Category: Natural Disasters

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Preparation, swift response define wildfire season

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Aerial view of wildfires near Fox Lake and Garden River in July.

    Through effective investments, including a historic $155-million wildfire base budget, Alberta’s government ensured the province was prepared to respond throughout the 2024 wildfire season. In anticipation of the wildfire season, Alberta’s government recruited 100 additional wildland firefighters and an additional 40 contract wildland firefighters – in addition to securing more airtankers, heavy equipment, and helicopters equipped with night vision technology. As a result of this preparation, front-line crews were able to respond quickly and fight fires around the clock, containing 85 per cent of wildfires within 24 hours of detection.

    “While the 2024 wildfire season was challenging, our coordinated efforts and the resilience of Albertans have been crucial in mitigating the impact. We will continue to adapt and strengthen our wildfire management strategies to protect our communities and natural resources.”

    Todd Loewen, Minister of Forestry and Parks

    “This wildfire season has tested our resolve, especially in areas like Fox Lake and Jasper. The coordinated efforts of our firefighters and support teams were instrumental in protecting our communities. We will build on this experience to continue to improve response strategies and initiate new strategies to ensure the safety of all Albertans.”

    Martin Long, MLA for West Yellowhead

    The 2024 wildfire season began earlier than usual, with 64 carryover wildfires stemming from a mild winter and extremely dry conditions. In response to this elevated danger, Alberta’s government activated an early start to the wildfire season on February 20, 2024, implementing a fire ban and fire permit system to prevent additional human-caused wildfires.

    Despite significant challenges, including large wildfires near Jasper that led to evacuations and the tragic loss of an Alberta wildland firefighter, as well as the loss of homes and businesses in the community, Alberta Wildfire demonstrated remarkable coordination, offering immediate aid and resources to Parks Canada, including support personnel, firefighters, aircraft and equipment.

    While supporting the Jasper response led by Parks Canada, Alberta Wildfire crews continued to tackle substantial wildfires throughout the province, deploying personnel, aircraft and equipment to combat wildfires and assist impacted communities. Throughout the season, residents of Garden River, John D’Or Prairie, Fox Lake in the Little Red River Cree Nation, and the Chipewyan Cree Nation were also evacuated. Additionally, an area near Peace River and four neighborhoods in Fort McMurray faced short-term evacuations due to wildfires.

    “In the wake of the heartbreaking loss from the Jasper wildfire, we are reminded of the strength found in collaboration – with each other and among all orders of government. We are reminded also of the compelling need to invest together in training, preparation, mitigation and adaptation, ensuring that we not only respond effectively, but that we also build a more resilient future.”

    Richard Ireland, mayor, Town of Jasper

    “The 2024 wildfire season underscored the importance of early planning and preparation. Investments in people, resources and new technology proved invaluable in our response efforts.”

    Trevor Lamabe, executive director Wildfire Management Branch

    During the 2024 wildfire season, Alberta Wildfire responded to more than 1,210 wildfires in the Forest Protection Area, exceeding last year’s record-breaking total. While the number of fires in 2024 exceeded the total number of fires in 2023, wildfires this season burned less than a third of the area compared with 2023, underscoring the effectiveness of Alberta’s preparation and investments.

    Although Oct. 31 marks the end of Alberta’s wildfire season, Alberta Wildfire remains vigilant and ready to respond to any potential wildfires across the province.

    Quick Facts

    • Alberta Wildfire responded to more than 1,210 wildfires this year with more than 705,000 hectares burned.
    • In 2023, there were 1,080 wildfires and more than 2.2 million hectares burned.
    • Alberta Wildfire had almost 1,900 firefighters, contractors and support staff working on Alberta’s provincial response.
    • Alberta Wildfire also received assistance from other agencies with more than 1,300 firefighters and support staff arriving from around the world to assist.
    • While most wildfires were caused by people, we had 410 lightning-caused wildfires in July, the highest number in 20-years.

    Related information

    • Alberta Wildfire
    • Alberta Wildfire app
    • Alberta Wildfire Status Dashboard

    MIL OSI Canada News

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Tornado Watch 696

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    Note:  The expiration time in the watch graphic is amended if the watch is replaced, cancelled or extended.Note: Click for Watch Status Reports.
    SEL6

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Tornado Watch Number 696
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    555 PM CDT Wed Oct 30 2024

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Tornado Watch for portions of
    Northeast Oklahoma

    * Effective this Wednesday afternoon from 555 PM until Midnight
    CDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    A few tornadoes likely with a couple intense tornadoes possible
    Scattered damaging winds likely with isolated significant gusts
    to 80 mph possible
    Scattered large hail events to 1.5 inches in diameter possible

    SUMMARY…A line of storms over north-central Oklahoma will continue
    to intensify and spread eastward through the evening, posing a risk
    for damaging winds gusts and a few tornadoes.

    The tornado watch area is approximately along and 55 statute miles
    east and west of a line from 15 miles northeast of Bartlesville OK
    to 60 miles south of Chandler OK. For a complete depiction of the
    watch see the associated watch outline update (WOUS64 KWNS WOU6).

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

    REMEMBER…A Tornado Watch means conditions are favorable for
    tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch
    area. Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for
    threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements
    and possible warnings.

    &&

    OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 693…WW 694…WW 695…

    AVIATION…Tornadoes and a few severe thunderstorms with hail
    surface and aloft to 1.5 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind
    gusts to 70 knots. A few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean
    storm motion vector 24035.

    …Hart

    SEL6

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Tornado Watch Number 696
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    555 PM CDT Wed Oct 30 2024

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Tornado Watch for portions of
    Northeast Oklahoma

    * Effective this Wednesday afternoon from 555 PM until Midnight
    CDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    A few tornadoes likely with a couple intense tornadoes possible
    Scattered damaging winds likely with isolated significant gusts
    to 80 mph possible
    Scattered large hail events to 1.5 inches in diameter possible

    SUMMARY…A line of storms over north-central Oklahoma will continue
    to intensify and spread eastward through the evening, posing a risk
    for damaging winds gusts and a few tornadoes.

    The tornado watch area is approximately along and 55 statute miles
    east and west of a line from 15 miles northeast of Bartlesville OK
    to 60 miles south of Chandler OK. For a complete depiction of the
    watch see the associated watch outline update (WOUS64 KWNS WOU6).

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

    REMEMBER…A Tornado Watch means conditions are favorable for
    tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch
    area. Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for
    threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements
    and possible warnings.

    &&

    OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 693…WW 694…WW 695…

    AVIATION…Tornadoes and a few severe thunderstorms with hail
    surface and aloft to 1.5 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind
    gusts to 70 knots. A few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean
    storm motion vector 24035.

    …Hart

    Note: The Aviation Watch (SAW) product is an approximation to the watch area. The actual watch is depicted by the shaded areas.
    SAW6
    WW 696 TORNADO OK 302255Z – 310500Z
    AXIS..55 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST OF LINE..
    15NE BVO/BARTLESVILLE OK/ – 60S CQB/CHANDLER OK/
    ..AVIATION COORDS.. 50NM E/W /33WSW OSW – 42NNE ADM/
    HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT..1.5 INCHES. WIND GUSTS..70 KNOTS.
    MAX TOPS TO 500. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 24035.

    LAT…LON 36919483 34849585 34849779 36919682

    THIS IS AN APPROXIMATION TO THE WATCH AREA. FOR A
    COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE WOUS64 KWNS
    FOR WOU6.

    Watch 696 Status Report Message has not been issued yet.

    Note:  Click for Complete Product Text.Tornadoes

    Probability of 2 or more tornadoes

    High (70%)

    Probability of 1 or more strong (EF2-EF5) tornadoes

    Mod (40%)

    Wind

    Probability of 10 or more severe wind events

    High (70%)

    Probability of 1 or more wind events > 65 knots

    Mod (30%)

    Hail

    Probability of 10 or more severe hail events

    Mod (40%)

    Probability of 1 or more hailstones > 2 inches

    Low (20%)

    Combined Severe Hail/Wind

    Probability of 6 or more combined severe hail/wind events

    High (90%)

    For each watch, probabilities for particular events inside the watch (listed above in each table) are determined by the issuing forecaster. The “Low” category contains probability values ranging from less than 2% to 20% (EF2-EF5 tornadoes), less than 5% to 20% (all other probabilities), “Moderate” from 30% to 60%, and “High” from 70% to greater than 95%. High values are bolded and lighter in color to provide awareness of an increased threat for a particular event.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Working together to enhance community safety in Hobart

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Working together to enhance community safety in Hobart

    Thursday, 31 October 2024 – 9:57 am.

    Tasmania Police and City of Hobart council staff have again collaborated to conduct a public safety operation in Hobart’s CBD.
    Inspector John Toohey said the effort conducted last night demonstrated an ongoing united approach to community safety and security, after a successful operation in July.
    “Last night our combined resources, including Hobart Police, Taskforce Saturate, and the Dog Handler Unit, worked alongside City of Hobart staff to monitor CCTV in real-time and provide an enhanced response capability,” he said.
    “As a result of the operation, five arrests were made, two summonses issued, one person was referred to the drug diversion process, two will be dealt with under the Youth Justice Act and three people were issued infringement notices.”
    “Offences included breaching a police family violence order, breach of a restraint order, stealing, breaching bail, possess a controlled drug or plant, possess thing used to administer a controlled drug, possess an open container of liquor, possess a dangerous article and possess ammunition when not the holder of a firearm licence.”
    “These collaborative efforts are crucial in ensuring Hobart continues to be a safe and enjoyable place for everyone.”
    “We encourage all community members to support this initiative by staying vigilant and reporting any incidents to police.”
    Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds highlighted the importance of the City’s collaboration with Tasmania Police in promoting community safety, following similar successful operations in Wellington Court and at Salamanca.
    “Our aim is to make Hobart’s CBD and surrounding areas safe, welcoming, and vibrant, supporting businesses and ensuring everyone enjoys the city,” Cr Reynolds said.
    “With our partnership with Tasmania Police, we’re building a strong community and instilling confidence.
    “This safety blitz is a proactive way to enhance Hobart’s atmosphere, and we’re committed to creating a harmonious public space.”
    “We encourage everyone to support this effort by staying aware, reporting incidents, and looking out for one another.
    “Together, we can keep Hobart safe and enjoyable for all.”
    Results:
    A 32-year-old man was arrested and charged with breaching a Police Family Violence Order and breach of bail, he was detained for court.
    A 15-year-old girl was arrested for breaching a restraint order and stealing, she has been released and summonsed.
    A 14-year-old girl was arrested and charged with stealing; she was bailed to appear.
    A 16-year-old girl was arrested and charged with stealing; she was bailed to appear.
    A 56-year-old man was taken into custody for public intoxication, he will be released when sober.
    A 24-year-old man will be summonsed for possess thing used for the administration of a controlled drug.
    A 20-year-old man will be summonsed for possess ammunition when not the holder of a firearm licence and possess a controlled weapon, namely pepper spray.
    A 37-year-old man has been referred to the drug diversion process after being found in possession of a controlled drug, namely LSD.
    A 35-year-old man was issued a liquor infringement notice for possessing an open container of liquor in a public place.
    A 23-year-old man was issued a liquor infringement notice for possessing an open container of liquor in a public place.
    A 17-year-old girl will be dealt with under the Youth Justices Act for possess thing used for the administration of a controlled drug.
    A 14-year-old girl will be dealt with under the Youth Justices Act after being found in possession of a controlled drug, namely cannabis.
    17 formal directions to leave the CBD were also issued.

    MIL OSI News

  • MIL-OSI China: China activates emergency response as super typhoon nears

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, Oct. 30 — China’s State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters launched a Level-IV emergency response on Wednesday to flooding and typhoons in the coastal province of Zhejiang as Super Typhoon Kong-rey approaches.

    Kong-rey is forecast to bring torrential rain to parts of Fujian Province, Zhejiang Province, Shanghai and Jiangsu Province from Wednesday to Friday, with Zhejiang to be hit hard.

    The headquarters also maintained a Level-IV emergency response to flooding and typhoons in Hainan Province and Fujian Province.

    The Ministry of Emergency Management has deployed more than 4,100 rescuers. It also urged local authorities to take solid steps to brace for the super typhoon.

    MIL OSI China News

  • MIL-OSI USA: October 29th, 2024 Heinrich, Leger Fernández Highlight Over $22 Million to Build a New Terminal at Clovis Regional Airport, Participate in Terminal Groundbreaking Ceremony

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

    PHOTOS/VIDEOS

    CLOVIS, N.M. — Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) participated in a groundbreaking ceremony to begin construction on a new 21,000 square foot terminal at Clovis Regional Airport (CVN). The new terminal at Clovis Regional Airport is fully funded by a $15.7 million grant and a $3.5 million grant from the Infrastructure Law — legislation passed by Democrats in the N.M. Congressional Delegation — and a Heinrich-led $3.5 million Congressionally Directed Spending award that is advancing in the Fiscal Year 2025 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill that passed out of the Senate Appropriations Committee in July.

    These three investments, totaling $22,700,000, are making it possible for Clovis to complete the new terminal. 

    The terminal at Clovis Regional Airport will better connect the community, improve travelers’ experiences, create high-quality jobs, and grow local economies across New Mexico.

    U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) speaks at a groundbreaking ceremony to begin construction on a new terminal at Clovis Regional Airport (CVN), October 29, 2024.

    “When we invest in New Mexico’s airports, we invest in the people who rely on these facilities to do business in our state, create jobs, and contribute to our economy,” said Heinrich. “I am proud to have secured funding from the Infrastructure Law to fully construct Clovis Regional Airport’s new terminal and I will keep fighting to secure more investments to improve airports all across New Mexico — improving travelers’ experiences, creating high quality jobs New Mexicans can build their families around, and driving our state’s economic growth for the future.”

    “Thanks to our work on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this $22 million investment will create good jobs, connect families across the region, and drive economic vitality for communities across eastern New Mexico,” said Leger Fernández. “Today’s groundbreaking at the Clovis Regional Airport gets us closer to connecting eastern New Mexico to new economic opportunities and supporting the region’s growth. This new terminal isn’t just about creating a strong foundation for the future of Clovis — it’s about creating a strong foundation for the future of eastern New Mexico. I also want to thank Senator Heinrich for his leadership as he champions rural projects like this one in the Senate Appropriations Committee.”

    U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) participate in a groundbreaking ceremony to begin construction on a new terminal at Clovis Regional Airport (CVN), October 29, 2024.

    The Infrastructure Law is delivering billions of dollars in historic infrastructure investments to New Mexico.    

