the financial services industry. He worked in a variety of roles for 16 years on the Deloitte UK Executive and, concurrently, eight years on the Global Executive. He has a wealth of experience advising large company boards and audit committees and served for 10 years on the board of Deloitte UK. In 2011, he was elected Chairman of Deloitte’s Global Board. In that capacity, he represented Deloitte on various external bodies, including the Accounting for Sustainability Advisory Board; International Integrated Reporting Council; Social Progress Index Advisory Board; and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.
Kate Priestman
Kate has worked in the biopharma industry for over 25 years and is currently Chief Corporate and External Affairs Officer at CSL. Before joining CSL, Kate served as Senior Vice-President of R&D Strategy and Portfolio at GlaxoSmithKline, focused on the development of transformational medicines and vaccines. Kate also serves as a Non-Executive Director at Oxford Nanopore Technologies PLC. Kate’s career has spanned roles in commercial, corporate governance, communications and government affairs, following an early career at the BBC as a presenter and documentary maker. In her spare time, Kate is an artist and creator of a popular design blog; her work inspired an installation in the Chicago Botanic Garden in 2016 and is used in schools as part of the creative arts curriculum.
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
The theme of the plenary session is “Environmental challenges: towards sustainable development”.
Joint photo session of the heads of delegations of the International Environmental Conference
July 25, 2025
Heads of Delegations of the International Environmental Conference
July 25, 2025
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Joint photo session of the heads of delegations of the International Environmental Conference
The International Environmental Conference is taking place on July 25 in the Altai Republic on the territory of the Manzherok resort. Eight countries are participating in it: the Russian Federation, the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Belarus, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Tajikistan, the Republic of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. All states are long-standing partners and interact on environmental issues both bilaterally and within the framework of international associations.
The international conference will open with a plenary session entitled “Environmental Challenges: Towards Sustainable Development,” in which the prime ministers of Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan will talk about the environmental and ecological agendas of their countries.
Ministers of natural resources, ecology and the environment will speak at the expert session “How to maintain the global water balance?”. The heads of departments will discuss how climate change affects water resources and what measures need to be taken now to minimize the consequences.
Drive
The thematic session “Ecological tourism: the calling card of the state” is devoted to issues of regulating anthropogenic load on natural complexes, the role of ecotourism in economic development, issues of developing and equipping ecological routes and the functioning of transboundary reserves and national parks, and joint projects.
The conference will also discuss the development of transboundary ecotourism, protection of specially protected natural areas and conservation of biodiversity. For example, the joint efforts of five countries to restore the snow leopard population: the rare cat lives only in Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
The green-headed tanager (_Tangara seledon_) has a hidden layer of plumage that is white underneath the orange feathers and black underneath the blue and green feathers.Daniel Field
Birds are perhaps the most colourful group of animals, bringing a splash of colour to the natural world around us every day. Indeed, exclusively black and white birds – such as magpies – are in the minority.
However, new research by a team from Princeton University in the United States has revealed a surprising trick in which birds use those boring black and white feathers to make their colours even more vivid.
Male golden tanagers (Tangara arthus) have hidden layers of white which make their plumage brighter, while females have hidden layers of black which make their plumage darker. Daniel Field
In the study, published today in Science Advances, Rosalyn Price-Waldman and her colleagues discovered that if coloured feathers are placed over a layer of either white or black underlying feathers, their colours are enhanced.
A particularly striking discovery was that in some species the different colour of males and females wasn’t due to the colour the two sexes put into the feathers, but rather in the amount of white or black in the layer underneath.
Why birds are so bright – and how they do it
Typically, male birds have more vivid colours than females. As Charles Darwin first explained, the most colourful males are more likely to attract mates and produce more offspring than those that aren’t as vivid. This process of “sexual selection” is the evolutionary force that has resulted in most of the colours we see in birds today.
Evolution is a process that rewards clever solutions in the competition among males to stand out in the crowd. Depositing a layer of black underneath patches of bright blue feathers has enabled males to produce that extra vibrancy that helps them in the competition for mates.
The blue feathers of a red-necked tanager (Tangara cyanocephala) stand out against a black underlayer. Rosalyn Price-Waldman
The reason the black layer works so well is that it absorbs all the light that passes through the top layer of coloured feathers. The colour we see is blue because those top feathers have a fine structure that scatters light in a particular way, and reflects light in the blue part of the spectrum.
The feathers appear particularly vivid blue because the light in other wavelengths is absorbed by the under-layer. If the under-layer was paler, some of the light in the other parts of the light spectrum would bounce back and the blue would not “pop out” as much.
Different tricks for different colours
Interestingly, in the new study, the researchers found that for yellow feathers the opposite trick works. Yellow feathers contain yellow pigments – carotenoids – and in this case they are enhanced if they have a white under-layer.
The white layer reflects light that passes through the yellow feathers, and this increases the brightness of these yellow patches, making them more striking in contrast to surrounding patches of colour.
The red feather tips of a scarlet-rumped tanager (Ramphocelus passerinii) are enhanced by the white feathers beneath them. Rosalyn Price-Waldman
A surprisingly common technique
The authors focused most of their work on species of tanager, typically very colourful fruit-eating birds that are native to Central and South America.
However, once they had discovered what was happening in tanagers, they checked to see if it was occurring in other birds.
The vivid blue colouring of the Australian splendid fairy wren (Malurus splendens) is enhanced by an underlayer of colourless feathers. Robbie Goodall / Getty Images
This additional work revealed that the use of black and white underlying feathers to enhance colour is found in many other bird families, including the Australian fairy wrens which have such vivid blue colouration.
This widespread use of black and white across so many different species suggests birds have been enhancing the production of colour in this clever way for tens of millions of years, and that it is widely used across birds.
The color of the vibrant red crown of this red-capped manakin (Ceratopipra mentalis) is magnified by a hidden layer of white plumage. Daniel Field
The study is important because it helps us to understand how complex traits such as colour can evolve in nature. It may also help us to improve the production of vibrant colours in our own architecture, art and fashion.
Simon Griffith receives funding from the Australian Research Council.
When you think about climate change in our oceans, you may picture coral bleaching, melting sea ice, or extreme weather events. But beneath the ocean’s surface, another quiet shift is underway. Australia’s tropical fish are heading south into cooler waters.
