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After years of large influence, NGOs will face headwinds under a new CDU/CSU-led government.

Die Iberische Halbinsel ist eine kulinarische Wundertüte und konsumiert im EU-Vergleich mit am meisten Fleisch. Die weltweite Diskussion über tierische Produkte und den Klimawandel ist heiß - so unterschiedlich reagieren Spanien und Portugal. 

Der europäische Clean Industrial Deal ist da – mit einer Dekarbonisierungsbank in Höhe von 100 Milliarden Euro und europäischen Bevorzugung bei öffentlichen Aufträgen.

The new package of legislative proposals hopes to give European companies a competitive edge.

The cable-stayed bridge of Hortolandia, a symbol of the modernization of this southern Brazilian city, alongside tall buildings and the city’s extensive tree cover, which has made it a model of sustainable urban development. Credit: Mario Osava / IPS

By Mario Osava
HORTOLANDIA, Brazil , Feb 26 2025 (IPS)

Almost everything seems new or under construction in the southern Brazilian city of Hortolandia, from its wide avenues and cable-stayed bridge to its large buildings and riverside parks.

Even the city hall itself, the Palace of Migrants, will celebrate its first anniversary on May 29, and its main parking lot is still under construction, but already bears the city’s new hallmark: solar panels on its roofs.

A municipality of 240,000 people located 110 kilometers from São Paulo, Hortolandia seized the opportunity presented by cost-effective technology and legal incentives to generate its own electricity for public sector consumption.“We want to grow, but also preserve. The city must care for its environment, seek new ways to think about energy, water, and consumption”: Donizete Faria.

The 21 photovoltaic plants built since 2023, some in the final stages of completion, will save 80% of the city hall’s electricity costs, according to Fernanda Candido de Oliveira, director of the Lighting Department of the municipal Public Works Board.

The remaining 20% will be covered by the energy efficiency program, which began earlier and has already replaced all old urban lighting with LED lamps. In this way, the city will become self-sufficient in electricity, limiting expenses in this area to distribution network usage fees and maintenance costs.

In addition to the 26,500 public lighting points, the self-generation system will power 200 municipal service locations, saving approximately 4.5 million reais (US$ 800,000) annually, which will be reinvested in various sectors of local administration.

Fourteen schools, four health units and a sports stadium have their roofs covered with solar panels. In total, 5,000 panels are already generating energy, and others already installed will soon begin operation.

The city hall will house three photovoltaic plants, one on its roof and two in its parking lots, one of which is still under construction. In total, it will have 1,800 panels.

The plant for the new social events center, which is nearing completion, will have 1,568 solar panels already visible from the cable-stayed bridge, whose two parallel decks of aerial cables are suspended by three horizontal connecting columns, a structure that symbolizes Hortolandia’s modernization.

The parking lot of the Hortolandia city hall, still under construction, features photovoltaic panels on its roofs, one of the 21 solar plants that will generate 80% of the electricity consumed in the 200 municipal offices and public lighting systems. Credit: Mario Osava / IPS

Economy and Environment
The primary goal of the program is economic, saving resources for other areas, but it also benefits the population, Oliveira noted. “The energy efficiency of LED lamps allowed us to grant a 10% reduction in residents’ electricity bills,” she explained.

“We were the ugly duckling of the Campinas metropolitan region,” which includes 20 municipalities and a total of 3.5 million inhabitants, but “now we are a unique case in these innovations,” a reference point, she proudly stated.

“Solar energy hit the mark, an extraordinary achievement,” said Dirson Pereira da Silva, the receptionist at the Santa Clara Ecological Park, which features a lagoon at its center.

After 36 years living in a city that “buried all its streams,” Araraquara, 170 kilometers away, he returned to his hometown and his passion for the lagoon in 2023.

The seven parks in Hortolandia, most of them designed to protect watercourses, confirm its environmental vocation, which also underpins its commitment to solar energy.

The municipality has identified over 50 springs and strives to conserve or restore them as needed, according to Eduardo Marchetti, Secretary of Urban Planning and Strategic Management. This requires maintaining or expanding riparian forests.

Hortolandia is a “tree city” recognized in 2023 by the international Arbor Day Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in Washington that seeks to reforest the world.

An ecological park around the Santa Clara lagoon, where residents and students stroll and visit the Environmental Observatory, an important center for nature preservation located in Hortolandia. Credit: Mario Osava / IPS

Trees Against Floods

The city used to suffer from floods caused by the overflowing of the Jacuba stream, with frequent losses for riverside residents and businesses. This was overcome by building four reservoirs and caring for the springs and riparian forests, recalled Marchetti, who has lived in the municipality since birth.

