GlobalData : British Airways decision to retire 747 fleet is expected with increased efficiencies of more modern platforms – Marketscreener.com

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17 Jul 2020British Airways decision to retire 747 fleet is expected with increased efficiencies of more modern platforms Posted in Aerospace, Defense & Security

Following the news that British Airways is retiring its entire 747 fleet, Anthony Endresen, Aerospace and Defense Analyst at GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, offers his view:

'British Airways decision to retire its 747 fleet earlier than expected is not that surprising given the significantly reduced passenger market landscape and the increased efficiencies of operating fleets of more modern platforms such as the Airbus A350. This decision is simply a case of bringing forward what was always a pending retirement, rather than the collapsed passenger market being the cause of the move.

'Most cancellations, deferrals and retirements will currently be ascribed to COVID-19, whereas in this instance, it is mostly a case of the timeline being changed. The aspect that is in fact COVID-19 driven is the question of platform and service types that will replace the 747, as the market has not just contracted, but has in fact changed. The outlook for the commercial aviation market recovery means increased efficiencies will be sought, with fuller flights and potentially leaner services. These characteristics, and the historical pattern of single aisle platform market segments returning faster after crises, point to the timely introduction of alternative aircraft and aircraft types. 'GlobalData's recent poll points to this being part of a complex pattern with segment nuances, with 41% of respondents anticipating the leaner market in fact seeing older models' service lives being extended. This poll did not differentiate specific aircraft models, with life extension being more likely in single aisle types.'

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GlobalData plc published this content on 17 July 2020 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 17 July 2020 21:40:05 UTC

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GlobalData : British Airways decision to retire 747 fleet is expected with increased efficiencies of more modern platforms - Marketscreener.com

Cherokee Elk Study shows importance to Appalachian community and economy – The Cherokee One Feather – Cherokee One Feather

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The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) and survey research firm Responsive Management recently released the results of an economic analysis showing that the presence of elk is important to the southern Appalachian community and its economy. The scientific study assessed economic impacts and measured public opinion toward elk among EBCI tribal members and visitors to the Cherokee area.

The public often contacts the EBCI biological staff about elk damage and other elk related complaints, while the community does not always share more positive feedback. After years of addressing community concerns about elk and a three-year survey of local gardener perceptions about elk, the EBCI Office of Fisheries and Wildlife wanted a more comprehensive social and economic study. To better manage elk as a resource, the Tribe is investing in elk restoration and protection, but a better understanding of the communitys perspective and the value of elk to the community is necessary for determining the scope and limits of this investment.

Herds of elk frequent the Boundary on a regular basis. (SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather photo)

From baseline data, experiences and accumulated questions, the EBCI Office of Fisheries and Wildlife commissioned Responsive Management to perform the survey research. The study entailed a scientific, probability-based telephone survey of EBCI members and an online survey of visitors to the area. The surveys explored a range of issues related to attitudes toward elk on the Qualla Boundary. Research also included an economic analysis of spending on elk viewing, which used economic modeling to calculate direct effects, indirect effects, and induced effects of that spending.

Of the $29 million and 400 jobs in the Cherokee area that are generated by elk viewing, the economic analysis calculated that about a quarter of these impacts go directly to the Qualla Boundary itself: approximately $7 million in impacts and approximately 100 jobs result from elk viewing within the Qualla Boundary.

In addition to the beneficial economic impacts, the presence of elk is appreciated by EBCI members: the overwhelming majority of members (80 percent) like having elk around, and 42 percent of members have engaged (or tried to engage) in wildlife viewing of elk.

The majority of EBCI tribal members think the size of the elk population is about right (61 percent); otherwise, they are divided, with 19 percent saying it is too high and 13 percent saying it is too low. (The remainder responded that they did not know).

An overwhelming majority of EBCI tribal members (80 percent) like having elk around, although some of those members like them but worry about the problems that elk cause (24 percent). A small percentage of members (7 percent) regard elk as a nuisance. The remainder have no particular feeling about elk.

Problems with visitor viewing was twice that of problems with the elk themselves: in the past 12 months, 13 percent of members had problems with elk, while 26 percent had problems with people viewing elk. Examples of problems experienced with elk most commonly included damage to gardens and landscaping, while nearly all problems with visitors and tourists viewing elk involved transportation issues, such as traffic jams and illegal or obstructive parking.

A sizeable percentage of visitors (43 percent) had been to Harrahs Cherokee Casino within the past 12 months, with about a third of those visitors saying that having elk in the area influenced their decision to come to Harrahs Casino.

The full report of study results can be access here: https://cherokeenaturalresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Cherokee-2020-Report-20-03-19.pdf

Elk, such as this one photographed at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center, are thriving in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and surrounding areas. (SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather photo)

Following the successful reintroduction of elk into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the early 2000s, surrounding communities have benefited from the presence of the species by marketing elk-related recreational attractions to residents and visitors. The most-visited national park in the United States, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, has been home to a growing elk herd since 2001, when elk were first released in Cataloochee Valley. Since then, surrounding towns have prominently advertised elk-related activities unique to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park region.

The prominence of elk in marketing and advertising for tourism-related activities and attractions in and around Cherokee follows the examples of other areas of the country in which reintroduced elk have contributed to local economies thanks to increased tourism and participation in recreational activities involving elk.

Due to the presence of elk and its growing impact on the area, the EBCI wanted to assess the attitudes of its members toward elk presence, quantify any nuisance or conflict issues, and analyze the economic benefits of having the elk on the Qualla Boundary. The Tribe also wanted to weigh the benefits of elk compared to the costs of having elk that, for example, damage gardens and other property or cause traffic issues with tourists slowing to view elk.

As mentioned previously, in the past 12 months, 13 percent of members had problems with elk and 26 percent had problems with tourists viewing elk; in total, those who experienced problems with elk directly or problems with tourists viewing elk is about a third (33 percent) of tribal members. Among those who experienced problems, a majority (78 percent) still like having elk around: after discussing the problems they had experienced, 44 percent said they like having elk on the Qualla Boundary and 34 percent like having elk on the Qualla Boundary but worry about the problems they can cause. Only 9 percent of those who have experienced problems said they regard elk as a nuisance.

The results of this study will help the EBCI community make critical management and restoration decisions about elk. For instance, the benefits seem to outweigh any costs, whether economic or social. Most costs of having elk were related to traffic issues, so the Tribe could invest in mitigation strategies for safe and productive viewing opportunities. If it comes time to consider a draw hunt, many factors in this study will aid decisions, such as the worth of elk on the hoof and public interests. Based on these results, the Tribe may choose certain investments, like stronger laws to protect elk as a resource. The tribe may consider investing in conservation such as research and land management. Ecotourism may thrive with better strategies and greater opportunities for viewing elk. By and far, the visitors and citizens enjoy elk, and the tribes economy and community benefit greatly from their presence on the landscape.

Responsive Management is an internationally recognized survey research firm specializing in attitudes toward natural resource and outdoor recreation issues. Its mission is to help natural resource and outdoor recreation agencies, businesses, and organizations better understand and work with their constituents, customers, and the public (https://responsivemanagement.com/).

If you have any questions, contact EBCI Fisheries and Wildlife Management 359-6110 or email ebcifw@gmail.com

To learn how to safely view elk in Cherokee: https://visitcherokeenc.com/blog/entry/elk-sightings-in-cherokee-tips-for-glimpsing-the-great-big-deer/

You can learn more about EBCI Fisheries and Wildlife and elk management here: https://cherokeenaturalresources.com/fish-and-wildlife-management/

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Cherokee Elk Study shows importance to Appalachian community and economy - The Cherokee One Feather - Cherokee One Feather

Taking on the… – Resource Recycling

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This article appeared in the June 2020 issue of Resource Recycling.Subscribe todayfor access to all print content.

This story is the latest in our Steps to Circularity series, which explores projects and viewpoints connecting the business of recycling to the wider circular economy movement.

We know that the world needs a circular economy now more than ever. Cities are looking for ways to meet the expectations of residents and handle materials efficiently. Many companies, meanwhile, have ambitious packaging sustainability targets to meet in the coming years.

In our 2019 Bridge to Circularity report, The Recycling Partnership provided a clear roadmap to improve recycling, one of many steps needed to move the U.S. toward a circular economy so many stakeholders are hoping to see materialize. Its clear, however, that transitioning to a circular economy requires systems change.

Thats why were excited about our new initiative that can guide next steps: The Pathway to Circularity.

The Pathway to Circularity provides a methodology and approach to problem-solving that will address the limitations associated with the recyclability and circularity of certain packaging materials today. This action-oriented and solutions-based initiative navigates current and future packaging and recycling system challenges.

Additionally, one of the principal features of the Pathway to Circularity is that it is a living roadmap, one that can evolve and take into account shifts in innovation, market realities and uncontrollable external factors (like a global pandemic). It is designed to be a dynamic tool, with the flexibility to grow and shift with us, as the system of the future is being built.

Navigating the recycling industry can be tricky, in part because there are currently a lot of gray areas and concepts. There are certain industry standards and thresholds that do not exist, and no one place that shows the concrete steps needed to achieve circularity and true recyclability for materials or packages.

One example is this common question: What does successful sortation at a recycling facility look like? Currently, there is no threshold or standard for successful sortation. The Pathway to Circularity is intended to wash away the gray and bring needed clarity to enable more stakeholders to successfully navigate and advance the circular economy.

Currently, the Pathway to Circularity is focused on recycling and circularity through municipal collection programs, whether curbside or dropoff. For packaging, a gold standard in the industry today is being deemed commonly accepted for recycling. However, many different considerations come to mind when one thinks about a material or package being commonly accepted.

Access, sortation and end markets may be a few concepts that come to mind. But should we be thinking about these as separate check boxes, or should we highlight how interconnected and interdependent recycling and circularity truly are? For example, instead of simply determining whether access exists in a given area, can we think deeper about what access means? Why does a MRF say it will accept a certain material or format? Usually this is indicative of conditions around end markets and material demand, but has that been fully investigated and understood?

The Pathway to Circularity initiative will strive to bring a new depth to these types of conversations and bring to light the interdependence of the varying factors that shape recycling and circularity.

While commonly accepted for recycling is currently the focal point of the Pathway, attaining this status for different materials is not an end point, but a milestone. For a material to remain truly viable in the recycling system, continuous evaluation and, at times, additional work will be necessary. There are examples in our industry today of commodities that have reached common acceptance in collection systems but that require additional action when it comes to increasing demand for the material in reliable end markets.

Each material in the recycling stream will have its own unique path and challenges. The Pathway to Circularity will provide a strategic assessment that guides efforts to address issues at each step in the recycling supply chain.

The Pathway to Circularity provides opportunities to advance circularity with various stakeholders working together. This is an important point because effecting meaningful system change across the U.S. requires industry alignment and consensus.

This industry alignment will be achieved through The Pathway to Circularity Industry Council (otherwise known as the Circularity Council), which includes industry leaders representing various material types, brands, cities and states, MRFs, and retailers. The objective of the Circularity Council, which will meet for the first time in late June, is to form a cohesive network to enable industry alignment, break down barriers, and catalyze system change. The Council will address core program principals, align on the overarching framework, and identify gray areas and other challenges.

Ultimately, the Council will define new industry thresholds needed to successfully navigate the recyclability and circularity of packaging materials today.

Furthermore, in order to improve the system, we must put a focus on individual materials. And this is not something any one organization or business can do alone.

