NewzIntel.com

Category: Weather

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Conference places the spotlight on ocean sustainability 

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    As the current holder of the G20 Presidency, South Africa is leading global efforts for ocean sustainability, particularly focusing on advancing sustainable ocean initiatives in Africa.

    The country is hosting the 14th International Conference on Southern Hemisphere Meteorology and Oceanography (ICSHMO), which is currently underway in Cape Town. 

    This premier scientific gathering, being held in Africa for the first time since 1997, brings together renowned meteorologists, oceanographers, and climate scientists to address the unique atmospheric and oceanic challenges of the southern hemisphere.

    The five-day event, which kicked off on Monday, is hosted by the National Research Foundation (NRF) through the South African Environmental Observation Network, with support from the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI). 

    The conference shows South Africa’s growing influence in global climate science.

    Opening the conference, the Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Nomalungelo Gina, emphasised the urgent need for scientific collaboration to combat the escalating threats of climate change.

    “The world is experiencing intensified heatwaves, prolonged droughts, rising sea levels, and extreme weather events that disrupt economies, displace communities, and strain infrastructure,” the department said. 

    South Africa has witnessed the devastating impact of climate change in repeated floods and recurring droughts. 
    These events highlight the pressing need for enhanced climate prediction, risk management, and adaptation strategies, all key topics at ICSHMO 2025.

    The Deputy Minister stressed the importance of turning scientific knowledge into tangible, actionable solutions. 
    Through the NRF, the country continues to support cutting-edge research in marine and coastal science, weather forecasting, and climate adaptation, to inform global policy and action.

    Gina welcomed the integration of ICSHMO with the Ocean20 initiative, a flagship programme introduced under Brazil’s G20 Presidency, which is designed to promote sustainable ocean governance, and reiterated South Africa’s commitment to leveraging science, technology, and innovation for sustainable development.

    The Deputy Minister stressed the importance of equitable access to artificial intelligence, big data and remote sensing technologies, which were transforming climate science, enabling more accurate forecasting, early warning systems, and disaster preparedness. 

    Collaboration and knowledge-sharing were key to building a more stable and resilient global future, especially for nations that were most vulnerable to climate change.

    A group of learners from Luhlaza and Usasazo high schools in Khayelitsha attended the conference and had a special interaction with Gina on the benefits of science for society.

    During the opening session, Kenya’s representative for the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Patricia Nying’uro, highlighted the critical role of indigenous knowledge in promoting sustainability. She stated that the extensive knowledge accumulated by indigenous communities over centuries should be utilized to enhance climate action efforts.

    NRF CEO, Dr Fulufhelo Nelwamondo, said the conference would provide a vital platform for advancing scientific collaboration, sharing cutting-edge research, and addressing the pressing challenges of climate variability and change in the southern hemisphere.

    “The insights and discussions over the next few days will undoubtedly contribute to shaping policies and strategies that enhance climate resilience in our region and beyond,” he stated. – SAnews.gov.za
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fischer, Congressional Delegation Announce Military Service Academy Days Across Nebraska

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nebraska Deb Fischer

    Today, U.S. Senators Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) and U.S. Representatives Mike Flood (NE-01), Don Bacon (NE-02), and Adrian Smith (NE-03) announced that their staff will hold Service Academy Days in Bellevue, Norfolk, North Platte, Omaha, Grand Island, and Lincoln. 

    The events inform high school students about the process to apply for a congressional nomination to one of our nation’s military service academies. Service academy representatives will be on hand to answer questions. 

    “Home to Offutt Air Force Base and Camp Ashland, Nebraska has long been the home of our nation’s exceptional service members. To continue our state’s proud tradition of military service, I’m happy to host Academy Days for high school students and their parents to learn more about how to apply for nominations to one of our prestigious Military Service Academies,” said Senator Fischer.

    “Nebraska has a strong tradition of supporting our military. Each year, I honor that tradition by nominating outstanding young Nebraskans to attend our United States service academies. I encourage high school students from across our state to attend Academy Days and learn more about the nomination process,” said Senator Ricketts.

    “America’s Military Service Academies are training a new generation of young leaders who are stepping up to serve in our nation’s Armed Forces. Academy Days hosted by the Nebraska delegation will provide in depth briefings on how nominations work. I strongly encourage any young Nebraskan who has an interest in attending one of the academies to join our offices to learn more and get all your questions answered before diving into the application process,” said Representative Flood.

    “As a veteran who served nearly 30 years in the Air Force, I cannot share enough how much my military career meant to me and these academies help our youth get a start on their own exciting and fulfilling careers. I encourage our high school students to check out each of the academies and wish them the best as they start their application process,” said Representative Bacon.

    “Nebraska has many bright young people who are willing to serve and would make outstanding cadets at our country’s service academies. It is an honor to partner with our congressional delegation and connect our state’s leading students with a first-rate education, leadership opportunities, and training for service,” said Representative Smith.

    The event includes representatives from the Nebraska chapters of the service academy alumni associations and Nebraska service academy parent clubs.

    All high school students, parents, and guidance counselors who have an interest in the nation’s service academies are welcome and no preregistration is required. The targeted audience is freshman through juniors.

    To learn more, please contact Kevin Huebert, Senator Fischer’s Director of Military and Veterans Affairs, at (402) 391-3411.

    Please click here or see below for dates, locations, and more information:

    • April 5
      • 8:00am – 12:00pm CT
      • Bellevue University, John B. Muller Admin Bldg.
        • 812 Bruin Blvd

    Bellevue, NE 68005

    • May 3
      • 9:00am – 12:00pm CT
      • Norfolk Chamber of Commerce
        • 609 W. Norfolk Ave

    Norfolk, NE 68701

    • May 10
      • 9:00am – 12:00pm CT
      • Nebraska National Guard Armory
        • 1700 N. Jeffers St

    North Platte, NE 69101

    • May 17
      • 9:00am – 12:00pm CT
      • Omaha North High School
        • 4410 N. 36th St

    Omaha, NE 68111

    • August 9
      • 11:00am – 2:00pm CT
      • Grand Island Public Library
        • 1124 W 2nd St
          Grand Island, NE 68801
    • August 23
      • 11:00am – 2:00pm CT
      • John J. Pershing Army Reserve Center
        • 3700 West O Street
          Lincoln, NE 68528

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: RAF 60 Second Update26 Mar 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Royal Air Force

    Say goodbye to Puma with us, in the latest 60 Second Update from RAF Benson. In this episode:

    • After 54 years in service, on 31 March, Puma helicopters from RAF Benson will no longer be conducting routine operations. The event will be marked by a farewell flight from Benson on Wednesday 26 – Thursday 27 March.
    • Things get chilly for RAF Typhoons on Exercise Snowrider in Finland alongside the Finnish Air Force, where the jets practised flying from icy runways.
    • The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight confirm that they will be flying Merlin engine fighters this display season, with a full display schedule expected in April.

    Thanks for watching and see you next time!

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Puma’s final flypast27 Mar 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Royal Air Force

    The flight was organised to honour its remarkable service.

    On 26 March RAF Benson waved off Puma helicopters for the last time as they embarked on their farewell flight around the UK. The Puma helicopter has been the work horse of the Royal Air Force for over five decades.

    Introduced into service in 1971, the Puma quickly became a key asset, known for its agility, speed, and versatility. Over the years, it has been deployed in various Operations and humanitarian missions.

    In recent history it has seen service in Kenya 2009 to 2011 where they supported UK exercises and in Afghanistan 2015 to 2021. It has also provided support in the Caribbean as a part of Operation RUMAN after Hurricane Irma in September 2017. During COVID it took part in Operation RESCRIPT in 2020, providing vital aid to those in need. Up until March 2025, it has been involved in enduring operations in Cyprus and Brunei.

    “This flight route is via various locations of significance.

    “Each place reflects the rich history and contributions that the Puma has made during its time in service. The aircraft has been a cornerstone of global Defence Operations for more than five decades. We want to celebrate its contribution to supporting our people around the world over the past 54 years.”

    Wing Commander Nick Monahan
    Officer Commanding 33 Squadron & Puma Force Commander

    To name a few, the Farewell Tour took the Puma to several key locations:

    • RAF Benson: The home base for the Puma fleet, RAF Benson, has been the heart of operations and training for these helicopters. The farewell flight’s first and final stop was a tribute to the countless hours of service and training conducted here.
    • Northern Ireland: The Puma played a crucial role during the Troubles, providing essential support and transport. The visit to Northern Ireland was a poignant reminder of the helicopter’s contributions to peacekeeping efforts.
    • Kensington Palace: To honour Prince Michael of Kent’s distinguished connection to RAF Benson and the Puma fleet.
    • Cranwell, Halton, Honington, Shawbury and Stanta training area: All sights of significance for the Aircrew that have intertwined history with the Helicopter.
    • Boscombe Down and Airbus Kidlington: Sites for significance for the maintenance and operational capabilities of the fleet.

    As the helicopter flew over these historic sites, it symbolised the end of an era and the beginning of a new chapter for the RAF. The Puma’s drawdown marks the transition to newer technologies, but its legacy will continue to inspire future generations of aviators. For those who have flown and engineered her for over 50 years this is a poignant moment and a chance to reflect on their dedication and service.

    The farewell flight was not just a goodbye but a celebration of the Puma’s remarkable journey and the countless lives it touched and saved over its distinguished career.

    “We recognise and celebrate the dedication of everyone who has served on or supported Puma operations over the last five decades”

    Wing Commander Alice Tierney
    Station Commander, RAF Benson

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The last surviving Battle of Britain Pilot, John ‘Paddy’ Hemingway DFC, passes awayJohn “Paddy” Hemingway, the last surviving pilot of the Battle of Britain, has sadly passed away at the age of 105.17 Mar 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Royal Air Force

    John “Paddy” Hemingway, the last surviving pilot of the iconic Battle of Britain, passed away peacefully on 17 March 2025 at the age of 105.

    Paddy Hemingway, one of a number known as ‘the Few’ and revered figures in British aviation history, played a crucial role in defending the United Kingdom against Nazi oppression during the summer of 1940. His courage in the face of overwhelming odds demonstrated his sense of duty and the importance of British resilience.

    Eighty-five years ago, a nineteen-year-old Royal Air Force Pilot Officer from Ireland, flew his Hurricane in the skies over France, providing fighter cover (strafing attacks, air patrols and dogfights) to the British Expeditionary Force and other allied troops as they retreated to the beaches of Dunkirk in the face of overwhelming Nazi Blitzkrieg attacks. It became known as the ‘Battle of France’.

    When the invasion of France commenced in May 1940, Paddy, a pilot with No. 85 Squadron, found himself locked in a bitter contest with the Luftwaffe. In an eleven-day period the squadron accounted for a confirmed total of 90 enemy aircraft; there were many more claims that could not be substantiated. On 10 May, Paddy was recorded as destroying a He-111, the following day he downed a Do-17 but his Hurricane aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire, and he had to make a forced landing. As the Germans advanced, it was clear the airfields would be overrun and the remaining pilots, aircraft and crews returned to the UK.

    No. 85 Squadron, under a new commanding officer, Peter Townsend, became one of the front-line squadrons of the 11 Group (Fighter Command) response to the daily attacks from Nazi aircraft, which came to be known as the ‘Battle of Britain’. Paddy’s logbook records, almost nonchalantly, the daily sorties he and the other pilots undertook in defence of the United Kingdom. In August 1940, during hectic dogfights, Paddy was twice forced to bail out of his Hurricane, landing in the sea off the coast of Essex and in marshland on the other occasion.

    Towards the end of the October 1940, the strain of fighting and loss of comrades was beginning to take its toll on Paddy. He was particularly troubled by the loss of his dear friend ‘Dickie’ Lee DSO, DFC in August 1940, saying in later years that his biggest regret was the loss of friends.

    On 1 July 1941, Paddy was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and in September that year, he was Mentioned in Dispatches. His journey to London to receive his DFC from The King began with him escaping from a wrecked Blenheim aircraft which crashed on take-off.

    This wasn’t the last of his aircraft related misfortunes. In 1941, serving with No. 85 Squadron, based at RAF Hunsdon, in a Havoc night fighter, Paddy had to bail out at 600 feet due to instrument failure in bad weather, breaking his hand on the tail section. Paddy’s parachute failed to open properly, and he was saved further injury as the chute caught on the branches of a tree. In 1945, whilst serving in the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces with 324 Wing, he was forced to bail out a fourth time. While attacking enemy forces near Ravenna in April 1945, his Spitfire was hit multiple times by anti-aircraft fire. He parachuted into enemy territory and managed to contact Italian partisans, who helped him return to his squadron.

    John Allman ‘Paddy’ Hemingway was the last Battle of France and Battle of Britain (last of “The Few”) pilot. He never saw his role in the Battle of Britain as anything other than doing the job he was trained to do. He didn’t see it as an epoch-making moment in the history of the RAF or the United Kingdom.

    Paddy always had a twinkle in his eyes as he recalled the fun times with colleagues in France and London. This quiet, composed, thoughtful and mischievous individual may not have wanted to be the last of ‘The Few’, but he embodied the spirit of all those who flew sorties over this green and pleasant land. His passing marks the end of an era and a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by those who fought for freedom during World War II.

    “It is with great sadness that I heard of the passing of John ‘Paddy’ Hemingway today. I am thankful that I was able to meet and spend time with him in Dublin, most recently in January this year. Paddy was an amazing character whose life story embodies all that was and remains great about the Royal Air Force. In his youth he travelled from Ireland to join the RAF and following the outbreak of World War II, was assigned to No. 85 Squadron in France, where he is recorded as destroying two enemy aircraft during the Battle for France, as well as flying supporting missions during the Battle of Dunkirk. He eventually retired from the RAF in 1969 as a Group Captain. Throughout his life he inspired those he knew and served with. My thoughts are with his family and all those who cared for him over the past few years.

    “This was a generation who understood the importance of service and comradeship. A generation who believed that with hard work, clarity of purpose and a determination to succeed, they would not lose. Their efforts and the efforts of all our personnel past & present are the bedrock on which the Royal Air Force maintains the security of the UK at home and abroad.  Their sense of duty and willingness to put others before themselves should inspire those who will build the next generation Air Force.”

    Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton
    Chief of the Air Staff

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Op Chessman – RAF Typhoons arrive in Poland for Enhanced Air Policing mission26 Mar 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Royal Air Force

    RAF Typhoons of II Army Cooperation (AC) Squadron from RAF Lossiemouth have landed in 22nd Air Base in Malbork, Poland for Operation Chessman.

    They have arrived ahead of enhanced Air Policing missions as part of NATO’s commitment to maintaining regional security and airspace integrity.

    This deployment highlights the UK’s dedication to supporting NATO allies, and promoting the collective security of Europe.

    “The arrival of our Typhoon aircraft here at Malbork marks a proud moment for our team as we prepare to take on this vital NATO mission. It is a privilege to be in Poland, a country with which the United Kingdom shares a long and storied history of friendship and cooperation, that predates the NATO Alliance. This enduring bond, forged through shared values and mutual respect, reinforces the importance of NATO’s collective purpose and strengthens the foundation of our partnership.

    “We are here to defend and deter, standing ready to protect against any threat, whilst reassuring our allies of the UK’s commitment to NATO and the region. Additionally, we strive to foster partnership, advance interoperability, develop trust, and reinforce collaboration and unity among our NATO member partners. Together, we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to NATO’s collective defence, safeguarding the skies and fortifying bonds among our allies.”

    Wing Commander Christopher Jacob
    Commanding Officer, 140 Expeditionary Air Wing

    140 EAW deployment is part of NATO’s ongoing air policing program, which safeguards allied airspace in areas with limited local air defence resources. This mission serves as a reminder of the UK’s unwavering commitment to NATO’s collective defence and the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the region.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government urged to act as Scotland goes wrong way on fuel poverty

    Source: Scottish Greens

    01 Apr 2025 Climate

    The SNP must recommit to the Heat in Buildings Bill to ensure warmer, greener homes and cut bills.

    More in Climate

    The Scottish Government must re-commit to its Heat in Buildings Bill and focus on improving the energy efficiency of our homes and changing to clean heating systems, says Scottish Green Co-leader Patrick Harvie.

    Mr Harvie’s comments come amidst speculation that the Bill, which was originally scheduled to be introduced last November, is to be watered down or dropped entirely. This follows a Ministerial statement on fuel poverty that showed Scotland is going in the wrong direction.

    Mr Harvie said:

    “The cost of living crisis hasn’t gone away, with the UK Government cutting social security and the Scottish Government approving rent hikes. This would have been a great time to show real leadership in cutting energy bills. But that leadership is sadly lacking.

    “The Statement on fuel poverty shows that Scotland is moving in the wrong direction. The Minister recognises that the energy crisis of recent years and the rise in fuel poverty are directly driven by volatile fossil fuel prices.

    “Yet this Statement is coming just two days before the SNP are expected to dilute, delay or even scrap the Heat in Buildings Bill, which is the only serious proposal they had to end Scotland’s over-reliance on gas for heating.

    “The Greens have long tried to push the Government to go further and faster on fuel poverty and green heating. Even if they had taken the actions we called for back in 2009, when the budget fell because of their lack of ambition on energy efficiency, people would have been better protected from the recent price hikes.

