In spite of everything, a culture of peace is emerging in all fields of human endeavour
monthly, year 23rd, number 317 – 18th September 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.*
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
INTERNATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY AGENCY - UN Declares IRENA's Founding Date as International Day for Clean Energy
28 August 2023 - IRENA endorses UN resolution proclaiming 26th January as International Day of Clean Energy, calling it a meaningful step towards achieving a just and inclusive energy transition. Today (Aug 25th), the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has adopted a resolution proclaiming the 26th January as the International Day of Clean Energy, the anniversary day of the founding of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in 2009. By selecting the 26th January, the 193 Member States of the UNGA acknowledge IRENA's leading role in accelerating the global, renewables-based energy transition. (…)
News related with SDGs number 12-Responsible Consumption and Production
UN experts challenge Saudi Aramco over climate change
27 August 2023 - UN experts have written to oil firm Saudi Aramco and its financial backers challenging them on allegations that their activities are fuelling climate change-related negative impacts on human rights. (…) The allegations accused Aramco of "maintained crude oil production, exploration for further oil and gas reserves, expansion into fossil fuel gas, and misrepresentation of information", the letters said. (…) The UN experts also alleged Aramco's activities appeared to be "contrary to the goals, obligations and commitments under the Paris Agreement on climate change" (…)
https://www.oilgasdaily.com/reports/UN_experts_challenge_Saudi_Aramco_over_climate_change_999.html
News related with SDGs number 13-Climate Action
United Nations – General Assembly – Seventy-seventh session – Items 13 and 72 – Draft Decision: 2025 United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
25 August 2023 - The General Assembly (…)
The General Assembly recalls its resolution 77/242 of 20 December 2022, in which it decided to consider, before the end of the seventy-seventh session of the General Assembly, the modalities of the 2025 United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development in the most efficient and effective manner possible, and decides to extend its consideration until 31 December 2023.
https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/LTD/N23/252/30/PDF/N2325230.pdf?OpenElement
News related with SDGs number 14- Life below Water
United Nations – General Assembly – Seventy-seventh session – Agenda item 127 (i) –Draft Resolution: Cooperation between the United Nations and the Economic Cooperation Organization
18 August 2023 - The General Assembly (…)
7. Invites the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the World Trade Organization and the International Trade Centre to develop strategies for the States members of the Economic Cooperation Organization for trade liberalization and the promotion of foreign direct investment to facilitate the global and regional integration of their economies; (..)
18. Invites the Economic Commission for Europe and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development to cooperate with the Economic Cooperation Organization for the facilitation of transit trade among the States members of the Economic Cooperation Organization and the modernization of their border crossing points;
19. Emphasizes the need to promote the development of a sustainable transport sector, which should contribute to the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development and minimize the adverse impact thereon, and invites the United Nations entities to cooperate with the Economic Cooperation Organization to promote sustainable transport in the region; (…)
https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/LTD/N23/245/85/PDF/N2324585.pdf?OpenElement
News related with SDGs number 17-Partnerships for the Goals
United Nations – General Assembly – Seventy-seventh session – Agenda item 133 – Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 25 July 2023: Impact of rapid technological change on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and targets
2August 2023 - The General Assembly (…)
2. Urges Member States and other stakeholders to take actions to bridge the digital and knowledge divides, recognizing that approaches must be multidimensional and include an evolving understanding of what constitutes access, emphasizing the quality of that access, and acknowledges that speed, stability, affordability, language, local content and accessibility for persons with disabilities are now core elements and that high-speed broadband is already an essential enabler of sustainable development;
3. Stresses the need to provide universal, meaningful and affordable access to the Internet by 2030, including meaningful use of digitally enabled services, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals, and welcomes efforts by the United Nations to assist Member States, upon their request, in achieving this; (…)
https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N23/227/47/PDF/N2322747.pdf?OpenElement
https://www.coe.int/en/web/conventions/recent-changes-for-treaties-monthly-summary
News related with SDGs number 17-Partnerships for the Goals
Donations help improve schools, education programs in 5 countries
Quality of education and communities in Peru, Zambia, Sierra Leone, and the Philippines are elevated through the Church’s donations
16 September 2023- From new classrooms with desks and tables to washrooms from Zambia to Peru, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has helped improve learning environments in schools in several countries in Africa and South America. Also, the Church is supporting a group in Peru that is helping women older than 50 to learn sewing skills to set up their own businesses.