The Pathway to Circularity methodology and emerging strategic assessment process provides the guidance to address unique challenges of specific packages and materials. It serves as a platform to enable pre-competitive collaboration to achieve recyclability through the creation of material and packaging-specific coalitions, which will discuss and solve these packaging challenges.

When formed, each coalition will have different and specific objectives because each material is at a different place on the pathway to achieving circularity. However, the general pathway vision will remain constant. The material coalitions will aim to reach and/or maintain commonly accepted for recycling status for the material. The coalitions will also maximize recycling rates and post-consumer recycled content usage, as well as strengthen and expand end markets.

The Pathways polypropylene recycling coalition is an example of a material-specific collaboration that is helping to build the road to circularity.

Polypropylene (PP) is a valuable commodity that can be separated or commonly commingled with plastics Nos. 3-7. Recycled PP can be used to manufacture many different products, ranging from toys to yogurt packaging to coffee pods. End markets for this material are operating across North America, yet 3-7 bales (which include PP) are being dropped from community recycling programs.

Why? Although multiple factors are at play, MRFs do not generally have the capital to invest in the equipment, such as optical sorters and robotics, needed to capture more of this material. In addition, our data suggests that PP generation rates are as high as or higher than rates of some other recyclable plastics, such as HDPE. However, this information is not widely known or documented, leaving a knowledge gap regarding the volume of PP available for collection.

Through the polypropylene recycling coalition, industry leaders are collaborating to address this challenge head on.

The coalition will provide grants, conduct research and support education to increase curbside recycling access and recovery for PP. By working together, we aim to ensure PP is widely accepted for recycling and ultimately reaches a high recycling rate so it can be reused rather than wasted. The coalition will ensure that recycling facilities can sort PP successfully and maintain robust end markets. The aim is to supply high-quality recycled PP for use in packaging.

Overall, by improving PP curbside recycling programs, the coalition will preserve natural resources and continue to strengthen the circular economy in the United States for PP and all recyclables.

We recognize our goal is a lofty one: Its the creation of a new system that empowers us to be the best possible stewards of packaging design and recycling so we can collectively create a world that values wasting less over consuming more. A lot more is needed, but this is the beginning of a massive shift toward a circular economy for all materials, not just plastic.

Its also important to keep in mind that partnership is part of our name for a reason. We can reach this goal only by working with industry leaders and aligned organizations, including the Association of Plastic Recyclers and the World Wildlife Fund, and with the circular investment sector, led by Closed Loop Partners. And well do it with the help of the elected officials who are critical in addressing policies that are keeping recycling stuck in the 1970s.

Swift action is needed to protect natural resources and abate climate change. The Recycling Partnership stands ready to take on this challenge and calls on the many public and private sector stakeholders to join us in building the system of the future that will provide the foundation for a circular economy in the U.S.

Please contact us at [emailprotected] if youd like to partner with us on these efforts to catalyze change.

Ali Blandina is the Director of Circular Ventures at The Recycling Partnership and can be contacted at [emailprotected]

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Taking on the... - Resource Recycling

Greening the Digital Economy – Security Boulevard

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COVID-19 and related quarantine protocols have pushed the world even more online than it already was. Global energy consumption for all things digital has been increasing by about 9% per year between 2015 and 2020, and is tracking to be responsible for about 8% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission by 2025, according to the Shift Project. In fact, digital activities in 2020 are estimated to emit as much CO2 as the whole of the Middle East did in 2017.

Many companies recognize this risk and are responding to the call for more sustainably minded business practices. As of July 2020, over 900 companies have committed to take science-based climate action. Additionally, organizations will look to reduce their carbon footprints across leased spaces and data centers. Physical space landlords and data center operators that can offer facilities and services powered by renewable energy will have an opportunity to distinguish themselves in the market, drive business, and make a positive environmental impact.

Rob Johnson, CEO of Vertiv, says, The industry wrestles with capacity challenges and advanced applications that are forcing significant changes to data centers of all shapes and sizes. The message to data center equipment providers is clear: The status quo is not acceptable.

But this brings about a challenge: With such an immediate need for environmentally friendly computing, how can data centers develop more efficient energy use strategies in an increasingly resource-hungry world? While there is no simple answer, providers can take steps in the right direction. Data centers must first focus on managing their existing waste before outsourcing new solutions.

Its important to ask the hard questions: Are you making good use of the energy you have? You can have giant facilities cooled down to the temp of a meat locker, only using 40% of the space, with 25-30% of the servers running with no one knowing what theyre contributing to, Jennifer Cooke, research director at IDC, says.

Finding ways to trim unnecessary energy use is the first step to meet customer demands for sustainable decisions in the supply chain. Akamai seeks to lead the way.

Modern data centers can be a part of corporate efficiency. Since 2015, Akamais platform has grown by more than 182% but used 61% less energy per gigabit of network capacity. As our platform continues to expand, it is our responsibility to minimize our impact as much as possible. Like Akamai, many companies are looking toward their supply chain for emissions reductions, but struggle to incite change. As a thought leader, Akamai is already innovating ways to reduce our own impact through software, hardware, and platform efficiencies; procuring renewable energy in our most critical markets; and partnering with green colocation providers wherever possible. Being born and bred out of MIT, our next logical step to advance sustainable action was to develop meaningful education connected to our roots.

With our ongoing Future of Internet Power (FoIP) efforts, Akamai is working with our peers across the internet ecosystem to develop a new initiative. Enter LESSEN. The Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance (REBA), the gold standard in renewable energy procurement, in partnership with Akamai, has announced the creation of the LESsor Sustainable Energy Network (LESSEN). The first-of-its-kind program is a relevant, meaningful, and interactive 10-month educational training for real estate landlords and colocation data center operators with an aim toward developing successful and long-lasting, sustainable energy strategies. LESSEN will build on the success of REBAs FoIP initiative, which has already enabled the whos who of the internet to take action and implement principles to increase environmental sustainability by addressing an industry lag in the development of renewable energy usage across the colocation world.

Industry collaboration and training like the LESSEN program is flint to spark the necessary change in lessening the environmental impacts of modern internet usage. However, it is not the only way. Encouraging collective legislative action toward carbon neutrality is just as important.

Akamai recently participated in a variety of legislative efforts with the help of the Ceres BICEP Network, focused on supporting greener and healthier communities. Along with more than 100 other companies, Akamai sponsored the regional Transportation and Climate Initiative to improve transportation and develop the clean energy economy in the northeast and mid-Atlantic states. Akamai was also a part of the Virginia Clean Economy Act to help scale cost-effective clean energy resources with the intention of putting the state of Virginia on a path toward a 100% carbon-free electricity system by 2050.

Akamai is working to reduce the impact of our business. Our goal is to accelerate meaningful progress toward a net-zero emissions future for our business, and to be part of a broader net-zero emissions movement future for all. But we cant do it alone. Sustainability work requires a collective voice.

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*** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from The Akamai Blog authored by Mike Mattera. Read the original post at: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheAkamaiBlog/~3/p3YprFM5EtE/greening-the-digital-economy.html

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Greening the Digital Economy - Security Boulevard

Trudeau urged to boost Canada’s post-COVID economy by investing in nature – National Observer

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Federal Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson says the government remains fully committed to preserving a quarter of natural land and ocean habitat by 2025, following a call from hundreds of groups to ensure conservation is at the heart of any post-pandemic recovery.

In an open letter published July 13 to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, 235 environmental organizations, including about 50 B.C.-based groups, said they stand ready to provide staff, research and resource support to help Canada devise a strategy to achieve its biodiversity and climate targets.

The letter argues that government investments in forests, wetlands, grasslands, oceans, lakes and rivers can create jobs and help boost Canadas economic recovery as it works to build capacity following the initial wave of COVID-19.

Over the next six to 18 months, we urge the government to support investments in a variety of economic recovery solutions that support climate and biodiversity outcomes, reads the letter, signed by Nature Canada, the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, the David Suzuki Foundation and others.

Over the longer term, expert advice should be sought by relevant departments on how to structure programs and investments in order to achieve the transformative relationship between society and nature that is needed to ensure a healthy and sustainable future for Canadians.

Canada set a target to conserve at least 17 per cent of land and freshwater, and 10 per cent of marine areas, by this year, as part of the Convention on Biological Diversity. According to federal government figures, by the end of 2019 it had reached this goal for marine areas, but not for land and freshwater.

Those figures show that Canada conserved 13.8 per cent of its marine territory, and 12.1 per cent of land and freshwater by the end of 2019. The proportion of conserved land and water varies widely across the country, with British Columbia conserving the most, at 19.5 per cent.

Last year, dozens of scientists warned the Trudeau government it was not on pace to meet its conservation goals. During the federal election campaign, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised to increase the amount of land, freshwater and marine areas conserved to 25 per cent by 2025.

The goals under the convention say the original target should be achieved by 2020, but Trudeau said during the campaign that the government was on track to its 17 per cent goal by the end of next year.

In July, Canada also joined the Global Ocean Alliance, which has as its goal the protection of 30 per cent of the oceans by 2030. Meanwhile, Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan said Canada will work toward a new biodiversity target under the Convention on Biological Diversity, next year in 2021.

Harry Crosby, president of North Vancouver-based BC Nature, a federation of more than 50 naturalist clubs across the province, said in an interview that he was encouraged by the promises and the concern which the federal government is showing on the issue of biodiversity and land protection, but wanted to see more details.

Our concern is that there needs to be a coherent policy developed, Crosby said. Its great to talk about spending money on biodiversity, but our concern is looking at the difference between the general policy statements and the practice, whats actually happening on the ground.

Wilkinsons press secretary Moira Kelly said the governments priority remains COVID-19, but climate change and biodiversity loss still present a threat to our economic and physical well-being.

We remain fully committed to preserving 25 per cent of Canadas land and oceans by 2025 and ensuring that nature-based climate solutions are embedded in our plans to fight climate change, Kelly said.

We are always open to hearing innovative and green ways to grow our economy while protecting the environment, and will consider these recommendations with interest.

The letter points out that biodiversity loss is accelerating worldwide, and Canada has a responsibility, as a country with a large land mass containing many ecosystems, for the welfare of planetary diversity.

Out of 80,000 species in Canada, there is only enough information to assess the health of 30,000 of which a fifth are imperiled, they said.

Natural landscapes are key to storing up to 20 per cent of carbon pollution over the next 30 years, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a fact that is key to avoiding the more severe effects of the climate crisis.

In Canada, human disruption is leading to habitat loss, which is putting its Paris climate target at risk, the letter said.

In addition to BC Nature, officially the Federation of British Columbia Naturalists, there are 47 other B.C.-based organizations that have put their names to the letter, including West Coast Environmental Law, Wildsight and the Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve Society.

Carl Meyer / Local Journalism Initiative / Canadas National Observer

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Trudeau urged to boost Canada's post-COVID economy by investing in nature - National Observer

Ontario Announces Next Round of Research Projects to Fight COVID-19 – Government of Ontario News

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Ontario Announces Next Round of Research Projects to Fight COVID-19Ontario-Based Solutions Contribute to the Global Effort Against the Outbreak

The Ontario government unveiled the second round of research projects approved and supported through the $20 millionOntario COVID-19 Rapid Research Fund. Through these efforts, researchers will be working to find ways to prevent, detect and treat COVID-19.

