The global wind and photovoltaic power generation capacities are projected to increase by over 10 percent and 30 percent, respectively, year on year in 2025, according to a report released on Monday.
The report, issued by the Global Energy Interconnection Development and Cooperation Organization and the National Climate Center under the China Meteorological Administration (CMA), makes the first projections for renewable energy generation capacities both globally and in major countries, mapping the long-term potential and trends of renewable energy generation.
The research integrates meteorological factors into renewable energy generation forecasts, marking the latest progress in energy-meteorology collaborative research.
Currently, the global energy landscape is undergoing a profound transformation, with the proportion of new energy sources — represented by wind and solar power — continuing to rise steadily.
By the end of 2024, the total installed capacity of renewable energy sources such as wind and photovoltaics had reached 1.45 billion kilowatts, surpassing the installed capacity of thermal power for the first time in history.
Xiong Shaoyuan, deputy head of the CMA, said that the administration will adhere to an innovation-led approach to enhance the timeliness and accuracy of energy meteorological forecasts.
It will also accelerate the transformation of research findings into practical applications, strengthen joint research on key issues in the field of new energy meteorology, and work collaboratively on the development of relevant standards, Xiong said.
Covering period of Tuesday 22nd – Thursday 24th April – The Easter weekend was marked by severe weather across many parts of Aotearoa New Zealand. Cyclone Tam, the remains of a tropical weather system, arrived on our shores last Thursday bringing strong winds and heavy rain across the top of the country, resulting in power outages through Northland. Even the sheltered urban centre Whangarei was buffeted with gusts up to 96 km/h and exposed places recorded gusts well in excess of 100 km/h. Tam remained close throughout the long weekend, keeping a feed of warm but unsettled conditions across the country.
Intense thunderstorms moved across Auckland overnight Friday and during Saturday bringing large volumes of rainfall. Over 1000 lightning strikes were recorded in the upper North Island and Mt Roskill recorded 81mm of rain within an hour. The top of the South Island also experienced the impacts from Cyclone Tam with flooding in parts of Buller on Sunday.
MetService Meteorologist Michael Pawley details “The slow-moving nature of Cyclone Tam meant that the impacts from this system remained with us throughout the Easter Weekend. From Severe Thunderstorms to record breaking temperatures this has been a challenging weekend of weather for many parts of New Zealand.”
April maximum temperature records were broken in Whanganui and Palmerston North. Levin reached a sweltering 28.7°C, smashing the record of 25.7°C set in April of 1999.
This week, thankfully, sees a change in the weather with Cyclone Tam giving way to a period of more settled weather as high pressure builds across the country. As the winds swing from the warm north to the cool south, temperatures across the country will be dropping.
For those attending dawn services for ANZAC day on Friday, the forecast is generally one of dry but cold weather.
Michael continues “Time to bring out the woollen jumper again! It will be a cold start to the day on ANZAC day, especially compared to the recent warm nights. However, for many of us it will be a dry start to the long weekend.”
Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) announced Louisiana will receive $3,279,624.93 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in reimbursement for permanent repairs following Hurricanes Laura and Ida.
“These grants help return communities and classrooms to wholeness,” said Dr. Cassidy. “It’s a step forward for South Louisiana families and their communities.”
The City of Lake Charles will receive $1,681,034.13 in federal funding for permanent repairs to communication towers damaged during Hurricane Laura. The Jefferson Parish Public School System will receive $1,598,590.80 in federal funding for permanent repairs to Thomas Jefferson High School for Advanced Studies as a direct result of Hurricane Ida.
The Government is making more financial support available for eligible farmers in many parts of the North Island and upper South Island to help with essential living costs, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston and Rural Communities Minister Mark Patterson say. “Rural Assistance Payments are being made available from Monday 28 April 2025 in 27 districts affected by dry conditions. We want to help eligible farmers whose income has been severely affected by drought-stricken conditions,” Louise Upston says. “We know farmers in these regions have been significantly impacted by low rainfall over recent months, and we want people to be able to access support when they need it “These Rural Assistance Payments are being made available until 28 October 2025, when farmer incomes are expected to lift.” Mark Patterson is encouraging farmers doing it tough to get in touch with their local Rural Support Trust to find out what help is available and to apply for a Rural Assistance Payment if they need it. “Droughts often have a sting in the tail with the cold tough winter months still to come. We know how hard it can be to recover from a drought, and we are here to support farmers through it,” Mark Patterson says. Farmers in the Northland, Waikato, Taranaki, Horizons (Manawatū-Whanganui, including Tararua), and the Top of the South Island (Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson City) regional council areas can apply for Rural Assistance Payments.
Police are urging the public to prepare for the worst before heading outdoors this long holiday period following two land rescues in the Kaimai Ranges.
The first call for help came around 3.30pm on Friday 18 April, when Police were notified of two people having not returned from their hike.
The pair were located at around 7pm near a river that had flooded and blocked their exit.
Police kept in contact with the pair overnight before Search and Rescue, and Swift Water Rescue teams assisted them in getting back home safe the next day.
On Monday 21 April at around 6.45pm, Police were called to an area near Rataroa Stream where a hiker got stuck while walking a four hour hike. The person was located around two hours later.
Although we are pleased to have provided a swift response in both these incidents and help the three people return home safe, these incidents are a reminder to the public to prepare for any situation that may arise.
New Zealand’s environment and weather can be unpredictable, and with the recent wet weather, our rivers and streams are flooded, fast flowing, and high. It will take a few days for the rivers to return back to normal levels once the rain has completely stopped.
Your safety is your responsibility in the outdoors, by preparing for the worst-case scenario, you can enjoy your trip knowing you will be okay if anything goes wrong.
Even the most experienced people can get caught up in situations where they need assistance, and any day trip has the potential to turn into an overnight situation.
If you are going outdoors, no matter if it is hiking, hunting, or climbing, please follow the five simple steps of the Land Safety Code,
Choose the right trip for you. Learn about the route and make sure you have the skills for it. It is important to choose a trip that suits everyone in your group. When you are looking at options, make sure to think about everyone’s fitness levels and experience in the outdoors.
Understand the weather. New Zealand weather can change fast. Check the forecast and change your plans if needed. Weather can make or break a trip. It is one of the most important things to consider when going into the outdoors.
Park warm clothes and extra food. Prepare for bad weather and an unexpected night out. Any trip, even if it is short and easy, need preparation. Packing the right things can make trips safer and more enjoyable.
Share your plans and take ways to get help. Telling a trusted person about your trip details and taking a personal locator beacon can save your life. We all want our trips to go as planned – but sometimes they don’t. If you get hurt or lost on your trip, how would you get help?
Take care of yourself and each other. East, drink, and rest, stick with your group and make decisions together. The best way to enjoy your experience in the outdoors and make it home safely is to look out for one another.
Distress beacons can be hired for as little as $10 from many Department of Conservation Visitor Centres, and outdoor tramping and hunting stores.
If you have purchased a beacon, make sure to register it at www.beacons.org.nz.
Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
ICYMI: In New Op-Ed, Padilla Outlines Bipartisan Approach to Mitigating Wildfire Risk
LA Daily News Op-Ed
LOS ANGELES — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), co-chair of the bipartisan Senate Wildfire Caucus, published an op-ed in the Los Angeles Daily News highlighting his bipartisan push to address wildfires in the aftermath of the devastating Southern California fires.
In the piece, Padilla discusses the Senate version of the Fix Our Forests Act, which he recently introduced alongside Senators John Curtis (R-Utah), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), and Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.). The Senate version of the legislation would help combat catastrophic wildfires, restore forest ecosystems, and make federal forest management more efficient and responsive.
A list of Senate Fix Our Forests Act provisions particularly impactful for California is available here.
Full text of the op-ed is available here and below.
“California can’t wait for the political winds to shift. My bipartisan wildfire bill would save lives.”
By Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
No matter how many times you’ve seen it, nothing can prepare you for the devastation you find in the aftermath of a wildfire.
Nothing.
I’ve visited the Forest Service’s Incident Post in Quincy as fire crews battled the raging Dixie Fire in 2021.
And I toured what’s left of the Pacific Palisades and Altadena neighborhoods that were hit worst by this winter’s fires. What I’ve seen is heart wrenching.
Car wheels melted into the sidewalk.
A sea of embers and ashes, interrupted only by chimneys and fireplace mantels where family photos once rested.
In some cases, brick sidewalks and doorways that once led to baby cribs and kitchen tables, that now lead to nowhere.
No one could walk away after seeing what I’ve seen, year after year in California, and still deny the threat of climate change.
We have to do more.
That begins with listening to our climate scientists and working to reduce emissions to protect our planet in the long term.
But reducing emissions alone won’t save your house or keep your neighborhood from burning down.
As long as massive wildfires continue to burn, we’ll see those same greenhouse gases pouring out into the atmosphere — just as we did in 2020, when wildfires alone emitted enough to wipe out nearly 20 years of California’s emissions reduction progress.
This isn’t a choice between addressing short-term wildfire risk and combatting climate change. We must do both.
It may seem like an impossible task in our current political environment — Republicans control the House, the Senate, and the White House. That means we face an uphill battle to passing any law that address the impacts of climate change.
But whether it’s political division in Washington, or wildfires raging in Los Angeles — Californians can’t afford to wait.
Since January, I’ve convened a bipartisan group of senators from Western states willing to work towards a comprehensive wildfire bill that could pass both chambers of Congress.
It’s been hard, but I’ve been driven by that image I have of the Californians who would do anything they could to save their homes, their property, and their families.
That’s why, I was proud to announce our Senate version of the Fix Our Forests Act.
It starts with a basic premise: The status quo isn’t working. Wildfires are getting worse. To protect our communities, we have to reassess how we prevent and mitigate wildfires.
That means increasing the speed and scale of our prevention and mitigation efforts, while making sure no one exploits this crisis to compromise our natural resources.
We’ve worked to make sure our Senate bill will protect both communities close to forests AND those in non-forested, urban areas like Los Angeles and Santa Rosa.
Here’s how:
Our bill would allow us to responsibly speed up the removal of hazardous fuels from our forests that serve as kindling for mega wildfires. Think dry branches, leaves, and dead and diseased trees that can pile up and spread fires very easily.
It would make it easier for land managers and utilities to build “fuel breaks.” These strips of thinned out trees can serve like a gap in a long line of falling dominos which can allow firefighters to gain a foothold or even stop a growing wildfire in its tracks.
It would help neighborhoods become more resilient to wildfires, with guidance to help Americans build or retrofit their homes with more fire-resistant materials and landscaping plans. And it would allow for prescribed burns to proactively clear hazardous fuel — just as Native American tribes have done for countless generations.
Finally, it would create the first-ever Wildfire Intelligence Center to streamline our wildfire preparedness and response — similar to what the National Weather Service does for storms.
These are exactly the types of tools firefighters and state, tribal, and local agencies have been asking for.
That’s why our bill is already supported by Governor Gavin Newsom, CAL FIRE Chief Joe Tyler, California Natural Resources Agency Secretary Wade Crowfoot, and the International Association of Fire Chiefs, along with environmental groups like The Nature Conservancy, Audubon, the Environmental Defense Fund, and the National Wildlife Federation.
Of course, the Senate version of the Fix Our Forests Act may not stop every wildfire. Nothing could.
But if these measures can prevent just one more community from having to experience the same heartbreak felt by families in Santa Rosa, in Paradise, and now in the Palisades and Altadena, then our efforts will have been worth it.Alex Padilla represents California in the United States Senate.
New York, April 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Value Line, Inc. (NASDAQ – VALU) announced today that its Board of Directors has just raised its quarterly dividend, which will be $0.325 per common share ($1.30 annualized). The new higher cash dividend is payable on May 12, 2025 to stockholders of record on April 28, 2025. The increase of 8.3% is the 11th consecutive yearly increase in Value Line’s dividend.
