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  • MIL-OSI Economics: Fueling tomorrow’s AI with new agentic capabilities and security innovations in Fabric 

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Fueling tomorrow’s AI with new agentic capabilities and security innovations in Fabric 

    The Microsoft Fabric Community Conference returns to Las Vegas this week—bigger and better than ever. Thank you to our attendees, speakers, customers, and dedicated teams for making FabCon 2025 an event to remember.

    Microsoft Fabric is a unified data platform that continues to transform businesses worldwide, with more than 19,000 organizations and 74% of Fortune 500 companies leveraging Fabric. At FabCon, customers from around the world will share how they are pushing the boundaries of data at scale and unlocking new possibilities for business innovation. 

    The London Stock Exchange (LSEG), for example, is leveraging Fabric to unify their data estates and efficiently process their data:

    “Microsoft Fabric has been pivotal in LSEG’s data platform modernization journey. With Fabric Spark as the core engine powering our customer facing enterprise data platform, LSEG manages large volumes of time critical financial markets data that require complex data quality and transformation rules, executed at scale and with consistent service levels. Combining this with the broader Fabric eco-system has opened up new and exciting customer experiences and AI-powered opportunities.” 

     —Phil Withey, Head of Architecture, LSEG Microsoft Partners

    Similarly, International Workplace Group (IWG) is revolutionizing its approach to data integration: 

    “Microsoft Fabric was a game changer because of its ability to create shortcuts without physically moving data from one place to another. Before, if I had to incorporate three sources, I had to create pipelines to bring in the data. That pipeline had a cost. The data movement had a cost. With Fabric, it’s two clicks and that’s it.” 

    —José Viegas, Senior Data Architect, IWG 

    We’re always listening and learning to further enable customer successes like these by delivering the latest innovations across the data estate. See how customers around the world are using Fabric to transform their teams and industries.

    New capabilities coming to Microsoft Fabric 

    Today, we’re enhancing the Fabric experience by unlocking new possibilities through key innovations designed to help strengthen security and harness the power of AI to streamline data workstreams like never before:

    Introducing OneLake security—an industry breakthrough in data protection 

    Managing granular data security across multiple applications and engines is complex, often resulting in excessive restrictions or accidental data exposures. That’s why we’re introducing OneLake security—an industry breakthrough in data protection. OneLake is Fabric’s unified data lake, which seamlessly connects your entire multi-cloud and on-premises data estate. All your teams get a single place to discover, explore, and manage their data—even within apps like Microsoft Teams and Excel. 

    Now with OneLake security, you can define access permissions once, and Fabric will enforce it consistently across all engines. Data owners can create security roles, refine permissions, and control access at the row and column levels to securely share data. For example, you can grant access to only certain folders, tables, or even rows in a lakehouse—restricting Personally Identifiable Information (PII) while keeping other data available. This security propagates automatically, so whether you query the data in SQL or visualize it in a Power BI report, you can only see what has been authorized. Check out the following demo to see OneLake security in action:

    We are thrilled to share that OneLake security will be available in preview within a few months. In the meantime, if you are interested in trying OneLake security on your workspaces and providing feedback, please visit this early access sign-up page.

    Empowering agentic AI by integrating Fabric data agents with Azure AI Foundry

    Data plays a critical role in agentic AI, enabling AI agents to operate independently, make informed decisions, and take meaningful actions. That’s why we are expanding capabilities and deepening integrations between our data and AI platforms. 

    Data agents (formerly known as AI skills) in Microsoft Fabric are AI-powered assistants that can learn, adapt, and deliver insights instantly, helping teams make better data-driven decisions. Fabric data agents not only retrieve data from OneLake, but they can reason over and understand the data—what it means, how it’s structured, and when it’s relevant. 

    Starting today, organizations can use Azure AI Foundry to connect customized, conversational agents, created in Fabric. AI developers can now use Azure AI Agent Service to securely ground AI agent outputs with enterprise knowledge in Fabric data agents, so that responses are accurate, relevant, and contextually aware. By combining Fabric’s sophisticated data analysis over enterprise data with Azure AI Foundry’s cutting-edge GenAI technology, businesses can create custom conversational AI agents leveraging domain expertise. 

    “Fabric data agents are a powerful and value-adding tool in data environments. Acting as a conversational capability layer, we can use data agents to ‘talk’ to our data, understand it, and derive different insights in support of our daily decision making.”

    —Maureen Tan, Head of AI Center of Expertise, NTT DATA

    Copilot and AI capabilities in Fabric will be available for all SKUs

    We are excited to announce that Copilot and AI capabilities will be enabled for all paid SKUs in Fabric, making these tools accessible to everyone within the coming weeks. This expansion is driven by your feedback about the impact Copilot in Microsoft Fabric has had on your productivity, and how broadening access to Copilot would benefit more teams. With this latest update, customers on F2 and above can use Copilot and AI capabilities, such as Fabric data agents, to streamline workflows, generate insights, and drive impactful decisions.

    Seamlessly migrate your data to Fabric 

    We are excited to announce the preview of a migration experience natively built into the Fabric UI, enabling Azure Synapse Analytics (data warehouse) customers to transition seamlessly to Microsoft Fabric. With a built-in, intelligent assessment, guided support, and AI-powered assistance, this experience simplifies migration of code and data while helping customers unlock Fabric’s unified data foundation, AI-driven analytics, and enhanced performance—without the complexity of traditional migrations. 

    Microsoft Fabric Community Conference

    Join us this year in Las Vegas for FabCon 2025.

    Additional Fabric innovations

    In addition to the above, we are introducing a series of updates across the Microsoft Fabric platform and its workloads. These advancements will further progress our commitments to our four core Fabric pillars: 

    • A complete, AI-powered data platform. 
    • An open, AI-ready data lake. 
    • Empowering AI-enabled business users. 
    • A mission-critical foundation. 

    Fabric is a complete AI-powered data platform

    Fabric is a unified, AI-powered data platform that fosters seamless collaboration across your organization. Today, we’re sharing new enhancements and capabilities that will further strengthen the Fabric platform and workloads, which will unlock even more possibilities for your data initiatives. 

    Platform enhancements: 

    • The preview of Command Line Interface (CLI) in Fabric introduces a new terminal that allows users and admins to execute commands across Fabric using interactive prompts or scripts, enabling a seamless, code-first experience without relying on clicks. 
    • The preview of new CI/CD enhancements expands support across the Fabric platform, including variable libraries for workspaces, Service Principal support for GitHub, and Deployment Pipelines Fabric APIs Phase II. 
    • The preview of User Data Functions introduces a way for developers to implement and reuse custom business logic in Fabric data science and data engineering workflows, streamlining development and improving efficiency. 
    • The general availability of the Terraform provider for Fabric, to help customers ensure deployments and management tasks are executed accurately and consistently. 
    • The general availability of Tags, which allows users to optimally describe items they own, and help enhance organization and discoverability of data in Fabric. 

    Data integration enhancements: 

    • The general availability of Apache Airflow job empowers customers to run their Apache Airflow DAGs in Microsoft Fabric, with a serverless Apache Airflow runtime. 
    • The general availability of the Copy job introduces a new simplified experience for customers who need to move data between different data sources and destinations. It also introduces support for batch and incremental data movement. 
    • The preview of key orchestration enhancements is now available, enabling the creation of metadata-driven pipelines that orchestrate Dataflow Gen2 (CI/CD) parameterized invocation from Data Pipelines 

    Real-time intelligence enhancements:

    • The general availability of Fabric Events transforms Fabric into an event-driven platform. Users can leverage the Real-Time hub to discover and subscribe to Fabric Events across OneLake, Fabric jobs, and Workspaces. 
    • The preview of new eventstream connectors which allows users to bring in data from additional non-Microsoft sources, including Weather, Solace PubSub+, ADX Table Streamify, MQTT v5, Event Grid Namespaces, and Confluent with Schema Registry. 

    Data Engineering and Data Science enhancements: 

    • The preview of Autoscale Billing for Spark helps optimize Spark job costs by offloading Data Engineering workloads to a serverless billing mode. Capacity admins can set a max capacity units (CUs) limit in capacity settings, ensuring Spark jobs use dedicated CUs instead of shared Fabric Capacity. 
    • The preview of AI functions provides powerful capabilities to apply LLM-powered transformations, such as summarization, classification, and text generation to your OneLake data—all with a single line of code.

    Partner/ISV integrations 

    • At Ignite, we announced the general availability of the Workload Development Toolkit (WDK) and introduced ISV workloads that bring new capabilities and value to our joint customers. We are excited to now announce the general availability of Fabric workloads from Osmos, Profisee, and PowerBI.tips, along with public previews of new workloads from Celonis, CluedIn, Neo4j, Lumel, Statsig, and Striim in the Fabric Workload Hub. In addition, CluedIn also announced a public preview of its integration with Open Mirroring in Fabric.

    Fabric is open with an AI-ready data lake 

    In addition to OneLake Security, we are also making enhancements to OneLake, including: 

    • A modern get-data experience with OneLake catalog integration in Microsoft Excel (in Office Insiders Fast) enables users to explore the OneLake catalog directly from Excel, expanding accessibility beyond the existing Microsoft Teams integration. 
    • Coming soon, we are releasing the general availability of on-premises data gateways support for Amazon S3, S3-compatible sources, and Google Cloud Platform allows users to create shortcuts to on-premises data sources hosted behind a firewall or within a Virtual Private Cloud. 
    • The enhancements for cross-tenant sharing, including the ability to share multiple tables at once, Lakehouse schemas, as well as tables from Fabric SQL databases, KQL databases, and OneLake shortcuts (coming soon). This shared data can now be accessed via SQL analytics endpoints and semantic models. 
    • An updated version of the Fabric Link to Dataverse preview enables even faster and more secure data virtualization from Dataverse, the data platform for the Power Platform and Dynamics 365, thanks to back-end improvements. We are also announcing a new Mirrored Dataverse option in Fabric. Learn more about both announcements. 

    Fabric empowers every business user with AI capabilities

    Fabric empowers business users to quickly uncover key insights in a Power BI report by simply asking Copilot. With AI-enhanced Q&A and intuitive visuals seamlessly embedded in Microsoft 365 apps, everyone can better understand and act on their data with ease. To further empower this mission, we’re announcing that: 

    • The preview of Direct Lake semantic models in Power BI desktop, which allows users to build Power BI semantic models for lightning-fast reports that query data directly from OneLake without scheduling refreshes and without data duplication. This feature will also enable users to add in tables from multiple Fabric artifacts in the same Direct Lake semantic model for ultimate reusability of OneLake data.

    Fabric provides a mission-critical foundation 

    Our final promise is that you can confidently deploy and manage Microsoft Fabric with category-leading performance, instant scalability, shared resilience, and built-in security, governance, and compliance. To further that mission, we’re excited to introduce several enhancements to our mission-critical promise, including: 

    Mission-critical foundation enhancement with Microsoft Purview:

    • Coming soon, the preview of Microsoft Purview for Copilot in Power BI. The integration will enable discovery of data risks such as sensitive data in user prompts and responses, protect sensitive data with Insider Risk Management to identify and investigate risky AI usage, and govern AI usage with audit, eDiscovery, retention policies, and non-compliant usage detection.  
    • Coming soon, we are expanding Purview Data Loss Prevention policies Fabric coverage beyond lakehouses and semantic models, to now also include Fabric KQL databases and mirrored databases. This will allow security admins to detect sensitive data uploads, such as SSNs, and trigger automated actions in more sources. 
    • The preview of Data Observability within the Unified Catalog to investigate the relationship between data products and any assets (including Fabric assets) associated with them to identify the root cause of quality issues. 

    Getting started with Microsoft Fabric 

    New customers can try out everything Fabric has to offer by signing up for a free 60-day trial—no credit card information required. Learn how to start your free trial. 

    If you’re considering purchasing Fabric and need help choosing a SKU, we’re excited to share that a new Fabric SKU Estimator will soon be available in public preview. Stay tuned. 

    Watch the action at the Fabric Conference

    To see these announcements in action, register and secure your spot today through Wednesday April 2, 2025. With over 200 expert-led sessions, you can join thousands of attendees who are diving deep into Microsoft Fabric, exploring innovations in AI, databases, analytics, business intelligence, and more.  

    Join us at FabCon 2025

    Explore additional resources for Microsoft Fabric 

    To learn more about Fabric:  

    Read additional blogs by industry-leading partners: 

    Arun Ulagaratchagan

    Corporate Vice President, Azure Data–Microsoft

    Arun leads product management, engineering, and cloud operations for Azure Data, which includes databases, data integration, big data analytics, messaging, and business intelligence. The products in his teams’ portfolio include Azure SQL DB, Azure Cosmos DB, Azure PostgreSQL, Azure MySQL, Azure Data Factory, Azure Synapse Analytics, Azure Service Bus, Azure Event Grid, Power BI, and Microsoft Fabric.

    See more articles from this author

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Old Missions, New Discoveries: NASA’s Data Archives Accelerate Science

    Source: NASA

    Every NASA mission represents a leap into the unknown, collecting data that pushes the boundaries of human understanding. But the story doesn’t end when the mission concludes. The data carefully preserved in NASA’s archives often finds new purpose decades later, unlocking discoveries that continue to benefit science, technology, and society.
    “NASA’s science data is one of our most valuable legacies,” said Kevin Murphy, NASA’s chief science data officer at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “It carries the stories of our missions, the insights of our discoveries, and the potential for future breakthroughs.”

    NASA’s science data is one of our most valuable legacies.

    Kevin Murphy
    Chief Science Data Officer, NASA Science Mission Directorate

    NASA’s Science Mission Directorate manages an immense amount of data, spanning astrophysics, biological and physical sciences, Earth science, heliophysics, and planetary science. Currently, NASA’s science data holdings exceed 100 petabytes—enough to store 20 billion photos from the average modern smartphone. This volume is expected to grow significantly with new missions.
    This vast amount of data enables new discoveries, connecting scientific observations together in meaningful ways. Over 50% of scientific publications rely on archived data, which NASA provides to millions of commercial, government, and scientific users.

    Managing and stewarding such massive volumes of information requires careful planning, robust infrastructure, and innovative strategies to ensure the data is accessible, secure, and sustainable. Continued support for data storage and cutting-edge technology is key to ensuring future generations of researchers can continue to explore using science data from NASA missions. 
    Modern technology, such as image processing and artificial intelligence, helps unlock new insights from previous observations. For example, in 1986, NASA’s Voyager 2 spacecraft conducted a historic flyby of Uranus, capturing detailed data on the planet and its environment. Decades later, in the early 2000s, scientists used advanced image processing techniques on this archival data to discover two small moons, Perdita and Cupid, which had gone unnoticed during the initial analysis.
    In 2024, researchers revisited this 38-year-old archival data and identified a critical solar wind event that compressed Uranus’s magnetosphere just before the Voyager 2 flyby. This rare event, happening only about four percent of the time, provided unique insights into Uranus’s magnetic field and its interaction with space weather.

    NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), launched in 2009, continues to provide data that reshapes our understanding of the Moon. In 2018, scientists analyzing the LRO’s archival data confirmed the presence of water ice in permanently shadowed regions at the Moon’s poles. 
    In 2024, new studies out of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, showed widespread evidence of water ice within the permanently shadowed regions outside the lunar South Pole, further aiding lunar mission planners. This discovery not only holds implications for lunar exploration but also demonstrates how existing data can yield groundbreaking insights.

    NASA’s data archives uncover the secrets of our own planet as well as others. In 2024, archaeologists published a study revealing a “lost” Mayan city in Campeche, Mexico that was previously unknown to the scientific community. The researchers identified the city in archival airborne Earth science data, including a 2013 dataset from NASA Goddard’s LiDAR Hyperspectral & Thermal Imager (G-LiHT) mission.
    The Harmonized Landsat and Sentinel-2 (HLS) project provides frequent high-resolution observations of Earth’s surface. Data from HLS has been instrumental in tracking urban growth over time. By analyzing changes in land cover, researchers have used HLS to monitor the expansion of cities and infrastructure development. For example, in rapidly growing metropolitan areas, HLS data has revealed patterns of urban sprawl, helping planners analyze past trends to predict future metropolitan expansion.