The Antithrombotic Therapy to Ameliorate Complications of COVID-19 (ATTACC) Trial: A Multinational Randomized, Adaptive, Controlled Clinical Trial - Support for Personnel at the International Clinical Coordinating Centre in Ontario

Patrick Lawler, Principal Investigator

University Health Network

In partnership with hospitals from across Canada, the United States, Brazil and Mexico, researchers will test a blood thinner called heparin, which may also have anti-viral and anti-inflammatory effects, for its effectiveness in treating COVID-19 patients who require ventilation. This trial has the potential to reduce mortality and need for mechanical ventilation in hospitalized patients with COVID-19.

Development and Validation of Flexible Medium Throughput Solutions for COVID-19 Diagnostics

Myron Cybulsky, Principal Investigator

University Health Network

As workplaces reopen, extensive molecular screening will be vital to identify asymptomatic and presymptomatic individuals. To maintain safe work environments, this research will evaluate methods of diagnosing COVID-19 including point-of-care methods that will be adaptable to nasal swab, saliva and saline gargle testing. The researchers will also develop standard operating procedures for these tests, based on rigorous clinical standards.

Ontario's Response to COVID-19: Balancing Trade-offs and Improving Outcomes for all Ontarians

Beate Sander, Principal Investigator

University Health Network

Using the COvid19 Resource Estimator model, which is already extensively used by decision-makers and hospital administrators to support capacity planning and public health interventions, researchers will forecast COVID-19 case numbers under a range of re-opening scenarios and examine the effects of these potential cases on the Ontario acute care system and on short- and long-term health outcomes for COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients. This research will help to optimize mitigation strategies that balance healthcare system capacity, population health and broader societal outcomes, including the economic impact.

How to Re-open Ontario's Economy Without Causing a Resurgence of COVID-19

Chris Bauch, Principal Investigator

University of Waterloo

Researchers will develop a mathematical model of COVID-19 transmission that can identify strategies for re-opening the economy without causing a resurgence of COVID-19. The model will use available demographic and epidemiological data from provinces and important features such as spatial and age structure, to create detailed maps of COVID-19 rates by province. The model will project cases, hospitalizations and deaths under different approaches to re-opening the economy.

Proposal for Validation of a New SARS-CoV-2 Diagnostic Test Enabling Safe, At-home Collection and Increased Provincial Testing Capacity

Katherine Siminovitch, Principal Investigator

Sinai Health System

This project will test the efficacy of saliva-based sample collection to diagnose COVID-19 in patients in an effort to improve testing capacity across Ontario. Recent data suggests that saliva samples are more sensitive for SARS-CoV-2 detection compared to nasal swabs and this procedure is less invasive and can be self-administered at home.

Canadian COVID-19 Emergency Department Rapid Response Network - Ontario Sites

Steven Brooks, Principal Investigator

Queen's University

This project aims to develop a provincial registry of suspected and confirmed COVID-19patients in emergency departments across Ontario. Through a collaboration involving emergency departments across Canada we will also be contributing data to a national registry. The registry will support the development of clinical decision rules to improve screening procedures, diagnostic studies (e.g. swabs and imaging), therapeutics (e.g. intubation) and the selection of patients for discharge or admission. This project is designed to improve care for patients treated during the COVID-19 crisis and will also support planning for future pandemics.

Ontario Healthcare Worker Seroprevalence of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies (COVID-19 Antibodies in Ontario Healthcare Workers)

Michelle Science and Aaron Campigotto, Co-Principal Investigators

Hospital for Sick Children

Healthcare workers have a critical role in the pandemic response to COVID-19 and are at risk of infection. The objective of this study is to assess the prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in a population of healthcare workers and describe the change in SARS-CoV-2 specific antibodies as the pandemic progresses. The research will also track the antibody response in those who are infected with COVID-19 and if possible, evaluate the impact of antibody presence on subsequent reinfection.

This research will shed light on the incidence of infection and risk factors for infection in healthcare workers from hospitals across Ontario.

Interferon Lambda for Immediate Antiviral Therapy at Diagnosis (ILIAD): A Phase II Randomized, Open-label, Multicenter Trial to Evaluate the Effect of Peginterferon Lambda for the Treatment of COVID-19

Jordan Feld, Principal Investigator

University Health Network

Researchers will evaluate the drug peginterferon-lambda (PegIFN-) in ambulatory andhospitalized patients with mild to moderate COVID-19. Peginterferon-lambda has already been used to treat other viral diseases, such as hepatitis B and C. This research will shed light on whether it improves the ability of individuals to clear the virus that causes COVID-19.

Natural Evolution of Serum Antibodies in Children and Adults with SARS-CoV-2 and Household Contacts

Maala Bhatt and Roger Zemek, Co-Principal Investigators

Children's Hospital, Eastern Ontario Research Institute

This project will provide insight into how COVID-19 spreads within households, following the World Health Organization's recommendation to survey antibody testing of children, non-hospitalized adults and household contacts. This study will explore the differences in antibody response in children, as well as differences in initial symptoms by age and sex. This will be done by measuring the number of antibodies within a person's blood (four times over a period of 12 months).

Development of Multiple Vaccine Candidates for SARSCoV-2 and Evaluation of Safety and Efficacy in Animal Models

Rob Kozak, Principal Investigator

Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

This project aims to evaluate the safety and long-term protection of two vaccines before advancing them to human trials. The study will test the duration of protective vaccine immunity in both small and large animal models and investigate whether vaccinated animals that are infected with seasonal coronaviruses have adverse immunological reactions, leading to worse disease. The data generated from this proposal will help determine the optimal vaccine to advance into human efficacy trials.

Adaptive Immunity and Outcomes of Convalescent Plasma

Rulan Parekh, Principal Investigator

Hospital for Sick Children

This national study of plasma donors who have recovered from COVID-19 will address immune response,duration of protective immunity, clinical factors andhost genetics contributing to the variability of immune response to the virus. The researchers will also study long-term outcomes from COVID-19 infection to help define therapeutic strategies for COVID-19.

Methylene Blue-mediated Photodisinfection for SARSCoV-2 in the Upper Respiratory Tract

Cari Whyne, Principal Investigator

Sunnybrook Research Institute

This project will test symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals with known SARS-CoV-2 diagnoses to asses whether a process called photodisinfection (PDF) using methylene blue, a medication and dye, can identify and destroy pathogens to clear SARS-CoV-2 from the upper respiratory tract.

Development of High Throughput, Inexpensive and Scalable Testing to Detect SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies Using Home Blood Collection Kits and a Fully Automated ELISA Antibody Assay

Keith Jarvi, Principal Investigator

Sinai Health System

To address the need for widely available testing for past COVID-19 infections, this project will develop a "home" blood collection kit to provide a high volume, inexpensive, accurate and easy-to-use test for SARS-CoV-2 antibody detection. The development of an inexpensive and simple antibody test has the potential to be rapidly scaled up and be readily available to very large populations of Canadians.

Volunteers will have repeat blood antibody testing 3 and 6 months following the initial test to provide data on their past COVID-19 infections, the incidence of new COVID-19 infections and if immunity exists.

An Optimized Clinical Lab COVID-19 Diagnostic Test Incorporating Host Transcriptomic Responses for Predicting Disease Course and Healthcare System Utilization

Jeremy Hirota, Principal Investigator

McMaster University

By analyzing nasal swabs used for testing COVID-19 patients, this research aims to understand how individuals respond to the virus upon diagnosis. This study will better identify and treat patients who are at risk of developing serious complications and provide predictive capacity for hospitals to efficiently prepare and allocate resources for optimal patient health.

Toolkit to Prevent COVID-19 Transmission among Persons with Dementia in Long-Term Care

Andrea Iaboni, Principal Investigator

University Health Network

This research team will develop, implement and evaluate a Dementia Isolation Toolkit for long-term care homes to support the compassionate, safe and effective isolation of people with dementia and to improve the implementation of infection control protocols in these centres. Researchers will design a series of tools to provide methods and approaches for isolating people with dementia safely and without compromising their dignity and personhood.

Creating an N95 Respirator Disinfection to Protect Front Line Health Care Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Gregory Borschel, Principal Investigator

Hospital for Sick Children

N95 respirators are designed to be single use, but by extending their lifespan this project could assure more protection of Ontario's front line workers. The researchers will create a system that will provide a low-cost decontamination process for safe re-use of N95 respirators during the COVID-19 pandemic. To extend the N95 respirator supply, the project will validate two forms of thermal disinfection (dry heat and humid heat). The system will be tested within 30-60 days in a large Toronto hospital, and, once validated and approved, could be scalable Ontario-wide as needed.

RdRp as a Promising Target to Identify Lead Compounds for the Treatment of COVID-19: a Rapid Structure-Based Approach

Gennady Poda, Principal Investigator

Ontario Institute for Cancer Research

This study aims to identify new therapeutics and existing drugs that could be reused for the treatment of COVID-19 infections. Using supercomputers and advanced computational chemistry techniques, Dr. Poda and collaborators at Sunnybrook Research Institute will focus on finding drugs that can stop the virus from replicating in the body by targeting the virus' key polymerase enzyme. This approach will allow scientists to rapidly advance new COVID-19 treatments.

Co-creating Innovative Strategies to Address the Well-being of Older Persons and Their Healthcare Providers During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Sepali Guruge, Principal Investigator

Ryerson University

Most deaths from COVID-19 have been among the elderly population in Ontario. This study will examine how the care of older persons has changed during the pandemic and how these changes are affecting the mental health and well-being of healthcare providers. It will also identify innovative strategies providers have developed to overcome these changes. Findings will provide informationto improve the care for older persons during the crisis while protecting the health and well-being of frontline workers caring for older persons.

Control of COVID-19 Outbreaks in Long-Term Care: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Chemoprophylaxis to Control Outbreaks of COVID19 in Long Term Care Facilities (CONTROL-COVID)

Allison McGeer, Principal Investigator

Lunenfeld Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health System

The frail elderly are disproportionately affected by COVID-19. Interventions are urgently needed to prevent and control outbreaks at long-term care homes. This research will use clinical trials to test the efficacy of different chemoprophylaxis regimens to protect elderly residents of long-term care homes from COVID-19.

Proposal for the Use of Inhaled Anesthetic-Based Sedation in Ventilated COVID-19 Patients: Novel Approach to Shorten Duration of Ventilation, Preserve Intravenous Sedation Stocks and Improve Survival

Marat Slessarev, Principal Investigator

Lawson Health Research Institute

Through a randomized clinical trial, this project aims to better understand the efficacy of inhaled anesthetic-based sedation to treat COVID-19 patients who require ventilation. This research could reduce the duration of mechanical ventilation, alleviating the stress on ventilator capacity; spare the use of intravenous sedation agents that are in short supply; and reduce mortality from COVID-19. If found effective, inhaled anesthetics can be quickly deployed in the fight against COVID-19 since they are safe, inexpensive and readily available.

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Williams Receives Approval for Clean Energy Project To Serve Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern U.S. – Business Wire

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TULSA, Okla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Williams (NYSE: WMB) received approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to move forward with its Leidy South Project that will create 582,400 Dth/d of additional pipeline capacity and provide enough natural gas to serve the equivalent of more than 2.5 million homes and further enable power plants to convert from coal to cleaner-burning natural gas. The project will connect abundant supplies of natural gas produced by Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. and Seneca Resources Company, LLC in the Marcellus and Utica regions of Pennsylvania with demand markets along the Atlantic Seaboard by the 2021-2022 winter heating season. UGI Utilities Inc. is a local distribution company that will be using its capacity to directly serve its customers in northeast Pennsylvania.

