In spite of everything, a culture of peace is emerging in all fields of human endeavour
monthly, year 24th, number 324 – 2nd May 2024
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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General Assembly - Seventy-eighth session - Agenda item 14 - Culture of peace - Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 21 March 2024: International Year of Peace and Trust, 2025
April 1, 2024 - The General Assembly (…)
1. Proclaims 2025 the International Year of Peace and Trust;
2. Underlines that the International Year of Peace and Trust constitutes a means of mobilizing the efforts of the international community to promote peace and trust among nations based on, inter alia, political dialogue, mutual understanding and cooperation, in order to build sustainable peace, solidarity and harmony;
3. Reiterates that the objective of the effective implementation of the Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace is to strengthen further the global movement for a culture of peace, and calls upon all concerned to renew their attention to this objective; (…)
https://documents.un.org/doc/undoc/gen/n24/087/89/pdf/n2408789.pdf?token=WxiKiXxX7WHyav6XeL&fe=true
News related with SDGs number 16-Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
General Assembly - Seventy-eighth session - Agenda item 14 - Culture of peace - Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 15 March 2024: Measures to combat Islamophobia
March 21, 2024 - The General Assembly (…)
1. Condemns any advocacy of religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence, whether it involves the use of print, audiovisual or electronic media or any other means;
2. Also condemns the incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence against Muslims as manifested in the increasing number of incidents of desecration of their holy book, attacks on mosques, sites and shrines and other acts of religious intolerance, negative stereotyping, hatred and violence against Muslims; (…)
4. Calls upon Member States to take all necessary measures, including legislative and policy measures, to combat religious intolerance, negative stereotyping, hatred, incitement to violence and violence against Muslims and prohibit by law incitement to violence and violence against persons on the grounds of their religion or belief; (…)
https://documents.un.org/doc/undoc/gen/n24/078/19/pdf/n2407819.pdf?token=CRFnHOjACnxaZbEtz9&fe=true
News related with SDGs number 16-Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Canada: All 10 Provinces To End Immigration Detention in Jails
March 21, 2024 - (Ottawa) – All 10 of Canada's provinces have now committed to ending their immigration detention agreements and arrangements with the Canada Border Services Agency, a major victory for migrant and refugee rights, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International Canada said today. Newfoundland and Labrador, the last remaining province, has now confirmed that it will no longer allow the federal government to detain migrants and asylum seekers in local jails. (...) The use of provincial jails for immigration detention is inconsistent with international human rights standards and devastating to people’s mental health. The federal government should follow the provinces and take meaningful steps to end immigration detention across the country. (…)
News related with SDGs number 16-Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
UNESCO’s new global report puts happiness at the centre of education policy
(by Nhân Dân)
April 12, 2024 -On International Day of Happiness - 27 March - UNESCO launched a new publication, ‘Why the world needs happy schools: Global report on happiness in and for learning’. The report advocates for holistic approaches to promote school happiness in education policy and practice. Leveraging evidence from science, philosophy and international normative frameworks, the new global report proposes a framework of 12 high-level criteria to inspire Happy Schools projects around the world. …The symposium brought together a range of speakers for a dialogue in three parts: Evidence, policy and practice. The two-hour discussion featured cases and perspectives from the European Commission, the OECD, Bhutan, Portugal, Viet Nam and Bulgaria. To kick off the first segment on evidence, renowned child psychologist and learning scientist, Professor Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, gave a keynote address outlining her research on active, playful learning and the pedagogical approaches and learning spaces that are associated with better and wider learning experiences and outcomes…
https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/unescos-new-global-report-puts-happiness-centre-education-policy
News related with SDGs number 4-Quality Education
Global Gateway: The EU launches new regional initiatives in Africa to boost youth mobility and skills, including the unique Africa-Europe Youth Academy
April 11, 2024 - Today at the Global Gateway High-Level Event on Education in Brussels, European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen launched new regional programmes boosting youth mobility and skills in Africa. The Team Europe Initiative on Opportunity-driven Skills and Vocational Education and Training, the Africa-Europe Youth Academy and 15 new projects under the flagship Youth Mobility for Africa highlight the EU’s commitment to empowering African youth with education. As a key initiative of the Youth Action Plan in EU external relations, the Africa-Europe Youth Academy launched by Commissioner Urpilainen today will provide opportunities for formal and informal learning and exchanges to young people looking to improve their leadership skills and create networks between Africa and Europe. …The projects will provide learning mobility opportunities for students, trainees and staff across the continent to boost high-level green and digital skills.