    The Infrastructure Law is set to invest $4.3 billion in formula funding alone for at least 337 vital projects in New Mexico. Some of the projects and priorities that have already received federal funding from the Infrastructure Law include:   

    • $1.8 billion for New Mexico’s roads and bridges.   
    • $379 million over five years, based on formula funding, for New Mexico’s public transit. To date, New Mexico has been allocated $147.2 million to improve public transportation options across the state in Fiscal Year 2022.    
    • $710 million for clean drinking water in New Mexico.   
    • $362.3 million for infrastructure resilience, including $23.4 million through the Army Corps of Engineers for flood mitigation in New Mexico.   
    • $160 million, the first installment of funding from the Infrastructure Law, to support the completion of the Eastern New Mexico Rural Water System pipeline in Eastern New Mexico. 
    • $3 billion across Indian Country to help Tribes deploy broadband infrastructure.  
    • $52.4 million for capping orphaned oil and gas wells and reclaiming abandoned mine lands and $20.7 million has been allocated to cleaning up Superfund and Brownfield sites across New Mexico.   
    • $38 million over five years, based on formula funding, to support the expansion of an EV charging network in the state.   
    • $74.9 million for clean energy, energy efficiency, and power in New Mexico.   
    • $50 million for airports across New Mexico.   
    • $33 million for clean and low emission buses in New Mexico.   

    The Infrastructure Law is also helping 173,000 New Mexico households save on broadband. For eligibility on internet programs, visit GetInternet.gov. 

    For more information, click here to see a map of funding and announced projects in New Mexico through the Infrastructure Law.  

    Find a fact sheet of the investments New Mexico has received through the Infrastructure Law here.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Rosen Applaud More Than $47 Million to Upgrade Nevada Water Infrastructure

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    Las Vegas, Nev. – U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) applauded that the State of Nevada will receive more than $47 million from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to upgrade Nevada’s water infrastructure. The grants will fund projects in Nevada that manage wastewater, protect freshwater resources, and deliver safe drinking water to homes, schools, and businesses.

    “All Nevadans deserve access to clean, safe drinking water, and I’m proud to see these funds coming to Nevada to make critical improvements to our water infrastructure,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “I’ll continue working in the Senate to deliver essential resources to protect our water supply for generations to come.”

    “All Nevadans deserve access to clean water, which is why I’ve been working across party lines to make historic investments to improve our water infrastructure,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m proud to announce millions of dollars to protect our water supply and deliver safe drinking water for families, communities, and Tribes in Nevada.” 

    The funding comes from two EPA grants. Nearly $26 million will support updates to Nevada’s water infrastructure secured through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Senators Cortez Masto and Rosen helped pass. More than $21 million comes through the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to ensure communities across the country have access to clean water and updated water infrastructure.

    Senators Cortez Masto and Rosen worked to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to create good-paying jobs and upgrade Nevada’s infrastructure, including the state’s water infrastructure. They recently announced $10 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to enhance the safety and functionality of the Marlette Lake Dam. They secured $30 million from the Bureau of Reclamation for the Truckee Meadow Water Authority to make Northern Nevada’s water supply more drought resilient. Senators Cortez Masto and Rosen also fought for the passage of the Lake Tahoe Restoration Reauthorization Act, which will improve water infrastructure in the Tahoe Basin.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Q&A: Innovative Finance Facility for Climate in Asia and the Pacific (IF-CAP)

    Source: Asia Development Bank

    • Workers walking by a solar power plant in Kazakhstan

    Article | 30 October 2024
    Read time: 6 mins

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    What is IF-CAP?

      The Innovative Finance Facility for Climate in Asia and the Pacific, or IF-CAP, is a multi-donor financing partnership facility with the goal of scaling-up finance for accelerated action against climate change in Asia and the Pacific. IF-CAP partners will provide guarantees for parts of ADB’s sovereign loan portfolios to enable ADB to free up capital to increase lending for climate investments. Supplementary grants will facilitate project preparation, capacity building, and knowledge solutions.

    Why is IF-CAP being formed?

    The battle against climate change will be won or lost in Asia and the Pacific. And our region is uniquely vulnerable to the impacts. More than 40% of climate-related disasters occurred in Asia and the Pacific since the start of the century, affecting nearly 3.6 billion people. ADB estimates that $1.7 trillion per year will need to be invested in infrastructure in developing Asia between 2016-2030 to meet both climate and development goals. The Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) says the year 2030 is a significant crossroad after which it will become considerably harder to meet climate targets.

    As Asia and the Pacific’s climate bank, the Asian Development Bank is spearheading significant climate change financing and expertise across the region.   IF-CAP is the first leveraged guarantee mechanism for climate finance to ever be adopted by a multilateral development bank. It is inspired by the International Finance Facility for Education (IFFEd), which aims to use innovative financing to unlock new education funding in low-and middle-income countries.

    What will IF-CAP do?

    IF-CAP will allow ADB to significantly increase climate finance for investments that are aligned with the Paris Agreement and other key ADB policies, including the forthcoming Climate Change Action Plan.

      With a model of “$1 in, $4.5 out”, IF-CAP’s current guarantee size of $2.5 billion will create over $11 billion in climate finance for much-needed climate projects across Asia and the Pacific. Alongside lending facilitated by IF-CAP, ADB will provide up to $1 billion in concessional ordinary capital resources lending (COL) from its own resources, in support of projects enabled by IF-CAP’s guarantee structure. In total, resources aligned with IF-CAP amount to over $12 billion.

    IF-CAP enabled projects will address both climate change mitigation, which focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and climate change adaptation, which focuses on building resilience to the worsening effects of climate change. These investments could cover a wide range of sectors, such as transportation, energy, urban, and agriculture and natural resources, as well as social sectors such as health and education, for projects with high climate impacts.

    What will IF-CAP not do?

    IF-CAP will not support new or existing fossil fuel-based electricity generation facilities or dedicated transmission, or any new or existing natural gas-related projects. Climate finance enabled by IF-CAP will not be used towards early retirement or repurposing of fossil fuel fired power plants.

    • Developing Asia’s share of global greenhouse gas emissions nearly doubled, from 22% in 1990 to 44% in 2019 and is expected to remain at this level until mid-century under current policies.

    • Asia and the Pacific can only realize its climate goals if it pursues a transition away from coal-based energy in the near term.

    How does the leverage mechanism work?

    The program is based on the use of financial guarantees from our partners. By guaranteeing a portfolio of ADB sovereign loans on a first-loss basis, they will help shoulder some of the loss in case of a default by one of our borrowers included in our portfolio.

    This is a groundbreaking arrangement because IF-CAP’s portfolio guarantee enables ADB to optimize the usage of our balance sheet, supported by the strength of our triple-A credit ratings and preferred creditor status. This allows ADB to reduce the capital held for credit risk and release more capital for climate loans. Every dollar of guarantee into IF-CAP will result in the capacity to provide more climate finance for eligible projects. Simulations show that for every $1 that is guaranteed, $4.5 of climate finance could be generated. That is a fundamental shift from the traditional “one dollar in, one dollar out” facilities at MDBs, because of IF-CAP’s leverage effect.

    Who are the partners supporting IF-CAP?

    IF-CAP’s founding partners are Denmark, Japan, Norway, Republic of Korea, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In 2023, the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet established a trust fund under the IF-CAP Financing Partnership Facility.

    What sovereign portfolios will their guarantees cover?

    IF-CAP will cover a dynamic and diversified reference portfolio consisting of ADB’s exposures to a board spectrum of developing member countries, which have been identified to achieve the desired leverage based on the risk appetite of the partners.

    Which countries are eligible for IF-CAP financing?

    All ADB’s developing member countries (DMCs) are eligible. Individual financing partners may exercise discretion for certain projects based on their policies and priorities.

    Will IF-CAP differ from ADB’s regular climate financing?

    Functionally, there will be no difference. IF-CAP’s role will be to enable ADB to approve climate financing more quickly and at a higher volume.

    What are the benefits of IF-CAP?

    For DMCs, IF-CAP can help them advance operations with high climate ambition that are currently not in their pipeline, increase climate finance components of existing pipeline projects, and enable greater visibility and demonstration effects for projects including those with innovative components or high climate impact.

    For IF-CAP partners, it can enable them to make a greater impact through a leveraged guarantee mechanism not offered by other financing partnership facilities, providing them with an effective and efficient way to fight climate change in support of their national commitments.

    For ADB, IF-CAP is an innovative method to optimize our balance sheet, unlock capital resources, and increase our lending capacity by over $11 billion so we can make more resources available for critical climate projects in Asia and the Pacific.

    Will IF-CAP contribute to ADB’s ambition of $100 billion climate financing for 2019-2030?

    IF-CAP will be one of the flagship instruments to enable ADB to reach its climate finance target beyond $100 billion and support our target for climate finance to reach 50% of the total committed financing volume by 2030.

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    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-OSI China: Taiwan issues warning as Typhoon Kong-rey nears

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Taiwan’s meteorological agency issued a land warning early Wednesday morning as Typhoon Kong-rey approached the island, following a sea warning on Tuesday afternoon.
    The agency said the typhoon is likely to land on the island on Thursday afternoon.
    As of 9 a.m. Wednesday, Kong-rey was centered about 480 km southeast of the island’s southernmost point, moving northwestward at about 15 to 20 kph, according to the agency. The maximum wind speed near its center reached 184 kph.
    The land warning includes Hualien, Taitung, Pingtung and the Hengchun Peninsula in southern and eastern Taiwan.
    The meteorological agency predicted intensifying rainfall in the island’s northern and eastern parts Wednesday, while from Thursday to Friday, there will be significant rainfall across the island.

    MIL OSI China News

  • MIL-OSI China: China activates emergency response to flooding in Hainan

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, Oct. 30 — China’s Ministry of Water Resources on Wednesday issued a Level-IV emergency response to flooding due to the lingering impact of Typhoon Trami in Hainan, the country’s southernmost island province.

    Affected by Typhoon Trami, most areas of Hainan will experience torrential rain on Wednesday, with a high risk of flash floods, and the Wanquan River may experience floods exceeding the warning level.

    The ministry has dispatched a working group to the front line to guide flood response, with the focus on evacuating people from dangerous areas.

    Meanwhile, efforts will also be made to strengthen early warning, enhance disaster response in reservoirs and small and medium-sized rivers, and reinforce inspections and defense of critical sections and weak links such as dikes, according to the ministry.

    From Saturday to Monday, Typhoon Trami rotated over the waters off the southern coast of Hainan and the Xisha Islands.

    China has a four-tier emergency response system, with Level I being the most severe.

    MIL OSI China News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Speech by SEE at opening ceremony of 19th Eco Expo Asia

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is the speech by the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, at 19th Eco Expo Asia today (October 30):
     
    Secretary Sun (Secretary of the Leading Party Members Group of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People’s Republic of China, Mr Sun Jinlong), Margaret (Executive Director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Ms Margaret Fong), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
     
         Good morning.

         My heartfelt welcome to all of you joining us at the opening of the 19th Eco Expo Asia. This is a golden opportunity for us to discuss and advance our shared commitments to a sustainable future. This year, we are honoured to have about 190 officials from about 40 official delegations from various provinces and cities in Mainland China, ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and Belt and Road countries joining this signature annual environmental trade event in Asia.

         When people are talking about Hong Kong, what comes into our minds usually is high-rise buildings and very congested streets and roads. But actually we have a lot of well-protected countrysides in Hong Kong. And if you don’t know, I tell you that we are very rich in biodiversity. The number of coral species in our sea is more than the entire Caribbean Sea. Well, surprised? Therefore, we have produced two documentaries, “Beautiful Hong Kong” and also “Enchanting China” so as to bring the very beautiful scenes of our motherland and natural Hong Kong to the world. What you have just seen is just an extract only, and I encourage all of you to enjoy the full version that would be screened at our booth at this Expo which would tell you more about our efforts and achievements in pollution prevention, ecological protection, and nature conservation.

         This year, the theme of Eco Expo Asia is “Fostering Green Innovations for Carbon Neutrality”. Our country places a lot of importance on climate change and therefore sets targets to achieve peak carbon emissions before 2030 and also strives to achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. As to Hong Kong, our carbon emissions peaked in 2014, and compared to the peak, our carbon emissions today have been reduced by about a quarter already. Actually our carbon emissions per capita is only about one quarter of the United States, and about 60 per cent of the European Union. And therefore we have set an interim target, to cut our carbon emissions by half before 2035 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2050.

         We have been striving to achieve these targets through implementing our Climate Action Plan 2050 in Hong Kong, which covers four major decarbonisation strategies, namely aiming to achieve net-zero electricity generation, promote green buildings and also energy efficiency, promote green transport, as well as manage our waste reduction. In terms of green transport, I can tell you that now out of 10 newly registered vehicles in Hong Kong, seven are electric. And therefore I think we are moving at a reasonable speed.

         Looking ahead, we will continue to harness the transformative power of innovation and technology to accelerate the growth of green and low-carbon transformation through supporting the development of green industry, promoting development of new energy and more importantly, facilitating green research and development projects with application potentials to transform into commercially valuable products through various measures. 

         On green tech, we are supporting relevant research and development through various initiatives and funding schemes, including the Innovation and Technology Fund, Green Tech Fund, New Energy Transport Fund, etc. Over HK$800 million has been approved from these funds for a few hundred research and development and pilot projects in net-zero electricity generation, energy saving, green buildings, green transport, and more.

         Turning to new energy, our Chief Executive has announced in his Policy Address earlier this month, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government is committed to further promote the development of new energy including setting a target for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) consumption, developing SAF and green maritime fuel supply chains, and promoting green and low-carbon energy such as hydrogen. 

         Hydrogen is regarded as a low-carbon energy with development potential in the course of energy transition. To prepare for possible wider application of hydrogen energy, the Hong Kong SAR Government published the Strategy of Hydrogen Development in Hong Kong in June this year. The Strategy sets out the four major strategies of improving legislations, establishing standards, aligning with the market, and advancing with prudency to create an environment conducive to the development of hydrogen energy in Hong Kong in a prudent and orderly manner, so that we would be able to capitalise on the environmental and economic opportunities brought about by the recent developments of hydrogen energy in different parts of the world. 

         While the scarcity of land resources has made it difficult for the development of a major manufacturing base for green energy as well as green technologies in Hong Kong, we are determined to leverage our position as a “super connector” and a “super value-adder” to serve as the platform for green and low-carbon technologies to facilitate their application in other parts of the world. For instance, we have supported the development of Hong Kong’s first green hydrogen production demonstration project at a landfill which is scheduled for commencement next year, and we are also facilitating the industry to establish a solar-to-hydrogen facility in Hong Kong very soon. 

         Ladies and gentlemen, decarbonisation cannot wait. Different regions around the world have suffered the devastating consequences of extreme weather events. Heatwaves, severe droughts, extreme rainfall, and extreme storms have attacked every corner of our planet. This year, Hong Kong experienced the hottest ever mid-autumn festival. These events remind us that climate change is indeed a current-day reality. The world must take urgent actions to combat climate change together. 

