What you need to know: DOGE is ramping up its work to dismantle AmeriCorps. California will sue to stop it.
SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued the following statement after California received notice from the federal government of termination of its AmeriCorps grant programs which support volunteer and service efforts.
The federal government is giving the middle finger to service. We will serve them with a lawsuit.
Governor Gavin Newsom
Last week, Governor Newsom announced that as the Trump Administration dismantles the AmeriCorps service program, California will both challenge the illegal action in court and accelerate recruitment for the California Service Corps program — already the largest service corps in the nation, surpassing the size of the Peace Corps.
When the devastating fires struck Los Angeles earlier this year, AmeriCorps members were on the ground, distributing supplies and supporting families. The agency’s shutdown hamstrings these efforts.
California Service Corps is the largest service force in the nation, consisting of four paid service programs:
Combined, it is a force larger than the Peace Corps and is mobilized at a time when California is addressing post-pandemic academic recovery, rebuilding from the LA fires and planning for the future of the state’s workforce. The federal government provides more than half of the funding for California Climate Action Corps and about 5% of College Corps, while the state fully funds the Youth Service Corps.
In the 2023-24 service year, 6,264 AmeriCorps members in California:
Provided 4,397,674 hours of service
Tutored/mentored 73,833 students
Supported 17,000 foster youth with education and employment
Planted 39,288 trees
Members helped 26,000 households impacted by the LA fires and packed 21,000 food boxes.
Press Releases, Recent News
Recent news
Apr 25, 2025
News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:Suzanne Martindale, of Oakland, has been appointed Chief Deputy Commissioner at the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation. Martindale has been the Senior Deputy…
Apr 25, 2025
News What you need to know: More Californians than ever are connecting with earthquake warning services as the MyShake app reaches over 4 million downloads. SACRAMENTO – During Earthquake Preparedness Month, Governor Gavin Newsom today announced a major milestone: the…
Apr 25, 2025
News What you need to know: California is working with state, local, and federal agencies in a historic project to repopulate the North Yuba River with native fish and help protect the state’s waterways and ecosystems. MARYSVILLE – Governor Gavin Newsom announced a…
SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:
Suzanne Martindale, of Oakland, has been appointed Chief Deputy Commissioner at the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation. Martindale has been the Senior Deputy Commissioner of the Division of Consumer Financial Protection at the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation since 2021, and a Lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law since 2019. Martindale was a Student Loan Justice Fellow at the Student Borrower Protection Center from 2018 to 2021. She held multiple positions at Consumer Reports from 2010 to 2021, including Senior Policy Counsel and Western States Legislative Manager, Senior Attorney, and Staff Attorney. She was a Pro Bono Attorney at the East Bay Community Law Center from 2015 to 2018. She is a member of the Bar Association of San Francisco. Martindale earned a Juris Doctor degree from University of California, Berkeley, a Master of Arts degree in Humanities from University of Chicago, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from the University of California, Berkeley. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $207,600. Martindale is registered without party preference.
Yvonne Hsu, of Washington D.C., has been appointed Deputy Director of Strategic Initiatives and External Affairs at the California Civil Rights Department. Hsu was the Chief of Staff of Rural Housing Service at the United State Department of Agriculture from 2023 to 2025. She was the Chief Policy and Government Affairs Officer at the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum from 2021 to 2023. Hsu was a Senior Housing Policy Specialist at the National Council of State Housing Agencies from 2020 to 2021. She was a Senior Advisor at the Office of United States Representative Katherine Clark in the United States House of Representatives from 2019 to 2020. Hsu was an Independent Consultant from 2018 to 2019. She held multiple positions at the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development from 2014 to 2017, including Policy Advisor at the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity and Special Assistant for Public Engagement at the Office of Public Affairs. Hsu held multiple positions in the Office of United States Representative Adam Schiff in the United States House of Representatives from 2008 to 2014, including Senior Legislative Assistant and District Representative. Hsu was the Outreach Coordinator at the Housing Rights Center from 2006 to 2008. She earned a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Sociology and History from the University of California, Riverside. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and compensation is $160,200. Hsu is a Democrat.
Jaimie Huynh, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Director of Strategic Engagement, Equity and Partnerships at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Huynh has been Acting Deputy Secretary for Environmental Justice and Equity at the California Environmental Protection Agency since 2025, where she has held multiple roles since 2022, including Environmental Justice Scientific Advisor and Climate Change Advisor. She was an Environmental Justice Enforcement Liaison at the California Department of Resources, Recycling, and Recovery from 2018 to 2022. Huynh was a California Sea Grant Fellow at the California State Lands Commission from 2017 to 2018. She earned a Master of Advanced Studies degree in Climate Science and Policy and a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Environmental Systems – Policymaking from the University of California, San Diego. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and compensation is $144,972. Huynh is a Democrat.
Robert Jenkins, of Victorville, has been appointed Administrator of the Veterans Home of California, Barstow at the California Department of Veterans Affairs. Jenkins has been Acting Administrator of the Veterans Home of California, Barstow since 2024, where he has held multiple roles since 2012, including Staff Services Manager II and Health and Safety Officer. Jenkins was a Firefighter/Security Officer Captain at the Veterans Home of California, Yountville, at the California Department of Veterans Affairs from 2010 to 2012. He was a Structural Firefighter at the Tule River Tribal Reservation Fire Department from 2009 to 2010. Jenkins was a Paid Call Firefighter/Engineer at the San Bernardino County Fire Department from 2009 to 2010. He was a Correctional Facility Fire Captain at the California Institution for Men-Chino Fire Department from 1997 to 2008. Jenkins was a Correctional Facility Firefighter at the Centinela Fire Department from 1993 to 1997. He was a Paid Call Firefighter/Captain at the San Bernardino County Fire Department from 1986 to 1997. Jenkins was a GS-06 Firefighter/Driver Operator at the Barstow Logistics Marine Base Fire Department from 1992 to 1993. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $160,428. Jenkins is a Democrat.
Joseph “Joe” Nation, of South Lake Tahoe, has been appointed to the Independent Emissions Market Advisory Committee. Nation has been a Professor of the Practice in the Public Policy and Human Biology Programs at Stanford University since 2007. He was the Principal at Joe Nation Consulting from 1992 to 2024. Nation was the Senior Advisor to the President at the RAND Corporation from 1991 to 2024. He was an Assemblymember for District 6 in the California State Assembly from 2000 to 2006. He was an Associate Professor of Economics at the University of San Francisco from 1992 to 2000. Nation is a member of the Economic Advisory Board, Bay Area Council, and Climate Cabinet Action. He earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Public Policy Analysis from Pardee RAND Graduate School, a Master of Science degree in Diplomacy and Security from Georgetown University, and Bachelor of the Arts degrees in Economics, German, and French from University of Colorado, Boulder. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and there is no compensation. Nation is a Democrat.
Press Releases, Recent News
Recent news
Apr 25, 2025
News What you need to know: More Californians than ever are connecting with earthquake warning services as the MyShake app reaches over 4 million downloads. SACRAMENTO – During Earthquake Preparedness Month, Governor Gavin Newsom today announced a major milestone: the…
Apr 25, 2025
News What you need to know: California is working with state, local, and federal agencies in a historic project to repopulate the North Yuba River with native fish and help protect the state’s waterways and ecosystems. MARYSVILLE – Governor Gavin Newsom announced a…
Apr 24, 2025
News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:Leia Bailey, of Sacramento, has been appointed Chief Deputy Director at the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. Bailey has been Deputy Director of Communications and Outreach…
WAVES Animation Film-makers’ Challenge brings to the fore 42 amazing animation films Animation Films: 18 short films, 12 feature films, 9 TV series and 3 AR/VR projects make it to WAVE Summit
Posted On: 28 APR 2025 2:41PM by PIB Mumbai
Mumbai, 28 April 2025
The 42 finalists of the Animation Film Makers Competition (AFC), held as part of the ‘Create in India Challenge Season-1’ of World Audio-Visual and Entertainment Summit 2025, were declared in the second week of April. Dancing Atoms Studios, which collaborated with the Union Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, in organizing the national level challenge since its inception, has brought out a comprehensive creative catalogue on the best 42 projects to be showcased in the WAVE Summit to be held in Mumbai from May 1-4, 2025. This unique initiative aims to connect talented creators with like-minded individuals, producers, and distributors, fostering collaborations between creators and the industry that transcend geographical boundaries.
These best 42 projects that came up from after a rigorous nine-month evaluation process of the competition, have shown a focus on original storytelling across the entire spectrum of animation, encompassing traditional animation, VFX, Augmented Reality (AR)/Virtual Reality (VR), and virtual production. The creative catalogue features a diverse range of innovative projects, including – 12 feature films, 18 short films, TV Series: 9 TV/Limited Series and 3 AR/VR experiences. All 42 shortlisted film projects will be showcased to industry stakeholders through this unique initiative.
The shortlisted 18 short animation film creators and their projects are as follows:
1) Shreya Sachdev – Vani
2) Shrikant S Menon – Odiyan
3) Prasanth Kumar Nagadasi – Best Friends
4) Shweta Subhash Marathe – MELTING SHAME
5) Anika Rajesh – Achappam
6) Martand Anand Ugalmugle – Chandomama
7) Kiruthika Ramasubramanian – A Dream’s Dream
8) Harish Narayan Iyer – KARABI
9) Triparna Maiti – The Chair
10) Arundhati Sarkar – So close yet so far,
11) Gadam Jagadish Prasad Yadav – Symphony of Darkness
12) Vetrivel – The Last Treasure
13) Gargi Gawthe – Godva
14) Shreeyaa Vinayak Pore – Kali (Bud)
15) Harshita Das – Luna
16) Sandhra Mary – MISSING
17) Richa Bhutani – Climatescape
18) Hirak Jyoti Nath – Tales From The Tea House
The 12 finalists of animation feature films creators and their projects are:
1) Catharina Dian Wiraswati S – Fly!
2) Shubham Tomar – Mahzun
3) Srikanth bhogi – Rudhra
4) Anirban Majumder- BABAR AUR BANNO – A friendship saga
5) Nandan Balakrishnan – The Dream Balloon
6) Jacqueline C Ching – Lykke and the Trolls
7) Rohit Sankhla – Dwarka The Lost City of Shree Krishna
8) Bhagat Singh Saini – RED WOMAN
9) Abhijeet Saxena – Arise, Awake
10) Vamsi Bandaru – Ayurveda Chronicles – Search for the Lost Light
11) Piyush Kumar – Wrong programming..the unleashed wars of ai.
The 3 AR/VR experience creators and their projects are:
1) Sundar Mahalingam – Ashvamedha – The Unsealed Fate
2) Anuj kumar Choudhary – Liminalism
3) Isha Chandna – Toxic Effect Of Substance Abuse On Human Body.
For the first time, bringing all 42 projects together in one creative catalogue is a testament to the sheer talent we have discovered, stated Saraswathi Buyyala, Founder and CEO of Dancing Atims Studios. The Waves Advisory Board, comprising industry veterans and influential figures in media and entertainment, will play a crucial role in evaluating the potential of these projects and guiding them towards production and distribution, she added. Ms. Buyyala also informed, the global revenue generated by these dynamic verticals underscores the immense potential within the animation industry. In 2024, the global animation market witnessed substantial growth. Short Films contributed an estimated $20 billion in revenue through various platforms including online streaming, festivals, while educational content is projected to reach $70 billion USD by 2032. Feature Films, which represents the largest segment, generated approximately $30 billion USD to $32.3 billion USD at the global box office and through ancillary markets. Animation TV Series experienced a boom driven by streaming services, accounting for around $512 billion USD in production and licensing revenue. AR/VR and immersive entertainment market, including AR/VR animation is a burgeoning sector. It reached an estimated USD 22.12 billion and USD 79.36 billion, with significant growth projections. AR/VR technologies are transforming sectors including gaming, healthcare, retail, education, and manufacturing, fueled by demand for immersive experiences and substantial investment. While North America holds a significant share, the Asia Pacific region is anticipated for the fastest growth, she added.
For more details on the WAVES 2025 Animation Filmmakers Challenge, please see:
The first World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES), a milestone event for the Media & Entertainment (M&E) sector, will be hosted by the Government of India in Mumbai, Maharashtra, from May 1 to 4, 2025.
Whether you’re an industry professional, investor, creator, or innovator, the Summit offers the ultimate global platform to connect, collaborate, innovate and contribute to the M&E landscape.
WAVES is set to magnify India’s creative strength, amplifying its position as a hub for content creation, intellectual property, and technological innovation. Industries and sectors in focus include Broadcasting, Print Media, Television, Radio, Films, Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, Sound and Music, Advertising, Digital Media, Social Media Platforms, Generative AI, Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Extended Reality (XR).
Distinguished guests, participants, ladies and gentlemen, Good afternoon
At the outset, let me thank the organisers for inviting me and giving me an opportunity to deliver the valedictory address and share some of my thoughts on a subject which continues to engage national as well as global attention. I believe there would have been fruitful deliberations on the topics of green and sustainable finance and the role of financial institutions, opportunities and challenges, aligning of regulatory and policy worlds, facilitating global financing, and integration of climate change aspects in credit risks of the financial institutions. Each of these topics require detailed deliberations and collectively they form the building blocks for creation of a robust ecosystem for green and sustainable finance for the economy and financial system at large.
2. The critical enablers to attract green and sustainable investments that need to be put in place for financial ecosystem has been and continues to be a subject of deliberations at various fora be it G20 Sustainable Finance Working Group, the international standard setting bodies such as the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, the International Sustainability Standards Board as well as the Financial Stability Board, and the Network for Greening the Financial System. These enablers range from adoption of a national green/ climate finance taxonomy, globally aligned disclosure standards for climate related financial risks, and robust assurance and verification process. Green and sustainable finance being a niche area, requires us to be mindful of greenwashing risks. Moreover, there are certain inherent risks and conditions that need to be met from the risk-reward perspective in green and sustainable lending/ investment decisions. Let me delve a bit into these aspects and try to build a narrative on how we can collectively build and develop a robust ecosystem for green and sustainable finance in India.
The Green and Sustainable Finance Taxonomy
3. When we talk of green and sustainable finance, the primary consideration is understanding as to what defines it. A national level taxonomy is crucial as it serves as the first building block that aligns the entire ecosystem, be it the government, regulators, other policy makers, financial institutions and borrowers/investors. This is under development in India. You are aware that an announcement to this effect was made by the Hon’ble Finance Minister in the Budget Speech for 2024-25. Meanwhile, we at Reserve Bank of India have till this juncture used the Sovereign Green Bonds (SGrB) framework for mapping of the green and sustainable sectors. This was also used when we issued a Framework on acceptance of Green Deposits in April 2023, which aligns with the SGrB framework towards identification of the green sectors. Thus, as a robust ecosystem enabler, the first building block would be a national level taxonomy for identification of the sectors and alignment of various regulatory dispensations along this taxonomy.
Consistent and harmonised Regulatory approach
4. The second building block would be a consistent and harmonised regulatory approach towards assessment of climate change risks and fostering of related financing. The climate change risks, and the related issues are sector agnostic, with significant inter-dependencies. To ensure that the net zero target announced by the Hon’ble PM at COP26 in 2021 is achieved by 2070, it would require players in the economy and financial system to fine-tune their respective actions/ measures, so that as a country, we can achieve this target. It would also require a consistent and harmonised approach among the concerned regulators and authorities.
Assurance and Verification Function
5. The next building block would be the development of robust assurance and verification functions. Assessment of climate related financial risks, green and sustainable finance are context specific, with need for a clear and objective demonstration of end use of funds. Transparency and related checks and balances that provide assurance on end use of the funds related to green and sustainable finance is extremely important. Given the technical expertise needed for assurance on climate related aspects, as well as adherence to benchmark assurance standards, there is a need to ensure credibility of this assurance and verification process. This would mean defining the requirement of consistent standards detailing expertise and skills that any assurer or verifier must possess to provide these services. A consistent approach across the financial system on the processes would provide confidence to the investors, which would then operate as a key enabler for increased flow of credit to the relevant sectors while addressing concerns around risks of greenwashing.