News related with SDGs number 8-Decent Work and Economic Growth
Invest in teachers to ensure quality education for all: European Union supports United Nations recommendations on the profession
April 11, 2024– Funding education and investing in teachers are key to ensuring the right to education for all and achieving all Sustainable Development Goals. This message was heard loud and clear on April 11 at the Global Gateway High-Level Education Event co-hosted by the European Commission and the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The event marked the regional launch of the 59 recommendations put forward by the United Nations High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession as an action plan and a call to action for governments to end the global teacher shortage. “The teacher shortage is a global crisis, undermining students’ right to quality education and democratic societies. Globally, we need 44 million more colleagues, and this is just within primary and secondary education. We need more colleagues in early childhood education and technical and vocational education and training too. And teachers working in disadvantaged or hard to reach communities need more colleagues most urgently. Teachers across the world are committed to providing inclusive and quality education but need the enabling conditions – including manageable workloads and class sizes, and collegial support – to be able to meet their students’ needs,” stated Education International Vice-President for Europe Johanna Jaara Åstrand at the European High-Level Education Event.
News related with SDGs number 4-Quality Education
FIJCA 2024: JAZZ as an instrument of social cohesion in Ivory Coast
An article from Africa Radio (translation by CPNN)
April 2024 - “Jazz, youth of Ivory Coast and culture of peace” is the theme chosen for the 2nd edition of the International Festival of Jazz and African Cultures (FIJCA) which will be held from April 27 to May 1, 2024 in the Jessie Jackson sports complex of the commune of Yopougon . Initiated by Constant Boty, this event is intended to be a tool for intercultural connection highlighting several disciplines: cultural and creative industries, literature and sport. The FJCA is not only a world-renowned musical event but is above all a cultural, educational and economic beacon. In view of the electoral deadlines of 2025, the International Festival of Jazz and African Cultures positions itself as a means of raising awareness among young people about democracy, civic and citizen engagement in order to arouse in them the need to constitute themselves as agents of peace for a democratic, peaceful and prosperous Ivory Coast, a guarantee of all development. Hence the relevance of this year’s theme: “Jazz, youth of Ivory Coast and culture of peace”.
https://cpnn-world.org/new/?p=34396
News related with SDGs number 16-Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Germany renews its investments into Afghan communities and supports keeping children in school
March 26, 2024, Kabul - The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) welcomes a contribution of EUR15 million from Germany, through its Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), raising the total German contribution to more than EUR78 million in 2023. The funding will go towards activities that strengthen the resilience of vulnerable communities and WFP’s school feeding programme that helps keep girls and boys in primary schools. Almost 22,000 members of food-insecure families will participate in construction activities while receiving food assistance, benefiting more than 150,000 people. All these projects work include both men and women and are complemented with sensitization on hygiene and nutrition, gender and social cohesion. The contribution will also help WFP reach nearly 190,000 schoolgirls and boys in primary schools with nutritious school snacks, many which are baked fresh daily in village bakeries from locally procured ingredients, creating jobs and bolstering the local economy.
