FONTAINEBLEAU, France andSINGAPORE andSAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2021 Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI)report shows Switzerland, Singapore and the United States continue their strong lead in talent competitiveness.

Published by INSEAD and the Portulans Institute, this year's rankings see European countries dominating the top positions with 17 of them in the top 25. One notable mention is France (19th), which enters the Top 20 this year with its highest position ever.

Outstanding non-European countries that make it into the top 25 are Australia (11th), Canada (13th), New Zealand (15th), Japan (20th), Israel (21st), and the United Arab Emirates (25th). 'Latin America and the Caribbean' region is for the first time represented in the top quartile by Chile (33rd), and China (37th) breaks into the top 40, its highest position ever.

The report finds that:

The accelerated adoption of collaborative tools have redefined the way in which individuals and teams could bring value to private businesses and public entities. Companies has redefined how they work. In that process, many opportunities have been offered to countries and cities to experiment with novel ways of attracting talent (e.g. digital nomads).

The international mobility of talents has been redefined by the pandemic. For employees, new parameters emerged about when, where and for whom to work: as online tools opened new doors to better work-life balance and to 'working from anywhere', new inequalities surfaced between those who could contribute online, and those who had to be physically present at the workplace.

Governments are called to re-take centre stage, both by injecting financial resources to prevent a massive collapse of businesses and employment, and by designing specific legal and regulatory measures to protect their populations' health and social cohesion. Fortunately, most public entities around the world reacted with rapidity and force. This allowed many companies to stay afloat financially, and to stay the course towards their strategic objectives, including in the talent area. The relatively rapid fashion in which major economies resumed growth is now even creating some employment scarcity in key sectors and activities.

Economies that cannot accelerate their digital transformation may quickly be left behind. The rapid increase of 'digital divides' however, is only one part of growing inequalities at the international level. Another finding of concern is the increasing divergence between rich and poor economies. The World Bank indicates that poverty has increased worldwide during the pandemic and that an additional 125 million people live with less than US$1.90 per day. UN data suggests that globally, jobs held by women are generally more threatened by COVID-related adjustments (including lay-offs) than the ones held by men. If these developments are not contained and swiftly reversed, they could further widen gaps in economic well-being as well as in equality, diversity and inclusion efforts that has made progression in recent years.

In the 'new normal', inequalities may also grow among workers due to a likely 'K-shaped recovery', where workers employable in 'recovery sectors' such as technology, retail of software services would find more employment opportunities than those locked in other (often distressed) activities such as travel or entertainment. Innovation and agility can play a critical role in 'redressing the lower branch of the K'.

Immense challenges loom ahead: preventing a growth of inequalities (and a resumption of poverty), offering enough opportunities for a massive upskilling and re-skilling of the work force, and maintaining social cohesion will not be among the easiest task of the coming years, and possibly decades.

China and Russia join the GTCI league of 'talent champions' (they were both among GTCI's 'talent movers' last year). For the first time, a country from the Latin America and the Caribbean regin (Chile) appears in the top quartile of the rankings. In the Middle East, the United Arab Emirates remains the strongest talent champion, and offers innovative ways to attract and retain talents.

The eighth edition of the report titled, 'Talent Competitiveness in Times of COVID',explores lessons learned during the pandemic, and offers insights into how governments, organisations, businesses and individuals can move forward. Managing talent is now a mainstream concern and talent performance seen as a critical factor to growth and prosperity.

Felipe Monteiro, Academic Director of the Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI) and INSEAD Senior Affiliate Professor of Strategy, states: "It is now time to 'think post-pandemic'. Jobs linked to digital transformation and the greening of most sectors (finance, energy to transport, manufacturing and agriculture) will be in high demand across geographies." He adds, "Top-ranked Switzerland and Singapore are speeding up transitions to a sustainable, future-proof economy. Switzerland is strengthening its position as a leader in sustainable finance and Singapore is forging ahead with its ambitious "Green Plan 2030" and making headways in digital trade and green economy cooperation with China. These forward-looking nations are taking steps to build robust economies and societies."

Long term trends and analysis

In its third year of providing longitudinal analysis, GTCI data suggests that the gap between the most talent-competitive countries and the rest is widening. The policy implication is clear: stakeholders should take steps to ensure that the underlying dimensions of talent competitiveness are strengthened, especially for countries and those segments of the population already under pressure.

Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI) 2021 Top 20 Ranking

As in previous years, higher rankings are associated with higher income levels. Policies and practices that bring about talent competitiveness in more developed countries are less susceptible to political and socioeconomic fluctuations and these countries have the stability to invest in lifelong learning, reinforcing skills, and attracting and retaining global talent.

Rank

Country

Rank

Country

1

Switzerland

11

Australia

2

Singapore

12

United Kingdom

3

United States of America

13

Canada

4

Denmark

14

Germany

5

Sweden

15

New Zealand

6

Netherlands

16

Ireland

7

Finland

17

Belgium

8

Luxembourg

18

Austria

9

Norway

19

France

10

Iceland

20

Japan

Global City Talent Competitiveness Index (GCTCI)2021 Top 10 Ranking

Megalopolisesare back on the talent sceneas large cities (due mainly to their higher level of resources) adapted better to COVID-relatedchallenges, which partly explain why they generally rank better in GCTCI than last year.

Top cities this year continue to be dominated by the US and Europe with San Francisco taking the top spot. Two other US cities,Boston and Seattle,make it into the top 10;while the remaining 7 are located in Europe (Geneva, Zurich, Luxembourg, Dublin, London, and Helsinki). Singapore is the only Asian city listed in the top 10.

Rank

City

Rank

City

1

San Francisco (United States)

6

Dublin (Ireland)

2

Geneva (Switzerland)

7

Singapore (Singapore)

3

Boston (United States)

8

Seattle (United States)

4

Zurich (Switzerland)

9

London (United Kingdom)

5

Luxembourg (Luxembourg)

10

Helsinki (Finland)

Bruno Lanvin, Distinguished Fellow at INSEAD and co-editor of the report, comments:"Altogether, cities around the world proved agile and imaginative in mobilising available talents to identify and implement solutions to unprecedented and complex situations." He adds that, "Cities with distinctive features for future readiness tend to dominate the rankings. Capabilities in AI or advanced technologies (including fintech, healthtech and medtech) clearly favour the talent performance of cities such as San Francisco, Boston, and Singapore, and to a lesser but still significant extent that of Luxembourg, Geneva, Dublin, and Zurich."

For more information:Download the full reportFollow us on Twitter #GTCI for updatesRegister and join the live launch event hereat 13:00 CET, 19 October 2021.

About Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI)

The GTCI report is published annually by INSEAD, the Business School for the World, in partnership with Portulans Institute. The report is a comprehensive annual benchmarking report that measures how countries and cities grow, attract and retain talent. It provides a unique resource for decision makers to understand the global talent competitiveness picture and develop strategies for to boost their competitiveness. The 2021 report covers 134 countries and 155 cities from 75 economies around the world across all groups of income and levels of development.

About Portulans Institute

Founded in 2019,the Portulans Institute (PI) is an independent nonprofit, nonpartisan research and educational institute based in Washington DC.Portulans(or portolans) are ancient nautical maps, first made in the 13th century in the Mediterranean basin and later expanded to include other regions. The word portolan comes from the Italian portulano, meaning "related to ports or harbors", and which since at least the 17th century designates "a collection of sailing directions". In these maps, only a few harbors were visible, and much of the coastlines were hypothetical.This is how we see our mission: in an uncertain world, much is yet to be explored, and many opportunities have yet to be identified. Like the navigators of the 16th century, modern leaders have to make decisions on the basis of imperfect information and incomplete maps.The Portulans Institute aims at providing them with the best available data and analyses, and the directions that they need. This is why our logo combines a compass, and pi, which is not only a powerful number found in geometry, algebra, physics and arts, but also an infinite series of digits, with no pre-written rule telling us what the next one might be. More information about PI can be found athttps://portulansinstitute.org/

About INSEAD, The Business School for the World

As one of the world's leading and largest graduate business schools, INSEAD brings together people, cultures and ideas to develop responsible leaders who transform business and society. Our research, teaching and partnerships reflect this global perspective and cultural diversity.

With locations inEurope(France),Asia(Singapore), theMiddle East(Abu Dhabi), and nowNorth America(San Francisco), INSEAD's business education and research spans four regions. Our 168renownedFacultymembers from 41 countries inspire more than 1,100 degree participants annually in ourMaster in Management,MBA,Global Executive MBA, Specialised Master's degrees (Executive Master in FinanceandExecutive Master in Change) andPhDprogrammes. In addition, more than 12,400 executives participate in INSEADExecutive Educationprogrammes each year.

INSEAD continues to conduct cutting-edge research and innovate across all our programmes. We provide business leaders with the knowledge and awareness to operate anywhere. Our core values drive academic excellence and serve the global community as The Business School for the World.

More information about INSEAD can be found at http://www.insead.edu.

View original content:

Read the original here:

2021 Global Talent Competitiveness Index: Fostering green and digital jobs and skills crucial for talent competitiveness in times of COVID-19 - WIBW

Metal scrap on Wrangel Island, an island of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug in the Russian Arctic. Ekaterina Uryupova

Due to climate change and high political interest, the importance of the Arctic region is growing. The Arctic has become a matter of higher political interest, not only with a focus on resource development for Arctic states but also the non-Arctic countries. The economic opportunities arising from an increasingly ice-free region and prevention of environmental degradation are on the opposite sides for the countries involved in activities in the North. Nowadays the Arctic is viewed as the accelerating region for climate change and its consequences for the Earth system. The eight Arctic states represent one-fifth of global emissions,1)WWF (2021). Retrieved on 1st August, 2021 from https://arcticwwf.org/newsroom/stories/arctic-countries-need-to-lead-the-cut-of-co2/ thus their governments need to take an interest in ways in which the policy process on reducing emissions, especially the implementation phase of it (a series of activities undertaken by governments to achieve the objectives articulated in specific laws and policies), can be strengthened and supported.