Transparency and Disclosures
6. The fourth aspect is the need for transparency in climate related disclosures. This is essential for financial institutions to assess and manage climate related financial risks, ensure transparency, and support long-term financial stability. It also underscores the need for coherence among various sectors on disclosure aspects. To give an example, if a financial institution is to make any lending or investment decision or assess its portfolio risks, or is mandated to make climate related financial disclosures, then it must depend on the borrowers to provide the requisite information. This means not just putting in place an enabling mechanism for both the lender and the borrower but also having consistency across the financial system for seamless flow of data and information. The Reserve Bank of India had published a draft “Disclosure framework on Climate-related Financial Risks”, in February 2024 for public consultation. The draft guidelines require Regulated Entities to make qualitative and quantitative disclosures with respect to climate related financial risks based on four broad areas, viz., (i) governance (ii) strategy (iii) risk management and (iv) metrics and targets. We have received comprehensive feedback on the framework basis which the guidelines are being finalised.
Complexities of climate change modelling and data considerations
7. Another area where consistency and harmonisation are required is compilation of data. For purpose of climate related financial risk, assessment and related facets of green and sustainable finance, be it transition or adaptation finance, data is very crucial. One of the limitations for climate risk assessment at this juncture is the need for technical expertise coupled with unique data requirements. Climate related data, understanding nuances of the climate patterns and the impact on account of climate change, is a highly technical and skilled job. Climate scientists across the world use super computers to study climate and weather patterns and its related aspects. It involves complex modelling and is resource intensive. If we depend on a financial sector expert, who uses financial modelling for assessing quantitative estimates and then arrive at the financial sector impact, this expertise alone may not suffice. The two skill sets needed for climate scenario analysis and climate finance risks are completely different in that as climate scientists are not experts in financial modelling and financial modellers have limited expertise in area of climate science. This makes the job of assessment of impact of climate change risks on financial sector more difficult and would therefore require collaboration amongst the two.
8. Given the impact of climate change risks, viz., physical and transition risks and the impact it has on the value of real assets and financial instruments, understanding these risks is crucial for lenders or investors from a risk-reward perspective. Thus, for uniform and consistent assessment of risks across the financial system, the aspect of disclosure and data becomes crucial. This will remove the misalignment of information between borrowers and lenders/ investors and not only allow a fair assessment of climate change risks but also foster green and sustainable finance.
9. As a part of this endeavour, Reserve Bank had in the monetary policy statement of October 2024, announced the formation of Reserve Bank – Climate Risk Information System (RB-CRIS). It is envisaged to bridge data gaps and provide standardised datasets to the Regulated Entities (REs) on three aspects – Physical Risk Data, Transition Risk Data, and Carbon Emission Factor Database. The physical risk data part would focus on providing pan-India hazard and vulnerability data. As regards the transition risk, the plan is to arrive at India specific transition scenarios and use them to provide sectoral benchmark transition pathways. Finally, recognising the need to standardise the emission calculation across the sectors, a consistent approach towards carbon emission methodology and the uniform database is also being proposed. Under RB-CRIS, the RBI intends to bring all the stakeholders together and bring coherence and bridge the existing data gaps.
Climate change and credit risks
10. Climate change risks impact the financial institutions, financial system and real economy through the traditional risk categories and one risk factor that prominently stands out is credit risk. Climate change would lead to additional operational costs for the borrowers with an increased possibility of loss of their assets, leading to increased probability of default by the borrowers. The real economy is also impacted through various means such as direct property losses, crop losses, loss of employment and livelihood losses. Another facet of credit risk in climate change emanates from the need to promote green and sustainable financing. The fact that the net-zero technologies driving the transition to decarbonisation, are at various developmental and evolving stages, itself signifies a significant increase in credit risks. Thus, there is a dichotomy wherein on one hand there is a need for incentivising green and sustainable finance and on the other there is an increase in inherent risks from encouraging such financing. So, the key issue is how to manage this dichotomy? While the prudential aspect, i.e., the risk management consideration, is the prime concern for any regulator, the flow of credit is generally market determined albeit mandated at times through specific directed lending policies. Therefore, a delicate balancing act needs to be performed by the regulators to avoid any imbalance from the broader financial stability perspective.
Challenges to Green and Sustainable Finance and Global Financing
11. Challenges to green and sustainable finance are many. However, they can be broadly categorised in two specific buckets – one is the structural issues while the other relates to the quantum of financing available. From the structural perspective, the main challenges would be, high-upfront capex requirements given the specific nature of required project loans/ investments; perceived high inherent risks given the evolving nature of climate related technologies; asset liability mismatches which is ubiquitous to any lending/ investing activity, more so in case of project loans given the longer maturity, commencement and gestation timelines; and knowledge and information gaps, given the technical nature of assessment of climate change risks and appraisal of climate related technologies.
12. As to the quantum of financing available, there are various pull and push factors at work, in the context of global capital mobilisation. The global capital stock of lending/ investments flows also follows a risk-reward perspective. The pull factors are the specific domestic enablers which may drive investor appetite. This would be a function of robustness of the financial ecosystem, liquidity, and depth of the financial markets, transparency and disclosure standards, rigour of verification and assurance mechanism, development and dissemination of risk assessment models for climate-related risks, data and capacity gaps, long-term strategy on transition plans, and availability of pool of bankable projects. The push factors would be the global commitment of funds for climate related funding. The recent geo-political developments could possibly lead to the weakening of these push factors. This is a developing story and there is a need to closely monitor the wider implications. Given the huge requirement for funding of the green transition, the availability of global funds remains critical.
13. The inherent risks in the green and sustainable finance, skews the risk-reward considerations leading to increased cost of credit. This leads to demand by private sector investors/ lenders for appropriate derisking mechanisms through grants/ guarantees/ philanthropic capital/ financial incentives, etc. Mobilising such capital on scale, would be a challenge. A related issue is the availability of bankable projects. Though, bankable projects invariably find credit, there are funding challenges with partially bankable and non-bankable projects. As you all may be aware, there are two aspects of climate change finance we need to consider, one is mitigation and other is adaptation. Mitigation is used for transition purpose and adaptation for resilience purpose. Financing in case of mitigation can be associated with cash flows, but it becomes difficult for adaptation and resilience, as the associated cash-flows are difficult to assess leading to sub optimal capital flows towards sustainable investments in resilient infrastructure and adaptation.
Augmenting green and sustainable finance
14. Given these limitations, there is a need for concerted efforts to overcome these challenges and augment green and sustainable finance. This would require a multi-pronged approach. Blended finance, which combines concessional public funding with private sector investment can be one of the main conduits of the credit flow by de-risking climate related projects. India is a diverse country, with varying needs of climate mitigation and resilience, meaning, a coastal area would require a differentiated approach as compared to the regions near the Himalayas. We would need practical implementable solutions, curated to specific issues. Tools like guarantees, sustainability-linked loans, and climate-resilient bonds could be explored to further enhance private sector involvement.
15. The problem of climate change needs scalable solutions, and it cannot come by entirely relying on public funds. There is thus a need to develop a market wherein the risk-reward perspective itself takes care of the scale of requirements. Even within adaptation space, there are pockets which can be associated with cash flows. Climate change risks and financing needs to be viewed also as an opportunity. Innovative solutions which not only mitigate financial risks associated with climate change but also incentivise private investors to participate in climate projects need to be explored.
16. Developmental Financial Institutions (DFIs) would have to play a major role in channelising the flow of credit for green and sustainable finance. There is a need for more collaboration between DFIs, Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), National Development Banks (NDBs) and Vertical Climate and Environmental Funds (VCEFs). Given the current geo-political developments, with the world moving to a multi-polar world, there is a need for certain reforms within the MDBs as well greater representation from/ credit to the global south.
17. Technology and innovation would play a major role in mitigation of climate change risks while creating a robust ecosystem for green and sustainable finance in the country. This requires developing a platform that would bring together the REs and technology solution providers, to facilitate an orderly development of required technological solutions to mitigate climate related risks and overcome the current limitations and foster sustainability linked credit flow. The Reserve Bank has on April 09, 2025, included sustainable finance and climate risk mitigation as a topic under the Theme Neutral “On Tap” application facility under the Regulatory Sandbox which could help develop and test innovative solutions.
The Way Forward
18. One term which often finds mention in global context has been “inter-operability”. While as a concept, inter-operability seems ideal in a just and equal world, in these times in a world with stark inequalities, mandating inter-operability with similar level of commitments, may not be the ideal way and there is a need for a differentiated approach. The Emerging Markets and Developing Economies (EMDEs) have started this journey to achieve seamless integration and inter-operability. However, there is yet some distance to be covered. Though, historical examples from high-income countries demonstrate the potential to decouple economic growth from emissions, for EMDEs this would require strong international co-operation, significant investments, and effective policies. Further, any transition from carbon intensive economy to a greener economy is not a smooth ride and there are going to be disruptions be it restructuring, reallocation of resources and financial flows as also displacement of workers and have a bearing on land use. Thus, as we traverse this journey there is a need for delicate balance to ensure that socio-economic implications are carefully considered and addressed.
19. Going forward, we would also need to arm our respective organizations with skilled manpower and technical expertise to spearhead the transformation in addressing the challenges of climate change. With this end in view, Reserve Bank has been conducting extensive capacity building programmes for the REs. The focus has been on bringing international experts to share their experience on green and sustainable financing, stress testing and scenario analysis, credit risk assessment, transition planning, physical risk assessment, and global best practices for governance, strategy and risk management.
Conclusion
20. India occupies a unique position in the global climate context. As one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, it faces the dual challenge of fostering and sustaining economic development while addressing climate change. On the one hand, it is highly vulnerable to climate risks while on the other hand, it has the potential to lead the global green transition. While we have made a fair start, there are several challenges that remain to be addressed. The risk management architecture in REs for climate related financial risks is still evolving and further concerted efforts are required. Further, a comprehensive assessment on the extent of losses that may be caused due to climate change risks in the future requires more granular approach. There is a need to build technical expertise and competencies for comprehensive assessment and mitigation of climate change risks. There is also a need for a more harmonised and coherent regulatory approaches across various sectors so that the sectoral dependencies may be addressed in an efficient manner. While the need for the world to transition to a greener tomorrow is given, there are several challenges on the way, and they need to be addressed in a holistic manner. We also need a collaborative and sensitive approach to address the various issues given the impact on the economies and the societies at large. I am confident seminars such as these give an opportunity to further the work to achieve these objectives.
ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on April 28, 2025.
Reefs in the ‘middle’ light zone along NZ’s coast are biodiversity hotspots – many are home to protected species Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James J Bell, Professor of Marine Biology, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington James Bell, CC BY-SA The latest update on the state of New Zealand’s environment paints a concerning outlook for marine environments, especially amid the increasing push to use the marine estate for
Pokies line the coffers of governments and venues – but there are ways to tame this gambling gorilla Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Charles Livingstone, Associate Professor, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University Recently, much public attention has been given to the way online wagering and its incessant promotion has infiltrated sport and our TV screens. Despite a 2023 parliamentary inquiry that recommended new restrictions on online
Vancouver SUV attack exposes crowd management falldowns and casts a pall on Canada’s election Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ali Asgary, Professor, Disaster & Emergency Management, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies & Director, CIFAL York, York University, Canada A car attack at a Filipino street festival in Vancouver just two days before Canada’s federal election has killed at least 11 people and injured many
Is Canada heading down a path that has caused the collapse of mighty civilizations in the past? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Hoyer, Senior Researcher, Historian and Complexity Scientist, University of Toronto Canada is, by nearly any measure, a large, advanced, prosperous nation. A founding member of the G7, Canada is one of the world’s most “advanced economies,” ranking fourth in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development’s
Rwanda’s genocide: why remembering needs to be free of politics – lessons from survivors Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samantha Lakin, Lecturer, Clark University Memory and politics are inherently intertwined and can never be fully separated in post-atrocity and post-genocidal contexts. They are also dynamic and ever-changing. The interplay between memory and politics is, therefore, prone to manipulation, exaggeration or misuse by clever actors to meet
In talking with Tehran, Trump is reversing course on Iran – could a new nuclear deal be next? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jeffrey Fields, Professor of the Practice of International Relations, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences A mural on the outer walls of the former US embassy in Tehran depicts two men in negotiation. Majid Saeedi/Getty Images Negotiators from Iran and the United States are set
What will the UK Supreme Court gender ruling mean in practice? A legal expert explains Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Maine, Senior Lecturer in Law, City St George’s, University of London jeep2499/Shutterstock The Supreme Court’s decision in For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers will mean changes in how trans people in the UK access services and single-sex spaces. In the highly anticipated judgment announced
What are ‘penjamins’? Disguised cannabis vapes are gaining popularity among young people Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jack Chung, PhD Candidate, National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, The University of Queensland Stenko Vlad/Shutterstock E-cigarettes or vapes were originally designed to deliver nicotine in a smokeless form. But in recent years, vapes have been used to deliver other psychoactive substances, including cannabis concentrates and
Used EV batteries could power vehicles, houses or even towns – if their manufacturers share vital data Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryoush Habibi, Professor and Head, Centre for Green and Smart Energy Systems, Edith Cowan University EV batteries are made of hundreds of smaller cells. IM Imagery/Shutterstock Around the world, more and more electric vehicles are hitting the road. Last year, more than 17 million battery-electric and hybrid
Climate change and the housing crisis are a dangerous mix. So which party is grappling with both? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ehsan Noroozinejad, Senior Researcher and Sustainable Future Lead, Urban Transformations Research Centre, Western Sydney University Australia is running out of affordable, safe places to live. Rents and mortgages are climbing faster than wages, and young people fear they may never own a home. At the same time,
Why film and TV creators will still risk it all for the perfect long take shot Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kristian Ramsden, PhD Candidate, University of Adelaide Apple TV In the second episode of Apple TV’s The Studio (2025–) – a sharp satirical take on contemporary Hollywood – newly-appointed studio head Matt Remick (Seth Rogen) visits the set of one of his company’s film productions. He finds
Is there a best way to peel a boiled egg? A food scientist explains Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paulomi (Polly) Burey, Professor in Food Science, University of Southern Queensland We’ve all been there – trying to peel a boiled egg, but mangling it beyond all recognition as the hard shell stubbornly sticks to the egg white. Worse, the egg ends up covered in chewy bits
Australia once had ‘immigration amnesties’ to grant legal status to undocumented people. Could we again? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sara Dehm, Senior Lecturer, International Migration and Refugee Law, University of Technology Sydney The year is 1972. The Whitlam Labor government has just been swept into power and major changes to Australia’s immigration system are underway. Many people remember this time for the formal end of the
Independents may build on Australia’s history of hung parliaments, if they can survive the campaign blues Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joshua Black, Visitor, School of History, Australian National University Major parties used to easily dismiss the rare politician who stood alone in parliament. These MPs could be written off as isolated idealists, and the press could condescend to them as noble, naïve and unlikely to succeed. In
Peter Dutton: a Liberal leader seeking to surf on the wave of outer suburbia Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In searching for the “real” Peter Dutton, it is possible to end up frustrated because you have looked too hard. Politically, Dutton is not complicated. There is a consistent line in his beliefs through his career. Perhaps the shortest cut
Albanese has been a ‘proficient and lucky general’. But if he wins a second term, we are right to demand more Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Strangio, Emeritus Professor of Politics, Monash University Barring a rogue result, this Saturday Anthony Albanese will achieve what no major party leader has done since John Howard’s prime-ministerial era – win consecutive elections. Admittedly, in those two decades he is only the second of the six
Peter Dutton declares Welcome to Country ceremonies are ‘overdone’ in heated final leaders’ debate Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andy Marks, Vice-President, Public Affairs and Partnerships, Western Sydney University Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton have had their fourth and final leaders’ debate of the campaign. The skirmish, hosted by 7News in Sydney, was moderated by 7’s Political Editor Mark Riley. Cost of
Election Diary: a cost-of-living election where neither leader can tell you the price of eggs Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The fourth election debate was the most idiosyncratic of the four head-to-head contests between Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton. Apart from all the usual topics, the pair was charged with producing one-word responses to pictures of
Trump’s war on the media: 10 numbers from US President’s first 100 days Reporters Without Borders Donald Trump campaigned for the White House by unleashing a nearly endless barrage of insults against journalists and news outlets. He repeatedly threatened to weaponise the federal government against media professionals whom he considers his enemies. In his first 100 days in office, President Trump has already shown that he was not bluffing.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ehsan Noroozinejad, Senior Researcher and Sustainable Future Lead, Urban Transformations Research Centre, Western Sydney University
At the same time, climate change is getting worse. Last year was Australia’s second‑hottest on record. Global warming is leading to more frequent and severe bushfires, floods and heatwaves.