As the United States switches to clean power to energize our electric grids, Williams is excited and proud to be the backbone that connects the best supplies of dry gas with our countrys largest demand centers, said Alan Armstrong, president and chief executive officer of Williams. This project represents one of many opportunities to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions with right here, right now available solutions as coal-fired electric generation plants are replaced with natural gas units to reliably balance the intermittency of new renewable resources. In fact, there remain more than 80 coal plants in the states Transco serves that can potentially be displaced by clean, efficient and affordable natural gas.

By maximizing the use of the existing Transco transmission corridor and expanding existing facilities in Pennsylvania, the Leidy South Project will substantially reduce the amount of new infrastructure and land use required to meet these needs minimizing community and environmental impact and allowing residential, commercial and power generation customers to efficiently access natural gas supplies on the Transco system. In addition, the construction of the projects two greenfield compressor facilities is estimated to generate $100 million in economic activity within Pennsylvania, supporting 680 jobs with estimated payroll of $28 million, and produce $1.3 million in state tax revenue, according to third-party researchers.

With the growing urgency to transition to a low-carbon fuel future, Williams and its natural gas-focused strategy provide a practical and immediate path to reduce industry emissions, support the viability of renewables and grow a clean energy economy. Natural gas is a flexible, lower-emission fuel compared to other hydrocarbons such as coal or heating oil. And, because the U.S. has an abundant supply of natural gas, using this local, cleaner resource has significantly reduced U.S. emissions. As one of the nations largest gatherers, processors and transporters of natural gas, Williams plays a critical role in bringing this clean and affordable resource to electric generation, industry and homes, resulting in cleaner air.

Transco is the nations largest-volume interstate natural gas pipeline system. It delivers natural gas to customers through its approximately 10,000-mile pipeline network whose mainline extends nearly 1,800 miles between South Texas and New York City. The system is a major provider of cost-effective natural gas services that reach U.S. markets in 12 Southeast and Atlantic Seaboard states, including major metropolitan areas in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

About Williams

Williams (NYSE: WMB) is committed to being the leader in providing infrastructure that safely delivers natural gas products to reliably fuel the clean energy economy. Headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Williams is an industry-leading, investment grade C-Corp with operations across the natural gas value chain including gathering, processing, interstate transportation and storage of natural gas and natural gas liquids. With major positions in top U.S. supply basins, Williams connects the best supplies with the growing demand for clean energy. Williams owns and operates more than 30,000 miles of pipelines system wide including Transco, the nations largest volume and fastest growing pipeline and handles approximately 30 percent of the natural gas in the United States that is used every day for clean-power generation, heating and industrial use. http://www.williams.com

Portions of this document may constitute forward-looking statements as defined by federal law. Although the company believes any such statements are based on reasonable assumptions, there is no assurance that actual outcomes will not be materially different. Any such statements are made in reliance on the safe harbor protections provided under the Private Securities Reform Act of 1995. Additional information about issues that could lead to material changes in performance is contained in the companys annual and quarterly reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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Williams Receives Approval for Clean Energy Project To Serve Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern U.S. - Business Wire

COVID-19 gives B.C. First Nation rare chance to examine tourisms impact on grizzly bears – Abbotsford News

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COVID-19 continues to be tough on people. But it might be doing good things for the grizzly bears of B.C.s central coast.

A positive outcome of the COVID-19 shutdown for the Klemtu-based Kitasoo-XaiXais First Nation, was the opportunity to study tourisms impact on the grizzly bears in their region.

The Kitasoo-XaiXais reserve has maintained a shutdown since the pandemic began and will continue to do so until further notice. This gave the community the perfect chance to invest in a research program that could be conducted only in the absence of tourists.

Dr. Christina Service, the lead scientist in charge of the project with the Resource Stewardship Department of the Kitasoo-XaiXai Nation, was glad that they mobilized really quickly when the situation presented itself and deployed 40 infrared cameras which are triggered when the animals walk by.

Since were not going to have tourism in the territory this year, it provided a remarkably unique situation where we could essentially study and take baseline conditions to see what these bears will do in the absence of tourism.

The cameras will be taken down in October and the recordings will be used to analyze behaviour patterns and to get a sense of how the bears choose to spend their time in the absence of humans. The process will be repeated and cameras will be re-installed again in spring 2021, when hopefully tourism activity will have resumed again.

The results will then be compared to arrive at a sustainable management plan for a conservation-based economy for the community, said Service.

So were looking at factors like what areas should humans be restricted to that have the least impact on bears? Or, what time of the day does tourism heavily impact bears? There will definitely be some interesting patterns to see.

Since the research is spread over two years, Service said it will be a while before they have concrete answers. But the study will help provide the best available information to formulate a management plan.

The First Nation has seen increased pressure from tourism since the Great Bear Rainforest was established and visitors started coming to the territory to learn more. And though tourism opportunities are welcomed, the First Nation also indicated its desire to conserve the bears in their region.

Service commended the Kitasoo-XaiXais First Nation for their interest, capacity and desire to invest in such a research program, especially at a time when theres so much uncertainty with the pandemic.

READ ALSO: Conservationists raise concerns over state of care for grizzly cubs transferred to B.C. zoo

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COVID-19 gives B.C. First Nation rare chance to examine tourisms impact on grizzly bears - Abbotsford News

After the pandemic: As workers are retrenched in Gulf, opportunity opens to rethink regions economic model – Times Now

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Representative image  |  Photo Credit: iStock Images

Since Covid-19 spiralled into a global pandemic, blows against the twin pillars of Gulf wealth creation oil and international travel have landed hard. Now, a fundamental shift in how the region operates is afoot. As the largest component of their labour force is retrenched, Gulf countries are on the verge of transforming their working population of overwhelmingly foreign staff. This is no bad thing. For it will spur efficiency and, even more importantly, accelerate the adoption of New Economy industries based on knowledge creation and information curation.

With the notable exception of Saudi Arabia and, to some extent, Oman, Gulf nations have relied heavily on foreign labour to keep up with the demands of the modern economy. The UAE, for example, has long outsourced major sections of its economy to foreign workers. From retail to high-tech and construction, expatriates drive the economy. This has given the UAE one of the worlds most diverse populations, comprising nearly 200 nationalities. But on the flip side, just 11.4 per cent of residents are Emiratis giving rise to a certain degree of social and cultural dissonance. With the economic downturn caused by Covid-19, this model is looking outdated and ripe for much-needed reform.

The global economy increasingly is defined by technology, which in turn has enabled remote working. In the early days of the pandemic, the latter saved the world economy from sudden, near-total seizure. And while there are still dangers, a full-scale repeat of the Great Depression probably has been averted. Today, some of the worlds leading technology companies are telling their employees they can carry on working remotely, post-pandemic.

A new horizon of possibilities thus is opening up. It is one that the Gulf can take advantage of. With an advanced internet infrastructure and an eagerness to embrace technology as a replacement for the extractive industries, the Gulf particularly the UAE is perfectly positioned to offer fresh opportunities to businesses.

First, the shift to remote working means Gulf economies no longer need to be so dependent on workers they must bring in from abroad. Hire them overseas and leave them abroad. There are huge savings to be harvested from this. Companies wont need to pay relocation expenses, housing and educational allowances for dependent children, and perhaps even health insurance for those hired in countries with nationalized health programs. Salaries would also reflect workers local industry standards, rather than the elevated rates staff in the Gulf expects.

Next, since the start of the pandemic, thousands of jobs have been lost across the Gulf, resulting in foreign workers migrating back to their home countries. Mostly, this has been interpreted as a sign of the Gulfs diminishing economic prospects. However, this enforced reform of the labour market is exactly whats needed to usher in a new economic norm.

For together, these two developments allow Gulf nations to seriously ponder how best to restructure their economic model. Succinctly, it means employing fewer workers at lower cost-per-staff-member who are highly enabled by technology in higher-value creating industries, which dovetails with long-stated plans to pivot to the knowledge industry.

Indeed, Dubai already understands this. Following the model pioneered by Estonia, Dubai already allows digital entrepreneurs to register their businesses in the emirate but work from elsewhere. These digital businesses ensure that the UAE remains a hive of technology entrepreneurship without the unnecessary costs of the existing labour model. Meanwhile, startups gain access to a developed market with a low tax burden. Using this model, Estonia has developed one of the most powerful technology sectors in Europe while remaining a small country like the UAE with few foreign resident workers unlike the UAE. Now, in turn, the UAE can be more like Estonia.

There is a knock-on effect here. Automation and artificial intelligence are essential for any budding knowledge economy such as the UAE. Local advances in those fields will help streamline the local workforce and such technological gains can also be exported. The rush of scientific and technological activity from the UAEs research bodies is considerable.

Finally, there is a prosaic but no less important rationale for a new economic model. In a desert region that must import almost everything it consumes, looking after a large population of foreigners is not easy. While Gulf countries have made strides in securing food and water supply chains, it is nevertheless a costly business and diverts resources away from more constructive and productive projects, to mention nothing of reducing environmental impacts.

The exodus of foreign workers from the Gulf should not be seen as an omen of economic doom, but rather as a reminder that the New Economy to which the region aspires is necessarily light on human resource. Gulf nations long have professed a desire to become knowledge-based economies. The opportunities that come from the pandemic crisis now encourage reinvigorated reform toward that end.

In arrangement with Syndication Bureau

Joseph Dana is a guest contributor. Views expressed are personal.

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After the pandemic: As workers are retrenched in Gulf, opportunity opens to rethink regions economic model - Times Now

August 22 is a day where we must reflect on what we’re doing to the planet – HeraldScotland

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Andrew Collier speaks to Mathis Wackernagel of Global Footprint Network, the organisation behind Earth Overshoot Day

In many ways, humanitys relationship with the planet is like a marriage. We need to exist in close harmony with each other and if we constantly try to take more out of the relationship than it can sustain, huge damage is caused.

Sadly, when it comes to our common home, thats exactly what we are doing. August 22 this year marks Earth Overshoot Day the moment when our demand for ecological resources and services in 2020 exceeds what nature can regenerate this year.

Carbon emissions are, of course, partly responsible for this imbalance. But there are other factors too, such as population growth, non-sustainable fishing and the fact that about a third of the food produced annually for human consumption 1.3 billion tonnes gets lost or wasted.

Earth Overshoot Day is a compelling way of demonstrating in simple and vivid terms how our lifestyles and interventions are damaging the planet and the critical importance of taking a new and more sustainable approach.

Outside of science, no-one can really calibrate what a tonne of carbon dioxide actually means or looks like. It simply isnt something we can visualise. But calendars are something we can understand and when we hear that for the last 130 days of this year we are effectively stealing from the global ecosystem, it allows us to really comprehend the scale of the damage.

Much of this is environmental degradation taking place in the worlds cities. Up to 80 per cent of the global population is expected to live in urban areas by 2050, presenting sustainability strategists with a huge challenge.

Mathis Wackernagel, the networks Founder and President

The solution is likely to revolve around smart cities featuring energy-efficient buildings, integrated zoning, compact planning and effective options for people-powered and public transportation. The last of these is particularly important as cars account for 17 per cent of the worlds carbon footprint.

The concept of Earth Overshoot Day comes from the San Francisco-based Global Footprint Network, a sustainability research organisation whose executives were responsible for the development of the Ecological Footprint sustainability metric in the 1990s.

This not-for-profit body has partnered with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to promote this years event. Its an alignment of interests and a way of pushing forward SEPAs own agenda, says Mathis Wackernagel, the networks Founder and President.

SEPA also takes a unique approach to environmental regulation. Its attitude is that if it needs to punish people then it can do that to the worst offenders who dont follow regulations, but also that its not just about punishing, but also encouraging the right behaviour.