News related with SDGs number 4-Quality Education
Philanthropic group gifts HBCUs $124 million to increase student enrollment and retention
by Justin Gamble,
14 September 2023 - The HBCU Transformation Project, a collaborative venture between the United Negro College Fund, Thurgood Marshall College Fund and the Partnership for Education Advancement, announced on Wednesday a $124 million investment from philanthropic group Blue Meridian Partners. The gift will be used to increase enrollment, improve efficiency, enhance infrastructure and promote economic mobility at some of the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities, according to a news release by the HBCU Transformation Project. Forty HBCUs currently work with the project, which was launched in 2022, with more schools expected to join before the end of the year. The $124 million comes after Blue Meridian’s initial $60 million investment to the HBCU Transformation Project to support high-performing and high-potential HBCUs.
News related with SDGs number 4-Quality Education
Transforming Nigeria: How 1.5 million girls found their way to school
8 September 2023 - Enter the Girls Education Project Phase III (GEP3). The Federal Government of Nigeria and six northern states partnered with UNICEF and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to improve access to learning, especially for girls, and to begin to shift their life opportunities through education. GEP3 was intentional in its design with evidence-driven planning and implementation. Using an ecological systems approach, GEP3 addressed the multi-faceted and intersecting disadvantages which most severely hindered girls’ access to education. By pairing interventions which aimed to increase girls’ enrolment and retention at the household and community level with those intended to drive improvements in learning at school level, and strengthening governance at community, school, and systems levels, GEP3 was designed for scale and sustainability. After 10 years of implementation, FCDO’s longest running and biggest investment in girls’ education ($109m) globally, brought 1.5 million girls into school in Northern Nigeria, closed the gender gap and improved learning. GEP3’s greatest success was the transformational shift it achieved in social norms on girls’ education evidenced by rising enrolment rates and a drop in early marriage rates and early pregnancy rates in the six states. With the closing of the programme, government, UNICEF and partners have their sights firmly set on scale. Supported by a new gender in education policy, a new commission on Almajiri children and a framework of action on out of school children brokered by government and UNICEF with the 36 states, hopes are high that inroads can be made in reducing the out of school rates in the country.
News related with SDGs number 4-Quality Education
Ukraine: 15,000 school psychologists trained by UNESCO to support learners and teachers
21 August 2023 - A study found that 75% of Ukrainian schoolchildren have experienced stress and 26% of Ukrainian teenagers have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. In recent months, UNESCO and its partners certified 117 psychologists from 24 regions of Ukraine. They will now train 15,000 school psychologists to equip them with the knowledge and competencies necessary to provide Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in the context of war. This ambitious program is supported financially by Japan.
This initiative complements UNESCO's existing support for teachers, including the distribution of more than 50,000 Google Chromebooks and their training in digital pedagogies. It also aligns with UNESCO’s comprehensive programme to strengthen the resilience of the education system in Ukraine, supported by the Global Partnership for Education.
News related with SDGs number 4-Quality Education
Unprecedented 3-year agreement between Norway and UNESCO: US$ 45 million for education
11 August 2023 - Tuesday, Audrey Azoulay, Director General of UNESCO, and Halvor Hvideberg, Ambassador of Norway to UNESCO, signed the first three-year cooperation agreement between UNESCO and Norway. The country will provide a voluntary contribution of US$45 million to finance education programmes worldwide. The funding from Norway will support UNESCO’s education programme from 2023 to 2025, and will significantly boost UNESCO’s initiatives on education for health and well-being, among other programmes. This agreement will also make it possible to scale up the UNESCO Qualifications Passport for Refugees and Vulnerable Migrants. Successfully tested in recent years, it helps recognize prior academic, professional, and vocational qualifications of forcibly displaced people so they can access learning opportunities abroad.
