On July 31, 2022, the 2022 China (Ningbo) New Infrastructure and Digital Economy Summit Forum was successfully held. Sun Telecomwas invited to participate in this forum. This forum aims to further promote the exchange and connection of related enterprises, technical forces and industrial resources in the field of digital new infrastructure.

The new infrastructureuses new generation information technologies such as Mobile Internet, 5G, Internet of Things, Big Data, Cloud Computing and AI to promote the process of digital economy comprehensively. Entering the era of new infrastructure, enterprises need to build their own optical network environment first. Through the Space-earth integrated communication networkand Cloud-Network Integrationto help the development of the digital economy.

Space-Earth Integrated Communication Network

New infrastructure requires strong and stable communication network support. Comprehensively upgrade the communication network infrastructure, form a high-speed ubiquitous, interconnected, and integrated communication network support system, and promote cloud-network collaboration and computing-network integration.

Space-earth integrated communication networkintegrates the satellite network with the traditional terrestrial optical fiber network, and consists of a space-based backbone network, a space-based access network, and a ground-based node network. Data relay satellites operating in GEO orbit, Pigeon, Iridium, OneWeb, Hongyan Project, etc. Put the processing, switching, network control and other functions on the star to complete. Global seamless coverage is achieved through the interconnection of satellite-to-ground optical links, and the system can operate independently of ground nodes.

The space segment integrates all kinds of owned and leased GEO and orbital communication satellites and manages them in a unified manner, thereby providing resource guarantees for various users in land, sea, air and space. The satellite resource pool uses L, S, C, Ku, Ka and other spectrum resources, the scale can be adjusted according to needs, and provides mobile or broadband services through the ground coverage of multi-point beam antennas. The ground segment consists of infrastructures such as hub ports and earth stations, as well as core networks, IT systems, and edge clouds. Upgrade the existing earth station to form the ability to connect the sky, the earth, and the cloud network, and realize the interconnection and interoperability of heterogeneous networks.

Cloud-Network Integration

All-optical networks (AON)technology allows data to be transmitted without any electrical processing, which can result in farther transmission distances. AON technology is used in Telecom Network, FTTH, Data Center, Cloud Computing and Internet of Things (IoT), etc. As the fiber optic solutions providerSun Telecom said, the all-optical network will evolve from a bandwidth-driven pipeline network to an experience-driven cloud-based network, and needs to have five characteristics of the deterministic bearer, full-service access, network flattening, operation and maintenance automation, and cloud-optic integration. Based on the quality of rigid pipelines Connectivity, consolidate the bearing base of the digital economy.

The Cloud-Network integration is the core driver and essential connotation of new infrastructure, and the digital base of new infrastructure. Through the high-speed interconnection between different resource pools of the same cloud service provider, the differences in business relationships caused by different distribution regions of user cloud hosts in practical applications can be resolved to ensure network stability and transmission security. Or high-speed interconnection between public cloud resource pools between different cloud service providers, breaking through the resource barriers of different manufacturers, and realizing the interconnection of cross-cloud service providers and cross-cloud resource pools.

Summary

Optical fiber networks, 5Gand other network infrastructure have become the infrastructure that is as important to the national economy and peoples livelihood as water and electricity. The new infrastructure is inseparable from the infrastructure of the optical fiber network. Only by steadily laying the foundation for the network, building a communication network that integrates the sky and the earth, and implementing the integration of the cloud and the network, can we move into the new infrastructure era, meet the needs of computing power development, and promote the development of the digital economy.

Media ContactCompany Name: Sun TelecomContact Person: Yannie LiuEmail: Send EmailPhone: +86-21-60138638City: ShanghaiCountry: ChinaWebsite: https://www.suntelecom.cn

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New Infrastructure Network Construction Helps the Digital Economy - Digital Journal

While the fight against climate change remains on the agenda as one of the most important problems in front of humanity, the war between Russia and Ukraine undoubtedly impacts the efforts in this direction negatively. This crisis, which started before the wounds caused by the COVID-19 pandemic could heal, causes the actions against climate change to be put into the background because many countries want to protect their national interests economically. Even the European Union (EU), whose leadership we have witnessed in the fight against climate change, is making statements that it expects an increase in the use of fossil fuels in the coming period and adopting policies in this direction.

On the other hand, the Russia-Ukraine war and the pandemic revealed that global supply chains have very fragile structures and are quite insufficient to resist shocks. Therefore, in addition to the consequences of climate change, it is highly likely to expect that these shocks will adversely affect global trade, create inflationary pressure on economies and increase the supply problems already experienced due to the global pandemic. As a matter of fact, serious problems have started to occur in food and energy issues so far. As a result, this situation necessitated countries to consider climate-friendly models in which they can use their own resources more efficiently and make them less dependent on foreign sources as little as possible.

At this point, while taking action on the most urgent issue of climate change, we need to change all our production and consumption habits and adopt policies that will help us achieve economic models based on more sustainable foundations. Turkey's current economic models have a linear structure based on the "buy-use-discard" approach. Simply put, in linear models, resources are extracted, converted into products, and then turned into waste. At this point, the material in question becomes waste in a way that cannot be reused. This process results in an intensive supply of inputs, energy use, and the generation of significant amounts of waste. This system, which assumes that natural resources are unlimited and that we humans have the right to drown the world in unlimited waste, has now become unacceptable under today's conditions.

Contrary to the linear model, circular economies are aimed to extend the lifecycle of existing products as much as possible by resorting to methods such as sharing, renting, reusing, repairing, and recycling. In addition, it is aimed to reduce the use of materials in this way, produce less resource-intensive products and recover waste through recycling. All products consumed in a circular economy are used repeatedly; if the product breaks down, it is repaired, and in cases where this is not possible, it is foreseen to manufacture new products from this product. In a circular economy, as it is popularly said, waste becomes the new raw material.

On the other hand, it would be a big mistake to describe the circular economy as only reuse and recycling because, thanks to its model, changes in production and consumption methods will also reduce emissions. In this model, the share of renewable energy and recyclable resources increases; the use of water, soil, energy, and especially raw materials decreases; therefore, positive environmental effects arise. It also ensures sustainable development, reduces the dependence of economies on external dynamics and makes production and consumption structures more resistant to external shocks.