It has agreements with companies and cities, asking how it can help them in areas such as red tape and being easier on them if they show responsibility.

I think thats a wonderful approach as it looks at things from a one planet perspective. If you just regulate here and there then youre actually missing the big challenge we are facing that we are not fitting within natures budget.

The aim is to hold a launch event for Earth Overshoot Day in Glasgow which will place itself firmly on the global sustainability map by hosting the prestigious COP26 international environmental summit next year on August 20.

Because of Covid-19, were still working out the details, but it will probably involve local people attending, with video conferencing for others. We will interview people with different perspectives from around the world, perhaps editing these into a more compact format for viewing by the public.

By doing that, we will help people to understand the story and that if governments look after their futures, then thats good for the population. It will also help decision makers to determine their strategies.

Wackernagel is effusive in his praise for Scotland and the enthusiasm with which it has adopted sustainability objectives. Born in Switzerland, his love affair with the country is near-lifelong.

It was only the second foreign country I travelled to as a child and I really developed a warm affection for it. Its cultural symbols are really out there.

He praises the fact that, despite a historic dependence on fossil fuel exploitation, Scotland has been a leader in recognising the need to decarbonise, with huge reductions in carbon emissions and an explosive growth in the generation of renewable energy.

This recognises that our future depends on some level of resource security, and that in turn shows an insight that Im sorry to report is still quite rare. I was astonished at how proactive Scotland has become around these issues.

Its also interesting that the economic advisers to the Scottish Government view resource as a significant ingredient. They see that they have skin in the game. They are asking if we dont do these things, how will we be able to live? That is healthy its tackling the question of whether Scotland is destroying Scotland or building Scotland.

Earth Overshoot Day is still a relatively new concept here, but it is establishing itself around the world and particularly in France and Germany, where media interest has been intense. The Pope talked about it in an interview and showed that he actually understood it better than many others.

Ecological overshoot has been a reality since at least the 1970s, though carbon levels have been building up for more than 150 years. By using more renewable natural resources than the planet can regenerate, we are effectively drawing down the biospheres capital rather than living off its annual interest.

The consequences of this are sadly predictable. We are already seeing problems such as soil erosion, overgrazing, desertification, species extinction and reduced crop yields. If humanity continues to exploit the planets natural resources in this way, the result will be the further degradation and possibly collapse of ecosystems.

The message of Earth Overshoot day is a simple one, but it still faces challenges from sceptics who question its veracity. Some people say its crazy because theyll open their fridge on August 23 and there is still beer in it, so all this must be wrong, Wackernagel says. Of course there will be beer in the fridge. In the same way, you can spend money and you will still have money. But if you spend more than you earn, its not something you can do forever. You just keep depleting your asset base, and that cant go on.

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The world was ill-prepared for Covid. Will we allow ourselves to be so ill-prepared for the looming climate risk?

By Bob Downes,Chair of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)

January 2020, a few short months ago, now seems a world away. Then, as every year, the World Economic Forum was meeting at DAVOS in Switzerland. Their focus was unequivocally on our environmental futures: The top five risks facing the world are now all linked to the Climate Crisis.

You can be sure that the agenda for next years probable virtual WEF forum will look very different. But should it be different? It is clear that COVID-19 is not a new risk. The world just missed treating it with the importance it deserved. We must not make the same mistake with climate change.

In the Financial Times, Tim Harford has queried why we fail to plan for these major risks. He quotes Bazerman and Watkins from their 2003 work Predictable Surprises: The disasters you should have seen coming. Harford concludes our problem is that faced with clear risks we still fail to act.

Nearly 19 years ago I attended an enthralling seminar in Philadelphia on futures scenarios which included environmental catastrophe, religious conflict, inequalities, mass migration, diseases and terrorism.

The seminar kicked off around 8am that morning. Some way through the presentation the Chairman took the floor. The date was 9th September 2001. Warning signs were there beforehand of what was about to happen, graphically depicted in Lawrence Wrights book The Looming Tower.

Perhaps more hidden in plain sight were the seeds of COVID-19 in SARS, MERS and Ebola. It appears that we dont like making investments in what might happen, because that would mean forgoing more immediate priorities.

The risk this time is that we will become pre-occupied with the need for stability, normality and most of all with personal economic security.

Climate change may not easily find space in the minds of citizens anywhere. If we are to win the hearts and minds for the battle against climate change, benefits must be clear to people and communities. The threat of what might happen may not work.

According to a group of experts: Even if the world agreed to maintain all the pandemic enforced restrictions on travel and consumption, the emissions saved would amount to almost nothing compared with what is needed to achieve the Paris Agreement climate target.

The investment case must be an economic renewal plan which mitigates climate change while providing for the personal economic security and wellbeing we all desire. This will take systemic changes utilising our technological and innovative capacity in a reframed set of tools which assess public investment returns quite differently. It will need an accompanying fiscal and regulatory framework appropriately geared to longer term sustainability. Reshaping all these things can provide economic security through clever design.

Many businesses including investment institutions were onto this before COVID-19 hit. That momentum for change can be accommodated as we plan the future out of the current emergency. Nineteen years ago in Philadelphia the threats were clear. Each has come true most dramatically the tragic attack on the Twin Towers.

The world was ill-prepared for COVID-19. Will we allow ourselves to be so ill-prepared for the looming climate risk?

http://www.sepa.org.uk

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We must choose our future by design ... not disaster

Mathis Wackernagel of Global Footprint Network on why we should take no comfort from the reduction in our global footprint caused by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic

Last year, our planets ecological budget only lasted till July 29th. For the rest of the year, humanity lived off depleting our planet, growing our ecological debt and with it, the fragility of our economies. This debt shows up as excessive greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, biodiversity loss, air pollution, groundwater depletion, and deforestation among other impacts.

This year has been different. The economic slowdown imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic has reduced the global Ecological Footprint, pushing this years Earth Overshoot Day to August 22. Thats the latest weve seen since 2005.

This phenomenon demonstrates that shifting resource consumption patterns in a short timeframe is possible.

However, true sustainability that allows all to thrive within Earths ecological budget can only be achieved by design, not by disaster.

This years reduction in Footprint does not come from intentional changes that decarbonised energy, made cities more resource efficient, or yielded a healthier and more resilient food system.

It was paid for by imposed restraint, in some cases with significant human suffering. The sudden year-over-year Ecological Footprint contraction is a far cry from the systemic change which is required to achieve both ecological balance and peoples well-being, two inextricable components of a workable future.

By choosing design over disaster, we can address this imbalance. In fact, it is the only sensible path forward, one that the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency calls one-planet prosperity. Because Earths ecological budget is not up for negotiation, the only choice before us is whether we build one-planet prosperity or one-planet misery.

Scotlands COVID-19 recovery is an opportunity to choose. No society can shift overnight to a thriving economy in a world characterized by climate change, biological resource constraints, and phased-out fossil fuels.

No country, city, or company can rebuild, retrofit or repurpose its infrastructure instantaneously. Clearly, those who plan ahead stand a far better chance to thrive than those who keep investing in the obsolete resource-intensive economy.

This foresight is emerging overwhelmingly from women, starting with the youth inspiring the Fridays4Future movement. Angela Merkel has pushed Germanys energy transition for years.Ursula von der Leyen and Christine Lagarde advocate for Europes Green New Deal.

Carolina Schmidt, the Chilean minister of environment presiding COP25, and Patricia Espinosa, who heads the UNs climate convention, fight for the implementation of the Paris Agreement.

Last but not least, Nicola Sturgeon has been championing and implementing one of the most rigorous and thoughtful decarbonisation strategies of any region in the world.We have learned from COVID-19 that protecting ourselves is the only effective way to protect others. The recovery is the opportunity to do just that: preparing ourselves so we can thrive in a predictably challenging future.

While this is necessary for each communitys and companys own benefit, it is also a most generous act because everyone investing in their own long-term success makes it more possible for others to succeed. Unlike a soccer championship, this is a positive sum game.

To bridge the gap between the UNs COP meetings with the COP26 now postponed to November 2021 in Glasgow and act on the urgent need to accelerate the transformation, Global Footprint Network will launch this years Earth Overshoot Day in Scotland.

With its newly launched recovery plan, Scotlands statement to the world is clear: foresight and innovation are critical for ones own future.Most importantly, as it thinks pro-actively about what its future needs to look like, Scotland is seizing the perfect opportunity to avoid going back to what was broken and to build a future worthy of its great past.

http://www.footprintnetwork.org

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August 22 is a day where we must reflect on what we're doing to the planet - HeraldScotland

Land O’Lakes and Microsoft form strategic alliance to pioneer new innovations in agriculture and support rural communities – Stories – Microsoft

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ARDEN HILLS, Minn., and REDMOND, Wash. July 15, 2020 Land OLakes Inc. and Microsoft Corp. on Wednesday announced a multiyear strategic alliance to pioneer new innovations in agriculture and enhance the supply chain, expand sustainability practices for farmers and the food system, and close the rural broadband gap. As one of the nations largest farmer-owned cooperatives with 150 million acres of productive cropland in its network, Land OLakes is deeply connected to rural America and has a unique understanding of farmers needs and the communities where they and their families live and work. Combined with Microsofts trusted cloud technologies and AI capabilities, the companies will deliver solutions that help farmers profit potential and adoption of sustainable agricultural practices.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. farms contribute more than $130 billion to the economy, emphasizing the critical role farmers play in our nations food supply. Yet the industry faces challenges that threaten its viability, including climate change, trade issues and an evolving workforce. With the emergence of COVID-19, the industry is increasingly facing production and supply-chain issues, and many farmers are facing new economic challenges for their family-owned businesses.

Land OLakes is one of the most important food suppliers in the U.S., and our nations farmers and consumers rely on its ability to rapidly adapt to changing market forces through innovation, said Satya Nadella, CEO, Microsoft. Through our partnership, we will apply the power of Azure and its AI capabilities to help Land OLakes solve some of the most pressing challenges facing the industry and bridge the divide between rural and urban communities.

As Americas farmers continue to deliver the worlds safest, most affordable food supply, they face an increasing number of obstacles that are beyond their control. The data-based, precision agriculture tools that we are building with Microsoft will provide the edge they need, but unreliable or nonexistent high-speed internet in rural areas keeps these tools out of reach for many. Through this alliance, we will work to address this need and help farmers remain profitable and sustainable, said Beth Ford, president and CEO of Land OLakes, Inc.

Accelerating agriculture innovation

Initially, the companies will focus on developing a connected AgTech platform, built on Microsoft Azure, that will bring together Land OLakes portfolio of innovative AgTech tools, such as WinField Uniteds R7 Suite, Data Silo and Truterra Insights Engine under one unified architecture. By standardizing on Azure and harnessing the power of Azure FarmBeats, Land OLakes will be able to derive insights that enable intelligent agriculture solutions for farmers to be more productive with their time and resources. This includes early mitigation of plant stress to guide precisely where and when farmers should take action on their field for ideal growth conditions, maximization of yield potential by planting the right seed varieties and nutrients, optimizing fertilizer investments, and ensuring accurate output ratio to meet demand properly, all while lowering the farm carbon footprint.

Built on top of the AgTech platform, the companies will collaborate to advance an aggregator of data with Data Silo, as well as leverage Microsoft Azure and its AI capabilities and insights from WinField United Answer Plot test fields, to support more predictable decisions for placement of crop inputs such as seeds and treatments, with the goal of increasing return on investment with the entire acre.

