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Good News Agency

In spite of everything, a culture of peace is emerging in all fields of human endeavour

monthly, year 22nd, no. 308 – 26th July 2022

 

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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Contents

Government and politicsEducation and teachingEconomy, finance and planning

Arts of living and relationshipsWork, science and industry

Society and communicationRules, regulations and environment

 

Government and politics
(top)

 

United Nations – Economic and Social Council - 2022 session - Agenda item 19 (b) - Social and human rights questions: social development

Resolution adopted by the Economic and Social Council on 8 June 2022: Social dimensions of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development

20 June 2022 – The Economic and Social Council (…)

2. Welcomes the progress made by African Governments in fulfilling their commitments in the implementation of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development to deepen democracy, human rights, good governance and sound economic management, and encourages them, with the participation of stakeholders, including civil society and the private sector, to intensify their efforts in this regard by developing and strengthening institutions for governance and creating an environment conducive to attracting foreign direct investment for the development of the region; (…)

4. Reaffirms the importance of supporting Agenda 2063 of the African Union, as well as its first 10-year implementation plan, as a strategic framework for ensuring a positive socioeconomic transformation in Africa and its continental programme embedded in the resolutions of the General Assembly on the New Partnership and regional initiatives, such as the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme; (…)

https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N22/385/78/pdf/N2238578.pdf?OpenElement

News related with SDGs number 10-Reduced Inequalities

 

OB. 16 - United Nations – General Assembly - Seventy-sixth session - Agenda item 128 - Draft Resolution: Interaction between the United Nations, national parliaments and the Inter-Parliamentary Union

13 June 2022 - The General Assembly (…)

2. Encourages the United Nations and the Inter-Parliamentary Union to continue to work closely in various fields, including the three dimensions of sustainable development – the economic, social and environmental – peacebuilding and sustaining peace, (…)

2. Encourages the United Nations and the Inter-Parliamentary Union to continue to work closely in various fields, including the three dimensions of sustainable development – the economic, social and environmental – peacebuilding and sustaining peace, (…)

16. Invites the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the relevant bodies of the United Nations system to continue and enhance their cooperation in supporting Governments in facilitating the orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people (…)

https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/LTD/N22/380/63/pdf/N2238063.pdf?OpenElement

News related with SDGs number 17-Partnerships for the Goals

 

United Nations – Economic and Social Council - 2022 session - Agenda item 19 (b) - Social and human rights questions: social development

Resolution adopted by the Economic and Social Council on 8 June 2022: Inclusive and resilient recovery from COVID-19 for sustainable livelihoods, well-being and dignity for all: eradicating poverty and hunger in all its forms and dimensions to achieve the 2030 Agenda

10 June 2022 – 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, 9  and emphasizes that the international community, through the outcome documents of the major United Nations conferences and summits adopted by the General Assembly, has reinforced, inter alia, the urgency of eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, combating inequality within and among countries, protecting the environment, creating sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth and fostering social inclusion within the United Nations development agenda, (…)

3. Reaffirms the commitment to implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 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;

4. Calls upon Member States to ensure the promotion and protection of all human rights, in accordance with their obligations under international human rights law; (…)

https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N22/385/84/pdf/N2238584.pdf?OpenElement

News related with SDGs number 10-Reduced Inequalities

 

 

Education and teaching
(top)

 

USA - Weaving together a diverse workplace. Culture at Tapestry

8 July 2022:  Originally published by Forbes:

During her 14-year tenure at New York-based house of modern luxury lifestyle brands Tapestry Inc., Global Human Resources Officer Sarah Dunn has helped the company navigate tremendous cultural and societal change. We asked her how Tapestry is addressing the challenges of becoming an inclusive employer and about the role HR plays in achieving diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) goals.