Trees are also a requirement for financing from international banks. For example, to build the cable-stayed bridge, the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF) required the planting of 120,000 trees as a condition for its soft loan.

“Maintaining green parks has its costs. We lost 30,000 trees due to lack of care, such as removing weeds that take their nutrients,” Marchetti noted.

Hortolândia was founded in 1991 after separating from Sumaré, a municipality of 280,000 inhabitants. Its territory is small, covering 62.4 square kilometers.

“In the 1970s, we were a rural area that received many industries, especially in the 1980s. This led to a population explosion, accompanied by high violence, reaching 102 murders per 100,000 inhabitants,” recalled Josemil Rodrigues, a journalist who advises Mayor José Nazareno Gomes.

Fernanda Candido de Oliveira, director of public lighting, with the engineer and systems analyst who control the electricity generation system of Hortolandia’s city hall. Credit: Mario Osava / IPS

Planning for Transformation
The development of the new city received a significant boost starting in 2005 under Mayor Angelo Perugini, “a visionary” to his supporters.

In 2005, sewage coverage was limited to 2% of wastewater; now it reaches 98%, with 100% treatment. Only 40% of the streets were paved; now 99% are, and homicides have dropped to 13 per 100,000 inhabitants, according to data provided by the journalist.

“Long-term planning was key. Hortolandia’s vocation is to be a smart and sustainable city,” he stated. Solar energy is part of this goal and has made the city a national reference, Rodrigues emphasized.

The photovoltaic panels are a logical consequence of the environmental vision of the city’s leaders. The current mayor, Gomes, was the Environment Secretary under his predecessor, Perugini, who was elected four times starting in 2005 and died of COVID-19 in 2021, at the beginning of a new municipal term.

Additionally, environmental education is a priority in the “political-pedagogical project” of all municipal schools, observed Donizete Faria, director of the Department of Pedagogy and Continuing Education at the Education Secretariat.

Eduardo Marchetti, Secretary of Urban Planning and Strategic Management of Hortolandia, where seven ecological parks and forests protect the southern Brazilian city from floods and improve local quality of life. Credit: Mario Osava / IPS

Solar energy is too recent to assess its impact on education, but energy efficiency has been a permanent topic in schools for many years, including through visits to ecological parks and the Environmental Observatory, a specialized center located in Santa Clara Park.

The fact that 14 schools have solar plants on their roofs will help “children take ownership of the photovoltaic panels, see them, and have hands-on lessons about renewable energy and consumption,” Faria hopes.

“We want to grow, but also preserve. The city must care for its environment, seek new ways to think about energy, water, and consumption,” he concluded.

The operation and maintenance of the photovoltaic network installed in the city cost little. Systems analyst Alessandro Alves monitors everything from his computer connected to all the plants, and electrical engineer Renan Queiroz intervenes if repairs are needed.

Since the plants have a guaranteed lifespan of 25 years and the inverters last 10 years, there will be no pressing concerns, such as equipment disposal or recycling, for many years, Queiroz reassured.

Hortolandia’s urban master plan has an environmental focus, due to flooding and the need to manage water resources, Marchetti explained. Water reuse, green roofs, and solar energy are part of the tax incentives for property owners.

The new plan, already approved, maintains the focus on the environment but adds technological innovations. “We are a technological city,” with several IT and pharmaceutical companies, concluded the Secretary of Urban Planning.

Dans une escalade dramatique de la crise politique en cours en Roumanie, la police a arrêté Călin Georgescu, le candidat ultranationaliste et pro-russe qui a remporté le premier tour de l’élection présidentielle en novembre dernier, avant qu'elle ne soit annulée.

Global food production must increase by 60% over the next 25 years. Europe is at the forefront of food innovation, developing solutions to address this urgent food security challenge. Is it enough?

Nach dem plötzlichen Stopp der US-amerikanischen Entwicklungshilfe will die EU mit ihren begrenzten Mitteln einspringen. Die EU müsse sich nun als stabile und werteorientierte Macht behaupten, forderte Frankreichs Entwicklungsminister Thani Mohamed-Soilihi gegenüber Euractiv.

La péninsule ibérique est une puissance culinaire et se classe parmi les plus gros consommateurs de viande de l’UE. Mais alors que le débat mondial sur les produits d’origine animale s’intensifie, l’Espagne et le Portugal ont des positions très différentes sur la question.

Le Conseil économique et social a élu, mercredi 26 février 2025, son président au titre de la 7e mandature. Il a nom Conrad Gbaguidi.