This approach creates business models that include designing more durable and recyclable products, reusing materials in the production cycle, and promoting more responsible consumption. In this way, it leads to innovation and helps to provide new employment opportunities. In a study conducted by the International Labor Organization (ILO) on the subject, it is predicted that 7-8 million net employment will increase on a global scale until 2030, thanks to the transition to a circular economy. Within the framework of its economic gains, it is estimated that the transition from a linear structure to a cyclical system has a potential of $4.5 trillion for global economic growth until 2030.

Despite all these positive aspects, the progress achieved from circular economic models does not seem sufficient on a global scale. The Circularity Gap Report (CGR) 2021 reveals that only 8.6% of the global economy is currently cyclical. However, the report also shares that the target of 17% cyclical by 2030 for sectors with high change potential seems possible.

Undoubtedly, this situation can be attributed to the lack of policies to support or encourage the circular economy, the failure to correctly convey the policies in this direction to the stakeholders, and the inability to realize pricing in this context. In addition, this situation may be caused by the limited supply chains, insufficient technological infrastructures, or the insufficient level of knowledge and expertise of the stakeholders for the circular economy. All these issues make it essential to implement a comprehensive and inclusive transformation with the participation of all relevant stakeholders under the leadership of the public authority.

It is very important to determine at what level of the economy the transformation in question will be initiated. Urbanization policies greatly affect economies considering their economic, social and environmental effects. On the other hand, by 2050, 70% of the world's population is expected to live in cities. Cities currently account for around two-thirds of global energy demand, responsible for 80% of greenhouse gas emissions and 50% of global waste. Therefore, if it is taken into account that the negative effects of climate change will increase, especially if linear economic models continue to be adopted in cities, the risks people face become more evident.

The rapidly growing city population and the increasing demand for goods and services make the efficient use of resources and the construction of environmentally friendly structures even more important and necessitate the creation of healthy and shorter supply chains. The transformation in question will affect not only the actions to be taken by the industrial sector in the cities but also the materials and designs used in the construction sector, public transportation and other transportation methods, food systems and many other products and services. In this way, all economies will be more resilient to climate and other external shocks, starting with cities.

The importance of cities for the circular economy was also included in the final declaration of the Group of 20 (G-20) Leaders' Summit held in Rome in 2021 under Italy's term presidency. In the declaration, country leaders underlined the key role of cities in promoting, facilitating and enabling the circular economy and committed to supporting location-based solutions by local governments. Countries have also committed to supporting efforts to improve cities' resource efficiency and circular approaches, including through the G-20 Resource Efficiency Dialogue.

A circular economy, an issue that developed countries agreed upon even before the Russia-Ukraine war, needs more consideration and acted on as soon as possible due to the fragility of the supply chains. Undoubtedly, this transformation will not be easy. Especially in developing countries, many business lines are connected to a linear economy. Just as it is impossible to shift employment from fossil fuel-based business lines to renewable energy-based business opportunities in a very short time, a detailed and planned transition process seems necessary to return from a linear economic structure to a cyclical model. Because the most important condition for this transformation to be successful is to ensure that the fragile segment of the society working in traditional industries is not adversely affected by this change.

Turkey has foreseen the circular economy's potential and clearly demonstrates its determined stance to realize this transformation. In this context, comprehensive studies are carried out with the participation of all stakeholders to implement its green development plan with the net-zero emission target by 2053, set by President Recep Tayyip Erdoan.

The Zero Waste Movement, initiated under the auspices of First Lady Emine Erdoan and praised by all biased and unbiased segments, is a critical step toward transformation in this direction. With the mentioned initiative, great benefits are provided in terms of preventing waste, using resources more efficiently, reducing the amount of waste, establishing effective collection systems and recycling waste. In this direction, the Turkish Environment Agency was established, which carries out its activities to implement the most efficient practices in waste collection, carry out the deposit return system effectively and popularize the Zero Waste Movement.

On the other hand, within the framework of Turkey's bilateral relations with the EU, which constitutes more than 50% of its foreign trade, the circular economy has an important place in harmonization with the European Green Deal policy (EGD). As a matter of fact, it would not be wrong to say that the EGD will have a significant impact on the country's EU accession process and its commercial and economic relations with the union. Being aware of this, one of the nine main headings determined within the scope of the EGD Action Plan prepared by Turkey has been determined as a "Green and Circular Economy."

Preparing the circular economy action plan as part of the Green Deal Action Plan continues. Another step taken within the scope of these studies has been the project aiming to strengthen Turkey's institutional and technical capacity in the transition to a circular economy in line with the EU Circular Economy model. In the process that will involve all relevant stakeholders, it is aimed to analyze the transition potential of Turkey to a circular economy, develop a comprehensive national strategy for the implementation of the EU circular economy strategy, and develop the management capacities of central and local governments in the field of integrated waste management.

As a country, Turkish people have to be aware that their planet's resources are limited and only if they sustainably use these resources can they leave a good and healthy tomorrow for future generations. The devastating effects of climate change and recent external shocks clearly show that the transition from linear economic models to cyclical structures will enable them to overcome current crises and be a powerful tool in the fight against climate change. Therefore, Turkish people must think through every step they take with their children and future generations and leave them a livable planet with a beautiful environmentalist and circular economy.

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Circular economy is the only option | Daily Sabah - Daily Sabah

Abortion laws are one of the top factors driving voters to the polls, and theres broad support for making major structural changes to the U.S. Supreme Court, a recent poll from The Nevada Independent and OH Predictive Insights indicates.

Nearly 17 percent of respondents indicated that abortion laws were the issue most motivating them to vote, coming in second to the economy (40 percent) but ahead of other issues such as education (4 percent), gun laws (7 percent) and tax laws (2 percent). About 92 percent of respondents said they see at least some circumstances where abortion should be legal, with only 8 percent indicating it should be illegal in all circumstances.

Of those 92 percent of respondents, 45 percent said abortions should be legal under any circumstances, while 47 percent indicated legality should exist, but only under certain circumstances.

The poll results come nearly six weeks after the nations highest court overturned abortion protections provided by Roe v. Wade, signaling the major role the decision could play in the upcoming midterm elections.