Success through diversity

Tapestry considers that having a diverse workforce is crucial to business success. So, how does Tapestry deliver on its vision of a diverse and inclusive workplace? According to Dunn, the company’s leaders play a key role “Our local store managers really carry the flag for our brand every day – both with our employees and our customers,” she explains. “Your direct manager has the most impact on whether you have a sense of belonging and, with most of our employees working in our stores, our frontline managers are front and center of creating a culture of inclusion and ensuring that we have a diverse population.”

https://www.csrwire.com/press_releases/749271-weaving-together-diverse-workplace-culture-tapestry

News related with SDGs number 4-Quality Education

 

"He called them hope plants": supporting people's mental health in the Ukraine crisis

1 July 2022 – In the town of Zahony, Hungary, on the border with Ukraine, a team of 20 health specialists from the Spanish Red Cross has been working with the IFRC and Hungarian Red Cross to meet the mental and physical health needs of people fleeing the conflict in Ukraine. Katie Wilkes, IFRC Communications Delegate for the Ukraine crisis, reports.A simple search for “Kharkiv” on the internet today yields scenes of grey ash covering splintered buildings. This is how much of the world now sees Ukraine.

Far from this perception are locals’ memories of crackling fireplaces and walks under the trees—so many of which now stand lifeless. But at least one small clump of spring green remains—a few little plants in one Kharkiv resident’s back yard. The only ones to survive raining missiles in a garden once lush and vibrant.

“He called them hope plants,” says Ana Blanco, one of 20 emergency responders from the Spanish Red Cross working in Zahony, Hungary. “He and his wife arrived at Zahony train station with two of them, having travelled all this way from Kharkiv. And every day I’d see them take such great care and pride ensuring they stayed alive on the windowsill of the shelter.”  For this man, these plants are his token of home. And while they may not be the most practical thing to carry with him on his journey, Ana understands they are vitally important to his mental wellbeing. (…)

https://www.ifrc.org/article/he-called-them-hope-plants-supporting-peoples-mental-health-ukraine-crisis

News related with SDGs number 16-Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

 

Six New Jersey Schools recognized for innovative Climate Action Projects

Area high school and middle school students showcase their approach to helping to address the ongoing impacts of climate change

10 June 2022 - Atlantic City Electric, Exelon, the Drumthwacket Foundation and Sustainable Jersey honored six student teams for their NJ Student Climate Challenge action projects, which offer innovative approaches to help address the ongoing issue of climate change. Student teams, from high schools and middle schools across New Jersey, were tasked with developing and executing a school or community-based climate action project and creating a digital story or video to capture the approach and impacts of their climate project. Student team winners and their teacher mentors were recognized on June 8, 2022 at an awards ceremony hosted by the Drumthwacket Foundation with New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy. (…)

https://electricenergyonline.com/article/energy/category/climate-change/82/966012/six-new-jersey-schools-recognized-for-innovative-climate-action-projects-.html

News related with SDGs number 4-Quality Education

 

 

Economy, finance and planning
(top)

 

SEATTLE - Expedia Group's Annual Global Impact Report reveals positive momentum and commitment to a more inclusive and responsible Travel Industry

8 July 2022:  Today, Expedia Group released its annual Global Impact Report, outlining how the company continues to contribute to the creation of a more accessible, equitable, and sustainable travel industry for generations to come. This report outlines Expedia Group’s efforts to help travelers experience the world in new ways and build lasting connections while having a positive impact on their destinations. It also details the way these values are built into Expedia Group’s operations and workplaces. Last year was one of rebuilding globally across the travel industry as borders slowly reopened to travel. Expedia Group worked with its partners, communities, and travelers to leverage this momentum toward positive impact, including a $10.5 million donation to UNICEF to support vaccine equity through its Give the World a Shot initiative.