How have different countries positioned themselves towards integrated environmental concerns with their Arctic policies? In view of a possible future acceleration of global warming, the Arctic states and non-Arctic countries (for instance, China and India) and the EU as an independent entity, have taken environmental concerns into account in their current Arctic policy documents and activities. What are the environmental priorities delineated in the national Arctic strategies?

Over the past few decades, our planet has changed a lot. We can witness how the Arctic is transforming into a warmer, wetter, and less predictable destination. And nowadays we hear more voices addressing the needs of the nations to mitigate and adapt to climate change in the Arctic and protect its fragile environment. These efforts are reflected in national policies for the Arctic with focus on greenhouse gas emissions, climate pollutants (including methane, black carbon, etc.), research, adaptation and mitigation, and international cooperation.

The national Arctic strategies share similarities regarding topics and issues, however they still represent different political visions. Sustainable resource management and environmental protection in the Arctic are mentioned in emerging Arctic policies. With Indigenous populations resistance, awareness has been elevated by the uniqueness of nature, remoteness and pristine wilderness of the Arctic. Honestly, varying degrees of the importance of environmental protection in the region is reflected in the national strategies of different countries. Hereby, they are positioning themselves in view of a possible future acceleration of the attention to an increasingly ice-free Arctic.

Being a northern nation and having representatives of Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities living well above the Arctic Circle, Canada still has some gaps in its Arctic policy framework. The Pan-Territorial Vision for Sustainable Development,2)Department of Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs, Canada (2017). Retrieved on 11 July, 2021 from https://www.gov.nu.ca/executive-and-intergovernmental-affairs/information/arctic-and-northern-policy-framework-pan released by the Northwest Territories, Yukon and Canadas eastern Arctic territory of Nunavut in August 2017, played an important role for resource development, economic diversification, improved infrastructure and innovation in building strong territorial economies in the region. The 2019 launch of Canadas Arctic and Northern Policy Framework (ANPF)3)Canadas Arctic and Northern Policy Framework (2019). Government of Canada. Retrieved on 02 September, 2021 from https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1560523306861/1560523330587 seemed to be a significant shift from the previous basic vision of the region towards a complex approach with contribution provided by the federal government, Indigenous peoples, Inuit, First Nations and Mtis, 6 territorial and provincial governments (Yukon, Nunavut, Quebec, Northwest Territories, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Manitoba). A new framework is to provide overarching direction to the Government of Canadas priorities, activities and investments in the Arctic, with a horizon of 2030. A cooperative form of policy making suggests the following priorities in the region: support science, knowledge and research that is meaningful for communities and for decision-making, face the effects of climate change and support healthy ecosystems in the Arctic and North.

Strength: Indigenous peoples are involved in a cooperative form of policy making, priority is given to theArctic science. The lack of sufficient air and maritime port facilities limits the size and duration of military operations in the Canadian North this is definitely less stressful for the environment.

Weakness: The federal government is having a poor track record of environmental monitoring, i.e. slashing the budget for environmental monitoring in the oil sands in the North.4)Desmarais A. (2020). Indigenous leaders losing faith in environmental protection amid oil sands monitoring budget cuts. CBC News from 05th August 2020. Retrieved on 4th September, 2021 from https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/alberta-nwt-chiefs-losing-faith-environment-monitoring-1.5674446

The 2020 Russias strategy for the development of the Arctic Zone5)Executive order No. 645, the Russian Federation from 26th October, 2020 (2020). A Strategy of development of the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation and a national security plan through 2035. Retrieved on 1st September, 2021 from http://kremlin.ru/acts/bank/45972/page/2 puts economic development regarding transportation and extractive industries at its core, however attaching larger importance to the environment than it had in its previous policy document. The new white paper will cover a period of 15 years, through 2035. It includes the following approaches: development and implementation of the governmental program to support traditional Indigenous knowledge, further geological and oceanographic research exploration of the Arctic zone, extended support to the fisheries sector, reforestation and wild fire prevention, development of the complex plan for international scientific activities and climate change research, achievement of long-term conservation of nature (protected areas), climate change mitigation projects, development of a framework for the design of ecological monitoring and effective waste management, and others. In comparison to the previous Russian Arctic strategies, the recent policy document emerges as a profoundly changed development plan for the region. In March 2021, Russias government approved an additional state program on social-economic development of the Arctic zone through 2024, and its objectives include a support of traditional knowledge of Indigenous peoples in the North and protection of the environment of territories inhabited by Indigenous groups.6)Executive order No. 484, the Russian Federation from 30th March 2021 (2021). An approval of the state programme on social-economic development of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation. Retrieved on 6th July, 2021 from https://portnews.ru/upload/basefiles/2426_pGpochsppchrpopgchrpapmpmpa%20chrpapzpvpichtpichja%20pAchrpkchtpipkpi.pdf Additionally, Russia will seek to become carbon neutral by 2060, as the country might finally take steps to start moving its economy away from fossil fuels.7)Fedorinova Yu. (2021). Putin says Russia will target carbon neutrality by 2060. Bloomberg, 13th October 2021. Retrieved on 13th October, 2021 from https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-10-13/putin-says-russia-will-target-carbon-neutrality-by-2060

Strength: Major focus on the Arctic region in general countrys development plans, massive investments to the region, restructuring of the fisheries sector, installation of satellite monitoring of the Arctic region.

Weakness: Priority given to industries and the military rather than to the needs of the Arctic population and local issues, for instance, there is still a lot of unattended scrap metal, which remains in the Russian Arctic zone.8)Stambler M. (2021). Polar clean ups: fighting pollution in the Russian Arctic. Russia Beyond from March 10, 2021. Retrieved on 28th August, 2021 from https://www.rbth.com/science-and-tech/333504-polar-arctic-clean-ups-pollution

The Norwegian Governments Arctic Policy9)Meld. St. 9, 20202021 (2020). Retrieved on 30th August, 2021 from https://www.regjeringen.no/no/dokumenter/meld.-st.-9-20202021/id2787429/ is focused on national security, stability and international cooperation. When it comes to climate change and the environment in the Arctic, Norway recalls the Paris Agreement: reduced rates of greenhouse gas emissions seem to be a focal point of this policy document. For example, Norway targets to decrease greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 % by 2030. The achievement of this target is possible in cooperation with the EU. Another goal for Norway is to become a low-emission society by 2050, with overall gas emissions reduced by 90-95%. Norway has already implemented a number of measures to reduce its own black carbon emissions, but the country is actively working with other Arctic states on this issue. Also, the new Arctic policy document is focused on oceans, dramatic change of biodiversity, and pollution in the Arctic. Development of a framework for integrated environmental management plans for Norway is included in this new approach.

Strength: Oslos approach to conserving its Arctic areas can be easily named as the greenest one in Europe.

Weakness: There are several gaps in the environmental regime relevant for mining, such as the reliance on local authorities, unclear division of competence between authorities, and the devolution of power to public authorities without clear duties. Also, Norway opens the Arctic to more oil drilling and announces Arctic licensing awards.10)Adomaitis N. (2020). Norways supreme court verdict opens the Arctic to more oil drilling. Reuters from December 22, 2020. Retrieved on 6th September, 2021 from https://www.reuters.com/article/us-norway-oil-environment-idUSKBN28W104

An updated strategy for the Arctic region, Strategi fr den arktiska regionen was released by the Swedish Government in September 2020.11)Swedens strategy for the Arctic region (2020). Retrieved on 7th July, 2021 from https://www.government.se/information-material/2020/11/swedens-strategy-for-the-arctic-region-2020/ Climate and the environment, polar research and environmental protection, sustainable economic development are among the priorities for the government plans. Here, Arctic research is explicitly discussed, and thus tied, with environmental protection, and biodiversity is highlighted in their updated policy document. Among the countrys top priorities are international cooperation and security issues. Similar to the previous document (2011), Stockholms Arctic strategy still pays a lot of attention to the impacts of climate change in the region, but the environmental issues are not the only focus.

Strength: Strong support of the Indigenous peoples culture and traditions, extensive work within the European Union to implement measures to substantially reduce global emissions of greenhouse gases.

Weakness: The available environmental observation system in Sweden is only weakly linked to the monitoring of strategic initiative effects due to analytical, organizational and institutional barriers.12)Balfors B. & Schmidtbauer J. (2002). Swedish Guidelines for Strategic Environmental Assessment for EU Structural Funds. European Environment. 12. 35 48. 10.1002/eet.274; Bodin ., Garca M.M.,1 & Robins G. (2020). Reconciling Conflict and Cooperation in Environmental Governance: A Social Network Perspective. Annual Review of Environment and Resources 2020 45:1, 471-495. Retrieved on 6th September, 2021 from https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/full/10.1146/annurev-environ-011020-064352 The existing Arctic strategy is attaching a high level of strategic importance to Swedens Arctic region, and paying more attention to national security rather than mitigating the negative effects of climate change.

Finlands strategy for the Arctic region was adopted as a Government Resolution on 17 June, 2021.13)The Government of Finland (2021). Finlands Strategy for Arctic Policy. Retrieved on 20th June, 2021 from https://julkaisut.valtioneuvosto.fi/handle/10024/163247 It extends until 2030. According to the released document, all activities in the Arctic must be based on the carrying capacity of the natural environment, the protection of the climate, sustainable development principles and respect for the rights of indigenous populations. The focus of the new strategy is on climate change, mitigation and adaptation. The use of new fossil reserves is considered to be incompatible with the countrys environmental objectives, and pretty risky not only for Finland, but for the global community. To strengthen the environmental policy action in Finland, a new Climate Policy Round Table has also been convened. The work on a Roadmap for Fossil-free Transport was completed in autumn 2020, and sector-specific roadmaps for low carbon emissions were published in summer 2020.

Strength: Special attention to climate change mitigation and adaptation, environmental cooperation and respect for the interests of indigenous populations.