         Decarbonisation implies transformational change. Green innovation solutions are of paramount importance in our decarbonisation journey. During Eco Expo Asia, we will see the latest innovation and technologies and products around the world in new energy, climate adaptation and other areas. 

         Last but not least, I thank you again for coming today. Together, we can drive global sustainability. I hope you will find the Expo and the three-day Eco Asia Conference inspiring. For friends who come from abroad and across the boundary, I wish you all an enjoyable stay in Hong Kong, and spend more money. Thank you.
     
    (Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the speech.)

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese able to receive meteorological alerts up to 8 minutes in advance

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, Oct. 30 — With the improvement of China’s meteorological disaster risk warning capability, meteorological alerts can be delivered to the public within three to eight minutes, covering 98.8 percent of the country’s population, China Science Daily has reported.

    Xiong Shaoyuan, deputy chief of the China Meteorological Administration (CMA), told a press conference on Tuesday that the accuracy of heavy rain warnings has reached 93 percent, and the lead time for severe convective weather warnings has increased to 43 minutes, marking a significant improvement for the country’s disaster control.

    China’s emergency response mechanism, led by meteorological disaster warnings, has been continuously strengthened. A comprehensive national survey of 10 major types of meteorological disaster risks has been completed, and 45 types of meteorological disaster risk products are now released on a daily basis, said Xiong.

    Additionally, the services for warning against risks such as flash floods, geological disasters, and forest and grassland fires have been digitized with high precision, said the official.

    Xiong further said that meteorological services have been extended to more than 70 sectors of the national economy, contributing to smooth transportation, stable energy supply, improved livelihood and the development of new quality productive forces.

    For example, the meteorological service system for agriculture covers the entire chain of grain production, and in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the CMA issued 12 types of agricultural meteorological disaster risk warnings, said Xiong.

    This year, in response to the CMA’s hot and dry wind warnings, the country’s wheat producing regions have taken various measures of disaster control, which have brought an increase in the yield of winter wheat by about 1.5 billion kilograms, he said.

    MIL OSI China News

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Business – Welcoming Steve Nadin: A New Era in Functional Consulting at Brainstorm

    Source: Brainstorm

    Brainstorm is excited to welcome Steve Nadin as its Functional Consultant. With a diverse background in supply chain management and consulting, Steve brings a wealth of experience to the team.

    Steve grew up in Nottingham, England, before making the move to Australia in 1991. Family is a big part of his life—he and his ex-wife have 4 children and 11 grandchildren, with one more on the way in February 2025. Steve recently celebrated another exciting milestone, marrying his partner of 9 years, who also has 4 grown-up children and 4 grandchildren. Together, they have built a rich, blended family.

    Reflecting on this chapter of his life, Steve shares, “My family means the world to me, and it’s been a beautiful journey blending our lives together. We have a large, vibrant family, and I’m excited about welcoming our newest grandchild next year.”

    Steve’s career began at Boots the Chemists, a major UK manufacturing and pharmaceutical retailer, where he spent 14 years in various roles across Accounting, Logistics, and Supply Chain. After relocating to Australia, Steve continued to excel in operational and supply chain management roles, eventually launching his own business improvement consultancy in 2011. Unfortunately, the business was impacted by COVID-19 restrictions, leading Steve to shift gears.

    In 2021, he joined SMC as a Senior Consultant, where he helped businesses enhance their operations and navigate digital transformation. His success at SMC led to his promotion to Consulting Manager in 2023, where he played a key role in driving innovation and efficiency for a variety of clients.

    Steve first connected with Brainstorm at the CEMAT exhibition in 2024, where he was drawn to the company’s dynamic growth and future potential. “Meeting with Evelyn at the CEMAT exhibition was a turning point for me,” he explains. “Brainstorm’s vision and the direction it’s headed in really sparked my interest. It’s a company that’s truly on the rise, and I knew I wanted to be a part of that.”

    Now, as Brainstorm’s Functional Consultant, Steve is eager to contribute his wealth of experience in supply chain management and operational improvement. While his role is still evolving, he is excited about the journey ahead and looks forward to helping Brainstorm continue its impressive trajectory.

    Reflecting on Career Milestones, two standout moments in Steve’s career include developing a distribution network in the U.S. for an Australian celebrity chef and managing the setup of a large 28,000m² greenfield warehouse in Melbourne. From board approval to go-live, Steve ensured the project was delivered on time and within budget—a feat that he still looks back on with pride.

    “I’m particularly proud of the Melbourne warehouse project,” he recalls. “It was a massive undertaking, but it came together seamlessly. To see everything work out exactly as planned was incredibly rewarding.”

    Steve is looking forward to making a significant impact at Brainstorm, and the team is equally excited to have him on board.

    BrainStorm is a software company that specialises in two areas. They help distribution and manufacturing businesses get their ERP technology in order, and help scaling businesses implement and integrate their software systems.

    They do what they do because there’s too much off the shelf software that doesn’t actually solve the business problems that they’re intended to. BrainStorm has saved their customers over $150million dollars in the past year.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: GAZA – Israeli UNRWA ban will deepen Palestinian humanitarian catastrophe – MSF

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF)

    30 October, 2024. The Israeli Knesset’s ban on UNRWA’s operations voted on 28 October represents a devastating blow to Palestinian life. It will further undermine people’s survival prospects in Gaza and heavily impact communities in the West Bank.

    Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) denounces this legislation, which represents an inhumane ban on vital humanitarian aid. The Knesset’s vote is propelling Palestinians towards an even deeper humanitarian crisis. It is imperative that the world acts to safeguard Palestinians’ fundamental rights. Immediate international intervention is needed to pressure Israel to allow unhindered access to humanitarian aid, implement a ceasefire and bring to an end the current campaign of destruction in Gaza.

    “UNRWA is a lifeline for Palestinians,” says Christopher Lockyear, MSF Secretary General. “If implemented, the ban on UNRWA’s activities would have catastrophic implications on the dire humanitarian situation of Palestinians living in Gaza, as well as in the West Bank, now and for generations to come. We strongly condemn this decision, which is the culmination of a long-running campaign against the organisation.”

    The newly voted legislation will make it almost impossible for UNRWA to work in Gaza or the West Bank; coordination with Israeli authorities will be impeded and entrance permits to either of the occupied territories will be denied, and essentially blocking delivery of UNRWA aid into and within Gaza. UNRWA handles almost all the distribution of UN aid coming into the strip.

    UNRWA is the largest health provider in Gaza, with over half of Gazans relying on UNWRA for essential healthcare services, including for the treatment of chronic diseases, maternal and child heath, and vaccinations; each day UNWRA’s health teams provide over 15,000 consultations in the Gaza Strip. The ban of its activities threatens to create a vast gap in services within an already largely destroyed health system in Gaza – directly and indirectly endangering the lives of Palestinians. Without urgent action, more Gazans could die from preventable diseases and displacement-related conditions.

    The impact of UNRWA’s ban will extend beyond Gaza. Critical services, including refugee camp management, health services, education, and social programmes across the West Bank are also at risk of destabilisation under this legislation. This legislation sets a grave precedent for other conflict situations where governments may wish to eliminate an inconvenient United Nations presence.

    For months, international leaders and organisations, including MSF, have raised warnings about the disastrous potential of these newly adopted bills. Yet Israel has chosen to press forward with measures that will undermine vital assistance, endangering Palestinian lives and intensifying the collective punishment they face.

    This vote adds to the endless physical and bureaucratic impediments imposed by Israel to limit the amount of aid reaching Gaza, and blatantly contradicts Israel’s claims that it is facilitating humanitarian assistance into the Strip.

    MSF Australia was established in 1995 and is one of 24 international MSF sections committed to delivering medical humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. In 2022, more than 120 project staff from Australia and New Zealand worked with MSF on assignment overseas. MSF delivers medical care based on need alone and operates independently of government, religion or economic influence and irrespective of race, religion or gender. For more information visit msf.org.au  

    MIL OSI – Submitted News

  • MIL-OSI Security: Detectives investigating the deaths of two men in Herne Hill are appealing for witnesses

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Detectives investigating the deaths of two men in Herne Hill are appealing for witnesses to come forward. 

    Two years ago, on Sunday, 30 October 2022, 23-year-old Guilherme Messias Da Silva and 27-year-old Lemar Urqhart died on Railton Road, Brixton. 

    Detective Chief Inspector Samantha Townsend, who leads the investigation, said: “It has been two years since this shocking incident and our thoughts continue to remain with the family and friends of Guilherme and Lemar.

    “My team is working tirelessly to identify those responsible for their deaths and to get justice for the families. I am extremely grateful to those individuals who have already come forward to share information, but would urge anyone else who has information and has not yet spoken to us to come forward. No piece of information is too small.”

    Police were called at about 19:50hrs on Sunday, 30 October 2022 to reports of gunshots heard in the Railton Road area. 

    Officers, including firearms officers, immediately attended the scene along London Ambulance Service and London’s Air Ambulance. 

    Despite the efforts of emergency services, both Guilherme and Lemar were found injured at the location and pronounced dead at the scene. 

    Detectives believe two cars were driving in the Railton Road area when one of the cars was in collision with Guilherme’s moped before further colliding with parked vehicles. 

    Lemar then got out of one of the cars involved in the collision and was pursued by a man, armed with a firearm. The man shot Lemar and returned to his car before leaving the scene. 

    Lemar Urqhart’s family statement said: “Two years since our son, grandson, brother, nephew, cousin and friend was tragically taken from us. Whoever said time is a healer, lied. The pain is unbearable & life will never be the same. Lemar was an integral part of the family and his death has rocked our family to the core. Every day we hope that new information is given to aid the arrest of the person/s who did this. We plead with anyone who has information to please come forward. Any information could be vital. Our family would be forever grateful to anyone who could help.”

    Any witnesses or anyone with information should call police via 101 quoting CAD 6166/30Oct. Alternatively, speak to independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org. They will not trace your call or your IP address. 

    Information can also be submitted via the Public Portal.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to flash floods in south-eastern Spain

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Scientists comment on flash floods in Valencia, Spain. 

    The comment below was provided by our friends at the Spanish SMC:

    Dr Ernesto Rodríguez Camino, Senior State Meteorologist and member of Spanish Meteorological Association, said:

    What relationship can we say that this type of event has with climate change?

    “In general terms, what we know is that, in the context of climate change, these types of intense and exceptional, rare rainfall events are going to become more frequent and more intense and, therefore, destructive.

    “That is in general terms. Events of this type, which used to occur many decades apart, are now becoming more frequent and their destructive capacity is greater.

    “Associating a particular event like this to climate change, i.e. asking the question that if we had not had climate change we would have suffered an event like this, requires a posteriori studies and can always be said in probabilistic terms, but not on the fly. This is something that will be analysed and these very destructive or very violent cases, then give rise to many studies that are done in academic and research fields.

    “We can’t say anything on the fly, except that in the context of climate change, these types of events will be more frequent and more intense.”

    What role do warnings play in these extreme events?

    “What we have to bear in mind is that warnings are issued for relatively large areas, at the county level, and then the most extreme consequences are at the point level, often at the municipality level, and this depends on many other things that have nothing to do with precipitation.

    “The warnings issued by the State Meteorological Agency, AEMET, refer to precipitation, which is AEMET’s responsibility. But whether that rainfall then has more or less destructive effects also depends on the orography (geography dealing with the formation and features of mountains), on rainfall upstream, on public works, on where the municipalities are located, on whether there are obstacles or not…. All of this is something very particular. Between heavy rainfall and its destructive power, there is a whole chain of actions that must also be considered.”

    Declared interests

    No reply to our request for DOIs was received.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI: CSW Industrials Reports Record Fiscal 2025 Second Quarter Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DALLAS, Oct. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CSW Industrials, Inc. (Nasdaq: CSWI or the “Company”) today reported record results for the fiscal 2025 second quarter period ended September 30, 2024.

    Fiscal 2025 Second Quarter Highlights (comparisons to fiscal 2024 second quarter)

    • Total revenue increased 11.9% to an all-time quarterly high of $227.9 million, driven by organic growth of 6.2% and inorganic growth of 5.7% from the recent acquisitions of Dust Free and PSP Products
    • Net income attributable to CSWI increased 20.0% to $36.1 million, compared to $30.1 million
    • Earnings per diluted share (“EPS”) increased 17.1% to $2.26, compared to $1.93
    • EBITDA grew 14.8% to $60.8 million, including margin expansion of 70 bps to 26.7%
    • Cash flow from operations increased 49.5% to $66.8 million, compared to $44.7 million
    • Issued and sold 1.265 million shares of stock at $285 per share in a successful follow-on equity offering, resulting in net proceeds of $347.4 million
    • Paid down $115.0 million, or all outstanding debt on the revolver following the equity offering, further improving the strength of the balance sheet

    Fiscal 2025 First Half Highlights (comparisons to fiscal 2024 first half)

    • Total revenue increased 11.6% to $454.1 million, of which 7.0%, or $28.3 million was organic growth, and $18.8 million, or 4.6%, was inorganic growth from recent acquisitions
    • Net income attributable to CSWI increased 23.0% to $74.6 million, as compared to $60.7 million
    • EPS improved 21.5% to $4.73, compared to $3.90
    • EBITDA increased 17.4% to $126.1 million, including margin expansion of 140 bps to 27.8%
    • Cash flow from operations increased 36.4% to $129.5 million, compared to $94.9 million
    • Invested $32.3 million in acquisitions and $8.6 million in organic capital expenditures, while returning total cash of $15.4 million to shareholders through share repurchases of $8.9 million and dividends of $6.5 million

    Comments from the Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer

    Joseph B. Armes, CSW Industrials’ Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer, commented, “I am pleased to announce these outstanding results for the fiscal second quarter of 2025. CSWI’s record revenue for the quarter was driven by organic volume growth, pricing actions, and our strategic acquisitions of Dust Free and PSP Products. The team also achieved all-time record operating cash flow and record fiscal second quarter net income, earnings per diluted share, and EBITDA for the quarter.”

    Armes continued, “During the second fiscal quarter 2025, CSWI issued equity to the public for the first time in our history. Strong investor demand, after the public announcement of our follow-on equity offering, allowed the Company to issue a total of 1.265 million shares of common stock proving that our track record of building long-term shareholder value is attractive to both pre-existing and new shareholders, while also being accretive to our earnings due to the full repayment of our debt and investment in interest-bearing accounts. In addition, our disciplined capital allocation philosophy led us to acquire PSP Products in the quarter, adding innovative products within the profitable electrical end market for CSWI. Subsequent to quarter end, the Company announced a mid-year, 14% increase in our quarterly cash dividend, reflecting our strong balance sheet, cash flows, and profitability.”

