In spite of everything, a culture of peace is emerging in all fields of human endeavour
monthly, year 23rd, number 314 – 10th April 2023
Good News Agency carries positive and constructive news from all over the world relating to voluntary work, the work of the United Nations, non-governmental organizations and institutions engaged in improving the quality of life – news that doesn’t “burn out” in the space of a day. It is distributed free of charge through Internet to media and editorial journalists, NGOs, service associations and high schools and colleges around the world.
It is an all-volunteer service of Associazione Culturale dei Triangoli e della Buona Volontà Mondiale, an educational charity associated with the United Nations Department of Public Information It is a supporter of the Global Movement for the Culture of Peace. In the final report of the Decade for a Culture of Peace project (2001-2010) provided to the UN Secretary-General for presentation to the UN General Assembly, Good News Agency is included among the three NGOs that have been playing an active role in the field of Information through Internet.*
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The news are be divided into seven areas of reference:
1. Government and politics
2. Education and teaching
3. Economy, finance and planning
4. Arts of living and relationships
5. Work, science and industry
6. Society and communication
7. Rules, regulations and environment
In this way we intend to cover seven main fields of human life and activities, in which to record and promote, as always, the presence of goodwill in action and the culture of peace and cooperation that are for us the guiding values in these complex times. Each news item you will find in the seven fields will in turn be linked to one in particular of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda.
The 17 Sustainable Development Goals of Agenda 2030 United Nations
SDGs number 1-No Poverty-
Goal 1: End poverty in all its forms everywhere
SDGs number 2-Zero Hunger
Goal 2: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
SDGs number 3-Good Health and Well-Being
Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
SDGs number 4-Quality Education
Goal 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
SDGs number 5-Gender Equality
Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
SDGs number 6-Clean Water and Sanitation
Goal 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
SDGs number 7-Affordable and Clean Energy
Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
SDGs number 8-Decent Work and Economic Growth
Goal 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
SDGs number 9-Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
SDGs number 10-Reduced Inequalities
Goal 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries
SDGs number 11-Sustainable Cities and Communities
Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
SDGs number 12-Responsible Consumption and Production
Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
SDGs number 13-Climate Action
Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
SDGs number 14- Life below Water
Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
SDGs number 15-Life on Land
Goal 15: Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
SDGs number 16-Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Goal 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
News related with SDGs number 17-Partnerships to achieve the Goals
Goal 17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development
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Government and politics – Education and teaching – Economy, finance and planning
Arts of living and relationships – Work, science and industry
Society and communication –Rules, regulations and environment
General Assembly adopts by consensus decisions on upcoming 2023 Water Conference, 2024 High-Level Political Forum tackling sustainable development
7 March 2023 - The General Assembly today adopted by consensus two decisions, one on the 2024 session of the Economic and Social Council and its high-level political forum on sustainable development and the other on the upcoming 2023 United Nations Water Conference. By the text “Annual theme of the 2024 session of the Economic and Social Council and the 2024 high-level political forum on sustainable development and the set of Sustainable Development Goals to be reviewed by the high-level political forum in 2024” (document A/77/L.57), the Assembly decided that the theme for both shall be “Reinforcing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and eradicating poverty in times of multiple crises: the effective delivery of sustainable, resilient and innovative solutions”. It also decided that the 2024 high-level political forum — without prejudice to the integrated, indivisible and interlinked nature of the Sustainable Development Goals — shall review Goals 1, 2, 13, 16 and 17 in depth. (…)
https://press.un.org/en/2023/ga12494.doc.htm
News related with SDGs number 15-Life on Land
Far-reaching UN treaty a must to cut global plastic use: experts said
(by Linnea Pedersen)
27 February 2023 - Only a bold and ambitious UN treaty with sweeping reforms of the entire plastic life cycle can stem the world's waste crisis, experts said Monday. Even if measures thought to have the greatest potential for reducing plastic consumption are implemented, they would still fail to prevent a substantial rise in plastics production and use, they warned in a report. A year ago 175 nations agreed to end plastic pollution by crafting a binding UN treaty, which could come into being as soon as the end of 2024. Among the key actions under negotiation are a global ban on single-use plastic items, a "polluter pays" scheme, and a tax on new plastic production. (…)