Après l'installation des nouveaux membres du Conseil économique et social (CES), lundi 24 février 2025, il a été procédé à l'élection du président de l'institution ce mercredi 26 février. Le choix a été porté sur Conrad Gbaguidi, désigné au niveau national par le président de la République. Le nouveau président du CES avait succédé depuis avril 2023, au défunt Général Soumanou Oké en tant que représentant des associations de développement des départements du Zou et des Collines au sein de l'institution.

L'ancien président de la Cour Constitutionnelle Razack Amouda Issifou a été élu 1er vice-président du Conseil économique social. L'ex député Emmanuel Golou quant à lui occupe le poste de 2e vice-président de l'institution.

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Plusieurs nominations ont été prononcées en Conseil des ministres, mercredi 26 février 2025. Il y a eu au total 11 nominations dont 2 au ministère de l'Economie et des Finances ; 6 au ministère des Affaires étrangères, 2 au ministère des Affaires sociales et 1 au ministère des Sports.

■ Au ministère de l'Economie et des Finances, en charge de la Coopération

Conseiller technique à l'Economie

Monsieur Sanni YAYA

Conseiller technique aux financements internationaux

Monsieur Ghislain HOLOGAN

■ Au ministère des Affaires Etrangères

Ambassadeurs extraordinaires et plénipotentiaires du Bénin près les pays ci-après :

– République populaire de Chine

Monsieur Franck E. W. ADJAGBA

– Etat du Qatar

Monsieur Nouhoume Bida YOUSSOUFOU ABDOURAMANI

– Etat du Koweït

Monsieur Badirou AGUEMON

– République de l'Inde

Monsieur Erick Jean-Marie ZINSOU

– Royaume du Maroc

Monsieur Joseph AHANHANZO

– Etats Unis d'Amérique

Madame Agniola AHOUANMENOU

■ Au ministère des Affaires Sociales et de la Microfinance

Directeur du Fonds national de Microfinance

Monsieur Adéyèmi Joël AFFOYON

Directeur de la Planification, de l'Administration et des Finances

Monsieur Noutaï Rodrigue HONKPEHEDJI

■ Au ministère des Sports

Secrétaire général adjoint du ministère

Monsieur Dossou Nestor MIGNANWANDE.

A rendőrség általános veszélyeztetés ügyében indított eljárást a Záhorie Katonai Műszaki Kutatóintézetben történt keddi robbanással összefüggésben.

Romanian prosecutors have detained and questioned ultranationlist politician Călin Georgescu, whose pro-Russia campaign stunned the nation in last year’s presidential election, according to local media reports.

Matúš Šutaj Eštok szerint megalapozott a terrorizmus vádja a Robert Fico elleni merényletet elkövető Juraj Cintula ellen. Örül, hogy előrelépést történt az ügyben, és a tettest terrorizmus miatt fogják elítélni. (tasr)

Ibrahima Diack et Magatte N'Diaye obtiennent le statut de « fils adoptifs de la ville » à La Corogne.

Hirado.hu: A közösségi oldalakon közzétett felvételeken látható, amint egy lavina lezúdul egy délnyugat-kínai hegyről. Az arra járó turisták miután érzékelték, hogy a hózuhatag gyorsan közeledik feléjük, a mellettük lévő faház alá menekültek. A kínai állami média arról számolt be, hogy a lavina a Meili Snow Mountain National Park Scenic Area egy kiépítetlen részén történt, a közelben lévő turisták közül senki sem sérült meg.

Core to the plan: shifting renewables subsidies to state budgets and cutting energy taxes to EU minimums, with VAT capped at 5%.

The UK says it is halting aid to Rwanda as a result of its support for the M23, a notorious rebel group.

The world’s population is not collapsing and is expected to continue growing for at least another 60 years. Credit: Shutterstock.

By Joseph Chamie
PORTLAND, US, Feb 26 2025 (IPS)

Yeah, governments are having a hissy fit over it. And their hissy fit is not over the usual concerns of governments such as defense, the economy, trade, inflation, unemployment, crime, or terrorism.

Governments are having a hissy fit over a single demographic issue. And that demographic issue is not about deaths, disease, life expectancy, urbanization, immigration, density or ageing.

Their hissy fit is simply over one thing. And that one thing is low birth rates.

Dominating the news headlines, pushing aside reality and the facts, attempting to sway public opinion and aiming to increase reproductive behavior, especially of young women, doomsday predictions about the consequences of low birth rates for humanity’s survival are being promoted.

World population now stands at a record high of 8.2 billion people and is continuing to increase, now adding approximately 70 million annually. That record high of 8.2 billion is double the world population of fifty years ago and quadruple the world population of a hundred years ago

Those erroneous predictions include that world population will collapse, humanity is headed toward near extinction, human civilization is dying out and homo sapiens will soon disappear off the face of the planet.

