Environment – LiveNews.co.nz

Environment – EPA proposes to amend group standard for art materials

LiveNews Publisher — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 00:07:42 +0000

Source: Environmental Protection Authority

The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) is seeking feedback on a proposal to amend the Graphic Materials Group Standard 2020, following a request from the New Zealand Toy Distributors Association and the Australian Toy Association.

Group standards set rules for managing groups of hazardous substances with similar characteristics or uses. The Graphic Materials Group Standard applies to art materials like paints and crayons that are imported or made in New Zealand, particularly products used by children.

The proposal aims to clarify and make it easier to comply with the group standard while continuing to manage risks in line with recognised overseas regulators.

Dr Shaun Presow, Manager Hazardous Substances Reassessments, says “The main change we are proposing is removing pens, pencils, and similar products from the standard because they pose a negligible risk to children.”

Safeguards will remain in place as these products are covered by the Consumer Guarantees Act and the Fair-Trading Act.

Dr Presow says, “We are also proposing to reduce the age definition for children under the group standard. We welcome feedback on what age people consider appropriate, noting that studies show children are at much lower risk from graphic materials once they are around eight years old.”

We propose updating wording in the group standard to clarify that products with hazardous ingredients still need to follow the group standard rules, even if the products themselves are not classified as hazardous.

The EPA is looking for feedback on element leaching limits and on a number of other proposed changes as well.

“We want to hear from iwi/hapū representatives, importers and manufacturers, researchers, parents and people in charge of children, and anyone with an interest in art materials and this proposal. We’ll use this feedback to help decide what changes should be made,” says Dr Presow.

Public consultation opens on 29 July and closes on 29 September 2026.

Find out more and have your say: https://www.epa.govt.nz/public-consultations/open-consultations/proposed-amendments-to-the-graphic-materials-group-standard/

MIL OSI

800,000 More Daily Journeys: Copenhagen’s Next Mobility Challenge

MIL OSI — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 11:05:17 +0000

Source: Media Outreach

COPENHAGEN, DENMARK – Media OutReach Newswire – 28 July 2026 – There is something remarkable about Copenhagen.Stand in the city centre during rush hour and you will still hear bicycle bells, conversations spilling out from cafés and children walking to school. It is not because the city has fewer people or less traffic. On the contrary, Copenhagen is one of Northern Europe’s most dynamic capitals. What makes it different is that its mobility system is organised so well that it almost disappears into everyday life.

That success has never been built around a single mode of transport. Copenhagen is not simply a cycling city, nor is it defined by its metro or buses. It is an integrated mobility ecosystem where every mode serves a distinct purpose. Bicycles are ideal for short trips. Public transport moves large numbers of people efficiently across the city. Walking remains part of daily life. Taxis fill the journeys that other options do not always serve well, whether it is an early morning airport transfer, an elderly passenger travelling home, a family carrying luggage or visitors arriving in the city for the first time. Rather than competing with one another, each mode strengthens the overall system.

Yet even one of the world’s most successful mobility systems now faces a new challenge.

According to a joint mobility analysis by the Capital Region of Denmark and the City of Copenhagen, the Greater Copenhagen area is expected to generate around 800,000 additional journeys every day by 2035. That growth will be shared across every mode of transport, including approximately 290,000 additional walking trips, 110,000 cycling trips, 80,000 public transport journeys and 310,000 car trips each day.

These figures reveal an important reality. Copenhagen is not expecting people to abandon bicycles for cars, nor is it attempting to replace one mode of transport with another. As the population grows, tourism expands and economic activity increases, demand will rise across the entire mobility system.

The real challenge is therefore not deciding which mode of transport should dominate. It is finding ways to accommodate hundreds of thousands of additional journeys while preserving the quiet streets, public spaces and quality of life that have made Copenhagen one of the world’s most liveable cities.

This philosophy is increasingly reflected in the city’s approach to mobility. Walking, cycling, public transport, cars and taxis are no longer viewed as competing alternatives, but as complementary parts of the same transport ecosystem, each serving different travel needs.

The challenge is not unique to Copenhagen.

According to the European Environment Agency (EEA), road traffic remains Europe’s largest source of environmental noise, affecting around 92 million people. The report concludes that electrification alone will not solve the problem. Cleaner vehicles are essential, but so are better urban planning and a more balanced transport system.

In other words, the future of urban mobility will not be determined by how many electric vehicles a city puts on its streets. It will depend on whether every journey is served by the right mode, at the right time and in the right place.

Even the best transport systems leave certain journeys uncovered.

Not everyone can cycle to the airport before sunrise. Elderly passengers may struggle with luggage on public transport. Visitors arriving in Copenhagen for the first time may not feel confident combining several transport options simply to reach their hotel. These journeys represent only a small proportion of daily travel, but they will always exist. This is where ride-hailing finds its place within the mobility ecosystem. It complements public transport and cycling rather than competing with them.

The quality of that service, however, depends on far more than the vehicle itself.

Ultimately, every journey is shaped by the person behind the wheel. A safe drive, professional conduct, punctuality, a warm greeting or a helping hand with a suitcase all contribute to the passenger’s experience. In a city like Copenhagen, these small moments help shape the city’s reputation just as much as its infrastructure.

This is the context in which Green SM enters Copenhagen.

Over the past three years, Green SM has accumulated experience from millions of journeys every day and billions of kilometres travelled in fully electric vehicles across Asia. Yet in Copenhagen, scale alone means very little. The more important question is whether a mobility service can integrate seamlessly into an already successful transport system and make it work even better.

For that reason, Green SM invests not only in an all-electric fleet, but also in rigorous driver recruitment and training covering safety, customer service, operational excellence and local cultural understanding. The objective is not simply to move passengers from one destination to another, but to deliver journeys that reflect the standards Copenhagen has spent decades building.

Perhaps that is why Copenhagen became Green SM’s first destination in Europe.

The ambition is not to introduce a new model of urban mobility. It is to become a trusted addition to one that already works exceptionally well.

Ultimately, success in Copenhagen will never be measured by the number of vehicles on the road. The city does not need more cars simply to fill its streets. It needs mobility services that are available when people need them, complement the existing transport network and quietly step back once their role is complete, leaving the city every bit as liveable as before.

If Green SM can help make thousands of daily journeys more convenient, safer and more reliable, while preserving the rhythm of life that makes Copenhagen unique, that may be success enough.

Hashtag: #GreenSM

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

The Virtual Island Summit returns for its 8th edition with a new three-day format and first speakers confirmed

LiveNews Publisher — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 23:37:28 +0000

Source: Island Innovation

27 July, 2026: The Virtual Island Summit (VIS), the premier free online conference for island communities worldwide, will return on 15-17 September 2026.

Now in its eighth year, VIS marks a significant shift from previous editions. The three-day event will follow a narrative arc, with each day building on the last and programming spanning time zones from the Pacific to the Caribbean so audiences everywhere can join live at times that work for them.

Day 1, Adapt to Change, looks at how island communities are responding to conditions that have already shifted, from decarbonising marine transport and adapting to coastal erosion, to the generational knowledge and ocean governance practices that have sustained island communities for decades.
Day 2, Transform Systems, examines the models and mechanisms already reshaping island futures: rethinking tourism before pressures become irreversible, turning waste into a circular local economy, reviving indigenous languages, and building food sovereignty in the face of import dependence.
Day 3, Mobilise Action, turns to what moves people, capital and political will: the funding structures, coalitions and leadership approaches that turn plans into results.

The event is free to attend and open to the public, continuing the Summit’s commitment to accessible, Zero-Carbon knowledge sharing between islanders and global partners alike.

“The Virtual Island Summit is our flagship online event and we are proud to deliver a high-level knowledge-sharing platform that puts islands at the heart of global discussions,” said James Ellsmoor, Chief Executive Officer of Island Innovation. “The Summit highlights islands not simply as places facing shared challenges, but as places developing practical solutions with relevance far beyond their own shores. This year we are evolving the format to reflect how island communities actually work through challenges: understanding the problem, finding what works, and mobilising the resources to scale it. We want attendees to leave VIS 2026 with a clearer sense of where islands stand and what comes next.”

The first confirmed speakers for VIS 2026 include heads of government and senior policy leaders such as:

Lourdes Leon Guerrero, Governor of Guam;
Feleti Penitala Teo, Prime Minister, Government of Tuvalu;
Cora Richardson-Hodge, Premier of the Government of Anguilla;
Albert Bryan, Governor of the US Virgin Islands
Jache Adams, Minister of Public Works and the Environment, Government of Bermuda;
Hannah Mary Goodlad, MSP for Shetland Islands & Minister for Public Finance, Scottish Government;
Chris Lee, Senator, Hawaii State
Kalani Kaʻanāʻanā, Chief Executive Officer, Hawai’i Green Growth
Rachel Kyte, UK Special Representative for Climate;
Chris Elmore, MP and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Multilateral, Human Rights, Latin America and the Caribbean at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Marie-Antoinette Maupertuis, President of the Corsican Assembly & President of the Islands Commission of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR)

They are joined by researchers, educators and sector experts including:

Dr Dai-Yeun Jeong, Director of the Asia Climate Change Education Center;
Maria Ackrén, Director of the Stefansson Arctic Institute;
Laurie Brinklow, Chair, Institute of Island Studies, University of Prince Edward Island, University of Prince Edward Island;
Peter Van Aert, Researcher and Teacher at the Institute of Culture, Society and State, National University of Tierra del Fuego;
Chalapan Kaluwin, Director of Momis Ocean and Climate Research institute & Dean of School of Sustainable Resources Management & Business Studies, PNG University of Natural Resources and Environment;
Olly Newton, Executive Director of The Edge Foundation.

Additional speakers will be confirmed in the coming weeks.

Previous editions have brought together heads of state, ministers, and senior practitioners from over 500 island communities across the Caribbean, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean, and beyond, drawing more than 10,000 attendees.

All sessions will be available free of charge. Registration is now open at islandinnovation.co/events/virtual-island-summit-2026.

MIL OSI

Greenpeace recreates iconic tree protest as battle over conservation land reignites

LiveNews Publisher — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 23:37:26 +0000

Source: Greenpeace Aotearoa

In protest over the Conservation Amendment Bill, Greenpeace climbers have hung an eighteen square-metre banner from a giant rimu tree in an ancient West Coast forest.

The activity recreates one of New Zealand’s most iconic environmental protests – the Native Forest Action tree occupation and campaign that helped to successfully end logging of native forest on public land.

Nearly three decades later, on World Conservation Day, Greenpeace says New Zealanders are being called on to defend the forests previous generations fought so hard to save.

Greenpeace campaigner Gen Toop says, “The forests, wildlife and waterways that define Aotearoa are under attack from this Coalition Government’s despicable Conservation Amendment Bill.”

“Hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders spent decades fighting to protect native forests and establish the conservation estate and National Parks we know today. This Government is now trying to dismantle those hard-won protections.”

“Today, on World Conservation Day, we remember all those people who stopped the chainsaws, blockaded the logging roads and defeated all the previous governments that have tried to destroy native forests before.”

Logging of native forest on public land was finally brought to an end in 2002 after decades of public campaigning, including high-profile actions in the podocarp forests of the West Coast, kauri forests of Pūketi, and giant rimu forests of Pureora and Whirinaki-Te Pua-a-Tāne.

The image of the late Pat McNamara suspended high in the forest canopy during a five month long occupation of the Charleston Forest in 1997 by Native Forest Action (NFA) became a defining image of that campaign and inspired people around the country.

The campaign ultimately won an end to native forest logging and saw 130,000 ha of native forest on the West Coast transferred into protection under the Department of Conservation.