News related with SDGs number 1-No Poverty and SDGs number 4-Quality Education
Musician Innoss'B partners with WFP to advocate for nutrition and education in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
March 26, 2024, Kinshasa – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) welcomes Congolese musician Innoss’B as a High-Level Supporter promoting healthy meals and improved nutrition in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The collaboration comes at a crucial time when the country is grappling with high food insecurity and malnutrition.Innoss’B, born Innocent Balume, is a dynamic and innovative artist from Goma, who has made a significant impact on African music. Through this partnership, WFP aims to leverage Innoss’B's influence amongst the youth to raise awareness about the importance of healthy eating, school meals and strategies to combat malnutrition in the country.
News related with SDGs number 2-Zero Hunger and SDGs number 4-Quality Education
World Youth Orchestra debuts in Vietnam with “Sound of Brotherhood” project: Education for Peace
The World Youth Orchestra (WYO) will perform alongside the Vietnam National Academy of Music Youth Symphony Orchestra (VNAMYO) in the musical project titled “Sounds of brotherhood”, which will take place in Hanoi . Conductor Damiano Guiranna and 45 members of WYO, as well as 25 members of VNAMYO, will rehearse and perform together from March 30 to April 10, as part of the musical project entitled “Sounds of brotherhood”. Founded in 2001 by Italian conductor Damiano Giuranna, the WYO has welcomed around 3,500 talents from all continents and participated in numerous musical tours around the world. Among the highlights of the event will be concerts on the theme “The night of ascending dragon”, on the evening of April 6 at the large concert hall of the National Academy of Music, and “Gala Opera Puccini” on April 10 at the Hanoi Opera House. During the two concerts, audiences will have the opportunity to experience classical musical instruments and works written by famous composers such as Tchaikovsky, Rossini and Puccini, as well as works by Vietnamese composers such as Dang Huu Phuc and Trân Manh Hung.The combination of young artists from 20 countries and territories around the world will spread positive energy to music lovers in Hanoi...
https://cpnn-world.org/new/?p=34547
News related with SDGs number 4-Quality Education
Repsol starts large-scale production of renewable fuels in Cartagena
(by Juan Pedro Tomas)
April 10, 2024 - In Spain, Repsol announced the start of large-scale production of renewable fuels at its industrial complex in Cartagena, Spain. The firm noted that this plant is the first on the Iberian Peninsula dedicated exclusively to the production of 100% renewable fuels. The facility can produce renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel. Repsol said that the renewable fuels are produced from organic waste, such as used cooking oil or agri-food waste. The production of 100% renewable fuels at the plant in Cartagena will avoid the emission of 900,000 tons of CO2 a year (…)
News related with SDGs number 7-Affordable and Clean Energy
Winglets inspired by Andean condor could improve wind turbine efficiency by 10 pct
(by Rachel Williamson)
April 8, 2024 - The stunning flight of Andean condors are inspiring new designs for wind turbine blade that researchers believe can boost the output of the turbines by up to 10 per cent. Retrofitting turbines with winglets, or small curves at the tip of a blade, could deliver aerodynamic changes that reduce the overall drag and allows the turbine to produce more power, according to researchers at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Alberta. (…) The condor-style winglet, designed by Canadian company Biome, increased the pressure along the blade as well as changed the tip vortices at the end. (…)
News related with SDGs number 7-Affordable and Clean Energy
Walkers and British Crisp Co. roll out recyclable paper crisp packaging
(by Stuart Stone)
April 5, 2024 - Walkers launches paper multipack bags for Snack A Jacks, as British Crisp Co. unveils 'first fully recyclable' paper crisp packet. Major snacking brands Walkers and the British Crisp Co. have launched separate paper packaging innovations designed to tackle the eight billion crisp packets that either end up in UK landfill or are incinerated each year. (…)
News related with SDGs number 13-Climate Action
Algenesis and UC San Diego develop biobased TPU
(by Rebecca Coon)
March 26, 2024 - In San Diego, University of California San Diego and Algenesis have developed a new biobased thermoplastic urethane to help address pervasive microplastics in the environment. In a study published recently in Scientific Reports, the team proved that tiny plastic particles from their new TPU rapidly biodegraded under home composting conditions. They discovered that even common soil microorganisms are capable of growing on the microplastics, and use them as their sole carbon source. Essentially, these bacteria turn the bioplastic into harmless nutrients and carbon dioxide. (…)
https://www.inoreader.com/article/3a9c6e74cd9b9958-algenesis-and-uc-san-diego-develop-biobased-tpu
News related with SDGs number 13-Climate Action
Analog computing can solve complex equations and use far less energy
March 19, 2024 - Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, alongside global partners, have demonstrated that their analog computing device, known as a memristor, is capable of executing complex scientific computations more efficiently than conventional digital computing systems. This discovery has significant implications for fields ranging from climate science to material science (…).