Value Line is a leading provider of investment research. The Value Line Investment Survey is one of the most widely used sources of independent equity research.
Value Line publishes proprietary investment research in separate print and digital formats.
Value Line provides these specialized services: a. Value Line Select – Each month, Value Line analysts recommend the one exceptional stock with superior profit potential and a favorable risk/reward ratio. b. The Value Line Special Situations Service – Each month, Value Line analysts recommend small and mid-cap stocks that hold the potential to transform your portfolio by delivering returns that are well above the market average. c. Value Line Select ETFs – Each month, Value Line analysts sift through the myriad investment possibilities to identify the one exchange traded fund that appears best positioned to outperform the market. d. Value Line Select: Dividend Income & Growth – Each month Value Line analysts make two stock recommendations that are expected to provide above-average current income along with appealing long-term dividend growth prospects. e. The New Value Line ETFs Service – includes data, information, and analysis on more than 2,800 exchange-traded funds (ETFs), to help subscribers select the best fit for their portfolios. f. The Value Line M&A Service – Value Line analysts highlight one company each month that is a candidate to be acquired by a larger entity at a material premium to the current stock price. g. Value Line Information You Should Know wealth newsletter – Value Line focuses on financial planning and investment issues that matter for today’s investor. h. The Value Line Climate Change Investing Service – Value Line analysts target a critical issue – climate change, which is expected to spur transformation in the global economy for decades to come i. Certain Value Line copyrights distributed under agreements including proprietary ranking system information and other information used in 3rd party products j. The Value Line Options Survey – information and ranks on more than 600,000 options on stocks covering 90% of the market. k. The Value Line Fund Adviser Plus – covers 20,000 funds, grouped into more than 30 Investment Objective Categories. Our proprietary Ranking System makes it simple to tell whether or not a particular fund is a worthwhile investment. Our approach helps to ensure that investors avoid funds with unsustainable short-term performance, and you can count on our Safety ™ rank to help manage your risk. Our professionally selected Model Portfolio names the best Exchange-Traded funds in eight key categories. l. The Value Line Investment Survey–Small& Mid Cap – print and digital financial information and quantitative analysis on approximately 1,800 companies with market capitalizations of less than $10 billion. m. The Value Line 600– in-depth, independent print research on 600 large and prominent companies n. The Value Line Investment Survey–Selection & Opinion – Value Line’s weekly economic and stock market commentary, four Model Portfolios, which are actively managed, updated each week, and always contain 20 equities each. o. The Value Line Investment Survey–Smart Investor– a digital service providing investment research covering large, mid and small-cap stocks comprising about 90% of the total U.S. stock market p. The Value Line Investment Survey–Small Cap Investor – digital financial information and quantitative analysis on approximately 1,800 companies with market capitalizations of less than $10 billion q. The Value Line Investment Survey–Savvy Investor – a digital package covering more than 3,000 large, mid and small-cap stocks r. The Value Line Investment Survey–Investor 900 – this digital service provides investment research on 600 of the largest cap stocks plus 300 small- and mid-cap stocks s. The Value Line Investment Survey–Investor 600 – In-depth, independent digital research on 600 large and prominent companies t. The Value Line Investment Survey–Investor 2400 – This digital service provides investment research for 600 of the largest cap stocks plus approximately 1,800 small and mid-cap stocks u. The Value Line Investment Analyzer – This digital only service covers large, mid and small cap stocks comprising about 90% of the U.S. stock market v. Value Line Investment Analyzer Plus – a digital service that provides complete stock analysis for approximately 6,000 equities w. Value Line Research Center – A complete, online investment research system that includes all the financial information and tools needed to structure a well-researched and diversified portfolio for stocks, ETFs and mutual funds x. Value Line Equity Research Center – A complete, online investment research system that includes all of Value Line’s equity research products needed to structure a well-researched and diversified portfolio for equities
Value Line’s products are available to individual investors by mail, at www.valueline.com or by calling 1-800-VALUELINE (1-800-825-8354).
Institutional services for professional investors, advisors, corporate, academic, and municipal libraries are offered at www.ValueLinePro.com, www.ValueLineLibrary.com and by calling 1-800-531-1425.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information In this report, “Value Line,” “we,” “us,” “our” refers to Value Line, Inc. and “the Company” refers to Value Line and its subsidiaries unless the context otherwise requires.
This report contains statements that are predictive in nature, depend upon or refer to future events or conditions (including certain projections and business trends) accompanied by such phrases as “believe”, “estimate”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “will”, “intend” and other similar or negative expressions, that are “forward-looking statements” as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Actual results for Value Line, Inc. (“Value Line” or “the Company”) may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to the following:
maintaining revenue from subscriptions for the Company’s digital and print published products;
changes in investment trends and economic conditions, including global financial issues;
changes in Federal Reserve policies affecting interest rates and liquidity along with resulting effects on equity markets;
stability of the banking system, including the success of U.S. government policies and actions in regard to banks with liquidity or capital issues, along with the associated impact on equity markets;
continuation of orderly markets for equities and corporate and governmental debt securities;
problems protecting intellectual property rights in Company methods and trademarks;
problems protecting confidential information including customer confidential or personal information that we may possess;
dependence on non-voting revenues and non-voting profits interests in EULAV Asset Management, a Delaware statutory trust (“EAM” or “EAM Trust”), which serves as the investment advisor to the Value Line Funds and engages in related distribution, marketing and administrative services;
fluctuations in EAM’s and third-party copyright assets under management due to broadly based changes in the values of equity and debt securities, market sector variations, redemptions by investors and other factors;
possible changes in the valuation of EAM’s intangible assets from time to time;
possible changes in future revenues or collection of receivables from significant customers;
dependence on key executive and specialist personnel;
risks associated with the outsourcing of certain functions, technical facilities, and operations, including in some instances outside the U.S.;
risks of increased tariffs and other restrictions affecting the cost and availability of materials, equipment, and other necessary inputs to the Company’s operations;
competition in the fields of publishing, copyright and investment management, along with associated effects on the level and structure of prices and fees, and the mix of services delivered;
the impact of government regulation on the Company’s and EAM’s businesses;
federal and/or state legislative changes that might affect Value Line’s business;
the availability of free or low cost investment information through discount brokers or generally over the internet;
the economic and other impacts of global political and military conflicts;
continued availability of generally dependable energy supplies and transportation facilities in the geographic areas in which the company and certain suppliers operate;
terrorist attacks, cyber attacks and natural disasters;
the need for changes in our business plans because of unexpected events that occur;
widespread illnesses which may drastically affect markets, employment, and other economic conditions, and may have additional unpredictable impacts on employees, suppliers, customers, and operations;
changes in prices and availability of materials and other inputs and services, such as freight and postage, required by the Company;
risk of inadequacy of our insurance coverage to compensate for potential losses;
potential impact of vendors’ consolidation;
other risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to the risks described in Part I, Item 1A, “Risk Factors” of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended April 30, 2024 and in Part II, Item 1A of the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended January 31, 2025; and other risks and uncertainties arising from time to time.
These factors are not necessarily all of the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any of our forward-looking statements. Other unknown or unpredictable factors which may involve external factors over which we may have no control could also have material adverse effects on future results. Likewise, changes we make in our plans, objectives, strategies, or intentions, which may occur at any time in our discretion, could also have material favorable or adverse effects on our future results. Except as otherwise required to be disclosed in periodic reports required to be filed by public companies with the SEC pursuant to the SEC’s rules, we have no duty to update these statements, and we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. In light of these risks and uncertainties, current plans, anticipated actions, and future financial conditions and results may differ from those expressed in any forward-looking information contained herein.
Contact: Howard A. Brecher Value Line, Inc. 212-907-1500
HOUSTON, April 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Weatherford International plc (NASDAQ: WFRD) (“Weatherford” or the “Company”) today announced it has signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with AIQ, the Abu Dhabi-based artificial intelligence (AI) champion developing innovative solutions for the energy sector. This partnership is set to bring transformative efficiency to energy production, leveraging advanced automation, data-driven insights, and the power of AI technology.
The collaboration aims to integrate Weatherford’s world-class software and hardware solutions, including the Modern Edge suite, Unified Data Model, and WFRD Software Launchpad, with AIQ’s robust AI-driven systems. By combining these advanced tools, Weatherford and AIQ will enable operators to optimize their production workflows, reduce downtime, and significantly enhance operational efficiency across global oil and gas facilities.
Girish Saligram, President and Chief Executive Officer of Weatherford, commented, “We are excited to partner with AIQ to bring innovative, AI-driven solutions to the oil and gas industry. This strategic partnership allows us to deliver cutting-edge technologies that empower our customers to maximize their operational efficiency, enhance automation, and reduce costs. By combining our strengths, we are leading the way in helping operators modernize their workflows and achieve greater success in today’s rapidly evolving energy landscape.”
Magzhan Kenesbai, Acting Managing Director of AIQ, said, “This partnership marks another step in AIQ’s mission to build partnerships that accelerate the deployment of impactful AI systems across the energy value chain. By integrating our advanced AI-driven tools with Weatherford’s energy-specific technology, we are driving greater efficiencies to the industry through the development of scalable, automated applications. Together, we are set to empower operators to optimize their workflows, reduce downtime, and achieve unparalleled operational excellence.”
Key Highlights of the Strategic Partnership:
Modern Edge Integration: The partnership will combine AIQ’s AI technology with Weatherford’s Modern Edge, providing operators with the ability to scale their work processes efficiently while ensuring an economic return. This integration will empower customers to modernize their edge operations, facilitate autonomous production, and offer the flexibility to expand operations, all while optimizing resource usage and reducing costs.
Unified Data Model: Weatherford’s Universal Normalizer will work in tandem with AIQ’s capabilities to harmonize multi-asset data, combining operational and financial analysis into a unified, API-supported data model. This will drive smarter decision-making and streamline operations across facilities.
WFRD Software Launchpad: Through the WFRD Software Launchpad, customers will gain the ability to procure all of their software needs via a comprehensive industrial SaaS platform. This eliminates the complexity of managing multiple systems and vendors, providing a single point of access for all Weatherford and partner-built applications, while ensuring data security and autonomy within their own network.
By combining their strengths, Weatherford and AIQ will enable the energy sector to unlock unprecedented efficiencies, boost productivity, and reduce operational costs. This partnership is a significant step forward in Weatherford’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions that empower operators to succeed in an increasingly competitive and data-driven industry.
About Weatherford
Weatherford delivers innovative energy services that integrate proven technologies with advanced digitalization to create sustainable offerings for maximized value and return on investment. Our world-class experts partner with customers to optimize their resources and realize the full potential of their assets. Operators choose us for strategic solutions that add efficiency, flexibility, and responsibility to any energy operation. The Company conducts business in approximately 75 countries and has approximately 19,000 team members representing more than 110 nationalities and 330 operating locations. Visit weatherford.com for more information and connect with us on social media.
Contacts For Investors: Luke Lemoine Senior Vice President, Corporate Development & Investor Relations +1 713-836-7777 investor.relations@weatherford.com
AIQ is an innovative global technology pioneer based in Abu Dhabi, dedicated to accelerating AI-driven advancements within the Energy sector, propelling it towards a sustainable future. AIQ solutions improve performance and efficiency; protect personnel, assets, and operations; and enable customers to meet their sustainability goals. As a committed contributor to realizing the UAE’s ambition to lead the world in AI by 2031, AIQ is playing a pivotal role in the AI ecosystem of Abu Dhabi, the UAE, and the global Energy sector. To find out more, visit: aiqintelligence.ae/
President Donald Trump has issued an executive order that would block state laws seeking to tackle greenhouse gas emissions – the latest salvo in his administration’s campaign to roll back United States’ climate action.
Under Trump, the US has clearly abdicated climate leadership. But the US has in fact obstructed climate action for decades – largely due to damaging actions by the powerful fossil fuel industry.