    “For a brief period, the SNP seemed to accept that failure on both fuel poverty and climate change meant they had to go further and faster. Now, they are admitting that fuel poverty is on the rise, but at the same time actually slowing down the action that’s needed.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Planned blackouts are becoming more common − and not having cash on hand could cost you

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jay L. Zagorsky, Associate Professor Questrom School of Business, Boston University

    Are you prepared for when the power goes out? To prevent massive wildfires in drought-prone, high-wind areas, electrical companies have begun preemptively shutting off electricity. These planned shutdowns are called public safety power shutoffs, abbreviated to PSPS, and they’re increasingly common. So far this year, we’ve seen them in Texas, New Mexico and California.

    Unlike regular power failures, which on average last only about two hours while a piece of broken equipment is repaired, a PSPS lasts until weather conditions improve, which could be days. And these shutoffs come at a steep price. In 2010 alone, they cost California over US$13 billion. A 2019 analysis of shutoffs in Placer County, California, found that they harmed 70% of local businesses.

    I am a business school professor who studies how people pay for things, including during emergencies. As I point out in my new book “The Power of Cash: Why Using Paper Money is Good for You and Society,” many people have abandoned paper money and switched to electronic payments such as credit cards and mobile apps. This can become a big problem during an emergency, since these systems need electricity to operate. The switch to electronic payments is making the world less resilient in the face of increasing numbers of major natural disasters.

    So if a public safety power shutoff strikes and you don’t have any cash, you may be doubly vulnerable. On the other hand, keeping cash can protect you – and not just you and your family, but also local businesses and your community. After all, keeping the economy moving during shutoffs reduces the financial damage they cause.

    Why do they keep turning off the power, anyway?

    It’s all about risk.

    The world has experienced a number of very destructive wildfires recently. In 2025, large parts of Los Angeles burned to the ground, with over 18,000 buildings destroyed or damaged. In 2023, wildfires in Hawaii killed over 100 people. Massive wildfires have also occurred recently in South Korea, Portugal and Australia.

    Governments, people whose houses burned and insurance companies are all looking for someone to blame and pay for the damage. Climate change, which is increasing the world’s average temperatures and drying out trees and grass, is setting the conditions. Since Mother Nature cannot be sued, utilities make handy scapegoats with deep pockets. Electrical utilities are sued because their power lines, transformers and other equipment often start blazes.

    So to prevent lawsuits as well as fires, power companies are increasingly turning off the power when the conditions are ripe for a catastrophic blaze. There’s no uniform set of standards for when to impose a shutdown, but in general, power companies do it when there are hot, dry and windy conditions. For example, a PSPS is triggered in Hawaii if there’s a drought, wind gusts are over 45 miles per hour and relative humidity is under 45%.

    Power shutoffs are a relatively new idea. They were proposed in California in 2008 and first allowed in 2012.

    Since then, power companies across the entire western U.S. from Texas to Hawaii have adopted these plans. Shutoff plans also stretch from southern border states such as Arizona to northern border states such as Idaho and Montana.

    Shutting off the power is a huge problem, since it causes massive disruption to communities. People depend on power to run medical equipment, work and keep communities safe. Even people with a desperate need for electricity, such as those on medical life support, are not immune to a safety shutoff.

    How to prepare for a PSPS

    As the world warms, the chance of being caught in a preemptive power shutoff increases. What can you do to minimize the impact?

    Having solar panels won’t protect you: Utilities shut off customers with solar panels to block those panels from pushing power onto the grid, since the whole goal is to shut off the grid. The only way for you to still have power is to buy a battery storage system and a transfer switch, which allows you to take your system completely off the grid. But this is very expensive.

    Getting a portable generator is only a partial solution for a multiday shutoff, since most last only six to 18 hours on a single tank of gas. Plus, generators run very hot, which creates its own fire risk.

    Another way to minimize the impact of both a power shutoff and a wildfire is to create a small disaster relief kit, or “go bag.” Creating one is relatively inexpensive. It should contain key items such as water, your medicines, some shelf-stable food – and importantly, some cash. Even some government websites forget to mention this.

    It’s also important to use paper money before a shutoff happens. I have all too frequently seen gas station attendants, supermarket checkout clerks and restaurant servers have no idea how to handle cash.

    Recently at my local supermarket, for example, I paid with a $20 bill. The cashier had to ask another employee which kinds of coins to use to make change. If people don’t know how to handle cash during normal times, it ceases to be useful during emergencies.

    As the world warms, public safety power shutoffs will occur more frequently. The shutoffs clearly highlight the trade-off between economic and social disruption versus preventing dangerous wildfires. These shutoffs show there are no easy solutions – only hard choices.

    There are a few sensible and easy steps to take to reduce the impact of these shutoffs. One is to understand that during one of the very moments you might really need to spend money, modern payment systems fail. Holding and frequently using old-fashioned cash is a simple and low-cost way to protect yourself and your family.

    Jay L. Zagorsky 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. Planned blackouts are becoming more common − and not having cash on hand could cost you – https://theconversation.com/planned-blackouts-are-becoming-more-common-and-not-having-cash-on-hand-could-cost-you-253319

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: GLACIAL LAKE OUTBURST FLOOD MITIGATION

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 01 APR 2025 3:51PM by PIB Delhi

    Strengthening of Early Warning Systems is prerequisite for preparedness measures and is the most important element of entire cycle of disaster management. 

    The Prime Minister has enunciated ten-point agenda on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) during the Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) held in New Delhi in November 2016. The all-inclusive agenda includes the following: –

    “Leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of disaster risk management efforts.” and “Build on local capacity and initiative to enhance disaster risk reduction”.

    The Government effectively deploys technologies for improved early warning and forecasting of disaster in the vulnerable areas. Central Government has designated nodal agencies for early warning of different natural disasters.

    To promote the use of modern technologies and to strengthen the early warning  system  for  natural  disasters,  Ministry  of  Earth  Sciences  has

    launched a Multi-faceted transformative approach namely “Mission Mausam” for the period 2024-2026 with the goal of making India a “weather-ready and climate smart” nation.

    Under the National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project (NCRMP) Early Warning Systems have been installed in the Coastal States, which have proved to be of great help in alert dissemination to the coastal community during recent cyclones.

    ‘Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) based Integrated Alert System’ has been initiated with an outlay of Rs. 354.83 Crore, for dissemination of geo targeted early warnings/alerts related to disasters to the citizens of India for all 36 States/UTs using various disseminating medium like SMS, TV, Radio, Indian Railways, Costal Sirens, Cell broadcast, Internet (RSS feed & Browser Notification), Satellite Receiver of GAGAN & NavIC etc., through integration of all alerting agencies, [India Meteorological Department (IMD), Central Water Commission (CWC), Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Defence Geo-informatics Research Establishment (DGRE), Geological Survey of India (GSI) and Forest Survey of India (FSI)]. 

    In CAP system, the alerts related to various disasters are generated by Alert Generating Agencies like IMD, CWC, INCOIS, DGRE & FSI and moderated by SDMAs of concern States/UTs.  The alerts are sent to geo targeted areas in regional languages. There is a web-based dashboard to disaster managers for approving/editing alerts and choosing media for dissemination. The system has been used successfully in recent disasters.  More than 4500 crore SMS alerts have been disseminated so far using CAP.

    National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has also initiated a project for Pan India, end-to-end secure and foolproof Disaster Grade Cell Broadcasting System (CBS) to improve faster dissemination of alert / early warning messages to the citizen.

    Defence Geoinformatics Research Establishment (DGRE), Chandigarh under Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is also the nodal agency for studying and developing avalanche mitigation technologies.  DGRE has installed 72 Snow Meteorological Observatories and 45 Automated Weather Stations (AWS).  

    India Metrological Department (IMD) issues regular and precise weather forecasts & warning bulletins including for cyclones to all the affected/ likely affected States/ UTs.

    IMD uses a suite of quality observations from Satellites, Radars and Conventional & Automatic Weather Stations for monitoring of cyclones developing over the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea. It includes INSAT 3D, 3DR and SCATSAT satellites, Doppler Weather Radars (DWRs) along the coast and coastal Automated Weather Stations (AWS), High wind speed recorders, Automatic Rain Gauges (ARGs), Meteorological buoys and ships.

    NDMA also conducts capacity building programmes, organizes awareness workshops and fosters community-based risk reduction strategies and also trainings for monitoring and alert mechanism to ensure last mile connectivity. 

    Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG) monitors the glaciers and provides comprehensive analysis of factors that trigger hazards and its associated downstream risks to significantly enhance early warning capabilities and disaster preparedness.   WIHG has prepared glacial lake

    inventories for Uttarakhand (2015) and Himachal Pradesh (2018), identifying 1,266 lakes (7.6 km²) in Uttarakhand and 958 lakes (9.6 km²) in Himachal Pradesh.

    Central Water Commission (CWC) monitors 902 Glacial lakes and water bodies, to enable the detection of relative change in water spread areas of Glacial lakes and water bodies as well as identifying those ones which have expanded substantially during its monitoring months.

    Central Government has approved National Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) Risk Mitigation Project (NGRMP) for its implementation in four states namely, Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Uttarakhand at a financial outlay of Rs. 150.00 crore.

    NGRMP is aimed at reducing the risks associated with glacial lake outburst floods, particularly in regions that are highly susceptible to such natural disasters.  The objectives of NGRMP project are:

    (i)      Prevent loss of life and reduce economic loss and damage to critical infrastructure due to GLOF and similar events.

    (ii)     Strengthen the early warning and monitoring capacities based on last mile connectivity.

    (iii)    Strengthen scientific and technical capabilities in GLOF risk reduction and mitigation at local levels through strengthening of local level institutions and communities.

    (iv)    Use of indigenous knowledge and scientific cutting-edge mitigation measures to reduce and mitigate GLOF risk.

    NGRMP, approved by the Government, has one of its components as GLOF monitoring and Early Warning Systems (EWS) including remote sensing data, community involvement for monitoring, alerting / dissemination.

    Two Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) have been installed in Sikkim with further deployments of EWS planned in collaboration with C-DAC, ISRO and Space Applications Centre, Ahmedabad to provide early warning to local communities in case of any GLOF event.

    CWC has finalized the criteria for Risk Indexing of Glacial Lakes offering a structured approach for identifying and ranking such lakes based on their likelihood of failure and potential damage they could cause in the event of GLOF.  

    A Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction (CoDRR) under NDMA involving representatives from six Himalayan States / Union Territories and other Stakeholders, has identified a set of high risk glacial lakes for sending expeditions to directly assess these lakes and prepare comprehensive mitigation strategies in terms of setting up EWS / other structural and non-structural measures.

    Subsequent to Teesta-III Hydroelectric dam collapse in October, 2023, CWC has decided to review the design flood of all the existing and under construction dams vulnerable to GLOFs to ensure their adequate spillway capacity for a combination of Probable Maximum Flood / Standard Probable Flood and GLOF. Further, GLOF Studies has been made mandatory for all new dams planned having Glacial Lakes in their catchments.

    This was stated by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs Shri Nityanand Rai in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.

    ***

    RK/VV/ASH/RR/PR/PS

    (Release ID: 2117268) Visitor Counter : 67

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Last Day to Apply for FEMA Individual Assistance and SBA Disaster Loans

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency 2

    strong>LOS ANGELES – Today is the last day to apply for FEMA disaster assistance and U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) low-interest disaster loans for homeowners, renters, nonprofits and businesses impacted by the January wildfires in Los Angeles County. 
    The deadline for FEMA Individual Assistance and SBA disaster loans is tonight at 11:59 P.M. PT, Monday, March 31.
    Apply for FEMA Individual Assistance: 

    Online at DisasterAssistance.gov (fastest option).
    On the FEMA App (available at the Apple App Store or Google Play).
    On the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362. If you use a relay service, give FEMA your number for that service. Assistance is available in multiple languages. Lines are open Sunday–Saturday, from 4 a.m.- 10 p.m. Pacific Time.
    Visit a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC). To find a DRC near you, visit the DRC Locator. Addresses are also listed below:

    UCLA Research Park West 10850 West Pico Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90064 Open Mon. – Sat.: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
    Altadena Disaster Recovery Center540 West Woodbury Rd. Altadena, CA 91001 Open Mon. – Sat.: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

    For an American Sign Language video on how to apply, visit FEMA Accessible: Three Ways to Register for FEMA Disaster Assistance
    Apply for an SBA Low-Interest Disaster Loan:

    Online at sba.gov/disaster
    At SBA’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955. People who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability may dial 711 to access telecommunications relay services.
    By emailing DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov, where you can get information or request a loan application.
    At a Disaster Recovery Center or Business Recovery Center, where you can submit a completed application, or SBA representatives can help you apply. To find a BRC near you, go to Appointment.sba.gov.

    Applications for disaster loans may be submitted online using the MySBA Loan Portal at https://lending.sba.gov or other locally announced locations.

    The Right of Entry (ROE) form deadline has been extended – submit an ROE form to LA County by April 15: 

    Follow FEMA online, on X @FEMA or @FEMAEspanol, on FEMA’s Facebook page or Espanol page and at FEMA’s YouTube account. For preparedness information follow the Ready Campaign on X at @Ready.gov, on Instagram @Ready.gov or on the Ready Facebook page.
    California is committed to supporting residents impacted by the Los Angeles Hurricane-Force Firestorm as they navigate the recovery process. Visit CA.gov/LAFires for up-to-date information on disaster recovery programs, important deadlines, and how to apply for assistance.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Global Assessment Report (GAR) 2025

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Disasters, pandemics, and other shocks are becoming more frequent, more intense, and more unpredictable. At the same time, the costs of responding and rebuilding are rising faster than many countries can manage. To avoid falling deeper into debt and disruption, we need a new kind of financial system, one that is ready before the crisis starts, and flexible enough to support recovery after.

    This section explores how governments, businesses, and financial institutions can work together to build that system. It looks at how public and private money can be combined to fund resilience, how better data and regulation can reduce risk, and how financial tools, from insurance to social protection, can help people and economies bounce back stronger.

    Each part offers practical ways to shift from a system that reacts to disasters, to one that plans, protects, and invests in long-term resilience.

    5.1 Scaling Up Blended Finance

    Most countries do not have enough public money to meet their growing disaster and climate risks. But private investors are often hesitant to put money into high-risk areas. Blended finance helps solve this problem by using public or development funding to reduce risk and attract private capital.

    Platforms like GAIA (Global Action on Investment for Adaptation <<https://www.greenclimate.fund/project/fp223>>) aim to make this easier. [add link] GAIA works to bring governments, private investors, and communities together to support projects that reduce disaster risk, protect ecosystems, and build long-term resilience. These platforms make it easier to fund solutions in places that need them most, but that investors might otherwise avoid.

    Blended finance is not just about funding projects. It is about changing how and where money flows, so that resilience becomes part of every investment decision.

    5.2 Corporate Climate Risk Disclosures

    Businesses face growing risks from climate change and disasters, but many still do not fully understand or report them. This creates blind spots for investors, insurers, and regulators. One important step is to make climate risk disclosure part of standard business reporting.

    Mandatory reporting systems, like those being adopted in the European Union and other regions, help companies identify their exposure to climate risks. This includes physical risks, like floods or heatwaves, and financial risks, such as supply chain disruptions or energy price shocks.

    When risks are made visible, businesses are more likely to act early. Investors can make better decisions, and regulators can help reduce systemic financial risks across the economy.

    5.3 Expanding Regional Insurance Mechanisms

    For many small or vulnerable countries, the cost of disasters is too big to manage alone. Regional insurance pools allow countries to share the risk and access quick funding after a shock. These systems are especially useful for small island states and low-income countries with limited financial reserves.

    Two leading examples are: [links to those initiatives in the web]

    These mechanisms help countries access payouts quickly after hurricanes, earthquakes, or floods. This reduces pressure on public budgets and speeds up recovery. Countries pay into the pool, and when disaster strikes, they get fast, rules-based support. Check how regional insurance helped Dominica recover more quickly from one of the strongest storms ever recorded in the Caribbean.

    Case study: [CCRIF payout after Hurricane Maria in Dominica]

    5.4. Unlocking Green Resilience Bonds

    Green bonds are already used to fund projects that reduce emissions or support clean energy. But they can also support disaster resilience. When these bonds include components like flood protection, climate-smart agriculture, or heat-resilient infrastructure, they become powerful tools for long-term risk reduction.

    Some governments and financial institutions are now designing green resilience bonds that combine climate and disaster goals. These bonds allow investors to support both environmental and social outcomes.

    For example, Costa Rica issued green bonds with a focus on nature-based solutions and climate adaptation. These projects aim to both cut emissions and reduce the impacts of floods and droughts.

    Case study: [Costa Rica’s green bond program]

    5.5. Adaptive Social Protection for Disaster Recovery

    Social protection systems, like cash transfers, food assistance, or public works programs, can be powerful tools for resilience, especially when they are flexible. When designed to scale up during shocks, they can protect people from falling into poverty after a disaster.

    This is called adaptive social protection. It links disaster early warning systems with financial systems that can respond quickly to changing needs. For example, a drought warning might trigger extra cash support for farmers before their crops fail.