News related with SDGs number 15-Life on Land
COUNCIL DECISION (CFSP) 2023/387 of 20 February 2023 in support of a global reporting mechanism on illicit conventional arms and their ammunition to reduce the risk of their diversion and illicit transfer (‘iTrace V’)
21 February 2023 - THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION (…) HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
1. With a view to the implementation of the EU Global Strategy, Council Common Position 2008/944/CFSP (5), as amended by Council Decision (CFSP) 2019/1560 (6), the 2018 EU SALW Strategy, and the advancement of peace and security, the project activities to be supported by the Union shall have the following specific objectives:
— continued maintenance of a user-friendly global information management system on diverted or trafficked conventional arms and their ammunition (‘iTrace’) documented in conflict-affected areas in order to provide policy-makers, conventional arms control experts, and conventional arms export control officers with relevant information to develop effective, evidence-based strategies and projects against the illicit spread of conventional arms and their ammunition; (…)
News related with SDGs number 16-Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
United Nations – General Assembly - Seventy-seventh session – Agenda item 127 (n) –
Cooperation between the United Nations and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
14February 2023 - The General Assembly (…)
2. Notes with appreciation the ongoing work of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons with regard to the implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction; (…)
5. Notes with appreciation the participation of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact; (…)
11. Recalls Security Council resolution 2118 (2013) of 27 September 2013, in which, inter alia, the Council requested the Director General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to report to the Security Council, through the Secretary-General, on a monthly basis (…)
https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/LTD/N23/046/64/PDF/N2304664.pdf?OpenElement
News related with SDGs number 16-Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
United Nations – Economic and Social Council - Commission for Social Development -
Sixty-first session - Agenda item 3 (a) - Draft resolution: creating full and productive employment
and decent work for all as a way of overcoming inequalities to accelerate the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
9 February 2023 - The Economic and Social Council (…)
2. Acknowledges the urgent need to accelerate action on all levels and by all stakeholders to fulfil the vision and Goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (…)
3. Reaffirms the commitment to implementing the 2030 Agenda for all by ensuring that no one would be left behind and reaching the furthest behind first, and by recognizing human rights and that the dignity of the human person is fundamental;
11. Encourages Member States to address underlying causes of inequality by promoting a sustainable economy for the well-being of all (…)
https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/LTD/N23/041/23/pdf/N2304123.pdf?OpenElement
News related with SDGs number 3-Good Health and Well-Being
Providing animal-assisted psychological support to victims of violence in Mexico
14March 2023– Alicia de la Rosa is a psychologist specialising in animal-assisted psychotherapy. Alicia works alongside Onnie, a four-year-old Labrador Retriever, to provide mental health support to victims of torture and extreme violence at the Comprehensive Care Centre in Mexico City, managed by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) since 2017. An MSF team of doctors, psychologists, social workers, psychiatrists, and physiotherapists, provides comprehensive - and often long-term - care for migrants and Mexicans who have experienced horrific journeys along the migration route or extreme violence in their origin countries.
Onnie is trained to provide therapeutic support to children, adolescents, the elderly, and people living with disabilities. The support that Onnie and Alicia provide at the centre is one component of the psychosocial care that some patients receive. (…) Therapy dogs are trained from a very young age. Onnie began his training as a puppy, when he was exposed to different sound stimuli, textures, environments, people, and objects. When he turned one year old, he began his training as a therapy dog. That training was accompanied by basic obedience classes to learn, for example, to sit, lie down, turn, give his paw, jump, and move so that patients with motor difficulties can stroke or pet them.
Animal-assisted psychotherapy also helps people express their emotions. (…)
https://www.msf.org/providing-animal-assisted-psychotherapy-patients-mexico-city
News related with SDGs number 3-Good Health and Well-Being
Supporting Patients with Chronic Diseases in Lebanon Amid an Unprecedented Crisis
CARMAH Program Provides Medical Support as the Unprecedented Socioeconomic Crisis Exposes Vulnerable Populations to Health Risks
1March 2023 – With the economic collapse and enormous inflation in Lebanon, a considerable portion of the population is experiencing financial difficulties. Many people suffering from chronic diseases are forced to interrupt their medical treatment either because their medicines are out of stock or because they have become too expensive.