News related with SDGs number 4-Quality Education
Cyclon introduces plant-based lubes and cleaners for bikes
(by Rebecca Coons)
29 August 2023 - In the Netherlands, Cyclon has launched a new bike lubricant and cleaner line that is 100% plant based. Dubbed The Cycle Division, the line includes wax chain lube made from canola oil and is proven to last longer than petrochemically based oils. Cycling Industry noted that the lube also demonstrates greater performance, with lower friction that boosts the bike’s overall wattage. (…)
News related with SDGs number 9-Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
Saucony releases sneaker made from corn and natural rubber
(by Rebecca Coons)
29 August 2023 - In Massachusetts, sneaker brand Saucony has introduced a new running shoe that features multiple renewable materials throughout its design. The Triumph Run for Good sneaker uses 55% corn-based PWRRUN BIO+ for its midsole and sock liner, plant-based dyes, and 80% natural rubber for the sole. The sneakers will be available beginning September 5th for $160. Saucony also announced that by 2025, 90% of its products will contain organic, recycled or renewable materials, and it expects to reach 100% by 2030. (…)
News related with SDGs number 9-Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
New tech brings resilience to small-town hydropower
18 August 2023 – (…) Using newly developed technologies, INL researchers demonstrated how hydropower with advanced controls and use of a mobile microgrid, can enable small communities to maintain critical services during emergencies. At the ribbon-cutting, power from the Microgrid in a Box simulated a critical load, while the team showed how the hydropower plant could be used to restore the grid after a simulated electrical grid blackout in a process called a "blackstart." The new technologies showcased (…) demonstrate how communities with similar resources can maintain critical services during blackout emergencies. (…)
News related with SDGs number 11-Sustainable Cities and Communities
Waste plastics transformed into chemicals with solar-powered catalyst
5 August 2023 - Photothermal catalysis, which is powered by clean solar energy, is emerging as an innovative means to transform waste plastic into valuable chemicals. This chemical conversion technique uses solar energy as a direct power source. Despite the potential, designing photothermal catalysts with both high conversion efficiency and significant catalytic activity has long been a formidable challenge. (…)
News related with SDGs number 12-Responsible Consumption and Production
New process coverts CO2 into fuel more efficiently than photosynthesis
4 August 2023 - A joint research team from City University of Hong Kong (CityU) and collaborators recently developed a stable artificial photocatalytic system that is more efficient than natural photosynthesis. The new system mimics a natural chloroplast to convert carbon dioxide in water into methane, a valuable fuel, very efficiently using light. This is a promising discovery, which could contribute to the goal of carbon neutrality. (…)
News related with SDGs number 9-Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
Indonesia upholds rights of people with mental health conditions. Agreement signed to monitor Social Care and Mental Health Institutions
September 2023- Authorities in Indonesiahave taken an important step to uphold the rights of people with psychosocial disabilities (mental health conditions) across the country. A number of national agencies, including the National Human Rights Commission, National Commission for Violence Against Women, National Commission for Child Protection, the Ombudsman, and the Witness and Victims Protection Agency, have signed an agreement to monitor places where people with psychosocial disabilities have been shackled or detained. These include traditional faith healing centers, social care institutions, and mental health facilities.
https://www.hrw.org/news/2019/09/04/indonesia-upholds-rights-people-mental-health-conditions
News related with SDGs number 3-Good Health and Well-Being
An opportunity to remedy inequality in Pakistan. Land reform needed to bring equality for rural women, people in poverty
September 2023- The Sindh provincial government in Pakistan has taken an important step to mitigate harm from last year’s devastating floods and also provide redress for gender inequality and barriers to land ownership, particularly for women living in rural areas.Cataclysmic flooding in Pakistan in July 2022, damaged or destroyed more than 2.1 million homes countrywide. The floods submerged one-third of the country. The worst affected areas were rural parts of Sindh province. Many women in the region lost homes and livelihoods, leaving them without income and increasingly food insecure. In its attempt to rehabilitate those who suffered catastrophic losses in the floods, the Sindh government has begun providing land titles and funds to construct houses for people who were previously landless. Out of the 1.3 million eligible beneficiaries, over 426,000, almost one-third, are women.