With employees spanning the globe and 200+ travel sites in over 70 countries, Expedia Group is committed to ensuring travel is inclusive and responsible. This report summarizes progress against this commitment across three key focus areas: Travelers, Environment, and Community. Underpinning that work is a strong governance structure designed to guide responsible, transparent, and ethical action

https://www.csrwire.com/press_releases/749251-expedia-groups-annual-global-impact-report-reveals-positive-momentum-and

News related with SDGs number 11-Sustainable Cities and Communities

 

CALIFORNIA - How HP Designers Think About Sustainable PCs

7 July 2022: In a conference room at HP’s Silicon Valley campus, a cornucopia of materials is placed all around. On the table and walls are swatches in fashion-forward colors (teal green, scarlet, rose gold) and novel textures (mycelium foam, crushed seashells, recycled rubber from running tracks, fabric from recycled jeans). Even more unexpected: pairs of high-end athletic shoes, and lots of them; luggage and backpacks, teapots and totes; stacks of gorgeous coffee-table books on topics ranging from furniture to architecture — all to inspire the look and feel of devices that HP has yet to imagine. Being able to touch, test, and debate about these items in person is part of the process, a creative collaboration Global Head of Design & Sustainability Stacy Wolff and his talented team of designers are grateful to be able to do side by side again inside their light-filled studio in Palo Alto. With each iteration of an HP laptop, desktop, or gaming rig, they endeavor to push the bounds of sustainable design while offering consumers a device that they’re proud to use each day.For the last few years, HP’s design work has gained recognition, evidenced by the studio’s gleaming rows of awards. But there’s not a single name listed on any of them. “Everything we do is by collective effort. We win as a group, and we lose as a group,” says Wolff. “If you won an award, someone else had to do maybe a less glamorous job to give you the freedom to do that.” The team of 73 creatives in California, Houston, and Taipei are from backgrounds as varied as design, engineering, graphics, anthropology, poetry, ergonomics, and sports journalism. There’s one thing they have in common, though. Disagreements are dealt with by amping up their communication and doubling down on what they know to be their source of truth. “If we let the customer be the North Star, it tends to resolve almost all conflict,” Wolff says.

https://www.csrwire.com/press_releases/749171-how-hp-designers-think-about-sustainable-pcs

News related with SDGs number 11-Sustainable Cities and Communities

 

F1 takes next steps towards 2030 net zero carbon target

(by Meghan Sapp)

27 June 2022 - In the UK, development of a 100% sustainable fuel, slashing the use of single-use plastics and reviewing travel and freight logistics – these are just some of the things Formula 1 as a sport is working on as part of its commitment to be Net Zero Carbon by 2030. Three years ago, as part of a wider sustainability strategy, F1 set ambitious targets and have since been working with the 10 teams, race promoters, partners, suppliers, broadcasters and the FIA to reduce the sport’s carbon footprint. (…)

https://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2022/06/27/f1-takes-next-steps-towards-2030-net-zero-carbon-target/

News related with SDGs number 12-Responsible Consumption and Production 

 

Jumpin’ Jetfuel June – Finnair, Gevo, Qantas, Airbus, Delta, Neste, Southwest, SAFFiRE and more SAF just this month!

(by Helena Tavares Kennedy)

26 June 2022 - Jump for joy and jetfuel! June was jaw-dropping for SAF and the aviation industry and it’s not just because of Finnair and Gevo’s new 7 million gallons per year of sustainable aviation fuel sales agreement. It’s Qantas and Airbus. It’s ATR and Braathens. It’s Shell, Accenture and American Express. It’s Delta, Neste, Colonial Pipeline and Buckeye Partners. It’s Cepsa and Vueling. It’s Repsol and Iberia. It’s Southwest Airlines and SAFFiRE Renewables. And that’s just in June and the month isn’t even over yet! In today’s Digest, how what used to be a year’s worth of SAF news happened in less than a month, (…)

https://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2022/06/26/jumpin-jetfuel-june-finnair-gevo-qantas-airbus-delta-neste-southwest-saffire-and-more-saf-just-this-month/

News related with SDGs number 12-Responsible Consumption and Production 

 