Anera's project CARMAH is funded by the government of the United States Department of State through its Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM). Anera distributes essential medications for chronic diseases to more than fifty medical centers across Lebanon, serving vulnerable populations from different nationalities including Lebanese host community members and Syrian refugees. This project directly addresses the financial dignity of people, allowing them to access essential medications so that they can focus on putting food on the table. (…)
https://www.anera.org/stories/supporting-chronic-disease-patients-in-lebanon-amid-crisis/
News related with SDGs number 3-Good Health and Well-Being
'Making a real difference': Three quarters of young people want green career paths
(by Stuart Stone)
10 February 2023 - National Apprenticeship Week survey finds vast majority of school leavers and entrants to the world of work seek climate positive roles. Almost three quarters of teens and young adults are seeking career paths that would enable them to have a positive impact on the environment, according to new research commissioned by British Gas. The poll of 1,000 15 to 25-year-olds undertaken as part of National Apprenticeship Week found almost all respondents currently seeking jobs - some 94 per cent - are on the hunt for roles that help protect the natural world, with careers in environmental protection or consulting, energy engineering, renewable energy, and geoscience the most sought after options.
Additionally, 41 per cent of those quizzed are keen to actively explore government roles where they could help influence green policy. (…)
https://www.businessgreen.com/news/4074280/difference-makers-quarters-people-green-career-paths
News related with SDGs number 15-Life on Land
UK - Students Use Robotics Skills To Increase Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity
27 January 2023- High school freshman Zach Johnson didn’t expect his first big robotics project to be made of wood and…not a robot. His team, the East Ridge Robotics Ominous Raptors (ERRORs) in Woodbury, Minnesota, was one of over 60 Medtronic-sponsored FIRST® Robotics teams – and one of six to win the first inclusion, diversity, and equity (ID&E) award from Medtronic for building a kiosk for LGBTQIA+ resources for their school. The Knowledge Center drives a STEM outreach community for employees at Medtronic by creating opportunities for collaboration, innovation, mentoring, and leadership. In addition to building the kiosk, the team stocked it with resources about LGBTQIA+ students in STEM, mental health, and discrimination. They also held training sessions about the LGBTQIA+ community for FIRST mentors and sports and club coaches at the high school. Among the winning teams’ ID&E efforts included presentations about diverse STEM leaders, removing financial barriers to access, increasing diverse recruiting, diversity education and training, and increasing diverse mentors. The winning teams received an award from Medtronic including a $1,500 prize. The robotics competition is about four months out of each year. The rest of the time, the students do community outreach and build skills like coding, graphic design, and writing.