Greenpeace says if the Coalition Government’s Conservation Amendment Bill passes it would unravel decades of conservation progress. It proposes to reverse the purpose of the country’s Conservation law from protection, to commercial exploitation “to the greatest extent practicable”, potentially opening conservation land up to logging once more.

Dean Baigent-Mercer, one of the original group who occupied Charleston Forest in 1997, says, “Many native forests only stand today in Aotearoa because people defended them, generation after generation. People who refused to accept their destruction. It’s time for us to do it again.”

The banner unfurled by Greenpeace today reads ‘Toitū te Taiao. Join Us. Defend Nature’.

Toop says, “The generations that came before us fought hard battles, marched, petitioned, occupied trees and never gave up in defence of nature. Today, we inherit that same responsibility to defend these forests for the generations that will come after us.”

“We’re calling on all those who respect the forests, waters and lands of Aotearoa, to join us and defend them from this Government’s Conservation Exploitation Bill.”

Greenpeace is inviting people to join a Nationwide Day of Action on 15 August to say Hands off Conservation Land. The organisation has also teamed up with Forest and Bird and are together inviting people to ‘March for Nature’ down Auckland’s Queen Street on September 19.

Background

The Native Forest Action campaign to end logging of native forest on the West Coast endured from 1997 till 2002. Helen Clark and the Labour Party committed to a ban prior to the 1999 election. On the first day they were sworn in after the 1999 election they signed an order to stop logging of native forest on public land.
In May 2001, 130,000 ha of public land was transferred to the conservation estate. About 18,000 ha went to National Parks, Westland Tai Poutini, Kahuranagi and Paparoa, the latter of which increased in size by nearly 25%. Notable and rich additions to the conservation estate included North Ōkarito, Ianthe, Ōpārara, Mokihinui and Saltwater.
The campaigns to protect the forests of Aotearoa, including NFA’s campaign are documented in the book Fight for Forests by Paul Bensemann.
Greenpeace Aotearoa is calling for a national day of action on Saturday 15 August to protect the forests of today. People around the country will organise their own actions against the Conservation Amendment Bill. More information is available at binthebill.nz.
Greenpeace Aotearoa with Forest & Bird and allied groups are coordinating a March for Nature. At 1pm on Saturday 19 September 2026 people will come together in Auckland to say ‘hands off conservation land’. More information is available at marchfornature.nz.

MIL OSI

ACT’s hunting policy misses the mark

LiveNews Publisher — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 05:41:47 +0000

Source: Federated Farmers

ACT’s plan to transfer responsibility for managing game animals on conservation land to the Game Animal Council needs a major rethink, Federated Farmers says.

Richard Dawkins, Federated Farmers pest management spokesperson, says allowing the Game Animal Council to set game population targets is extremely concerning.

“ACT has fired a shot with this policy, but they’ve completely missed the mark,” he says.

“Hunters generally see deer as a valuable resource. They want healthy herd numbers, plenty of hunting opportunities and, in some places, quality trophy animals.

“On the other hand, many farmers view those same deer as pests that cause huge problems when they damage pasture, crops, fences, forestry and native vegetation.”

That conflict is evident in ACT’s description of Himalayan tahr as a ‘treasured herd’, Dawkins says.

“They may be treasured by hunters, but they’re also an introduced pest that can cause significant damage to vulnerable high-country vegetation.

“Under ACT’s plan, the people who value the animals would be setting the limits, while neighbouring farmers could carry the consequences and the costs.

“That is an obvious conflict of interest.”

Dawkins says there is plenty in the announcement worth discussing.

“Hunters make a valuable contribution to conservation and back country maintenance, and we support better access and more secure funding for community groups.

“But giving hunters control of population targets crosses a line.

“ACT has made a significant mistake by assuming the interests of hunters and neighbouring farmers are automatically aligned – they are not.

“Farmers should not be expected to carry the cost of maintaining game animal populations for someone else’s recreational benefit.”

Federated Farmers says the practicalities are also far more complex than ACT’s announcement suggests.

Game animal management sits alongside the Wild Animal Control Act, the Conservation Act, Treaty obligations, public access, visitor safety and communications with people using conservation land.

It must also work alongside OSPRI, regional pest management plans, 1080 operations and control programmes for goats, pigs and other species.

“These animals are often managed across the same landscape,” Dawkins says.

“Having one organisation managing deer while another manages goats, biodiversity and disease control risks duplication, conflicting objectives and more bureaucracy.”

Dawkins says the Wapiti Foundation demonstrates that carefully designed partnerships between hunters and government can work in specific circumstances.

“That success reflects a unique arrangement with clearly defined objectives and does not justify transferring responsibility for setting deer population targets nationwide.

“Good local partnerships should be expanded where they work, not used as the basis for a wholesale transfer of responsibility.”

Dawkins says the answer is clear targets, better coordination and targeted investment.

“Federated Farmers agrees the current system is not delivering the level of feral browser control New Zealand needs, but simply transferring responsibility from DOC to the Game Animal Council is not the answer.

“What we need is a properly funded national feral browser strategy that brings hunters, farmers, DOC, OSPRI, councils, iwi, foresters and conservation groups around the same table, with clear targets, responsibilities and accountability.

“Similar to the coordinated approaches used for wilding conifers and wallabies, hunters should have a strong seat at the table and an important role in delivery, but they should not set population targets alone.”

Population targets should be informed by independent ecological monitoring, animal health risks and the effects on neighbouring landowners.

Dawkins says more International Visitor Levy funding could significantly increase pest control, monitoring and community partnerships.

“Hunters are an important part of the solution, but they cannot be the sole judge of how many pest animals should remain on the landscape.

“Good policy must balance hunting values with the rights of neighbouring landowners and the protection of New Zealand’s environment.”

MIL OSI

UEM Edgenta Reinforces Commitment to Sarawak’s Infrastructure with Batang Lupar Bridge

MIL OSI — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 04:02:13 +0000

Source: Media Outreach

Behind the completed structure linking Sebuyau to Triso lies the true story of the Batang Lupar 1 Bridge – a story of the quiet, relentless engineering determination that brought it to life. Spearheaded by Jabatan Kerja Raya Sarawak (JKR Sarawak) as the project’s principal team lead, delivering a mega-structure across one of the state’s most formidable rivers demanded an extraordinary level of technical governance. Working in close partnership with JKR Sarawak, UEM Edgenta provided the critical project management and technical oversight necessary to execute this ambitious vision safely and efficiently.

Spanning an immense 4.844 kilometers across the Batang Lupar estuary, this cable-stayed bridge crosses a major geographic barrier that has historically isolated coastal communities. The bridge forms part of the CSTR network, comprising 14 major bridges, including five (5) distinctive cable-stayed structures that have become icons of Sarawak’s infrastructure development. Constructing a structure of this scale requires driving deep foundation piles into complex riverbed soils and managing hundreds of thousands of metric tons of materials. As the PMC, UEM Edgenta was tasked with the immense responsibility of navigating these challenges, which meant aligning multiple contractors, ensuring international quality and safety compliance, and keeping a massive multi-year timeline on track despite unpredictable environmental variables.

Shaiful Subhan, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of UEM Edgenta, commented on the scale of this technical orchestration, “Bridging massive geographical divides requires an arrangement of immense technical capabilities. At UEM Edgenta, our infrastructure solutions are designed to handle precisely this level of complexity, ensuring that the structural integrity and project management of the Batang Lupar 1 Bridge meet the highest international safety and quality standards.”

To execute this, UEM Edgenta brought cutting-edge project management technology to the forefront. A project of this magnitude requires more than traditional oversight; it demands high digital precision to meet stringent specifications. By leveraging real-time construction analytics combined with drone-assisted site reporting, UEM Edgenta and the project teams maintained total visibility over the nearly five (5) kilometer span to conduct stringent quality assurance. This tech-driven governance ensured every component was fabricated and installed to exact specifications before it even reached the water.

Crucially, the Company’s role on the ground extends beyond immediate project delivery; by actively integrating local Sarawakian engineers and contractors into these advanced BIM and drone methodologies, the project serves as a live incubator for specialised knowledge transfer, elevating the state’s internal capacity to manage future marine mega-structures.

The challenges of the Batang Lupar project were not solely topographical or structural; they were fiercely environmental. The river is notoriously dynamic, featuring aggressive tidal bores and fast-flowing currents. More pressingly, the Batang Lupar Basin is the natural habitat for one of the densest populations of estuarine saltwater crocodiles in the region, infamously ingrained in local history through the legend of Bujang Senang. For UEM Edgenta, managing site safety meant rewriting the standard operational playbook. Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) governance had to extend beyond typical heavy machinery protocols to include strict maritime safety measures, tidal monitoring, and specialised ecological awareness. Achieving milestone man-hours without major incident in a challenging riverine environment known for strong tidal bores and estuarine crocodile populations is a testament to the rigorous safety culture the Company enforces on the ground.

Ultimately, the engineering expertise invested in the Batang Lupar 1 Bridge is measured not only by the structure itself, but by the lasting impact it will have on the people and communities it connects. For decades, traveling between the coastal towns separated by this massive river meant relying on ferry services, a bottleneck that stifled local commerce and delayed emergency services. By successfully overseeing the bridging of this gap, UEM Edgenta is supporting the Sarawak State Government in the latter’s effort to close massive socio-economic divides. The bridge is expected to significantly reduce travel times, unlock new investment opportunities along the coastal belt, strengthen agricultural supply chains, and improve rural communities’ access to essential healthcare and education hubs.

With Sarawak Day recently commemorated, the timing of this launch carries profound weight. Raihana Ahmad, Managing Director of Infrastructure Solutions at UEM Edgenta, reflects on the project’s deeper meaning the project embodies. “This bridge is a physical manifestation of unity. For us at UEM Edgenta, overseeing this project was a national duty. In line with Sarawak Day, we are immensely proud to see how our engineering oversight has helped turn a concrete structure into a vital lifeline that will bring shared prosperity to our rural and coastal communities.”

These efforts were recently recognised with the IEM Pinnacle Award 2026 in the Engineering & Construction category, presented by the Institution of Engineers Malaysia (IEM) at its 67th Annual Dinner & Awards Night. The award acknowledges UEM Edgenta’s role as the PMC, working alongside JKR Sarawak in delivering this flagship project.

Batang Lupar 1 Bridge stands today not just as the longest river-crossing bridge in the nation, but as a towering symbol of state pride and economic sovereignty. Behind its majestic span is the rigorous technical expertise and governance, technological innovation, and unyielding safety standards of UEM Edgenta quietly driving the realisation of Sarawak’s greatest infrastructural aspirations.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

Bankable projects with clear ROI metrics vital to plug Malaysia’s RM130 billion adaptation deficit

LiveNews Publisher — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 07:31:44 +0000

Source: Eco-Business

Bankable projects with clear ROI metrics vital to plug Malaysia’s RM130 billion adaptation deficit

Kuala Lumpur, 24 July: Climate finance will need to shift towards strengthening market capacity and commercial viability to help Malaysia meet its urgent adaptation needs but is strained by a lack of bankable projects, clear metrics and project fragmentation, said regional leaders at the flagship www.eco-business.com/events/unlocking-capital-for-sustainability-2026-malaysia/” style=”color:#1155cc;text-decoration:underline;”>Unlocking capital for sustainability summit in Malaysia yesterday.

Malaysia requires approximately US$32.56 billion (RM133 billion) in disaster risk reduction and resilience in the coming decades to cope with mounting risks such as floods, droughts, coastal degradation and nature loss.

Edward Vrkić, resident representative for UNDP Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam, said there is a “mismatch between what investors are looking for and how climate projects are currently structured.”