News related with SDGs number 13-Climate Action
Empress Shôken Fund announces 103rd funding distribution to support projects in 17 countries
April 11, 2024 – The Joint Commission of the Empress Shôken Fund (ESF) has announced a new funding distribution that totals CHF 485,597 and supports projects administered by Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies in 17 countries. The commission is administered by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The projects to be supported cover a variety of topics, including youth, first aid and rescue, disaster preparedness, dissemination of humanitarian ideals, blood transfusion services and National Society development. The countries where the projects are being implemented are Algeria, the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Lesotho, Lithuania, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Montenegro, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, South Africa and Vanuatu. (…)
https://www.icrc.org/en/document/empress-shoken-fund-103rd-funding-distribution
News related with SDGs number 8-Decent Work and Economic Growth
WHO commends Iraq’s world-first in polio transition
April 4, 2024 – As of January 2024, Iraq has achieved the polio transition process in full. It is the first country among the polio transition priority countries to achieve this remarkable feat. Polio transition involves repurposing polio assets – knowledge, network and infrastructure – to strengthen the broader public health functions of a country within the overall context of strengthening the national health system. These wider functions include immunization, vaccine-preventable diseases surveillance, and emergency preparedness and response.To safeguard polio essential functions through sustainable resources, it is crucial to achieve the full transition by shifting from external to domestic financing. In turn, successful polio transition and the integration and maintenance of polio assets to strengthen routine immunization, disease surveillance and outbreak response have social and economic benefits and offer a very high return on investment.
Read more on the WHO EMRO website.
https://polioeradication.org/news-post/who-commends-iraqs-world-first-in-polio-transition/
News related with SDGs number 3-Good Health and Well-Being
The Power of Community and Peer-to-Peer Fundraisers
April 1, 2024 – Since October 7, Anera has seen an unprecedented increase in peer-to-peer (P2P) fundraising campaigns from around the world. These campaigns have been instrumental in raising funds and awareness for Gaza while demonstrating diverse ways in which communities worldwide can unite to make a meaningful impact. We have been amazed by the ability of our P2P fundraisers to craft unique campaigns that increase support for Anera’s programs. These dedicated people have galvanized their own local communities in support of communities in Palestine, raising nearly a quarter of a million dollars since the start of the war. Here are some standout examples. (…)
https://www.anera.org/blog/the-power-of-community-and-peer-to-peer-fundraisers/
News related with SDGs number 15-Life on Land
International Women’s Day 2024: ‘Invest in women: Accelerate progress’ : women’s equality
April 2024- In a world facing multiple crises that are putting immense pressure on communities, achieving gender equality is more vital than ever. Ensuring women’s and girls’ rights across all aspects of life is the only way to secure prosperous and just economies, and a healthy planet for future generations. One of the key challenges in achieving gender equality by 2030 is an alarming lack of financing with a staggering USD 360 billion annual deficit in spending on gender-equality measures. The time for change is now! Join us on 8 March 2024 for International Women’s Day as we rally behind the call to “Invest in women: Accelerate progress”. Take a stand and join the conversation with the #InvestInWomen hashtag. Here are five key areas that need our joint action to ensure women are not left behind: Investing in women: A human rights issue. Time is running out. Gender equality remains the greatest human rights challenge. Investing in women is a human rights imperative and cornerstone for building inclusive societies. Progress for women benefits us all…
https://cpnn-world.org/new/?p=34049
News related with SDGs number 5-Gender Equality
From UN Headquarters, Maya embroiderer from Mexico calls for safeguarding Yucatecan textile art and the condition of Mexican women artisans
March 29, 2024- Cándida Jiménez urged authorities to protect living heritage and the quality of life of textile artisans and embroiderers following the results of the UNESCO project. At the side event "Fighting Poverty and Empowering Women through Living Heritage" to the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), Cándida Jiménez Bojórquez, a Maya embroiderer from Maní, Yucatán, shared some of the results of the UNESCO's comprehensive project with a gender perspective through textile art in Yucatán. Cándida explained how cultural and gender perspectives guide this project for the economic and social improvement of women embroiderers and called on authorities to recognize and maintain their cultural heritage safely and improve the conditions of women artisans by opening more spaces for sales and exhibitions...
