Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
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Announcement comes following robust joint state-local investigation
OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta along with San Diego District Attorney Summer Stephan, Alameda District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman, Marin County District Attorney Lori E. Frugoli, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins, and Sonoma District Attorney Carla Rodriguez, today announced a settlement with Pacific Magazine Billing, resolving allegations that the company deceptively disguised solicitation mailers for magazine subscriptions as bills. As part of the settlement announced today, Pacific Magazine Billing agreed to pay $275,000 and is banned from participating in the mail order magazine solicitation industry.
“In California, we boast nation-leading consumer protection laws — robust tools my office and the offices of local law enforcement partners can use to protect our residents. Pacific Magazine Billing used dishonest tactics to trick recipients into thinking they owed money to get consumers to sign up for a magazine subscription,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “Today, the settlement secured by my office and our law enforcement partners sends a clear message to companies looking to make a buck off unsuspecting Californians: If you deceive consumers, we will go after you, it’s that simple.”
“Deceptive business practices that exploit unsuspecting people in Alameda County will not be tolerated, and this joint settlement shows business owners will be held to account for their actions,” said Alameda District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson.
“My office will not tolerate unscrupulous companies profiting from deception,” said Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman. “Pacific Magazine Billing is accused of disguising third party offers as legitimate invoices in order to trick consumers into paying fake bills — conduct specifically prohibited by state and federal consumer protection laws. Our office will protect consumers from being tricked by these large companies. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office vigorously fights for consumers in our county, and when companies violate consumer protection laws across the state, we proudly partner with fellow district attorneys and the Attorney General to hold violators accountable.”
“The Company’s business model was a scheme built on deception,” said Marin County Deputy District Attorney Michael Wear. “Consumers believed they were paying legitimate bills, when in fact they were being scammed. Our action puts a stop to Pacific Magazine Billing’s fraudulent practices.”
“My office is committed to protecting consumers in San Francisco and around the State from direct mailers that are deceptive or misleading,” said San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins. “I encourage any consumer who receives an unsolicited mailer that seems confusing or just not right to contact my office’s consumer protection unit. I also want to thank my fellow District Attorneys and our partners in the Attorney General’s Office for working jointly to address the conduct alleged in this case.”
“Our Environmental and Consumer Law Division is committed to holding businesses and individuals accountable when they mislead California consumers,” said Sonoma District Attorney Carla Rodriguez. “We are pleased that we were able to work with the California Attorney General and other California District Attorneys around the state to stop this practice.”
Spurred by consumer complaints, in late 2022 the District Attorneys’ offices and the California Department of Justice launched a joint investigation into Pacific Magazine Billing. The investigation revealed that between 2016 and 2022 the company blasted out tens of millions of mailers that looked like bills for existing magazine subscriptions, when the mailers were in truth solicitations designed to deceive consumers into unknowingly starting or renewing subscriptions.
The settlement announced today resolves allegations that in sending the mailers, Pacific Magazine Billing misled consumers and violated California’s False Advertising and Unfair Competition Laws. As part of the settlement, Pacific Magazine Billing will pay a total of $275,000 in combined civil penalties and other payments that will be used to fund the enforcement of consumer protection laws. The company has also agreed to strong injunctive terms that permanently stop it from issuing solicitations for any magazine subscriptions and mailing solicitations designed as bills in any other business effort.
Attorney General Bonta is committed working with law enforcement partners up and down the state to protect California consumers. In April, Attorney General Bonta in partnership with Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley and Santa Barbara County District Attorney John T. Savrnoch, announced a settlement with HomeOptions, a realty company based in Oakland that engaged in a predatory real estate scheme impacting over 500 California homeowners, and its Chief Executive Officer. In 2024, Attorney General Bonta, along with Los Angeles City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto, announced a $500,000 settlement with Tilting Point Media LLC resolving allegations that the company violated state and federal laws by collecting and sharing children’s data without parental consent in their popular mobile app game “SpongeBob: Krusty Cook-Off.” In 2023, Attorney General Bonta, along with District Attorneys from Merced, Ventura, and Yolo Counties, announced a settlement against Walmart over allegations that illegal weapons were sold to California consumers by Walmart and by third-party sellers through Walmart’s website.
A copy of the complaint and final judgement can be found here and here. The settlement is pending court approval.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
A joint operation was conducted by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) together with the Hong Kong Police Force and Zhuhai Municipal Marine Comprehensive Law Enforcement Team in the southern waters of Hong Kong yesterday (June 9).
During the operation, the AFCD personnel intercepted a local fishing vessel suspected of engaging in fishing using snake cages (a type of cage trap banned in Hong Kong waters) in waters off Cheung Chau at around 9.30pm for investigation. Some fishing gear (including snake cages and winches) on board was seized by the AFCD.
The AFCD is investigating a local coxswain and six Mainland fisherman deckhands on board suspected of engaging in fishing using snake cages, in violation of the Fisheries Protection Ordinance (Cap. 171).
Only a vessel registered under the Ordinance can be used for fishing in Hong Kong waters and only the fishing methods listed on its Certificate of Registration of Local Fishing Vessel can be employed for fishing by the vessel. The conditions of the Certificate of Registration of Local Fishing Vessel regarding cage traps also stipulate that any collapsible cage traps should not be connected in any way to another; or should not exceed five metres in any of its extended dimensions. Hence, it is unlawful to fish using snake cages. Offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $100,000 and six months’ imprisonment upon conviction.
A spokesman for the AFCD stressed, “The Government is committed to combatting illegal fishing activities in Hong Kong waters. The AFCD will continue to step up patrols and take stringent enforcement action.”
Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven
06.06.25
Senator Urges Nominee to Ensure USFS Works with North Dakota Ranchers on Grazing Access, Wildfire Management & Pest Control
WASHINGTON – At a hearing of the Senate Agriculture Committee this week, Senator John Hoeven advanced key priorities for North Dakota ranchers with Michael Boren, the nominee to serve as the Under Secretary of Agriculture for Natural Resources and Environment. In this role, Boren will oversee the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), which includes the national grasslands in North Dakota. Accordingly, Hoeven urged Boren to work with him on:
Ensuring access to USFS lands for multiple use, including grazing and energy production.
Hoeven stressed to Boren that section line rights-of-way are critical for enabling ranchers to access their cattle in the Little Missouri National Grasslands.
Coordinating with local ranchers and rural fire departments on wildfire management, including protecting against impacts from controlled burns on federal lands.
Better management of pests on USFS lands, such as prairie dogs and noxious weeds.
Hoeven and Boren discussed the need for adequate buffers on federal lands to help prevent damage to private and state-held lands.
Hoeven previously worked with USFS Deputy Chief Chris French on efforts to address noxious weeds on the Dakota Prairie Grasslands and urged Boren to maintain these efforts.
“North Dakota is home to the largest national grasslands in the country, with the USFS managing more than a million acres of land in our state. That creates real challenges that require the federal government to work cooperatively with our local stakeholders, including our ag and energy producers,” said Hoeven. “In both the committee hearing and my meeting with Michael Boren, we drove home the importance of ensuring access to the grasslands for our grazers. Fair grazing agreements are essential, as is access through section lines to ensure ranchers can actually get to their cattle. At the same time, we’ve seen poor land management on federal acreage impacting private and state lands through the spread of noxious weeds, uncontrolled prairie dog colonies and wildfires. I appreciate Mr. Boren’s commitment to work with us on these critical issues.”
Alberta is home to the best drilling expertise in the world. Decades of oil and gas development has made the province a proven drilling leader, while Alberta-led advancements in geothermal, lithium and other areas continue growing Alberta’s reputation as a powerhouse in energy innovation.
However, many promising technologies and products have challenges reaching the market due to high costs and limited access to demonstration sites where testing can be done in real-world settings. With the right resources, Alberta’s energy developers can bring drilling technologies to market faster and more affordably.
Alberta’s government is investing more than $20 million in industry-funded TIER dollars to launch the Alberta Drilling Accelerator program and keep pushing Alberta’s drilling expertise to greater heights. Delivered through Emissions Reduction Alberta, this funding will help Alberta companies advance new and emerging technologies, reduce emissions and, ultimately, increase responsible energy production around the world.
“Alberta’s drilling expertise is second to none. The world needs energy and Alberta has the experience, geology, expertise and innovative spirit needed to deliver it. This funding is all about getting the next generation of drilling tech out of the lab and into the field, powering the world and Alberta’s economy at the same time.”
“Drilling technology is highly relevant to Emissions Reduction Alberta’s mandate, as it offers a potential pathway to direct emissions reduction in the oil and gas sector while also playing a critical role in commercializing technologies in emerging areas like geothermal and critical minerals extraction. We look forward to sharing the scope of this funding in the fall.”
This new funding program will help speed up the development of geothermal, helium, critical minerals, carbon capture, utilization and storage, and other technologies and commodities that rely on Alberta’s world-class drilling expertise, further establishing Alberta’s global leadership in providing affordable, reliable, responsibly produced energy.
More details on the program will be announced when it officially launches this fall.
This is phase one of the province’s Alberta Drilling Accelerator. Future phases and initiatives will be developed as government continues accelerating new technologies that rely on Alberta’s world-class drilling expertise.
Quick facts
The Alberta Drilling Accelerator program will launch in fall 2025, with planning and engagement taking place this summer.
Funding for the program comes from the industry-funded Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) fund.
Demand for new and more efficient technologies is rising globally, and Alberta is well-positioned to capitalize. For example, cumulative geothermal investment is poised to reach $1 trillion by 2050, while investment for oil and gas, carbon capture and storage and other sectors continues to grow.
Today, Environment and Climate Change Canada presented a seasonal outlook for summer. Experts predicted higher-than-normal temperatures are likely throughout most of Canada this summer, with cooler-than-normal conditions possible in some northwestern regions along the Beaufort Sea.
This spring, parts of Canada saw an uneven transition out of winter, with many regions experiencing temperature swings. Additionally, much of Canada, particularly in the Prairies, experienced dry conditions. These conditions, in combination with the high likelihood of a warmer-than-normal summer, could increase the risk of wildfires in the coming months—potentially leading to poor air quality and health risks for you and your family.
Understanding the risks of these extreme weather events can help Canadians make informed decisions to protect their health, safety, and property. Canada’s Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) is an important tool to help people understand what the air quality around them means for their health.
Climate change is causing more frequent and intense severe weather across the country. Environment and Climate Change Canada’s weather information and alerts are essential tools in protecting Canadians. The public is urged to regularly monitor weather forecasts, monitor the AQHI and UV Index, take all weather alerts seriously, and get prepared this summer. Canadians can download the WeatherCAN app to receive weather alerts directly on their mobile devices and set personal notifications for temperature and the AQHI.
Courtenay, BC– Protecting fish and fish habit is vital to help sustain and support Canada’s precious marine species. Under Canada’sFisheries Act, measures must be taken to avoid causing the death of fish and any harmful alteration, disruption or destruction of fish habitat when conducting any work or activities in or near water.
On January 23, 2025, in Courtenay Provincial Court, area resident David Tingley was found guilty of failing to correct work that he had done illegally on his property, that affected fish and fish habitat on the Trent River. Mr. Tingley was fined $60,000, which was directed to the Environmental Damages Fund for the conservation and protection of salmon and salmon habitat in the Vancouver Island region.
The case stems from work carried out without Fisheries Act authorization over successive years on one of Mr. Tingley’s properties, which is bisected by the Trent River, an important fish bearing watercourse.
DFO protects and conserves marine resources, and enforces the Fisheries Act. As part of DFO’s work to disrupt and prevent illegal activity, the Department asks the public for information on activities of this nature or any contravention of the Fisheries Act and regulations. Anyone with information can call DFO Pacific Region’s toll-free violation reporting line at 1-800-465-4336, or email the details to DFO.ORR-ONS.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.
Exploring how an AI lab model could work for policing
The National Policing Capabilities Unit came to ACE to explore a high-level operating model for how an in-house AI lab could enable greater innovation.
