Daily Archives: May 11, 2017

Provincial election results on Tuesday highlight the need for all parties to work to bridge the growing divide between urban and rural voters in B.C., say political observers.

I find it disconcerting to have this very stark division, Hamish Telford, associate professor and head of the political science department at University of the Fraser Valley, said in an interview Wednesday.

We see a real divergence in political culture and economy playing out.

Norman Ruff, associate professor emeritus of political science at the University of Victoria, said there have always been distinct regional patterns to the B.C. vote, but 2017 highlighted a deepening urban-rural divide.

The current economic and cultural contrasts between the North and the Interior with Vancouver and the Lower Mainland effectively define two British Columbias, Ruff said.

While one lags behind in its continued dependence on a dwindling natural resource-based economy, and in a sense still looks backward for its future, the other continues an exponential growth in diversity and enjoys a transition to an entirely new economy.

He called on all parties to bridge the divide as a matter of the provincial public good but also for their own partys future. He added that 17 Northern and Interior electoral districts have been given grandfathered protection in the distribution of seats around the province and now contain significantly fewer voters than elsewhere.

Telford points to the 2013 election and Liberal Leader Christy Clarks defeat in Vancouver (she later ran successfully in Kelowna), and controversies such as the province forcing a Metro Vancouver referendum on TransLink funding and the dismissal of the Vancouver school board.

The Liberals didnt have an urban-friendly platform, Telford added of the 2017 campaign, noting Clark again championed the rural vote by tackling the softwood lumber issue.

If she wants to work a government in this precarious situation, shes going to need to be more sensitive to the urban agenda and appoint cabinet ministers to key portfolios who understand urban issues better.

At the same time, the other parties must find policies that resonate with the Interior and North.

B.C. has always had polarized left-right politics, but when regional divisions taken on political overtones as they did in this election and they start to pit regions against each other, thats not good for the unity of the province.

Telford said the Liberals in recent years have cultivated a strong following in rural areas of mainland B.C., including through support for resource projects such as LNG exports, the Site C hydroelectric dam, and the Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion project.

In addition to their rural strongholds, the Liberals on Tuesday also scored in traditional NDP territory, Ellis Ross winning the Skeena riding over the NDPs Bruce Bidgood.

At the same time, four Liberal cabinet ministers were defeated in urban ridings in Metro Vancouver: Attorney General Suzanne Anton (Vancouver-Fraserview); TransLink minister Peter Fassbender (Surrey-Fleetwood); Naomi Yamamoto, minister of state for emergency preparedness (North Vancouver-Lonsdale); and Technology Minister Amrik Virk (Surrey-Guildford).

While much of Vancouver Island is also rural, the region is traditional NDP territory. Of 14 available seats, the NDP took 10 (down from 11), the Greens three (up from one) and the Liberals one (down from two), though the NDP won by only nine votes in Courtenay-Comox an outcome that is expected to undergo a recount.

Original post:

Stark urban-rural divide deepening in BC, observers say - Times Colonist

The following is a press release from Friends of Netarts Bay WEBS:

The beautiful Netarts Bay is a unique ecosystem home to great marine life and birds. It also holds countless stories within its landscape and waters from signs on how this bay formed to how it has been used by people throughout time. Discover these stories and more during two free events offered by the Friends of Netarts Bay - Watershed, Estuary, Beach and Sea (WEBS) on Saturday.

Hosted by WEBS, these events are part of the Explore Nature series of hikes, walks, paddles and outdoor adventures. Explore Nature events are hosted by a consortium of volunteer community and non-profit organizations, and are meaningful nature-based experiences highlight the unique beauty of Tillamook County and the work being done to preserve and conserve the areas natural resources and natural resource-based economy. Learn more at http://www.explorenaturetillamookCoast.com.

Kayak Netarts Bay: There is no better way to experience Netarts than on the water. Friends of Netarts Bay WEBS in partnership with Explore Nature and Kayak Tillamook County is offering a free kayak tour of the bay entrance. This tour offers an easier ride, taking advantage of the last of outgoing tides toward mouth of bay. Participants will stop on the way to see the aquarium of marine life such as kelp and Dungeness crab, filtering shellfish, and aquatic vegetation that lives in the shallow waters of the cove. Afterwards, more intrepid paddlers can paddle near the bay entrance to experience some swell energy. On our return, we'll paddle the incoming tides past harbor seals lounging on the sand bar before heading back to the launch site.

When: Saturday from 8:30 a.m. noon

Where: Netarts Bay area. Sign up for specific location!

