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Why many policies to lower migration actually increase it

Retrieved on:

Friday, April 19, 2024

Corruption, Education, School, Intuition, Research, Hospital, Policy, Doctor of Philosophy, Poverty, Grammatical mood, Safety, World Bank, Family, Work, Refugee, Mining, Weather

Distressing photos and headlines dominate front pages, and politicians stoke negative narratives about migration.

Key Points:

Distressing photos and headlines dominate front pages, and politicians stoke negative narratives about migration.
Also popular is the “cash for migration control” approach, turning countries on the edges of Europe into, effectively, “border guards”.
One example is the EU’s recent deal with Tunisia, promising €150 million (£128 million) to boost Tunisia’s migration control efforts.
But there is not much consensus on what the root causes of migration actually are, and little evidence to show that addressing them actually reduces migration.

Tackling the root causes

But which ones are the most important drivers for people to take the enormous step of leaving home for somewhere new?
The problem in migration policymaking – which often relies on intuition and guesswork, rather than evidence – is a scatter-gun approach which lists a whole range of issues as root causes.
Corruption in hospitals, schools and police forces can be signs of low pay, inadequate management and a lack of accountability.
Tackling corruption, therefore, can improve lives and strengthen people’s confidence to build their futures locally, rather than seeking opportunities elsewhere.

Aid and migration control

Tackling the root causes of migration is not an easy, short-term fix to prevent migration.
Governments allocating aid must separate this from the issue of migration, so that this money can be channelled into what it’s actually meant for: addressing economic, humanitarian, political and security issues.

Jessica Hagen-Zanker does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Don’t blame Dubai’s freak rain on cloud seeding – the storm was far too big to be human-made

Retrieved on:

Friday, April 19, 2024

Cloud, Atmosphere, Taste, Growth, Humidity, University, Climate, Nature, Human, Carbon, Dry ice, Congo, Radar, Aircraft, Ant, Weather, Silviculture

Thousands of meters below, a smaller plane would be threading through the storm downdrafts measuring the rain.

Key Points:

Thousands of meters below, a smaller plane would be threading through the storm downdrafts measuring the rain.
The project I was part of, neatly named Rain (Rain Augmentation in Nelspruit), was a cloud seeding experiment several years in the making.
Cloud seeding involves adding tiny particles into a cloud in order to give moisture something to attach to and form droplets.
There is no identical cloud with which to compare the outcome of having seeded a particular cloud.

A perfect storm

Parts of the Arabian Peninsula received 18 months of rainfall in 24 hours that Tuesday.
Being the weather-man in the chat group, I looked at the satellite and the forecast model data.
What I saw were the ingredients of a perfect storm.
Under these conditions, thunderstorms develop very readily and in this case a special kind of storm, a mesoscale convective system, built and sustained itself for many hours.

Cloud seeding not to blame

What surprised me, though, was not the majesty of nature, but an emerging set of reports blaming the ensuing rains on cloud seeding.
It turns out the UAE has been running a cloud seeding project, UAE Research Program for Rain Enhancement Science, for several years.
The idea, similar to the Rain project I once worked on, is to promote the growth of cloud droplets and thereby rainfall.

Richard Washington receives funding from the Natural Environment Research Council to study climate processes.

Press release - European Parliament Press Kit for the Special European Council of 17 and 18 April 2024

Retrieved on:

Thursday, April 18, 2024

Gas, Hamas, Face, ACI, Committee, Special, Seal, S&D, Parliament, Council, Investment, Honey, European Commission, EP, Data Act, Artificial intelligence, Policy, Legislation, Wildfire, Research, War, Delegation, Communication, Speech, Democracy, CFD, Aggression, Poultry, Partnership, Risk, Outline, City, MFF, Brexit, Safety, GAEC, GUE/NGL, SMEI, Pilar del Castillo, Waste, SME, STEP, Weather, Person, Emergency, Electricity, Annual report, Climate change, International trade, Acceleration, Intelligence, Act, Internet, Coercion, AI, Crime, Private sector, Commission, Common Agricultural Policy, Nuclear energy, Security, Single market, Grid, Violence, Mining, Civil service commission, Punishment, EUR, Cyber, Farmer, European Council, Artificial Intelligence Act, EPP, Recycling, European Parliament, COVID-19, Common, CAP, Flood, Hydrogen, EBS, European Defence Fund, Collection, International law, Defense, Government