These fish are not just visiting. They are settling into the milder “temperate” reefs that used to be too cold for them. As they do, they encounter new environments, new challenges and new neighbours.
In our new research we studied the behaviour of these new migrants. We found some tropical fish are not just surviving in their new homes, they’re thriving. And, surprisingly, much of that success comes down to who they’re hanging out with.
On Australia’s east coast, the fish typically hitch a ride on the strengthening East Australian Current as it pushes warm water and the tropical species further south.
But life at the edge of your range is risky. These fish encounter colder water temperatures, unfamiliar predators and a reef full of competitors. So, how do they cope?
As waters warm, temperate reefs of kelp and seaweed are becoming home to tropical fish as they venture southward. Angus Mitchell
Risky business: but some fish can adapt
We studied five tropical fish species and two temperate species across a 2,000km stretch of Australia’s east coast, from the tropics to the cold temperate south. We observed how these fish fed, sheltered and reacted to threats, using underwater video cameras.
Analysis of the footage revealed tropical fish behaved differently in the colder waters. They spent more time hiding and less time feeding. They were also more wary of predators, displaying a cognitive shift in “lateralisation” — a preference to consistently turn left or right, which can help fish make faster escape decisions when threatened.
Such risk-averse behaviour is likely to help fish stay alive in unfamiliar reefs by avoiding predators. But it also reduces food intake and growth, unless these fish find new friends.
New school mates, better outcomes
Previous research has shown when tropical fish gather or “shoal” with temperate fish, they grow bigger and survive longer into winter than fish in tropical-only shoals.
We wanted to understand the mechanism for this phenomenon. Could tropical fish be learning from temperate shoal mates? And how might their behaviour change when shoaling with temperate fishes?
Using underwater videos, we found three tropical damselfish species spent more time feeding and less time sheltering when they formed mixed shoals with temperate fish. They also appeared bolder and were more successful at finding food.
We think these mixed shoals offer key advantages: safety in numbers, more eyes watching for predators, and perhaps most importantly, social learning. By shoaling with local temperate species such as the Australian Mado, tropical fish may learn where and when it’s safe to feed, and how to behave in these foreign temperate ecosystems.
This kind of behavioural “plasticity” is a powerful tool in a changing climate. Fish that can adjust their behaviours in ways that boost their fitness are more likely to survive as climatic conditions rapidly shift in our oceans.
Tropical and temperate fish species form a mixed-species group or shoal at Little Manly in southeastern Australia. Angus Mitchell
Not all fish benefit
These interactions were not always beneficial. Two herbivorous tropical fish species, the convict tang and brown tang, did not show the same benefits, likely because their specialised diets made it harder to learn from omnivorous temperate species.
And for the temperate fish, the presence of tropical fish in shoals were often problematic. At the northern, warmer edge of their range, temperate fish fled more often and fed less when tropical fish were present. That’s worrying, because warming alone is already pushing many temperate species toward their biological limits. Adding new competitors might push them over the edge.
Herbivorous convict tangs (Acanthurus triostegus) shoal tightly near shelter on a temperate oyster reef. At the edge of their range, these tropical fish adopt more cautious behaviours, seeking refuge and foraging less. Angus Mitchell
A changing reef community
All this comes amid dire news of the Earth’s oceans. Research published today shows 2023 set new records for the duration, extent and intensity of marine heatwaves.
Fish migration to temperate reefs is a glimpse of the future: even warmer waters, shifting species ranges and new species interactions.
Our results suggest these new species interactions and relationships, particularly mixed-species shoaling, can help tropical fish survive longer in temperate ecosystems. But they may also disrupt existing ecosystems and place extra stress on local temperate species.
In this way, climate-driven range shifts are more than just a temperature driven story. They’re stories about behaviour, relationships, and resilience.
Understanding how fish respond to their new neighbours and how those responses shape who stays and who goes, will be key to managing reefs in a rapidly warming ocean.
Ivan Nagelkerken receives funding from the Australian Research Council (ARC).
Angus Mitchell and Chloe Hayes 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.
ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on July 25, 2025.
Gangs are going global and so is the illegal gun trade – NZ can do more to fight it Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Gillespie, Professor of Law, University of Waikato According to the Global Organised Crime Index, international criminal activity has increased over the past two years. And the politically fractured post-pandemic world has made this even harder for nations to combat. New Zealand is far from immune. According
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3 reasons young people are more likely to believe conspiracy theories – and how we can help them discover the truth Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jean-Nicolas Bordeleau, Research Fellow, Jeff Bleich Centre for Democracy and Disruptive Technologies, Flinders University Conspiracy theories are a widespread occurrence in today’s hyper connected and polarised world. Events such as Brexit, the 2016 and 2020 United States presidential elections, and the COVID pandemic serve as potent reminders
Waiting too long for public dental care? Here’s why the system is struggling – and how to fix it Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Santosh Tadakamadla, Professor and Head of Dentistry and Oral Health, La Trobe University Just over one-third of Australians are eligible for public dental services, which provide free or low cost dental treatment. Yet demand for these services continues to exceed supply. As a result, many Australian adults
Butter wars: ‘nothing cures high prices like high prices’ – but will market forces be enough? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alan Renwick, Professor of Agricultural Economics, Lincoln University, New Zealand RobynRoper/Getty Images The alarming rise of butter prices has become a real source of frustration for New Zealand consumers, as well as a topic of political recrimination. The issue has become so serious that Miles Hurrell, chief
Ultrafast fashion brand Princess Polly has been certified as ‘sustainable’. Is that an oxymoron? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Harriette Richards, Senior Lecturer, School of Fashion and Textiles, RMIT University Carol Yepes/Getty Images Last week, the ultrafast fashion brand Princess Polly received B Corp certification. This certification is designed to accredit for-profit businesses that provide social impact and environmental benefit. Established on the Gold Coast in
AI will soon be able to audit all published research – what will that mean for public trust in science? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Kaurov, PhD Candidate in Science and Society, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Jamillah Knowles & Digit/Better Images of AI, CC BY-SA Self-correction is fundamental to science. One of its most important forms is peer review, when anonymous experts scrutinise research before it is
Miles Franklin 2025: Siang Lu’s Ghost Cities is a haunting comedy about tyranny. Is it the funniest winner ever? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joseph Steinberg, Forrest Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow, English & Literary Studies, The University of Western Australia Siang Lu David Kelly/UQP The Miles Franklin judges described Siang Lu’s Ghost Cities, winner of the 2025 award, as “a grand farce and a haunting meditation on diaspora”. To my mind, it