In 20 years studying attacks on climate science and the powerful forces at work behind the scenes, I’ve come to think the United States is simply not going to lead on climate action. The fossil fuel industry has so poisoned the well of public debate in the US that it’s unlikely the nation will lead on the issue in our lifetimes.
Australia, on the other hand, has enormous potential.
I recently visited Australia from Harvard University for a series of publictalks. This nation is very close to my heart. I trained as a mining geologist and spent three years in outback South Australia, before returning to academia.
The vacuum Trump has created on climate policy provides a chance for other countries to lead. Australia has much more to gain from the clean-energy future than it stands to lose – and your climate action could be pivotal.
The climate crisis: a long time coming
Scientists first warned against burning fossil fuels way back in the 1950s. When the US Clean Air Act was passed in 1970, the words “weather” and “climate” were included because scientists had already explained to Congress that carbon dioxide was a pollutant with serious — even dire — effects.
In the late 1980s, scientists at NASA observed changes in the climate system that could only be explained by the extra heating effect of atmospheric carbon dioxide. The predictions had become reality.
The scientists informed their managers of the risk of catastrophic damage if the burning of oil, gas and coal continued unabated. They even suggested the company might need a different business model – one not so dependent on fossil fuels.
But managers at ExxonMobil made a fateful decision: to turn from information to disinformation. Working in tandem with other oil, gas and coal companies, as well as automobile and aluminium manufacturers, ExxonMobil launched an organised campaign, sustained over decades, to block climate action by casting doubt on the underlying science.
They ran ad campaigns in national and local newspapers insisting the science was too unsettled to warrant action. They created “astroturf” organisations that only pretended to be green, and funded “third-party allies” to argue that proposed remedies would be too expensive, cost jobs and damage the economy.
The company funded outlier scientists to publish papers claiming atmospheric warming was the result of natural climate variability. They pressured journalists to give equal time to “their side” of the story in the name of “balance”.
Over the next three decades, whenever any meaningful climate policy seemed to be gaining traction, the industry and its allies lobbied Congress and state legislatures to block it. So, neither Democratic nor Republican administrations were able to undertake meaningful climate action.
While people were dying in climate-charged floods and fires, the fossil fuel industry persuaded a significant proportion of the US population, including Trump, that the whole thing might just be a hoax.
Rise up Australia
In a matter of weeks after becoming president, Trump pulled out of the Paris Agreement to limit global warming, shut down government websites hosting climate data, and withdrew support for research that dares to mention the word “climate”.
This has created a vacuum that other countries, including Australia, can step up to fill.
Few countries have more to lose from climate change than Australia. The continent has already witnessed costly and devastating wildfires and floods — affecting remote areas and major cities. It’s not unreasonable to worry that in coming years, significant parts of Australia could become uninhabitable.
Like the US, Australia has a powerful fossil fuel industry that has disproportionately influenced its politics. Unlike the US, however, that industry is based mainly on coal for export, which Australians do not depend on in their daily lives.
And Australia is truly a lucky country. It has unsurpassed potential to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy.
More than 15 years ago, Australian researchers in the Zero Carbon Australia project offered a blueprint for how the country could eliminate fossil fuel use entirely. Since then, renewable energy has only become cheaper and more efficient.
Across Australia, the share of renewable electricity generation is growing. Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland are vying for second place after SA. It’s fascinating to watch the National Electricity Market balance supply and demand in real time, where a large proportion of the electricity comes from rooftop solar.
For decades, the fossil fuel industry has told the public our societies can’t manage without fossil fuels. Large parts of Australia have proved it’s just not so. The rest of the nation can follow that lead, and model the energy transition for the world. Here’s your chance.
Over the past two decades, Naomi Oreskes has received grant funding from various governments and non-government organisations to support the research upon which this piece is based. She serves on the board of The Climate Science Legal Defense Fund, which works to protect the integrity of climate science, and climate scientists, from politically motivated attacks. The Fund is a registered 501 c(3) non-profit organisation, meaning it does not engage in political activities. She is also an emerita board member of Protect our Winters, a 501 c (3) that works with the winter sports community to educate people about climate change and the threat it poses to winter sports. Naomi serves on the board of the Kann-Rasmussen foundation (Denmark), a non-profit foundation that works “to support the transition to a more environmentally resilient stable, and sustainable planet”.
Naomi currently serves as a consultant to a number of groups pursuing climate litigation in the United States, and recently submitted an expert report to the International Court of Justice on behalf of Vanuatu. She also receives speaking fees and book royalties for talks and publications on the history of climate science and climate change denial. Co-author, with Erik M. Conway, of Merchants of Doubt (2010) and The Big Myth (2023).
overnor Kathy Hochul today announced $4.85 million in grants is being awarded to municipalities across the state to support the installation of electric vehicle chargers as part of the State’s Municipal Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Grants program. The funded projects support New York’s ongoing efforts to advance clean transportation, expand publicly available electric vehicle chargers, and help reduce pollution including greenhouse gas emissions for a cleaner and greener environment.
“My Administration is committed to advancing the transition to a cleaner and healthier future for our environment benefitting all New Yorkers,” Governor Hochul said. “Our continued investments in electric vehicle infrastructure encourages more drivers to switch to electric, reducing pollution and emissions across the State and improving the health and well-being of our residents and communities.”
The Municipal Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Infrastructure Grant program administered by the State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) prioritizes clean transportation investments in communities most affected by pollution and climate change. The program includes a variable local match requirement based on the municipality’s median household income (MHI) and whether the ZEV infrastructure is located in a disadvantaged community, based on the disadvantaged communities criteria developed by the State’s Climate Justice Working Group. Of the awards announced today, approximately $885,000 were granted to municipalities located in disadvantaged communities in New York State.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Acting Commissioner Amanda Lefton said, “New York continues advancing the state’s transition to clean transportation with investments in municipal electric vehicle chargers to encourage the switch to plug-in hybrids and EVs. DEC’s Municipal ZEV Infrastructure Grant program is expanding New York’s EV charging station network and supporting municipalities statewide taking climate action, investing in electric transportation, and helping realize the clean energy economy of the future.”
New York State Research and Development Authority President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said, “Through clean transportation initiatives such as DEC’s Municipal Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure program, the State is helping counties, cities, towns, and villages install more public charging stations for zero-emission vehicles across New York. Congratulations to these municipalities for their leadership and making it easier for residents and visitors alike to choose cleaner vehicles with the confidence they’ll be able to charge their cars where and when they need to.”
Assemblymember Didi Barrett said, “This funding will help New York’s smaller municipalities, in the Hudson Valley and beyond, be part of the state’s electric vehicle charging infrastructure network build out. The four new Level 2 electric charging ports in the Town of Hyde Park will reduce range anxiety for residents and visitors alike.”
State Senator Pete Harckham said, “Encouraging motorists to drive zero-emissions vehicles is the best way to ramp up our fight statewide against the climate crisis and improve public health. These new state infrastructure grant awards announced by Governor Hochul for EV charging stations show New York is committed to a steady and inclusive transition to a clean energy economy that will benefit residents in many ways. The partnership between the governor and the state legislature in making a transition to clean transportation is a strong one and will continue to make New York an environmental leader.”
2024 Municipal ZEV Infrastructure Grant Awards include:
Capital Region
City of Rensselaer – $233,000 for one DCFC pedestal
Finger Lakes
Village of Brockport – $188,825 for 10 Level 2 charging ports and one DCFC pedestal
Village of Dundee – $24,200 for four Level 2 charging ports
Town of Farmington – $225,620 for 24 Level 2 charging ports and one DCFC pedestal
Town of Huron – $43,200 for four Level 2 charging ports
Village of Interlaken – $124,470 for one DCFC pedestal
Village of Le Roy – $20,605 for four Level 2 charging ports
Village of Oakfield – $24,380 for four Level 2 charging ports
County of Ontario – $309,100 for 14 Level 2 charging ports and two DCFC pedestals
Village of Palmyra – $222,250 for two DCFC pedestals
Village of Warsaw – $148,500 for one DCFC pedestal
Village of Waterloo – $238,900 for 12 Level 2 charging ports
Long Island
Town of Huntington – $326,000 for four Level 2 charging ports and six DCFC pedestals
City of Long Beach – $296,080 for four Level 2 charging ports and two DCFC pedestals
Mid-Hudson
Town of Hyde Park – $32,480 for four Level 2 charging ports
Town of Orangetown – $46,352 for four Level 2 charging ports
Town of Putnam Valley – $29,822 for four Level 2 charging ports
Town of Shawangunk – $26,587 for two Level 2 charging ports
Village of South Blooming Grove – $250,000 for three DCFC pedestals
North Country
Town of Colton – $76,318 for four Level 2 charging ports
Village of Constableville – $21,222 for two Level 2 charging ports
Town of Diana – $159,150 for one DCFC pedestal
County of Essex – $55,008 for four Level 2 charging ports
Town of Jay – $206,403 for two Level 2 charging ports and one DCFC pedestal
County of Lewis – $298,728 for two DCFC pedestals
Village of Lowville – $93,312 for 12 Level 2 charging ports
Village of Saranac Lake – $482,164 for 30 Level 2 charging ports
Southern Tier
Town of Danby – $11,400 for two Level 2 charging ports
Western New York
City of Dunkirk – $53,400 for 14 Level 2 charging ports
Village of Springville – $248,000 for one DCFC pedestal
Town of Tonawanda – $285,007 for 16 Level 2 charging ports and one DCFC pedestal
Village of Wilson – $49,648 for two Level 2 charging ports
More information about the DEC Municipal ZEV Infrastructure Grant program, as well as the DEC Municipal ZEV Rebate program, is available on DEC’s website. For questions about the Municipal ZEV program, email [email protected] or call DEC’s Office of Climate Change at 518-402-8448.
New York State’s nearly $3 billion investment in electrifying its transportation sector has supported a range of initiatives aimed to increase access to electric vehicles (EVs) and charging while improving air quality and health outcomes for all New Yorkers. These programs include today’s Municipal ZEV Infrastructure Program grants and many other programs, including EV Make Ready, EVolve NY, Charge Ready NY 2.0, the Drive Clean Rebate, the New York Truck Voucher Incentive Program, the New York School Bus Incentive Program, and the Direct Current Fast Charger program. The State invests in charging infrastructure and EVs to benefit all New Yorkers, and its efforts have been successful at increasing the number of EVs and charging stations across all regions of New York – with, over 280,000 EVs on the road statewide and over 17,000 public chargers- more public chargers than any other state except for California. Additionally, there are more than 4,000 semi-public charging stations at workplaces and multifamily buildings across the state.
New York State’s Climate Agenda New York State’s climate agenda calls for an affordable and just transition to a clean energy economy that creates family-sustaining jobs, promotes economic growth through green investments, and directs a minimum of 35 percent of the benefits to disadvantaged communities. New York is advancing a suite of efforts to achieve an emissions-free economy by 2050, including in the energy, buildings, transportation, and waste sectors.
Time: 09:00 London | 17:00 Incheon Date: 22 May 2025 (Thursday) Event Language: English
Description
Cities face many critical challenges in accessing financial resources for adaptation and resilience projects, including for disaster response and preparedness. Among these are challenges with the capacity of cities to develop investible adaptation and resilience projects and implement technical solutions to climate hazards.
This one-hour webinar aims to provide attendees with an understanding of the landscape of urban climate finance, introduce the project preparation process, and share examples of successful implementation of adaptation and resilience actions in global cities. The session will also showcase tools available by the Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance (CCFLA) and its members that city and subnational governments can use to enhance their project preparation capacity and develop investible projects to enhance their resilience to climate hazards and disasters.
Hosted by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction Global Education and Training Institute (UNDRR GETI), the webinar is open to local government officials and relevant stakeholders, especially those responsible for disaster and climate actions and seeking next steps towards accessing finance for implementation.