Details: Kayak Tillamook County will provide kayak, gear and life jackets. If you have your own kayak, please let Kayak Tillamook know during registration. Please be prepared for coastal Oregon weather. We will have water available onsite. Please bring a reusable water bottle and snacks.

Restrictions: Tweens and older are free to join this trip. People with serious medical conditions should exercise caution in joining. Anyone over 230 pounds should notify us during registration to ensure we have the proper gear.

Registration: Registration is required. Please send an email to Marcus Hinz: marc@kayaktillamook.com. More information and registration details are also available at http://www.explorenaturetillamookcounty.com.

Migratory Bird Day Outing- Coastal and Pelagic Birds:

Do you love watching and listening to birds along the bay?Discover the amazing life histories of the aquatic birds of Netarts Bay at the WEBS program, Migratory Bird Day Outing: Coastal and Pelagic Birds. Join in and explore Netarts Bay and Cape Meares headlands in search of coastal birds and nesting seabirds. Learn about the local geologic and ecologic features of our areas headlands and how these birds have adapted to live on the edge!

When:Saturday 9 a.m. 1 p.m.

Where:Netarts Bay area. Sign up for specific location!

Details:Weather on the Oregon Coast is unpredictable and change quickly. Please dress accordingly. Binoculars are recommended. WEBS will have a limited number of binoculars and viewing scopes available. Transportation around the bay will be provided.

For more information: ContactWEBSPresident@aol.comor call541-231-8041.

Original post:

Free kayak trip and migratory bird events upcoming this weekend - Tillamook Headlight-Herald

With spending levels set through September, the Senate digging in on health care and the U.S. House of Representatives now turning to tax reform, some may believe infrastructure will take a backseat to these priorities. Yet observers of the legislative process know that policymaking is always occurring, even if it is not always in plain sight.

While any infrastructure package will be complicated, the private freight rail sector unique in the discussion as the industry is not necessarily seeking federal dollars offers straightforward advice: advance public policies that both enhance public spending and spur private infrastructure investment.

We stand on firm ground, as one train can take hundreds of trucks off the road, thereby lessening road and bridge deterioration. The industry has also spent $635 billion since partial deregulation nearly 40 years ago money the industry pays so taxpayers do not.

As lawmakers turn their attention to actual legislation, our industry offers recommendations as a starting point in this sure-to-be lengthy process, simply for the transportation part of infrastructure:

1. Stop applying Band-Aids to the insolvent Highway Trust Fund, the pool of money funded almost solely by the gas tax and which is used to fund federal and state transportation infrastructure projects. Because the gas tax does not cover operating expenses, and because commercial users such as trucks do not pay for their proportional use of roads, taxpayers have subsidized the fund to the tune of $143 billion since 2008. We need measures such as a weight distance fee that accounts more realistically for commercial road use.

2. Do not make things worse by pushing heavier trucks onto transportation networks. Any federal program that boosts truck weight limits at the federal level further subsidizes commercial highway users at the expense of taxpayers, exacerbates deterioration of crumbling infrastructure and tilts the policy scale against a critical freight rail industry. Trucks today do not cover their current impact and heavier trucks will only force taxpayers to further bankroll the underpayment of even heavier trucks, according to U.S. Department of Transportation data.

3. Enact tax reform to spur economic growth and generate revenues needed for sustainable funding. We need a simpler and fairer tax code, reducing the business rate to a globally competitive level to broaden the tax base, enhance U.S. economic development and promote growth. Divisive items related to tax reform must not impede the larger goal to enhance competition, which for railroads and American industry in general, will lead to more domestic spending.

4. Streamline government processes that will similarly unshackle the business community and fuel an American renaissance not seen for decades. By generating policies that focus more on desired outcomes than prescriptive steps, cutting red tape in the permitting process and by actually communicating with the private sector, long-delayed infrastructure projects may finally come to fruition. Not by eradicating regulation, but by instilling good government principles transparency and complete and sound science railroads, trucks and other transportation stakeholders would gain efficiencies that make room for greater innovation and investment.

5. Ensure the vitality of private infrastructure, namely a freight rail network that serves nearly every industrial-, wholesale-, retail- and resource-based sector of the economy. This means Washington regulators ditching numerous proceedings to re-regulate freight rail, most notably a proposed measure called forced access, which would allow the government to order one rail company to use its own privately owned facilities on behalf of a competitor. Unneeded government meddling in the operations of this 140,000 mile network that keeps trucks off the road, reduces emissions and supports 1.5 million jobs nationally, is in direct opposition to the larger goal at hand.