Weakness: Although the Arctic whitepaper contemplates sustainable mining by means of new technologies and digitalisation, mining remains one of the most conflicting issues in Finland. Both the value of the industry for the country and the weak enforcement of the law have raised public concerns about environmental problems in the region.14)Salonen S.-M. (2021). Inari municipality is hoping for a stronger control over mining questions after 3,000 sq kilometres reserved by Swedish companies. The Barents Observer, August 23, 2021. Retrieved on 10th September, 2021 from https://thebarentsobserver.com/en/arctic-mining/2021/08/inari-municipality-hoping-stronger-control-over-mining-questions-after-3000-sq; Poelzer, G., Linde, S., Jagers, S.C., Matti S. (2021). Digging in the dark: reviewing international literature to address impending policy challenges for Swedish and Finnish mining. Mineral Economics 34, 225238. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13563-021-00255-6

The international policy of Iceland is supported by two key documents the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the principle of sustainable development, released at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. Additionally, Iceland is the only Arctic State that does not have an Indigenous population. Its Arctic territory is limited to Grimsey Island in the north, but the country has become embedded in global institutions focused on the Arctic issues. Icelands policy in the Arctic issues is anchored in a parliamentary resolution which outlines priority areas, among them climate change, sustainable use of natural resources, and the rights of Indigenous peoples (collaboration with Greenland). The concept of a sustainable Arctic was a pillar of Icelands Chairmanship in the Arctic Council in 2019-2021, along with protection of the north polar marine environment, supporting the Arctic research, and green energy alternatives.

Strength: Iceland is very conscious about its position in the Arctic and uses its geographical position to promote itself as an Arctic coastal state, also in the area of environmental policy.

Weakness: The country has strong interest in fisheries, and Iceland has been involved in a number of fisheries disputes quota wars resulted in failure to reach agreement on marine resource management in the region.15)sthagen A. Fisheries disputes: The real potential for Arctic conflict. The Arctic Institute, June 3, 2021. Retrieved on 5th July, 2021 from https://www.thearcticinstitute.org/fisheries-disputes-real-potential-arctic-conflict/

Both the American Ministry of Defense and the American Coast Guard launched their Arctic strategies in 2019, followed by their own document released by the American Air Force and the American Navy in 2020. Surely, in all the policy documents the focus is on U.S. interests and national security. A rapidly melting Arctic is seen as an arena of confrontation, thus the region is discussed as a place imposing specific requirements for operating and sustaining force capabilities in the region. The Trump administration advanced a rollback of environmental regulations in favor of fossil fuel producers in Alaska. However, recently some strides have been made toward a climate action the United States has become a member of the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action, which discusses climate and economic policy priorities in the Arctic are discussed.16)The Ministry of Finance, Finland. Press release (2021). Meeting of the Climate Action Coalition chaired by Minister of Finance Vanhanen as cooperation was joined by the United States, Japan and South Korea. Retrieved on 8th July, 2021 from https://vm.fi/en/-/meeting-of-climate-action-coalition-chaired-by-minister-of-finance-vanhanen-as-cooperation-was-joined-by-united-states-japan-and-south-korea In Executive Order on Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science to Tackle the Climate Crisis, Section 4, of January 20, 2021 particular emphasis is on the Arctic Refuge this document places a temporary moratorium on all activities of the Federal Government relating to the implementation of the Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program.17)Executive Order on Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science to Tackle the Climate Crisis (2021). Presidential actions. January 20, 2021. Retrieved on 01 September, 2021 from https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-protecting-public-health-and-environment-and-restoring-science-to-tackle-climate-crisis/

Strength: New government plans to fight climate change incorporating environmental concerns into a wide range of policies.

Weakness: Still vague environmental standards to protect fish, game, wildlife, water, and habitats in Alaska.18)Alaskas environmental standards arent stringent. Juneau Empire, 23rd June, 2020. Retrieved on 12th September, 2021 from https://www.juneauempire.com/opinion/alaskas-environmental-standards-arent-stringent/; Sohns A., Ford J.D., Adamovski J., Robinson B.E. (2021). Participatory Modeling of Water Vulnerability in Remote Alaskan Households Using Causal Loop Diagrams. Environmental Management 67, 2642 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-020-01387-1

The 2016 EU policy19)The EU Arctic Policy from 26th April, 2016 (2016). Retrieved on 7th July, 2021 from https://eeas.europa.eu/arctic-policy/eu-arctic-policy_en for the Arctic included three main objectives with focus on sustainable development to a wide extent and international cooperation between the states, Indigenous communities and other parties. According to the 2021 strategy20)European Commision (2021). A stronger EU engagement for a greener, peaceful, and prosperous Arctic. Retrieved on 14th October, 2021 from https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_5214, the EU will seek a ban on exploiting new fossil fuel deposits in the Arctic to protect a region severely affected by climate change. Here is also a reference to the Svalbard Treaty and its interpretation with the EUs exclusive competence for conservation of marine biological resources. The European Green Deal (since 2019)21)European Commision (2019). A European Green Deal. Retrieved on 14th October, 2021 from https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/european-green-deal_en and the Horizon Europe Programme (2021-2027)22)European Commision (2021). Horizon Europe. Retrieved on 14th October, 2021 from https://ec.europa.eu/info/research-and-innovation/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe_en are supposed to help tackle climate change and overcome environmental challenges by using innovative green, blue, and digital technologies.

Strength: The policy document is focused on nature conservation and local climate adaptation, also a broader climate policy and the regulation of the EUs energy market basically, the EU will act in view of climate change, raw materials as well as geostrategic influence.

Weakness: The 2021 EU Arctic policy document encompasses too many issues, sectors and stakeholders. The ban on tapping new oil, coal and gas deposits should prevent possible tensions over resources, but it has already drawn a disfavour from oil and gas producers as Norway.23)Brzozovski A. Norways new government unimpressed with EUs Arctic drilling pledge. Retrieved on 14th October, 2021 from https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/short_news/norways-new-government-unimpressed-with-eus-arctic-drilling-pledge/

Beijing is showing greater interest in the region, and the northern states are targets of intensifying the red economic power. President Xi Jinpings Belt and Road Initiative24)Belt and Road Initiative (2013). Retrieved on 13th September, 2021 from https://www.beltroad-initiative.com/info/ includes the Arctic region in the state campaign aimed at increasing trading opportunities. Also, the State Council Information Office of China released its Arctic white paper Chinas Arctic Policy on January 26th, 2018.25)Chinas Arctic Policy (2018). Retrieved on 28th August, 2021 from http://english.www.gov.cn/archive/white_paper/2018/01/26/content_281476026660336.htm The white paper states that China is committed to the multilateral institutional arrangements for Arctic governance currently in place and to the existing legal framework, including the United Nations Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), treaties on climate change and the environment. Chinas participation in Arctic liquified natural gas (LNG) projects is a part of its effort to replace coal and oil with natural gas, a less environmentally harmful fossil fuel. However, the focus in the policy document is clearly set on the exploitation of the Arctics natural resources rather than on environmental protection.

Strength: Arctic scientific research and environment protection are placed in an important position.

Weakness: The current Chinas framework for the Arctic is driven by their desire to protect the unique environment of the North but conflicted with the economically focused concepts.

The Kingdom of Denmarks current Strategy for the Arctic expired at the end of 2020. Work on a new strategy has been significantly slowed down by the covid pandemic, and Greenland intends to work on its own Arctic whitepaper.26)Quinn E. (2021). Greenlands more prominent role on the Arctic Council is an important signal to the international community. Eye on the Arctic, June 18, 2021. Retrieved on 12th September, 2021 from https://www.rcinet.ca/eye-on-the-arctic/2021/06/18/greenlands-more-prominent-role-on-arctic-council-important-signal-to-intl-community-says-foreign-minister/

Tackling the climate crisis and national security goals are important for every single country. However, not that much has been said publicly about the friction between environmental parts of the policy documents and national security prospects here is the conflict of interests! When it comes to militarization of the region (regardless of nation), environmental goals immediately recede to the background: and this is one of the reasons why military exercises are increasing in the High North.27)Depledge, D. (2020). Train Where You Expect to Fight: Why Military Exercises Have Increased in the High North. Scandinavian Journal of Military Studies, 3(1), pp.288301. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31374/sjms.64; Shouker P. (2020). Russias Strategy of Reconquering the Arctic. The National Interest, May 8, 2020. Retrieved on 5th August, 2021 from https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/russia%E2%80%99s-strategy-reconquering-arctic-152681; Hurt M. (2021). Growing military activity in the Arctic and Baltic regions. International Centre for Defence and Security, April 8, 2021. Retrieved on 9th September, 2021 from https://icds.ee/en/growing-military-activity-in-the-arctic-and-baltic-regions/ In so doing, nations directly increase pressure on the environment through carbon emissions, military installations, all types of pollution, the interference with environmental research activities, etc.

What are the policy implications for the future? The huge pressure is on policymakers who will focus on the existing discord between environmental and security components within the Arctic strategies. All parties fail to cooperate effectively at international level, as soon as they are paying a regard to political will and tensions. Also, there is a lack of dynamism in environmental law, and the flexibility of decision making at national levels. For effective mitigation of climate change it requires a flexible legal framework that works effectively in a rapidly changing Arctic.

See the original post:

Environmental Policy Integration with the Existing Arctic Strategies - The Arctic Institute

When its done right, recycling costs Moore County nothing beyond the hauling costs needed to transfer the materials to an appropriate reclamation facility. Conversely, done wrong, recycling costs the county more per ton than disposing of regular household waste.

Bolstered with grant funding from the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), as part of the agencys statewide efforts to improve recycling quality, Moore County Solid Waste launched the Recycle Moore campaign in September. The goal is to educate local residents on whats actually recyclable -- and what is not.

The county has long had a recycling program and so did a lot of our municipalities. But then things changed three years ago in the market, said Solid Waste Director David Lambert during a countywide recycling discussion held Thursday in Aberdeen. It became much more important that we remove contamination.

