Latest news with #LIFE
Time of India
12 hours ago
- General
- Time of India
Construction of new houses for Shanthipuram Colony residents begins
Kochi: Reconstruction of houses has begun for residents in the area known as Shanthipuram Colony, located in 44th division of Kochi corporation in Karanakodam. Corporation has designed the project to construct new houses for 197 families in the colony using Life Mission and CSR funds. The existing houses are very old and lack proper security. "Providing them with safe and secure homes has been one of the long-term goals of the municipality and was announced in the budget. Under the leadership of Azadi Group's Architecture Engineering College, a plan has been prepared to construct apartment complexes in blocks of eight homes each, across three cents," mayor M Anilkumar said. "The expected construction cost for one house is Rs 10 lakh. However, the maximum amount the corporation can provide per family under LIFE scheme is Rs 4 lakh. We are unable to use any other funds for this purpose. The challenge before the corporation was to find the remaining Rs 6 lakh per house. Assurances have been received for CSR funds of Rs 1 crore from BPCL Kochi Refinery and Rs 50 lakh from Sobha Group. Phase I construction activities will commence soon," Anilkumar added. "Division councillor George Nanat also took the initiative to ensure the project becomes a reality," he said.
Irish Independent
16 hours ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
Sustainable development plan for Mayo's Pontoon with ‘massive tourism potential'
Located between Lough Conn and Lough Cullin in North East Mayo, Pontoon used to be a busy spot. The area had two popular hotels, Healy's and Pontoon Bridge. Healy's Hotel suffered a fire and the building went derelict. In 2019 planning permission was granted to develop the building into a hotel, restaurant and bar, since the Covid pandemic work hasn't resumed on the site. Pontoon Bridge Hotel was built in the 1940s and extended in 2006. It was sold in 2017 and didn't reopen. Foxford-based councillor Neil Cruise, raised a motion at the monthly meeting of Mayo County Council and laid out his plan for the Pontoon area to bring it back to life. The area includes Drummin Woods, Lough Conn and Lough Cullin. Cllr Cruise told the meeting there is a distinct opportunity at the minute and referred to the Pontoon area as a 'sleeping giant' that has 'massive tourism potential'. Cllr Cruise described a 'new beginning' with forest company Coillte. The semi-state company is responsible for 44,000 hectares of forest lands around Ireland. Cllr Cruise said they are 'very interested in working with us'. He called for interest groups to come together to help: 'I feel it is time that we can all come together, Coillte, Parks and Wildlife, local development groups, farming and fishing interests, walking groups and local tourism promoters. 'We have the development of the Foxford to Pontoon greenway, the Knockmore to Pontoon trail, and Pontoon to Castlebar greenway as far as Healy's Hotel. We have the refurbishment of the six-arch bridge in Cuing Mór, we have the development of forest walks, the beaches and shores of Lough Cullin, of Pontoon Bay, Schoolhouse Bay, Healy's Bay, and Pontoon Bridge lake access'. Development groups in the area were said to be 'itching to go' but need help to pull everything together. Cllr Cruise is proposing that the council develop a LIFE project for the Pontoon lakes, similar to the Lough Carra LIFE project in Castlebar. Cllr Alma Gallagher seconded the motion, describing Pontoon's unused natural resources as a 'missed opportunity'. Cllr Gallagher raised the issue of a 'county imbalance' saying resources are being invested in the same areas, mainly Westport, Ballina and Castlebar. The Ballyhaunis-based councillor pointed out that the majority of Mayo's population live outside of those towns and said there needs to be substantial policy change because 'East Mayo is being left behind'. The motion was also supported by a further eight councillors including Cllr Al McDonnell. He congratulated Cllr Cruise on his motion and offered a helping hand. 'There is a threat to water quality in every fresh water course in Ireland. We got together some years ago in an effort to save Lough Carra. An application was made to the LIFE project in Europe, after tremendous negotiation and lobbying to Europe we succeeded in getting a grant for €5 million over five years. 'If you want any assistance with that, or if your group wants to meet us, I can put you on the mailing list and you're very welcome to come to one of our meetings and we'll introduce you to some of the people who were successful in relation to our application.' This article was funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