NREL Announces Participants for the 2022 Executive Energy Leadership Program

10 June 2022 - The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has selected 20 leaders to participate in its 2022 Executive Energy Leadership program (Energy Execs), which provides nontechnical businesses, governmental, and community leaders an opportunity to learn about advanced energy technologies, analytical tools, and financing to guide their organizations and communities in energy-related decisions and planning. A four-month program starting this month, Energy Execs offers executive decision-makers an in-depth opportunity to learn from some of NREL's most prominent scientists, engineers, and professionals. Participants at the conclusion of this program will demonstrate what they have learned by presenting feasible innovative energy projects relevant to their organizations or communities. (…)

https://electricenergyonline.com/article/energy/category/general/90/966006/nrel-announces-participants-for-the-2022-executive-energy-leadership-program.html

News related with SDGs number 12-Responsible Consumption and Production 

 

 

Arts of living and relationships
(top)

 

Innovative digital technologies bridge gaps in the polio response and beyond

WHO Geographic Information System (GIS) equips over 200 specialists across Africa with essential digital mapping and Mobile Health skills to boost public health systems in their outbreak responses.

8 July 2022– While the WHO Africa Region (AFRO) has been facing its last hurdle in eradicating polio of all types since being certified indigenous wild polio free in 2020, a circulating variant of polio virus type two has been present in 26 countries with more than 1,000 cases between them, coupled with the recent importation of two wild polio type 1 cases. To help reverse this trend, the WHO/AFRO Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Center is equipping over 200 key country office focal points and Ministry of Health personnel across 47 countries with essential innovative technologies to better address outbreaks with necessary speed and quality. Concluding a series of one-week capacity-building workshops over the past six months and targeting of the WHO  regions of Central, East & Southern, and West Africa –  – the AFRO GIS Center, with the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), WHO HQ Polio Unit and GIS Centre for Health, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Novel-t on-boarded digital GIS and Mobile Health (mHealth) technologies to support regional and national agendas particularly on planning and analysis for improvement of surveillance, campaigns and outbreak response for polio and all other routine immunization and outbreaks. While the initial investment was made by polio these tools are being leveraged for all health interventions. (…)

https://polioeradication.org/news-post/innovative-digital-technologies-bridge-gaps-in-the-polio-response-and-beyond/

News related with SDGs number 3-Good Health and Well-Being

 

Democratic Republic of the Congo: 83 children separated by armed conflict finally reunited with their loved ones

7 July 2022-Kalemie (ICRC)– 83 children, aged between five and 19, were reunited with their families in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The children had lost contact with their loved ones as a result of armed conflict and violence in the south-east of the country. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), in coordination with the Red Cross Society of the DRC, worked to return the children to their families, some of whom had been apart for more than three years.

This major operation is the culmination of extensive searches that were initiated between 2019 and 2021. The search process was quite protracted in some cases, either because there was very little information to go on or no family address, or because logistics and security concerns made it difficult to access some search areas. (…)

https://www.icrc.org/en/document/democratic-republic-congo-83-children-separated-armed-conflict-finally-reunited-their-loved

News related with SDGs number 16-Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

 

Women Are Leading India’s EV Revolution. What Can The World Learn From Them?

(by Cynthia Shahan)

23 June 2022 - Technology advances are breaking all kinds of patterns. One notable improvement is more women in automotive workplaces in India. Clean technology is multiplying jobs for women there. In some places, such as the transportation industry, new technology is a force for career opportunities for women in what once was a man’s only domain. Those opportunities are also proving that a more gender-balanced workforce isn’t just good for women, it’s good for business. Yet, gender neutrality comes with effort, and breaking that bias comes with effort. (…)

https://cleantechnica.com/2022/06/23/women-are-leading-indias-ev-revolution-what-can-the-world-learn-from-them/

News related with SDGs number 16-Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

 

 

Work, science and industry
(top)

 

Offshore wind developers reach agreement with environmentalists on protecting whales