Contamination is essentially any item in the recycling stream that cannot be recycled, such as a greasy pizza box. One of the bigger challenges is that different areas apply different standards to what is acceptable.

You could wake up in Robbins, go to church in Pinehurst and have lunch in Aberdeen and encounter three different rules on recycling, Lambert said, noting as recycling costs began skyrocketing in 2918, processing facilities began turning back contaminated loads.

Moore County and its partnering municipalities ended up paying for recycling loads to be hauled back-and-forth, only to carry the additional cost burden of having it lumped in with landfill waste.

The good news is while China and other southeast Asian countries severed the export market for recycling, domestic recycling businesses have rebounded. According to a 2020 DEQ study, approximately 13 percent of North Carolinas comingled recycling is being exported whereas about 34 percent stays in the state where it is repurposed.

For a long time weve operated on a linear economy model where materials are extracted, manufactured, distributed, consumed and disposed of, explained Carol Abken, with the DEQs recycling office. In contrast, a circular economy model reciculates recycled material back into the economy.

North Carolina has over 600 recycling-related businesses that employ over 15,700 and have a total annual payroll of around $759 million. Reprocessing and repurposing materials can also conserve natural resources, conserve landfill space, and reduce energy and greenhouse gas emissions from resource extraction, Abken added. The N.C. Recycle Right Campaign was developed as part of DEQs initiative to reduce contamination and provide a better feed stock of recyclable materials to North Carolina-based recycling businesses.

Recycle Moore is a single, countywide standard that was developed to reduce confusion regarding recycling and maximize the types of material that can be recycled. These updated standards apply to municipal residents who enjoy existing curbside recycling programs and those who use the countys drop-off facilities.

Courtesy of Moore County Solid Waste

To spread the Recycle Moore message, Lambert used grant funding to produce videos, created pamphlets and colorful magnets that were mailed to rural households or can be picked up at most local government offices, and updated the countys website.

#RecycleMoore was created to reduce confusion and educate Moore County on what can and can not be recycled. Let Eli Brown (a North Moore High School student) tell you more. Credit: Story Focused Media

Recycle Moore is a true collaborative effort. Our communities are so interconnected. We cant really do anything if we dont do it together, Lambert said. We want to make sure we have good quality recycling. If you are in doubt, throw it out. We would rather you be confident that what you put in the bin is recyclable.

Read more:

Countywide Recycling Discussion Focuses on Education, Reducing Contamination - Southern Pines Pilot

Vancouver, BC - TheNewswire - October 19, 2021 - Global Energy Metals Corporation (TSXV:GEMC) | (OTCQB:GBLEF) | (FSE:5GE1) (Global Energy Metals, the Company and/or GEMC), a company involved in the investment exposure to the battery metals supply chain, is pleased to announce the signing of a letter of intent between Electric Royalties Ltd. (Electric Royalties and/or ELEC) and Scandinavian Resource Holdings (SRH) to create a new 1% Net Smelter Royalty (the 1% NSR) on four exploration licenses totaling 25 square kilometers in the Rna mafic-ultramafic intrusion in Northern Norway and includes the past producing Bruvann Nickel mine (the Rna Project or Rna).

Rana Nickel Royalty Acquisition Highlights

- Includes the past producing Bruvann Ni-Cu-Co mine which has significant historical resources remaining after production shut down in 2002, following 13 years of production due to low nickel prices;

- Located adjacent to main north-south highway and in an area with a long history of mining and skilled manpower;

- Available mine infrastructure includes power, roads, and conveyor from mine site to existing port facilities;

- Large historical drill database demonstrating compelling near mine exploration potential;

- Underexplored property with demonstrated exploration potential and re-start potential; and

- GEMC to receive cash and share equity in Electric Royalties further increasing its exposure to the company and its growing portfolio of technology enabling metal projects.

Mitchell Smith, CEO of Global Energy Metals commented:

We are excited to partner again with Electric Royalties and strengthen our ownership in their company while benefiting further from the added exposure our shareholders will gain through Electrics impressive royalty portfolio and the raw materials that are building an electrified future. We see Electric as the perfect partner to strengthen awareness about the Rana Project and attract further investment to advance this important class-1 sulphide nickel project.

Brendan Yurik, CEO of Electric Royalties commented:

We are very pleased to add Rana to our royalty portfolio as it represents our first exposure to nickel. Furthermore, we are excited about the potential of the mines restart as well as the prospectivity of the surrounding land package. The mine was shut down in 2002 due to low nickel prices which averaged less than $4/lb during its operation. Market conditions have now changed and nickel prices are more than double what they were when the mine shut down. Given the projects excellent jurisdiction, good infrastructure and available skilled workforce we believe that Rana has excellent potential to help supply the nickel required to transition the world away from fossil fuels and toward a decarbonized global economy.

Rana Project Overview

The Rna Nickel-Copper-Cobalt project is jointly held by GEMC and SRH and located on the Ofoten Fjord in Northern Norway and is ice-free year-round. The project includes the past producing Bruvann Ni-Cu-Co mine which was in production from 1989 until 2002 and processed 8.2 million tonnes of ore at an average grade of 0.52% Ni, 0.1% Cu and 0.02% Co.

A historical estimate of the remaining resource is 9.15 million tonnes at approximate grades of 0.36% Ni, 0.09% Cu and 0.01% Co above a cut-off of 0.3% Ni.1 The mineralization is reported to be open in several directions.

The estimate was obtained from a report prepared by the Norwegian Geological Survey (NGU). No classification of the estimate was reported. The estimate is historical in nature and does not qualify as mineral resources under CIM Definition standards and NI 43-101. A qualified person under has not done sufficient work to classify the estimates as current mineral resources and the Company is not treating them as current.

Bruvann is located 2 km away from a shipping dock with an existing conveyor connecting dock facilities from the mine site. Mine roads and power facilities as well as some of the mine buildings have been maintained and the main North-South highway in the region crosses the property.

For more information on the Rana Project please refer to GEMCs website linked here.

1The past production and historical estimate for the Rna Project is reported in Carl Olaf Mathiesen and Rognvald Boyd, 2017: History of exploration of the nickel resources of the Rna Intrusion, Nordland, Norway, NGU Report 2017.31, available at https://www.ngu.no/upload/Publikasjoner/Rapporter/2017/2017_031.pdf .

Terms

Electric Royalties is creating the 1% NSR on the Rna Project for a total consideration of 2,000,000 common shares of the Company (Consideration Shares) and $100,000 cash payable to GEMC and SRH payble to GEMC and SRH in proportion to ownership. The Consideration Shares will be subject to a voluntary escrow lock-up agreement which provides that 50% of the common shares will be subject to a hold period of 4 months and one day, 25% for 8 months and the remaining 25% for 12 months. The transaction noted herein is subject to completion of due diligence, approval of the TSX Venture Exchange and other customary conditions.

Qualified Person

Mr. Paul Sarjeant, P. Geo., is the qualified person for this release as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

Global Energy Metals Corporation

(TSXV:GEMC | OTC:GBLEF | FSE:5GE1)

Global Energy Metals Corp. offers investment exposure to the growing rechargeable battery and electric vehicle market by building a diversified global portfolio of exploration and growth-stage battery mineralassets.

Global Energy Metals recognizes that the proliferation and growth of the electrified economy in the coming decades is underpinned by the availability of battery metals, including cobalt, nickel, copper, lithium and other raw materials. To be part of the solution and respond to this electrification movement, Global Energy Metals has taken a consolidate, partner and invest approach and in doing so have assembled and are advancing a portfolio of strategically significant investments in battery metal resources.

As demonstrated with the Companys current copper, nickel and cobalt projects in Canada, Australia, Norway and the United States, GEMC is investing-in, exploring and developing prospective, scaleable assets in established mining and processing jurisdictions in close proximity to end-use markets. Global Energy Metals is targeting projects with low logistics and processing risks, so that they can be fast tracked to enter the supply chain in thiscycle. The Company is also collaborating with industry peers to strengthen its exposure to these critical commodities and the associated technologies required for a cleaner future.

Securing exposure to these critical minerals powering the eMobility revolution is a generationalinvestment opportunity. Global Energy Metals believe the the time to be part of this electrification movement.

For Further Information:

Global Energy Metals Corporation

#1501-128 West Pender Street

Vancouver, BC, V6B 1R8

Email: info@globalenergymetals.com

t. + 1 (604) 688-4219

http://www.globalenergymetals.com

Twitter: @EnergyMetals | @USBatteryMetals | @ElementMinerals

Subscribe to the GEMC eNewsletter

Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information:

Certain information in this release may constitute forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws and necessarily involve risks associated with regulatory approvals and timelines. Although Global Energy Metals believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that managements beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

GEMCs operations could be significantly adversely affected by the effects of a widespread global outbreak of a contagious disease, including the recent outbreak of illness caused by COVID-19. It is not possible to accurately predict the impact COVID-19 will have on operations and the ability of others to meet their obligations, including uncertainties relating to the ultimate geographic spread of the virus, the severity of the disease, the duration of the outbreak, and the length of travel and quarantine restrictions imposed by governments of affected countries. In addition, a significant outbreak of contagious diseases in the human population could result in a widespread health crisis that could adversely affect the economies and financial markets of many countries, resulting in an economic downturn that could further affect operations and the ability to finance its operations.

For more information on Global Energy and the risks and challenges of their businesses, investors should review the filings that are available at http://www.sedar.com.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

We seek safe harbour.

Read more:

Global Energy Metals Signs Agreement with Electric Royalties and Scandinavian Resource Holdings to Create 1% NSR on the Rana Nickel-Cobalt-Copper...

If you asked folks on the street about the energy revolution, theyd probably say something about wind and solar. Theyd be a bit behind the times. Renewables were the game changer a decade ago. Todays insurgent is energy flexibility.

By NeoLeo/Shutterstock.com

Energy flexibility is a software-driven ability imbued within advanced distributed energy resources, such as microgrids.

Flexible resources can quickly respond to change patterns of electricity use on the grid by producing or curbing electrons which is crucial because electrons are a lot like luck. Being at the right place at the right time means everything.