    Fiscal 2025 Second Quarter Consolidated Results

    Fiscal second quarter revenue was $227.9 million, a $24.3 million or 11.9% increase over the prior year period. Total revenue growth included $12.7 million of organic growth contributed from all operating segments (6.2% of the total 11.9% growth) due to increased volume and pricing actions, with the remainder contributed by the Dust Free and PSP acquisitions, which are both reported in the Contractor Solutions segment.

    Gross profit in the fiscal second quarter was $103.9 million, representing 14.2% growth over $91.0 million in the prior year period. Gross profit margin expanded 90 bps to 45.6%, compared to 44.7% in the prior year period. The gross profit margin increase was primarily a result of volume leverage and pricing actions.

    Operating expenses as a percentage of revenue were 23.0% in the current period, which was below the prior year period of 24.0%. Operating expenses were $52.4 million in the current year period, compared to $49.0 million in the prior year period and we were able to leverage our revenue growth while absorbing additional expenses related to the recent acquisitions, spending on business development and integration, and investing in team members.

    Operating income in the current period was $51.5 million, compared to $42.0 million in the prior year period. Operating income as a percentage of revenue was 22.6% in fiscal 2025 second quarter, compared to 20.6% in the prior year period. The 200 bps improvement in operating income margin was a result of the previously mentioned improvement in the gross profit margin and leverage on operating expenses.

    Interest expense was $1.3 million, compared to interest expense of $3.3 million in the prior year period. The decrease of $2.0 million was a result of a lower debt balance throughout the quarter and paying off the outstanding balance borrowed against our revolver and interest income earned from the net proceeds of the equity offering.

    Other expense was $0.7 million, compared to other income of $1.9 million in the prior year period. The change in other expense of $2.6 million was primarily related to a gain of $1.4 million reported in the previous period in connection with the sale of a property previously held for investment that did not recur, in addition to losses arising from transactions in currencies other than functional currencies.

    Net income attributable to CSWI (net of non-controlling interest in the joint venture) increased 20.0% to $36.1 million, compared to the prior year period of $30.1 million, and EPS increased 17.1% to $2.26, compared to $1.93 in the prior year period.

    Fiscal 2025 second quarter EBITDA increased 14.8% to $60.8 million, up from $53.0 million in the prior year period. EBITDA margin expanded 70 bps to 26.7%, compared to 26.0% in the prior year period.

    During the fiscal second quarter 2025, the Company issued equity to the public for the first time. On September 4, 2024, CSWI announced the commencement of an underwritten public offering of one million shares of common stock. The following day, the Company announced the upsize of the public offering to 1.1 million shares of common stock at a price of $285 per share, plus an option for the underwriters to purchase up to an additional 165 thousand shares. In the aggregate, CSWI was able to issue and sell 1.265 million shares of common stock at $285 for proceeds of approximately $347.4 million, net of underwriting discount and expenses incurred directly related to the offering. The follow-on equity offering increased the Company’s weighted average shares outstanding, used in determining the diluted EPS, by 336 thousand for the fiscal 2025 second quarter and 169 thousand for the first half of fiscal 2025.

    During the fiscal second quarter, the Company paid down $115.0 million of debt, resulting in no borrowings outstanding under the revolving line of credit at quarter end, utilizing the record quarterly cash flows from operations of $66.8 million and the cash received from our follow-on equity offering. Cash flows from operations benefited from a $16.8 million tax payment deferral from fiscal first half 2025 to fiscal third quarter 2025 under a temporary federal tax relief related to the severe storms and flooding in Texas in early 2024.

    Following quarter-end, the Company announced its twenty-third consecutive regular quarterly cash dividend. This dividend was increased by $0.03, or 14.3%, from the prior quarter to $0.24 per share due to our strong balance sheet, cash flows and profitability, and will be paid on November 8, 2024, to shareholders of record on October 25, 2024.

    The Company’s effective tax rate for the fiscal second quarter was 26.1%. The third quarter GAAP tax rate may be lower than average, due to a potential $3.6M release of uncertain tax position reserves upon statue expiration of several pre-acquisition tax returns for TRUaire and Falcon.

    Fiscal 2025 Second Quarter Segment Results

    The Contractor Solutions segment revenue was $158.8 million, an $18.9 million or 13.5% increase over the prior year period, comprised of organic growth of $7.3 million (5.2% of the total 13.5% growth) driven by increased organic unit volumes and pricing actions, and inorganic growth of $11.6 million from the recent acquisitions of Dust Free and PSP Products. As compared to the prior year period, net revenue growth was driven by the HVAC/R, electrical, and plumbing end markets. Segment operating income improved to $46.3 million, compared to $39.0 million in the prior year period. The incremental profit resulted from revenue growth, gross profit leverage, and the inclusion of recently acquired businesses and was partially offset by increased spending on business integrations, strategic development activities, and employee compensation. Segment operating income margin in the fiscal second quarter was 29.1%, compared to 27.9% in the prior year period. Segment EBITDA in the fiscal second quarter was $53.7 million, or 33.8% of revenue, compared to $46.6 million, or 33.3% of revenue in the prior year period.

    The Specialized Reliability Solutions segment revenue was $38.5 million, a $1.9 million or 5.2% increase from the prior year period. The increased net revenue was driven by growth in the energy, rail transportation, and mining end markets. Segment operating income improved to $5.8 million, as compared to $4.8 million in the prior year period, an increase of 20.5%. Segment operating income margin in the fiscal second quarter improved to 15.1%, compared to the prior year period of 13.2% as a result of manufacturing efficiencies. Segment EBITDA improved by 13.2% to $7.1 million in the fiscal second quarter, with an EBITDA margin of 18.4% as compared to 17.2% in the prior year period.

    The Engineered Building Solutions segment revenue was a record $32.7 million, or 11.9% increase compared to $29.2 million in the prior year period, driven by strength in the backlog converting to revenue and market expansion. Segment operating income was $6.1 million, or 18.6% of revenue, compared to the prior year period of $5.2 million, or 17.9% of revenue, due to the management of operating expenses. Segment EBITDA and EBITDA margin also improved to $6.6 million and 20.1% in the fiscal second quarter, compared to $5.7 million and 19.5% in the prior year period.

    Fiscal 2025 First Half Consolidated Results

    Fiscal first half revenue was $454.1 million, representing 11.6% growth from $407.0 million in the prior year period, with growth in all three reporting segments. Of the $47.1 million total growth, $28.3 million (7.0% of the 11.6% total growth) resulted from organic growth, with the remainder ($18.8 million) contributed by the Dust Free and PSP acquisitions.

    Gross profit in the fiscal first half was $211.3 million, representing $28.2 million (15.4%) growth from $183.1 million in the prior year period, with the incremental profit resulting predominantly from revenue growth driven by increased unit volumes, a slight increase from pricing actions, and recent acquisitions. Gross profit as a percentage of sales was 46.5%, compared to 45.0% in the prior year period. Gross margin improvement was a result of leveraging the volume increase, favorable product mix and pricing actions.

    Operating expenses as a percentage of revenue were 23.1%, compared to 23.6% in the prior year period, as the increase in revenue growth outpaced operating expenses. Operating expenses in the current year period were $104.7 million, compared to $95.9 million in the prior year period. The additional expenses were related to employee compensation, expenses related to recent acquisitions including amortization of intangible assets, business development expenses, and integration costs.

    In the current period, operating income was $106.6 million, compared to $87.2 million in the prior year period. The incremental operating income resulted from the gross profit increase, partially offset by the operating expense increase as discussed above. Operating income margin in the current period improved to 23.5%, compared to the prior year period of 21.4%. During the comparative periods, the enhanced operating income margin was due to the improvement in gross profit margin combined with the management of operating expenses.

    Interest expense was $3.9 million, compared to interest expense of $7.3 million in the prior year period. The decrease of $3.4 million was a result of a lower debt balance throughout the first half of the year, then paying off the outstanding balance borrowed against our revolver and interest income earned from the net proceeds of the equity offering.

    Other expense was $0.4 million, compared to other income of $2.2 million in the prior year period. The change in other expense of $2.6 million was primarily related to the aforementioned gain of $1.4 million, in addition to losses arising from transactions in currencies other than functional currencies.

    In the current period, reported net income attributable to CSWI improved to $74.6 million, or $4.73 per diluted share. In the prior year period, reported net income attributable to CSWI was $60.7 million, or $3.90 per diluted share.

    Fiscal 2025 first half EBITDA increased 17.4% to $126.1 million from $107.4 million in the prior year period. EBITDA as a percentage of revenue improved 140 bps to 27.8%, compared to 26.4%, in the prior year period.

    Net cash provided by operating activities for the fiscal 2025 first half was a record $129.5 million, compared to $94.9 million in the prior year’s first half, as improved profit, and the tax payment deferrals led to a 36.4% increase compared to the prior year period. The Company paid down all $166.0 million of debt in the first half utilizing our record cash flow from operations and net proceeds from the follow-on equity offering.

    The Company’s effective tax rate for the fiscal first half was 26.2% on a GAAP basis.

    Fiscal 2025 First Half Segment Results

    Contractor Solutions segment revenue was $319.3 million, a $39.4 million or 14.1% increase from the prior year period. Revenue growth was comprised of inorganic growth from Dust Free and PSP acquisitions ($18.8 million, or 6.7%, of growth), and organic growth of $20.6 million (7.4% of the total 14.1% growth) due to increased unit volumes and a slight increase from pricing actions. As compared to the prior year period, net revenue growth was driven primarily by the HVAC/R, plumbing, and electrical end markets. Segment operating income in the current year period was $96.1 million, compared to $78.7 million in the prior year period. The incremental profit resulted from the increased unit volumes, favorable product mix, and the inclusion of recent acquisitions, partially offset by increased expenses related to employee compensation and business integrations as the segment builds the infrastructure to support continued growth, and increased expenses related to the inclusion of Dust Free and PSP in the current period, including amortization of intangible assets. Segment operating income margin was 30.1%, compared to 28.1% in the prior year period, driven primarily by increased operating leverage from the additional volume, favorable product mix and pricing actions, combined with the management of operating expenses. Segment EBITDA in the current period was $112.0 million, or 35.1% of revenue, compared to $93.4 million, or 33.4% of revenue in the prior year period.

    Specialized Reliability Solutions segment revenue grew to $75.3 million, a $1.0 million or 1.3% increase from the prior year period of $74.3 million, primarily due to pricing actions and increased unit volumes, with growth in the rail transportation end market and a decrease in mining. In the current year period, Segment operating income improved by 10.0% to $13.0 million, or 17.2% of revenue, compared to the prior year period of $11.8 million, or 15.9% of revenue. Improved segment operating income resulted primarily as a result of a favorable inventory adjustment in the first quarter as well as the increased volume. Segment EBITDA in the current period was $15.6 million, or 20.7% of revenue, compared to $14.7 million, or 19.8% of revenue in the prior year period.

    Engineered Building Solutions segment revenue was $63.6 million, a $6.8 million or 11.9% increase over the prior year period, primarily due to the conversion of backlog into revenue and market expansion. Segment operating income increased 24.4% to $11.8 million, or 18.6% of revenue, compared to the prior year period of $9.5 million, or 16.7% of revenue, due to the increased net revenue, improved gross margin as a result of operating leverage, and management of operating expenses. Segment EBITDA in the current period was $12.8 million, or 20.1% of revenue, compared to $10.4 million, or 18.3% of revenue in the prior year period.

    All percentages are calculated based upon the attached financial statements. Share count used in determining the diluted EPS is based on a weighted average of outstanding shares throughout the measurement period.

    Conference Call Information

    The Company will host a conference call today at 10:00 a.m. ET to discuss the results, followed by a question-and-answer session for the investment community. A live webcast of the call can be accessed at https://cswindustrials.gcs-web.com/. To access the call, participants may dial 1-877-407-0784, international callers may use 1-201-689-8560, and request to join the CSW Industrials earnings call.

    A telephonic replay will be available shortly after the conclusion of the call and until Wednesday, November 13, 2024. Participants may access the replay at 1-844-512-2921, international callers may use 1-412-317-6671 and enter access code 13749338. The call will also be available for replay via webcast link on the Investors portion of the CSWI website www.cswindustrials.com.

    Safe Harbor Statement

    This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Words or phrases such as “may,” “should,” “expects,” “could,” “intends,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “believes,” “forecasts,” “predicts” or other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, which include, without limitation, earnings forecasts, effective tax rate, statements relating to our business strategy and statements of expectations, beliefs, future plans and strategies and anticipated developments concerning our industry, business, operations, and financial performance and condition.

    The forward-looking statements included in this press release are based on our current expectations, projections, estimates, and assumptions. These statements are only predictions, not guarantees. Such forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. These risks and uncertainties may cause actual results to differ materially from what is forecast in such forward-looking statements, and include, without limitation, the risk factors described from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K.

    All forward-looking statements included in this press release are based on information currently available to us, and we assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statement except as may be required by law.

    Non-GAAP Financial Measures

    This press release includes an analysis of adjusted diluted earnings per share attributable to CSWI, adjusted net income attributable to CSWI, adjusted operating income and free cash flows, which are non-GAAP financial measures of performance. Attributable to CSWI is defined to exclude the income attributable to the non-controlling interest in the Whitmore JV.

    CSWI utilizes adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization) as an additional consolidated, non-GAAP financial measure, which consists of consolidated net income including income attributable to the non-controlling interest in the Whitmore JV, adjusted to remove the impact of income taxes, interest expense, depreciation, amortization and impairment, and significant nonrecurring items.

    For a reconciliation of these measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures and for a discussion of why we consider these non-GAAP measures useful, see the “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measures” section of this release.

    About CSW Industrials, Inc.

    CSW Industrials is a diversified industrial growth company with industry-leading operations in three segments: Contractor Solutions, Specialized Reliability Solutions, and Engineered Building Solutions. CSWI provides niche, value-added products with two essential commonalities: performance and reliability. The primary end markets we serve with our well-known brands include: HVAC/R, plumbing, electrical, general industrial, architecturally-specified building products, energy, mining, and rail transportation. For more information, please visit www.cswindustrials.com.