Euractiv
3 days ago
- Business
- Euractiv
The Brief – Ursula von der Leyen is cooking the books on climate funding
Facing accusations the EU is no longer serious about its green agenda, Ursula von der Leyen has promised that a third of her €2 trillion mega budget will go on climate and biodiversity policies. In reality, that pledge is already up in smoke, with a major shortcoming of current climate "mainstreaming" unaddressed. The Commission wants to increase the EU budget to just shy of €2 trillion starting 2028, up from €1.2 trillion in the seven years to 2027. And 35% of that – or one euro in every three, as an EU official told reporters today – must have a positive effect on the climate and biodiversity. Great news for the planet, you might think. But even before MEPs and governments get to work on the bill, it's unclear whether von der Leyen's green promise stands up given the clauses, caveats, and coefficients that muddy the water. For example, for every €100 of EU money spent on a new runway or the extension of an airport terminal, for example, €40 is deemed to have been spent on climate adaptation. On the other hand, if that €100 is ploughed into the protection and restoration of wetland and peatlands – which unlike the above example is unarguably a climate and biodiversity-positive intervention – it is counted three times: once for climate mitigation, once for climate adaptation and once for environmental restoration. Even in the admittedly unlikely event that the whole of von der Leyen's €2 trillion went into airport runways, the 35% target would be easily overshot by 5 percentage points. This scope for double, or triple counting is nothing new: it already exists in the current 30% climate-only mainstreaming target, and a 37.5% target was attached to the post-Covid recovery fund – a fact that has drawn criticism from the EU's budget watchdog already. The European Court of Auditors concluded last year that 'some projects tagged as green were found to lack a direct link to the green transition upon closer inspection'. What we also know is that the LIFE programme – the only one directly funding nature projects on the ground – is gone. At least in theory, it has been absorbed into a €234 billion European Competitiveness Fund. Although there are various EU laws requiring governments to try and halt biodiversity loss – a thing that decades of targets and nature legislation consistently failed to do – the modest €5.4 billion of the current €1.2 trillion budget is no longer ring-fenced. (jp) Roundup Best of friends: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer signed a landmark friendship treaty today, which will see the two countries collaborate more closely on security matters and defence, including on nuclear deterrence. Political super groups: We've got the Weimar Triangle, or E3, then the E4, G5, G7 etc etc. All these are just part of the trend for crossover event political meetings between major national leaders, and Thursday's Merz-Starmer summit in London is one big balancing act. Still racking your brains over the budget numbers? A good 24 hours after the European Commission's dropped its much anticipated seven-year spending plan, experts are still getting to grips with how it works. While Ursula von der Leyen called it 'the most ambitious ever proposed', it's also clearly the most complicated yet. Across Europe Who's afraid of Brussels? You might think that Russian election tampering is top of mind when it comes to October's national elections in Czechia. Not so, since a large share of Czechs believe the EU may well interfere in the country's parliamentary elections.