The companies will create a Digital Dairy solution, harnessing the power of edge computing to capture data from farms with poor internet coverage, and the power of AI to provide data-driven insights for dairy producers. This initiative will bring together multiple data streams including weather, feed management and animal health from sensors and third-party applications to help dairy producers improve profit potential, adopt conservation practices and reduce waste by feeding livestock only what they need and ensuring milk supply doesnt go bad in the supply chain. Through the Digital Dairy solution, the companies will enable Traceability throughout the Land OLakes supply chain, providing transparency to milk, butter and cheese, ensuring consumer confidence that foods are of the highest quality and sustainably sourced. At a time when the dairy industry is stressed with changing customer demand and supply-chain disruptions, these digital tools will help producers improve efficiencies and profit potential, while helping to ensure food gets to the people who need it most.

Advancing sustainability initiatives

With the challenges of a changing climate, more extreme weather and a growing world population, Land OLakes and Microsoft share a commitment to sustainability and natural resources stewardship to help farm fields be both more resilient and productive for generations to come. We can help farmers improve the health and function of their farms soils to both produce more food and store greenhouse gas, including carbon. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimates that agricultural soils could hold up to 10% of human-caused emissions within 25 years. Yet, soils are largely absent from global carbon markets. As a result, farmers lack adequate information and incentives to practice regenerative agriculture to capture and store carbon.

The companies are working together to change that by developing a technology suite to help farmers improve their profit potential and generate new revenue in carbon markets. The new alliance will develop capabilities to quickly and effectively predict the carbon benefits of regenerative practices like no-till, precision nutrient management and planting of cover crops. Combining such capabilities with the real-time transparency from remote sensing and satellite data will make certification of these projects in global carbon markets easier, quicker and less expensive ultimately maximizing the economic value for farmers.

The companies will explore integrating these new capabilities into the Truterra Insights Engine to create a unique soil health platform that can help farmers identify new opportunities to adopt practices to improve the quality and function of their farms soils, estimate the natural resource and economic benefits of those new practices, generate soil carbon credits, and connect to soil carbon markets that sell certified credits to buyers.

The platform would help unlock the potential of hundreds of millions of acres of farmland to be an effective carbon removal system and improve soil health and productivity, while providing farmers with the insights they need to make the best decisions for their farms. Markets like these may help Microsoft reach its goal to be carbon negative by 2030 and remove more carbon from the atmosphere than it emitted since its founding by 2050, and help other businesses take advantage of soil carbon credits and the market to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

Connecting rural America

Broadband is essential to fully participate in the modern economy. Unfortunately, more than 18 million Americans, 14 million of whom live in rural communities, dont have access to broadband connections. Both companies are working to connect rural communities: Microsofts Airband Initiativehas worked around the country to eliminate the rural broadband gap, and Land OLakesAmerican Connection Projectaims to close the digital divide through action and advocacy.

The companies are launching pilots that will lead to long-termprogrammatic solutions in rural communities. Combining Microsofts Airband program and specific locations within the Land OLakes owner network, broadband will be deployed to rural communities along with services including telehealth,educational resourcesand digital skilling. Both companies are also advocating for policy changes to accelerate the availability of broadband in rural communities, including broadband mapping to fully understand who has and does not have access to broadband, and federal funding in upcoming legislation.

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic makes the digital divide even worse for many people. Remote work, education and healthcare are out of reach for people living in rural communities without online access. The companies are answering this immediate need for connectivity by working together toturn on free publicWi-Fiat more than 150+ locations in 19 statesusinga mix of technologies, including fixed wireless, and supplying internet service providers with the necessary hardware.

Land OLakes to transition its IT platforms to Microsoft

Through this agreement, Microsoft becomes Land OLakes strategic cloud provider, and Land OLakes will migrate the majority of the companys IT infrastructure onto Microsoft Azure. The company has enabled Microsoft 365 and Teams for its workforce, empowering them with next-generation digital experience technology for increased productivity, advanced security, internal collaboration and customer engagement.

About Land OLakes Inc.

Land OLakes, Inc., one of Americas premier agribusiness and food companies, is a member-owned cooperative with industry-leading operations that span the spectrum from agricultural production to consumer foods. With 2019 annual sales of $14 billion, Land OLakes is one of the nations largest cooperatives, ranking 232 on the Fortune 500. Building on a legacy of more than 99 years of operation, Land OLakes today operates some of the most respected brands and businesses in agriculture and food production including Land OLakes Dairy Foods, Purina Animal Nutrition, WinField United and Truterra, LLC. The company does business in all 50 states and more than 60 countries. Land OLakes, Inc. corporate headquarters are located in Arden Hills, Minn.

About Microsoft

Microsoft (Nasdaq MSFT @microsoft) enables digital transformation for the era of an intelligent cloud and an intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.

For more information, press only:

Microsoft Media Relations, WE Communications for Microsoft, (425) 638-7777,rrt@we-worldwide.com

Land OLakes Media Relations, Brooke Dillon, (651) 202-1670, BDillon@landolakes.com

Note to editors:For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center athttp://news.microsoft.com. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsofts Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed athttps://news.microsoft.com/microsoft-public-relations-contacts.

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Land O'Lakes and Microsoft form strategic alliance to pioneer new innovations in agriculture and support rural communities - Stories - Microsoft

MarkIt to Market – June 2020: CBD Ingredient Brands – Trademark Registration Is Possible, but May Be a Tough Pill to Swallow – JD Supra

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A June 16, 2020 precedential decision by the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board held that Federal trademark registration is not available for food, beverages, or nutritional/dietary supplements to which hemp-derived cannibidiol (CBD) has been added. Here is what you need to know aboutIn re Stanley Brothers Social Enterprises, LLC.

In this case, the applicant sought federal trademark registration of the mark CW, for hemp oil extracts sold as an integral component of dietary and nutritional supplements in Class 5. On appeal, the Board took the position that dietary supplements are a food and that hemp-derived CBD is an extract of the cannabis plant that is regulated as a drug under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act (FDCA). The sale of CBD-infused food or dietary supplements is a per se violation of the FDCA, and a mark for such products is not federally registrable. Additionally, as the record was absent any evidence that CBD-infused food had been marketed prior to institution of the clinical investigations, CBD does not fall within any exception to the FDCA that might be available to other foods or dietary supplements on the market to which drugs or biological products have been added.In light of this decision, how can brand owners protect their CBD ingredient brands?

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MarkIt to Market - June 2020: CBD Ingredient Brands - Trademark Registration Is Possible, but May Be a Tough Pill to Swallow - JD Supra

NASA wants your help identifying the birthplaces of planets – Yahoo! Voices

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Scientists know that planets form from disks of dust and gas that swirl around young stars, when clumps gradually form and gravity creates planets over millions of years. But they want to learn more about this process, so they need to find more of these protoplanetary disks for observations.

A new project from NASA aims to get the publics help with this, by inviting them to help identify disks through a website called Disk Detective.

Were trying to understand how long it takes for planets to form, astrophysicist Marc Kuchner, the Disk Detective project lead at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center and the Citizen Science Officer for NASAs Science Mission Directorate, explained in a statement. Tracing the evolution of these disks is the main way that we know how long planet formation takes.

This illustration shows a young, sun-like star encircled by its planet-forming disk of gas and dust. NASA/JPL-Caltech

To help in this project, you can head to the Disk Detective page on the citizen science platform Zooniverse and select Get Started.The site will show you a tutorial on how to identify a planetary disk, then ask you to select from a list of options describing the objects shape which will help with classification.

The site has a massive dataset of 150,000 stars, so there are plenty of targets for volunteers to work through. Most of the stars in the dataset are M dwarfs, which are the most common stars in our galaxy, or brown dwarfs, which are cooler and less massive than other stars.

This system has the potential to bring real benefits to scientific research. We have multiple citizen scientists look at each object, give their own independent opinion, and trust the wisdom of the crowd to decide what things are probably galaxies and what things are probably stars with disks around them, said Disk Detectives director, Steven Silverberg, a postdoctoral researcher at Massachusetts Institute of Technologys Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research.

Other NASA citizen science projects include inviting the public to help navigate rovers around Mars, help pick a landing site on distant asteroid Bennu, and identify and map the worlds corals. The Disk Detective project has already assisted in some exciting discoveries such as the identification of the closest yet young brown dwarf disk to Earth.

To figure out how disks evolve, we need a big sample of different kinds of disks of different ages, Kuchner said. NASA needs your help. Come discover these disks with us!

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NASA wants your help identifying the birthplaces of planets - Yahoo! Voices

Forget gold and Bitcoin. I’d buy these 2 FTSE 100 shares to get rich and retire early – Yahoo Finance UK

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The FTSE 100s 18% decline since the start of the year may cause some investors to focus their capital on other assets, such as Bitcoin and gold.

While they may offer superior return prospects in the near term due to recent trends, the stock market has a long history of recovery. Furthermore, golds high price and Bitcoins lack of fundamentals may make them relatively unattractive.

Therefore, buying a diverse range of stocks such as the two companies discussed below could be a shrewd means of improving your financial future, and boosting your chances of retiring early.

FTSE 100 retailers such as Next (LSE: NXT) have endured unprecedented challenges so far in 2020. Coronavirus has caused the companys sales to plummet, although its recent update suggested that it has the financial means to survive what could be a very challenging period for the sector.

In fact, the business forecasts that even in its worst-case scenario of a 40% reduction in sales this year, it will remain profitable and in a position to reduce debt levels. This suggests that it could even grow market share at the expense of rivals that do not have the same balance sheet strength as Next.

Furthermore, the company has invested heavily in its online operations in recent years. It has strengthened its supply chain, and its online retail platform could be a means of accessing changing consumer trends as a higher proportion of shoppers use e-commerce facilities.

While the Next share price may come under pressure due to weak consumer sentiment, it appears to offer long-term recovery potential that could allow it to outperform the FTSE 100 in the coming years.

Another FTSE 100 share that could prove to be attractive on a long-term basis at the present time is RBS (LSE: RBS). The bank faces a very difficult short-term operating outlook, with rising unemployment, weak consumer confidence and political risks such as Brexit likely to weigh on investor sentiment in the coming months.

This has been reflected in its share price decline of 48% since the start of the year, with low interest rates likely to mean that its profitability comes under further pressure in the near term.

However, the banks recent quarterly update highlighted its improved financial strength. This could help it to overcome a challenging operating environment, while its medium-term plans to cut costs may lead to a more efficient and leaner business.

With RBS having recently traded at its lowest level since the financial crisis, it could offer a wide margin of safety that factors in the risks facing the FTSE 100 banking sector. While it is a relatively risky investment, it could nevertheless prove to be a profitable one over the coming years as the economys performance improves.

The post Forget gold and Bitcoin. Id buy these 2 FTSE 100 shares to get rich and retire early appeared first on The Motley Fool UK.

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Peter Stephens owns shares of Royal Bank of Scotland Group. The Motley Fool UK owns shares of Next. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.

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Forget gold and Bitcoin. I'd buy these 2 FTSE 100 shares to get rich and retire early - Yahoo Finance UK

The Quarantine Stream: ‘Mars Attacks!’ Proves Tim Burton Didn’t Always Need a Gothic Circus To Have Fun – /FILM

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(Welcome toThe Quarantine Stream, a new series where the /Film team shares what theyve been watching while social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.)

The Movie: Mars Attacks!