    Like in the Philippines, a national social protection program was adapted to respond to typhoon impacts. It helped deliver assistance more quickly and reach the most vulnerable communities during emergencies.

    Case study: [Philippines’ shock-responsive social protection system]

    5.6. How Central Banks Can Support Resilience Finance

    Central banks play a key role in keeping economies stable. As climate risks grow, they can also help make financial systems more resilient. This means looking at how disasters affect inflation, lending, and investment flows, and adjusting policies to support preparedness.

    Central banks can include disaster and climate risks in their stress tests and financial supervision. They can also support green finance guidelines, invest in resilience bonds, or offer incentives for banks that support risk reduction projects.

    Bangladesh’s central bank created a special refinancing scheme to support solar energy, flood-resilient housing, and climate-smart farming. This shows how monetary policy can support resilience at the local level.

    Case study: [Bangladesh Bank’s green refinancing program]

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Sint Maarten Trust Fund

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Mission

    In 2017, Hurricanes Irma and Maria devastated the island of Sint Maarten. The World Bank estimated the damages and losses caused by Hurricane Irma to Sint Maarten to be $2.73 billion. Ninety percent of all infrastructure was affected, with tourism-the country’s biggest industry taking a huge hit. 

    Due to Sint Maarten’s location and dependence on tourism, it is highly vulnerable to natural disasters, which may happen more frequently due to climate change. Sint Maarten needs to be prepared. 

    The Sint Maarten Reconstruction, Recovery and Resilience Trust Fund was launched in April 2018 as a tripartite partnership between the government of the Netherlands, government of Sint Maarten, and the World Bank to help the country rebuild stronger and more sustainably to support longer-term development priorities. 

    The current fund portfolio is US$519 million, with recipient-executed projects addressing the country’s most critical needs-strengthening institutions, building capacity, making infrastructure climate-resilient, and improving social and economic cohesion.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Where the Land Meets the Sea

    Source: Government of India

    Where the Land Meets the Sea

    Mangroves as Guardians of Life and Livelihoods

    Posted On: 01 APR 2025 2:36PM by PIB Delhi

    As the morning tide gently laps against the shores of Navghar, Vandana Patil steps onto the damp earth of her village’s coastline. She recalls a time when the sea was generous, offering abundant crab and fish catch. But over the years, that generosity faded. “Earlier, we used to see unpredictable crab and fish catch and had to rely on other sources of livelihoods,” she says, her voice carrying the weight of years spent worrying about an uncertain future.

    The culprit was clear: the unchecked destruction of mangroves. The towering green guardians of the coastline had been silently disappearing, their roots no longer anchoring the land, their dense canopies no longer sheltering marine life. With every tree lost, so too was a piece of the community’s livelihood. Yet, many in Navghar remained unaware of the deep connection between the mangroves and their survival.

    Change arrived in the form of a far-reaching initiative. The Government of India, in collaboration with the Green Climate Fund and UNDP, launched a project to enhance climate resilience in India’s coastal communities. This initiative, operational across three coastal states-Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Odisha focused on conserving and restoring marine ecosystems, including mangroves, while creating climate-resilient livelihoods.

    Navghar became a symbol of this transformation. In 2021, the project formed a Mangrove Co-Management Committee, bringing together village members, the Gram Panchayat, and women’s Self-Help Groups (SHGs). Their mission was twofold: protect the mangroves and revive local livelihoods. Women, often the most affected by economic instability, were placed at the forefront.

    Through structured training, they learned sustainable crab farming techniques, creating new livelihood groups like Healthy Harvest and Wild Crab Aqua Farm. These groups now farm mud crabs over two acres of coastal land while ensuring the protection of mangroves from illegal cutting. The impact was immediate.

    “Through our campaigns and drives, we have raised awareness about mangroves and their link to healthy fish catch and livelihoods,” explains Rohan Patil, president of the committee. “People no longer see them as just trees—they see them as protectors.”

    By 2023, the once-barren coastline had transformed. The mangroves stood tall, shielding the land from erosion and storms, while the waters teemed with life again. The benefits extended beyond the environment. “The project helped us a lot,” Vandana shares. “Earlier, women worked only seasonally. Now, we have employment throughout the year. Besides, earlier we had to travel far and wide for crab farming; now, we can do it locally.”

    What is Mangrove?

    A mangrove is a salt-tolerant plant community found in tropical and subtropical intertidal regions. These ecosystems thrive in high-rainfall areas (1,000–3,000 mm) with temperatures ranging from 26°C to 35°C. Mangrove species are adapted to survive in waterlogged soils, high salinity, and frequent tidal surges. They serve as crucial biodiversity refuges and act as bio-shields against extreme climatic events. Additionally, rural populations depend on mangroves for biomass-based livelihoods.

    India’s Progress in Mangrove Conservation

    India has made significant strides in mangrove conservation through a combination of robust regulatory frameworks and targeted promotional initiatives. As per the India State of Forest Report 2023 (ISFR-2023), India’s total mangrove cover stands at 4,991.68 sq. km, constituting 0.15% of the nation’s geographical area. There has been net increase of 363.68 Sq.km (7.86%) in Mangrove cover area of the country in 2023 as compared to 2013 and net increase of 509.68 Sq.km (11.4%) between 2001 and 2023.

    West Bengal holds the largest share of the country’s mangrove forests, accounting for 42.45% of the total cover, followed by Gujarat (23.32%) and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands (12.19%). Notably, Gujarat has recorded an impressive increase of 253.06 sq. km in mangrove cover between 2001 and 2023, attributed to large-scale plantations, community participation, and public-private partnerships.

    Key Regulatory Measures

    India has implemented a series of stringent legal frameworks to ensure mangrove protection:

    • Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification, 2019 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, categorises mangroves as Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESAs), restricting activities within a 50-metre buffer zone where mangrove cover exceeds 1,000 sq. m.
    • Mandates compensatory replantation at a 3:1 ratio if mangroves are affected by development.
    • Additional protection under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, Indian Forest Act, 1927, and Biological Diversity Act, 2002, among others.

    Key Promotional Initiatives and Achievements

    1. Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes (MISHTI):
      • Launched on 5 June 2023 to promote restoration and afforestation across 540 sq. km in 9 coastal States and 4 Union Territories.
      • Implementation through convergence funding with the National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA).
      • For FY 2024–25, ₹17.96 crore has been allocated to Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala, Odisha, West Bengal, and Puducherry for the treatment and restoration of 3,836 hectares of degraded mangroves.
    2. National Coastal Mission – Conservation of Mangroves and Coral Reefs:
      • Financial assistance for the conservation of 38 mangrove sites and 4 coral reef sites across the country.
      • Operates on a 60:40 cost-sharing model between the Centre and States.
      • ₹8.58 crore released to seven coastal States during 2021–23 for mangrove conservation.
    3. GCF-ECRICC Project (Green Climate Fund – Enhancing Coastal Resilience of Indian Coastal Community):
      • Active since 2019 in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Odisha.
      • Aims to restore and conserve 10,575 hectares of mangroves.
      • As of 2024, 3,114.29 hectares have been successfully restored.

     

    Why Mangroves Matter

    Mangroves: Nature’s Carbon Vault

     

    As per World Wildlife Fund mangroves store 7.5–10 times more carbon per acre than tropical forests. Their loss contributes to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation. These coastal forests hold over 21 gigatons of carbon, 87% of which is locked in the soil beneath their roots. Restoring just 1.6 million acres of lost mangrove forests could capture an additional 1 gigaton of carbon.

    A Tidal Shift Towards Sustainability

    Navghar’s transformation reflects a broader movement sweeping across India’s coastline where communities are not just adapting to change but actively shaping it. The revival of mangroves, once overlooked and degraded, now stands as a testament to collective action and inclusive development.

    Through the integration of science, policy, and grassroots participation, India is forging a path where ecological restoration directly uplifts local economies. Women like Vandana Patil are no longer passive witnesses to environmental loss but active custodians of their natural heritage, securing livelihoods while nurturing resilience.

    This shift marks more than environmental progress. It signals a future where nature-based solutions become central to climate action and communities, once vulnerable, emerge as champions of sustainable change.

    References

    Click here to see PDF

    Santosh Kumar/ Sarla Meena/ Anchal Patiyal

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: New sections of GreenWay in Kai Tak open today (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    A spokesman for the Development Bureau said today (April 1) that two new sections of the GreenWay in the Kai Tak Development are open to the public. Located at Shing Fung Road Park and the Kai Tak Promenade adjacent to the To Kwa Wan Typhoon Shelter respectively (please refer to the location map), each section is approximately 1 kilometre long, offering the public scenic views of the harbour along the Greenway.

    The newly opened sections are about 6 metres wide, with ground markings, signs and speed-reducing rumble strips in place to ensure safe use for both pedestrians and cyclists. Moreover, bicycle parking spaces are available, and there is a barrier-free walkway running alongside the GreenWay for pedestrians, offering an additional option for the public. Banners listing relevant rules have also been placed on-site. At the initial stage after the opening, ambassadors will be present at the GreenWay to provide appropriate reminders to users.

    ​The GreenWay was planned and designed by the Civil Engineering and Development Department, while the sections opened today are managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. The remaining sections of the Greenway will be opened progressively in alignment with the implementation programme of infrastructure projects and open spaces in the area. For more details about the opened sections and the GreenWay, please refer to the location map and thematic website (www.kaitakgreenway.hk/en).

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Acorn Farm’s New Gate Lodge Garden officially opens

    Source: Northern Ireland – City of Derry

    Acorn Farm’s New Gate Lodge Garden officially opens

    1 April 2025

    Spring has certainly sprung in the new Acorn Farm Gate Lodge Garden located at the St Columb’s Park Gate Lodge which has been officially opened by the Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Lilian Seenoi Barr.

    The new garden is part of the ambitious Acorn Farm Project, a partnership project supported by funding from The National Lottery Community Fund’s, Climate Action Fund and the UK Government.

    Mayor Barr was joined by pupils from St Anne’s Primary School in Derry, who had the opportunity to learn about the importance of seed planting and growing cycles, and taste the benefits of the freshly harvested food.

    The new space has been created to connect local communities, families, households and food producers with sustainable food practices, healthy eating and climate-friendly learning. It will help facilitate elements of the Acorn Farm’s wider engagement programme through events, workshops and guided visits.

    The Acorn Farm project is delivered by a partnership team consisting of Derry City and Strabane District Council, The Community Foundation for Northern Ireland, The Conservation Volunteers, Developing Healthy Communities and Community Garden Support.

    Officially opening the gardens, Mayor Barr said they provided a beautiful learning space for all ages. “I am thrilled to be here today and to see the next stage in the development of the Acorn Farm project. There is a fantastic array of produce already being grown, and local people can draw on the expertise from local horticulturists and other experienced growers. Congratulations to everyone involved in realising this wonderful new green space.”

    Paul Sweeney, Northen Ireland Chair of The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “I am delighted to be at the Gate Lodge Gardens today for the official opening and to see the progress made so far in the Acorn Farm Project, which has been supported by over £2 million of National Lottery funding.

    “A priority of The National Lottery Community Fund’s strategy to 2030 is to support communities in becoming environmentally sustainable. Innovative and ambitious projects like Acorn Farm are a fantastic example of our funding being put into action by communities, by creating a movement and helping develop more sustainable and responsible ways of sourcing and producing food.

    “Well done to everyone involved in developing this community hub which will boost mental health, encourage physical activity and build stronger community connections.”

    Shauna Kelpie, Community Foundation for Northern Ireland said: “What we see here today is the culmination of outstanding collaboration between partner organisations committed to improving the lives of local people and our environment through access to more sustainable food choices. This project kick starts so many ‘green focused’ activities and will be life changing for so many families now and into the future.”

    The total funding investment pot of £6.2m in capital infrastructure (UK Government and Derry City and Strabane District Council) and over £2m (National Lottery Community Fund’s Climate Action Fund) in skills-based engagement programmes, is assisting local people to take climate action through food choice and make the link between sustainable food and better health outcomes for this generation and future ones.

    Find out more about the project at https://acornfarmni.com/

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Germany: NORD/LB and EIB announce EUR 165 Million Partnership to back Renewable Energy investment across Europe

    Source: European Investment Bank

    EIB

    NORD/LB Norddeutsche Landesbank (NORD/LB) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) have today announced a significant partnership aimed at accelerating the transition to clean energy across the European Union.

    The new financing will back new small and medium-sized renewable energy projects throughout Europe.

    Bernhard Kluttig, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, said, “Accelerating investment in renewable energy is not just a crucial step in tackling climate change, it’s also a tremendous opportunity for German and European businesses. This partnership between NORD/LB and the EIB, supporting vital projects like photovoltaics, onshore wind, and battery storage, will strengthen our energy independence and drive innovation and growth in the clean tech sector. Initiatives like these are essential to realizing our climate goals while simultaneously fostering a competitive and sustainable economy.”

    The financing agreement was formally signed at the Hannover Messe by European Investment Bank Vice President Nicola Beer and NORD/LB CEO Jörg Frischholz, in the presence of Bernhard Kluttig State Secretary for Economic Affairs and Climate Action at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.

    Jörg Frischholz, Chief Executive Officer of NORD/LB, said, “As a long-standing partner of the EIB, NORD/LB is pleased to strengthen our partnership to support the green transition and enable our clients to invest in a range of new renewable energy projects. Today’s agreement builds on the success of our cooperation and our shared commitment to support clean energy investment and innovation “.

    Nicola Beer, Vice President of the European Investment Bank, commented, “Backing investment to harness renewable energy across the EU is crucial for delivering the energy transition, improving energy security and as we see here at the Hannover Messe, building on Europe’s clean tech strengths. Together the EIB and NordLB are ensuring that renewable energy can be scaled up across Europe, so that energy prices can come down”.

    Under the initiative, the EIB will provide EUR 125 million and NORD/LB will provide further financing, to strengthen access to finance essential to accelerate deployment of crucial renewable energy infrastructure. The financing will specifically target projects in key areas such as photovoltaic systems, onshore wind farms, and battery storage within European Union countries.

    This builds on the successful deployment of the first part of the initiative over the last year that has supported large-scale wind and solar projects in Germany and France.

    Background information

    About NORD/LB

    The NORD/LB Norddeutsche Landesbank is a leading German commercial bank and part of the S-Finance Group. Its core business areas include corporate clients, special financing in the energy and infrastructure sectors as well as commercial real estate financing via Deutsche Hypo, capital market business, association business with savings banks, and private and commercial clients including private banking. The bank has its headquarters in Hannover, Braunschweig, and Magdeburg, with branches in other German cities and international locations including Luxembourg, London, New York, and Singapore.

    About the EIB

    As the EU’s climate bank, the European Investment Bank (EIB) finances projects in four priority areas: climate and environment, development, innovation and skills, small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs), infrastructure. The EIB works closely with EU institutions to implement the European Green Deal.

    NORD/LB
    Germany: NORD/LB and EIB announce EUR 165 Million Partnership to back Renewable Energy investment across Europe
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    NORD/LB and EIB announce EUR 165 Million Partnership to back Renewable Energy investment across Europe
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Greece: EIB supports student housing and campus upgrades of the University of Crete

    Source: European Investment Bank

    EIB

    • EIB to co-finance with a €95 million loan, the construction and operation of student housing and new academic facilities
    • Campuses in cities of Heraklion and Rethymno will benefit from 2,833 new rooms to accommodate up to 4,846 students
    • EIB also providing technical assistance for energy efficiency, climate adaptation, PPP best practices and project management

    The University of Crete in Greece will benefit from €95 million in European Investment Bank (EIB) financing to help build affordable student housing and upgrade campus facilities as part of a pioneering Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project awarded to the AKTOR Group.

    The EIB financing, which is backed by the InvestEU programme, will co-finance the expansion of the university’s campuses in two locations, Heraklion and Rethymno, with 2,833 rooms and apartments to be built, creating up to 4,846 beds. In total, the project will involve the construction of more than 109,000 square meters of student housing and academic spaces, including a new 800-seat amphitheatre at the Rethymnon campus.

    The new buildings created will also be highly energy efficient, performing better than the Nearly Zero Energy Building (NZEB) in Greece, as well as include climate adaptation measures.  

    “Investing in university infrastructure is not just about building new facilities—it’s about shaping the future of education, fostering innovation, and strengthening the social fabric of our communities,” said EIB Vice-President, Yannis Tsakiris. “Greek universities must have the resources to attract and nurture the next generation of talent, and this project is a crucial step in that direction. At the same time, the shortage of affordable and sustainable student housing is a growing challenge across Europe. With this new financing for the University of Crete, we are not only addressing this urgent need but also delivering on our commitment to support education, sustainability, and economic growth. This investment is a tangible example of how the EIB is turning vision into action, ensuring that students have access to modern, energy-efficient spaces where they can learn, live, and thrive.

