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Category: Weather

  • MIL-OSI USA: As Trump cuts U.S. Forest Service, California deploys an extra $72 million to reduce wildfire risk and ‘rake the forest,’ fast-tracks critical projects

    Source: US State of California 2

    May 30, 2025

    What you need to know: CAL FIRE is awarding $72 million to projects across the state that help reduce catastrophic wildfire risk across California. Governor Newsom also announced 13 vegetation management projects spanning nearly 7,000 acres have already been approved for fast-tracking under his emergency proclamation.

    SACRAMENTO – As the Trump administration cuts the U.S. Forest Service and creates rampant uncertainty ahead of peak wildfire season, Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the state is continuing to ramp up its efforts to reduce wildfire risk and increase forest health. 

    CAL FIRE awarded nearly $72 million today to support large-scale, regionally based land management projects aimed at restoring forest health and resilience throughout California, while enhancing long-term carbon storage.

    Additionally, Governor Newsom announced that under his wildfire prevention emergency proclamation, which became operational on April 17, the state has already fast-tracked approval for 13 projects totaling nearly 7,000 acres, on top of the 2 million acres treated in recent years. These projects involve tribes and other partners, natural resource managers and fire districts. This is part of statewide efforts to advance projects in key locations to help protect communities from catastrophic wildfires. One week after applications opened to fast-track critical wildfire safety projects in mid-April, the state began issuing fast-track approvals for wildfire safety projects.

    “California is ‘raking the forests’ at a faster pace than ever before. Where’s the federal government?”

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    While 57% of California’s forests are federally managed, the state government manages only 3% of the forestland. The other 40% is privately owned and this work relies on partnership with private forestland owners. 

    More than 2,200 vegetation management projects are complete or underway, and in recent years, California has treated nearly 2 million acres – made possible by scaling up investments to 10 times the amount from when the Governor took office in 2019. California has funded over $350 million worth of projects on federal lands in the same time. CAL FIRE estimates that 83% of all tree mortality in California, which poses a significant wildfire risk, is on national forest lands. 

    ‘Raking the forest’ 

    Through its Forest Health Program, CAL FIRE is awarding 12 grants to local and regional partners carrying out projects on state, local, tribal, federal, and private lands. Designed to address critical forest health needs, these initiatives will reduce wildfire risk, improve ecosystem resilience, and enhance carbon sequestration across California’s diverse landscapes.

    Forest health grant projects focus on large, landscape-scale forestlands – no less than 800 acres in size – that are composed of one or more landowners and may cover multiple jurisdictions. 

    “CAL FIRE is proud to award Forest Health grants that will increase the wildfire resilience of California’s landscapes and communities and help restore ecosystems following wildfire,” said Alan Talhelm, Assistant Deputy Director of Climate and Energy at CAL FIRE. “These grants will provide our partners around the state with funds to complete projects that support local economies, protect watersheds, increase public safety, and sequester carbon.”

    The projects will employ a wide array of forest management strategies, with goals of wildfire resilience, watershed protection, habitat conservation for endangered species, recovery of fire-scarred and drought-impacted forests, and the reintroduction of fire as a natural ecological process. Projects include:

    • The Upper Mokelumne River Watershed Authority will conduct fuels reduction on 1,288 acres in El Dorado National Forest using mastication and hand thinning. This aims to lower wildfire risk, protect communities, improve forest resilience, and enhance wildlife habitat.
    • The Redwood Forest Foundation, Inc. will treat 867 acres of forest fuel in a rural, low-income area in Northern Mendocino County. This will create over 80 forestry jobs and additional jobs/learning for young adults via California Conservation Corps trail work.

    The majority of CAL FIRE’s Forest Health grants are funded through the Timber Regulation and Forest Restoration Fund (TRFRF), with additional support provided by California Climate Investments (CCI), a statewide initiative that directs billions of Cap-and-Invest dollars toward achieving the state’s climate goals.

    Fast-tracking critical wildfire prevention projects

    The approved projects for fast-tracking are focused on removing flammable dead or dying trees, creating strategic fuel breaks, creating safe egress along roadways, manual and mechanical removal of ladder fuels and beneficial fire use. Some of the approved projects include:  

    • The Prosper Ridge Community Wildfire Resilience Project in Humboldt County is the first approved project under the Governor’s emergency proclamation on wildfire. This collaborative state, federal, and tribal project will treat nearly 450 acres with a combination of mechanical thinning, manual treatments, and prescribed fire.
    • The Tonner Canyon South Vegetation Management Project aims to reduce wildfire risk on 354 acres south of Diamond Bar in Los Angeles County through hazardous vegetation removal, fuel break creation, and defensible space improvement.
    • The Scott Valley/Callahan Fuels Reduction and Forest Resiliency Project located on 2,917 acres in the Scott River watershed in Siskiyou County will use mechanical and manual treatments to increase vigor of the residual stands of timber for improved carbon sequestration, fire resiliency and individual tree health.
    • The Weed Community Forest Restoration and Enhancement Project located on 1,923 acres near the 2022 Mill Fire and is designed to protect the surrounding the community of Weed in Siskiyou County and provide safe ingress/egress to emergency responders.
    • The Sycuan Wildfire Resiliency Project covers over 240 acres in San Diego County and aims to protect the Sycuan Reservation from wildfire by reducing fire hazard, ensuring defensible space, and providing safe egress with the use of 300 grazing goats. 

    To move faster without compromising important environmental protections, the state developed a new Statewide Fuels Reduction Environmental Protection Plan. State agencies will monitor and oversee these projects from initiation to completion to provide support and ensure environmental protections and best management practices are followed.

    Accelerating investments in fuels reduction and wildfire resilience

    Following action by Governor Newsom and the Legislature last month, state conservancies are moving to deploy $170 million in voter-approved funding for wildfire resilience projects. The accelerated funding is part of the “early action” 2025 budget package. Governor Newsom signed the funding bill along with an executive order to ensure the wildfire safety projects benefit from the streamlining process created under the March 1 State of Emergency proclamation.

    Building on unprecedented progress 

    This builds on consecutive years of intensive and focused work by California to confront the severe ongoing risk of catastrophic wildfires, and Governor Newsom’s emergency proclamation signed in March to fast-track forest and vegetation management projects throughout the state. Additionally, to bolster the state’s ability to respond to fires, Governor Newsom announced last week that the state’s second C-130 Hercules airtanker is ready for firefighting operations, adding to the largest aerial firefighting fleet in the world. 

    New, bold moves to streamline state-level regulatory processes builds long-term efforts already underway in California to increase wildfire response and forest management in the face of a hotter, drier climate. A full list of California’s progress on wildfire resilience is available here.

    Highlights of achievements to date include:

    • Historic investments — Overall, the state has more than doubled investments in wildfire prevention and landscape resilience efforts, providing more than $2.5 billion in wildfire resilience since 2020, with an additional $1.5 billion to be allocated from the 2024 Climate Bond.
    • On-the-ground progress — More than 2,200 landscape health and fire prevention projects are complete or underway, and from 2021-2023, the State and its partners treated nearly 1.9 million acres, including nearly 730,000 acres in 2023.
    • Increasing transparency — The Governor’s Task Force launched an Interagency Treatment Dashboard to display wildfire resilience work across federal, state, local, and privately managed lands across the State. The Dashboard, launched in 2023, provides transparency, tracks progress, facilitates planning, and informs firefighting efforts.
    • Hardening communities — Adding to California’s nation-leading fire safety  standards, Governor Newsom signed an executive order to further improve community hardening and wildfire mitigation strategies to neighborhood resilience statewide. Since 2019, CAL FIRE has awarded more than $450 million for 450 wildfire prevention projects across the state and conducts Defensible Space Inspections on more than 250,000 homes each year.
    • Leveraging cutting-edge technology — On top of expanding the world’s largest aerial firefighting fleet, CAL FIRE has doubled its use of Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) and the state is utilizing AI-powered tools to spot fires quicker.

    Press releases, Recent news

    Recent news

    May 29, 2025

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    May 29, 2025

    News Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued a proclamation declaring May 2025, as “Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.”The text of the proclamation and a copy can be found below: PROCLAMATIONCalifornia is home to more than 6…

    May 28, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:LaCandice Ochoa, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Director of the Independent Living and Community Access Division at the Department of Rehabilitation. Ochoa has been Dean of…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner, Colleagues Call on DHS to Prioritize Cybersecurity, Reestablish Cyber Safety Review Board

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, joined by U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden (D-OR), a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), both members of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs, wrote to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem urging her to reestablish the Cyber Safety Review Board (CSRB) after the Trump administration dismissed members earlier this year.
    The CSRB, established in 2022 under President Biden, convenes cybersecurity experts from across multiple government agencies and the private sector to investigate serious cybersecurity breaches and make recommendations for businesses, government agencies, and individuals to better protect themselves. In January of this year, the board was disbanded.
    The senators wrote, “The CSRB played a vital role in U.S. national security carrying out post-incident reviews and providing information and making recommendations to improve public and private sector cyber security. Therefore, we urge you to swiftly reconstitute the Board with qualified leaders to shape our nation’s cyber response.”
    In their letter, the senators highlighted the key work that CSRB has done to investigate some of the most serious cyber incidents our country has faced, including Salt Typhoon, a breach believed to be perpetrated by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) that compromised U.S. and global telecommunications infrastructure.
    “Against the backdrop of repeated insistence by this Administration on the need to leverage private sector and external expertise in government, the decision to dismantle this successful collaboration between the federal government and the private sector is particularly confounding,” the senators continued. “The CSRB has spearheaded crucial fact-finding efforts following cyber incidents, and developed recommendations and reports reflecting lessons learned following some of the most serious cyber incidents of the past few years, such as the Microsoft Exchange Online intrusion, the SolarWinds hack, and most recently (until the CSRB’s dissolution) the Salt Typhoon campaign against U.S telecommunications infrastructure.”
    The senators concluded, “As we have said before, inadequate cyber security practices put our economy, our national security and even lives at risk. The January dismissal of CSRB members, and continued uncertainty about the future role of the Board, has undermined cyber defense preparations for public and private entities across the United States. In this age of great innovation, we cannot afford to see our private or public systems compromised by malicious actors. You have had more than four months to reestablish this Board to conduct this critical work – DHS leadership and CISA must work together to immediately reinstate the Board as a crucial part of America’s cyber defense infrastructure.”
    A copy of letter is available here and text is below.
    Dear Secretary Noem:
    We write to you today with regard to the need to act to reestablish the Cyber Safety Review Board (“CSRB” or “Board”). As members of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence or the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, we extremely concerned with ensuring that America’s intelligence community, law enforcement agencies, state and local governments, and businesses have access to the best tools and resources to prepare for, and protect themselves against, ongoing cyber threats facing our nation. The CSRB played a vital role in U.S. national security carrying out post-incident reviews and providing information and making recommendations to improve public and private sector cyber security. Therefore, we urge you to swiftly reconstitute the Board with qualified leaders to shape our nation’s cyber response.
    As chartered, the CSRB is composed of 20 standing members, with additional members appointed on a case-by-case basis for the purpose of specific investigations. All members bring expertise from both the public and private sector, and are to be selected on the basis of significant professional and technical expertise and regardless of political affiliation. This structure serves to create a body with a deep well of cyber security capabilities and knowledge that can conduct thorough reviews of cyber incidents and provide trusted, fact-based recommendations on how businesses, individuals, and agencies across all layers of government can better protect themselves.
    When building cyber security capabilities, the software and IT ecosystem benefits tremendously from transparent, accessible, and rigorous research and forensics. Against the backdrop of repeated insistence by this Administration on the need to leverage private sector and external expertise in government, the decision to dismantle this successful collaboration between the federal government and the private sector is particularly confounding.
    The CSRB has spearheaded crucial fact-finding efforts following cyber incidents, and developed recommendations and reports reflecting lessons learned following some of the most serious cyber incidents of the past few years, such as the Microsoft Exchange Online intrusion, the SolarWinds hack, and most recently (until the CSRB’s dissolution) the Salt Typhoon campaign against U.S telecommunications infrastructure.  
    These comprehensive and incredibly fact-intensive investigations have provided invaluable transparency and lessons for the wider software and IT sectors. For instance, the CSRB’s review of the 2023 Microsoft cyber incident, recently cited by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard when presenting the Annual Threat Assessment at the March 25, 2025 SSCI open hearing, identified several operational and strategic lapses that contributed to this intrusion, with recommendations around authentication, logging, and public communication around security incidents that benefited the entire ecosystem.
    As we have noted, the CSRB had been actively investigating potentially the most expansive and impactful cyber security breach in U.S. history: the unprecedented compromises of U.S. and global telecommunications infrastructure by threat actors associated with the People’s Republic of China, widely referred to as “Salt Typhoon.” However, the CSRB’s investigation into the Salt Typhoon compromises of U.S. telecommunication firms, launched in 2024, was effectively terminated on January 20, 2025 and is depriving the public of a fuller accounting of the origin, scope, scale, and severity of these compromises. It is essential that the U.S. develop a complete and thorough understanding of the factors that contributed to the success of these intrusions – including clear root-cause analyses of each successful penetration – and present key recommendations for the telecommunications sector to better protect itself against similarly complex and large-scale compromises by future threat actors.
    As we have said before, inadequate cyber security practices put our economy, our national security and even lives at risk. The January dismissal of CSRB members, and continued uncertainty about the future role of the Board, has undermined cyber defense preparations for public and private entities across the United States. In this age of great innovation, we cannot afford to see our private or public systems compromised by malicious actors. You have had more than four months to reestablish this Board to conduct this critical work – DHS leadership and CISA must work together to immediately reinstate the Board as a crucial part of America’s cyber defense infrastructure.
    Thank you in advance for your prompt attention to this important issue. It is our hope that we can work together to continue developing a robust cyber security infrastructure that protects all Americans.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Titus and Stanton Introduce Legislation Improving Emergency Response to Extreme Heat

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Dina Titus (1st District of Nevada)

    WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Dina Titus (NV-01), a senior member of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, and Congressman Greg Stanton (AZ-04) introduced the Extreme Weather and Heat Response Modernization Act. This legislation would empower the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to better define and address extreme heat and to provide communities with more resources, including cooling centers, to keep people safe during extreme temperature events.

    “Last year, Clark County suffered from the deadliest extreme heat season on record with 526 heat-related deaths,” said Rep. Titus. “While steps have been taken in recent years to combat the rise of heat-related illnesses, more needs to be done to improve emergency responses to this deadly threat. My bill will provide FEMA with the flexibility to expand its suite of mitigation measures against extreme heat, including cooling centers. It also requires FEMA to provide guidance to help communities better plan for extreme temperature events.”

    “If Phoenix was being hit with a hurricane, or pummeled by tornadoes or extreme flooding, FEMA would be able to provide federal assistance. But despite extreme heat killing more people each year than hurricanes and tornadoes combined, states can’t request the same kind of federal assistance for heat emergencies. Extreme heat is a long-term natural disaster, and we need the federal government to start treating it as such,” said Rep. Stanton. “Our legislation gives FEMA the tools to address extreme heat—in coordination with state, local and Tribal governments—and keep Arizonans safe.”

    Background

    Extreme heat causes more deaths than tornados and hurricanes combined. Statistics show that the summer of 2024 was the deadliest for extreme heat, especially in Southern Nevada, where Las Vegas recorded its deadliest extreme heat season. According to weather indicators, the number of extreme heat events per year has increased in frequency and intensity, showing no signs of letting up.