Euractiv
4 days ago
- Business
- Euractiv
Green groups see EU budget bill as death knell for environment funding
While the European Commission has proposed a substantial increase in the size of the bloc's central budget from 2028, green groups have accused the EU executive of lowering the priority of environmental action and warn civil society voices could be excluded from the policy making process. As expected, the European Commission has proposed axing the LIFE Programme, the EU's only stand-alone funding mechanism for environmental action. The 2028-34 budget bill also squeezes broader funding for climate and biodiversity policy goals. But the EU executive put a positive spin on its move to streamline green funding with the massively increased €2 trillion budget. 'We will have a climate and biodiversity spending target, so mainstreaming, of 35% for the new MFF," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told reporters on Wednesday, referring to the EU's next multiannual financial framework. "This amounts to around €700 billion.' This substantial sum of money would have to be spent in ways that are compatible with the EU goal of reaching net-zero emissions by mid-century, and reversing biodiversity loss. Nevertheless, it is lower than the combined €658 billion ring-fenced for climate and €113 billion for biodiversity in the current budget. From 2028, central budget funding for climate and environment purposes will be split in two separate pillars: the 'clean transition and industrial decarbonisation' envelope of the €410 billion European Competitiveness Fund (ECF), and some €1 trillion spread across different priorities such as economy, agriculture, rural prosperity and security. 'Our proposal for the next MFF shows that we remain strongly committed to environmental priorities," Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall said. "Water, circularity, nature and bioeconomy are prominent parts of the new competitiveness fund and the national plans." Less money for nature However some fear this new approach risks decreasing overall funding for nature and biodiversity. 'The loss of LIFE as we know it in the new MFF is not simplification – it's sabotage," said Patrick ten Brink, secretary general of the European Environmental Bureau (EEB), an NGO umbrella group. "The LIFE Programme exists for a reason. It delivers targeted, cost-effective results for nature, climate and public health.' Ester Asin, director of the WWF European Policy Office warned the 35% global target could become little more than a PR exercise. "By grouping all environmental spending under a single target, there is a real danger that biodiversity will be sidelined in favour of industrial priorities that may be presented as green investments," she said. Others warned the proposed budget reform could actually widen a gap in funding for nature restoration that is currently estimated to be €19 billion annually. 'We are deeply concerned by the lack of dedicated biodiversity funding, as the LIFE funding is now suggested to be merged with other programmes," said Andras Krolopp, biodiversity policy lead at The Nature Conservancy. The concerns of civil society groups were also echoed by progressive voices in the European Parliament. 'It is irresponsible and short-sighted for this proposal to end the LIFE programme and leave out funding for biodiversity,' said Green MEP Rasmus Nordqvist, one of the negotiators of the MFF in the Parliament's budget committee. The cancellation of the LIFE Programme also represents an existential threat to numerous environmental NGOs who currently share €15 million in direct grants to cover part of their operational expenses. The Commission says such support could in future be disbursed via national programmes, but it is unclear for now how the funds would be allocated, and whether campaign groups will be able to meet unspecified criteria related to competitiveness or national policy objectives. '[By] repealing LIFE, core funding for environmental NGOs could disappear, leaving civil society under-resourced to support necessary implementation, enforcement, and public engagement," the EEB warned. 'The MFF needs to enable civil society actors to participate effectively in EU-level policymaking," MEP Nordqvist said. "It is essential to safeguard the right of everyone to meaningful participation in decision-making processes and the full cycle of implementation of the EU budget." (rh, aw)
Business Recorder
4 days ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Where are we heading?
We are still almost four weeks away when on 14th August, we would, God willing, celebrate our 78th Independence Day. Yet, my mind is beset with anxiety filled thoughts of what have we done with our hard fought gains of Independence. What were the promises then? What were the expectations? Have those been delivered upon? The achievements of 1947; have those been converted into valuable elements of strengthening of the nation or have those been squandered? Every citizen of this country must resort to some introspection, regardless of their profession or social status, to evaluate, if as 'individual entities' we have delivered our part of the contribution to fortify our independent status. With certitude, each of us has failed — many to a very low level of negligence and some significantly because of position held and authority wield. In July 1948 or thereabouts, our Quaid, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, gave an interview to the then highly prestigious magazine, 'LIFE' of the USA. I have a copy of that issue and often I go back to reading and re-reading the views expressed by him — the challenges that he mentions faces the nascent and newly independent Pakistan are worth focusing on — we have with or without, either by intention or otherwise, knowledge or ignorance carried forward those challenges, from one year to the next. The challenges not only remain but have acquired a Himalayan status. Why? Pakistan was extremely