Keep fighting for a nuclear-free Pacific, Helen Clark warns Greenpeace over global storm clouds Asia Pacific Report Former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark warned activists and campaigners in a speech on the deck of the Greenpeace environmental flagship Rainbow Warrior III last night to be wary of global “storm clouds” and the renewed existential threat of nuclear weapons. Speaking on her reflections on four decades after the bombing
Business coalition calls for 25% cut in the cost of red tape by 2030 Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Business, universities, and investors have jointly urged the federal government to commit to cutting the cost of red tape by 25% by 2030, in a submission for next month’s Economic Reform Roundtable. The push to reduce regulation is in line
Grattan on Friday: net zero battle has net zero positives for Sussan Ley Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra There’s no other way of looking at it: Sussan Ley faces a diabolical situation with the debate over whether the Coalition should abandon the 2050 net zero emissions target. The issue is a microcosm of her wider problems. The Nationals,
The Murray–Darling Basin Plan Evaluation is out. The next step is to fix the land, not just the flows Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Stewardson, CEO One Basin CRC, The University of Melbourne Yarramalong Weir is one of many barriers to the passage of fish in the Murray-Darling Basin. Geoff Reid, One Basin CRC A report card into the A$13 billion Murray–Darling Basin Plan has found much work is needed
The Murray–Darling Basin Plan Evaluation is out. The next step is to fix the land, not just the flows Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Stewardson, CEO One Basin CRC, The University of Melbourne Yarramalong Weir is one of many barriers to the passage of fish in the Murray-Darling Basin. Geoff Reid, One Basin CRC A report card into the A$13 billion Murray–Darling Basin Plan has found much work is needed
Reserve Bank says unemployment rise was not a shock, inflation on track Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Head, Canberra School of Government, University of Canberra Reserve Bank Governor Michele Bullock has fleshed out the central bank’s thinking behind its surprise decision to keep interest rates on hold this month. In a speech today to the Anika Foundation, Bullock said there has been:
Reserve Bank says unemployment rise was not a shock, inflation on track Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Head, Canberra School of Government, University of Canberra Reserve Bank Governor Michele Bullock has fleshed out the central bank’s thinking behind its surprise decision to keep interest rates on hold this month. In a speech today to the Anika Foundation, Bullock said there has been:
Israel waging ‘horror show’ starvation campaign in Gaza, says UN chief This is Democracy Now!. I’m Amy Goodman. More than 100 humanitarian groups are demanding action to end Israel’s siege of Gaza, warning mass starvation is spreading across the Palestinian territory. The NGOs, including Amnesty International, Oxfam, Doctors Without Borders, warn, “illnesses like acute watery diarrhea are spreading, markets are empty, waste is piling up, and
Israel waging ‘horror show’ starvation campaign in Gaza, says UN chief This is Democracy Now!. I’m Amy Goodman. More than 100 humanitarian groups are demanding action to end Israel’s siege of Gaza, warning mass starvation is spreading across the Palestinian territory. The NGOs, including Amnesty International, Oxfam, Doctors Without Borders, warn, “illnesses like acute watery diarrhea are spreading, markets are empty, waste is piling up, and
Historic ruling finds climate change ‘imperils all forms of life’ and puts laggard nations on notice Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jacqueline Peel, Professor of Law and Director, Melbourne Climate Futures, The University of Melbourne Hilaire Bule/Getty Climate change “imperils all forms of life” and countries must tackle the problem or face consequences under international law, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has found. The court delivered its
Jet ski accidents are tragic but preventable. Here’s how to reduce the risk Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milad Haghani, Associate Professor & Principal Fellow in Urban Risk & Resilience, The University of Melbourne Richard Hamilton Smith/Getty Two teenage boys were thrown from a jet ski during a ride on the Georges River in Sydney’s south this week. One died at the scene. The other
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Levin (CA-49)
July 24, 2025
Bicameral Legislation Would Prevent Microfibers from Our Clothes Entering Our Waters & Bodies
Washington, D.C.—Today, Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49) introduced the Fighting Fibers Act, which would direct the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy (DOE) to require the installation of a microfiber filtration system on new washing machines to address microfiber pollution and health impacts from clothing. A companion bill in the Senate was introduced by Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon.
Scientists estimate millions of tons of microfibers from clothing enter our water systems and oceans every year, making textiles the largest known source of microplastic pollution. Synthetic microfibers, found in clothing containing polyester, shed while being washed due to the friction and turbulence in the washing machine. Once in our waters, microfibers absorb and release toxins that harm wildlife and ultimately contaminate the food that we eat.
The Fighting Fibers Act would require washing machines sold in the U.S. to include a filter that would prevent microfibers in clothing from shedding into wastewater and eventually contaminating rivers, lakes, and oceans.
“Microfibers pose a serious threat to our waterways, oceans, and food supply and can ultimately end up in our bodies leading to serious health complications. Preventing them from entering our ecosystems is important to health and safety,” said Rep. Levin. “This bill provides a simple, targeted solution that offsets the environmental and health impacts of microfibers by stopping them in laundry cycles before they can enter our waters and bodies. I thank Sen. Merkley for his partnership on this bill, and I look forward to advancing it through the legislative process.”
“When it comes to plastics, most of us have been taught the three Rs: reduce, reuse, and recycle. The sinister reality is the three Bs: buried, burned, and borne out to sea, as dangerous chemicals poison our soil, air, and water,” said Sen. Merkley. “Microplastic pollution harms human health and our environment, and the Fighting Fibers Act is a simple fix to help consumers address the pollution from their clothes that is driving our global plastics crisis.”
“Microfibers are the most common type of microplastic pollution in our ocean and environment and have made their way everywhere from our drinking water to our blood streams. The scale and urgency of this crisis demand immediate action, and adding microfiber filters to washing machines is a common-sense and cost-effective solution available today to address this crisis. We applaud Senator Merkley and Representative Levin for championing the Fighting Fibers Act of 2025 to protect our ocean and our communities from dangerous microplastics,” said Dr. Anja Brandon, Director, Plastics Policy, Ocean Conservancy.
Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that she advanced $4,350,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending to improve the water quality of North Pond and Unity Pond in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Interior and Environment Appropriations bill. The bill, which was officially approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee today, now awaits consideration by the full Senate and House.