“Nature and climate adaptation is competing for capital against a mitigation story that sells better. Regulatory drivers, ESG pressure and familiar deal structures channel private capital into renewables and electric vehicles, leaving adaptation largely public-led. At the same time, Malaysia’s National Adaptation Plan (MyNAP) remains under development, so financing lacks a unifying framework and a prioritised project list,” he said during his keynote address.

Aligning climate, economic and business realities

H.E. Ajay Sharma, British high commissioner to Malaysia, said in his special address: “One of the roles of international financiers is to address the risks preventing private capital from flowing into viable opportunities. That is why our international climate finance is now more focused on helping markets to work better, strengthening project bankability – especially among SMEs, and helping private capital flow at scale and to the right places.”

“This includes programmes such as the UK Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions (UK PACT) to help countries’ transition to a low carbon economy, the Climate Finance Accelerator to support climate enterprises become investment ready and mobilising investments through vehicles such as British International Investment and MOBILIST.”

Meanwhile, companies that treat projects such as decarbonisation as a compliance obligation frequently fall behind, missing out on new and lucrative opportunities, Kati Ferry, chief executive officer for EUROCHAM Malaysia, said.

“The companies that treated it as an engineering, investment and market opportunity began developing cleaner technologies, reducing energy use, redesigning manufacturing processes and creating new products and services. Those are often the companies now winning new contracts, attracting talent, improving efficiency and preparing themselves for the markets of the future,” she said in her closing address.

This includes the TechnipFMC facility in Johor which, though lacking a major upfront investment, became feasible due to a financing model which matched the operational needs of the customer, she said.

“The capital was available. The technology was available. What unlocked the project was the right commercial agreement.”

Asia setting the pace for the transition

Organised by Eco-Business in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), alongside strategic partner, AmBank Group, and supporting partners, Control Union Malaysia, Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and TOMRA, the 2026 edition of Unlocking capital for sustainability – Malaysia convened over 230 delegates from government, finance and industry under the theme of “Financing growth for a resilient economy”.

Jessica Cheam, founder and CEO for Eco-Business, said Asia is proving to be a region where sustainable finance is built and not just discussed, with Malaysia itself writing the rules in this space before the investments arrive.

“It has been so encouraging to see that Malaysia has built on the momentum of the Asean chairmanship last year and moved from rhetoric to regulation. The Securities Commission’s Capital Market Masterplan 2026-2030 now targets RM90 billion to RM100 billion in cumulative sustainability financing by the end of the decade,” she said in her opening remarks.

“Alongside it, a National Carbon Market Policy has laid the groundwork for a national carbon credit ecosystem, ahead of a carbon tax on iron, steel and energy that government has, for now, chosen to delay given the economic headwinds.”

Fostering connections through tailored, impact-driven sessions

The sustainable finance forum also featured curated dialogues on nature and biodiversity’s role in shaping finance and business strategy, led by PwC Malaysia and AmBank Group; financing Malaysia’s Transitioning Industrial Clusters, led by MyDIGITAL Corporation and PEMANDU Associates and attended by Datuk Dr Haji Hazland Haji Abang Hipni, deputy minister for Energy and Environmental Sustainability Sarawak; helping Malaysian SMEs turn climate risks into business opportunities, led by Funding Societies Malaysia and Generali Insurance Malaysia;

and financing the shift from a linear to a circular economy, featuring supporting partner TOMRA.

It also hosted an exclusive roundtable the next day on the topic of www.eco-business.com/events/making-circularity-work-aligning-policy-markets-and-stakeholders/” style=”color:#1155cc;text-decoration:underline;”>”Making circularity work: Aligning policy, markets and stakeholders”, featuring the participation of the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) and exploring how policy, capital and disclosure frameworks can align for circular economy adoption.

Unlocking capital for sustainability is hosted in six markets across Asia in 2026. In addition to Kuala Lumpur, the flagship forum was hosted in Jakarta in June and will be hosted Manila in August, Singapore and Bangkok in September and Hong Kong in November.

For more information on next month’s Philippines’ forum, visit the www.eco-business.com/events/unlocking-capital-for-sustainability-2026-philippines/” style=”color:#1155cc;text-decoration:underline;”>Eco-Business event page.

About Eco-Business

Established in 2009, Eco-Business is Asia Pacific’s leading business intelligence and advisory platform dedicated to advancing sustainable development. We produce trusted, high-quality multimedia content exploring the world’s most pressing challenges—and the solutions driving change. Our work is aligned with the 17 United Nations Sustainable Goals (SDGs) and supported by a 15-year archive of news, analysis, research, and events on sustainable development topics. Headquartered in Singapore, we have a presence in Manila, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Beijing, and London.

For more information, visit www.eco-business.com.

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet.

Learn more at www.undp.org and www.undp.org/malaysia” style=”color:#1155cc;text-decoration:underline;”>www.undp.org/malaysia.

About Unlocking capital for sustainability

Unlocking capital for sustainability is an annual flagship event organised by Eco-Business in partnership with UNEP FI that brings together high-level decision makers in finance, business, government and civic society to discuss and commit to actionable initiatives that mobilise the capital markets for sustainable development projects. Our full list of knowledge partners – past and present – can be found at www.unlockingcapitalforsustainability.com.

MIL OSI

Proposed changes affecting Mana Whakahono ā Rohe agreements raise public health concerns

LiveNews Publisher — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 04:16:59 +0000

Source: Hāpai Te Hauora

Hāpai Te Hauora says planning decisions are public health decisions, warning the Government’s decision to remove Mana Whakahono ā Rohe agreements from its replacement resource management legislation risks weakening Māori participation in decisions that shape health and wellbeing.

While Hāpai supports efforts to improve and streamline Aotearoa’s planning system, it says reform should strengthen, not replace, the partnerships that have taken years to build between iwi and local government.

Chief Executive Jacqui Harema says planning decisions extend far beyond development.

“Planning decisions shape much more than development. They influence housing, drinking water, the natural environment, transport, climate resilience and the places where our whānau live, work and play.

“These are all fundamental determinants of health. The decisions we make about our environment today will have lasting impacts on the health and wellbeing of future generations.”

Harema says Hāpai’s position is grounded in the understanding of oranga whenua, oranga tangata – the wellbeing of the land and environment is inseparable from the wellbeing of our people.

“For Māori, the wellbeing of our people is inseparable from the health of our whenua and wai. When decisions about te taiao are made without meaningful Māori partnership, the impacts can be far-reaching and felt for generations. Strong partnerships between iwi and local government recognise this connection and help ensure decisions are informed by mātauranga Māori, local knowledge and a shared commitment to the wellbeing of our environment and communities.”

Mana Whakahono ā Rohe agreements were established under the Resource Management Act to provide a formal framework for iwi and councils to work together on planning and resource management matters. Hāpai says the agreements recognised that meaningful relationships and genuine partnership lead to better outcomes for communities.

“Mana Whakahono ā Rohe agreements were established because other forms of engagement had repeatedly failed Māori communities. Replacing these agreements with a weaker participation framework risks taking us backwards.

“It sends yet another signal to Māori that this Government is willing to put commercial interests ahead of an already strained Te Tiriti relationship, at a time when genuine partnership is essential to addressing the complex environmental, housing and health challenges facing whānau.”

Harema says Hāpai is also concerned the proposal emerged only after submissions on the Planning Bill and Natural Environment Bill had closed.

“Had we known this change was being proposed, we would have addressed it directly in our submission.

“Decisions of this significance deserve transparent public consultation and a genuine opportunity for Māori to have their voices heard.”

Hāpai Te Hauora is calling on the Government to ensure any replacement framework preserves meaningful partnership between iwi and local government, and recognises that Māori must continue to have a genuine role in decisions that shape the health of our people and our environment.

Oranga Whenua, Oranga Tangata.

MIL OSI

Greenpeace says One third of Canterbury private water supplies reaching nitrate contamination preterm birth risk levels

LiveNews Publisher — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 07:38:06 +0000

Source: Greenpeace

Greenpeace is alarmed by Environment Canterbury’s lack of action on nitrate contamination, as new data reveals that 38% of Canterbury households on private water sources are in areas where groundwater nitrate contamination have exceeded levels associated with an increased risk of preterm birth.

Greenpeace Freshwater Campaigner Will Appelbe says the figures should be sobering for everyone in the region.

“Environment Canterbury has just confirmed that over a third of households on private self-supplied water are in areas with groundwater that could put pregnant people at risk. This is absolutely unacceptable.”

“When ECan declared a nitrate emergency in September last year, the understanding was that they would take a leadership role to urgently address the crisis.

“It’s nearly been a year and the question remains: when will ECan actually address the problem and confront the industry responsible for this pollution?”

“These high nitrate levels are the consequences of unchecked dairy expansion and intensification on the Canterbury plains, which is the main source of nitrate contamination. We simply have too many cows and too much synthetic nitrogen fertiliser being thrown on the land.”

The current legal limit for town supplies is 11.3 mg/L, which was set in the 1950s to protect against blue baby syndrome. But a growing body of scientific evidence has linked nitrate levels as low as 1 mg/L to an increased risk of bowel cancer, and levels above 5 mg/L has been linked to an increased risk of preterm birth.

There is increasing community concern about nitrate contamination in Canterbury, which led to Environment Canterbury declaring a Nitrate Emergency in September 2025. The declaration stated that the council:

1. Should take a leadership role to urgently address the issue of groundwater pollution impacting drinking water sources and supplies.
2. Requests that ECan staff bring a workshop to the next term of Council to outline the scale, causes, spatial distribution, latest lag time research, and current and predicted impacts of nitrate pollution in Canterbury.
3. Requests advice on the indicative cost to drinking water suppliers and private well owners, and consider options so that nitrate polluters contribute to the costs of nitrate removal.
ECan’s briefing today was an update from staff on this work. Councillors heard there are an estimated 20,000+ domestic self-supplies in Canterbury, which are households who source their water from private bores or other sources – not town supplies.

Over 500 of those households are in areas where groundwater nitrate levels have previously exceeded 11.3 mg/L, and over 7,500 households are in areas that have exceeded 5.65 mg/L.

“There is mounting evidence that has linked nitrate contaminated drinking water with several human health risks, and these new figures today show how much Canterbury is at risk,” says Appelbe.

Just last week, a new study from researchers at Canterbury, Otago, and Massey universities revealed that nitrate contamination in drinking water could be responsible for up to 120 premature births a year in New Zealand, at levels much lower than New Zealand’s legal health limit. The New Zealand College of Midwives recommends pregnant people consider another source of drinking water, if their water supply exceeds 5 mg/L, because of the increased pregnancy risks.

At today’s meeting, council staff also presented the indicative costs to install filters in households that remove nitrate from drinking water, which were in the range of $3,000 to $5,000 for whole household systems, and $1,000 to $2,000 for systems under the sink.

However, staff have yet to present funding options that the council could implement to ensure that those responsible for nitrate pollution contribute to the costs of nitrate removal from drinking water – as required in the Nitrate Emergency Declaration.

Appelbe says it’s critical that Environment Canterbury continues its work under the declaration – the first of its kind in New Zealand.

“Right now, rural families in Canterbury can’t safely drink their water thanks to intensive dairying. The industry that’s polluted their water should be responsible for fixing the problem.

“Funding models that force polluters to pay for filtering are the bare minimum, and the Council must have those options on the table. But ultimately, we have to regulate the intensive dairy industry to stop the pollution at the source. That means fewer cows and phasing out synthetic nitrogen fertiliser.”