These two crises feed each other. Energy-hungry homes strain the grid on hot days, and urban sprawl locks residents into in long car commutes. And dangerous, climate-driven disasters damage homes and push insurance bills higher.
It makes policy sense to deal with both crises in tandem. So what are Labor, the Coalition and the Greens offering on both climate action and housing, and are they fixing both problems together?
A returned Labor government would also allow first home buyers to use a 5% deposit to purchase a property. And it would invest in modern construction methods to speed up the building process and make housing more affordable.
The verdict: Labor’s plan represents progress on both climate and housing policy, but the two are moving on separate tracks.
Buildings account for almost a quarter of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions. But Labor has not made any assurances that the promised new homes will have minimal climate impact.
Labor’s commitment to new construction methods is welcome. Modern solutions such as prefabricated housing can substantially reduce emissions.
However, the spending represents only a tiny proportion of Labor’s $33 billion housing plans.
A Dutton-led government would also freeze building standard improvements for a decade, because it claims some improvements make homes more expensive.
On climate change, it would review Labor’s 43% emissions-reduction target, expand gas production and build small modular nuclear reactors at seven former coal sites.
The verdict: The Coalition’s housing and climate policies are not integrated. And while freezing changes to the national building code might lower the upfront costs of buying a home, it may prevent the introduction of more stringent energy-efficiency standards. This would both contribute to the climate problem and lock in higher power bills.
The party says its housing plans slash energy bills and emissions, because more homes would be energy-efficient and powered by clean energy.
The verdict: The Greens offer the most integrated climate-housing policy vision. But its plan may not be feasible. It would require massive public expenditure, significant tax reform, and logistical capabilities beyond current government capacity.
An integrated fix matters
Neither Labor, the Coalition nor the Greens has proposed a truly integrated, feasible policy framework to tackle the issues of housing and climate together.
Resilient, net-zero homes are not a luxury. They are a necessary tool for reaching Australia’s emissions-reduction goals.
And government policy to tackle both housing and climate change should extend beyond new homes. None of the three parties offers a clear timetable to retrofit millions of draughty houses or protect low-income households from heat, flood and bushfire, or has proposed binding national policies to stop new homes being built on flood plains.
Whichever party forms the next government, it must ensure housing and climate policies truly pull in the same direction.
Dr. Ehsan Noroozinejad has received funding from both national and international organisations to support research addressing housing and climate crises. His most recent funding on integrated housing and climate policy comes from the James Martin Institute for Public Policy (soon to be the Australian Public Policy Institute).
Barring a rogue result, this Saturday Anthony Albanese will achieve what no major party leader has done since John Howard’s prime-ministerial era – win consecutive elections. Admittedly, in those two decades he is only the second of the six prime ministers (the other is Scott Morrison), who has been permitted by his party to contest successive elections. The other four – Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull – were cut off at the knees by their colleagues before having the chance to seek re-election.
For a prime minister who has spent much of the past three years derided as a plodder, uninspiring and weak, this is no small feat. If longevity in office is the principal measure of the success of prime ministers, then Albanese will soon have claim to be the best of the post-Howard group. Before election day, he will leapfrog Turnbull’s tenure and if, as the polls suggest, he is returned to government on May 3, he will shortly thereafter exceed Gillard’s incumbency with a whole three years ahead to build on his reign.
Of course, duration of office is not the only benchmark of prime-ministerial achievement – more important is how power is exercised, the legacy that is left behind. Arguably, the productive Gillard still outranks Albanese in this respect, highlighted by her government’s establishment of the National Disability Insurance Scheme. This is widely regarded as the most transformative social reform since the advent of universal health care. On the other hand, if he is granted a second term by voters, Albanese will be in a position to build on his policy edifice and produce his own signature reform, something he still lacks.
A leader for the times?
When sitting down to write this essay about Albanese, I looked back at two of the questions I raised about him shortly before and after his May 2022 election. The first was whether he was capable of switching “to a more dynamic galvanising mode of leadership or will the circumspection that has defined him in opposition shackle him in government?”
The second question was whether voters would stick by the dogged and gentler type of leadership Albanese promised. Or if, in an environment of pent-up dissatisfaction with the order of things, they would lose patience with him and instead hanker for a “strong” leader: one who conquered and divided, and offered black and white solutions to the complex challenges of the early 21st century.
As recently as early March, the answer to both of these questions seemed a definite no. For some 18 months, the opinion polls had signalled the electorate was profoundly underwhelmed by Albanese and his Labor government.
Despite a busy legislative program, the incremental methods of his prime ministership had proved incompatible with the public’s disenchantment with business-as-usual practices. Precious little Labor had done had registered with voters.
By way of contrast, the Liberal opposition leader, Peter Dutton, gave the impression of being in tune with the disgruntled milieu. Not that the public had warmed to him: a common focus group reaction was he was “nasty”.
Yet Dutton had the hallmarks of a quintessential “strong” leader. He was a political hard man, a trader in fear and division. He projected decisiveness. Where Albanese was prone to looking wishy-washy, Dutton was a man to get things done.
As Niccolò Machiavelli recognised in his notorious, and mostly misunderstood, treatise on statecraft, The Prince, the fate of political leaders is significantly determined by “fortuna”. These are the forces largely beyond a prince’s control.
Fortuna has undoubtedly intervened in Albanese’s favour over the past couple of months. This began with Cyclone Alfred giving him a steal on Dutton. Manning the deck during the cyclone’s painstakingly slow landfall on the east coast of the Australia, Albanese had the advantage of a prime ministerial bearing. His government’s response to Alfred also enabled him to exercise two of his emotional calling cards: empathy and compassion.
Additionally, the cyclone was a timely demonstration of the increased frequency of extreme weather events in a climate change affected environment. This is a phenomenon the prime minister could credibly speak to. Whereas the opposition leader, at the head of a Coalition in which climate change denialism still runs deep, has dissembled about a connection by protesting he is not a scientist.
Alfred also compelled the delay of the election to a time more propitious for Labor. The April campaign has been heavily shadowed by the spectre of US President Donald Trump’s wilful and reckless disturbance of geopolitics and the international economy. Unquestionably, Albanese would have been better placed to capitalise on Washington’s caprice and the undiscriminating damage it is visiting on purported allies like Australia had his government opted for a less orthodox America-dependent defence and security posture.
Yet Trump’s second presidency is principally a liability for Dutton. This is not because he is a Trump ventriloquist. Dutton’s right-wing populist stance on issues such as immigration and climate change and his hostility to identity politics are indigenous to Australia rather than imported from America. He is exploiting themes unleashed in the Liberal Party by Howard, which have been rendered more aggressive by Howard’s successors, first Abbott and now Dutton.
My hunch has always been the opposition leader was misreading the national psyche. Australians are more optimistic, forward-looking and generous-hearted than he was banking on. They are less scared and less paranoid. Women and young voters especially loomed as a formidable barrier to his prime-ministerial ambitions. But the parallels between his locally originated brand of reactionary populism and Trumpism are sufficient to have made his tilt for power still more difficult.
Bloodless, perhaps, but methodical and scandal-free
Albanese’s political renaissance since March, however, is not solely a product of happenstance. Nor is it only due to Dutton’s unravelling: his quest for office has also been damaged by the Coalition’s flimsy policy development and his stumbles on the hustings.
The opinion polls currently indicate Labor’s primary and two-party preferred votes are hovering around the same level as at the 2022 election. If this translates into Saturday’s result, it would represent the first time a novice government has not shed support in modern Australian political history on its initial return to the polls. Gough Whitlam, Malcolm Fraser, Bob Hawke, Howard and so on all went backwards.
It is true Albanese is starting from a low base because of his slender victory in 2022. Still, should Labor hold its ground, this will surely owe something to an acceptance by the electorate, even if grudging, that Albanese deserves a second term. In other words, this could not merely be considered a victory by default, but also a degree of positive endorsement of his prime ministership.
On the cusp of his 2013 election win, Abbott pledged a return to “grown-up” government. After three years of destructive leadership conflict between Rudd and Gillard, he assured voters the “adults” would be back in charge. Over the course of the next nine years of Coalition rule, Abbott’s promise went woefully unfulfilled. It was a period blighted by further leadership civil war and policy indolence. By way of contrast, Albanese’s government has been united, orderly, industrious and scandal-free.
With the exceptions of the Gillard and Turnbull administrations, the other post-Howard governments have been notable for departing from conventional cabinet practices, an unhealthy level of leadership centralisation, a domineering Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and a tendency to run roughshod over the bureaucracy. The evidence from Albanese’s first term is he has learned from, and chiefly avoided, these follies.
An admirer of the governance practices of Hawke and Howard, the latter whom he closely observed over the despatch box between 1996 and 2007, Albanese does not “sweat the small stuff”. He avoids micromanaging his government, as Rudd was notoriously guilty of.
Detractors attribute this to a dearth of policy curiosity and a want of drive. But, whatever its explanation, the effect has been to give a competent ministerial team, many of them battle-scarred veterans of the tumultuous Rudd-Gillard years, leeway in their portfolios rather than choking their autonomy. The prime minister reaches down only when things “go awry” and, in those circumstances, he intervenes “forcefully” to “assume control”.
His PMO, headed since 2022 by Tim Gartrell, has been largely stable and has resisted the excessive command and control methods of many of its predecessors. After a decade of cutbacks under the Coalition and the degrading of its policy function through widespread outsourcing to giant consulting firms, the public service has been replenished and its policy input encouraged and respected.
Albanese has maintained a tight group of ministerial confidants around him, including the talented economics portfolio duo of Jim Chalmers and Katy Gallagher, as well as Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles and Mark Butler, Penny Wong and Tony Burke.
The continuity in membership of this “kitchen cabinet” suggests a prime minister gifted in collaboration and relationship management.
The downside to the ‘lone wolf’
The story is not all blue skies. As originally identified by the political correspondent, Katharine Murphy, now a media director in Albanese’s office, his early life as the only child of a single mother and invalid pensioner planted in him a powerful streak of self-sufficiency. This “lone wolf” element can see him lapse into relying too much and too stubbornly on his own judgement.
After a lifetime in the game, he is convinced he possesses uncommon political instincts. Yet his radar is sometimes astray. Examples include little things such as attending the wedding of shock jock Kyle Sandilands, as well as bigger miscalculations, such as purchasing an expensive beachfront property during a housing affordability crisis.
Few, if any, prime ministers avoid the urge for captain’s calls. Indeed, on occasions, going out on a solitary limb is essential for leaders. But Albanese has left ministers high and dry with some of his unilateral interventions, including blindsiding and humiliating environment minister and one-time leadership rival, Tanya Plibersek, by vetoing legislation to establish a national environment protection authority.
Albanese routinely cites a laundry list of achievements from the past three years. Against a backdrop of significant international turbulence, Labor’s handling of the economy has been mostly deft: inflation has been reduced, employment has grown, interest rates are finally on a downward trajectory and real wages have increased.
Analysis indicates it is households from low socioeconomic areas that have benefited most from the government’s tax and welfare changes. In short, redistributive action we expect from a Labor government.
The government has thrown its weight behind pay increases for poorly renumerated and predominantly female workforces in aged care and childcare. Childcare support has been extended and cheaper medicines delivered.
Labor has also introduced free TAFE and trimmed the debts of university students. In addition, the government has presided over amendments to industrial relations laws to improve protections for vulnerable workers in the gig economy.
Notwithstanding criticisms of its approval of new fossil fuel projects, Labor has pursued a concerted strategy to curb carbon emissions, encouraging a major increase in renewable energy supply and implementing complementary measures such as the vehicle efficiency standards scheme.
On the other hand, there have been glaring gaps in the Albanese government’s record. These include:
the stalling on banning gambling advertising, despite this being widely desired by the Australian public
the failure to lift many of the most disadvantaged members of the community out of poverty through a meaningful increase in JobSeeker and related income support payments, despite this being repeatedly recommended by the Labor appointed Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee
the inadequate due diligence applied to the Morrison government’s AUKUS agreement, an oversight all the more imprudent given the inconstancy of Trump’s America
the doleful silence on the Uluru Statement of the Heart agenda since the defeat of the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum. This leaves Albanese at risk of joining several of his predecessors, including Malcolm Fraser and Hawke, who later identified the lack of progress on First Nations affairs as the greatest regret of their prime ministerships.
The government’s reputation for stolidity has been exacerbated by Albanese’s deficiencies. In retrospect, he booby-trapped his own prime-ministership by crouching too low at the 2022 election. The Australian people wanted desperately to be rid of Morrison, affording Labor scope for a more expansive manifesto. The absence of audacity in the party’s program undoubtedly contributed to the public’s tepid embrace of the incoming government. Labor’s primary vote was at a century low.
In turn, because Albanese was intent on not exceeding his narrow mandate, he was hamstrung in office. He had to be needled by colleagues to finally walk away at the beginning of 2024 from the campaign promise not to amend Morrison’s stage three tax cuts despite their regressive nature – a change of stance the public welcomed.
His pedestrian communication skills, while congruent with his everyman persona, have had a dulling effect on his government. As Gillard did to her cost, he seems to operate on the premise his government will be known by its deeds rather than words or gestures of emotional freight. He is devoid of memorable or moving phrasing. Where Keating had the Redfern address, Rudd the Stolen Generation apology and Gillard, after repetitive provocation, the misogyny speech, it is hard to imagine Albanese delivering anything commensurately stirring or enduring.
The lament that governments lack an overarching narrative is commonplace in contemporary politics. But Albanese has showed little proclivity for weaving a compelling tale for his government, to joining the dots between its actions, or projecting what lies ahead on the horizon.
In that absence, each measure has been at risk of disappearing into the ether through the warp-speed media cycle. And he has been conspicuously tongue-tied on interpreting Australia’s national identity, a theme fruitfully mined by his most accomplished predecessors. At a moment when the distinctiveness of Australia’s democracy has come into sharp relief, this is a missed opportunity.
Some Labor insiders are confident that, in a second term, Albanese will pursue a more adventurous program. Change to an outmoded tax regime, which is particularly fuelling generational inequality, is widely considered the holy grail of reform.
One reason why the centre is holding better in Australia relative to other comparable democracies can be traced back to the modernising reforms executed in the final decades of the 20th century by the governments of Hawke and Keating, and the early Howard government. Crucially, under the former intrepid Labor duo, major social stabilisers were also introduced, such as Medicare and compulsory superannuation.
Though not without their own destabilising effects, these policy innovations helped insulate Australia from the deadly combination of drastic austerity, severe erosion of living standards and gross inequalities experienced in a number of other countries. These are the conditions on which aggressive right-wing populism has dined. The rub is, however, that the reforms of late last century are running out of puff, and patching the policy edifice built in those years is also exhausting its utility. We are on borrowed time.
If he is returned to the prime ministership on Saturday, there is an imperative for Albanese to spread his wings, to go beyond doggedly nudging the country along. Yet the danger is he will interpret election success as proof of his self-narrative that he has always been underestimated. As confirmation of his rare power of political intuition. As evidence he need not deviate from his first term formula of what he characterises as “considered, measured government”.
Albanese is a well-intentioned prime minister of evidently decent values. An individual of good character at the helm of nations matters, as anyone who studies leadership comes to recognise. What we can confidently say of him is that as prime minister, he has fulfilled the injunction of the Greek physician and philosopher, Hippocrates: “first, do no harm”.
In an era in which the potential of mad and bad rulers to wreak havoc is painfully on display, doing no harm is actually quite a mighty thing. To have a prime minister, who believes, as Albanese said during one of the campaign leader debates, that “kindness isn’t weakness” is, indeed, comforting as we witness shrivel-hearted strong men menance the globe.