Artificial intelligence (AI) will play a significant role in shaping the police service of the future, bolstering capabilities by making investigations more sophisticated and efficient as well as freeing up officers’ time.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) wants to establish UK policing as a leader in applied responsible AI, but despite a marked increase in experimentation across existing, new or anticipated challenges, these largely remain limited to niche capabilities or individual forces.
The Home Office’s National Policing Capabilities Unit (NPCU) came to the Accelerated Capability Environment (ACE) to explore a high-level operating model for how an in-house AI lab could inspire and enable greater innovation by bringing together technical expertise from industry and academia and applying leading research to policing problems and data.
Developing and delivering an AI lab
ACE undertook a discovery exercise with six suppliers, exploring how an AI lab could provide police forces and their partners with the environment, support and expertise needed to develop, de-risk and rapidly adopt trustworthy AI technologies.
This research needed to answer key questions including how such an AI lab could be developed and delivered, how this would engage with forces, what value it would provide and how it would work with existing technology-focused areas of policing.
As part of the discovery work, two stakeholder workshops were convened, covering areas such as system of interest mapping, technology assessment and capability baselining, and the value case and delivery model.
Challenges and considerations in core areas such as skills and talent, data access and governance, and funding and facilities (virtual vs physical vs hybrid) were also examined. The research also investigated how existing work in areas including data science, analytics and synthetic data could accelerate development of an AI lab as well as complement its work.
Ultimately, three AI lab design and operating model options were developed and presented in a final report, badged as bronze, silver and gold, along with a high level, three-year roadmap and costs for taking a lab from concept to working capability.
Bronze was a continuation of existing investment levels and efforts and was ultimately discounted because it would not deliver a national AI lab. The silver option – which meets all policing requirements over the next one to three years – was deemed feasible but it was the gold option, which would produce a world-leading AI lab with a future-proof design within 18 months, that was ultimately recommended.
ACE itself was also used as a model of how an effective AI lab could operate.
A decrease in penalty charge notices (PCNs) issued, and an increase in awareness, is thought to have resulted in a reduction in illegal pavement parking, the Net Zero, Environment, and Transport committee heard today.
The overall number of monthly penalty charge notices for pavement parking has reduced from around 350 in July and August 2024, to 141 in March 2025, and 111 in April 2025.
Aberdeen City Council Co-Leader Councillor Ian Yuill said: “Pavements are for pedestrians, including people using wheelchairs and buggies. The pavement parking ban was introduced to make pavements safer and more usable.
“It is good to see the reduction in the number of fines issued since the introduction of the ban. This shows many of the small minority of drivers who used to park on pavements are no longer doing so.”
Committee Vice Convener Councillor Miranda Radley added: “Pavement parking can cause obstructions forcing people with wheelchairs or prams onto the road, exposing them to the danger of oncoming traffic.”
“An increase in awareness of the ban shows the level of support that the Aberdeen public has for keeping our road users safe.”
The restrictions came after the Scottish Government introduced legislation to ban pavement parking in Scotland with implementation by local authorities. Aberdeen City Council carried out a city-wide assessment of roads and associated pavements using the criteria set by the Scottish Government. During this assessment, some pavements were identified for exemption from the prohibition, for example, to ensure safe access for emergency vehicles.
A recent survey targeted at pedestrians and people with mobility aids, showed over half of respondents were either in favour of, or neutral to, the changes that have come into effect. Some concerns were raised about areas where space is limited, making parking more challenging, and that there could still be an increase in enforcement.
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Jamie Seabrook, Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics; Professor, Department of Paediatrics; Professor, Brescia School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, Western University
As cannabis use among youth rises in Canada — and THC potency reaches record highs — emergency departments are seeing a surge in cases of a once-rare condition: cannabis hyperemesis syndrome (CHS).
Characterized by relentless vomiting, abdominal pain and temporary relief through compulsive hot showers or baths, CHS is increasingly affecting adolescents and young adults. Yet few people — including many clinicians — know it exists.
As public health and substance use researchers, and authors of a recent review on CHS in youth, we are struck by how misunderstood and misdiagnosed this condition remains.
A silent side-effect of heavy cannabis use
Canada ranks among the highest globally for youth cannabis use, with 43 per cent of 16-19-year-olds reporting use in the past year. Usage peaks among those 20–24 years, with nearly half (48 per cent) reporting past-year use.
This rise in regular, heavy use coincides with a 400 per cent increase in THC potency since the 1980s. Strains with THC levels above 25 per cent are now common. As cannabis becomes more potent and accessible, clinicians are seeing more cases of CHS, a condition virtually unheard of before 2004.
What is CHS?
CHS unfolds in three phases:
Prodromal phase: Nausea and early morning discomfort begin. Users increase cannabis consumption, thinking it will relieve symptoms.
Hyperemetic phase: Intense vomiting, dehydration and abdominal pain follow. Hot showers or baths provide temporary relief — a hallmark of CHS.
Recovery phase: Symptoms resolve after stopping cannabis entirely.
Diagnosis is often delayed. One reason is because CHS mimics conditions like gastroenteritis or eating disorders, leading to costly CT scans, MRIs and gastric emptying tests. One telltale sign — compulsive hot bathing — is frequently overlooked, despite its strong diagnostic value.
Nausea and early morning discomfort begin in the early stages of CHS. (Shutterstock)
Some youth use cannabis to self-medicate for mental health concerns and increase their use when symptoms of CHS appear, mistakenly believing cannabis will help. Others are reluctant to disclose their use due to stigma, fear of judgment or legal consequences.
In our recent review, we found that CHS is frequently misdiagnosed as bulimia nervosa because of the vomiting and unintended weight loss. But unlike bulimia, CHS-related vomiting is involuntary and not motivated by body image concerns. A clue is that those with CHS often return to normal eating and bathing patterns during symptom-free periods, which is not typical for an eating disorder.
Compulsive hot bathing is a telltale sign of CHS. (Shutterstock)
A burden on the health system and individual
CHS doesn’t just take a toll on youth — it strains the health-care system. Emergency department visits for CHS have spiked in recent years, with a study in Ontario showing a significant rise after cannabis commercialization following legalization in 2018. Repeated ER visits, missed school or work and emotional distress compound the burden. In rare cases, CHS can lead to kidney failure due to severe dehydration and electrolyte imbalance.
The most effective long-term solution to treating CHS is cannabis cessation. For youth who use cannabis to cope with anxiety, quitting can lead to withdrawal symptoms and distress. This makes harm reduction strategies critical: gradual reduction plans, mental health supports and non-judgmental conversations between providers and patients.
Clinicians should systematically screen youth presenting with cyclic vomiting for cannabis use and hot bathing behaviour. Youth are more likely to disclose cannabis use when asked in an empathetic, stigma-free way.
Public health campaigns can play a major role. We need honest, accessible education — in schools, clinics and online — that explains what CHS is, how to recognize it and how to seek help. In our view, the addition of CHS content to youth health curriculums, pediatric training programs and cannabis use screening tools is overdue.
A preventable crisis
CHS is a preventable but growing consequence of chronic cannabis use in young people. As legalization continues to reshape social norms and access, it is essential to ensure that youth — and those who care for them — are informed about the full spectrum of cannabis-related health risks.
This story was co-authored by Morgan Seabrook, an undergraduate research assistant at the Human Environments Analysis Laboratory at Western University.
The authors 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.
The UK government will soon face a momentous decision over whether to approve production in the Rosebank oilfield off the coast of Shetland.
Rosebank is the UK’s biggest undeveloped field. Its proponents – the largest of which is Norwegian state-owned petroleum company, Equinor – estimate that it will produce the equivalent of up to 500 million barrels of oil between 2026 and 2051. When burned, this oil will generate up to 200 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, which is more than the combined annual emissions of 28 low-income countries.
Thanks to recent courtcases, the climate effects of those “combustion emissions” will need to be taken into account by the government when it decides whether to approve production at Rosebank. In a new report, two colleagues and I reviewed the evidence concerning the implications of new oil and gas fields in the UK.
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There is a rapidly dwindling global carbon budget for holding temperature increases to below 1.5°C of warming (the more conservative end of the Paris agreement’s temperature goal).
Globally, the emissions from burning the fossil fuels in oil and gas fields and coalmines that are already operating or under development far exceed that budget. In this context, Rosebank’s combustion emissions are highly significant, as they add considerably to that excess.
We also found that the projected production from existing fields is sufficient to meet or exceed global oil and gas demand in modelled economic scenarios in which climate warming is restrained to within 1.5°C. This is further evidence that new fields are not consistent with achieving globally agreed temperature goals.
However, it is often asserted by supporters of new fields that keeping UK oil in the ground won’t reduce global emissions, because another producer will supply the demand and reap the benefits. This is a gross and dangerous oversimplification which, according to the United Nations Environment Programme, “defies basic economics of supply and demand”.
Allowing a new field like Rosebank would increase the supply of oil globally, resulting in a fall in its price which, though small, would cause more oil to be consumed. As UK government advisers at the Climate Change Committee have acknowledged, new petroleum projects “support a larger global market overall” for petroleum. Stopping Rosebank would have the opposite effect, and lead to less oil consumed.
Rosebank is found about 80 miles west of Shetland and its puffins. Philippe Clement / shutterstock
The oil industry likes to trumpet the UK’s relatively low upstream emissions – that is, from the process of extracting oil – compared with those of competitors overseas. But this is a distraction from the bigger issue: the additional greenhouse gases emitted from consuming the extra oil that new fields produce.
A recent peer-reviewed study by economists and experts in the emissions-intensity of oil and gas production concluded that limiting oil supply will almost always lead to lower overall emissions, regardless of the intensity of upstream emissions from different fields. It is highly likely that leaving Rosebank’s oil in the ground will result in lower global greenhouse gases than would occur if the field were developed.
However, this focus on Rosebank’s aggregate emissions ignores two further reasons the field’s development consent should be refused on climate grounds.
A litmus test of climate leadership
First, exploiting new sources of oil supply like Rosebank locks in future oil and gas production, ultimately making it economically, politically and legally harder to wind the industry down.
Second, as the Climate Change Committee also stated, decisions by the UK government concerning petroleum production have an important “signalling effect” internationally and at home.
Internationally, the UK government has rightly acknowledged that climate action “must be accelerated drastically” to keep the average global temperature rise “below 1.5°C”.
The UK has a proud reputation for climate leadership. It was the first country to enact a legally binding framework to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, it rapidly phased out coal-fired power generation, and in 2019 it became the first country to adopt a net zero emissions target.
Building on this legacy, the foreign secretary David Lammy has vowed to “push for the ambition needed to keep 1.5 degrees alive”. But approving Rosebank would signal to the world that the UK government is not sincere about keeping the Paris agreement’s 1.5°C goal “alive”, after all.
Some might think that aspirations to climate leadership are futile given the Trump administration’s “drill, baby, drill” approach to fossil fuels. But Trump’s recklessness at a critical time for global climate efforts makes UK climate leadership more important than ever.
The UK already chairs a suite of international energy transition alliances focused on the international phase-out of coal-fired power, the scale-up of renewables, and the financing of these transitions. It could plug a gap in its influence by rejecting Rosebank and joining the Beyond Oil & Gas Alliance, a “club” of (currently) 25 national and sub-national governments that are working to phase-out oil and gas production and persuade other countries to follow suit.
And it could deepen cooperation with the EU to drive down oil and gas demand and scale up clean energy throughout the region, yielding benefits that will outlive the Trump administration.
Domestically, rejecting Rosebank would send a powerful signal to investors about the sincerity of the government’s commitment to achieve economic growth by becoming a “clean energy superpower”, as the governing Labour party pledged to do at the last election.
But the benefits of clean prosperity must extend to the people and communities caught up in the transition, too. The UK’s North Sea oil and gas reserves, along with the jobs their production supports, are in terminal decline.
Oil and gas workers and the communities in which they are based already face a volatile future. New fields like Rosebank would create some additional jobs in this declining industry. But they cannot arrest its long-term decline.