https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/08/15/opportunity-remedy-inequality-pakistan
News related with SDGs number 5-Gender Equality
Delhi school of excellence showcases young talent through art exhibition
September 2023 -The Delhi government, in its continuous efforts to provide a platform for young artists from its Dr. BR Ambedkar School of Specialised Excellence-Performing and Visual Arts (ASoSE PVA), organised an art exhibition at Bikaner House, named “Lehar”. The exhibition, organised and curated entirely by over 370 students of Class 10 and 11 from ASoSE PVA, is aimed at showcasing the remarkable artwork created by these talented individuals. Under the theme ‘Lehar’, the students embarked on a journey of transformation, expressing their interpretation not only of their own lives but also of their surroundings, environment, and cities. The exhibition served as a testament to the students’ creativity and passion, as they confidently addressed issues such as the environment, pollution, and various community concerns.
News related with SDGs number 4-Quality Education
Lego to sell bricks coded with braille to help vision-impaired children read. Bricks with studs corresponding to braille numbers and letters will be available to buy from September
September 2023-Lego is to begin selling bricks coded with braille to help blind and partially sighted children learn to read the touch-based alphabet. The Danish toymaker has been providing the specialist bricks, which were tested and developed in partnership with blind organisations around the world, free of charge to a selection of schools and services catering for vision-impaired children since 2020. From next month, shoppers will be able to buy packs of the bricks, which have studs corresponding to the braille version of numbers and letters with a printed version of the symbol or letter below, to use at home. Lego hopes the initiative will help parents and siblings share in learning braille, and the packs will include ideas for a range of educational games that families can play together.
News related with SDGs number 3-Good Health and Well-Being
Exhibition Celebrates Roerichs’ Artistic Legacy and India-Russia Friendship
September 2023- G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant presided over the inauguration of the exhibition ‘The Roerichs and India: Bonds of Friendship’, at the Russian House, today. This exhibition pays homage to the renowned painter Nicholas Roerich and his family and has put on display, collection of the Museum of Oriental Art, Moscow. Hailing from Russia, Roerich found solace in the tranquil landscapes of Kullu, where he put brush to canvas, translating his profound connection with both Kullu and India into works of art. Kant, while acknowledging his artworks said, “Through his paintings, we forge a bridge of shared art and culture that binds our two nations together,” underscoring the invaluable legacy of the Roerich family. He warmly recounted his own visit to the Roerich house in Naggar, encouraging all to experience it firsthand. The exhibition shows beautiful paintings by Nicholas Roerich and his son Svetoslav Roerich. Each stroke of the paintbrush celebrates the Himalayas and mountains….The paintings bear witness to encounters between Indian prime ministers, politicians, and the Roerich family, displaying a visual chronicle of these interactions.