    Over the 4th of July weekend in 2024, nearly 130 million people were under some sort of extreme heat threat, and temperatures in Southern Nevada reached a local record of 120 degrees. As heat-related illnesses and hospitalizations continue to increase, communities need more resources to protect individuals, including the ability to set up cooling centers to help vulnerable people maintain a safe body temperature.

    The legislation is supported by the City of Las Vegas; National Association of Counties (NACo); Desert Research Institute; IBEW Local 357; United Steelworkers; BuildStrong America; and the NRDC.

    A Section by Section of the bill can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: One lawsuit just helped melt the fossil fuel industry’s defence against being held accountable for climate change

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Benjamin Franta, Associate Professor of Climate Litigation, University of Oxford

    There was a time when oil and gas companies happily linked themselves to the idea of planet-wide environmental changes. “Each day Humble supplies enough energy to melt 7 million tons of glacier!” boasts the headline from a 1962 double-page spread in Life magazine for Humble Oil, now part of ExxonMobil.

    Fast forward 60 years and that advert takes on a prophetic quality. Millions of people have experienced first-hand the tragic consequences of how burning fossil fuels is overheating our planet beyond recognition. Not just by melting glaciers but fuelling storms, fires and floods.

    The fossil fuel industry today would never dream of linking its activities to melting glaciers. Instead, it actively denies responsibility for the consequences of extracting and selling some of the most harmful products ever known to humanity.

    For the decades we have known about climate science, this narrative has been core to how the fossil fuel industry maintains its social legitimacy: that the industry is not responsible for climate change, but everyone else is through their individual actions.

    Yet a ten-year climate lawsuit brought by a Peruvian farmer and mountain guide has challenged this narrative. In March this year, Saúl Luciano Lliuya’s case against the European coal-giant RWE was heard in a regional court in Germany.

    And while the court has now dismissed Lliuya’s specific claim – finding the flood risk to Lliuya’s particular property is not yet sufficiently great – it did confirm that private companies can in principle be held liable for their share in causing climate damages. This finding has major ramifications for the wider legal battle to make fossil fuel companies accountable.

    Farmer vs coal giant

    Lliuya lives in Huaraz, a city in the foothills of the Peruvian Andes. He and the 120,000 residents of this city live in constant danger. The melting glaciers caused by climate change are causing the water levels in Lake Palcacocha above their home to rise. Peru’s disaster management agency warns that a flood could occur at any moment.

    Huaraz is one of many cities in the Andes at risk of flooding as temperatures rise and glaciers melt.
    Christian Vinces / shutterstock

    For Lliuya, it is not a matter of if but when – and how bad the flood will be.

    He therefore embarked on his lawsuit against RWE with this simple premise: as one of the world’s top greenhouse gas emitters, it should help pay for flood defences to protect Hauraz. The total cost of a new dam would have been US$4 million (£3 million), and Lliuya was demanding that RWE pay 0.47% of that total, which is US$20,000.

    This proportional amount was based on a calculation of RWE’s contribution to historical global greenhouse gas emissions – most of which have occurred since the 1990s, long after fossil fuel companies were aware their products would cause dangerous climate change.

    RWE’s revenues are measured in the tens of billions. It could have accepted Lliuya’s request and paid for not just its share of the cost, but the full cost of flood defences for Huaraz. Yet the company fought tooth and nail to prevent the case getting as far as it did.

    When asked by the court much earlier in the process if it would be willing to settle, the company’s lawyers declined, revealing exactly what was at stake: “This is a matter of precedent.”

    On May 28 2025, the court ruled that the flood risk to Lliuya’s home was not sufficiently high to uphold his specific claim. However, its confirmation of the principle that private companies can be held liable for climate damage shows that RWE was, in fact, correct to fear the precedent that Lliuya’s case has now helped set.

    Liability – across national borders

    Despite RWE’s attempts to argue otherwise, the case’s outcome has far-reaching implications that could shape similar cases in countries such as Switzerland and Belgium, and which may be relevant for other jurisdictions including the UK, Netherlands, US and Japan.

    Crucially, the case confirms that proportional liability for climate harm is legally possible, even across national borders. And this will still remain a possibility, even if a higher court overrules the German district court in favour of the fossil fuel companies.

    Why does this matter so much to RWE and other fossil fuel companies, who argue time and again in court that they should not be held responsible?

    For years, fossil fuel companies have operated as if they would not be held responsible for the emissions from their products. But as the world continues to warm, the harmful impacts of climate change and extreme weather will only intensify, resulting in mounting costs – both those we can calculate, such as damage to infrastructure, and those we cannot, like the loss of our loved ones.

    With the growing number and accuracy of climate science attribution studies, legal pressure on companies to contribute to climate costs is likely to keep growing.

    And when you consider that the legal basis for this “polluter pays” principle exists in a similar form in at least 50 nations around the world, then the scale of liability facing the industry becomes clear.

    More examples are already emerging. In 2024, a Belgian farmer filed a lawsuit against French fossil fuel major TotalEnergies, seeking compensation for damage to his farm as a result of extreme weather.

    In 2022, four residents of Pari island, Indonesia, started legal proceedings in Switzerland against the Swiss cement firm Holcim. The residents are seeking a 43% reduction in Holcim’s carbon emissions by 2030, and around US$4,000 in compensation each for damages caused by flooding.

    Since 2017, dozens of cities, counties and states across the US have sued fossil fuel producers for climate change-related damages and adaptation costs, potentially totalling trillions of dollars – pointing to the industry’s increasingly well-documented historical and ongoing deceptions about climate change.

    And policymakers across countries including the US, the Philippines and Pakistan are working to enact laws that would directly hold polluting companies financially responsible for climate damages.

    The new ruling in Germany provides a shot in the arm to all these cases, and the future suits yet to be filed. Perhaps most consequentially of all, public opinion is hardening: growing numbers of people understand that the fossil fuel industry is responsible for climate change, and lawsuits to compel big carbon to pay for climate damages enjoy widespread public support.

    When Lliuya launched his case nearly a decade ago, the idea of linking an individual corporation to the impacts of its emissions seemed implausible to some. Yet scientific research now makes it possible to link the emissions of individual companies to particular, quantifiable damages caused by climate change.

    This, coupled with the German court’s ruling, makes it increasingly clear that the fossil fuel industry’s longstanding deflection of responsibility for planetary warming is doomed to melt away.



    Read more:
    A Peruvian farmer is trying to hold energy giant RWE responsible for climate change – the inside story of his groundbreaking court case

    Benjamin Franta has served as a consulting expert for various climate-related lawsuits. His research has received funding from foundations in the environment and climate space.

    – ref. One lawsuit just helped melt the fossil fuel industry’s defence against being held accountable for climate change – https://theconversation.com/one-lawsuit-just-helped-melt-the-fossil-fuel-industrys-defence-against-being-held-accountable-for-climate-change-257840

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Hurricane season is here, but FEMA’s policy change could leave low-income areas less protected

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Ivis García, Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning, Texas A&M University

    Hurricane Harvey inundated the Cottage Grove neighborhood of Houston in 2018. Scott Olson/Getty Images

    When powerful storms hit your city, which neighborhoods are most likely to flood? In many cities, they’re typically low-income areas. They may have poor drainage, or they lack protections such as seawalls.

    New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward, where hundreds of people died when Hurricane Katrina broke a levee in 2005, and Houston’s Kashmere Gardens, flooded by Hurricane Harvey in 2017, are just two among many examples.

    With those disasters in mind, the Federal Emergency Management Agency made a big change to its Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide in 2023. The agency began encouraging cities, towns and counties to address equity in their hazard mitigation plans, which outline how they will reduce disaster risk.

    Local governments have an incentive to follow those federal guidelines: Those that want to receive FEMA hazard mitigation assistance – money which can be used to repair aging infrastructure like roads, bridges and flood barriers – or funding from other programs such as dam rehabilitation have to develop local mitigation plans and update them every five years.

    Hurricane Irma flooded Immokalee, Fla., in 2017. The community, home to many farmworkers, had infrastructure problems before the storm, and recovery was slow.
    AP Photo/Gerald Herbert

    The new guidance required cities to both consider social vulnerability among neighborhoods in their disaster mitigation planning and involve socially vulnerable communities in those discussions in ways they hadn’t before.

    However, as the U.S. heads into what forecasters predict will be an active 2025 hurricane season, that guidance has changed again. The Trump administration’s new FEMA Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide 2025 talks about public involvement in planning but strips any mention of equity, income or social vulnerability. It mentions using “projections for the future” to plan but removes references to climate change.

    Who is most at risk in hurricanes, and why

    Hurricanes and other storms that cause flooding don’t affect everyone in the same way.

    A legacy of redlining and discrimination in many U.S. cities left poor and minority families living in often risky areas. These neighborhoods also tend to have poorer infrastructure.

    In the past, local mitigation plans just focused on fixing roads or protecting property in general from storm damage, without recognizing that socially vulnerable groups, such as low-income or elderly populations, were more likely to be hardest hit and take much longer to recover.

    Low-income neighborhoods in Puerto Rico have been slow to recover from 2017’s Hurricane Maria.
    Ivis Garcia

    The FEMA 2023 guidance encouraged communities to consider both the highest risks and which neighborhoods would be least able to respond in a disaster and address their needs.

    The equity requirement was designed to ensure that local plans didn’t just protect those with the most wealth or political influence but considered who needs the help most. That might mean providing information in multiple languages in emergency alerts or investing in flood prevention in neighborhoods with aging infrastructure like roads, bridges and flood barriers.

    How New York City’s 2024 plan helped

    New York City’s 2024 Hazard Mitigation Plan, for example, included a thorough social vulnerability assessment to identify neighborhoods with high percentages of people who were living in poverty or were older, disabled or weren’t fluent in English.

    Knowing where disaster risk and social vulnerability overlapped allowed the city to boost investments in flood protection, emergency communication and cooling centers during summer heat in neighborhoods such as the South Bronx and East Harlem. These neighborhoods historically faced some of the greatest risks from disasters but saw little investment.

    The NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice mapped the risk of storm surge flooding in the 2020s (purple) and 2080s (dark blue), and neighborhoods that fall under the city’s ‘disadvantaged communities’ criteria. A 1% risk means a 1% of chance of flooding in any given year, also referred to as a 100-year flood risk.
    NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice

    Further, New York’s plan calls for expanding outreach and early warning systems in multiple languages and enhancing infrastructure in areas with high concentrations of Spanish speakers. These kinds of changes help ensure that vulnerable residents are more likely to be better protected when disaster strikes.

    Why is FEMA dropping that emphasis now?

    FEMA’s reasoning for the guidance change in 2025: make it quicker and easier to get plans approved and unlock federal funding for projects like flood barriers, storm shelters and buyouts in areas at high risk of damage.

    It’s a pragmatic move, but one that raises big questions about whether residents who are least able to help themselves will be overlooked again when the next disaster strikes.

    And FEMA isn’t alone — other agencies, like the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and its Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery program, have made similar changes to their own disaster planning rules. Community Development Block Grant funds for disaster recovery are flexible and can be used for things like rebuilding homes and businesses, restoring infrastructure and helping local economies recover.

    What this means for low-income areas

    Some experts worry that the changes might mean low-income and other at-risk communities will be ignored again when cities develop their next five-year mitigation plans. Research from the Government Accountability Office shows that when something is required by law, it gets done. When it’s just a suggestion, it’s easy to skip, especially in places with fewer resources or less political will to help.

    But the short-lived rules may have already helped in one important way: They made cities and states pay attention to social vulnerability, climate change and the needs of all their residents.

    Many local leaders have learned the value of using data to understand where socially vulnerable residents face high disaster risks. And they have a model now for involving communities in decision-making. Even if those steps are no longer required, the hope is that these good habits will stick.

    Where and how communities invest in disaster protection affects who stays safe and who faces higher risks from flooding, hurricanes and other disasters. When government policy shifts, it’s not just about paperwork – it’s about real people.

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

    – ref. Hurricane season is here, but FEMA’s policy change could leave low-income areas less protected – https://theconversation.com/hurricane-season-is-here-but-femas-policy-change-could-leave-low-income-areas-less-protected-256985

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Hurricane season is here, but FEMA’s policy change could leave low-income areas less protected

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ivis García, Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning, Texas A&M University

    Hurricane Harvey inundated the Cottage Grove neighborhood of Houston in 2018. Scott Olson/Getty Images

    When powerful storms hit your city, which neighborhoods are most likely to flood? In many cities, they’re typically low-income areas. They may have poor drainage, or they lack protections such as seawalls.

    New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward, where hundreds of people died when Hurricane Katrina broke a levee in 2005, and Houston’s Kashmere Gardens, flooded by Hurricane Harvey in 2017, are just two among many examples.

    With those disasters in mind, the Federal Emergency Management Agency made a big change to its Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide in 2023. The agency began encouraging cities, towns and counties to address equity in their hazard mitigation plans, which outline how they will reduce disaster risk.

    Local governments have an incentive to follow those federal guidelines: Those that want to receive FEMA hazard mitigation assistance – money which can be used to repair aging infrastructure like roads, bridges and flood barriers – or funding from other programs such as dam rehabilitation have to develop local mitigation plans and update them every five years.

    Hurricane Irma flooded Immokalee, Fla., in 2017. The community, home to many farmworkers, had infrastructure problems before the storm, and recovery was slow.
    AP Photo/Gerald Herbert

    The new guidance required cities to both consider social vulnerability among neighborhoods in their disaster mitigation planning and involve socially vulnerable communities in those discussions in ways they hadn’t before.

    However, as the U.S. heads into what forecasters predict will be an active 2025 hurricane season, that guidance has changed again. The Trump administration’s new FEMA Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide 2025 talks about public involvement in planning but strips any mention of equity, income or social vulnerability. It mentions using “projections for the future” to plan but removes references to climate change.

    Who is most at risk in hurricanes, and why

    Hurricanes and other storms that cause flooding don’t affect everyone in the same way.

    A legacy of redlining and discrimination in many U.S. cities left poor and minority families living in often risky areas. These neighborhoods also tend to have poorer infrastructure.

    In the past, local mitigation plans just focused on fixing roads or protecting property in general from storm damage, without recognizing that socially vulnerable groups, such as low-income or elderly populations, were more likely to be hardest hit and take much longer to recover.

    Low-income neighborhoods in Puerto Rico have been slow to recover from 2017’s Hurricane Maria.
    Ivis Garcia

    The FEMA 2023 guidance encouraged communities to consider both the highest risks and which neighborhoods would be least able to respond in a disaster and address their needs.

    The equity requirement was designed to ensure that local plans didn’t just protect those with the most wealth or political influence but considered who needs the help most. That might mean providing information in multiple languages in emergency alerts or investing in flood prevention in neighborhoods with aging infrastructure like roads, bridges and flood barriers.

    How New York City’s 2024 plan helped

    New York City’s 2024 Hazard Mitigation Plan, for example, included a thorough social vulnerability assessment to identify neighborhoods with high percentages of people who were living in poverty or were older, disabled or weren’t fluent in English.

    Knowing where disaster risk and social vulnerability overlapped allowed the city to boost investments in flood protection, emergency communication and cooling centers during summer heat in neighborhoods such as the South Bronx and East Harlem. These neighborhoods historically faced some of the greatest risks from disasters but saw little investment.

    The NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice mapped the risk of storm surge flooding in the 2020s (purple) and 2080s (dark blue), and neighborhoods that fall under the city’s ‘disadvantaged communities’ criteria. A 1% risk means a 1% of chance of flooding in any given year, also referred to as a 100-year flood risk.
    NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice

    Further, New York’s plan calls for expanding outreach and early warning systems in multiple languages and enhancing infrastructure in areas with high concentrations of Spanish speakers. These kinds of changes help ensure that vulnerable residents are more likely to be better protected when disaster strikes.