Albanese has been a proficient as well as a lucky general. But we are right to yearn for more. A second term will test whether he can make the transition from a solid to a weather-making prime minister. We will also discover, should that step be beyond him, if he has the self-knowledge and grace of spirit, to pass the office on.
In the past, Paul Strangio received funding from the Australian Research Council
Major parties used to easily dismiss the rare politician who stood alone in parliament. These MPs could be written off as isolated idealists, and the press could condescend to them as noble, naïve and unlikely to succeed.
In November 1930, when independent country MP Harold Glowrey chose to sit on the crossbench of the Victorian parliament while his few peers joined the new United Country Party, the local newspapers emphasised that he could not “become a cabinet minister” or “have a say” in making policy from the sidelines. (As if he wasn’t aware.) Australia was a place where, according to the scribes at The Ouyen Mail, “very few constituencies were prepared to elect independent men”.
Things are rather different now. Lifelong loyalty to a single party has become a rarer thing among voters, with the Australian Election Study showing fewer than four in ten voters give their first preference vote to the same party at each election. It was more than seven in ten back in 1967.
Voters have gravitated towards alternatives to the two major parties. A new interactive data tool from the ABC shows just how much more competitive federal elections have become. Australians are now world leaders in sending independents to represent them in state and federal parliaments.
And who could call the independents of the recent past naïve? Independent MPs held the balance of power in New South Wales in the early 1990s, and in Victoria later that decade. Both parliaments saw substantive reforms and improved parliamentary processes.
A strong track record
At the federal level, a lineage of independents such as Ted Mack, Peter Andren, Zali Steggall, Cathy McGowan and her successor in Indi Helen Haines have all found new ways to give voice to their community in parliament. Voters, especially in rural electorates and formerly “safe” seats, have been attracted to candidates who promise to “do politics differently”, as McGowan so often puts it.
There are dozens of candidates making that promise at this election. At least 129 candidates are listed on House of Representatives ballot papers as independent or unaffiliated candidates in 88 seats. That’s almost twice as many independent candidates than in the 2013 election for the lower house. Around 35 of these are community independent candidates. A further 28 people are running as independents or ungrouped candidates in Senate races.
So who are the independent candidates, and what role might they play after May 3?
Who are the independent candidates?
For a start, around a third of all independent candidates for House of Representatives seats are women. Among the “community independent” candidates (commonly referred to as “teals”), it’s closer to four out of five.
This is entirely in keeping with the role daring women have played as the strongest custodians of non-party politics in Australia over the past 120-odd years.
Most of the women on ballot papers this year are professionals and public figures. Nicolette Boele, candidate for Bradfield, NSW, is a former consultant and clean energy financier who came close to unseating cabinet minister Paul Fletcher in 2022. In the seat of Calare, also in NSW, candidate Kate Hook describes herself as “a professional working mum” and “small farmer” with an interest in regional development and renewable energy. Caz Heise, candidate for Cowper (NSW) is a healthcare expert who carved a sizeable chunk out of the National Party vote in 2022. Independent candidate for Groom (Queensland) Suzie Holt is a social worker by training who finished second at the last election. Berowra’s Tina Brown is a local magazine publisher with deep roots in Sydney’s Hills District.
Who are the dozens on men putting themselves forward? Many are former mayors and councillors running for parliament while the opportunity presents itself. There are a small but noteworthy coterie of men running on a specifically Muslim platform, some of whom are running with the support of the Muslim Votes Matter organisation.
Of the few “teal” men, the most competitive by far is Alex Dyson, a third-time candidate in the western Victorian seat of Wannon, currently held by Dan Tehan, shadow minister for immigration and citizenship.
A former Triple-J presenter and comedian with a “side-hustle” as an Uber driver, Dyson will hope to benefit from his positioning at the top of the ballot paper for Wannon.
Crossbench contenders
Most of the women who swept into parliament in 2022 are campaigning to retain their seats. Dai Le in Fowler, Sophie Scamps in Mackellar, Allegra Spender in Wentworth, Zoe Daniel in Goldstein, Monique Ryan in Kooyong and Kate Chaney in Curtin all fit that category. Kylea Tink, who won the division of North Sydney in 2022, was inadvertently knocked out of the race by the Australian Electoral Commission, which abolished her seat last year.
Andrew Gee, Russell Broadbent and Ian Goodenough are all incumbent MPs running as independents in seats where they were previously elected as Coalition candidates. Tasmania’s Andrew Wilkie, a long-serving independent with first-hand experience of a federal hung parliament, is seeking his sixth successive victory.
Bob Katter and the Centre Alliance’s Rebekah Sharkie also seeking re-election to the lower house, while in the Senate, crossbenchers such as David Pocock and Jacqui Lambie are all looking to retain their places. So is Coalition defector Gerard Rennick, who quit the Liberal National Party in Queensland over a preselection loss.
Rennick’s is perhaps the tallest order of that bunch, but none of them can take anything for granted. Even Katter, with his half-century of parliamentary experience and huge local popularity, is almost 80 and is facing a large field of younger challengers, all of whom will appear above him on the ballot paper.
Campaign blues?
Plenty of people have been watching national opinion polls during this campaign. But the polls are not terribly insightful for seat-by-seat contests involving large numbers of independent contenders. Even experienced pollsters are saying it has “never been harder to get pre-election polling right”.
Months out from the election, polls conducted on behalf of Climate 200 were showing possible wins for Heise in Cowper and Boele in Bradfield. Both could win. Heise has reportedly amassed a formidable team of 3,500 volunteers in support of her grassroots campaign.
But the pressure and scrutiny of an election campaign can quickly put frontrunners under pressure. This is certainly true of Boele, whose campaign momentum stalled with a surprising scandal involving an inappropriate comment in a hair salon, as well as distancing herself from allegedly antisemitic posts on her social media posts in 2022, saying a former volunteer was responsible for them.
Multi-cornered contests between defector MPs, the major parties and community independents will also make for interesting viewing on election night. Broadbent and Goodenough both seemed quietly confident about their prospects when asked by the Australian Financial Review last week. The same cannot be said for Calare’s Andrew Gee, who began the election with a “Facebook fail” and has since endured a stressful few weeks of bitter campaigning.
When it comes to winning back the seats that independents won last time, Liberal feelings range from bullishness to bluster. Daniel faces a well-resourced campaign from her predecessor Tim Wilson in Goldstein and nothing is being spared in the contest against Chaney in Curtin.
In Kooyong, Ryan’s campaign has been hampered by the occasional error, such as her husband’s removal of an opponent’s corflutes and an awkward exchange with Sky News reporter Laura Jayes. In an election dominated by the housing affordability crisis, voters are less likely to remember these moments than the revelations that Ryan’s Liberal opponent, Amelia Hamer, a self-identified renter, happens to own two investment properties.
The biggest drama has been in the affluent Sydney seat of Wentworth, where Spender has weathered attacks about her political donations disclosures and approach to tackling antisemitism.
An anonymous person circulated 47,000 leaflets through the electorate criticising Spender’s “weakness” on antisemitism, flagrantly breaching electoral laws that require campaign material to be authorised. The Australian Electoral Commission has identified the culprit (said to have “acted alone”), but has been less forthcoming about whether it intends to litigate the issue after the election.
Making minority work
It seems premature to start talking, as some pollsters have, about a Labor majority after May 3. It remains entirely possible crossbenchers may hold the balance of power, and in doing so, exert significant influence on the next government.
In the third leaders’ debate, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, normally pragmatic, refused to countenance sharing power with other parties or MPs. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton made the surprising admission he would willingly make agreements with independent MPs in order to win.
He certainly wasn’t thinking of the “teals”, whom he so often berates as “Greens in disguise”. But there are others with whom he could easily work. Katter, Spender and Le are among Dutton’s preferred negotiating partners. Sharkie has already declared that in a hung parliament scenario, she would call Dutton first.
There is no rulebook for making a hung parliament work. In the past, new political configurations and coalitions have been born from hung parliaments, including the forerunners of the Liberal-National coalition.
Agreements can be limited to assurances of support on budget bills and confidence motions, or more expansive undertakings including policy commitments and institutional reform. In the event of a parliamentary impasse, crossbenchers can withdraw their support and allow a new minority government to be formed. The Australia Institute’s Frank Yuan recently pointed out seven changes of government have been triggered by the withdrawal of crossbench support. Indeed, during the second world war, two independent MPs effectively changed the government mid-term.
Much depends on the relationships forged at the start of a hung parliament. In his memoir, former New England MP Tony Windsor recounts the seventeen days of negotiations that followed the 2010 election. One of the factors that led him, along with follow independent Rob Oakeshott, to support the Labor Party was the “professionalism” and “respect” its leaders showed them. Former Coalition leader Tony Abbott, by way of contrast, gave Windsor the impression he was unlikely to endure minority government long enough to honour any of his commitments.
An especially aspirational crossbencher may even take on the role of Speaker. Wilkie and Sharkie have been recently touted as contenders for the role in a hung parliament scenario.
Reform hangs in the balance
Independents MPs would be likely to bring particular policy priorities to any minority government negotiation. Given the heated contests in independent electorates, truth in political advertising laws would probably be high on the agenda. Steggall has previously promoted reforms to Stop the Lies, but when the Albanese government chose not to progress its own version of this reform, independents signalled it would be high on their priority list in a hung parliament.
Crossbenchers – in both houses – might also treat recent changes to Australia’s electoral laws as a bargaining chip. Those changes, agreed between Labor and the Coalition in secret, promised to get big money out of politics by imposing donation and spending caps on everyone but with special caveats for major parties. Haines has declared these are “in her sights” if a hung parliament arises.
The menu of reform options gets wider from there. Spender has called for labour market and tax reforms that may not be palatable to all of her peers.
In the Senate (where “every day is minority government”), Pocock has outlined his firm demands for greater royalties from resources rents and reforms to negative gearing and capital gains tax concessions. Energy and climate policy, as well as support for rural Australia, would likely figure in a larger negotiation.
The crossbenchers would be hard-pressed to agree on everything, but there is strength and wisdom in numbers. Albanese and Dutton are both very experienced parliamentarians. Crossbenchers would likely need to put their heads together to exert maximum leverage.
If there is a hung parliament after May 3, history shows us it can be put to good use. The 43rd parliament, in which the Gillard government was in minority, was one of the most productive in recent history. It passed 561 bills including landmark measures such as the Clean Energy Future package and its centrepiece, a carbon price. It also passed needs-based funding for Australian schools, the National Disability Insurance Scheme and plenty more.
That seems a decent enough model for the next parliament to emulate. After all, as Harold Glowrey seemed to appreciate nearly a century ago, not everyone needs to be a cabinet minister to play their part in shaping the future.
Joshua Black is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at The Australia Institute.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
During the rain and tropical cyclone season, Hong Kong may occasionally be affected by tropical cyclones and the weather becomes unstable, with the possibility of strong winds and heavy rainfalls.
Students and parents are therefore reminded that in the event of tropical cyclones and heavy persistent rain, the Education Bureau (EDB) will announce the class suspension arrangements for that day based on the latest weather information and the conditions of roads, slopes, and traffic. The announcements will be made through the following channels:
Weather conditions
Corresponding measures
When Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 1 is issued
All schools, including kindergartens, are to operate as usual unless advised otherwise.
When Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 3 is issued
All Classes of kindergartens, schools for children with physical disability and schools for children with intellectual disability are to be suspended.
Other schools are to operate as usual unless advised otherwise.
When Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal Pre-No. 8 / No. 8 or above is issued
Classes of all schools are to be suspended.
When Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 or above is replaced by Signal No. 3
Classes of all kindergartens, schools for children with physical disability and schools for children with intellectual disability are to remain suspended.
Unless previous announcement has been made to the effect that classes will be suspended for the entire day, other schools are to resume if Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal 3 has been issued before 5:30 a.m. (for AM and whole-day schools), 10:30 a.m. (for PM schools) or 5:00 p.m. (for evening schools).
When Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 3 is replaced by Signal No. 1 or when all tropical cyclone signals are cancelled
All schools are to resume with the next session unless previous announcement has been made to the effect that classes will be suspended for the entire day.
When “The combined effect of strong wind and prolonged rainstorm is affecting/expected to affect Hong Kong” is disseminated by the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO)
In general, if this information is disseminated during the following periods, it means that student need not attend schools:
At or after 5:30 a.m. and before 8:00 a.m.: AM and Whole-day Schools
At or after 10:30 a.m. and before 1:00 p.m.: PM Schools
At or after 5:00 p.m. and before 7:00 p.m.: Evening Schools
If the above information is disseminated during school hours, schools should continue lessons until the end of normal school hours and ought to ensure that conditions are safe before allowing students to return home. Parents do not need to pick up their children from school immediately.
As the situations in localised areas may differ from the territory as a whole, parents can exercise their discretion in deciding whether or not to send their children to school if the local weather, roads, slopes or traffic conditions are adverse. Schools will be flexible in handling the affected students who arrive late or are absent from school at parents’ discretion on the day, and such students will not be penalised.
Weather conditions can change rapidly, so it is important for students and parents to pay close attention to the latest weather conditions provided by the HKO and check if the EDB has announced class suspension before leaving for school and during their journey to ensure safety.
Union Minister of State for Labour & Employment, Sushri Shobha Karandlaje, led the Indian delegation at the BRICS Labour & Employment Ministers’ Meeting held under Brazil’s Presidency in Brasília on 25th April 2025. The meeting, convened under the slogan “Strengthening the Cooperation of the Global South for More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance”, culminated in the adoption of a forward-looking declaration addressing two pivotal themes: “Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Future of Work” and “The Impacts of Climate Change on the World of Work and a Just Transition”.
Sushri Karandlaje highlighted India’s human-centric approach to technological transformation, aligning with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of “Technology for Empowerment, Not Exclusion”. She highlighted India’s National Strategy for AI, which prioritizes ethical adoption, workforce upskilling, and sectoral applications in agriculture, healthcare, and education. Initiatives like FutureSkills Prime and the Namo Drone Didi program exemplify India’s commitment to creating tech-enabled livelihoods, especially for rural women and youth. The National Career Service (NCS) platform, powered by AI, was showcased as a model for bridging skill gaps and connecting millions to employment opportunities.
On climate action, India emphasized it’s just transition framework, ensuring green growth translates into equitable job creation. The Sector Skill Council for Green Jobs (SSCGJ) and Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) were highlighted as transformative initiatives driving skilling and sustainable practices. India’s achievement of reduction in GHG emissions (2020–2019) and its net-zero by 2070 pledge reinforced its climate leadership. Collaborative efforts with the ILO to protect workers’ rights during this transition were also emphasized.
Key Outcomes of the BRICS Declaration
The declaration commits BRICS nations to:
Promote inclusive AI policies that balance innovation with worker protection.
Advance social dialogue to ensure fair climate transitions.
Strengthen South-South cooperation on labour governance, digital inclusion, and green job creation.
India’s contributions were commended for aligning cutting-edge technological advancement with inclusive social welfare, reflecting Hon’ble Prime Minister’s mantra of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas”. The meeting reaffirmed BRICS’ collective resolve to build a future where no worker is left behind in the face of AI-driven disruption or climate challenges.
Steel is the Backbone of India’s Economy, Coal and Mines Sector is the Strong Foundation on Which it Stands: Union Minister G Kishan Reddy Coal Gasification is Being Promoted as an Alternative, with a Target of 100 MT by 2030
Minister Urges Industry Partners to Actively Engage in Auction of Coking Coal Blocks
Posted On: 26 APR 2025 2:56PM by PIB Delhi
Union Minister of Coal and Mines, Shri G. Kishan Reddy, addressed the 6th edition of India Steel, a premier biennial International Exhibition-cum Conference on the steel sector, in Mumbai Today. The International Exhibition-Cum-Conference on Steel served as a significant platform for dialogue among policymakers, industry leaders, academia, researchers, and civil society on the evolving dynamics of the steel sector and its symbiotic relationship with the coal industry.