    These discoveries represent only a fraction of what’s possible. NASA is investing in new technologies to harness the full potential of its data archives, including artificial intelligence (AI) foundation models—open-source AI tools designed to extract new findings from existing science data.
    “Our vision is to develop at least one AI model for each NASA scientific discipline, turning decades of legacy data into a treasure trove of discovery,” said Murphy. “By embedding NASA expertise into these tools, we ensure that our scientific data continues to drive innovation across science, industry, and society for generations to come.”
    Developed under a collaboration between NASA’s Office of the Chief Science Data Officer, IBM, and universities, these AI models are scientifically validated and adaptable to new datasets, making them invaluable for researchers and industries alike.
    “It’s like having a virtual assistant that leverages decades of NASA’s knowledge to make smarter, quicker decisions,” said Murphy.

    The team’s Earth science foundation models—the Prithvi Geospatial model and Prithvi Weather model—analyze vast datasets to monitor Earth’s changing landscape, track weather patterns, and support critical decision-making processes.
    Building on this success, the team is now developing a foundation model for heliophysics. This model will unlock new insights about the dynamics of solar activity and space weather, which can affect satellite operations, communication systems, and even power grids on Earth. Additionally, a model designed for the Moon is in progress, aiming to enhance our understanding of lunar resources and environments.
    This investment in AI not only shortens the “data-to-discovery” timeline but also ensures that NASA’s data archives continue to drive innovation. From uncovering new planets to informing future exploration and supporting industries on Earth, the possibilities are boundless.
    By maintaining extensive archives and embracing cutting-edge technologies, the agency ensures that the data collected today will continue to inspire and inform discoveries far into the future. In doing so, NASA’s legacy science data truly remains the gift that keeps on giving.
    By Amanda Moon AdamsCommunications Lead for the Office of the Chief Science Data Officer

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Florida Hurricane Recovery DR-4834-FL RU-033

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Florida Hurricane Recovery DR-4834-FL RU-033

    Florida Hurricane Recovery DR-4834-FL RU-033

    Florida Hurricane Recovery   Marc  31, 2025 (Distributed on Mondays) Key MessagesMore than 1,100 FEMA staff are on the ground in Florida to help survivors recover from Hurricanes Milton, Helene and Debby

     FEMA will continue to process applications, receive and manage appeals, conduct inspections and assist applicants and local officials with questions and information about recovery programs

    FEMA may call Floridians who applied for disaster assistance from unknown phone numbers

    It is important to answer these calls

    Survivors should return any missed phone calls

    Survivors who applied for FEMA assistance should continue to stay in touch with the agency to update their application

    Missing or outdated information could result in delays

    Homeowners and renters can update their contact information online at DisasterAssistance

    gov,by using the FEMA App or by phone at 800-621-3362

     Lines are open every day and help is available in most languages

    Hazard Mitigation Community Education Outreach FEMA Mitigation staff are onsite at big box stores to help homeowners learn ways to build back stronger against future storms

    These specialists can offer free improvement tips and proven methods for rebuilding in a way that can lessen damage from future disasters

    Insurance specialists are also available to answer NFIP questions

    As of March 31, the state of Florida has removed more than 36 million cubic yards of debris

    FEMA specialists will be available from March 27 through April 5 from 8:00 a

    m

    to 4:30 p

    m

    ET, Monday – Friday and on Saturday from 8:00 a

    m

    to 2:30 p

    m

    ET, at the following location:Charlotte County: Home Depot, 12621 McCall Road, Port Charlotte, FL 33981FEMA specialists will be available from March 31 through April 12 from 8:00 a

    m

    to 4:30 p

    m

    ET, Monday – Friday and on Saturday from 8:00 a

    m

    to 2:30 p

    m

    ET, at the following location:Lee County: Lowe’s, 285 SW 25th Lane, Cape Coral, FL 33914Debris RemovalAppealsSurvivors who applied for FEMA assistance will receive a decision letter in the mail or via email

    If survivors disagree with the decision about their eligibility, they can appeal within 60 days from the date on that letter

      If survivors have questions about their letter or how to appeal, they can call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362

     FraudWe encourage survivors to be aware of fraud and scams and report any suspicious activity to local authorities

    For more information, visit: Be Alert to Fraud After Florida Hurricanes | FEMA

    govIndividual AssistanceAs of March 31, FEMA has approved a total of more than $1

    5 billion to help Floridians with losses from Milton, Helene and Debby, including: $734

    3 million approved for Hurricane Milton $753

    7 million approved for Hurricane Helene $56

    8 million approved for Hurricane DebbyFEMA may provide financial assistance to help displaced survivors rent temporary housing

     FEMA Rental Assistance is intended to cover the monthly rent amount, which may include a security deposit, at a place other than a damaged home

    The rental can be near the survivor’s job, home, school and place of worship

    The assistance may include essential utilities such as gas, oil, trash, sewer, electricity, and water, but not cable or Internet

    Public AssistanceFEMA has obligated over $1 billion in Public Assistance funds to aid Florida’s recovery from Hurricane Milton

     In just over two months from the date Hurricane Milton was presidentially declared, Public Assistance was able to obligate more than $1 billion to the state of Florida – something that has never been done before in Florida

    This rapid response highlights the partnership with the State of Florida to aid local governments’ efforts to help communities recover

    Milton: Category A (Debris) total obligated: $338,280,729      Milton: Category B (Emergency Protective Measures) total obligated: $647,677,699Helene: Category A (Debris) total obligated: $86,995,225       Helene: Category B (Emergency Protective Measures) total obligated: $348,183,066National Flood Insurance ProgramAs of March 31, NFIP has paid $6

    6 billion in claims to 60,884 claimants from Milton, Helene and Debby

    NFIP Information available online at https://www

    floodsmart

    gov/

    U

    S

     Small Business AdministrationDR-4806DR-4828DR-4834Applications: 1,949Applications: 21,361Applications: 44,612Dollars Approved: $39,401,071Dollars Approved: $758,941,081Dollars Approved: $672,442,659Additional ResourcesActivate Hope: Displaced survivors can apply for State Non-Congregate Sheltering by visiting the Activate Hope website at hopeflorida

    com and filling out the Assistance Request Form or by calling the Hope Florida support line at 833-GET-HOPE (833-438-4673)

    Florida 211: Whether it’s a natural or human-caused disaster, a mental health issue, searching for job training or a food pantry, Florida 211 connects people to help, with a caring human on the other end of the phone

    It’s a go-to, 24/7 free resource that can connect you with a wide range of social services and resources, including food, housing, utilities payment assistance, health care, transportation, childcare, employment opportunities, mental health crises, disaster information and assistance, and more

    FDEM Statewide Debris Dashboard: Debris Survey Results (Milton)

    Clean & Sanitize: FEMA may be able to provide up to $300 in one-time financial assistance to help with cleanup

     Clean and Sanitize Assistance | FEMA

    gov

    Multi-Agency Resource Centers: Florida Division of Emergency Management and local communities are operating these centers to assist residents with storm recovery

    FEMA specialists are available at most centers

     U

    S

    Department of Agriculture/Farm Services Agency: emergency_disaster_designation_declaration_process-factsheet

    pdf  FEMA & Citizenship: You or a member of your household must be U

    S

    citizen, non-U

    S

    citizen national or qualified non-citizen to qualify for FEMA assistance

    FEMA Rumor Response: Know what’s true and what isn’t

     Hurricane Rumor Response | FEMA

    govSmall Business Hurricane Recovery Grant Program FAQs | U

    S

    Chamber of Commerce FoundationMental health resources for Floridians For help with cleanup: Call 833-GET HOPETips for Mold CleanupFlorida Division of Emergency Management Updates: floridadisaster

    org/disaster-updates/storm-updates/Disaster Legal Hotline: 833-514-2940 
    lindsay

    tozer
    Mon, 03/31/2025 – 18:04

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FEMA Mitigation Experts Offer Rebuilding Advice in Lee County

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: FEMA Mitigation Experts Offer Rebuilding Advice in Lee County

    FEMA Mitigation Experts Offer Rebuilding Advice in Lee County

    FEMA Mitigation Experts Offer Rebuilding Advice in Lee CountyTALLAHASSEE, Fla

    – As Floridians rebuild, survivors of Hurricanes Milton, Helene and Debby can get free advice on how to rebuild stronger and safer against storms

    FEMA mitigation specialists will be available to answer questions and offer free home improvement tips and proven methods to lessen damage from future disasters

    This information is geared for do-it-yourself work and general contractors

    FEMA specialists will be available from March 31 through April 12, from 8:00 a

    m

    to 4:30 p

    m

    ET, Monday – Friday and on Saturday from 8:00 a

    m

    to 2:30 p

    m

    ET, at the following location:Lee County: Lowe’s, 285 SW 25th Lane, Cape Coral, FL 33914Mitigation is an effort to reduce the loss of life and property damage by lessening the impact of a disaster through   construction and remodeling best practices

    An insurance specialist will be present to answer National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) questions

    Disaster Survivor Assistance teams will be on hand to provide updates on FEMA applications and answer questions

    Stay in Touch with FEMAIt is important to let FEMA know about any changes to your contact information

     You may update contact information or check on the status of your application by:Visiting DisasterAssistance

    govCalling FEMA directly at 800-621-3362Using the FEMA appFor the latest information about Hurricane Milton recovery, visit fema

    gov/disaster/4834

     For Hurricane Helene recovery information, visit fema

    gov/disaster/4828

     For Hurricane Debby, visit fema

    gov/disaster/4806

     Follow FEMA on X at x

    com/femaregion4or on Facebook at facebook

    com/fema

    ###FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during and after disasters

    Follow FEMA online, on X @FEMA or @FEMAEspanol, on FEMA’s Facebook page or Espanol page and at FEMA’s YouTube account

    Also, follow on X FEMA_Cam

     For preparedness information follow the Ready Campaign on X at @Ready

    gov, on Instagram @Ready

    gov or on the Ready Facebook page

      
    lindsay

    tozer
    Mon, 03/31/2025 – 12:29

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Kehoe Announces Six Appointments to Various Boards and Commissions, Fills One County Office Vacancy

    Source: US State of Missouri

    MARCH 31, 2025

    Jefferson City — Today, Governor Mike Kehoe announced six appointments to various boards and commissions and the appointment of the Andrew County Circuit Clerk.

    Tannah Buhman, of St. Joseph, was appointed as the Andrew County Circuit Clerk.

    Ms. Buhman is currently serving as the interim circuit clerk for the Andrew County Circuit Court having been appointed by the Presiding Judge after a year as deputy court clerk. She previously worked as a patient care representative for Mosaic Life Care in St. Joseph, Missouri, and holds certifications as a Certified Nurse Assistant and Certified Medication Technician.

    Paul Fitzwater, of Potosi, was appointed to the Missouri Sentencing Advisory Commission.

    Mr. Fitzwater currently serves as a member of the Board of Probation and Parole and is a former state representative for Iron, Washington, Wayne, and Reynolds counties. Before entering public service, he owned and operated Fitzwater and Son Concrete Contracting. Fitzwater is also a retired teacher and coach with nearly 30 years of experience in education. He is an active member of several organizations including the National Rifle Association and the Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Fitzwater earned his bachelor’s degree in education from Tarkio College.

    Matthew Haase, of Kansas City, was appointed to the Jackson County Sports Complex Authority.

    Mr. Haase is currently the director of strategic relations for Kansas City University, having previously served as the senior director of external relations at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Haas dedicated 18 years to public service under the leadership of former U.S. Senator Roy Blunt as a senior legislative assistant in his congressional office and later as a state director in his Senate office. He was appointed to the 16th Circuit Judicial Commission by Governor Parson and currently serves on the Local Investment Commission. Mr. Haase earned his Bachelor of Science in Economics from Missouri State University in Springfield.

    Steven Oslica, of St. Louis, was appointed to the Missouri Community Service Commission.

    Mr. Oslica is a business consultant based in St. Louis. He previously served as executive director of the Hawthorn Foundation for Missouri, which helps to fund the sitting governor’s economic development priorities and assists in improving state operation efficiencies. His career includes over 30 years in oil and gas construction materials as a global marketing director for Pittsburgh Corning Corporation and the director of international business for H.B. Fuller. Osclica currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Culver-Stockton College and Board of Advisors for Love the Lou. Mr. Oslica earned his bachelor’s degree in history and political science from Culver-Stockton College.  

    Victor Pasley, of Columbia, was reappointed to the Lincoln University Board of Curators.

    Mr. Pasley retired from Xerox Corporation in 2010 after a 32-year career as a member of its executive team. Prior to his corporate career, he worked as an instructor and assistant principal in Elgin Public Schools and served as a Captain in the United States Army, including a tour of duty in Vietnam. He has served on the Lincoln University Board of Curators since 2019. Mr. Pasley earned a Bachelor of Science in Education from Lincoln University, a Master of Science in Education from Northern Illinois University, and completed the Professional Management Development Program at Harvard Business School.

    Richard Popp, of Tebbetts, was reappointed to the Lincoln University Board of Curators.

    Mr. Popp is a retired Executive Vice President of Central Bank, where he was employed for 37 years. He is a member of the Missouri Bar Association and Jefferson City Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Popp has served as a member of the Lincoln University Board of Curators for six years. He holds two degrees from the University of Missouri: accounting and plant science. He also earned his Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School in 1977.

    John M. Raines, of Senath, was appointed to the University of Missouri Board of Curators.

    Mr. Raines’ leadership in agriculture and food spans nearly four decades, most recently retiring as president of TELUS Ag & Consumer Goods. Prior to TELUS, Raines served as the chief commercial officer at The Climate Corporation, now part of Bayer, a leading global provider of agricultural products. Raines serves on the board of directors for several companies including FMC Corporation, Sydenstricker Nobbe Partners, and TPNB Bank, as well as the advisory board for the University of Missouri Fisher Delta Research, Extension and Education Center. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the University of Missouri in Columbia.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Putnam County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crime

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Edward Leon Sowards, 35, of Hurricane, was sentenced today to one year and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Sowards admitted that he purchased a Taurus model Public Defender Judge Poly .45-caliber/.410-gauge revolver from an individual in June 2023. Sowards further admitted that he knew the individual had stolen the firearm. Sowards was later confronted about the stolen firearm being in his possession. On June 21, 2023, Sowards met with the individual in a Hurricane parking lot and returned the firearm. Sowards admitted that he knew the serial number had been removed from the firearm at the time he returned it to the individual.

    Federal law prohibits a person convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Sowards knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior conviction for domestic battery in Putnam County Magistrate Court on April 20, 2012.

    Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the West Virginia State Police.

    United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney prosecuted the case.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-147.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Funding European competitiveness through automotive carbon credits – E-000531/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    Delivering on the EU’s net greenhouse gas emissions reduction target of at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 and the climate neutrality target by 2050, as enshrined in the European Climate Law[1], calls for ambitious action to ensure a swift decrease in emissions from all sectors, including transport.

    The revised CO2 standards Regulation[2] sets targets which get more stringent over time, up to a 100% emission reduction for new cars and vans registered in the EU as of 2035.

    These standards drive a gradual transition towards zero-emission mobility, while giving industry enough lead-time to develop an adequate compliance strategy.

    The 2025 target requires a 15% reduction of emissions from the 2021 baseline. It was agreed by the co-legislators in 2019 and was confirmed in 2023.

    For manufacturers that may not be in a position to achieve target compliance on their own , the regulation provides the option to pool with other manufacturers. Pooling is not mandatory but provides manufacturers with one more flexibility to choose from.