News related with SDGs number 16-Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Fungi could be the answer to breaking down plastic junk
(by Elizabeth Rayne)
1 September 2023 - Plastic is becoming a plague on Earth. (…) Can we possibly hold back the spread of a material that piles up faster than it could ever decay? There might be an answer, and that answer is fungus. Researchers from the University of Kelaniya and the University of Peradeniya in Sri Lanka have discovered species of fungi that can break down polyethylene—the same type of plastic used for bags, bottles, cling wrap, takeout containers, and more. These fungi have one thing in common: They normally break down hardwood, which otherwise does not decay quickly. While hundreds of fungi and other microorganisms are known to break down various plastics, it was previously unknown that these particular hardwood-eating species could degrade polyethylene. (…)
News related with SDGs number 9-Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
Facilitating beekeeping at Iberdrola's photovoltaic power plants
21 August 2023 – (…) Last July, Iberdrola established a partnership agreement with a local beekeeper (Coolbelha) to install beehives at its photovoltaic plants in operation. A total of 30 hives have been installed. (…) Landscape Integration Projects are underway for the photovoltaic plants, which will include the cultivation of specific aromatic species (melliferous) to increase the quality of the honey and also to achieve a complete symbiosis between beekeeping activity and the generation of clean energy. (…)
News related with SDGs number 12-Responsible Consumption and Production
City participating in pilot project to incorporate hydrogen as an additional fuel for City vehicles
18 August 2023 - The City of Edmonton is part of a pilot project that will see four city vehicles integrate hydrogen as an additional fuel source into their diesel engines, which is another step in the City's commitment to transition to a low-carbon future. (…) The engines in two City transit buses and two waste collection trucks will be modified to incorporate hydrogen. (…) The system will be used on vehicles already in service and is anticipated to instantly reduce diesel usage and emissions, while producing detailed reports for tracking greenhouse gasses. The pilot project provides insights for the City as it works to create a more sustainable waste collection and transit service (…)
News related with SDGs number 11-Sustainable Cities and Communities
Belém Declaration: Eight Amazon nations agree 'common agenda' to protect rainforest
(by Michael Holder)
9 August 2023 - But Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela (…) have agreed to "advance a new common agenda" to tackle deforestation in the region, promote sustainable development, support Indigenous People's rights, and take "urgent action to avoid the point of no return" for the world's largest rainforest. At a two-day summit held in the Brazilian city of Belém, the host country joined with Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela to sign a joint declaration setting out joint priorities for their efforts to conserve the rainforest. The Belém Declaration sets out plans to create a new alliance between the eight nations focused on the Amazon region, while nations also agreed to establish a new scientific body to conduct research and report annually on the state of the rainforest. (…)
News related with SDGs number 15-Life on Land
Department of Energy announces $28 Million for 10 Projects to decarbonize the Nation's Water Treatment Sector
9 August 2023 - Today (August 8), the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Industrial Efficiency and Decarbonization Office (IEDO) announced $28 million for 10 projects that will drive innovation to decarbonize the entire life cycle of Water Resource Recovery Facilities (WRRFs). These facilities, which treat wastewater from public water systems, are among the country's largest industrial electricity users with full lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on par with direct emissions from the entire food and beverage industry one of the largest GHG-emitting industries in the United States. The selected projects will accelerate research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) of technologies to lower GHG emissions from WRRFs and move the U.S. closer to a net-zero economy by 2050. (…)
News related with SDGs number 6-Clean Water and Sanitation
Small acts of kindness are frequent and universal,
A new study has revealed how small gestures of kindness are frequent and universal across a wide range of cultures, from European cities to rural villages in the Global South. Researchers led by the University of California (UCLA) looked for moments when one person signaled help – for example when struggling with a small task – and received it from another, finding that on average people ask for help every two minutes. In most cases – 79% of the time – they succeed. This was consistent across cultures and was not affected by the relationship between the individuals involved. The researchers, reporting their findings, argue that being helpful is simply part of human nature.
https://www.positive.news/society/kindness-frequent-universal-study/
News related with SDGs number 3-Good Health and Well-Being
Tolerance? Go through words: mistakes not to make when talking about religion
September 2023- Religious vocabulary is even used improperly by some mass media, and it is also because of this that inappropriate technical language is spreading more and more rapidly. Using the words “anti-Judaism” and “anti-Semitism” as synonyms is incorrect. “Anti-Semitism” is an opposition to Judaism that does not have to do with religion, but with ethnic and racial origins; “anti-Judaism”, on the other hand, is used to understand dissent in religious terms. The words “Arab” and “Muslim” are now considered synonymous. “Arab” is a member of a Semitic people, given based on the place of origin; “Muslim”, on the other hand, is a follower of the religion of Islam. An Arab is not necessarily a Muslim, and vice versa. Contrary to popular belief, Catholicism is not a religion. In the historical-religious context, Catholicism is a confession of the Christian religion.
It is important to become aware of certain topics in this historical period more than ever, starting with the change in linguistic behaviors.