When and where the electric grid needs relief, flexible resources can come to the rescue. They turn on and off in response to price signals or the sudden cessation of wind or solar, situations that can cause too much demand to chase too little power supply on the grid. In that way, they act as a booster to renewable energy growth, as we strive to make it our dominant energy resource.

Flexible resources be they microgrids, energy storage or generators bring a new level of efficiency to the grid. They are a non-wires alternative, a disruptive technology that offers a way to make electricity more cost-effective, sustainable and reliable without building conventional transmission lines and power plants.

Even buildings can act as flexible resources as the US Department of Energy (DOE) highlights through its Connected Communities program, which last week allotted $61 million to 10 demonstration projects.

As described by the DOE, the buildings will use smart controls, sensors and analytics to talk to the grid. They will ramp up or down their energy use and on-site energy production accordingly, participating in demand response and ancillary services programs. This, of course, only occurs after the needs of the building itself are met.

From our homes to workplaces, this groundbreaking, grid-connected building technology will help reduce our impact while cutting energy bills, maximizing convenience and propelling our efforts to reach a carbon-neutral, clean energy economy by 2050, said US Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm. These projects will help universalize technology that can maximize the efficiency and sustainability of Americas nearly 130 million buildings and make significant headway in the fight against climate change.

At least two of the grant recipients Ohio State and PacifiCorp are using microgrid technology in their flexible demand planning. Details are below, along with a list of other recipients.

The Ohio State University of Columbus, Ohio

Ohio State will work with ENGIE North America, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the University of California, Berkeley to demonstrate novel grid-interactive efficient building capabilities across 20 diverse campus buildings. Leveraging an existing mature connected campus, this project team will explore ancillary grid services across its university campus. The project will demonstrate a cybersecure predictive control of buildings and DERs to provide important but overlooked grid services like frequency regulation, synchronized reserve, and energy and capacity markets participation. Given the mature existing connected campus technologies, this project will have the opportunity to explore data privacy and cybersecurity plans, business models for institutional energy management, and occupant comfort across a range of building types and DER assets.

Xendee, partnering with ENGIE North America, is providing the techno-economic and engineering design solution for the connected communities project, which will also act as a scalable campus microgrid template for ENGIE and Xendee. The project will use Xendees Positronix Model Predictive Microgrid Controller, alongside other control methodologies, according to Michael Stadler, chief technology officer at Xendee.

PacifiCorp doing business as Rocky Mountain Power of Salt Lake City, Utah

PacifiCorp, based in Portland, Oregon, will work with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Utah State University, Wasatch Energy Group, GIV Group, Utah Transit Authority, Packsize International, Open Systems International and Sonnen to implement a utility-managed distributed energy resource (DER) control program that integrates diverse building types with a range of flexible loads to optimize grid services and improve building energy efficiency. The team identified a diverse but representative set of buildings that range from a large suburban apartment complex, a downtown complex of mixed-use retail and apartments, a university laboratory and an office building with a microgrid, a mass transit transportation center, a manufacturing building and a residential home. These buildings are in various stages of development with some in operation, some currently under construction, and others where the team can influence the design. The buildings are all electric and will use efficient heat pump-based HVAC (both central and minisplits) and domestic hot water, an adaptive building envelope and advanced lighting, achieving a minimum of 30% energy efficiency compared to the baseline of typical buildings.

IBACOS of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

IBACOS will work with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Tierra Resource Consultants, Energy and Environmental Economics, Meritage Homes, Duke Energy, Energy Hub and Elevation Home Energy Solutions to deliver 3.8 MW of aggregated flexible load from a comprehensive mix of DERs deployed in 1,000 residential dwellings, including new and existing single-family and multifamily owner-occupied and rental properties in Duke Energys North Carolina service area. This project implements key energy-efficiency upgrades for existing properties and will explore the capabilities of a connected network of DER technologies to deliver flexible distributed capacity at scale. The data collected from this project, including occupant experience data, will provide real-world insight on the aggregated grid impacts across a large service area.

Spokane Edo of Seattle, Washington

Spokane Edo will work with Avista Utilities, McKinstry, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Urbanova to upgrade up to 125 existing residential and commercial buildings. The team will implement energy-efficiency measures and DERs across a variety of Spokanes residential and commercial buildings to provide up to 2.25 MW of flexible load and grid benefits. Specifically, the project will demonstrate non-wire alternatives in its retrofits, thereby avoiding major capital investments in distribution infrastructure by creating virtual power plants from existing buildings. The project recruitment will be focused on equity across all customer demographics, including highly impacted and vulnerable populations in Spokanes Opportunity Zones.

Open Market ESCO of Boston, Massachusetts

Open Market ESCO will work with Fraunhofer USA, Cpower, Clean Energy Group, Logical Buildings, Sparhawk Group, SunRun and the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development to implement energy savings and flexible technologies across 2,000 homes. The project seeks to demonstrate the financeable pathways for existing affordable multifamily housing to become grid-interactive efficient buildings. This project will enroll up to 20 low-moderate apartment communities to strategically deploy and implement efficiency, demand flexibility, renewable generation and energy storage. The project team plans to focus on energy equity and will demonstrate pathways for bringing the energy savings, resilience, comfort and environmental benefits to these underserved communities.

Portland General Electric of Portland, Oregon

Portland General Electric (PGE) will work with Energy Trust of Oregon, Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, Community Energy Project, the National Energy Renewable Laboratory and Open Systems International to retrofit more than 500 buildings in North Portlands Overlook and Arbor Lodge neighborhoods. This project builds on a solid foundation of Portland General Electrics Smart Grid Testbed to demonstrate 1.4 MW of flexible loads, reduce the energy burden of low-income residents, and explore new ways to reach historically underserved communities. The project aims to utilize various energy-efficiency measures and connected devices, including smart thermostats and water heaters, and PGEs Advanced Distribution and DER Management Systems. Through its previous testbed success, this project team anticipates high levels of participation in and awareness of its flexible load programs, and strong community engagement and adoption.

San Jose, California. Photo by Uladzik Kryhin/Shutterstock.com

SunPower of San Jose, California

SunPower will work with KB Home, the University of California, Irvine, Schneider Electricand Southern California Edison to develop two new home communities including more than 230 homes. This project team will develop two testbeds with state-of-the-art new residential buildings that meet theDOEs Zero Energy Ready Homes criteria. Each all electric community will implement photovoltaic systems and home energy management systems. However, the two communities will compare the benefits of community level versus residential level energy storage batteries, while providing grid services to the local utility. This project may be the blueprint to follow for building new decarbonized homes of the future.

Post Road Foundation of Oakland, California

Post Road Foundation will work with New Hampshire Electric Cooperative, Efficiency Maine Trust, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and Knowledge Problem to deploy a Transactive Energy Service System (TESS) platform that enables grid-interactive control through two-way communication between DERs and a local energy market. The project will test TESS in three rural communities in New Hampshire and Maine, each consisting of 100 to 250 single-family homes, small commercial buildings and small industrial customers. The team expects that TESS will be able to do the following:

Slipstream Group of Madison, Wisconsin

Slipstream Group, in partnership with Madison Gas and Electric, the City of Madison, Rocky Mountain Institute, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy and bluEvolution, will convert approximately 15 facilities in Madison, Wisconsin, to GEBs and add nearby electric vehicle charging. As these improvements demonstrate reliable and cost-effective efficiency and demand flexibility improvements, the project will expand to additional privately owned buildings, providing a scalable business model for utilities to install demand flexibility and energy-efficiency upgrades across multiple building sizes in the public and private sectors. The project will also deliver a GEB toolkit with integrated financing options to address opportunities in public and private buildings across multiple sizes and use cases.

Electric Power Research Institute of Palo Alto, California

Electric Power Research Institute will work with Gas Technology Institute, Seattle City Light, Community Roots Housing, Vistar Energy and Sentient Buildings to transform multifamily buildings in disadvantaged communities into grid-interactive efficient buildings. The project team will retrofit more than 2,000 dwellings in affordable housing communities in three geographically dispersed cities New York, Seattle and San Diego. By implementing efficiency, flexibility, storage and distributed generation, the project team will demonstrate different decarbonization pathways, reduce energy cost burden, improve system resilience and provide distribution and bulk grid services.

Track news about energy flexibility. Subscribe to the free Microgrid Knowledge Newsletter.

See more here:

Stranger, to the Real Energy Revolution: Demand Flexibility and Connected Communities - Microgrid Knowledge

Jatin Mahajan, MD, J Mitra & Company talks about innovation and revolution of Indian IVD industry and role of J Mitra & Company in driving this change

The Indian IVD industry has grown in leaps and bound in the past couple of decades. As a result, the Indian IVD industry is playing a critical role in the international arena, providing quality and cost-effective IVD solutions to countries across all the continents, including the Americas and Europe.

But the story was completely different 50-60 years back. India was then a developing nation that met most of its requirements by way of imports. In the post-independence era, India was largely dependent on foreign IVD companies. India was an agrarian-based economy, and the government policy was skewed towards foreign direct investment and trade liberalisation. India, then, did not have the capabilities to sustain the domestic demands through domestic Indian companies. Driven by a profiteering mindset, foreign multi-national companies would dump high-cost, low-quality products in the Indian market. The absence of stringent regulations and quality control made India a very lucrative market for these unscrupulous companies.

The visionary Lalit Mahajan was quick to notice the quality gap and pricing anomalies. Armed with an engineering degree and a social mindset, Lalit Mahajan was keen to see India self-sufficient. He decided to play a decisive role in making India self-reliant in this arena. Driven by a social entrepreneurial mindset, an innovative streak, and a go-getter attitude, Lalit Mahajan decided to work towards a more self-reliant endeavor to change the IVD landscape in the country. He incorporated J Mitra & Company as a research-based biotechnology company. He was not interested in license manufacturing for MNC companies but instead wanted to develop products in India that catered to the domestic and global market. Rather than riding the wave, Lalit Mahajan was more interested in taking the risk and setting the trend.