The broad-based, cross-party support for abortion rights also showed its colors Tuesday when Kansas voters rejected an effort to block abortion access (59 to 41 percent) in the form of a proposed constitutional amendment that would have removed the right in the state Constitution and cleared the way for the Legislature to ban the procedure. It was the first state to vote on abortion rights since the Supreme Court decision.

Democrats are really struggling for enthusiasm this election, said Mike Noble, chief researcher and managing partner of OH Predictive Insights. The abortion [issue] really woke them a little bit why should they be engaged, why it matters to get out and vote.

Nine in 10 Nevadans believe abortion should be legal in some way, shape or form. Noble said polling also showed that those with an anti-abortion stance were more willing to shift their positions depending on circumstances than those with pro-choice views.

Though support for abortion rights is high in Nevada, consensus differs on abortion protection timelines. About 23 percent of respondents said abortion should be legal at any point in a pregnancy, more than a third said 24 weeks is enough (the current legal timeframe in Nevada), while 23 percent said the legal cutoff should be 15 weeks. Another 28 percent said abortion should not be permitted at any time in a pregnancy (which is supposed to last 40 weeks).

Noble said the Supreme Court decisions surrounding abortion and other issues such as gun control have galvanized activism for overhauls to the high court itself. Poll results showed strong support for binding Supreme Court members to a code of ethics, expanding the number of justices, implementing term limits and placing an age cap on judges, among other changes.

The support tended to depend on party preference, with respondents identifying as Democrats expressing the most support for changes, followed by nonpartisans and Republicans. Noble said the party identification-based support for reforms is not surprising, especially because of the courts conservative lean.

Changes to abortion protections in Nevada

Abortion rights in the Silver State have been protected by state law for more than 30 years and could only be overturned by a direct majority vote from the people. Nevadas lawmakers and governor have no power to restrict abortion access earlier than 24 weeks into pregnancy the point at which a fetus is generally considered able to survive outside the womb with support.

The most recent effort to outlaw abortions came in 2012 when anti-abortion activists circulated but failed to qualify a ballot initiative to reverse abortion protections by defining life as starting at conception.

The polling from OH Predictive Insights/The Nevada Independent indicates that such a policy would have little support. Only 22 percent of respondents said they would be more likely to support a candidate who favors a petition drive to overturn Nevadas abortion statute compared to 38 percent who said they were unlikely to select such a candidate.

Forty percent of respondents indicated a level of indifference, saying they were neither likely nor unlikely to favor a candidate promoting those stances. During his unsuccessful bid for governor earlier this year, former Sen. Dean Heller vowed he would raise the money necessary to get a measure overturning abortion on the ballot, saying, I realize thats the only way it will change.

But undoing abortion protections isnt the only avenue being sought by those opposed to abortions.

This year, anti-abortion advocates are pushing for a ballot initiative to implement a parental notification measure, requiring parents to receive at least 48 hours notice before a minor has an abortion, though previous attempts have failed. Initiative backers have until Nov. 23 to submit their signatures.

More than half of poll respondents indicated support for a 48-hour parental notification window, a quarter said they were neutral on the issue, and 19 percent were opposed.

Abortion has emerged as a bellwether ahead of the 2022 midterm elections, with candidates either latching onto the issue or shying away from saying much, if anything at all.

U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) has made protecting abortion rights a core tenet of her re-election campaign. In contrast, her Republican challenger, former Attorney General Adam Laxalt, has downplayed the issue's campaign significance, instead calling attention to rising gas prices and economic problems. Laxalt has not responded to specific questions about his stance on abortion rights but has called the Roe v. Wade decision a joke while bemoaning Nevadas abortion protections.

In the governors race, Gov. Steve Sisolak has said, As long as Im Governor, I will oppose any attempts whether at the federal or state level to attack a Nevada womans right to an abortion within 24 weeks of her pregnancy.

His opponent, Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo, has said he is pro-life but remained largely noncommittal on his stance on abortion protections, noting, Abortion policy is already addressed in Nevada law. The governor and legislature cannot make changes to it. The voters put it into law, and only they can change it.

Lombardos campaign said he supports parental notification for minors but has not taken a position on spousal notification because it was ruled unconstitutional by a federal judge in 1981. Recent campaign finance reports show a $1,500 expense from Lombardos campaign to the anti-abortion advocacy organization Nevada Right to Life, along with an expense of a little more than $1,400 to an anti-abortion crisis pregnancy center Womens Resource Medical Centers for Southern Nevada for special event fees.

For more information on the abortion stances of top candidates, visit this story.

Find the full poll results and crosstabs here.

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Poll: Abortion trails only the economy as a motivating issue for Nevada voters The Nevada Independent - The Nevada Independent

The Incubation Network designed this series with the support of The Circulate Initiative to help organizations better understand the latest methods and technologies available to reach sustainability goals as we move toward a circular economy, said Anne Johnson, Principal and VP, RRS.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (PRWEB) August 04, 2022

The Incubation Network , a partnership between The Circulate Initiative and SecondMuse, alongside Resource Recycling Systems (RRS) Asia have developed a no-cost, online video learning series entitled, Circularity Concepts: Exploring Key Drivers of the Plastic Circular Economy. The educational series is designed to bolster awareness and knowledge of new and emerging issues, key policies, and other strategic efforts for implementing sustainable recycling solutions to help organizations meet 2025 circular economy goals with a focus on Southeast Asia and India.

The five-part video series, with downloadable presentations, covers a series of topics to grow understanding of material issues and actions companies might consider to reduce their consumption of plastic or utilize alternative materials and business models moving forward. For example, one topic reviews the current state and use of plastic credits in the region while another looks at reuse and refill strategies emerging strategies that can support transition towards a more circular economy.

At a time when there are some projections that ocean plastics will quadruple by 2050, finding solutions to better manage and recover waste plastics is critical to the health of our oceans and communities. The Incubation Network designed this series with the support of The Circulate Initiative to help organizations better understand the latest methods and technologies available to reach sustainability goals as we move toward a circular economy, said Anne Johnson, Principal and VP, RRS.

Circularity Concepts will help to open doors for circular economy innovation. Beneath the underbelly of Asias plastic waste challenge is a web of complex stakeholder, cultural and social structures that can be incredibly difficult to unpack alone. This is where The Incubation Network comes in, to connect our community of changemakers with learning tools and resources like Circularity Concepts to better identify pain points and map out opportunities for better solutions, said Simon Baldwin, Global Head of Circularity at SecondMuse.