    ”We are envisioning, planning, and—through important synergies such as the one with the EIB and AKTOR—implementing a broad and coherent plan for the upgrading of public universities,” said Sofia Zacharaki, Minister of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports.“Ensuring access to quality, free housing for thousands of students, in both new and renovated student residences across the country, is a cornerstone of this plan. Through beneficial public-private partnerships for the Greek state, with a total budget of 700 million euros, we are creating new student residences, increasing the number of available beds to 21,000 from the current 12,457, while also undertaking extensive renovations of existing facilities. It is essential—and this is exactly what is being delivered through the project involving student residences and new academic spaces in Crete—that there is long-term provision and commitment to maintenance and technical management, so that, over time, both taxpayers’ money and the smooth functioning of the public university’s legacy are safeguarded, always for the benefit of Greek families, students, learning, and progress.”

    Unlocking sustainable development via PPP

    The University of Crete procured the project through a 30-year PPP agreement, with the contract awarded to the AKTOR Group of Companies and implemented through its subsidiary Talaia Estia SA. The total long-term financing of €190 million is co-financed equally by the EIB and Piraeus Bank.

    Further to the financial contribution EIB has provided technical assistance focused on three pillars:

    • enhancement of the technical specifications associated with energy efficiency, lifecycle global warming potential calculations, climate change adaptation measures and compliance to the EU Taxonomy technical screening criteria
    • cooperation with the Greek PPP Unit in the ongoing development of the contractual framework in accordance with best practices and the experience gained from similar previous projects
    • provision of best practice tools and capacity building for the University’s PPP contract management team to manage the Partnership Agreement during its 30-year tenor, delivered with InvestEU advisory funding support.

    “Collaboration between public and private sectors and institutional banks, such as the EIB, can improve the daily life of citizens, produce sustainable innovations and solve important problems, supporting social progress,” explained AKTOR Group Chairman and CEO, Alexandros Exarchou. “We undertake this ambitious project with great responsibility as it will be the first of its kind in Greece and we aim to mobilize our resources to deliver state-of-the-art facilities that will stand as an example of high quality, green and modern infrastructure. Our youth is our future, and they deserve the finest environment that will allow them to evolve. At AKTOR Group, our mission is to contribute to progress and prosperity through our actions and investments, and we are committed to a sustainable future and creating value for our shareholders and society.”

    ”We are very proud to co-finance this project as we consider education as a key factor for sustainable development,” added Piraeus Executive General Manager, and Head of CIB, Theodore Tzouros. “Piraeus plays a leading role in supporting infrastructure projects, as part of its strategic commitment to contribute to the economic growth and the prosperity of Greek society. This student housing and academic facilities project at the University of Crete has a strong social impact as it will support the students who need affordable housing and will serve the needs of the local community.”

    Tackling the affordable housing issue with concrete solutions

    The lack of affordable and sustainable housing, especially for students, is a growing challenge across Europe, particularly in regions with strong tourism-driven real estate markets such as Crete. This investment will not only expand student accommodation capacity but will also enhance access to higher education for students from lower-income backgrounds, and strengthen the university’s competitiveness, as well as its academic and social impact.

    The announcement comes after the EIB Group announced at the EIB Forum its action plan to support housing, which includes a new housing one-stop-shop portal to provide advice and finance to support innovation in the construction sector, build affordable homes and invest in energy efficiency and the renovation of housing stock across Europe. The EIB Group is planning investments of around €10 billion over next two years with the aim of delivering 1.5 million new or renovated housing units across Europe.

    Background information  

    EIB 

    The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. Built around eight core priorities, we finance investments that contribute to EU policy objectives by bolstering climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and bioeconomy, social infrastructure, high-impact investments outside the European Union, and the capital markets union.  

    The EIB Group, which also includes the European Investment Fund (EIF), signed nearly €89 billion in new financing for over 900 high-impact projects in 2024, boosting Europe’s competitiveness and security.  

    All projects financed by the EIB Group are in line with the Paris Climate Agreement, as pledged in our Climate Bank Roadmap. Almost 60% of the EIB Group’s annual financing supports projects directly contributing to climate change mitigation, adaptation, and a healthier environment.  

    Fostering market integration and mobilising investment, the Group supported a record of over €100 billion in new investment for Europe’s energy security in 2024 and mobilised €110 billion in growth capital for startups, scale-ups and European pioneers. Approximately half of the EIB’s financing within the European Union is directed towards cohesion regions, where per capita income is lower than the EU average.

    High-quality, up-to-date photos of our headquarters for media use are available here.

    Greece: EIB supports student housing and campus upgrades of the University of Crete
    Greece: EIB supports student housing and campus upgrades of the University of Crete
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Thundery Showers On Most Days In First Fortnight Of April 2025 With Onset Of Inter-Monsoon Conditions

    Source: Government of Singapore

    Singapore, 1 April 2025 – The Northeast Monsoon conditions prevailing over the region since mid-November 2024 are expected to gradually weaken and end, with inter-monsoon conditions setting in during the first fortnight of April 2025. The inter-monsoon period usually lasts to May, and is characterised by light and variable winds and higher lightning activity.

    2        Moderate to heavy thundery showers are expected over parts of the island in the afternoon on most days. The showers may extend into the evening on a few of these days. In addition, Sumatra squalls may bring widespread thundery showers and gusty winds on one or two mornings. The total rainfall for the first fortnight of April 2025 is forecast to be above average over most parts of the island.

    3        The daily maximum temperatures are likely to range between 33 degrees Celsius and 34 degrees Celsius on most days and reach around 35 degrees Celsius on a few days.

    4        For updates of the daily weather forecast, please visit the MSS website (www.weather.gov.sg), NEA website (www.nea.gov.sg), or download the myENV app.

     REVIEW OF THE PAST TWO WEEKS (17 – 31 MARCH 2025)

    5        Northeast Monsoon conditions prevailed over Singapore and the surrounding region in the second fortnight of March 2025. During the period, the low-level winds blew mainly from the northwest or northeast.

    6        The second fortnight of March 2025 was very wet. Moderate to heavy thundery showers affected parts of the island on most days. On 19 – 20 March 2025, a surge of north-easterly winds (or monsoon surge[1]) over the South China Sea brought spells of moderate to heavy showers over Singapore and the surrounding region. This was the third wet monsoon surge during this Northeast Monsoon season. The daily total rainfall of 216.8 mm recorded at Kallang on 20 March 2025 was the highest rainfall recorded for the second fortnight of March 2025.

     7        Based on the rainfall averaged across the island-wide stations with long-term data since 1980, March 2025 is the wettest March on record. The monthly total rainfall of 482.9 mm surpassed the previous record of 451.0 mm set in 2004.

     8        The daily maximum temperatures in the second fortnight of March 2025 were between 32 degrees Celsius and 34 degrees Celsius on most days. During the monsoon surge on 19 – 20 March 2025, the daily minimum temperatures ranged from about 22 degrees Celsius to 24 degrees Celsius, while daily maximum temperatures ranged from about 24 degrees Celsius to 28 degrees Celsius. The lowest daily minimum temperature for the second fortnight of March 2025 was 21.9 degrees Celsius, recorded at Tuas South during the surge on 20 March 2025.

     9        Well-above average rainfall was received across the island in the second fortnight of March 2025 with Changi registering rainfall of 570 per cent above average.

    CLIMATE STATION STATISTICS

      Long-term Statistics for April
      (Climatological reference period: 1991-2020)
    Average daily maximum temperature: 32.4      °C
    Average daily minimum temperature: 25.3 °C
    Average monthly temperature: 28.2 °C
         
    Average rainfall: 164.3 mm
    Average number of rain days: 15  
     
    Historical Extremes for April
      (Rainfall since 1869 and temperature since 1929)
    Highest monthly mean daily maximum temperature: 33.9  °C (1983)
    Lowest monthly mean daily minimum temperature: 23.1  °C (1934)
         
    Highest monthly rainfall ever recorded:  454.9  mm (1900)
    Lowest monthly rainfall ever recorded: 16.6  mm (1977)

    METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE SINGAPORE

    1 Apr 2025


    [1] A monsoon surge refers to a strengthening of winds over the South China Sea, causing extensive rainclouds to form over our surrounding region.

    ~~ End ~~

    For more information, please submit your enquiries electronically via the Online Feedback Form or myENV mobile application.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Winners of first national HIHI GreenTech in Healthcare announced

    Source: Government of Ireland – Department of Jobs Enterprise and Innovation

    1st April 2025

    Today, Health Innovation Hub Ireland (HIHI), the HSE and the Irish College of GPs, announced the winners of HIHI GreenTech in Healthcare. The Health Innovation Hub Ireland (HIHI) is a joint government initiative of the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment and the Department of Health.

    Six innovative products and services have been identified, that promote environmental sustainability in both primary and secondary healthcare. The call was the first step in tackling the research and innovation gap in sustainable product pathways in the Irish health sector. Now, the winning products and services in green healthcare, will be trialled. This allows Irish health providers to pilot, refine and adapt sustainable solutions effectively, before wider implementation. 

    The HSE, Enterprise Ireland and Health Innovation Hub Ireland (HIHI), will lead collaborations across Irish healthcare sites to deliver trialling of the winners on the ground. 

     Welcoming the announcement Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke said:

    “The Health Innovation Hub Ireland GreenTech initiative is a clear demonstration of how innovation can support our national climate goals while delivering practical benefits to the health service. Through Health Innovation Hub Ireland – a flagship collaboration between my Department and the Department of Health – we are driving forward sustainable innovation, supporting enterprise, and enabling real-world testing of green solutions in our health system.”

    HIHI National Director Dr Tanya Mulcahy said:  

    “Todaymarks a significant step toward integrating sustainable innovation into Irish healthcare. By identifying and trialling these six pioneering solutions, Health Innovation Hub Ireland, with the HSE and the Irish College of GPs, is fostering real-world impact in environmental sustainability. 

    “The diversity of the selected products – from circular economy medical devices to eco-friendly ultrasound gels – demonstrates a broad commitment to tackling healthcare’s environmental footprint. This initiative sets a strong precedent for future collaborations in green healthcare innovation.” 

    Dr Philip Crowley National Director HSE Climate and Global Health said:   

    “We are delighted to be involved in this recent Greentech in healthcare call and initiative with Health Innovation Hub Ireland and the Irish College of GPs. In keeping with the HSE Climate Action Strategy and our work to create greener models of healthcare, it is a great opportunity to encourage and support innovative services and products that are environmentally sustainable for healthcare environments.” 

    Dr Andrée Rochfort, Director of Quality Improvement at the Irish College of GPs said:

     “Protecting the finite resources of healthcare and minimizing the environmental impact of healthcare is important. The innovations identified by the GreenTech Initiative have potential to improve healthcare sustainability in a practical way. We look forward to the reports on these green healthcare products after they are tested in primary and secondary care”.

    Winners: 

    Aerogen: This HIHI GreenTech winner pitched a unique long term multi-disciplinary project developing sustainable medical devices, transitioning to a circular economy model and reducing the environmental footprint of Aerogen’s Solo Nebuliser products.  There are several stages to this work and HIHI looks forward to beginning the first stage, supporting research and problem definition, throughout Irish healthcare sites. 

    Vanguard AG: This HIHI GreenTech winner pitched a proven solution for the remanufacturing of single-use medical devices.  HIHI looks forward to trialing this solution as part of a sustainability pilot in Irish healthcare.  

    HaPPE: This HIHI GreenTech winner pitched a full cycle bio-digestion system, creating a sustainable solution for healthcare waste, specifically compostable PPE and food waste. The solution leverages compostable materials, on-site bio-digestion and advanced decontamination technology. HIHI looks forward to trialing this solution as part of a sustainability pilot in Irish healthcare.  

    EccoSpray: This GreenTech winner pitched an eco-friendly alternative to traditional ultrasound gels, to measure sustainability, waste reduction and efficiency benefits. The product has previously been trialed by HIHI with positive results on usability and image quality.  HIHI now looks forward to trial this solution as part of a sustainability pilot in Irish healthcare.  

    Offerre: This HIHI GreenTech winner, a new consortium of Irish companies—Offerre, Envetec, DeltaQ, Enva  – pitched a multi-faceted solution focused on medical waste treatment and recovery. HIHI now looks forward to mapping this solution to trial it as part of a sustainability pilot in Irish healthcare.  

    Medfirst Supplies – Safe clean box: This HIHI GreenTech winner, pitched a closed, sealed cabinet system that automates the manual cleaning of RIMDs. Uses sodium bicarbonate (non-abrasive, non-corrosive and water-soluble) with low-pressure compressed air for effective pre-cleaning of medical device. HIHI now looks forward evaluating this solution as part of its sustainability portfolio in Irish healthcare.  

    The pitches were judged by HIHI Clinical Sustainability Advisors (CSA) from across Ireland who work on the frontline, and a panel of experts from the HSE, Irish College of General Practitioners and Irish healthcare sites – healthcare sites, including St James’s, TUH,  CUH, CUMH, UHG.HIHI, the HSE and the Irish College of GPs will now support the development and trialling of these innovative products and services.  

    ENDS

    Back to Department News

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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Torrential rains created inland seas in outback Queensland. Soon, they will supersize Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steve Turton, Adjunct Professor of Environmental Geography, CQUniversity Australia

    The small Queensland town of Eromanga bills itself as Australia’s town furthest from the sea. But this week, an ocean of freshwater arrived.

    Monsoon-like weather has hit the normally arid Channel Country of inland Queensland. Some towns have had two years’ worth of rain in a couple of days. These flat grazing lands now resemble an inland sea. Dozens of people have been evacuated. Others are preparing to be cut off, potentially for weeks. And graziers are reporting major livestock losses – more than 100,000 and climbing. In some areas, the flooding is worse than 1974, the wettest year on record in Australia.

    Why so much rain? Tropical, water-laden air has been brought far inland from the oceans to the north and east. This can happen under normal climate variability. But our ocean temperatures are the highest on record, which supercharges the water cycle.

    In coming weeks, this huge volume of water will wend its way through the channels and down to fill Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre, the ephemeral lake which appears in the northern reaches of South Australia. It’s likely this will be a Lake Eyre for the ages.

    In the first three months of the year, deadly record-breaking floods hit northern Queensland before Cyclone Alfred tracked unusually far south and made landfall in southeast Queensland, bringing widespread winds and rains and leaving expensive repair bills. Now the rain has come inland.

    Why so much rain in arid areas?

    Some meteorologists have dubbed this event a pseudo-monsoon. That’s because the normal Australian monsoon doesn’t reach this far south – the torrential rains of the monsoonal wet season tend to fall closer to the northern coasts.

    Because the Arafura and Timor Seas to the north are unusually warm, evaporation rates have shot up. Once in the air, this water vapour makes for very humid conditions. These air masses are even more humid than normal tropical air, because they have flowed down from the equator. Many Queenslanders can vouch for the intense humidity.

    But there’s a second factor at work. At present, Australia’s climate is influenced by a positive Southern Annular Mode. This means the belt of intense westerly winds blowing across the Southern Ocean has been pushed further south, causing a ripple effect which can lead to more summer rain in Australia’s southeast, up to inland Queensland. This natural climate driver has meant easterly winds have blown uninterrupted from as far away as Fiji, carrying yet more humid air inland.

    Many inland rivers in Queensland are in major flood (red triangles) as of April 1.
    Bureau of Meteorology, CC BY

    These two streams of converging humid tropical air were driven up into the cooler heights of the atmosphere by upper and surface low pressure troughs, triggering torrential rain over wide areas of the outback

    While these humid air masses have now dumped most of their water, more rain is coming in the aftermath of the short-lived Cyclone Dianne off northwest Australia. These rains won’t be as intense but may drive more flood peaks over already saturated catchments.

    This is why it has been so wet in what is normally an exceptionally dry part of Australia.

    What is this doing to the Channel Country?

    Many Australians have never been to the remote Channel Country. It’s a striking landscape, marked by ancient, braided river channels.

    Even for an area known for drought-flood cycles, the rainfall totals are extreme. This is a very rare event.

    People who live there have to be resilient and self-sufficient. But farmers and graziers are bracing for awful losses of livestock. Livestock can drown in floodwaters, but a common fate is succumbing to pneumonia after spending too long in water. After the water moves down the channels, it will leave behind notoriously boggy and sticky mud. This can be lethal to livestock and native animals, which can find themselves unable to move.

    Where will the water go next?

    Little of these temporary inland seas will ever reach the ocean.

    Some of the rain has fallen in the catchment of the Darling River, where it will flow down and meet the Murray. The Darling is often filled by summer rains, while the Murray gets more water from autumn and winter rains. This water will eventually reach the Southern Ocean.

    But most of the rain fell further inland. The waters snaking through the channels will head south, flowing slowly along the flat ground for weeks until it crosses the South Australian border and begins to fill up Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre. Here, the waters will stop, more than 300 km from the nearest ocean at Port Augusta, and fill what is normally a huge, salty depression and Australia’s lowest point, 15 metres below sea level.

    When Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre fills, it creates an extraordinary spectacle. Millions of brine shrimp will hatch from eggs in the dry soil. This sudden abundance will draw waterbirds in their millions, while fish carried in the floodwaters will spawn and eat the shrimp. Then there are the remarkable shield shrimps, hibernating inland crabs and salt-adapted hardyhead fish.