MIL OSI

ONE YEAR ON: Call for child-focused climate action after landmark ICJ ruling

LiveNews Publisher — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 06:23:58 +0000

Source: Save the Children

One year after the landmark International Court of Justice ruling on states’ climate change responsibilities, Save the Children is calling for more child-focused climate adaptation financing, as children and young people bear the brunt of the ongoing climate emergency.

The Advisory Opinion, delivered by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on 23 July 2025, found that states’ legal obligations to address climate change extends beyond existing climate agreements. The ICJ said that a state’s failure to take appropriate action to protect the climate system from greenhouse gas emissions “may constitute an international wrongful act which is attributable to that state”.

The United Nations General Assembly in New York adopted a landmark resolution in May that endorsed the ICJ’s historic advisory opinion on state climate obligations. The resolution, drawn up by Vanuatu, clarifies that nations have a binding legal duty to protect the climate system under international law.

Save the Children NextGen Youth Ambassador, 17-year-old Vepaiamele, travelled to The Hague with the Government of Vanuatu’s delegation to represent the voices of children and young people in the Pacific back in 2024. “What the court confirmed was that protecting the climate system isn’t optional. It’s an obligation under international law and must be consistent with what was agreed to under the Paris Agreement,” she said.

“We welcome the international community’s focus on the Pacific’s ‘vulnerability’ in a changing climate. But on behalf of Pacific youth, we are here to say, work for and with us to give us the agency, the platform to address the issues that affect us in our own unique way.”

According to a 2023 report published by Children’s Environmental Rights Initiative, only 2.4% of climate finance from key multilateral climate funds was found to support projects incorporating child-responsive activities. However, since then some funders have recently acknowledged this gap, and are actively working with partners to bridge child-focused climate finance.

Save the Children New Zealand Heather Campbell said 2026 is a pivotal moment for New Zealand to commit to investing in child-focused adaptation that acknowledges that children are on the frontlines of the climate crisis.

“Children across the Pacific, and the world, have been telling us for years that the climate emergency has reached into every aspect of their lives, making it harder to live, learn and thrive. The time is long overdue for global leaders, including leaders in Aotearoa New Zealand, to act on these calls and meaningfully invest in protecting their futures.

“Child-centred climate adaptation financing that takes into account the views of children and young people matters now more than ever, as children face compounding threats to their wellbeing, education and livelihoods due to the climate crisis.”

About Save the Children NZ:

Save the Children works in 120 countries across the world. The organisation responds to emergencies and works with children and their communities to ensure they survive, learn and are protected.

Save the Children NZ currently supports international programmes in Fiji, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Laos, Nepal, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. Areas of work include child protection, education and literacy, disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation, and alleviating child poverty.

MIL OSI

New Zealand lending firefighting expertise to American wildfire response

LiveNews Publisher — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 06:23:48 +0000

Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand

Five experienced incident management specialists leave for the United States of America tomorrow (Friday) as part of a joint Australasian contingent supporting America’s response to an intense wildfire season.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand is deploying the team to Idaho under longstanding agreements with the USA, Canada and Australia to provide mutual assistance with wildfire suppression.

Four members are Fire and Emergency personnel and the fifth is from the forestry industry. They will be embedded in local incident management teams to perform senior roles: two will be managing helicopter operations bases, one will be a heavy equipment boss and one an operations branch director. The fifth will be in a liaison role representing New Zealand.

Fire and Emergency Deputy National Commander Megan Stiffler says New Zealand’s own fire management capability is enhanced by international deployments. They provided an opportunity to gain experience in complex, large-scale, long duration vegetation fires of the kind not seen in New Zealand.

“The team will bring back what they learn and share their knowledge with colleagues here, and our own response capability will benefit from it,” Megan Stiffler says.

“And in return, our team will be sharing their own extensive skills and experience – that cross-pollination of knowledge is priceless.”

New Zealand regularly deploys firefighters and incident management team members to Australia and North America, drawing on personnel from Fire and Emergency and partner agencies including the forestry industry, Department of Conservation and New Zealand Defence Force. This deployment will be the 71st supported by Fire and Emergency and its predecessor organisations. The first deployment to the USA was in 2000 under the auspices of the National Rural Fire Authority.

The five team members heading to Idaho come from Southland, Otago, Auckland and Northland. They will be in the USA for five weeks.

MIL OSI

Government Cuts – More than 200,000 people face a pay cut under the Government’s new leave law, bill to become defining election issue – PSA

LiveNews Publisher — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 06:08:29 +0000

Source: PSA

Progressing employment law will cut the annual pay of more than 200,000 people during a cost-of-living crisis, according to fresh analysis by the PSA.

The Employment Leave Bill, which passed its second reading in Parliament on Tuesday, will strip overtime pay and other allowances from payments to workers while they’re on leave. This adds up to hundreds of dollars a year for people who rely on these extra payments to survive. Based on figures from Stats NZ, the PSA estimates this will leave over 200,000 workers out of pocket, including people working in health, public services, retail, manufacturing and more.

“Supporting this law in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis is irresponsible,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi. “ACT, National, and NZ First are taking money away from hundreds of thousands of people who are already doing it tough.”

“The Government cannot claim to be ignorant of the harm it’s causing. We presented clear evidence to the select committeeshowing the effects of this bill. Affected workers have met National MPs directly to present their case. And we gave all MPs the opportunity to pledge to oppose any changes that will leave workers worse off – only Labour, Green, and Te Pāti Māori MPs signed.”

“It is particularly galling to see Winston Peters and New Zealand First support this attack on working people at the same time as claiming to be the Party of workers – this couldn’t be further from the truth.”

The PSA will continue to campaign against the bill every day between now and the election, and will inform the public of the scale and severity of its effects.

“Brooke Van Velden claims only ‘edge cases’ will be left worse off by her bill – two hundred thousand people are not edge cases,” said Fitzsimons. “If this doesn’t cut your pay, it will cut the pay of someone you love, or someone in your community who works tirelessly to keep New Zealand going.

“The best time to stop this bill is right now. But if the Government continues to ignore the evidence and passes the bill, we will make sure the devastating effects of this law are on every voter’s mind come November.”

Example of how the Employment Leave Bill will cut workers’ pay

An airport firefighter works 50 hours a week, including 10 hours a week of overtime, which is paid time and a half. Under the current law, their pay while on leave reflects how much they’re paid while working, including their overtime pay. So, if they go on leave for a week, they’d get their usual pay of $2,145, including $585 in overtime pay.

Under the Employment Leave Bill, they will be paid a 12.5% loading for their overtime hours, but those overtime hours no longer count towards their pay while on leave. So, their weekly pay will be $2,193.75, including $633.75 overtime pay, but their pay while on leave goes down to $1560. This adds up to them losing $1,267.50 a year.

Breakdown of workers who will have their pay cut by the Employment Leave Bill

Affected workers include anyone who receives: commissions, higher rates for overtime, variable allowances or shift rates. Figures are drawn from Stats NZ, rounded to the nearest 500.

Manufacturing: meat, seafood, dairy, fruit and vegetables, wood, chemicals and metals – estimated 24,000 affected workers
Electricity supply – estimated 1,500 affected workers
Heavy and Civil Engineering and road construction – estimated 1,500 affected workers
Retail: supermarkets, motor vehicles, electronic goods, and furniture – estimated 11,000 affected workers
Road, bus, rail, water, and air transport – estimated 13,500 affected workers
Newspaper publishing, broadcasting and telecommunication services – estimated 1,500 affected workers
Financial and insurance services – estimated 6,500 affected workers
Police, Corrections, Inland Revenue, Department of Internal Affairs, Department of Conservations, and local government – estimated 35,500 affected workers
Health: allied health, health administration, doctors, nurses, midwives, orderlies, care and support workers, ambulance officers, social workers – estimated 106,500 affected workers
Total – estimated 201,500 affected workers.

The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.

MIL OSI

Universities – What happens after a river becomes a legal person? – UoA

LiveNews Publisher — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 06:08:24 +0000

Source: University of Auckland (UoA)

A Yale PhD candidate moved to Whanganui to investigate what nearly a decade of legal personhood has meant for Te Awa o Whanganui and its people.

As it winds through bush-clad valleys and farmland towards the ocean, picking up kayakers, silt and stories along the way, Aotearoa’s longest navigable river, Te Awa o Whanganui, slows as it prepares to flow through the city of Whanganui before connecting with the sea.

On its northern bank, just off State Highway four near the eastern edge of the city, sits Te Ao Hou marae, a place of connection and learning. Its main hapū is Ngāti Tupoho of the iwi Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi.

It’s here on the banks of the river that Yale School of the Environment PhD candidate Raffaele Sindoni spent much of his time, learning from kaumātua, kaiārahi and rangatahi, playing guitar and absorbing stories and knowledge about the region, particularly Te Awa o Whanganui.

Raffaele, who is also a writer and folk musician, spent five months living in Whanganui, never far from the Whanganui River, the first in the world to be recognised as a legal person in 2017.

The groundbreaking legislation, honouring te ao Māori, inspired communities around the world to explore legal protections for rivers and mountains. It also drew Raffaele to Aotearoa.

His research, in collaboration with Native American tribes and prior scholarship in the United States, led him to investigate the impact of the Te Awa Tupua (Whanganui River Claims Settlement) Act nearly a decade after the river was granted legal personhood.

“I’m most curious about where the Act generates promising advancements, where it meets resistance, what it’s used for, and where it reaches its limits as both an expression of Indigenous relational worldviews and as an Act of Parliament operating within the structures of the New Zealand state.”

On paper, says Raffaele, granting legal personhood to a river appears to profoundly challenge colonial-capitalist understandings of land as property, water as resource, and humans and nature as separate. But, he points out, there’s a caveat.

“Rights of nature frameworks still operate within and engage with the very Western legal systems they seek to challenge. This poses an important question: how are Indigenous worldviews being translated into forms that the state recognises, and how does such a translation affect centuries of embedded legal and political Western colonial power structures?

“My research sits at this fault line. The Te Awa Tupua Act is an important entry point into scholarly and political inquiries across the world concerned with the expropriation of land, the objectification of water, climate change, and, of course, decolonisation and Indigenous sovereignty.

“These debates about legal personhood are essential for the next generation of students, activists, and lawyers as we grapple with changing relationships between people and nature. More importantly, though, they matter for all communities working to challenge the ways Western law has long shaped land, belonging, and political power.”

Over five months of fieldwork in Whanganui, he interviewed around 40 people with unique perspectives on the Act, including leaders of Whanganui hapū, farmers, members of entities that speak with or for the awa, heads of iwi settlement entities, Members of Parliament, district and regional councillors, environmental lawyers, and foresters.

Such a breadth of voices proved invaluable, says Raffaele, who’s now back in the US transcribing interviews and preparing a book based on his findings. Read more.

MIL OSI

Climate News – Greenpeace says new report reveals devastating impact of Luxon’s climate policy reversal

LiveNews Publisher — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 00:32:03 +0000

Source: Greenpeace

A new report from New Zealand’s independent Climate Change Commission has shown that efforts to reduce emissions have stalled since the Luxon Government took power, and that New Zealand is no longer on track to meet its emissions reduction targets.

Greenpeace spokesperson Will Appelbe says, “This report is a stark warning – the Luxon Government is undermining climate action, putting everyday New Zealanders at risk.

“From day one, this Government has abandoned New Zealand’s climate credibility – bringing back offshore oil and gas exploration, removing the clean car discount, cancelling the Lake Onslow Battery Project, and letting agribusiness off the hook for their climate pollution. Now, we’re seeing the consequences of this climate denialism.”

The Commission’s report warns in particular that agricultural emissions are a ‘significant risk’ and that New Zealand will not meet existing methane emissions reduction targets without significant action from the Government.