News related with SDGs number 16-Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Neurocinematics: how films influence brains & emotions
September 2023- Film is a powerful medium that can inspire, entertain, provoke thought, and incite emotional reactions. But have you ever wondered how a simple sequence of moving images can produce such profound effects on our minds and emotions? This is precisely what the field of neurocinematics seeks to answer. Emerging at the intersection of cinema, psychology, and neuroscience, neurocinematics employs tools from neuroscience to delve deeper into the influence of films on our brains. The term "neurocinematics" was coined by Uri Hasson, a professor at Princeton University, in 2004, to describe the study of the human brain's responses to films. Early cinema theorists and filmmakers intuitively understood that films could profoundly affect audiences' emotions. Still, it is only in the 21st century that we've begun to probe these processes from a neuroscientific perspective.
News related with SDGs number 3-Good Health and Well-Being
The parliament of the world's religions hopes to use faith to tackle the world's evils.
More than 6,500 religious leaders from 95 countries — from Buddhists to Zoroastrians — gathered Monday
14 August 2023 - Thousands of religious leaders — from Buddhists to Zoroastrians — gathered at Chicago’s cavernous McCormick Place conference center on Monday (Aug. 14) for the opening day of the Parliament of the World’s Religions, a historic and influential gathering. Leaders from a wide range of faiths urged participants to appreciate both the uniqueness of their own spiritual traditions and those of their neighbors – and to work together to address the world's biggest problems. The Chicago mayor's religious outreach director told attendees that the world remains full of darkness and division. But that darkness, he said, can be overcome if people of faith work together.
News related with SDGs number 16-Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
To sedate racism: tell more stories that welcome foreigners
August 2023- Next time you're browsing TV, stop and consider whether the stories about religion you see are doors or weapons. Talking and writing about religion can be an opening for constructive dialogue or a clumsy vehicle of hatred. Storytelling that relies on old, simplistic clichés is a danger to communities across the country and, ultimately, to the health of our democracy. Centuries of anti-Semitic portrayals and ignorant characterizations of Muslims have led to violence against both communities. Stories about religion can be doors or weapons. We choose. We make this distinction in what we fund, what we support, and what we watch. Much of our work, from books to films to TV, addresses the reality of shared humanity and what it means to seek understanding and hope even in moments of great pain.
https://religionnews.com/2023/06/22/to-quell-racism-tell-more-stories-that-welcome-the-stranger/
News related with SDGs number 16-Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Rules, regulations and environment
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INTERNATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY AGENCY - IRENA and AUDA-NEPAD Join Forces to Advance Regional Interconnections in Africa Regional integration is key for Africa to tap into its abundant renewable energy resources and fulfil development goals
5 September 2023 - The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) signed an agreement today (Sept 4) aimed at supporting African countries in their efforts to achieve the African Union's Agenda 2063 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7 to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. (…) The continued investments in cross-border transmission infrastructure and a deepening of electricity trade will allow African countries to accelerate their energy expansion and transition by sourcing electricity from a wide range of competitive, clean energy resources, by anchoring on the continent's five power pools to create Africa's Single Electricity Market. (…)
News related with SDGs number 17-Partnerships for the Goals
Swiss company Groupe E produces its first green hydrogen molecules
(by Juan Pedro Tomas)
31 August 2023 - In Switzerland, Groupe E said it has just commissioned its green hydrogen production plant, near the Schiffenen dam. The company is currently carrying out the necessary tests and adjustments before being able to fully exploit the facilities. The new site must supply some 300 tons of green hydrogen per year intended for the decarbonization of industry and heavy mobility, Groupe E said. (…) Groupe E plans a total production of 300 tons of green hydrogen per year. (…)
News related with SDGs number 12-Responsible Consumption and Production
International Renewable Energy Agency - Renewables competitiveness accelerates, despite cost inflation global power sector saved fuel costs of USD 520 billion last year thanks to renewables, says new IRENA report