unfortunate to have lost its founding fathers in less than seven years from Independence — starting with Jinnah, who succumbed to Tuberculosis (an ailment, that was a best kept secret); followed by Nawabzada Liaqat Ali Khan, who was sent upstairs with bullet holes in his physical self, pumped into him by an assassin, who worked for whom is a mystery unsolved. God alone knows — he was eliminated on the spot. Other leaders of stature and acceptance too departed in quick succession. Indians were lucky, although they too lost Gandhi in the same year, again to an assassin with links to RSS (party of the current PM Narendra Modi, who is rightfully awarded the epithet 'Butcher of Gujarat'). Nehru led for seventeen long and eventful years on a continued basis with no break; only death took him away in 1964. With political stability, Nehru strengthened the pillars of the State institutions. In contrast, we were faced with political intrigues and machinations of diabolical nature for the entire decade of the 1950s. Political experimenting about what type of dispensation suited us resulted in alienating the Bengali population. This led ultimately to the separation of the Eastern Wing and creation of Bangladesh. In a historical first, the majority seceded from a union. Since the seventies, we had two long interregnum of disguised democracy or disguised martial law (readers' choice to decide between the two). Democracy prevails, however lame and toothless or however steady and strong it appears. Leadership has more to answer than an ordinary follower to the caption of this piece, where are we heading? The purpose of this interrogative title is not to indulge in liberal and wholesale lamentation about the past but of a desire to identify the pathways that are open to us as a country to traverse and catch up with the developed world. The setup in Islamabad is focused upon fixing the economy, which has been hit worst in the last 25- 30 years by neglect and political instability; coupled with lack of clarity and consistency in the economic design and architecture that required pursuit. This focus is essential, without doubt. In doing so, the leadership must clarify to itself and to the several economic constituents of what are the primary concerns and what areas would receive attention, focus and support. Since we have to be a ' nation in rush' to catch up on lost time, it is best to create working groups with full authority to frame and implement strategies through well designed policies. No fresh hiring must be done; instead talent must be identified and picked up from available pool of human resources. This would help and enable a speedy response to the multi- faceted challenges besetting us. In the creation of these groups, extra care with ruthless honesty in place is a prerequisite, so that nobody gets to be member or chairperson of any group based on nepotism, that arises out of misplaced sense of loyalties to individuals or to the political parties—the best minds should be chosen. Let's for a change and forever abandon the policy of placing square pegs in round holes. Empowerment must come to the competent and to those who have in them a heightened sense of judicious utilisation of authority conferred. Can someone in our setup behave like Abraham Lincoln; consequent to winning the presidential elections, he started to hire and induct into his cabinet his arch-political foes, some of whom had lost the election to him. When asked what was he (Lincoln) up to? He coolly replied, 'I need the best brains to advise me in running our country and these people who contested against me are competent'. He never feared his opponents and foes. In this vein, it was such a breath of fresh air when prime minister Shehbaz Sharif appointed young Bilawal Bhutto to lead Pakistan's delegation to various important capitals to explain our stance and to get their buy-in to our principled stand in relation to the Pahalgam incident. Political adversaries are not personal enemies. We are learning. In politics and in life too, generally speaking, there should be no room for permanent enemies. The result of this venture of trust has been remarkably favourable. Pakistan's narrative was accepted, India's wasn't. Shashi Tharoor failed to impress the leadership in those capitals. Let's therefore do more of collaborative efforts regardless of party's affiliations in the building of this nation. There are several areas demanding the need of 'immediate fix' but of most critical importance is our approach to trade, its growth and finance. The need is to reengineer with faith that the economy has to be driven by growth in exports. We must earn foreign exchange (not borrow) to build and shore up, our foreign exchange reserves. Most countries of Northeast Asia and South East Asia have followed the Chinese example of export-led growth — Malaysia, Vietnam, South Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia, Singapore are a few to name. We must learn to negotiate well with friendly countries, induce them to invest and not dole out dollars. China is a formidable friend; why cannot we ask them to come and make one of our SEZs to work. They are almost idle and dead. We must revive them. SEZ framework must be chiseled in stone, not to be rewritten by every incoming government. I have no exalted view of a compliant bureaucracy. They must display their spine. 'It is an inevitable defect, that bureaucrats will care more for routine than results' (Walter Bagehot). The words of Lord Reid shouldn't be our gain: 'By the time the civil service has finished drafting a document to give effect to a point of principle there may be little of the principle.' Let no horse be designed to look like a camel. Enough of this. There is an impelling need to abandon passionate intensity for the worst actions and instead place the best in our convictions to do the right and to do it well. Only in unity of purpose and action lies our success. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