    Why is FEMA dropping that emphasis now?

    FEMA’s reasoning for the guidance change in 2025: make it quicker and easier to get plans approved and unlock federal funding for projects like flood barriers, storm shelters and buyouts in areas at high risk of damage.

    It’s a pragmatic move, but one that raises big questions about whether residents who are least able to help themselves will be overlooked again when the next disaster strikes.

    And FEMA isn’t alone — other agencies, like the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and its Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery program, have made similar changes to their own disaster planning rules. Community Development Block Grant funds for disaster recovery are flexible and can be used for things like rebuilding homes and businesses, restoring infrastructure and helping local economies recover.

    What this means for low-income areas

    Some experts worry that the changes might mean low-income and other at-risk communities will be ignored again when cities develop their next five-year mitigation plans. Research from the Government Accountability Office shows that when something is required by law, it gets done. When it’s just a suggestion, it’s easy to skip, especially in places with fewer resources or less political will to help.

    But the short-lived rules may have already helped in one important way: They made cities and states pay attention to social vulnerability, climate change and the needs of all their residents.

    Many local leaders have learned the value of using data to understand where socially vulnerable residents face high disaster risks. And they have a model now for involving communities in decision-making. Even if those steps are no longer required, the hope is that these good habits will stick.

    Where and how communities invest in disaster protection affects who stays safe and who faces higher risks from flooding, hurricanes and other disasters. When government policy shifts, it’s not just about paperwork – it’s about real people.

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

    – ref. Hurricane season is here, but FEMA’s policy change could leave low-income areas less protected – https://theconversation.com/hurricane-season-is-here-but-femas-policy-change-could-leave-low-income-areas-less-protected-256985

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ready for the summer: Governor Newsom announces lifesaving heat-ranking tool, invests $32 million to help communities combat extreme heat

    Source: US State of California 2

    May 29, 2025

    What you need to know: California is launching CalHeatScore – a groundbreaking tool to help protect vulnerable populations from dangerous heatwaves. The state’s new tool provides localized warnings and resources for extreme heat events. Governor Newsom is also announcing $32.4 million in funding to help 47 California communities protect people from dangerous heat events.

    SACRAMENTO – With summer around the corner and temperatures expected to soar to record highs this weekend, California is taking new actions to protect communities from extreme heat – the number one cause of weather-related deaths in the state. 

    Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the launch of CalHeatScore, a cutting-edge tool to forecast and rank heat severity risks and connect Californians with available resources to stay safe during extreme heat events. With CalHeatScore, California becomes the first state in the nation – and one of the only jurisdictions in the world – to launch a heat-ranking system. Today’s announcement comes as the Trump Administration makes life-threatening cuts to the federal government’s weather monitoring apparatus.

    CalHeatScore, developed by the California Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), brings together ZIP-code level data to provide locally tailored guidance. The tool identifies groups most susceptible to extreme heat – such as older adults and children – and provides tips for staying safe, such as how to recognize signs of heat illness. The tool additionally integrates other important data sets, like locations for the nearest cooling centers.

    Map above shows CalHeatScore extreme heat forecast for Friday, May 30. The darkest shades represent the highest heat score of 4 (scale of 0 to 4).

    Governor Newsom additionally announced $32.4 million to support 47 California communities in lifesaving extreme heat mitigation efforts. The Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Program aims to support local, tribal, and regional efforts to combat dangerous heat exposure by building long-lasting infrastructure solutions and strengthening community resilience needed to withstand extreme heat events.

    Extreme heat kills – and with the federal government cutting the very programs that help forecast it, California is taking aggressive action to protect residents from the impacts of extreme heat and build resilience in our most vulnerable communities.

    With the first major heat of the summer expected this weekend, we’re connecting more Californians – particularly those that are most vulnerable to dangerous heat – to life-saving information, resources, and programs across the state.

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    In a hotter, drier world, connecting Californians with extreme weather information and resources has never been more important – especially as the federal government cuts critical programs providing pertinent information on weather.

    First-in-the-nation heat-ranking tool

    The new CalHeatScore tool will be leveraged across state government, providing early warning that allows resources to be mobilized with greater speed and precision to communities that need it. To ensure the new tool works for Californians, the state will continue gathering input from the public, which will be used to shape future updates. 

    “Every single preventable death is one too many,” said Yana Garcia, California’s Secretary for Environmental Protection. “This groundbreaking tool will help Californians plan and respond so they can stay safe when a heat wave is about to strike. And it will shore up the state’s all-in fight against the very real dangers that climate change keeps bringing to our doorstep.”

    In 2021, the California Department of Insurance’s Climate Insurance Workgroup recommended California build a system to rank heat waves to better communicate the deadly risks to Californians and help communities prepare, similar to how tropical storms and hurricanes are described by “category” level. 

    As part of a broader climate package in 2022, Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 2238 by Assemblymember Luz Rivas to codify CDI’s recommendation by requiring the state to develop a statewide extreme heat ranking system. 

    “CalHeatScore is an important tool to prepare Californians for extreme heat,” said Nancy Ward, Director of the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES). “It helps increase our readiness for heat events and protect those at greatest risk.”

    Chart above shows the range of CalHeatScore rankings.

    Building on investments to protect Californians

    The funding announced today builds on the Governor’s Extreme Heat Action Plan, which guides the state’s response to extreme heat events. Developed in partnership with more than 20 state agencies and informed by more than 1,000 individuals through listening sessions and public engagement, these grants respond directly to community needs and build on existing state programs. 

    Extreme heat solutions announced today combine physical infrastructure with nature-based solutions and in-home technology to create more resilient communities. In Los Angeles, the county will work with local organizations to provide safer spaces by planting tree canopies, installing water fountains, and hosting educational programming in parks across the county. In Northern California, North Coast Opportunities and the Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians of California, will partner to provide solar-powered air conditioning in the homes of vulnerable community members.  

    “California is taking aggressive action to protect residents from the impacts of extreme heat and build resilience in our most vulnerable communities,” said Samuel Assefa, Director of Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI), the agency overseeing the funding. “With lives on the line each summer, the Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Program will provide critical infrastructure investments in heat vulnerable communities.”

    Extreme heat is the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the state, claiming more lives annually than any other climate threat, including fires and floods. Last year, California communities experienced the hottest summer on record in 130 years. According to a report from the Department of Insurance, from 2013 to 2022, seven extreme heat events resulted in nearly 460 deaths, over 5,000 hospitalizations and about 344 adverse birth outcomes.

    State research shows a correlation between heat and a range of negative health effects including death, lower birth weight, and increased emergency room visits and hospitalizations for conditions ranging from heart conditions to poor mental health. Extreme heat also takes an economic toll on the state, with an estimated $7.7 billion of lost wages, agricultural disruptions, and power outages. 

    Extreme heat calls for more water 

    During periods of extreme heat, access to water is more critical than ever to prevent illness and death. California is expected to lose 10% of its water supply due to hotter and drier conditions, threatening the water supply for millions of Californians. As part of the May Revision, the Governor advanced a groundbreaking proposal to fast-track and streamline one of California’s most important water management and climate adaptation projects, the Delta Conveyance Project, creating much-needed and long-overdue improvements to the State Water Project, which provides water for 27 million people and 750,00 acres of farmland. These vital improvements will help offset and recover these future climate-driven water losses, and yet, it has been plagued by delays and red tape.

    Without action, the ability of the State Water Project to reliably deliver water to homes, farms and businesses will decline. The Governor calls on the legislature to quickly adopt these improvements to ensure that California is ready for a drier and hotter future, and its communities are safe and protected.   

    Press releases, Recent news

    Recent news

    May 29, 2025

    News Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued a proclamation declaring May 2025, as “Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.”The text of the proclamation and a copy can be found below: PROCLAMATIONCalifornia is home to more than 6…

    May 28, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:LaCandice Ochoa, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Director of the Independent Living and Community Access Division at the Department of Rehabilitation. Ochoa has been Dean of…

    May 28, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom issued the following statement after a federal court ruled today that President Trump exceeded his use of emergency powers to enact broad-sweeping tariffs that hurt states, consumers, and businesses: “Like we said when we filed…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Global: US foreign aid cuts creating ‘a life threatening vacuum’ for millions of people – new briefing

    Source: Amnesty International –

    The US government has been a major global health funder, supporting HIV prevention, vaccines, maternal care, and humanitarian aid

    Amnesty highlights how the cuts have stopped vital programmes delivering health care, food, shelter, and aid to vulnerable groups, including women, survivors of sexual violence, and refugees

    ‘This abrupt decision and chaotic implementation by the Trump administration is reckless and profoundly damaging’ – Amanda Klasing

    The Trump administration’s abrupt, chaotic and sweeping suspension of US foreign aid is placing millions of lives and human rights at risk across the globe, said Amnesty International.

    In its 34-page briefing, Lives at Risk, Amnesty examines how the cuts have halted critical programmes across the globe, many of which provided essential health care, food security, shelter, medical services, and humanitarian support for people in extremely vulnerable situations, including women, girls, survivors of sexual violence, and other marginalised groups, as well as refugees and those seeking safety.

    The cuts follow President Trump’s executive order, ‘Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid,’ and other orders targeting specific groups and programmes. In his congressional testimony, Secretary of State Marco Rubio gave weak or misleading responses about the cuts human rights impact, even falsely claiming no deaths have resulted. This contradicts evidence from Amnesty and others, including documented deaths and strong projections of increased mortality due to the cuts.

    Amanda Klasing, Amnesty International USA’s Director of Government Relations, said:

    “This abrupt decision and chaotic implementation by the Trump administration is reckless and profoundly damaging.

    “The decision to cut these programmes so abruptly and in this untransparent manner violates international human rights law, which the US is bound by and undermines decades of US leadership in global humanitarian and development efforts.

    “While US funding over the decades has had a complex relationship with human rights, the scale and suddenness of these current cuts have created a life-threatening vacuum that other governments and aid organisations are not realistically able to fill in the immediate term, violating the rights to life and health, and dignity for millions.”

    Two areas in which the cuts have caused significant harm globally are the forced cutbacks to – or complete closing of – programmes that ensured health care and treatment to marginalised people and those supporting migrants and people seeking safety in countries around the world.

    The rights to life and to health under grave threat

    The US government has long been a key funder of global health, investing in HIV prevention, vaccine programmes, maternal health, humanitarian relief and more. Since President Trump’s abrupt suspension of aid across multiple countries, many vital health services have been suspended or shut down. For example:

    • In Guatemala, funding cuts disrupted programmes supporting survivors of sexual violence, including nutritional support for pregnant girls who had been raped and medical, psychological, and legal support to help survivors of violence rebuild their lives after abuse. Other cuts were to key HIV services, including prevention and treatment.
    • In Haiti, health and post-rape services have lost funding including for child survivors of sexual violence. Cuts to HIV funding has left women and girls, and LGBTI people, with reduced access to prevention and treatment.
    • In South Africa, home to the world’s largest HIV epidemic, funding for HIV prevention and community outreach for orphans and vulnerable children, including for young survivors of rape, was terminated, leaving people without care.
    • In Syria, some essential services in Al-Hol – a detention camp where 36,000 people, mostly children, are indefinitely and arbitrarily detained for their perceived affiliation with the Islamic State armed group – were suspended. Some ambulance services and health clinics were among the first services cut.
    • In Yemen, some lifesaving assistance and protection services, including malnutrition treatment to children, pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, safe shelters to survivors of gender-based violence, and healthcare to children suffering from cholera and other illnesses have been shut down.
    • In South Sudan, projects providing a range of health services including rehabilitation services for victims of armed conflict, clinical services for victims of gender-based violence, psychological support for rape survivors, and emergency nutritional support for children, have been stopped.

    People seeking safety left without support around the world

    Funding cuts to shelters and groups that provide essential services for migrants, particularly those in dangerous or difficult situations, including refugees, people seeking asylum and internally displaced people, have been widespread and devastating.

    • In Afghanistan, 12 out of 23 community resources centres, which provided approximately 120,000 returning and internally displaced Afghans with housing, food assistance, legal assistance and referrals to healthcare providers, have been shut down. Key aid organisations have suspended health and water programmes, with disproportionate impacts on women and girls.
    • In Costa Rica, local organisations helping asylum seekers and migrants, many from neighbouring Nicaragua, are forced to scale back or close food, shelter, and psychosocial programmes. The funding cuts come as Costa Rica is receiving increased numbers of people seeking safety after being pushed back from the US-Mexico border.
    • Along the Haiti-Dominican Republic border, service providers assisting deported individuals have been forced to cut back on aid including food, shelter, and transportation. With Temporary Protected Status for Haitians in the US set to expire, a likely spike in deportations will overwhelm an already diminished support infrastructure.
    • In Mexico, funding cuts have led to the suspension of food programmes, shelter, and legal support for people seeking safety who are now stranded following the end of asylum at the US-Mexico border. Some shelters and organisations fear they will be shut down completely.
    • In Myanmar and Thailand, US-funded health and humanitarian programmes supporting displaced people and refugees have been suspended or drastically reduced. Clinics in Thai border camps closed abruptly after the stop-work orders, reportedly resulting in preventable deaths.

    Amanda Klasing added:

    “The right to seek safety is protected under international law which the United States is bound by.

    “These abrupt cuts in funding put that right at risk by undermining the humanitarian support and infrastructure that enable people around the world who have been forcibly displaced to access protection, placing already marginalised people in acute danger. We call on the US government to restore funding immediately.”

    The unilateral action to stop funding existing programmes and refrain from spending appropriated funds made by the Trump administration bypassed congressional oversight contrary to US law, and came alongside a broader rollback of US participation in multilateral institutions, including announcements to defund or withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement, the World Health Organization, and the UN Human Rights Council, and reassess membership in UNESCO, and UNRWA.

    Recommendations

    Amnesty urges the Trump administration to restore foreign assistance, through the waiver process or otherwise, to programmes where the chaotic and abrupt cut in funding has harmed human rights and ensure that future aid is administered consistent with human rights law and standards.

    Amnesty calls on Congress to continue robust funding of foreign assistance and reject any requests by the administration to codify foreign assistance cuts through rescission by repealing these measures and ensure that all US foreign assistance remains consistent with human rights and humanitarian principles and is allocated according to need.

    Further, the Trump administration and Congress should work together to ensure that any changes to foreign assistance must be carried out transparently, in consultation with affected communities, civil society, and international partners, and must comply with international human rights law and standards, including the principles of legality, necessity, and non-discrimination.

    All states in a position to do so should fulfil their obligations under UN General Assembly Resolution 2626 and subsequent high-level fora by committing at least 0.7% of gross national income to overseas aid without discrimination. As part of aiming to meet this target, donor states should increase support where possible to help fill critical funding gaps left by the abrupt US aid suspensions and ensure continued progress in realising economic, social, and cultural rights and effective humanitarian response around the world.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • Heavy rains batter Kerala and coastal Karnataka: red alerts issued

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Torrential monsoon rains wreaked havoc across Kerala and coastal Karnataka on Friday, triggering landslides, flooding, widespread power outages, and disrupting daily life in both states.

    Authorities have issued red alerts in several districts as the situation continues to worsen.

    In Kerala, heavy downpours led to extensive damage and waterlogging across multiple districts. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued red alerts for Idukki, Kannur, and Kasargod, and orange alerts for 11 other districts, including Thiruvananthapuram, Alappuzha, and Kottayam.

    Flooding in low-lying areas of Kottayam, Alappuzha, and Pathanamthitta forced hundreds of residents to seek refuge in relief camps.