The government recognises that this transition is already taking place and will continue. With targeted regional and industrial investment, support for workers and their families, and careful planning that meaningfully involves affected communities, the UK has an opportunity to demonstrate to the world how to achieve a just transition away from oil and gas.
Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?
Fergus Green has received consulting fees from and provided expert evidence on behalf of an environmental nongovernmental organisation engaged in climate-related litigation against a fossil fuel company. He informally consults with a number of environmental nongovernmental organisations in relation to fossil fuel production issues in the UK and elsewhere. He is a member of the Just Transition Expert Group of the Powering Past Coal Alliance (the role is unremunerated).
As climate change and disrupted weather patterns impact countries around the world, leaders must act to mitigate the negative effects on public health.
Leaders from six western countries and Japan will soon gather in Kananaskis, Alta., for the Group of Seven (G7) meeting from June 15 to 17, 2025. In the lead-up to this meeting, the Royal Society of Canada hosted the Science 7 (S7). This is an engagement meeting of the leading academies of the G7 member countries.
Following discussion and deliberation, three statements aimed at advancing science for society were published, entitled Advanced Technologies and Data Security, Sustainable Migration and Climate Action and Health Resilience.
One of us (Sharon Straus) oversaw the S7 statement on Climate Action and Health Resilience. This statement draws attention to the health impacts of climate change and recommends several mitigation strategies.
Wide-ranging health impacts
Experts on health and climate change have outlined the growing impact of delayed climate action. The data are clear. Extreme weather events such as heat, floods, droughts and wildfires are having wide-ranging health impacts.
In the 10 years between 2014-2023, there was a 167 per cent increase in heat-related deaths in those aged 65 years and older compared with the 10 years between 1990-99. Extreme weather events also directly impact food and water security, as well as infectious diseases and chronic diseases.
The health consequences of climate change are not only the result of environmental factors. Of equal importance are recent decisions eliminating funding for programs that mitigate the risks of climate change.
Consider for example, the multiple threats to recent progress in eliminating malaria. The World Malaria Report published in December 2024 by the World Health Organization estimated that 2.2 billion malaria cases and 12.7 million malaria deaths were averted between 2000 and 2023.
Now, many countries anticipate a malaria resurgence. Antimalarial drug resistance, mosquito resistance to insecticides, changes in temperature and humidity affecting mosquito survival and the emergence of new mosquito species linked to climate change — combined with the recent abrupt funding freeze from the United States — are leading to a perfect storm.
Economic impact of climate change
The economic burden of climate change, which includes more health-care use, lost productivity, adaptation and mitigation expenses — to say nothing of the costs of rebuilding — is massive.
Much of that burden is borne by those who live in low- and middle-income countries (80 per cent of the world’s population) and who are the lowest contributors to carbon dioxide emissions.
To put this in perspective, in 2021, the United Nations Environment Program estimated the costs of annual adaptation for vulnerable countries at US$70 billion and predicted this would increase to US$140-300 billion by 2030.
In addition to the costs of adaptation aimed at reducing vulnerability to climate change, there are the costs associated with losses resulting from climate change. The 2024 Lancet Countdown estimated that the average annual economic losses due to extreme weather-related events reached US$227 billion between 2019-2023. This value exceeds the gross domestic product of approximately 60 per cent of the world’s economies.
What about Canada?
In Canada, warming is happening at twice the global rate with resulting heat, wildfires and floods. There is also evidence of significant impacts on mental health and chronic diseases, leading to an increased need for health care.
Indigenous communities, older adults and those who have experienced homelessness are disproportionately impacted by climate change. Indigenous Peoples, especially those living in remote and northern areas, are particularly vulnerable.
Currently there are 37 long-term and 40 short-term drinking water advisories in First Nations communities across Canada. The lack of safe, clean drinking water can exacerbate climate-related food and water insecurity and lead to infectious disease transmission.
Climate change costs health-care systems more each year. The Canadian Institute for Climate Choices recently estimated that health-related hospitalizations will increase by 21 per cent by mid-century. Our health systems are not prepared for this.
In addition, the costs of death and reduced quality of life from heat-related climate change is estimated to rise between $3 billion and $3.9 billion by the middle of this century. Factoring in other impacts such as those from air pollution, flooding and wildfires, the total estimated costs are in the tens to hundreds of billions.
S7’s recommendations
The S7 statement on Climate Action and Health Resilience includes seven recommendations. Addressing the disproportionate impact of climate change on populations who are particularly vulnerable and investing in innovative solutions are among them. Particularly critical are societal and political innovations that involve affected communities, including Indigenous communities.
The S7’s climate and health resilience recommendations include:
Developing and optimizing climate change mitigation strategies to transform health and social services (such as early warning infectious disease systems and biomonitoring).
Developing new regulations nationally and internationally to transform health, public health and social services, increasing their readiness and safeguarding health from climate change impact.
Providing economic and regulatory incentives to foster adaptation and resiliency of health systems.
Investing in innovative solutions (including vaccine development for emerging diseases, wastewater surveillance) to mitigate climate change and its health risks.
The G7 summit is an opportunity to centre climate change discussions and act on the S7 recommendations. Bold investment in innovations that address the health challenges resulting from climate change will benefit us all and drive new economic activity and resilience.
Climate change is a health issue, a social justice issue and an economic issue, and the time to act is now. Scientists, policymakers, clinicians and the public must work together.
Sharon E. Straus receives research funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Public Health Agency of Canada. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.
Françoise Baylis is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.
Source: US Whitehouse
By virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States of America (the “President”), I hereby grant permission, subject to the conditions set forth herein, to Green Corridors, LLC (the “Permittee”), to construct, maintain, and operate a commercial elevated guideway crossing located on the United States border with Mexico in Laredo, Texas, as described in the “Presidential Permit Application: Green Corridors Intelligent Freight Transportation System” dated October 3, 2024, by the Permittee to the Secretary of State and made complete with additional information provided by the Permittee on February 14, 2025 (collectively, the “Application”), in accordance with 33 U.S.C. 535d and associated procedures.
The term “Border facilities” as used in this permit consists of the elevated guideway and bridge over the Rio Grande which connects inland terminals near Monterrey, Mexico, in the state of Nuevo Leon and near Interstate 35, north of Laredo, Texas, its approaches, and any land, structures, installations, or equipment appurtenant thereto located on the United States side of the international boundary between the United States and Mexico, located just downstream from the Laredo-Colombia Solidarity International Bridge at the connection between Texas State Highway 255 and the Nuevo Leon State Highway Spur 1.
This permit is subject to the following conditions:
Article 1. The Border facilities herein described and all aspects of their operation are subject to all the conditions, provisions, and requirements of this permit and any subsequent Presidential amendment to it. The construction, maintenance, and operation of the Border facilities shall be in all material respects as described in the Application.
Article 2. The standards for and the manner of construction, maintenance, and operation of the Border facilities are subject to inspection by the representatives of appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies. The Permittee shall grant officers and employees of such agencies that are duly authorized and performing their official duties free and unrestricted access to said Border facilities.
Article 3. The Permittee shall comply with all applicable Federal laws and regulations regarding the construction, maintenance, and operation of the Border facilities.
Article 4. (1) The Permittee shall take or cause to be taken all appropriate measures to mitigate adverse impacts on or disruption of the human environment in connection with the construction, maintenance, and operation of the Border facilities. Mitigation measures are those that avoid, minimize, or compensate for adverse impacts.
(2) The Permittee shall hold harmless and indemnify the United States for any claimed or adjudged liability arising out of construction, maintenance, and operation of the Border facilities, including environmental contamination from the release, threatened release, or discharge of hazardous substances or hazardous waste.
(3) The Permittee is responsible for obtaining any required Federal, State, and local permits, approvals, and authorizations prior to commencing construction activities. The Permittee shall implement the mitigation identified in any environmental decision documents prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act and Federal permits, including stormwater permits and permits issued in accordance with section 402 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1342). The Permittee shall comply with applicable Federal, State, and local environmental laws.
Article 5. The Permittee shall immediately notify the President or his designee of any decision to transfer custody and control of the Border facilities or any part thereof to any executive department or agency (agency) of the United States Government. Said notice shall identify the transferee agency and seek the approval of the President for the transfer of the permit. In the event of approval by the President of such transfer, this permit shall remain in force and effect, and the Border facilities shall be subject to all the conditions, permissions, and requirements of this permit and any amendments thereof. The Permittee may transfer ownership or control of the Border facilities to a non-Federal entity or individual only upon the prior express approval of such transfer by the President, which approval may include such conditions, permissions, and requirements that the President, in the President’s discretion, determines are appropriate and necessary for inclusion in the permit, to be effective on the date of transfer.
Article 6. The Permittee is responsible for acquiring and maintaining any right-of-way grants or easements, permits, and other authorizations as may become necessary or appropriate. To ensure the safe operation of the Border facilities, the Permittee shall maintain them and every part of them in a condition of good repair and in compliance with applicable law and use of best management practices.
Article 7. To the extent authorized by law, and consistent with any Donation Acceptance Agreements (DAAs) already executed with the Permittee under the Donation Acceptance Authority found in 6 U.S.C. 301a and section 559 of title V of division F of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 (Public Law 113-76), as amended, as continued by 6 U.S.C. 301b, the Permittee shall provide to the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (Commissioner) of the Department of Homeland Security and the heads of any other relevant agencies, at no cost to the United States, suitable inspection facilities, infrastructure improvements, equipment, and maintenance, as set forth in the DAAs. Nothing in this permit obligates such agencies to provide a particular level of services or staffing for such inspection facilities or for any other aspect of the port of entry associated with the Border facilities.
Article 8. Before beginning design activities, the Permittee shall fulfill requirements associated with the following conditions, as refined by the relevant agencies below and as consistent with applicable law:
(1) Provide a plan for the approval of the Commissioner detailing how the Permittee will fund and deliver the border facilities, staffing, vehicles, out year refresh cost and data sharing necessary for U.S. Customs and Border Protection to implement a design-appropriate inspections procedure and sustain it thereafter;
(2) Provide a plan for the approval of the Administrator of General Services (Administrator) and the Commissioner detailing how the Permittee will fund the necessary operations and maintenance costs for the Border facilities upon commencement of operations and thereafter;
(3) Provide a plan for the approval of the Administrator and the Commissioner detailing how the Permittee will fund construction, outfitting (furniture, fixtures, and equipment to include information technology and necessary inspection technologies), technology integration, and outyear refresh of said program elements for the Border facilities detailed in their Application; and
(4) Provide a plan for, and to the satisfaction of, the Secretary of Transportation detailing the Permittee’s design, deployment, operation, and related topics to enable the Department of Transportation to determine the regulatory framework that will govern the Permittee’s operations, as well as how the Permittee will ensure the necessary funding for appropriate Department of Transportation inspection facilities and staffing.
Relevant agencies will coordinate with the Permittee to further refine the above conditions, as necessary, within 1 year of permit issuance.
Article 9. Before initiating construction, the Permittee shall obtain the concurrence of the United States Section of the International Boundary and Water Commissions, United States and Mexico.
Article 10. The Permittee shall not initiate construction until the Department of State has provided notification to the Permittee that the Department of State has completed its exchange of diplomatic notes with the Government of Mexico regarding authorization. The Permittee shall provide written notification to the President or his designee at the time that the construction authorized by this permit begins, at the time as such construction is completed, interrupted, or discontinued, and at other times as may be requested by the President.
Article 11. Upon request, the Permittee shall provide appropriate information to the President or his designee with regard to the Border facilities. Such requests could include requests for information concerning current conditions, environmental compliance, mitigation, or anticipated changes in ownership or control, construction, connection, operation, or maintenance of the Border facilities.
Article 12. The Permittee shall file any applicable statements and reports required by applicable Federal law in connection with the Border facilities.