CCFLA is the main multi-level and multi-stakeholder coalition aimed at closing the investment gap for urban subnational climate projects and infrastructure worldwide, launched at the United Nations Secretary General’s Climate Summit in September 2014 and renewed at the United Nations Secretary General’s Climate Summit in September 2019. CCFLA provides a platform to convene and exchange knowledge among all relevant actors dedicated to urban development, climate action, and/or financing.
CCFLA’s 80+ members include public and private finance institutions, national governments, international organizations, NGOs, research groups, UN organizations, and city and regional networks that represent most of the world’s largest cities. CCFLA works across several key thematic areas including tracking urban climate finance, project preparation, urban adaptation and resilience finance, private sector mobilization, and public sector and enabling environments. The CCFLA Secretariat is hosted by Climate Policy Initiative (CPI).
UNDRR Global Education and Training Institute (UNDRR GETI)
UNDRR GETI was established in 2010 to develop a new cadre of professionals in disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation to build disaster resilient societies. GETI has a global mandate to provide capacity building support to mainstream disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation into sustainable development; convene and support inter-city learning to strengthen resilience (Making Cities Resilient); and to provide capacity building and best practice sharing support to national training institutions working on resilience issues. Based in Incheon, the Republic of Korea, UNDRR GETI is also the global secretariat of the Making Cities Resilient 2030 (MCR2030).
The Making Cities Resilient 2030 (MCR2030) is a unique cross-stakeholder initiative for improving local resilience through advocacy, sharing knowledge and experiences, establishing mutually reinforcing city-to-city learning networks, injecting technical expertise, connecting multiple layers of government and building partnerships. Through delivering a clear 3-stage roadmap to urban resilience, providing tools, access to knowledge, monitoring and reporting tools. MCR2030 will support cities on their journey to reduce risk and build resilience. MCR2030 aims to ensure cities become inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable by 2030, contributing directly to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 11 (SDG11) “Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”, and other global frameworks including the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Paris Agreement and the New Urban Agenda.
EMA is hosting a Housing Resource Fair on Saturday, April 26 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Burke County at the following location: Burke County Office Park Auditorium 715 W 6thSt. Waynesboro, GA 30830 The Housing Resource Fair will bring together federal, state and local agencies in one place to offer services and resources to families recovering from Hurricane Helene. The goal of this collaborative effort is to help connect eligible disaster survivors with affordable housing along with valuable information and resources on their road to recovery. Survivors will meet with local housing organizations, property owners and landlords, as well as get information on the HEARTS Georgia Sheltering Program and U.S. Small Business Administration loans. The Housing Resource Fair is an opportunity for survivors to:
Explore affordable housing options and rental assistance programs. Meet with representatives from local housing organizations, landlords and property managers. Gain access to resources for displaced individuals and families. Learn from community partners about educational funding resources.
For FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Kevin Wallace, the Housing Resource Fair is an opportunity to give survivors a one-on-one experience: “We want survivors to know we are here for them and want to see the best outcome, which is moving into safe, sanitary and functioning housing,” he said. “We will walk them through their options to ensure they are aware of the resources that are available to fit their need.” Anyone affected by Tropical Storm Debby or Hurricane Helene, whether they applied for FEMA assistance or not, is welcome to attend.
strong>FRANKFORT, Ky. – Kentucky homeowners and renters who suffered uninsured or underinsured damage to their property from the February Severe Storms, Flooding and Straight-line winds now have a few weeks left to apply for federal disaster assistance. FEMA has extended the application deadline to Monday, May 25, 2025. FEMA assistance for individuals affected by the severe weather can cover rental assistance, temporary housing, home repairs, personal property losses and other disaster-related needs not covered by insurance. FEMA grants do not have to be repaid. FEMA assistance is nontaxable and will not affect eligibility for Social Security, Medicaid or other federal benefits. Survivors are encouraged to file insurance claims for damage to their homes, personal property and vehicles before they apply for FEMA assistance. FEMA Individual Assistance cannot duplicate insurance benefits or other sources of assistance. To apply with FEMA:
Go online at DisasterAssistance.gov (fastest option); Use the FEMA App (available at the Apple App Store or Google Play); Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. If you use a relay service, such as Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone, or other service, give FEMA your number for that service. Visit a Disaster Recovery Center. For locations: DRCLocator.
Disaster Recovery Centers are physically accessible to people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs. They are equipped with assistive technology and other resources to help ensure all applicants can access resources.
ADVISORY – SCHUYLKILL COUNTY – Shapiro Administration Will Announce Opening of Next Round of Growing Greener Grants
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Acting Secretary Jessica Shirley will be at the site of a restored stream, the Swatara Creek Floodplain Restoration project, to celebrate Earth Day and announce the opening of the next Growing Greener Grant round.
Growing Greener is the largest single investment of state funds in Pennsylvania’s history to address critical environmental concerns.
WHAT: Celebrating Earth Day and announcing the opening of 2025 Growing Greener Grant Program applications.
WHEN: April 22, 2025 at 2:00 PM
WHERE: 40.55903, -76.39103; Whispering Pines Blvd (Behind the Boyer’s Food Market in Pine Grove)
For more information, visit the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s website, or follow DEP on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, or LinkedIn.
Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) announced Louisiana will receive $21,879,841.94 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in reimbursement for permanent repairs and recovery efforts following Hurricanes Laura and Ida.
“This funding supports schools, hospitals, and airport infrastructure,” said Dr. Cassidy. “These investments help our communities recover and prepare for the next storm.”
Grant Awarded
Recipient
Project Description
$11,270,163.36
Terrebonne Parish School Board
This grant will provide federal funding for the replacement of damaged school property as a direct result of Hurricane Ida.
$1,239,204.18
Ochsner Clinic Foundation
This grant will provide federal funding for permanent repairs to the Kenner Ochsner Medical Office Building damaged by Hurricane Ida.
$7,071,039.26
Calcasieu Parish School Board
This grant will provide federal funding for permanent repairs at Barbe High School campus facilities damaged by Hurricane Laura.
$1,020,440.82
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport
This grant will provide federal funding for permanent repairs to buildings damaged by Hurricane Ida.
Source: United States Small Business Administration
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Texas of the May 21, deadline to apply for a low interest federal disaster loan to offset economic injury caused by Hurricane Beryl occurring July 5-9, 2024.
The disaster declaration covers the Texas counties of Angelina, Austin, Brazoria, Calhoun, Chambers, Colorado, Fort Bend, Galveston, Hardin, Harris, Jackson, Jasper, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery, Nacogdoches, Newton, Polk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby, Trinity, Tyler, Walker, Waller, Washington and Wharton.
Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to PNPs providing non-critical services of a governmental nature who suffered financial losses directly related to the disaster. Examples of eligible non-critical PNPs include, but are not limited to, food kitchens, homeless shelters, museums, libraries, community centers, schools and colleges.
EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills not paid due to the disaster.
“SBA loans help eligible small businesses and private nonprofits cover operating expenses after a disaster, which is crucial for their recovery,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “These loans not only help business owners get back on their feet but also play a key role in sustaining local economies in the aftermath of a disaster.”
The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 3.25% and terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due, until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.
To apply online, visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
Submit completed loan applications to the SBA no later than May 21.
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About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.
Broomfield, Colo. — Today, Governor Polis and the Colorado Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Drought and Climate Resilience Office (ADCRO) announced new grant opportunities to support climate resilience projects within the state’s agricultural sector.
“In Colorado we are committed to mitigating the risk associated with climate change, by investing in innovative clean energy technologies, and providing economic avenues for our farmers and ranchers to continue to provide healthy and fresh produce to all Coloradans for generations to come,” said Governor Polis.
Climate resilience is the ability to anticipate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from hazardous events, trends, or disturbances related to climate. The Climate Resilience Grants are designed to provide crucial financial assistance to farmers and ranchers who have experienced adverse effects due to climate change-induced disasters and are seeking to enhance their resilience against future climate-related challenges.
“Dealing with extreme weather, resulting from climate change, and an increasingly dry environment is an everyday challenge for Colorado’s farmers and ranchers,” said Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture Kate Greenberg. “This funding will help producers who have experienced these challenges or are at risk for worsening climate disasters to be better prepared to withstand these events now and into the future.”
This is the first grant opportunity at CDA focused on helping producers who have experienced a disaster. Specifically, this funding addresses a critical need producers have to ensure their operations are resilient and can better withstand future climate pressures.
Climate change affects all sectors of agriculture, from workforce and the supply chain, to livestock and farm and ranch profitability. This funding will help tackle issues throughout the supply chain and invest in leaders around the state, who can later serve as positive examples or resources for their neighbors. Climate-related disasters are only increasing, and this funding can create demonstrations on what it means to recover in a resilient way. CDA will select a few priority climate impacts to focus on each funding cycle, based on needs around the state. This year, priority projects will be those that address impacts of drought, snow events, and wildfire. In future years, CDA will work with partners to determine priorities based on needs. Other disasters that are exacerbated by climate change include flooding, extreme heat, and severe storms.
Farmers and ranchers are eligible, as are producer-facing organizations, tribes, and local governments. Grant applications must demonstrate how producers will benefit, how the grant deliverables will address future climate disasters, and feasibility of the project. Matching funding is not required, though applicants will receive more points if they use matching funds. The maximum grant award is $30,000.
The online application is available on the ADCRO website. Grant applications are due on May 29.
The ADCRO team will hold an informational webinar on Wednesday, May 7, at 2:00 p.m., and interested participants can register via Zoom or find the registration link on the ADCRO website. The informational session staff will present an overview of the eligibility criteria and application process and answer producer questions.
This initiative represents a significant step forward in supporting Colorado’s agricultural sector in adapting to and mitigating the impacts of climate change and fostering a more resilient and sustainable agricultural landscape for the future. These grants also align with CDA’s strategic priorities, especially Direction Three: Environmental Stewardship and Climate Resilience. These grants will work with other CDA programs to create healthy and resilient farms, ranches, and food supply chains.
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Daniel Horen Greenford, Lecturer and postdoctoral researcher in Ecological Economics and Climate Policy, Department of Geography, Planning and Environment, Concordia University
With a federal election on the horizon, economic policy is once again taking centre stage. Yet missing from the national debate is a serious reckoning with the failures of neoliberalism and the urgent need for alternatives.
Liberal Leader Mark Carney, with his experience across banking and global finance, is one figure who could potentially steer that shift. Carney’s career, spanning Morgan Stanley, the Bank of Canada, the Bank of England and Brookfield Asset Management, has exemplified his competence within the bounds of economic orthodoxy.
As the Bank of Canada’s governor, Carney pre-emptively cut interest rates to cushion the blow of the 2008 financial crisis. Standard measures like interest rate cuts and quantitative easing are meant to keep economies afloat during downturns. While necessary, these steps remained squarely within the bounds of conventional economic thinking.
Today, however, those old tricks aren’t enough. The twin crises of climate collapse and socioeconomic inequality demand bolder policy and braver leadership from policymakers.
MMT scholars argue that countries that issue their own currency, like Canada, have monetary sovereignty. These governments don’t need to rely on bond markets for funding; instead, they can create money directly through public spending. And, when they do sell debt, there’s never a shortage of demand for it.
From this perspective, the real constraint isn’t money, but productive capacity: materials, energy and labour. Public debt is neither inherently dangerous, nor is it “owed” to anyone.
MMT also argues the “tax and spend” perspective is backwards — taxes are not needed to fund public spending. In its view, governments spend first, then tax to remove money from circulation to keep inflation under control.
Inflation risk stems not from government spending, but from economic over-demand or supply constraints. During periods of low growth, spending is not just safe — it’s essential, as we saw during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Inflation during the pandemic was driven predominantly by supply chain disruptions and gas price spikes, not overspending. Strategic taxation can be used to curb demand and reduce inequality when inflation emerges.