In this press kit, you will find a selection of the European Parliament’s press releases reflecting MEPs’ priorities for topics on the summit agenda. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Key Points:

In this press kit, you will find a selection of the European Parliament’s press releases reflecting MEPs’ priorities for topics on the summit agenda. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Visualising the 1800s or designing wedding invitations: 6 ways you can use AI beyond generating text

Retrieved on:

Thursday, April 18, 2024

Many people are now using AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini to get advice, find information or summarise longer passages of text.

Key Points:

Many people are now using AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini to get advice, find information or summarise longer passages of text.
But our recent research demonstrates how generative AI can be used for much more than this, returning results in different formats.
On the one hand, AI tools are neutral – they can be used for good or ill depending on one’s intent.

1. Imagining what lies beyond the frame

Adobe’s recently developed “generative expand” tool allows users to expand the canvas of their photos and have Photoshop “imagine” what is happening beyond the frame.
You might do this when trying to edit a square Instagram photo to fit a 4x6 inch photo frame.

2. Visualising the past or the future

Photography was only invented within the past 200 years, and camera-equipped smartphones within the last 25.
That leaves us with plenty of things that existed before cameras were common, yet we might want to visualise them.
NASA currently works with artists to illustrate concepts we can’t see, but artists could also draw on AI to help create these renderings.

3. Brainstorming how to visualise difficult concepts

As one of the deepest places on Earth, few people have ever seen it firsthand.
Or creating a layered illustration that shows the flora and fauna that live at each of the ocean’s five zones above the trench.

4. Visualising data

For example, you might upload a spreadsheet to ChatGPT 4 and ask it to visualise the results.
Or, if the data is already publicly available (such as Earth’s population over time), you might ask a chatbot to visualise it without even having to supply a spreadsheet.

5. Creating simple moving images

You can create a simple yet effective animation by uploading a photo to an AI tool like Runway and giving it an animation command, such as zooming in, zooming out or tracking from left to right. That’s what I’ve done with this historical photo preserved by the State Library of Western Australia.

I used this description to create the following video:
Tracking shot from left to right of the snowy mountains of Nagano, Japan.
Tracking shot from left to right of the snowy mountains of Nagano, Japan.

6. Generating a colour palette or simple graphics

In these cases, having a consistent colour palette can help unify your design.
You can ask generative AI services like Midjourney or Gemini to create a colour palette for you based on the event or its vibe.
This is true for both browser-based generators like Adobe Firefly, as well as desktop apps with built-in AI, like Adobe Illustrator.

T.J. Thomson receives funding from the Australian Research Council. He is an affiliate with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision Making & Society.

High and dry: Federal budget 2024 misses the mark on water-related investments

Retrieved on:

Thursday, April 18, 2024

Forest fires in British Columbia are expected to begin earlier and last longer this year and severe multi-year droughts are forecast for the Prairies.

Key Points:

Forest fires in British Columbia are expected to begin earlier and last longer this year and severe multi-year droughts are forecast for the Prairies.
In the lead-up to the federal government’s 2024 budget, there was hope for investments in water management and water-related infrastructure to help address some of these issues.

Fires and droughts

The budget is light on details — and critical infrastructure investments — regarding the management of fires and droughts.
But they are often politically contentious and have many social and environmental impacts that need to be weighed during the decision-making process.
Given the recurring jurisdictional spats between Ottawa and the provinces over water management issues, this lack of commitment to large-scale infrastructure is perhaps unsurprising.

Focus on emergency management

In contrast to Ottawa’s actions, Alberta recently dedicated funds in its provincial budget to address the urgent threat of a looming drought.
On the topic of fires, while the federal government acknowledged in early April the looming destructive wildfire season, the budget is focused exclusively on emergency management and firefighter training.
While it’s important to prepare, such a focus ignores an arguably more pressing problem — the lack of infrastructure required to provide the water for firefighting.