“Maine’s lakes and ponds play an important role in communities throughout the state, offering recreational, fishing, and birding opportunities for locals and visitors,” said Senator Collins. “This funding aims to address frequent algae blooms and improve water quality, helping to ensure these natural resources will be available for all to enjoy for generations to come. As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to advocate for this funding as the appropriations process moves forward.”
This funding advanced through the Committee’s markup of the FY 2026 Interior and Environment Appropriations bill—an important step that now allows the bill to be considered by the full Senate.
Funding advanced by Senator Collins is as follows:
Project Location: Somerset and Kennebec Counties, ME
Amount Requested: $2,350,000
Project Purpose: To remediate algae blooms in North Pond.
Unity Pond Water Quality Restoration
Recipient: Friends of Lake Winnecook
Project Location: Waldo County, ME
Amount Requested: $2,000,000
Project Purpose: To remediate algae blooms in Unity Pond.
In 2021, Congress reinstituted Congressionally Directed Spending. Following this decision, Senator Collins has secured more than $1 billion for hundreds of Maine projects for FY 2022, FY 2023, and FY 2024. As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins is committed to championing targeted investments that will benefit Maine communities.
WASHINGTON – After recently scoring a major victory in her longstanding fight to overturn the harmful expansion of the “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) rule, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) is introducing legislation to prevent future overregulation. Her new bill would make permanent key exclusions clarifying that waste treatment systems, temporary streams from rain, and groundwater are not navigable waterways.
The Clarifying Legal Exclusions Around Regulated (CLEAR) Waters Act excludes covered water features that do not interact with navigable waters from being regulated under WOTUS.
“If you try and navigate a wastewater treatment pool, you will be up a creek without a paddle,” said Ernst. “WOTUS regulatory uncertainty has threatened the livelihoods of hardworking Iowa farmers, small businesses, and landowners for far too long, and I was thrilled to join EPA Administrator Zeldin in announcing that the Trump administration is revising this misguided and harmful regulatory expansion. After leading this fight for a decade, I am making it CLEAR that the federal government has no businesses regulating cooling ponds, municipal treatment plants, groundwater, and streams that only flow after rainfall under WOTUS.”
“Senator Ernst continues to be a champion for Iowa’s farmers and businesses, and her CLEAR Waters Act is another example of her leadership,” said Mike Naig, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture. “This legislation will provide much-needed clarity and consistency when it comes to WOTUS, helping end the constant policy whiplash that changes with each new administration. It’s a commonsense approach that brings certainty to those who are working every day to responsibly manage our land and water.”
“The CLEAR Waters Act would provide Iowa farmers regulatory certainty to ensure waste treatment systems are not treated as navigable waters,” said Brent Swart, Iowa Soybean Association President and farmer from Spencer, Iowa. “This commonsense exclusion allows farmers to continue being good stewards of the land without being overregulated.”
“Thank you, Sen. Joni Ernst, for introducing the CLEAR Waters Act and leading on this issue, which is critical to the aggregates industry,” said Michele Stanley, National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association Interim CEO. “The definition of Waters of the United States (WOTUS) is often subject to change under different administrations. The CLEAR Waters Act will provide the clarity and certainty our association members have long sought by excluding waste treatment systems from WOTUS and Clean Water Act permitting programs. This exclusion has historically received bipartisan support from Republican and Democratic administrations. It was maintained under the definitions of WOTUS established by the past four administrations of Presidents Obama, Trump and Biden. Importantly, the bill codifies key parts of the Sackett decision.”
Click here to view the bill text.
Background:
After leading the fight against Obama’s WOTUS overreach for years, Ernst and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Zeldin recently announced a revision that adheres to the law, cuts red tape, and provides certainty for Iowans.
During her first year in the Senate, Senator Ernst led an effort against the harmful WOTUS rule to protect Iowans from burdensome regulations. Her effort was passed by both the Senate and the House, but President Obama vetoed it.
During Trump’s first term, Ernst commended his administration for successfully rolling back the harmful Obama-era WOTUS rule to help spur economic growth and called on Congress to codify a reasonable definition of WOTUS into law.
After Biden doubled down on Obama’s government overreach, Ernst supported a bipartisan effort, worked in 2023 to stop Biden’s out-of-touch WOTUS rule that aimed to repeal the Trump administration’s Navigable Waters Protection Rule (NWPR), and applauded the Supreme Court’s ruling in Sackett v. EPA.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, is working to modernize outdated U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) systems that burden many farmers and leave farmland vulnerable to foreign adversaries.
During the hearing, Ernst secured a commitment from Richard Fordyce, nominee for Undersecretary of Agriculture for Farm Production and Conservation, to update and digitize the process for producers when working with their local USDA offices. She also pointed out her oversight efforts and ongoing work to overhaul the outdated Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act (AFIDA) reporting system to better protect American farmland from malign foreign actors.
Watch her full line of questioning here.
“That same modernization is needed when it comes to how USDA tracks and monitors foreign land in the United States,” said Ernst.“The Agriculture Foreign Investment Disclosure Act – AFIDA – was signed into law in 1978, and it has been barely touched since then. Even today, foreign land purchases are reported on paper and staff must manually reenter each submission, a process that’s inefficient and prone to errors, and I’ve seen this firsthand…The recent commitments from Secretary Rollins to modernize the AFIDA reporting process is welcome news. It’s a much-needed step to protect our farmland from adversaries.”
Background:
Ernst understands that food security is national security. Her bipartisan FARMLAND Act will overhaul the current outdated system that has allowed China’s malign influence to threaten American security.
Ernst confronted the Biden USDA about its lack of oversight of foreign involvement in American agricultural land and questioned officials to ensure they make updates to the AFIDA reporting process a priority.
Greenpeace is asking NZ First leader Winston Peters what the heck his party is doing supporting an amendment Bill which could lead to greater corporate control of Aotearoa.
NZ First has supported ACT leader David Seymour’s amendment Bill to the Overseas Investment Act, through its first reading. Submissions on the Bill closed this week.
Greenpeace spokesperson Gen Toop says: “ACT is trying to change the Overseas Investment law to make it easier for multinational corporations to buy up and exploit conservation land, lakebeds, coastal zones, wāhi tapu sites and other sensitive land across Aotearoa.”