Fixing U.S. infrastructure, particularly roads and bridges, is no small task. But by spurring private investments and ensuring the vitality of freight rail, a messy picture is at least a bit neater.

View original post here:

Freight Rail Key to US Economy, Infrastructure - InsideSources

With spending levels set through September, the Senate digging in on health care and the U.S. House of Representatives now turning to tax reform, some may believe infrastructure will take a backseat to these priorities. Yet observers of the legislative process know that policymaking is always occurring, even if it is not always in plain sight.

While any infrastructure package will be complicated, the private freight rail sector unique in the discussion as the industry is not necessarily seeking federal dollars offers straightforward advice: advance public policies that both enhance public spending and spur private infrastructure investment.

We stand on firm ground, as one train can take hundreds of trucks off the road, thereby lessening road and bridge deterioration. The industry has also spent $635 billion since partial deregulation nearly 40 years ago money the industry pays so taxpayers do not.

As lawmakers turn their attention to actual legislation, our industry offers recommendations as a starting point in this sure-to-be lengthy process, simply for the transportation part of infrastructure:

1. Stop applying Band-Aids to the insolvent Highway Trust Fund, the pool of money funded almost solely by the gas tax and which is used to fund federal and state transportation infrastructure projects. Because the gas tax does not cover operating expenses, and because commercial users such as trucks do not pay for their proportional use of roads, taxpayers have subsidized the fund to the tune of $143 billion since 2008. We need measures such as a weight distance fee that accounts more realistically for commercial road use.

2. Do not make things worse by pushing heavier trucks onto transportation networks. Any federal program that boosts truck weight limits at the federal level further subsidizes commercial highway users at the expense of taxpayers, exacerbates deterioration of crumbling infrastructure and tilts the policy scale against a critical freight rail industry. Trucks today do not cover their current impact and heavier trucks will only force taxpayers to further bankroll the underpayment of even heavier trucks, according to U.S. Department of Transportation data.

3. Enact tax reform to spur economic growth and generate revenues needed for sustainable funding. We need a simpler and fairer tax code, reducing the business rate to a globally competitive level to broaden the tax base, enhance U.S. economic development and promote growth. Divisive items related to tax reform must not impede the larger goal to enhance competition, which for railroads and American industry in general, will lead to more domestic spending.

4. Streamline government processes that will similarly unshackle the business community and fuel an American renaissance not seen for decades. By generating policies that focus more on desired outcomes than prescriptive steps, cutting red tape in the permitting process and by actually communicating with the private sector, long-delayed infrastructure projects may finally come to fruition. Not by eradicating regulation, but by instilling good government principles transparency and complete and sound science railroads, trucks and other transportation stakeholders would gain efficiencies that make room for greater innovation and investment.

5. Ensure the vitality of private infrastructure, namely a freight rail network that serves nearly every industrial-, wholesale-, retail- and resource-based sector of the economy. This means Washington regulators ditching numerous proceedings to re-regulate freight rail, most notably a proposed measure called forced access, which would allow the government to order one rail company to use its own privately owned facilities on behalf of a competitor. Unneeded government meddling in the operations of this 140,000 mile network that keeps trucks off the road, reduces emissions and supports 1.5 million jobs nationally, is in direct opposition to the larger goal at hand.

Fixing U.S. infrastructure, particularly roads and bridges, is no small task. But by spurring private investments and ensuring the vitality of freight rail, a messy picture is at least a bit neater.

Originally posted here:

Freight Rail Key to U.S. Economy, Infrastructure InsideSources - InsideSources

A view of some of the stalls at the four-day FINEX 2017 exhibition, Tehran, Iran. Posted April 6, 2017.(photo byTwitter/CCI_Brazil_Iran)

Author:Alireza Ramezani Posted May 9, 2017

The Iranian capital played host to the four-day FINEX 2017 exhibition April 15-18. The annual event gathered more than 250 Iranian entities involved in banking and finance. While organizers dubbed it an international expo, only three foreign firms took part.

One of the driving factors behind the reluctance of foreign companies to engage with FINEX 2017 was the uncertainty over the future of Iran. Overshadowing the expo was the hostile rhetoric between Tehran and Washington and the upcoming May 19 presidential elections, which some argue could lead to the election of a conservative president.

As such, the presence of Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif at the opening ceremony of the exhibition was perhaps an attempt to highlight the event in the face of negative sentiment against Iran. The moderate administration of President Hassan Rouhani believes that Irans ambitious economic objectives cannot be achieved without the strong presence of multinational investors in the Iranian market. This might be why Zarif, who served as Irans top nuclear negotiator, in his April 15 speech attacked those criticizing the nuclear deal, which put an end to crippling sanctions against the country.