In his keynote address, Union Minister of Coal and Mines, Shri G.Kishan Reddy emphasized that steel serves as the backbone of India’s economic progress and a vital enabler of the national vision for Viksit Bharat 2047. He highlighted how India is setting new global benchmarks in infrastructure development, from the Chenab Bridge in Jammu & Kashmir, the world’s highest railway bridge, to the historic Pamban Bridge in Tamil Nadu—all made possible by the growing strength of the steel sector. Every milestone in the nation’s infrastructure journey, he remarked, is forged in steel—reflecting the momentum and aspirations of a Nation on the move.
He adds that India’s steel sector has grown at an impressive pace in recent years, positioning the country as the second-largest steel producer globally. Citing the words of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Minister referred to steel as India’s “Sunrise Sector” a key driver of domestic consumption, industrial expansion, and self-reliance through the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan.
Shri Reddy emphasized that if steel forms the backbone of India’s economy, the coal and mining sector represents the strong foundation on which it rests. He highlighted the importance of raw material security, especially in the context of the current session on Raw Material Strategy and the Shift in Raw Material Mix. Ensuring the availability of critical raw materials like iron ore, coking coal, limestone, and essential alloying elements such as manganese, nickel, and chromium, he noted, is both an economic necessity and a strategic imperative.
India recently achieved a landmark milestone of 1 BT of coal production and dispatch in the last financial year—a transformative step toward national energy security. Energy Statistics 2025 reveal that coal continues to account for nearly 60% of India’s total energy requirements and 70% of its electricity generation. While efforts to enhance renewable energy are underway, the Minister reaffirmed that coal will remain central to India’s energy and industrial landscape in the foreseeable future.
Focusing on coking coal, a critical input in steel manufacturing, Shri Reddy pointed out that it constitutes nearly 42% of steel production costs. India currently imports around 85% of its coking coal needs, rendering the industry vulnerable to international price volatility and supply chain disruptions. In response, the Government launched the Mission Coking Coal in 2021, aimed at reducing import dependency, targeting 140MT of domestic production, and increasing blending of domestic coal from 10% to 30% in steelmaking by 2030.
Key initiatives under this mission include the identification of new exploration areas, boosting output from existing mines, increasing coal washing capacity, and auctioning new coking coal blocks to private enterprises. The adoption of advanced technologies such as Stamp Charging has been encouraged to allow the use of high-ash domestic coal without compromising quality. The mission also aims to build 58 MT of coal washing capacity and supply 23 MT of washed coking coal by 2030.
The Minister called upon private stakeholders to actively participate in washeries, beneficiation plants, and block auctions. Pulverised Coal Injection (PCI) trials using domestic coal have already shown promise for import substitution, and greater innovation in beneficiation can further improve outcomes.
Turning to iron ore, the Minister highlighted India’s vast reserves of over 35 BT making it the fifth largest globally. With 263 MT of iron ore produced in FY 2024-25 and 50 MT exported, the country is working to ensure supply keeps pace with growing domestic demand. Currently, we have 179 working iron ore mines, and 126 blocks have been auctioned so far and 38 of them already operational and many more in pipelines. He noted, however, that over 66% of reserves are of medium and low-grade quality and require beneficiation.
To address this, the Ministry of Mines has proposed a policy currently under public consultation to promote low-grade ore beneficiation. Policy reforms, including revised royalty rates for limestone and low-grade ore, are being pursued to encourage private sector involvement.
The Minister also emphasized the importance of timely utilization of greenfield mines, as reiterated by the Prime Minister. Delays in operationalizing such assets amount to a waste of national resources. The Ministry is working closely with States and regularly reviewing progress with bidders to expedite mine development. Coordination with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has also been enhanced to streamline clearances. Several key guidelines have been issued over the past six months, with further reforms in progress.
The coal and mining sectors, the Minister stated, are evolving rapidly to align with sustainability goals and India’s climate commitments while reducing import dependence. The government is promoting innovation and embracing a whole-of-government approach to these challenges.
A flagship initiative in this direction is the National Coal Gasification Mission, which aims to achieve 100 MT of gasification by 2030 with an investment of ₹8,500 crore. This initiative promotes the use of high-ash, non-coking domestic coal to generate synthesis gas (syngas), a cleaner alternative for DRI (Direct Reduced Iron) steelmaking. He urged the industry to invest in this transformational technology that not only reduces emissions but also enhances energy security and economic value chains.
In addition, the Minister called on the mining community to focus on recovery of critical minerals from dumps and tailings to support advanced alloys and green technologies. Testing and recovery from existing dumps must be taken up as a national priority.
The journey towards a secure, resilient, and sustainable raw material strategy is a collective one. Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is progressing on a bold and ambitious path for the steel sector. The National Steel Policy envisions achieving 300 MT of production capacity by 2030-31 and 500 MT by 2047. The Ministry of Coal and the Ministry Mines are fully aligned with this vision and is taking proactive steps to ensure its realization.
Shri Reddy expressed confidence that through close collaboration between the Centre, State Governments, and industry stakeholders, India will not only meet its raw material requirements domestically but also emerge as a global leader in sustainable, self-reliant steel production. He urged all participants at the conference to contribute actively to shaping policies that will secure a greener and more resilient future for the nation’s steel ecosystem.
Earlier on the inaugural day, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addressed the event via video conferencing, in the presence of several Union Ministers and Chief Ministers from three States, setting the tone for the importance of collaborative development in the sector.
On the second day of Steel Expo, Shri Vikram Dev Dutt, Secretary, Ministry of Coal, participated in the Round Table Interaction on Raw Material Availability in the Steel Sector and highlighted the remarkable shift in the coal sector’s approach. He remarked that the sector is undergoing through a historic paradigm shift from being a legacy sector to becoming a key pillar of the vision Atmanirbhar Bharat. Elaborating on the Ministry’s forward-looking strategy, he pointed out that efforts are being made to raise domestic coking coal production, improve coal washing practices to enhance fuel quality, and promote the adoption of advanced coke-making and gasification technologies to enable cleaner steelmaking. He emphasized that a collaborative approach involving both public and private stakeholders is essential to foster innovation and unlock the full potential of India’s coal reserves.
Organized by the Ministry of Steel, India Steel Expo 2025 served as a premier platform for global stakeholders to deliberate on key issues pertaining to growth strategies, sustainable practices in steel production, resilience amidst evolving global economic conditions, and the pivotal role of innovation and digital transformation in enhancing industrial competitiveness. The event witnessed a constructive exchange of perspectives, exhibitions of advanced technologies, and comprehensive discussions on resource efficiency and environmental responsibility. The active participation of the Ministry of Coal further underscored the strategic integration of the coal and steel sectors, highlighting their collective commitment to fostering a sustainable, self-reliant, and forward-looking industrial landscape. The presence of prominent domestic and international participants reaffirmed India’s growing stature in shaping the future of the global coal and steel ecosystem.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
During the rain and tropical cyclone season, Hong Kong may occasionally be affected by tropical cyclones. These tropical cyclones may bring both strong winds and heavy rainfalls to the region.
If the above information is disseminated during school hours, schools should continue lessons until the end of normal school hours and ought to ensure that conditions are safe before allowing students to return home. Parents do not need to pick up their children from school immediately. For more information on the combined effect, please refer to the HKO’s online educational resources (
As the situations in localised areas may differ from the territory as a whole, parents can exercise their discretion in deciding whether or not to send their children to school if the local weather, roads, slopes or traffic conditions are adverse. Schools will be flexible in handling the affected students who arrive late or are absent from school at parents’ discretion on the day, and such students will not be penalised.
Weather conditions can change rapidly, so it is important for students and parents to pay close attention to the latest weather conditions provided by the HKO and check if the EDB has announced class suspension before leaving for school and during their journey to ensure safety.
Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Current Mesoscale DiscussionsUpdated: Sun Apr 27 03:19:03 UTC 2025 No Mesoscale Discussions are currently in effect.
Notice: The responsibility for Heavy Rain Mesoscale Discussions has been transferred to the Weather Prediction Center (WPC) on April 9, 2013. Click here for the Service Change Notice. Archived Convective ProductsTo view convective products for a previous day, type in the date you wish to retrieve (e.g. 20040529 for May 29, 2004). Data available since January 1, 2004.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn)
SAINT PAUL, Minn. — Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.) reintroduced the Mississippi River Restoration and Resilience Initiative (MRRRI) Act(H.R. 2977) on Tuesday, aiming to establish a non-regulatory initiative to coordinate restoration and resilience opportunities along the Mississippi River corridor. MRRRI is modeled on the highly successful Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). Upon reintroducing the legislation for the 119th Congress, Congresswoman McCollum issued the following statement:
“I grew up along the Mississippi River in South St. Paul, where I learned to cherish this world-class waterway,” said Congresswoman McCollum. “The river was a vital channel for commerce then, and it still is today. But back then, nobody cared for the Mississippi – and the quality of the water suffered, as did the ecosystem that relies on it. Thanks to those who stepped up to protect it, the Mississippi River remains a working river for the wildlife, families, recreationists, and businesses that depend on it.
“Earth Day is the ideal time to assess the great progress we’ve made, but at the same time, understand the growing risks. From the northernmost headwaters in Lake Itasca to the Middle Mississippi where it meets the Ohio River, and all the way down to the Mississippi Delta, the health of this great river continues to be at risk.Just days ago, the Mississippi River was named ‘America’s Most Endangered River’ by conservation organization American Rivers.
“Flooding and other extreme weather events, pollution, and runoff threaten the river and surrounding communities. The health of the river is critical not just for the sake of the natural beauty, wildlife, and climate change-fighting capabilities of these resources, but for our economy and so our communities can thrive as well. That’s why I’m proud to introduce the Mississippi River Restoration and Resilience Act. Future generations are counting on us. We must act with urgency.”
The Mississippi River Restoration and Resilience Initiative would:
Improve community resilience to climate change and reduce flood risk by restoring floodplains, riverine wetlands, delta and coastal wetlands, and backwaters
Improve drinking water quality in the Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico by reducing polluted runoff
Protect and restore wildlife habitat throughout the river corridor
Prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species in the river system
Background:
McCollum first introduced the MRRRI Act in the U.S. House of Representatives in the 117th Congress.
The Mississippi River Restoration and Resilience Initiative (MRRRI) would invest in building resilience to increased flooding and storms, improving water quality, restoring wildlife habitat, and stopping the spread of aquatic invasive species. MRRRI would also improve coordination at the federal level around the challenges of protecting and improving the Mississippi River and make additional federal investments all along the Mississippi River Corridor. The initiative would fund community-driven projects,guided by an action plan that is shaped by state, tribal, and local government partners with the input of stakeholders working together to improve the health of America’s River and the communities that rely on it.
The changes to the bill for the 119th Congress are:
Adding reference to the Hypoxia Task Force as a consulting entity and making clear that MRRRI is not to supplant the functions of the Hypoxia Task Force;
Removal of the findings section
Changing the wording of eligible activity (xi) to emphasize building capacity within communities to undertake MRRRI projects
Removal of funding set-asides and related definitions
Changing the number of Mississippi River Science Centers to 3 (A National, Upper, & Lower center).
Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA)
WASHINGTON, D.C – Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-07), Co-Chair of the bipartisan National Service Caucus, led 149 lawmakers in sending a letter to President Donald Trump defending AmeriCorps and NCCC AmeriCorps members and calling on him to reverse cuts to the program made last week by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
The letter was also led by U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-DE), Co-Chair of the bipartisan National Service Caucus, U.S. SenatorMartin Heinrich (D-NM), Vice Chair of the bipartisan National Service Caucus, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Congresswoman Alma Adams (NC-12), Ranking Member of the Education and Workforce Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development.
The Trump Administration placed a majority of AmeriCorps employees on leave last week as part of DOGE’s broader spending cuts. Programs such as AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors deploy more than 200,000 Americans annually to carry out results-driven projects at over 35,000 locations across the country. Working in partnership with thousands of non-profit, faith-based, and community organizations, these dedicated volunteers and workers help promote employment opportunities, strengthen the workforce, and support those in need.
“We are deeply concerned these actions will prevent the agency from continuing to deliver critical services, which include supporting veterans, fighting wildfires, tutoring in schools, combatting the fentanyl epidemic, and much more,” the lawmakers wrote.
The lawmakers highlighted the program’s benefits to society, to AmeriCorps members, and to the federal government—pointing to a non-partisan study showing that there are an estimated $17 in benefits returned for every taxpayer dollar spent. Additionally, the recently passed Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act of 2025 maintains AmeriCorps funding at its Fiscal Year 2024 level and serves as a continuing resolution to extend federal government funding through the end of Fiscal Year 2025. The lawmakers emphasized that the administration is expected to implement the law in a manner consistent with the funding levels enacted in Fiscal Year 2024. Failure to do so would be a violation of the law.
“If not reversed, these recent actions will both stop current programs and prevent timely and efficient execution of the agency’s Fiscal Year 2025 appropriations, delaying or even halting the recruitment and deployment of new AmeriCorps members around the country,” the lawmakers continued.
AmeriCorps programs serve communities nationwide, including in California, where roughly 7,000 AmeriCorps members provide intensive service at AmeriCorps programs in over 1,000 locations, including schools, non-profits, public agencies, and community centers across the state. If the Trump Administration’s actions aren’t reversed, these critical services could come to a halt.
“We are deeply concerned that this is the goal: to eliminate AmeriCorps, in direct conflict with recently enacted appropriations. However, even delays will disrupt programs Americans rely on for their health, education, and safety. We urge you to reverse these actions and instead work with Congress on bipartisan improvements to AmeriCorps so that more Americans have the opportunity to serve their communities,” the lawmakers concluded.
You can read the full text of the letter hereand below.
Dear President Trump:
We write to express our strong support for AmeriCorps and urge you to reverse both the recall of all NCCC AmeriCorps members and the recently implemented drastic reductions in force across the AmeriCorps agency. We are deeply concerned these actions will prevent the agency from continuing to deliver critical services, which include supporting veterans, fighting wildfires, tutoring in schools, combatting the fentanyl epidemic, and much more.
For more than thirty years, AmeriCorps has been our nation’s leading provider of grants that support and promote national service and volunteerism. Through programs like AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors, more than 200,000 Americans participate in results-driven service projects at more than 35,000 locations across the country each year. Working hand in hand with thousands of nonprofit, faith-based, and community organizations, these dedicated Americans recruit and manage millions of additional volunteers as they work to promote employment opportunities, prepare a better-trained workforce, and provide essential services to veterans, children, and seniors. AmeriCorps’ track record of delivering for Americans has earned broad and longstanding support from business leaders, mayors, and governors of both parties.
AmeriCorps is a public-private partnership that leverages approximately $1 billion in matched resources from the private sector, foundations, and local agencies to support organizations across the country working in creative ways to tackle our most persistent and costly challenges. While it is important the agency continues to make measurable progress toward an improved audit performance, federal investments in AmeriCorps already deliver returns for the American people. A 2020 study found that for every one dollar that Congress appropriates to AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors programs, they return over $17 in benefits to society, program members, and the government. Further, the AmeriCorps programs are a smart investment in our country’s future. AmeriCorps service allows members to gain marketable job skills in high-demand fields and pursue higher education, preparing more Americans to succeed in the workforce.
We have seen firsthand the critical impact these programs have across the states we represent. We urge the administration to continue implementing the statutory requirements of the national service laws:
Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973, Public Law 93-113.
National and Community Service Act of 1990, Public Law 101-610.
National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993, Public Law 103-82.
Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act of 2009, Public Law 111-13.
Additionally, Congress recently passed the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act of 2025, which maintained funding for AmeriCorps at its Fiscal Year 2024 level. We expect that the administration will implement this law in a manner consistent with the allocations enacted in Fiscal Year 2024. However, we have grave concerns that significant reductions in force will prevent AmeriCorps from being able to effectively and efficiently award appropriated funding to programs operating in communities across the country.