Appelbe says, “Everyday New Zealanders – including farmers – are already experiencing the impacts of climate change. It’s going to get worse, unless we take action now – and this report shows that the Government is falling dangerously short.”

In 2025, the New Zealand Government became the first in the world to change the law to weaken climate targets. They reduced the methane target and adopted the controversial concept of ‘No Additional Warming’, against advice from the international scientific community.

Simultaneously, they confirmed that they would not make the agricultural industry pay for its climate pollution – a move that this report says will limit emissions reduction.

Appelbe says “Methane is our climate emergency brake. Reducing methane emissions from the intensive livestock industry now will give us a fighting chance of preventing the worst of the climate crisis.

“That’s why it’s so concerning to watch this Government recklessly cave to agribusiness lobbyists like Federated Farmers, and undermine any attempt to reduce methane emissions from intensive livestock farming.”

“New Zealanders want to see urgent climate action that keeps us safe and protects future generations. This Government’s war on nature goes against what New Zealanders stand for – and Luxon should expect resistance.”

MIL OSI

ST Telemedia Global Data Centres Delivers on Responsible Scaling, Surpassing 2028 Carbon Intensity Target Three Years Early with Renewables at 83.2%

MIL OSI — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 02:22:32 +0000

Source: Media Outreach

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 21 July 2026 – ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC) today published its 2025 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report, setting out how the Singapore-headquartered global data centre provider is meeting accelerating demand, including from AI-driven workloads, through infrastructure that is more resilient, efficient and sustainable by design. The report highlights 83.2% renewable energy usage, a 70.5% reduction in carbon intensity from its 2021 baseline, 41.2% improvement in water usage effectiveness (WUE) from the 2020 baseline, and continued progress in embedding ESG considerations into how STT GDC designs, builds, finances and operates its data centres at scale.

The report positions responsible growth as a core business discipline for STT GDC, linking sustainability performance to long-term asset resilience, customer trust and operational excellence. Across its global platform, STT GDC is integrating ESG considerations into capital allocation, site selection, design, operations, risk management and workforce development to support reliable digital infrastructure at scale.

Bruno Lopez, President and Group Chief Executive Officer, ST Telemedia Global Data Centres, says, “The next phase of digital growth will be defined by how the industry resolves the tension between rising demand — particularly from AI — and the finite nature of energy, water and land. Responsible scaling is therefore not a sustainability commitment alone; it is a commercial and operational imperative that shapes where we build, how we design, and how we run our data centre platform. Our 2025 progress reflects disciplined execution of a strategy we have been advancing for years, delivering meaningful improvements in energy efficiency, emissions and resource management across our global platform. As we scale further, we will continue to advance with the same discipline — in the infrastructure we build, the governance that underpins it, and the positive impact we create for the communities and ecosystems we are part of.”

Scaling efficient, lower-carbon infrastructure

STT GDC continued to advance its decarbonisation strategy in 2025, delivering measurable reductions in emissions and improvements in resource efficiency while scaling its global data centre platform to meet rising digital demand. The Group’s approach focuses on embedding sustainability into the design and operation of its infrastructure, enabling long-term performance while managing growing energy and resource requirements. Key environmental achievements include:

Furthered renewable energy adoption, with 83.2% of electricity consumption sourced from renewables, supporting STT GDC’s transition towards carbon-neutral operations by 2030.
Reduced carbon intensity by 70.5% from the 2021 baseline, surpassing STT GDC’s 2028 target three years ahead of schedule, alongside a 15.2% year-on-year reduction in absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions
Improved energy efficiency across operations, achieving an average Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) of 1.44, a 13.0% improvement from the 2020 baseline, reflecting continued optimisation of data centre design and operations.
Enhanced water stewardship, with Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE) improving by 41.2% from the 2020 baseline, supported by a balanced approach to managing energy and water use in cooling systems.
Continued progress in sustainable infrastructure, with 48% of its data centres achieving green building certification, reflecting the integration of sustainability considerations across the lifecycle of its facilities.

Building a safe and future-ready workforce

As STT GDC continues to scale its global data centre platform, investing in people, safety and workforce capabilities remains central to delivering reliable and sustainable operations. In 2025, the Group maintained a strong focus on safeguarding its workforce, strengthening organisational capability and supporting the development of future-ready talent to meet the growing demands of the digital economy. Key social achievements include:

Maintained strong safety performance, with zero work-related fatalities and a Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) of 0.1 across more than 41 million hours worked, reflecting robust health and safety management across construction and operations.
Strengthened workforce capability, with an average of 18 training hours per employee, supporting the development of technical, operational and leadership skills across the organisation.
Advanced diversity and inclusion, with 21.7% women representation across the Group, reinforcing ongoing efforts to build a more inclusive and balanced workforce.
Expanded talent development initiatives, including the DC Power Up programme and partnerships with 10 Institutes of Higher Learning across our markets, helping to build a pipeline of industry-ready talent for the growing digital infrastructure sector.
Deepened community and workforce engagement, through skills development programmes and industry-academic partnerships that support long-term talent development and contribute to local economic growth.

Strengthening Governance and Resilience at Scale

Strong governance, disciplined risk management and robust operational controls underpin STT GDC’s ability to scale responsibly in an increasingly complex digital environment. In 2025, the Group continued to strengthen its enterprise-wide approach to governance, embedding ESG considerations into decision-making, risk management and day-to-day operations to support long-term resilience and performance. Key achievements include:

Strengthened governance and ethical business practices, with 100% of employees completing anti-corruption training, reinforcing STT GDC’s commitment to integrity and accountability across its global operations.
Enhanced enterprise-wide risk management, incorporating climate, cybersecurity and operational risks into planning and decision-making, ensuring infrastructure resilience as the Group scales.
Advanced cybersecurity and operational resilience, including strengthened governance, technical controls and preparedness through initiatives such as executive-level cyber exercises and risk assessments across key facilities.
Improved supply chain governance, embedding ESG criteria into procurement processes and reinforcing responsible sourcing practices across its global vendor network.
Strengthened organisational alignment and execution, through the inaugural Group ESG Summit, supporting capability building and consistent application of ESG priorities across markets.

These efforts come as data centre operators face growing expectations to deliver capacity while managing energy, water, climate and cybersecurity risks with greater transparency and accountability.

STT GDC’s 2025 ESG Report reflects a continued evolution in how the Group approaches sustainable growth, with a stronger focus on disciplined execution, operational resilience and long-term performance as it scales its global platform. As digital infrastructure becomes increasingly critical to economies and societies, STT GDC will continue to embed sustainability, risk management and governance into how it designs, builds and operates its data centres.

By working closely with customers, partners and communities, the Group aims to deliver infrastructure that is not only efficient and resilient, but also capable of supporting the next phase of digital growth, including AI-driven workloads, in a responsible and sustainable way.

The full 2025 ESG Report is available at https://www.sttelemediagdc.com/about-us/our-esg-progress

Hashtag: #STTGDC

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

Awards – New crop of arable leaders stand tall – Federated Farmers

LiveNews Publisher — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 23:41:47 +0000

Source: Federated Farmers

From a couple who set up their own stone-ground milling enterprise to developers of a seed treatment that reduces nitrogen losses, the 2026 Arable Award finalists have been named.

“The annual awards are a celebration of the best and brightest in the industry – the individuals and teams who stand tall in what we do,” Federated Farmers arable chair Chris Dillon says.

“It’s said that when the going gets tough, the tough get going and that’s true of this year’s crop of finalists.

“The fighting in the Middle East continues to put pressure on fuel and fertiliser prices and it’s really hurting arable prospects with the planting season looming.

“More than ever, we need the innovation, commitment to excellence and environmental sustainability, research and willingness to share knowledge that these growers, agronomists and companies bring to the table.”

Dillon says he’s particularly impressed by the three Innovation Award finalists.

Marty and Georgina Skurr, who work the Canterbury land Marty’s great-grandfather began farming in the 1920s, added another value stream by setting up Minchins Milling, an on-farm stone-ground flour enterprise.

The look and taste of the flour produced is prized by sourdough makers and home bakers, and the direct connections the couple have forged with consumers give their arable business a point of difference and niche market.

Another Innovation Award finalist is agronomist Paul Oliver, who has played a key role in bringing H&T Agronomics’ Always N from development and extensive trials here and overseas, to commercialisation.

This microbial seed treatment helps reduce nitrogen losses, enabling growers to reduce their reliance on synthetic nitrogen inputs.

The third finalist is Lincoln University researcher Mariana Andreucci.

By investigating the relationship between cultivar characteristics, biomass production, and on-farm management practices, her research provides insights that enable growers to optimise crop performance and unlock the potential of individual wheat varieties.

When higher input costs and sluggish returns from the global oversupply put the squeeze on arable growers, it might be thought investment in environmental improvements will take a back seat.

Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) general manager business operations Ivan Lawrie, who convened the judging panels, says the calibre of Environment Award finalists shows growers’ determination to leave the land and water in better shape for the next generation.

Lovett Family Farms, led by Daniel Lovett near Ashburton, has implemented a comprehensive approach to sustainable farming focused on improving soil health, water-use efficiency, and biodiversity.

Judges said that through innovative practices, the family has built a resilient farming system while openly sharing their sustainability journey with the wider agricultural community.

Up against the Lovetts is Tim Gorton, who runs a mixed arable, livestock and dairy farming business near Feilding.

Through extensive planting and management practices, and a commitment to improving waterway health, Tim has demonstrated how productive farming and environmental responsibility can work hand in hand, judges said.

There are three Maize Grower of the Year finalists, in a year that’s seen a record maize silage harvest – one bright spot for arable.

Ashburton’s Mark Shera grows 250 hectares of maize as part of a 1,200-hectare arable operation. Supported by a significant dryer and silo complex, his business is recognised as the largest maize grain operation in the South Island, demonstrating both scale and commitment to crop production.

Donald Stobie, the Federated Farmers Waikato arable chair, operates a 450-hectare farm in Gordonton, growing around 200 hectares of maize. His focus on excellence has resulted in some of the best maize yields in the country, consistently achieving outstanding grain and silage production.

The third contenders are Hawke’s Bay couple Patrick and Belinda Nicolle. They lease land and contract grow 300 hectares of maize grain and 60 hectares of popcorn, earning recognition from judges for their effectiveness and forward-thinking approach.

From these three finalists, and finalists from the Cereal Grower and Seed Grower of the Year, an Arable Farmer of the Year will be named on awards night on 20 August at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand in Christchurch.

Ivan Lawrie says finalists in the three previous Arable Awards of New Zealand have always been of a high calibre and it’s no different this time.

“It fills me with optimism as I see new people coming in,” he says.

“For example, in the agronomist category there’s some relatively young professionals who are committed and have new thinking.

“They’re looking at the broader picture.

“The silo mentality of looking only at growing grain and seeds is gone as they look at how that fits in with livestock and horticultural systems.

“That’s going to provide real integration going forward.”

For tickets to this year’s awards event – https://www.arableawards.co.nz/tickets

The full list of 2026 Arable Industry NZ Award finalists:

Maize Grower of the Year:

Mark Shera, Ashburton

Donald Stobie, Gordonton

Patrick and Belinda Nicolle, Hastings

Cereal Grower of the Year:

Guy and Kathryn Wigley, Waimate

Andrew and Amy Darling, Timaru

Geoff and Joy Hayward and family – Hayward Agricultural, Timaru

Seed Grower of the Year:

Brendan and Rachel Moore, Methven

Jeremy and Kate Simpson, Rakaia

John and Mel McCaw, Methven

Innovation Award:

Paul Oliver, Feilding

Mariana Andreucci, Lincoln University

Marty and Georgina Skurr, Sheffield

Environment Award:

Lovett Family Farms, Ashburton

Tim Gorton, Feilding

Agronomist of the Year:

Nicola Pace, Ruralco

Sean Mulligan, PGG Wrightson Seeds

Mariana Andreucci, Lincoln University

Working Together Award:

SCID Rebuild Team

Ellesmere Sustainable Agriculture Incorporated

Oat Industry Group.