MMT’s job guarantee
The hallmark policy of MMT is a job guarantee — a public option for employment that would employ anyone wanting to work. This would effectively end structural unemployment while improving conditions for those employed in the private sector through competition.
Such an initiative would help unlock productivity needed to revitalize and decarbonize housing, transport, energy and other critical infrastructure.
Yet instead of embracing such ideas, centrist parties like the Canadian Liberal Party and United Kingdom’s Labour Party cling to outdated concerns over “fiscal responsibility,” echoing debates that have been outdated since the end of the gold standard in the 1970s.
The cost of playing it safe
Carney appears to have retreated into political caution and has avoided challenging fiscal conservatism in any substantive way. Immediately upon taking office, he capitulated to misleading narratives promoted by politicians like Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, and cut the consumer carbon price.
According to the government’s own analysis, only the top 0.13 per cent of Canadians stood to lose from a modest increase in the inclusion rate for taxing unearned income.
During the Liberal leadership race, Carney advocated for using public investment to attract private capital during a CBC News interview. Sidestepping a direct answer about whether he’d balance the overall budget, he instead committed to balancing “operational spending.” When pressed, he said he would run deficits when necessary to “invest [in] and grow Canada’s economy.”
Carney’s approach frames public spending as a way to mobilize private capital, rather than as a driver of public-led economic transformation. True to his background, his language casts the government as a shrewd investor, not a driver of structural change.
Carney also framed public investment as “borrowing,” which MMT clarifies is a misnomer: unlike a household or a business, a currency-issuing government doesn’t need to borrow in the traditional sense and faces no risk of running out of its own currency.
A bolder path forward is needed
Canada needs more than cautious tweaks to the status quo. A climate jobs program, like a Youth Climate Corps, could guarantee well-paid, meaningful work in communities across the country for anyone ready to contribute. Public opinion is already there: more than half of Canadians support a climate corps.
Public-sector competition in industries like housing and renewable energy could keep private firms efficient and accountable. During World War II, engineer and businessman C.D. Howe became Minister of the Department of Munitions and Supply and oversaw the creation of 28 Crown corporations that drove wartime production.
Canada already has a Crown corporation mandated to support affordable housing: the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. This agency could be expanded to not only finance, but also tender contracts and build housing. It could be a federal landlord, with long-term goals of community management and ownership.
The more affordable units kept out of an increasingly profit-driven market, the more accessible housing will be. This would stabilize the market and provide a floor (and roof) for affordability.
Some MMT scholars and social movements have even called for a homes guarantee — a federally-funded program to guarantee a place to live for anyone squeezed out of the housing market.
Critics might say bold investment is politically infeasible. But is it? Or could one of Canada’s federal parties champion policies that inspire instead of capitulate? Traditionally, the NDP would pick up this mantle, but they ceded their place as the progressive vanguard after former NDP Leader Tom Mulcair promised to balance the budget in 2015.
The real risk isn’t ambitious reform, but relying on outdated tricks in a world that demands new solutions.
Daniel Horen Greenford receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
A study published in Nature Climate Change assesses temperature-related deaths in urban heat islands.
Dr Chloe Brimicombe, Climate Scientist and Extreme Heat Impact Researcher, University of London, The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said:
“The paper shows how urban greening (maintaining parks and planting trees) and cool roofs, painting roofs white are intervention which reduces the rise in heat in cities and are associated with reduced heat related mortality.
“In the paper all the results are related to a general U-shaped relationship this is where we see more deaths when it’s cold and hot in comparison to when it’s just warm. This is a global trend but there are actually local differences so sometimes we see a J shape where there’s a point at which heat related mortality rises faster than cold related mortality. It’s also different for age, cause of death and for socio-economic factors like wealth, type of housing and ethnicity.
“Also, there is what we call a lagged effect, someone could take up to a month to die from cold, whereas it is 3 days to a week with heat – when we consider our body, they affect us differently – you shiver when cold and sweat when hot.
“In addition, this paper does not take into account humid heat which is more deadly than dry heat. And we have seen in other recent studies that urban greening may be affecting this and therefore heat during the night-time and mortality.
“This is a problem in UK towns and cities, there has been local research showing that green roofs are associated with reduced heat-mortality in London. We see a rise in cold and heat related mortality in UK cities, we all remember how unbearable UK urban areas were in the July 2022 heatwave. This paper gives evidence that more funding should be set aside so that local towns and cities can increase adaptation strategies including maintaining parks, planting trees and vegetation, increasing coverage of cool roofs and reflective roofing which may reduce the burden of heat related mortality.
“With all this in mind the paper demonstrates really how we need to take into account local contexts and there is a lot that local cities are doing, and we should celebrate these efforts, but adaptation alone is not enough we need to urgently prioritise transitions to net zero and beyond.”
Dr Clare Heaviside, Associate Professor (Cities, Climate and Health), University College London (UCL), said:
“Urban adaptations influence local temperatures year-round, impacting human health. These complex effects vary across populations, cities and geographic and climatic zones. Therefore, maximising benefits and minimising negative impacts in specific settings requires location-specific modelling and data (health and meteorology), rather than relying on generalised results that extrapolate sparse data to different settings.
“That is why our (and many other) modelling studies use locally derived temperature-mortality relationships, daily mortality data and detailed regional urban climate modelling to best assess the impacts of adaptations like greening and cool roofs. For example, we modelled the health impacts of the UHI in summer and winter in the West Midlands, and found a protective effect of the UHI on winter mortality as well as a (larger) negative impact of the UHI in summer.
“Cool roofs reduced summer mortality and had a negligible effect in winter, so even with cool roofs present all year round, the reduced solar radiation in winter meant that the cool roofs did not diminish the beneficial impact of the UHI during cold weather. Therefore we found an annual net positive health impact of cool roofs, due to the larger benefits in summer. Of course this is highly context specific and will not necessarily be the case everywhere, so we would need similar data and modelling in other locations to test similar impacts of adaptations.”
Dr Madeleine Thomson, Head of Climate Impacts and Adaptation at Wellcome, said:
“While the study’s modelling provides valuable insights into global trends, it assumes adaptation strategies have the same impact across seasons around the world.
“Local context matters. Effective climate adaptation must be tailored to the place — and the people — it’s meant to protect. Many cities are already doing this with evidence-based approaches that consider the impact year-round.
“Copenhagen, for example, planted deciduous trees that offer shade in summer to reduce urban heat, while shedding their leaves in winter to let sunlight in—helping to cool the city in summer without intensifying winter cold. This seasonal adaptability makes them an effective tool against the urban heat island effect.”
“Extreme heat is a rising global threat due to climate change, putting vulnerable groups — including older adults, children, and pregnant women — at serious health risks. Cities must act with urgency, using local evidence to protect lives now and into the future.”
‘Dual impact of global urban overheating on mortality’ by Shasha Wang et al. was published in Nature Climate Change at 16:00 UK time Monday 21 April 2025, which is when the embargo will lift.
Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on April 15, 2025, a federal grand jury issued an indictment alleging that Bradley D. Hounsell (age: 43) of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, “attempted to and did employ a minor under the age of 18, to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct” in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2251(a), 2251(e), and 2(a).
According to the unsealed indictment, between on or about November 4, 2023, and November 8, 2023, Hounsell is alleged to have employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced a minor for the purpose transporting child pornography via the internet. If convicted of the offense, Hounsell faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and up to 30 years of incarceration. He may also be fined up to $250,000 and would be required to register as a sex offender under state and federal law.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006, by the U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Trial Attorney William G. Clayman of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove his guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on April 15, 2025, Senior United States District Judge William C. Griesbach sentenced John D. Taylor (age: 37) to a total of eight years’ imprisonment and five years’ supervised release after Taylor pled guilty to Dealing Firearms Without a License, Felon in Possession of Firearms, Transfer and Possession of Machineguns, and Possessing Firearms in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(a)(1)(A), 922(g)(1), 922(o), & 924(c).
Relatedly, on November 22, 2024, Judge Griesbach had sentenced Taylor’s co-defendant, Allison A. Mundt (age: 31) to a total of seven years’ imprisonment and five years’ supervised release after Mundt pled guilty to Dealing Firearms Without a License, Felon in Possession of Firearms, and Possessing Firearms in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(a)(1)(A), 922(g)(1), & 924(c).
According to court records, in March and April 2024, law-enforcement officers developed information that Taylor and Mundt, previously convicted felons living in Waushara County, were offering firearms for sale. Law enforcement arranged controlled purchases of firearms and methamphetamine from Taylor and Mundt, which culminated in a search warrant. In all, the investigation recovered approximately 35 firearms, including machineguns, short-barrel rifles, short-barrel shotguns, and pistols, some with no serial numbers. Officers also seized drum magazines and other high-capacity magazines, over 1,700 rounds of ammunition, and an ounce of methamphetamine intended for distribution.
In sentencing Taylor and Mundt, Judge Griesbach stressed that trafficking in firearms without a license circumvents background checks, increasing the risk that firearms will end up in the hands of convicted felons and other prohibited persons. The court noted that such conduct is even more dangerous with machineguns and other high-capacity rifles and pistols. Moreover, these defendants were previously convicted felons who were using and distributing methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Waushara County Sheriff’s Department, Lake Winnebago Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group Drug Unit, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Funnel.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News
HOUSTON – A Houston federal jury has returned guilty verdicts against the former chief operating officer of the Houston Independent School District (HISD) and an HISD contractor, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the Southern District of Texas (SDTX).
The jury deliberated for only six hours before convicting Brian Busby and Anthony Hutchison following a four-week trial. Both were convicted of conspiracy, bribery, filing false tax returns and witness tampering. Hutchison was also convicted of seven counts of wire fraud.
Over the course of the trial, the jury heard testimony from over 50 witnesses regarding the 33 charged counts involving bribery, false invoicing schemes, witness tampering and tax violations. Five former HISD officials testified, all of whom received bribe payments – Rhonda Skillern-Jones, former HISD Board of Education president; Derrick Sanders, officer of construction services; Alfred Hoskins, general manager of facilities, maintenance and operations; Gerron Hall, area manager for maintenance – south; and Luis Tovar, area manager for maintenance – north.
They described the pressure Busby put on them to provide Hutchison’s companies more work with HISD as well as larger projects following Hurricane Harvey. They recounted how they received tens of thousands of dollars over the course of 2017 and 2018 or longer.
Skillern-Jones testified Busby told her she should use Hutchison’s company on school projects with the funds remaining from the school bond passed in 2012. They agreed that if the contract was given to Hutchison, then they could make some money off the projects. Following completion of the Holland Middle School and Pleasantville Elementary School projects, Busby met with Skillern-Jones outside of a Walmart parking lot to give her $12,000 in cash from Hutchison as the bribery payment for allocating her district’s portion of bond funds for projects Hutchison performed.
Sanders, who also socialized with Busby and Hutchison, described taking trips to Las Vegas with them where he would be paid bribes and recounted their lavish purchases. On one occasion when Hutchison paid him, he exclaimed “next,” signaling Busby to come into the room for his payment.
Hoskins testified his maintenance team did not want to use Just Construction because it was often more expensive than other vendors, but Busby pressured him to give Hutchison’s company more work. Testimony further revealed they would bypass the rotation or bid process in selecting vendors and just provide work directly to Hutchison’s companies.
The jury also saw a handwritten ledger seized from Hutchison’s residence which contained detailed notes of all HISD projects awarded to Just Construction. It included entries for bribe payments and locations where they were made.
Detailed evidence also revealed the extensive invoicing fraud scheme Hutchison perpetrated through his company Southwest Wholesale. Since 2015, Southwest Wholesale had been the exclusive mowing and landscape contractor for HISD. The jury heard testimony demonstrating how Hutchison continuously overbilled for years for the approximately 150 schools he was contracted to mow. He also similarly charged HISD over twice the cost of what he paid for the supplies and marked that inflated charge up 20%. He consistently overbilled HISD over the course of years for a loss in excess of $6 million.