Floods

It did, however, propose almost $7 million over five years for the Meteorological Service of Canada’s early warning system for extreme weather events, with a focus on floods and storm surges.
However, this type of policy approach doesn’t address the root causes that result in the occurrence of floods; rather, it focuses on paying out for damages after the floods have happened.
Ultimately, what is perhaps most striking about the issue of floods in the 2024 budget is how little attention they received and how much of it may be buried under housing-related budget measures.

Housing and wastewater

The third major water-related aspect we examined in the 2024 budget concerned housing and water management in the built environment.
There were many welcome references in the budget about the need to invest in urban storm water and wastewater infrastructure.
This is definitely an important component in dealing with rapid growth and housing affordability issues in Canadian cities, but it will be critical for infrastructure investments to go beyond the status quo and incorporate novel storm-water systems and green infrastructure.

What still needs to be done

In the end, this budget did little to address the concerns many Canadians have about climate-related impacts and water security.
There must be investments in sustainable water-use programs and timely water measurements.
The above being said, infrastructure alone won’t solve the complex issues of climate-related water management.

Kerry Black receives funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. David Barrett receives funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, provincial research grants, and collaborates on projects receiving NSERC Alliance funding.

Draft guideline on good agricultural and collection practice (GACP) for starting materials of herbal origin - Revision 1

Retrieved on:

Thursday, April 18, 2024

Reproduction, SCOPE, Eating, Pesticide, Convention, Change control, Confusion, Alkaloid, Climate, Fungus, Directive (European Union), Ethylene oxide, Wind, Wood, Glass, European Medicines Agency, HMPS, QDG, Hygiene, Water, Marketing, Fertilizer, Legislation, Manure, Distillation, Risk, Education, Committee, Compost, Draft, Policy, Person, EMA, Seed, Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, Collection, Freezing, GMP, Risk assessment, GACP, Sunlight, Fermentation, Personal protective equipment, Animal, Herbal, Herbicide, Weather, INTRODUCTION, Documentation, Regeneration, Decontamination, EudraLex, Disease, International trade, European Pharmacopoeia, Part, Livestock, Public, Inhalation, Knowledge, Seedling, Factorization of polynomials, Record, Plant, Skin, API, Irrigation, Part Two, Soil, Directive, Pharmacopoeia, Codex, Guideline, Temperature, Attention, Hydrocarbon, Pyrrolizidine alkaloid, Polychlorinated biphenyl, Growth, Rotation, Incineration, Environment, Humidity, Smell, Ventilation, Light, Bird, Mineral, Fumigation, Pyrrolizidine, SOP, Housing, Smoking, Atmosphere, Postharvest, Rain, Liver, QWP, Medicinal plants

REFERENCES ....................................................................................................................................... 14

Key Points:

REFERENCES ....................................................................................................................................... 14
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Guideline on Good Agricultural and Collection Practice (GACP) for starting materials of herbal origin
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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This guideline on Good Agricultural and Collection Practice (GACP) for starting materials of herbal origin

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1.
Due to the inherent
complexity of medicinal plants and herbal substances the quality of these starting materials requires an
adequate quality assurance system for the collection and/or cultivation, harvest, and primary
processing.
(either outdoor, indoor or in greenhouses) should be carefully considered, since each of the mentioned
types could have several problems and advantages.
The used cultivation method may be dependent on
the final application of the herbal medicinal product.
primary processing of herbal substances that are used for the preparation of herbal medicinal products.
medicinal plants and herbal substances, ensuring that they are handled appropriately throughout all
stages of cultivation, collection, processing and storage.
their preparations are exposed to a large number of environmental contaminants of both biotic and
abiotic origin.
to existing wildlife habitats and must adhere to CITES (Convention on International Trade in
Endangered species of Wild Fauna and Flora).
https://health.ec.europa.eu/document/download/bd537ccf-9271-4230-bca1-2d...
4 https://health.ec.europa.eu/document/download/fd318dd6-2404-4e67-82b0232...
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Where possible, stable varieties and cultivars naturally
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resistant or tolerant to disease should preferably be used.
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The application should be carried out only by qualified staff using approved equipment.
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Damaged plants or plant parts need to be excluded or limited in accordance with a specific
pharmacopoeia monograph, where relevant.
Guideline on Good Agricultural and Collection Practice (GACP) for starting materials of herbal origin
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directly to the sun (except in cases where there is a specific need) and must be protected from
rainfall, insect infestation, etc.
The label must be clear, permanently fixed and made from
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Reflection paper on the use of fumigants (EMEA/HMPC/125562/2006)