Nicor Gas commits $250,000 to support National Energy Education Development Project's "Energizing Student Potential" initiative
26 January 2023 - Expanding on its commitment to enable economic opportunity through educational programming and early interest in the energy industry, Nicor Gas is committing $250,000 over five years to support the National Energy Education Development Project's (NEED) "Energizing Student Potential" (ESP) initiative in Illinois, bringing science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) subjects to local classrooms. As one of the founding partners of the Illinois initiative to encourage elementary and middle school students to discover their own path to innovation, Nicor Gas has provided $350,000 in grant funding since 2015. With this support, NEED has worked with nearly 400 schools, 700 teachers and more than 91,000 students across Illinois over the last seven years. (…)
News related with SDGs number 4-Quality Education
University of Greifswald together with Covestro use biocatalysts to degrade plastics
(by Meghan Sapp)
23 February 2023 - In Germany, the plastic materials polyurethane and polyvinyl alcohol can now be degraded under mild conditions with the help of enzymes as biocatalysts. Scientists from the University of Greifswald have developed corresponding methods together with the German company Covestro and teams from Leipzig and Dublin, (…). It has thus been possible to establish a sustainable and environmentally-friendly process to recycle these polymers. This helps to address the worldwide problem of plastic waste based on the example of these two synthetic polymers, which are produced industrially at large scale. (…)
News related with SDGs number 12-Responsible Consumption and Production
The Benefits of a Regenerative Approach
17 February 2023 - The switch to a carbon-free economy is the biggest economic opportunity of our era. The International Energy Agency and other analysts have predicted that this wave of market-driven innovation will create two to six “green jobs” for each fossil fuel job lost. The promised jobs are already arriving — the 2022 Annual Review by the International Labour Organization and the International Renewable Energy Agency reported that renewables alone had created more than 12 million jobs as of 2021 (…)
https://cleantechnica.com/2023/02/16/realizing-the-green-jobs-promise/
News related with SDGs number 13-Climate Action
Turbine blade robot makes wind farm repairs faster, cheaper, safer
(by Joshua S Hill)
8 February 2023 - Danish company Rope Robotics has demonstrated that its wind turbine blade repairing robot yields a return on investment within six months, repairing turbine blades around four times faster at half the cost of traditional methods. (…) Repairs provided by the BR-8 help to not only restore optimal turbine power output, but are also quick, cost-effective, efficient, and safe for technicians to perform in all but the most dangerous weather conditions. (…)
https://reneweconomy.com.au/turbine-blade-robot-makes-wind-farm-repairs-faster-cheaper-safer/
News related with SDGs number 12-Responsible Consumption and Production
Electric cars gain record market share in Europe
1 February 2023 - Electric car sales set a new market share record in the European Union in 2022, industry figures showed Wednesday, as the region seeks to rid itself of fossil fuel cars.
Battery-powered electric cars accounted for 12.1 percent of new car sales, compared to 9.1 percent in 2021 and 1.9 percent in 2019, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA). (…)
https://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Electric_cars_gain_record_market_share_in_Europe_999.html
News related with SDGs number 12-Responsible Consumption and Production
PITTSBURGH - Viatris announces approval of Emissions Reduction Targets by the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi)
27 January 2023: Viatris Inc. (NASDAQ: VTRS), a global healthcare company, today announced that its near-term science-based emissions reduction targets have been approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). SBTi is a global body enabling businesses to set ambitious emissions reduction targets in line with the latest climate science. Viatris announced its initial companywide sustainability goals, including environmental targets, earlier this year. The SBTi classified Viatris' scope 1 and 2 target ambition and has determined that it is in line with a 1.5°C trajectory, a worldwide goal of limiting global warming. SBTi is a partnership between CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). The SBTi call to action is one of the We Mean Business Coalition commitments. The initiative defines and promotes best practice in science-based target setting, offers resources and guidance to reduce barriers to adoption and independently assesses and approves companies' targets. As a global healthcare company, sustainability is at the core of Viatris' business and purpose.
News related with SDGs number 12-Responsible Consumption and Production
World Vision Zambia provides relief to over 5000 survivors of floods in Zambia
14 March 2023, Lusaka, Zambia - World Vision Zambia has launched a two million US Dollar emergency humanitarian response to support over 400,000 people affected by floods across the country. Speaking during the flag-off of the response, World Vision Zambia Humanitarian Emergency Affairs director Bernard Zgambo said the initial support would help survivors recover from distress caused by the floods. The organisation is already responding to the needs of internally displaced people in Mazabuka, Monze, Namwala, and Sinazongwe in Southern province by providing food, and non-food items, Water and Sanitation, and hygiene services. (…) World Vision is particularly concerned with the well-being of children and vulnerable adults living in camps and other temporal shelters against violations of rights during their stay in temporal camps. The safeguarding team is working closely with the ministry of education on integrating displaced children back into school. Child-friendly spaces are being set up in centres to ensure children are safe in their camps. World Vision Zambia is grateful for the support from various donors, including Miracle Life Family Church, START Network, Médecins Sans Frontières – Spain, Davis & Shirtliff, Zambia Sugar Company, and Lusaka International Communities (LICS) on the flood response in Zambia. (…)
News related with SDGs number 6-Clean Water and Sanitation
Brands join together for nature
Over 200 of the world’s best-loved businesses and NGOs helped highlight the nature loss crisis by removing images of nature from their branding on World Wildlife Day – all part of WWF’s #WorldWithoutNature campaign.