30 June 2022 – (…) BOSTON (AP) — The developers of an offshore wind farm and three environmental organizations announced that they have reached an agreement to further protect rare North Atlantic right whales during the construction and operation of the energy-generating project. The agreement involving Ørsted and Eversource — developers of South Fork Wind off the coast of New England and New York — was signed by the National Wildlife Federation, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Conservation Law Foundation, the groups said in a joint statement. The agreement promotes the development of sustainable energy while protecting wildlife, said Alison Chase, a senior policy analyst at the NRDC. (…)

https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/wind-power/offshore-wind-developers-reach-agreement-with-environmentalists-on-protecting-whales/

News related with SDGs number 14- Life below Water

 

Over 150 Companies Take Principled Stand at UN Ocean Conference

28 June 2022 - At the Sustainable Blue Economy Investment Forum in Cascais, Portugal, a special UN Ocean Conference event, more than 150 major companies have signaled their commitment to a healthy ocean by signing onto the UN Global Compact Sustainable Ocean Principles. In addition to the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact, the Sustainable Ocean Principles provide a framework for responsible business practices across ocean sectors and geographies. Companies signing on to the Sustainable Ocean Principles commit to assess their impact on the ocean and integrate ocean sustainability into their overall strategy. (…)

https://www.renewableenergymagazine.com/ocean_energy/over-150-companies-take-principled-stand-at-20220628/

News related with SDGs number 14- Life below Water

 

There’s no healthy economy (or planet) without healthy forests

(by K.E.D. COAN)

7 June 2022 Forests are fundamental for the economy, reaching climate targets, and more Forests are among the world’s best bets for carbon capture. But according to this year’s State of the World’s Forests report from the United Nations, forests are also the foundation of green and equitable economies, sustainable resource management, and biodiversity preservation and are generally key to a brighter future.

This latest report highlights how much forests are undervalued in economic analyses and re-emphasizes a three-pronged approach: preserve existing forests, restore degraded lands and expand agroforestry (the integration of trees and shrubs into agriculture), and sustainably use forest products. (…)

https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/06/theres-no-healthy-economy-or-planet-without-healthy-forests/

News related with SDGs number 15-Life on Land

 

 

Society and communication
(top)

 

MESSICO: The Alamo City Council promotes a culture of peace among women

3 July 2022- The Nuevo Paso Real, Buenos Aires and Aguanacida ejidos (shared agricultural lands), together with the Pantepec and Santa Cruz neighborhoods, formed the networks of women builders of Peace (MUCPAZ). The formation of MUCPAZ networks translates into actions aimed at transforming women’s lives, support and direct communication between women and the Municipal Government headed by Lilia Arrieta through the Municipal Institute for Women. The objective of the MUCPAZ Strategy is to establish citizen networks of women that allow them to collaborate with government agencies to prevent gender violence, through focused and comprehensive strategies that contribute to identifying risk factors, detecting in a timely manner possible situations of violence, promoting equality between women and men, contributing to creating environments free of violence and promoting a culture of peace.

https://cpnn-world.org/new/?p=27625&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mexico-the-alamo-city-council-promotes-a-culture-of-peace-among-women

News related with SDGs number 5-Gender Equality

 

YUCATAN: State Government and 10 Municipalities join efforts to prevent violence and crime

3 July 2022 July In order to reinforce joint actions in matters of security and social peace in Yucatan, the head of the General Secretariat of the Government (SGG), María Fritz Sierra, presided over the signing of two agreements between 10 municipalities and the Center for the Prevention of Crime and Citizen Participation (Cepredey).This coordination between state and municipal authorities responds to the instruction of Governor Mauricio Vila Dosal, to add and multiply efforts to promote effective strategies, focused and concentrated to strengthen prevention, to reduce and to eradicate the factors that generate violence or illicit conduct. Along with the Great Museum of the Mayan World, the mayors of Mérida, Umán,  Progreso, Hunucmá, Kanasín, Motul, Tekax, Ticul, Tizimín and Valladolid promised to coordinate efforts to strengthen the culture of peace in this first stage, with other actions to follow. The head of the SGG highlighted the willingness and interest of the councilors to strengthen collaboration with the Executive, with the idea that prevention is the best way to combat violence and crime, and that these issues are part of the priority agenda of public management in the territory. Likewise, she stressed that these agreements are an example of a responsible public administration, which seeks to implement policies of real benefit to citizens including complementary efforts to achieve specific and measurable goals.