    Investor Relations

    Alexa Huerta
    Vice President, Investor Relations and Treasurer
    214-489-7113
    alexa.huerta@cswindustrials.com

    CSW INDUSTRIALS, INC.
    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
    (unaudited)
     
        Three Months Ended
    September 30,
      Six Months Ended
    September 30,
    (Amounts in thousands, except per share amounts)     2024       2023       2024       2023  
    Revenues, net   $ 227,926     $ 203,653     $ 454,103     $ 407,013  
    Cost of revenues     (124,025 )     (112,694 )     (242,781 )     (223,887 )
    Gross profit     103,901       90,959       211,322       183,126  
    Selling, general and administrative expenses     (52,352 )     (48,966 )     (104,712 )     (95,927 )
    Operating income     51,549       41,993       106,610       87,199  
    Interest expense, net     (1,341 )     (3,306 )     (3,861 )     (7,315 )
    Other income (expense), net     (677 )     1,926       (418 )     2,240  
    Income before income taxes     49,531       40,613       102,331       82,124  
    Provision for income taxes     (12,910 )     (10,431 )     (26,859 )     (20,885 )
    Net income     36,621       30,182       75,472       61,239  
    Less: Income attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest     (570 )     (127 )     (828 )     (572 )
    Net income attributable to CSW Industrials, Inc.   $ 36,051     $ 30,055     $ 74,644     $ 60,667  
                     
    Net income per share attributable to CSW Industrials, Inc.                
    Basic   $ 2.27     $ 1.93     $ 4.75     $ 3.91  
    Diluted     2.26       1.93       4.73       3.90  
                     
    Weighted average number of shares outstanding:                
    Basic     15,866       15,544       15,701       15,532  
    Diluted     15,941       15,588       15,770       15,568  
    CSW INDUSTRIALS, INC.
    CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
    (unaudited)
    (Amounts in thousands, except for per share amounts)   September 30, 2024   March 31, 2024
    ASSETS        
    Current assets:        
    Cash and cash equivalents   $ 273,220     $ 22,156  
    Accounts receivable, net of allowance for expected credit losses of $1,127 and $908, respectively     135,265       142,665  
    Inventories, net     183,731       150,749  
    Prepaid expenses and other current assets     17,281       15,840  
    Total current assets     609,497       331,410  
    Property, plant and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $109,891 and $103,515, respectively     95,128       92,811  
    Goodwill     255,899       247,191  
    Intangible assets, net     333,326       318,819  
    Other assets     65,446       53,095  
    Total assets   $ 1,359,296     $ 1,043,326  
             
    LIABILITIES AND EQUITY        
    Current liabilities:        
    Accounts payable   $ 63,191     $ 48,387  
    Accrued and other current liabilities     96,259       67,449  
    Total current liabilities     159,450       115,836  
    Long-term debt           166,000  
    Retirement benefits payable     1,093       1,114  
    Other long-term liabilities     148,404       125,298  
    Total liabilities     308,947       408,248  
    Commitments and contingencies (See Note 13)        
    Redeemable noncontrolling interest     20,183       19,355  
    Equity:        
    Common shares, $0.01 par value     177       164  
    Additional paid-in capital     494,535       137,253  
    Treasury shares, at cost (982 and 952 shares, respectively)     (106,636 )     (95,643 )
    Retained earnings     651,145       583,075  
    Accumulated other comprehensive loss     (9,055 )     (9,126 )
    Total equity     1,030,166       615,723  
    Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interest and equity   $ 1,359,296     $ 1,043,326  
    CSW INDUSTRIALS, INC.
    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
    (unaudited)
        Six Months Ended
    September 30,
    (Amounts in thousands)     2024       2023  
    Cash flows from operating activities:        
    Net income   $ 75,472     $ 61,239  
    Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:        
    Depreciation     7,045       6,613  
    Amortization of intangible and other assets     13,214       11,730  
    Provision for inventory reserves     840       2,490  
    Provision for doubtful accounts     723       227  
    Share-based compensation     6,891       5,556  
    Net gain on disposals of property, plant and equipment     (39 )     (1,446 )
    Net pension benefit     33       33  
    Impairment of assets           91  
    Net deferred taxes     1,516       411  
    Changes in operating assets and liabilities:        
    Accounts receivable     11,301       (3,917 )
    Inventories     (25,282 )     7,739  
    Prepaid expenses and other current assets     (2,085 )     (5,478 )
    Other assets     153       (466 )
    Accounts payable and other current liabilities     39,626       8,975  
    Retirement benefits payable and other liabilities     61       1,139  
    Net cash provided by operating activities     129,469       94,936  
    Cash flows from investing activities:        
    Capital expenditures     (8,587 )     (7,785 )
    Proceeds from sale of assets held for investment           1,665  
    Proceeds from sale of assets     43       42  
    Cash paid for investments     (500 )      
    Cash paid for acquisitions     (32,305 )     (2,623 )
    Net cash used in investing activities     (41,349 )     (8,701 )
    Cash flows from financing activities:        
    Borrowings on line of credit     32,723       38,681  
    Repayments of line of credit and term loan     (198,723 )     (118,681 )
    Purchase of treasury shares     (12,287 )     (3,928 )
    Proceeds from equity issuance     347,407        
    Dividends     (6,523 )     (5,900 )
    Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities     162,597       (89,828 )
    Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and equivalents     347       (1,016 )
    Net change in cash and cash equivalents     251,064       (4,609 )
    Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period     22,156       18,455  
    Cash and cash equivalents, end of period   $ 273,220     $ 13,846  

    Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measures

    We use adjusted earnings per share attributable to CSWI, adjusted net income attributable to CSWI, adjusted operating income, and adjusted EBITDA, together with financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP, such as revenue, cost of revenue, operating expense, operating income and net income attributable to CSWI, to assess our historical and prospective operating performance and to enhance our understanding of our core operating performance. Free cash flow is a non-GAAP financial measure and is defined as cash flow from operations less capital expenditures. We also believe these measures are useful for investors to assess the operating performance of our business without the effect of non-recurring items. In the following tables, there could be immaterial differences in amounts presented due to rounding.

    CSW Industrials, Inc.
    Reconciliation of Net Income Attributable to CSWI to EBITDA
    (unaudited)
                     
    (Amounts in thousands)   Three months ended
    September 30,
      Six Months ended
    September 30,
          2024       2023       2024       2023  
    Net Income attributable to CSWI   $ 36,051     $ 30,055     $ 74,644     $ 60,667  
    Plus: Income attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest     570       127       828       572  
    Net Income   $ 36,621     $ 30,182     $ 75,472     $ 61,239  
                     
    Adjusting Items:                
    Interest expense, net     1,341       3,306       3,861       7,315  
    Income tax expense     12,909       10,431       26,859       20,886  
    Depreciation & amortization     9,951       9,045       19,883       17,960  
    EBITDA   $ 60,823     $ 52,964     $ 126,075     $ 107,399  
    EBITDA % Revenue     26.7 %     26.0 %     27.8 %     26.4 %
    CSW Industrials, Inc.
    Reconciliation of Segment Operating Income to Segment EBITDA
    (unaudited)
               
    (Amounts in thousands) Three months ended September 30, 2024
      Contractor
    Solutions
    Specialized
    Reliability
    Solutions
    Engineered
    Building
    Solutions
    Corporate
    and Other
    Consolidated
    Revenue, net $ 158,835   $ 38,535   $ 32,673   $ (2,115 ) $ 227,927  
               
    Operating Income $ 46,254   $ 5,819   $ 6,082   $ (6,606 ) $ 51,550  
    % Revenue   29.1 %   15.1 %   18.6 %     22.6 %
               
    Adjusting Items:          
    Other income (expense), net   (543 )   (121 )   (12 )   (2 )   (678 )
    Depreciation & amortization   8,002     1,409     494     45     9,951  
    EBITDA $ 53,713   $ 7,108   $ 6,564   $ (6,562 ) $ 60,823  
    % Revenue   33.8 %   18.4 %   20.1 %     26.7 %
               
    (Amounts in thousands) Three months ended September 30, 2023
      Contractor
    Solutions
    Specialized
    Reliability
    Solutions
    Engineered
    Building
    Solutions
    Corporate
    and Other
    Consolidated
    Revenue, net $ 139,902   $ 36,614   $ 29,211   $ (2,075 ) $ 203,653  
               
    Operating Income $ 39,025   $ 4,829   $ 5,233   $ (7,095 ) $ 41,993  
    % Revenue   27.9 %   13.2 %   17.9 %     20.6 %
               
    Adjusting Items:          
    Other income (expense), net   575     (54 )   3     1,402     1,926  
    Depreciation & amortization   7,045     1,505     453     42     9,045  
    EBITDA $ 46,645   $ 6,280   $ 5,690   $ (5,651 ) $ 52,964  
    % Revenue   33.3 %   17.2 %   19.5 %     26.0 %
               
    CSW Industrials, Inc.
    Reconciliation of Segment Operating Income to Segment EBITDA
    (unaudited)
               
    (Amounts in thousands) Six Months ended September 30, 2024
      Contractor
    Solutions
    Specialized
    Reliability
    Solutions
    Engineered
    Building
    Solutions
    Corporate
    and Other
    Consolidated
    Revenue, net $ 319,252   $ 75,327   $ 63,566   $ (4,041 ) $ 454,104  
               
    Operating Income $ 96,138   $ 12,970   $ 11,806   $ (14,304 ) $ 106,610  
    % Revenue   30.1 %   17.2 %   18.6 %     23.5 %
               
    Adjusting Items:          
    Other income (expense), net   (147 )   (183 )   (19 )   (68 )   (418 )
    Depreciation & amortization   15,985     2,832     979     87     19,883  
    EBITDA $ 111,976   $ 15,619   $ 12,766   $ (14,285 ) $ 126,075  
    % Revenue   35.1 %   20.7 %   20.1 %     27.8 %
               
    (Amounts in thousands) Six Months ended September 30, 2023
      Contractor
    Solutions
    Specialized
    Reliability
    Solutions
    Engineered
    Building
    Solutions
    Corporate
    and Other
    Consolidated
    Revenue, net $ 279,857   $ 74,326   $ 56,798   $ (3,967 ) $ 407,014  
               
    Operating Income $ 78,692   $ 11,794   $ 9,493   $ (12,780 ) $ 87,199  
    % Revenue   28.1 %   15.9 %   16.7 %     21.4 %
               
    Adjusting Items:          
    Other income (expense), net   747     (91 )   11     1,573     2,240  
    Depreciation & amortization   13,940     3,035     895     90     17,960  
    EBITDA $ 93,380   $ 14,738   $ 10,398   $ (11,117 ) $ 107,399  
    % Revenue   33.4 %   19.8 %   18.3 %     26.4 %
               
    CSW INDUSTRIALS, INC.
    Reconciliation of Operating Cash Flow to Free Cash Flow
    (Unaudited)
                   
    (Amounts in thousands) Three Months Ended
    September 30,
      Six Months ended
    September 30,
        2024       2023       2024       2023  
    Net cash provided by operating activities $ 66,814     $ 44,679     $ 129,469     $ 94,936  
    Less: Capital expenditures   (5,486 )     (2,814 )     (8,587 )     (7,785 )
    Free cash flow $ 61,328     $ 41,865     $ 120,882     $ 87,151  
    Free cash flow % EBITDA   100.8 %     79.0 %     95.9 %     81.1 %

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Xtract One’s New Gateway Selected to Secure Tift County Schools

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Oct. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Xtract One Technologies (TSX: XTRA)(OTCQX: XTRAF)(FRA: 0PL) (“Xtract One” or the “Company”) today announced their newly-debuted Xtract One Gateway (“Gateway”) has been selected by Tift County Schools in Tifton, Georgia, to protect school entrances, ensuring a welcoming, streamlined, and secure experience for all individuals entering the buildings.

    Tift County Schools is set to deploy Xtract One Gateway at the entrances of their high school and middle schools, with plans to deploy the system across all K-12 schools in the future. This installation aims to strengthen safety and security measures within the district, and highlights the joint dedication to prioritize the well-being of students and staff while maintaining a positive school atmosphere. By differentiating between everyday items—such as laptops, tablets, 3-ring binders, cell phones, and keys—and potential threats such as firearms, Gateway ensures a smooth and secure entry experience for students and visitors who enter carrying a medium volume of personal belongings. The system features advanced bi-directional screening technology for weapon detection and identification, allowing individuals to keep their personal belongings on them, and reducing the need for separate bag searches, thereby dramatically reducing screening times.

    “As a district with 11 schools, nearly 7,700 students, and over 1,000 teachers and staff members, it’s critically important for us to prioritize our students’ learning, well-being, and overall school experience. We’re excited to be using Xtract One Gateway to further our mission to protect and nurture the future generations of Tift County,” said Jonathan Judy, Chief Information Officer at Tift County School District. “We investigated several technologies to secure our facilities and found that Gateway provided a broad set of weapons detection while also significantly reducing unnecessary bag searches, x-ray machines, or complex operations. Our students, teachers, staff, and visitors deserve the best, and with Xtract One’s enhanced security solution, we’ll be able to deliver an atmosphere district-wide for anyone entering our schools that is even more secure, with an experience that still remains inviting.”

    “Safe schools are a prerequisite for student achievement and, to a larger extent, an important standard for the well-being of the surrounding community that supports the school. We’re continuing to deliver innovative security solutions that empower schools to address modern threats and enhance safety without compromising the welcoming environment that students deserve,” said Peter Evans, CEO of Xtract One. “With technology like Gateway complementing existing security operations, students will benefit from enhanced, non-invasive security that allows them to walk into school freely without needing to divest their personal belongings. This sets a new standard for school safety and allows students to focus on their education.”

    To learn more, visit www.xtractone.com.

    About Xtract One
    Xtract One Technologies is a leading technology-driven provider of threat detection and security solutions leveraging AI to deliver seamless and secure experiences. The Company makes unobtrusive weapons and threat detection systems that enable facility operators to prioritize and deliver improved “Walk-right-In” experiences while providing unprecedented safety. Xtract One’s innovative portfolio of AI-powered Gateway solutions excels at allowing facilities to discreetly screen and identify weapons and other threats at points of entry and exit without disrupting the flow of traffic. With solutions built to serve the unique market needs for schools, hospitals, arenas, stadiums, manufacturing, distribution, and other customers, Xtract One is recognized as a market leader delivering the highest security in combination with the best individual experience. For more information, visit www.xtractone.com or connect on Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.

    Forward Looking Statements
    This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements that are not historical facts, including without limitation, statements regarding future estimates, plans, programs, forecasts, projections, objectives, assumptions, expectations or beliefs of future performance, are “forward-looking statements”. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as “plans”, “expects” or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “estimates”, “intends”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, or “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, events or developments to be materially different from any future results, events or developments expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risks detailed from time to time in the continuous disclosure filings made by the Company with securities regulations. These factors should be considered carefully, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Although the Company has attempted to identify important risk factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other risk factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements. The Company has no obligation to update any forward looking statement, even if new information becomes available as a result of future events, new information or for any other reason except as required by law.

    No securities exchange or commission has reviewed or accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    For further information, please contact:
    Xtract One Inquiries: info@xtractone.com, http://www.xtractone.com
    Investor Relations: Chris Witty, Darrow Associates, cwitty@darrowir.com, 646-438-9385
    Media Contact: Kristen Aikey, JMG Public Relations, kristen@jmgpr.com, 212-206-1645

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Two new fire stations built in TiNAO

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    In TiNAO, two modern fire stations with four parking spaces each have been built. They were built under the Safe City program, which is part of the Moscow City Targeted Investment Program. This was reported by Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Urban Development Policy and Construction Vladimir Efimov.