Article 13. The Permittee shall make no substantial change inconsistent with the Application to the Border facilities, in the location of the Border facilities, or in the operation authorized by this permit, unless such changes have been approved by the President. The President may terminate, revoke, or amend this permit at any time at his sole discretion. The Permittee’s obligation to implement any amendment to this permit is subject to the availability of funds. If the Permittee permanently closes the Green Corridors Intelligent Freight Transportation System and it is no longer used as an international crossing, then this permit shall terminate, and the Permittee may manage, utilize, or dispose of the Border facilities in accordance with applicable authorities. This permit shall continue in full force and effect for only so long as the Permittee continues the operations hereby authorized.
Article 14. This permit shall expire 5 years from the date of its issuance if the Permittee has not commenced construction of the Border facilities by that date.
Article 15. This permit is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 9th day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.
DONALD J. TRUMP
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Development projects may require a Clean Water Act (CWA) permit when wetlands need to be filled. Thus, developers of the Cainhoy Project — a more than 9,000-acre mixed use development in the Charleston, South Carolina — turned to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 2018 for a CWA permit.
The Cainhoy Project will provide much needed housing (at least 9,000 residential units) in addition to commercial development, schools, city services, jobs, a medical center, and more. After a four-year environmental assessment — and a modified proposal by the developers to reduce by 90% how much wetlands would be filled — the Corps issued a permit. A lawsuit over the permit’s issuance brought the case before the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
The Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) defended the Corps’ decision to issue a permit. Plaintiffs asked for a preliminary injunction based on speculative harm to a species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The injunction was denied, however, and the ESA claim was abandoned after the Fourth Circuit affirmed the District Court’s order denying preliminary relief.
The District Court then granted summary judgment to the federal defendants regarding the CWA and National Environmental Policy Act claims. The court concluded that the Corps had reasonably determined the least damaging and practicable alternative for the proposed development. And in light of the Corps’ extensive consideration of the project, the District Court deferred to the Corps’ determination that the project would not lead to significant deterioration of waters of the United States, as ENRD had argued.
French Polynesia’s president has announced his administration will establish one of the world’s largest networks of highly protected marine areas (MPAs).
The highly protected areas will safeguard 220,000 sq km of remote waters near the Society Islands and 680,000 sq km near the Gambier Islands.
Speaking at the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France, President Moetai Brotherson pledged to protect nearly 23 percent of French Polynesia’s waters.
“In French Polynesia, the ocean is much more than a territory — it’s the source of life, culture, and identity,” he said.
“By strengthening the protection of Tainui Atea (the existing marine managed area that encompasses all French Polynesian waters) and laying the foundations for future marine protected areas . . . we are asserting our ecological sovereignty while creating biodiversity sanctuaries for our people and future generations.”
Once implemented, this would be one of the world’s single-largest designations of highly protected ocean space in history.
Access will be limited, and all forms of extraction, such as fishing and mining, will be banned.
Highly protected The government is also aiming to create a highly protected artisanal fishing zone that extends about 28 km from the Austral, Marquesas, and Gambier islands and 55.5 km around the Society Islands.
Fishing in that zone will be limited to traditional single pole-and-line catch from boats less than 12m long.
Together, the zones encompass an area about twice the size of continental France.
President Brotherson also promised to create additional artisanal fishing zones and two more large, highly protected MPAs within the next year near the Austral and Marquesas islands.
He also committed to bolster conservation measures within the rest of French Polynesia’s waters.
Donatien Tanret, who leads Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy’s work in French Polynesia, said local communities had made it clear that they wanted to see stronger protections that reflected both scientific guidance and their ancestral culture for future generations.
“These protections and commitments to future designations are a powerful example of how local leadership and traditional measures such as rāhui can address modern challenges.”
Samoa announces MPAs Before the conference, Samoa adopted a legally binding Marine Spatial Plan — a step to fully protect 30 percent and ensure sustainable management of 100 percent of its ocean.
The plan includes the establishment of nine new fully protected MPAs, covering 36,000 sq km of ocean.
Toeolesulsulu Cedric Schuster, Samoa’s Minister for Natural Resources and Environment, said Samoa was a large ocean state and its way of life was under increased threat from issues including climate change and overfishing.
“This Marine Spatial Plan marks a historic step towards ensuring that our ocean remains prosperous and healthy to support all future generations of Samoans — just as it did for us and our ancestors.”
This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.
For years, Idahoans yelled loud and clear: the Lava Ridge Wind Project is not welcome in our state. Affected local residents, farmers, tribes, conservationists, and the Japanese-American community all stood united in opposition to this plan. However, despite numerous legitimate concerns and near-unanimous opposition to the project, the Biden administration’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) refused to listen. That was until January 20th, 2025, when President Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States. With many thanks to Senator Risch for working with President Trump, the President stepped in and signed a Day One executive order to stop this project. President Trump’s efforts proved that he heard Idahoans’ concerns and was ready to act. Not only did President Trump show Idahoans that our voices matter, but this action also sent a clear message – Idahoans expect more out of the use of our public lands. The agency did not genuinely engage with stakeholders to address concerns about the Minidoka National Historic Site, grazing, wildfire response, and more. For four years, the Biden administration demonstrated that it would rather prioritize renewable wind power over multiple-use mandates directed by Congress. As Idahoans, we depend on the concept of multiple use on public lands, and it is deeply rooted in our way of life. Long-standing uses like ranching, grazing, and recreation have coexisted for years on these lands, yet the Lava Ridge Project threatened to upend these uses. Despite ignoring the voices of Idahoans and attempting to downplay the severity of the issues raised, the BLM adamantly rammed forward with this project—something I have not seen in all my time serving in Congress. The level of disregard for Congress and the law was especially concerning. As Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, I used every tool at my disposal to slow down or halt this out-of-touch project. Let me be clear: I opposed this project on day one. I questioned BLM Director Tracy Stone-Manning and Interior Secretary Deb Haaland directly in congressional hearings, and included language in the Fiscal Year 2025 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill, which passed the House, that blocked the final Environmental Impact Statement for the Lava Ridge Wind Project from moving forward. I also introduced legislation with my Idaho delegation colleagues that would prevent the Secretary of the Interior from approving a wind or solar project on public lands if the Legislature in the respective state has passed a resolution of disapproval. I even authored language—passed by Congress and signed into law by President Biden—directing the Department of the Interior to reengage and incorporate feedback from the stakeholders on alternative plans before moving forward with Lava Ridge. Despite these efforts, the significant adverse impacts, and widespread opposition across the state, the BLM continued to push this project forward blindly. This was extremely discouraging. It was disappointing for residents in the Magic Valley, the Japanese-American community, due to the harmful impacts of the Minidoka National Historical Site, and for those of us in Congress who felt the Biden administration was bulldozing their authority over us. The administration change on January 20th was transformative in many ways. President Trump gave Idahoans hope again–and he backed it up with action. Idahoans owe a great deal of thanks to President Trump and to leaders like Senator Risch, who kept this issue at the forefront with the administration. President Trump listened. Lava Ridge is stopped. But even with this win, the fight is not over, and we must stay vigilant. We must ensure that no future project—regardless of a new name or administration—gets as close to implementation as the Lava Ridge Wind Project did. Throughout my time in Congress, I have worked to ensure our land management agencies are good neighbors, and it is abundantly clear that BLM needs to reconsider its approach moving forward. That’s why I will use my role in Congress to keep working with federal, state, and local leaders to ensure these voices are heard. Like many, I cherish our public lands. As a lifelong Idahoan, I understand the importance of ensuring that future generations can enjoy the same benefits that we have today. I will always work to preserve access to our public lands and defend our way of life. I am especially grateful to now have an administration that stands with us and has our backs. Thank you to President Trump and to all the Idahoans who made their voices heard. Common sense prevailed.
Palo Alto, California, June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Mattermost, the platform that delivers secure chat operations and collaborative workflow, today announced the Mattermost Intelligent Mission Environment (IME). Recognizing that legacy systems slow down missions and expose critical operations to risk, IME is built to meet the evolving demands of an era where speed, coordination, and decision advantage are paramount. Mattermost’s IME is a force multiplier — replacing fragmented legacy tools, accelerating mission outcomes, and enabling national security and critical infrastructure teams to automate complex workflows, unify communications, and maintain absolute control over sensitive operations.
The Intelligent Mission Environment (IME) delivers a secure, self-hosted environment that enhances operational focus, resilience, and adaptability amid global uncertainty. It is a sovereign, AI-integrated platform ecosystem that unifies secure collaboration, workflow automation, and operational extensibility across air-gapped, disconnected, and multi-domain environments. IME empowers teams to maintain full control of their data and infrastructure, automate mission workflows, and integrate custom applications and AI agents — accelerating decision cycles while meeting the strictest security and compliance requirements.
“Legacy systems aren’t just outdated — they’re a liability,” said Ian Tien, CEO of Mattermost. “As adversaries move quickly to adopt AI and outpace traditional command-and-control systems, national security and critical infrastructure teams face a clear choice: evolve or fall behind. The cost of maintaining fragmented, manual systems rises daily — draining resources, slowing decisions, and increasing operational risk. That’s why we built Mattermost to deliver a self-hosted, sovereign platform designed for mission-critical environments. With agentic automation, secure workflows, and AI-integrated collaboration, we’re empowering teams to break free from legacy constraints and operate with the speed, precision, and control their missions demand.”
The Intelligent Mission Environment delivers capabilities across three mission-critical use cases:
Cyber Defense: Empowering SOC/CERT operations with AI-integrated incident response, threat hunting, and secure out-of-band communications.
DevSecOps: Streamlining CI/CD pipelines, ITSM, and digital continuity with sovereign infrastructure and automation.
Mission Operations: Supporting critical workflows, Zero Trust, C2 tactical edge, and joint operations.
IME Capabilities:
Secure Collaborative Workflow: Messaging, file sharing, and real-time collaboration tools tailored to sensitive environments.
Workflow Automation: Standardized playbooks for incident response, shift changes, and mission-critical procedures.
Audio & Screenshare: Real-time, sovereign communication capabilities with secure transcription and AI summarization.
Project Tracking: Mattermost Boards for Kanban and work management.
AI Agents and Open APIs: Mattermost Agents, AI assistance, and integration.
IME offers operational extensibility with pre-packaged, source-available connectors, automations, and templates for rapid and effective systems integration. The architecture allows for integrating sovereign and third-party LLMs, enabling multi-agent collaboration and automation.
IME is a sovereign, cyber-resilient deployment platform, deployable across a range of environments—from ruggedized, air-gapped tactical edge systems to geo-distributed, auto-scaling Kubernetes clusters. It supports deployments on Red Hat OpenShift, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, AWS, and fully private infrastructure.
About Mattermost
Mattermost is the Intelligent Mission Environment that delivers secure chat operations and collaborative workflows for mission-critical work in defense, government, and critical infrastructure. Trusted by the U.S. Department of Defense and Fortune 500s, our open core platform powers focused, adaptable, secure, resilient operations across the most demanding environments. The platform supports Mission Operations, DevSecOps, and Cyber Defense with secure messaging, file sharing, audio calling, screen sharing, workflow automation, and AI assistance—available in self-hosted and on-demand deployments from strategic partners. Built on an open source platform shaped by 4,000+ contributors, Mattermost is co-developed with the world’s top security experts to meet the most demanding operational needs. Learn more at mattermost.com.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Alex Newman, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Sustainability Assessment at the Grantham Centre, University of Sheffield
Tomatoes could be grown at an industrial scale using heat generated from burning household waste in Essex, UK. Jenoche/Shutterstock
A new project in Bradwell, Essex, aims to change how we grow food and how we deal with our rubbish. Slated to begin operations in 2027, the Rivenhall greenhouse project could become Europe’s largest low-carbon horticulture facility.
The idea is to close two loops at once. By processing most of Essex’s household waste, the region’s reliance on landfill can be reduced – this cuts the amount of biodegradable waste decomposing to release methane (a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide). Also, by diverting the energy from that waste to grow food locally, less produce will need to be imported from regions increasingly vulnerable to climate-related stresses like drought and water scarcity.