Busby also made excessive cash deposits to over 18 bank accounts which was far more than his legitimate income. He attempted to explain it based on other sources of income, but the jury was not convinced it accounted for the close to $3 million cash deposits made over the course of five years that were not declared in his income tax returns for 2015-2019.
Hutchison similarly filed false tax returns in 2017 and 2018 wherein he deducted improper business expenses. Specifically, Hutchison obtained cash he used to pay bribes to HISD officials by writing company checks to vendors, who cashed the checks and provided the cash to him. He falsely stated on the memo line that they were in payment for work performed on HISD properties. He then caused the checks to be improperly deducted on corporate tax returns as business expenses. In reality, they were cashed to pay extensive gambling debts and cash bribe payments.
Hoskins also testified about the steps Busby and Hutchison took to interfere with the investigation. Specifically, Busby called Hoskins and told him to tell investigators Busby had nothing to do with the award of the maintenance contract to Hutchison and his company. Hoskins also described how Hutchison advised him that police had a handwritten ledger with numbers on it and that Hoskins should say it was for gambling.
“HISD is the largest school district in the state, and the people of Houston trusted that district officials would spend their tax dollars wisely and carefully. Instead, Busby and Hutchinson defrauded the school district and the taxpayers of millions of dollars, doing so to line their own pockets,” said Ganjei. “People need to have faith in their public institutions, and they can become understandably cynical when they hear of public servants stealing from school kids by taking bribes and over-billing. SDTX aimed to restore that public trust by bringing this multi-year investigation to trial, which lasted over four weeks and involved over 50 witnesses. I’m proud of the trial team for delivering justice here, and I thank our incredible law enforcement partners. Most of all, I’d like to thank the jury for devoting their precious time and attention over the past month. This case demonstrates that theft from schools won’t be tolerated and that the public can have confidence in their institutions.”
“For years, Busby and Hutchison defrauded the largest public school system in Texas out of millions of dollars – money that was intended to benefit the students of HISD,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams of the FBI Houston Field Office. “In turn, Busby and Hutchison also defrauded the taxpayers whose hard-earned dollars were fraudulently diverted for their greed and personal gain. Public corruption cases like this one are challenging to investigate and prove and erode the trust we place on our public servants. At the end of the day, we want to make sure corrupt individuals like Busby and Hutchison are brought to justice. Today’s guilty verdict is a step towards that justice. I’m proud of FBI Houston’s public corruption squad for the results of its years-long investigation and thank them, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, for their commitment to this case and to its thousands of victims.”
U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen presided over the trial and has set sentencing for July 28. At that time, Busby and Hutchison face up to five, 10 and 20 years, respectively, for the conspiracy, bribery and witness tampering charges. Hutchison also faces up to 20 years for each count of wire fraud. All charges also carry a $250,000 maximum possible fine.
Skillern-Jones, 39, Houston; Sanders, 50, Hoskins, 58, Hall, 48, all of Missouri City; and Tovar, 39, Huffman have pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charges. They face up to five years in prison.
Busby and Hutchison were permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.
The FBI and IRS – Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert S. Johnson and Heather R. Winter are prosecuting the case.
Source: Australian Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry
JEROME LAXALE:
I’m Jerome Laxale, the Member for Bennelong. It’s so great to welcome the Minister for Housing and the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, the Assistant Minister Jenny McAllister. It’s so great to be here at a small business in Bennelong. These energy efficiency upgrades will make a difference. I’ve run a small business my whole life. And I know that each and every day you’re looking to make savings, you’re looking to reinvest in the business. To get a better outcome for the bottom line, but also for your customers. Investing in these energy efficiency upgrades will help small businesses right across the country. Round 2 being announced today builds on the back of Round 1, which was announced last year. And we had a great example, in Bennelong where a supermarket used these energy efficiency grants to install controllers on their refrigerants, which has reduced their power prices by 20 per cent to 30 per cent. By the government providing these grants, it gives small businesses incentives, to do the homework, and to invest in upgrades to their energy efficiency, reduces emissions and reduces power bills. This is exactly what this Albanese government was elected to deliver. And it’s so great that we have another business here in Bennelong that has applied, that has been successful. They’ll see the power prices go down; they’ll see their emissions go down – all from this incentive by the federal government. It gives me great pleasure to invite Minister McAllister, to talk about it a lot more. It’s a very exciting program and one that I’m proud to have been an advocate for.
SENATOR MCALLISTER:
Thanks very much, Jerome, for your warm welcome and for your tireless advocacy for the people of Bennelong. It’s a pleasure to be here with my friend and colleague, Minister Collins. And today to announce the second round of the Energy Efficiency Grants for Small and Medium Enterprises. Now, we know that over the last 10 years, electricity has literally been leaking out the doors and windows of Australian homes and businesses because too little government attention was paid to the opportunities afforded by energy efficiency. Small improvements to businesses can make a big difference in an ongoing way to the energy demands. Now here at The Governor in Jerome’s electorate of Bennelong, they understand that changes to the energy performance of this operation will help them with their overall business performance. They’ve already made the decision to put solar on the roof, but in addition to that, they are now seeking to install monitoring equipment on the refrigeration, switch over their hot water from gas to a much more efficient electric system, and do an overall energy audit, so that can also understand the future opportunities to improvements right here. Our grants will allow these kinds of activities to happen right across the country. So from Darwin down to Hobart, Sydney to Perth, we will assist more than 1,700 Australian small and medium sized businesses to improve their energy performance. Lighting, refrigeration, heating and cooling, all of these things can make a lasting and enduring difference to the bills paid by small businesses and help these businesses to thrive. There’s a lot of work to do. This area of policy was characterised by a decade of neglect. But we are up for this task, and it is my very great pleasure to announce these grants today. I might introduce the Small Business Minister, Minister Collins, to make a few additional remarks, about the work that we are doing [inaudible] to support the small business sector.
JULIE COLLINS:
Thanks, Jenny. It’s terrific to be here at The Governor Hotel, and I thank them for having us today and for their success in this energy efficiency grant. It’s also terrific, obviously, to be with my friend and local Member, Jerome. It’s terrific to visit Jerome’s electorate. And again, as my colleague said, he’s a terrific advocate for people in Bennelong here in New South Wales. And of course, my other friend and colleague, Minister McAllister, who’s doing a terrific job when it comes to climate and energy, and particularly in terms of helping small businesses improve their energy efficiency and put downward pressure on their energy bills. That is what we have been doing as a government supporting small businesses with targeted support in ways to support small businesses, but also put downward pressure on inflation. These grants are a prime example of the government supporting and investing with small businesses in their business so that they get the returns not just today, but over the long term. As we’ve heard from Minister McAllister and indeed from the local member, Jerome, these grants are incredibly popular because what they do is they get small businesses to think about their energy efficiency, and they’ve put downward pressure on their energy bills over the long term. They are, of course, from our government, supporting small businesses, as we’ve heard, the second round over $40 million going to 1,700 small businesses and medium‑sized enterprises across the country. We, of course, are supporting small businesses in other ways. What we saw in our last budget was our Small Business Budget Statement, which has got over $640 million in targeted support for small businesses.
Because we know while many small businesses are thriving, some small businesses are doing it tough, and we’re providing that targeted support. For things like our direct energy bill relief, up to $325 for around 1 million small businesses across the country. Our instant asset write‑off $20,000, for each asset for small businesses has been extended for this financial year as well as last. We have of course extended important programs to provide mental health and wellbeing for small businesses. To make sure that if they want to expand and grow their business or if they’re having some issues with their small businesses, they can get that targeted personal support for their business through financial counselling and advice. We, of course, are also leveling the playing field. We have got through the parliament legislation in relation to improving payment times for small businesses, again, to help small businesses with their cash flow. We’re reforming the franchising system to make sure that we have as a level playing field as we can get so that small businesses can compete with big businesses. We want to stay small businesses thrive in Australia, and that is what our small business target of support is all about. Labor is the party of supporting small businesses, and I look forward to continuing to work with colleagues like Minister McAllister to ensure that small businesses thrive right across the country.
JOURNALIST:
AEMO has flagged drops in energy supply for renewables throughout winter, with more gas needed to fill the gap. What is the plan if renewable output doesn’t improve?
COLLINS:
Look what we know is that renewables are the cheapest form of energy. AEMO supports what Labor is doing in terms of more renewables into the grid. What we also know is, is that the Liberal and National plan for nuclear will be too slow and too expensive when it comes to energy in Australia. What we’re doing here today is supporting small businesses to put downward pressure on their energy and to help them with their energy bills. And I’m happy to hand over to Minister McAllister to talk more about energy more generally. What I would say is that the alternative plan coming from Peter Dutton to go nuclear is too slow and too expensive, and our plan is being supported by AEMO to get more renewables into the system. Can I say, as a proud Tasmanian, we have a lot of renewables in Tasmania. We’ve been successfully net zero now for 8 out of the 9 last years. So it can be done.
MCALLISTER:
Thanks very much, Julie. Today we’ve received 2 reports from the market bodies indicating that renewables remain the lowest cost form of generation and are making an increasingly important contribution to the grid. Now, the reports also confirm the information that has been provided to successive governments over a very long period of time now – which is that more investment is required in generation capability to replace the aging coal‑fired power fleet that is coming to the end of its life.
Unfortunately, during the period of the last government under the Liberals, these warnings were ignored. Twenty-four coal fired power stations announced or brought forward their closure dates, and the response to this was zero from the previous government. We are acting and taking steps now to bring on the new, reliable renewables that are necessary to develop – to deliver affordable energy for Australians. Now Peter Dutton’s plan is in no way responsive to the information that’s in front of us.
Mr Dutton’s plan, apparently, is to have a conversation over the next term about nuclear with some communities, and then to wait until 2040 to deliver new generation capacity. We can’t wait that long. We need to get on with the job delivering the technologies that the experts tell us, are necessary to deliver an affordable and reliable power grid.
JOURNALIST:
The government has approved gas exploration licenses around Victoria and Tassie. How quickly do we need to get gas – that gas into the grid?
MCALLISTER:
We understand that the future of the Australian electricity market will be built on a range of technologies: renewables, like wind, solar, batteries, pumped hydro and of course, gas for those occasions when we need it as a backup. And what AEMO tells us is that looking to the future, we will see gas used less and less frequently, but when it’s used, it will be really important. It’s on that basis that we built the Future Gas Strategy. It’s important for Australians to think about where we are going to get the gas that we will need out ‘til 2050, but at the same time we retain focus on our core purpose, which is building out the new generation capability that is necessary to replace the aging coal‑fired generation. This is a task that has been completely ignored by the previous government, and it appears that in opposition they have not learned the lessons from the past. The current plan is to do something, perhaps in 2040. What happens between now and then is a complete mystery. And it’s time for Mr Dutton to front up and explain to Australians what the plan is between now and 2040, to meet the energy demands that the Australian economy requires.
What you need to know: Governor Gavin Newsom’s Administration continues to make significant investments in protecting California’s communities from the threat of climate change and extreme weather conditions with groundbreaking of a $1.95 billion flood protection project.
STOCKTON – California, along with federal and local partners, today broke ground in Stockton on a critical infrastructure project that will improve flood protection for tens of thousands of Californians and billions of dollars in property in the Central Valley.
The groundbreaking ceremony marks the start of construction for the Tenmile Slough levee project in Stockton. It is a critical component of the larger Lower San Joaquin River Project, a $1.95 billion project funded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the California Department of Water Resources, and the San Joaquin Area Flood Control Agency. Once completed, the project will provide improved flood protection for 122,000 residents and $28.7 billion in property along the San Joaquin River for the North and Central Stockton Area.
“Investing in California’s water infrastructure benefits us all. I am grateful for the partnership here from the federal government to help us prepare our communities for extreme weather caused by climate change and prevent future disasters.”