    “New fire brigade buildings have appeared in the village of Pervomayskoye in the Filimonkovsky District and the village of Nikulskoye in Shcherbinka. Their total area is 5.3 thousand square meters. The construction of the facilities is fully completed. Now the permitting documentation is being processed and the equipment is being installed. This year, a fire brigade building for two parking spaces was also erected in the village of Rassudovo in the Bekasovo District. Thus, in 2024, three fire brigade buildings for 10 parking spaces will appear in TiNAO,” said Vladimir Efimov.

    All the facilities were equipped with training towers with a climbing wall, sports grounds, and training fire hydrants. The builders also constructed gas boiler houses and material warehouses. Each housed rooms for fire-fighting equipment and its maintenance, a communications center, rest and dining rooms, classrooms, a gym, and a paramedic’s office with a treatment room. Convenient access roads were built to the special facilities.

    “In TiNAO today two more buildings for fire brigades are being built in the Kommunarka area – in the settlement of Voskresenskoye and the village of Kartmazovo. Their construction is planned to be completed in 2025,” added the head of the capital’s Department for the Development of New Territories

    Vladimir Zhidkin.

    On the instructions of Sergei Sobyanin, special attention in the capital is being paid to the quality of construction of infrastructure facilities that ensure the safety of the city and its residents.

    According to the Chairman of the Committee for State Construction Supervision of the City of Moscow (Mosgosstroynadzor) Anton Slobodchikova, the construction of two fire stations for eight parking spaces was supervised by the department’s inspectors. During the entire period, 20 on-site inspections were carried out, to which specialists from the subordinate Center for Expertise in Research and Testing in Construction were involved. The specialists carried out a set of laboratory and instrumental studies to assess the compliance of the quality of work and materials used with the requirements of the design documentation.

    New fire stations in TiNAO significantly increase the speed of response of special services to emergency situations. Today, the average time of arrival of crews to the fire site has been halved.

    A fire station will be built in the village of VoskresenskoyeA new fire and rescue team has started working in TiNAO

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

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

    https://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/145938073/

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Rosneft has implemented a unique project to preserve a stream in Komsomolsk-on-Amur

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Rosneft – Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Komsomolsk Oil Refinery (part of the Rosneft oil refining complex) has completed the implementation of a unique environmental project for the Far East: the construction of a closed collector for the Klyukvenny stream.

    This complex of structures will protect sections of several streets in the city of Komsomolsk-on-Amur from flooding during floods and will eliminate the possibility of riverbank erosion products getting into the stream.

    During the final second stage of the project, overpasses with devices for automatic monitoring of water level fluctuations in the stream, as well as pumping stations, were installed. The pumps will direct excess surface water to the treatment facilities of the Komsomolsk Oil Refinery.

    Earlier, during the first stage of the project, almost two kilometers of the stream bed were enclosed in a protective reinforced concrete structure, providing waterproofing along its entire length. A new bridge has been built on Gorodskaya Street, which the stream used to wash away during floods.

    Rosneft strives to achieve leadership positions in the field of minimizing environmental impact and environmentally friendly production. The Company’s subsidiaries implement comprehensive programs for the conservation and restoration of biological resources, including using advanced technological solutions.

    In 2023, the Primorsky Interregional Department of Rosprirodnadzor issued a comprehensive environmental permit to the Komsomolsk Oil Refinery. It was the first in the Khabarovsk Territory, as well as the first for enterprises of the Rosneft oil refining and petrochemical complex.

    As part of obtaining comprehensive environmental permits, an assessment is made of the conformity of technologies used in production with the best available technologies. They include technical and management solutions that help conserve production resources and reduce its impact on the environment. In accordance with the developed documentation, the technologies used at the Komsomolsk Oil Refinery meet the criteria of the best.

    Reference:

    Komsomolsk Oil Refinery is the largest oil refinery in Khabarovsk Krai and plays a key role in supplying regions of the Far Eastern Federal District with oil products. The product range includes more than 20 items: high-octane gasolines, diesel fuel of environmental class 5, marine fuel RMLS 40 with low sulfur content and other products.

    Department of Information and Advertising of PJSC NK Rosneft October 30, 2024

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

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI USA: UConn, EPA Launch Regional Environmental Justice Center

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    A multi-disciplinary team of researchers at UConn has received a five-year $10 million grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to lead a New England regional center focused on environmental justice.

    On Wednesday, Oct. 30, UConn launched the Environmental Justice Thriving Community Technical Assistance Center (EJ-TCTAC). In close partnership with the EPA, the University will provide critical support to communities throughout New England.

    The center will benefit cities, towns, and recognized Tribes throughout Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine, offering assistance with navigating the federal grant process, engagement efforts, and identifying funding opportunities as the region embraces evolving environmental challenges.

    “As Connecticut’s flagship university, UConn takes pride in service to our communities and helping to prepare them for the environmental challenges they face in the present and the future,” says Pamir Alpay, UConn Vice President for Research, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship. “With the EPA’s generous support, we are proud to extend our expertise and resourcefulness to support environmental justice throughout the cities, towns, and Tribes of New England.”

    UConn won the grant through a competitive process among other universities in the region. UConn is well-positioned to lead the Center thanks to the expertise of faculty working in various areas related to environmental justice and existing connections with community organizations.

    “Too often, communities with the most pressing environmental justice concerns have been left behind due to barriers in accessing federal funding,” says EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. “UConn’s technical assistance center is a game-changer for New England and will provide greater access to services to ensure overburdened and underserved communities and our Tribal nations can access historic investments to address generational environmental and health disparities.”

    The center became operational with the launch of its website, environmental-justice.program.uconn.edu.

    Carolyn A. Lin, professor in the Department of Communication, leads the team as the director of the EJ-TCTAC. The team includes associate directors Rupal Parekh, assistant professor in the School of Social Work; David Chacon-Hurtado, assistant research professor in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering; Diego Cerrai, assistant professor in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering; and Chris Newell, the director of Native American Cultural Programs as the tribal liaison.

    “We have a very large group of talented faculty and researchers who have been working on environment-related projects and a lot of them have an environmental justice focus as well,” Lin says. “We hope to excel and do even more than is anticipated successfully.”

    Environmental justice highlights that certain communities, typically lower-income and communities of color, are more likely to be at risk of suffering from environmental harms like pollution and vulnerability to climate change-related impacts like flooding.

    “The need for environmental justice work is very high,” Lin says. “Climate change does not wait for us. The problems are here, and the consequences are obvious. They may not all manifest all at once, but people who live in those communities understand those consequences and they have suffered from them.”

    The Center will support urban, rural, and Tribal communities throughout New England, helping organizations access funding from federal and state agencies to complete environmental justice projects.

    Community organizations will be able to submit requests for free support with tasks like needs assessment, identifying funding sources, grant preparation, grant applications, and grant management. The team will engage partners directly and create digital informational resources, including webinars, podcasts and videos.

    Through this technical assistance, the Center will support projects aimed at improving the quality of life and economic development of communities most affected by environmental injustices.

    “My hope for the Center is that we can use our combined talent and resources, not to mention our passion for this line of work, to truly make a difference in the New England region across urban, rural, and tribal communities,” Lin says.

    The Center is partnering with the EPA; the Institute for New England Native American Studies at the University of Massachusetts, Boston; the New England Environmental Finance Center at the University of Southern Maine; the New England Rural Health Association; Groundwork USA, and the Environmental Protection Network. These partnerships will help the team strengthen its connection with communities and better understand their needs.

    “The only purpose of our Center is to serve the needs of communities across New England,” Lin says. “We have a very strong commitment to pulling together any kind of resources we can and building coalitions with communities and state governments and tribal nations. Because if you unite you are much bigger and much stronger in what you can do.”

    For example, one environmental justice concern in Connecticut is transportation equity. Expanding public transit networks is not only good for the environment, as it cuts carbon emissions by reducing dependence on cars, but it also increases mobility for people who do not own a car.

    “How do we improve our transportation system so that disadvantaged communities who don’t have good access to public transportation will be able to travel more efficiently in terms of time and cost to actually have better educational and economic opportunities,” asks Lin.

    Other initiatives may tackle health disparities related to pollution exposure and toxic infrastructures, helping community organizations combat sources of pollution, develop educational resources, or connect community residents to healthcare services.

    “Environmental issues are directly relevant to our health,” Lin says. “The air we breathe, the water we drink, and the soil beneath us all affect our well-being.”

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Global: Abortion and marijuana ballot measures may bring out Florida Democrats, but the GOP has 1M more active voters in the Sunshine State

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Daniel A. Smith, Professor of Political Science, University of Florida

    Could ballot initiatives bring more Democrats to the polls in Florida? Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

    The number of voters registered as Democrats has tumbled in recent years in Florida, effectively removing the Sunshine State as a battleground and placing it firmly in the red column.

    At least that’s the dominant narrative found in many media outlets. And it is true that Republican Donald Trump won the state in both 2016 and 2020.

    Still, Nikki Fried, the Florida Democratic party chair, thinks Florida Democrats are making a “clear resurgence.”

    Buoyed by broad support for two statewide initiatives on the ballot – the legalization of recreational marijuana and the establishment of a constitutional right to abortion up to viability – Fried is predicting robust turnout of Democratic voters this November despite concerns hurricanes Helene and Milton may suppress turnout.

    Fried suggests that Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Debbie Mucarsel-Powell will benefit from the two hot issues on the ballot. A ban on most abortions after six weeks went into effect in Florida on May 1, 2024, with the state Supreme Court at the same time deciding to put the issue to voters.

    The marijuana ballot measure looks likely to pass, while support for the abortion access measure is more uncertain. But the point is that these are the types of issues that bring Democrats – and unaffiliated voters – out to the polls.

    I’ve written extensively on direct democracy and Florida politics. My research shows how ballot measures can have what I call “educative effects,” not only bolstering turnout but also priming voters to choose candidates who support the same initiatives they do.

    This goes a long way to explain Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ efforts to thwart both measures, going so far as to use taxpayers’ dollars to oppose the abortion amendment.

    Florida’s abortion amendment needs to pass with 60% of the vote, so turnout is key.
    Rebecca Blackwell/AP Photo

    Active voters

    But Fried and the Democrats face a major hurdle – a widening voter registration gap – as Florida Republicans are quick to point out. Over the past several years, the GOP steadily narrowed the Democratic Party’s lead in voter registrations in the Sunshine State, finally surpassing Democrats’ plurality of active registered voters in 2021.

    Fried thinks the widening gap between registered Republicans and Democrats is a mirage. She claims that the Republican advantage is an artifact of a shift in state law that more aggressively reclassifies voters as being “inactive” if they don’t vote in two general election cycles or keep their information on file with local supervisors of elections.

    There is no question that the law, which went into effect in 2022, has deflated Democratic registration numbers. Here are the stats.

    According to the Florida secretary of state’s website, updated on Oct. 7, 2024, there are more than 1 million more registered Republicans (5,455,480) than Democrats (4,400,561) in Florida, followed by no party affiliation (3,584,982) and those registered with minor parties (404,890). That is, Republicans appear to account for more than 39% of registered voters in the Sunshine State, while Democrats make up less than 32%.

    However, the numbers posted on Florida’s official website, which amount to nearly 13.7 million registered voters, are misleading: They tally only active voters in the state.

    There are more than 2.5 million inactive voters on the rolls as of Aug. 1, 2024, according to my calculation of publicly available raw voter files. This brings the total number of registered voters in Florida to more than 16 million people.

    Inactive and unaffiliated voters

    Inactive registered voters have every right to cast ballots just like active voters. The main difference between the two groups is that inactive voters didn’t vote in 2020 or 2022.

    There are hundreds of thousands more inactive Democrats and unaffiliated voters than Republicans on the rolls. This is likely the result of lackluster campaigns in the state for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden in 2020 and for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist in 2022. Uninspired Democrats and unaffiliated voters didn’t show up to the polls, particularly in 2022.

    Currently, according to the publicly available Florida voter rolls, there are over 900,000 inactive Democrats and over 921,000 inactive unaffiliated voters, compared with fewer than 643,000 inactive Republicans. So, while Republicans account for 39% of active voters, they account for only 25% of inactive voters.

    To sharpen the point: 1 in 10 Republicans are currently inactive, whereas nearly 2 in 5 of all registered Democrats and more than 1 in 5 unaffiliated voters in Florida are inactive. These inactive voters tend not to receive the same attention from parties and groups trying to mobilize registered voters to the polls.

    There’s no question that the fortunes of the Florida Democratic Party have tumbled over the past decade. Twelve years ago, just prior to the 2012 general election, Democrats accounted for 40% of all active registered voters. It’s been a sharp decline down to 32%.

    But the difference has not been made up by Republicans. From 2012 to 2024, the share of active voters registered as Republicans increased by only 3 percentage points, from 36% to 39%.

    The biggest increase in the share of active voters over the same period is with unaffiliated voters, whose share jumped 5 percentage points, from less than 21% in 2012 to 26% in 2024. These unaffiliated voters in Florida tend to be younger and Hispanic, many of whom likely have been turned off by the toxic political landscape in the state.

    But back to the November election and Fried’s prognostications.

    Will the two statewide ballot measures – Amendment 3 on recreational marijuana and Amendment 4 on reproductive rights – offset the rise in Republican voter registration in Florida? Is the sizable lead of Republican active voters a mirage, only to disappear as Election Day nears?

    It will come down to turnout and whether inactive Democratic and unaffiliated voters’ support for Amendment 3 and Amendment 4 primes them to back the Democratic ticket.

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

    ref. Abortion and marijuana ballot measures may bring out Florida Democrats, but the GOP has 1M more active voters in the Sunshine State – https://theconversation.com/abortion-and-marijuana-ballot-measures-may-bring-out-florida-democrats-but-the-gop-has-1m-more-active-voters-in-the-sunshine-state-239538

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Sharing the stories and lessons of witch-hunting in Scotland The University of Aberdeen is introducing people around the world to the history of witch-hunting and the witch trials in Scotland.