The greatest impact comes from an ecosystem approach - corporates, startups, investors, and policymakers working together to develop circular economy solutions. To this end, we recognize the importance of addressing knowledge gaps in the system to facilitate action. Drawing on our subject matter expertise and understanding of the circular plastic value chain, we supported The Incubation Network and RRS Asia in identifying priority topics for Circularity Concepts and sought to showcase the circular economy in action through practical, real-world examples, said Umesh Madhavan, Research Director at The Circulate Initiative.

CIRCULARITY CONCEPTS MODULES:

Module 1 (16 min.) Setting the Stage for a Successful Circular Economy: EPR and Policy Developments in Asia takes a look at the role of policy in supporting the development of sustainable recycling systems and how Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) plays a significant role in the process.Module 2 (26 min.) Bioplastics and Alternative Materials: Evaluating the Role of Bioplastics in the Circular Economy examines the role of bioplastics, a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based plastics, and the key drivers that must work in harmony to realize the benefits of bioplastics as production continues to grow.

Module 3 (29 min.) Advanced Recycling Technologies and a Circular Economy for Plastics explores how Advanced Recycling Technologies (ARTs) work alongside more traditional mechanical recycling systems and the pros and cons of scaling these technologies both from an environmental and financial standpoint.

Module 4 (38 min.) Evaluating the Opportunities and Benefits of Reuse & Refill in a Circular Economy discusses the different models of reuse and refill, its benefits, successful business models as well as examples emerging in Asia and beyond.

Module 5 (36 min.) Plastic Credits: Evaluating the Opportunities and Benefits of Plastic Credits in a Circular Economy explores the challenges faced by companies incorporating the plastic credit system into their own corporate ecosystem and the way plastic credit systems could help or hinder the management of plastics in emerging markets, particularly when it comes to overlaying policy on EPR.

The Circularity Concepts: Exploring Key Drivers of the Plastic Circular Economy modules are now available at https://www.circularityconcepts.org/. To learn more about RRS Asia and The Incubation Network, visit: https://recycle.com/our-services/industries-we-serve/rrs-asia and https://www.incubationnetwork.com.

About RRSResource Recycling Systems (RRS) Founded in 1986 and headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, RRS is a sustainability and recycling consulting firm that strives to create a world where resources are managed to maximize economic and social benefit while minimizing environmental harm. The firm has industry professionals, engineers, economists, technical analysts, and communication specialists who share this vision and possess core strengths in materials and recovery, life cycle management, applied sustainable design, and collaborative action development. http://www.recycle.com.

About The Incubation NetworkThe Incubation Network is an impact-driven initiative that sources, supports and scales holistic innovative solutions to combat plastic pollution through strengthening entrepreneurial ecosystems with a diverse network of key partners.

Part of a highly collaborative community of startups and entrepreneurs, investors, partners and programs, The Incubation Network works together with industry players to tackle key barriers to address plastic leakage and advance a circular economy. This includes sourcing and supporting, to scaling early stage or pre-investment solutions, and connecting compatible ecosystem players to reinforce the value chain in waste management and recycling.

Established in 2019, The Incubation Network is a partnership between non-profit organization, The Circulate Initiative and impact innovation company, SecondMuse.

The Incubation Network is open to interested collaborators, corporations, and mentors, looking to address plastic leakage and advance a circular economy in South & Southeast Asia.

For more information, visit: http://www.incubationnetwork.com.

About The Circulate InitiativeThe Circulate Initiative is a non-profit organization committed to solving the ocean plastic pollution challenge by supporting the incubation of circular, inclusive and investible waste management and recycling systems in South and Southeast Asia. We achieve this by collaborating with key stakeholders across the sector, and by producing insights to support and accelerate investment and scale across the value chain.

Learn more: https://www.thecirculateinitiative.org/

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The Incubation Network and RRS Asia Offers Circularity Concepts Online Learning Series - PR Web

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 2, 2022

Contact: press@michigan.gov

Gov. Whitmer Celebrates CHIPS and Science Act that will Bring Supply Chain from China to Michigan

Executive directive will prepare Michigan to compete for every project and job, leverage once-in-a-century investment in American manufacturing, and lower costs for working families

HEMLOCK, Mich. Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer celebrated the CHIPS and Science Act, bipartisan federal legislation that will boost American manufacturing, create and protect tens of thousands of jobs, and lower costs for working families. Governor Whitmer has been a national leader on this issue for the past year, bringing Republicans and Democrats from across the country together to advocate for this critical legislation. At the event, the governor was joined by representatives from Michigan-based polysilicon manufacturer Hemlock Semiconductor, labor unions, Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters, Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-05), and virtually by President Biden.

The bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act will make a once-in-a-century investment in American industry to create and protect tens of thousands of jobs, bring supply chain from China to Michigan, and help lower costs for working families on electronics, cars, and so much more, said Governor Whitmer. The ongoing chip crisis is having a stark impact on Michigan. We need to move fast, which is why I signed an executive directive today preparing Michigan to harness every available resource from the CHIPS and Science Act to set up our state for decades of growth. I will fight hard to ensure that Michigan brings home as many resources as possible from the CHIPS and Science Act, and I look forward to unleashing our states potential. Lets keep putting the world on notice and show everyone that Michigan is the place to build the future.

The executive directive can be viewed here.

Executive Directive Background

Governor Whitmers executive directive instructs state departments and agencies to leverage all available resources from the CHIPS and Science Act to continue bringing in projects and jobs to Michigan.

The directive requires each department and agency to identify a designee to facilitate inter-departmental coordination and outreach with potential private sector, higher education, and state partners. It also furthers collaboration with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) to continue attracting long-term, sustainable investments from semiconductor companies around the world.

Additionally, it instructs departments and agencies to identify opportunities for workforce development geared towards the needs of the semiconductor industry, including adapting existing programs, collaborating with higher education institutions, and providing targeted education and training with additional federal resources. Finally, it urges efficient approval of any permits, applications, or requests from the state to avoid duplication or delay.

Todays executive directive will empower Michigan to effectively and efficiently deploy incoming resources from CHIPS and Science Act, building on a previous executive directive to streamline the permitting process, including for major projects like semiconductor plants.

