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MARCH 7, 2023 Weekly News

LATEST IMAGES OF THE DAY view the archive view archive of natural events             Snow in Southern California A powerful late-February storm brought blizzard conditions to areas near Los Angeles. (Feb 27, 2023)

Taking Stock of Carbon Dioxide Emissions A pilot project has used satellite measurements to estimate emissions and removals of carbon dioxide in individual nations.       Nitrogen Dioxide in the Neighborhood A team of scientists mapped nitrogen dioxide in California's air at the neighborhood scale and found hotspots of the air pollutant near high-rise buildings and food processing facilities.       Mayotte's Lagoon Coral reefs surround the volcanic islands of Mayotte, the eastern-most islands in the Comoros archipelago.       New York and New Jersey Shadows from skyscrapers and other city buildings give the photograph a 3D look.       Landslides in São Paulo, Brazil After torrential rains, satellite images revealed widespread landslides in the Brazilian state's coastal municipality of São Sebastião.       A Dazzling Aurora Borealis Astronauts and sky watchers oohed and aahed as the night sky lit up with pulsating displays of reds, greens, and purples.       Saving a Forest of One Overgrazing by deer poses a threat to a giant quaking aspen tree colony in Utah—one of the largest organisms in the world.

NASA | 8800 Greenbelt Rd., Greenbelt, MD 20771

ΑΧΑΡΝΕΣ:"ΕΝΤΥΠΕΣ ΚΑΙ ΔΙΑΔΙΚΤΥΑΚΕΣ ΠΟΙΝΙΚΑ ΚΟΛΑΣΙΜΕΣ ΑΝΑΡΤΗΣΕΙΣ "ΤΥΠΟΥ" ΣΤΙΣ ΑΧΑΡΝΕΣ": η καινούρια ετικέττα "Οpinion Talks"

 ..με αίτημα Αναγνωστών, το "Opinion Talks" αναδημοσιεύει απο σήμερα έως τις εκλογές 2023, παν υβριστικόν και ποινικά κολάσιμο άρθρο, σχόλιο ή ανάρτηση....στις Αχαρνές και όχι μόνον...

Οι αναρτήσεις αυτές ΘΑ ΚΟΙΝΟΠΟΙΟΥΝΤΑΙ ΣΤΗΝ ΔΙΚΑΙΟΣΥΝΗ αυτομάτως, μετά την δημοσίευση..

Ευχαριστούμε τους αναγνώστες μας για την εμπιστοσύνη..

Μ.Χ.Β

Υ.Γ. ΠΑΡΕΜΦΕΡΗ ΑΡΘΡΑ ,ΚΟΙΝΟΠΟΙΟΥΝΤΑΙ ΠΡΟΣ ΔΗΜΟΣΙΕΥΣΙΝ ΕΔΩ: politikimx@gmail.com με την επισήμανση :"για την ετικέττα "ΕΝΤΥΠΕΣ ΚΑΙ ΔΙΑΔΙΚΤΥΑΚΕΣ ΠΟΙΝΙΚΑ ΚΟΛΑΣΙΜΕΣ ΑΝΑΡΤΗΣΕΙΣ "ΤΥΠΟΥ". Το όνομα του αποστολέα ΔΕΝ ΘΑ ΕΙΝΑΙ ΟΡΑΤΟ και θα παραμένει στο αρχείο του think tank

FSi latest

Nyhetsbrev, fredag 10. mars 2023
Bærekraft i Forsvarsindustrien og forsvarssektoren - Seminar 17. mars


Bærekraftsutfordringen treffer også forsvarsindustrien - Hva innebærer det?

Er virksomheten din forberedt på å møte utfordringen omstillingen til en bærekraftig utvikling i Forsvarssektoren og samfunnet forøvrig innebærer? Det kommer en tsunami av regelverk næringslivet må forholde seg til og Forsvarssektoren vil introdusere nye bærekraftsrelaterte krav både til leverandørenes virksomhet og til materiellet som skal anskaffes. I regi av FSi sitt bærekraftsutvalg arrangerer vi seminar om dette 17. mars. Påmeldingen er åpen.
Les mer