“Shockingly, ACT is even trying to remove the mandatory requirement that the Government check whether a corporation has been involved in serious criminal activity before giving them access to New Zealand’s sensitive land and natural resources.”
The Act currently mandates that the Government apply the Benefit to New Zealand test and Investor Test before giving consent to the sale of land that is classified as “sensitive” and allows them to decline consent if either of these tests are failed.
Sensitive land is outlined in the Act and includes conservation areas, lake beds, marine and coastal zones, offshore islands, wāhi tapu and other culturally significant sites, as well as land adjoining these areas.
The Bill proposes that instead of applying a public benefit and investor test, the Government applies a narrower “national interest” test which Greenpeace says completely fails to guarantee any meaningful consideration of environmental, cultural, or public interest values.
“NZ First currently supports a Bill that would make it easier for multinational corporations to loot and destroy Aotearoa and funnel the profits to offshore shareholders leaving New Zealanders to deal with the mess – polluted rivers, drained aquifers and degraded ecosystems,” Toop says.
The Bill also scraps the requirement that water quality and sustainability be assessed before allowing overseas interests to extract, bottle and sell New Zealand’s freshwater.
“NZ First claims to put New Zealand first. But this ACT party Bill firmly puts offshore corporations first and New Zealanders last. Winston Peters should withdraw his party’s support for the Bill before it’s too late.”
Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Andrea Salinas (OR-06), alongside Congresswoman Yassmin Ansari (AZ-03), led 37 of their colleagues in sending a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins urging her to reverse the decision to fully rescind the 2001 Roadless Rule and to reinstate full roadless protections.
Since its inception, the Roadless Rule has protected 58.5 million acres of forestland by preventing road construction and ensured consistent, dependable protections for these critical landscapes. Earlier this year, Reps. Salinas and Ansari, alongside Sens. Cantwell and Gallego,introduced legislationto enshrine the Roadless Rule into law.
Click here or see below for the full letter:
Dear Secretary Rollins,
We write to express profound concern with your recent decision to fully rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule. This critical environmental safeguard ensures the protection of 58.5 million acres of our nation’s most pristine wild forestlands and provides durable climate benefits; protects watersheds that provide drinking water to millions of Americans; preserves critical habitats for threatened species; and supports recreation opportunities for American communities.
In your announcement, you claimed that this rule is overly restrictive and limits our ability to protect forests from devastating fires. However, the Roadless Rule already includes commonsense provisions to allow road construction to protect public health and safety and timber harvests when needed to maintain healthy ecosystems and reduce wildfire risks. Moreover, evidence shows that roads actually increase the risk of fire. According to the U.S. Forest Service (USFS):
“Building roads into inventoried roadless areas would likely increase the chance of human-caused fires due to the increased presence of people. Fire occurrence data indicates that prohibiting road construction and reconstruction in inventoried roadless areas would not cause an increase in the number of acres burned by wildland fires or in the number of large fires.”
Additionally, recent analysis of wildfire data shows that fires are nearly four times as likely within 50 meters of roads as in roadless areas. Further, USFS has stated that “the agency rarely builds new roads to suppress fires.” It is simply untrue to assert that repealing the Roadless Rule will necessarily result in fewer or less damaging fires or that the USFS lacks the flexibility to respond effectively to these disasters.
This also represents a significant potential burden on USFS resources at a time when your Administration has pursued staff reductions and proposed spending cuts that threaten the agency’s ability to effectively carry out its mission. This Administration has already put more Americans at risk from wildfire as a result of dismantling the Forest Service. Rescinding the Roadless Rule will only exacerbate the wildfire crisis facing our western communities. Now is not the time to ask this critical agency to do more with less.
USFS already has an enormous backlog of maintenance needs for the existing 368,102-mile road system, which will cost $5,980,000,000 to eliminate. One of the many reasons the Roadless Rule was adopted 25 years ago was to stop the excessive and fiscally irresponsible road construction that was happening across our national forests at American taxpayer expense. Forcing the recission of this policy to allow more roads to be built is an irresponsible distraction and massive waste of taxpayer funding.
Beyond these realities, repeal is deeply unpopular. More than 1.6 million comments were submitted in favor of the Roadless Rule – more than any other rulemaking in our nation’s history at the time it was adopted– and the rule has survived decades of attacks. This is precisely because millions of Americans are clear-eyed about the value of these protected ecosystems. These include anglers and hunters, hikers, tribal communities, and so many more Americans who use and cherish our country’s incredible natural resources. That includes the outdoor recreation and tourism industry. A 2019 analysis of the economic values of roadless area conservation found that the recreational and passive uses of inventoried roadless areas yielded a total of nearly $9 billion in economic benefits each year – benefits our country and forest-adjacent communities cannot afford to lose.
The Roadless Rule keeps these wild ecosystems intact, sustaining critical habitats for threatened species such as native salmon populations that provide immense economic value in the Pacific Northwest and represent significant tribal cultural resources. In Alaska, the Tongass National Forest is the largest national forest, with 9 million acres of roadless areas and mature and old-growth rainforest, storing more than 1.5 billion metric tons of CO2-equivalent and sequestering 10 million metric tons a year. These forests protect clean drinking water for American communities, particularly rural communities which cannot afford to pay for drinking water infrastructure. They also serve as carbon sinks, making them an important tool in our work to address climate change, which agricultural producers depend on to sustain their businesses.
For over two decades, the Roadless Rule has served as dependable protection for some of our nation’s most valued public lands. We urge you to reverse course and retain full roadless protections for these 58.5 million acres.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
A systematic review and meta analysis published in Lancet Planetary Health looks at long-term air pollution exposure and dementia incidence.
Dr Mark Dallas, Associate Professor in Cellular Neuroscience, University of Reading, said:
“While air pollution joined dementia’s 14 modifiable risk factors in 2024, the specific culprits remain unclear. This new research examined existing data and identified three main culprits: tiny particles from car exhaust, nitrogen dioxide from vehicles and power plants, and black carbon from diesel engines. These findings strengthen the evidence that we can protect brain health through cleaner policies targeting diesel pollution and better city planning. However, we still need to understand exactly how these pollutants damage the brain and increase the diversity in dementia research participants. This will help us learn more about how air pollution affects different types of dementia and whether some communities face higher risks than others.”