Guideline on Good Agricultural and Collection Practice (GACP) for starting materials of herbal origin
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non-toxic material.
Certain exudates that have not been subjected to a specific treatment are
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also considered to be herbal substances.
European Pharmacopoeia General Monograph ?HERBAL DRUGS? 07/2017:1433
Are obtained by subjecting herbal substances to treatments such as
extraction, distillation, expression, fractionation, purification, concentration
or fermentation.

Draft guideline on good agricultural and collection practice (GACP) for starting materials of herbal origin - Revision 1

Retrieved on:

Thursday, April 18, 2024

REFERENCES ....................................................................................................................................... 14

Key Points:

REFERENCES ....................................................................................................................................... 14
29

Guideline on Good Agricultural and Collection Practice (GACP) for starting materials of herbal origin
EMA/HMPC/246816/2005

Page 3/14

30

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

31
32
33
34
35
36

This guideline on Good Agricultural and Collection Practice (GACP) for starting materials of herbal origin

37

1.
Due to the inherent
complexity of medicinal plants and herbal substances the quality of these starting materials requires an
adequate quality assurance system for the collection and/or cultivation, harvest, and primary
processing.
(either outdoor, indoor or in greenhouses) should be carefully considered, since each of the mentioned
types could have several problems and advantages.
The used cultivation method may be dependent on
the final application of the herbal medicinal product.
primary processing of herbal substances that are used for the preparation of herbal medicinal products.
medicinal plants and herbal substances, ensuring that they are handled appropriately throughout all
stages of cultivation, collection, processing and storage.
their preparations are exposed to a large number of environmental contaminants of both biotic and
abiotic origin.
to existing wildlife habitats and must adhere to CITES (Convention on International Trade in
Endangered species of Wild Fauna and Flora).
https://health.ec.europa.eu/document/download/bd537ccf-9271-4230-bca1-2d...
4 https://health.ec.europa.eu/document/download/fd318dd6-2404-4e67-82b0232...
3
Guideline on Good Agricultural and Collection Practice (GACP) for starting materials of herbal origin
EMA/HMPC/246816/2005

Page 5/14

104

4.
Guideline on Good Agricultural and Collection Practice (GACP) for starting materials of herbal origin
EMA/HMPC/246816/2005
Page 6/14

147
148
149

8.
Guideline on Good Agricultural and Collection Practice (GACP) for starting materials of herbal origin
EMA/HMPC/246816/2005
Page 7/14

185

7.
Where possible, stable varieties and cultivars naturally
Guideline on Good Agricultural and Collection Practice (GACP) for starting materials of herbal origin
EMA/HMPC/246816/2005
Page 8/14

227
228

resistant or tolerant to disease should preferably be used.
Guideline on Good Agricultural and Collection Practice (GACP) for starting materials of herbal origin
EMA/HMPC/246816/2005
Page 9/14

268
269
270
271
272
273

The application should be carried out only by qualified staff using approved equipment.
The following should be noted:
Guideline on Good Agricultural and Collection Practice (GACP) for starting materials of herbal origin
EMA/HMPC/246816/2005

Page 10/14

309
310

?

311
312
313

?

314
315
316
317

?

318
319
320

?

321
322

?

323
324
325

?

326
327
328

?

Damaged plants or plant parts need to be excluded or limited in accordance with a specific
pharmacopoeia monograph, where relevant.
Guideline on Good Agricultural and Collection Practice (GACP) for starting materials of herbal origin
EMA/HMPC/246816/2005
Page 11/14

347
348

directly to the sun (except in cases where there is a specific need) and must be protected from
rainfall, insect infestation, etc.
The label must be clear, permanently fixed and made from
6

Reflection paper on the use of fumigants (EMEA/HMPC/125562/2006)

Guideline on Good Agricultural and Collection Practice (GACP) for starting materials of herbal origin
EMA/HMPC/246816/2005

Page 12/14

386
387

non-toxic material.
Certain exudates that have not been subjected to a specific treatment are
Guideline on Good Agricultural and Collection Practice (GACP) for starting materials of herbal origin
EMA/HMPC/246816/2005

Page 13/14

425
426
427

also considered to be herbal substances.
European Pharmacopoeia General Monograph ?HERBAL DRUGS? 07/2017:1433
Are obtained by subjecting herbal substances to treatments such as
extraction, distillation, expression, fractionation, purification, concentration
or fermentation.