In actual fact, and contrary to their doomsday predictions, the world’s population is not collapsing and is expected to continue growing for at least another 60 years.

For most of human history, the growth of the world’s population was relatively slow and close to stable due to high rates of both births and deaths. The one billion world population mark wasn’t reached until 1804.

In contrast to the past, the 20th century, especially the second half, was an exceptional period of rapid world population growth. In the early 1960s, for example, world population’s annual growth rate reached a high of 2.3 percent and world population more than doubled in size during the second half of the 20th century. Moreover, the world’s population increased from 2 billion to 8 billion in slightly less than one hundred years.

World population now stands at a record high of 8.2 billion people and is continuing to increase, now adding approximately 70 million annually. That record high of 8.2 billion is double the world population of fifty years ago and quadruple the world population of a hundred years ago.

Moreover, according to international demographic projections, world population is expected to reach 9 billion by the year 2037, 10 billion by 2060 and 10.2 billion by the close of the 21st century.

So, homo sapiens are NOT expected to disappear from the face of the planet, as the doomsayers are repeatedly proclaiming.

Yes, it is certainly the case that many countries are experiencing fertility rates that are below the replacement level of about two births per woman. Those countries include both developed and developing countries across most regions of the world (Figure 1).

 

Source: United Nations.

 

As a result of sustained rates of below replacement fertility, the populations of many of those countries have peaked and are facing demographic decline and population ageing accompanied by substantial increases in the share of elderly people in their populations.

As countries wish to avoid demographic decline as well as rapid population ageing, governments are attempting to reverse their low fertility levels.

Those governments are actively promoting various pro-natalist policies, programs and incentives aimed at returning to the relatively high fertility rates of the past or at least returning to replacement level fertility rates.

Are those pronatalist policies, programs and incentives likely to be successful in raising fertility rates back to the replacement level of about two births per woman?

The simple answer to that important question is: no, not likely to be successful.

Most international population projections do not foresee a return to replacement level fertility rates for the foreseeable future. By the year 2050, for example, the current low fertility rates of countries are expected to remain well below the replacement level.

Why are the fertility rates of many countries below the replacement level? A host of societal factors and individual reasons contribute to pushing fertility rates well below the replacement level (Table 1).

 

Source: Author’s compilation.

 

Among those factors and reasons are lower rates of child mortality, urbanization, industrialization, women’s labor force participation, access to modern contraceptives, increased higher education, child care costs, lifestyle changes, changing role and status of women and men, difficulties finding a suitable partner, work and family life balance, delayed marriage and childbearing, greater investments and costs in raising a child.

At the same time that many countries are experiencing below replacement fertility, many other countries, primarily developing countries in Africa and Asia, have relatively high fertility rates (Figure 2).

 

Source: United Nations.

 

As a result of those relatively high fertility rates, the populations of those countries are expected to experience rapid population growth during the 21st century.

However, those African and Asian countries are also expected to experience declines in their fertility levels over the coming decades. By 2050, for example, most of those countries are projected to experience substantial declines in their current relatively high fertility levels, which will result in slower rates of population growth.

And the reasons for those expected future declines in today’s high fertility levels are the same that produced the current below replacement fertility rates in other countries, namely, those various societal factors and individual reasons that were enumerated above.

In sum, several generalizations are warranted.

First, despite the hissy fit that many governments are having about their low birth rates and their various pro-natalist policies, programs and incentives, their fertility rates are not expected to return to the replacement level in the foreseeable future.

For a host of reasons, the fertility rates of many countries are expected to remain below the replacement level of two births per woman for most of the 21st century. And as a result of those low rates, some of those countries are facing population decline and rapid demographic ageing.

Second, the current high fertility rates of many developing countries in Africa and Asia are expected to decline over the coming decades. As a result of those fertility declines, the population growth rates of those countries are expected to slow down.

Third, and importantly, contrary to those misleading doomsday predictions, the world’s population is not collapsing nor is human civilization dying out. In fact, the world’s current population of 8.2 billion is continuing to increase. World population is expected to reach 9 billion by 2037, 10 billion by 2060 and to peak at around 10.2 billion people in the mid-2080s.

Joseph Chamie is a consulting demographer, a former director of the United Nations Population Division and author of numerous publications on population issues, including his recent book, “Population Levels, Trends, and Differentials”.

 

A megegyezés lényege, hogy Ukrajna nagy mennyiségű ritkaföldfémet és kitermelési jogokat fog átadni az amerikaiaknak a fegyverszállítások folytatásáért cserébe. Magas rangú ukrán tisztségviselők szerint a részletek még nem ismertek.