    State Fisheries Minister Saji Cherian, expressing concern about the worsening situation in his hometown Chengannur, said: “Am told by people in the know of things that if the rain waters do not come down, what was witnessed in 2018 might happen.”

    “All district and revenue officials are on high alert and have been instructed to act swiftly if conditions deteriorate further,” Cherian told IANS.

    Public life has been significantly disrupted – educational institutions were closed in 11 out of 14 districts, train services were cancelled or delayed, and road transport suffered due to landslides and uprooted trees.

    Over five million homes experienced power outages, with the Kerala State Electricity Board estimating damages worth Rs 120 crore. In a tragic incident, an 85-year-old woman died in Ernakulam district after a tree fell on her during the storm.

    In coastal Karnataka, a six-year-old girl identified as Fathima Nayeema lost her life in a landslide in Montepadavu, Ullal taluk, near Mangaluru. The landslide buried two houses, prompting emergency rescue operations. While two people were pulled out safely, rescue efforts for three others trapped under debris are ongoing.

    In Mangaluru, relentless rain flooded several areas, with around 50 houses inundated in Kallapu, leading to emergency evacuations. The district administration declared a holiday for all schools, Anganwadi centres, and colleges, and issued strict advisories against venturing near the sea. Similar precautions were taken in Udupi, where educational institutions were also shut.

    The IMD has issued a red alert in Karnataka for Mangaluru, Udupi, Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, and Hassan until June 2, while orange alerts are in place for Karwar, Shivamogga, Mysuru, Kalaburagi, and Bidar.

    Emergency helpline numbers have been issued, and a ban has been imposed on visiting beaches, rivers, and waterfalls in the affected coastal regions.

    Meanwhile, Bengaluru remained under a cloudy sky, with weather authorities predicting more rainfall in the coming days.

    (With inputs from IANS)

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Spain: EIB finances Teknia with €30 million loan to support R&D investments for the European automotive sector

    Source: European Investment Bank

    EIB

    • The loan will support Teknia’s research and development (R&D investments) in Spain, Poland, Romania, Germany, Sweden and Czech Republic to develop more sustainable manufacturing technologies for automotive components.
    • This operation by the European Investment Bank (EIB) supports innovation and sustainability in a strategic sector for the EU economy.
    • The agreement contributes to the EIB’s strategic priorities of innovation, climate action and cohesion.
    • The operation is backed by InvestEU, an EU programme that aims to unlock over €372 billion in investment by 2027.

    The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Teknia have signed a loan worth €30 million to finance the company’s research and development activities, and measures to apply them in manufacturing of components for the automotive sector.  Teknia is a Spanish company present in 13 countries specialised in the manufacture of metal and plastic components for mobility solutions using a wide range of technologies.

    The EIB loan will support Teknia’s investments in R&D and in its facilities located in Spain, Poland, Romania, Germany, Sweden and Czechia. The investments will focus on the application of advanced manufacturing technologies, product diversification and cutting CO2 emissions. The company, one of the leading Spanish automotive suppliers, will reinforce its manufacturing capabilities and digitalization which are important pillars of its strategic plan in course.  

    The operation contributes to the EU’s cohesion policy as a significant part of the investments (approximately 51%) will be made in cohesion regions.

    “We are very pleased to be joining forces with Teknia to foster innovation and sustainability in the European automotive sector,” said Antonio Lorenzo, head of the EIB’s Corporate Lending Division Spain and Portugal. “This new financing is a clear example of how the EIB is helping companies to become more sustainable, more innovative and more competitive while contributing to strengthening Europe’s leading position in strategic sectors”.

    “This important loan will allow us to keep growing during these challenging times in the automotive sector and focus even more in innovation to manufacture the mobility of the future in our plants in the most sustainable way, decreasing the carbon footprint of the group”, Javier Quesada de Luis, Teknia CEO, explained. “We look to the future with optimism and will keep reinforcing our operations digitalizing our plants and innovating to codevelop new products together with our clients”.

    The EIB operation will boost EU competitiveness and help to reindustrialise a sector undergoing transformation due to the impact of developments like electrification and digitalisation.

    The loan contributes to the EIB Group’s strategic priorities of innovation and climate action and cohesion. These are three of the Group’s eight priorities set out in its Strategic Roadmap for the years 2024-2027.

    The EIB loan is partially guaranteed by InvestEU, the flagship EU programme to mobilise over €372 billion of additional public and private sector investment to support EU policy goals from 2021 to 2027.

    Background information  

    EIB 

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

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

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

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

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

    InvestEU

    The InvestEU programme provides the European Union with crucial long-term funding by leveraging substantial private and public funds in support of a sustainable recovery. It also helps mobilise private investment for EU policy priorities, such as the European Green Deal and the digital transition. InvestEU brings together under one roof the multitude of EU financial instruments available to support investment in the European Union, making funding for investment projects in Europe simpler, more efficient and more flexible. The programme consists of three components: the InvestEU Fund, the InvestEU Advisory Hub and the InvestEU Portal. The InvestEU Fund is implemented through financial partners that invest in projects, leveraging on the EU budget guarantee of €26.2 billion. The entire budget guarantee will back the investment projects of the implementing partners, increasing their risk-bearing capacity and mobilising at least €372 billion in additional investment.

    Teknia

    Teknia is a multinational group specializing in the manufacturing of mobility components through metal and plastic components in a wide range of technologies.

    Founded in 1992 as a global supplier to the automotive industry, Teknia is present in 13 countries, with 23 plants and more than 3,500 employees. The company’s clients include the world’s leading vehicle manufacturers, as well as other Tier-1 suppliers. Teknia’s revenues reached €431 million in 2024.

    Teknia – RDI and Advanced Manufacturing
    Spain: EIB finances Teknia with €30 million loan to support R&D investments for the European automotive sector
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Improving lives through local climate action

    Source: Scottish Government

    Scotland’s Climate Action Hubs to receive £6 million funding.

    Community projects across Scotland aimed at improving lives through local climate action are set to benefit from a share of £6 million Scottish Government funding.

    Scotland’s nationwide network for Climate Action Hubs encourage and support climate action unique to their own areas from flood mitigation, repair shops and local energy generation to food growing and tree planting.

    There is now a Hub covering every area in Scotland fulfilling a previous Programme for Government commitment to ensure people are empowered to act on climate in their own neighbourhoods.

    Acting Net Zero Secretary Gillian Martin confirmed the funding during a visit to Buckie Thistle Football Club which is being supported by Moray Climate Hub to reduce its impact on the environment and raise awareness of climate change in local schools. 

    Ms Martin said: “I am very pleased to hear first-hand how Moray Climate Hub has been helping communities in the area support climate action from working with their local football team to identify ways in which they can cut their emissions to setting up a biodiversity garden for adults with learning difficulties.

    “Football clubs, like Buckie Thistle, play an influential role in their local community, and their efforts to reduce their carbon footprint will undoubtedly inspire others to do the same, and provide a template for climate action that other clubs can follow.

    “Tackling climate change is our collective responsibility and will require collaborative action at all levels. We must also share in the economic and health benefits that protecting our planet for future generations will bring. 

    “Communities are uniquely placed to play a critical role in shaping and driving forward the transition to low carbon and climate resilient living and we want to empower people to take action in their neighbourhoods that’s right for them. 

    “That is why we are proud to continue to support our hugely successful framework of regional climate hubs, which provide a vehicle for communities to come together and engage in collective grassroots action.”

    Moray Climate Hub Manager (Moray CAN) Louise Nicol said: “We’re delighted to receive continued funding , it means we can keep supporting communities across Moray to take meaningful climate action in ways that work for them. Working with Buckie Thistle has been great, and we are both learning so much from each other. Football is more than a game – it’s a community hub, and it’s a great way to open up conversations about the environment.”

    Buckie Thistle Football Club General manager, Stephen Shand, said: “We’re very grateful for the support from Moray Climate Hub – it’s helped us get our heads around what we can do as a club to be more environmentally responsible. We’re just at the start of the journey, but it’s exciting to learn more and see where small changes can make a difference. The help we are getting to find funding has been a huge boost to the club.”  

    Background

    A total of 24 hubs have been set up across Scotland – fulfilling a 2024 Programme for Government commitment.

    Contact information for climate action hubs.

    The Scottish Government is providing up to £6 million of funding in 2025 – 2026 for its network of Climate Action Hubs alongside a support package for delivery. This is broken down as follows – with some funding still to be allocated:

    Hub

    Total 25/26 Grant

    Angus

    171,946.00

    Argyll and Bute

    158,208.00

    Ayrshire

    370,000.00

    Dumfries and Galloway

    212,461.60

    Dundee

    163,895.00

    East Dunbartonshire

    105,985.00

    East Lothian

    166,617.00

    East Renfrewshire

    106,294.00

    Edinburgh

    375,000.00

    Fife

    307,505.00

    Forth Valley

    375,000.00

    Glasgow

    473,425.00

    Highlands & Islands

    476,952.00

    Inverclyde

    102,000.00

    Lanarkshire

    473,661.95

    Midlothian

    125,000.00

    Moray

    146,247.00

    North East

    510,895.00

    Outer Hebrides

    141,700.00

    Perth & Kinross

    165,000.00

    Renfrewshire

    162,000.00

    Scottish Borders

    171,151.33

    West Dunbartonshire

    70,960.00

    West Lothian

    170,985.00

    Total

    5,702,888.88

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Demolition work progresses at Spon End in Coventry

    Source: City of Coventry

    Work to demolish buildings in the Spon End area of Coventry is progressing well with blocks being brought to the ground.

    Housing association Citizen is working with The Hill Group to demolish Kerry House, Milestone House and Trafalgar House in Spon End. Coventry City Council, Homes England and West Midlands Combined Authority are key partners supporting the delivery of the project.

    Demolition initially started last month, with work taking place inside the homes to remove all fixtures and fittings before a grabber is brought onto site to bring the buildings down bit by bit.

    The demolition of the three blocks is a huge milestone in a major regeneration project for Citizen which will see more than 750 homes built across three phases.

    In the first phase, 158 homes will be demolished, and, subject to planning permission, 261 affordable homes will be built in their place. Of these homes 209 will be social rent homes and 52 will be rent to buy homes which are initially let at an intermediate rent of 80% of the market rent and can be later purchased.

    Cllr Jim O’Boyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration and Climate Change at Coventry City Council, said: “When I was here just last month the fittings were being removed from the properties, and we can now see that demolition work is well underway. 

    “There is no doubt that the redevelopment of the area will make a big difference to the local environment and deliver much needed better homes for people. That’s why it is such an important project that is only happening because of the commitment of a number of organisations working alongside local residents.”

    Director of Regeneration Services at Citizen, Kevin Roach, said: “It’s great to see the physical demolition of Kerry House, Milestone House and Trafalgar House underway at Spon End in Coventry.

    “We have stripped the homes, which were built in the 1960s, of fixtures and fittings and the demolition of these will take place over the next few months.

    “The regeneration of Spon End is a major project for us. It will see the area transformed by providing more energy efficient affordable housing, increasing the area and quality of green open space and opening up the area of the River Sherbourne.

    “We have put the community at the heart of this project and their priorities and feedback have influenced our plans for the area.

    “Work on this site will continue over the next 10 years and we’re looking forward to starting building works on the first phase in Spring 2026.”

    The three blocks which are being demolished have previously been used as part of various BBC productions including This Town, My Name is Leon and Phoenix Rise.

    Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “We’re turbocharging house building across the West Midlands but it’s all just bricks and mortar if we aren’t building homes that residents can afford.

    “Thousands of families across the region are forced to live in poor quality, temporary accommodation because we simply aren’t building enough genuinely affordable homes.

    “Spon End is an iconic site with a strong community spirit, but the housing is no longer fit for purpose. Citizen is transforming the estate with hundreds of modern, social and affordable homes, and I know the community spirit will grow stronger as a result.

    “In my first 12 months in office, I’ve funded over 500 social homes. That’s more than we’ve ever funded before. But it’s going to take all of us working together to tackle this housing crisis. It’s going to take all of us to make sure everyone has a warm, safe place they can call home.”

    Regional Managing Director at The Hill Group, Andy Fancy, said: “The demolition at Spon End is progressing well and the local community will soon begin to see a real transformation as the buildings are brought down to the ground.

    “Successful regeneration is always rooted in strong collaboration and a shared commitment to positive change — and that’s exactly what we have here. Together, we are creating homes that respond to local needs and aspirations and we’re looking forward to continuing this journey and delivering a place the whole community can be proud of.”

    Demolition works on the three blocks are due to be complete in early 2026, with plans to start building the new homes in Spring 2026. These homes, which will be one and two-bed flats, are due to be completed and handed over to customers late 2028.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • Flood risk threatens Swiss valley after village destroyed by glacier

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Water trapped behind a mass of glacial debris that this week buried a village and blocked a river in southern Switzerland has sparked warnings that further evacuations may be needed amid the risk of flooding in the Alpine valley.

    A deluge of millions of cubic meters of ice, mud and rock crashed down a mountain on Wednesday, engulfing the village of Blatten, and the few houses that remained later flooded. Its 300 residents had been evacuated earlier in May after part of the mountain behind the Birch Glacier began to crumble.

    Flooding increased on Thursday as the mound of debris almost 2 km (1.2 miles) across clogged the path of the River Lonza, causing a lake to form amid the wreckage, raising fears that the morass could dislodge and trigger more evacuations.

    Late on Thursday, local authorities urged residents in Gampel and Steg, villages several kilometres further along the Lonza Valley, to prepare for possible evacuation in case of emergency.

    The army is standing by with water pumps, diggers and other heavy equipment to provide relief when conditions allow.

    Rescue teams have been looking for a 64-year-old man missing since the landslide. Local authorities suspended the search on Thursday afternoon, saying the debris mounds were too unstable for now, and warning of further rockfalls.

    Residents have struggled to absorb the scale of destruction caused by the deluge, an event that scientists suspect is a dramatic example of the impact of climate change in the Alps.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK-supported peacebuilding and mediation capabilities event a success

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    World news story

    UK-supported peacebuilding and mediation capabilities event a success

    A four-day colloquium on Peacebuilding and Mediation Capabilities successfully concludes in Honiara, Solomon Islands on Friday 30 May 2025.

    A group photo of all the women participants with British High Commissioner to Solomon Islands and Nauru, His Excellency Paul Turner.

    Supported by the UK International Development and Australian Aid and organised by the Pacific Women Mediators Network (PWMN), the inaugural colloquium aims to commemorate and uplift the legacy of the Pacific Islands Women-led peacebuilding initiatives, reaffirming the role of women in peace and security efforts.

    It also aims to demonstrate the intersectionality of feminist perspectives and the Gender, Women, Peace and Security (WPS) in the Pacific Islands region. Additionally, the meeting also aims to reaffirm gender equality, women’s rights, and the inclusion of women’s voices and experiences in all aspects of peace and security work.

    Enhancing visibility of Pacific Islands women-led and civil society led mediation and peacebuilding initiatives responding to priority issues including Climate Security and Climate Justice, Self Determination and Gender Equality are also part of the meeting.

    The regional meeting that began on Tuesday 27 May 2025 also aims to connect national conversations with regional inter-governmental and global processes including the United Nations Peacebuilding Architecture Review (PBAR).

    It is a cross – regional learning opportunity that will enable the founding members of PWMN and youth leaders, civil society allies, including faith and traditional leaders to identify ways to move beyond surface-level calls to implement WPS and towards realising the full vision of the Gender and WPS agenda in practice.