6 March 2023– Sadly, much of our natural world is currently under threat and could disappear unless urgent action is taken. So we’re delighted that 200+ of the world’s most popular businesses and NGOs have supported WWF’s #WorldWithoutNature campaign to highlight this vitally important issue for all our futures. Every one of these brands removed images of nature from their branding during World Wildlife Day last Friday (3 March), with 31 million individuals so far reached by the social accounts of the brands taking part. This is the third year running that we have invited brands to help people imagine what a world without nature would be like – a world without the amazing variety of wildlife that makes our planet so unique and is so vital for people’s well-being and survival. And we are incredibly grateful to all those who took part. The list of brand supporters, which of course includes WWF and our iconic panda logo, come from a variety of business sectors − everything from digital language learning app Duolingo and adhesive manufacturer Gorilla Glue to sportswear supplier Gymshark. Sports clubs have also been strong supporters, ranging from English Premier League football clubs Aston Villa and Wolves to US-based Major Soccer League club the Philadelphia Union. (…)
https://updates.panda.org/brands-join-together-for-worldwithoutnature-campaign
News related with SDGs number 15-Life on Land
A Year of Conflict in Ukraine: ADRA Highlights Ongoing Humanitarian Response
23 February 2023- Silver Spring, MD – The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) continues to deliver humanitarian aid to support the people of Ukraine a year after the armed conflict displaced millions of civilians in the Eastern European nation. Since the start of hostilities on February 24, 2022, ADRA has launched a global response to assist the tens of thousands of women, children, families, and individuals who have fled their homes to escape shelling and seek refuge in neighboring countries. According to the United Nations, over 8 million people have been forced to flee Ukraine in the last year, and another 18 million require humanitarian assistance within the country. (…) ADRA has provided nearly $40 million in humanitarian assistance over the past year to support emergency response operations and development initiatives in communities impacted by the ongoing crisis. It has also activated over 5,000 church volunteers, mobilized dozens of emergency response teams, and deployed multiple convoys to evacuate and transport over 60,000 people from the war-torn region, as well as deliver food and life-saving supplies. (…)
https://adra.org/a-year-of-conflict-in-ukraine-adra-highlights-ongoing-humanitarian-response
News related with SDGs number 16-Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
New hope for a nature-positive world
9 February – The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework sets out guiding principles to help halt and reverse nature loss by 2030 for a nature-positive world. For the last four years WWF has been closely monitoring negotiations around a new global plan for nature and campaigning, along with other organisations, for more ambition. Through worldwide activities such as Earth Hour, World Without Nature and targeted approaches to Heads of State at United Nations events such as the UNGA, their ministers in national capitals and through joint efforts with many organisations in support of a nature-positive global goal, WWF has pushed the nature crisis up the global agenda. With all eyes on Montreal in December, countries took the crucial final step to deliver an agreement capable of securing a nature-positive world by 2030. “We can celebrate a truly ambitious and transformative agreement to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030,” said Marco Lambertini, WWF International Director General during COP15.