The giant greenhouse will sit next to the Rivenhall integrated waste management facility, operated by waste company Indaver. Household waste will be incinerated on site, producing steam. Some of that steam will drive turbines to generate electricity and power the greenhouse. The rest of the steam will heat the greenhouse at a constant temperature all year round.
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To further reduce greenhouse gas emissions, a carbon capture system (separates CO₂ from other gases in exhaust streams) will extract around 20,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually from the incinerator’s flue gases. Rather than releasing this into the atmosphere, the captured carbon dioxide will be piped into the greenhouse to enhance plant growth.
Still, the scale of carbon capture is modest and not a quick fix. The 20,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide expected to be captured annually represents less than 10% of typical emissions from similar-scale waste facilities.
The facility will include 13 hectares of artificially lit greenhouse space for winter growing and a vertical farm (growing crops in stacked layers) converted from a former RAF hangar to grow leafy greens. In theory, this creates a resilient, year-round food production system largely decoupled from fossil fuels and climate-sensitive imports.
Burning waste to grow tomatoes might sound counterintuitive. Incinerators still release emissions after all. As a method of electricity generation, incineration of waste has a higher carbon footprint than burning coal. But in the context of current waste management and food import practices, it may make sense.
According to the UK government’s Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, around 30.8% of England’s household waste went to landfill in 2023 (around 8 million tonnes). Landfill emissions (primarily methane) are not just large – they’re long-lived and hard to capture.
Rivenhall’s model claims to reduce total greenhouse gas emissions by roughly 20% compared to landfill. When electricity, heat, and food outputs are factored in, and carbon capture included, emissions per kilogram of tomato could be substantially lower than those from conventional imports or fossil-powered greenhouses.
But low-carbon status is not a badge that companies claim, it’s a result that needs to be verified. In lifecycle assessment (a method for measuring the environmental impacts of a product, service, or system, and the focus of my research), low-carbon status only applies if net emissions per kilogram of tomato are demonstrably lower than those from the realistic baseline.
That baseline, be it landfill, composting, anaerobic digestion, or recycling, must be clearly defined. If incinerated waste includes material better suited to recycling, the claimed benefits narrow or vanish.
The success of this particular project hinges not just on technical integration, but on accurate emissions accounting and efficient performance of carbon capture systems.
According to the waste hierarchy, the most sustainable strategy for reducing waste-related emissions is not incineration, but waste prevention and reduction. Energy recovery is better than landfill, but less preferable than eliminating waste altogether.
The bigger picture
In the Netherlands, greenhouses often run on combined heat and power systems. In Canada, some horticultural operations use industrial waste heat. But Rivenhall’s scale and its tight integration with waste management infrastructure makes it unusual. If it works, it could serve as a blueprint for how regions can simultaneously tackle food security and waste while keeping the environmental cost of consumption closer to home.
Beyond greenhouse gas emissions, there are other environmental considerations. Even modern incinerators produce air-polluting nitrogen oxides and particulates, which must be rigorously controlled to avoid human health problems such as lung disease. To comply with the UK’s biodiversity net gain rules, natural habitats and wildlife populations around this site must be enhanced, not degraded.
While delivering on its technical promises, Rivenhall must also prove that its low-carbon credentials are more than just hot air. Even so, projects like this are no substitute for upstream solutions like waste prevention, reduced consumption and circular design.
Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?
Alex Newman does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
The 1,100-page bill would slash incentives for green technologies such as solar, wind, batteries, electric cars and heat pumps while subsidizing existing nuclear power plants and biofuels. That would leave the country and its people burning more fossil fuels despite strong popular and scientific support for a rapid shift to renewable energy.
The bill may still be revised by the Senate before it moves to a final vote. But it is a picture of how President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans want to reshape U.S. energy policy.
As an environmental engineering professor who studies ways to confront climate change, I think it is important to distinguish which technologies could rapidly cut emissions or are on the verge of becoming viable from those that do little to fight climate change. Unfortunately, the House bill favors the latter while nixing support for the former.
However, the House bill rescinds billions of dollars that the Inflation Reduction Act, enacted in 2022, devoted to boosting domestic manufacturing and deployments of renewable energy and batteries.
Deployments would be hit even harder. Wind, solar, geothermal and battery projects would need to commence construction within 60 days of passage of the bill to receive tax credits.
In addition, the bill would deny tax credits to projects that use Chinese-made components. Financial analysts have called those provisions “unworkable,” since some Chinese materials may be necessary even for projects built with as much domestic content as possible.
Wind turbines and solar panels generate renewable energy side by side near Palm Springs, Calif. Mario Tama/Getty Images
Efficiency and electric cars
Cuts fall even harder on Americans who are trying to reduce their carbon footprints and energy costs. The bill repeals aid for home efficiency improvements such as heat pumps, efficient windows and energy audits. Homeowners would also lose tax credits for installing solar panels and batteries.
For vehicles, the bill would not only repeal tax credits for electric cars, trucks and chargers, but it also would impose a federal $250 annual fee on vehicles, on top of fees that some states charge electric-car owners. The federal fee is more than the gas taxes paid by other drivers to fund highways and ignores air-quality and climate effects.
For new nuclear plants, the bill would move up the deadline to 2028 to begin construction. That deadline is too soon for some new reactor designs and would rush the vetting of others. Nuclear safety regulators are awaiting a study from the National Academies on the weapons proliferation risks of the type of uranium fuel that some developers hope to use in newer designs.
The House-passed bill would protect government subsidies for existing nuclear power plants, like the one in the background, while limiting support for wind turbines. Scott Olson/Getty Images
The bill would end tax credits for hydrogen production. Without that support, companies will be unlikely to invest in the seven so-called “hydrogen hubs” that were allocated a combined $8 billion under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2021. Those hubs aim to attract $40 billion in private investments and create tens of thousands of jobs while developing cleaner ways to make hydrogen.
The repealed tax credits would have subsidized hydrogen made emissions-free by using renewable or nuclear electricity to split water molecules. They also would have subsidized hydrogen made from natural gas with carbon capture, whose benefits are impaired by methane emissions from natural gas systems and incomplete carbon capture.
As Congress deliberates on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the nation’s energy agenda is one of many issues being hotly debated. Kevin Carter/Getty Images
Summing it up
The conservative Tax Foundation estimates that the House bill would cut the Inflation Reduction Act’s clean energy tax credits by about half, saving the government $50 billion a year. But with fewer efficiency improvements, fewer electric vehicles and less clean power on the grid, Princeton’s Jenkins projects American households would pay up to $415 more per year for energy by 2035 than if the bill’s provisions were not enacted. If the bill’s provisions make it into law, the extra fossil fuel-burning would leave annual U.S. greenhouse gas emissions 1 billion tons higher by then.
No one expected former President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act to escape unscathed with Republicans in the White House and dominating both houses of Congress. Still, the proposed cuts target the technologies Americans count on to protect the climate and save consumers money.
Daniel Cohan receives funding from the Carbon Hub at Rice University.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Scientists comment on news that the UK government is investing in a nuclear plant at the Sizewell C site and a small modular reactor programme.
Prof Patrick Regan, Professor of Nuclear Metrology, University of Surrey, said:
“The announcement that the UK government has committed £14.2bn of investment to build European Pressurized Reactors (EPRs) at the Sizewell C site will contribute to the UK tackling the delicate balance between ever-increasing secure energy requirements and our commitment to achieving net-zero. The EPRs planned at Sizewell C represent Generation 3+ technology and build on more than 70 years of operational reactor experience worldwide to provide the cleanest, safest and most efficient form of nuclear power yet.
“This large investment, however, brings with it the obvious need to produce and maintain a highly skilled, expert workforce related to all phases of the Sizewell C project. Science and Engineering Apprentice, Graduate and Post-Graduate training in areas such as chemical engineering, material science, nuclear physics & radiochemistry, environmental monitoring, radiation measurement and health physics will be key in enabling ‘life-long’ UK-based careers in this industry, in line with such a far horizon project. This is a long-term investment in the UK’s national infrastructure, and it needs a skilled workforce to ensure its ultimate success.”
Dr Phil Johnstone, Principal Research Fellow, University of Sussex Science Policy Research Unit, Patron of Nuclear Information Service, Member of Sussex Energy Group, and Member of Nuclear Consultation Group:
Is this a good move?
“The decision on Sizewell C is a bad move. It will likely lead to increasing costs for UK electricity consumers and represents a significantly slower means of combatting climate change than alternative options. The announcement comes alongside the decision to select submarine reactor manufacturer Rolls Royce as the winning bidder to develop Small Modular Reactors. These are part of the same underlying goal: to sustain the UK military nuclear industrial base via subsidies from civil nuclear power, with democratic scrutiny of this strategy almost entirely absent.”
Prof Andy Stirling, professor of science and technology policy at the University of Sussex Science Policy Research Unit:
Is this a good move (or not) when it comes to energy and fossil fuels?
“It is well acknowledged behind the scenes (but denied in public), that this move is more intended to support the kind of nuclear industrial base needed for military than for climate reasons. Nuclear power stations like Sizewell C are so slow and expensive compared to renewables and storage strategies, that they erode rather than enhance climate action.”
What does this mean for UK energy production? Is there overspeculation?
“This will make UK energy production needlessly more expensive, less secure and less effective in climate terms, than if the same money had been spent on renewables and energy storage.”
What does the science say?
“On this as on many other policy issues, what counts as ‘the science’ is more uncertain and context-dependent than any side typically implies. If either nuclear advocates or critics claim their arguments to be uniquely or unequivocally science-based then that is a sign that they are seeking to mislead.”
Dr Sarah Darby, Emerita Research Fellow, Energy Programme, Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford, said:
“The argument that building Sizewell C will be markedly cheaper and quicker than Hinkley C is weak. Hinkley C is ‘first of a kind’ in the UK but has the same design as Olkiluoto in Finland and Flamanville in France. These two have been, respectively, over 10 years late and almost four times over budget [1] and over 12 years late and over four times over budget in real terms [2,3]. Neither is yet working reliably [4,5].
“The unfinished Hinkley C was reported by EdF last year as already 90% over budget and 7 years late – and EdF do not expect it to be finished before 2029-31.
“In the light of these figures from three power plants of the same design as SZC, Ed Miliband’s forecast of a 10-year build time looks wildly optimistic. Where cost and complexity are concerned, there is the additional concern about the SZC site being on a flood-prone and eroding coastline, with sea levels on the rise.
“EdF are now wholly owned by the French government, following their extreme financial difficulties, and it is unclear whether they will take any stake at all in SZC. This is hardly a vote of confidence in the prospects of their own design.
“The argument that nuclear build helps with climate goals is similarly weak. New nuclear would arrive too late to assist – renewables already supply over half of UK generation [6] – and are on the rise. The massive sums involved are money not spent on quicker and more effective moves towards energy transition. Bloomberg NEF’s latest assessment of energy transition investment trends* refers to renewables, energy storage, electric vehicles, and power grids as ‘proven, commercially scalable [and with] established business models’, yet categorises nuclear power as an ‘emerging’ technology, with investment held back by lack of affordability and technology maturity [7].
“Nuclear is being presented by the Government as complementary to renewables, for ‘when the sun doesn’t shine and the wind doesn’t blow’. But what we need for these times – and for times of abundant renewable supply – is flexibility from storage and demand-side response, not large-scale inflexible power plants that cannot easily be turned down or up and that can be shut down at a moment’s notice [5,8].
“As so often, the debate is focused on supply rather than demand – what we use energy for. The government are citing figures of a doubling of demand by 2050 that are certainly not set in stone and likely to be exaggerated. AI demands are the new kid on the block but, as DeepSeek has shown, they need not be nearly as high as is often made out. There is still plenty of scope to improve energy security through energy efficiency, allied with storage and demand-side response, without compromising quality of life [9].