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    North Berwick witchesThe University of Aberdeen is introducing people around the world to the history of witch-hunting and the witch trials in Scotland.
    With wide-brimmed hats, black cats, broomsticks and crooked noses, witches in popular culture are instantly recognisable a staple of Halloween events.
    But in previous centuries changes in attitudes and approaches to magic led to suspicion and accusations which spread through Scottish communities as paranoid hunts sought to root out those thought to derive powers from the Devil.
    The University has created an online short course ‘Scottish Witch-Hunting and the Rise of a Protestant Culture 1590-1690’ which provides an opportunity for anyone with a professional or personal interest in the history of Scottish witchcraft to take an in-depth look at Scottish attitudes and approaches to magic, the preternatural and the supernatural.
    Professor Bill Naphy, Emeritus Professor of History, said: “Witches may been seen by guisers today as a bit of fun but in the middle of the 16th century, they were seen as conspirators trying to destroy society.
    “This wasn’t unique to Scotland but the ripples of panic it caused were far reaching with Scotland’s execution rate per head of population about five times the European average.
    “It means this is a really important area for study, not just in understanding about witchcraft and the brutal investigations, trials and often executions of those accused but in piecing together the wider issues and changes facing society at this time.”
    The course explores the involvement of King James VI and I who in 1591 became convinced that a group of North Berwick witches tried to kill him and his wife when their vessel was caught in storms as they attempted to travel to Denmark.
    As a result he becomes the only reigning monarch to ever serve as a judge in a witch trial and writes a book about witchcraft titled ‘Daemonologie’. This originally circulates in manuscript form and Professor Naphy says it was ‘clearly aimed at his sons so they will know when they become powerful how to find witches’ but is published widely following a panic which begins in Aberdeen in January 1597.
    Professor Naphy explains: “The North Berwick witch trials of 1591 are notorious because of the sheer number of ‘witches’, widely agreed to be around 70 most of whom were women, executed in one hunt in a small Scottish town.
    “But the lesser-known Aberdeen witch hunt in 1597 demonstrates how far panic swept across Scottish society, even prompting the demand for the publication of the King’s book.
    “City leaders in Aberdeen became convinced that they had such a serious problem on their hands that they were able to secure a five-year commission to find and try all witches in the north-east.
    “Once the idea took root that there was a witch plot or ‘cell’ the threshold for evidence necessary to prove guilt decreased and investigators become increasingly concerned with finding wider connections.
    “In Aberdeen this saw accusations levied against the Leys family and at his trail Thomas Leys confessed, undoubtedly under coercion, to having led a coven of witches in a dance at the fish cross the previous Halloween – a satanic party right in front of the tollbooth.”
    This soon led to extensive witch hunts across not only the north-east but many parts of Scotland.
    “Thomas implicated a number of women that took the commissioners from Aberdeen to the tiny village of Lumphanan in their hunt for conspiratorial cells,” Professor Naphy added.
    “In total 24 ‘witches’ were executed in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, including a significant proportion of the adult female population of Lumphanan and this little known 1597 hunt triggered panic across many regions of Scotland that resulted in many more deaths through execution.
    “This is an important period to highlight dangers of a moral panic and study of these events serves as a timely reminder that while today witches are seen as part of the fun of Halloween, we should not forget brutal treatment and execution of those accused of so-called crimes of dark magic.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI China: 51 killed by flash floods in eastern Spain: report

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    At least 51 people have died in flash floods in the Spanish province of Valencia as torrential rains continue to ravage the country’s eastern and southern coasts, state broadcaster TVE reported on Wednesday.

    Since the authorities declared a red alert for torrential rains on Tuesday, several people have been missing in heavy flooding that has swept away vehicles and disrupted rail services.

    Six people were reported missing in the town of Letur, close to Valencia in Albacete. In Valencia, two Civil Guard police officers and a truck driver are still being searched for.

    The Spanish government set up a crisis committee on Wednesday to assess the damage caused as rescuers continue to search for victims.

    At the opening of the Spanish Congress on Wednesday morning, Francina Armengol, the parliament speaker, called for a minute’s silence for the victims. 

    MIL OSI China News

  • MIL-OSI China: Pakistan condemns Israeli ban on UNRWA operations

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Pakistan strongly condemned the latest Israeli attempt to dismantle the operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), said a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday evening.

    The ministry said that the latest step is yet another violation of international law and the UN Charter by Israel.

    “Preventing UNRWA from carrying out its vital tasks is a manifestation of Israel’s systematic campaign to deny the much-needed humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people,” added the ministry.

    According to the ministry, Pakistan urged the international community, particularly the United Nations Security Council, to hold Israel accountable and to protect UNRWA’s work under UN General Assembly Resolution 302 (IV) of 1949.

    The statement emphasized that Israel’s actions represent a calculated effort to deny essential aid to the Palestinian population, especially those in Gaza.

    In light of the humanitarian crisis, Pakistan also reiterated its call for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza and for uninterrupted humanitarian assistance to relieve the suffering of people.

    Earlier on Monday, the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, passed a law prohibiting the UNRWA from operating in Israel.

    Israel’s state-owned Kan TV News reported that the new law, which received support from 92 out of 120 parliament members, passed despite opposition from the United States and several European countries.

    The law stipulates that the UNRWA will not operate any representation, provide services, or conduct any activities, directly or indirectly, within Israeli territory. 

    MIL OSI China News

  • MIL-OSI China: 2 hospitalized after ‘significant fire’ in British nuclear sub shipyard

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Two people were taken to hospital after a “significant fire” broke out on Wednesday at the BAE Systems nuclear submarine shipyard in northwestern England, police said.

    Local police said there was “no nuclear risk” and two people were sent to hospital after suffering suspected smoke inhalation.

    Images circulating on social media showed large flames and thick smoke coming from a tall white building, purportedly at the shipyard.

    Emergency services were called at about 0044 GMT to the site, located in the coast city of Barrow-in-Furness, where Britain’s nuclear submarines are built.

    Local residents are being advised to remain inside with their doors and windows closed while the incident is ongoing, said police.

    The craft that have been built here include the four Vanguard Class submarines that make up Britain’s Trident nuclear program, according to the BBC.

    Four new nuclear submarines from the Dreadnought Class and the last of the Royal Navy’s seven new nuclear-powered submarines, part of the Astute Class, are also being built at the site. 

    MIL OSI China News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ghost forests: Learn more as Halloween sneaks up!

    Source: US Geological Survey

    These eerie forests, filled with standing dead trees, tell a story on the effects of sea level rise and extreme flooding. And scientists with the USGS are investigating!

    When coastal forests are inundated with salt water or frequently flooded, trees can be stressed to levels they can’t withstand. If trees don’t survive, coastal forests can transform into different types of settings such as marshes or open water, creating ghost forests and leaving behind remnants of the ecosystems that once were.

    What the USGS knows…

    Coastal ghost forests typically occur in low-lying areas, and USGS scientists are studying how and where these shifts are happening across the nation. The USGS and partners are also working to forecast what areas might be impacted in the future, considering various sea level rise scenarios. 

    Changes can lead to potentially positive or negative impacts. Healthy coastal forests provide numerous benefits such as supporting wildlife habitat, filtering pollutants and offering flood protection along coastlines, while marshes also provide species habitat, improve water quality and absorb floodwaters, among many other purposes.

    A ghost forest stands in Goose Creek State Park in North Carolina. This is an example of a freshwater forested wetland that is transitioning to open water. Photograph by Melinda Martinez, USGS.

    USGS science can be used by decisionmakers such as land and wildlife managers as they consider the costs and benefits of conservation and restoration.

    An example: The Chesapeake Bay

    The eastern U.S. is a particular concern, as these transitions are taking place up and down the Atlantic coast. The USGS has projects in several areas, including, for example, ongoing research in the Delmarva Peninsula within the Chesapeake Bay. This region consists of several low sloped landscapes, which allows for rapid change to occur.

    Drilling into the trees

    Here’s where it gets even more interesting! The USGS and partners recently drilled into trees to see what’s inside. Why? To understand the role of ghost forests in greenhouse gas fluxes.

    Trees are known to naturally absorb and release gases, but there’s limited research on whether and how that process changes when coastal forests die. A recent study finds that standing dead trees in ghost forests have tiny organisms that actually convert methane, a potent greenhouse gas, to carbon dioxide, which is less potent.

    This insight is another piece of the puzzle as officials consider the trade-offs for how to manage these landscapes.

    The USGS is a coauthor on that study, which was led by Hollins University. 

    Share the tale

    Don’t forget to share what you learned with friends! Do they know ghost forests are real?

    Ghost forest on the Delmarva Penninsula. Photograph by Kyle Derby, USGS.
    A ghost forest stands in Goose Creek State Park in North Carolina. This is an example of a freshwater forested wetland that is transitioning to open water. Photograph by Melinda Martinez, USGS.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Global: Time to freak out? How the existential terror of hurricanes can fuel climate change denial

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jamie Goldenberg, Professor of Psychology and Area Director, Cognitive, Neuroscience and Social Psychology, University of South Florida

    Hurricane Milton flooded parts of the Tampa Bay region just days after Hurricane Helene made landfall nearby. Bryan R. Smithy/AFP via Getty Images

    As TVs across Florida broadcast the all-too-familiar images of a powerful hurricane headed for the coast in early October 2024, people whose homes had been damaged less than two weeks earlier by Hurricane Helene watched anxiously. Hurricane Milton was rapidly intensifying into a dangerous storm, fueled by the Gulf of Mexico’s record-breaking temperatures.

    Many residents scrambled to evacuate, clogging roads away from the region. Officials urged those near the coast who ignored evacuation warnings to scrawl their names on their arms with indelible ink so their corpses could be identified.

    The two hurricanes were among the most destructive in recent memory. They are also stark reminders of the increasingly extreme weather events that scientists have long warned would be the consequence of human-driven climate change.

    Still, many people deny that climate change is a worsening threat, or that it exists at all. As its impacts grow more visible and destructive, how is this possible?

    Views of Hurricane Milton’s damage across Florida.

    One answer lies in a unique facet of human psychology – specifically, in how people manage the fear aroused by existential threats. For many people, denying the existence of a climate crisis is not only convenient, but may feel psychologically necessary.

    Terror management theory

    The Pulitzer Prize-winning anthropologist Ernest Becker put it this way: “The idea of death, the fear of it, haunts the human animal like nothing else … to overcome it by denying it in some way is the final destiny for man.”

    In plain terms, he was saying that most people struggle to accept their mortality and take pains to distort their perception of reality to avoid confronting it.

    In the 1980s, social psychologists developed “terror management theory,” showing the lengths people go to deny death. Hundreds of experiments have tested its implications. In a common method, participants reflect on their own death, while control groups consider less threatening topics, like dental pain. The key question: What does death awareness do to people?

    After writing about death, people tend to quickly move on, pushing thoughts of it from consciousness with distractions, rationalizations and other tactics. Health care professionals see this every day. For example, people often dodge screenings and diagnostic tests to avoid the frightening possibility of discovering cancer.

    Skidmore College psychologist Sheldon Solomon discusses Ernest Becker’s ‘The Denial of Death’ and terror management theory in the context of humanity’s history of brutal behavior.

    But here’s the rub: Terror management theory suggests that when people are not thinking about death, it nevertheless holds influence. The unconscious mind lingers on the problem even after people have used strategies to quiet the fear by pushing it from awareness.

    Social psychology experiments show that people often cope with the specter of death by attaching themselves to cultural ideologies, such as religious, political or even sports fandom. These worldviews imbue life with meaning, values and purpose. And that can ease the terror of mortality by connecting people to an enduring and comforting web of ideas and beliefs that transcend one’s own existence.

    When people are made aware of death, those systems of meaning become even more critical to their psychological functioning. Existential threats make us cling even tighter to the meaning systems that sustain us.

    Climate denial as a defense mechanism

    Much like a terror management lab experiment – or the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic – natural disasters like hurricanes Helene and Milton trigger death anxiety.

    Rising sea levels, warming oceans and intensifying storms – all tied to global warming fueled by human actions – represent an existential threat.

    From our perspective, it is not surprising that climate-related disasters disappear from the public consciousness almost as soon as they have passed. Google Trends data exemplifies this: Incoming storms instigated an uptick in searches for “climate change” and “global warming” in the days before Hurricane Helene made landfall on Sept. 25, 2024, and Hurricane Milton on Oct. 9, 2024. Then those searches quickly declined as people shifted their focus away from the threat.

    Unfortunately, climate change isn’t going away, no matter how hard anyone tries to deny it.

    While climate denial allows people to protect themselves from feelings of distress, terror management theory suggests that denying death is just the tip of the iceberg. For some people, accepting the reality of climate change would necessitate reevaluating their ideologies.

    Terror management theory predicts that individuals whose ideologies conflict with environmental concerns may ironically double down on those beliefs to psychologically manage the existential threat posed by climate-related disasters. It’s similar to how mortality reminders can lead people to engage in risky behavior, such as smoking or tanning. Hurricanes may reinforce denial and commitment to a worldview that rejects climate change.

    A path forward: Building new worldviews

    Although denial may be a natural psychological response to existential threats, the U.S. may be getting to a point where even deniers can’t ignore the existential threat associated with climate change.

    Again and again, Americans are gobsmacked by the devastation – from hurricanes to severe flooding, wildfires and more.

    A terror management analysis suggests that overcoming this crisis requires weaving a solutions-focused narrative into the ideologies that people rely on for comfort. As psychologists who work on terror management, we believe the fight against climate change should be framed not as an apocalyptic battle that humanity is destined to lose, but as a moral and practical challenge that humanity can collectively overcome.

    Tampa, Florida, meteorologist Denis Phillips had the right idea as the two hurricanes headed for his community: His fact-based social media updates eschew partisan critique, encourage neighbors to support one another and emphasize preparedness and resilience in the face of incoming storms.

    As Milton approached, Phillips told residents to remember his Rule #7: Don’t freak out. That doesn’t mean do nothing – it means evaluate risks without letting emotion interfere, and take action.

    Shifting the narrative from helplessness to collective empowerment and action can help people confront climate change without triggering the existential anxieties that lead to denial – offering a vision for a future that is both secure and personally meaningful.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    ref. Time to freak out? How the existential terror of hurricanes can fuel climate change denial – https://theconversation.com/time-to-freak-out-how-the-existential-terror-of-hurricanes-can-fuel-climate-change-denial-242390

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Global: Nationalism is not patriotism: 3 insights from Orwell about Trump and the 2024 election

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Mark Satta, Associate Professor of Philosophy and Law, Wayne State University

    Donald Trump hugs an American flag as he arrives at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Feb. 24, 2024, in Baltimore. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

    Shortly after Donald Trump was inaugurated as president of the United States in January 2017, George Orwell’s 1949 novel “Nineteen Eighty-Four” shot to the top of Amazon’s bestseller list. Apparently, lots of people thought Orwell had something relevant to say in that political moment.

    Nearly eight years later, the United States once again faces the prospect of a Trump presidency.

    In 2016, many Americans were caught off guard by Trump’s win, leading them to grapple with the potential consequences of a Trump presidency only after he was elected. But this time, more people seem to be thinking about the ramifications of such an outcome in advance.

    In my work as a professor of philosophy and law, I’ve spent a lot of time studying Orwell’s writing. I think people were correct eight years ago to conclude that Orwell could provide insight into a Trump presidency.

    Here are three such insights that I think are useful for Americans to keep in mind as they prepare to vote for their next president.