If the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action was not signed, Irans crude oil export could not exceed 1 million barrels per day [bpd] now, he said, referring to the more than 2.6 million bpd of crude being exported about one year after the implementation day of the nuclear deal. In other remarks, Zarif also noted that the state of Irans financial sector has improved significantly over the past 12 months.

Other speakers at FINEX 2017, including Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance Ali Tayebnia, Securities and Exchange Organization Chairman Shapour Mohammadi, Central Bank Gov. Valiollah Seif, Vice President for Science and Technology Sorena Sattari, and Central Insurance Company CEO Abdolnaser Hemmati, all voiced support for the Foreign Ministrys efforts that led to the sanctions lifting and also to positive movements in Iranian monetary and financial markets.

The most striking speech, however, was that of Sattari, who urged authorities to move from a resource-based economy to a knowledge-based economy. It would be a strategic mistake if authorities keep relying on oil and gas as a major source of revenue, he said. We need to adopt an entirely new culture in the financing industry to make startups and tech companies grow, he said, praising the rise of 3,000 knowledge-based companies in the country over the past three years.

In this vein, the second-largest Iranian equity market Iran Fara Bourse (IFB) was authorized by the Securities and Exchange Organization (SEO) to dedicate a hall for emerging fintech (financial technology) companies on the sidelines of FINEX 2017. The effort, dubbed FinStarts 2017, was aimed at connecting tech-based entrepreneurs with investors. This event was the second of its kind ever held in the country, with 50 fintech firms taking part. Amir Hamouni, the CEO of IFB who spoke at the closing ceremonies of the event on April 18, said officials are planning to launch a permanent online secretariat this year to help provide immediate financial support to smart and innovative ideas if need be.

Crowdfunding is another practice that Hamouni said IFB is pursuing to help fund fintech projects by raising monetary contributions from a large number of people. He expressed hope that the instrument, along with emerging venture capital funds, would be a good way to boost fintech in the country. When asked about major barriers to a more mature market, Hamouni told Al-Monitor that legislation related to fintech must be updated. He also warned that financial institutions must either adapt to new conditions or face serious challenges, as the fintech industry is set to boom. Merger and acquisition could be a good solution for financial institutions to avoid bad days, he said in an interview with Al-Monitor on the sidelines of the event.

It appears that the Rouhani administration intends to staunchly support private fintech companies, though influential semi-private firms that are already involved in the app market might resist giving up their market share. Alireza Daliri, an official from the vice presidents Office for Science and Technology, noted in an interview with Al-Monitor that his team had done its best to keep state-affiliated groups away from the fintech industry to help improve competition. But he acknowledged that despite a recently approved law that puts a 5% cap on state companies share in knowledge-based companies, some semi-state organizations still try to get a larger piece of the cake.

Observers believe that the financial regulator has in broad terms appropriately managed the market by trying to review and adapt domestic practices, standards and procedures to international norms in the past year. Ahmad Araghchi, an SEO board member, told Al-Monitor that sanctions cut off Irans access to global financial markets for years, resulting in a lack of common literature between Iran and global markets. We already took measures to fix this problem, he said, noting that his organization has to also address a weak information technology (IT) infrastructure. Weve been negotiating with global software and hardware majors to earn their expertise and technical support to remove our IT shortcomings, he said, adding that some contracts in this vein have already been signed.

If not all, at least some European companies agree that the situation is getting better in Irans financial markets. A representative of a multinational company who participated in FINEX 2017 said European and Asian investors have been increasing their awareness of the Iranian market in the past six months. The financial consultant, who spoke with Al-Monitor on the condition of anonymity, said his company, a multinational professional services firm, already has clients in France, Germany, South Korea and Japan who are weighing whether to enter Irans financial market. He pointed out that the Iranian regulator is aware of the shortcomings and has already begun to address them through deregulation and structural reform. But to see the outcome of these new policies, Rouhani needs another four years to prove that his approach toward foreign policy and the economy will result in major boosts in investment and job creation. Whether that will occur remains to be seen.

Read More: http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2017/05/iran-fintech-finex-2017-conference-financial-sector-startup.html

More:

Financial tech gaining steam in Iran - Al-Monitor

Canadas commitment to fighting climate change is strong. It took an active role in negotiation of the Paris Accord, made significant investments through the 2016 and 2017 federal budgets and created a detailed pan-Canadian plan that links climate change mitigation to innovation and clean growth. To meet our goals on climate change, it is important to reduce the release of ancient carbons from fossil fuels and to enhance the removal of carbon that is already in the atmosphere.