MIL OSI

Federated Farmers pressure pays off on iwi-council agreements

LiveNews Publisher — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 05:56:47 +0000

Source: Federated Farmers

Federated Farmers is welcoming the Government’s decision to stop existing and new Mana Whakahono ā Rohe agreements from transferring into the new resource management system.

Last week, Federated Farmers called on the Government to end the rush by councils to sign Mana Whakahono ā Rohe agreements before the new planning system comes into force.

Federated Farmers made the same recommendation in its submission on the Government’s resource management reform legislation.

“We’re really pleased the Government has listened,” Federated Farmers RMA reform spokesperson Mark Hooper says.

“Over recent months we’ve seen a big increase in councils rushing to sign these agreements before the law changes.

“That’s created uncertainty for farmers and raised serious concerns about accountability.”

The Environment Committee today came back with its recommendations on the Planning Bill and Natural Environment Bill, which will replace the Resource Management Act.

Alongside the Committee’s recommendations, the Government has agreed further changes to the legislation, including relating to Mana Whakahono ā Rohe agreements.

No existing or initiated Mana Whakahono ā Rohe agreements will transfer into the new planning system.

Instead, councils will be able to enter into more narrowly scoped iwi participation agreements with clear legislative guardrails.

“While there is absolutely a place for relationship agreements between councils and iwi, they need appropriate safeguards,” Hooper says.

“Decision-making powers that affect communities should remain with democratically accountable elected representatives.

“The new guardrails announced by the Government are an important step in ensuring that.”

Federated Farmers will now take the time to work through the Select Committee’s report, which runs to more than 500 pages, to fully understand the changes being proposed.

“At first glance, it’s extremely encouraging to see the Government has agreed to scrap the transfer of all Mana Whakahono ā Rohe agreements and replace them with more narrowly focused arrangements,” Hooper says.

“That’s exactly what Federated Farmers recommended.”

Federated Farmers also welcomed the Government signalling it is considering changes to address Waikato Regional Council’s Plan Change 1.

“We’ve consistently argued it makes no sense for Waikato farmers and growers to implement an expensive and complex new planning regime while the entire resource management system is being replaced.

“We look forward to seeing the detail of the Government’s proposed solution.”

MIL OSI

Bona® scales Asia Pacific presence with expanded SuperSport System catering to the region’s diverse sports flooring requirements

MIL OSI — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 07:49:15 +0000

Source: Media Outreach

A comprehensive, high-performance sports floor treatment solution that meets the growing demands of the Asia Pacific market, reinforcing Bona’s commitment to the region’s surging basketball, badminton, and gym sectors.

MALMÖ, SWEDEN – Media OutReach Newswire – 17 July 2026 – As the global sports flooring market continues to grow, Bona, a world leader in flooring solutions for over 100 years, is strategically strengthening its reach across the Asia Pacific (APAC) region.

The company today announced the expansion of its comprehensive Bona SuperSport System offering for the Asia Pacific market, reinforcing its commitment to delivering reliable, high-performance sports flooring solutions customized to the diverse needs of sports facilities and contractors across the region.

According to Data Bridge Market Research, the global sports flooring market is projected to reach approximately USD 19.09 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 4.6%. Asia Pacific is expected to account for 18.5% of the global market by then, with indoor sports flooring representing more than 75% of regional demand, particularly across basketball, badminton, and gym facilities.

“The sports flooring market in Asia Pacific continues to grow rapidly, driving increasing demand for high-performance flooring systems that deliver reliability, efficiency, and consistent results,” said Pontus Forssell, Vice President, Bona APAC. “We continue to evolve the Bona SuperSport System to better support the needs of sports flooring professionals across the region.”

Developed as a complete “start-to-finish” sports floor treatment solution, the Bona SuperSport System includes primers, finishes, paints, cleaners, machines, and tools designed to work together as one fully compatible system. By simplifying application and maintenance processes, the system helps reduce on-site variability while delivering consistent sports floor performance.

The Bona SuperSport System supports a wide range of indoor sports flooring applications, from wooden to resilient sports surfaces, and is suitable for facilities ranging from schools and universities to professional sports arenas. The system is designed to help contractors and facility managers achieve optimal sports surface performance in areas such as slip resistance, sheen levels, durability, and long-term floor preservation.

“The HSUHK Sports Hall accommodates a wide range of sports activities, each with distinct performance requirements for the playing surface. The Bona SuperSport System provides the versatility, stability, and durability required to support these demands, ensuring a safe, reliable, and long-lasting solution for our high-usage sports facility.” said official from the Hang Seng University of Hong Kong.

In addressing the growing demands of the APAC sports flooring market, Bona’s SuperSport System now features Bona SuperSport 2K, a two-component waterborne wood finish with high durability and appearance, specifically formulated for professional use on indoor sport floors, providing a tough, durable, high-build polyurethane finish to withstand the heavy wear, scuff marks, and daily abuse of athletic activities.

“Bona SuperSport 2K delivers a smooth, high-quality finish that enhances both the appearance and performance of sports flooring. The surface looks professional, provides great traction, and stands up well to heavy daily use.” said Kelvin Neo, Manager from Wood & Wood Flooring Pte Ltd, Singapore.

Newly introduced Bona SuperSport Line Paint and Bona SuperSport Zone Paint further enhance the system offering. With excellent adhesion properties, they can be applied on a wide range of sport surfaces, including wood and resilient floorings, delivering superb hiding ability, fast drying performance, and vibrant colour definition to support the region’s diverse sports flooring applications.

“The strength of the Bona SuperSport System lies in its ability to deliver a fully integrated, high-performance solution for sports flooring professionals,” said Bill Price, Director of Sport, Facility Solutions & Resilient, Bona. “Customers value the consistency, efficiency, and reliability the system provides across different sports flooring environments. Bona Sport products are currently used on professional basketball courts throughout North America, and we continue to see strong interest from APAC markets looking for proven, premium-quality systems.”

International Standards and Environmental Certifications

Bona waterborne finishes are GREENGUARD certified for indoor air quality, supporting healthier indoor sports environments. The full Bona SuperSport System is also certified by both FIBA and the Maple Flooring Manufacturers Association (MFMA), meeting internationally recognized standards for sports floor performance used in venues ranging from local training courts to elite professional arenas.

“As expectations for sports flooring performance continue to rise across the region, Bona remains committed to supporting partners across APAC with proven systems, technical expertise, and professional training,” added Forssell. “Our focus is to help customers deliver reliable, high-quality sports flooring projects with confidence and consistency.”

To learn more about the Bona SuperSport System, visit https://www.bona.com/en-my/professional/installation-renovation/supersport-system/

Hashtag: #Bona

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

Wilderness – New Permanent Public Access to the Whakapapa River Celebrated – Fish and Game NZ

LiveNews Publisher — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 06:52:54 +0000

Source: Fish and Game NZ

A significant milestone in protecting public access to New Zealand’s outdoors was celebrated on Wednesday.

Minister for Hunting and Fishing, Hon James Meager, joined project partners for the opening of a newly created public access point to the internationally renowned Whakapapa River.

Through the purchase of the riverfront property, Auckland/Waikato Fish and Game has secured permanent public access by establishing legal easements and esplanade strips. What was once inaccessible is now protected in perpetuity, ensuring New Zealanders can enjoy the river for fishing, swimming, kayaking, tramping and other outdoor recreation for generations to come.

The opening ceremony brought together representatives from Ngāti Hāua, the Outdoor Access Commission, the Department of Conservation, neighbouring Fish and Game Councils, local community members, and project partners who have helped make the project a reality.

Guests were welcomed onto the property by representatives of Ngāti Hāua, who provided a moving whakatau acknowledging the significance of the whenua and the awa, and the importance of protecting and caring for these taonga for future generations. The welcome set the tone for a day centred on partnership, shared stewardship and a commitment to ensuring people can continue to connect with this special place.

Minister for Hunting and Fishing, James Meager acknowledged the outstanding work Auckland/Waikato Fish and Game had done to make the project possible.

“As Minister, these are the exact sorts of projects I encourage and want to see more of. Access to our rivers and outdoor areas is part of who we are as New Zealanders, and projects like this help ensure those opportunities are protected not just for today, but for the future.

“I believe this initiative provides a model that could be replicated across New Zealand.”

Auckland Waikato Fish and Game Chief Executive David Klee said the project represented an innovative approach to securing permanent public access.

“Public access is one of New Zealand’s greatest outdoor traditions, but it cannot be taken for granted. Opportunities to secure access are becoming increasingly rare as properties change ownership and long-standing access arrangements disappear.”

“Recognising the significance of this property, Auckland Waikato Fish and Game purchased the land through its Angler Access Fund with the specific purpose of securing permanent legal public access to the Whakapapa River. Once the easements and esplanade strips had been established, the balance of the property could be sold, allowing the investment to be recycled into securing the next access opportunity.”

“The Stone Jug Road project was delivered at no cost to Fish and Game licence holders. The property was purchased using externally sourced revenue and donations secured through the Auckland Waikato Fish and Game Angler Access Fund, demonstrating how partnerships and innovative funding can create lasting public benefits without drawing on licence revenue.”

Mr Klee said the innovative funding model ensured that every dollar invested had the potential to create multiple permanent public-access opportunities over time.

“This is about creating a legacy. Rather than simply purchasing land, we are investing in permanent legal access that will remain in place forever, regardless of who owns the surrounding property in the future.”

He said the project’s success reflected the willingness of many organisations to work together towards a common goal.

“We are incredibly grateful for the support and collaboration of Ngāti Hāua, the Outdoor Access Commission for their funding and technical support, the Ruapehu District Council, neighbouring Fish and Game Councils, and everyone else who contributed to bringing this project to fruition.

Chief executive of the Outdoor Access Commission, Dan Wildy, said, “We want to thank Auckland/Waikato Fish and Game for what they’ve achieved here. This is a lasting contribution to public access – and it’s not just anglers who’ll benefit, but anyone wanting to experience the Whakapapa River.

“This isn’t just about access here at Stone Jug Road – it’s proof of what’s achievable elsewhere. People around the country can look at this and see a real, workable model for getting similar results.”

Mr Klee echoed those sentiments, noting that the Stone Jug Road project demonstrated the potential for a national contestable public access fund to help secure strategically important access opportunities across New Zealand.

“Strategic opportunities to secure permanent public access often arise with very little notice. Having a dedicated national contestable fund would allow organisations to move quickly to secure these opportunities before they are lost forever.”

“Stone Jug Road is proof that this model works. A relatively modest investment has secured permanent public access to one of New Zealand’s iconic rivers, creating a legacy that will benefit generations of New Zealanders. There is enormous potential to replicate this approach throughout the country.”

MIL OSI

“Achievements of National Aerospace Endeavours” Thematic Exhibition Makes First Stop at Hong Kong Science Park

MIL OSI — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 12:49:37 +0000

Source: Media Outreach

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 16 July 2026 – To celebrate the 105^th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) today held the “Achievements of National Aerospace Endeavours” Thematic Exhibition Kick-off Ceremony cum Aerospace Experts Sharing Forum at Hong Kong Science Park, marking the opening of a seven-day roving exhibition.

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Professor Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry (middle); Mr Clement Woo, Under Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs (1st from right); Ms Cordelia Chung, Chairman of HKSTP (2nd from left); Ms Connie Wong Wai-ching, Standing Committee Member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Vice President of the Friends of Hong Kong Association (2nd from right), and Mr Terry Wong, Chief Executive Officer of HKSTP (1st from left), together with other distinguished guests, officiate at the kick-off ceremony for the “Achievements of National Aerospace Endeavours” Thematic Exhibition.

At the first stop of the roving exhibition, Hong Kong Science Park will host the exhibition at the Atrium Link from today until 22 July 2026, showcasing the nation’s major achievements in aerospace development, as well as the participation and contributions of Hong Kong’s research community in aerospace technology, space robotics and deep space exploration. It aims to enhance public understanding of the nation’s development and foster a stronger sense of pride, while inspiring young people to develop an interest in innovation and technology (I&T) and aerospace.

The ceremony was officiated by Professor Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, together with Ms Cordelia Chung, Chairman of HKSTP, and Ms Connie Wong Wai-ching, Standing Committee Member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), and Vice President of the Friends of Hong Kong Association, alongside other distinguished guests, witnessing a new milestone in the nation’s aerospace achievements.

Professor Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, said in his remarks: “The inspiring story of Dr Lai Ka-ying becoming Hong Kong’s first astronaut is a vivid example of Hong Kong’s participation in the nation’s major scientific and technological missions, and a fruitful achievement of the great practice of ‘one country, two systems.’ Hong Kong’s R&D teams have long participated in and made active contributions to the nation’s deep-space exploration missions. For example, a team from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology independently developed the Multi-Spectral Imaging Carbon Observatory (MUSICO), Hong Kong’s first scientific payload on the national space station to monitor greenhouse gas. Recently, Dr Lai and two other astronauts completed the in-cabin assembly and testing and extravehicular installation of MUSICO, which can accurately monitor greenhouse gases across the mid- and low-latitude regions on the Earth, providing critical data for the nation’s carbon peaking and carbon neutrality strategies. As we embark on a new journey, we must leverage I&T to empower Hong Kong’s social development, enhance governance efficiency, and better integrate into and serve the nation’s development. We will also uphold the spirit of space exploration of perseverance in the face of challenges to accelerate the development of Hong Kong into an international I&T centre.”

Connecting Hong Kong’s Research Strength with National Aerospace Development

In recent years, the nation’s aerospace endeavours have continued to make breakthroughs in areas ranging from deep-space exploration and satellite technology to space science research, opening up new possibilities across multiple scientific disciplines.

Leveraging its world-class universities, outstanding research talent, internationalised innovation ecosystem, and the unique advantage of close ties with the Mainland, Hong Kong is actively contributing to the development of the nation’s aerospace technology.

The exhibition presents the development and landmark achievements of the nation’s aerospace endeavours. It also demonstrates how Hong Kong research teams apply artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, space science and engineering research to support space exploration and related technology applications. Through this exhibition, industry stakeholders and members of the public can gain a deeper understanding of the city’s research capabilities and I&T talent.

Ms Cordelia Chung, Chairman of HKSTP, said, “This year marks the beginning of the nation’s 15th Five-Year Plan, with aerospace technology identified as a key area in building the nation into a leading science and technology power. Dr Lai Ka-ying, Hong Kong’s first payload specialist, travelled into space aboard the Shenzhou-23 spacecraft, realising Hong Kong’s aerospace dream and demonstrating strong recognition of the city’s research capabilities and I&T talent. HKSTP is honoured to serve as the first stop of the ‘Achievements of National Aerospace Endeavours’ roving exhibition. Looking ahead, we will continue to bring together talent and foster interdisciplinary, cross-regional and cross-sector collaboration. By supporting frontier R&D in areas such as aerospace technology, we aim to provide a broader platform for Hong Kong’s research talent and contribute Hong Kong’s strengths to the nation’s aerospace endeavours and pursuit of greater technological self-reliance.”

Ms Connie Wong, Standing Committee Member of the National Committee for the Chinese People‘s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), and Vice-President of Friends of Hong Kong Association, shared in her speech: “We believe that the cultivation of young talent is indispensable to technological innovation. Based on this philosophy, Friends of Hong Kong Association co-organised the Achievements of National Aerospace Endeavours Thematic Exhibition, encouraging the next generation to pursue careers in science and innovation and to be contributors to the nation’s I&T endeavours.”

Three Experts Share Insights on Frontier Trends in Space Technology

An Aerospace Experts Sharing Forum was held alongside the kick-off ceremony. Moderated by The Honourable Mr Duncan Chiu, Legislative Council Member for the Technology & Innovation Functional Constituency, the forum brought together three aerospace and space technology experts from local universities and the InnoHK research and development platform:

Professor SU Hui: Chair Professor of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Global STEM Professor, and Co-Director of the Institute for Space Science and Technology at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and Founder of Stellerus Technology
Professor GAO Yang: Director of the Center for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for Space Sustainability, Co-Director of the Institute for Space Science and Technology at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and Director of the Hong Kong Space Robotics and Energy Centre under InnoHK
Professor WU Bo: Chang Xin Yu Professor of Space Science, Associate Director of the Research Centre for Deep Space Explorations at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and Associate Director of the InnoHK Hong Kong Centre for Space Robotics and Energy

Drawing on their respective areas of expertise, the three experts shared insights into the application of AI and robotics in space missions, key technologies involved in deep-space exploration, and the experience of Hong Kong research teams participating in national aerospace projects. They also explored space sustainability, the commercialisation of research outcomes and cross-regional collaboration, while encouraging young talent to pursue opportunities in aerospace technology.

HKSTP Leads Hong Kong Tech Firms to the World’s Largest AI Exhibition – WAIC 2026, Strengthening the AI Commercialisation Ecosystem

HKSTP has long supported the accelerated adoption of AI across industries to foster cross-sector collaboration and enhance productivity.

HKSTP, together with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), Cyberport, and Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park Limited (HSITP), will lead a delegation of 18 Hong Kong tech companies to the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference & High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance (WAIC 2026). Taking place from 17 to 20 July at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center, the delegation will showcase Hong Kong’s growing role as a global AI innovation hub and support the nation’s AI strategy. Six HKSTP park companies among the delegation will present solutions spanning humanoid robots, smart mobility, climate technology, AI agents, and generative AI.

Stellerus Technology Limited, founded by Professor SU Hui, leading the “MUSICO” (Multi-Spectral Imaging Carbon Observatory) project — Hong Kong’s first payload project deployed on the Tiangong Space Station — will present its latest AI-powered climate and meteorological solutions at WAIC 2026.

SUTPC Digital Technology (Hong Kong) Limited, a leading enterprise in the nation’s smart city and intelligent transport sectors, and NineRay Technology Limited, which specialises in the research, development and production of high-performance, productivity-oriented humanoid robotics, will also showcase their advanced solutions in the exhibition. By demonstrating how AI can empower business operations, urban governance and sustainable development, the Hong Kong delegation aims to promote human-AI collaboration and innovation.

“Achievements of National Aerospace Endeavours” Thematic Exhibition
Date: 16–22 July 2026
Venue: Atrium Link, Hong Kong Science Park

2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference & High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance (WAIC)
Date: 17–20 July 2026
Venue: Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center, Shanghai, China
Hong Kong Pavilion: Booth E101, Hall 2

Appendix: WAIC 2026 – List of 6 HKSTP tech entities (in alphabetical order)

JiHu GitLab Technology Limited
KNQ Technology Limited
NineRay Technology Limited
Robocore Technology Limited
Stellerus Technology Limited
SUTPC Digital Technology (Hong Kong) Limited

Hashtag: #HKSTP

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

Environment – EPA seeks feedback on proposal to ban two insecticides

LiveNews Publisher — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 03:31:56 +0000

Source: Environmental Protection Authority

The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) is calling for submissions during a reassessment of insecticides used to treat fleas on pets and for household and commercial pest control.

The public consultation about fenthion and propoxur and products containing these substances runs from 15 July to 26 August 2026.

In New Zealand, fenthion has historically been used in flea treatments for pets and propoxur has been used in flea treatments for pets and in household and commercial insect pest control. However, we believe that they are no longer in use in New Zealand.

The EPA proposes revoking all approvals for substances containing these active ingredients.

Max Thoma, Acting Hazardous Substances Reassessments Manager, says these insecticides pose significant risks to both the environment and human health.

“At this stage, we haven’t seen any evidence that these insecticides are still being used in New Zealand but we’d like to get up-to-date information and check that we haven’t missed anything. If anyone is aware of products containing these substances being used in New Zealand, we’d like to hear from them before a decision is made.

“We propose banning them so we can remove the risk of them being used in the future.”

Assessments by recognised international regulators show significant risks to human health and the environment from the use of fenthion and propoxur.

Alternative pest control methods are available to farmers and pet owners.

Find out more and have your say

MIL OSI

Federated Farmers warn of last-minute rush for iwi agreements

LiveNews Publisher — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 11:26:52 +0000

Source: Federated Farmers

Federated Farmers is sounding the alarm over councils rushing to sign new iwi partnership agreements before the Resource Management Act is replaced.

Federated Farmers RMA reform spokesperson Mark Hooper says Environment Canterbury is the latest council attempting to finalise a Mana Whakahono ā Rohe agreement before the new planning system comes into force.

“Under the Government’s replacement legislation, as currently drafted, councils won’t be able to enter into new Mana Whakahono ā Rohe agreements.

“But that draft legislation presently carries over any existing Mana Whakahono ā Rohe agreements.

“Predictably, that has triggered a rush from iwi organisations seeking to lock agreements in before the law changes.

“The latest example is Environment Canterbury, which has suddenly announced it’s considering an agreement with Ngāi Tahu, with elected councillors given only one week to consider and decide on the draft agreement.

“ECan is showing flagrant disregard for their community, pushing this through with no public notification before it appeared on the agenda this week, to be ratified next week.

“That’s deeply concerning and we’re calling on the Government to intervene so councils can’t rush these agreements through before the system is reformed.”

Mana Whakahono ā Rohe agreements, created under the Resource Management Act, set out how councils and iwi work together on resource management matters.

They can allow for joint decision-making on plans and resource consents.

In its Election Platform launched last month, Federated Farmers expressed concern about the increasing number of agreements between councils and iwi that allow for co-governance or co-management of natural resources.

Since the Government released its draft Natural Environment Bill and Planning Bill in late 2025, dozens of new agreements have been initiated around the country, including in Manawatū-Whanganui, Northland and most recently Taranaki.

Hooper says councils have little discretion once an agreement is formally requested.

“Councils are legally required to negotiate these agreements, which puts elected members under enormous pressure to complete them before the law changes.

“That creates a real risk of rushed decision-making and inadequate public scrutiny.

“In Canterbury, councillors have had very little time to consider the proposal before being asked to ratify it.”

Federated Farmers will write to Environment Canterbury urging it to pause the process and allow proper consultation.

“The timing couldn’t be worse. Local government reform is also underway and, within a year or two, Environment Canterbury may no longer exist, with smaller unitary councils taking its place.

“Signing long-term partnership agreements now could bind future councils that don’t even exist yet.

“Those future councils should be free to negotiate their own relationships with iwi once both local government and resource management reforms are settled.

“Rushing agreements through now shows little respect for future elected representatives or the communities they’ll serve.”

Hooper says the situation reinforces the need for Government action.

“This scramble highlights exactly why ministers need to step in and change the new legislation before it’s enacted.”

In its submission on the Government’s resource management reforms, Federated Farmers recommended the new system shouldn’t carry over Mana Whakahono ā Rohe agreements.