30 August 2023 - The fossil fuel price crisis has accelerated the competitiveness of renewable power. Around 86 per cent (187 gigawatts) of all the newly commissioned renewable capacity in 2022 had lower costs than fossil fuel-fired electricity. Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2022, published by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) today (Aug 29) shows that the renewable power added in 2022 reduced the fuel bill of the electricity sector worldwide. New capacity added since 2000 reduced the electricity sector fuel bill in 2022 by at least USD 520 billion. In non-OECD countries, just the saving over the lifetime of new capacity additions in 2022 will reduce costs by up to USD 580 billion. In addition to these direct cost savings, there would be substantial economic benefits from reducing CO2 emissions and local air pollutants. (…)
News related with SDGs number 13-Climate Action
Stellantis Invests in CTR to strengthen low emissions U.S. lithium production
21 August 2023 – (…) Stellantis invests over $100 million to advance the development of geothermal lithium project in California and encourage decarbonization of battery electric vehicle supply chains. New agreement includes a supply increase from the initial plan of 25,000 metric tons to up to 65,000 metric tons per year of battery-grade lithium hydroxide monohydrate (…)
News related with SDGs number 9-Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
INTERNATIONAL ENERGY AGENCY - Co-operation across borders is key to building interconnected power systems of the future
17 August 2023 - Regional integration of power systems strengthens energy security, decarbonisation and efficiency. Designers of energy systems have traditionally thought locally or nationally. But as adoption of renewable energy grows rapidly, building power systems that operate across borders will become increasingly essential. Integrating power systems at a regional scale can bring many benefits, such as enhancing energy security and facilitating wider access to clean and affordable electricity. Connecting power systems together means a larger range of generation capacity can be used to meet demand and maintain a stable frequency. This decreases dependence on specific generators and allows for reserves to be shared, boosting the resilience of the broader system. (…)
News related with SDGs number 12-Responsible Consumption and Production
Mining giants agree to end feudal energy grids and create massive renewables hub
(by Giles Parkinson)
11 August 2023 – (…) The remote Pilbara region in the north-west of Western Australia is rich in iron ore and other minerals, but the companies that created the huge mining provinces that have delivered tens of billions of dollars in profit, and created the country’s two richest families, have done their own thing. They have built their own mines, their own roads, their own towns, their own rail lines (sometimes running next to each other) and – in some cases – their own electricity grids. Now they have concluded that this feudal-style grid system is no longer suitable – and that it’s a much smarter idea to work together and share their grids to cut costs, and lower emissions by facilitating the construction of wind, solar and storage. (…)
News related with SDGs number 17-Partnerships for the Goals
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Good News Agency is published monthly (except August) in English, Italian and Portuguese. Past issues are available at www.goodnewsagency.org . Rome Law-court registration no. 265 dated 20 June 2000. Managing Editor: Fabio Gatti. Editorial research by Fabio Gatti, Isabella Strippoli, Elisa Minelli, Salvatore Caruso Motta, Chiara Damilano, Francesco Viglienghi, Carlo Toraldo, Andrea Landriscina, Nazzarena Franco. Webmaster, media and NGO coverage: Simone Frassanito (simone.frassanito@goodnewsagency.org)
Good News Agency is distributed free of charge through Internet to media and editorial journalists of the daily newspapers and periodical magazines and of the radio and television stations, NGOs, service associations, high schools and colleges as well as over 26,000 Rotarians around the world.
It is an all-volunteer service of Associazione Culturale dei Triangoli e della Buona Volontà Mondiale, a registered, not-for-profit educational charity chartered in Italy in 1979 The Association operates for the development of consciousness and promotes a culture of peace in the ‘global village’ perspective based on unity in diversity and on sharing. It is based in Piazzale degli Eroi 8, 00136 Rome, Italy. The Association is a member of the World Association of Non Governmental Organizations.
* http://decade-culture-of-peace.org/2010_civil_society_report.pdf - In section A - International Organizations, page 12, the Report says: ”Diffusion and exchange of culture of peace information via the Internet has become the major instrument for several international organizations, notably the Culture of Peace News Network, the Good News Agency and the Education for Peace Globalnet.”