Dr Tom Russ, Reader in Old Age Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh,said:
“This high quality article summarises the evidence in this rapidly-expanding area up to October 2023. This article improves on many previous reviews but is subject to similar limitations because of the way this research is often conducted; this reflects the quality of the studies it summarises rather than any shortcomings of this specific article. The review includes articles which examine the association of exposure to air pollution for at least one year (described as ‘long-term’ exposure) with the emergence of dementia diagnosed by a doctor. It includes more studies than any previous article and because of the large number of studies included, the authors can be more accurate in their estimate of the size of the effect of dementia – for instance, their data suggest that the risk of dementia resulting from exposure to air pollution would be 9% lower in Edinburgh compared to London.
“It is helpful to see the effects of different pollutants examined – though the authors acknowledges that these pollutants may, in fact, interact with each other in having their harmful effects. This speaks to an area this article cannot deal with – if exposure to air pollution does indeed increase the risk of someone developing dementia, what is the mechanism by which this happens? This question has not yet been addressed – in contrast to air pollution and the cardiovascular system where we have a clear mechanistic understanding of the effects of air pollution exposure on the body through experiments where people are exposed to controlled levels of air pollution. We need a similar body of research focused on the brain.
“The authors try to examine air pollution in relation to different subtypes of dementia – an important area – but because this is often poorly recorded in medical records, they were not able to really tackle this. Most of the time, dementia is simply recorded as ‘dementia’ rather than the specific diagnosis (e.g., Alzheimer dementia, vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies). A further complication is that around half of people with dementia never receive a diagnosis and so don’t appear in medical records.
“One limitation of all the studies included in the review is that they estimate the amount of air pollution exposure based on someone’s home address. This is not the most accurate measure of air pollution exposure but I am not aware of any studies which have done this any other way, though a better approach is sorely needed.
“Finally, since we know that many conditions which result in dementia have their origins decades before the emergence of symptoms, studies really need to look at truly long-term air pollution exposure – much longer than one year. Researching this is challenging because few long-term studies have people’s home addresses from their whole lives and measurement or modelling of air pollution levels is rare before the 1990s.
“This article answers the question of whether air pollution exposure is associated with dementia better than previous work, but we still need better research to clarify how and why air pollution might be bad for the brain. Dementia remains a public health priority but air pollution is just one of several important risk factors and stopping smoking, controlling diabetes, controlling blood pressure and cholesterol in mid-life (amongst other things) are crucial for individuals who want to reduce their own risk of dementia, as well as minimising exposure to air pollution.”
Dr Ian Mudway, Associate Professor of Environmental Toxicology and Visiting Professor for Environmental Health, Gresham College, Imperial College London, said:
“This aligns very closely with previous attempts to examine the association between air pollution and dementia. I worked on this back in 2019, and at that time, given the available evidence, we concluded it was too premature to perform a meta-analysis. There were simply too many inconsistencies between studies, particularly concerning exposure assessment.
“While I believe the evidence base has improved since then, inherent challenges remain in linking long-term air pollution changes to dementia incidence due to the decades-long prodromal period of the disease. It raises the crucial question: “How far back must we look to capture the relevant long-term exposures impacting brain health?”
“Additionally, as the authors acknowledge, distinguishing between vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease purely from medical records remains quite difficult, despite their efforts.
“The robust associations observed for NO2, black carbon/PM2.5 absorbance, and PM2.5 itself suggest that the effect is related to both local-scale traffic emissions and more regional particulate matter sources. Overall, this paper strongly supports the contention outlined in the Lancet Commission’s dementia reviews that air pollution is a significant and modifiable risk factor for dementia, and addressing it would substantially improve brain health.”
Prof Roy Harrison FRS, Professor of Environmental Health, University of Birmingham, said:
“This combined analysis of 51 previously conducted independent studies gives a clear signal that the risk of developing dementia is strongly influenced by air pollution exposure. This finding is consistent with other research showing associations between a number of measures of brain function and air pollution, and is particularly important given the devastating impacts of dementia both upon individuals and their families, and society as a whole. It adds to our ever-increasing knowledge of the many diverse harmful effects of air pollution upon health and strengthens the case for firm action to further improve air quality.
Dr Samuel Cai, Lecturer in Environmental Epidemiology, University of Leicester, said:
“The press release is accurate, although it could also be mentioned that studies included in this meta-analysis are quite heterogeneous.
“This is a comprehensive and timely review, including latest primary studies published over the last few years. The conclusion was generally backed by the data presented.
“Air pollution was only recently identified as a new risk factor for dementia in a Lancet-commissioned research. At the time, evidence for the harmful effects of PM2.5 on dementia seems to be more certain, but evidence for other pollutants is less conclusive. This review has significantly strengthened the current knowledge base, reporting that PM2.5, NO2 and soot are all adversely linked to dementia development, based on some of most recent publications.
“This is a systematic review and meta-analysis, and therefore consideration of confounders are usually not applicable in this type of articles. There are two more limitations which may worth further investigation. First, in the studies included in this review, did the effects of air pollution on dementia incidence have been adjusted for other environmental exposures such as greenspace and traffic noise? These two exposures may interact with air pollution in a complex way, and therefore may affect the risk posed by air pollution leading to dementia onset?
“Second, it is not very clear, at which life stage that air pollution exposure is relatively more important in triggering dementia? There is some evidence that late-life air pollution exposures seem to be more relevant to dementia incidence, as compared to mid-life or early-life. I think the current evidence pool is still weak on this question, but certainly a direction warranting more research.
“The implications mentioned by the authors are correct. Air pollution needs to be formally recognised as a risk factor for dementia in clinical practices, and that societal-wide policy actions are needed to tackle air pollution, particularly that from traffic in UK cities and towns, to protect brain health as UK population is ageing.”
Prof Barbara Maher FRS, Professor of Environmental Magnetism, Lancaster University, said:
“This is another meticulous and large study (~30 million people over 4 continents), which reviews and analyses other painstaking studies, attesting to the damage being done to our brains by breathing in air pollution particles. While this study links outdoor PM2.5 (fine particles less than 2.5 micrometres diameter) with increased dementia incidence, this might represent just the tip of the iceberg. Air pollution contains huge numbers of ultrafine particles (
“It’s now 9 years since our discovery of huge numbers of traffic-derived, metal-rich nanoparticles inside the frontal cortex of human brains…anywhere between 900 million and 40 billion particles in a gramme of brain tissue. Similar particles have been found directly associated with the amyloid plaques typical of Alzheimer’s disease. And the likely health impacts of exposure to such small, toxic particles don’t end with the brain. They have now been found in human blood, heart, placenta, kidney, bone joints…the body has no effective defense against the ultrafine particle cocktails we generate outdoors, especially from traffic, and indoors, for example, in heating our homes using stoves.