Kommende arrangementer:

tirsdag 21. mars 2023,
Kvalitetsledelse og konfigurasjonsstyring 2023

Mer informasjon

onsdag 22. mars 2023,
NIFRO/FSi romseminar


NIFRO og FSi har gleden av å invitere til felles seminar: Hvordan sikre nasjonale romkapasiteter?
Mer informasjon

torsdag 30. mars 2023, House of NADIC
Norwegian-American Defence Conference


WAR, ALLIANCES & INDUSTRY | The war in Ukraine has underscored defense production and armaments cooperation as security policy tools. History has shown us that wars are won by industrial capacity and warfighter morale. Ukraine has ample morale, but needs our support to prevail.
Mer informasjon

tirsdag 18. april 2023, Sundvolden Hotel
INFO/ERFA 2023
Vi inviterer til INFO/ERFA 2023 på Sundvolden Hotel
Mer informasjon

 

09/03/2023 20:06 | Article Conclusions on skills and competences for the green transition On 7 March, the Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council gathered in Brussels. Education ministers approved conclusions on skills and competences for the green transition and held a policy debate on high-quality teachers as the cornerstone of a successful European Education Area.

Article

9 March 202320:06
Conclusions on skills and competences for the green transition


Minister for Schools, Lotta Edholm.© European Union


On 7 March, the Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council gathered in Brussels. Education ministers approved conclusions on skills and competences for the green transition and held a policy debate on high-quality teachers as the cornerstone of a successful European Education Area.


The conclusions on skills and competences for the green transition relate to the European Council conclusions of 9 February 2023, when EU heads of state and government called for bolder and more ambitious actions to further develop the skills required for the green and digital transitions, through education, training, upskilling and reskilling.

In its conclusions, the Council invites the Member States to engage education and training providers, research organisations, employers, social partners and other relevant stakeholders to jointly identify reskilling and upskilling needs for the green transition, including public-private cooperation.

I am very glad that today we have agreed on this important text that will help us prepare learners in the EU to address challenges due to the green transition. There is a huge need for specific skills and competences throughout the EU to advance the green transitionLotta Edholm, Minister for Schools


Discussion about teacher shortages

The ministers discussed the issue of teacher shortages and, in particular, the added value for enhanced European cooperation and EU-level actions of attracting, upskilling and retaining teachers and trainers. Member States across the EU are facing teacher shortages which represent a serious risk to the quality and equity of education. The cause of these shortages includes the ageing teacher workforce – almost 40 per cent of teachers are over 50 years old – and perceptions of the profession as unattractive.

Many delegations highlighted the timeliness of the debate, in view of the issue’s pertinence for the Member States. Qualified and well-trained teachers are at the heart of a well-functioning education system and key to achieving the aims of the European Education Area (EEA). The Council will revert to the subject at its meeting in May, in the context of its planned conclusions on the EEA.

Main results – Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council (Education), 7 March 2023

IMF weekend read

 

Dear maria, In today's edition, we highlight: The best response to major economic shocks Mounting cyber security threats Globalization India's greenhouse gases Jamaica's climate reforms

ECONOMIC GROWTH In Major Economic Shocks, All-Out Response Is Best (Credit: fotoVoyager/iStock by Getty Images) Economists will be studying the pandemic for generations to learn from the dramatic global downturn and the ensuing credit crunch, but one important lesson about the scope of action needed to contain the next global crisis is already coming into focus. In a blog, IMF economists say that all-out responses that combine large fiscal, monetary and prudential measures may be needed to support corporate borrowing and credit growth in major future crises. The authors analyzed a dataset made available last year tracking national announcements of economic and financial policy responses to the pandemic and set out their findings in a new working paper. “Our results underscore the importance of decisive action in terms of breadth and intensity of pandemic policy responses,” they say. An all-out approach can have unintended consequences, however. “Large fiscal and monetary packages could support credit and the economy but also fuel sharp inflationary pressures. In countries with high debt, an increase in discretionary spending could strain debt sustainability.” Read the Paper

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY Message from the Managing Director

Well-designed economic and financial policies can benefit women, girls, and society in general, Kristalina Georgieva said in a video message. The managing director also spoke to CNN and CNBC on International Women's Day.

CYBER SECURITY Mounting Threats Mean Financial Firms Need Better Safeguards (Credit: Peter Nguyen/Unsplash) Cyber attackers continue to target the financial sector. What will happen when an attack takes down a bank or other critical platform, locking users out of their accounts?

Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau

 President of the United States Joe Biden to visit Canada

March 9, 2023
Ottawa, Ontario

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced that the President of the United States, Joe Biden, will visit Canada on March 23 to 24, 2023 to continue working closely together to strengthen trade ties, create good jobs, grow the middle class, and drive economic growth that benefits everyone on both sides of the border. They will also continue to increase collaboration on defence and security, climate action, and immigration.