Lalit Mahajan, a young engineer and budding entrepreneur resolved to develop and manufacture high-quality, low-cost IVD solutions. The immunology segment in the rapid test format in India was limited to pregnancy tests. J Mitra decided to change all this. It was the first Indian company to procure drug manufacturing licenses from the Indian government for critical tests in Rapid and Elisa formats like HIV, HCV, and HBV. J Mitra & co-pioneered the development, manufacturing, and marketing of IVD test kits. J Mitra introduced a range of tests for infectious diseases like Dengue, Malaria, HIV, HBV, HCV, Typhoid, Leptospira in rapid and ELISA test formats, and anti-Sera products and confirmatory tests like Western Blot for HIV. J Mitra has several products that are still global No. 1 after 10-20 years of their launch. Driven by extensive R&D, these products meet and exceed all the international quality certifications.

The success of J Mitra & Company drew more and more domestic companies into the IVD business, and today India is the most vital global supplier of IVD solutions. India has also become the international center for frugal medical devices engineering.

The Indian IND (in-vitro diagnostics) market is slated to reach approximately USD 2 billion in 2026, from its current revenues of USD 1.3 billion. Indias immunochemistry revenue accounts for the largest market share (i.e., 40%) of IVD revenue in India, followed by the clinical chemistry and hematology market. The IVD industry has showcased stellar performance, especially in the last 30 odd years, and this has resulted in India attaining the top spot on the global IVD map.

The Indian in-vitro diagnostics market is highly robust. The entire focus has been towards supporting the creation of an innovation-driven ecosystem for resource-poor settings. The industrys efforts towards developing tests and analyzer platforms are driven by the need for precision and reliability, domestic production (self-reliant), affordability, and reaching closer to point-of-care.

The factors that catalyze the Indian IVD markets innovative spirit are an increase of chronic diseases, a focus on point-of-care (POC) diagnostics, and rising awareness and acceptance of personalized medicine and companion diagnostics.

For J Mitra & Company, the vision is quality healthcare for all driven by the urge to catalyze higher quality of life through early detection of diseases and ailments.

Healthcare transcends society across geographies & regions, age categories, social strata, cultural aspects, and time-period considerations. Every human yearns for the absolute best health and long life.

Diagnostics serve the crucial task of improving health and quality of life. It is based on the 3 As Equitable accessibility, affordability, and appropriate use of good quality diagnostics are integral to high-quality health care. Precise diagnostics are essential for the effective management of diseases. These result in improved patient care and clinical outcomes and thus increases affordability due to the overall reduced cost of treatment.

Indian diagnostics are the best globally in terms of quality, precision, and affordability. And efforts are on to make them more cost-effective and ensure availability in the remotest corners and villages.

More here:

Driving innovation in the Indian IVD industry - Express Healthcare

ESG report launched today reveals Blanccos circular economy focus, the companys positive social impact and its support for its customers in achieving their own ESG objectives

AUSTIN and LONDON October 20th, 2021 Blancco Technology Group (AIM: BLTG), the industry standard in data erasure and mobile lifecycle solutions, today announced that in 2021 it securely erased 54 million IT assets and other data bearing devices to prevent 68.2 million KG in electronic equipment waste going to landfill, with a pre-use carbon footprint of 5.6 billion KG. The data is based on information gathered from customers, and was revealed today in Blanccos 2021 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) report.

The ESG report is a comprehensive overview of the metrics and policies that are material to Blancco Technology Group. In the report, Blancco demonstrates its initiatives in promoting a positive social and environmental impact. Blancco outlines its ESG accreditations and how it is shaping its approach to sustainability, aligning its objectives with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Through the secure erasure of data bearing assets, Blancco enables businesses to minimise their carbon emissions, keeping functional hardware in the circular economy, and reducing the need for physical destruction. Blancco engaged with a consultancy to carry out a carbon audit, to better understand its own impact on the environment and where improvement could be made. The report revealed that Blanccos 12-month CO2e emissions for 2020 decreased by 77%, compared with 2019.

A reduction in business travel and the adoption of flexible working during the pandemic, did influence this decrease. However, Blancco is committed to reducing its carbon footprint and while some business travel will resume, Blancco has assessed the opportunity for several board meetings to be held virtually reducing the need for transatlantic flights. Flexible working will be maintained and one UK office has been closed to continue to pursue emissions reduction. Where possible, Blancco encourages sustainable resource use across its employee base, and is considering green energy suppliers for its offices.

Blancco also highlights the work it is doing to promote inclusivity, diversity, connectedness, and its role in improving engagement with employees and the local community. It has worked hard to create a culture that is open and honest, rolling out several global initiatives to promote mindfulness and employee wellbeing.

The past year also saw Blancco collaborate with WANDisco, the global data company, in the UKs Laptop for Kids Campaign. The pandemic exacerbated issues of digital inclusion and many students were left without access to technology to continue with their education during extended periods of home schooling. The campaign has sourced more than 14,000 devices to date and put them in the hands of families in need. Through donations of free driver eraser licenses, Blancco securely erased over 2,500 donated used digital devices, with that number rising daily.

Blancco has continued to support its customers in maintaining high standards in business ethics and ensuring robust governance practices, including customer data security when using Blancco solutions.

The 2021 ESG report was developed in alignment with the Sustainability Accounting Standards Boards (SASB) Software & IT Services standard, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).

To understand more about how Blancco is enabling companies to engage with the circular economy, supporting its employees and local communities, and maintain best in class governance practices, read the full 2021 ESG report here: 2021 Environmental, Social and Governance Report

-ENDS-

Notes to editorsIf you have any questions or would like to speak to a Blancco representative about the report or to understand the role of software-based data erasure for IT assets and its influence on the circular economy, please contact Blancco@CCgroupPR.com.

About Blancco Technology Group Reduce Risk. Increase Efficiency. Be Sustainable.

Blancco Technology Group (AIM: BLTG) provides organizations with secure, compliant, and automated solutions that accelerate the transition to the circular economy. Each year, tens of millions of Blancco erasures allow top-tier organizations to protect end-of-life data against unauthorized access, safely redeploy data storage assets, and firmly comply with increased data protection and privacy requirements. Our precise device diagnostics help move used IT assets confidently into the circular economy, enabling enterprises, IT asset disposition (ITAD) vendors and recyclers, and mobile industry stakeholders to operate more sustainably.

Globally approved, recommended and certified by governing and industry bodies around the world, Blancco is the industry standard in data erasure and mobile lifecycle solutions. With 35+ patented or patent-pending ideas, we continue to grow the number of innovative solutions global companies can rely on to accelerate operations, secure their data, and grow their businesses. Read more about us at http://www.blancco.com.

ContactsBlancco Technology GroupLiz Adams, Global Marketing Director T: +44 (0) 7762 446179E: liz.adams@blancco.com

CCgroup for Blancco Technology Group (International)Florie Lhuillier / Adam Millar T: +44 (0) 20 3824 9214E: blancco@ccgrouppr.com

CCgroup for Blancco Technology Group (North America)Natasha Grach / Lori Scribner T: +1 619 798 0043E: blancco@ccgrouppr.com

View post:

Blancco prevented 68M KG of E-waste in 2021 - RealWire

SME manufacturers have been among the first to sign up to Eco-I North West, a first-of-its-kind research and development programme for low carbon innovation.

Eco-I North West is a 14m initiative offering businesses the opportunity to collaborate with and access the extensive knowledge base, cutting-edge research facilities, and skills of six of the regions leading universities Lancaster, Central Lancashire, Cumbria, Liverpool, Liverpool John Moores and Manchester Metropolitan.

The programme, part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund, will work with more than 300 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across the region over the next two years, supporting the development of 135 new innovative solutions which will save 3,850 tonnes of CO2.

This is support for businesses to build back better, enabling R&D, and building networks to drive innovation, which is good for business and better for the environment.

Among the 80+ businesses signed up to Eco-I NW is Fibrestar Drums, based in Stockport, a manufacturer of fibre drums innovating with new materials and solutions which will have a lasting impact on the environment.

Colin Pardoe, Managing Director, said: For the last two years we have been innovating to produce Europes first conical and nestable 100% fibre (kraft) container primarily for the agricultural sector which is edible by livestock with no waste, as well as having 66% less CO2 than a plastic pail and helping soil enrichment which also acts as a carbon sink.

Working with Lancaster University through the Eco-I NW programme we are driving that innovation forward to explore how we can apply our product to other materials for applications in other sectors. It is an exciting opportunity to access world-class academic expertise and facilities for innovation and develop solutions which will have a lasting impact on the environment while supporting the growth of the business.

Enviroo, based in Manchester, specialises in turning plastic bottles into the raw material for new food-grade packaging, is also developing low carbon innovation.

Ahmed Detta, CEO & founder, said: Our partnership with Lancaster University through the Eco-I NW programme is the perfect fit for our company. It will give us access to the research body of a prestigious university, and essentially create an R&D arm for our young enterprise, to help us achieve our long-term business goals.

Others manufacturers signed up to Eco-I NW are:

Biotech Services, based in Sandbach, a manufacturer exploring the use of extracted organic production waste to create new products such as fabrics, regenerative medicine, biodegradable packaging and batteries.

Kerax, based in Chorley, a wax manufacturer innovating with hydrogenated vegetable waxes and solutions to reduce the energy and CO2 emissions involved in transporting wax products.

CO2 Extraction, based in Morecambe, specialists in the extraction of high-value bioactive compounds and oils from botanicals;

Silverwoods Waste Management, based in Altham, Lancashire, an industrial waste recycling specialist, is researching the sequestration and capture of carbon within agricultural soils.

Some of these inspirational stories will be showcased at a free-to-access virtual summit, Disruption, Innovation, Transformation. Climate Change: Its Now or Never, today, Wednesday 20 October.