“What’s more, of course, the nanoparticle ‘mix’ varies from place to place and city to city, so the full scale of the dementia/air pollution pandemic will only become more obvious when epidemiological studies take particle composition, as well as ultrafine size, into account.”
Dr Isolde Radford, Senior Policy Manager at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said:
“Air pollution is not just an environmental issue – it’s a serious and growing threat to our brain health. If no one were exposed to air pollution, there would be three fewer cases of dementia for every 100 people who develop it now. This rigorous review adds to mounting evidence that exposure to air pollution – from traffic fumes to wood burners – increases the risk of developing dementia.
“But poor air quality doesn’t affect all communities equally. As this analysis highlights, marginalised groups are often exposed to higher levels of pollution, yet remain underrepresented in research. Future studies must reflect the full diversity of society – because those most at risk could stand to benefit the most from action.
“What’s still unclear is exactly how air pollution affects the brain. There are several biological pathways that could explain the link, and to prevent dementia in the future, we need to deepen our understanding of these mechanisms.
“Air pollution is one of the major modifiable risk factors for dementia – but it’s not something individuals can solve alone. That’s where government leadership is vital. While the 10-Year Health Plan acknowledges the health harms of air pollution, far more needs to be done to tackle this invisible threat. Alzheimer’s Research UK is calling for a bold, cross-government approach to health prevention — one that brings together departments beyond health, including DEFRA, to take coordinated action on the drivers of dementia risk.
“The UK is still working to meet the World Health Organization’s air pollution limits by 2040 – but that timeline simply isn’t good enough. We have the evidence and the means to reach these targets by 2030. Doing so could help prevent thousands more people from developing dementia. The Government must act now to set stronger, health-based air quality targets – ones that protect our brains as well as our lungs.”
‘Long-term air pollution exposure and incident dementia: a systematic review and meta-analysis’ byClare B Best Rogowskiet al.was published in The Lancet Planetary Health at 23:30 UK time on Thursday 24th July.
Dr Mark Dallas: Dr Dallas receives research funding from the Medical Research Council and Carbon Monoxide Research Trust.
Dr Tom Russ: I don’t have any conflicts as such but am active in research in this area.
Prof Roy Harrison: Roy Harrison is a member of the Defra Air Quality Expert Group and the DHSC Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants. He has research funding from UKRI, Defra and the European Union Horizon Programme.
Dr Samuel Cai: I do not have any conflict of interest to declare.
Prof Barbara Maher: None to declare
For all other experts, no reply to our request for DOIs was received.
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Dmitry Patrushev held a working meeting with the acting governor of the Sverdlovsk region Denis Pasler
July 24, 2025
Dmitry Patrushev held a working meeting with the acting governor of the Sverdlovsk region Denis Pasler
July 24, 2025
Dmitry Patrushev held a working meeting with the acting governor of the Sverdlovsk region Denis Pasler
July 24, 2025
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Dmitry Patrushev held a working meeting with the acting governor of the Sverdlovsk region Denis Pasler
Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev held a working meeting with Acting Governor of the Sverdlovsk Region Denis Pasler. The main topics were issues of development of the agro-industrial complex and ecology of the region.
Denis Pasler reported on the sowing campaign that took place in the region. Regional farmers are cultivating over 760 thousand hectares of land. These are primarily spring crops, which occupy 470 thousand hectares. All work on this area was completed on time.
Sverdlovsk Region is one of the country’s leaders in milk production, and annual and perennial forage grasses play a significant role here. The forage base for the cow population for the coming winter is currently being actively formed, which will allow not only to maintain, but also to increase milk production volumes.
Dmitry Patrushev and Denis Pasler also discussed the results of the implementation of the national project “Ecology”. Sverdlovsk Region worked within the framework of projects to eliminate unauthorized landfills, create solid municipal waste disposal facilities, reduce emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere, clean water bodies and reforestation. More than 3.3 billion rubles were allocated from the federal budget for these purposes. Work will be continued within the framework of the national project “Ecological Well-Being”.
Particular attention at the meeting was paid to the participation of the Sverdlovsk region in incident No. 58 “Organization of a system for handling municipal solid waste”, in particular the construction of waste handling infrastructure in the region, as well as a key complex for its processing.
Dmitry Patrushev instructed the Russian Ecological Operator State Enterprise and the Sverdlovsk Region to step up work on creating eight waste management facilities. The Deputy Prime Minister particularly emphasized that the planned commissioning dates should not go beyond 2030.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Dmitry Patrushev held a meeting within the framework of incident No. 55 “Wastewater Treatment Facilities”
Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev held a meeting within the framework of incident No. 55 “Wastewater Treatment Facilities”. It was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Ministry of Construction, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Rosprirodnadzor and other federal executive bodies, the State Duma and heads of regions.
“Over the past few months, construction work has been completed at eight sites. Another seven, according to the approved “road maps”, should be completed this year. I would like to note that, compared to the beginning of the year, the number of sites that have achieved the standard wastewater treatment indicators has almost tripled,” said Dmitry Patrushev.
The Deputy Prime Minister drew attention to the effectiveness of the on-site monitoring system in problem regions. A special working group created in 2024 on his instructions visited the Yaroslavl Region ahead of the meeting, where it assessed the progress of activities at seven sites included in the federal project “Volga Recovery”. Dmitry Patrushev emphasized that thanks to such on-site meetings, many difficulties can be resolved right on the spot. But at the same time, they also allow identifying additional problems that require general attention. Therefore, the Deputy Prime Minister instructed to continue on-site inspections.
The meeting considered the main factors that restrain the dynamics of construction of facilities and their achievement of standard cleaning indicators. Among them is the issue of staffing the industry. The regions were instructed to analyze the situation.
“Provision of qualified specialists is an important condition for the effective functioning of treatment facilities. Without this, their full-fledged operation is simply impossible. All regions should analyze the situation with personnel. It is especially important to carry out such work on projects that are nearing completion. It is necessary to promptly and efficiently train specialists for the launch of new facilities. People must have the necessary competencies,” said Dmitry Patrushev.