    It’s rare that Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre fills up – but when it does, life comes to the desert.
    Mandy Creighton/Shutterstock

    The rain event will send enough water to keep Lake Eyre full for many months and it usually takes up to two years for it to dry out again. We can expect to see a huge lake form – the size of a small European country. Birdwatchers and biologists will flock to the area to see the sight of a temporary sea in the desert.

    Eventually, the intense sun of the outback will evaporate every last drop of the floodwaters, leaving behind salted ground and shrimp eggs for the next big rains.

    As the climate keeps warming, we can expect to see more sudden torrential rain dumps like this one, followed by periods of rapid drying.

    Steve Turton has previously received funding from the federal government.

    – ref. Torrential rains created inland seas in outback Queensland. Soon, they will supersize Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre – https://theconversation.com/torrential-rains-created-inland-seas-in-outback-queensland-soon-they-will-supersize-kati-thanda-lake-eyre-253529

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Global warming of more than 3°C this century may wipe 40% off the world’s economy, new analysis reveals

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Neal, Senior lecturer in Economics / Institute for Climate Risk and Response, UNSW Sydney

    The damage climate change will inflict on the world’s economy is likely to have been massively underestimated, according to new research by my colleagues and I which accounts for the full global reach of extreme weather and its aftermath.

    To date, projections of how climate change will affect global gross domestic product (GDP) have broadly suggested mild to moderate harm. This in part has led to a lack of urgency in national efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

    However, these models often contain a fundamental flaw – they assume a national economy is affected only by weather in that country. Any impacts from weather events elsewhere, such as how flooding in one country affects the food supply to another, are not incorporated into the models.

    Our new research sought to fix this. After including the global repercussions of extreme weather into our models, the predicted harm to global GDP became far worse than previously thought – affecting the lives of people in every country on Earth.

    Weather shocks everywhere, all at once

    Global warming affects economies in many ways.

    The most obvious is damage from extreme weather. Droughts can cause poor harvests, while storms and floods can cause widespread destruction and disrupt the supply of goods. Recent research has also shown heatwaves, aggravated by climate change, have contributed to food inflation.

    Heat also makes workers less productive. It affects human health, and disease transmission, and can cause mass migration and conflict.

    Most prior research predicts that even extreme warming of 4°C will have only mild negative impacts on the global economy by the end of the century – between 7% and 23%.

    Such modelling is usually based on the effects of weather shocks in the past. However, these shocks have typically been confined to a local or regional scale, and balanced out by conditions elsewhere.

    For example, in the past, South America might have been in drought, but other parts of the world were getting good rainfall. So, South America could rely on imports of agricultural products from other countries to fill domestic shortfalls and prevent spikes in food prices.

    But future climate change will increase the risk of weather shocks occurring simultaneously across countries and more persistently over time. This will disrupt the networks producing and delivering goods, compromise trade and limit the extent to which countries can help each other.

    International trade is fundamental to the global economic production. So, our research examined how a country’s future economic growth would be influenced by weather conditions everywhere else in the world.

    What did we find?

    One thing was immediately clear: a warm year across the planet causes lower global growth.

    We corrected three leading models to account for the effects of global weather on national economies, then averaged out their results. Our analysis focused on global GDP per capita – in other words, the world’s economic output divided by its population.

    We found if the Earth warms by more than 3°C by the end of the century, the estimated harm to the global economy jumped from an average of 11% (under previous modelling assumptions) to 40% (under our modelling assumptions). This level of damage could devastate livelihoods in large parts of the world.

    Previous models have asserted economies in cold parts of the world, such as Russia and Northern Europe, will benefit from warmer global temperatures. However, we found the impact on the global economy was so large, all countries will be badly affected.

    A warm year across the planet causes lower global growth. Pictured: wilted corn crops during drought.
    wahyusyaban/Shutterstock

    Costs vs benefits

    Reducing emissions leads to short-term economic costs. These must be balanced against the long-term benefits of avoiding dangerous climate change.

    Recent economic modelling has suggested this balance would be struck by reducing emissions at a rate that allows Earth to heat by 2.7°C.

    This is close to Earth’s current warming trajectory. But it is far higher than the goals of the Paris Agreement, and global warming limits recommended by climate scientists. It is also based on the flawed assumptions discussed above.

    Under our new research, the optimal amount of global warming, balancing short-term costs with long-term benefits, is 1.7°C – a figure broadly consistent with the Paris Agreement’s most ambitious target.

    Avoiding climate change has short-term costs and long-term benefits.
    Dany Bejar/Shutterstock

    Changing course

    Our new research shows previous forecasts of how such warming will affect the global economy have been far too optimistic. It adds to other recent evidence suggesting the economic impacts of climate change has been badly underestimated.

    Clearly, Earth’s current emissions trajectory risks our future and that of our children. The sooner humanity grasps the calamities in store under severe climate change, the sooner we can change course to avoid it.

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

    – ref. Global warming of more than 3°C this century may wipe 40% off the world’s economy, new analysis reveals – https://theconversation.com/global-warming-of-more-than-3-c-this-century-may-wipe-40-off-the-worlds-economy-new-analysis-reveals-253032

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Pou Hihiri sculpture inspires hope in Muriwai

    Source: Auckland Council

    Hundreds of residents and visitors gathered in Muriwai on Sunday 23 March for the official unveiling and naming ceremony of Pou Hihiri – a new sculpture commemorating the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle.

    Designed by renowned artist Jeff Thomson in collaboration with the Muriwai community, the sculpture consists of eight columns and benches crafted from materials salvaged from Category 3 houses that were deconstructed following the devastating 2023 storms.

    “What the sculpture stands for is multifaceted, says Clare Bradley, chair of the Muriwai Community Association.

    “Using material from the deconstructed homes gives it a real connection to the event that led to their destruction.
    “It serves as a strong reminder that this has happened in our community, so the events of 13 February 2023 will not be forgotten.”

    Jeff reflected on the strong sense of community throughout the project.

    “It’s been a fascinating project, and it’s still ongoing. I’ll continue to add materials to the sculpture until the deconstruction in Muriwai is complete,” says Jeff.

    Linda Greenalgh, Group Community and Social Recovery Lead for the Recovery Office, shared how deeply the ceremony moved her.

    “The whenua is regenerating, spaces are coming back to life, and there’s a strong sense of hope and momentum.”

    Pou Hihiri is a fully self-funded public artwork, made possible through the generosity of hundreds of donors who contributed funds, artworks, products, services and time to bring this meaningful project to life.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC – No MDs are in effect as of Tue Apr 1 02:02:01 UTC 2025

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    Current Mesoscale DiscussionsUpdated:  Tue Apr 1 02:05:03 UTC 2025 No Mesoscale Discussions are currently in effect.

    Notice:  The responsibility for Heavy Rain Mesoscale Discussions has been transferred to the Weather Prediction Center (WPC) on April 9, 2013. Click here for the Service Change Notice.
    Archived Convective ProductsTo view convective products for a previous day, type in the date you wish to retrieve (e.g. 20040529 for May 29, 2004). Data available since January 1, 2004.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Carbon Streaming Announces Financial Results for the Year Ended December 31, 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, March 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Carbon Streaming Corporation (Cboe CA: NETZ) (OTCQB: OFSTF) (FSE: M2Q) (“Carbon Streaming” or the “Company”) today reported its financial results for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024. All figures are expressed in United States dollars, unless otherwise indicated. The Company will host a live audio call at 11:00 a.m. ET on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. In addition, the Company is also pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Sam Wong to the board of directors of the Company (the “Board”) effective April 1, 2025.

    Carbon Streaming Chief Executive Officer Marin Katusa stated: “In the fourth quarter of 2024, Carbon Streaming focused on its restructuring efforts and evaluating strategic alternatives while taking significant steps to reduce costs and improve financial sustainability. We successfully reduced the number of individuals receiving full-time salaries from 24 at the start of 2024 to 4 by January 2025, resulting in significant savings to ongoing operating expenses. With cost reductions complete, our priority in 2025 is to maximize value from our existing portfolio while continuing to explore all strategic options to enhance shareholder value.  More specifically, we will evaluate all potential acquisitions, divestments, corporate transactions, and strategic partnerships. While the voluntary carbon market continues to experience difficult market conditions and many economic uncertainties exist, we are committed to adapting to market conditions and ensuring the best path forward for our shareholders. With respect to the Rimba Raya, Magdalena Bay and Sustainable Community Streams, the Company remains focused on protecting our investments and preserving our rights as we will with all our investments.”

    Annual Highlights

    • Ended the year with $37.4 million in cash and no corporate debt.
    • Reduced the number of individuals receiving full-time salaries at the Company – including employees, consultants, and directors – from 24 at the start of 2024 to 8 by year-end, with a further decrease to 4 full time employees by January 2025, resulting in significant savings in ongoing operating expenses.
    • Recognized a net loss on revaluation of carbon credit streaming and royalty agreements of $58.2 million (net loss on revaluation of $32.9 million in 2023). The net loss on revaluation for each period was driven by reductions in the carbon credit production and sales profiles and carbon credit pricing assumptions, and an increase to the risk-adjusted discount rate.
    • Continued the previously-announced corporate restructuring plan, which resulted in a non-recurring restructuring charge of $2.6 million.
    • Generated $1.6 million in settlements from carbon credit streaming and royalty agreements (settlements of $55 thousand in 2023).
    • Operating loss of $68.3 million (operating loss of $45.0 million in 2023).
    • Recognized net loss of $67.4 million (net loss of $35.5 million in 2023).
    • Adjusted net loss was $5.2 million (adjusted net loss of $7.6 million in 2023) (see the “Non-IFRS Accounting Standards Measures” section of this news release).
    • Paid $8.1 million in upfront deposits for carbon credit streaming and royalty agreements (paid $7.6 million in upfront deposits in 2023).

    Fourth Quarter Highlights

    • Recognized a net loss on revaluation of carbon credit streaming and royalty agreements of $13.2 million (net loss on revaluation of $24.0 million in Q4 2023). The net loss on revaluation for each period was driven by reductions in the carbon credit production and sales profiles and carbon credit pricing assumptions, and an increase to the risk-adjusted discount rate.
    • Generated $0.5 million in settlements from carbon credit streaming and royalty agreements (settlements of $nil in Q4 2023).
    • Operating loss of $14.9 million (operating loss of $26.8 million in Q4 2023).
    • Recognized net loss of $16.9 million (net loss of $26.1 million in Q4 2023).
    • Adjusted net loss was $0.9 million (adjusted net loss of $2.2 million in Q4 2023) (see the “Non-IFRS Accounting Standards Measures” section of this news release).
    • Paid $2.2 million in upfront deposits for carbon credit streaming and royalty agreements (paid $2.1 million in upfront deposits in Q4 2023).

    Financial Highlights Summary

      Three months ended
    December 31, 2024    		 Three months ended
    December 31, 2023    		 Year ended December 31, 2024 Year ended December 31, 2023
    Carbon credit streaming and royalty agreements        
    Revaluation of carbon credit streaming and royalty agreements $ (13,190)   $ (23,952)   $ (58,155)   $ (32,897)  
    Settlements from carbon credit streaming and royalty agreements1   513     –     1,550     55  
    Other financial highlights        
    Other operating expenses   1,760     2,691     10,340     12,035  
    Operating loss   (14,923)     (26,784)     (68,335)     (45,002)  
    Net loss   (16,932)     (26,092)     (67,369)     (35,501)  
    Loss per share (Basis and Diluted) ($/share)   (0.32)     (0.55)     (1.34)     (0.75)  
    Adjusted net loss2   (884)     (2,225)     (5,214)     (7,586)  
    Adjusted net loss per share (Basic and Diluted) ($/share)2   (0.02)     (0.05)     (0.10)     (0.16)  
    Statement of financial position        
    Cash3   37,350     51,416     37,350     51,416  
    Carbon credit streaming and royalty agreements3   9,081     60,122     9,081     60,122  
    Total assets3   48,683     117,111     48,683     117,111  
    Non-current liabilities3   112     1,083     112     1,083  
    1. Relates to the net cash proceeds generated from the Company’s carbon credit streaming and royalty agreements.
    2. “Adjusted net loss”, including per share amounts, is a non-IFRS® Accounting Standards (the “IFRS Accounting Standards”) financial performance measure that is used in this news release. This measure does not have any standardized meaning under the IFRS Accounting Standards and therefore may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. For more information about this measure, why it is used by the Company, and a reconciliation to the most directly comparable measure under the IFRS Accounting Standards, see the “Non-IFRS Accounting Standards Measures” section of this news release.
    3. Cash, carbon credit streaming and royalty agreements, total assets and non-current liabilities are presented as at the relevant tabular reporting date.

    Portfolio Updates

    Rimba Raya Stream: On April 26, 2024, the Company announced that it was informed that PT Rimba Raya Conservation (“PT Rimba”), the local concession holder for the Rimba Raya project, had its Forest Utilization Business License (the “Concession License”) revoked by the Indonesian Government’s Ministry of Environment and Forestry (the “MOEF”). PT Rimba challenged the MOEF’s revocation of the Concession License, and in July 2024, the State Administrative Court of Jakarta (the “Court of Jakarta”) reached a decision on PT Rimba’s claim and declared that the revocation by the MOEF of the Concession License is void. The MOEF appealed the decision of the Court of Jakarta and in September 2024, the State Administrative High Court of Jakarta (the “High Court of Jakarta”) upheld the Court of Jakarta’s decision declaring that the revocation by the MOEF of the Concession License is void. The MOEF submitted an appeal of the decision of the High Court of Jakarta and as such, the decision of the High Court of Jakarta upholding that the revocation by the MOEF of the Concession License is void does not yet have permanent legal force. While the appeal process is underway, the interlocutory decision issued by the Court of Jakarta on May 16, 2024, requiring the MOEF to suspend the implementation of its decree in respect of the revocation of the Concession License, will remain in place.

    In October 2024, InfiniteEARTH Limited and its Indonesian subsidiary PT InfiniteEARTH Nusantara, the project operators of the Rimba Raya project (collectively “InfiniteEARTH”) delivered a notice of intent to abandon the project (the “RR Notice of Abandonment”). Pursuant to the RR Notice of Abandonment, InfiniteEARTH claims that a Regulation entitled Regulation of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry Number 7 Year of 2023 issued on June 14, 2023 by the Indonesian Government (“Regulation No. 7 2023”), prohibits the issuance and transfer of carbon rights from PT Rimba to InfiniteEARTH. InfiniteEARTH claims that as a result of Regulation No. 7 2023, it has been unable to economically develop or continue to operate the Rimba Raya project and that this is a force majeure event under the Rimba Raya Stream. The Company has notified InfiniteEARTH that it rejects the assertion that Regulation No. 7 2023 is an event of force majeure and has commenced an arbitration seeking, among other things, an order that the RR Notice of Abandonment is invalid or void.

    In October 2024, the Company commenced an arbitration administered by the International Centre of Dispute Resolution against InfiniteEARTH in accordance with the Rimba Raya Stream; and against the shareholders of InfiniteEARTH Limited in accordance with the Strategic Alliance Agreement (the “SAA“). The arbitration has since been bifurcated into two arbitration proceedings, dealing with (i) the Rimba Raya Stream; and (ii) the SAA.

    In October 2024, the Company also issued a Notice of Action in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice seeking declaratory relief against the principals of InfiniteEARTH Limited and their related entities, seeking to enforce its rights in relation to guarantees and non-competition agreements related to the Rimba Raya Stream and the SAA. Some of the defendants have counterclaimed. The dispute between the Company and InfiniteEARTH arises out of acts and omissions that the Company alleges are improper and in breach of the Rimba Raya Stream, the SAA and related agreements. Management of the Company believes that delivering the Notice of Arbitration and issuing the Notice of Action in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice were important steps in preserving the Company’s legal and contractual rights.

    As a result of the uncertainty of the duration and outcome of the appeal process in respect of the Concession License and the ongoing legal dispute between the Company, InfiniteEARTH and the founders of InfiniteEARTH, the Company has reclassified the status of the Rimba Raya Stream to “Expired”. As at December 31, 2024, the Company has determined the fair value of the Rimba Raya Stream to be $nil.

    Magdalena Bay Blue Carbon Stream: In the third quarter of 2024, Fundación MarVivo Mexico, A.C. and MarVivo Corporation (collectively, “MarVivo”) delivered a notice of intent to abandon the project (the “MarVivo Notice of Abandonment”). Pursuant to the MarVivo Notice of Abandonment, MarVivo claims that the failure to transfer the concession rights from the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (“SEMARNAT”), Mexico’s environment ministry, to the jurisdiction of Mexico’s National Commission for Protected Natural Areas (“CONANP”), constitutes an event of force majeure and that it is no longer economical to develop or continue to operate the project. The Company’s position is that the attempt to abandon the project constitutes a breach of the terms of the Magdalena Bay Blue Carbon Stream. The Company has notified MarVivo that it rejects the assertion that the failure to transfer the concession rights constitutes an event of force majeure and that if MarVivo abandons the project or takes steps to wind-down, this will amount to a breach of the terms of the Magdalena Bay Blue Carbon Stream. As a result of the MarVivo Notice of Abandonment and the assertions of MarVivo, the Company has determined the fair value of the Magdalena Bay Blue Carbon Stream to be $nil as at December 31, 2024. The Company reserves all rights with respect to the agreements between the parties and intends to strictly enforce its legal and contractual rights under the Magdalena Bay Blue Carbon Stream.