    In the Industrial Action Plan for the European automotive sector[3], the Commission has announced that it will swiftly present additional flexibilities, through a targeted amendment of the CO2 emission standards, which would determine that compliance is assessed over the years of 2025, 2026 and 2027 combined to allow manufacturers to compensate target exceedance in one or two of these years by overachievements in the other year(s).

    This will contribute to safeguarding industry’s capacity to invest, keeping the overall ambition of the 2025 targets. The Commission will also accelerate work on the preparation of the review of the regulation.

    • [1] http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/1119/oj
    • [2] http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/851/oj
    • [3] COM(2025) 95 final.
    Last updated: 31 March 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Q&A With NREL Scientist Effie Kisgeropoulos

    Source: US National Renewable Energy Laboratory

    Effie Kisgeropoulos Discusses Her Early Scientific Inspiration and Journey to Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

    As a young girl, Effie Kisgeropoulos dreamed about the endless universe of constellations. Photo from Effie Kisgeropoulos, NREL

    Lying on the grass in Canton, Ohio, a young Effie Kisgeropoulos studied constellations with her eyes and later through her telescope, dreaming about the mechanisms of faraway celestial bodies.

    Little did the future National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) researcher know that her budding scientific gaze would later turn to something closer to home: orbiting subatomic particles in microscopic structures.

    The ability to translate perspectives between different worlds might be her superpower—although this superpower has come with its challenges. Yet Kisgeropoulos has persisted through all the uphill climbs, maintaining her joy of learning.

    Kisgeropoulos was homeschooled for most of her childhood, and she benefited from a framework that empowered her to absorb knowledge and ask questions. Looking back, the ease with which Kisgeropoulos moved through primary education was perhaps unsurprising given her much later diagnosis with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). She thrived in the home setting where learning was fun, engaging, and flexible. But when it was time to begin her university honors program, Kisgeropoulos’ success at home became a struggle to maintain. Her passion for exploring new ideas came under serious doubt.

    Although Kisgeropoulos struggled at first, she persevered through trial and error and by embracing new opportunities. Her path at NREL began with a postdoctoral position that employed her passion for using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy to decipher the subatomic interactions that dictate our world.

    Kisgeropoulos is now a full-time researcher in NREL’s Biosciences Center, responsible for helping manage the Advanced Spin Resonance Facility (ASRF), which houses the EPR equipment. This facility helps illuminate the subatomic workings of chemical reactions, like those that sustain photosynthesis or enable light-driven ammonia production and hydrogen catalysis.

    In this interview (edited for length and clarity), Kisgeropoulos discusses her contagious enthusiasm for science, her unique journey to NREL, and her passion for all things EPR.

    You have an interesting upbringing that isn’t familiar to many people. Can you talk about that and how it was a factor in your embrace of science?

    My mom homeschooled my sister and I until mid-high school. During our elementary years, she taught us for two days and worked the other three, when my dad—who worked midnights—would help.  

    Around this time, I fell in love with astronomy and spent countless hours poring over star maps and gazing at constellations. I even got a small telescope! It kick-started my obsession with science fiction and, later, theoretical physics.

    Kisgeropoulos, as a child, gazes through her new telescope. Photo from Effie Kisgeropoulos, NREL

    Homeschooling allowed me a certain freedom in how I assimilated information. I could work on my lessons while barefoot and sitting cross-legged on the floor, make as much noise as I wanted, go at my own pace. I was unencumbered by the classical rules of school.

    Later when my parents separated, my mom juggled multiple jobs while still maintaining our education. Watching all this, I also learned a lot about hard work and perseverance. I wasn’t diagnosed with ADHD until 29, so these qualities—and the love of learning I grew up with—were vital to me navigating undergrad and then a Ph.D. without any context for why I had different needs than my peers.

    Kisgeropoulos (right) and her sister, Sophia (left), pose in front of their school project—sprouting seeds from plants. Photo from Effie Kisgeropoulos, NREL

    Can you tell me about your transition from homeschooling to the university world?

    My science obsessions led me to join the honors program at Kent State University with a plan outlined by my guidance counselor: a bachelor’s in physics; grad school for astrophysics. Once classes started, a harsh reality formed. Many students are challenged during the transition to college, but I wasn’t aware of the unique challenges that came with a neurodivergent brain.

    Tougher coursework meant I had to study in earnest, but sitting alone for hours in the library to accomplish this was a strange experience. It would take me significant time to clear my mind of distractions before I could fully immerse myself in a task. Although I had experience with self-directed learning, my skills began failing me in this demanding and unfamiliar college environment.

    It was a disheartening first couple of years. I had been excellent at math, but I did poorly in calculus. I did okay in Physics I, but I dropped Physics II twice because it wasn’t clicking. The irony is the stuff in Physics II—like circuits, electricity, and magnetism—are foundations to some of what I do now at NREL.

    So, how did you adjust?

    The end of sophomore year was my worst. I wanted to study the stars, but I just couldn’t make the connections in my coursework. At around the same time, we found out my mom had breast cancer. It really impelled me, and I switched majors to biotech. I thought a more industry-focused degree would help with getting a job, if I needed to take care of my sister, and I hoped it would lead me to work in cancer research to help patients like my mom.

    With the switch, I started to excel in my classes again. In Intro Biochem, I learned about enzyme pathways in cells. It was like a puzzle, mapping them all out. In some ways, it felt like mapping out the stars. I was becoming fascinated with microscopic biological and chemical mechanisms that I had no idea about. My fire for learning came back. And as I approached graduation, my mom cleared her cancer!

    That’s wonderful. So at that point, you were on the path to a Ph.D. in biochem at The Ohio State University (OSU)?

    Yeah. I was thrilled when I was offered a spot. I started with three different lab rotations: mouse models of cancer, yeast genetics, and spectroscopy. Although I was still invested in cancer research, I enjoyed the approach of spectroscopy the most, which was in the lab of a new OSU professor, Hannah Shafaat. And in the end, I was still awarded a fellowship for the connection of my work to cancer research!

    My work at OSU involved applying advanced pulse EPR spectroscopy to biological systems. Before even developing these experiments, we needed to characterize the systems using a more common type of EPR: continuous wave (CW). At the time, the EPR capabilities we needed weren’t available at OSU. Instead, we would drive four hours roundtrip to Miami University and collect data for 10, 12 hours.

    This was where I became mesmerized by the EPR process. There’s this giant magnet with a sample in the middle that’s cooled to 5 Kelvin, and then microwaves are shot at it. It’s so metal! The resulting data were beautiful. You’re investigating a signal that looks like a child’s drawing and translating it to give information on interactions happening at the electron level.

    So, when were you able to work primarily with pulsed EPR?

    During my fourth year, we shifted to pulsed EPR techniques, which use microwaves shot in pulses rather than continuously. Using pulses unlocks a whole new dimension of capabilities, especially manipulating electron spins to acquire different, higher-resolution information. But pulsed EPR demands a higher level of theory and understanding to run an experiment, let alone troubleshoot one or customize it to the sample.

    I was applying pulsed EPR to proteins to answer questions about their electronic structure and function. This work was like what I do here at NREL in Paul King’s (Physical Biochemistry and Photosynthesis) group, except now I investigate how this reactivity is controlled and tuned into very complex redox enzymes.

    Good segue to becoming a postdoc at NREL. I imagine your experience with pulsed EPR had a lot to do with you coming here?

    Honestly, I struggled with the motivation to do research or become a professor. When I started EPR, my research interest sparked a bit, but I wasn’t sure how to do EPR at a private company. And then my OSU lab partner, Tasha Manesis, sent me a link for an NREL postdoctoral position in the Physical Biochemistry and Photosynthesis group. I read the job description and was ecstatic they wanted someone to study redox enzymes using pulsed EPR!

    Postdoctoral researcher Effie Kisgeropoulos poses in 2022 by an MBraun anaerobic chamber at NREL’s Science and Technology Facility. This type of equipment allows researchers to work with the oxygen-sensitive proteins and enzymes that are involved in many of nature’s important energy conversion reactions and pathways. Photo by Werner Slocum, NREL

    Another bit of serendipity. How was the postdoc experience here at NREL?

    Right after they hired me, COVID-19 happened. COVID-19 protocols made lab interactions challenging and training and team-building difficult. Once the protocols loosened, this all improved, and we added some new postdocs that quickly became great friends of mine. My relationship with Paul, my group manager and principal investigator, also really began to develop. These working relationships, and the willingness everyone showed to put effort into making them better, were a large reason why I stayed at NREL.

    How was the transition from postdoc to full-time researcher?

    Getting an NREL staff position doing what I love felt validating, a recognition of my contributions to the team. It also really brought me a sense of permanence. Even though six years in graduate school was a long time, it always had an end date. With this transition, I experienced a sense of investment in my work that I never felt before.

    Kisgeropoulos works with cell culture media containing ferredoxin proteins in the Research and Innovation Laboratory at NREL. These proteins are important for understanding the control electron transfer reactions in the photosynthetic cyanobacteria Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 and will be studied using techniques like EPR once they are purified from the media. Photo by Kaylee Weatherly, NREL

    What are your responsibilities as a biological EPR spectroscopist?

    I continue to build upon my postdoc work, contributing to research projects under Paul on photosynthetic energy transduction and mechanisms of photochemical nitrogen reduction. Both are funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science Basic Energy Sciences program.

    I also took on safety-representative duties for our lab space and have an official role helping David Mulder manage and operate the ASRF, which houses the EPR equipment. David and I developed an approach for scheduling on the CW EPR, helping maintain access for all users amid high demand for instrument time. I also help train new EPR users and advise on project data collection, interpretation, and analysis.

    NREL researchers (from left) Paul King, Effie Kisgeropoulos, and David Mulder talk in front of the electron paramagnetic resonance spectrometer in NREL’s Advanced Spin Resonance Facility in Golden, Colorado. Photo by Gregory Cooper, NREL

    So, why does this new role and the Advanced Spin Resonance Facility at NREL excite you so much?

    Most institutions operate one CW EPR at a single microwave frequency (commonly X-band). But at NREL, we have an incredible breadth of EPR capabilities in one place: CW EPR, pulsed EPR, both X-band and Q-band microwave frequencies, equipment to produce shaped pulses, the ability to incorporate radio waves and do EPR-detected nuclear magnetic resonance, and all using helium gas in a cryogen-free system to obtain super cold temperatures. All these capabilities are the perfect playground for me to explore and grow with.

    There’s also a tremendous amount of expertise here applying EPR to understand highly complex enzymatic functions, like nitrogen fixation to ammonia or hydrogen generation from protons and electrons. There’s a great foundation to build from and use my understanding of pulsed EPR to advance the research.

    Pulsed EPR, and really EPR in general, is such a powerful tool for obtaining targeted information on the movement, properties, and local environments of electrons, whether they exist as radicals, in defects, or on metal clusters. It’s highly applicable across a large swathe of research disciplines, from biology to materials—even brewing beer, although that’s not really in the NREL mission space. I’d like to continue to improve the experience of our core user group and expand the reach of the ASRF across NREL.

    Okay, one last question. If you had the power to make one change in the world, what would it be?

    Oh, tough, it’s hard to articulate, but I’d make empathy and compassion abundant. Through all my challenges, I’ve come out of it with a different appreciation for people. We’re all flawed, but people are also surprisingly great. I think it’s important to listen to what others are saying and consider how they might be feeling, the milieu that could be contributing to the actions they take.

    I try to always remember this, and I would want to make the changes necessary so everyone could feel safe enough and empowered to extend this kind of empathy and compassion to each other. I think it would help the world a lot.

    Learn more about NREL’s bioscience research and the Advanced Spin Resonance Facility.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wildfires continue to burn in Georgia, North and South Carolina

    Source: US Geological Survey

    Wildfires continue to burn in Georgia, North and South Carolina

    Burn bans remain in effect for North and South Carolina, where multiple wildfires have caused road closures and evacuations. Dry conditions and downed trees from Hurricane Helene have fueled the fires.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Under a Coalition government, the fate of Australia’s central climate policy hangs in the balance

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Deane, Professor of Trade Law, Taxation and Climate Change, Queensland University of Technology

    RobynCharnley/Shutterstock

    The future of Australia’s key climate policy is uncertain after Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said a Coalition government would review the measure, known as the “safeguard mechanism”, which is designed to limit emissions from Australia’s largest industrial polluters.

    According to the Australian Financial Review, if the Coalition wins office it will consider relaxing the policy, as part of its plan to increase domestic gas supplies.

    Evidence suggests weakening the mechanism would be a mistake. In fact, it could be argued the policy does not go far enough to force polluting companies to curb their emissions.

    Both major parties now accept Australia must reach net-zero emissions by 2050. This bipartisan agreement should make one thing clear: winding back the safeguard mechanism would be reckless policy.

    What’s the safeguard mechanism again?

    The safeguard mechanism began under the Coalition government in 2016. It now applies to 219 large polluting facilities that emit more than 100,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases a year. These facilities are in sectors such as electricity, mining, gas, manufacturing, waste and transport. Together, they produce just under one-third of Australia’s emissions.

    Under the policy’s original design, companies were purportedly required to keep their emissions below a certain cap, and buy carbon credits to offset any emissions over the cap. However, loopholes meant the cap was weakly enforced.

    This meant greenhouse gas pollution from the facilities actually increased – rising from 131.3 million tonnes to 138.7 million tonnes in the first six years of the policy.

    Labor strengthened the safeguard mechanism after it won office, by setting a hard cap for industrial emissions. The Coalition voted against the reforms.

    Dutton has since labelled the safeguard mechanism a “carbon tax”
    – a claim that has been debunked. Some members of the Coalition reportedly believe the policy makes manufacturers globally uncompetitive.

    Now, according to media reports, a Coalition government would review the safeguard mechanism with a view to weakening it, in a bid to bolster business and increase gas supply.

    Why the safeguard mechanism should be left alone

    Weakening the safeguard mechanism would lead to several problems.

    First, it would mean large facilities, including new coal and gas projects, would be permitted to operate without meaningful limits on their pollution. This threatens Australia’s international climate obligations.

    Second, if polluters were no longer required to buy carbon offsets, this would disrupt Australia’s carbon market.

    As the Clean Energy Regulator notes, the safeguard mechanism is the “dominant source” of demand for Australian carbon credits.

    In the first quarter of 2024, about 1.2 million carbon-credit units were purchased by parties wanting to offset their emissions. The vast majority were purchased by companies meeting compliance obligations under the safeguard mechanism or similar state rules.

    If companies are no longer required to buy offsets, or they buy fewer offsets, this would hurt those who sell carbon credits.

    Carbon credits are earned by organisations and individuals who abate carbon – through measures such as tree planting or retaining vegetation. The activities are often carried out by farmers and other landholders, including Indigenous organisations. Indigenous-led carbon projects have delivered jobs, cultural renewal and environmental benefits.

    The safeguard mechanism, together with the government pledge to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, also provides certainty for the operators of polluting facilities. Many in the business sector have called for the policy to remain unchanged.

    And finally, winding back the safeguard mechanism would send a troubling signal to the world: that Australia is stepping back from climate action.

    Now is not the time to abdicate our responsibilities on climate change. Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels have risen dramatically since 1960. This increase is driving global warming and climate change, leading to extreme weather events which will only worsen.

    A hard-won policy

    The safeguard mechanism has not had time to deliver meaningful outcomes. And it is far from perfect – but it is hard-won, and Australia needs it.

    The 2023 reforms to the mechanism were designed to support trade-exposed industries, while encouraging companies to invest in emissions reduction.

    Undoing this mechanism would risk our climate goals. It would leave the government limited means to curb pollution from Australia’s largest emitters, and muddy the roadmap to net-zero. It would also create uncertainty for all carbon market participants, including the polluting facilities themselves.