Competing for CHIPS

In the past year, Michigan has secured bold investments in semiconductor and polysilicon manufacturing.

From cars to home appliances to cellphones, our everyday lives depend on semiconductor chips. This shortage has hurt Michigan autoworkers, businesses and families, said Senator Debbie Stabenow. Thats why I led the effort with Senator Peters to secure dedicated funding for chips used by the auto industry. Im glad to partner with President Biden to make these important investments in American manufacturing while lowering costs, bringing hundreds of thousands of jobs home, and strengthening our national security.

The CHIPS and Science Act will provide a significant boost for Michigan workers, manufacturing and our economy, said Senator Gary Peters. I was proud to lead the charge with Senator Stabenow to secure funding that will expand domestic manufacturing of semiconductor chips, including for our auto sector, and pass this legislation through the Senate. By coming together to get this done, we will strengthen our supply chains, support more good-paying jobs, lower costs for families and bolster our national security.

Americas economy and Michigan workers should not have to rely on foreign made semiconductor chips. This bipartisan bill will help bring chip production back to Michigan and the United States, said Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-05). Im proud to have led efforts in Congress to pass this critical legislation that will help lower costs for working families, boost Michigans economy and create good-paying jobs, while also strengthening Americas national security and our ability to compete with China.

We are honored to welcome President Biden to HSC in celebration of the CHIPS Act, a monumental bipartisan accomplishment, said AB Ghosh, Chairman and CEO of Hemlock Semiconductor Corporation. The CHIPS Act signals to HSCthe sole U.S.-headquartered polysilicon manufacturerthat investment in the entire domestic semiconductor supply chain is a national priority. We also thank Governor Whitmer, Senators Stabenow and Peters, and Congressman Kildee for championing the CHIPS Act and for bolstering American innovation, manufacturing and global competitiveness.

Polysilicon is the semiconductor in semiconductor chips, said Kristen Opperman, Culture and Communications Manager of Hemlock Semiconductor. Without polysilicon made to the level of purity that we do, the breakthroughs in our technology that keep our world connected and energized would not be possible. The infrastructure here at HSC is extraordinary, and the work being done to run these assets is second to none. I thank our esteemed visitors for bringing semiconductor manufacturing back to the U.S. so we can have more Americans doing great work to change the world.

Michigans Leadership to Deliver CHIPS and Science Act

CHIPS and Science Act Opportunity

The CHIPS and Science Act would fund $52 billion in incentives to boost domestic semiconductor production and research, $2 billion of which would be dedicated to incentivizing production of the mature node semiconductors used by automakers and parts suppliers. Mature node chips are also used in medical devices, agricultural machinery like farm tractors and combines, as well as radiation-proof chips required by our national defense industrial base.

The CHIPS and Science Act would provide a new, powerful tool in Michigans economic development toolbox. Increasing domestic chip production near automakers and other manufacturers will spur innovation, reduce inefficiencies, and avoid costly delays, helping Michigan attract long-term, sustainable investments from companies around the world.

Late last year, the Michigan Legislature, businesses, labor, and utilities worked with Governor Whitmer to pass bipartisan economic development legislation that helped Michigan land a $7 billion investment from GM creating and retaining 5,000 good-paying jobs, and earlier this year, Ford invested $2 billion creating 3,200 jobs. Signing the CHIPS and Science Act into law will pave the way for more transformational projects that will invest billions into our communities and create tens of thousands of good-paying jobs.

Chip Crisis Impact

Semiconductor chips are a vital component of many products used by people every day. The global shortage of these chips, exacerbated by the pandemic and supply chain constraints, has impacted people and industries across the country from auto manufacturing to consumer electronics, home appliances, medical devices, agriculture, defense and more. These shortages have resulted in reduced production and in some cases, idled plants, impacting more than 575,000 auto-related American jobs. In 2021, automakers in North America lost an estimated 2.2 million vehicles, equaling over 3,000 days of work.

This means workers with less income, higher prices at the store, less products for consumers to buy and an ever-growing dependence on foreign supplies. In the long run, increasing domestic production of chips will protect and create jobs, strengthen our supply chain, and grow the economy. The CHIPS and Science Act will bring chip manufacturing back home, creating and protecting thousands of good-paying jobs, growing Americas economy, and lowering costs for families.

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Whitmer Celebrates CHIPS and Science Act that will Bring Supply Chain from China to Michigan - Michigan (.gov)

Since February 2022, food insecurity due to the war in Ukraine has become a key issue of public debate in Tunisia, shedding light on the countrys food dependence, given that it imports more than half of its needs.

This alarming figure exacerbates peoples concerns, and rightly so, because the annual crop yields do not enable the country to cope with a sudden interruption of food imports. The agricultural production model is not free of contradictions. For instance, it does not take into account demographic changes that occurred between 1984 and 2014 (GPHC 2014). Despite the growing needs of a population that increased from 7 to 11 million during this period, the surface area of lands allocated to cereal production since 1984 has not significantly changed. The Tunisian government instead chose to increase cereal imports and gradually withdraw from harvesting in favor of private developers.

The crisis caused by the war in Ukraine is a drawn-out event with long-term consequences. It cannot be isolated from the crises and shortages that have occurred in Tunisia in the past. The countrys current food insecurity stems from the agricultural, economic and social policies introduced by successive governments since independence and which are directly related to global food systems. They face two temporal contradictions: the urgency of meeting immediate daily needs, on the one hand, and, on the other, the importance of building a perennial and fair agricultural model that prevents potential environmental, social and political crises.

This paper will analyze the significant changes concerning agriculture and food in terms of dependency and sovereignty in the contemporary agricultural history of Tunisia.

The halting of trade in two major grain, mineral and hydrocarbon exporting countries has raised key issues underlying the problem of food insecurity: food sovereignty, farmer displacement, agrarian reform, etc.