“Successive governments have already sunk £6.4bn of taxpayers’ money into Sizewell C, but this is no reason to compound the error. A further £14.2bn is substantial but falls a long way short of the £40bn ‘overnight’ cost estimated by the FT [10]. Further, this £40bn estimate does not take into account the costs of capital, decommissioning and disposal of waste. The last of these is itself a topic of major concern to the Public Accounts Committee [11].
“It is not too late to avoid a FID for Sizewell C and to steer funding in more productive directions, including modernisation of the electricity grid, energy efficient buildings and transport systems, and storage. Such investment could create jobs and improve living conditions around the country.”
Stephanie Baxter, Head of Policy, Institution of Engineering and Technology, said:
“The £14.2 billion of funding announced today for the development of Sizewell C, alongside selecting Rolls-Royce SMR as the preferred bidder to develop the UK’s first small modular reactors, marks an important step forward towards nuclear playing a significant role in the UK’s energy mix.
“Nuclear infrastructure, both large and small, will be needed in our energy system if the UK is to have a secure, affordable and sustainable energy system for 2030 and beyond. However, the Government must also take a whole system view of the wider energy system to ensure new nuclear infrastructure compliments other energy generation and distribution resources currently deployed and being developed.
“Significant infrastructure projects such as these rely on long-term stability – in the supply chain, regulations and the skills pipeline. That is why today’s announcements must be backed up by clear plans for delivery, including engagement with local communities.
“These ambitions will also not be met without the skilled engineering and technician workforce that will be critical to delivering and maintaining new nuclear infrastructure.
“Great British Energy must work closely with Skills England to ensure that these plans are backed by a long-term workforce strategy to deliver skilled job opportunities across the country – both by training up new workers in schools and colleges, and upskilling/reskilling the existing workforce through flexible funding in the Growth and Skills Levy.”
Will Davis, Nuclear Expert and a Member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology’s Sustainability and Net Zero Policy Centre, said:
“Today’s announcements are a clear demonstration of the government’s long-term commitment to low-carbon energy security, extending beyond the 2030 clean power target and taking concrete steps toward achieving net zero by 2050.
“To meet our net zero ambitions, we must significantly scale up electricity generation – by two to three times current levels – and this will only be possible through large-scale projects like Sizewell C and the Small Modular Reactor (SMR) programme.
“While these developments are both welcome and necessary, the UK nuclear industry must address its ongoing credibility challenges around delivering projects on time and within budget. Unlike the UK’s Hinkley Point C, nuclear projects in countries like China and the UAE have avoided major delays. Learning from these international examples is essential if we are to attract private investment and reduce reliance on gas-fired power stations.
“The selection of a preferred bidder for the SMR fleet is a long-awaited milestone – over a decade in the making – and we’re pleased to see it finally progressing.
“The clarification of roles between Great British Energy and Great British Energy – Nuclear, with NESO overseeing the critical upgrades to our national electricity infrastructure is welcomed. These upgrades are vital and must be properly funded, not treated as an afterthought.
“With the announcements on Sizewell C and SMRs, we urge the government to clarify its position on future gigawatt-scale nuclear projects, such as the previously proposed development at Wylfa.
“New nuclear power stations require a high-tech supply chain and a highly skilled workforce. Investment in key manufacturers like Sheffield Forgemasters is encouraging, but broader supply chain investment hinges on project certainty – contracts must be signed.
“The IET continues to support the sector through initiatives like the Nuclear Skills Taskforce. We’re also pleased to see continued investment in STEP, the UK’s prototype fusion power plant. A £2.5 billion commitment is significant and deserves more visibility.
“However, we note the absence of updates on advanced nuclear technologies, which could play a crucial role in decarbonising hard-to-abate sectors such as steelmaking and hydrogen production. We hope to see further clarity on this soon.”
Dr Lewis Blackburn, Lecturer in Nuclear Materials, University of Sheffield, said:
“Today the UK government demonstrated a clear and renewed commitment to nuclear fission as a means to achieve Net Zero, a key goal that was outlined in the 2024 White Paper “Civil Nuclear: Roadmap to 2050”. This comes in the form of an approximately £14B commitment to the Sizewell C project, comprising two EPR (European Pressurised Reactors) delivering a total of 3.2 GWe. The project is forecast to support 70k jobs and produce enough energy to power 6M UK homes. Today’s news also comes alongside an announcement that Rolls-Royce have been identified as the preferred bidder to construct the UK’s first Small Modular Reactors (SMR) – a fleet of smaller fission reactors designed to be built ‘modular’ on a production line, prior to shipping and assembly on-site.
“The UK faces a potential skills challenge in the field of nuclear engineering and projects like Sizewell C and Rolls-Royce SMR offer an exciting opportunity to build a skills pipeline, increasing the number and diversity of people entering the nuclear workforce, and bolstering the supply chain.
“In order for the UK to maintain its international reputation as a leader in civil nuclear, it must continue to invest heavily in new infrastructure, the wider industrial supply chain and R&D. Thus, producing the next generation of nuclear expertise in both the industrial and academic sectors, equipping them with the skills required for the UK to continue to utilise nuclear fission, safely, for generations to come.
“An important aspect of this is ensuring that highly radioactive waste, generated as a by-product of nuclear fission, is not passed onto future generations and is permanently disposed of. In this area, the UK is in the process of siting a geological disposal facility – a dedicated site wherein intermediate and high-level radioactive waste will be isolated from the wider environment permanently. The international consensus in the wider scientific and technical community is that this is the only feasible way to safely manage such wastes, ensuring passive safety. This is the focus of significant R&D in both the technical and academic space.”
Dr Mark Foreman, Associate professor of Nuclear Chemistry / Industrial Materials Recycling, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, said:
“Building a new power plant based on light water reactors at Sizewell is a good idea, it will provide a reliable supply of electric power which will help society reduce its dependency on fossil fuels. I hold the view that it will be a safe means of providing for the energy needs of society. Many critics of nuclear power use the example of the Chornobyl accident to argue that all nuclear power plants are unsafe. This is unreasonable, operating the Chornobyl reactor in the same way as it was just before the accident can be thought of as like roller blading along the M1. While running modern (or even a 1980s era) light water reactor is like calmly driving a Volvo equipped with all the latest safety features along the M1.”
Prof Robin Grimes FRS FREng, Professor of materials physics, Imperial College London, said:
“Large plants such as Hinckley, currently under construction and this announced plant at Sizewell are very good at providing constant base load electricity capacity. They are also good for supporting grid stability and providing inertia. Of course they offer generation diversity and energy security. They will offer these benefits for many decades. As we turn to more electricity use to reduce carbon emissions we will need more nuclear electrify. However, large plant are less good at helping with the inherent intermittency of renewables. For this we need the greater flexibility as provided by small modular reactors or the higher temperatures of advanced modular reactors which offer access to more technology options for decarbonisation. I therefore see this announcement as part of the systems approach by which we progress to greater energy security and decarbonisation.”
Prof David Armstrong, Professor of Materials Science and Engineering (Department of Materials), University of Oxford, said:
“This is excellent news for the UK energy landscape. As the UKs aging AGR fleet retires new baseload energy is required. Sizewell C will sit alongside Hinkley Point B to provide sustainable emission free baseload energy complementing the growing wind and solar power and making a significant contribution to UK energy security.”
Dr Iain Staffell, Associate Professor of Sustainable Energy at the Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London, said:
“Today’s decision is an important one, but even with Hinkley C and Sizewell C, the UK’s nuclear capacity in the 2030s will still be below its 1990s peak.
“After a decade of dithering, Sizewell C is a litmus test of the UK’s ability to deliver complex infrastructure on schedule.
“This deal lives or dies on its delivery. Sizewell C must be built on time and on budget, learning from the (many) mistakes from Hinkley Point C and other UK mega-projects.
“Nuclear power offers a strong energy security hedge. Fuel and key parts can be stockpiled, insulating consumers from foreign instability and gas price spikes.
“Sizewell C won’t start generating for nearly a decade if it is built on time, so it only just contributes towards the Government’s 2035 clean-power goal. But, it is building for the long-term, and will deliver carbon-free electricity well into the 2080s.
“People are rightly concerned by the environmental impacts and emissions from the enormous construction project, but compared to the scale of energy production over the next six decades, nuclear remains one of the cleanest power sources we have.
“The upfront cost is undoubtedly high. £14 billion could fund around 10 GW of offshore wind versus just 3.2 GW of nuclear. But, these reactors will run day and night, especially valuable when the wind is not blowing.”
Louis Barson, the Institute of Physics Director of Science, Innovation and Skills said:
“It is good to see this decision made about developing Sizewell C. New nuclear will play a vital role in bringing reliable, secure and affordable power to new markets, decarbonising industry and helping countries meet their net zero commitments – as part of our future low-carbon energy mix.
“But we need to make sure we also pay attention to the desperate need for hundreds of thousands of skilled workers to support both this project and the development of smaller, modular, nuclear reactors.
“Signing off on Sizewell C is only half the picture, we need the nuclear-ready scientific workforce to make it a reality: that means more physics teachers, well-funded physics departments in universities and a healthy pipeline of physics talent.”
Tom Greatrex, Chief Executive, Nuclear Industry Association, said:
On Sizewell C Given Go-Ahead from Government
“This is a momentous day for Sizewell C and for the British nuclear programme. Sizewell C is one of Britain’s most important clean power projects, and will give the country the jobs, the economic growth and the energy security we need to ensure a secure and reliable power supply for the future. This record investment confirms the government is serious about building new nuclear and all the economic benefits that come with it, and will be welcomed in communities the length and breadth of Britain.”
On Rolls-Royce SMR Winning the UK SMR Competition
“This is a hugely significant moment for Rolls-Royce SMR and for the British nuclear programme. These SMRs will provide essential energy security and clean power alongside large scale reactors, all the while creating thousands of well-paid, skilled jobs, opportunities for growth right across the country and significant export potential. We look forward to working with Rolls-Royce SMR and all other potential SMR vendors, including those not successful today, on making Britain the best place to build new nuclear anywhere in the world.”
Prof Mark Wenman, Professor in Nuclear Materials, Imperial College London, said:
“This is a big step forward. Since the 1990s the amount of nuclear energy the UK produces has been steadily declining from around 12 to 4.5 GWe today. Sizewell C will help reverse this trend and further provide the UK with energy security. It will help balance the grid with the increase of renewables, replace fossil fuel plants and protect us against potential blackouts, as recently seen in Spain. Whilst the costs may seem high initially, this needs to be balanced against the fact that these reactors will produce low carbon electricity for 80 or possibly 100 years, 24/7, providing around a tenth of the current UK electricity needs. Once paid for, nuclear reactors produce the cheapest electricity of any kind, so this investment should be seen as future proofing the UK electricity system.”
Prof Adrian Bull,Chair in Nuclear Energy and Society, Dalton Nuclear Institute, University of Manchester, said:
“It’s very welcome news to see the announcements today of Government support for a new wave of nuclear power in this country. We’ve known for decades that reliance on imported gas could ruin the environment – but recent years showed us that it can ruin the economy too. Nuclear gives much-needed resilience against global fossil fuel prices, without emitting the gases that cause climate change, so it’s excellent news that we are going to see new plants – both large and small – built.
“I’m especially pleased that we have finally got over our national phobia of replicating a previous project. We’ve never done that in our UK nuclear fleet before, but the rest of the world learned ages ago that series construction is the route to certainty over the time and budget for such projects. Doing the same things at Sizewell which we have already done at Hinkley Point is much easier than starting from scratch to build a massively complex plant for the first time.
“The announcement of Rolls Royce as the winner of the SMR competition is a welcome sign of progress, but it’s disappointing to see only one winner selected, when we had all anticipated more. Government has long been supporting the Rolls Royce SMR project – with over £200m of public funds provided already – so it was inconceivable they would not be on the podium at the end of the race. Seeing them there alone makes the two years spent by Great British Nuclear on running a competition look like time and effort that could have been better spent.
“Overall though, these nuclear plants – whilst not cheap – will produce reliable, low carbon electricity around the clock and will most likely do so for the best part of a century. This is an investment in our grandchildren’s future as well as helping towards our 2050 climate goal.”