We are deeply concerned by reports that a majority of AmeriCorps staff have been placed on administrative leave and that more than 750 NCCC members have already been recalled from their field assignments. Many of these volunteers were working in disaster response roles, including building homes for individuals who lost theirs in the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. If not reversed, these recent actions will both stop current programs and prevent timely and efficient execution of the agency’s fiscal year 2025 appropriations, delaying or even halting the recruitment and deployment of new AmeriCorps members around the country. We are deeply concerned that is the goal: to eliminate AmeriCorps, in direct conflict with recently enacted appropriations. However, even delays will disrupt programs Americans rely on for their health, education, and safety. We urge you to reverse these actions and instead work with Congress on bipartisan improvements to AmeriCorps so that more Americans have the opportunity to serve their communities.
As the world marks World Penguin Day, South Africa has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting one of its most iconic yet critically endangered species — the African penguin.
The Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE) has outlined bold steps being taken to halt the dramatic population decline of these seabirds, which have seen their numbers plummet to fewer than 9 000 breeding pairs in the country.
“The African penguin faces critical complexities, with fewer than 9 000 breeding pairs remaining in South Africa, earning them a critically endangered status. Climate change, overfishing, oil spills, and maritime noise pollution have driven steep declines, but our department, alongside dedicated partners, is taking bold action to reverse this trajectory,” said Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, on Friday.
The Minister described the African penguin as “a beloved symbol of South Africa’s rich biodiversity and a species at the heart of conservation efforts”.
“As we mark World Penguin Day, I call on all South Africans to join us in protecting these remarkable creatures. Their survival reflects the health of our oceans and our commitment to a sustainable future,” George said.
In a landmark development this March, a court-backed agreement between the fishing industry and leading conservation organisations — BirdLife South Africa and the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) — was announced.
The deal establishes biologically significant no-fishing zones around six critical penguin breeding sites: Dassen Island, Robben Island, Stony Point, Dyer Island, St Croix Island, and Bird Island. These areas account for 76% of the country’s African penguin population.
“This agreement, now an order of the court, establishes biologically meaningful no-fishing zones around six key penguin colonies -notably, 12-mile fishing closures around Robben Island and Bird Island, alongside tailored restrictions at other sites, will secure vital sardine and anchovy stocks for penguins over the next decade.
“This achievement was forged by the DFFE through dialogue with the fishing industry, and balances ecological and economic needs, proving collaboration can deliver results.”
The department is also confronting the devastating environmental consequences of bunkering — ship-to-ship fuel transfers — in Algoa Bay, near St Croix Island, formerly the largest African penguin colony in the world.
“Oil spills and underwater noise from ship-to-ship refuelling have decimated this population. Following a pause in bunkering activities in 2023, we observed a small but encouraging recovery at St Croix.
“Our department is now advancing stricter bunkering regulations to permanently restrict such activities in sensitive ecological zones, safeguarding penguins from further harm,” said the Minister.
In addition to these efforts, government is bolstering Marine Protected Areas to enhance fish stocks, backing SANCCOB’s work in rehabilitating injured penguins, and funding research to continuously refine conservation strategies.
“Partnerships with organisations like SANCCOB, who recently released rehabilitated penguins like Hope back to the wild, inspire us all,” George said. — SAnews.gov.za
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The Government launched the Hong Kong’s Climate Action Plan 2050 on 8 October 2021, setting out the vision of “Zero-carbon Emissions· Liveable City·Sustainable Development”, and outlining the strategies and targets for combating climate change and achieving carbon neutrality. For details, please see the Action Plan.
Yaoundé, March 21, 2025 – As deforestation accelerates and food security worsens, Indigenous and local communities in Cameroon are demanding urgent action. On the International Day of Forests, Greenpeace Africa and Indigenous leaders called for the creation of a Congo Basin Forest Day—a day to formally recognize the frontline defenders of Africa’s largest rainforest and their fight against environmental destruction
“One day to honor a lifetime of protection”
For SM Nkolo Thade, chief of Nyamibete, the initiative is long overdue:
“Year after year, nothing changes. Our rights remain ignored, and our efforts to protect the forest go unrecognized. Indigenous and local communities are the backbone of forest conservation, yet we are marginalized. One day out of 365 would be a powerful step toward acknowledging our role and our fight to safeguard the planet.”
This year’s International Day of Forests focuses on “Forests and Food”- a theme that directly impacts communities who rely on the forest for survival. Stella Tchoukep, Forest Campaigner at Greenpeace Africa, warned of the escalating crisis:
“Food insecurity is skyrocketing across Africa. Destroying forests means destroying the livelihoods of millions. It’s time for conservation funding to go directly to the communities that have protected these forests for generations. Without them, there is no future for these ecosystems.”
Deforestation, climate change, and a race against time
Cameroon’s forests are disappearing at an alarming rate. Mining, industrial agriculture, and illegal logging are stripping the land, devastating biodiversity, and deepening poverty. Instead of bringing promised development, these projects push rural communities into crisis.
“The pressure on Cameroon’s forests is relentless. Expanding agro-industry, mining and deforestation are wiping out ecosystems and driving food insecurity. Climate change is making things worse – erratic rainfall is crushing crop yields, and entire communities are on the brink. As Cameroon drafts its first-ever land policy, it must prioritize the land rights of forest communities before it’s too late,” urged Tchoukep.
The numbers are alarming: 74% of households report declining harvests, 70% say soil quality is deteriorating, and in 2023, three million Cameroonians – 11% of the population – faced acute food insecurity, according to a study published by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.
A global movement to safeguard forests
This crisis is bigger than Cameroon. Greenpeace Africa is pushing for a global response through its Forest Solutions Campaign, bringing together the world’s three largest rainforest basins to champion local solutions and demand real funding for the people protecting these forests.
The message is clear: time is running out. Without urgent action, the Congo Basin – the planet’s second-largest rainforest – will be lost, along with the communities that live there and protect it. Greenpeace Africa and its allies are calling on governments, international organizations, and the public to stand with Indigenous and local communities in defense of one of the world’s last great forests.
ENDS
Contacts:
Luchelle Feukeng, Communication and Storytelling Manager, [email protected], +237 656 46 35 45
European Investment Bank and PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna seal new financing agreement worth PLN 2.25 billion (over€525 million).
EIB loan will support Poland’s energy transition, helping strengthen economic competitiveness and security.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) granted PLN 2.25 billion to Poland’s top utility PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna (PGE) to support renewable energy production. The favourable loan will allow PGE to develop its network of photovoltaic installations throughout the country and to modernise an existing pumped-storage power plant.
The seventh agreement between the EIB and PGE will support the firm’s decarbonisation strategy by enabling planned investments in photovoltaic installations with a shared production capacity of nearly 730 MW, and the upgrade of a pumped-storage power plant (540 MW) in southern Poland. Provided under REPowerEU, the funding will support energy transition, as well as climate and environmental action in Poland, in line with the EIB’s role as the climate bank of the EU.
“Developing green energy is a key part of energy transition, and a precondition for security and economic competitiveness. This agreement between the EIB and PGE will increase the available renewable energy capacity, supporting strategic development needs of Poland and the European Union as a whole,” said EIB Vice-President Teresa Czerwińska. “Providing financing for climate projects and energy transition is one of the EIB’s top priorities. Last year, we invested €2.5 billion in this area in Poland alone, including €850 million in power grid projects. This year, we have already provided a leading contribution to the construction a major offshore wind farm, Baltica 2, and today are adding further PGE renewable energy projects to our portfolio.”
The planned investments will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution related to power generation based on fossil fuels. They will mainly be located in regions of Poland where GDP per capita is below the EU average, thus strengthening territorial and economic cohesion.
The development of renewable energy sources like wind and solar requires increased grid flexibility, including storage capacity, which is made possible by pumped-storage hydropower plants. PGE’s Porąbka-Żar plant, the second-largest pumped-storage power plant in Poland, can store clean energy during periods of higher production or lower demand.
“Expanding renewables is a crucial element of Poland’s energy transition. We need to ensure stable supplies of clean energy to consumers in order to be able to effectively decarbonise the energy sector. The European Investment Bank’s support will allow PGE Group to increase the share of green energy in our mix,” said Dariusz Marzec, President of the Management Board of PGE Group.
Background information
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, the capital markets union, and a stronger Europe in a more peaceful and prosperous world.
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. The Group’s financing in Poland increased to €5.7 billion last year. 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.
PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna is the largest electric power company and supplier of electricity and heat in Poland. By combining its fuel and power generation resources with distribution networks, PGE guarantees safe and stable supply of electricity and heat to nearly 6 million customers. The Group’s generating units produce over 40 percent of electricity in Poland. In the coming years, PGE plans to continue developing renewable energy sources – especially based on wind and sun energy – as well as carrying out investments in energy storage, distribution and decarbonisation of the heat generation segment. The PGE Group investment plan covers Poland’s largest offshore wind projects, the most advanced of which – Baltica 2 with a capacity of 1.5 GW and planned commissioning date in 2027 – is being implemented in cooperation with Ørsted.
Question for written answer E-001551/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Sander Smit (PPE)
Recent studies indicate that the impact of ‘carbon leakage’ resulting from strict EU climate policies has long been underestimated[1][2][3][4]. Meanwhile, Eurostat data suggest that the EU’s carbon footprint has returned to 2016 levels[5] – implying that net annual CO₂ emissions have not decreased. The withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Agreement further increases the risk of carbon leakage and a growing EU carbon footprint.
Under the European Climate Law[6], the Commission is required to consider competitiveness, cost-effectiveness, environmental impact and the actions of other major economies before proposing intermediate targets.This includes assessing whether the policy leads to a measurable reduction in emissions, whether the cost – estimated at 9.2 %[7] of the EU’s GDP annually – is justified, and whether key trading partners, such as the United States, are taking comparable steps.
Despite these concerns, the Commission recently reaffirmed its commitment to a 90 % reduction by 2040 under the Clean Industrial Deal.
1.Does an unchanged carbon footprint imply that climate policies are ineffective?
2.Will the US exit from the Paris Agreement prompt a new impact assessment?
3.Can the 2040 target face legal challenges under Article 4 of the European Climate Law if its full impacts are not assessed?
[6] Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 June 2021 establishing the framework for achieving climate neutrality and amending Regulations (EC) No 401/2009 and (EU) 2018/1999 (‘European Climate Law’) (OJ L 243, 9.7.2021, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/1119/oj).
Three years into the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Europe has significantly diminished its reliance on Russia. Even though the EU has been importing liquified natural gas (LNG) primarily from the US, Norway, and Qatar since the onset of hostilities, the continent has decreased its overall consumption of fossil fuels, particularly the power sector has progressively become cleaner. The structural modifications to the permitting process for renewable energy projects and hydrogen initiatives are expected to further accelerate the region’s energy transition, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
GlobalData’s latest report, “Europe Renewable Energy Policy Handbook 2025,” reveals that in response to structural changes in permitting, EU countries acted in a united and prompt manner. Merely weeks following Russia’s incursion into Ukraine, the leaders of the 27 EU member states resolved to expedite the EU’s transition away from reliance on Russian fossil fuels by diversifying energy supplies and sources, curtailing the use of fossil fuels, and accelerating the transition to cleaner energy sources. Subsequently, the European Commission introduced the REPowerEU plan—a strategic framework aimed at enhancing the EU’s energy independence and promoting the adoption of clean energy.
The EU, with its “Fit for 55” package, is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030, thereby aligning its energy targets with an emphasis on renewable energy. In 2023, the EU, under the revised REPowerEU plan, set a goal for a 42.5% renewable energy share by 2030. Member states are encouraged to contribute through their respective National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs). The EU is promoting clean energy through auctions and hydrogen energy.
Sudeshna Sarmah, Power Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The EU is actively pursuing a variety of strategies to broaden the adoption of renewable technologies. The implementation of the Innovation Fund auction and the Renewable Energy Sources Auction platform is anticipated to garner support for renewable hydrogen projects and serve as a catalyst for renewable power auctions, respectively. These initiatives are expected to foster a favorable environment for investment opportunities within the EU.”
In the Innovation Fund’s 24th auction, which concluded in February 2025, member countries of the European Economic Area (EEA) were given the opportunity to enhance projects with additional national funding through the Auctions as a Service (AaaS) mechanism. Spain, Lithuania, and Austria chose to participate in the IF24 AaaS, collectively committing over EUR 700 million (approximately $740.3 million) in national funds to support renewable hydrogen production projects within their territories.
Launched in May 2024, the Renewable Energy Sources (RES) Auctions Platform represents a critical component of the European Commission’s Wind Power Action Plan. This platform consolidates vital information from Member States concerning upcoming renewable energy auctions within the European Union. Its purpose is to provide companies with improved visibility of expected deployment volumes, thus aiding the industry in planning their investments more efficiently.
Sarmah concludes: “The European Hydrogen Strategy sets an ambitious annual consumption target of 20 million tons of hydrogen by the year 2030. Of this total, approximately 10 million tons are expected to be produced within the European Union. To facilitate the domestic manufacture of such significant volumes of green hydrogen, the development of an infrastructure capable of supporting 40 GW of electrolysis capacity will be essential by the decade’s end, indicating a promising trajectory for the growth of green hydrogen in the region.”
Headline: Trump Administration Approves Governor Stein’s Housing Recovery Action Plan for Western North Carolina
Trump Administration Approves Governor Stein’s Housing Recovery Action Plan for Western North Carolina lsaito
Raleigh, NC
Governor Josh Stein announced today that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has approved North Carolina’s Action Plan for a $1.4 billion grant to help western North Carolina rebuild following Hurricane Helene. When compared to other states’ performance over the past decade, North Carolina submitted its Helene Action Plan to HUD in the shortest amount of time following a major hurricane.
“This is great news for western North Carolina,” said Governor Josh Stein. “I thank the Trump Administration for moving quickly to approve this plan so we can get busy rebuilding people’s homes.”
Approving the Action Plan was the required next step for North Carolina to receive federal funds from the CDBG-DR grant award, which was first announced in January. Once HUD certifies the state’s financial controls for the program, North Carolina can sign the grant agreement and begin committing these funds with a focus on housing and economic revitalization.
“We’ve learned so much from the many people and organizations that have taken time to offer their suggestions, and I’m grateful for everyone’s participation so far,” said Department of Commerce Deputy Secretary Stephanie McGarrah. “We know the road to full recovery will be a long journey, but the Department of Commerce and my team are ready to get to work.”
CDBG-DR grants focus on long-term rebuilding rather than immediate needs for shelter and are considered ‘last resort’ funds to be used after other recovery sources have been tapped, such as private insurance. CDBG-DR grants address unmet needs in three core areas of recovery – housing, infrastructure, and economic revitalization. The Helene Action Plan proposes most funds go to housing recovery for low- and moderate-income residents, with the rest for infrastructure rebuilding and economic development.
CDBG-DR grants focus on long-term rebuilding rather than immediate needs for shelter and are considered ‘last resort’ funds to be used after other recovery sources have been tapped, such as private insurance. CDBG-DR grants address unmet needs in three core areas of recovery – housing, infrastructure, and economic revitalization. The Helene Action Plan proposes most funds go to housing recovery for low- and moderate-income residents, with the rest for infrastructure rebuilding and economic development.
The state’s federally approved Action Plan can be found here.
More information about NC Commerce’s new Division of Community Revitalization and its role in the western North Carolina recovery can be found here.
Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) helped lead bipartisan legislation to provide financial relief to Michigan small businesses who are economically impacted by unseasonably warm winters and low snowfall totals. The Winter Recreation Small Business Recovery Act – which he introduced with U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Susan Collins (R-ME), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) – would allow businesses to qualify for the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, which aids businesses that have been impacted by extreme weather situations.
“Mild winters can be devastating for the businesses and communities across Michigan that depend on winter tourism and recreation to drive their local economies,” said Senator Peters. “This bipartisan legislation would ensure small businesses are eligible for assistance when unseasonably warm winters impact our state.”
“Senator Peters continues to be a true champion for Michigan’s outdoor recreation economy. His support and introduction of the Winter Recreation Small Business Recovery Act recognizes that ski areas are not just businesses—they’re community hubs, job creators, and engines of winter tourism. When the weather doesn’t cooperate, it’s a relief to know we’ve got someone in Washington who understands the stakes and is working to ensure the industry can bounce back stronger,” said Mike Panich, Executive Director, Michigan Snowsports Industries Association.