With the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement as the foundation, Prime Minister Trudeau and President Biden will underscore the importance of our mutually beneficial economic relationship to bolster competitiveness and build resilient supply chains, including on critical minerals – the building blocks for the clean economy. They will also discuss the progress made under the February 2021 Roadmap for a Renewed U.S.-Canada Partnership to advance bilateral cooperation on shared priorities including taking ambitious climate action and advancing countries where no one is left behind.

Keeping North Americans safe from new and emerging threats requires a coordinated response. During the visit, the Prime Minister and the President will highlight ongoing cooperation on continental defence, including NORAD’s key role in defending North America. They will also advance cooperation in the Arctic.

Prime Minister Trudeau and President Biden will also continue to cooperate on global issues of mutual interest including continuing their unwavering support for Ukraine as it defends itself against Russia’s war of aggression and advancing solutions to the broader global impacts of the war like food and energy security. They will also continue to support the people of Haiti and Haitian-led efforts to address the ongoing crisis. The leaders will further commit to advancing our countries’ shared priorities in the Indo-Pacific region, including national security, economic prosperity, respect for international law and human rights, democratic values, public health, and protecting our environment.

Canada and the United States are steadfast partners in upholding democracy, human rights, and respect for the rule of law, and we will always work together to defend these shared values in our countries and beyond.

Council and Parliament strike deal on energy efficiency directive

 

Press material Friday 10 March 2023

● Council of the EU   10/03/2023 06:42 | Press release | Council and Parliament strike deal on energy efficiency directive   The Council presidency and the European Parliament negotiators today reached a provisional political agreement to reduce final energy consumption at EU level by 11.7% in 2030. Member states will benefit from flexibilities in reaching the target. Headline target Member states must collectively ensure a reduction of final energy consumption of at least 11.7% in 2030, compared with the energy consumption forecasts for 2030 made in 2020. This translates into an upper limit to the EU’s final energy consumption of 763 million tonnes of oil equivalent and of 993 million tonnes of oil equivalent for primary consumption. The consumption limit for final consumption will be binding for member states collectively, whereas the primary energy consumption target will be indicative. Final energy consumption represents energy consumed by end-users, while primary energy consumption also includes what is used for the production and supply of energy. National contributions and gap-filling The Council and Parliament agreed that all member states will contribute to achieving the overall EU target through indicative national contributions and trajectories, set by the member states in their integrated national energy and climate plans (NECPs). Updated NECPs are due in 2023 and 2024. The formula for calculating national contributions towards the target (defined in Annex I to the proposal) will be indicative, with the possibility of deviating from it by 2.5%. The Commission will calculate whether all the contributions add up to the 11.7% target and, if not, issue corrections to the national contributions that are lower than what they would have been if using the formula (the so-called gap-filling mechanism). The formula is based on, among other things, energy intensity, GDP per capita, development of renewables and energy savings potential. Energy savings The Council and Parliament agreed to a gradual increase of the annual energy savings target for final energy consumption from 2024 to 2030. Member states will ensure new annual savings of 1.49% of final energy consumption on average during this period, gradually reaching 1.9% on 31 December 2030. The co-legislators agreed that member states could count in the calculation towards the target, energy savings realised through policy measures under the current and the revised Energy performance of buildings directive; measures stemming from the EU ETS (for installations and for buildings and transport); emergency energy measures. Public sector leading by example The Council and the Parliament agreed to a specific obligation for the public sector to achieve an annual energy consumption reduction of 1.9% that can exclude public transport and armed forces. In addition to this, member states would be required to renovate each year at least 3% of the total floor area of buildings owned by public bodies. Next steps The provisional political agreement reached today will first be submitted to the Committee of Permanent Representatives in the Council and the Parliament’s ITRE committee for approval. The directive will then need to be formally adopted by the Parliament and then the Council, before it can be published in the EU’s Official Journal and enter into force. Background The proposal to revise the Energy Efficiency Directive, along with other proposals, tackles the energy aspects of the EU’s climate transition under the ‘Fit for 55’ package. The Commission presented the ‘Fit for 55’ package on 14 July 2021. This package aims to align the EU’s climate and energy legislative framework with its 2050 climate neutrality objective and with its objective of reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. The package consists of a series of interrelated proposals, which either modify existing pieces of legislation or introduce new initiatives in a range of policy areas and economic sectors. In addition, as part of the REPowerEU plan, the Commission proposed on 18 May 2022 a series of additional targeted amendments to the Energy Efficiency Directive to reflect the recent changes in the energy landscape. The elements of the proposal were integrated into the interinstitutional negotiation process between the Council and the Parliament. The current Energy Efficiency Directive in force since December 2018 sets a target of reducing both primary and final energy consumption by 32.5% by 2030 at EU level, compared with the energy consumption forecasts for 2030 made in 2007. General approach on energy efficiency directive Proposal for a recast of the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) ‘Fit for 55’ package (background information)