Where You Can Stream It: HBO Max

The Pitch: Based on the comic book of the same name, this sci-fi comedy modeled after classic B-movies finds Earth being invaded by some tricky aliens from Mars. An incredible, all-star ensemble cast tries to survive, including Jack Nicholson in dual roles, Annette Bening giving an all-time great comedic performance, and a whos who of supporting cast members all having an absolute blast.

Why Its Essential Viewing: If you look at the filmography of Tim Burton over the past 10 or 15 years, youd never know that he used to dabble in movies that didnt have anything to do with weird kids or strange, gothic circuses. But, believe it or not, there was a time when Burton delivered movies that were a lot more fun, digging into delightfully twisted satire rather than stories that seem tailor-made to sell Hot Topic merchandise. One of his best is the 1996 sci-fi comedy comic book adaptation Mars Attacks!, and it still holds up today.

The year before Mars Attacks! was released, Tim Burton made Ed Wood, a movie starring Johnny Depp as the infamous filmmaker behind Plan 9 from Outer Space, largely regarded as one of the worst films ever made. So its only appropriate that Mars Attacks! follows a lot of the same sci-fi B-movie tropes that make some classic movies from the 1950s and 1960s so hilarious to watch. But Burton presents them with a modern satirical lens, as well as visual effects that were very impressive at the time. In fact, because of their intentionally simplistic and classic aesthetic, they still look pretty damn good after nearly 25 years

Aside from the comedy that comes from our invaders from Mars, whose antics only get more cartoonish as the movie goes on, the real draw of Mars Attacks! is the massive, mind-blowing ensemble cast. The movie includes Jack Nicholson having having the time of his life as the President of the United States and a high-rolling, eccentric casino owner, Annette Bening as a flower child space case, Michael J. Fox as a cocky, smarmy reporter, Sarah Jessica Parker as his E! News-esque anchor girlfriend, Martin Short as a sleazy press secretary, Rod Steiger as a trigger happy general, as well as Lukas Haas, Glenn Close, Pierce Brosnan, Natalie Portman, Jim Brown, Pam Grier, Christina Applegate, Jack Black, and singer Tom Jones as himself.

Mars Attacks! not only serves as a fun send-up of classic sci-fi movies, but i arrived six months after the release of Independence Day, so it also felt like somewhat of a parody of the large scale alien invasion action flick too. Honestly, this might be the last truly fun movie that Tim Burton directed. And dont you dare try to bring up Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to prove me wrong.

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The Quarantine Stream: 'Mars Attacks!' Proves Tim Burton Didn't Always Need a Gothic Circus To Have Fun - /FILM

Mars Incorporated joins key sustainable farming project for Asian palm oil and cocoa markets – Confectionery Production

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The global Mars, Incorporated group has joined with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), for a five-year research-in-development project, Sustainable Farming in Tropical Asian Landscapes (SFITAL), and World Agroforestry, (ICRAF) to support small-scale Indonesian and Philippines palm oil and cocoa producers.

As the business noted, it is aiming to explore environmentally sustainable ways to create greater links for farming communities to global supply chains, given that many of the worlds 500 million farmers living in poverty, as well as facing disruption from a number of major issues. These include climate change, increasing demand for food from growing populations, and degrading agricultural and natural landscapes.

The collaboration started this month and is supported financially and on the ground by IFAD, Mars and ICRAF through an investment of approximately $4 million.

Small-scale producers nevertheless produce much of the planets food. They therefore need to be at the forefront of any transformation of our food systems. SFITAL aims to explore how agricultural systems can be managed sustainably in entire landscapes in a way that respects the environment and enables the producers to thrive.

This agreement heralds a significant step in the transition to more sustainable food systems, said Tony Simons, director-general of ICRAF. We anticipate that millions of small-scale producers, consumers and the global climate system will benefit enormously from research in development of the tropical agricultural landscapes.

SFITAL will focus on palm oil in Indonesia and cocoa in Indonesia and the Philippines. These raw materials are major sources of livelihoods of those living in rural communities who rely on them for employment and business opportunities, yet they are cultivated in areas facing environmental threats, ranging from water stress to deforestation.

IFAD is committed to supporting small-scale producers to improve the sustainability and profitability of their farms through better practices, and this grant does that, said Fabrizio Bresciani, IFADs regional economist, Asia and the Pacific. Together with ICRAF and Mars, we will promote better farm management, lower transactional costs and higher production standards. We will establish innovative traceability systems so small-scale producers can participate in highly profitable and sustainable cocoa and palm-oil value chains.

The challenges facing small-scale producers in tropical regions are numerous. Climate change and poverty, slow or unresponsive governance systems with little interconnectivity, environmentally unfriendly infrastructure, social conflict and limited access to financing mechanisms contribute to unattractive risk environments for investors.

Mars has a responsibility to the millions of small-scale producers in our value chains, said Barry Parkin, chief procurement and sustainability officer. And for many of these producers, meeting sustainability standards that are required for access to global markets is incredibly costly. We believe this landscape approach will demonstrate environmentally and socially viable models for more effectively integrating small-scale producers into global supply chains. We need thriving farmers in our collective supply chains to build a safer, more resilient food system for the long term.

In this context, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) is of paramount importance. SFITAL brings together public, private and research communities to tackle the complex challenges faced by small-scale producers. Through this partnership, SFITAL aims to advance other critical Goals, including Goal 2 on Zero Hunger, Goal 12 on Responsible Consumption and Production, and Goal 15 on Life on Land.

A collaborative effort by governments, industry, non-governmental organisations and others is needed to co-design and implement with small-scale producers new ways of operating. To address these complex challenges, SFITAL will draw on experience in the two countries with the two raw materials to Enhance both environmental and social management systems and/or production standards in whole landscapes to meet sustainability and strategic positioning in the global market; Increase participation of small-scale producers in value chains based on sustainably sourced raw materials; Expand the global scale of sustainable value chains of the two raw materials through strengthening enabling environments by inclusive involvement of local governments and others; and Generate and promote learning through integrated and effective knowledge and project management.

The progress of the project will be watched closely by governments, development agencies, farmers associations and the private sector. The SFITAL team encourages more multi-sectoral collaboration to help expand the scale of sustainable farming, ensuring the swift transformation of the worlds food systems.

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Mars Incorporated joins key sustainable farming project for Asian palm oil and cocoa markets - Confectionery Production

Bitcoin Cash (BCH) Up $0.32 On 4 Hour Chart, Underperforms All Top Cryptos to Start the Day; Price Base in Formation Over Past 30 Days – CFDTrading

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Bitcoin Cash 4 Hour Price Update

Updated July 18, 2020 07:18 PM GMT (03:18 PM EST)

Bitcoin Cash is up 0.14% ($0.32) since the previous 4 hours, marking the 5th candle in a row an increase has occurred. Out of the 5 instruments in the Top Cryptos asset class, Bitcoin Cash ended up ranking 4th for the four-hour candle in terms of price change relative to the previous 4 hours.

Bitcoin Cash closed the day prior down 0.66% ($1.48); this denotes the 5th day in a row it has gone down. This move happened on lower volume, as yesterdays volume was down 34.18% from the day before and down 27.85% from the same day the week before. Those trading within the Top Cryptos asset class should know that Bitcoin Cash was the worst performer in the class during the day prior. Here is a daily price chart of Bitcoin Cash.

Coming into today Bitcoin Cash is now close to its 20 day averages, located at 229.63 respectively, and thus may be at a key juncture along those timeframes. Also of note is that on a 30 day basis price appears to be forming a base which could the stage for it being a support/resistance level going forward. For another vantage point, consider that Bitcoin Cashs price has gone down 7 of the previous 10 trading days.

For laughs, fights, or genuinely useful information, lets see what the most popular tweets pertaining to Bitcoin Cash for the past day were:

@newbie_6 @rogerkver If youre transaction fee was too low then your BTC transaction is probably stuck. Thats because BTC has been changed to not accommodate low fees causing huge problems. You should use Bitcoin Cash instead, where fees are typically under a penny and are fast!

@rogerkver Bitcoin = Satoshi Nakamoto White PaperSo as such, #Bitcoin is Bitcoin Cash (#BCH)While Bitcoin Core is a shitcoin that no longer follows the Original White Paper. Bitcoin Core should NEVER be called Bitcoin. Its simply Bitcoin Core, Bitcore or BTCPlain and Simple

Top 10 Cryptocurrencies prices during the past weekStar of the week was Chainlink $LINK, reaching a price of $8.42; an increase of 41.92% in 7 days onlyBitcoin Cash $BCH was the biggest loser, it has dropped to $223.61, representing a loss of -5.70%

For a longer news piece related to BCH thats been generating discussion, check out:

Bitcoin Cash price analysis: only bullish above $245

Bitcoin Cash technical analysis shows that bulls need to keep the BCH/USD pair above the $205 level to avoid a $75 sell-off.Watch out for a powerful technical breakout if price moves above the neckline of the pattern, around the $245 level. Bitcoin Cash technical analysis shows that the cryptocurrency needs to move above the $245 level to activate a bullish reversal pattern.

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Bitcoin Cash (BCH) Up $0.32 On 4 Hour Chart, Underperforms All Top Cryptos to Start the Day; Price Base in Formation Over Past 30 Days - CFDTrading

Check Out This Champion Beatboxer Cover the Cyberpunk 2077 Theme Music – Beebom

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If you know about the upcoming Keanu Reaves starred, one of the most hyped video games of 2020, Cyberpunk 2077, then you might be familiar with the awesome theme song of the game. However, what you might not be familiar with is this insane cover of the techno theme music of the game by this crazy beatboxer.

Going by the name Improver, the guy won the Russian Beatbox Championship last year, as stated in his Instagram bio. Well, lets just say he deserved it and theres a reason he won the competition. It is because he is that good in his area of expertise. Just take a look at the video below and tell me he is not insane (I dare you!).

Now, as you can see, he has a madly talented pair of lips, throat, and voice modulation capability. And as he specializes in the techno genre, covering this piece from the upcoming sci-fi RPG game was a breeze for Improver.

After winning the Russian Beatbox Championship, Improver made quite a lot of amazing videos for his YouTube Channel. However, going by all his profiles, the guy did not, in any platform, share his name. All we know is that he is from Ulyanovsk, Russia, and is a pro beatboxer.

Now, coming to Cyberpunk 2077. From earlier reports, we know how much hype is around the upcoming video game. But the dystopian RPG is being delayed for quite a long time now. After an initial delay in launch, the game was set to come in September. However, recently the date was again moved further to November 19.

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Check Out This Champion Beatboxer Cover the Cyberpunk 2077 Theme Music - Beebom

HR in Focus The Difference Between a Vision & a Mission and their Importance – St. Lucia News From – The Voice St. Lucia

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Whilst some Companies might exist without a Mission or a Vision, some find it hard to connect the dots of their true purpose without a statement that conjures hope, direction, clarity and the need for success. For those that have seen the benefit in connecting what they do every day with the bigger picture, does your Vision and Mission inspire your team? Does it resonate with them? Do they recognize how what they do every day is connected with the corporate Vision and Mission? If your Vision or Mission does not propel your team members every day to be excited, and to be fully engaged in their duties then your Vision is probably not conveying the right message in a way that resonates with your team members. Furthermore, your Vision might not have been promulgated and communicated with your team in a way that would have elicited their buy-in.