“The people and businesses of the Upper Peninsula are used to tough winters – in fact, with our SISU spirit, we embrace them. But as we learned last year, there are times no matter how resilient we may be that Mother Nature offers us a hard lesson on who is really in charge,” said Marty Fittante, CEO of InvestUP. “I join with U.P. businesses and institutions in expressing gratitude to Senator Peters for taking to heart the lessons that we learned from the unseasonably warm Winter of 2023 with this legislation so that we are better positioned next time we face such an extreme weather crisis to manage it and mitigate the adverse hardships that U.P. small businesses and our regional economy experienced.”
“The option for small businesses to access SBA and EIDL support is a vital tool, especially as we face increasingly unpredictable winter weather,” said Susan Estler, CEO of Travel Marquette. “As we have seen in Marquette County, mild winters can impact local businesses, particularly those in the tourism sector. I recently spoke with a small business owner who is struggling to recover from financial shortfalls caused by the past few winters. This bill is a critical resource for businesses, helping them manage weather-related setbacks and remain resilient, ensuring they are ready to serve both locals and visitors.”
“The UP200 Sled Dog Race draws thousands of tourists to the Upper Peninsula, injecting more than $2 million into our local economy. The increasing instability of winter events, due to weather, has taken a toll on small business in our area that depend on these tourism dollars generated,” said Ross Anthony, Treasurer of the Upper Peninsula Sled Dog Association. “We were proud to bring the race back to Marquette in 2025, but it was nowhere near enough to erase the loss of tourism from 2023 and 2024. This bill would ensure Marquette businesses can access the financial relief needed to offset those losses in the unfortunate event we have to cancel our event in the future.”
Currently, EIDLs can only be awarded to businesses impacted by disaster situations currently defined by the Small Business Act – which only includes floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, fires, and landslides. This bill seeks to broaden the definition to make businesses impacted by low snowfall eligible to apply for financial assistance through the SBA.
This bill is introduced as Michigan communities have faced record-high temperatures and below average snowfall during recent winter seasons, leading to significant decreases in winter tourism and opportunities for winter recreation. According to the Michigan Snowsports Industries Association, data from 30 ski hills across Michigan shows a combined $41 million loss in revenue during the 2024 season. Unseasonably warm weather also contributed to more than 3,400 layoffs for employees that work in ski operations.
Mild winters have also led to the cancellation of events that are integral to Michigan’s communities and our local economies – including the UP200 Sled Dog Race in Marquette, which had to be cancelled for two years in a row due to low snowfall throughout the Upper Peninsula.
Weather data shows that winter is the fastest warming season for most of the United States, and the number of days below freezing is only expected to decline. To help address this warming trend, the bill would also direct the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a study and make recommendations on how winter weather-dependent businesses can adapt their business model and become more resilient against changing weather patterns.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Speech
Keynote Speech – Canning House Mexico-UK Summit
During the Canning House’s Mexico-UK Summit, His Majesty’s Ambassador to Mexico, Susannah Goshko, highlight the bilateral opportunity between our countries.
The UK-Mexico Partnership in 2025
Good morning everyone. It’s great to be here at Canning House’s inaugural Mexico-UK Summit. Canning House plays a hugely important role in bringing the UK and Mexico closer together.
I would therefore like to begin by thanking Jeremy Browne and his team for organising this Summit and fostering the valuable exchange of ideas between business, government and academia.
As many of you will know, I arrived in Mexico at the end of last year: so I am now just a few months into my posting as British Ambassador to Mexico. And what a time to arrive. A new government in Mexico and a new government in the UK. A world that is changing more rapidly than any of us could have predicted. Let me start therefore by talking about the bilateral opportunity, before coming on to how the UK and Mexico can work together on the global stage.
The relationship between the UK and Mexico dates back over 200 years. One of the first things I did in my role here was accompany the High Sheriff of Cornwall to Hidalgo where British miners – from Cornwall – first arrived in the 19th century, drawn by the opportunities that Mexico offered. They brought with them football and Cornish pasties – both of which live on to this day, although the pasties turn out to be a little more picante than we are used to them in Cornwall.
The first record of a football match being played in Mexico was between those Cornish miners and the Mexicans who lived in Hidalgo. On that occasion – for perhaps the first and last time – the Brits beat the Mexicans. And this is a nice anecdote but actually, it’s more than that. It’s evidence of the culture and history that continue to bind us today.
In fact, our rich cultural and people-to-people links are one of the most important aspects of this relationship: whether it’s the numerous Mexicans who play in the English Premier League, the more than 3000 Mexican students have been awarded Chevening scholarships since 1983, or the fact that the largest number of Beatlemaniacs in the world are not in fact in the UK but are right here in Mexico.
But the policy agenda is – perhaps – even more exciting. When the new government in the UK was elected last summer, it was on the basis of a number of very clear priorities – or missions as the PM has described them. These include:
Reducing barriers to opportunity for all
Building a health system fit for the future
Making the UK a green energy super power by 2030
And kickstarting economic growth.
I have been struck in my first few months here, how much of that agenda resonates with what the government in Mexico is trying to achieve. In the language we use and in the priorities we choose, there is much alignment between our approaches.
The growth agenda
Let me start by talking about economic growth. Growth is at the heart of the UK government’s agenda because – like Mexico – the British government has made important commitments around addressing social inequality. To meet these ambitious commitments, it will be essential for us both to have thriving economies.
So all British diplomats have been given clear marching orders: we must do all we can to build economic prosperity for the UK but also for the countries in which we are working. And what does that mean here? Well, trade between the UK and Mexico is good: Our markets are complementary, so we are not in competition with each other, and we have an more or less equally balanced trading relationship.
But we can afford to be much more ambitious: two way trade is currently worth around £6.1bn a year – as two G20 countries, both committed to open and free trade – this should and could be much higher. It is in both of our interests to ensure that it is, if we are to build the equitable and prosperous societies we are both seeking.
The first step on this journey will be Mexican ratification of the UK’s accession to CPTPP which we hope will happen shortly. This will accelerate growth by deepening British and Mexican participation in our respective supply chains. It will diversify our trade in innovative sectors such as electromobility, health-tech and advanced manufacturing and will provide greater certainty to UK investors in Mexico and Mexican investors wanting to set up and grow their business in the UK.
At the same time, a new industrial strategy in the UK and Plan Mexico here will drive growth in both our countries in sectors of mutual interest and expertise, among them healthcare and life sciences, financial services, and education. We must grasp this opportunity.
There is much success to build upon: last year we saw innovative British bank Revolut secure their banking licence in Mexico. Astrazeneca opened their second largest global research plant in Jalisco. Orbia expanded their presence in the UK with an additional £75m investment, creating 100 new jobs.
These are just a small selection of success stories from the last twelve months. I am confident that there will be many more to come driven by a determination from both our governments to put sustainable growth at the heart of our plans.
Climate
The second area where I see enormous potential is on climate and energy. I am delighted that Minister for Environment, Alicia Barcena will speak later in the day. Minister Barcena has been a great friend of the UK as well as a champion of our shared commitment to tackling the climate and nature emergency.
This is one of the most profound threats to face us and future generations. We must work together to ensure a liveable planet for all. Our future prosperity and security depends on what we do now.
For the British government, combatting climate change and biodiversity loss must be done alongside eradicating social inequality. We believe firmly that this can be achieved without compromising economic growth. In fact, done right, we believe that the energy transition can be an economic advantage. As testament to this, I offer the fact that in the UK we have reduced emissions by 54% whilst also growing our GDP by 84% on 1990 levels.
Under the leadership of President Sheinbaum and Prime Minister Starmer we have an unparalleled opportunity to deepen our cooperation in this area.
When I presented my credentials to the President some two weeks ago, I congratulated her for her leadership on Mexico’s NDC commitment and the newly announced Net Zero goal. The UK stands ready to offer any support that we can in their development and implementation.
Our vision to do this is one where there’s space for every part of society to contribute and benefit from ambitious climate action. We have, for instance, worked with local communities and civil society in Sonora to pilot solar energy projects, increasing access to electricity and diversifying sources of income for families.
And our scientific and academic links are also a fundamental asset to tackle climate change. Mexican and British research institutions are working together to deploy solutions to manage sargassum proliferation, which has greatly impacted the tourism industry in Mexico and many Caribbean nations.
And there’s, of course, the role of private sector. No climate target will ever be met without industries and financiers actively playing a part in addressing the climate and biodiversity crisis. Private investment in innovative technologies such as offshore wind energy will be essential to boost renewable energy generation in Mexico whilst ensuring the protection of energy sovereignty. Many British companies are keen to be part of this journey.
While the task might feel unsurmountable at times, I am convinced that by working together, Mexico and the UK can bring us closer to building a liveable, more equitable planet for all.
The Global Context
Now let me come on and talk a bit about the global context. Of course, to ensure that prosperous democracies like ours can thrive we need geopolitical stability. Across the world we are living in uncertain times with brutal conflicts still waging in Sudan, the Middle East and Ukraine.
Mexico’s historic bridging role in multilateral fora means it is uniquely placed to bring countries together in support of our shared values of democracy, sovereignty and a commitment to human rights.
During my career, I have observed the vast experience and talent of Mexican diplomats in multilateral fora, sharing our concern to protect the institutions that ensure world peace. Their ability to bring together different points of view and chart a path forward that everyone can agree is part of Mexico’s USP: one of my formative memories is of watching a Mexican diplomat rescue a biodiversity negotiation from the brink of collapse at the eleventh hour and find an almost impossible consensus.
In this increasingly complex world, we need this more than ever. Those countries that share our commitment to the rules based international order must continue working together to ensure that multilateral institutions remain strong and relevant.
For example, in February, the UK and Mexico united with other nations in the UN to mark the third anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The security threats we face have been transformed in the last decade. We are all confronting the unprecedented rate at which threats to information integrity are growing. Misinformation and disinformation are both more common than ever and increasingly difficult to distinguish from the truth.
As democratic governments, the UK and Mexico must be proactive about countering this threat. We also have a responsibility to uphold the principles of an open civil society and free media to take on this challenge. I’m proud therefore that here in Mexico we support a vibrant Civil Society Group ‘Las Linternas’ to strengthen their fact checking, identify false stories and build media literacy. Our resilience to these threats domestically depends – like so much else – on our ability to work together.
Conclusion
So there is much to do. Perhaps I’ll end where I began: Lord Canning – after whom Canning House is named – was the first British foreign secretary, some 200 years ago, to devote a large proportion of his time and energies to Latin America and to foresee the important political and economic role the region would one day play.
We are once again at a moment of enormous geopolitical change. We too should choose to strengthen and trust in this bilateral relationship. Together I am confident that the UK and Mexico can do brilliant things.
Source: The White House
This week, President Donald J. Trump and his administration delivered another series of bold victories for the American people, advancing economic prosperity, enhancing national security, and restoring common sense to government. From unleashing American energy dominance to cracking down on illicit foreign activities, the Trump Administration continues its relentless pursuit of policies that prioritize American workers, families, and communities.
Here is a non-comprehensive list of wins in week 14:
President Trump’s unrelenting commitment to revitalizing American manufacturing delivered more results, driving job creation and economic growth nationwide.
Roche, a Swiss drug and diagnostics company, announced a $50 billion investment in its U.S.-based manufacturing and R&D, which is expected to create more than 1,000 new full-time jobs.
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced a $3 billion agreement with Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies to produce drugs at its North Carolina manufacturing facility.
NorthMark Strategies, a multi-strategy investment firm, announced a $2.8 billion investment to build a supercomputing facility in South Carolina.
Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., announced a $2 billion investment in U.S. manufacturing and innovation.
Chobani announced a $1.2 billion investment to build its third U.S. dairy processing plant in New York, which is expected to create more than 1,000 new full-time jobs.
Fiserv, Inc. announced a $175 million investment to open a new strategic fintech hub in Kansas, which is expected to create 2,000 new high-paying jobs.
Toyota Motor Corporation announced an $88 million investment to boost hybrid vehicle production at its West Virginia factory, securing employment for the factory’s 2,000 workers.
Hyundai Motor Group secured an equity investment and agreement from Posco Holdings, South Korea’s top steel maker, for the automaker’s planned steel plant in Louisiana.
Hitachi Energy announced a $22.5 million investment to expand its facilities in Virginia, which is expected to add 120 new jobs.
Cyclic Materials, a Canadian advanced recycling company for rare earth elements, announced a $20 million investment in its first U.S.-based commercial facility, located in Mesa, Arizona.
GM announced it will increase production at its Ohio transmission facility.
Coinbase announced plans to add more than 130 new jobs and open a new office in Charlotte, North Carolina.
President Trump continued to secure our border and rid our communities of illegal immigrant criminals.
The Swanton sector of the U.S.-Canada border — previously overrun by illegal immigrants — saw illegal border crossings decline from 1,109 in March 2024 to just 54 in March 2025.
New York Post: Northern border sector previously overrun by illegal migrants sees dramatic drop in crossings: ‘We haven’t seen anyone since November’
The Washington Times: Under Trump, border catch-and-release has dropped 99.99% from worst Biden month
CBS: ICE partnerships with local law enforcement triple as Trump continues deportation crackdown
The Federal Bureau of Investigation apprehended Harpreet Singh, an alleged member of a foreign terrorist gang who was planning multiple attacks on law enforcement in the U.S. and India.
Five suspected Tren de Aragua gang members were arrested in Fresno County, California.
President Trump continued to pursue peace through strength around the world.
The Trump Administration has directed attacks that have killed at least 74 terrorists seeking to attack the U.S. so far.
The Trump Administration forged ahead on its unprecedented effort to secure American energy dominance.
The Department of the Interior announced it will accelerate the onerous permitting process for energy and critical minerals, slashing approval times from years to just 28 days, at most.
Chevron announced a massive oil and natural gas project in the Gulf of America, with 75,000 gross barrels of oil expected to be produced daily.
The Department of Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration announced a series of new measures to phase out all petroleum-based synthetic dyes from medications and the nation’s food supply by the end of 2026.
President Trump took a series of executive actions to enhance educational and workforce opportunities for the American people.
President Trump signed an executive order modernizing American workforce programs to prepare citizens for the high-paying skilled trade jobs of the future.
Association of Equipment Manufacturers: “Our industry faces a persistent and growing shortage of skilled workers, and this action reflects the leadership needed to build a strong pipeline of talent for the jobs of the future. By aligning workforce programs with the realities of today’s labor market, the administration is taking a smart, strategic step to bolster U.S. manufacturing. We support the President’s continued focus on reshoring American manufacturing and ensuring our workforce is filled with the brightest and best talent in the world.”
President Trump signed an executive order creating new educational and workforce development opportunities in artificial intelligence technology for America’s youth.
President Trump signed an executive order revoking flawed Obama-Biden guidance that pressured schools to impose discipline based on “racial equity” and gives teachers the ability to ensure order in their classrooms.
President Trump took action to further reform and enhance higher education in America.
President Trump signed an executive order overhauling the nation’s higher education accreditation system to ensure colleges and universities deliver high-quality, high-value education free from unlawful discrimination and ideological bias.
President Trump signed an executive order enhancing the capacity of the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities to deliver high-quality education and innovation.
President Trump signed an executive order requiring higher education institutions to promptly disclose foreign gifts and funding.
President Trump signed a landmark executive order eliminating the use of so-called “disparate-impact liability,” which undermines civil rights by mandating discrimination to achieve predetermined, race-oriented outcomes.
President Trump ordered an investigation into illegal “straw donor” and foreign contributions in American elections.
President Trump signed an executive order strengthening probationary periods in the federal service — ensuring a merit-based federal workforce that serves the American people.
President Trump signed an executive order to develop domestic capabilities for exploration, characterization, collection, and processing of critical deep seabed minerals.
President Trump announced he will personally fund the installation of two beautiful 100-foot flagpoles flying the American flag on the North Lawn of the White House.
Small business sentiment remained near its historic high in March, according to a new survey from the Job Creators Network Foundation.
The Department of State launched an unprecedented reorganization to reverse decades of bloat and bureaucracy that rendered it unable to perform its essential diplomatic mission.
The Department of Justice launched the Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias as part of President Trump’s directive to end unlawful anti-Christian discrimination by the federal government.