News related with SDGs number 5-Gender Equality
A labor of love
Supported by a Rotary Programs of Scale award, an initiative in Nigeria seeks to remedy the country’s high instances of maternal death
(by Diana Schoberg)
March 29, 2024– (…) No country has greater instances of maternal death than Nigeria. In 2020, 82,000 pregnant women and new mothers died there, nearly four times the maternal fatalities in India, where the second-most deaths occur. One contributing factor? Sixty percent of births in Nigeria take place outside of a health center or hospital, meaning mothers and expectant mothers are far more vulnerable if complications arise. And they so often do: The top causes of maternal deaths include postpartum hemorrhage, obstructed labor, and eclampsia, when seizures develop from a complication that can cause high blood pressure and organ damage. “Most people view [the deaths] as a punishment from the gods or some kind of witchcraft,” says midwife Ashezi David Alu. “But it’s just a pure act of negligence because of poor management of those complications.” Now a $2 million Programs of Scale grant from The Rotary Foundation is addressing this problem head on. Its goal is to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality by 25 percent in target areas at the end of the three-year program. Known as Together for Healthy Families in Nigeria, the initiative is sponsored by Rotary District 1860 (Germany) in partnership with Districts 9110, 9125, 9141, and 9142 (Nigeria), as well as the Rotary Action Group for Reproductive, Maternal, and Child Health. (…)
https://www.rotary.org/en/labor-love
News related with SDGs number 3-Good Health and Well-Being
Bikes overtake cars in Paris
April 11, 2024 - Bicycles have passed cars as a means of transport in Paris according to a recent study, a city official said Thursday. "Ten years ago who could have predicted that bicycles would overtake cars. Yet, it's happened," deputy mayor in charge of transport David Belliard posted on X. The study by the Institut Paris Region, an urban planning agency, found that Parisians opted for bicycles for 11.2 percent of their trips within the city itself, compared to only 4.3 percent for cars. Walking was the option for most trips at 53.5 percent, followed by public transport at 30 percent. (…)
https://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Bikes_overtake_cars_in_Paris_999.html
News related with SDGs number 11-Sustainable Cities and Communities
Stockholm Exergi gets environmental permits to build one of Europe’s largest BECCS facilities
(by Meghan Sapp)
April 9, 2024 - In Sweden, Stockholm Exergi recently received permission to build one of Europe’s first large-scale facilities for capturing carbon dioxide through bio-CCS (Bio-energy with Carbon Capture and Storage) in Värtahamnen, Stockholm following approval for the environmental permits from the Land and Environmental Court. (…)
News related with SDGs number 9-Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
New England’s last coal plants to be shut down, replaced with renewables
(by Sean Wolfe)