Governor Gavin Newsom
The Tenmile Slough levee segment is rated as the most critically deficient in the Central Valley levee system. Following historic flooding in 1997, DWR and the Central Valley Flood Protection Board identified significant flood risk in the San Joaquin River Basin. Federal, state and local partners worked together to evaluate and design the necessary improvements to respond to these risks.
The Lower San Joaquin River Project is a crucial part of the system-wide flood risk reduction effort outlined in the Central Valley Flood Protection Plan, which provides a comprehensive framework for improving flood protection in the Sacramento and San Joaquin River Basins. This project represents a critical milestone in efforts to protect urban communities, one of many focus areas of the Plan.
“Protecting the people and economy of San Joaquin County from the devastation of extreme flooding is enormously important. Projects like this pay for themselves many times over as shifts between extreme wet and dry conditions become more common,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. “California is committed to making these investments in flood infrastructure across the state to adapt to our new climate reality.”
The Lower San Joaquin River Project is just one of several major flood control projects in the state that collectively represent billions of dollars of new and improved infrastructure to protect communities, including:
The Pajaro River Flood Risk Management Project, a $600 million project that will improve flood protection for the communities of Pajaro and Watsonville. The State will cover all non-federal costs, approximately $210 million.
The American River Common Features Project, a $1.85 billion project that will improve flood protection for the greater Sacramento area and over 660,000 people.
The recently completed Yuba Basin ($440 million) and Sutter Basin ($320 million) flood projects that reduced flood risk for 135,000 people.
The Governor, in partnership with the Legislature, has invested a total of $560 million over the past two state budgets to support flood response and projects to protect communities from future flooding.
“Levees play a vitally important role in safeguarding Delta communities, farmland, and water supplies,” said Senator Jerry McNerney (SD-5). “Yet many of the Delta’s 1,100 miles of levees need repair or reinforcement to protect against flooding due to climate change,” said Sen. Jerry McNerney, whose 5th Senate District includes the heart of the Delta region. “The Tenmile Slough levee project in Stockton is an essential step in fortifying our aging levee system, and I thank Governor Newsom, the California Department of Water Resources, the San Joaquin Area Flood Control Agency, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for their support of and contribution to this crucial project.”
“Today marks a major milestone for the City of Stockton and our entire region. The start of construction on the Tenmile Slough levee is essential to delivering the flood protection our community needs and deserves,” said Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom (AD-13). “This pivotal step reflects our long-term commitment to public safety, climate resilience, and infrastructure investment. I’m proud to represent this district and to show what’s possible through strong federal, state, and local partnerships. This is what progress looks like: smart, united, forward-thinking investments that safeguard our communities and build a stronger future. We’re one step closer to delivering the safety and security our residents depend on.”
This project is a key part of Governor Newsom’s build more, faster agenda, delivering infrastructure upgrades and thousands of jobs across the state. Find projects building your community at build.ca.gov.
Press Releases, Recent News
Recent news
Apr 18, 2025
News Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the availability of four $50,000 rewards for information leading to unsolved cases in San Mateo, San Diego, Kings, and Sonoma counties. Today’s rewards involve the following cases:Hillsborough (San…
Apr 17, 2025
News What you need to know: DOGE’s actions to dismantle AmeriCorps threaten vulnerable Californians, disaster response and recovery, and economic opportunities. California is suing — and ramping up efforts to recruit for the state’s service corps program. SACRAMENTO…
Apr 17, 2025
News What you need to know: Governor Newsom has made the recovery of Los Angeles his highest priority – directing a whole-of-government response to support communities and survivors. LOS ANGELES – On the 100 day milestone since the Eaton and Palisades fires ignited,…
As Asia and the Pacific faces an unprecedented urban transformation, with cities preparing to absorb 1.2 billion more people by 2050 – roughly twice the population of ASEAN – government leaders, city planners and development experts opened the 81st session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) today, calling for stronger regional cooperation to shape resilient and sustainable urban futures.
United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCAP Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana underscored the urgency of rethinking how cities grow and function. “Urbanization is more than just managing growth – it’s about transforming cities into hubs of innovation, resilience and equity,” she said.
While cities have long been drivers of economic growth, the region’s rapid urbanization is intensifying social and environmental pressures. One in three urban residents still lack access to basic services. Climate change is raising temperatures, while rising sea levels and extreme floods threaten coastal megacities. A significant share of the urban population remains locked in poverty, with many living in slums or informal settlements.
“This is the paradox we face,” added Alisjahbana. “Our cities are engines of opportunity but also centres of vulnerability. But there is hope.”
“With over 2.2 billion urban residents and seven of the world’s largest megacities, [the Asia-Pacific] region stands at the forefront of global urban solutions. By working together, we can close inequalities, mitigate climate impacts and empower women while driving investments that propel multiple SDGs forward,” said United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohamed.
“Urban areas across the region continue to experience the impacts of social, economic and climate vulnerabilities in vastly different ways. This prevents the benefits of economic growth from reaching all urban dwellers equally,” shared Philemon Yang, President of the United Nations General Assembly.
The Prime Minister of Thailand, the Chief Advisor of Bangladesh, as well as several ministers from across the region made remarks on the first day of the session. They highlighted priorities for governments to focus on such as harmonizing national and local policies in areas such as housing and transport, improving subnational data collection to drive evidence-based urban policy, strengthening urban planning to meet the needs of ageing populations and growing migrant communities and diversifying urban financing through stronger municipal revenue systems.
“We must have well-planned urban development to ensure that we achieve resilient and sustainable urban development. We must invest in cities that are inclusive, green and resilient, strengthening urban network and city-to-city cooperation, plan proactively for demographic transition and mobilize diversified financing,” said Arzu Rana Deuba, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nepal, who was elected as Chair of the 81st session.
Deliberations at the session are informed by findings of a new ESCAP study Urban Transformation in Asia and the Pacific: From Growth to Resilience which offers policy solutions and showcases cities in the region that are already pioneering change. The report highlights the transformative role of green infrastructure, smart technologies and inclusive urban planning in building cities that work for everyone. It also calls for coordinated action at all levels, warning that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) cannot be achieved without cities at the forefront.
“Local and regional authorities are crucial for developing and implementing sustainable solutions to these urban challenges. In fact, two-thirds of SDG targets depend on action at the local level,” stressed Bob Rae, President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
The 81st ESCAP session is expected to culminate on Friday with the endorsement of regional resolutions covering, among others, strengthening cooperation on the water and climate change nexus, sustainable urban development and advancing the sustainable development of middle-income countries.
Source: ASEAN – Association of SouthEast Asian Nations
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today delivered remarks at the Opening Session of the Regional Workshop on Climate Change in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam. The workshop is aimed at advancing the operationalisation of the ASEAN Centre for Climate Change. In his remarks, SG Dr. Kao expressed appreciation for Brunei Darussalam’s leadership in hosting the Centre, which serves as a testament of ASEAN’s collective commitment to climate action. The Opening Session also featured remarks from the Honourable Dato Erywan Pehin Yusof, Minister of Foreign Affairs II of Brunei Darussalam, and Mr. Tetsuya Watanabe, President of ERIA.
Download the full remarks here.
The post Secretary-General of ASEAN delivers remarks at Opening Session of the Regional Workshop on Climate Change, in Brunei Darussalam appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.
ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on April 21, 2025.
A secret mathematical rule has shaped the beaks of birds and other dinosaurs for 200 million years Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kathleen Garland, PhD Candidate, School of Biological Sciences, Monash University The faces of living and extinct theropod dinosaurs. Left: Riya Bidaye; right: Indian Roller model (NHMUK S1987) from TEMPO bird project – MorphoSource. Bird beaks come in almost every shape and size – from the straw-like beak
Curious Kids: if heat rises, why does it get colder in the mountains? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Renwick, Professor, Physical Geography (Climate Science), Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Shutterstock/EvaL Miko If heat rises, why does it get colder as you climb up mountains? – Ollie, 8, Christchurch, New Zealand That is an excellent and thoughtful question Ollie – why indeed?
From the doable to the downright impossible: your guide to making sense of election promises Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frank Rindert Algra-Maschio, PhD Candidate, Social and Political Sciences, Monash University Three weeks into the federal election campaign and both major parties have already pledged to spend billions in taxpayer dollars if elected on May 3. But with so many policies announced — and surely more to
Security without submarines: the military strategy Australia should pursue instead of AUKUS Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Albert Palazzo, Adjunct Professor in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at UNSW Canberra, UNSW Sydney For more than a century, Australia has followed the same defence policy: dependence on a great power. This was first the United Kingdom and then the United States. Without properly
Prison needle programs could save double what they cost – our new modelling shows how Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Farah Houdroge, Mathematical Modeller, Burnet Institute ChameleonsEye/Shutterstock Needle and syringe programs are a proven public health intervention that provide free, sterile injecting equipment to people who use drugs. By reducing needle sharing, these programs help prevent the spread of blood-borne viruses such as hepatitis C and HIV
‘Puppy blues’: how to cope with the exhaustion and stress of raising a puppy Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Susan Hazel, Associate Professor, School of Animal and Veterinary Science, University of Adelaide Lucigerma/Shutterstock Caring for a new puppy can be wonderful, but it can also bring feelings of depression, extreme stress and exhaustion. This is sometimes referred to as “the puppy blues”, and can begin anytime
A survey of Australian uni students suggests more than half are worried about food or don’t have enough to eat Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katherine Kent, Senior Lecturer in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Wollongong StoryTime Studio/ Shutterstock Being a university student has long been associated with eating instant noodles, taking advantage of pub meal deals and generally living frugally. But for several years, researchers have been tracking how students are
Low effort, high visibility: what bumper stickers say about our values and identity Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Harrison, Director, Master of Business Administration Program (MBA); Co-Director, Better Consumption Lab, Deakin University Justin Sullivan/Getty You may have seen them around town or in the news. Bumper stickers on Teslas broadcasting to anyone who looks: “I bought this before we knew Elon was crazy.” You
How a new ‘Fishheart’ project is combining science, community and Indigenous art to restore life in the Baaka-Darling River Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Claire Hooker, Senior Lecturer and Coordinator, Health and Medical Humanities, University of Sydney A new state-of-the-art tube fishway technology called the “Fishheart” has been launched at Menindee Lakes, located on the Baaka-Darling River, New South Wales. The technology – part of the NSW government’s Restoring the Darling-Baaka
Newspoll steady as both leaders’ ratings fall; Labor surging in poll of marginal seats Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne With less than two weeks to go now until the federal election, the polls continue to favour the government being returned. Newspoll was steady at 52–48 to
Indicators of alien life may have been found – astrophysicist explains what the new research means Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Whittaker, Senior Lecturer in Physics, Nottingham Trent University Darryl Fonseka/Shutterstocl What do you think of when it comes to extra terrestrial life? Most popular sci-fi books and TV shows suggest humanoid beings could live on other planets. But when astronomers are searching for extra-terrestrial life, it
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Renwick, Professor, Physical Geography (Climate Science), Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington
If heat rises, why does it get colder as you climb up mountains?
– Ollie, 8, Christchurch, New Zealand
That is an excellent and thoughtful question Ollie – why indeed?
You’re right, when air is warmed, it rises. This is what gives us the “thermals” gliders can use to soar upwards and large birds of prey like the South American condors use to help them stay aloft for hours at a time.
But there are lots of other things influencing air temperature. When air rises, it expands because air pressure decreases with height. The energy in the air gets spread out over greater volumes and its temperature goes down.
This effect wins out over warm air rising. The warm air in a thermal will cool as it rises, until it reaches the temperature of the air around it and is no longer buoyant.
But why do we have rising air at all?
That’s because the air around us is heated from below, from Earth’s surface.
When the Sun is shining, it doesn’t heat the air in the lowest few kilometres of the atmosphere (the troposphere) as there are very few gases in that air to absorb sunlight.