Prof Dame Sue Ion GBE FREng FRS, a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, said:
“It’s really good news that the Government is finally taking steps to ensure that nuclear energy plays the vital role it should in achieving significant quantities of stable low carbon electricity. Perhaps as importantly, if not more so, is the news that Rolls Royce’s Small Modular Reactor has been selected as the technology of choice to progress the opportunity presented by SMRs. These systems are designed from the outset to be modular, with modern construction techniques using much more factory fabrication, so they will be faster and easier to build.”
Prof Tom Scott, Professor in Materials, University of Bristol, said:
“This is an extremely important strategic step for the UK towards achieving net zero carbon emissions. Nuclear energy is a safe, secure and reliable form of electricity generation. With the lessons learnt from the Hinkley Point C project, and with the experienced workforce and supply chain that has been established because of it, my expectations are high for the delivery of Sizewell C at a much lower cost and shorter timescale.
“The announcement about Government investment in Sizewell C and more excitingly, about the investment in Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), really shows the Government’s understanding and commitment towards nuclear as a key part of the solution towards achieving zero carbon emissions in the UK.
“SMRs offer the potential for providing new nuclear power stations much faster and more cheaply than conventional large-scale light water reactors like Hinkley Point C. Ultimately, the roll-out of SMRs delivered by British companies like Rolls-Royce will help to keep our electricity prices low whilst also generating high-value jobs across the U.K. This is a smart investment for the UK.”
Dr Mark Foreman, Associate professor of Nuclear Chemistry / Industrial Materials Recycling, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, said:
“Building a new power plant based on light water reactors at Sizewell is a good idea, it will provide a reliable supply of electric power which will help society reduce its dependency on fossil fuels. I hold the view that it will be a safe means of providing for the energy needs of society. Many critics of nuclear power use the example of the Chornobyl accident to argue that all nuclear power plants are unsafe. This is unreasonable, operating the Chornobyl reactor in the same way as it was just before the accident can be thought of as like roller blading along the M1. While running modern (or even a 1980s era) light water reactor is like calmly driving a Volvo equipped with all the latest safety features along the M1.”
Prof Adrian Bull: “I am a (paid) part time Professor at the Dalton Nuclear Institute, part of the University of Manchester; I am a (paid) consultant for US nuclear communications consultancy Full On Communications; I am an (unpaid) Board member of the Northern Nuclear Alliance; I am an (unpaid) Trustee of the Nuclear Institute; and am also the President-Elect, taking over in Jan 2026.”
Prof Dame Sue Ion: “Sue is Honorary President of the National Skills Academy for Nuclear.” “Sue is also a member of the Nuclear Regulatory Task Force.”
Prof Tom Scott: “In terms of interests, I am Director of the Spur West Nuclear Hub and Professor of Nuclear Materials at the University of Bristol sponsored by the Royal Academy of Engineering and the UK Atomic Energy Authority.
The nuclear hub is a consortium of academic, industrial and governmental partners coalescing around the requirement for research, skills and innovation in the UK nuclear sector.”
Dr Mark Foreman: “I have worked on advanced nuclear reprocessing for years and have also have worked on nuclear reactor safety issues. I have done and supervised research on the chemistry of nuclear accidents.”
Prof Mark Wenman “I have previously received funding for research from EDF Energy, Rolls-Royce, the UK National Nuclear Lab”
Tom Greatrex “The NIA is funded by its 320 member companies from across the civil nuclear industry.”
Dr Iain Staffell “I receive industry funding from a several companies in the UK and European energy sector, I try to keep this balanced so as not to over-represent any one technology or organization. Recent funding sources include: Drax, Octopus, SSE, HM Government, NESO (National Grid), EWE, Aurora, Baringa, Shell, Uniper, SLB, and the World Bank.”
Prof David Armstrong “I’ve had funding from UKAEA, Rolls Royce and EdF for research and students over the last 20 years.”
Prof Robin Grimes “I am a non-executive director of UKAEA and receive research funding from the UK national nuclear laboratory.”
Dr Mark Foreman “I do not currently get any money from the nuclear industry, I do not stand to make any money from the sales of nuclear products / technology. I have not been employed by the nuclear industry. I think that in terms of conflicts of interest I have none.”
Dr Lewis Blackburn“He receives funding from industry via Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, National Nuclear Laboratory, and Nuclear Waste Services”
Stephanie Baxter “No conflicts of interest.”
Will Davis “No conflicts of interest.”
Prof Andy Stirling “no conflicts of interest to declare.”
Dr Phil Johnstone “no conflicts of interest to declare.”
Dr Sarah Darby “I have no conflicts of interest to declare.”
For all other experts, no reply to our request for DOIs was received.
Yaoundé, May 8, 2025 – Cameroon has taken a major step toward ocean protection by signing, on May 2, 2025, the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement). This agreement aims to establish a global, legally binding framework for the preservation of biodiversity in the high seas.
The news comes just weeks before the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC), strengthening Cameroon’s position on the international stage in ocean governance. “The Cameroonian government’s signature is a glimmer of hope for the future of our oceans,” says Dr. Aliou Ba, Oceans Campaign Lead at Greenpeace Africa. “We now hope for swift ratification so that this commitment can become reality.”
The signed agreement is part of a global movement to close the legal gap surrounding international marine areas. It establishes binding rules to protect species, regulate human activities on the high seas and enhance scientific cooperation.
However, vigilance remains crucial at the national level. A recent Mongabay investigation, published in April 2025, revealed serious threats to the Manyange na Elombo Campo Marine Park —the first marine protected area in Cameroon. This site, located near Kribi, is currently under threat from a controversial iron mining project.
“This example highlights the contradictions between political commitments and on-the-ground realities,” notes Dr. Ba. “The treaty’s signature alone is not enough. It must be followed by strong measures to protect coastal areas and marine resources.”
With 500 kilometers of coastline along the Atlantic Ocean, Cameroon is home to remarkable marine biodiversity: over 500 fish species, marine mammals, and plankton-rich ecosystems. These vital resources are now under threat from industrial exploitation, pollution and the effects of climate change.
Greenpeace Africa is urging Cameroonian authorities to turn this signature into concrete action: strengthening conservation mechanisms, monitoring marine activities and honoring international commitments.
“We applaud Cameroon’s example and call on other African nations to follow suit. This treaty is a historic opportunity for Africa to play a leading role in ocean protection—for the benefit of communities, biodiversity, and future generations.” concludes Dr. Ba.
Media Contact:
Luchelle Feukeng, Communication and Storytelling Manager, [email protected], +237 656 46 35 45
Aotearoa New Zealand’s Te Pāti Māori has condemned the Israeli navy’s armed interception of the Madleen, a civilian aid vessel attempting to carry food, medical supplies, and international activists to Gaza, including Sweden’s climate activist Greta Thunberg.
In a statement after the Madleen’s communications were cut, the indigenous political party said it was not known if the crew were safe and unharmed.
However, Israel has begun deportations of the activists and has confiscated the yacht and its aid supplies for Gaza.
“This is the latest act in a horrific string of violence against civilians trying to access meagre aid,” said Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer.
“Since May 27, more than 130 civilians have murdered been while lining up for food at aid sites.
“This is not an arrest [of the Madleen crew], it as an abduction. We have grave concerns for the safety of the crew.
“Israel [has] proven time again they aren’t above committing violence against civilians.
“Blocking baby formula and prosthetics while a people are deliberately starved is not border patrol, it is genocide.”
Te Pāti Māori said it called on the New Zealand government to:
Demand safe release of all crew;
Demand safe passage of Aid to Gaza;
Name this blockade and starvation campaign for what it is — genocide; and
“I am delighted that 1energy has been successfully awarded £21m from Green Heat Network Fund. This funding will enable us to explore the potential to develop Oxford’s first District Heat Network (DNC).
“This exciting project will explore the merits and opportunities to develop a heat network across Oxford, helping reduce carbon emissions from buildings. With buildings responsible for 60% of Oxford’s carbon emissions, a heat network like this has been identified as one of the key pathways to achieve a net zero carbon city by 2040.”
“As well as reducing city-wide emissions, we hope this funding will help to support other organisations and businesses in their efforts to save energy and access affordable heating through establishing low carbon infrastructure.
“This is a brilliant opportunity for Oxford, and together with our partners Oxfordshire County Council, Oxford University, and Oxford Brookes University we are looking forward to working with 1Energy on this project.”
Councillor Anna Railton, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Zero Carbon Oxford, Oxford City Council
“This is an exciting first step in establishing a heat network for Oxford. We look forward to working with our partners across the city to explore options for heat decarbonisation. The potential benefits of a wider heat network are huge, both for the University – the project could help us achieve our ambitious target of reaching net zero by 2035 – and for the community as a whole, supporting Oxford’s transition to a resilient, low-carbon energy system.”
Trevor Payne, Director of Estates, University of Oxford
“Heat networks are one of the most efficient ways of providing reliable, clean, competitively priced heat to very large areas, especially for old buildings which are difficult to retrofit with heat pumps. As well as supplying reliable decarbonised heat, heat networks deliver positive impacts for air quality.”
Councillor Judy Roberts, Cabinet Member for Place, Environment and Climate Action, Oxfordshire County Council
“We are engaging with 1Energy who are bringing forward this proposal particularly in our role of seeking to manage the impact of the proposed development on the highway network, and our interest in maximising community value of the scheme.”
Councillor Andrew Gant, Cabinet Member for Transport Management, Oxfordshire County Council
“Oxford Brookes University looks forward to working collaboratively with 1Energy and our city wide partners to explore the case for participation in an Oxford heat network. This supports our aims as a member of the Zero Carbon Oxford Partnership in Oxford becoming a Net Zero City by 2040 and also supports the university in reaching its Net Zero carbon goals potentially faster and at lower cost than possible to do alone.”
Jerry Woods, Director of Estates & Campus Services, Oxford Brookes University
City of York Council joined York BID and over 20 volunteers today [10 June] to roll up their sleeves and help spruce up York city centre, as part of their rejuvenation days.
This community-powered project is all about bringing a little extra shine to our streets by cleaning and repainting street furniture like bike racks, benches, bollards and more.
Since the York BID led project launched in January 2024, the response has been incredible. Over 300 brilliant volunteers have given up their time to repaint 1,100 pieces of individual infrastructure across 57 different streets.
Before the painting begins, the dedicated BID Street Cleaning Team will prep the area by power washing, cleaning away weeds, and removing stickers and posters.
Council teams helped to tackle the more stubborn bits, and get them properly refreshed.
Sessions are taking place throughout June, and if volunteers can’t make it, they can sign up early for a September session.
Cllr Jenny Kent, Executive Member for Environment and Climate Emergency, said: “I was really pleased to join all the volunteers, council crews and BID team again, this time smartening up College Green. They’ve all done a great job and I’d like to thank everyone who has taken part. Rejuvenation days are a great way to bring communities together and make a real difference to where we live. Together we can all help make York shine”
Carl Alsop, Operations Manager at York BID, said: “Since we started this project, we’ve been blown away by the support and enthusiasm from businesses, residents, and community groups. Over 300 people have already got stuck in and it’s been brilliant to see everyone come together to make our city centre a cleaner and more welcoming space. We can’t wait to see what the next few months bring!”
Over 40,000 trees have been planted across Aberdeen since 2022, members of the Net Zero, Environment, and Transport committee heard today. The work forms part of a plan to replenish and grow the city’s woods and other green areas.
Aberdeen City Council Co-Leader Councillor Ian Yuill said: “I’d like to express my thanks to our Environmental Services team, alongside our communities, for their efforts to replace lost trees, and plant new ones.”
“We have set an ambitious objective to plant one million trees in Aberdeen by 2032, and each tree planted brings us closer to reaching that target.”
Committee Vice Convener Councillor Miranda Radley added: “In recent years, our tree population has paid a heavy toll through the impact of storm damage.