    Speaking at the inaugural colloquium on Tuesday 27 May, British High Commissioner to Solomon Islands and Nauru, His Excellency Paul Turner said:

    Women have been at the forefront of peace movements across the world. I saw this first hand when I was working on Northern Ireland and Bosnia in the 1990s. It was women who reached out across communities in these places, who refused to let walls of blood divide people and keep them in conflict. The UK Government remains steadfast in its support for this initiative as we strengthen the global network of women in peace building.

    Held ahead of the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (Women, Peace and Security), and the 54th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting that will convene in Honiara in September 2025, it is expected Pacific Forum Leaders will adopt their Guidance Note on Women, Peace and Security and the Ocean of Peace Declaration.

    The UK has a global commitment to UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. We are proud to support the ambitions of the Pacific Islands Forum in promoting this agenda and supporting its members to embed its ideals across the region, as well as grassroots networks and organisations working to protect and uplift women in the Pacific.

    The UK has five Strategic Objectives for Women Peace and Security in its National Action Plan, which are as relevant in the Pacific as elsewhere in the world. They include:

    • increasing women’s meaningful participation, leadership and representation in decision-making processes
    • preventing gender-based violence, including conflict-related sexual violence, and supporting survivors to cope, recover and seek justice
    • supporting the needs of women and girls in crises and ensuring they can participate and lead in responses
    • increasing the accountability of security and justice actors to women and girls and ensuring they are responsive to their rights and needs
    • ensuring we respond to the needs of women and girls as part of our approach to transnational threats

    The colloquium concluded on Friday 30 May 2025.

    Updates to this page

    Published 30 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI China: China battles drought to ensure stable summer harvest

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

    With a persistent drought gripping vast regions of the country, Chinese authorities are making multi-faceted efforts to mitigate its impact on agriculture as grain crops have entered a critical growth stage.

    Since the start of 2025, China has generally experienced a warm and dry climate, characterized by higher temperatures and significantly reduced rainfall.

    According to the national observatory, the average temperature nationwide reached 5.7 degrees Celsius by May 25 this year, 0.8 degrees Celsius above the seasonal norm, with provinces like Henan, Anhui and Hubei recording their highest temperatures for this period since 1961.

    Meanwhile, the average precipitation fell to just 143.7 millimeters, 10.6 percent below the long-term average and marking the lowest level since 2012. In some areas, rainfall plunged by as much as 80 percent.

    “Precipitation in the Yellow River basin, a key agricultural region, was down by nearly 30 percent. In the middle reaches, the deficit was 30 to 40 percent,” said Wang Weilu, an official with the Yellow River Conservancy Commission of the Ministry of Water Resources.

    High temperatures and low rainfall have triggered rapid drought development from the northwest regions to the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and southwestern provinces including Sichuan, said Zhai Jianqing, a meteorological disaster specialist at the National Climate Center.

    As of April 18, drought classified as moderate or worse had affected nearly 2.02 million square km, including 477,000 square km of extreme drought, official data showed.

    The timing of the drought is concerning. China’s summer grains, including wheat, are in a crucial growth period. Last year, the summer grain harvest totaled nearly 150 million tonnes, accounting for over 21 percent of the country’s annual grain production.

    Zhang Gaomin, head of a farmers’ cooperative in Jingyang County, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, said inadequate rainfall has visibly stunted wheat growth.

    “Due to persistent water shortages, wheat plants are about 10 cm shorter than usual, impacting growth during this critical stage,” Zhang said. His cooperative manages 7,600 mu (507 hectares) of winter wheat.

    In many grain-producing regions, the drought has strained irrigation systems, dried up fishponds, limited water for livestock, and heightened risks of pests, crop diseases and wildfires.

    In response, China has taken multi-pronged efforts to address the challenges. The Ministry of Finance, in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, has allocated disaster relief funds to support measures from irrigating to crop replanting.

    Water conservancy authorities have improved national water allocation for agricultural purposes. Meteorological departments have intensified weather modification efforts, conducting over 500 cloud-seeding flights and nearly 17,000 ground-based operations since the start of the year.

    At the local level, grassroots efforts are also making a difference. In Mashan County, south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, water pumps and generators were a common sight on farmland, delivering vital irrigation to parched crops. Local authorities have deployed 130 water pumps and over 30 gasoline generators, and have dispatched 11 anti-drought teams comprising more than 400 personnel to support villages.

    “Firefighters have been delivering water to our village for three days, solving the water shortage for over 400 people,” said Huang Honghua, an official in a village of Wuxuan County, Guangxi.

    Meteorologists predict rainfall across much of central and northern China in early to mid-June will ease drought conditions, while parts of southern China may still face drought risks.

    Despite the lingering challenges, with timely intervention and increased rainfall expected, the drought is unlikely to have significant impact on the country’s overall grain output, according to experts.

    China’s 2024 grain output hit a record high of 706.5 million tonnes, an increase of 1.6 percent from 2023, official data showed. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: NAB backs farmers and Victorian Drought taskforce

    Source: Premier of Victoria

    NAB today announced its support for a new Victorian Drought Response Taskforce.

    NAB Group CEO Andrew Irvine said: “NAB is ready to play our role in helping farmers, their families and regional Victorian businesses and communities as they deal with the devastating impacts of the drought.

    “Multi-generational farmers who have been on the same land for over a century are telling us it is one of the worst droughts on record. Some of them are making the heart-breaking decision to reduce their stock because they can’t afford to feed them or provide enough water.  Businesses that service farms are hurting too.

    “It’s also vital we consider the mental health impacts for the farmers, their families, and those businesses and communities that support them.”

    NAB does a third of all lending to farmers and many NAB bankers live and farm in areas impacted by the drought. NAB’s Regional and Agribusiness Executive Khan Horne will represent NAB on the taskforce to provide the perspectives of customers.

    Mr Irvine said NAB was here to help any customer who needed financial support.

    “For any farmer or business, please call your bank.  The sooner you call the sooner we can help,” he said.

    Help may range from payment pauses, changes to your repayments and temporary relief from existing financial commitments. NAB can also provide access to mental health support for any customer who needs it.

    Environment

    SEE ALL TOPICS

    Media Enquiries

    For all media enquiries, please contact the NAB Media Line on 03 7035 5015

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: As Wildfire Season Begins, Cantwell Demands Trump Administration Stop Putting Lives & Property at Risk & Immediately Lift National Weather Service Hiring Freeze

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
    05.29.25
    As Wildfire Season Begins, Cantwell Demands Trump Administration Stop Putting Lives & Property at Risk & Immediately Lift National Weather Service Hiring Freeze
    Senator warned Lutnick in Feb. that gutting NOAA & NWS would cripple weather forecasting, threaten public safety; Jackson, KY, NWS office lost overnight staffing & meteorologist-in-charge as severe storms moved across the region May 16, leaving 18 dead; Pendleton, OR, NWS office covering Central WA does not have enough meteorologists to cover overnight shifts
    EDMONDS, WA – U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, demanded that the Trump Administration immediately exempt the National Weather Service (NWS) from its current federal hiring freeze so that citizens and communities will not be left to fend for themselves without adequate warnings as both hurricane season and wildfire season rapidly approach.  
    “On February 19, 2025, I wrote to Secretary Lutnick to urge protection of NOAA’s workforce and exempt the NWS and other safety related jobs from the hiring freeze due to the crucial role they play in protecting lives, property, and our national economy,” wrote Sen. Cantwell in a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and OPM Acting Director Charles Ezell.  “Now that we have seen the fallout from these ill-advised cuts, I once again demand the Administration immediately provide NOAA with a public safety exemption to the federal hiring freeze so the agency can take immediate steps to fill critical positions and prevent a further breakdown in life-saving forecasts and warnings.”
    Multiple recent reports have documented the impacts of the hiring freeze. The Washington Post reports that “Some…forecasting teams are so critically understaffed that the agency is offering to pay moving expenses for any staff willing to transfer to those offices, according to notices recently sent to employees…” And the New York Times found that “The National Weather Service is preparing for the probability that fewer forecast updates will be fine-tuned by specialists, among other cutbacks, because of ‘severe shortages’ of meteorologists and other employees, according to an internal agency document.” These reports make clear that action must be taken immediately to avoid a catastrophic gap in capacity in the face of a future storm or wildfire.
    “For at least half a century, NWS has provided weather forecasting 24 hours a day, seven days a week, but with the Administration’s cuts, at least eight weather forecasting offices no longer have enough meteorologists to cover overnight shifts,” the Senator wrote. “The Pendleton, Oregon office that covers central Washington will stop staffing overnight shifts, and we’ll lose the consistent local knowledge about weather hazards that impacts the accuracy of forecasts and warnings needed to inform transportation agencies, farmers, schools, firefighters, emergency responders, and other public officials that rely on accurate and timely forecasts and warnings.”
    Months before the current crisis, Sen. Cantwell called for an exemption and accurately predicted exactly the situation we are in now.
    The full text of Sen. Cantwell’s letter is available HERE and below.
    Dear Secretary Lutnick and Mr. Ezell,
    The Administration’s dismantling of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (“NOAA”) workforce has crippled the National Weather Service (“NWS”). The firing of probationary employees, early retirements, and other Administration efforts have led to more than 560 departures from NWS, a 33% reduction from historic levels, leaving many locations critically understaffed and the agency scrambling to fill the gaps.
    NOAA initiated an agency-wide effort on May 13, 2025, to relocate existing personnel to temporarily fill 155 positions in “critically understaffed” locations across NWS. This proposed solution may serve as a stopgap, but it is not a viable long-term strategy.
    On February 19, 2025, I wrote to Secretary Lutnick to urge protection of NOAA’s workforce and exempt the NWS and other safety related jobs from the hiring freeze due to the crucial role they play in protecting lives, property, and our national economy. Now that we have seen the fallout from these ill-advised cuts, I once again demand the Administration immediately provide NOAA with a public safety exemption to the federal hiring freeze so the agency can take immediate steps to fill critical positions and prevent a further breakdown in life-saving forecasts and warnings.
    For at least half a century, NWS has provided weather forecasting 24 hours a day, seven days a week, but with the Administration’s cuts, at least eight weather forecasting offices no longer have enough meteorologists to cover overnight shifts. The Pendleton, Oregon office that covers central Washington will stop staffing overnight shifts, and we’ll lose the consistent local knowledge about weather hazards that impacts the accuracy of forecasts and warnings needed to inform transportation agencies, farmers, schools, firefighters, emergency responders, and other public officials that rely on accurate and timely forecasts and warnings. Additionally, 30 of the 122 weather forecast offices are currently lacking their highest-ranking official, known as the meteorologist-in-charge, including at offices that cover major metropolitan areas such as New York City, Cleveland, Houston, and Tampa. The office in Jackson, Kentucky lost both overnight staffing and their meteorologist-in-charge and was left scrambling to find adequate staffing on May 16, 2025, as severe storms moved across the region, ultimately killing 18 people in Kentucky.
    The staffing shortages are also impacting NWS’s ability to collect and disseminate the weather data that underpins NOAA’s own forecasts and warnings as well as serves as the foundation for the entire U.S. weather enterprise. There are over 90 vacancies among the specialized staff who maintain and repair the NWS’s Doppler radar and Automated Surface Observing Systems greatly increasing the chances of equipment outages. These systems are the cornerstone of NWS’s severe weather warning operations and provide pilots and air traffic controllers with the data they need to safely manage air traffic and minimize delays. Additionally, at least 10 weather forecast offices have suspended or limited their weather balloon launches, which for decades have occurred twice daily to gather data on a steady cadence. Carrying instruments called radiosondes, the balloons rise to 115,000 feet and gather vital atmospheric data that cannot easily be replicated by satellites or other instruments. Without this information forecasts become less accurate and less reliable.
    June 1 marks the start of hurricane season, and many parts of the country are already contending with wildfires and violent storms. Every living former Director of the NWS, from both Republican and Democratic administrations, wrote and released an open letter to the American people warning about the impact of staffing and program cuts. The Directors “stand united against the loss of staff and resources at NWS and are deeply concerned about NOAA as a whole…[Their] worst nightmare is that weather forecast offices will be so understaffed that there will be needless loss of life.”?
    Granting a public safety exemption to the hiring freeze is essential to prevent further degradation of our nation’s weather readiness. Please provide the Committee with a response by June 1, 2025, explaining how you will resume hiring at the NWS to ensure consistent weather forecasting coverage. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: As Trump Decimates FEMA Ahead of Hurricane Season, Reed Sounds the Alarm & Urges Administration to Rehire FEMA Staff

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    PROVIDENCE, RI — Hurricane season officially begins June 1 and forecasters are predicting an active Atlantic hurricane season.  Meanwhile, state emergency response agencies are preparing for the possibility that the Trump Administration will leave them in the lurch – as President Trump attempts to shift a heavier financial burden onto states and dismantle the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which provides timely, coordinated support to prepare for, respond to, and recover from hurricanes and other major disasters.   

    U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, warns the Trump Administration’s chaotic leadership changes, budget reductions, and FEMA staff cuts are unnecessarily making it harder for coastal states to prep for hurricane season and respond to and recover from a major natural disaster. 

    Senator Reed sent a letter to the head of FEMA urging the agency to “rehire key staff and provide a detailed plan showing how FEMA will operate during what the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts will be an “above normal” hurricane season.”

    Since the start of President Trump’s term, FEMA has lost at least one-third of its staff: At least 2,000 of the agency’s roughly 6,100 full-time employees have either left or plan to leave due to waves of terminations and voluntary retirements ordered by the so-called Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE).  President Trump’s preliminary 2026 budget proposal calls for slashing $646 million from FEMA. 

    FEMA provides direct financial relief to states, localities, and individuals after a disaster, but it also provides technical expertise and funding to help state and local governments prepare for and manage large scale disasters. 

    Senator Reed wrote: “Regrettably, because of the Trump Administration’s actions over the last several months, FEMA seems ill-prepared to carry out these responsibilities.”

    The letter also noted: “On May 21, Reuters reported that the Administration’s abrupt firing of Acting Administrator Cameron Hamilton and the departure of 16 senior FEMA executives have “disrupted the agency’s planning for hurricane season.”  CNN reported on May 15 that a recent FEMA internal review found that the agency “is not ready” for the start of hurricane season.  According to a May 9 NPR report, the Administration has fired more than 200 FEMA employees and that hundreds more have indicated they are accepting the Administration’s resignation offers.  And a May 23 Washington Post article notes that FEMA faces a backlog of unprocessed emergency declaration requests from prior storms.  These reports inspire little confidence that FEMA is focused on its mission.”

    Noting the obvious connection between a major reduction in FEMA staff, budget, and resources and a potential reduction in federal involvement, Reed called on the Trump Administration to reverse its mass staff reductions and implement a plan to ensure the timeliness and adequacy of FEMA’s response to future disasters.

    “With hurricane season just days away, it is essential that FEMA shows that it is properly staffed and that key leadership positions are held by individuals who have had previous experience as emergency managers during major disasters.  To that end, I urge you to reinstate the professional staff who have left the agency in recent months and provide a detailed plan showing how FEMA will assist states during major disasters.  Additionally, I would caution against adopting any significant changes in FEMA’s processes for approving requests for disasters declarations and disaster assistance without consultation with states, stakeholders, and Congress.  Any changes should be the result of a deliberative process, rather than impromptu actions,” the letter concluded.

    Full text of the letter follows:

    Dear Mr. Richardson:

    With the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season due to start on June 1, there is increasing doubt that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will be able to meet the challenge due to the chaotic leadership of the agency during the first few months of the Trump Administration.  To assure stakeholders and the public that FEMA is ready, I urge you to rehire key staff and provide a detailed plan showing how FEMA will operate during what the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts will be an “above normal” hurricane season.