https://cpnn-world.org/new/?p=27608&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=yucatan-state-government-and-10-municipalities-join-efforts-to-prevent-violence-and-crime

News related with SDGs number 11-Sustainable Cities and Communities

 

Anera on the Ground: The Tech Ecosystem in Palestine

27June 2022  – Professionals in the field of information and communications technology (ICT) are and will continue to be among the most prized and sought after in the global job market. Each year, more work moves into the digital space – now accelerated by the changes COVID-19 has brought to the work world. And digital skills are increasingly critical for all professionals, even those not specialized in ICT jobs. There is a great source of talent – and a good value proposition – to be tapped in Palestine. Palestine is in a time zone that is close to Europe and the Arab Gulf countries – large, wealthy markets in desperate need of more ICT talent. Palestinians are highly literate, well-educated, and many speak English well. The Palestinian tech ecosystem is still small, but it has been growing in the past 15 years. The majority of the existing tech businesses provide outsourcing services, mostly to local companies, while some also outsource to regional and international businesses and organizations. Outsourcing accounts for more than 80% of the Palestinian tech ecosystem. Palestinian startups and other local tech companies account for the rest. There are many initiatives, accelerators and incubators in Palestine working to help young entrepreneurs actualize their ideas and bring them to market as well as to upskill tech graduates and other aspiring tech career candidates. (…)

https://www.anera.org/blog/tech-ecosystem-palestine/

News related with SDGs number 15-Life on Land

 

 

Rules, regulations and environment

(top)

 

EU's offshore strategy implementation must move up a gear to meet ocean energy targets

30 June 2022 - Time is running out for the EU to meet its 100 MW ocean energy deployment target by 2025 - but it isn't too late, says a new report released today (June 23) by Ocean Energy Europe. Secure, decarbonised and affordable energy is a top EU priority, and this should be reflected in the timely implementation of its Offshore Renewables Strategy. (…)

https://electricenergyonline.com/article/energy/category/hydro/86/969466/eu-s-offshore-strategy-implementation-must-move-up-a-gear-to-meet-ocean-energy-targets.html

News related with SDGs number 9-Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

 

Museum of the Future, RTA accelerate smart city mobility with strategic partnership and exhibition

28 June 2022 - Strategic partnership agreement signed to deepen collaboration on the future of mobility across cities and communities everywhere:

Dubai, UAE: The Museum of the Future and Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) have announced a new partnership to showcase future mobility solutions, from personal jet packs to self-driving cars. (…)

https://www.zawya.com/en/press-release/government-news/museum-of-the-future-rta-accelerate-smart-city-mobility-with-strategic-partnership-and-exhibition-q5nm288v

News related with SDGs number 11-Sustainable Cities and Communities

 

Behind the Allure of the ‘Smart City’ - The glamour of digital technology can obscure the hard work of building healthy, sustainable cities.

(by Diana Ionescu)

28 June 2022 - Writing in Technology Review, Riad Meddeb, interim director of the UNDP Global Centre for Technology, Innovation, and Sustainable Development, cautions that an overemphasis on “smart city” technology “risks a transactional—and limiting—approach to city improvement, focusing on immediate returns on investment or achievements that can be distilled into KPIs.” A focus on building “smart cities” risks turning cities into technology projects. We talk about “users” rather than people. Monthly and “daily active” numbers instead of residents. Stakeholders and subscribers instead of citizens. (…)

https://www.planetizen.com/news/2022/06/117621-behind-allure-smart-city

News related with SDGs number 11-Sustainable Cities and Communities

 