“Countries have listened to the voice of the voiceless; the amazing variety of biodiversity we share the planet with and to indigenous people who have been conserving their lands, and demanding the recognition of their rights, territories and cultures for many years. “With this agreement now in place I feel more comfortable, and proud, to look in the eyes of my grandchildren and to know that through the new framework we can create a better future for all our children, and their children.” (…)
https://updates.panda.org/newhopeforanaturepositiveworld
News related with SDGs number 15-Life on Land
EU agrees deal to reduce 2030 energy consumption
10 March 2023 - EU countries agreed a deal Friday with the European Parliament to cut projected energy consumption by 2030, part of the green push made more urgent by Russia's war on Ukraine. The agreement is an important strand of the EU's ambitious climate goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent by the end of the decade. (…) The deal obliges the EU to reduce energy use by 2030 by 11.7 percent in relation to an earlier projection of expected levels. It sets targets for each of the bloc's 27 countries to limit consumption by around 1.5 percent annually from 2024 to 2030. (…)
https://www.energy-daily.com/reports/EU_agrees_deal_to_reduce_2030_energy_consumption_999.html
News related with SDGs number 12-Responsible Consumption and Production
High Seas Treaty: UN member states seal historic deal to protect international waters
(by Cecilia Keating)
6 March 2023 - New legal powers for countries to create protected areas in high seas seen as major boost to hopes of delivering '30x30' biodiversity target An historic treaty to protect the ocean has been agreed at the United Nations, nearly two decades after talks started to deliver a legally binding deal to protect biodiversity in waters that sit outside national boundaries. Hailed as the High Seas Treaty, the new deal commits the vast majority of the world's governments to boosting funding for marine conservation and creating a network of marine protected areas in international waters that would enable countries to follow through with their promise, made at the COP15 UN Biodiversity Conference last December, to protect 30 per cent of land and sea by 2030. (…)
News related with SDGs number 14- Life below Water
Adopting Marine Biodiversity Treaty ‘Important step forward’ in advancing Ocean Health for generations to Ccome, Secretary-General tells Intergovernmental Conference
1 March 2023 – (…) In adopting a robust and ambitious agreement at this meeting, you can take an important step forward in countering these destructive trends and advancing ocean health for generations to come. This treaty can ensure the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of over two thirds of our life-sustaining ocean space. It can help guarantee that marine genetic resources are accessed and utilized for the benefit of all humanity. It can provide an adequate framework for the use of marine protected areas to conserve and sustainably manage vital habitats and species. It can make sure that the environmental impacts of activities are assessed and fully considered in decision-making. And it can fulfil the promise of capacity-building and the transfer of marine technology, levelling the playing field so all States can responsibly utilize and benefit from these critical global commons.
https://press.un.org/en/2023/sgsm21704.doc.htm
News related with SDGs number 14- Life below Water
'Considerate Lighting Charter': City of London skyscrapers urged to dim lights to save energy
(by Cecilia Keating)
13 February 2023 - City of London Corporation consults on plans to reduce light pollution and cut down on energy wastage from skyscrapers and office buildings. The City of London Corporation has drawn up plans to reduce light pollution and unnecessary electricity consumption from skyscrapers and office buildings, as part of its plan to achieve "carbon net zero" across the Square Mile by 2040. Under the proposals, developments in certain parts of the historic financial district would be governed by "curfew times" when all external lighting should be switched off or dimmed, apart from lights required for safety or crime prevention. (…)
News related with SDGs number 12-Responsible Consumption and Production
A Biotech Company is working to save the bees
(by Carolyn Fortuna)
7 February 2023 - An Argentinian startup has designed a special nutrient-packed formula for bees meant to boost their immune systems and make them stronger to work better in colder temperatures. (…) Their feed is composed of plant-based molecules that enhances bees’ immune system and boosts their activity in stressful conditions, such as low temperatures, allowing them to work up to 7 times more flights in cold weather and double the pollen load. Strong and healthy bees achieve high performance pollination. (…)
https://cleantechnica.com/2023/02/07/a-biotech-company-is-working-to-save-the-bees/
News related with SDGs number 15-Life on Land
Emirates operates demo flight powered with 100% SAF
(by Juan Pedro Tomas)
1 February 2023 - In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Emirates said it has operated its first milestone demonstration flight on a Boeing 777-300ER, powering one of its engines with 100% SAF. The flight took off from Dubai International Airport (DXB), flying for more than one hour over the Dubai coastline. Emirates’ demonstration flight, which claims to be the first in the Middle East and North Africa to be powered by 100% SAF, supports the airline’s efforts to reduce lifecycle CO2 emissions as the industry looks to scale up its use of SAF. (…=
News related with SDGs number 9-Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
A film based on humanity, empathy and kindness wins the bafta.
“The boy, the mole, the fox and the horse”.