    As you know, the American people rely on FEMA for timely, coordinated support to prepare for, respond to, and recover from hurricanes and other major disasters.  The agency provides direct financial relief to states, localities, and individuals after a disaster, but it also provides technical expertise and funding to help state and local governments prepare for and manage large scale disasters.  Regrettably, because of the Trump Administration’s actions over the last several months, FEMA seems ill-prepared to carry out these responsibilities.

    On May 21, Reuters reported that the Administration’s abrupt firing of Acting Administrator Cameron Hamilton and the departure of 16 senior FEMA executives have “disrupted the agency’s planning for hurricane season.”  CNN reported on May 15 that a recent FEMA internal review found that the agency “is not ready” for the start of hurricane season.  According to a May 9 NPR report, the Administration has fired more than 200 FEMA employees and that hundreds more have indicated they are accepting the Administration’s resignation offers.  And a May 23 Washington Post article notes that FEMA faces a backlog of unprocessed emergency declaration requests from prior storms.  These reports inspire little confidence that FEMA is focused on its mission. 

    With hurricane season just days away, it is essential that FEMA shows that it is properly staffed and that key leadership positions are held by individuals who have had previous experience as emergency managers during major disasters.  To that end, I urge you to reinstate the professional staff who have left the agency in recent months and provide a detailed plan showing how FEMA will assist states during major disasters.  Additionally, I would caution against adopting any significant changes in FEMA’s processes for approving requests for disasters declarations and disaster assistance without consultation with states, stakeholders, and Congress.  Any changes should be the result of a deliberative process, rather than impromptu actions.

    Thank you for your attention in this matter, and I look forward to your prompt reply.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Most of Australia’s conservation efforts ignore climate risks – here are 3 fixes

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yi Fei Chung, PhD Candidate in Environmental Policy, The University of Queensland

    Imagine replanting various native species only to have them die because the area is too hot or too dry. Or reconnecting woodland habitat only to lose large tracts to bushfire.

    Well, our new research suggests those scenarios are entirely possible.

    We analysed the two most common ways to prevent overall biodiversity loss on private land in Australia. We found these efforts largely ignore climate risks such as fire, heat, drought and floods.

    Climate change is already threatening the survival of species. Unless conservation efforts are made more resilient to climate change, Australia’s aim to to reverse biodiversity loss could fail.

    What we found

    We examined two types of biodiversity measures in Australia. One is “biodiversity offsets”, which aim to compensate for damage caused by development. The other is voluntary conservation programs, including “conservation covenants”.

    We analysed 77 policy documents underpinning nine biodiversity offset policies and 11 voluntary conservation programs.

    Of the 77 documents, 84% did not consider the impact of climate change. What’s more, only 44% of biodiversity offset policies and 27% of voluntary conservation programs considered climate risk. Even then, they often lacked detail or tools to translate policy into real action on the ground.

    The most common climate adaptation strategies were:

    • safeguarding climate refuges
    • connecting habitat so wildlife can escape extreme heat, fires or droughts
    • targeting funding
    • avoiding offset sites vulnerable to threats such as sea-level rise.

    But most documents lacked details on implementing these strategies.

    We suggest three practical steps to ensure conservation efforts deliver lasting results in a changing climate.

    Few private land conservation programs or biodiversity offset policies took climate change into account.
    Chung, Y. F., et al, (2025) Biological Conservation

    1. Identify and protect climate refuges

    Climate refuges are areas somewhat shielded from the effects of climate change. Gullies, sheltered slopes and forests with good water supplies can help species survive during heatwaves and droughts.

    These places can provide a lifeline for endangered species and prevent local extinctions. Species may shelter in these areas during climate extremes and recolonise well-connected habitats when conditions improve.

    Protecting climate refuges by restricting land clearing or other damaging activities is a common climate adaptation strategy. We found it featured in six policy documents supporting voluntary conservation programs and biodiversity offsets across Australia. But few policy documents explain where these places are or how to protect them.

    For example, the New South Wales Biodiversity Conservation Investment Strategy lists climate refuges as high-priority assets under threat. The strategy says future investment should target these areas.

    But we found no explanation of how investments would be prioritised, or where to find that information. Without this detail, mentioning climate refuges in policy documents is little more than having good intentions.

    To be effective, refuges need to be mapped, prioritised and supported with appropriate protections and incentives. Nature law reform must strengthen protection of climate refuges to prevent further loss.

    Conservation programs could also specifically incentivise landholders to protect or restore refuges on their properties.

    Here’s how to protect Australia’s native species from climate change (The Climate Council)

    2. Promote the actions that build resilience

    On the ground, conservation actions must adapt to climate change. That could mean doing things differently. For example, planting species more likely to survive future climates, or connecting habitat so wildlife can move to new areas.

    While these strategies are well established, we only found three policy documents that mention them. One is the Heritage Agreement policy in South Australia. This offers guidance and potential funding to help landholders implement these actions.

    As Australia’s nature laws are reformed, funding commitments and conservation guidelines need to follow suit.

    Financial incentives or technical support could be offered to landholders for activities that build resilience. Biodiversity offset policies could also mandate conservation actions that improve climate resilience at offset sites.

    3. Adapting to climate change needs to link policy to on-ground action

    Our research found a clear gap between high-level intent and guidelines for on-ground actions. If they don’t line up, then conservation efforts risk falling short. Field programs may lack legal backing, or legislation may not translate into action where it matters most.

    Climate change should be considered at all levels of conservation policies – from high-level legislation to guidelines for implementing individual programs.

    Policies should include clear and consistent targets informed by climate risk. This should be supported by regulations ensuring compliance and practical guidelines for on-ground action.

    Voluntary conservation programs in New South Wales show how it can be done. State biodiversity conservation legislation includes conserving biodiversity under climate change as a key objective. This can then shape real-world programs. For example, the NSW Conservation Management plan echoes this climate commitment. It makes addressing climate change impacts one of the main targets.

    A chance to get it right

    National nature law reform and state reviews present an opportunity to future-proof Australia’s conservation policies.

    These policies must consider the accelerating pace of change and ensure adaptation is embedded through to action. Such actions must be clear, well-resourced, and equipped with practical tools government agencies and landholders can use.

    Otherwise, we risk making conservation policies unfit for the future – missing a golden opportunity to safeguard biodiversity.



    Read more:
    Want genuine progress towards restoring nature? Follow these 4 steps

    Yi Fei Chung receives funding from a UQ Research Training Scholarship. He is also involving in an Australian Research Council Linkage Project that receives financial and in-kind support from the NSW Department of Planning and Environment, the Biodiversity Conservation Trust, Tweed Shire Council, and the NSW Koala Strategy.

    Jonathan Rhodes receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the NSW Government, the Biodiversity Conservation Trust, Tweed Shire Council, the NSW Koala Strategy, and the Queensland Government.

    – ref. Most of Australia’s conservation efforts ignore climate risks – here are 3 fixes – https://theconversation.com/most-of-australias-conservation-efforts-ignore-climate-risks-here-are-3-fixes-257131

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: The Bureau of Meteorology issues winter long-range forecast

    Source: Australia Safe Travel Advisories

    29/05/2025

    The Bureau of Meteorology has issued its long-range forecast for winter 2025.

    While winter is a time for cooler weather, the winter long-range forecast shows day and night temperatures are likely to be above average across Australia for this time of the year.

    Winter rainfall is likely to be above average for interior and central parts of the country. For parts of Australia’s tropical north, the south-east and the south-west, rainfall is expected to be in the typical winter range. Typical rainfall means there’s a roughly equal possibility for these areas to receive above, below or near-average rainfall.

    This includes parts of South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania that have been affected by prolonged dry conditions as well as parts of New South Wales recently impacted by severe flooding.

    This winter forecast follows an autumn which was much wetter than average in the north and east of Australia, and much drier than average in many southern parts.

    Australia’s fire agencies advise there is an unseasonal increased risk of fire this winter across parts of South Australia and Victoria.

    The Bureau updates the long-range forecast each Thursday and you can search the latest details for your location on the Bureau’s website.

    2025 winter long-range forecast (states and territories)

    New South Wales and the ACT

    Winter rainfall is expected to be above average for much of the state and the ACT.

    However, parts of the state’s east are likely to have rainfall in the typical range.

    Average winter rainfall in recent decades has been between 100 and 300 mm along most of eastern New South Wales, with higher falls in the alpine regions, while in western and central New South Wales winter averages are between 25 and 100 mm.

    Warmer than usual winter maximum temperatures are likely across the state, and warmer than usual winter minimum temperatures are very likely.

    Victoria

    Rainfall is expected to be within the typical winter range for much of the state.

    Average winter rainfall in recent decades ranges between 100 and 300 mm throughout much of the state, while the state’s north-west has 50 to 100 mm and parts of the far south and alpine areas have up to 600 mm on average

    Warmer than usual winter maximum and minimum temperatures are very likely across the state.

    Queensland

    Winter rainfall is expected to be in the typical range for much of the state, with parts of the south and west likely to have above average rainfall.

    Warmer than usual winter maximum and minimum temperatures are very likely across the state.

    Western Australia

    Winter rainfall is expected to be above average for much of the state, except for the south-west where rainfall is likely to be in the typical winter range.

    Average winter rainfall in recent decades has been between 100 and 400 mm for most of the South West Land Division with up to 600 mm in the far south-west, 50 to 100 mm in parts of the west, central and south-east, between 25 and 50 mm mid-state, and less than 10 mm in the north.

    Warmer than usual maximum and minimum winter temperatures are very likely across the state.

    South Australia

    Winter rainfall is likely to be above average for much of the state, except for the far south-east where rainfall is expected to be within the typical range for winter.

    Average winter rainfall in recent decades has been between 50 and 300 mm across the south with some coastal parts up to 400 mm, and 10 to 50 mm for the central and northern parts.

    Warmer than usual winter maximum and minimum temperatures are likely across the state.

    Tasmania

    Winter rainfall is expected to be in the typical range for much of the state.

    Warmer than usual winter maximum and minimum temperatures are very likely across the state.

    Northern Territory

    Winter rainfall is likely to be above average across the southern two-thirds of the Territory.

    Warmer than usual June to August maximum and minimum temperatures are very likely across most of the Territory.

    Autumn Preliminary Summary

    Autumn has been warmer than usual for most of Australia. Throughout much of the south and west, daytime temperatures were very much above average.

    Victoria had its warmest autumn on record, New South Wales had its second warmest, and South Australia and Western Australia had their third warmest autumn on record. Autumn has been drier than average across much of the country’s south and west.

    Slow-moving high pressure systems to the south of the continent are contributing to drier conditions in the south. This pattern has also enhanced coastal troughs off New South Wales and southern Queensland, contributing to the recent above average coastal rainfall in these states.

    Conditions have been wetter than usual for much of the east and north, with rainfall very much above average in large parts of Queensland.

    Tropical activity, including Tropical Cyclone Alfred and a low pressure trough over western Queensland, brought widespread rainfall and flooding during March and April.

    Autumn rainfall was very much below average in large parts of the south-east and the west coast. In Tasmania, autumn rainfall was the second lowest on record.

    The national summary for autumn and May will be on the Bureau’s website from 2 June. Detailed summaries for autumn and May conditions for each state, territory and capital city will be published on 4 June.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Larsen Requests Nearly $37 Million for 15 Local Projects in Fiscal Year 2026 Spending Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Larsen (2nd Congressional District Washington)

    WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) has requested $36,773,695 for 15 local projects in the Fiscal Year 2026 spending bill. Larsen submitted the requests to the House Appropriations Committee as the Committee begins work on legislation to fund the federal government.

    “My priority in shaping spending bills is to invest in Northwest Washington communities,” said Larsen. “I will continue to work closely with community leaders and stakeholders to secure critical funding to create more jobs, build better infrastructure and improve vital services residents rely on.”

    The spending bill will include earmark funding for community projects that local leaders and stakeholders identified as critical to their communities. Larsen secured more than $19.3 million for 15 Northwest Washington projects in the Fiscal Year 2024 spending package, which was signed into law in March 2024.

    Northwest Washington Community Project Funding Requests

    Larsen requested the following earmarks to invest in Northwest Washington communities:

    Investing in a Cleaner, Greener, Safer and More Accessible Transportation System

    • Community Transit’s Bus Replacement Project: This project will enable Community Transit to purchase two battery electric buses with chargers to replace diesel buses that are beyond their expected useful life. ($3,000,000)
    • City of Lynden’s Pepin Flood, Agriculture, Salmon and Safety Transportation (FASST): This project will complete design and support construction of a new channel for Pepin Creek, and complete design and construction of the Pepin Parkway Bridge. ($2,448,000)
    • Snohomish County’s Everett Intermodal Yard and Curve Improvements: The project will improve rail shipping capability, safety, and reliability for freight and intercity passenger service at the Everett Intermodal Yard. These improvements will benefit both BNSF freight trains and Amtrak Cascades service. ($2,000,000)

    Investing in Community Services

    • City of Anacortes’ Community Event Center: The project will support final design and construction for a central event space to host large-scale tourist-oriented events, local nonprofit events and private rentals located near the Anacortes waterfront and downtown. ($3,000,000)
    • Lopez Island Family Resource Center’s Food Center: This project will construct a mixed-use food center, including a community kitchen, shared farm stand, rental spaces, and gathering areas for pop-up shops, in addition to a home base for the San Juan Food Hub and local food bank. ($2,500,000)
    • City of Edmonds’ Food Bank and Community Engagement Space: This project will support an expanded facility for Edmonds Food Bank, including increased food bank space, a commercial kitchen, an urban garden and community meeting spaces. ($2,000,000)
    • City of Bellingham’s Bellingham Central Library Renovation: This project will support exterior renovation of the Bellingham Central Library, including updated windows, upgraded main and children’s entrances, and a refreshed plaza. ($2,000,000)
    • Whatcom County and Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services of Whatcom County’s (DVSAS) Douglas Building Preservation: This project will support the renovation of a building used by DVSAS to serve survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. ($1,510,295)
    • Whatcom County Sheriff Office’s Portable Radio Replacement Project: This project will support the purchase of new portable radios to replace outdated radios that are failing, allowing deputies to communicate clearly with dispatch and each other. ($600,000)
    • Orcas Senior Center’s Roof Replacement: This project will repair the failing roof of the facility, ensuring seniors can continue to access services. ($175,000)

    Investing in Education and Workforce Development

    • Edmonds College and Latino Educational Training Institute’s (LETI) Incubator for Family Success: This project will establish a comprehensive community center that includes a cultural retention and arts center, vocational school, commercial kitchen, deli-specialty store and child care circles. ($4,250,000)
    • Western Washington University’s (WWU) Shannon Point Marine Center Research Vessel: This project will support acquisition of a new research vessel for WWU marine and coastal science educational and research activities. ($1,490,400)

    Investing in Critical Infrastructure

    • Port of Everett’s South Marina Terminal Replacement Project: The project will replace the existing Dock 1 in the South Marina that has exceeded its useful life with a new structure that will provide greater utility capacity to serve potential small cruise and passenger ferry service. ($5,000,000)
    • Port of Edmonds’ North Portwalk and Seawall Reconstruction: This project will repair the Port’s seawall, which is urgently needed to protect the Port and surrounding community from flooding and extreme weather. The project will also create new public use spaces for recreational activity and replace the boardwalk to improve public access and increase economic development for the businesses on and surrounding the port. ($4,000,000)
    • Island County’s Recycling and Reuse Station: This project will build a new solid waste transfer station that will significantly enhance the efficiency of the county’s waste management processes, reducing costs for local rate payers and mitigating associated impacts to public health, safety and the environment. ($2,800,000)


    What Northwest Washington Community Leaders and Stakeholders Are Saying

    Community Transit CEO Ric Ilgenfritz on the Bus Replacement Project: “Community Transit ensures that people of all walks of life can easily and reliably get from where they are to where they want to be. In order to live up to this mission, it’s critical that buses are maintained and replaced according to schedule. We are grateful to Rep. Larsen for prioritizing the Bus Replacement Project, enabling us to serve customers with lower pollution buses that benefit everyone in Snohomish County.”