    Felicity Deane 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. Under a Coalition government, the fate of Australia’s central climate policy hangs in the balance – https://theconversation.com/under-a-coalition-government-the-fate-of-australias-central-climate-policy-hangs-in-the-balance-253426

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Shaheen, Tillis Urge U.S. Department of Agriculture to Quickly Distribute Disaster Relief to Assist Farmers, Rural Communities in Recovery

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen
    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies, and Thom Tillis (R-NC) sent a letter last week urging U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins to work with Congress to quickly distribute the more than $23 billion Congress passed in December to assist farmers, ranchers and rural Americans in responding to devastating natural disasters in 2023 and 2024. In their letter, the Senators note that the assistance is sorely needed as farmers and ranchers across the country struggle to address the fallout of several billion-dollar natural disasters. 
    The Senators wrote, in part: “These funds will benefit producers in every State—the natural disasters that struck farms and ranches in 2023 and 2024 affected a wide range of crops, livestock, and on-farm infrastructure. In North Carolina, Hurricane Helene is estimated to have caused almost $5 billion in agricultural losses, and in New Hampshire, a disastrous freeze in 2023 damaged apple and peach trees, as well as other crops, with growers seeing as high as 100 percent crop losses for the year.” 
    They continued: “As you know, this program is intended to serve both producers with and without crop insurance, and reach small, diversified operations. The supplemental provides targeted funds for small farm states, and it also specifically directs the Secretary to offer technical assistance to interested non-insured producers to help them apply for funding made available.” 
    The lawmakers concluded: “As the Department implements all of the disaster assistance programs, we stand ready to assist you in this effort to advance our shared priority of helping farmers and rural communities recover and thrive. Thank you for your attention to this matter.” 
    The full text of the letter can be found here and below. 
    Dear Secretary Rollins,  
    Congress passed an expansive emergency supplemental in December, which included more than $23 billion to assist farmers, ranchers and rural Americans in responding to devastating natural disasters in 2023 and 2024. We write to urge you to distribute these funds expeditiously and in consultation with Congress. This assistance is crucial as our Nation’s farmers and ranchers are struggling to respond to several billion-dollar natural disasters around the country while preparing for planting in a challenging farm economy.  
    These funds will benefit producers in every State—the natural disasters that struck farms and ranches in 2023 and 2024 affected a wide range of crops, livestock, and on-farm infrastructure. In North Carolina, Hurricane Helene is estimated to have caused almost $5 billion in agricultural losses, and in New Hampshire, a disastrous freeze in 2023 damaged apple and peach trees, as well as other crops, with growers seeing as high as 100 percent crop losses for the year. The department must move swiftly and thoughtfully to implement a program that will support farms of varying size and production.  
    As you know, this program is intended to serve both producers with and without crop insurance, and reach small, diversified operations. The supplemental provides targeted funds for small farm states, and it also specifically directs the Secretary to offer technical assistance to interested non-insured producers to help them apply for funding made available.  
    Rural communities are also struggling to recover from natural disasters, and we urge you to prioritize distributing the $362 million appropriated for the Rural Development Disaster Assistance Fund, the first time this fund has received a direct appropriation. While we recognize it will take some time to implement a new program, Congress chose to utilize this fund to allow Rural Development to be nimble and provide specialized assistance to assist communities where they need it most. The department should work with all Rural Development State Offices to catalogue disaster needs and develop a fair allocation of available funds.  
    As the Department implements all of the disaster assistance programs, we stand ready to assist you in this effort to advance our shared priority of helping farmers and rural communities recover and thrive. Thank you for your attention to this matter. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Connecticut Delegation Reintroduce Legislation To Improve Safety Net For Small Farmers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy
    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) joined U.S. Representatives John Larson (D-Conn.-01),  Joe Courtney (D-Conn.-02),  Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.-03), Jim Himes (D-Conn.-04), and Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.-05) in reintroducing the Save Our Small (SOS) Farms Act of 2025. This legislation improves the farm safety net and expands federal crop insurance by allowing small farms to better access crop insurance policies often limited to large commercial farms to protect their business. 
    Extreme weather and other disasters can cause severe losses for farms lacking crop insurance, forcing them to depend on disaster relief. This disproportionately affects small farms, which often cannot access insurance. A recent survey by the Connecticut Department of Agriculture revealed that Connecticut farmers have lost over $50 million due to weather-related events in 2023 and 2024. The SOS Farms Act aims to provide a stronger safety net by expanding the number of farms eligible to purchase crop insurance, lower coverage costs for small farms, and directing the USDA to develop more responsive coverage options for farmers during extreme weather.
    According to the nationwide 2022 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Census of Agriculture, only 5% of Connecticut farms are enrolled in crop insurance, compared to 19% of farms nationally.
    “Small farmers in Connecticut work hard to keep their businesses running, but don’t have adequate insurance programs to protect them when extreme storms and droughts wipe out their crops. This legislation would make disaster assistance and insurance more affordable and effective, so local farmers aren’t left behind when disaster hits,” said Murphy.
    “Climate change has made it abundantly clear that we need a stronger safety net for farmers when floods, drought or other natural disasters strike. Our measure makes necessary reforms to programs that simply do not work for farmers by making coverage and assistance more accessible and affordable than before. Small farms are an essential part of Connecticut’s culture, environment, and economy—they deserve the best protection and support to recover from devastating storms,” said Blumenthal.
    “After the Connecticut River Valley was devastated by severe flooding during the summer of 2023, many small farms throughout the region lost hundreds of acres of crops,” said Larson. “The Save our Small Farms Act will better tailor our nation’s crop insurance programs to the unique needs of small to midsized farmers. Our bill will make crop insurance more affordable and accessible and reduce the paperwork burdens our farmers face to access support when disaster strikes. The entire Connecticut delegation will continue to stand together with our farmers, so they get the support they deserve and are not left on their own to pick up the pieces after a natural disaster.”
    “More and more farmers across Connecticut are facing the devastating impacts of extreme weather events. Unfortunately, the broken federal crop insurance system has let smaller farms fall through gaps in coverage and left them on the hook with major losses. The Save Our Small Farms Act reforms the crop insurance system and provides small farmers with the safety net they need to access assistance programs and recover from damages that come at no fault of their own. I look forward to once again working with my colleagues from Connecticut to ensure this issue receives the attention it deserves in Congress,” said Courtney.
    “As the backbone of our food system, small farms deserve fair access to the resources they need to thrive,” said DeLauro. “Each year, as the climate crisis intensifies, unforeseen and catastrophic weather events are becoming more and more common. This makes our efforts to protect our farmers crucial, which is why I am a strong supporter of The Save Our Small Farms Act, which will guarantee that federal programs serve all farmers, not just the largest operations. This legislation is necessary to address the gaps in our current farm safety net. I am proud to support this legislation aimed at bolstering our agricultural economy, safeguarding local producers, and creating a more resilient food supply.”
    “Each year seems to bring worse storms than the last, with Connecticut’s small farmers incurring ever-steeper crop losses because of increasingly common severe weather. The Save our Small Farms Act expands crop insurance options for small farmers and improves how the federal government provides disaster aid in times of crisis. This is a commonsense bill that brings federal agricultural policy in line with the realities of climate change and the hardships our nation’s small farmers face,” said Himes.
    “In the Fifth District, small farms help feed our communities and drive our economy. Although these farmers need assistance, our crop insurance and disaster programs too often leave them behind. And as we continue to see extreme weather patterns becoming more frequent, we must find new solutions to ensure small farm operators are protected before disasters strikes,” said Hayes. “The SOS Farms Act would expand coverage and assistance, lower costs for small farmers, and direct the USDA to develop more responsive coverage options. Small farms are an essential part of our culture, environment, and economy.”
    Specifically, the SOS Farms Act:
    Creates a streamlined application process to the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP), which offers farmers the opportunity to purchase coverage for losses due to natural disasters in areas where crop insurance is unavailable. The bill provides new authority to USDA to launch pilot projects to address emerging needs and to improve data collection to support the development of new crop insurance policies.
    Producers may not be able to find an insurance policy that covers any or all of their crops, or insurance premiums may be prohibitively expensive.
    Paperwork requirements, premiums, and service fees have often kept small farms from accessing NAP coverage.
    2. Directs the Farm Service Agency to create an on-ramp from NAP coverage to a true insurance policy under the Whole Farm Revenue Protection Program (WFRP), the most comprehensive crop insurance program for small and mid-sized farms. 
    3. Expands WFRP to allow smaller farms to better access crop insurance policies by:
    Reducing paperwork requirements for applicants.
    Allowing policies for farms that use crop-rotation.
    Modifies insurance plans to improve effectiveness for specialty crop and diversified farms.
    Increases response timeliness of insurance applications.
    Requires providers and the Risk Management Agency to account for different cultivation cycles for different crops when calculating premium discounts.
    Authorizing the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation to study WFRP participation by small farms that sell to local or regional markets.
    Expanding the network of insurance agents selling crop insurance policies to small farms through increased compensation
    4. Directs USDA to develop an index-based insurance policy that is responsive to crop and income losses due to extreme weather events.
    A weather index-based insurance policy uses extreme weather events as a proxy for agricultural income losses.
    This approach reduces paperwork while making the policy more responsive to losses from adverse weather conditions.
    Insurance would also be based on a farm’s income instead of the price of its crops, better aligning payouts with income losses associated with crop losses.
    Since payouts are automatically triggered by a weather event, producers would not have to fill out paperwork or wait months to receive support following a natural disaster.
    The SOS Farms Act is endorsed by the California Climate and Agriculture Network, California FarmLink, Coastal Enterprises, Inc., Community Alliance with Family Farmers, Community Farm Alliance, Dakota Rural Action, Environmental Working Group, Farm Action, Farm Aid, Farm to Table – New Mexico, Farmshare Austin, Friends of Family Farmers, HEAL (Health, Environment, Agriculture, Labor) Food Alliance, Illinois Stewardship Alliance, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, Kiss the Ground, Land for Good, Land Stewardship Project, Maine Farmland Trust, Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, Marbleseed, Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, Michigan Food and Farming Systems, Midwest Farmers of Color Collective, Missouri Coalition for the Environment, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC), National Young Farmers Coalition, New Entry Sustainable Farming Project, Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Hampshire (NOFA-NH), Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides, Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association, Organic Farming Association, Pasa Sustainable Agriculture, Pesticide Action and Agroecology Network, Regenerate America, Renewing the Countryside, Rogue Farm Corps, Rural Advancement Foundation International, Rural Coalition, Sierra Club, Sustainable Food Center, and World Farmers.
    A one-pager of the legislation is available HERE, and the full bill text is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How a new wave of fighter jets could transform aerial combat

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By David Bacci, Senior Research Fellow, Oxford Thermofluids Laboratory, University of Oxford

    The most advanced fighter jets in the world are known as “fifth generation”. They contain technologies developed in the first part of the 21st century. Examples of fifth generation fighter jets include America’s F-35 Lightning II and F-22 Raptor, China’s Chengdu J-20 and Russia’s Sukhoi SU-57.

    Now, however, nations are moving ahead with the sixth generation of combat jets. In the past few months, China has flown its J36 and J50 prototype jets. Meanwhile, the US has selected Boeing to build a new fighter aircraft called the F-47.

    As with previous generations, the sixth will incorporate major advances in aircraft design, onboard electronics (avionics) and weapon systems.

    But how will the new generation of jets stand out from the previous one? Future combat jets will not see dramatic increases in maximum speed, nor in flight performance. Instead, the true innovations will be in how these systems operate and achieve dominance in aerial combat.

    Like the fifth generation, the sixth will be dominated by stealth technology. This helps fighters jets to reduce their chances of being detected by infrared and radar sensors, to the point that when their signatures are eventually picked up, the opponent has no time to act.

    Stealth is achieved through particular shapes of airframe (such as diamond shapes) and coatings on the aircraft – called radar absorbing materials. The airframe is the fundamental structural framework of an aircraft, encompassing the fuselage, wings, tail assembly and landing gear.

    The diamond-like shapes that already characterise fifth generation jets are likely to remain in the upcoming generation of fighter, but they will evolve.

    A common feature we’re likely to see is the reduction or complete removal of vertical tails at the back of the aircraft and their control surfaces. In current aircraft, these tails provide directional stability and control in flight, allowing the aircraft to maintain its course and manoeuvre.

    However, sixth generation jets could achieve this control with the help of thrust vectoring – the ability to manipulate the direction of engines and therefore the direction of thrust (the force that moves the jet through the air).

    The role of vertical tails could also be partially replaced by devices called fluidic actuators. These apply forces to the the wing by blowing high speed and high pressure air on different parts of it.

    F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft. Vertical tails can be seen at the rear of this fifth generation jet.
    US Air Force / Paul Holcomb

    The removal of the vertical tails would contribute to the fighter’s stealth. The new generation of fighters is also likely to see the use of novel radar absorbing materials with advanced capabilities.

    We’ll see the introduction of what are known as adaptive cycle engines on sixth generation fighters. These engines will feature what’s known as a three stream design, which refers to the airstreams blowing through the engine. Current jets have two airstreams: one that passes through the core of the engine, and another that bypasses the core.

    The development of a third stream provides an extra source of air flow to increase the engine’s fuel efficiency and performance. This will allow both the capability to cruise efficiently at supersonic speed and deliver a high thrust during combat.

    It is likely that China and the US will build two separate fighters with different airframes. One will have a bigger airframe, designed for use in an area like the Pacific Ocean region. Here, the ability to fly further and carry a heavier payload will be key, because of the distances involved. Airframes designed for this region will therefore be larger.

    Another fighter jet carrying a smaller airframe will be designed for use in areas such as Europe where agility and manoeuvrability will be more important.

    The next wave of jets will have a system in the cockpit that gathers lots of information from other aircraft, ground surveillance stations and satellites. It would then integrate this data to give an enhanced situational awareness to the pilot. This system would also able to actively jam enemy sensors.

    Another key feature will be the deployment of unmanned combat aerial vehicles (Ucavs), a form of drone aircraft. The piloted fighter jet would be able to control a variety of Ucavs, ranging from loyal wingmen to cheaper, unpiloted fighter jets that will assist the mission, including protecting the piloted fighter.

    This will all be the responsibility of something called the advanced digital cockpit, a software-driven system that will use virtual reality and allow the pilot to effectively become a battle manager. Artificial intelligence (AI) will be a key feature of the support systems for the drones. This will allow them to be controlled with complete autonomy. The pilot will assign the main task – such as, “attack that enemy jet in that sector” – and the system will carry out the mission without any further input.

    Another advancement will be the weapon systems, with the adoption of missiles that not only will be capable of travelling at hypersonic speeds, but will also incorporate stealth features. This will further reduce the reaction times of enemy forces. Directed energy weapons systems, such as laser weapons, could potentially appear in later stages, as this technology is under study.

    Under America’s sixth generation fighter programme, the US Navy is working on a separate jet called the F/A-XX, complementing the F-47.

    The UK, Italy and Japan are also working on a jet project known as the global combat air programme (GCAP). This will replace the Eurofighter Typhoon in service with the UK and Italy and the Mitsubishi F-2 in service with Japan.

    Germany, Spain and France are working on a fighter programme called the future combat air system (FCAS). This could supersede Germany and Spain’s Typhoons and France’s Rafale.

    The path for sixth generation fighter jets seems to have already been traced, but uncertainties remain. The feasibility of some of the characteristics described and development times and costs are not yet well defined. This interval of time was more than ten years for fifth generation fighter jets – and the sixth is going to be far more complex in terms of requirements and capability.

    A new generation of fighter jet is expected to remain on active duty for something like 30 years. But warfare across the world evolves rapidly. It is unclear whether the design requirements we are fixing today remain relevant over the coming years.

    David Bacci is affiliated with Cranfeild Defence & Security (CRanfield University) – Visiting Research Fellow

    – ref. How a new wave of fighter jets could transform aerial combat – https://theconversation.com/how-a-new-wave-of-fighter-jets-could-transform-aerial-combat-252949

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: B.C. eliminates carbon tax

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    The B.C. government is cancelling the carbon tax by introducing legislation to drop the rate to $0, effective Tuesday, April 1, 2025.