March 29, 2024 - Granite Shore Power (GSP) announced an agreement with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) setting a firm date for the voluntary closure of Merrimack Station and Schiller Station, New England’s last remaining coal plants. This agreement will facilitate the creation of “Renewable Energy Parks” in the state of New Hampshire, and GSP says the plant closures will open the path to new renewable generation and battery storage at their sites. As part of the redevelopment plan, Schiller Station is advancing a battery energy storage system, and for the Merrimack Station site, GSP plans to redevelop nearly 400 acres of land into a “clean energy center.” (…)
News related with SDGs number 12-Responsible Consumption and Production
Italian researchers recover extracellular polymeric substances from anaerobic granular sludge
(by Meghan Sapp)
March 27, 2024 - In Italy, promising new technique from researchers at the Politecnico di Milano using extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) recovered from anaerobic granular sludge may offer a cost-effective, sustainable approach for transforming wastewater into industrially valuable products, and help to reduce carbon emissions. (…)
News related with SDGs number 9-Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
European airlines call on EU to push for more green fuel
Mar 20,2024 - Several top European airlines on Wednesday urged EU authorities to follow the United States in pushing for increased production of "green" fuels. Last year, as part of the fight against climate change, the European Union passed legislation requiring airlines to begin the gradual adoption of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) for routes departing EU airports. The legislation provides for incorporating SAF for two percent of their overall fuel mix from next year, rising to six percent in 2030 and then soaring to 70 percent from 2050. But according to Airlines for Europe (A4E), which groups the continent's largest airline groups (including Ryanair, Lufthansa, IAG, Air France-KLM and easyJet), SAF production in Europe remains embryonic and also lags far behind projects launched in the United States backed by Washington's massive "Inflation Reduction Act" (IRA) plan. (…)
https://www.spacedaily.com/reports/European_airlines_call_on_EU_to_push_for_more_green_fuel_999.html
News related with SDGs number 12-Responsible Consumption and Production
Clean rubbish collection: Hampshire welcomes electric refuse trucks
(by Amber Rolt)
March 19, 2024 – (…)Fully electric waste and recycling lorries will soon be hitting the roads in Hampshire, as part of a pilot scheme between joint venture partners e-fleet solutions operator VEV, public service provider Serco, and refuse collection vehicle specialist RVS. The pilot project is set to take place in Basingstoke and Dean, Hart and Rushmoor local councils where Serco, RVS, and VEV said they aim to demonstrate the emissions reductions that can be delivered by switching to electric refuse collection vehicles (eRCVs). (…)
News related with SDGs number 15-Life on Land
Nuclear disarmament: a natural buddhist-catholic alliance, says the japanese leader
April 2024- At the United Nations headquarters, a solemn statue of Saint Agnes, holding her namesake lamb, is a disturbing reminder of nuclear destruction. The saint, known for resisting multiple attempts to kill her, survived the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945. The bomb exploded 500 meters from Urakami Cathedral, the largest Catholic church in Asia at the time. The bomb incinerated 60-80,000 people, including no more than 150 soldiers. Saint Agnes was found face down in the rubble of the cathedral.