Forecast processes and methodologies: results of the 2023 special survey - Survey conducted on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the ECB SPF

Retrieved on:

Thursday, April 18, 2024

Stock market development and familiarity (language and distance) are considered key determinants for home bias.

Key Points:

Stock market development and familiarity (language and distance) are considered key determinants for home bias.
The literature neglects however that investors often invest in foreign funds domiciled in financial centers.

Feedback on the input provided by the European Parliament as part of its resolution on the ECB’s Annual Report 2022

Retrieved on:

Thursday, April 18, 2024

Crypto, European banking union, Governance, Exercise, TARGET, Ciccarelli, Single, Climate, OJ, Ethics, Carbon, ECRB, Parliament, Council, European Systemic Risk Board, European Commission, Paris Agreement, Television, Annual, Letter, Speech, Employment, Social, ESRB, Euro, Prejudice, FSB, AML, ECB, Blog, Risk, ESCB, Committee, NGFS, Policy, Woman, Suggestion, Radio, GDP, Privacy, Weather, Person, Climate change, Communication, Digital, Intelligence, Economic and monetary union, SSM, Bias, Knowledge, Mentorship, EMU, Commission, Economy, Publication, Annual report, Financial Action Task Force, Orientation, Nickel, NPL, European Central Bank, Uncertainty, Financial Stability Board, Conference, NCBS, Treaty, Growth, Financial system, Central bank, European Parliament, Network, Natural Resources, COVID-19, Terrorism, Bank, Female, IMF, Multi-function printer, Recreation, Memorandum, Data, AMLA, Security printing

Beyond managing related risks, the financial sector can also contribute to the transition toward a net-zero economy.

Key Points:

Beyond managing related risks, the financial sector can also contribute to the transition toward a net-zero economy.
Our work aims to enhance data transparency in climate change analysis, while informing monetary policy, financial stability and banking supervision.
The indicators we have developed focus on the euro area financial sector and are built from harmonised granular datasets.

A landslide forced me from my home – and I experienced our failure to deal with climate change at first hand

Retrieved on:

Wednesday, April 10, 2024

Gill, Electricity, Climate change, Drainage, Climate, Research, Policy, Insurance, Plant, Landslide, Lobbying, Water, Tree, Family, Fear, Weather

These cracks soon became a landslide affecting several homes overlooking the Gill, ultimately swallowing tonnes of land and trees and leaving chunks of our properties at the bottom of the valley.

Key Points:

These cracks soon became a landslide affecting several homes overlooking the Gill, ultimately swallowing tonnes of land and trees and leaving chunks of our properties at the bottom of the valley.
The local council has forced my family out of our home, which is now teetering on the edge of a cliff.

This is worrying, as events like these will become more and more common in the years to come.
Although Hastings is a coastal town, our property is inland, so this could happen to anyone, anywhere.

No one wants to take responsibility

This response – or lack thereof – reveals a troubling incentive structure, where the fear of assuming liability results in inaction.
Our attempts to be rehoused or to have the landslide damage addressed were met with challenges at every turn.

Previously rare events aren’t factored in

The landslide reveals current climate governance frameworks are inadequate, since they simply don’t consider previously rare events like these.
This means landslide victims have to do it themselves, at enormous personal cost, and often without any prior technical or policy experience.

A call for systemic change

In an ideal world, this issue would be dealt with by local authorities or utility companies.
So we need policies that empower (or force) local authorities and utility companies to act without fear of legal liability.
As the climate changes, catastrophes like this one can happen to anyone, no matter how secure we may feel.

Ralitsa Hiteva is a member of the Green Party.