The Department of Education announced it will resume collections on defaulted federal student loans after a five-year pause, ending the Biden-era practice of zero-interest, zero-accountability student borrowing.
The Department of the Interior officially unveiled the Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge, honoring the memory of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray, who was savagely murdered by illegal immigrants in Texas.
Secretary of the Navy John Phelan rescinded the Biden-era Navy Climate Action 2030 program, which prioritized ideologically motivated regulations over the Navy’s core mission of warfighting.
The Department of Education returned oversight of higher education foreign funding disclosures to the Office of General Counsel, making clear that the Trump Administration will prioritize enforcement of federal law.
The Department of Education initiated an investigation and records request into University of California, Berkeley, after a review of the university’s foreign funding disclosures found they may be incomplete or inaccurate.
The Department of the Treasury sanctioned an Iranian liquefied petroleum gas magnate and his network as part of President Trump’s maximum pressure campaign.
The Department of Agriculture announced $340.6 million in disaster assistance for farmers, ranchers, and rural communities impacted by natural disasters across the country.
The Department of the Interior disbursed $13 million to revitalize coal communities.
overnor Kathy Hochul today announced that work has begun on two significant infrastructure improvement projects that will enhance safety and improve mobility along a major corridor in northern Onondaga County and a heavily traveled route in southern Oswego County.
The projects, supported by federal and state funds, represent a $5 million investment in the region’s transportation network that will provide necessary upgrades to the exit ramp from State Route 481 to East Circle Drive in the Town of Cicero, Onondaga County, and replace the State Route 49 bridge over Big Bay Creek in the Town of West Monroe, Oswego County. These undertakings illustrate Governor Hochul’s unparalleled commitment to modernize transportation infrastructure statewide and support the growth of communities through projects that prioritize safety, improve connectivity, and bolster economic opportunity for residents and visitors.
“As we all bear witness to the extraordinary transformation of Central New York through the Interstate 81 Viaduct Project, it is imperative that we continue to shore up our infrastructure in surrounding areas,” Governor Hochul said. “These projects on State Route 481 and State Route 49 are critical to improving traffic flow, bolstering economic vitality and enhancing public safety. By modernizing aging infrastructure and reducing congestion, we are helping to ensure safer, more efficient travel for everyone who lives, works, and visits the region.”
State Route 481 serves as vital corridor, connecting two of Central New York’s largest counties, Onondaga, and Oswego, and accommodating commuters headed to work, school and activities, along with patrons exploring local establishments or destined for a picturesque lakeside getaway along the shores of Oneida Lake or Lake Ontario.
The Town of Cicero and Village of North Syracuse are the first stops along the heavily traveled route with high-traffic hotspots lining East Circle Drive and U.S. Route 11. Nearly 12,000 vehicles a day utilize the off-ramp from State Route 481 northbound to Exit 1B. During peak hours, particularly during the evening commute, motorists attempting to exit often experience heavy traffic and congestion.
While temporary improvements were implemented last year to accommodate a detour associated with the I-81 Viaduct Project, permanent construction on the $3 million safety improvement project will help mitigate traffic by decreasing congestion from State Route 481 northbound to East Circle Drive. Reconstruction of the ramp includes a two lane exit that widens to three lanes, two permanent dedicated left turn lanes and a designated right turn lane onto East Circle Drive to improve traffic flow. Additionally, the traffic signal at the intersection will be modified to include a new signal head and will incorporate an overhead sign directing motorists’ attention to the “Right Turn Only,” lane, along with an upgrade to the video detection system.
A new concrete median barrier along the northbound left shoulder of State Route 481 between the bridges over U.S. Route 11 and South Bay Road is also included in the safety improvement project, while the shoulder adjacent to the barrier will be widened to six feet. The new barrier and increased shoulder width will help reduce median crossovers along State Route 481 and further enhance safety and resiliency.
The project is anticipated to be completed by fall 2025.
The $2 million replacement of the State Route 49 bridge over Big Bay Creek in the Town of West Monroe, Oswego County, includes the construction of new bridge abutments with cast-in-place concrete piles, pre-stressed concrete beams, a new concrete bridge deck and new concrete approach slabs.
The existing timber bridge, constructed in 1941, closed in June 2024 after a NYSDOT inspection raised safety concerns. The installation of a temporary bridge, planned as part of the replacement project was expedited and opened to traffic in November 2024, reducing the short-term and long-term impacts to the traveling public.
An estimated 10,000 vehicles traverse the State Route 49 bridge over Big Bay Creek every day. The two-lane roadway meets Interstate 81 at Exit 32 in Central Square, with the eastern portion of State Route 49 providing access to residences, restaurants, local vendors, and water-based recreation along the north shore of Oneida Lake. This vital route also serves as a main thoroughfare for people bound for popular destinations like Sylvan Beach and Verona Beach in Oneida County.
Traffic is expected to be moved from the temporary bridge to the newly constructed bridge in October.
The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.
New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “Governor Hochul understands that by investing in transportation infrastructure is an investment in our communities and statewide, we are prioritizing the needs of the people who rely on these roadways and bridges each and every day. The improvements to the exit ramp from State Route 481 to East Circle Drive will add important safety upgrades and improve traffic flow, helping to ensure this bustling area is equipped to handle continued growth, while the modernization of the State Route 49 bridge over Big Bay Creek will strengthen the safety of this important route for the residents of Oswego County.”
Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer said, “Thanks to millions in federal funding from my Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law, we are paving the way for a safer future in Central New York. This will upgrade the State Route 481 exit ramp in Cicero and replace the State Route 49 bridge over Big Bay Creek in West Monroe, improving traffic flow along this vital corridor and helping connect residents and visitors to Oneida Lake and Lake Ontario all while creating jobs, jobs, jobs. I’m grateful that Governor Hochul is putting these dollars to good use to improve safety and connectivity for Central New Yorkers.”
Representative John W. Mannion said, “I’m committed to keeping Central New York’s roads and bridges smooth, safe, modern, and resilient for everyone who lives and travels in our region. The improvements to 481, including the Exit 1B ramp to East Circle Drive in the Town of Cicero, are important upgrades to our transportation infrastructure. I’m grateful for Governor Hochul’s continued commitment to building a stronger and more connected Central New York.”
State Senator Christopher Ryan said, “These infrastructure investments are a win for Central New York. By easing congestion in Cicero and replacing a critical bridge in West Monroe, we’re making daily commutes safer and more efficient while supporting economic growth across Onondaga and Oswego Counties. I’m grateful to Governor Hochul for prioritizing projects that strengthen our communities and keep people moving.”
Assemblymember Al Stirpe said, “The reconstruction of the on-ramp leading to Cicero will relieve everyday congestion and improve commutes for thousands of drivers. Looking at the long-term, our community will be safer, more connected, and better prepared to take on Central New York’s growing potential as an economic hub.”
Assemblymember William Barclay said, “With thousands of motorists relying on State Route 481 and the Route 49 bridge, I’m pleased to see necessary infrastructure improvements underway. These upgrades are crucial investments in safety and efficiency, making daily commutes easier and more reliable. Modernizing key routes in Onondaga and Oswego counties will improve traffic flow and reinforce the connections that drive local growth and support vibrant communities.”
Oswego County Legislature Chairperson James Weatherup said, “We are thrilled to hear about the $2 million replacement of the State Route 49 Bridge in West Monroe. The bridge has been closed since 2024 after a NYSDOT inspection deemed it unsafe. A temporary bridge was installed which helped with the flow of traffic; however, it was temporary, and this infrastructure investment will reopen the bridge that provides access to residences, restaurants, local vendors and water-based recreation that is vital to residents and tourists alike.”
About the Department of Transportation It is the mission of the New York State Department of Transportation to provide a safe, reliable, equitable, and resilient transportation system that connects communities, enhances quality of life, protects the environment, and supports the economic well-being of New York State.
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For more information, find them on Facebook, follow them on X or Instagram, or visit their website. For up-to-date travel information, call 511, visit www.511NY.org or download the free 511NY mobile app.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Salud Carbajal (CA-24)
Representatives Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01) reintroduced two bipartisan bills focused on addressing the effects of climate change on U.S. coastlines, coastal communities, and marine ecosystems.
“The climate crisis is hitting our coasts hard — from eroding beaches and stronger storms to declining fisheries. Regions like the Central Coast are already feeling the impact and need federal support to adapt,”said Rep. Carbajal.“I’m proud to work with Rep. Fitzpatrick to reintroduce two bipartisan bills that will provide coastal states with the tools they need to study and address the threats to our oceans and fisheries.”
“The increasing threat of wildfires has become one of the most critical public safety and environmental challenges of our time. Wildfires take lives, destroy communities, and place immense pressure on our brave first responders. As Co-Chair of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, I’ve prioritized advancing practical, preventative solutions to stop these disasters before they start. The Fire Safe Electrical Corridors Act does just that—a commonsense measure to streamline the removal of hazardous trees on federal lands, help us better protect lives, safeguard property, and preserve the vital natural resources our communities depend on,”said Rep. Fitzpatrick.
The Coastal State Climate Preparedness Act would provide grants to coastal states in order to help them plan and implement strategies to mitigate climate change, prepare for sea level rise, and address other impacts.
The bill allows states to use these grants for climate change adaptation, and to protect infrastructure and coastal ecosystems.
The Ocean Acidification Research Partnership Act would authorize up to $5 million in research grants for studies on the effects of ocean acidification, a rapidly worsening climate threat that imperils U.S. fishing and tourism industries.
Worsening ocean acidification threatens billions of dollars in U.S. economic activity and tens of thousands of U.S. jobs, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The text of the Coastal State Climate Preparedness Act can be foundHERE.
The text of the Ocean Acidification Research Partnership Act can be foundHERE.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
A spokesman for the Environment and Ecology Bureau (EEB) said that the Inter-departmental Working Group on Using Hydrogen as Fuel (Working Group) led by the EEB has given agreement-in-principle to eight more applications of trial projects on hydrogen fuel technology at its meeting today (April 25).
The relevant projects involve:
(a) an application jointly submitted by International New Energy Industry Alliance Limited, Wing Tat Cargo & Trading (HK) Limited, H2 Powertrains Limited and Ontime International Logistics (HK) Co Limited, to try out 10 hydrogen fuel cell (HFC) goods vehicles for cross-boundary transport; To date, the Working Group has given agreement-in-principle in stages to a total of 26 applications of hydrogen energy trial projects. Among them, the three HFC street washing vehicles from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department have passed the examination with the Certificate of Roadworthiness issued, and Sinopec (Hong Kong) Limited has completed all commissioning and testing for the public hydrogen filling station at Au Tau, Yuen Long. The operational trials are expected to be launched in the first half of this year.
The Working Group will continue to make reference to the operational data and experience collected from all local trials, in order to provide advice for the continuous enhancement of the safety and technical guidelines on the local application of hydrogen energy.
The spokesman said, “The Government announced the Strategy of Hydrogen Development in Hong Kong (the Strategy) in June last year, establishing an action timeline across five key areas: regulatory framework, standards formulation, supporting infrastructure, regional co-operation, and capacity building. At the meeting, the EEB and the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) briefed the Working Group on the latest implementation progress of the Strategy, including introducing the Gas Safety (Amendment) Bill 2025 to the Legislative Council to incorporate safety regulations for hydrogen fuel, taking forward the consultancy study on establishing a green and low-carbon hydrogen certification standard, setting up safety training courses for hydrogen technology professionals, stepping up publicity and education work and promote local, regional, and international collaboration on hydrogen energy development, including organising science popularisation activities and seminars (such as the International Hydrogen Development Symposium 2025 held this year). The Working Group will continue to regularly review the progress of the Strategy and provide recommendations to facilitate the implementation of its various measures.”
The spokesman supplemented, “To promote the green transformation of transport, the Chief Executive’s 2024 Policy Address announced the earmarking of funding under the New Energy Transport Fund to launch a new Subsidy Scheme for Trials of HFC Heavy Vehicles. The EEB has announced the acceptance of applications in December last year.”
The spokesman further supplemented, “The Government is also committed to promoting hydrogen development through regional collaboration. The working plan of the Pearl River Delta Air Quality Management and Monitoring Special Panel under the Hong Kong-Guangdong Joint Working Group on Environmental Protection and Combating Climate Change covers demonstration projects of cross-boundary delivery vehicles transiting into HFC vehicles. Moreover, the liaisons between the EMSD and the State Administration for Market Regulation as well as the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China on the technical level, and the EEB’s exchanges with the Mainland authorities regarding exchanges involving hydrogen development in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, have all been making good progress.”
The Working Group is formed by the EEB, the Transport and Logistics Bureau, the Development Bureau, the Security Bureau, the Environmental Protection Department, the EMSD, the Fire Services Department, the Transport Department, the Marine Department, the Planning Department, the Lands Department, the Buildings Department, the Architectural Services Department and the Labour Department.
Earth Sciences Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh chairs a high-level meeting of India Meteorological Department (IMD) and key ministries to review India’s weather and disaster preparedness Also rolls out future roadmap for accurate forecasts
For Delhi, which has 18 Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) in operation, the Minister directs officials to expedite the installation of 50 additional systems, with a long-term goal of scaling up to 100 AWS, this move aims to bring Delhi’s weather forecasting infrastructure on par with global standards
Minister briefed about the progress of “Mission Mausam” initiative launched by PM Modi, which aims to revolutionize India’s weather monitoring infrastructure
India to Have 126 Doppler Radars by 2026 as Govt Ramps Up Weather Monitoring
Posted On: 25 APR 2025 6:52PM by PIB Delhi
In a decisive move to strengthen India’s meteorological capabilities, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology; Earth Sciences and Minister of State for PMO, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr. Jitendra Singh on Thursday chaired a high-level meeting of India Meteorological Department (IMD) and key ministries to review India’s weather and disaster preparedness, and also rolled out roadmap for accurate forecast.
The Minister called for expediting expansion of Doppler Weather Radar (DWR) coverage and modernization of meteorological systems across the country.
At present, Delhi has 18 Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) in operation. During the review, the Minister directed officials to expedite the installation of 50 additional systems, with a long-term goal of scaling up to 100 AWS. This move aims to bring Delhi’s weather forecasting infrastructure on par with global standards. These automated systems are designed to deliver highly specific, accurate, and timely forecasts, significantly enhancing the city’s capacity to monitor and respond to changing weather conditions.
Amidst the growing frequency of extreme weather events, Dr. Jitendra Singh emphasized the urgent need for real-time, impact-based forecasting that can help minimize damage and save lives. “No weather hazard should go undetected or unpredicted,” the Minister asserted, underscoring the government’s resolve to build a resilient early warning system that reaches every corner of the country.
A key highlight of the review was the ambitious expansion of the Doppler Weather Radar network, which is set to rise from the current 37 operational radars to 73 by 2025-26, and further to 126 by 2026. The new installations are being planned in high-priority regions such as Bengaluru, Raipur, Ahmedabad, Ranchi, Guwahati, and Port Blair, among others.
The Minister was briefed on the selection of radar sites and the overall progress of the “Mission Mausam” launched by PM Narendra Modi, which aims to revolutionize India’s weather monitoring infrastructure. The plan includes improved satellite meteorology systems, upgraded numerical prediction models, and a more robust radar-based forecasting mechanism.
“The ability to track extreme weather events with greater precision will not only boost disaster management efforts but also directly benefit farmers, fishermen, aviation, and various other sectors,” Dr. Jitendra Singh noted during the meeting, which included senior officials such as Earth Sciences Secretary Dr. M. Ravichandran and IMD Director General Dr. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra.
The review also took stock of financial allocations and approvals pending for key weather-related infrastructure projects. Dr. Jitendra Singh urged ministries to fast-track decisions to ensure timely implementation.
With climate change intensifying the unpredictability of weather systems, the push for enhanced radar coverage and more efficient dissemination of forecasts is seen as critical for national preparedness. The meeting, according to ministry officials, marks a significant step in India’s journey toward becoming a global leader in climate resilience and disaster risk reduction.
The Minister’s review has now set the wheels in motion for a more coordinated and technologically advanced response to India’s meteorological challenges.