    “British Columbians are doing everything they can to reduce their emissions. But people shouldn’t have to choose between climate action and being able to afford their bills,” said Premier David Eby. “That’s why we are eliminating the consumer carbon tax, which has become divisive at a time we need to be united. We will help people with costs and fight climate change by ensuring big polluters continue to pay, encouraging industry to innovate and giving British Columbians affordable options to make sustainable choices.”

    The reduction of the tax to $0 is an immediate step to align B.C.’s carbon tax rate with the new federal carbon tax rate. The elimination of the carbon tax means people in British Columbia will no longer be required to pay the consumer carbon tax, taking approximately 17 cents per litre off the cost of fuel and approximately 15 cents per cubic metre for natural gas on their home heating bill.

    The climate action tax credit, developed to help offset the impacts of the consumer carbon tax on people and families, will also be cancelled. The final payment will be distributed in April 2025.

    “The carbon tax has been an important tool in B.C. for over a decade and half, but it has become too politically divisive and a distraction from the important issues we are tackling,” said Brenda Bailey, Minister of Finance. “While this is a significant shift for our province, we will offset the impact while focusing on growing the economy during these challenging economic times.”

    Cancelling the tax and the credit will have an estimated impact of $1.99 billion in the coming fiscal year. The Province will restructure programs funded by carbon tax revenue to minimize the impact on B.C.’s budget, while supporting people in British Columbia in achieving climate goals.

    The Province will continue to ensure big polluters pay through the B.C. output-based carbon pricing system. The system supports decarbonization efforts, incentivizing industry to lower their emissions to avoid paying the tax.

    “We remain committed to driving down emissions while making life more affordable,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions. “We are continuing to invest in practical solutions, such as home heat pump rebates for those who need them most and energy-efficiency upgrades, so people can lower their energy costs and reduce emissions without bearing an extra financial burden.”

    The Province has made notable progress in promoting the adoption of zero-emission vehicles, expanding public charging infrastructure, and enhancing energy efficiency in homes and buildings. These efforts contribute to emission reductions, support economic growth by creating jobs in clean-energy sectors and help lower energy costs for people in British Columbia.

    Quick Facts:

    • B.C.’s carbon tax will be eliminated the same day as the federal carbon pricing requirement.
    • Natural gas retailers will be required to provide credits or refunds to customers who were erroneously charged the carbon tax on or after April 1, 2025.
    • The average amount of carbon tax that would have been paid by families in B.C. is approximately $410 in 2025-26.

    Learn More:

    For more information about B.C. legislation, visit: https://strongerbc.gov.bc.ca/Legislation

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: South Carolina Construction Company to Pay $191,070 to the United States to Resolve False Claims Allegations

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Claims Relate to Fraudulent Disaster Recovery Services After Devastating 2016 Flooding in West Virginia

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston announced today that Thompson Construction Group Inc., of Sumter, South Carolina, has agreed to pay the United States $191,070 to resolve civil allegations that it violated the federal False Claims Act by submitting false claims for payment from federal disaster recovery grant funds and by falsely certifying that homes it had constructed were compliant with contract conditions. 

    On June 26, 2016, portions of central and southern West Virginia experienced extreme levels of rainfall, resulting in historic flooding over a vast swath of the region.  Flood waters rushing across West Virginia’s mountainous landscape damaged or swept away thousands of homes, businesses, bridges and other infrastructure, leaving thousands of West Virginia residents homeless and at least 23 dead. Following a presidential disaster declaration issued in response to the flooding, Congress appropriated funds for disaster recovery in West Virginia to be administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in the form of Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds. These funds were made available to fund an array of recovery needs in West Virginia including housing rehabilitation and replacement for low income homeowners.

    Thompson was awarded a series of contracts to reconstruct homes that were damaged or destroyed during the catastrophic flood. Because future flooding and water intrusion was a concern, the contracts included specific requirements for water management including crawl space drainage systems and sump pumps to be installed in homes constructed in a flood plain. These requirements were detailed in pre-bid construction specifications and incorporated into the contracts awarded.

    Thompson completed construction of these homes and submitted invoices certifying compliance with the contract terms and was paid from federal CDBG-DR funds.  Investigators later learned, however, that crawl space drainage systems and sump pumps had not been installed as required, making Thompson’s claims and certifications false.

    The Settlement Agreement announced today requires Thompson to pay $95,535 in restitution and $95,535 in double damages pursuant to the False Claims Act.

    “Numerous West Virginia families devastated by the 2016 flooding relied on Thompson Construction, which received significant taxpayer dollars only to leave these families vulnerable to future flooding,” said Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston. “I commend HUD-OIG and the West Virginia Commission on Special Investigations for conducting the civil investigation, the Affirmative Civil Enforcement-Health Care Fraud Investigative Specialist Tyler E. Japhet in our office for assisting the investigation, and Assistant United States Attorney Gregory P. Neil for securing this settlement.”

    “Thompson Construction Group’s actions diverted limited federal taxpayer resources that were intended to help victims rebuild homes that had been damaged by devastating floods and instead used that money to line their pockets.”  said Special Agent-in-Charge Shawn Rice with HUD-OIG. “HUD OIG remains steadfast in its commitment to working with our prosecutorial, law enforcement, and oversight partners to aggressively pursue individuals who engage in activities that threaten the integrity of HUD programs.”

    “The Commission on Special Investigations is committed to investigating all matters involving the misappropriation and theft of public funds,” said Commission Director Rick Eplin. “Commission investigators spent many days in the field interviewing homeowners and contractors in this matter. In addition, they collected photographic evidence that clearly supported the allegations set forth. We are thankful for the support of our federal partners with HUD-OIG and the United States Attorney’s Office who made a successful resolution of this case possible.”

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: OEM Encourages Caution Today as Severe Weather Moves into Western Oregon

    Source: US State of Oregon

    alem, Ore. — The National Weather Service says severe thunderstorms are expected across parts of the Pacific Northwest this afternoon and evening, with supercells possible west of the Cascades across Oregon into Washington. These storms may produce large hail, perhaps a tornado or two, and strong wind gusts. The Oregon Department of Emergency Management is encouraging people to take caution when travelling in Western Oregon today.

    Even if the chance of a tornado or severe storm appears slight, preparing ahead of time can make a significant difference.

    Lightning Safety

    • When thunder roars, go indoors. If you see lightning or hear thunder, seek shelter inside a sturdy, enclosed building. Do NOT take shelter under trees or open-sided shelters like picnic areas.
    • If shelter isn’t available, a vehicle with a metal roof, turned off, with the windows closed is safer than remaining outside. Vehicles act as a Faraday cage and will disperse electrical strikes away from you into the ground.

    Heavy Rain, Hail & Flooding

    • Slow down while driving to avoid hydroplaning or sliding on hail-covered streets.
    • Avoid driving through flooded roadways. Even a few inches can be deadly.
    • Watch for water accumulation in low-lying areas.

    Tornado Preparedness

    • The safest place during a tornado is a basement. If that’s not available, go to the lowest floor of your home in a small interior room—like a closet or bathroom—away from windows.
    • Cover yourself with a mattress or sturdy object to protect against debris.
    • If caught outside without shelter, lie in a ditch or culvert and cover your head.

    Damaging Winds

    • Remain indoors and away from windows.
    • Don’t park under trees due to falling limb risk.
    • Be aware that falling trees may impact power lines, buildings, and roadways.

    Power Outage Preparedness

    Severe weather can lead to power outages. Take these steps now to prepare:

    • Charge mobile devices and backup battery packs.
    • Assemble an emergency kit with flashlights, batteries, non-perishable food, drinking water, and necessary medications.
    • Have a plan for medical devices that require electricity.
    • Store extra blankets or cooling supplies, depending on the season.
    • Have books, games, or activities on hand to help pass the time without electricity.

    Farm & Livestock Safety

    • Secure loose outdoor items like garbage cans, patio furniture, and tools.
    • If possible, bring livestock indoors to barn or shelter. Animals often seek shelter under trees or along fences, both of which can be hazardous in thunderstorms.

    For More Information

    Visit the National Weather Service Thunderstorm Safety website: https://www.weather.gov/safety/thunderstorm

    For travel conditions make sure to visit: TripCheck.com
    Sign up for emergency alerts at: ORalert.gov

    Stay informed by monitoring local weather reports and signing up for OR-Alert to receive emergency notifications directly to your phone. Preparedness today can protect lives tomorrow. Stay alert, stay safe, and be ready.

    ###

    It is the mission of the Oregon Department of Emergency Management to proactively develop emergency response, risk reduction and disaster recovery programs to better serve Oregonians during times of disaster. OEM prioritizes an equitable and inclusive culture of preparedness that empowers all Oregonians to thrive in times in crisis. The agency leads collaborative statewide efforts, inclusive of all partners and the communities we serve, to ensure capability to get help in an emergency and to protect, mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies or disasters. For more information about the OEM, visit oregon.gov/oem.

    You can get this document in other languages, large print, braille, or a format you prefer. For assistance, email OEM_publicinfo@oem.oregon.gov or dial 711.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wildlife Oral Rabies Vaccination Program Begins to Help Protect North Carolinians and Their Pets

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Wildlife Oral Rabies Vaccination Program Begins to Help Protect North Carolinians and Their Pets

    Wildlife Oral Rabies Vaccination Program Begins to Help Protect North Carolinians and Their Pets
    jwerner

    The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is working in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services to prevent and eliminate the spread of rabies. Starting this week, Wildlife Services will be distributing the annual oral rabies vaccine for raccoons in Western North Carolina. This oral rabies distribution program typically takes place annually each fall but was delayed in 2024 due to Hurricane Helene.

    “Rabies is a deadly but preventable disease, and this program plays a critical role in protecting both public health and animal populations across North Carolina,” said Carl Williams, DVM, State Public Health Veterinarian. “By vaccinating wildlife like raccoons, we create a barrier that helps stop the spread of the virus — keeping people, pets and communities safer.”

    Beginning April 2, 2025 , baits containing the oral rabies vaccine will be aerially distributed in the following counties: Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga and Yancey. Additional hand baiting will take place in Buncombe County April 3-9, weather depending.

    The baits consist of a sachet, or plastic packet, containing the oral rabies vaccine. To make the baits attractive to raccoons, the packets are sprinkled with a fishmeal coating or encased inside hard fishmeal–polymer blocks about the size of a matchbox. When a raccoon bites into a bait, the vaccine packet is punctured, and the animal is exposed to the vaccine. This activates the animal’s immune system to produce antibodies that provide protection against rabies infection. 

    Anyone who comes in contact with the liquid vaccine should wash the affected area thoroughly with soap and water and call the phone number listed on the bait for further instructions and referral. While the oral rabies vaccine will not harm  domestic dogs and cats, it is only approved for use in raccoons and coyotes. Rabies vaccinations for your pets should be administered by a veterinarian. In North Carolina, domestic pets must be vaccinated against rabies by four months of age and routinely thereafter in accordance with state law. 

    In North Carolina, rabies is most commonly found in wild animals. People and their domestic animals may be exposed when they encounter infected wildlife. If you or your pet are bitten by a wild animal, please seek medical attention for a rabies risk assessment. If you are exposed to rabies, prompt administration of post exposure prophylaxis will prevent infection and disease. This disease is almost always fatal in mammals, including people, once symptoms develop. Increasing the number of vaccinated animals in the population helps establish a buffer to stop the spread of the disease to other wildlife, pets and people.

    The NC Wildlife Resources Commission appreciates the assistance of the public in reporting sick or dead wild animals to the NC Wildlife Helpline at 1-866-318-2401 (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.) or anytime via email at HWI@ncwildlife.org.  

    Baiting should be completed by the end of April 2025. The USDA’s Oral Rabies Vaccination program, originally implemented in the 1990s, helps prevent the raccoon rabies epizootic from moving west of the Appalachian Mountains, where raccoon rabies does not exist. The program has been successful in that regard and the vision is to gradually move the vaccine barrier east until raccoon rabies is eliminated.

    For more information, please visit the National Rabies Management Program webpage. To learn more about rabies, visit the NCDHHS Division of Public Health website.

    El Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte está trabajando en colaboración con los Servicios de Vida Silvestre del Departamento de Agricultura de EE. UU.  para prevenir y eliminar la propagación de la rabia. A partir de esta semana, los Servicios de Vida Silvestre distribuirá la vacuna oral anual contra la rabia para mapaches en el oeste de Carolina del Norte. Este programa de distribución oral de la rabia generalmente se lleva a cabo anualmente cada otoño, pero se retrasó en 2024 debido al huracán Helene.

    “La rabia es una enfermedad mortal pero prevenible, y este programa desempeña un papel fundamental en la protección tanto de la salud pública como de las poblaciones de animales en Carolina del Norte”, dijo Carl Williams, DVM, veterinario de salud pública estatal. “Al vacunar a la vida silvestre como los mapaches, creamos una barrera que ayuda a detener la propagación del virus, manteniendo a las personas, las mascotas y las comunidades más seguras”.

    A partir de abril 2 de 2025, los cebos que contengan la vacuna oral contra la rabia se distribuirán por vía aérea en los siguientes condados: Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga y Yancey. El cebo de manos adicional se llevará a cabo en el condado de Buncombe del 3 al 9 de abril, dependiendo del clima.

    Los cebos consisten en un sobre, o paquete de plástico, que contiene la vacuna oral contra la rabia. Para que los cebos sean atractivos para los mapaches, los paquetes se espolvorean con un recubrimiento de harina de pescado o se encierran dentro de bloques duros de polímero de harina de pescado del tamaño de una caja de fósforos. Cuando un mapache muerde un cebo, el paquete de vacunas se perfora y el animal se expone a la vacuna. Esto activa el sistema inmunológico del animal para producir anticuerpos que proporcionan protección contra la infección por el virus de la rabia.

    Cualquier persona que entre en contacto con la vacuna líquida debe lavar bien el área afectada con  jabón y agua y llamar al número de teléfono que aparece en el cebo para obtener más instrucciones y remisión. Si bien la vacuna oral contra la rabia no lesionará a perros y gatos domésticos, solo está aprobada para su uso en mapaches y coyotes. Las vacunas contra la rabia para sus mascotas deben ser administradas por un veterinario. En Carolina del Norte, las mascotas domésticas deben vacunarse contra la rabia a los cuatro meses de edad y de forma rutinaria después de acuerdo con la ley estatal.

    En Carolina del Norte, la rabia se encuentra con mayor frecuencia en animales silvestres. Las personas y sus animales domésticos pueden estar expuestos cuando se encuentran con animales silvestres infectados. Si usted o su mascota son mordidos por un animal silvestre, busque atención médica para una evaluación del riesgo de rabia. Si está expuesto a la rabia, la pronta administración de la profilaxis posterior a la exposición evitará infecciones y enfermedades. Esta enfermedad casi siempre es mortal en los mamíferos, incluso para las personas, una vez que se desarrollan los síntomas. El aumento del número de animales vacunados en la población ayuda a establecer un amortiguador para detener la propagación de la enfermedad a otras especies silvestres, mascotas y personas.

    La Comisión de Recursos de Vida Silvestre de Carolina del Norte agradece la ayuda del público al reportar sobre los animales silvestres enfermos o muertos a la Línea de Ayuda de Vida Silvestre de Carolina del Norte al 1-866-318-2401 (de lunes a viernes, 8 a.m. a 5 p.m. o en cualquier momento por correo electrónico a HWI@ncwildlife.org.

    El cebado debería estar concluido a fines de abril de 2025. El programa de vacunación oral contra la rabia del USDA, implementado originalmente en la década de 1990, ayuda a evitar que la epizootia de la rabia de los mapaches se mueva al oeste de las Montañas Apalaches, donde no existe la rabia de los mapaches. El programa ha tenido éxito en ese sentido y la visión es mover gradualmente la barrera de la vacuna hacia el este hasta que se elimine la rabia del mapache.

    Para obtener más información, visite la página web del Programa Nacional de Manejo de la Rabia. Para obtener más información sobre la rabia, visite el sitio web de la División de Salud Pública del NCDHHS.