“It’s vital that we continue to replace what we’ve lost, but also improve green spaces in our communities for the benefit of our people, and for the natural environment.”
The Tree and Woodland Strategic Implementation Plan, approved in 2022, sets an action plan for Aberdeen’s urban, street trees, rural trees, and woodlands. Work is currently ongoing expand and enhance the Granite City Forest as part of this plan.
Tree replacement following damage caused by Storm Arwen has included 8,688 trees in Carnie Woods, 8,925 trees at Denwood, and 800 at the Crematorium. Local communities have helped to plant trees and provide support to the Environmental Services team.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Special offers announced in celebration of HKSAR’s 28th anniversary For public transport, members of the public can enjoy free rides on all passenger tram routes from July 1 to 3. The MTR will give away 71 000 e-single journey tickets through a lucky draw on July 1 and provide Airport Express offers to holders of Child Octopus and JoyYou Cards. Moreover, free rides on several ferry routes will be offered to the public on July 1, with vouchers for certain ferry routes to be distributed in advance.
In culture, arts and leisure, the public will be offered free admission to a number of fee-charging leisure and cultural facilities of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and to the Hong Kong Wetland Park under the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department on July 1. They can also enjoy free admission to all General Admission exhibitions at M+ and all thematic exhibitions at the Hong Kong Palace Museum in the West Kowloon Cultural District on that day. Furthermore, additional free guided tours, dining, consumption and accommodation offers will be provided from mid-June to early July by the 12 projects under the Revitalising Historic Buildings Through Partnership Scheme.
As for dining and consumption, several public markets under the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will roll out different offers. Members of the public can also enjoy a 29 per cent discount when purchasing selected products of the Fish Marketing Organization and the Vegetable Marketing Organization via the “Local Fresh” online store or mobile app from July 1 to 7. The Environmental Protection Department will offer double GREEN$ Points to the public who recycle at its community recycling network GREEN@COMMUNITY on July 1.
Meanwhile, more than 1 000 restaurants and merchants are expected to provide dining offers on July 1. The Peak Tram, Ngong Ping 360 and Ocean Park Hong Kong will offer ticket discounts, while Hong Kong International Airport, Hong Kong Science Park, various shopping malls and department stores will roll out shopping, dining, consumption or parking offers. In addition, the Hong Kong Tourism Board will team up with local businesses to offer various dining, shopping, attractions, tours and entertainment deals.
The Government thanks various sectors for actively responding to its call by launching special offers and activities to celebrate with the public the HKSAR’s 28th anniversary. Information about the offers and activities is available on the dedicated website (www.hksar28.gov.hkIssued at HKT 13:18
To celebrate the 28th anniversary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s establishment on July 1, the Government and different sectors of the community will launch a rich array of special offers and activities to share with the public the joy of Hong Kong’s return to the motherland.
The MTR will give away 71,000 e-single journey tickets through a lucky draw on July 1 and provide Airport Express offers to holders of Child Octopus and JoyYou Cards.
Free rides on several ferry routes will be offered on July 1, with vouchers for certain ferry routes to be distributed in advance. Citizens can also enjoy free rides on all passenger tram routes from July 1 to 3.
On July 1, the use of fee-charging leisure and cultural facilities of the Leisure & Cultural Services Department and admission to the Hong Kong Wetland Park under the Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department will be complimentary.
The public can also enjoy free admission to all General Admission exhibitions at M+ and all thematic exhibitions at the Hong Kong Palace Museum.
Additional free guided tours, dining, consumption and accommodation offers will be available from mid-June to early July by the 12 projects under the Revitalising Historic Buildings Through Partnership Scheme.
As for dining and consumption, over 1,000 restaurants and merchants are expected to provide dining offers on July 1.
Several public markets under the Food & Environmental Hygiene Department will roll out offers. Additionally, people can enjoy a 29% discount when purchasing selected products via the “Local Fresh” online store or mobile app from July 1 to 7.
The Environmental Protection Department will award double GREEN$ Points to users who recycle at GREEN@COMMUNITY on July 1.
Separately, the Peak Tram, Ngong Ping 360 and Ocean Park will offer ticket discounts, while Hong Kong International Airport, Hong Kong Science Park, various shopping malls and department stores will roll out shopping, dining, consumption or parking offers.
The Hong Kong Tourism Board will team up with local businesses to provide various dining, shopping, attractions, tours and entertainment deals.
Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –
On June 9, a solemn ceremony of presenting the mantle and diploma of Honorary Doctor of SPbPU to Professor Mohammed Ali Beravi took place at Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University.
In accordance with the official regulations, the title of “Honorary Doctor of Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University” is awarded to outstanding figures in science and technology, education and culture, as well as leading specialists from Russia and foreign countries for significant contribution to the development of advanced areas of knowledge and science, whose activities contribute to strategic development, expansion of areas of cooperation and increasing the authority of the university at the international level. The decision to award the title of Honorary Doctor of SPbPU to Mohammed Ali Beravi was unanimously adopted by the members of the SPbPU Academic Council on September 27, 2024. The University’s Scientific Secretary Dmitry Karpov introduced the new Honorary Doctor.
Mohamed Ali Berawi is a Professor of Engineering, M.Eng., Ph.D., and Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, and Executive Director of the Center for Sustainable Infrastructure Development, University of Indonesia. He is the Chairman of the Indonesian Faculty Association and the Advisory Board of the Forum of Professional Organizations in Science and Technology, Director of the Center for Sustainable Infrastructure Development, Executive Director of the ASEAN University Network for Sustainable Cities and Urbanization, and the Leader of the Smart Cities Working Group of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities Sustainable Cities and Landscapes. Mohamed Ali Berawi was ranked in the top 2% of scientists in the world by Elsevier and Stanford University from 2021 to 2024.
Professor Berawi has served as a leading advisor to the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Indonesia, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Strategic Infrastructure Policy of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce, and Member Secretary of the Presidential Advisory Council of the Republic of Indonesia. Since 2022, he has served as the Deputy for Green and Digital Transformation at Nusantara Metropolitan Office in Indonesia.
Students in the uniform of the Polytechnic University of the early 20th century brought in the doctoral mantle, the Polyhymnia choir performed the Gaudeamus anthem. Rector of SPbPU, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Andrey Rudskoy presented a book about honorary doctors of the Polytechnic University, which has a page dedicated to Mohammed Ali Beravi.
Awarding the title of Honorary Doctor of SPbPU to Professor Beravi is a recognition of his outstanding achievements in science and practical activities aimed at sustainable development and the implementation of advanced technologies. His work is ideally in line with the spirit and strategic goals of our university. His many years of work at the Polytechnic contributed to the development of the master’s programs “Bioeconomics” and “Energy Economics”, where he shared his competencies in the field of sustainable development of territories using the city of Nusantara as an example. In particular, Professor Beravi taught courses and supervised, together with Polytechnic teachers, students’ research work in English. Together with Professor Beravi and his Indonesian colleagues, the Polytechnic hopes to implement a joint project on modeling the development of smart cities, – Andrey Rudskoy emphasized.
It is a great honour for me to receive the title of Honorary Doctor of the Polytechnic University. This recognition reflects our shared commitment to the development of knowledge, innovation and international cooperation. I hope that this achievement will inspire our joint initiatives in the field of science and technology development. I believe that science and technology should serve higher purposes, offering real solutions that improve the quality of life, support sustainability and ensure a better future for the next generations, – thanked Professor Mohamed Ali Berawi.
The ceremony was also attended by the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Indonesia in St. Petersburg, President of the Association of Industrial Enterprises of St. Petersburg Valery Radchenko, a graduate of the Polytechnic University. He congratulated Professor Mohammed Ali Berawi on receiving the honorary title. In addition, the Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus Jose Tavares sent his congratulations in the form of a video message.
After the ceremony, Mohammed Ali Berawi met with Indonesian students who performed the national dance Ratoh Jaroe.
We are immensely proud that Professor Mohammed Ali Berawi is part of the Polytechnic family. It is a great honor for us that a world-class scientist, whose projects change the future of cities, has been making a significant contribution to the development of our university for many years. It is especially inspiring that he is our fellow countryman, glorifying Indonesia and Polytech on the global stage. We say with all our hearts: Welcome home, Professor, Selamat datang di Polytech! — shared the chairman of the Indonesian community at SPbPU, a postgraduate student of IMMiT Tegu Imanullah.
Professor Mohammed Ali Beravi gave a lecture to students and staff of the university at the Technopolis Polytech research complex. Before that, Vice-Rector for Youth Policy and Communication Technologies Maxim Pasholikov awarded Professor Beravi with gratitude and a commemorative medal of SPbPU for assisting in the development of the University Endowment Fund.
The lecture was dedicated to the creation of a smart sustainable city Nusantara — the new capital of Indonesia, where environmental responsibility and digital innovations are combined. The concept is based on the triad of Nature 5.0, Industry 4.0 and Society 5.0, which ensures the restoration of nature through technological progress, innovations for sustainable development and a human-oriented society. Nusantara is designed as the world’s first carbon-neutral city by 2045. To achieve this, 65% of its territory will be occupied by restored tropical forests — natural absorbers of CO₂. Among the innovations are autonomous transport and “smart buildings”. Professor Berawi presented the national project being implemented, which will become a global example of the balance between technology, ecology and the quality of life of people.
During the visit, Mohammed Ali Beravi was given a tour of the Main Academic Building. He visited the SPbPU History Museum, the White Hall, the Reading Room, and looked at the gallery of outstanding polytechnic scientists. Professor Beravi was also told about the Polytechnic Supercomputer Center and the MetaCampus Polytech project of the Civil Engineering Institute.
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Source: Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE)
This includes investing more than $19 million in international marketing across core and emerging tourism markets plus $8 million on attracting business and major events to New Zealand.
The Government is also investing $4 million towards improving the visitor experience along the Milford Road corridor.
This is the first stage of the Tourism Growth Roadmap, which sets out steps the Government is taking to grow the value of tourism, which is currently New Zealand’s second largest export. As visitor numbers increase, the Roadmap will shift over time to focus more on the supply side of tourism to support this growth.
Funding comes from the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL).
The Government is increasing funding for attracting overseas visitors and investing in tourism infrastructure as part of its new Tourism Growth Roadmap, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston says. “We’re investing $35 million to deliver the first stage of the Roadmap, which sets out the Government’s plan to double the value of tourism,” Louise Upston says. “International visitors bring billions of dollars into New Zealand, from big ticket spends to everyday purchases in local cafes and accommodation. “We want to welcome more visitors to New Zealand, and we want our regional communities to improve their capacity to look after those visitors. “The Government must work with industry to unlock the full potential of our tourism sector, and the Roadmap lays out initiatives and investments to ensure our infrastructure, workforce and communities can support further growth. “For the 2025/26 financial year, we’re investing $6 million in international marketing across emerging tourism markets, $3 million to increase the number of business events hosted in New Zealand, and an additional $5 million towards the Major Events Fund. “These commitments follow the recent announcements of $13.5 million invested in international tourism marketing and $4 million of investment towards improving the visitor experience along the Milford Road corridor. “Recent tourism funding has been about boosting visitor numbers. As those higher numbers become established, the Roadmap will shift over time to focus more on supporting communities to look after them well,” Louise Upston says. This investment comes from the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy. This levy is charged to most international visitors, and ensures they are contributing to the public services, facilities and natural environment they will enjoy while in New Zealand. More information can be found on the MBIE website. Notes to editor: The Tourism Growth Roadmap is attached as a separate document. New tourism investments for the 2025/26 financial year include:
$6 million in Tourism New Zealand’s marketing in the emerging markets of India and Southeast Asia, $3 million to increase the number of business events hosted in New Zealand, as part of Tourism New Zealand’s collaboration with Business Events Industry Aotearoa, An additional $5 million towards the Major Events Fund, $13.5 million in Tourism New Zealand’s marketing in core markets of Australia, the United States and China, $4 million towards a wider package of work to improve visitor experiences and reduce congestion along the Milford Road corridor.