    Lynden Mayor Scott Korthuis on the Pepin Flood, Agriculture, Salmon and Safety Transportation (FASST) Project: “The Lynden FASST project (Flood, Agriculture, Salmon, Safety and Transportation) is a significant investment in infrastructure for the city to provide housing opportunities in what is a difficult area of the city to develop.  With the support of Representative Larsen on this project, we will continue to develop the needed infrastructure in this area of the city and provide a variety of housing types.  We greatly appreciate Representative Larsen moving this project forward and investing in Lynden.”

    Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers on the Everett Intermodal Yard and Curve Improvements Project: “We are grateful for Congressman Larsen’s support for this vital rail project. If we receive the funding, the renovated intermodal yard will allow us and our rail partners to continue a sustainable and low impact operation for our residents, ensuring public health and safety are prioritized.”

    Anacortes Mayor Matt Miller on the Anacortes Community Event Center project: “We are deeply grateful to Congressman Larsen for championing the Anacortes Community Event Center project. His support for this waterfront facility—developed in partnership with the Port of Anacortes—reflects a strong commitment to strengthening our community, our economy, and our shared public spaces. This proposed investment will help create a vibrant gathering place for residents and visitors alike, and we appreciate the Congressman’s leadership in moving this vision forward.”

    Lopez Island Family Resource Center Executive Director Barbara Schultheiss on the Lopez Food Center Project: “The Lopez Food Center believes that a thriving local food system and strong economy are essential to a healthy, sustainable life here on Lopez. The construction of the food center will create a vital central gathering place—that will provide a much needed new space for the food bank; increase sales of local farm products with space for a communal farm stand and the San Juan Food Hub; creates opportunities for food businesses to grow/expand with storage, commercial kitchen and event space; and, provide critical trainings and supports for food businesses.  This shared facility will increase efficient food production and distribution and support the health and well-being of Lopez Island residents by increasing access to nutritious food and hands-on opportunities in the local food economy.”

    Edmonds Mayor Mike Rosen on the Edmonds Food Bank and Community Engagement Space Project: “We greatly appreciate the leadership of Rep. Larsen to support the Edmonds Food Bank. We know that many people in our community are struggling with food insecurity, and sadly the numbers are increasing, so this funding request is vitally important.”

    Edmonds Food Bank Executive Director Casey Davis on the Edmonds Food Bank and Community Engagement Space Project: “We are incredibly grateful to Representative Larsen for continuing to advocate for our community. As the need for food assistance continues to rise and other critical funding sources are eliminated, this $2 million request is vital to help us build a new facility that meets the growing needs of the individuals we serve in a respectful and efficient way. A new food bank and community engagement space will allow us to provide not only nutritious and culturally relevant food, but also deeper connection, dignity, and resources for long-term stability for our entire community. We cannot do this alone, we need the strength of continued partnerships to make this vision a reality.”

    Bellingham Mayor Kim Lund on the Bellingham Central Library Renovation Project: “Our library is a well-loved institution that gives community members opportunities to learn, grow, and connect. We are grateful for Rep. Larsen’s request for funding, which would help us make the library more accessible, comfortable, and welcoming, especially for families and children.”

    Whatcom County Health and Community Services Co-Health Officer Dr. Amy Harley on the DVSAS Douglas Building Preservation Project: “Whatcom County Health and Community Services is pleased to support the rehabilitation of the Douglas Building, the home of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services of Whatcom County (DVSAS) in Bellingham. Washington. The Douglas building is used to provide critical counseling, legal support, and children’s programs for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and sexual exploitation, and is an essential part of the continuum of care for this vulnerable population. The Douglas Building, however, is more than a building – it’s a lifeline for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in Whatcom County. Investing in its rehabilitation will ensure that DVSAS staff can continue to provide high-quality, trauma-informed care in a safe and trusted location, where individuals and families can begin the process of healing with dignity and respect.”

    Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services of Whatcom County on the DVSAS Douglas Building Preservation Project: “Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Services of Whatcom County (DVSAS) extends its deepest gratitude to Congressman Larsen and his team for their efforts in prioritizing funding to preserve our downtown support center. Securing this vital funding guarantees continued access to essential services for individuals experiencing domestic or sexual violence, ensuring survivors have a lifeline to safety and immediate access to crisis services. Congressman Larsen’s commitment to preserving our downtown support center ensures everyone in our community has access to safety and support, now and for years to come.”

    Whatcom County Sheriff Donnell “Tank” Tanksley on the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Department Portable Radio Replacement Project: “Great training and bullet-proof vests aren’t all that keep our Patrol Deputies safe. Portable radios ensure deputies can communicate hazards, status and needs in the field. During the upcoming World Cup – with matches in Seattle and Vancouver, B.C. – increasing traffic through Whatcom County, it is vital that radios are interoperable with international agencies. Our current portables are not. We are grateful to Congressman Rick Larsen for his support of this essential need.”

    Orcas Senior Center Board Member John Ehrmantraut on the Orcas Senior Center Roof Replacement Project: “As Chair of Orcas Senior Center, I can’t stress enough how critical it is to replace our aging roof —not just to protect the building, but to safeguard the essential services and sense of community this space provides to Orcas Island residents. This center is a cornerstone of our island community, and protecting it means protecting the people who rely on it every day.”

    Edmonds College President Dr. Amit Singh on the LETI Incubator for Family Success Project: “Edmonds College is committed to our partnership with LETI in supporting first generation immigrants and their success. This resource center will empower individuals and families by providing assistance with everything from navigating social services to pursuing higher education. I am very thankful to Representative Larsen for his ongoing support of LETI and Edmonds College.”

    Founder & CEO of Latino Educational Training Institute Rosario Reyes on the LETI Incubator for Family Success Project: “We deeply appreciate Representative Larsen’s support for LETI’s Incubator for Family Success and are grateful to Edmonds College for joining us as a vital partner in this initiative. This new center will serve as a lasting community hub for Latino and low-income families in Snohomish County—a place to celebrate culture, host life events, and access essential services. With dedicated offices and classrooms, LETI will continue advancing its mission to empower Latino families through education, business development, family health, and support for financial advancement.”

    Western Washington University President Sabah Randhawa on the Shannon Point Marine Center Research Vessel Project: “Western Washington University appreciates Representative Larsen’s efforts to include funding for a new research vessel at Shannon Point Marine Center as part of the FY26 budget. If funded, this investment will significantly enhance our ability to study the Salish Sea and surrounding coastal ecosystems while expanding hands-on research opportunities for Washington’s next generation of scientists.”

    Port of Everett CEO Lisa Lefeber on the South Marina Terminal Replacement Project: “The reconstruction of Dock 1 will bring new commercial opportunities to the Everett waterfront, including possible passenger-only ferry service and small regional cruise visits for the first time to the area. This investment in transportation infrastructure will benefit jobs and recreation, therefore investing in our economy. The Port of Everett appreciates Congressman Larsen’s support of this infrastructure investment.”

    Port of Edmonds Commission President David Preston on the North Portwalk and Seawall Reconstruction Project: “We are grateful to Representative Rick Larsen for his continued support of the North Portwalk and Seawall Reconstruction Project. The Port will utilize funds to advance our project into its third and final phase. Vital repairs to the marina seawall will protect the Port and the surrounding area from flooding, erosion, and storm surges. At the same time, the improvements to the Port’s boardwalk will enhance the public’s use and experience on the waterfront.”

    Chair of the Board of Island County Commissioners Jill Johnson on the Island County Recycling and Reuse Station Project: “We are incredibly grateful for Representative Larsen’s leadership and support for Island County. Federal funding for the Island County Recycling and Reuse Station will improve upon and expand the county’s waste removal and recycling capacity, directly enabling growth and increasing environmental resiliency.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy announces $9.6 million in Hurricane Ida, wildfire aid for Louisiana

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)

    MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $9,623,017 in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grants for the Jefferson Parish Public School System, the Louisiana Office of Emergency Preparedness and the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry.

    “It’s impossible to keep Louisianians down, and our people’s response to storms like Hurricane Ida and deadly wildfires proves that. This $9.6 million will help cover Louisiana’s response to the Tiger Island and Highway 113 fires, and help with school restoration costs in Jefferson Parish,” said Kennedy.

    The FEMA aid will fund the following:

    • $3,589,728 to the Jefferson Parish Public School System for repairs to the J.D. Meisler Middle School campus due to Hurricane Ida damage.
    • $3,156,954 to the Louisiana Office of Emergency Preparedness for emergency management costs sustained due to the Tiger Island Fire.
    • $2,876,335 to the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry for emergency response costs sustained due to the Highway 113 Fire.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: NSW is again cleaning up after major floods. Are we veering towards the collapse of insurability?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Booth, Associate Professor of Human Geography, University of Tasmania

    Once again, large parts of New South Wales have been devastated by floods. It’s estimated 10,000 homes and businesses may have been damaged or destroyed and the Insurance Council of Australia reports more than 6,000 insurance claims have been received for the Mid North Coast and Hunter region.

    Hundreds of families are displaced. With many homes now uninhabitable, they face a uncertain future.

    As the mop-up begins, stories are emerging of households and businesses not covered by insurance, with some residents saying insurance companies were asking up to A$30,000 annually for cover.

    There are many others who are underinsured, with insurance payouts not meeting the full costs of rebuild, repair and replacement. The Insurance Council of Australia has declared the event an “insurance catastrophe”.

    The impacts of these floods reflect global trends. In 2024, there were around 60 natural disaster events that each exceeded A$1.5 billion in economic losses. Total losses worldwide reached A$650 billion.

    As one of the most disaster-prone countries in the Western world, is Australia the canary in the coalmine for a global collapse of insurance? With these types of disasters escalating in a changing climate, it is reasonable to feel – and fear – this is the case.

    An uninsurable future?

    In 1992, sociologist Ulrich Beck argued unpredictable global risks, such as climate change, would bring an end to the private insurance market, with profound effects on the modern world.

    The idea of an uninsurable future stirs up imaginings of apocalyptic landscapes – crumbling buildings, streets strewn with refuse and people eking out a living amid the rubble and ruins.

    But the reality is, as we are seeing in central NSW, it is not a future event that demands attention. Many individuals and communities are already living with an unfolding collapse of insurance affordability and availability.

    The consequences can be dire, especially for those already struggling to make ends meet.

    How are governments responding?

    Speaking on ABC radio on Thursday morning, NSW Premier Chris Minns said he would be “putting the heat” on insurance companies:

    Everyone’s going to have to do their part […] and that means insurance companies will have to step up and pay out claims quickly.

    In the lead-up to the federal election, both major parties made clear they believed insurers were “ripping off” Australians. The Coalition even proposed new emergency divestiture powers that would allow the government to break up major insurers in the case of market failure.

    But this is no solution at all, given insurance pricing and coverage is largely set by global “reinsurers”. Reinsurance is a kind of insurance coverage for insurance companies themselves – that is, policies to cover the cost of paying out claims after major disasters.

    Just ten multi-billion dollar companies control 70% of the reinsurance market.

    Who should bear rising costs?

    Insurers, led by the Insurance Council of Australia, are pushing for a Flood Defence Fund and retrofitting homes for disaster resilience, paid for by governments and households.

    These ideas might seem logical. But they draw attention away from a thriving industry and regulations and policies aimed at making insurance more affordable and effective for ordinary people.

    In places like Australia, the increasing cost of insurance cuts across all types, with the largest rises coming in home, vehicle, and employers’ liability insurance.

    Many insurers are reporting healthy profits. Globally, the sector is experiencing “exceptionally strong growth”.

    Over the three years to 2024, revenue from premiums in the insurance sector increased by over 21% globally – a “whopping” rise, according to the finance corporation Allianz.

    Where to from here?

    The insurance sector will continue to grow – and profit – until it no longer can due to climate change and other pressures.

    But it is not a future crash of insurers that should be of primary concern. It is the real-time collapse of insurance for households, businesses and communities.

    As this collapse of insurance unfolds, it is largely left to households and communities to take action and build resilience.

    Examples include squatters taking possession of flood-damaged vacant homes in Lismore and, when combined with the housing crisis, the growth in informal housing and settlements on the fringes of major population centres.

    These are desperate responses. But they are also realistic, given governments and insurers are failing to reverse this trending collapse.

    What else we could do

    After each major disaster event comes a rise in insurance costs and a withdrawal of insurance coverage. To avoid being a canary in the coalmine, Australia urgently needs government intervention in the insurance industry – an industry very resistant to such intervention.

    To ensure everyone is adequately covered when disaster strikes, this could come in the form of an equitable and affordable public insurance scheme.

    As more Australians lose the ability to insure themselves, governments must also address growing structural inequality that is undermining social cohesion and our capacity for collective resilience.



    Read more:
    Underinsurance is entrenching poverty as the vulnerable are hit hardest by disasters

    Kate Booth receives funding from the Tasmanian Department of Premier and Cabinet – Grant-Disaster Ready Fund. She is affiliated with Just Collapse – an activist platform dedicated to socio-ecological justice in unfolding, irreversible global collapse.

    – ref. NSW is again cleaning up after major floods. Are we veering towards the collapse of insurability? – https://theconversation.com/nsw-is-again-cleaning-up-after-major-floods-are-we-veering-towards-the-collapse-of-insurability-257715

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Stein Statement on Revised State Revenue Forecast

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Governor Stein Statement on Revised State Revenue Forecast

    Governor Stein Statement on Revised State Revenue Forecast
    lsaito

    Raleigh, NC

    Today Governor Josh Stein released the following statement on the Consensus Forecasting Group’s revised consensus general fund revenue forecast:

    “This nonpartisan report confirms our concerns about the fiscal cliff the state faces if we do not take action to address future revenue shortfalls. State revenues for the two fiscal years ahead are predicted to be lower than what was expected in February: $218 million for FY 2025-26 and $222 million for the fiscal year after that. Slower revenue growth means fewer state dollars to invest in keeping people safe, educating our young people, and providing other important public services.

    “This news comes in the midst of an uncertain economy and federal budget pressures that may put funding for critical resources including Medicaid and SNAP in jeopardy. It also comes as we find ourselves on the hook for even more Hurricane Helene recovery expenses. That’s why I proposed freezing tax rates where they are. While the House rejects my proposal and keeps the tax cuts in law, it did create more fiscally prudent triggers that must be satisfied before the cuts go into effect. I call upon the Senate budget writers to follow suit. We need to balance our books, not bury our heads in the sand.” 