    Mar 31, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New England WSC Products in the First Quarter of 2025

    Source: US Geological Survey

    Model and Data Resources Supporting Water-Quality Modeling of Hydrologic Systems

    This dataset provides detailed information on availability of model resources (including models and datasets) that support the modeling of six key water-quality constituents (or constituent categories) across the hydrologic system. In addition, resources associated with nine “cross-cutting” topics for modeling water quality are included, with “cross-cutting” defined herein as having…

    Lidar-Derived Hydrography of Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, Maine, 2023

    The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. National Park Service (NPS), has compiled a Geographic Information System (GIS) dataset. The spatial data layer provided in this data release is derived from high-resolution lidar digital elevation models (DEM’s) for the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument in Penobscot County, Maine. The data provided in this release…

    Geochemical Data for Coal Wastes from Historic Anthracite Coal Mining in Pennsylvania, 2024

    In addition to their potential for energy generation, coal and coal byproducts may be economically important resources if they are enriched in critical minerals such as rare earth elements or if their organic carbon can be converted to gas by stimulated microbial methanogenesis. Samples of coal refuse (culm) from a historic mine site in the anthracite region of Pennsylvania were…

    Water-borne electromagnetic induction, handheld thermal infrared and sediment temperature, chemical, and pressure data collected at Hen Cove, Pocasset, Massachusetts, 2022

    Groundwater discharge points to coastal waters can be identified and quantified using natural electrical and temperature data. In August 2022, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collected water-borne electromagnetic induction and temperature along selected transects within Hen Cove on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, following a spatial survey of bed sediment temperature. Handheld thermal infrared…

    Vermont Flood of July 2023 Data

    A major rain event caused catastrophic flooding from July 9 through 12, 2023, in various portions of the State of Vermont, resulting in millions of dollars of damage. The high amount of rainfall caused several rivers to peak at record levels, in some cases exceeding records set by Tropical Storm Irene in 2011. President Biden approved an Emergency Declaration for Vermont on July 11, 2023…

    Compilation of surficial geology datasets for southern New England

    The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island Departments of Transportation (DOTs), gathered geospatial data to facilitate the development of a regional Stochastic Empirical Loading and Dilution Model (SELDM) application (Granato and others, 2023). As part of this study, the surficial geology…

    Cancer risk and estimated lithium exposure in drinking groundwater in the US

    Importance Lithium is a naturally occurring element in drinking water and is commonly used as a mood-stabilizing medication. Although clinical studies have reported associations between receiving lithium treatment and reduced cancer risk among patients with bipolar disorder, to our knowledge, the association between environmental lithium exposure and cancer risk has never been studied in…

    Authors

    Jiajun Luo, Liang Zheng, Zhihao Jin, Yuqing Yang, William I. Krakowka, Eric Hong, Melissa Lombard, Joseph D. Ayotte, Habibul Ahsan, Jayant M. Pinto, Briseis Aschebrook-Kilfoy

    Streamflow, water quality, and constituent loads and yields, Scituate Reservoir drainage area, Rhode Island, water year 2022

    As part of a long-term cooperative program to monitor water quality within the Scituate Reservoir drainage area, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Providence Water (formerly the Providence Water Supply Board), collected streamflow and water-quality data in tributaries to the Scituate Reservoir, Rhode Island. Streamflow and concentrations of chloride and sodium estimated…

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    Kirk P. Smith, Alana B. Spaetzel

    Groundwater flowpath characteristics drive variability in per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) loading across a stream-wetland system

    Groundwater-dependent ecosystems in areas with industrial land use are at risk of exposure to a PFAS chemicals. We investigated one such system with several known PFAS source areas, where high and low permeability sediments (glacial) coupled with groundwater-lake and groundwater/surface-water interactions created complex ‘source to seep’ dynamics. Using heat-tracing and chemical methods…

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    David M. Rey, Martin A. Briggs, Andrea K. Tokranov, Hayley Gale Lind, Patrick Thomas Scordato, Ramona Iery, Henry Moore, L. Slater, Denis R. LeBlanc

    Water supply in the conterminous United States, Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico, water years 2010–20

    We present an assessment of water supply across the conterminous United States (CONUS), Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico covering water years 2010–20. Our analysis drew on two national hydrologic models, the National Hydrologic Model Precipitation-Runoff Modeling System and the Weather Research and Forecasting model hydrologic modeling system. Both models produced estimates of streamflow…

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    Galen Gorski, Edward G. Stets, Martha A. Scholl, James R. Degnan, John R. Mullaney, Amy E. Galanter, Anthony J. Martinez, Julie Padilla, Jacob H. LaFontaine, Hayley R. Corson-Dosch, Allen Shapiro

    Status of water-quality conditions in the United States, 2010–20

    Degradation of water quality can make water harmful or unusable for humans and ecosystems. Although many studies have assessed the effect of individual constituents or narrow suites of constituents on freshwater systems, no consistent, comprehensive assessment exists over the wide range of water-quality effects on water availability. Using published studies, data, and models completed at…

    Authors

    Melinda L. Erickson, Olivia L. Miller, Matthew J. Cashman, James R. Degnan, James E. Reddy, Anthony J. Martinez, Elmera Azadpour

    The National integrated water availability assessment, water years 2010–20

    Water availability is fundamentally important to human well-being, economic vitality, and ecosystem health. Because of its central importance, the U.S. Congress tasked the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and other Federal agencies with conducting regular, comprehensive assessments of water availability in the United States through the requirements under the SECURE Water Act. In response to…

    Authors

    Edward G. Stets, Althea A. Archer, James R. Degnan, Melinda L. Erickson, Galen Gorski, Laura Medalie, Martha A. Scholl

    Automating physics-based models to estimate thermoelectric-power water use

    Thermoelectric (TE) power plants withdraw more water than any other sector of water use in the United States and consume water at rates that can be significant especially in water-stressed regions. Historical TE water-use data have been inconsistent, incomplete, or discrepant, resulting in an increased research focus on improving the accuracy and availability of TE water-use data using…

    Authors

    Melissa A. Harris, Timothy H. Diehl, Lillian Gorman Sanisaca, Amy E. Galanter, Melissa Lombard, Kenneth Skinner, Catherine A. Chamberlin, Brendan A. McCarthy, Richard G. Niswonger, Jana Stewart, Kristen J. Valseth

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA DEVELOP Spring 2025

    Source: US National Oceanographic Data Center

    Last year, NCEI was proud to celebrate a decade of collaboration with the NASA DEVELOP program. NCEI looks forward to continuing the partnership this year, by offering eight early career scientists the unique opportunity to work with the combined data and resources of both organizations. 

    Both NCEI and NASA DEVELOP are proud to partner with NIDIS (National Integrated Drought Information System) since 2018 for assistance and guidance in drought-related projects. 

    NASA DEVELOP welcomed eight young scientists this spring, who worked with NCEI-based scientists and data on two different projects based in North Carolina and Puerto Rico. Since the program’s inception in 2014, each team has contributed to efforts such as monitoring wildfire risk in Vermont, and contributing locally in Asheville, North Carolina through efforts like establishing weather resilience.

    Currently, four individuals are working in-person at the NCEI office in Asheville on a 10-week NASA DEVELOP project titled “Upper Missouri River Basin Water Resources: Enhancing Flood and Drought Monitoring through Fractional Available Water Analysis in the Upper Missouri River Basin.” Additionally, four remote individuals are participating in the 10-week NASA DEVELOP project titled “Puerto Rico Ecological Conservation: Mapping Land Cover to Inform Endangered Frog and Bird Species Distribution and Conservation Planning in Puerto Rico.”

    NCEI is proud to support NASA DEVELOP’s mission of “Cultivating Tomorrow’s Earth Observation Users” and we look forward to continuing to work alongside each other to provide aspiring scientists the chance to engage with real-world data and materials. 

    Spring 2025 Project Collaborations

    Upper Missouri River Basin Water Resources: Enhancing Flood and Drought Monitoring through Fractional Available Water Analysis in the Upper Missouri River Basin

    The Upper Missouri River Basin (UMRB) experiences rapid shifts between wet and dry conditions, with projections indicating increased drought and flooding events.. In partnership with NOAA National Weather Service (NWS) Bismark, Grand Forks, and Rapid City, this project aims to evaluate NASA’s SMAP satellite data to estimate fractional available water (FAW) in the UMRB, and compare SMAP-derived FAW with in-situ North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network (NDAWN) Mesonet data. The team is also analyzing the relationship between FAW, streamflow, drought, and vegetation health in the region. Results from this project will assist partners in flood forecasting, drought monitoring, and support for emergency preparedness, agricultural resilience, and the further development of state hydrological models. 

    Puerto Rico Ecological Conservation: Mapping Land Cover to Inform Endangered Frog and Bird Species Distribution and Conservation Planning in Puerto Rico

    Changes in temperature  and land use are reshaping avian and amphibian ecosystems and biodiversity patterns in Puerto Rico. The project work is in collaboration with non-profits WildMon and Para Naturaleza, the USFWS Caribbean Ecological Services Field Office, and the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources. The team aims to evaluate the feasibility of incorporating NASA Landsat Earth observations and ancillary datasets to monitor land cover as it relates to biodiversity. The methods will highlight critical areas for frog and bird populations, guiding decisions on land acquisition and management, and species conservation.
     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. natural gas consumption set new winter and summer monthly records in 2024

    Source: US Energy Information Administration

    In-brief analysis

    March 31, 2025

    In 2024, U.S. natural gas consumption averaged a record 90.3 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) and set new winter and summer monthly records in January and July, according to data in our Natural Gas Monthly. Overall, U.S. consumption last year increased 1% (0.9 Bcf/d) from 2023. In January, natural gas consumption was up 12% (12.5 Bcf/d) compared with January 2023 consumption, and in July, consumption increased by 3% (2.5 Bcf/d) compared with July 2023.

    Weather has a significant effect on natural gas consumption patterns. Natural gas consumption peaks in the United States in both the winter and summer. In winter, the most natural gas is consumed in January or February, when demand for space heating in the residential and commercial sectors peaks. In the summer, electricity generation increases in July and August to meet air-conditioning demand, driving more natural gas consumption.

    Despite the record in January, from February through April 2024, mild weather led to less consumption of natural gas compared with the same months in 2023. In each month from May through September 2024, natural gas consumption surpassed the previous year’s monthly records. Historic low natural gas prices in 2024 meant that natural gas was more competitive in the electric power sector, especially compared with coal, contributing to increased use of natural gas for electricity generation.

    Annual consumption in the combined residential and commercial sectors declined by an average of 2% (0.4 Bcf/d) last year compared with 2023, despite a cold January that resulted in record-high natural gas consumption in these sectors. Natural gas consumed in the industrial sector held steady from the year before, while consumption in the electric power sector, which accounted for 41% of U.S. natural gas consumption in 2024, increased by 4% (1.6 Bcf/d).

    Data source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Natural Gas Monthly
    Note: Other=natural gas volumes consumed as transportation fuel, as lease and plant fuel, and in pipeline and distribution use

    The summer of 2024 (June–August) ranked as the fourth-warmest on record in the U.S. Lower 48 states, leading to strong demand for air conditioning and resulting in new daily records for electricity generation in July and August. As a result, natural gas consumption in the electric power sector rose in July and August to be the highest ever recorded for the summer.

    Principal contributors: Jordan Young, Katy Fleury

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Veterans Affairs Canada and the Department of National Defence mark 15th anniversary of the end of Operation Hestia

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Ottawa, ON – Today, Veterans Affairs Canada and the Department of National Defence, issued the following statement:

    “Fifteen years ago, one of the deadliest earthquakes in history struck the Caribbean nation of Haiti. The need for urgent, international aid was clear, and Canada answered the call.

    “The earthquake left more than 200,000 people dead and destroyed or damaged most of the buildings in the capital of Port-au-Prince. More than a million Haitians became instantly homeless, and one-third of the population was affected by the quake as water, power and other basic services collapsed and healthcare facilities became swamped.

    “Within less than a week, the Canadian Armed Forces deployed Joint Task Force Haiti (JTFH) to bring critical aid to the country. The frigate His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Halifax and the destroyer HMCS Athabaskan, carrying a CH-124 Sea King helicopter detachment, brought emergency medical services, engineering expertise, mobility by sea, land and air, and security and defence support. The JTFH also included Search and Rescue technicians and firefighters, a field hospital, the Disaster Assistance Response Team, and security and defence personnel.

    “At its peak, JTFH included some 2,050 personnel from many branches of our military.

    “For two months, the Canadian contingent delivered food, clean water, and medical and security services. They set up a military clinic on the beach in Jacmel and food distribution points in Léogâne. Airport operations personnel and others worked to restore critical airport infrastructure so they could be operated safely.

    “While their mission ended 15 years ago today, their contributions demonstrate Canada’s enduring commitment of being a good neighbour.

    In 2025, Veterans Affairs Canada will focus on commemorating the efforts of the Canadian Armed Forces in the Americas. In addition to Haiti, our troops have helped provide aid in the United States after Hurricane Katrina, and in places like Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala.

    “Today, we pause to remember and thank Veterans and the brave members of the Canadian Armed Forces for their dedication and professionalism toward others in need.”

    Associated Links

    Haiti – Veterans Affairs Canada

    Operation HESTIA – Canada.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Applications now open for the Grow Your Own grant scheme

    Source: Scotland – City of Edinburgh

    Community groups in Edinburgh are being invited to apply for funding from a £50,000 pilot scheme by the City of Edinburgh Council to establish new food growing projects.

    The “Grow Your Own” community grant initiative will welcome applications from projects aimed at establishing new community growing projects. Applications for funding are invited to help the creation of new growing spaces, supporting the establishment of growing groups, and promoting education around urban food production.

    Grants of up to £5,000 will be awarded to constituted voluntary and community groups across the city. With projects running for up to 12 months.

    The £50,000 funding has been allocated from the Flood Prevention/Biodiversity (including food growing) budget, which was approved in the Council’s budget on 22 February 2024. This fund aims to provide smaller community groups with essential support to establish community growing initiatives.

    Funding can be used for a variety of purposes, including:

    • Purchasing seeds, plants, and tools
    • Equipment for community garden cooking areas
    • Education and training activities
    • Personal protective equipment
    • Staff time directly related to establishing the growing area

    Culture and Communities Convener Val Walker said:

    This is a wonderful opportunity for Edinburgh communities to get involved in urban food growing. The city already hosts over 45 allotment sites with over 1,700 council-managed plots, along with more than 70 community growing projects. Through Edinburgh’s Food Growing Strategy (2021- 2026) and Allotment Strategy (2017 – 2027) we aim to expand local food growing initiatives.

    This year’s scheme will operate as a pilot program, and its impact will be assessed. If successful, and funding permitting, we could see this becoming an annual initiative.

    To apply, groups must meet the Council’s Standard Conditions of Grants. Full details can be found on the City of Edinburgh website. The application process will be administered through the City of Edinburgh Council’s Your Voice platform, designed to ensure a simple and efficient application experience.

    The deadline for applications is noon on 12 May.
     

    Published: March 31st 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The Panama Canal’s other conflict: Water security for the population and the global economy

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Karina Garcia, Researcher and Lecturer in Climate, Universidad Tecnológica de Panamá

    The Panama Canal carries cargo ships between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, cutting weeks off shipping time. Danny Lehman/The Image Bank via Getty Images

    The Panama Canal is one of the most important waterways in the world, with about 7% of global trade passing through. It also relies heavily on rainfall. Without enough freshwater flowing in, the canal’s locks can’t raise and lower ships traveling between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Droughts mean fewer ships per day, and that can quickly affect Panama’s finances and economies around the world.

    But the same freshwater is also essential for Panama’s many other needs, including drinking water for about 2 million Panamanians, use by Indigenous people and farmers in the watershed, as well as hydropower.

    When the region experiences droughts, as it did in 2023-2024, the resulting water shortages can lead to increasing water conflicts.