In Tunisia, the debate on food sovereignty has taken on a sense of urgency since February 2022, which is felt by both the public and mass media. This comes after years of documentation, studies and action research in Tunisia, positioning the country as part of the global struggle for food sovereignty, particularly at the level of the international farmers movement La Via Campesina. Some of the most notable associations specialising in these issues include the Observatory of Food Sovereignty and the Environment (OSAE) (since 2017), the Working Group for Food Sovereignty (GTSA) (2019), the Tunisian Association of Permaculture (2013), Terre et Humanisme, etc. Research in rural social sciences is gradually being undertaken and brings together geographers, sociologists and historians for a multidisciplinary and systemic analysis of contemporary trends in Tunisia and the region (Arab region and the Global South generally). At the heart of this new space of activist research in Tunisia is an agricultural vision that considers access to resources and the dignity of farmers as key factors for responsible agriculture. Farmers, who are the pillars of our food systems and our very survival, continue to be considered by bourgeois elites as obstacles to the modernity to which Tunisia aspires. Paradoxically, their mobilization is seen by the authorities as a disturbance of public order and a threat to national interests.

Despite the convergence of the struggles for rights and dignity since the Arab Spring, which brought together urban and rural areas in Tunisia, change has yet to materialize. However, despite these difficulties, new research spaces have been developing a new narrative that respects both history and current lived realities, filling the existing gap. This narrative existed on a small scale before the revolution but has since expanded. Building on previous works, a bibliography has been documented and published on the Tunisian association Observatory of Food Sovereignty and the Environment (Observatoire de la Souverainet Alimentaire et de lEnvironnement - OSAE) website. Documentaries, films, books, and study reports were produced, such as the documentaries Thirsty Tunisians, Couscous: the Seeds of Dignity, Pousses de printemps (Spring Sprouts), and field reports by the Working Group for Food Sovereignty (GTSA) . The screening (at cinemas, universities and associations) of these works has allowed farmers voices to reach urban areas and has redirected public attention towards the rural world.

In a State that resorts to more borrowing to repay its existing debts, the hope of food sovereignty seems utopian for some, but realistic for others. However, if this hope was difficult in times of peace, will it become possible in times of war? Will Tunisian agriculture succeed in its transition towards a model that is more concerned with food security and less concerned with productivity and surplus production?

Food sovereignty, which is more urgent than ever before, is a potential response to the current food crisis. It is a solution to the food dependency and insecurity that come to light with each crisis.

The first aspect of local actors fight for food sovereignty is semantic. There are slight but important nuances in the meaning of each concept, which affect the conditions of agriculture and the food that is generated. This has been argued by La Via Campesina (the international farmers movement) since 1996:

La Via Campesina, extract from the website

Following the energy, drought and hunger crisis of the 1970s, food security has become an important topic of discussion at the World Food Summit. Agriculture is now based on productivity and crop intensification to feed the greatest number of people in an attempt to fight global hunger. This coincided with the advent of the Green Revolution in developing countries: a production-centered approach to agriculture without farmers. At that time, hybrid seeds were distributed for years free of charge by the government to Tunisian farmers, as evidenced by Jalel, a farmer who worked in a cooperative farm in Sidi Bourouis. As a result, many farmers abandoned ancestral seeds. This was by no means a trivial development, as it represented another means of dispossession of farmers (an article published on Houloul platform highlights the introduction of these seeds in Tunisia).

Officials at the Ministry of Agriculture and Higher Education in Agronomy advocated for modernity, which brought the promise of development to the country. The modernity that Bourguiba referred to in his daily speeches led people to believe that everything related to traditions is archaic and must be replaced. To be fair, these shifts were already underway before independence. Inspired by the agricultural techniques used by the colonizers, Tunisian farmers were already tempted to use modern means through farm automation on their plots of land, which were remarkably smaller than the colonized fields around Wadi Majardah.

Large farms and intensive agriculture replaced subsistence farming under the successive regimes that have ruled Tunisia since the Ottoman era to date. Subsistence farming, food crops and farmer-family agriculture are the antitheses of profit-based agriculture. Subsistence farming based on ancestral seeds harvesting represents a heritage of practices and know-how that the new seeds introduced cannot bring. A practice widely used by wheat and barley farmers was the matmoura: underground granaries where seeds were stored and used for consumption and adaptation to harsh seasons. Matmoura also existed in Morocco and Algeria but started to disappear in the 1980s. For the crop of the following year, breeders reserved the seeds of the best plants. This peasant engineering contributed, over the centuries, to the development of local species and varieties highly adapted to the land that is, species that offer higher resistance to precipitation and temperature fluctuations and to diseases. The cultivation of ancestral seeds also requires less water, according to Zakaria Hechmi, a farmer from the oasis of Chenini Gabes, where agroecology is still being practiced. Zakaria is known for his adamant efforts to preserve peasant seeds and the respect of the peasantry.

With seed technology, farmers have been demoted to the bottom of the production cycle, becoming mere consumers:

Seed Production Cycle

Since these major shifts, farmers have found themselves dependent on companies that provide them with the package to be planted: seeds, fertilisers and insecticides. In this regard, fruits have become ready-to-plant products, bereft of their natural essence. Currently, 50% of global seed production is controlled by three multinational companies: Syngenta, Monsanto and Dupont-Pioneer. Deprived of their autonomy and misled by promises of enrichment and development, farmers have lost control of their work and are being forced to adapt to market prices.

Moreover, farmers face problems related to agricultural land management and the dual legal system currently in place, resulting in land fragmentation. Given the restrictions related to their land rights, farmers have resorted to annual leasing for the cultivation of cereals and sometimes even for cattle breeding. These leases only offer smallholdings, with an area of no more than a few hectares, with limited possibility of expansion. Based on the testimony of Amine, a 25-year-old young man from El Krib, more and more farmers favor cattle breeding or monoculture of olives over cereals. Cattle breeding earns him 2,000 dinars per month on average, depending on the price of fodder (alfa) and sales.

Quantity of Milk Produced Daily

(Logbook of daily quantities sold by a cattle breeder)

The current crisis reminds us of our collective priority. As Edgar Morin says, By sacrificing the essential for the urgent, one ends up forgetting the urgency of the essential. We have disregarded what is essential at the cost of short-term solutions that have only eased the food crisis since its emergence. Indeed, the adoption of an agricultural model based on food security, at the expense of nutrition-centered agriculture, has led to a complex situation: the loss of local seeds, increased food dependence and the irreversible uprooting of the peasants. Fifty years after the World Food Summit, there are still famines and food insecurity around the world, in addition to the loss of a substantial genetic heritage (75% of seed varieties have disappeared over the past century according to the Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO). The outcome is clear: food security has impoverished our diet. It prevents consumers from choosing their foods and reduces the genetic wealth inherited from millions of years of evolution and thousands of years of agriculture.