Kraft Heinz Announces Agreement with Repsol in Company’s First Wind Energy Investment

28 June 2022 - The Kraft Heinz Company has announced a 12-year virtual power purchase agreement with Repsol, a global multi-energy company operating across more than 20 countries and based in Madrid, Spain. This agreement is the Company’s first investment in wind energy and is designed to help Kraft Heinz achieve its aspiration of procuring the majority of its electricity from renewable sources by 2025. Kraft Heinz is expected to source over 90 gigawatt hours/year of renewable energy from Spanish producer Repsol’s largest wind project, Delta II (Aragon, Spain) – equivalent to powering approximately 90 percent of Kraft Heinz’s European manufacturing sites, which is the majority of its European load. The vPPA is expected to generate enough renewable electricity to power approximately 25,000 average EU households per year at its peak. (…)

https://www.renewableenergymagazine.com/wind/kraft-heinz-announces-agreement-with-repsol-in-20220628/

News related with SDGs number 17-Partnerships for the Goals

 

INTERNATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY AGENCY - Reorganising the Power System for a Renewable-based Future

27 June 2022 - By 2030, 60 percent of the globally installed electricity could come from wind and solar. This is why the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)'s World Energy Transitions Outlook published earlier this year places the power sector at the heart of the global energy transition, with an increased role for variable renewable energy (VRE) and electrification of end uses. But governments today face the challenge of successfully integrating renewable power at a rapid pace, while keeping overall system costs in check and fostering the socio-economic benefits of widespread electricity access.  (…)

https://electricenergyonline.com/article/energy/category/climate-change/82/969042/reorganising-the-power-system-for-a-renewable-based-future.html

News related with SDGs number 9-Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

 

EU must step up ocean renewables strategy

23 June 2022 – (…) Time is running out for the EU to meet its 100MW ocean energy deployment target by 2025, according to Ocean Energy Europe. (…) Governments around the world have recently stepped up the development of ocean energy, via revenue support in the UK and Canada, a €500m package in the US, and deployment plans in China’s 5-Year Plan. Ocean Energy Europe’s report has highlighted that Europe has not matched the pace and risks losing its competitive advantage. (…)

https://renews.biz/78683/eu-must-step-up-ocean-renewables-strategy/

News related with SDGs number 9-Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

 

IRENA and RCREEE Strengthen Energy Transition Collaboration in MENA Region - IRENA head signs new agreement with RCREEE Executive Director; hails ability of renewables to safeguard “future generations”

9 June 2022 - The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (RCREEE) agreed to strengthen their collaboration on scaling-up renewable energy deployment in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in Jordan today (June 8), on the margins of the "MENA Europe Future Energy Dialogue" (…) Under the agreement, IRENA and RECREEE will partner on regional dialogues and initiatives that address the challenges, needs, and opportunities of a renewables-based energy transition in MENA countries. The agencies will also share knowledge and cooperate on building capacity in MENA countries particularly through enabling policy and regulatory frameworks that can accelerate renewable energy adoption. (…)

https://electricenergyonline.com/article/energy/category/climate-change/82/965708/irena-and-rcreee-strengthen-energy-transition-collaboration-in-mena-region.html

News related with SDGs number 17-Partnerships for the Goals

 

ThoughtLab launches future cities research programme

(by SmartCitiesWorld news team)

7 June 2022 - The research firm is working with a coalition of business, government, and academic leaders, including SmartCitiesWorld, on the study of 200 cities, which will probe their strategies, investments and plans for becoming future-ready. The research project will examine how cities plan to reinvent their urban environments. Global research firm ThoughtLab is collaborating with a coalition of business, government, and academic leaders to launch its fourth urban research programme, Building a Future-Ready City. (…)

https://www.smartcitiesworld.net/policymaking/policymaking/thoughtlab-launches-future-cities-research-programme

News related with SDGs number 11-Sustainable Cities and Communities

 

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