    Trump supporters clash with police and security forces as they try to storm the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington, D.C.
    Brent Stirton/Getty Images

    Nationalism is not patriotism

    In his 1945 essay “Notes on Nationalism,” Orwell distinguishes between the terms nationalism and patriotism.

    For Orwell, nationalism was “the habit of identifying oneself with a single nation or other unit, placing it beyond good and evil and recognizing no other duty than that of advancing its interests.”

    He was quick to point out that this was distinct from the concept of patriotism, which he defined as “devotion to a particular place and a particular way of life, which one believes to be the best in the world but has no wish to force on other people.”

    To understand Orwell’s conception of patriotism, I find it useful to consider an analogy. Many parents think that their kids are the best kids in the world. This doesn’t mean that they think there are objective metrics that could be used to rank children. Most parents recognize that there is no such thing, and they don’t go around saying other children aren’t as good as theirs. Yet there is still a real sense in which they see their own kids as the very best.

    There is something similar in the attitude of Orwell’s patriot. They may think that their country or their way of life is the best, but – and this may be the most important part – they have no wish to force their views or way of life on others.

    Not so with the nationalist. Orwell claims, “Patriotism is of its nature defensive, both militarily and culturally. Nationalism, on the other hand, is inseparable from the desire for power.” The nationalist is like a parent who goes around tearing other people’s kids down in order to lift theirs up.

    Mere love of country is not inherently dangerous. Making advancement of one’s nation or culture one’s top priority is extremely dangerous. Patriotism sticks to the former. Nationalism goes in for the latter.

    Orwell insightfully recognizes that when the nationalist makes advancement of their way of life their top priority, they inevitably end up placing that goal “beyond good and evil.” This makes the nationalist susceptible to endorsing unethical means for advancing their own way of life.

    A prime example of such a nationalist mentality was Trump’s response to losing the 2020 presidential election. He sought to subvert the election results by lying and by encouraging insurrection.

    Similarly, Trump’s supporters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 were embracing a nationalist mentality. They engaged in an unethical means of trying to advance their own political agenda.

    Donald Trump does exactly what Orwell predicts the nationalist will do. He conceptualizes everything, as Orwell put it, “in terms of competitive prestige” and “his thoughts always turn on victories, defeats, triumphs and humiliations.”

    Fixation on competitive prestige is not patriotic. It’s unadulterated nationalism.

    An autocrat is easy to underestimate

    In a 1942 essay written during the middle of World War II and reflecting on his experiences as a volunteer soldier in the Spanish Civil War, Orwell wrote that “our traditions and our past security have given us a sentimental belief that it all comes right in the end and the thing you most fear never really happens,” and that “we believe half-instinctively that evil always defeats itself in the long run.”

    Orwell was worried by these optimistic instincts because he thought they ran counter to the evidence. The evidence, on the contrary, suggested that things typically don’t turn out right on their own. Rather, social improvements normally require concerted effort and vigilance against backsliding.

    In another essay from the same year, Orwell criticized various intellectuals who treated Hitler as “a figure out of comic opera, not worth taking seriously.” And he criticized many English-speaking countries for being places where it was “fashionable to believe, right up to the outbreak of war, that Hitler was an unimportant lunatic and the German tanks made of cardboard.”

    As numerous commentators and news outlets have noted, Trump routinely speaks like an autocrat.

    Yet many Americans excuse such talk, failing to treat it as the evidence of a threat to democracy that it is. This seems to me to be driven in part by the tendency Orwell identified to think that truly bad things won’t happen – at least not in one’s own country.

    Orwell thought it was worth taking the possibility of bad outcomes seriously. This is one way to understand what he was up to in his most famous books, “Animal Farm” and “Nineteen Eighty-Four.” Americans would benefit from taking potential threats to U.S. democracy seriously, too.

    George Orwell, whose writings from the middle of the 20th century have relevance in 2024.
    Ullstein Bild/Getty Images

    Nationalism can attack within

    You can read “Nineteen Eighty-Four” as Orwell’s attempt to think about what a ruling political party completely captured by nationalism might look like.

    In “Nineteen Eighty-Four,” orthodox party members in the fictional nation of Oceania are obsessed with “competitive prestige” and “the desire for power.” Activities such as the Two Minutes Hate, where party members were encouraged to scream and jeer at a video of a political opponent, prompt party members to focus their thoughts on “victories, defeats, triumphs and humiliations.”

    A notable feature of the party is how often it turns on its own members through kidnapping, torture and murder. The occurrence was so frequent in Oceania that it had a name: being “vaporized.” Nationalists are a threat not only to those outside the nation but also to those inside the nation who don’t fully support the nationalist’s pursuit of power at any cost.

    From this perspective, Trump’s threats against those whom he views as “the enemy from within” reveal his own nationalistic desire to turn on Americans who threaten his pursuit of power.

    Orwell’s writing suggests that voters should take such threats seriously.

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

    ref. Nationalism is not patriotism: 3 insights from Orwell about Trump and the 2024 election – https://theconversation.com/nationalism-is-not-patriotism-3-insights-from-orwell-about-trump-and-the-2024-election-241883

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pumpkin Patch Paradox

    Source: US National Oceanographic Data Center

    The autumn season, also known as fall, is meteorologically defined in the Northern Hemisphere as the three month period of September through November and represents a season of transition. Summer heat transitions to crisp, cool days; the colors of the leaves transition from green to different hues of yellow, orange, and red; the length of daylight shortens; and our wardrobe transitions from tank tops and shorts to sweaters and long pants. We also begin noticing pumpkins decorating many homes across the U.S. during this time of year.

    Pumpkins are a staple of the autumn season and pumpkin-picking is a tradition enjoyed by many across the U.S. We decorate our homes with pumpkins and fall flowers such as Chrysanthemums, create jack-o-lanterns as Halloween approaches, and pumpkin food items (e.g., pies, lattes, coffee, soups, and many more) are abundant and can be found most anywhere we go.

    Fig 1. Pumpkin production by State for 2021. (Source: USDA Economic Research Service) 

    Pumpkins are produced across all states. However, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Illinois is the top pumpkin-producing state (Fig. 1), harvesting close to 30% of all the pumpkins produced across the U.S. While Illinois produces the most pumpkins, close to 80% of the pumpkins harvested there are processed and canned for products such as pumpkin puree, while the other states sell mostly fresh pumpkins that are used for decoration.

    Weather impacts on pumpkin production

    Like any other crop, deciding when to begin planting pumpkins can be tricky. In order to have pumpkins by autumn, farmers usually begin planting from late May to early July, depending on the location. And after planting, 120 days later, pumpkins are typically harvested.

    Despite their hard exterior, pumpkins are very sensitive to weather conditions.

    Frost/freeze: If farmers plant too early in the spring, when below-freezing temperatures can still occur, then there is a chance that the plant is susceptible to frost, and this could cause the plant to die. Frost or freeze episodes are usually less of a concern during autumn, when temperatures begin to drop, since the plants have reached maturity and the damage is much less.

    Extreme heat: If it is too hot during summer, this could lead to wilted plants or potentially cause the pumpkin flowers to fall. In order for plants to produce crops, pollination needs to occur. However, during very warm days, the pumpkin flowers stay open for shorter periods of time, affecting the effectiveness of pollination.

    Extreme wet conditions: If it rains too much and the soil is extremely wet, this could lead to a delay in planting during spring or harvesting during autumn. Very wet conditions can also lead to nutrient deficiencies, delayed maturity of the plant, and also increases the chance of the development of plant disease such as mildew.

    All of these examples can lead to significantly fewer pumpkins than normal. However, extremely wet conditions have the biggest impact on pumpkin production, and are usually pumpkin farmers’ top weather-related concern. It has been reported that during the very wet years, especially during late summer and early fall, when pumpkins are reaching their maturity, pumpkin growers tend to see that the fruit quality decreases, there are fewer pumpkins, and more disease spreads across the plants.

    Fig. 2. Fresh pumpkin availability per capita for the period of 2000–2023. (Source: USDA Economic Research Service)

    While the production of pumpkins can fluctuate from year to year due to weather, there was a visible reduction in pumpkin availability in 2015 (Fig. 2). This was mainly due to heavy rains that affected the Midwest region during the crucial time for pumpkin planting.

    While the months of May and July were wetter-than-normal for Illinois, the month of June was extremely wet (Fig. 3). June 2015 is Illinois’s wettest June on record with a total of 9.44 inches of rain—which is 5.35 inches more than normal. June 2015 is also Illinois’ second-wettest month for any month on record, trailing behind September of 1962 (9.62 inches).

    Fig. 3. Map of the “Statewide Precipitation Anomalies” for June 2015. (Source: NCEI Climate at a Glance)

    During the three-month period of May–July during 2015, Illinois averaged 20.04 inches of rain, which is 8.24 inches more than normal, and ranked as the wettest May–July period in the state’s 130-year record.

    The very wet conditions during the planting season flooded fields and caused disease and mildew to spread. Eventually, when drier conditions returned, farmers replanted, but the damage was done and the yield of pumpkins was much lower. Overall, this led to slightly more than a 50% reduction in Illinois’s production of pumpkins (from 652 million pounds to close to 318 million pounds of pumpkins).

    Fig. 4. Map of statewide precipitation anomalies for the three-month period of May–July 2015. (Source: NCEI Climate at a Glance)

    Climate change and pumpkin production

    “Climate change is projected to reduce the availability and affordability of nutritious food, with impacts being unevenly distributed across society.” – Fifth National Climate Assessment

    The Earth’s climate is warming and despite the overall global temperature increase seeming to be small, its effects can be significant at the local level.

    The U.S. is not exempt from the effects of climate change. The contiguous U.S. annual average temperature has increased 0.16°F per decade since 1895; however, it is close to three times more (0.46°F) since 1981. Meanwhile, precipitation totals at the national-level have increased at 0.17 inch per decade since 1895 and no increase is evident since 1981.

    Fig. 5. U.S. annual (a) temperature and (b) precipitation anomalies for the period of 1895–2023. (Source: NCEI Climate at a Glance)

    A warmer climate will affect agricultural production, including pumpkins, across the U.S. through changes in the frequency and intensity of certain extreme events. The Midwest, which is known for its significant agricultural production, is already seeing the effects of climate change. The region has observed increased temperatures, longer growing seasons, and increased intensity and frequency of heavy rainfall events that lead to floods. The increasing warmer temperatures and the shifting of the growing seasons are also leading to larger pest populations that can harm crops and affect the production.

    Extreme events are projected to continue to increase in intensity and frequency, putting agricultural production and availability at greater risk. 

    Agricultural adaptation practices

    While climate change is affecting many aspects of our lives, including our food security, farmers are preparing themselves for changes through agricultural adaptation. Agricultural adaptation is when farmers adjust their agricultural practices to reduce the effects of weather and climate change during crop production.

    Across the Midwest, many pumpkin growers have implemented additional water resources (e.g. stock ponds, wells, among others) to help mitigate the effects of drought and protect their pumpkins and other crops. Some have implemented what is known as biological controls, which refers to using natural predators (e.g. spiders), parasites, or other living organisms that are found in the ecosystem to control certain pests from harming the crops.

    While pumpkin farming, as well as other agricultural practices, are facing challenges as our climate continues to warm, farmers and scientists are continuously working together to better understand the impacts and how they can address those to continue successful farming and producing pumpkins (and other crops) for our nation.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI: ServiceTrade 2024 Benchmark Reports Reveal Fire Protection and Mechanical Service Customers Outperform Industry Peers

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DURHAM, N.C., Oct. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ServiceTrade, Inc., a leading software platform for commercial mechanical and fire system service contractors, is pleased to announce the release of its 2024 ServiceTrade Benchmark Reports. The annual reports provide commercial fire and mechanical contractors with critical insights to evaluate their business performance against peers, enabling them to identify optimization opportunities and strengthen their businesses. 

    The 2024 ServiceTrade Benchmark Reports offer a data-driven analysis of the operational performance of US and Canada-based commercial fire and mechanical contractor businesses. Specifically, the reports reveal contractors’ performance in year-over-year revenue, driven by smart strategies such as uncovering proactive pull-through revenue opportunities from existing customers, prioritizing high-value work, and optimizing back-end processes. The reports also provide insights and proven best practices to help contractors take advantage of operational trends and identify sustainable growth, revenue performance, and efficiency opportunities. 

    ServiceTrade Customers Outperform Industry Average

    Per the reports, ServiceTrade customers consistently outperform industry averages. The reports measure two key industry sectors: fire protection and commercial mechanical HVAC service. 

    The median YoY growth rate for mechanical contractors using the ServiceTrade platform was 12.3%, while top performers (those in the 75th percentile) grew at 30.1%. This far outpaces the industry average CAGR for heating and air conditioning contractors’ revenue in the US market, which has shown minimal overall growth of less than 1% over the last five years. Looking forward, the US HVAC services market is expected to witness a CAGR of 3.4% during 2024-2030. 

    In the fire industry, the median YoY growth rate for ServiceTrade customers was 14.9%, while top performers grew at 33.2%. This far outpaces the industry average performance. Fire Protection contractors’ revenue has contracted at a rate of 1.6% over the last 5 years, despite a post-Covid jump of 1.2% in 2023. 

    “As the leading provider of field service management software for commercial contractors, we’re proud to provide the industry with these comprehensive benchmarks,” said Shawn Mims, VP of Marketing at ServiceTrade. “The ServiceTrade annual benchmark reports are known for critical data and market insights that help companies focus on the right strategies, tactics and opportunities to improve their business performance.”

    The full ServiceTrade Benchmark Reports are available for free download:

    To learn more about ServiceTrade:

    About ServiceTrade:
    ServiceTrade, Inc. is a software platform for commercial mechanical, fire, and life safety contractors. During a chronic skilled labor shortage, ServiceTrade helps commercial contractors increase profit by improving service and project operations, increasing technician productivity, selling more service agreements, and growing customer loyalty. Located in Durham, North Carolina, ServiceTrade was founded in 2012 to automate and streamline the commercial mechanical and fire protection industry and has grown to have more than 1,300 customers. More than 10% of the commercial or industrial buildings in the United States are serviced by contractors using ServiceTrade. Learn more at www.servicetrade.com.

    Sources: 

    Heating & Air-Conditioning Contractors in the US – Market Size, Industry Analysis, Trends and Forecasts (2024-2029), IBIS World, July 2024 

    US HVAC Services Market Size and Share Analysis – Trends, Drivers, Competitive Landscape, and Forecasts (2024-2030) PS Market Research

    U.S. Fire Protection System Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Detection, Suppression, Response, Analysis, Sprinkler System), By Service, By Application, And Segment Forecasts, 2024 – 2030, Grandview Research, February 2024

    Fire Protection and Security System Installation Contractors in the US – Market Size, Industry Analysis, Trends and Forecasts (2024-2029), IBIS World, January 2024

    Contact:
    Media@KTCMarketingandPR.com

    The MIL Network