This is the basis for the struggle for food sovereignty across the world, by restoring seeds, reviewing seed legislation, rehabilitating soils, learning once again how to farm and changing production methods, especially with the imminent threat of climate change. Countries, farmers, researchers and social actors around the world should make concerted efforts in this regard.

Beyond our nostalgia for a romanticized era that remains under-documented in Tunisia, when sovereign fellahin were masters of their seeds, their land and their (more abundant) water, the return to responsible agriculture is still possible today.

Different associations are now calling for more access to land, water, peasant seeds and food sovereignty. Rural social movements are emerging and joining forces with movements in the neighborhoods of Tunis, Sfax and the agglomeration born of the rural exodus of the last century.

The very origin of the Arab Spring in Tunisia can be traced back to the dispossession of farmers: the injustice felt by Bouazizi is primarily linked to the dispossession of his land and his indebtedness to the National Bank for Agriculture (BNA). The struggle for food sovereignty adopts some of the same slogans that dominated public discourse after 2011: dignity, rights, justice... Protesters in Tunis carry slogans in support of farmers, such as the #WrongGeneration movement in solidarity with the #OuledJeballah movement, as seen in the photos below. Ouled Jebalah also protested against the rising prices of fodder and the shortage of fertilizers, which strongly affected the harvest season in 2021.

Mobilizing Support for #Wrong Generation in #Ouled Jebalah

Despite the presence of unions like SYNAGRI and UTAP, farmers suffer from a lack of union representation, as they do not represent the interests of small farmers. In the absence of an agricultural inventory (data and agricultural map), there is a lack of knowledge regarding farming trades. As a result, it is more difficult for social actors to diagnose the situation, as Wassim Laabidi from the Working Group for Food Sovereignty explains.

Indeed, given the scarcity of literature, surveys and field research are often retrospective and very basic in their initial stages. In light of the few documentary resources available, social actors form on-site research groups with the farmers to better understand the current situation. This qualitative analysis of Tunisias diverse agricultural lands is adding more meaningful insight to the purely technical diagnosis of agriculture to which we are accustomed. Within these new frameworks of analysis and documentation, a new narrative (which integrates international solidarity and class consciousness) is beginning to take shape: multidisciplinarity, the revival of the role of social sciences and access to political rights are all elements that contribute to these efforts.

These researchers and activists believe that experts and technicians tend to limit the analysis of the vulnerability of our agriculture to environmental factors or the inescapable impacts of globalization to conceal political liability. Terms such as "water stress" and "climate change" become an abuse of language, since water scarcity (and environmental problems more generally) is primarily due to the obsolete management of resources by the State.

The choice of crops, irrigation in the heart of the desert, and the overexploitation of groundwater for export crops are examples of poor resource management or even a lack of sovereignty over these resources. Current agricultural policies are indeed a significant colonial legacy, which modified the customs regime in favor of exportation. In 1904, the Customs Union exempted wheat exports and fruits that ripened before their time from taxes, at a time when France was in dire need of wheat. Hence, an orientation towards an agriculture that produced the highest yield was required.

Degrowth is a concept that refers to a collective effort to reconsider our consumption patterns, primarily in industrialized countries. It is a favorable framework that can unite efforts for the restoration of a better and fairer lifestyle.

Countries that have witnessed major political and food crises as well as economic embargoes have shifted towards an agricultural policy that best suits their lands and their population needs. This was the case of Iran and Cuba. In Cuba, for example, the malnutrition rate fell from 21.9% to 5% during the 1990s.

The Republic of Cuba is the most prominent example of food sovereignty relevant to Tunisia (we all remember when Cuban doctors came to support Italy during the spike in mortality rates in 2020). Land management ensures that farmers cultivate their land without resale and without capital accumulation. However, even by shifting toward agroecology (or ecological agriculture), Cuba has not managed to completely break free from industrialization, as the State still keeps fields of monoculture. It should be noted, however, that agroecology, which is practiced in 25% of agricultural lands, produces 65% of the countrys food. These concrete indicators show that food sovereignty, which is an integral part of the degrowth model, is not unattainable, but is rather the most pragmatic alternative for the current model that has proven its shortcomings. However, we still have a long ways to go in terms of seed production: Despite the fact that the Tunisian Association of Permaculture organizes an annual seed festival with farmers, this practice remains illegal. In the week of April 7, 2022, Hafedh Karbaa from Monastir was forced to stop distributing his peasant seeds for free and to dispose of the seeds he had. After first appearing on the 8 pm news bulletin of El Watania channel, he stated on Shems radio that he was prohibited from pursuing his project. Seed laws, which are adopted in all countries, are legal instruments used by multinational companies empowered to classify living organisms as being illegal. Law No. 99-42 of 10 May 1999 is the legal text which governs the use of seeds and intellectual property in Tunisia. Article 44 of Chapter IV (Crimes and Sanctions) stipulates that fines can reach 50,000 dinars: In the event of recidivism [of the crime], the penalties provided for in Articles 43 and 44 [...] shall be doubled.

Social and solidarity economy, permaculture, agroecology, agroforestry and other similar concepts are all agricultural approaches that take into account the sustainability of practices and ecosystems. These are still practiced in isolation, but they promise a much more efficient usage of resources, not to mention that they would allow farmers to become more independent, especially with regard to water and land restrictions. Although solutions do exist, researchers and activists believe that the structural problems of access to land should first be addressed. Farmers right to land is undeniable, yet the distribution of State land does not prioritize landless farmers. Agrarian reform is necessary in Tunisia, as it is on the basis of such a reform that the situation of thousands of farmers could be changed for the better and the experience of a perennial agricultural production meeting local needs could be achieved.

The views represented in this paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Arab Reform Initiative, its staff, or its board.

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On July 25, 2022, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) entered into an $84.8 million settlement agreement[1] with several poultry processing companies over allegations that the poultry processors conspired with one another to share wage and benefits information through third-party data aggregation firms.[2] The companies entered the settlement without admitting any wrongdoing or liability. In addition to the $84.8million restitution payment, the settlement agreement also imposed a court-appointed compliance monitor for ten years to ensure compliance with the proposed settlement decree.[3] Government enforcement actions based on information-sharing are rare,[4] and this settlement agreement includes important lessons for all companies that provide internal wage or benefits data to third parties, including consulting firms or trade groups that engage in other information sharing with competitors.