News related with SDGs number 16-Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
On the road to lasting peace in Mali: “A mother hen must reunite her chicks”
April 2024- An article by Ansoumane Karamoko Cissé in Maliweb (translation by CPNN)
The Inter-Malien Dialogue for Peace and National Reconciliation meetings are underway at the CICB. These meetings take place after the various initiatives which had sought to set up this consultation framework.through the Steering Committee of the Inter-Malien Dialogue for Peace and National Reconciliation, headed by Mr. Ousmane Issoufou Maïga. We can say that Mali is a mother hen which is in the process of bringing together and uniting its children to achieve what has not always been possible: to achieve peace and stability….This Steering Committee was set up with a list of 140 people (one hundred and forty) made up of men and women including historians, sociologists, etc. The desired objective is to find possible solutions to the multiple problems that prevent peace, reconciliation, national unity and to address them at their roots, without referring to any ethnic, political, social affiliation… Since it is quite simply the unification of Malians, “Mali first,” no Malien should compromise this Union…
https://cpnn-world.org/new/?p=34562
News related with SDGs number 15-Life on Land
What makes us human
April 2024- Presented in the form of a riddle, the illustrated book by Victor D.O. Santos and Anna Forlati speak in favor of a diverse and multilingual world. UNESCO has joined forces with publishers around the world to ensure that the book is distributed in as many languages as possible. For most people, the terms “sea ice” or “ice pack” are sufficient to designate the expanse of ice that forms on the surface of the water. The inhabitants of the Bering Strait and Greenland, however, use almost 1,500 expressions to evoke the many facets of this phenomenon. Fun fact aside, if the Inuit-Aleut languages were to disappear, all knowledge associated with this terminology would disappear with them, depriving scientists of useful information in this time of climate change.
https://courier.unesco.org/en/articles/what-makes-us-human
News related with SDGs number 3-Good Health and Well-Being
82% of us adults are confident about their future and that of their community
April 2024- he United States has a reputation for being a hopeful nation, and a new poll indicates that this optimistic outlook is still as American as apple pie. The results revealed that as many as 82% of Americans are currently confident about their future. An even larger share, 85%, is confident in their family's future.
According to the Human Flourishing Lab, a program of the Archbridge Institute, three out of four respondents feel confident about the future of their local community.
News related with SDGs number 11-Sustainable Cities and Communities
Rules, regulations and environment
(top)
Tereos partners with Futerro to develop wheat-based bioplastics
(by Juan Pedro Tomas)
April 12, 2024 - In Belgium, Tereos and Futerro have signed a supply agreement that paves the way for the creation of a biomanufacturing platform that will produce innovative and sustainable biomaterials. The collaboration between the two companies will see Tereos supplying Futerro every year with 150,000 tons of dextrose from wheat starch, produced directly at its Lillebonne plant, to supply Futerro’s future biorefinery nearby. Futerro will use this sustainable raw material to produce various bio-based platform molecules (lactic acid and lactide) and a recyclable and industrially compostable bioplastic (PLA). (…)
News related with SDGs number 17-Partnerships for the Goals
Commission approves $380 million German state aid scheme to support renewable hydrogen production
(by Juan Pedro Tomas)
April 11, 2024 - In Belgium, the European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a $380 million German scheme to support the production of renewable hydrogen through the European Hydrogen Bank’s “Auctions-as-a-Service” tool. The German measure is in line notably with the objectives of the REPowerEU Plan and the European Green Deal Industrial Plan. It will contribute to further reducing imports of Russian fossil fuels and fast forward the green transition, the European body said. (…)
News related with SDGs number 7-Affordable and Clean Energy
FSCcertified tropical forests help wildlife thrive
Large, threatened mammals such as great apes and forest elephants and other wildlife are better conserved in FSC-certified forests compared to non-certified.
April 10, 2024 – A new study reveals compelling evidence that forests certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) in Gabon and the Republic of Congo harbour a higher abundance of larger mammals and critically endangered species such as gorillas and elephants compared to non-FSC certified forests. The research – led by Utrecht University with support from WWF and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and published in Nature – underscores the effectiveness of measures implemented in FSC-certified forest concessions to safeguard wildlife.
Key findings: FSC-certified forests a haven for larger mammals.