ECO-I NW speakers Top LtoR Dr Ariel Edesess, Duncan Pollard, Dr Rhiannon Hunt- Bottom LtoR Dr Yagya Regmi, Helen Wilkinson, Professor Karl Williams. Image courtesy of Eco-I North West

The two-hour summit, running from 10am-12pm, will include keynote speaker Duncan Pollard, former VP for Sustainability at Nestle and Director of Conservation Practice & Policy at WWF, who will share his expertise on how to integrate, engage, and operationalise sustainable practice in business.

Delegates will then be invited to participate in three themed breakout sessions about nature-based solutions, the built environment, and the circular economy.

Businesses will also learn about the funding opportunities and innovation support to enable them to pilot, prototype and demonstrate new technologies, as well as opportunities for leadership development, workshops, and networking.

Speaking ahead of the event, Duncan Pollard said: The business community has the power to influence the effects of climate change, through its operations, supply chains, and offering more sustainable choices to customers. But for positive change we must disrupt and challenge the business as usual mind set.

Sustainability must be at the heart of the post-Covid recovery, not just an add-on. Any business that doesnt heed the sustainability concerns of staff, customers and investors risks being left behind.

SMEs are the lifeblood of our economy and offer something very special to help deliver solutions to tackle the massive challenge of climate change. Without the scale or complexity of large corporations they can move quickly to try new things and are efficient in the way in which they use resources.

With more than 560,000 SMEs operating in the North West, now is the time for this crucial collective to rise up and embrace the opportunity.

The event will be chaired by Prof Jess Davies, Director of the Centre for Global Eco-Innovation at Lancaster University said: This virtual summit will be the first time all the key partners involved in Eco-I NW have been able to come together to ask the difficult questions about how we can approach key global challenges such as water supply and quality, waste, energy, resource efficiency, natural capital, air quality, and food security.

Eco-I NW is the first project of its kind to open up such a huge academic regional resource to businesses and offers the opportunity for the North West to take the lead and benefit from the transition to a low carbon economy.

I would encourage leaders of small and medium sized enterprises in the North West to sign up to the event and come along to understand how Eco-I NW could help them, and the planet.

Sustainability is a major theme of this years Digital Manufacturing Week, including Smart Factory Expo and Manufacturing Leaders Summit.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW!

Continued here:

Manufacturers among first to sign up to low carbon innovation with Eco-I North West - Manufacturer.com

Oct. 18

Carrie Anderson, owner and director of Morning Star Child Care in Dexter, has worked in the childcare industry for over 25 years. While she loves her job, she has grappled with some of the perils that come along with the industry: low wages, insufficient amounts of staffing and making it affordable for parents.

Now there are several state and national plans that aim to help reform and support the childcare industry. The new state budget includes $1.4 billion for cost stabilization and childcare center support effort. President Joe Biden's Build Back Better plan also has support for families seeking childcare.

And an eight-bill package passed by the Michigan House this month reforms Michigan's childcare system by helping families in seeking care, as well as providing assistance to in-home childcare providers, specifically.

"This is one of the few glorious moments that we have, where everybody's kind of on the same page," said state Rep. Kelly Breen (D-Novi), who sponsored one of the bills. "We now realize in the light of this pandemic, that childcare is something that a lot of us working parents have known for a while, is a crisis."

Anderson said that childcare centers and in-home daycares "run 100% on parent tuition" and that the state has been in need of childcare reform. The state has https://childcarecenter.us/sta..."> style="font-weight: 400">4,457 preschool and child care centers. She said the House bills will finally start to provide relief for in-home childcare providers and bring issues in the childcare industry as a whole to the forefront of lawmakers' minds.

"It's been a long-neglected conversation," Anderson said. "It's nice that it's finally being recognized for the important industry that it is. The funding is definitely long overdue. I'm very hopeful that it goes to the right places to where it really can make a difference for families and mostly for childcare providers."

Anderson said specific attention is needed when it comes to staffing daycare centers and increasing wages in the industry. About 11.8% of childcare workers' families live below the poverty line, making them twice as likely to live below the poverty line compared to other workers' families. According to the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment, the https://cscce.berkeley.edu/wor..."> style="font-weight: 400">median wage for child care workers in 2019 was $11.13. In 2020, childcare workers made an https://www.bls.gov/ooh/person..."> style="font-weight: 400">average of $12.24 per hour according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

"The hardest thing is staffing," Anderson said. "There's a shortage everywhere of people looking for jobs. And this has always been a very hard industry to find people to work in, because it is a very difficult and [are] low paying job. Since the pandemic, it's been even more difficult to hire people. There's been a lot of childcare centers that are shutting down."

A median childcare worker would have to put 49% of their earnings toward infant care in order to afford it.

The cost of childcare is also prohibitive for Michigan families, which face an average annual https://www.epi.org/child-care..."> style="font-weight: 400">cost of $10,861, translating to $905 a month, according to the Washington, D.C.-based Economic Policy Institute (EPI).

Infant care costs are 6.7% above the cost of average rent, per EPI, a left-leaning think tank. For a typical Michigan family with one child, infant care costs would compose 19% of that family's income. For those with an infant with an additional 4-year-old in the house, childcare costs about $19,751 equating to about 34.6% of the typical family's income.

A poll released last month from the Detroit-based Skillman Foundation and Lansing-based Michigan's Children and carried out by Lake Research Partners https://michiganadvance.com/20..."> style="font-weight: 400">found that 62% of the 800 people surveyed said they supported an increase in public funding for children. The poll, conducted from July 27 to Aug. 3, found that 58% of respondents said they would vote to increase their taxes if more funding were to be sent to programs supporting youth.

State budget funding

In the state's Fiscal Year 2022 budget that went into effect Oct. 1, $1.4 billion was pumped into the state's childcare system.

The budget mostly utilizes federal COVID-19 aid dollars to close funding gaps that have hurt early childhood employees and left a vacuum for "childcare deserts" areas where there is little to no access to childcare like the Upper Peninsula and northern Michigan. About $100 million will help childcare centers open in childcare deserts.

About half of the $1.4 billion will go towards stabilization grants to help childcare providers stay afloat as they emerge from the pandemic. An estimated $36.5 million will go to providers who help infants and toddlers and help stabilize funding through contracts. childcare workers will also receive a $1,000 bonus.

Under the budget, about 105,000 more children in the state will also be able to receive low- or no-cost childcare. About $108 million will be utilized to expand income eligibility for the child care subsidy program while another $158 million will be used to expand reimbursement rates for providers taking part in the child care subsidy program.

When signing the budget in September, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer touted that it expands childcare and called it "a budget that puts Michiganders first."

While House Bills 5041-5048 do not lower childcare costs or provide funding for childcare providers like the budget or Build Back Better plan do, the bills help reform the way childcare centers are funded and legal practices revolving around them.

http://www.legislature.mi.gov/..."> style="font-weight: 400">House Bill 5041, introduced by Rep. Jack O'Malley (R-Lake Ann), expands the caregiver to child ratio from 1:6 to 1:7. The intent of the bill, according to O'Malley, was to add another slot for a child while also giving providers an expanded opportunity to earn more money.

http://www.legislature.mi.gov/..."> style="font-weight: 400">House Bill 5042 introduced by Rep. Greg VanWoerkom (R-Norton Shores) and http://www.legislature.mi.gov/..."> style="font-weight: 400">5045, introduced by Rep. Rodney Wakeman (R-Saginaw Twp.) are aimed at changing the laws surrounding penalties faced by childcare providers. HB 5042 mandates that childcare centers disclose their owners in order to prevent a former center who received violations from changing their name and location. HB 5045 establishes that if a facility received a complaint that went on to be dismissed, the charge will no longer be on their record after three years.

http://www.legislature.mi.gov/..."> style="font-weight: 400">House Bill 5043, introduced by Breen, establishes liaisons in every region across the state to help train, prepare and network with other childcare facilities. http://www.legislature.mi.gov/..."> style="font-weight: 400">House Bill 5044, introduced by Rep. Ranjeev Puri (D-Canton Twp.) enables childcare providers to be funded with federal childcare and development block grant requirements.

http://www.legislature.mi.gov/..."> style="font-weight: 400">House Bill 5046, introduced by Rep. Gregory Markkanen (R-Hancock), makes the Department of Health and Human Services and Licensing and Regulatory Affairs responsible for drafting and communicating rules for a child organization.

http://www.legislature.mi.gov/..."> style="font-weight: 400">House Bills 5047, introduced by Rep. Julie Calley (R-Portland), and http://www.legislature.mi.gov/..."> style="font-weight: 400">5048, introduced by Rep. John Roth (R-Traverse City) ensure records from childcare centers are maintained through the Michigan Department of Education's database of licensing records and that childcare centers notify the DOE if they are in a multi-occupancy building.

O'Malley said the bills are just the first of many to come to help address issues in childcare in the state, but recognized "there are more things to work on."

"We want the daycare providers and the parents and the employers to know that we're actually heard them, and help is on the way," O'Malley said. "After all these years, we're actually getting something done. Let's do things that will help bring back and sustain childcare, and reverse really decades of pushing childcare out of the way."

Annette Sobocinski, executive director of childcare Network and Great Start to Quality Southeast Resource Center, said each bill will have a significant impact on in-home childcare centers where government support is especially needed.

"Oftentimes, home providers can feel very isolated," Sobocinski said. "And so the opportunity to be able to give them more support and help them access more resources, I think is going to be a huge benefit to them, and then also to the families that they serve."

Breen said these bills have broad bipartisan support and that lawmakers across the aisle recognize the "crisis" at hand. She said these bills are the first step to helping childcare providers and families to afford childcare in the state. She added that the package will work in tandem with the stimulus dollars to provide much-needed support to families in need of childcare and childcare providers in need of relief.

"[The] package is going to work I think hand in hand with what's happening with the stimulus dollars," Breen said. "I think everybody sort of agrees that this is an area where we're going to be spending more money and more time rather than less because compared to where we are worldwide. We are not doing enough. We just are not doing enough, and you want people to go back to work. They need to know that their kids are safe."