One of the biggest issues I have come across regarding team members connection to the company and their purpose is a Lack of Buy-In. Many companies make the mistake of alienating their team members when it comes to significant directions that require their support to succeed. This often sabotages the success of any initiative, enterprise or company. The simple rule is that Leaders and executives plan because of their insight, they see the forest from the trees, but the majority of the work that actually creates success lies with the team members. The Golden Rule therefore is to always ensure that team members are involved and feel that they are a part of what is going on. Any Vision and Mission written, must be communicated in such a way that your team members are moved and encouraged. If your Team members are not driven in a manner that fulfils your purpose and there seems to be a misalignment with the results produced, it might be time to revisit your Vision and Mission as well as your teams understanding of their purpose.

A Vision and Mission are two different concepts and should remain as such. Some companies choose to have both, and some have either one or the other. Ideally it is best to have two because they each have a specific purpose: A Vision is futuristic and long term. A Mission is a statement to your stakeholders on the everyday strategy that serves to realize that Vision.

The Vision and its Purpose

A Vision statement delineates what the Companys Future looks like in a couple of years and it gives team members and clientele something to look forward to. It gives meaning to everything done on a daily basis. The statement should be inspiring in such a way as to encourage the energy and motivational levels required to have employees to look forward to a bright and prosperous future. This means that every day your employees are working towards the materialization of those Goals for the foreseeable future. A Vision that is lacklustre, unclear and nebulous tends to conjure mixed feelings, produces ambiguous connotations and fails to achieve the intended results. Similarly, a good Vision that is neither prominently displayed nor regularly referred to is not effective in maintaining your teams motivation towards the achievement of the Companys Goals. To ensure that the Vision is achievable and aligned with the steps everyone needs to take to achieve it, it is important to ensure that the stakeholders are also part of the process so that they buy-in to the Plan.

The Mission and its Purpose

A Mission statement provides direction regarding the Companys everyday reason for existing. It is the Companys pledge to its employees and Customers. Basically, as opposed to the Vision, which is long term, a Mission is an everyday call to action. However, similar to a Vision it needs to inspire, be clear and able to generate positive actions based on its Value Proposition to stakeholders, most importantly Customers and Employees. Both the Vision and Mission must provide Alignment with the Companys Purpose in order to be truly effective. The main goal is to ensure that everyone is working towards the same goals and has the same purpose. It keeps everyone working with the same agenda. Team Members feel more informed, more goal and solutions oriented, and more harmonious when what they do every single day connects them on multiple levels.

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HR in Focus The Difference Between a Vision & a Mission and their Importance - St. Lucia News From - The Voice St. Lucia

Covid-19: What we now know about the disease caused by the novel coronavirus – KEYT

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Each day new information comes out about the deadly novel coronavirus and Covid-19, the disease it causes, making it difficult to keep up with all that science has learned.

Heres a wrap-up of what has changed since the pandemic began and what you need to know now to keep you and your family safe.

Fever, cough and shortness of breath: The big three are still the most common symptoms, but the list has grown over the months. We now know many common cold and flu symptoms can also play a role, such as a sore throat, headache, body and muscle aches, chills and shivers, a snotty or congested nose, intense fatigue (which can last longer than the illness), diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.

New, bizarre symptoms: Skin rashes and Covid-toes, where the toes become red and swollen from tiny blood clots, are some of the newer symptoms that may be early warning signs of Covid-19.

More early signals include pink eye (a highly contagious eye condition also known as conjunctivitis), anosmia (a loss of smell that can also lead to a loss of taste), and a sudden, new onset of confusion, even to the point of delirium.

Emergency symptoms: An inability to wake or stay awake, chest pain or pressure, new mental confusion or delirium, blue-tinged lips or any sudden or severe breathing problems can all signal an emergency, warns the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, so call 911 immediately.

Read more: Covid-19 symptoms what we know now and what to do

Everyone: The virus can infect anyone, even babies in the womb. Its how your body responds to the virus that is the key question. The answer appears to be a complex interplay between viral load how much virus you were exposed to and your age and health.

At first, the CDC said it was seniors over 65, especially if they had an underling health condition, who were at highest risk of serious illness and death. But thats no longer true. People in their 20s, 30s and 40s even some children have collapsed and died from Covid-19 some when their immune systems overreacted to the virus, in what is called a cytokine storm.

Others have been knocked out on their back and brought to their knees pretty quick, by Covid-19, said White House adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci in an interview Thursday with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Fauci is the top infectious diseases expert in the US.

There are many, many young people who get infected. They get sick. They feel horrible for weeks and weeks, Fauci said, adding that he has noticed young people experiencing something similar to chronic fatigue syndrome after recovering from the virus.

Even when they clear the virus, and they test negative they dont have any virus they can feel out of sorts for weeks and weeks.

Read more: 24-year-old beats Covid-19 after 80 days in hospital

Age and health are key: Science now knows that anyone at any age with at least one chronic health condition is at greater danger from Covid-19. The risk rises with increasing age, the number of underlying medical conditions you have and whether or not you are obese (body mass index or BMI over 30).

Thats a lot of people at risk: Just in America, more than 40% of the population are considered obese, according to the CDC, while some 60% of American adults have at least one chronic medical condition.

High-risk medical conditions: That list is long and growing. Currently, it includes diabetes, chronic lung disease or asthma, cardiovascular disease, cancer (or are undergoing chemotherapy), organ transplants, sickle cell anemia, kidney disease with dialysis, poorly controlled HIV infection, obesity and any autoimmune disorder.

Pregnancy raises risk: Early in the pandemic, expecting mothers and their fetus or newborn were not considered at high risk.

That too has changed, as doctors have found the virus can cross the placenta to infect the fetus. We now know that women who are pregnant are 50% more likely to end up in the intensive care unit and 70% more likely to receive mechanical ventilation.

Nursing home, veterans home, long-term care facilities: Facilities which house the older and more infirm in society are typically more crowded, with fewer staff to care for the needs of inhabitants individually. In addition, adults in these facilities are older, weaker, and likely to have multiple health issues and frail immune systems.

The toll has been devastating: In the US, nursing home residents comprised 35% of the more than 87,000 coronavirus deaths recorded as of May 15. In Belgium, France, Ireland, Canada and Norway it was over 50%.

Read more: Tragic Covid-19 outbreak at Massachusetts veterans home

Person-to-person: The vast majority of transmission of SARS Covid-2, the novel coronaviruss scientific name, is person-to-person. The virus predominately spreads via respiratory droplets sprayed into the air as an infected person coughs, sneezes, sings or talks. For the most part, those droplets can travel in about a six-foot radius from the infected person.

Watch: Why six-feet social distancing works

Objects: Heavier droplets will fall more quickly to the ground, thus infecting surrounding objects with the virus, which can stay viable to some degree for days. While the virus does break down and become weaker as time goes on, studies have found traces of SARS Covid-2 after four hours on copper, 24 hours on cardboard, and two to three days on stainless steel and plastic.

Despite that, its highly unlikely youd get the novel coronavirus from your groceries and next to impossible to get it from food, experts say.

Read more: No need to wipe down groceries or take-out

Kissing, semen and feces: Because SARS Covid-2 is found in saliva, kissing can obviously transmit the virus. Its also been found in semen, but it isnt clear if it virus is viral enough to be infectious. While its unlikely that it can be transmitted during vaginal, anal or oral sex, those with active infections may consider abstaining or using a condom.

It has also been found in feces. A good reminder to always close the lid on your toilet before you flush, wash hands with soap often and for at least 20 seconds, and frequently clean and disinfect common areas of your home.

Floating in the air? Recent studies show smaller respiratory droplets that sputter out of an infected persons mouth can more quickly dry out, this possibly allowing the virus to become aerosolized and float away into the air. In extremely large, well ventilated areas and outdoors, air circulation will dilute the particles, thus greatly lowering any risk. That changes inside smaller, enclosed spaces, such as inside restaurants, offices, shops, cars, public transport and the like, experts say.

Read more: Can an A/C filter protect you from coronavirus?

Incubation period: Science now knows there is a lengthy (and somewhat uncertain) incubation period after exposure to Covid-19. Typically, symptoms will appear within five to seven days, but they can show up as early as two days after exposure and as late as 14 days with a rare few taking even longer.

Contagious and dont know it: Like many viruses, the novel coronavirus is contagious well before it makes itself known. Researchers estimate anyone infected can spread the virus to others 2 to 3 days before symptoms start, and may be the most contagious in the one to two days before they feel sick.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 40% of coronavirus transmission happens when people are presymptomatic before they feel sick. If they ever feel sick, that is.

No symptoms: One of the deadliest discoveries researchers have made is that the virus can cause no symptoms or possibly such mild symptoms that a person has no idea they have the disease.

Evidence shows that 25% to 45% of infected people likely dont have symptoms, Fauci told ABCs Good Morning America in mid-June.

These asymptomatic and presymptomatic people go about their lives spreading the disease without knowing it. Thats a key reason wearing a mask when in public is so important.

Read more: The right (and wrong) way to wear a mask

No longer contagious: The CDC says that you can be around others when you meet these three milestones: You havent had a fever in 3 days AND your cough and shortness of breath have improved AND its been 10 days since your symptoms first appeared. If your immune system is compromised, however, you may need to extend that time table.

If you tested positive for Covid-19 but never had symptoms, you can be around others 10 days after the test as long as no symptoms appeared.

If youve been exposed to someone who tested positive, you need to stay home for a full 14 days, the CDC says.

Scientists around the world have been hoping that being infected with SARS Covid-2 will produce powerful antibodies and immunity against any future exposure to the virus much like having measles, mumps and chickenpox protects you from ever getting any of those diseases again. Recent non-peer reviewed studies show good and bad news.

Good news: It does appear that people develop antibodies after recovering from Covid-19 some develop more than others, possibly due to the amount of virus they were exposed to and their bodys immune response.

Bad news: Unfortunately, at this time those antibodies dont appear to last more than a month or two. That means SARS Covid-2 may behave like other, more common coronviruses circulating every year known to cause the common cold.

Similar short-lived responses are seen against other human coronaviruses that predominantly cause only mild illness, meaning that we can be re-infected as time goes by and outbreaks can adopt seasonality, said Stephen Griffins, associate professor in the University of Leeds School of Medicine in the United Kingdom, in a written statement.

With the more serious, sometimes fatal, outcomes of SARS-COV2, this is troubling indeed, Griffins added.

Its possible that lingering memory immune cells may recognize and battle the virus the next time it invades, thus possibly leading to a milder case of But theres no way of knowing that right now, experts say.

Vaccine development impact: How this lack of immunity will affect many of the vaccines under development is also unclear. Will they produce enough of an antibody response to last?

It suggests vaccines will need to be better at inducing high levels of longer-lasting antibodies than the natural infection or that doses may need to be repeated to maintain immunity, said Dr. Mala Maini, a professor of viral immunology and consultant physician at the University College London, in a statement.

Read more: Promising results for one vaccine, but more research needed

Prevention is the best defense: Mom taught you this as a child: Cough or sneeze into your elbow, wash your hands properly, with soap and water while you sing Happy Birthday twice (or another of these songs) and stay away from others who are sick.

Mom knew best, of course: Since you cant really tell who is sick with Covid-19, you can add to her wisdom by wearing a mask every time you leave the house and engage with others. It may not be long before your city or state requires you to do so.

Its not brain surgery: Its a no brainer to stay six feet away from everyone else when you go out thats the social distancing golden rule. But other no-duh guidelines include:

And please no bars. Besides the close quarters, all that alcohol lowers inhibitions and removes common sense something we could all use more of right now.

Read more: All your coronavirus questions answered

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Covid-19: What we now know about the disease caused by the novel coronavirus - KEYT