APEC News newsalert

APEC Bulletin 10 March 2023


How Digital Innovation is Helping Business Mobility


Mobility and digitalization are key priorities for the BMG along with expanding ABTC's value for the region’s businesses.

Travel requires a lot of planning, especially when it comes to frequent international travel. Not all destinations have the same entry and visa requirements and it is not unusual for travelers to find themselves stuck in long immigration lines on arrival and departure.

For frequent business travelers, the APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) is worth considering. Its main purpose is to streamline the entry process into APEC member economies, making travel for business easier and immigration processing faster.

The ABTC scheme saves costs for businesses and governments—increasing efficiency by reducing cost and time spent applying for visas and through fast-track immigration processing at airports—fueling its growing popularity. As the ABTC allows for multiple entries to multiple APEC member economies, users’ travel costs within the APEC region have fallen by 38 percent. Businesses pay 27 percent less in application fees and 52 percent less in immigration processing. For many small businesses, these costs cannot be ignored. Today, there are more than 340,000 active ABTCs across the APEC region.

Also watch: The Future of Business Mobility is Digital: Sally McLean, Convenor of the APEC Business Mobility Group

The Business Mobility Group (BMG), the group responsible for the ABTC, was formed in 1997 when the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) made the facilitation of business travel a priority. Since the BMG’s establishment, the group has regularly consulted with the business community.

The development of the ABTC stands as one of the BMG’s biggest achievements in its collaboration with ABAC and provides business people faster and easier entry to participating economies in the Asia Pacific, Central and South America, the United States and Canada.

Sally McLean, BMG convenor, outlined that the primary function of the group has “been to manage the ABTC scheme and discuss how it could evolve. Over the years, we’ve seen the evolution [of the ABTC scheme] that has been supported by the group. All 21 economies have a part in how the ABTC scheme operates.”

The BMG convenor also highlighted some of the group’s priorities for 2023 including mobility and digitalization as well as the steps member economies are taking to improve the ABTC scheme and expand its value for the region’s businesses, including small and medium enterprises.
The BMG launched the virtual ABTC in November 2020 and by 1 March 2021, all member economies agreed to allow entry to virtual ABTC cardholders.

“The primary responsibility or role of the ABTC is to provide for seamless travel for business people—by and large—across the APEC economies.”
Digital advancements in processes streamline and strengthen management of the ABTC scheme, as well as enhance security and reduce costs for both users and their economies.

“The virtual ABTC is an innovation to be able to digitalize the ABTC, essentially. Taking it out of your wallet or your purse and putting it onto your smartphones. So really it is an excellent innovation that has a whole lot of security parameters that are superior to having a [physical] ABTC.
“At this stage…10 economies have signed up to [the virtual ABTC], which is really great. Among some of those economies, Australia and New Zealand, for example, we now only issue a virtual ABTC, so we no longer print the physical card.

A number of other economies will provide both [the physical and virtual ABTC] to be able to support the transition of their business travelers to the virtual card. But all economies in 2021, agreed to accept the virtual card.”
Member economies that have transitioned to the virtual platform so far include: Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Indonesia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, and Thailand.
The BMG is also focused on ensuring opportunities to travel for business travel with the ABTC are inclusive.

“Importantly, those business travelers, the eligibility associated with business travelers is quite broad. Some economies will approve an ABTC for startup businesses. You don’t have to be small, medium or large enterprise to actually have access to seamless travel into the APEC economies, which is fantastic.”

The safe and seamless facilitation of business travel across borders is also a key priority of the BMG.

“The BMG places great focus on having conversations about how economies are moving to be able to open up their borders, to enable that business travel to be undertaken, and move into digitalization and contactless travel.

There are a whole lot of reasons why you would move into digitalization, security being one of those elements…[and] the efficiency of the process. Having those technologies in place does certainly make it faster to be able to get through immigration checkpoints…[Digitalization] has [also] become particularly relevant in a health context…”