    One of those conflicts involves a new dam the Panama Canal Authority plans to begin building in 2027. It would be designed to secure enough water to keep the canal, which contributes about 4.2% to the country’s gross domestic product,, operating into the future, but it would also submerge farming communities and displace over 2,000 people from their homes.

    The Panama Canal Authority plans to build a new dam and reservoir that would submerge the village of Limon and hundreds of homes in the region.
    AP Photo/Matias Delacroix

    This recent drought wasn’t an anomaly. As an academic who studies the effects of rising temperatures on water availability and sea level rise, I’m aware that as the climate warms, Panama will likely face more extremes, both long dry spells and also periods of too much rain. That will force more trade-offs between residential needs and the canal over water use.

    Complex engineering remade the landscape

    The Panama Canal was built over a century ago at the narrowest point of the country and in the heart of its population center. The route was historically used by the Spanish colonies and later for a rail line between the oceans.

    The idea of a canal connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans began as a French endeavor, led by architect Ferdinand D. Lesseps, designer of the Suez Canal in Egypt. After the French effort failed, the U.S. government signed a treaty with newly independent Panama in 1903 to take over the project.

    The U.S. acquired the rights to build and operate the Panama Canal in exchange for US$10 million and annual payments of $250,000. Later, the Torrijos-Carter Treaty in 1977 committed the U.S. to transfer the control of operations to Panama at the end of 1999.

    One week of shipping on the Panama Canal. Source: Maps.com using World Economic Forum data.

    The canal project was designed to take advantage of the region’s tropical climate and abundant average rainfall.

    It harnessed the water of the Chagres River basin to run three sets of locks – chambers that, filled with fresh water, act like elevators, lifting or lowering ships to compensate for the difference in water levels between the two oceans.

    To ensure enough water would be available for the locks, the canal’s designers changed the shapes of the region’s mountains and rivers to create a large watershed – over 1,325 square miles (3,435 square kilometers) – that drains toward the canal’s human-made lakes, Gatun and Alajuela.

    About 65% of the water that flows from the watershed today goes to operate the locks. The majority of that water is quickly lost to the oceans.

    Even the two newest locks, built in 2016, only reuse about 60% of water on each transit – 40% is flushed to avoid saltwater from the oceans intruding into the watershed.

    Threats to water security

    Panama’s wet tropical weather is predominantly influenced by its location near the equator, the trade winds and the oceans. Most of its rain falls during the wet season, from May to November. However, weather records show a drop in average precipitation starting around 1950.

    The driest years resulted in dangerously low water levels in Gatun Lake that made canal operations difficult, including in 1998, 2016 and most recently 2023-2024. El Niño weather patterns can mean particularly low rainfall.

    Water levels at Gatun Lake since 1965 show how low 2023 and 2024 were.
    EIA

    In December 2023, the Panama Canal Authority was forced to limit the number of daily transits to 22, compared with 36 to 38 usual crossings, because too little freshwater was available.

    To avoid steep financial losses, the Panama Canal Authority raised prices and auctioned transit opportunities to the highest bidders. Without those measures, the authority estimated it would lose $100 million a month from reduced ship traffic because of the water shortage.

    Ecosystems also need enough water, and changes in forest tree composition have become evident on Barro Colorado Island in Gatun Lake in response to rising temperatures and more frequent droughts.

    Climate change is also creating greater variability in rainfall. Too much rain can also be a problem for canal operations. In December 2010, the biggest storm on record caused landslides and $150 million in damage that interrupted transits on the canal.

    Sustaining Panama’s canal and its people

    Temporary measures for saving water have been already implemented. The Panama Canal Authority shortened the chamber size in some of its locks to use less water for smaller vessels and minimized direction changes.

    In January 2025, the authority approved plans to build the new dam on the Indio River to increase water available for the canal. The dam could solve some water concerns during drier periods for the canal.

    However, it also illustrates the country’s water conflicts. Once filled, the dam’s reservoir will submerge over 1,200 homes by some counts, and more people in the region will lose access to land and travel routes. The Panama Canal Authority promises that residents will be relocated, but some of those living in the region fear they will lose their livelihoods, along with the communities their families have lived in for generations.

    Panama Canal representatives explain to community members in El Jobo in 2024 how a planned dam on the Indio River would affect the future of their community.
    AP Photo/Matias Delacroix

    Residents across Panama, meanwhile, regularly hear media campaigns that encourage them to save water. An Environmental Economic Incentives Program promotes forest conservation and sustainable family agriculture to conserve water resources.

    The Panama Canal is a crucial part of international trade, and it will face more periods of water stress. I believe responding to those future changes, as well as market and societal demands, will require innovative solutions that respect ecosystem limits and the needs of the population.

    Karina Garcia 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. The Panama Canal’s other conflict: Water security for the population and the global economy – https://theconversation.com/the-panama-canals-other-conflict-water-security-for-the-population-and-the-global-economy-253100

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Climate change isn’t fair but Tony Juniper’s new book explains how a green transition could be ‘just’

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Alix Dietzel, Senior Lecturer in Climate Justice, University of Bristol

    Tony Juniper. Jason Bye, CC BY-NC-ND

    Inequality – between the rich and poor or between the powerful and the weak – is the main factor stalling action on environmental problems including biodiversity loss, pollution and climate change, according to British environmentalist Tony Juniper.

    In his new book, Just Earth: How a Fairer World Will Save the Planet, he argues that “if we want to build a secure future, both environmental priorities and social justice must be pursued together”. Much of this is about how decisions are made: “Disadvantaged groups rarely have a say, while those deciding on policy continue to comprise a narrow social segment.”

    It is interesting to see Juniper’s views on the topic of a just transition, given his decades of experience. Juniper has served as the executive director of environmental charity Friends of the Earth, he was a Green party parliamentary candidate in the 2011 general election and previously led The Wildlife Trusts. He is currently chair of Natural England, the official government organisation working for the conservation and restoration of the natural environment.

    His views on this subject certainly matter. His key message that social justice is at the heart of solving environmental problems helps to explain why we have collectively failed to address these.

    This injustice is an issue that has been raised for decades by those most affected by environmental issues, those who work in the environment sector and academics like me who focus on environmental justice.

    The UK environment sector, for example, is notoriously one of the least diverse, with only 3.5% of those working in environmental jobs identifying as an ethnic minority. In addition, the climate change movement is sometimes portrayed by the media as a middle-class preoccupation. Research shows a tendency for mainstream media to position environmentalism as a position of the wealthy. That’s reflected by the use of distancing terminology such as “middle-class tree huggers”.

    However, 39% of UK working class voters experience climate anxiety. That’s only slightly below the 42% of middle-class voters.

    Levels of climate concern have stayed high throughout both the COVID-19 pandemic and cost of living crises, while support for government action on climate mitigation policies, such as decreased meat consumption and flying, has remained steady.

    At the global level, there have always been tensions between developed and developing countries in terms of what is “fair”. Entrenched power dynamics ensure that developed countries have historically won out when deciding what a fair future looks like.

    Most recently, those tensions have been evident in the lack of clarity around how loss and damage will be funded and managed – who will pay out when an island disappears, or a village becomes inhabitable to due drought, for example? There’s also much debate around how a new finance goal should be defined, with huge disagreements between the developed and developing countries.

    As Juniper explains, not only is it unclear what fairness means at global negotiations, there is clear evidence that these tend to favour the more powerful countries, such as the US or members of the EU, and create an unjust regime. Steven Vanderheiden, one of the earliest climate justice philosophers, claims that developing nations are usually offered a “take it or leave it” deal, such as the new finance goal of US$300 billion (£232 billion) or about half of what developing countries were asking for, once developed nations have made decisions without them.

    A fairer vision

    In response to these inequalities and ongoing tensions, Juniper sets out a vision for a fairer, greener society – also known as a just transition.

    A just transition is hard to define. It was once a relatively well demarcated and clearly grounded concept associated with worker’s rights.

    Over time, it has become an increasingly all-encompassing policy objective, untethered from any specific policies, political objectives or priorities. Indeed, while there are certainly overlaps between the different visions of a just transition, significant aspects directly contradict one another.

    Just Earth by Tony Juniper is out now.
    CC BY-NC-ND

    Many of the messages in Juniper’s book have been shouted by those less privileged for decades. By using his platform to amplify the importance of climate justice, he is striving to make a difference. However, the voices of those from affected communities in developing countries, the working class in richer countries, and women (who will be hardest hit by climate change) are somewhat absent.

    Juniper neatly encompasses 40-plus years of global negotiations on climate change and biodiversity, reflecting on core issues blocking progress, such as populism and fossil fuel interests. Getting your head around negotiations is a complex task – and it’s one that Juniper executes very well.

    Juniper also discusses rising inequality, especially post-COVID, and the intersecting relationship between affluence and environmental destruction, with the richest consuming far more than the poorest and the top 10% wealthiest individuals having emitting more greenhouse gases than the poorest 50%.

    He sets out the impacts of consumption, particularly of the wealthiest, and the unfairness of those being hit hardest consuming the least. He carefully dissects why indefinite growth of GDP can no longer be taken as a given.

    Then he sets out his vision for a just transition with a ten-point agenda, including new measures of progress. He suggests focusing on wellbeing and sustainable consumption, not GDP.

    He highlights the importance of financing the future and raising the transition war chest – that involves carbon tax regimes and additional public resources for environmental protection to build climate resilience. He advises switching subsidies to green energy rather than fossil fuels, and also advocates for the use of ecocide law to protect future generations.

    While progress is possible, Juniper is a realist. He outlines how much our culture needs to shift away from consumption, competition, devaluing nature, and towards a fairer society for all. As he puts it: “We have nowhere else to go. There is just Earth.”

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

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 40,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Alix Dietzel 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. Climate change isn’t fair but Tony Juniper’s new book explains how a green transition could be ‘just’ – https://theconversation.com/climate-change-isnt-fair-but-tony-junipers-new-book-explains-how-a-green-transition-could-be-just-250671

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: FOCUS ON: In Barbados, Multi-Hazard Early Warning System saves lives

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Hurricane Beryl, the first major hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic season, left a trail of destruction across multiple Caribbean islands. At major Category 4 strength, Beryl was the strongest hurricane ever recorded in June. Entire communities were left in ruins, with infrastructure crippled and thousands displaced in Grenada and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

    Despite the damage incurred, compared to the 176 homes damaged and one fatality caused by Hurricane Ivan in 2004, the destruction in 2024 was slight. That Beryl’s impact in Barbados was not far greater is largely due to the country’s Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (MHEWS).

    The importance of MHEWS, which safeguard lives and reduce the impact of disasters, cannot be overstated. The EW4All initiative exemplifies the power of combining advanced technology, effective communication strategies and local knowledge. EW4All enhances community preparedness and response capabilities, fostering resilience across vulnerable populations.

    Barbados recently approved its MHEWS policy, establishing clear roles, sustainability and financing. The Barbados Meteorological Service, the Department of Emergency

    Management and Government Information Service collaborated effectively to provide timely warnings. Advanced technology, including satellite imagery leveraged through partnerships with Microsoft and MapAction, enabled swift, targeted responses to infrastructure damage.

    The lessons learned from Hurricane Beryl will guide future efforts to improve preparedness, response and recovery, ensuring the safety and well-being of communities across the region. Barbados’ success is now being shared globally, with peer-to-peer learning exchanges extending to African Indian Ocean Island countries. This highlights the importance of engagement and coordination among national sectors and regional entities.

    Back to the UNDRR 2024 Annual Report

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: FOCUS ON: Efficiency and pooled funding

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    UNDRR’s operations are guided by the goal of achieving the highest impact by strategically allocating resources, streamlining processes and fostering a collaborative environment with implementing partners to access specialist skills as needed. 

    UNDRR ensures that every initiative delivers measurable results, which are reported in Annex 1 to the Annual Report. UNDRR has a dedicated team consisting of staff, Junior Professional Officers, secondees from national governments (Non Reimbursable Loans) and United Nations Volunteers and interns who work together seaLearn more about UNDRR’s work from 2024 in the Annual Report.mlessly, leveraging diverse expertise to swiftly and effectively deliver on a broad work programme. Through its unwavering focus on accountability, establishing long-term contracts to ensure that recurrent services provide the best value for money, and continuous improvement, UNDRR maximizes the reach and benefits of its programmes, ultimately driving sustainable change through its work.

    UNDRR has worked with several pooled funding mechanisms and partnerships to increase effectiveness and efficiency. CREWS was an important partner to UNDRR in 2024, bringing together UNDRR, WMO and the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery to enhance EWS. The Migration Multi-Partner Trust Fund brought together UNDRR, the World Health Organization and the International Organization for Migration for work in Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon. The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency made a contribution to UNDRR for EW4ALL, and UNDRR shared a portion with the World Health Organization, the International Telecommunication Union and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to ensure that all four pillars could accelerate work in a coordinated manner. The Netherlands used the same formula for the Water at the Heart of Climate Action initiative, and Denmark made a contribution to WMO that was shared with the other pillar leads, including UNDRR. In short, 2024 saw significant efforts to enhancing efficiency and impact on the ground through working with key partners in a joined-up way.

    Back to the UNDRR 2024 Annual Report

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UNDRR 2024 Annual Report

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    02

    Strategies, governance and capacity-building

    Target E of the Sendai Framework calls for a substantial increase in the number of countries with national and local DRR strategies by 2020.

    Though a strategy is not the end goal, UNDRR has found that countries with national DRR strategies tend to have more robust DRR governance and a higher prevalence of EWS, demonstrating the value of investment in this fundamental DRR pillar.

    The Government of Jordan has developed its National Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy (2023–2030) in a participatory manner involving different governmental entities, ministries and municipalities, and the Public Security Directorate (Civil Defense), with support from UNDRR and the United Nations Development Programme country office. The strategy also integrates biological hazard risk reduction with the aim of building back better after the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Within the framework of Jordan’s efforts to deal with increasing threats and risks, the National Centre for Security and Crises Management has played a major role in developing two integrated risk registers; the national risk register and the local register for governorates. Both registers aim to improve the kingdom’s capacity to respond to disasters through accurate identification of risks, and enhanced coordination between the local and national levels for improved risk governance.

    Through this effective coordination between the national and local risk registers, Jordan has made great strides in reducing risks and enhancing community resilience, making the kingdom a role model for disaster management and risk reduction at the regional level.

    Morocco, too, has taken concrete steps to strengthen its risk governance. It established the Directorate of Natural Risk Management under the Ministry of Interior as its national DRR coordination mechanism. Morocco also established the National Risk Observatory to collect, analyse and share data on natural hazard risk. Furthermore, Morocco established a National Risk Forecasting Centre for monitoring and alerting, and an Operational Risk Anticipation Centre for forecasting, alerting and risk management assistance systems. Another successful project comprised the generalization of coverage of the entire national territory using multiscale and multi-hazard risk maps (for natural hazards).

    Albania’s National Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy demonstrates widespread integration of concerns related to climate change and triggers the engagement of new sectors, particularly tourism.

    The vision statement explicitly brings together DRR, climate change and sustainable development using the language of resilience, while the document includes a detailed plan of action for DRR implementation that integrates institutions such as the Ministry of Tourism and Environment and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy.

    In particular, it articulates the implementation of the ALBAdapt project Climate Services for a Resilient Albania. The Ministry of Tourism and Environment is identified as the lead institution for implementation of a set of activities that offer compounding co-benefits for both DRR and climate change adaptation, including the development of a people-centred MHEWS, the creation of a fully functional and well-resourced National Meteorological and Hydrological Service.

    This integration is supported by articulations elsewhere in the country’s strategic profile, with the National Adaptation Plan 2019 including a priority area entitled “upgrading civil defence preparedness and DRR”. Elsewhere, the National Security Strategy of the Republic of Albania (2023–2028) addresses risks ranging from national security threats to climate change impacts, emphasizing resilience to disasters, while the National Strategy for Development and European Integration (NSDEI) 2022–2030 includes the integration of DRR and climate change adaptation planning among its priorities.