    Sustainable Community Stream: In the third quarter of 2024, the Company exercised its contractual rights to terminate the Sustainable Community Stream as a result of, among other things, the failure of the project operator, Will Solutions Inc., to meet its milestone related to the registration of its Ontario project and its failure to develop and implement the project in accordance with the project plan (including continued delays in project development activities and lower-than-expected project enrollments). As a result of the Sustainable Community Stream being terminated, the fair value of the Sustainable Community Stream was determined to be $nil as at December 31, 2024. The Company intends to strictly enforce its legal and contractual rights under the Sustainable Community Stream.

    Cerrado Biome Stream: At the time of project registration, the project planned to expand the project to 80,000 hectares by incorporating more land parcels, and to generate approximately 13 million carbon credits over a 30-year project life. Enrollment of additional land parcels has been slower than anticipated, primarily due to declining demand and lower pricing for REDD+ carbon credits. As a result, the expected revenue from carbon credit sales has decreased, reducing the financial incentive for landholders to transition from agricultural production to REDD+ project enrollment. Currently, the project consists of two land parcels covering approximately 11,000 hectares, expected to generate 1.2 million carbon credits over 30 years; however, the actual number of carbon credits issued will depend on the project’s ability to attract additional landholders. Revenue shortfalls have been driven by delays in the Verra verification process and price volatility for credits issued by REDD+ projects.

    Waverly Biochar Stream and Royalty: Following the accelerated payment of the final milestone payments in the second quarter of 2024, the project reached mechanical completion and first biochar production in the third quarter of 2024. However, additional technical challenges prevented continuous operation of the facility and have continued to delay full production capacity. The project is currently focused on securing additional funding to support commissioning, the initial facility audit, and the first output audit with Puro.earth. Verification was anticipated in the third quarter of 2025, with first issuance of carbon credits to follow immediately thereafter, but is now expected to be delayed.

    In 2023, the Company announced an agreement to provide Microsoft Corporation with carbon credits from the Waverly Biochar Stream of up to 10,000 carbon credits per year. Under this agreement, the Company is committed to delivering a minimum quantity of credits on specified future dates. If the Company is unable to fulfill this commitment, Microsoft Corporation may request that credits be sourced from an alternative project of their choosing.

    Community Carbon Stream: In 2024, the projects under the Community Carbon Stream issued over 1,600,000 carbon credits from the Mozambique cookstove project, the Uganda cookstove project, the Tanzania cookstove project, and the Uganda household safe water project. Additionally, the Community Carbon Stream generated $1.1 million in cash settlements for the year ended December 31, 2024.

    On May 8, 2024, the Company amended the terms of the Community Carbon Stream resulting in, among other things, revising the Company’s economic interest to provide for a tiered streaming structure which is adjusted as certain return on invested capital thresholds are achieved, and adjusting the portfolio composition and milestone payments to focus on the five strongest projects, three cookstove projects in Mozambique, Tanzania and Uganda and two water purification projects in Malawi and Uganda.

    Following the May 2024 amendment, the Company anticipates that the project’s actual emission reductions will be materially lower than previously expected due to methodological changes and declining prices, which have reduced forecasted creditable unit deployments. Concerns over emissions reduction overestimation, additionality, and verification challenges have raised questions about cookstove credit quality, prompting methodological revisions as the market adapts to evolving buyer expectations. While these changes aim to enhance credibility, they have also reduced demand and driven down prices.

    Nalgonda Rice Farming Stream: In December 2024, the Company delivered a notice to Core CarbonX Pte. Ltd. and its services provider, Core CarbonX Solutions Private Limited that an event of default occurred and is continuing due to the failure of the project to reach development completion prior to June 30, 2024. While no further action has been taken at this time, the Company reserves all rights under its agreements.

    The project was registered with Verra on February 10, 2025, using the UNFCCC Clean Development Mechanism Methodology AMS-III.AU: Methane emission reduction by adjusted water management practice in rice cultivation in the VCS program (“AMS-III.AU”). Registration and first validation of the project was delayed when Verra temporarily inactivated AMS-III.AU as part of a broader review of validation and verification quality and began developing a revised rice-specific methodology to replace AMS-III.AU. During this review, Verra determined that certain projects identified as having quality issues with validations and/or verifications would remain on hold, but Core CarbonX’s projects, including the Nalgonda Rice Farming project, were approved for registration under AMS-III.AU.

    Verra released the new VCS Methodology VM0051 (Improved Management in Rice Production Systems v1.0) on February 27, 2025, which the project plans to transition to for the second monitoring period. However, the project has already applied the guidelines required under the VCS Methodology VM0051. At this time, it is not known how the transition to the new methodology will impact the project, if at all.

    As of December 31, 2024, approximately 32,000 landholders were enrolled in the project, covering 36,548 hectares of farmland. Enrollment remains ongoing, with a target of expanding to approximately 62,000 hectares. However, progress has been slower than expected due to registration delays, which have also postponed farmer compensation and, in turn, affected enrollment. The project was registered with Verra on February 10, 2025.

    Enfield Biochar Stream: In April 2024, Standard Biocarbon Corporation (“Standard Biocarbon”) achieved its first biochar production. However, technical challenges have delayed the commissioning process. Standard Biocarbon is working with PYREG GmbH, the engineer and builder of the PYREG Machines, to resolve these issues as it scales toward full operating capacity. The project continues to collect operational data required for a facility audit and official registration with the Puro.earth carbon credit standard. Currently, the project is on care and maintenance while seeking additional funding to support commissioning, the initial facility audit, and the first output audit.

    Azuero Reforestation Stream: On May 21, 2024, the Company, Microsoft Corporation and Rubicon Carbon Capital LLC (“Rubicon”) entered into a carbon credit streaming agreement, as amended on November 23, 2024 (the “Azuero Reforestation Stream”) with Azuero Reforestation Colectiva, S.A. (“ARC”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Ponterra Ltd. (“Ponterra”), for a reforestation project located on Azuero Province, Los Santos Province, Republic of Panama. Under the terms of the Azuero Reforestation Stream, ARC will deliver 13.5% of the carbon credits created by the project to the Company. Additionally, Microsoft Corporation has entered into an offtake agreement to purchase 100% of the Company’s carbon credits delivered under the terms of the Azuero Reforestation Stream through to 2040. Carbon Streaming will also act as the sole marketer of ARC’s carbon credits not already committed to the co-investors under the Azuero Reforestation Stream.

    Under the terms of the Azuero Reforestation Stream, Carbon Streaming, alongside Rubicon and Microsoft Corporation, will fund 100% of project costs over seven years. The Company agreed to make an upfront deposit of up to $7.1 million with $0.3 million paid on closing, and additional milestone payments made as the project achieves planting and sapling survival milestones, and will receive 13.5% of total credits, which is expected to be approximately 438,000 carbon credits through 2052.

    Sheep Creek Reforestation Stream: In January 2025, the Company received a Notice of Adverse Impact from Mast Reforestation SPV I, LLC (“Mast”) and the parent company of Mast, Droneseed Co. d/b/a Mast Reforestation under the Sheep Creek Reforestation Stream pursuant to which, among other things, Mast advised the Company that the Sheep Creek project has experienced significantly higher than expected mortality rates and that the surviving seedlings had exhibited slower than expected growth rates. As a result, Mast indicated to the Company that it no longer expects to deliver the Company the agreed-upon 286,229 carbon removal credits, referred to as forecast mitigation units (“FMUs”) under the Climate Action Reserve’s Climate Forward program under the Sheep Creek Reforestation Stream, as Mast no longer considers the existing Sheep Creek project plan and budget to be viable. The Company has formally responded to the Notice of Adverse Impact and requested that Mast respond to the Company’s significant concerns regarding, among other things, the timing of the delivery of the Notice of Adverse Impact, and the characterization of the cause of the adverse impact. The Company is continuing to evaluate all legal avenues available under the Sheep Creek Reforestation Stream. As a result, the Company no longer anticipates generating cash flow from the Sheep Creek Reforestation Stream and has determined its fair value to be $nil as of December 31, 2024.

    Feather River Reforestation Stream: In 2024, carbon credit market demand has generally shifted towards lower risk carbon credits. FMUs, which are designed to facilitate forward financing, inherently carry higher risk, leading to supply that has exceeded demand. FMU issuance is expected in 2025. However, given the uncertainties surrounding FMU sales, the Company has determined the fair value of the Feather River Reforestation Stream to be $nil as of December 31, 2024.

    Baccala Ranch Reforestation Stream: In March 2025, Mast delivered the Company a notice of termination of the Baccala Ranch Reforestation Stream and the Baccala Ranch project, thereby confirming it will forego any plantings. The Company had not advanced any funds for the Baccala project and the closing of the Baccala Ranch Reforestation Stream remained subject to customary closing conditions.

    Amazon Portfolio Royalty: Following a corporate reorganization, Future Carbon assigned its interests in the Yellow Ipe, ABC Norte and Gairova projects (collectively the “Ecologica Portfolio”) to Ecological Assessoria Ltda. and its affiliates (collectively “Ecologica”), and retained the Rio Madeira Project, (the “Future Carbon Portfolio”). To reflect this restructuring, the Original Amazon Royalty was replaced on April 17, 2024, by two new royalty agreements: one between the Company and Future Carbon for the Future Carbon Portfolio (the “FC Amazon Royalty”), and another between the Company and Ecologica on the Ecologica Portfolio (the “Ecologica Amazon Royalty”). Each agreement carried a purchase price of $1.5 million, maintaining the original $3.0 million investment. No additional funds were advanced by the Company as part of Future Carbon’s reorganization.

    Bonobo Peace Forest Royalty: The royalty agreement was originally intended to convert into a stream agreement upon successful validation and verification of the project. However, due to political instability in the DRC, weakened market sentiment for REDD+ projects, and a significant decline in demand for REDD+ carbon credits, Carbon Streaming decided to halt further investment. The Company currently has no plans to proceed with a stream agreement.

    The project has been seeking additional investment to support a renewed technical effort for registration under the new Verra VM0048 methodology. Given the material uncertainty surrounding fundraising for REDD+ project development, the early-stage nature of the project’s technical development, and persistent weakness in demand for REDD+ carbon credits, the Company has determined the fair value of the Bonobo Peace Forest Royalty to be $nil as at December 31, 2024.

    Strategy

    Carbon Streaming is currently focused on maximizing value from the existing portfolio of investments and pursuing all options to achieve that goal. During 2024, the Company has undergone changes to the Board and management, including the termination of certain consulting contracts, which reduced ongoing cash expenditure and streamlined decision-making. The Company continues to focus on its previously announced evaluation of strategic alternatives with a focus on maximizing value for all shareholders. These alternatives could include acquisitions, divestments, corporate transactions, financings, other strategic partnership opportunities or continuing to operate as a public company.

    The Company’s carbon credit streaming agreements are structured to retain a portion of the cash flows from carbon credit sales, with stream-specific retention varying. Project partners typically receive the balance through ongoing delivery payments under the terms of each agreement. Cash flows are subject to fluctuations based on realized carbon credit prices and agreement terms. As the Company continues to evaluate its strategic direction, it remains focused on optimizing portfolio economics and managing exposure to market volatility.

    Outlook

    Carbon Streaming continues to reposition itself for success and for maximizing shareholder value amid ongoing challenges. In May 2024, as part of its ongoing corporate restructuring first initiated in 2023, the Company announced changes to its senior management and Board after constructive discussions with certain shareholders. The Company continues to evaluate strategic alternatives for the business and remains focused on cash flow optimization through the reduction of operating expenses and a reassessment of its existing streams and royalties. Building on the previous measures implemented by the Company to reduce ongoing operating expenses, further steps have been taken in recent months, including significantly reducing employee headcount, renegotiating and amending vendor agreements to lower costs, eliminating cash-settled director’s fees to the Board and terminating certain consulting contracts. As the Company’s broader strategy continues to evolve, these recent steps are expected to result in significant reductions to annualized ongoing operating expenses when compared to 2024.

    While the Company aims to increase cash flow generation through the sale of carbon credits from several streaming agreements over the next year, there remains ongoing uncertainty regarding the evolving nature of carbon markets, including potential registry delays, project-specific issues, and methodology-related risks, in addition to impacts the industry may face as a result of general economic, political and regulatory conditions. In 2024, the Company has recognized a decrease in the fair values of the Rimba Raya Stream, the Magdalena Bay Blue Carbon Stream, the Sustainable Community Stream, and the Sheep Creek Reforestation Stream to $nil as a result of the failure of the respective projects to meet their obligations under the stream agreements and ongoing legal disputes. The Company is actively pursuing all available legal remedies to protect its investments and enforce its contractual rights. Given the multiple ongoing litigation matters, the outcomes remain uncertain and could materially impact the Company’s financial position and strategic direction. Please refer to the “Legal Proceedings” section of the Company’s most recently filed MD&A for further information.

    Given the evolving nature of carbon markets and ongoing legal considerations, Carbon Streaming is focussed on maximizing value from the existing portfolio of investments and pursuing all options to achieve that goal.

    For a comprehensive discussion of the risks, assumptions and uncertainties that could impact the Company’s strategy and outlook, including without limitation, changes in demand for carbon credits and Indonesian developments described herein, investors are urged to review the section of the Company’s most recently filed AIF entitled “Risk Factors” a copy of which is available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

    2024 Results Conference Call Details

    The Company’s management team will host a conference call on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. ET to provide a brief company update. Participants may join by dialing +1 289-514-5100 or toll free from North America at +1 800-717-1738. A replay of the conference call will be available on the Company website until 11:59 p.m. ET on May 1, 2025.

    About Carbon Streaming

    Carbon Streaming’s focus is on projects that generate high-quality carbon credits and have a positive impact on the environment, local communities, and biodiversity, in addition to their carbon reduction or removal potential. This approach aligns our strategic interests with those of project partners to create long-term relationships built on a shared commitment to sustainability and accountability and positions us as a trusted source for buyers seeking high-quality carbon credits.

    ON BEHALF OF THE COMPANY:
    Marin Katusa, Chief Executive Officer
    Tel: 365.607.6095
    info@carbonstreaming.com
    www.carbonstreaming.com

    Investor Relations
    investors@carbonstreaming.com

    Media
    media@carbonstreaming.com

    Non-IFRS Accounting Standards Measures

    Adjusted Net Loss and Adjusted Loss Per Share

    The term “adjusted net loss” in this news release is not a standardized financial measure under the IFRS Accounting Standards and therefore may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies where similar terminology is used. These non-IFRS Accounting Standards measures should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance, cash flows and financial position as prepared in accordance with the IFRS Accounting Standards. Management believes that these non-IFRS Accounting Standards measures, together with performance measures and measures prepared in accordance with the IFRS Accounting Standards, provide useful information to investors and shareholders in assessing the Company’s liquidity and overall performance.

    Adjusted net loss is calculated as net and comprehensive loss and adjusted for the revaluation of carbon credit streaming and royalty agreements, the revaluation of warrant liabilities, the impairment loss on early deposit interest receivable, the revaluation of derivative liabilities, the revaluation of the convertible note, the impairment loss on investment in associate, the gain on dissolution of associate, and the corporate restructuring which the Company views as having a significant non-cash or non-continuing impact on the Company’s net and comprehensive loss calculation and per share amounts. Adjusted net loss is used by the Company to monitor its results from operations for the period.

    The following table reconciles net and comprehensive (loss) income to adjusted net loss:

      Three months ended 
    December 31, 2024
    		   Three months ended 
    December 31, 2023
    		   Year ended
    December 31, 2024
    		   Year ended
    December 31, 2023
    		  
    Net loss and comprehensive loss $ (16,932)   $ (26,092)   $ (67,369)   $ (35,501)  
    Adjustment for non-continuing or non-cash settled items:        
    Revaluation of carbon credit streaming and royalty agreements   13,190     23,952     58,155     32,897  
    Revaluation of warrant liabilities   (43)     (79)     (642)     (6,530)  
    Impairment of early deposit interest receivable   –     –     307     –  
    Revaluation of derivative liabilities   –     –     (680)     (686)  
    Revaluation of Convertible Note   –     –     –     (558)  
    Revaluation of preferred shares   2,558     –     2,558     –  
    Impairment of investment in associate   –     –     –     1,044  
    Gain on dissolution of associate   –     –     (104)     –  
    Corporate restructuring   343     (6)     2,561     1,748  
    Adjusted net loss   (884)     (2,225)     (5,214)     (7,586)  
    Loss per share (Basic and Diluted) ($/share)   (0.32)     (0.55)     (1.34)     (0.75)  
    Adjusted net loss per share (Basic and Diluted) ($/share)   (0.02)     (0.05)     (0.10)     (0.16)  
                             

    Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

    This news release contains certain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, “forward-looking information”) within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, are forward-looking information, including, without limitation, statements regarding the anticipated impact of changes to the Company’s Board and management; the impact of the Company’s restructuring strategies, including evaluation of strategic alternatives; the ability of the Company to execute on expense reductions and savings from operating cost reduction measures; statements with respect to cash flow optimization and generation; its sales strategy; supporting the Company’s carbon streaming and royalty partners; timing and the amount of future carbon credit generation and emission reductions and removals from the Company’s existing streaming and royalty agreements; statements with respect to the projects in which the Company has streaming and royalty agreements in place; statements with respect to the Company’s growth objectives and potential and its position in the voluntary carbon markets; statements with respect to execution of the Company’s portfolio and partnership strategy; statements with respect to the ongoing legal process to protect the Company’s investment in the Rimba Raya project and to enforce its legal and contractual rights; statements ; and statements regarding the Company’s intention to strictly enforce its legal and contractual rights under the Sustainable Community Stream and the Magdalena Bay Blue Carbon Stream and the Sheep Creek Reforestation Stream.