By meticulously documenting individual animal counts and strategically positioning camera traps, the research affirms that certified concessions notably harbour a bigger population of large and threatened mammals – 2.7 times more for mammals over 100 kg, such as gorillas and forests elephants, and 2.5 times more for mammals from 30-100 kg such as leopards and chimpanzees – when compared to non-FSC-certified forests concessions. (…)
News related with SDGs number 15-Life on Land
Transmission line with 165 towers completed to connect Australia’s biggest wind project
(by Giles Parkinson)
April 9, 2024 - Queensland government owned transmission company Powerlink says it has completed construction on a new 65 km 330 kV transmission line, including 165 towers, that will connect Australia’s largest wind project in southern Queensland. The new transmission line, which also includes two switching stations will connect the 923 MW Macintyre wind project being built by Acciona Energia, and which will be the biggest wind farm in the country, at least for a time. (…)
News related with SDGs number 7-Affordable and Clean Energy
Fortescue signs agreement for massive green hydrogen and ammonia hub in Morocco
(by Giles Parkinson)
April 9, 2024 - Andrew Forrest’s iron ore and green energy giant Fortescue Metals has announced a “landmark” joint venture to create a massive renewable energy, and green hydrogen, ammonia and manufacturing hub in the north Africa country of Morocco. The joint venture has been signed with Morocco-based OCP Group, a phosphate company with $US9 billion in revenue and which plans to spend $US13 billion over the coming three years to reach 100 per cent renewable energy by 2027, on the way to “carbon neutrality” by 2040. (…)
https://reneweconomy.com.au/fortescue-targets-massive-green-hydrogen-and-ammonia-hub-in-morocco/
News related with SDGs number 17-Partnerships for the Goals
Households and businesses are leading Australia’s race to renewables and electrification
(by Joshua S Hill)
April 4, 2024 - Australian households and small businesses are leading the renewable energy charge, installing 3.1GW of rooftop solar capacity during 2023 and accounting for 60 per cent of all new renewable capacity in the past year. According to new figures published by the Clean Energy Regulator’s (CER) latest Quarterly Carbon Market Report (QCMR), there were 331,000 new rooftop solar installations in 2023 at a record average capacity of 9kW. In total, 3.1GW of new rooftop capacity was installed throughout 2023, compared to 2.8GW in 2022, an increase of 10% and marking the second highest annual capacity installed, just shy of the 3.2GW installed in 2021. (…)
News related with SDGs number 11-Sustainable Cities and Communities
Oman and Germany sign pact on green hydrogen
(by Juan Pedro Tomas)
March 31, 2024 - In Oman, Times of Oman reported that Omani and German companies signed a number of agreements for delivering green hydrogen to refining stations in Germany. (…) The two governments also signed a memorandum of understanding between Hydrogen Oman and German company VNG on a feasibility study for establishment of an Omani -German integrated supply chain for green hydrogen and ammonia along with an agreement on the sale and purchase of liquefied natural gas (LNG) between Oman LNG and Securing Energy for Europe (SEFE). (…)
https://www.inoreader.com/article/3a9c6e74c1354def-oman-and-germany-sign-pact-on-green-hydrogen
News related with SDGs number 17-Partnerships for the Goals
Low Carbon and Agrivert create JV to develop, build and operate European biogas projects
(by Meghan Sapp)
March 28, 2024 – (…) The feedstock for the Beacon portfolio will predominantly be manure, food waste and agricultural residues to maximize the sustainability of the platform and help reduce global emissions of CO2 and methane. The biogas produced will be refined into biomethane and used in gas form or converted into electricity. (…)
News related with SDGs number 9-Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
It is now cheaper to run a fully electric home and EV in NZ than to use fossil fuels
(by Rachel Williamson)
March 19, 2024 - New Zealand is one of the first countries in the world to reach an electrification tipping point, as prices of $3a litre for petrol and high gas costs makes electric homes more affordable than fossil fuelled alternatives. The Electric Homes report, from the charity Rewiring Aotearoa, shows that a combination of EVs and electric appliances are cheaper over the lifetime of the machines, even with higher upfront costs or a 5.5 per cent interest rate for finance. The report found that homes currently using gas or LPG appliances and petrol vehicles could save more than $1,000 per year if they electrify and get their power from a combination of rooftop solar, home battery, and the existing electricity grid. (…)
News related with SDGs number 9-Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
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