The DOJs settlement is the latest in a series of aggressive enforcement of the antitrust laws to protect labor markets. Since the DOJ and the Federal Trade Commissions (FTCs) 2016 Antitrust Guidance for Human Resource Professionals, the DOJ has been outspoken about intending to prosecute criminally stand-alone wage-fixing and no-hire, no-poach, and non-solicit agreements. Over the past two years, the DOJ has given these threats teeth, bringing criminal indictments against several companies and individuals for alleged wage-fixing, no-poach, and no-solicit agreements.

Here, the DOJ alleged that three poultry processors engaged in a long-running conspiracy to exchange information about wages and benefits for poultry processing plant workers and collaborated with their competitors to deprive a generation of poultry processing plant workers of fair pay set in a free and competitive labor market.[5] In addition, the government alleged that the processors coordinated the conspiracy by sharing information with third-party data consulting firms[6] and, importantly, that the information exchanged was current or future, disaggregated, or identifiable in nature, which allowed the poultry processors to discuss the wages and benefits they paid their poultry processing plant workers.[7] The data consulting firms also hosted in-person meetings where, the government further alleged, the poultry processors shared additional compensation information and collaborated on compensation decisions.[8]

Key to the governments case, the complaint alleges that the poultry processors failed to abide by the safe-harbor requirements for sharing information outlined in the 2016 Guidance.[9] Under this Guidance, information sharing is unlikely to have anticompetitive effects when [1]a neutral third party manages the exchange, [2]the exchange involves information that is relatively old, [3]the information is aggregated to protect the identity of the underlying sources, and [4]enough sources are aggregated to prevent competitors from linking particular data to an individual source.[10] The DOJ alleged that the poultry processors did not qualify for the safe harbor because their information was current or future, disaggregated, and identifiable.[11]

Looking ahead, the safe harborwhich the DOJ and FTC have long used in contexts beyond labor marketsmay be revised as a result of President Bidens July 2021 Executive Order On Promoting Competition in the American Economy. Section5(f) of the Order directs the Attorney General and the Chair of the FTC ... to consider whether to revise the Antitrust Guidance for Human Resource Professionals of October 2016 in order to better protect workers from wage collusion.[12] The Fact Sheet on the Executive Order suggests that those revisions may be aimed at information sharing: the President ... [e]ncourages the FTC and DOJ to strengthen antitrust guidance to prevent employers from collaborating to suppress wages or reduce benefits by sharing wage and benefit information with one another.[13] To date, the guidance on information sharing has not been modified.

One other noteworthy aspect of the settlement agreement is the imposition of a ten-year monitorship. Monitorships for antitrust violations are uncommon and typically last only three yearseven in the context of hard-core criminal cartels.[14] The groundbreaking agreement to a ten-year monitorship may be an indication that the new regime of antitrust enforcers will seek out monitorships, including lengthy ones, as part of future settlement agreements.

Take-aways

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[1] See Proposed Final Judgment, U.S. v. Cargill Meat Solutions Corp., et al., (July25, 2022), here, [hereinafter Proposed Settlement]. The data analysis firms and their executives entered into a separate settlement agreement. See Proposed Final Judgment, U.S. v. Webber, Meng, Sahl and Company (July25, 2022), here.

[2] See Complaint, U.S. v. Webber, Meng, Sahl and Company (July25, 2022), at 5 [hereinafter Complaint].

[3] Proposed Settlement at 12-17.

[4] This is the first DOJ antitrust case involving information sharing since 2016. See Complaint, U.S.v. DirectTV Group Holdings, LLC and AT&T, Inc. (Nov. 2, 2016), here.

[5] See Complaint at 4.

[6] Id. at 75152.

[7] Id. at 75.

[8] Id. at 85.

[9] Id. at 88.

[10] See Department of Justice, Antitrust Division & Federal Trade Commission, Antitrust Guidance for Human Resources Professionals (October 2016), here.

[11] Complaint at 75.

[12] Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy (July9, 2021), here.

[13] FACT SHEET: Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy, (July9, 2021), here.

[14] See Judgment, U.S. v. AU Optronics Corporation (Oct. 2, 2012) (imposing a three-year monitorship).

[15] See Department of Justice, Antitrust Division & Federal Trade Commission, Statements of Antirust Enforcement Policy in health Care (August 1996), here (providing that the collection of information qualifies for a safety zone when (1)the collection is managed by a third party, (2)the data is more than three months old, and (3)and the data is sufficiently aggregated such that recipients could not identify the data of any individual participant).

The following Gibson Dunn lawyers prepared this client alert: Kristen Limarzi, Rachel Brass, Matt Butler, and Nick Marquiss.

Gibson Dunn lawyers are available to assist in addressing any questions you may have regarding these developments. Please contact the Gibson Dunn lawyer with whom you usually work, the authors, or any leader or member of the firms Antitrust and Competition or Labor and Employment practice groups:

Antitrust and Competition Group:Kristen C. Limarzi Washington, D.C. (+1 202-887-3518, klimarzi@gibsondunn.com)Jeremy Robison Washington, D.C. (+1 202-955-8518, wrobison@gibsondunn.com)Rachel S. Brass Co-Chair, San Francisco (+1 415-393-8293, rbrass@gibsondunn.com)Stephen Weissman Co-Chair, Washington, D.C. (+1 202-955-8678, sweissman@gibsondunn.com)Ali Nikpay Co-Chair, London (+44 (0) 20 7071 4273, anikpay@gibsondunn.com)Christian Riis-Madsen Co-Chair, Brussels (+32 2 554 72 05, criis@gibsondunn.com)

Labor and Employment Group:Jason C. Schwartz Co-Chair, Washington, D.C. (+1 202-955-8242, jschwartz@gibsondunn.com)Katherine V.A. Smith Co-Chair, Los Angeles (+1 213-229-7107, ksmith@gibsondunn.com)

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Settlement Agreement with U.S. Department of Justice Demonstrates the Risks Associated with Third-Party Information Sharing - Gibson Dunn