March 2023- When the Mole asks the boy “What you want to be, when you grow up?”. “Kind.” Replies the boy. There are many films made in the category of short animation. But very few have a message for humanity from a higher perspective. The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse is one of such films that speaks to the true purpose of life. This beautiful Animation short won a BAFTA for best animation short film and is also nominated for an Oscar. Said so, the film takes us through the journey of a boy to find a place called home. In many ways a journey to find the place in our own heart. To find courage to explore humanity, empathy and kindness and act on it. The film is based on Charlie Mackesy’s comic strip with the same name and directed with him by Peter Bayton. This Short film is distributed by Apple TV in the US and BBC in the UK.
News related with SDGs number 4-Quality Education
Estrangement hurts, but chosen family can help
March 2023- Estrangement, as it is most often referred to, is when family members cut off contact with their close relatives. This can happen for a variety of reasons, including discrimination (such as homophobia and transphobia), trauma, and a radical disconnect when it comes to someone's values. For many who are estranged, this disconnects means leaning on members of their chosen family, a group of self-selected people (often friends) who fill those more familial roles. A 2020 study in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that chosen family dynamics have a significant impact on the healthcare experiences of queer and transgender adults. The authors found that this was an area where more education and research can and should be done so that practitioners can better understand chosen family connections.
News related with SDGs number 5-Gender Equality
South Africa's 'black mermaid' is changing ocean storytellings.
March 2023 - Why do so many people regard the sea as a ‘white space’? The first black freediving instructor in South Africa is on a mission to change ideas around who belongs in the water. When Zandile Ndhlovu started scuba diving in her native South Africa, she was the only black person on the boat. Through her work, she is determined to change the narrative of who belongs in the water and has launched the Black Mermaid Foundation to address what she sees as the major barriers to entry. “In South Africa, ever since you're young, you've been told endless stories about why you shouldn't be at sea,” he says. "Whether it's stories about how our ancestors lived on the bottom of the ocean, or the presence of a big snake down there, these narratives live in our bodies as people of color." She believes it’s also a legacy of apartheid when black South Africans were “forcibly removed from their ocean-facing homes” and only allowed access to the dangerous beaches with “huge rip tides”, as well as an inherited “historical trauma of the transatlantic slave trade.”
https://www.positive.news/society/the-black-mermaid/
News related with SDGs number 5-Gender Equality
Rules, regulations and environment
(top)
Commission wraps up project with the International Energy Agency that helped Member States curb their reliance on Russia's fossil fuels.
23 February 2023 - Today (Feb 22), the Commission is closing a Technical Support Instrument (TSI) project that has supported 17 Member States in their efforts to phase out their reliance on Russia's fossil fuels, as set out in the REPowerEU Plan. The project was launched in March 2022 through a dedicated call as part of the Commission's response to the energy crisis triggered by Russia's attack against Ukraine. The Commission, together with the International Energy Agency (IEA), provided the participants with advice and capacity building to identify and undertake specific reforms and investments in the field of renewable energy, energy efficiency, renewable hydrogen production, and innovative solutions to decarbonise the industry in line with the REPowerEU objectives. (…)
News related with SDGs number 17-Partnerships for the Goals
Eni Sustainable Mobility, Saipem sign deal for the use of renewable fuels on naval fleet
(by Juan Pedro Tomas)
Feb 23, 2023 - In Italy, Eni Sustainable Mobility and Saipem have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the aim of using biofuels on Saipem’s drilling and construction naval vessels, with particular attention to operations in the Mediterranean Sea. Saipem has a global fleet consisting of 45 vessels for construction and drilling. This agreement forms part of the execution of Saipem’s strategy for the reduction of GHG emissions. Thanks to the use of biofuel, Saipem will potentially be able to reduce emissions by around 550,000 tons of CO2eq per year, equal to 60% of its total annual Scope 1 emissions, Eni said. (…)
News related with SDGs number 17-Partnerships for the Goals
Delegation from Sweden hosts discussions on ‘Smart City and Innovation’