The meeting also discussed mechanisms for interaction with industrial enterprises. The Deputy Prime Minister drew attention to the need for unconditional compliance with wastewater treatment standards discharged into the centralized wastewater disposal system, and instructed federal agencies to propose appropriate incentive measures.
Following the meeting, the heads of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation were recommended to supplement the work format of regional headquarters with systematic personal visits to problematic sites.
Incident No. 55 “Wastewater Treatment Facilities” was created on June 15, 2024 to coordinate work on the construction and reconstruction of wastewater treatment facilities within the framework of the national project “Ecology”, as well as to ensure the operation of these facilities with the achievement of the parameters of standard wastewater treatment. Work is currently being considered at 145 facilities in 19 regions.
When working in the incident format, a special project management system is used, which is deployed on the basis of the Government Coordination Center. It allows for prompt coordination of the actions of participants and monitoring of project implementation in real time.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the International Environmental Conference
Meeting of Mikhail Mishustin with Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan
July 24, 2025
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at a meeting with Mikhail Mishustin
July 24, 2025
Meeting of Mikhail Mishustin with Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan
July 24, 2025
Meeting of Mikhail Mishustin with Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan
July 24, 2025
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Meeting of Mikhail Mishustin with Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan
The heads of government discussed current issues of Russian-Armenian relations in the trade and economic, scientific and technological, and cultural and humanitarian spheres.
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Mikhail Mishustin and Nikol Pashinyan noted the importance of creating favorable conditions for the implementation of joint projects in various fields.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: United States Senator for Nebraska Deb Fischer
Today, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced she advanced over $18 million in funding for critical Nebraska water infrastructure projects.
The funding was included in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, which now awaits consideration on the Senate Floor.“Strong, reliable water infrastructure is an essential part of our daily lives. I’m proud to advance this funding for these critical projects, which will improve the lives of Nebraskans for years to come. I look forward to supporting this bill through to final passage and returning more taxpayer money back to our state,” Fischer said.Fischer advanced funding to support critical water infrastructure projects:
$8.25 million to improve the Santee Sioux Tribe’s water source
$3.2 million to repair and upgrade the water treatment plant in McCook
$2.3 million to construct a retention lagoon, lift station, and sanitary sewer extensions in Greeley
$1.4 million for watershed and stream improvements in the Middle Niobrara Natural Resources District
$776,000 for reconstruction of water and storm sewer facilities in Gothenburg
$696,000 to replace an aging well and renovate the sanitary water storage tank in Farwell
$620,000 to construct a new well and transmission line in Genoa
$600,000 to construct an additional lagoon cell in Shelby
$468,000 to line the sewer mains in Valparaiso
$100,000 to renovate an existing lagoon cell and install a depth mark in Ong
Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE), along with Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), introduced the Streamlining Rural Housing Act. The bill directs the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a memorandum of understanding to evaluate the feasibility of joint environmental review and inspection processes. By streamlining the review and inspection processes between HUD and USDA, this bill would make rural housing development more efficient for home builders, affordable housing non-profits, and state housing finance agencies.
“Duplicative red tape and burdensome regulations create additional costs and deter much-needed investments in rural affordable housing,” said Ricketts. “The Streamlining Rural Housing Act is the first step to enhance efficiency and eliminate conflicting requirements that delay approvals so that we can build more housing in rural Nebraska. When I was Governor of Nebraska, our state created a rural workforce housing fund to help administer support to communities for rural housing needs, like construction costs, down payment assistance, and technical assistance.”
“Across Kansas, the demand for rural housing has been on the rise, and it’s important that we find innovative solutions to address this issue,”said Moran.“Streamlining rural housing regulations between HUD and USDA will simplify the regulatory process for developers, allowing them to more efficiently address the growing housing needs in Kansas and across the country.”
“To address the shortage of quality, affordable housing in rural areas, federal regulations need to work for communities rather than against them,” said Senator Shaheen. “I’m glad to join my colleagues in introducing bipartisan legislation that would improve and streamline environmental reviews and housing unit inspections so that we can build more homes and lower costs where it’s needed most.”
“Americans are facing an affordable housing crisis. We need to build more housing and build it fast to bring down costs and get more people into homes,” said Gallego. “Government should be part of the solution, but right now it’s part of the problem. By reducing red tape and streamlining redundant processes, this bipartisan bill will accelerate construction, lower costs, and get more desperately needed homes on the market.”
The Streamlining Rural Housing Act would direct the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to:
Create a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to evaluate categorical exclusion under the environmental review process for housing projects that use combined funding;
Create an MOU to develop a process for designating a lead agency.
This process will streamline adoption of Environmental Impact Statements and Environment Assessments approved by the other Department to construct housing projects funded by both agencies;
Create an MOU to evaluate the feasibility of a joint inspection process for housing projects that use combined funding;
Establish an advisory working group to consult on the MOUs consisting of:
Affordable housing non-profits;
State housing and housing finance agencies;
Non-profit and for-profit home builders and housing developers;
Property management companies;
Owners of multifamily properties;
Public housing agencies;
Residents in housing assisted by HUD and USDA;
Housing contract administrators.
“The Council for Affordable and Rural Housing (CARH) applauds the efforts of Senators Moran, Ricketts, Shaheen, and Gallego in introducing this important legislation which will help streamline program requirements at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the United States Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development (RD) programs,” said ColleenFisher, Executive Director of the Council for Affordable and Rural Housing (CARH).“Many times when housing developers and owners are operating a property here is a need to have multiple sources of funding so that the property can cash flow and rents are at levels that low-income residents can afford. When this occurs, the agencies require separate if not identical inspections, somewhat negating the purpose of having the multiple layers of funding, thus increasing regulatory costs. By requiring one inspection, operating costs will be reduced or redirected toward services on properties. The approach envisioned in the bill has been supported by several different Administrations, with the goal of reducing regulatory burdens and improving the delivery of affordable housing programs.”
BACKGROUND
Often, when a housing project draws federal funding from Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development, one has to follow separate processes for environmental review and housing inspections for both agencies. This can incur more costs, lead to delays in project completion, and present challenges in getting over excessive bureaucratic procedures. This is burdensome especially at a time when housing needs in rural America are growing and existing housing supply is aging. Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) are an effective way to address duplicative compliance requirements and regulatory misalignment across different federal, state, and local agencies.