The Sun’s rays heat Earth, not the air. The air is then warmed from below, from the ground, just as water in a pot on a stove is warmed from the bottom of the pot.
Earth’s greenhouse
Earth mostly sends energy back to space in the form of heat or infrared radiation (with wavelengths longer than visible light but shorter than microwaves), and there are plenty of gases in the air that are good at absorbing this kind of radiation, even if they don’t feel the sun’s energy.
These are what we call greenhouse gases – water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane and so on. Because we have these in the air, the absorption of infrared energy is the main way the air is warmed.
Again, air near the ground is warmed the most by this absorption of energy.
The warm air near Earth is buoyant so it often “bubbles up” into the atmosphere, just like the water in a pot on a stove.
But in the atmosphere, the decrease of pressure with height dictates that temperatures decrease as you go up. This is what’s known in weather jargon as the “lapse rate” – how fast temperatures decrease with height. In dry air (no water vapour), that rate is just under 10°C per kilometre, or a little under 1°C cooler per 100 metres upwards.
When we have water vapour in the air, it’s a different story. As the air rises and cools, it can’t hold so much water vapour, so some of the vapour has to condense back into liquid water. As it does that, it releases the energy it took to evaporate it in the first place.
That heat warms the air and reduces the “lapse rate”. How big this effect is depends on how much moisture was in the air to start with. On average, the temperature decrease of about 10°C per kilometre goes down to around 6.5°C per kilometre.
And what happens to that liquid water in the air? If forms tiny droplets that make clouds. If enough of those drops stick together and become heavy enough, they’ll fall back to Earth as rain.
Clouds, rain and lightning
We have clouds and rain because temperatures decrease with height. The clouds that form this way, through buoyant air rising in thermals, are known as cumulus clouds.
Cumulus always have lumpy tops, looking a bit like a cauliflower. That’s because different parts of the rising air have different amounts out water vapour in them. So different amounts of energy are released, giving the air different buoyancy in different places. The moistest, most buoyant air rises the highest, while drier less buoyant air doesn’t make it so far up.
If there is lots of moisture available, we can get a thunderstorm cloud, with thunder and lightning as well as plenty of rain. Not just rain either, but often hail (frozen rain).
That happens because the temperature in the upper parts of such deep clouds is well below freezing, so it is made up of ice crystals rather than water drops. Those ice crystals can stick together to form hail, or snow.
Lightning forms because of positive electrical charges at the top of clouds and negative charges at the bottom. Shutterstock/Athapet Piruksa
Curiously, it’s the collisions between ice crystals and water drops as they go up and down in a deep cumulus cloud that gives rise to lightning, with a build-up of positive electrical charges at the top of the cloud and negative charges at the bottom.
Getting back to your original question, why is it colder in the mountains? That’s because as we climb a mountain, we are moving into cooler layers of the atmosphere. We are getting above the surface layers of the atmosphere, going to lower pressures, and that causes the temperature to drop.
Warm air can still rise from a mountaintop, but it’ll be cooler to start with than air down at sea level, just because it’s at a lower pressure. Climbers who tackle really high mountains, like Mount Everest, usually take oxygen cylinders with them as the air is so thin near the top of such high peaks.
That’s also why snow and ice linger on mountain tops, as that’s where it is cold enough year-round to keep the ice frozen.
Hello curious kids! Do you have a question you’d like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to curiouskids@theconversation.edu.au. Please tell us your name, age and the city where you live.
James Renwick receives funding from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE). He is a member of the Green Party.
Unified systems of measurement are important for scientific progress.(Shutterstock)
On May 20, 1875, delegates from a group of 17 countries gathered in Paris to sign what may be the most overlooked yet globally influential treaty in history: the Metre Convention.
At a time when different countries (and even different cities defined weights and lengths based on local artifacts, royal body parts or grains of wheat, this rare agreement among nations offered something simple yet undeniably impactful: consistency.
A radical initiative for its time, the Metre Convention ultimately birthed a system of measurement that would transcend language, politics and tradition, and lay the foundation for a new global era of scientific and technological advancement.
Official engraved marble standard metre, at the Place Vendôme in Paris. The standard was promoted during the French Revolution to introduce the metric system to France. (Shutterstock)
A world divided by measurement
By the mid-19th century, the push for standardization had become increasingly urgent. Scientific discovery was accelerating, global trade was booming and industrial projects were growing in scale and complexity. But the world’s measurements were, frankly, a mess.
France had introduced the metric system during its revolutionary years, but other nations were slow — or outright unwilling — to adopt it.
Rivalries simmered not just among empires, but within the scientific community itself. Astronomers couldn’t compare celestial observations across borders because their units didn’t match. Engineers designing railway systems across Europe had to navigate conflicting standards for track gauges, load weights and even timekeeping.
This wasn’t just inefficient. It was a barrier to progress, a strain on economies and a growing source of frustration or a scientific world that aimed to speak in universal truths.
Faced with growing societal demands, the industrial world agreed it was time to act. The Metre Convention was the result.
Scientists and diplomats representing the 17 participating countries collectively established the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM), headquartered just outside Paris, as the official keeper of measurement standards. Today, the BIPM is backed by 64 member states and governs the Système International d’Unités (SI), the measurement framework that underpins everything from bridges to smartphones.
And while by today’s standards, the SI may seem like a relic of old-school science bureaucracy, it’s anything but. Standardized measurement is the invisible infrastructure of the modern world. And when it fails, or more specifically when we ignore it, the consequences can be severe.
Take the Gimli Glider incident. In 1983, an Air Canada flight from Montréal to Edmonton ran out of fuel midway through its journey. The cause was a miscalculation caused by confusion between metric and imperial units: the ground crew had used pounds instead of kilograms to measure fuel, and the pilots didn’t catch the error.
The plane lost power at 41,000 feet (around 12,500 metres for those who prefer their near-death experiences in metric), and glided safely to an abandoned airstrip in Gimli, Man., and to the annals of history as a symbol of what happens when we take standards for granted.
Or consider the Mars Climate Orbiter, a US$327 million NASA spacecraft that disintegrated upon entering Mars’ atmosphere in 1999. Engineers at Lockheed Martin had used imperial units, while NASA had assumed metric. The mismatch led to a critical navigation error and the failure of the mission, highlighting the importance of consistency in measurement, even far beyond the confines of Earth’s atmosphere.
The Gimli Glider and Mars Orbiter failures show what happens when consistency breaks down, but they’re more than just cautionary tales. They reveal how much of modern life depends on the shared language of measurement, and how easily that foundation can be cracked.
And therein lies the genius of the Metre Convention. It created a system that allows the world to communicate in the same terms. When someone says “kilogram,” “second” or “volt,” there is no ambiguity. That shared understanding is what makes global collaboration possible.
The Mars Climate Orbiter at the Spacecraft Assembly and Encapsulation Facility in the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. (NASA/KSC)
From man-made objects to universal constants
But as scientists are wont to do, good ideas are refined, and standards evolve. For much of its post-Metre Convention history, the kilogram was defined by a physical artifact — a hunk of platinum-iridium alloy stored in a vault in France. But in 2019, that changed. Now, the kilogram is defined by Planck’s constant, a fundamental feature of the universe. The shift marked the final step in a long journey: every base unit in the SI is now rooted in nature rather than arbitrary human artifacts.
That change wasn’t just symbolic, it was necessary. Our ability to measure time, mass and distance with extreme precision affects nearly every aspect of modern life.
GPS signals rely on time measurements accurate to the billionth of a second. Quantum computers and particle accelerators require calibration on mind-bendingly small scales. Even weather forecasting depends on standardized measurements of pressure, temperature and humidity.
Shared standards in a divided world
But perhaps the most underrated legacy of the Metre Convention is its role in building trust across borders.
At a time when misinformation spreads quickly and even basic facts are contested, international standards offer a shared foundation that scientists, governments and industries can rely on. It’s a form of global co-operation that has quietly endured for 150 years.
That co-operation becomes particularly apparent in moments of political strain. Although the United States appears uncompromising in its commitment to feet and inches, American scientists, engineers and manufacturers rely heavily on the metric system, especially when collaborating across borders.
As tensions rise between close allies like the U.S. and Canada, metric standards remain a consistent point of harmony. The two countries may spar diplomatically, but when it comes to assembling a car in Windsor with parts made in Detroit, the bolts still fit.
Looking ahead
Still, like all institutions, BIPM and the SI reflect the times in which they were created. The original signatories were almost exclusively colonial powers. It took almost a century for other nations to gain an equal seat at the table, and even now, access to the tools and infrastructure that facilitate precision metrology — the act of taking extremely accurate measurements — remains unequal.
If the next 150 years of the Metre Convention are to be as successful as the first, greater inclusivity and accessibility will need to be central to its mission.
We live in a world held together by decimals, tolerances and agreed-upon constants that keep planes in the air, bridges from collapsing and scientific progress on track.
The Metre Convention reminds us that science isn’t only about big breakthroughs and bold ideas. Sometimes it’s about consensus and agreeing, together, on what a metre actually is. And even after 150 years, the simple idea of agreeing how to measure the world remains one of humanity’s greatest achievements.
So, what should we do with this anniversary? Maybe throw a party with metric-themed cocktails (may I suggest a 100mL Old Fashioned?). At the very least, we should take a moment to reflect on just how essential, and how easy to overlook, measurement really is.
Jonathan Simone does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
UK fighter jets intercept Russian aircraft near NATO’s eastern flank
UK fighter jets have intercepted two Russian aircraft flying close to NATO airspace
UK fighter jets have intercepted two Russian aircraft flying close to NATO airspace as part of the UK’s contribution to NATO’s enhanced Air Policing in the region.
Two RAF Typhoons were scrambled from Malbork Air Base in Poland on Tuesday (April 15) to intercept a Russian Ilyushin Il-20M “Coot-A” intelligence aircraft over the Baltic Sea.
Whilst on Thursday (17 April) another two Typhoons scrambled from the base, to intercept an unknown aircraft leaving Kaliningrad air space and close to NATO airspace.
The intercepts mark the RAF’s first scramble as part of Operation CHESSMAN and come just weeks after the aircraft arrived in eastern Poland to begin their deployment alongside Sweden in defence of NATO’s Eastern Flank.
It follows the Prime Minister’s historic commitment to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP, recognising the critical importance of military readiness in an era of heightened global uncertainty.
Keeping the country safe is the Government’s first priority and foundation of its Plan for Change. The work of the Royal Air Force is critical to the security and stability of the UK, supporting the delivery of the Government’s five missions.
Minister for the Armed Forces Luke Pollard said:
The UK is unshakeable in its commitment to NATO. With Russian aggression growing and security threats on the rise, we are stepping up to reassure our Allies, deter adversaries and protect our national security through our Plan for Change.
This mission shows our ability to operate side by side with NATO’s newest member Sweden and to defend the Alliance’s airspace wherever and whenever needed, keeping us safe at home and strong abroad.
The UK’s deployment of six Typhoon jets and nearly 200 personnel from 140 Expeditionary Air Wing is the UK’s latest contribution to NATO’s air policing efforts, following successful operations in Romania and Iceland last year.
It also represents a landmark in NATO integration with RAF jets from RAF Lossiemouth operating alongside Swedish Gripens – the first time Sweden has contributed fighter aircraft to another Ally’s air policing since joining NATO in 2024.
The intercepts come after the Defence Secretary’s visit to NATO last week where he reaffirmed the UK’s unshakeable commitment to the alliance and co-led a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group in which more than 50 nations pledged a total of £21 billion of support to Ukraine.
The Typhoon programme supports more than 20,000 jobs across all regions of the UK every year, which is defending our security whilst creating jobs back home.
The RAF’s Quick Reaction Alert forces, based at RAF Coningsby, Lossiemouth, and Brize Norton, remain ready to protect UK airspace around the clock, while deployed operations like Op CHESSMAN ensure that British airpower is defending the Alliance wherever it is most needed.