    May 29, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ahead of Hurricane Season, Welch Leads 14 Colleagues in Urging Trump Administration to Reinstate Terminated Employees at NWS, NOAA

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) led 14 of his colleagues in urging the Trump Administration to swiftly reinstate terminated employees at the National Weather Service (NWS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) ahead of the upcoming hurricane season. In their letter, the Senators emphasized that staff reductions at both agencies pose a threat to public safety and emergency preparedness by undercutting essential forecasting and weather monitoring systems. The Senators requested information on how the administration plans to address staffing at both agencies. 
    NWS maintains 122 weather forecast offices across the United States which are responsible for providing 24/7 weather monitoring and forecasts. The NWS Forecast Office in Burlington, Vermont, is vital to providing Vermonters with information on how to prepare for and protect their families from flooding and extreme weather events. The Department of Commerce is reportedly planning to eliminate an additional 1,000 staff from NOAA, including at NWS, in the coming weeks. These cuts, combined with current staffing constraints, could reduce the NWS workforce by 15% just months into 2025. 
    “NWS would be unable to provide accurate and timely forecasts without sufficient staffing levels at weather forecast offices nationwide. In addition to daily forecasting operations, weather forecast offices are responsible for issuing emergency weather warnings ahead of events such as major floods, wildfire hazards, hurricanes, and blizzard conditions,” wrote the Senators. “As the frequency and severity of such disasters increase, maintaining NWS’s real-time forecasting operations is essential to saving lives and reducing the cost of recovery for disaster-affected communities.” 
    The Senators continued: “NWS employees and the programs they support are essential to the safety of the millions of Americans impacted by storms and disasters each year. On February 27, 2025, 108 probationary NWS employees were terminated, adding to the 170 staff who accepted the Administration’s ‘deferred resignation’ plan earlier that month. These staffing cuts are already impacting NWS services, forcing NWS to halt weather balloon launches in New York, Maine, and Alaska that provide daily weather data to meteorologists at weather forecast offices across the country.”  
    “As we head into hurricane season, 30 weather forecast offices are without a meteorologist-in-charge, one is completely without any managers at all, and nearly a dozen are preparing to shut down 24/7 services without immediate action to address shortages,” wrote the Senators. “We urge you to reassess the staffing needs at NOAA and NWS and reinstate terminated probationary employees swiftly.” 
    The Senators requested answers to the following questions: 

    How many of the NWS regional weather forecast offices were impacted by terminations or deferred resignations since January 20, 2025? Please provide a list of affected offices, including how many staff departed and how many remain.  
    With reports of at least one weather forecast office in Goodland, Kansas stopping 24/7 operations due to staffing shortages, how do the Department of Commerce and NOAA plan to maintain continued 24/7 operation of forecasting offices without requiring excessive overtime hours from staff?  
    With a requested budget cut of $1.311 billion for NOAA’s overall budget, and a $209 million cut for NWS procurement of weather satellites and infrastructure9, how does the Department of Commerce and NOAA plan to ensure adequate staffing and preparedness in the midst of worsening storm seasons, increasing heat waves, and changing weather patterns? 
    As NWS employees are critical to public safety, especially heading into hurricane season, will the Department of Commerce grant an exemption to the hiring freeze to fill these crucial positions? 

    In addition to Senator Welch, the letter was cosigned by Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Angus King (I-Maine), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii). 
    Read the full text of the letter to Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and Acting Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Laura Grimm. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Budd Applauds Trump Administration for Postponing Closure of Blue Ridge Parkway to Prioritize WNC Recovery

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ted Budd (R-North Carolina)

    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) released the following statement after the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) announced postponing full closures on the Blue Ridge Parkway, between Blowing Rock and Beacon Heights, until 2026 to accommodate for community recovery efforts in Western North Carolina following Hurricane Helene.

    “Communities in Western North Carolina were hit hard by Hurricane Helene, and as we begin to rebuild, closing the Blue Ridge Parkway at this juncture would only set us back. The Parkway serves as a lifeline to small businesses and recreation access across the Appalachian Region — bringing tourists, supporting local businesses, and keeping our economy moving. I’m grateful the Trump administration recognized our state’s needs following a letter I sent last month. This is the right decision to prioritize the near-term recovery of our region while still ensuring the resurfacing project is completed in the future,” said Senator Budd.

    Read the full text of the letter from the Trump administration HERE.

    Background

    In April 2025, Senator Budd was joined by Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) in sending a letter to the Secretary of the Interior, Doug Burgum, requesting DOI to consider options to delay the resurfacing of the Blue Ridge Parkway until after the peak 2025 recreation season. Read the full text of the letter HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy Announces $9.6 Million for Hurricane Ida Repairs, Fire Response

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) announced Louisiana will receive $9,623,017.01 from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in reimbursement for permanent school repairs and fire suppression efforts following Hurricane Ida and recent wildfires.
    “When disaster strikes, whether it’s a hurricane or a wildfire, Louisianans stand together. This funding supports the schools and first responders that anchor our communities,” said Dr. Cassidy.

    Grant Awarded
    Recipient
    Project Description

    $3,589,727.97
    Jefferson Parish Public School System
    This grant will provide federal funding for permanent repairs to J.D. Meisler Middle School as a result of Hurricane Ida.

    $3,156,954.41
    Louisiana Office of Emergency Preparedness
    This grant will provide federal funding for fire suppression measures during the Tiger Island Fire.

    $2,876,334.63
    Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry
    This grant will provide federal funding for fire suppression efforts during the Highway 113 Fire.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Kazakhstan to get EIB Global support for energy-efficient homes

    Source: European Investment Bank

    EIB

    • EIB Global and Kazakhstan Housing Company sign accord to promote energy-efficient homes in country.
    • Agreement comes in wake of first EU-Central Asia summit. 
    • The company will also benefit from technical assistance provided under the joint EIB and GIZ initiative, FELICITY II. 

    The European Investment Bank’s development arm (EIB Global) and state-owned Kazakhstan Housing Company JSC are teaming up to increase the number of energy-efficient and sustainable homes in Kazakhstan.

    EIB Vice-President Kyriacos Kakouris and Altay Kuzdibayev, chairman of the management board of Kazakhstan Housing Company, signed a memorandum of understanding today in the Kazakh capital Astana for financing to build energy-efficient homes.    

    “We will work closely with Kazakhstan Housing Company to explore financing opportunities for housing projects that meet high energy-efficiency standards,” said EIB Vice-President Kakouris. “The agreement reflects a commitment by the European Union and the bank to deepening our strategic partnership with central Asia. Contributing to the sustainable future of the region through initiatives like this one is a high priority for us.”

    This new accord is part of an initiative – FELICITY II Cities Advisory Facility – undertaken jointly by the EIB and German development agency Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). The initiative is supported by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action of Germany to support low-carbon investments in countries in eastern Europe and central Asia.  

    “Improving people’s quality of life and developing a modern, comfortable urban environment are the key priorities of Kazakhstan Housing Company. Signing a memorandum with EIB Global is an important step in the implementation of long-term international cooperation initiatives that are in line with both national priorities and global climate challenges. We are confident that this partnership will contribute to the formation of a new standard of housing and the development of sustainable and energy efficient housing projects in Kazakhstan,” said Kazakhstan Housing Company Management Board Chairman Kuzdibayev.

    The memorandum of understanding builds on the first EU-Central Asia summit held in April 2025, when government leaders pledged to strengthen ties between the two regions. During the summit, EIB Global announced plans to expand its strategic investments in sustainable development across central Asia.

    GIZ, which was represented at today’s signing event in Astana, , in cooperation with the German Energy Agency (dena) will offer technical assistance to Kazakhstan Housing Company under FELICITY II.

    Cooperation between the EIB and Kazakhstan Housing Company creates a real opportunity to accelerate the low-carbon transformation of Kazakhstan’s building sector, which accounts for a third of the country’s energy use,” said GIZ Project Director André Fabian. “It will also stimulate the market for energy-efficient construction and foster the uptake of innovative technologies and services.” The signing took place during the Astana International Forum, an annual conference that promotes global dialogue and attracts leaders of governments, international organisations, businesses and academic institutions. At the Forum, EIB Vice-President Kakouris participated in panel discussions on water security, global trade and climate action.

    Background information

    About EIB Global

    The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by the Member States. It finances investments that pursue EU policy objectives.

    EIB Global is the EIB Group’s specialised arm devoted to increasing the impact of international partnerships and development finance, and a key partner of Global Gateway. It aims to support €100 billion of investment by the end of 2027 – around one-third of the overall target of this EU initiative. Within Team Europe, EIB Global fosters strong, focused partnerships alongside fellow development finance institutions and civil society. EIB Global brings the EIB Group closer to people, companies and institutions through its offices across the world.

    Photos of EIB headquarters for media use are available here

    Kazakhstan to get EIB Global support for energy-efficient homes
    Kazakhstan to get EIB Global support for energy-efficient homes
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    Kazakhstan to get EIB Global support for energy-efficient homes
    Kazakhstan to get EIB Global support for energy-efficient homes
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    Kazakhstan to get EIB Global support for energy-efficient homes
    Kazakhstan to get EIB Global support for energy-efficient homes
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: The path to resilience: Alfred Nzo municipality’s journey

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    In the heart of South Africa’s Eastern Cape, the Alfred Nzo District Municipality, characterized by its rural landscapes and environmental vulnerability, is quietly undergoing a transformation. With rising threats from floods, wildfires, droughts, and even snowstorms, the district’s leadership has embarked on a journey to equip its local institutions with the tools, knowledge, and partnerships needed to prevent hazards from becoming disasters.

    From 6 to 8 May 2025, over 50 local government officials and stakeholders participated in the Urban Risk-Informed Development Planning and Making Cities Resilient workshop. Organized by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) in collaboration with Alfred Nzo District Municipality and funded through the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) Resilience Initiative Africa, the workshop advanced the efforts towards achieving the Sendai Framework target E: substantially increasing the number of local DRR strategies by 2030.

    From Global Framework to Local Action

    Alfred Nzo has made notable strides. “We’ve developed a Climate Change Response Plan, Environmental Management Framework, and ecosystem-based projects focused on water conservation, invasive species control, and rangeland restoration,” said Zola Mbuyana, Assistant Manager for Environmental Management and Water Quality. 

    Learning by Doing: From Theory to Action 

    Local government officials explored how to align local planning with national policy and the Sendai Framework. The Making Cities Resilient 2030 initiative provides specific tools, such as the Disaster Resilience Scorecard for Cities and the Ten Essentials for Making Cities Resilient, designed specifically to support local governments in aligning strategies with global DRR commitments. The preliminary assessments revealed key strengths, such as the existence of a Disaster Management Centre and a climate change strategy. However, gaps remain, such as the lack of dedicated disaster risk management units in the four local municipalities, poor coordination among stakeholders, and limited budget allocations.

      Prioritizing What Matters

    “This workshop marks a step toward ensuring local governments like Alfred Nzo lead from the front in risk-informed development,” said Ms. Isabel Njihia, Programme Management Officer at UNDRR. “The Scorecard is not a performance audit but a practical guide for identifying priority actions and aligning local efforts with global resilience targets.” Understanding local risk in Alfred Nzo, including flood patterns, wildfire zones, and snowstorm vulnerabilities, was emphasized as critical to developing relevant solutions. Emphasis was placed on community engagement, indigenous knowledge, and local leadership as pillars of sustainable DRR strategies.

    “We cannot stop the floods or droughts from coming, but we can ensure our communities are prepared, our infrastructure is resilient, and our response systems are ready before disaster strikes,” Mduduzi Mkhalane, Deputy Director Health Programmes

    Building a Blueprint for Resilience

    By the final day, the officials moved from diagnosis to creating a draft DRR Action Plan rooted in local risks and realities. This plan promotes a phased, multi-sectoral approach, with clear indicators for progress and defined roles across departments. Some key priorities for action include establishing dedicated DRM units in all local municipalities, conducting multi-hazard infrastructure audits and mainstreaming DRM into urban design and development and developing a Post-Disaster Recovery Framework.

    Toward a Resilient Future

    What emerged from the Alfred Nzo workshop was more than a plan – it was a shared commitment. Local leaders recognized that resilience is a continuous process, requiring learning, investment, and inclusive governance. The plan calls for the engagement of NGOs, private sector actors, traditional leaders, and marginalized groups, affirming the principle of leaving no one behind, embedded in both the Sendai Framework and the African Union’s Agenda 2063. The Alfred Nzo District Municipality now has a draft roadmap, built on evidence, collaboration, and global best practice. With the guidance of UNDRR and the support of GIZ’s Resilience Initiative Africa, the next phase will be crucial: finalizing, endorsing, and implementing the DRR Action Plan with appropriate institutional backing and funding. Continued intersectoral cooperation, community awareness, and adequate funding will be vital. This journey is just beginning, but one thing is clear: in Alfred Nzo, the principles of the Sendai Framework are not just ideals – they are being translated into action.

    Explore the Making Cities Resilient 2030 initiative at mcr2030.undrr.org.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Drought declared in north-west of England

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Drought declared in north-west of England

    Many reservoirs in the region are at historic low levels for the time of year

    The Environment Agency has declared drought status for the north-west of England following the driest start to spring in 69 years.

    River flows have been declining along with groundwater levels due to the dry March, April and start of May.

    Reservoir storage levels in the region are also receding and are currently lower than they were at this time during the 1984, 1995 and 2022 drought years.

    The recent rain, while welcome, is not enough to reverse the dry start to the year and expected hotter weather in the coming weeks is set to exacerbate the situation.

    The decision by the EA to move into drought status sees the regulator increase their operational response while ensuring water companies step up the actions agreed in their drought plans.

    This includes fixing leaks, communicating with customers and supporting them to reduce demand, and submitting drought permits to take more water, as needed. These actions if taken in a timely manner will help preserve supplies for people and the environment.

    In the North West, the EA continues to work to ensure United Utilities acts in accordance with their drought plan.

    Although the North-west has experienced a dry start to the year, it is a mixed picture in other parts of England. The Environment Agency and Defra ministers will convene a meeting of the National Drought Group on 5 June to assess the situation across the country and ensure that water companies are enacting their drought plans to conserve water supplies.

    Andy Brown, Water Regulation Manager at the Environment Agency said:

    Drought is a naturally occurring phenomenon. As we see more impacts from climate change heavier rainfall and drier summers will become more frequent. This poses an enormous challenge over the next few decades.

    Despite the rain over the weekend levels remain low and we are encouraging people to be aware of the impacts of drought as we enter the summer period.

    With further unsettled periods and rainfall over the coming weeks we will continue to closely monitor the situation and implement our Drought Plan.

    Water Minister Emma Hardy said:

    I am receiving regular updates from the Environment Agency.

    I’m doing everything in my power to hold United Utilities to account to ensure we have the regular supply of water that is needed across the region.

    The government is taking decisive action to secure our water supply for the decades to come. That’s why we are building 9 new reservoirs and upgrading pipes to cut leakage by 17%.

    Periods of dry weather and low rivers can have several environmental consequences such as deoxygenating water. This can lead to fish kills, as well as more algal blooms and diminished river flow that prevents wildlife from moving up or downstream. 

    The Environment Agency is encouraging the public to report environmental incidents to their 24/7 hotline on 0800 80 70 60.

    Defra announced today that the Environment Secretary was stepping in to speed up delivery for the first two major reservoirs since the 1990s as part of government action to secure our water supply for future generations.

    Further information

    A decision to declare drought is taken based on reservoir levels, river flows and moisture in the soil along with consideration of the long-term weather forecasts.  Droughts are often long-term events, starting as far back as the previous Autumn with effects felt throughout the following seasons. Declaring drought status enables the Environment Agency to plan, deliver and manage actions in drought plans.

    However, there is no single definition for drought, so while it’s caused by a period of low rainfall, the nature, timing and impacts on people, the environment, agriculture or business will vary. Some droughts are short and intense like a hot, dry summer, while others are long and take time to develop over multiple seasons.

    Read more here: Drought explained – Creating a better place

    Updates to this page

    Published 29 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –