Latest news with #GNI
The Independent
22-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
More than 60 charities demand UK reverse ‘shameful' aid cuts that will expose women and girls to abuse
More than 60 major UK and international charities have called for the government to reverse funding cuts that they warn will ensure the 'worst aid budget for women and girls on record'. In a joint statement signed by Oxfam, Save the Children, World Vision and Care International, the 61 charities say they are 'deeply alarmed' by the 'shameful proposal' to shift money away from projects that specifically support women and girls by scrapping dedicated spending on gender equality. The charities estimate the closure of just one UK-funded violence prevention project, the 'What Works' programme, would put more than one million women and children at increased risk of abuse worldwide. One charity chief executive called the cuts 'dangerous'. In February, prime minister Sir Keir Starmer announced a plan to cut aid spending from 0.5 per cent to 0.3 per cent of the UK's gross national income (GNI) – a measure of the nation's total wealth. That amounts to roughly £6 billion cut from a current budget of £15.4bn. On 14 May, development minister Jennifer Chapman told MPs these cuts would fall on gender and education programmes, as the government sought to 'sharpen [its] focus' on humanitarian emergencies in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan. However, the coalition of leading charities have warned these cuts will mean 'specialised services for survivors of rape will disappear, girls will miss out on education, and women will continue to be excluded from positions of power and influence'. Currently just 12 per cent of all UK aid currently prioritises gender equality, which the charities say must be protected – with more than half of women's rights organisations surveyed by the coalition in developing countries saying they will have to close in the next six months because of aid cuts. 'We urge the UK Government to reverse course. It otherwise risks sending the message that the rights and lives of women and girls are expendable,' the statement reads. 'Without investment that specifically supports women and girls, specialised services for survivors of rape will disappear, girls will miss out on education, and women will continue to be excluded from positions of power and influence,' the statement adds. 'These decisions aren't simply about numbers on a balance sheet – they are choices that determine whether women and girls live in safety, go to school, or access healthcare. Behind every cut is a person whose life and future are at stake. 'As a coalition of organisations working toward a gender-just world both in the UK and overseas, we are deeply alarmed by the shameful proposal to eradicate standalone aid funding for gender equality.' Beyond gender equality spending, the 40 per cent cut to the UK's spending in developing countries is projected to leave millions at risk of malnutrition. An analysis by Save the Children previously shared with The Independent found the 'savage' cuts to UK foreign aid would leave 55.5 million of the world's poorest people without access to basic resources. Addressing the international development select committee last week, Baroness Chapman said: 'There will be a huge impact, I'm not pretending otherwise. I can't promise to protect every good programme'. She claimed that the crises in Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan are 'actually where the public expects us to lead'. But in their statement, the coalition of charities cited polling by YouGov that showed that 63 per cent of respondents think the aid budget should be used to protect women's and girls' rights. The UK's aid cuts come at a time when many rich countries are shifting spending away from development. But none has cut as deeply as the US, where Donald Trump 's decision to slash overseas spending is already having wide-ranging destructive effects, from leaving millions on the brink of famine, to derailing the end of the AIDS pandemic, driving millions of preventable deaths. Dr Halima Begum, chief executive of Oxfam GB said: 'The UK government's proposed rollback on dedicated funding for gender equality is beyond concerning – it's dangerous. With the rise of anti-rights movements, the fight to protect the rights of women and girls is more important than ever. 'Not only does it threaten the gains that have been made in recent decades, she said, but it is 'simply wrong that the Government is choosing to push more people into poverty and deepen gender inequality while the surging wealth of the super-rich goes untouched.'
Irish Independent
21-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Demand for gas fell across several sectors last month due to spell of warmer weather
Gas Networks Ireland (GNI) predicts a 4pc decrease in gas demand this summer compared with last year. It also forecasted that with temperatures expected to rise further over the next few months, there will probably be an increase in renewable electricity generation, displacing some gas-based power generation. Despite overall demand falling by 12pc, gas produced close to half of Ireland's electricity last month, according to GNI. A recent gas demand statement from GNI shows that, while demand fell, gas continued to play a central role in electricity generation. Gas accounted for 42pc of Ireland's power, up from 39pc in the previous month. Wind energy generated 28pc of electricity in the same period. GNI director of strategy and regulation Edwina Nyhan said gas offered stability to the national grid. 'While warmer weather naturally led to a seasonal drop in overall gas demand in April, gas continued to provide the consistent back-up needed to keep Ireland's electricity system running reliably,' she said. 'With wind generation fluctuating widely throughout the month, gas stepped in as needed to maintain stability and security of supply. 'Our summer outlook forecasts similar trends, with gas continuing to play a leading role in electricity generation and in decarbonising the transport sector. Gas remains central to our energy system – today and into the future.' GNI published its summer outlook – forecasting a decrease in total gas demand compared with last summer. It said it indicated an increase in renewable generation for the summer ahead, displacing some gas-fired power generation. The outlook also said Ireland will remain heavily dependent on the UK for gas imports. It also predicts gas demand in transport will grow by 11pc in line with decarbonisation efforts around commercial transport. Last month the demand for gas in transport increased by 76pc year-on-year. GNI said that reflected a growing shift towards lower emission fuel sources such as compressed natural gas (CNG) and renewable BioCNG. The organisation also noted that between April 7 and April 10, gas produced 66pc of Ireland's electricity, peaking at 74pc.
Irish Times
15-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Ireland slips two places in 2024 global competitiveness league
Ireland's position in a global ranking of economic competitiveness would have improved last year if a different economic growth metric had been used to benchmark the economy's performance, the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council (NCPC) has said. The Republic slipped two places to fourth in the Institute of Management Development (IMD) world Competitiveness Yearbook 2024, published last June. At the time, the NCPC said the drop, which still saw the Republic placed in the top five for the second consecutive year, was largely down to a slowing down of economic growth as measured by gross domestic product (GDP). However, issues with using GDP – the total value of goods and services produced within the economy – to measure performance have been well documented, due to the distorting impact of the multinational sector here. READ MORE Some economists instead use modified gross national income, otherwise known as GNI*, a measure of economic growth that seeks to strip out the impact of intellectual property values related to large multinationals anchored in the Republic. In a statement on Thursday, the NCPC said if GNI* is substituted into the IMD's world Competitiveness framework, the economy would have placed third in the global rankings rather than fourth. The Republic's economic performance score would also have improved as well as its infrastructure score. The research highlights the need to interpret international rankings 'critically', said the NCPC. 'While international rankings are valuable tools, they must be used with care,' said Frances Ruane, economist and had NCPC chair. 'For Ireland, where GDP can significantly overstate economic capacity, GNI* offers a more appropriate lens for understanding our true performance.' She said: 'This research by the NCPC Secretariat helps support more informed, evidence-based policymaking, and will be used when evaluating all future releases of the IMD indicators.'
The Independent
13-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
UK cuts to international aid will have huge impact, minister admits
The UK's large-scale aid cuts will have a 'huge impact', the new development minister has admitted to MPs – but that the days of viewing Britain 'as a global charity' are over. Jenny Chapman replaced Anneliese Dodds as development minister in February. Dodds resigned in protest at the prime minister's plan to cut aid spending from 0.5 per cent to 0.3 per cent of the UK's gross national income (GNI) – a measure of the nation's total wealth. That amounts to roughly £6 billion cut from a current budget of £15.4bn. Addressing the international development select committee, Baroness Chapman said the UK needed to 'sharpen our focus' on health, the climate crisis and humanitarian aid in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan, 'which is actually where the public expects us to lead'. But this would likely come at the expense of programmes around women and girls ' education, she said. 'There will be a huge impact, I'm not pretending otherwise,' Chapman said 'I can't promise to protect every good programme'. Baroness Chapman went on to claimthere was an "absolute crisis" in public support for international aid, adding that "many of our partner countries" also wanted to "move on from this model". Monica Harding, the Liberal Democrat spokesperson on the committee, said other polling suggested UK residents did support foreign aid when it is, 'within their interests, when it supports defence and security and soft power'. Arguing that the UK needed to focus more on sharing expertise than providing cash, Baroness Chapman said: "While our commitment to helping those living through emergencies is unwavering - for countries developing, we need to be an investor and not just a donor. "It's about partnership and not paternalism." An explicit plan to spend less on gender might appear to mirror the rhetoric coming from across the Atlantic, as Donald Trump has ruthlessly slashed any spending he considers to be in the service of 'gender ideology.' millions on the brink of famine to derailing the end of the AIDS pandemic, driving millions of preventable deaths. But Chapman was keen to put a distance between Labour's plans and the US's blitz on all aid - especially any project that has a whiff of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Asked by Harding whether these plans were 'just following the US', Chapman denied the claim. 'We have made our choice for very very different ideological reasons. This is about necessity and having to shift some spending to defence,' Baroness Chapman said. 'We maintain our commitment to go back to 0.7 [per cent] when we can'. In the future, the UK should offer its 'expertise' from its education, health, tech and financial sectors to support countries to build their own systems, Chapman said. The alternative would be to 'salami slice without strategy,' which would be 'wrong'. An analysis by Save the Children previously shared with The Independent found 'savage' cuts to UK foreign aid would leave 55.5 million of the world's poorest people without access to basic resources. Chair of the international devleopment committee, Sarah Champion, said development money - which usually sits in a different pot from humanitarian money - is 'how you prevent conflicts in the future. It is how you prevent terrorists in the future'. The plans will be finalised by 11 June when the spending review, setting out government departments' budgets, closes. Baroness Chapman also pushed back on estimates from The One Campaign which suggested UK aid cuts could lead to 600,000 preventable deaths and 38 million fewer children being vaccinated, saying the government hadn't got the point of making those decisions yet. More clarity on where the UK's aid cuts will fall will come in the summer.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Globe joins international telecom leaders in pioneering Green Network study from GSMA Intelligence
MANILA, Philippines, April 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As a company dedicated to environmental responsibility, Globe played a key role in GSMA Intelligence's (GSMAi) Green Network Index (GNI) study, a pioneering initiative establishing new industry benchmarks for network sustainability. Globe is one of only six telecom companies worldwide to participate in the inaugural project, proving its dedication to leading environmental sustainability efforts by actively engaging in research that drives greener networks and reduces greenhouse gas emissions in the industry. "We recognize the importance of collaboration in shaping a more sustainable telecom sector. Our contribution to the GNI study reflects our commitment to integrating sustainable practices that strengthen both our industry and our journey toward Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions," said Yoly Crisanto, Globe's Chief Sustainability and Corporate Communications Officer. Apple Evangelista, Globe's Head of Sustainability and Social Responsibility, added: "Through the GNI, we are gaining valuable insights that will help us refine our approach to energy efficiency, renewable energy adoption, and overall network sustainability." Global support for greener telecom networks is growing. A majority of telecom operators, representing 70% of the industry's revenues, have already aligned their commitments with the Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) to reduce GHG emissions. This was driven by rising energy costs, which account for 15-20% of a telco's operational expenditures, emphasizing the need for energy efficiency. Moreover, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting is gaining traction among credit-rating agencies and financial analysts, making a standardized metric for assessing sustainability across different geographies and network technologies essential. In response, GSMAi developed the GNI, which consolidates various factors into a single comprehensive figure to improve comparability across telecom operators and guide companies in their green evolution. "Tracking progress on mobile network operators' energy sustainability is critical in driving meaningful change. Our Green Network Index helps operators to achieve that goal by enabling them to make informed decisions that support a greener, more sustainable future," said Tim Hatt, Head of Research, GSMA Intelligence. The GNI builds on GSMAi's previous energy efficiency analysis and expands it into a system-wide index that considers energy and carbon efficiency, renewable energy usage, performance and availability, and vertical enablement. By actively supporting GSMAi's sustainability research and initiatives, Globe drives positive change in the telecom industry and strengthens its leadership in green network innovation. The first round of the GNI Study can be downloaded on GSMAi's website after registering for a free public account. This can be accessed through the following link: To learn more about Globe, visit Sustainability at Globe Globe is a Participant of the United Nations Global Compact and has committed to uphold the Ten Principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. It also supports 10 out of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, with particular focus on SDG 9 - Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, and SDG 13 - Climate Action. As a Participant in the #RaceToZero campaign of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Globe has validated and approved near-term and net-zero science-based greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets through the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Learn more about Globe Sustainability by visiting the Globe Sustainability Website and the Globe Annual Integrated Report. Follow us on @GlobeIcon on Facebook and @globe_icon on Instagram, and Globe Telecom on LinkedIn. Email us at: globeofgood@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Globe Telecom, Inc.