    When used in this news release, words such as “estimates”, “expects”, “plans”, “anticipates”, “will”, “believes”, “intends” “should”, “could”, “may” and other similar terminology are intended to identify such forward-looking information. This forward-looking information is based on the current expectations or beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to the Company. Forward-looking information is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking information, and even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, the Company. They should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be an accurate indication of whether or not such results will be achieved. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things: general economic, market and business conditions and global financial conditions, including fluctuations in interest rates, foreign exchange rates and stock market volatility; volatility in prices of carbon credits and demand for carbon credits; change in social or political views towards climate change, carbon credits and environmental, social and governance initiatives and subsequent changes in corporate or government policies or regulations and associated changes in demand for carbon credits; the Company’s expectations and plans with respect to current litigation, arbitration and regulatory proceedings; limited operating history for the Company’s current strategy; concentration risk; inaccurate estimates of project value, which may impact the ability of the Company to execute on its growth and diversification strategy; dependence upon key management; impact of corporate restructurings; the inability of the Company to optimize cash flows or sufficiently reduce operating expenses; reputational risk; risks arising from competition and future acquisition activities failure or timing delays for projects to be registered, validated and ultimately developed and for emission reductions or removals to be verified and carbon credits issued (and other risks associated with carbon credits standards and registries); foreign operations and political risks including actions by governmental authorities, including changes in or to government regulation, taxation and carbon pricing initiatives; uncertainties and ongoing market developments surrounding the validation and verification requirements of the voluntary and/or compliance markets; due diligence risks, including failure of third parties’ reviews, reports and projections to be accurate; dependence on project partners, operators and owners, including failure by such counterparties to make payments or perform their operational or other obligations to the Company in compliance with the terms of contractual arrangements between the Company and such counterparties; failure of projects to generate carbon credits, or natural disasters such as flood or fire which could have a material adverse effect on the ability of any project to generate carbon credits; volatility in the market price of the Company’s common shares or warrants; the effect that the issuance of additional securities by the Company could have on the market price of the Company’s common shares or warrants; global health crises, such as pandemics and epidemics; and the other risks disclosed under the heading “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in the Company’s Annual Information Form dated as of March 31, 2025 filed on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

    Any forward-looking information speaks only as of the date of this news release. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking information are reasonable, forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. Except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Markey, Rep. Ansari Introduce Legislation to Help Families Pay their Heating and Cooling Bills

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    Legislation would provide urgently needed relief for families as energy prices rise 
    Bill Text (PDF) | Section-by-Section (PDF)
    Washington (March 31, 2025) — Senator Edward J. Markey, a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, and Representative Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03) today reintroduced the Heating and Cooling Relief Act, bold legislation to significantly expand and modernize the severely underfunded Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The bill would ensure year-round access to affordable and reliable heating and cooling for lower-income households who experience disproportionately high energy burdens.
    Despite the urgent need for relief, in 2023, only about 18 percent of income-eligible households received LIHEAP assistance, with less than 3 percent of eligible households receiving cooling assistance. Meanwhile, low-income families spend nearly three times more on energy bills than non-low-income households, and nearly one in six households are behind on their utility bills. The Heating and Cooling Relief Act would deliver critical energy assistance to millions more households, protecting families from utility shutoffs and empowering states to address the growing threat of climate-fueled extreme heat and cold.
    “No one should have to choose between turning the heat on in the winter and putting food on the table, but that’s a sacrifice more and more families are forced to make, especially as the climate crisis exacerbates extreme weather,” said Senator Markey. “Our Heating and Cooling Relief Act would significantly expand LIHEAP so that energy assistance is available to all those who need it. It would also protect consumers from predatory practices and utility shutoffs, and boost emergency energy assistance and access to life-saving cooling relief. I will keep fighting to ensure that every household can afford the energy they need to stay healthy and safe—and to support a just transition away from fossil fuels.”
    “No one should have to make sacrifices around paying for food, rent, or essential medication to keep air conditioning on in the summer and heat on in the winter,” said Rep. Yassamin Ansari. “In Arizona, this is a matter of life or death. Last year, over 600 people died from extreme heat, and Phoenix already broke our own record for the first 99-degree day of the year. Our Heating and Cooling Relief Act will expand LIHEAP so that every family can afford their energy bills – in Maricopa County, this will literally save lives.”
    The Heating and Cooling Relief Act is cosponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Representatives Nannette Barragán (CA-44), Wesley Bell (MO-01), Andre Carson (IN-07), Troy Carter (LA-02), Kathy Castor (FL-14), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Danny K. Davis (IL-07), Diana DeGette (CO-01), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Cleo Fields (LA-06), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Hank Johnson (GA-04), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Summer Lee (PA-12), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Grace Meng (NY-06), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Linda Sánchez (CA-38), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Adam Smith (WA-09), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Bennie Thompson (MS-02), Dina Titus (NV-01), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).
    “On behalf of the National Energy Assistance Directors Association, I applaud Senator Markey’s introduction of the Heating and Cooling Relief Act of 2025. Senator Markey was a cosponsor of LIHEAP when it began as a temporary program in 1981 and has played a key role in transforming it into the successful program that it is today. This bill will transform LIHEAP into a program that provides year-round energy assistance, recognizing that access to cooling is now as essential as heating for low-income families. No family should have to struggle between paying their home energy bill or food, clothing, and medicine, and this bill will help protect families from having to make that difficult decision,” said Mark Wolfe, Executive Director at the National Energy Assistance Directors Association.
    “This ambitious bill shines a spotlight on the energy affordability challenges faced by low-income families who urgently need access to LIHEAP,” said Olivia Wein, Senior Attorney at the National Consumer Law Center. “We look forward to working with parties to refine this legislation and focus its impact on people with the greatest need.”
    “As extreme heat and climate chaos continue to intensify year after year, millions of families are grappling with the real-life, devastating consequences. These unnatural events are killing people and making them sick in their own homes. Our communities, many of whom don’t own housing and are struggling with the rising cost of living, should not have to risk their lives to avoid extremely high energy bills. In this critical moment, to save lives and strengthen climate resilience in vulnerable communities, access to essential heating and cooling relief is both a necessity and a right,” said Caleb Smith, Resiliency Coordinator at WE ACT for Environmental Justice.
    “As extreme heat becomes increasingly dangerous with longer, more frequent, and more intense heat waves every year, it is critical people can protect themselves from unhealthy and potentially deadly home temperatures. The risk of heat-related illness, injury, and death is particularly high for families and older adults who don’t have air conditioning or can’t afford to run it. The Heating and Cooling Relief Act would help people stay safe by making crucial investments in efficient and affordable home cooling strategies. Extreme heat events kill more people than any other type of severe weather or climate disaster, but Congress can prevent some of these deaths by passing the Heating and Cooling Relief Act,” said Jill Rosenthal, Director of Public Health Policy at the Center for American Progress.
    “Too many households face a terrible choice when summer temperatures soar. Feed the kids? Pay the rent? Or stay safe from deadly heat? This critical bill will alleviate that burden by helping low-income households keep their power on and make their homes more weatherproof and energy efficient. It will also refill a long-empty emergency contingency fund, giving states an important backstop in an increasingly extreme climate,” said Juanita Constible, Senior Advocate at the Natural Resources Defense Council.
    “In the richest country in the world, no kid should have to go to bed freezing cold because their family can’t afford to keep the heat up. No one should die in their own home during heat waves because they can’t afford air conditioning. This legislation is a vital step towards lowering the cost of living for working people and ensuring every American has a safe and healthy home. It shows that tackling the climate crisis goes hand in hand with helping working people,” said Sunrise Movement Executive Director Aru Shiney-Ajay.
    “Expanding federal funding to help families afford to pay their energy bills is essential as tens of millions of American families continue to experience punishing energy burdens. President Trump’s chaotic disruption of our economy and his gutting of indispensable government programs has resulted in a crisis of energy affordability. This legislation is vitally important to ensure that American families can afford essential energy service under Trump’s disastrous economy,” said Tyson Slocum, Energy Program Director at Public Citizen.
    “No American family should have to skip heating or cooling their home to a safe and comfortable temperature just to make ends meet. The Heating and Cooling Relief Act is a commonsense update to an essential program that keeps our lights on, protects the vulnerable, and ensures we’re prepared for growing energy demand and worsening disasters. Strengthening LIHEAP is about fiscal, moral, and national responsibility. At a time of rising costs and extreme weather, this bill brings overdue reforms that put working families first, cut red tape, and modernize our response to energy emergencies. The Sierra Club is proud to support it,” said Xavier Boatright, Deputy Legislative Director at Sierra Club.
    Specifically, the Heating and Cooling Relief Act would:
    Substantially increase LIHEAP funding to ensure year-round assistance, including an additional $2 billion for emergency energy assistance and $1 billion in Just Transition Grants to help vulnerable households adapt to a changing climate;
    Broaden eligibility so that households earning up to 250 percent of the Federal Poverty Line or 80 percent of State Median Income can qualify, while ensuring lower energy burdens for lower-income households and capping household energy burdens at 3 percent of monthly income;
    Protect consumers from utility shutoffs, excessive late fees, and predatory energy practices that disproportionately impact vulnerable communities;
    Expand emergency assistance, ensuring extreme heat and cold are recognized as qualifying emergencies and that states can provide vital cooling relief;
    Increase funding for weatherization and home electrification, to help low-income households reduce energy costs, improve health and safety, and transition to clean, resilient energy systems;
    Streamline enrollment and outreach, improving coordination with other federal programs and increasing access through automatic enrollment and simplified verification; and
    Strengthen reporting requirements to better track affordability, equity, and climate resilience outcomes.
    The Heating and Cooling Relief Act is endorsed by National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA), Center for Energy Poverty and Climate, Public Citizen, Sunrise Movement, Green & Healthy Homes Initiative, Center for American Progress, Sierra Club, Citizens for Citizens, American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE), Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), National Housing Law Project (NHLP), National Consumer Law Center (NCLC), Energy Coordinating Agency (ECA), Citizens Action Coalition, WE ACT, The Utility Reform Network (TURN), Climate Resolve, Indiana Conservation Voters, Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana, Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD), Elevate, Evergreen Action, Center for Biological Diversity, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), Climate and Community Institute, Federation of American Scientists (FAS), Solar United Neighbors Action, North Carolina Justice Center, Creation Care Partners, Faith in Place Action Fund, National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH), Direct Action Against CenterPoint Energy (DAACE), Energy for All Coalition, Indiana Environmental Clean Energy J40 Corporation,  Office of the People’s Counsel – District of Columbia Government, Arizona Sustainability Alliance.
    Senator Markey is a champion for energy access, affordability, and reliability. In March 2025, he hosted a roundtable with Massachusetts LIHEAP providers, consumer advocates, and national energy assistance organizations to discuss the urgent need to strengthen and expand LIHEAP. In July 2024, Senator Markey and several New England Senators sent a letter to the Department of Energy urging it to consider the disproportionate negative impacts of LNG on New England—especially on energy prices—in its underlying environmental and economic analyses for LNG export authorization decisions. In December 2023, Senator Markey led a letter urging the Federal Trade Commission to immediately intervene, investigate, and rigorously enforce consumer protection laws against certain electric supply companies. In October 2023, he celebrated the release of $130 million in LIHEAP funding for Massachusetts, helping residents afford winter heating costs. Additionally, he has pushed for greater investments in home efficiency and electrification to help low-income families reduce their energy burdens. He originally introduced the Heating and Cooling Relief Act with Representative Jamaal Bowman in January 2022.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Climate News – ‘La Niña weakens with chance of more rain in New Zealand’s north and east’ NIWA Seasonal Climate Outlook April – June 2025 – NIWA

    Source: NIWA

    With La Niña weakening, higher pressure southeast of New Zealand will bring mostly north-easterly winds, with occasional bouts of south-westerlies, according to the latest NIWA Seasonal Climate Outlook for April to June 2025.
    The outlook notes that areas with low soil moisture and river flows need consistent rainfall to reverse the effects of dryness and drought, with below-normal river flows most likely in the north and west of the North Island. 
    Seasonal rainfall is likely to be near normal in most regions, with possible above-normal rainfall in the north and east of both islands.There is a normal to elevated risk of an ex-tropical cyclone passing within 550 km of New Zealand in April, bringing heavy rain. 
    Meanwhile, air temperatures over the next three months are expected to be near average or above average for the west of the North and South Islands, and above average for all other regions of the country. 
    The seas around New Zealand remain warmer than average for South Island waters, with marine heatwave conditions persisting.
    The full NIWA Seasonal Climate Outlook is available (attached) and online, and includes regional outlooks. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Milestone for SH35 communities with Hikuwai Bridge No.1 replacement

    Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

    Work has started this week on enabling (early) works at the site of a permanent replacement for Hikuwai Bridge No.1, north of Tolaga Bay.

    A temporary Bailey bridge has been in place since 2023 after the bridge was damaged by Cyclone Gabrielle and the connection across Hikuwai River initially severed.

    Now, as part of the recovery, Transport Rebuild East Coast (TREC) alliance and local contractors,  on behalf of NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA), will build the new bridge.

    The new bridge will feature a modern, two-lane structure, approximately 100 metres in length, and will follow the same alignment as the previous bridge.

    “This modern design provides better flood and earthquake resistance, boosts durability, and delivers environmental benefits. Once complete, it will provide a more efficient and permanent solution for SH35 road users for generations to come,” says TREC project lead Richard Bayley.

    “It is being designed to better withstand debris with a wider central span and rounded piers, reducing blockages and pressure from debris. Larger, deeper piles enhance resistance to flooding and scour effects, while the stronger steel columns will boost structural durability. Improved bearings will also prevent the bridge deck uplifting when inundated and during earthquakes.”

    Enabling works will take around four months to finish before the main construction of the new bridge can begin. The entire project is expected to take between 12 and 18 months, with completion expected by mid-2026.

    To mark the start of enabling works, a karakia was held by tangata whenua and landowners at Hikuwai, late last week. The karakia was led by Kaumatua, Chris Marsh – Board Co-Chair, Te Whare Hauora o Te Aitanga a Hauiti.

    The initial enabling works will involve three key milestones:

    • Site setup: establishment of a site office, along with three compound/laydown areas to store tools, material and equipment.
    • Construction of a temporary road (access road): realignment of the existing SH35 to enable construction of the southern bridge abutment and provide a safer and larger workspace for bridge construction. This road will connect with the Bailey bridge on the southern side and be in operation when the main works on the bridge begin. On project completion and removal of the Bailey bridge, it will operate as a maintenance road only, to service Hikuwai Bridge No. 1.
    • Old bridge demolition: removal of the existing, collapsed structure to make way for the new bridge.

    “It’s been a journey to reach this point, and we’re excited to move forward and create a lasting connection for SH35 communities. We’re also grateful for the community support over the past couple of years during the recovery phase including Kuru Contracting and their construction of local Pourau Road in the immediate aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle. We’ve worked closely with Iwi, local hapū, landowners including Pourau Station, and key stakeholders throughout the pre-construction and design phases and intend to continue this throughout construction, ” says Mr Bayley.

    “We really value the relationships we’ve been building since the cyclone and we want our relationships to last long after our work at Hikuwai is complete.”

    TREC is actively working with local contractors throughout the procurement process and has already appointed Parata Ltd Contractors for the site setup and access road construction.

    Traffic management

    During enabling works, some disruption to traffic is expected and we are working to ensure a smooth flow throughout the area. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we aim to keep any delays to a minimum.

    The new bridge will be constructed alongside the existing road, allowing traffic to continue flowing in both directions using the temporary Bailey bridge.

    The Bailey bridge will remain operational as it currently is, with general access and 50tn max load permitted. Overweight and over-dimensional vehicles will continue to require a permit, with a 10kmh speed limit and a one-vehicle-at-a-time policy in place.

    Construction work will take place Monday to Friday, from 6am to 6pm; some Saturday work may be necessary. During enabling works, traffic management will be in place including a temporary 30km/h speed restriction remaining in place on the southern side of the bridge where the temporary alignment is being built.

    Pedestrians and cyclists are advised to follow on-site signage and look out for trucks accessing the site.

    For regular updates, please subscribe to TREC’s fortnightly Tairāwhiti e-newsletter to stay informed on the progress of the project and wider recovery works on SH35 and SH2.