While childcare reform is being pushed to the forefront of minds in the Michigan Legislature, lawmakers at the federal level are also taking notice.

In Biden's Build Back Better plan, a https://19thnews.org/2021/10/w..."> style="font-weight: 400">proposed $450 billion would be allocated to pay for preschool for 3 and 4-year-olds. The bill also would subsidize childcare on a sliding scale and cap expenditures to 7% of annual income for middle-class families. Grants would also be utilized to steady childcare facilities and incentivize them to raise wages for their employees.

The Build Back Better plan is currently stalled in a closely divided Congress, as Republicans oppose it and centrist Democrats like U.S. Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) have demanded cuts. The holdup on the plan also comes as the House is grappling with the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has said that childcare is considered affordable if it equates to 7% of a family's income. With these findings, only 9.3% of families in Michigan have the ability to afford infant care.

If childcare reform were to cap a families' childcare expenses to 7% of their income, Michigan families would save $6,609 on childcare expenses. Not only would this also free up 14.2% of their annual income, it would also supply 44,489 more parents with the option to enter the workforce. This could subsequently grow Michigan's economy by .9% and generate $4.6 billion in new economic activity.

Sobocinski said legislators should continue to find ways to support childcare providers and families in need of childcare.

"This is a bipartisan issue, it is not a left or right issue," Sobocinski said. "It is something that impacts everybody. Knowing that there's broad support in the general public helps legislators [and] businesses. I think [they] are starting to come on board with realizing how important it is. There's no downside to investing in childcare."

Michigan" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://michiganadvance.com">M... Advance is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Michigan Advance maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Susan Demas for questions: info@michiganadvance.com. Follow Michigan Advance on Facebook and Twitter.

View post:

There Are A Lot Of Plans To Improve Childcare In Michigan. Here's What They Do. - Patch.com

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Global Digital Transformation in the Waste Recycling and Circular Economy Growth Opportunities" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global market for digital solutions dedicated to waste recycling and management is estimated to be $3,287.4 million in 2020 and is forecast to record an 11.6% CAGR by 2030.

The study aims to understand market transformation speed, regional differences in emerging technology adoption, growth opportunities in specific technologies and solutions, and the competitive environment. It will also provide an in-depth analysis of market trends, drivers, and restraints up to 2030.

The global waste management industry is transitioning toward greater digital technology adoption with the growing availability and deployment of smart solutions such as smart bins and fleet management, cloud computing, customer interfaces, waste tracking systems, and AI robotic sorting.

These solutions will significantly improve waste collection, transportation, and recycling efficiency. In the long term, all companies in the waste recycling and management market will need to implement digital strategies to remain competitive and seize the chance for future growth.

Digital technologies and smart solutions dedicated to waste management are well-established in the market. However, only connected and integrated systems that can convert data to valuable information will transform the waste industry and move it closer to a sustainable and circular economy. Future urban development relies on technology, with significant links between smart solutions and sustainable approaches, leading to enormous demand for digitization and technology-based waste recycling and management.

RESEARCH SCOPE

Digitization of the waste recycling and management market includes the data-driven transformation of crucial segments to enable more efficient operations. The segments covered in this report are smart waste recycling bin collection systems; smart fleet management and logistics solutions; smart waste sorting and recycling systems; and enterprise resource planning (ERP), cloud computing, connectivity, and customer interface operations.

Digitization's role and importance are rising and seen as the game-changer in the transformation toward efficient waste recycling and management system and crucial element of the future sustainable smart city and circular economy. Other factors driving market development are the ability to significantly reduce operational costs, allocate resources more accurately, easily adapt to specific client expectations, and support end users to become more efficient and sustainable.

RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS

Key Topics Covered:

1. Strategic Imperatives

2. Growth Opportunity Analysis

3. Growth Opportunity Analysis - Europe

4. Growth Opportunity Analysis - Americas

5. Growth Opportunity Analysis - Middle East and Africa

6. Growth Opportunity Analysis - Asia-Pacific

7. Growth Opportunity Universe

8. Case Studies

9. Next Steps

Companies Mentioned

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/3a8ok3

Excerpt from:

Global Digital Transformation Market Report 2021 with Focus on Waste Recycling and Circular Economy Growth Opportunities - ResearchAndMarkets.com -...

When he was a little boy in the 1980s, Wang Xiaojun was taught to be proud of his home town of Lliang in the north-western Chinese province of Shanxi. Shanxi is Chinas biggest coal-producing region, and Lliang was a significant base for the army during the second world war.

Nestled in the mountains of the dusty Loess Plateau, Lliang, a city of 3.4 million people, has had less to shout about in recent years. A series of corruption scandals in the city brought down several high profile officials shortly after President Xi Jinping came to power in 2013; there are concerns over the high number of babies born with congenital defects, blamed by experts on air pollution; and, last week, a huge flood forced coal mines to close just as China scrambles to tackle its energy crunch.

Coal is the main source of power generation in China, but Xi has vowed to change that. The country has been the worlds biggest producer of greenhouse gas emissions for more than a decade now. A year ago, Xi pledged his countrys carbon emissions would peak by 2030, then achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. Last month, he announced China would stop building new coal-fired projects overseas in a move that analysts say could be pivotal in tackling global emissions.

Ending a dependency on coal at home has proved trickier. Shortly after he took office, Xi began to plan on low-carbon and sustainable development of resource-based cities. But since September China has been experiencing its own coal dilemma, with power shortages spread across key regions, causing a ripple effect to the global economy. To tackle the crisis, officials ordered more than 70 mines in Inner Mongolia to increase coal production by almost 100m tonnes early this month. And on 29 September Shanxi promised to supply coal to 14 other regions across China to ensure sufficient energy throughout this winter.

Outside China, there is a fear that Beijing may be rethinking its promises on decarbonisation. That mood darkened last week, when it emerged that Xi would not be attending Cop26 in person. It is a worry that some veteran China analysts dismiss as over-interpretation Xi has not left the country since January 2020 and was always unlikely to make an exception for Cop26, particularly as it is being hosted by a western nation.

They argue that Beijings recent whac-a-mole approach merely reflects the messy reality of the countrys energy transition. To residents in Shanxi, however, Chinas reliance on dirty coal is a vicious circle that the province of 37 million people can not easily pull itself out of, despite the promises from central government. It is not about whether China can be less reliant on coal eventually, it is rather about what will happen to a province like ours afterwards, Wang, who now works as a climate campaigner, told the Observer.

As an activist, of course Id like to see my home town move away from coal. After all, I grew up only knowing the sky is grey and coal is the only source of energy. But I also worry what will happen to a province whose economy overwhelmingly depends on coal and heavy industries, and the millions of people whose livelihoods are reliant on them.

In Lliang, villages like Wangs are often built atop barren mountains to avoid constant floods. Until the 1980s, most of the boys would grow up to become farmers. Then coal became a valuable commodity as China began to expand its economy. But a few years ago, as coal depleted underneath some mountains, many villages collapsed and people died. Those who survived moved away. In Wangs old village, only three elderly people are still there, he said. They are reluctant to move. Its where they spent most of their lives.

Growing up with coal miners in the village, Wang saw with his own eyes how dangerous mines could be. Seven years ago, when working in a coal mine, Wangs 38-year-old cousin, Wang Xiaobing, was caught in an accident. A ceiling collapsed and he lost his lower left leg. He was sent home after the incident. But, with a young family to support and lacking the skills to switch career, Xiaobing eventually went back to his former mine as a driver. Shortly after, he developed lung and liver illness and died two years ago.

You see, the addiction to coal is not just on a national level, but also on a personal level. Its not easy to move away from, Wang said. A lot of people here, including another relative of mine, are unhappy with [media] talk of climate change and the [the governments] effort to reduce coal consumption. To us, this is bread and butter. Without it, what would Lliang look like?

They need to start to prepare for a coal-free future right now before its too late.

Stories like this have been commonplace across Chinas coal regions in the past two decades. In the decade between 2000 and 2010, on average 4,870 people died in mine accidents every year. In the US, the figure was only 33. The figure began to decrease dramatically in the last decade as the government imposed strict safety rules for mine owners and nationalised many mines.

Han Jinsong (not his real name), a 50-year-old former coal miner in the city of Fengyang, said that while also working as a miner, his elder brother was hit by a mine car and stayed in hospital for about six months. He became disabled and the coal mine he worked at compensated for once, he said. Thats it.

Han added: Despite all these tragedies, its unrealistic for China to move away from coal. Youve seen the recent power shortages spread across the country. Now the government has to reopen coal mines to meet the accelerating demand. Its always going to be a dilemma.

Its a reality that senior officials have openly admitted. Chinas energy structure is dominated by coal power. This is an objective reality, said Su Wei, deputy secretary-general of the National Development and Reform Commission in Beijing, in April. We have no other choice. For a period of time, we may need to use coal power as a point of flexible adjustment.

The rise and fall of Lliang as well as other coal-heavy cities is also the story of Chinas changing economic and social structure, said Judith Audin, a French sociologist who writes about the coal industry in Shanxi province. In 2010, when Shanxi coal boss a term used as a symbol of Dickensian China often appeared in social media, Lliangs GDP growth was at a staggering 21%. In 2020, it was only 2.7%.

Local officials have been talking about transition for a long time. When Lliangs economy was booming a decade ago, billions were poured into road construction and apartment buildings. But by 2015, supply had far exceeded the demand. Coupled with a decrease in coal consumption, the local economy crashed, and the mayor was sacked on corruption charges.

Across Shanxi, there have been other experiments in recent years, too, said Audin. In Datong, Chinas coal capital, the coal mining land is now covered in solar panels and wind turbines.

But even if these efforts were eventually successful, to what extent will these new energy businesses absorb the excess labour left by coal mining? Audin said. And how would the authorities deal with the generations of coal miners and their families whove helped power China but who have no other skills in the new economy?

Go here to see the original:

China, coal and COP26: can the worlds biggest emitter give up its dirty habit? - The Guardian