With their long history of management of biogenic carbon carbon that comes from living things such as plants farmers have an important role to play in helping Canada to make the shift to a lower-carbon economy. By adopting better farming practices like reduced tillage and 4R Nutrient Stewardship, producers can reduce emissions associated with land and fertilizer management, while improving their economic efficiency. The crops that they grow draw carbon from the atmosphere and convert it to the kernels of corn, wheat, canola and soybeans that are sold into the global commodities market. The remainder of the carbon that the plants have captured in their leaves, stems and roots is either returned to the atmosphere through decay at the end of the growing season or stored in soils.

Historically, these crop leftovers, or residues, have offered limited value to farmers, but they can be gathered and their biogenic carbon converted to the transportation fuels, heat, electricity, chemicals and materials that would typically be made from fossil fuels. So, as international trade discussions focus on global markets, import and export balances and commodity competition, agricultural producers are stepping up to help Canada reshape its domestic economy by feeding the biocleantech revolution.

And Canada has lots of biomass residues. In fact, taken together, Canada has more biomass resources from agriculture, forest product wastes and organic municipal wastes than any other country. An Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada study showed that some 48 million dry tonnes of agricultural residues could be available for biocleantech applications each year. As farmers embrace the use of high-yielding crops, even more residues are produced, ensuring a strong and steady future supply. When combined with residues from forestry and municipal wastes, an estimated 120 million dry tonnes of biomass could be available annually in Canada a target number that is less than half the biomass already used in the United States.

Modern commercial biomass conversion technologies use existing facilities to turn agricultural wastes into fuels, heat and electrical energy. Such technologies are proven and effective and can be economically deployed in Canada.

How could we use this ample biomass supply to address emissions? Canadas vast size, chilly weather and resource-based economy result in a unique greenhouse gas emissions profile, with large and growing emissions from heavy transportation, space heating, and extraction and refining of energy resources. Each of these processes is highly dependent upon existing and expensive infrastructure. Very-low-carbon alternatives such as wind and solar are expensive because they must abandon this older infrastructure and start over. But modern commercial biomass conversion technologies use existing facilities to turn agricultural wastes into fuels, heat and electrical energy. Such technologies are proven and effective and can be economically deployed in Canada without stranding the infrastructure we have. For example, biofuels distributed through pipelines and fuelling stations to run existing combustion-engine fleets can create a bridge from the carbon-intense fossil fuel economy of the past to a new, electrified fleet as individual cars and trucks reach the end of their life span and are ready for replacement.

Agricultural residues can also be made into higher-value chemicals and materials. Sarnias BioAmber is the worlds largest manufacturer of bio-succinic acid, which is used in the production of recyclable plastics, spandex, paints and pharmaceuticals. Instead of the traditional fossil fuel resources used to manufacture succinic acid, BioAmber uses corn stover the leftover stalks and leaves as a biogenic carbon source. A group of Ontario corn farmers, the Cellulosic Sugar Producers Co-operative, harvest corn stover in addition to their kernel corn crop. By selling their stover to BioAmber, these farmers reap a second income in the same production cycle, and BioAmber is able to produce a high-value commodity chemical that is not derived from fossil fuels.

Modern biocleantech occurs at the intersection of agricultural production and high tech, using the tools of precision agriculture, remote sensing, GIS and mapping technologies, big data, sensors and measurement technologies, drones and remotely operated vehicles. Use of high technology results in efficient and accurate plant-based carbon production, conversion and consumption, with the ultimate goal of releasing very little carbon to the atmosphere while contributing to a wide range of products and services. This approach also requires a skilled workforce with permanent positions, contributing to sustainable livelihoods. The modern bioenergy and bioproducts sectors generate more renewable energy jobs than any other alternative energy industry globally, with many jobs located rurally.

Use of high-tech tools is also necessary to protect the environment by ensuring that the soils and water needed for biomass production are managed appropriately; these tools are an important part of moving to a lower-carbon economy in a cost-effective manner. Agriculture has an important role to play in helping Canada to meet its domestic goals in reducing carbon emissions, and the new markets for agricultural biomass products will help farmers to stabilize their businesses in the face of international market uncertainties.

This article is part of the Canadian Agriculture at the Cutting Edge special feature.

Photo: Shutterstock/Julie Deshaies

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Can biocleantech benefit both agriculture and the environment? - Policy Options (registration)