    National DRR strategies are the bedrock for multi-hazard risk governance and the achievement of Sendai Framework targets. These strategies help transform risk knowledge into actions and programmes that save lives and livelihoods. In addition, they serve as guides for mobilizing resources, delegating roles and responsibilities within government, and identifying entry points for non-governmental stakeholder engagement, all leading to more inclusive, sustainable development.

    With 131 countries now reporting having national DRR strategies, and 30 receiving technical support from UNDRR to develop them, this is just a snapshot of the progress being made globally in this important area.

    Under Brazil’s presidency, the Group of 20 (G20) recognized DRR as a critical component of economic resilience. Collaborating closely with UNDRR, Brazil facilitated the adoption of the first-ever G20 Ministerial Declaration on DRR. This landmark declaration emphasized the necessity of accelerating the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction’s implementation, aiming to reduce disaster losses by 2030, and called for the development of high-level principles for DRR financing. The work of the G20 DRR Working Group, with UNDRR as the lead knowledge partner, further reflected a comprehensive approach to integrating DRR into economic and social policies.

    UNDRR’s capacity-building continues to go from strength to strength, with nearly 10,000 DRR practitioners being trained in 2024, 77 per cent of whom reported having a better understanding of DRR as a result. At one such workshop in the Global Education and Training Institute in Incheon, Republic of Korea, a remarkable collaboration unfolded – a pioneering workshop uniting experts from UNDRR and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to empower government stakeholders from Mongolia and Bhutan to mobilize relevant partners and stakeholders and obtain funding for their DRR measures. This joint training begins a process of transforming the daunting challenges of climate change into opportunities for proactive DRR.

    Delegates were empowered by not only technical insights, but also the forging of lasting partnerships. The workshop’s training modules, co-designed by UNDRR and GCF specialists, delved deep into practical tools such as the EW4All Checklist for Gap Analysis, equipping participants to critically assess their national capacities and pinpoint vulnerabilities. “Early warning systems are important components for our national climate change adaptation strategy,” noted Ms. Tserendulam Shagdarsuren, Director General of the Climate Change Department, Ministry of Environment and Tourism in Mongolia, emphasizing how the training illuminated the next steps for their evolving EWS.

    This pilot UNDRR–GCF initiative is part of a broader strategy to replicate capacity-building endeavours in developing countries. Future workshops are planned for countries that are in very different geographic contexts yet face similar challenges (particularly those resulting from climate change), such as Somalia, Togo and the SIDS. These workshops aim to accelerate access to climate finance and enhance DRR measures worldwide.

    In a continuation of the Media Saving Lives programme, UNDRR and partners trained 520 journalists and media practitioners in DRR and risk communications, bringing the total to over 2,500 from 80 countries. Media are an integral part of the EWS delivery chain, and engaging them to build trust between government and communities can be the difference between life and death when disaster hits.

    The rise in global temperatures and the increasing frequency and severity of extreme heat events are rapidly becoming central challenges for nations worldwide. Yet many Member States, cities and societies remain ill-prepared to address this escalating threat. The imperative for enhanced extreme heat risk reduction, governance and management is clear. Without urgent and coordinated action, extreme heat will continue to endanger billions of lives, amplify health risks and threaten the ecosystems upon which we depend.

    In response, the UNDRR/World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Centre of Excellence for Climate and Disaster Resilience – together with the Global Heat Health Information Network, Duke University and WMO Centre of Excellence for Climate and Disaster Resilience partners – has developed an extreme heat decision-support package for countries tackling this global threat. The package includes: international organization resource and ecosystem mapping, readiness reviews and profiles; national best practice analytics; evaluations of heat action plans; and materials for development of an extreme heat maturity index for self-assessment. These materials can enhance collaboration, integrated heat risk governance and policy responses to extreme heat.

    UNDRR’s work and that of United Nations system partners, coupled with increasing demands for assistance from Member States, prompted and informed the United Nations Secretary-General’s Call to Action on Extreme Heat, issued in July 2024, in which he emphasized the need for urgent action if a future characterized by even more devastating heat impacts on lives, economies and ecosystems is to be avoided.

    This work is in turn informing the development of a Common Framework for Heat Risk Governance, led by UNDRR with the Global Heat Health Information Network, and Member States, international organizations and stakeholders. The Framework will receive inputs from (and is designed to bring together) multiple sectors, domains and scales – from agriculture and food systems, to energy systems, transportation, construction materials and design, and urban cooling. It is expected to assist national and subnational decision makers in designing and resourcing integrated actions to reduce extreme heat risk to people, urban and rural ecosystems, and the environment, preventing the loss of lives and livelihoods.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UNDRR Annual Report 2024

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    02

    Strategies, governance and capacity-building

    Target E of the Sendai Framework calls for a substantial increase in the number of countries with national and local DRR strategies by 2020.

    Though a strategy is not the end goal, UNDRR has found that countries with national DRR strategies tend to have more robust DRR governance and a higher prevalence of EWS, demonstrating the value of investment in this fundamental DRR pillar.

    The Government of Jordan has developed its National Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy (2023–2030) in a participatory manner involving different governmental entities, ministries and municipalities, and the Public Security Directorate (Civil Defense), with support from UNDRR and the United Nations Development Programme country office. The strategy also integrates biological hazard risk reduction with the aim of building back better after the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Within the framework of Jordan’s efforts to deal with increasing threats and risks, the National Centre for Security and Crises Management has played a major role in developing two integrated risk registers; the national risk register and the local register for governorates. Both registers aim to improve the kingdom’s capacity to respond to disasters through accurate identification of risks, and enhanced coordination between the local and national levels for improved risk governance.

    Through this effective coordination between the national and local risk registers, Jordan has made great strides in reducing risks and enhancing community resilience, making the kingdom a role model for disaster management and risk reduction at the regional level.

    Morocco, too, has taken concrete steps to strengthen its risk governance. It established the Directorate of Natural Risk Management under the Ministry of Interior as its national DRR coordination mechanism. Morocco also established the National Risk Observatory to collect, analyse and share data on natural hazard risk. Furthermore, Morocco established a National Risk Forecasting Centre for monitoring and alerting, and an Operational Risk Anticipation Centre for forecasting, alerting and risk management assistance systems. Another successful project comprised the generalization of coverage of the entire national territory using multiscale and multi-hazard risk maps (for natural hazards).

    Albania’s National Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy demonstrates widespread integration of concerns related to climate change and triggers the engagement of new sectors, particularly tourism.

    The vision statement explicitly brings together DRR, climate change and sustainable development using the language of resilience, while the document includes a detailed plan of action for DRR implementation that integrates institutions such as the Ministry of Tourism and Environment and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy.

    In particular, it articulates the implementation of the ALBAdapt project Climate Services for a Resilient Albania. The Ministry of Tourism and Environment is identified as the lead institution for implementation of a set of activities that offer compounding co-benefits for both DRR and climate change adaptation, including the development of a people-centred MHEWS, the creation of a fully functional and well-resourced National Meteorological and Hydrological Service.

    This integration is supported by articulations elsewhere in the country’s strategic profile, with the National Adaptation Plan 2019 including a priority area entitled “upgrading civil defence preparedness and DRR”. Elsewhere, the National Security Strategy of the Republic of Albania (2023–2028) addresses risks ranging from national security threats to climate change impacts, emphasizing resilience to disasters, while the National Strategy for Development and European Integration (NSDEI) 2022–2030 includes the integration of DRR and climate change adaptation planning among its priorities.

    National DRR strategies are the bedrock for multi-hazard risk governance and the achievement of Sendai Framework targets. These strategies help transform risk knowledge into actions and programmes that save lives and livelihoods. In addition, they serve as guides for mobilizing resources, delegating roles and responsibilities within government, and identifying entry points for non-governmental stakeholder engagement, all leading to more inclusive, sustainable development.

    With 131 countries now reporting having national DRR strategies, and 30 receiving technical support from UNDRR to develop them, this is just a snapshot of the progress being made globally in this important area.

    Under Brazil’s presidency, the Group of 20 (G20) recognized DRR as a critical component of economic resilience. Collaborating closely with UNDRR, Brazil facilitated the adoption of the first-ever G20 Ministerial Declaration on DRR. This landmark declaration emphasized the necessity of accelerating the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction’s implementation, aiming to reduce disaster losses by 2030, and called for the development of high-level principles for DRR financing. The work of the G20 DRR Working Group, with UNDRR as the lead knowledge partner, further reflected a comprehensive approach to integrating DRR into economic and social policies.

    UNDRR’s capacity-building continues to go from strength to strength, with nearly 10,000 DRR practitioners being trained in 2024, 77 per cent of whom reported having a better understanding of DRR as a result. At one such workshop in the Global Education and Training Institute in Incheon, Republic of Korea, a remarkable collaboration unfolded – a pioneering workshop uniting experts from UNDRR and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to empower government stakeholders from Mongolia and Bhutan to mobilize relevant partners and stakeholders and obtain funding for their DRR measures. This joint training begins a process of transforming the daunting challenges of climate change into opportunities for proactive DRR.

    Delegates were empowered by not only technical insights, but also the forging of lasting partnerships. The workshop’s training modules, co-designed by UNDRR and GCF specialists, delved deep into practical tools such as the EW4All Checklist for Gap Analysis, equipping participants to critically assess their national capacities and pinpoint vulnerabilities. “Early warning systems are important components for our national climate change adaptation strategy,” noted Ms. Tserendulam Shagdarsuren, Director General of the Climate Change Department, Ministry of Environment and Tourism in Mongolia, emphasizing how the training illuminated the next steps for their evolving EWS.

    This pilot UNDRR–GCF initiative is part of a broader strategy to replicate capacity-building endeavours in developing countries. Future workshops are planned for countries that are in very different geographic contexts yet face similar challenges (particularly those resulting from climate change), such as Somalia, Togo and the SIDS. These workshops aim to accelerate access to climate finance and enhance DRR measures worldwide.

    In a continuation of the Media Saving Lives programme, UNDRR and partners trained 520 journalists and media practitioners in DRR and risk communications, bringing the total to over 2,500 from 80 countries. Media are an integral part of the EWS delivery chain, and engaging them to build trust between government and communities can be the difference between life and death when disaster hits.

    The rise in global temperatures and the increasing frequency and severity of extreme heat events are rapidly becoming central challenges for nations worldwide. Yet many Member States, cities and societies remain ill-prepared to address this escalating threat. The imperative for enhanced extreme heat risk reduction, governance and management is clear. Without urgent and coordinated action, extreme heat will continue to endanger billions of lives, amplify health risks and threaten the ecosystems upon which we depend.

    In response, the UNDRR/World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Centre of Excellence for Climate and Disaster Resilience – together with the Global Heat Health Information Network, Duke University and WMO Centre of Excellence for Climate and Disaster Resilience partners – has developed an extreme heat decision-support package for countries tackling this global threat. The package includes: international organization resource and ecosystem mapping, readiness reviews and profiles; national best practice analytics; evaluations of heat action plans; and materials for development of an extreme heat maturity index for self-assessment. These materials can enhance collaboration, integrated heat risk governance and policy responses to extreme heat.

    UNDRR’s work and that of United Nations system partners, coupled with increasing demands for assistance from Member States, prompted and informed the United Nations Secretary-General’s Call to Action on Extreme Heat, issued in July 2024, in which he emphasized the need for urgent action if a future characterized by even more devastating heat impacts on lives, economies and ecosystems is to be avoided.

    This work is in turn informing the development of a Common Framework for Heat Risk Governance, led by UNDRR with the Global Heat Health Information Network, and Member States, international organizations and stakeholders. The Framework will receive inputs from (and is designed to bring together) multiple sectors, domains and scales – from agriculture and food systems, to energy systems, transportation, construction materials and design, and urban cooling. It is expected to assist national and subnational decision makers in designing and resourcing integrated actions to reduce extreme heat risk to people, urban and rural ecosystems, and the environment, preventing the loss of lives and livelihoods.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: FOCUS ON: How Somalia is advancing disaster preparedness through EW4All and beyond

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    For decades, Somalia has faced devastating droughts, floods and conflict. Today, thanks to coordinated efforts spearheaded by UNDRR, Somalia is making significant strides towards more effective, integrated DRR and EWS.

    In 2023/24, Somalia worked with UNDRR and key international partners to establish an MHEWS. A road map developed in 2023 identified weaknesses in data collection, risk assessment and communication networks. This laid the groundwork for Somalia’s participation in EW4All, significantly strengthening national capacities in risk knowledge, anticipatory action and community-based preparedness.

    In July 2024, a capacity-building workshop in Nairobi brought together national and international stakeholders. Somali officials later travelled to Italy, exchanging best practices with the Italian Civil Protection and the CIMA Research Foundation. These experiences helped refine Somalia’s early warning framework.

    “The EW4All initiative was launched in 2023, and throughout this time, the Climate Risk and Early Warning Systems (CREWS) project has supported capacity-building and risk management in Somalia”, said Khadar Sh. Mohamed Nur, Director of the Somalia Disaster Management Agency. “It has changed the way we think about DRR.”

    The impact was evident during the heavy Gu rains of April–June 2024. While floods affected 160,000 people and displaced 37,000, the damage was significantly less severe compared to 2023. The key difference was timely, accurate and widely disseminated early warnings and early action.

    Through text messages, radio broadcasts and community meetings, vulnerable populations received crucial information. Additionally, data from the DesInventar system improved impact-based forecasting, enabling proactive interventions such as fortification of riverbanks and pre-positioning of emergency supplies.

    A critical component of Somalia’s DRR strategy has been inclusivity. “[Persons] with disabilities in Somalia did not previously have access to information”, said Mawlid Abdul Qadir Badal, Director of the National Disability Agency Somalia. “After the workshops and consultations led by UNDRR, we are sure that disability aspects are included in the EW4All road map.” In a three-day training on gender- and disability-inclusive EWS in Nairobi in November 2024, UNDRR brought together officials from Somalia, Sudan and Djibouti.

    UNDRR has also played a pivotal role in integrating disaster risk analysis into broader humanitarian and development planning. In 2024, UNDRR facilitated a joint analysis effort among stakeholders from across the humanitarian-development-peace nexus. This informed the development of Somalia’s 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan and Common Country Analysis for the 2026–2030 Cooperation Framework.

    In addition, the Early Warning Systems and Early Action in Fragile, Conflict-affected and Violent Contexts handbook provides strategies for implementing EWS where governance is weak or absent. Employed by practitioners across the globe, it emphasizes cross-sectoral coordination, regional collaboration and adaptation to local challenges.

    Somalia’s disaster preparedness journey is far from over. But through strategic partnerships, technological advancements and inclusivity, Somalia is steadily building a more resilient future. While challenges remain, the EW4ALL initiative and UNDRR’s broader support highlight what is possible when governments, international agencies and communities work together.

    Back to the UNDRR 2024 Annual Report

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Three Days Left to Apply for FEMA Individual Assistance and SBA Disaster Loans

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Three Days Left to Apply for FEMA Individual Assistance and SBA Disaster Loans

    Three Days Left to Apply for FEMA Individual Assistance and SBA Disaster Loans

    LOS ANGELES – Only three days left to apply for FEMA Individual 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

    Monday, March 31, is the deadline to apply for both FEMA disaster assistance and SBA low-interest disaster loans

    The deadline to submit a Right of Entry (ROE) form to LA County has been extended to April 15, but the deadline for FEMA Individual Assistance and SBA disaster loans is still 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 AssistanceApply 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: Complete the opt-in form online at: Los Angeles County Right of Entry Permit for Debris Removal on Private Property

    Download and complete a form: Debris Removal Right of Entry Permit (00011201

    DOCX;1)

    Submit at a Disaster Recovery Center

    In Person

    Pick up a form at a Disaster Recovery Center

    Visit the DRC Locator to find a location

    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

    alberto

    pillot
    Sat, 03/29/2025 – 00:17

    MIL OSI USA News –