“If the Government decides to retain them, there need to be clear limits.

“They shouldn’t override democratic decision-making, expand the scope of planning legislation or create additional consent requirements.”

Hooper says the agreements raise important questions about who should influence planning rules and resource consent decisions.

“We fully support councils and iwi working together and building strong relationships.

“But decisions affecting property rights and resource consents should ultimately rest with people the public can vote in or vote out.

“Our concern is that some agreements move beyond collaboration and hand significant influence to groups that aren’t democratically accountable in the same way elected councils are.”

While some agreements focus primarily on improving communication, Hooper says others extend much further.

“For example, Northland Regional Council’s agreement with Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Hine includes funding for iwi environmental planning work and provides opportunities for iwi representatives to participate in resource consent processes.”

He says farmers are concerned about what that could mean in practice.

“A farmer wanting consent for a feed pad, a new effluent system or worker accommodation could end up facing extra costs, delays and bureaucracy.

“Federated Farmers is firmly opposed to blanket requirements for cultural impact assessments on routine consent applications.

“Farmers already spend enough time and money navigating an overly complex consent system.

“The last thing rural New Zealand needs is another layer of consultants, planners, lawyers and reports added to an already broken resource management system.”

MIL OSI

Northland News – Biodiversity ‘detectives’ provide first regional plant threat report

LiveNews Publisher — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 11:26:49 +0000

Source: Northland Regional Council

The ‘Conservation Status of Indigenous Vascular Plants in Northland’ provides the first comprehensive regional plant threat listing, giving landowners, hapū, iwi and resource managers a powerful tool to better protect 878 plants including rare and declining plant taxa.

The Northland Regional Council and a panel of botanist experts under the lead of senior author Marley Ford were tasked with undertaking a new regional threat listing, which will inform a national threat listing that will be updated every five years in future.

Council Biodiversity Manager, co-author and project coordinator, Lisa Forester says the report identifies plants that are rare in Taitokerau and allows for ongoing monitoring in a move to help prevent plants reaching regional extinction (or ‘extirpation’).

“Of the 878 plants we assessed, 34 plants are in the ‘extirpated’ category, with one (Adam’s mistletoe) being ‘nationally extinct’.” “A further 128 plants are in high threat categories and another 83 are likely to be threatened, but we didn’t have enough information to rank them.”

“Another 283 plants were labelled ‘at risk’ and likely to move into threat categories if they weren’t looked after.” “In total, less than 40% of Taitokerau plant taxa were ranked as not threatened,” she says.

Northland Regional Councillor and Chair of the Biodiversity and Biosecurity Working Party, Jack Craw, says while the results of the report are confronting, council remains hopeful that the next assessment will show an improvement.

“It’s a good way for people to get better with their plant knowledge, being able to identify them and learn.” “Because resources to undertake field monitoring are limited, community support is important to help monitor and care for the plants – everyone can play a part in protecting and monitoring our precious biodiversity.”

Northland’s ‘everyday botanists’ are encouraged to record plant sightings by photographing them and uploading to the iNaturalist website where anyone can get involved as removing these plants from the wild is discouraged.

Gathering data for conservation status rankings relies heavily on plant records and herbarium collections from professional and amateur botanists, past and present, who have spent countless hours in the field collecting the records that make these threat status assessments possible.

Ms Forester would like to thank the whole team of botanists and experts that sat on the panel and undertook the ranking, mostly voluntarily.

“For some of us it feels like a culmination of a life’s work and a great investment for the future, so we are very pleased and proud to finally have it finished.” “We know that it will be a useful document for to help prioritise conservation efforts going forward.”

This is the fourth regional plant threat assessment completed in Aotearoa, following assessments undertaken in Wellington, Auckland and Otago, and is intended to strengthen both local RMA decision-making and future national New Zealand Threat Classification System reassessments.

The full report can be found on the NRC website: www.nrc.govt.nz/vascularplants

MIL OSI

Thailand Advances Net Zero 2050 through Public–Private “ONE MIND” Collaboration TCMA Launches “The NEXT Chapter” to Position Industry as a Climate Solution Partner

MIL OSI — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 08:34:11 +0000

Source: Media Outreach

BANGKOK, THAILAND – Media OutReach Newswire – 14 July 2026 – Thailand is strengthening its transition toward a net-zero economy through enhanced collaboration between government and industry. On the occasion of its 20^th anniversary, Thai Cement Manufacturers Association (TCMA) announced its strategic initiative, “The NEXT Chapter to Net Zero 2050,” aimed at accelerating implementation across five priority areas under the theme ‘Accelerating Collaborative Action towards Net Zero 2050.’ The initiative reinforces the cement industry’s evolving role as a Climate Solution Partner, aligned with the Thailand 2050 Net Zero Cement and Concrete Roadmap, a collective industry commitment supporting national climate goals.

The TCMA at 20 event was presided over by H.E. Mr. Varawut Silpa-archa, Minister of Industry, and brought together senior representatives from government agencies, industry, professional institutions, and international organizations, reflecting a shared commitment to advancing Thailand’s Net Zero 2050 target.

In his remarks, the Minister of Industry emphasized that achieving net-zero emissions requires coordinated action across all sectors under a unified ‘ONE MIND’ approach. The Ministry of Industry continues to advance enabling policies, regulatory frameworks, and economic instruments to support industrial decarbonization, while promoting green industry development, strengthening ESG standards, and enhancing competitiveness. He also highlighted ongoing collaboration with international partners, including UNIDO, GIZ, and the Government of Canada, to accelerate the deployment of low-carbon technologies.

Dr. Chana Poomee, Honourary Chairman of TCMA, noted that Thailand’s cement industry is transitioning beyond its traditional role toward becoming a Climate Solution Partner, contributing to climate mitigation through both emissions reduction and the development of sustainable construction solutions.

Representing the government sector, Dr. Raweewan Bhuridej, Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and Mr. Sunthorn Kaewsa-ard, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Industry, underscored the importance of public–private partnerships (PPP) in translating policy commitments into measurable outcomes, ensuring that emissions reductions are achieved alongside sustained industrial competitiveness.

Mr. Surachai Nimla-or, Chairman of TCMA, described “The NEXT Chapter” as a strategic inflection point for the industry, guided by the principle of being competitive, sustainable, and low-carbon. TCMA is advancing this transition through five key implementation engines, integrating policy, technology, innovation, energy transition, circular economy, and digitalization to enable systemic change that is measurable, scalable, and aligned with national timelines.

TCMA also continues to advance the SARABURI SANDBOX, a low-carbon city pilot that serves as a platform to test policy instruments, technological solutions, and green financing mechanisms through multi-stakeholder collaboration, with the objective of scaling successful models at the national and regional levels.

The launch of “The NEXT Chapter” underscores the role of Thailand’s cement industry as a key contributor to regional decarbonization efforts and highlights the importance of cross-sector collaboration in advancing an inclusive and sustainable transition toward a low-carbon economy.

Hashtag: #TCMA #TCMAat20 #TCMAinAction #TCMAtoNetZero2050 #NextChapterNetZero #ClimateSolutionPartner #CementDecarbonization

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

Rethinking Urban Development: Vietnamese Developers Shaping Future Cities

MIL OSI — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 05:04:38 +0000

Source: Media Outreach

HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM – Media OutReach Newswire – 11 July 2026 – As global urban challenges evolve, Vietnamese Developers offer valuable insights into alternative development models.

Vinhomes’ strategic response is crystallized in its ESG

For much of the past century, urban development followed a relatively straightforward equation: build housing, expand infrastructure and accommodate population growth. This formula is now showing its limitations. As climate risk intensifies, biodiversity declines and cities compete not only for investment but also for talent, developers around the world are now forced to redefine the very nature and purpose of what they build.

From the Gulf to Singapore, and from Scandinavia to Southeast Asia, large-scale urban projects are evolving into integrated ecosystems where mobility, green infrastructure, education, healthcare, digital services and environmental restoration are planned together. The industry paradigm has shifted from constructing buildings to designing places capable of sustaining both economic growth and quality of life over generations.

Vinhomes has initiated a comprehensive repositioning to navigate this global transition.

Known as Vietnam’s largest residential developer, the company is increasingly recognized not merely as a builder of housing projects, but as a creator of large-scale lifestyle ecosystems, communities where urban planning, technology, ecology and public services are conceived as parts of the same system.

When Nature Becomes Urban Infrastructure

For decades, environmental considerations were often introduced after a city’s masterplan had already been completed.

The emerging model reverses that sequence. Across many of its recent developments, Vinhomes operates on the principle that natural systems should become the starting point of planning. Hydrology, coastal conditions, biodiversity and existing vegetation are treated as design inputs that shape the urban layout from the earliest stages.

This philosophy marks a notable departure from conventional large-scale development, particularly in rapidly urbanising markets where natural landscapes have frequently given way to intensive construction.

With more than 30 developments across Vietnam and a land bank equivalent to roughly two-thirds the size of Singapore, Vinhomes has the unusual opportunity to test this planning approach at a metropolitan scale.

Rather than replicating identical urban formulas, each project is designed around the ecological characteristics of its location.

The company maintains that the long-term success of a city should ultimately be measured not by how much has been built, but by whether natural ecosystems continue to thrive decades after residents have moved in. That perspective aligns with an increasingly influential school of urban planning in which green infrastructure is viewed as essential public infrastructure.

Factors Compelling Cities Toward Regeneration

Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) frameworks have become standard across global investment. Urban planners, however, are beginning to question whether sustainability alone is sufficient.

Maintaining today’s environmental conditions may no longer be enough if tomorrow’s cities must also respond to rising temperatures, sea-level change and growing demographic pressures.

Vinhomes’ strategic response is crystallized in its ESG++, a framework that extends beyond conventional ESG principles by introducing two additional objectives: Regeneration and resilience.

The distinction is subtle but important.

Regeneration implies restoring ecological systems rather than simply reducing environmental impact. Resilience focuses on designing cities capable of adapting to changing climatic, technological and social conditions over many decades.

Projects such as Vinhomes Green Paradise Can Gio and Vinhomes Global Gates Ha Long are intended to demonstrate how these concepts can be incorporated into large-scale urban planning, combining renewable energy, smart infrastructure and ecological restoration within a single development model.

This shift highlights a growing global consensus: the success of next-generation cities will ultimately be measured by their ability to adapt to increasingly complex environmental challenges.

Vietnam’s Urban Story Is Becoming Part of a Global Conversation

For many international audiences, Vietnam remains associated primarily with its cultural heritage and natural landscapes. Urban development may become an equally important part of that story.

Rapid urbanisation, expanding infrastructure investment and a national commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 have created conditions in which entirely new urban models can be planned without many of the legacy constraints facing older cities.

This developmental opportunity is capturing increasing global interest.

Commenting on Vinhomes Green Paradise’s participation in the global 7 Wonders of Future Cities initiative, Jean-Paul de la Fuente, Director of the New7Wonders Organisation, described Vietnam as undergoing a “transformative step change” in its national identity and global positioning. He pointed to the country’s progress in reducing the carbon footprint of urban mobility as an example of coordinated action between government and the private sector that offers valuable insights extending beyond Southeast Asia.

For Vinhomes, participation in international platforms such as 7 Wonders of Future Cities is therefore less about showcasing a single project than about contributing to a broader discussion on how rapidly developing economies might approach urban growth differently. The company’s evolution mirrors a wider shift taking place across the global property sector.

Increasingly, the core value proposition for developers is no longer anchored in how many buildings they can deliver. Instead, it centers on whether they can create cities that remain economically competitive, environmentally resilient and socially relevant long after construction has ended.

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