16 February 2023 - The visit is expected to further strengthen the relationship between Sweden and India and pave the way for future cooperation in the field of smart cities and innovation, said a consulate press release. The Consulate General of Sweden in Mumbai, Vinnova, IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, Smart City Sweden, and Business Sweden India has organised a ‘Smart City & Innovation Road Show’ from February 14 to 17 in three cities in western India including Pune, Mumbai and Goa. The delegation comprises government agencies, Swedish companies, NGOs and academia. The aim of the visit is to foster cross-border cooperation and exchange of ideas between Sweden and India in the areas of smart cities and innovation. During their visit, the Swedish delegation will meet with their Indian counterparts to discuss current initiatives and potential opportunities for collaboration. (…)
News related with SDGs number 11-Sustainable Cities and Communities
Terna: agreement with Greenpeace Italia, Legambiente and WWF for increasingly sustainable electricity infrastructure
16 February 2023 - Terna, the Italian transmission grid operator, has signed new Memoranda of Understanding with environmental associations for the development and construction of increasingly sustainable electricity infrastructure, integrated into the local areas and respectful of the environment and biodiversity. (…) Specifically, the collaboration between Terna, Greenpeace Italia, Legambiente and WWF Italia aims at an increasingly ambitious improvement of the environmental sustainability of the ten-year development plan of the Italian transmission grid and of Terna's business plan, with a view to the decarbonisation of the electricity system, also through concrete and constant dialogue and institutional discussion on subjects and measures of mutual interest. (…)
News related with SDGs number 17-Partnerships for the Goals
Tallinn invites companies to test sustainable innovation solutions
(by Silver Tambur)
10 February 2023 - The Tallinn city government has launched the Test in Tallinn initiative to welcome companies around the world to test their smart solutions on the streets of the Estonian capital in three focus areas: mobility, energy efficiency and renewable energy. The city want to be a testbed for various sustainable technologies, with the aim of helping both domestic and foreign companies reach other urban environments globally with their products and services. (…)
News related with SDGs number 11-Sustainable Cities and Communities
Low-emissions sources are set to cover almost all the growth in global electricity demand in the next three years
9 February 2023 - Renewables are set to dominate the growth of the world's electricity supply over the next three years as together with nuclear power they meet the vast majority of the increase in global demand through to 2025, making significant rises in the power sector's carbon emissions unlikely, according to a new IEA report. After slowing slightly last year to 2% amid the turmoil of the global energy crisis and exceptional weather conditions in some regions, the growth in world electricity demand is expected to accelerate to an average of 3% over the next three years, the IEA's Electricity Market Report 2023 finds. Emerging and developing economies in Asia are the driving forces behind this faster pace, which is a step up from average growth of 2.4% during the years before the pandemic. (…)
News related with SDGs number 9-Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
Siemens Gamesa and Doosan Enerbility sign historic offshore wind partnership framework agreement for South Korea
8 February 2023 –
The agreement follows successful exploration of potential cooperation made possible by a memorandum of understanding signed in June 2022. This next step lays the foundation for strong local content offerings in the South Korean offshore wind market in the future. The implementation of the partnership scope is subject to successful offshore wind power orders in the South Korean market. (…)
News related with SDGs number 17-Partnerships for the Goals
Greener School Playgrounds Are An Overlooked Climate Solution
1 February 2023 - Across the country, cities are transforming asphalt schoolyards into spongy, shady community centers. The new schoolyard at PS 184M Shuang Wen, a grade school in Manhattan’s Chinatown, features new play equipment, a yoga circle, a stage and basketball and tennis courts. It also has a porous turf field that can capture an estimated 1.3 million gallons of stormwater runoff, according to New York City’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The turf field sits atop infiltration basins, reservoirs capable of holding large volumes of stormwater. These basins, paired with a grass-roof gazebo, a student-run rain garden and a slew of new trees, can help New York City better absorb extreme precipitation, which is becoming more frequent and severe with climate change. (…)
https://cleantechnica.com/2023/02/01/greener-school-playgrounds-are-an-overlooked-climate-solution/
News related with SDGs number 11-Sustainable Cities and Communities
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