    Get the latest from Transport Rebuild East Coast(external link)

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ‘We’re not just welcoming you as allies, but as family’ – Rainbow Warrior in Marshall Islands 40 years on

    The first of a two-part series on the historic Rongelap evacuation of 300 Marshall islanders from their irradiated atoll with the help of the Greenpeace flagship Rainbow Warrior crew and the return of Rainbow Warrior III 40 years later on a nuclear justice research mission.

    SPECIAL REPORT: By Shiva Gounden in Majuro

    Family isn’t just about blood—it’s about standing together through the toughest of times.

    This is the relationship between Greenpeace and the Marshall Islands — a vast ocean nation, stretching across nearly two million square kilometers of the Pacific. Beneath the waves, coral reefs are bustling with life, while coconut trees stand tall.

    For centuries, the Marshallese people have thrived here, mastering the waves, reading the winds, and navigating the open sea with their canoe-building knowledge passed down through generations. Life here is shaped by the rhythm of the tides, the taste of fresh coconut and roasted breadfruit, and an unbreakable bond between people and the sea.

    From the bustling heart of its capital, Majuro to the quiet, far-reaching atolls, their islands are not just land; they are home, history, and identity.

    Still, Marshallese communities were forced into one of the most devastating chapters of modern history — turned into a nuclear testing ground by the United States without consent, and their lives and lands poisoned by radiation.

    Operation Exodus: A legacy of solidarity
     Between 1946 and 1958, the US conducted 67 nuclear tests in the Marshall Islands — its total yield roughly equal to one Hiroshima-sized bomb every day for 12 years.

    During this Cold War period, the US government planned to conduct its largest nuclear test ever. On the island of Bikini, United States Commodore Ben H. Wyatt manipulated the 167 Marshallese people who called Bikini home asking them to leave so that the US could carry out atomic bomb testing, stating that it was for “the good of mankind and to end all world wars”.

    Exploiting their deep faith, he misled Bikinians into believing they were acting in God’s will, and trusting this, they agreed to move—never knowing the true cost of their decision

    Bikini Islanders board a landing craft vehicle personnel (LCVP) as they depart from Bikini Atoll in March 1946. Image: © United States Navy

    On March 1, 1954, the Castle Bravo test was launched — its yield 1000 times stronger than Hiroshima. Radioactive fallout spread across Rongelap Island about 150 kilometers away, due to what the US government claimed was a “shift in wind direction”.

    In reality, the US ignored weather reports that indicated the wind would carry the fallout eastward towards Rongelap and Utirik Atolls, exposing the islands to radioactive contamination. Children played in what they thought was snow, and almost immediately the impacts of radiation began — skin burning, hair fallout, vomiting.

    The Rongelap people were immediately relocated, and just three years later were told by the US government their island was deemed safe and asked to return.

    For the next 28 years, the Rongelap people lived through a period of intense “gaslighting” by the US government. *

    Nuclear weapon test Castle Bravo (yield 15 Mt) on Bikini Atoll, 1 March 1954. © United States Department of Energy

    Forced to live on contaminated land, with women enduring miscarriages and cancer rates increasing, in 1985, the people of Rongelap made the difficult decision to leave their homeland. Despite repeated requests to the US government to help evacuate, an SOS was sent, and Greenpeace responded: the Rainbow Warrior arrived in Rongelap, helping to move communities to Mejatto Island.

    This was the last journey of the first Rainbow Warrior. The powerful images of their evacuation were captured by photographer Fernando Pereira, who, just months later, was killed in the bombing of the Rainbow Warrior as it sailed to protest nuclear testing in the Pacific.

    Evacuation of Rongelap Islanders to Mejatto by the Rainbow Warrior crew in the Pacific 1985. Rongelap suffered nuclear fallout from US nuclear tests done from 1946-1958, making it a hazardous place to live. Image: © Greenpeace/Fernando Pereira

    From nuclear to climate: The injustice repeats
     The fight for justice did not end with the nuclear tests—the same forces that perpetuated nuclear colonialism continue to endanger the Marshall Islands today with new threats: climate change and deep-sea mining.

    The Marshall Islands, a nation of over 1,000 islands, is particularly vulnerable to climate impacts. Entire communities could disappear within a generation due to rising sea levels. Additionally, greedy international corporations are pushing to mine the deep sea of the Pacific Ocean for profit. Deep sea mining threatens fragile marine ecosystems and could destroy Pacific ways of life, livelihoods and fish populations. The ocean connects us all, and a threat anywhere in the Pacific is a threat to the world.

    Marshallese activists with traditional outriggers on the coast of the nation’s capital Majuro to demand that leaders of developed nations dramatically upscale their plans to limit global warming during the online meeting of the Climate Vulnerable Forum in 2018. Image: © Martin Romain/Greenpeace

    But if there could be one symbol to encapsulate past nuclear injustices and current climate harms it would be the Runit Dome. This concrete structure was built by the US to contain radioactive waste from years of nuclear tests, but climate change now poses a direct threat.

    Rising sea levels and increasing storm surges are eroding the dome’s integrity, raising fears of radioactive material leaking into the ocean, potentially causing a nuclear disaster.

    Aerial view of Runit Dome, Runit Island, Enewetak Atoll, Marshall Islands . . . symbolic of past nuclear injustices and current climate harms in the Pacific. Image: © US Defense Special Weapons Agency

    Science, storytelling, and resistance: The Rainbow Warrior’s epic mission and 40 year celebration

    At the invitation of the Marshallese community and government, the Rainbow Warrior is in the Pacific nation to celebrate 40 years since 1985’s Operation Exodus, and stand in support of their ongoing fight for nuclear justice, climate action, and self-determination.

    This journey brings together science, storytelling, and activism to support the Marshallese movement for justice and recognition. Independent radiation experts and Greenpeace scientists will conduct crucial research across the atolls, providing much-needed data on remaining nuclear contamination.

    For decades, research on radiation levels has been controlled by the same government that conducted the nuclear tests, leaving many unanswered questions. This independent study will help support the Marshallese people in their ongoing legal battles for recognition, reparations, and justice.

    Marshallese women greet the Rainbow Warrior as it arrives in the capital Majuro earlier this month. Image: © Bianca Vitale/Greenpeace

    The path of the ship tour: A journey led by the Marshallese
     From March to April, the Rainbow Warrior is sailing across the Marshall Islands, stopping in Majuro, Mejatto, Enewetak, Bikini, Rongelap, and Wotje. Like visiting old family, each of these locations carries a story — of nuclear fallout, forced displacement, resistance, and hope for a just future.

    But just like old family, there’s something new to learn. At every stop, local leaders, activists, and a younger generation are shaping the narrative.

    Their testimonies are the foundation of this journey, ensuring the world cannot turn away. Their stories of displacement, resilience, and hope will be shared far beyond the Pacific, calling for justice on a global scale.

    Bunny McDiarmid and Henk Haazen greet locals at the welcoming ceremony in Majuro, Marshall Islands, earlier this month. Bunny and Henk were part of the Greenpeace crew in 1985 to help evacuate the people of Rongelap. Image: © Bianca Vitale/Greenpeace

    A defining moment for climate justice
     The Marshallese are not just survivors of past injustices; they are champions of a just future. Their leadership reminds us that those most affected by climate change are not only calling for action — they are showing the way forward. They are leaders of finding solutions to avert these crises.

    Local Marshallese women’s group dance and perform cultural songs at the Rainbow Warrior welcome ceremony in Majuro, Marshall islands, earlier this month. Image: © Bianca Vitale/Greenpeace

    Since they have joined the global fight for climate justice, their leadership in the climate battle has been evident.

    In 2011, they established a shark sanctuary to protect vital marine life.

    In 2024, they created their first ocean sanctuary, expanding efforts to conserve critical ecosystems. The Marshall Islands is also on the verge of signing the High Seas Treaty, showing their commitment to global marine conservation, and has taken a firm stance against deep-sea mining.

    They are not only protecting their lands but are also at the forefront of the global fight for climate justice, pushing for reparations, recognition, and climate action.

    This voyage is a message: the world must listen, and it must act. The Marshallese people are standing their ground, and we stand in solidarity with them — just like family.

    Learn their story. Support their call for justice. Amplify their voices. Because when those on the frontlines lead, justice is within reach.

    Shiva Gounden is the head of Pacific at Greenpeace Australia Pacific. This article series is republished with the permission of Greenpeace.

    * This refers to the period from 1957 — when the US Atomic Energy Commission declared Rongelap Atoll safe for habitation despite known contamination — to 1985, when Greenpeace assisted the Rongelap community in relocating due to ongoing radiation concerns. The Compact of Free Association, signed in 1986, finally started acknowledging damages caused by nuclear testing to the populations of Rongelap.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Public Works Act overhaul complete to drive infrastructure growth

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The final stage of reforms to the Public Works Act will introduce bigger and broader land payments, improved landowner engagement and new measures to support disaster recovery, Land Information Minister Chris Penk has announced. 
     
    “The Government has been working through an overhaul of the Public Works Act (PWA) to bring it into the 21st century after an independent review found it lacked clarity and commonsense. Today, I am proud to confirm that review is complete” Mr Penk says.  
     
    “If we want to grow the economy, boost productivity and make New Zealand a better place to live we must fix our pipes, increase the capacity of our schools and hospitals, and build more homes, roads and renewable energy sources. 
     
    “I want to thank the panel members for their expert advice in making the Act more efficient, effective, and transparent. This will help end decades of difficulties which have seen central and local governments struggle to secure land for development. 
     
    “Already announced changes include a dedicated carve-out in the law to provide incentive payments and a streamlined objections process for critical infrastructure. Now, this final set of reforms will modernise the wider system – protecting landowners’ rights while ensuring the Crown and local authorities can deliver for New Zealanders.”

    The final tranche will:  

    Introduce incentive payments: To encourage early agreements on land acquisition, landowners who voluntarily sell their property before a Notice of Intention is issued will now be eligible for an incentive payment of 10 percent of the land value, up to a maximum of $100,000. 

    Update home-loss and land-loss payments: To recognise the disruption caused by acquisition, additional payments will be made alongside the land value and any incentive payments: 

    o    The home-loss base payment will increase from $35,000 to $50,000.  
    o    The land-loss payment amount will increase from $250-$25,000 to $350-$35,000. 
    o    Home-loss payments will now extend to multiple homes on a property, such as farms held in trust with multiple owners residing on the land. 

    Land Acquisition Process Reforms: The process for acquiring land will be streamlined by replacing the initial statutory notice with a more structured engagement process. Before issuing a Notice of Intention for compulsory acquisition: 

    o    Landowners must receive comprehensive information on the acquisition, their rights, entitlements, and an invitation to sell. 
    o    The Minister or local authority must negotiate with landowners in good faith for at least three months (or six months for Māori freehold land). 

    Emergency Provisions: New measures will allow land acquisition following a declared state of emergency to support infrastructure restoration and community recovery, when activated by Order in Council.  

    “Cyclone Gabrielle showed in the starkest light the immense challenges communities face after a natural disaster. When roads, railway lines, water and power stations are wiped out and homes left uninhabitable, we must act swiftly and decisively. This new emergency provision empowers us to reconnect those in need,” Mr Penk says.  

    The Public Works Act Amendment Bill will be introduced to Parliament in mid-2025, with the public invited to provide feedback through the select committee process.

    Note to editors:      

    Information on previously announced Public Works Act changes can be found on the Beehive website: 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Next steps to improve flood resilience for the Wairau community

    Source: Auckland Council

    Auckland Council is looking to progress a comprehensive flood resilience (blue-green) network to significantly reduce flood risks across the Wairau catchment in Auckland’s North Shore.

    A proposed business case for design, consenting and early enabling works for improved flood resilience in Wairau will be presented to the Transport, Resilience and Infrastructure Committee on 3 April.

    The decision at the committee will enable design and consenting required for this work to begin – a further business case will be required before full delivery of the project can progress.

    Protecting against future flooding

    As part of this broader initiative, AF Thomas Park (home to Takapuna Golf Course and other recreational facilities) is being considered for redevelopment into a recreational flood storage wetland, detention basin and overland flow path. In this proposed option the park would remain a critical recreational asset whilst forming the cornerstone of a blue-green network.

    North Shore Ward Councillor Richard Hills acknowledges that potential changes to the park is a tough conversation for the current users of the park but says this is about protecting against future flooding and potential loss of life and property.

    “The Wairau Valley, Milford, Sunnynook and Tōtara Vale make up the worst affected area from the January 2023 floods,” says Cr Hills.

    “This area experienced tragic loss of life alongside tens of millions of dollars in property damage to homes, businesses, vehicles and community facilities – volunteers rescued 69 people in the Wairau Valley alone.

    “We asked council staff to investigate all possible options to help reduce the flooding impacts and staff strongly believe the options presented in the business case are the best opportunities to ensure long-term flood resilience against future events.

    “I understand potential changes to AF Thomas Park is upsetting to our golfing community and those further afield that regularly use this course. As part of the design process, the council and local boards will work with the community, to understand the future public use of the reserve, alongside providing much needed flood protection and safety for our community.

    “And I’d like to thank all those involved, including central government, the local boards, Mayor and councillors, who all back this option to go forward to business case and consultation stages.”

    What is being proposed?

    As part of the Making Space for Water programme, co-funded by local and central government, a comprehensive blue-green network for the Wairau Valley is proposed.

    This aims to integrate multiple flood management systems to restore natural processes, enhance drainage, and create recreational spaces that serve as flood storage areas during extreme weather events.

    The current business case covers two stages of works as part of a long-term holistic approach to reducing flooding risks across the Wairau catchment.

    Taking a phased approach ensures that the needs of the community are considered and that the project aligns with their vision for a safer and more resilient Wairau Valley.

    Stage 1 Initiatives

    The first stage of the Wairau catchment blue-green network focuses on the design and consenting of critical flood management infrastructure at AF Thomas Park.

    • This stage includes the development of a recreational flood storage wetland and detention basin.
    • This will act as a natural sponge to capture and hold excess water during heavy rain events.
    • By slowing the flow of water and releasing it gradually, this system reduces pressure on surrounding areas prone to flooding.

    Stage 2 Initiatives

    Stage 2 of the proposed blue-green network will focus on several key initiatives in and around land being acquired as part of the Category 3 buy-out programme in Milford and Tōtara Vale.

    • This will include improvements to informal overland flow paths, stream widening and daylighting to enhance natural flow.
    • In addition, some minor upgrades will be made to existing detention facilities.

    Upon completion of both stages, 261 dwellings and three large retirement villages will have flood risk reduced including 35 properties removed from high flood risk. Additionally, 3,900m² of commercial floor area will also see a reduced flood risk.

    This comprehensive network will also protect critical infrastructure such as key roads, power substations, and wastewater systems while providing vibrant recreational areas with walking paths and amenities, similar to Greenslade Reserve.

    “By enhancing flood resilience across the catchment, the project will support the safety, economic stability, and quality of life for the community,” says Cr Hills.

    How will this project reduce flooding?

    The Wairau Valley area suffered significant flooding during the severe weather events in early 2023 resulting in extensive flood damage to residential and commercial properties, including the Eventfinda Stadium. The Wairau Stream channel above and below AF Thomas Park could not convey the volume of water during the event, putting a high number of properties at risk.

    Tom Mansell, Auckland Council Head of Sustainable Partnerships (Healthy Waters and Flood Resilience) explains the reasons that this first stage is a critical step for the Wairau blue-green network.

    “The redevelopment of the park would provide the equivalent to 220 Olympic-sized swimming pools or 550 million litres of water storage in a flood event, which is a significant increase from the park’s current 60 million litre capacity,” says Mr Mansell.

    This would protect downstream residential properties as well as road flooding to Nile, Waterloo and Alma Roads in Milford – which are access points for North Shore Hospital and Westlake Boys and Girls High Schools.”

    Working with the community

    Early engagement has informed the business case. This is just the first step amid a staged engagement approach and will not be the only opportunity for the community to be part of this significant project.

    “If this business case is approved by the council, there will be more opportunities for engagement and for the community to be involved in the design,” says Mr Mansell.

    “We will need to work collaboratively with mana whenua, a variety of funders and members of the community, taking a catchment-wide approach to ensure the right outcomes are achieved for the community over the short and long-term.”

    “As part of this work, we will engage with community and key stakeholders to review both the golfing and wider recreation needs of the North Shore. This will inform how we develop this space into a vibrant recreation area for the community to enjoy and there will be time to consider the full range of options. It’s really important that we get the balance right and we can only do that by working with the Wairau community.”

    Planning and prioritisation for future projects

    Many communities were heavily impacted by the severe weather events of early 2023. Further areas across Tāmaki Makaurau continue to be assessed and prioritised for future blue-green works.

    You can find out more information about these projects on the council’s website or you can reach out to the team at bluegreen@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

    About Making Space for Water

    The Making Space for Water programme includes a range of initiatives to reduce flood risk to Aucklanders. Part of this is building new flood resilient infrastructure to enhance stormwater assets and green spaces to deliver increased flood management.

    Auckland Council is sharing some of the cost of flood resilience projects with central government as part of a $2 billion co-funding agreement for storm recovery. These are subject to business case approvals from both the council and the government, and projects must demonstrate a flood risk reduction for the wider community, not just individual properties.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –