w Thousands more patients with type 1 diabetes are getting flash glucose devices, data show By feeds.bmj.com Published On :: Monday, October 7, 2019 - 12:46 Full Article
w Partha Kar: What will the 2020s hold for diabetes care? By feeds.bmj.com Published On :: Tuesday, January 21, 2020 - 14:51 Full Article
w Partha Kar: Covid-19—we must keep faith in our experts By feeds.bmj.com Published On :: Thursday, March 19, 2020 - 17:10 Full Article
w Partha Kar: What will come after the covid-19 crisis? By feeds.bmj.com Published On :: Monday, April 20, 2020 - 15:21 Full Article
w Get ready to watch: MLB.TV available for 2019 By mlb.mlb.com Published On :: Wed, 6 Feb 2019 10:55:51 EDT Spring Training is imminent, Opening Day is within sight and the big league season isn't complete for fans without a subscription to MLB.TV. The most comprehensive streaming service in professional sports is now available for the 2019 season. Full Article
w All you need to know for Reds Spring Training By mlb.mlb.com Published On :: Wed, 6 Feb 2019 12:19:32 EDT Reds Spring Training in Goodyear, Ariz., will feature a new manager in David Bell, a new coaching staff and several new players. Here is what you need to know about 2019 camp. Full Article
w Reds eye turnaround year after busy winter By mlb.mlb.com Published On :: Thu, 7 Feb 2019 15:30:42 EDT Plenty of teams say they will make roster moves in the offseason to improve and then often underwhelm. No one could say that this winter about the Reds, who were arguably the busiest team during the Hot Stove season. Full Article
w Inbox: Will new skipper Bell have quick hook? By mlb.mlb.com Published On :: Fri, 8 Feb 2019 15:13:39 EDT Beat reporter Mark Sheldon answers questions about David Bell's managing style, free agents and who will play center field. Full Article
w 30 low-key acquisitions who could pay off big By mlb.mlb.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Feb 2019 13:57:13 EDT Fans and analysts spend the entire offseason speculating where the top free agents could go, but sometimes an under-the-radar pickup can end up making a world of difference. As positional competitions begin to heat up at Spring Training camps this month, MLB.com's beat writers were asked to identify one potentially overlooked acquisition for each of the 30 clubs. Here's who they came up with. Full Article
w Bell leads new-look Reds into Spring Training By mlb.mlb.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Feb 2019 11:52:37 EDT As Reds Spring Training opened with pitchers and catchers reporting for physicals on Tuesday, new manager David Bell was already be tasked with many responsibilities. But there will be one that looms largest. Following five years out of the postseason, including the past four with more than 90 losses, Bell must restore a culture of winning. Full Article
w Bell lays out vision on first day of workouts By mlb.mlb.com Published On :: Wed, 13 Feb 2019 16:30:23 EDT Wednesday marked the first time that manager David Bell got to address Reds players as a group when he spoke to pitchers and catchers ahead of their first workout of Spring Training. Bell put a lot of thought into what he wanted to tell them. Full Article
w 20 questions that will define the NL Central By mlb.mlb.com Published On :: Thu, 14 Feb 2019 12:35:00 EDT It was only five years ago that the Cardinals won the National League Central with only 90 wins. Heck, it was only 12 years ago that the Cubs won it with 85, and 13 that the Cardinals won it with 83. Point is: There have been times in recent baseball history that the NL Central was not exactly the toughest gauntlet in the sport. But in 2019, it looks like the scariest division in baseball. Full Article
w Wood wins arbitration case with Reds By mlb.mlb.com Published On :: Wed, 13 Feb 2019 17:04:25 EDT Reds left-hander Alex Wood won his arbitration case over the club on Wednesday. Wood will earn $9.65 million on his one-year contract this season. Cincinnati had offered $8.7 million. Full Article
w Prospects who should vie for a roster spot By mlb.mlb.com Published On :: Thu, 14 Feb 2019 19:36:11 EDT The 30 prospects below all are getting very long looks this spring with an eye toward breaking camp with the parent club. Even if they start the year in the Minors, they all should get the chance to contribute at some point in the very near future. Full Article
w Reds hope Roark will bring stability to rotation By mlb.mlb.com Published On :: Fri, 15 Feb 2019 17:45:15 EDT When the Reds overhauled their rotation with three offseason trades, the first deal brought right-hander Tanner Roark from the Nationals for reliever Tanner Rainey. Observers saw Roark as a solid middle-of-the rotation hurler who is steady and dependable while able to rack up innings. Full Article
w Reds looking to use Iglesias in variety of ways By mlb.mlb.com Published On :: Fri, 15 Feb 2019 14:44:46 EDT The Reds want to use Raisel Iglesias in the most intense moments, even if that means using someone else in the ninth. Full Article
w Garrett impresses with D as Reds shake up PFP By mlb.mlb.com Published On :: Sat, 16 Feb 2019 13:19:37 EDT During some Reds pitchers fielding practice, or PFP drills, on Friday, Amir Garrett was playing first base. Alex Wood was at shortstop and Brandon Finnegan was flashing some skills all over the infield. Full Article
w Rule 5 pick Joe back in catcher's gear with Reds By mlb.mlb.com Published On :: Sun, 17 Feb 2019 19:05:55 EDT Utility player and Rule 5 selection Connor Joe has been working with the catchers since Reds Spring Training opened. What makes that a little more interesting is that Joe has never caught a game professionally. Full Article
w The Reds' Spring Training battle to watch By mlb.mlb.com Published On :: Mon, 18 Feb 2019 18:20:16 EDT The next five weeks will see lots of shuffling on Major League rosters. Here are the most intriguing positional battles on each of the 30 MLB clubs. Full Article
w Winker unfazed by crowded Reds outfield By mlb.mlb.com Published On :: Tue, 19 Feb 2019 15:30:16 EDT Since Jesse Winker suffered a season-ending shoulder injury on July 23, he's gained a lot of company in the corner-outfield spots. Full Article
w Why can’t vehicle registration be renewed online? By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2020 00:10:48 -0500 THE EDITOR, Madam: I arrived at the Constant Spring tax office at 6:05 a.m. on Monday, May 4 to renew my vehicle registration. At that hour, there were already 30 persons ahead of me. Persons related horror stories of spending up to five hours in... Full Article
w Private sector should rally with Jamaicans By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Wed, 06 May 2020 00:09:48 -0500 THE EDITOR, Madam: In times of great challenge and hardship we must continue, as a people, to uphold the values and attitudes that make us truly Jamaican. It is a time for true patriotism and for us to reach down and pull up those among us with... Full Article
w Re-registration process for persons with disabilities cumbersome By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Wed, 06 May 2020 23:05:41 -0500 THE EDITOR, Madam: THE JAMAICA Council for Persons with Disabilities (JCPD) – an agency of the Ministry of Labour... Full Article
w NIDS would have helped By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Wed, 06 May 2020 23:09:19 -0500 THE EDITOR, Madam: “WHY CAN’T vehicle registration be renewed online?” That’s the question asked by Dr Rory Dixon, senior medical officer, Sir John Golding Rehabilitation Centre, in his letter to The Gleaner on Tuesday, May 5. The first paragraph... Full Article
w What about social rights? By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Sat, 09 May 2020 00:06:32 -0500 THE EDITOR, Madam: The right to education, decent work, an adequate standard of living, and housing all fall within the realm of economic, social, and cultural rights (ESCRs) guaranteed under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and... Full Article
w Letter of the Day | Tourism won’t be ‘business as usual’ By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Sat, 09 May 2020 00:06:27 -0500 THE EDITOR, Madam: With most things grinding to a halt worldwide, this pandemic has proven to be as much of an economic crisis as it is a health one. Many sectors have changed their day-to-day operations, with some allowing for greater flexibility... Full Article
w This week’s shutterbugs By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Sun, 29 Mar 2020 00:21:23 -0500 Full Article
w Poem fate of the free will By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Sun, 12 Apr 2020 00:20:10 -0500 Let’s have heart Let’s have heart And space ourselves Three feet apart Let’s act fast to bring this disease to its last Let’s have heart and play our part To do our best to turn the spread off Hand sanitizers Elbow coughs Masks and... Full Article
w This week’s shutterbugs By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Sun, 12 Apr 2020 00:12:22 -0500 Full Article
w A walk down St Catherine’s history By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Sun, 12 Apr 2020 00:10:59 -0500 Parish Histories of Jamaica Project, a publication by the JN Foundation in collaboration with the Department of History and Archaeology at The University of the West Indies, Mona, was launched recently. Jenny Jemmott of Department of History and... Full Article
w Vodou: fate of the free will Vodou: By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Sun, 12 Apr 2020 00:16:14 -0500 Vodou evokes a schizophrenic response among the misinformed. Reactions abound: apprehension, incredulity, and vilification. It is not that Vodou struggles for meaning. Vodou has its own particular ideal. It is primordial sense. It is very much... Full Article
w Taking COVID-19 heads on - Student entrepreneurs’ inventions prove viable weapons against deadly virus By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Sun, 12 Apr 2020 00:19:49 -0500 As the global battle against the deadly COVID-19 disease wages on, with each country’s government, healthcare industry, and general public playing its part in defeating this new and relatively unknown enemy, two seemingly unlikely foot soldiers... Full Article
w This week’s Shutterbugs By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Sun, 03 May 2020 00:24:21 -0500 Full Article
w Jamaican art spreads warmth in St Petersburg By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Sun, 03 May 2020 00:13:49 -0500 St Petersburg is undoubtedly one of the most picturesque cities in the world – from its European-inspired architecture, its signature colourful, eclectic-style to its neoclassical and Baroque style to its water corridors, and the art, the city is a... Full Article
w Effects of Pioglitazone on Glucose-Dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide-Mediated Insulin Secretion and Adipocyte Receptor Expression in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes By diabetes.diabetesjournals.org Published On :: 2020-01-20T12:00:25-08:00 Incretin hormone dysregulation contributes to reduced insulin secretion and hyperglycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Resistance to glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) action may occur through desensitization or downregulation of β-cell GIP receptors (GIP-R). Studies in rodents and cell lines show GIP-R expression can be regulated through peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor (PPAR) response elements (PPREs). Whether this occurs in humans is unknown. To test this, we conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of pioglitazone therapy on GIP-mediated insulin secretion and adipocyte GIP-R expression in subjects with well-controlled T2DM. Insulin sensitivity improved, but the insulinotropic effect of infused GIP was unchanged following 12 weeks of pioglitazone treatment. In parallel, we observed increased GIP-R mRNA expression in subcutaneous abdominal adipocytes from subjects treated with pioglitazone. Treatment of cultured human adipocytes with troglitazone increased PPAR binding to GIP-R PPREs. These results show PPAR agonists regulate GIP-R expression through PPREs in human adipocytes, but suggest this mechanism is not important for regulation of the insulinotropic effect of GIP in subjects with T2DM. Because GIP has antilipolytic and lipogenic effects in adipocytes, the increased GIP-R expression may mediate accretion of fat in patients with T2DM treated with PPAR agonists. Full Article
w A Single Bout of One-Legged Exercise to Local Exhaustion Decreases Insulin Action in Nonexercised Muscle Leading to Decreased Whole-Body Insulin Action By diabetes.diabetesjournals.org Published On :: 2020-03-20T11:50:28-07:00 A single bout of exercise enhances insulin action in the exercised muscle. However, not all human studies find that this translates into increased whole-body insulin action, suggesting that insulin action in rested muscle or other organs may be decreased by exercise. To investigate this, eight healthy men underwent a euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp on 2 separate days: one day with prior one-legged knee-extensor exercise to local exhaustion (~2.5 h) and another day without exercise. Whole-body glucose disposal was ~18% lower on the exercise day as compared with the resting day due to decreased (~37%) insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in the nonexercised muscle. Insulin signaling at the level of Akt2 was impaired in the nonexercised muscle on the exercise day, suggesting that decreased insulin action in nonexercised muscle may reduce GLUT4 translocation in response to insulin. Thus, the effect of a single bout of exercise on whole-body insulin action depends on the balance between local effects increasing and systemic effects decreasing insulin action. Physiologically, this mechanism may serve to direct glucose into the muscles in need of glycogen replenishment. For insulin-treated patients, this complex relationship may explain the difficulties in predicting the adequate insulin dose for maintaining glucose homeostasis following physical activity. Full Article
w Exosomes Derived From Schwann Cells Ameliorate Peripheral Neuropathy in Type 2 Diabetic Mice By diabetes.diabetesjournals.org Published On :: 2020-03-20T11:50:29-07:00 Schwann cell–derived exosomes communicate with dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons. The current study investigated the therapeutic effect of exosomes derived from healthy Schwann cells (SC-Exos) on diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). We found that intravenous administration of SC-Exos to type 2 diabetic db/db mice with peripheral neuropathy remarkably ameliorated DPN by improving sciatic nerve conduction velocity and increasing thermal and mechanical sensitivity. These functional improvements were associated with the augmentation of epidermal nerve fibers and remyelination of sciatic nerves. Quantitative RT-PCR and Western blot analysis of sciatic nerve tissues showed that SC-Exo treatment reversed diabetes-reduced mature form of miRNA (miR)-21, -27a, and -146a and diabetes-increased semaphorin 6A (SEMA6A); Ras homolog gene family, member A (RhoA); phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN); and nuclear factor-B (NF-B). In vitro data showed that SC-Exos promoted neurite outgrowth of diabetic DRG neurons and migration of Schwann cells challenged by high glucose. Collectively, these novel data provide evidence that SC-Exos have a therapeutic effect on DPN in mice and suggest that SC-Exo modulation of miRs contributes to this therapy. Full Article
w Targeting the NADPH Oxidase-4 and Liver X Receptor Pathway Preserves Schwann Cell Integrity in Diabetic Mice By diabetes.diabetesjournals.org Published On :: 2020-02-20T11:55:30-08:00 Diabetes triggers peripheral nerve alterations at a structural and functional level, collectively referred to as diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). This work highlights the role of the liver X receptor (LXR) signaling pathway and the cross talk with the reactive oxygen species (ROS)–producing enzyme NADPH oxidase-4 (Nox4) in the pathogenesis of DPN. Using type 1 diabetic (T1DM) mouse models together with cultured Schwann cells (SCs) and skin biopsies from patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM), we revealed the implication of LXR and Nox4 in the pathophysiology of DPN. T1DM animals exhibit neurophysiological defects and sensorimotor abnormalities paralleled by defective peripheral myelin gene expression. These alterations were concomitant with a significant reduction in LXR expression and increase in Nox4 expression and activity in SCs and peripheral nerves, which were further verified in skin biopsies of patients with T2DM. Moreover, targeted activation of LXR or specific inhibition of Nox4 in vivo and in vitro to attenuate diabetes-induced ROS production in SCs and peripheral nerves reverses functional alteration of the peripheral nerves and restores the homeostatic profiles of MPZ and PMP22. Taken together, our findings are the first to identify novel, key mediators in the pathogenesis of DPN and suggest that targeting LXR/Nox4 axis is a promising therapeutic approach. Full Article
w Understanding Diabetic Neuropathy--From Subclinical Nerve Lesions to Severe Nerve Fiber Deficits: A Cross-Sectional Study in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes and Healthy Control Subjects By diabetes.diabetesjournals.org Published On :: 2020-02-20T11:55:30-08:00 Studies on magnetic resonance neurography (MRN) in diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) have found proximal sciatic nerve lesions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the functional relevance of sciatic nerve lesions in DPN, with the expectation of correlations with the impairment of large-fiber function. Sixty-one patients with type 2 diabetes (48 with and 13 without DPN) and 12 control subjects were enrolled and underwent MRN, quantitative sensory testing, and electrophysiological examinations. There were differences in mechanical detection (Aβ fibers) and mechanical pain (A fibers) but not in thermal pain and thermal detection clusters (C fibers) among the groups. Lesion load correlated with lower Aα-, Aβ-, and A-fiber but not with C-fiber function in all participants. Patients with lower function showed a higher load of nerve lesions than patients with elevated function or no measurable deficit despite apparent DPN. Longer diabetes duration was associated with higher lesion load in patients with DPN, suggesting that nerve lesions in DPN may accumulate over time and become clinically relevant once a critical amount of nerve fascicles is affected. Moreover, MRN is an objective method for determining lower function mainly in medium and large fibers in DPN. Full Article
w Major Improvement in Wound Healing Through Pharmacologic Mobilization of Stem Cells in Severely Diabetic Rats By diabetes.diabetesjournals.org Published On :: 2020-03-20T11:50:29-07:00 Current therapeutic strategies for diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) have focused on developing topical healing agents, but few agents have controlled prospective data to support their effectiveness in promoting wound healing. We tested a stem cell mobilizing therapy for DFU using a combination of AMD3100 and low-dose FK506 (tacrolimus) (AF) in streptozocin-induced type 1 diabetic (T1DM) rats and type 2 diabetic Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats that had developed peripheral artery disease and neuropathy. Here, we show that the time for healing back wounds in T1DM rats was reduced from 27 to 19 days, and the foot wound healing time was reduced from 25 to 20 days by treatment with AF (subcutaneously, every other day). Similarly, in GK rats treated with AF, the healing time on back wounds was reduced from 26 to 21 days. Further, this shortened healing time was accompanied by reduced scar and by regeneration of hair follicles. We found that AF therapy mobilized and recruited bone marrow–derived CD133+ and CD34+ endothelial progenitor cells and Ym1/2+ M2 macrophages into the wound sites, associated with enhanced capillary and hair follicle neogenesis. Moreover, AF therapy improved microcirculation in diabetic and neuropathic feet in GK rats. This study provides a novel systemic therapy for healing DFU. Full Article
w Human conflict and ecosystem services: finding the environmental price of warfare By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Wed, 02 Jul 2014 10:57:18 +0000 2 July 2014 , Volume 90, Number 4 Robert A. Francis and Krishna Krishnamurthy Full Article
w EUTR Workshop: Substantiated Concerns and Producer Country Cooperation By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mon, 15 Sep 2014 16:15:02 +0000 Invitation Only Research Event 28 October 2014 - 9:00am to 29 October 2014 - 12:00pm Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN, Rome, Italy Meeting Summarypdf | 156.39 KB This meeting will focus on standards for NGOs wishing to submit 'substantiated concerns' in the EUTR context, and best practice in cooperation with enforcement agents in forest producer countries. The workshop will be attended by representatives from EU member states as well as officials from the US and Australia. This workshop is the next in a series of EUTR/Lacey/Australian ILPA enforcement workshops co-organized by Chatham House and Forest Trends. Please note this event will be held in Rome.Attendance at this event is by invitation only. Event attributes External event Department/project Energy, Environment and Resources Programme, Improving Forest Governance and Tackling Illegal Logging and Deforestation Adelaide Glover Digital Coordinator, Energy, Environment and Resources Programme Email Full Article
w Addressing Resource Conflicts: Working Towards More Effective Resolution of Natural Resource Disputes By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Tue, 16 Sep 2014 17:15:01 +0000 Invitation Only Research Event 26 June 2014 - 9:00am to 5:00pm Chatham House, London Disputes over resources are a persistent challenge to international peace and security. Natural resources (such as oil, natural gas, minerals, timber and water) are a major source of national income for many countries and, alongside land, are essential to the livelihoods of many millions of people. There is a growing recognition among researchers and decision-makers that in many fragile states disputes over these resources have fed into, and underpinned, violent conflict and instability. Although international engagement in national resource disputes is not always desirable or feasible, where it is necessary and possible to support, supplement (or even substitute) national dispute resolution processes it is important to think through the parameters of such action: Who gets involved? With what financial resources? When does an intervention begin? How do they act? This one-day roundtable will bring together around 30 experts from policy, academia and business to discuss these questions and more.The event will be held under the Chatham House Rule. Attendance is by invitation only. Event attributes Chatham House Rule Department/project Energy, Environment and Resources Programme, Resources Climate Conflict and Peacebuilding Owen Grafham Manager, Energy, Environment and Resources Programme +44 (0)20 7957 5708 Email Full Article
w Kenya's Emerging Oil and Gas Sector: Fostering Policy Frameworks for Effective Governance By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 10:15:01 +0000 Research Event 8 October 2014 - 12:00pm to 1:30pm Chatham House, London Meeting Summarypdf | 56.38 KB Event participants Charles Wanguhu, Coordinator, Kenya CSO Platform on Oil and GasNdanga Kamau, Oil and Gas Policy Adviser, Oxfam KenyaJohn Ochola, Chairman, Kenya CSO Platform on Oil and Gas / EcoNews AfricaSimon Thompson, Chairman, Tullow OilChair: Alex Vines, Research Director, Area Studies and International Law; Head, Africa Programme, Chatham House In 2012, Kenya joined the swathe of East African countries with recent significant oil and gas discoveries. Long-established as a regional leader in terms of economic growth, foreign investment and technological innovation, Kenya's leaders are now assessing how to establish an effective policy framework to manage oil revenues while at the same time managing the expectations of its citizens. At this event, the panel will discuss how transparency and accountability can be strengthened as Kenya moves to become an oil-producing nation. This event will mark the UK launch of a report by the Kenyan Civil Society Platform on Oil and Gas, entitled Setting the Agenda for the Development of Kenya's Oil and Gas Resources.LIVE STREAM: This event will be live streamed. The live stream will be made available at 12:00 BST on Wednesday 8 October 2014.THIS EVENT IS NOW FULL AND REGISTRATION IS CLOSED. Event attributes Livestream Department/project Africa Programme, Sustainable Resource Governance Christopher Vandome Research Fellow, Africa Programme +44 (0) 20 7314 3669 Email Full Article
w Valuing Vital Resources in India: Potential for Integrated Approaches to Water, Energy and Agricultural Sustainability By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Tue, 06 Jan 2015 11:15:01 +0000 Invitation Only Research Event 16 January 2015 - 9:00am to 2:00pm The India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, India Event participants Dr Ashwini Swain, Fellow, CUTS Institute for Regulation and CompetitionGlada Lahn, Senior Research Fellow, Energy, Environment and Resources, Chatham HouseDr Gareth Price, Senior Research Fellow, Asia Programme, Chatham House As part of the international dialogue on Valuing Vital Resources, this seminar will convene policy-makers, scholars, technical practitioners, NGOs, multilateral agencies and the media to discuss recommendations for new policy approaches in India to reorient energy and water use in agriculture. The aim is to gain input to practical policy proposals and identify the work now needed to make them robust. Attendance is by invitation only. Please note this event is held in New Delhi, all times are local. This event is organized together with the CUTS Institute for Regulation & Competition (CIRC). Event attributes External event Department/project Energy, Environment and Resources Programme, Valuing Vital Resources Glada Lahn Senior Research Fellow, Energy, Environment and Resources Programme, Chatham House Email Full Article
w Navigating the New Normal: China and Global Resource Governance By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mon, 25 Jan 2016 16:29:44 +0000 28 January 2016 How China responds to the challenges of resource security and sustainability, working with others, will help define its reputation as a responsible actor on the world stage in the next decade, according to a new paper. Felix Preston Former Senior Research Fellow and Deputy Research Director, Energy, Environment and Resources Rob Bailey Former Research Director, Energy, Environment and Resources @ClimateRob Siân Bradley Research Fellow, Energy, Environment and Resources Programme @ChathamSian Dr Wei Jigang, Senior Research Fellow, Department of Industrial Economy, Development Research Center of the State Council (DRC)Dr Zhao Changwen, Director, Department of Industrial Economy, Development Research Center of the State Council (DRC) 2016-01-27-china-resource-governance-2.jpg Qingdao, China. Photo: Getty Images. It is time to upgrade global resource governanceMeaningful progress cannot be achieved without ChinaChina will need to be both innovative and pragmatic in its approachNew modes of cooperation are neededChanges in China’s economy present opportunities and risks Executive summaryChina’s new role in the global governance of natural resources is coming to the fore against a backdrop of profound uncertainty, driven by the convergence of three interlinked trends. At home, China’s leaders are navigating the structural shift to slower but higher-quality growth, a phase of development referred to as the ‘new normal’, while facing considerable environmental and resource security challenges. Globally, the slowdown in China’s economy has sent reverberations through commodity markets, pulling the plug on the decade-long commodities ‘super cycle’. Meanwhile, China is taking on a growing role in global governance, from the G20 and multilateral development banks, to its regional partnerships in Latin America and Africa.During the resources boom of the last decade, policy-makers and businesses in consumer countries were focused on high and volatile resource prices. The risks posed by resource nationalism in producer countries were seen in the proliferation of export restrictions and the increase in investment disputes. Today, the tables have turned, leaving producer countries facing economic pressure from falling revenues and investments. Many organizations have called on governments to phase out subsidies for fossil fuels and other natural resources while prices are low. The international policy debate is shifting to the immediate challenges presented by a massive oversupply of many energy and mineral commodities, and the longer-term risk of ‘stranded assets’.These new resource realities will provide the context for China’s growing global role, as well as setting the tenor of its relations with producer countries. Over the past decade, narratives around China often focused on its real or perceived impacts from resource production overseas and consumption at home. In the next, China’s approach to resource security and sustainability will help define its reputation, and whether it is perceived as a responsible actor on the world stage and as a development partner. The collection of international narratives, norms, rules and organizations that currently guides resource production, trade and consumption – what we call ‘global resource governance' in this report – will provide the framework.Much political leadership will be required to overcome the barriers to China assuming a more active role in global resource governance. On the one hand, there has been slow progress in expanding China’s role in organizations from the World Bank to the International Energy Agency (IEA). On the other, new instruments or processes initiated by China can be seen as a challenge to the existing rules-based order, as the US reaction to the establishment of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) demonstrated. Yet developments such as the US–China Joint Presidential Statement on Climate Change in September 2015, ahead of the Paris Climate Conference, show that it is possible to forge cooperation and boost the prospects for progress on public goods at the multilateral level, even in politically fraught areas.China’s international role on natural resources is also closely tied to ongoing reforms at home. The introduction of ‘ecological civilization’ as a guiding principle for China’s development at the Communist Party’s 17th Congress in 2007 marked a recognition of the need not only to address China’s domestic challenges such as air quality and water scarcity but also shift to an environmentally sustainable model of economic development. In 2015 China’s leaders set out the key incentives, accountability and mechanisms to deliver the ecological civilization in China’s 13th Five-Year Plan. Central elements of this vision, such as building sustainable cities, pursuing environmentally-friendly economic growth and developing the circular economy will have major impacts on China’s future resource consumption and import needs.Globally, the speed and scale of the economic realignments have taken most experts and policy-makers by surprise – in many respects, China’s new normal is the world’s new normal. The greatest challenge that China’s government faces is managing a shift to slower but higher-quality growth. It is clear that the ramifications of this reach far beyond the confines of the Chinese economy or global commodity markets; yet the situation remains fluid and the nature of a new equilibrium is difficult to predict. This only makes it more urgent to consider the strategic and practical options available to policy-makers, both in China and around the world.This report is the result of two years of joint research between Chatham House and the Development Research Center of the State Council (DRC), including six expert workshops in China and conversations with international organizations. It discusses key policy areas in global resource governance as they relate to China – in light of recent falls in commodity prices, China’s shifting economic situation, and its growing global role in the ‘new normal’. The scope of the research is limited to non-renewable energy, metals and mineral resources; throughout this report, the term ‘resources’ refers to these commodities. Other traded commodities such as agricultural goods are not included, and land, water and air are discussed only in the context of their important linkages with energy and metals. The report considers the costs and benefits of a more active role for China in global resources governance. It recognizes that different commodities face different challenges and require different governance frameworks, and that different regions require context-specific responses. The report also considers the risks of more limited engagement of China and other new actors, which could mean declining relevance for existing processes and institutions that govern resource production, trade and consumption, and a diminished capacity to tackle longer-term challenges like climate change. Related documents Joint Report: Navigating the New Normal: China and Global Resource Governancepdf | 4.24 MB 引领新常态 中国与全球资源治理pdf | 4.69 MB Chart: China's imports of natural resourcespdf | 118.83 KB Map: China’s resource interdependenciespdf | 906.25 KB Map: The Belt and Roadpdf | 525.6 KB Department/project Energy, Environment and Resources Programme, Resource Trade Full Article
w The Elements of Power: Gadgets, Guns and the Struggle for a Sustainable Future in the Rare Metal Age By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 29 Apr 2016 14:30:01 +0000 Invitation Only Research Event 19 May 2016 - 5:00pm to 6:30pm Chatham House, London, UK At this session, the speaker will argue that our future hinges on a set of elements that receive scant attention even from those whose fortunes rely upon them. The speaker will outline why our electronic gadgets, the most powerful armies and indeed the fate of our planet depend on producing sustainable supplies of rare metals. He will outline some of the new environmental, economic, and geopolitical consequences of supply chains and discuss the dynamics of the rare metal markets which are vastly different than traditional commodities traded on open exchanges. The speaker will also address some of the security of supply issues arising from China's role as the dominant consumer and producer of most of the world’s minor metals. Finally, the discussion will also include what countries and companies can do to ensure resilient supply lines.Attendance at this event is by invitation only. Department/project Energy, Environment and Resources Programme Owen Grafham Manager, Energy, Environment and Resources Programme +44 (0)20 7957 5708 Email Full Article
w How the New Indonesia-EU FLEGT Licence Can Contribute to the Sustainable Development Agenda By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Tue, 15 Nov 2016 10:48:05 +0000 15 November 2016 Alison Hoare Senior Research Fellow, Energy, Environment and Resources Programme LinkedIn The FLEGT timber licence marks a breakthrough in the battle against illegal logging and has the potential to help towards achieving the SDGs in the forest sector and beyond. 2016-11-15-Indonesia-logging.jpg Collected logs along a river in West Kalimantan province, Indonesia. Photo by Getty Images. Today Indonesia begins issuing the first ever FLEGT licenses for timber exports bound for the EU market. A major step in the battle against illegal logging and trade in illegal timber, these licenses are issued under a national system to verify the legality of all timber and timber products. A commitment to licensing its timber exports to Europe was made in the country’s Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) with the EU, although the licensing system applies to all exports and to the domestic market. The scale of this achievement can not be underestimated given the size of the country and of its forest sector – there are hundreds of thousands of forest enterprises ranging from large-scale concession holders and processing industries, to smallholders and micro-scale loggers, saw-millers and manufacturers.It is also remarkable given the state of Indonesia’s forest sector at the turn of the century. Looking back to 2000, rule of law was all but absent and corruption was rife - with the allocation of concessions and timber industries closely tied with the country’s ruling elite. Widespread logging contributed to the high rates of deforestation seen at the turn of the century, which stood at over one per cent per year.In 2016, the forest sector is vastly different – there are much higher levels of accountability and legal compliance, the result of the considerable effort and resources that have been put into enforcement and anti-corruption efforts. The sector is also much more open, reflected both in the significant improvements in the availability of forest data and legislation as well as the increased space that has been made available to civil society to participate both in policy processes and in monitoring of the sector.These improvements are the result in large part of the reform processes that have been enabled and supported by the VPA process, for which negotiations began in 2007. However, the process is far from complete and the issuance of FLEGT licences is best viewed as a marking point in an ongoing trajectory towards establishing a legal and sustainable sector.If we take 2000 as the starting point of this trajectory, with FLEGT licensing as the midway point, this brings us to just beyond 2030, the target date for the UN’s global agenda for sustainable development of which the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) are an integral part. The SDGs provide a broader framework for considering what further progress is needed in the coming years both to improve legality and to ensure that the forest sector makes a positive contribution towards achieving widespread sustainable development in Indonesia.There are a number of factors that risk the achievement of these aims. Key challenges that remain in the country’s forest sector include the high levels of informality in the small-scale sector, corruption, limited transparency and pressure on forests from other sectors (as highlighted in the report 'Illegal Logging and Related Trade. The Response in Indonesia').As noted, there are hundreds of thousands of forest enterprises in the country, many of which – particularly small-scale businesses – operate informally. Further concerted efforts are needed to ensure that these enterprises are not excluded from the formal market, but are able to contribute to a thriving economy – for example, through continued support for certification, as well as much greater investment in the provision of extension services and further reforms to establish a policy framework that facilitates the growth of small businesses (see 'Improving Legality Among Small-Scale Forest Enterprises'). This will make an important contribution to the achievement of SDG 8, to enable ‘decent work and economic growth’, this including the target [8.3] to encourage the growth of small enterprises.Both corruption and limited transparency also need to be addressed if widespread legality and sustainability are to be achieved in the forest sector. Transparency has improved greatly in the forest sector, with significant improvements to the availability of information and the establishment of independent monitoring by civil society. However, further progress is needed to improve the accessibility of information, not least to ensure that NGOs are able to fulfil this monitoring role. In relation to corruption, the anti-corruption agency has made good progress, but it remains under threat and needs to be strengthened. Improving governance is a priority under the SDGs, Goal 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions) including targets to reduce corruption, develop transparent institutions and ensure public access to information. The progress made in these areas also needs to be replicated outside the forest sector. A major threat to Indonesia’s forests comes from conversion to other land-uses, in particular agricultural plantations. Effective land-use planning, including transparent and participatory decision-making, is needed if the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources is to be achieved and deforestation slowed – as set out under SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production) and SDG 15 (life on land).An important means to drive progress is to ensure close monitoring of progress as well as the evaluation of the measures being adopted. A framework for monitoring the impact of FLEGT licences, as well as the related measures being implemented under the VPA, is under development. This will need to link up to national efforts to monitor progress towards the SDGs – both to contribute towards the monitoring of these goals and to facilitate communication of the progress and lessons being learnt in the forest sector.To comment on this article, please contact Chatham House Feedback Full Article
w Mining and National Development in the New Global Context By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 18 Nov 2016 10:53:00 +0000 Research Event 1 December 2016 - 5:30pm to 7:00pm Chatham House, London Event participants Tom Butler, Chief Executive Officer, International Council for Mining and Metals (ICMM)Evelyn Dietsche, Associate Fellow, Energy, Environment and Resources, Chatham HouseChair: Bernice Lee, Executive Director, Hoffman Centre, Chatham House During the resources boom of the last decade, countries, companies and communities alike were quick to highlight the transformative potential of the mining sector. With appropriate governance advice and capacity-building support, it seemed the ‘resource curse’ could be overcome. Yet as companies have adjusted their spending in response to declining global commodities prices and longer-term supply and demand projections, low- and middle-income resource-rich economies appear to have increased their dependence on the minerals sector. But how far has the potential of the mining sector been realised to date, and how different does this potential look today?Taking ICMM’s third edition of the ‘Role of Mining in National Economies’ as the starting point, this meeting will critically assess the contribution that mining has made to development over the past decade, the prospects for ‘mining-led’ growth in the new global context, and the relevance of classic fiscal, employment and governance prescriptions. Department/project Energy, Environment and Resources Programme Owen Grafham Manager, Energy, Environment and Resources Programme +44 (0)20 7957 5708 Email Full Article
w A Wider Circle? The Circular Economy in Developing Countries By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 01 Dec 2017 15:13:36 +0000 5 December 2017 Lower-income countries are in many ways more ‘circular’ than their developed-economy counterparts – the question is how to turn this into a development opportunity. Read online Download PDF Felix Preston Former Senior Research Fellow and Deputy Research Director, Energy, Environment and Resources Johanna Lehne Former Research Associate, Energy, Environment and Resources 2017-12-05-circular-economy.jpg A stack of recycled paper ready to be bound into books at a workshop in Kolkata, India. Photo: Felix Preston. SummaryThere is growing optimism about the potential of the ‘circular economy’ (CE) as a new model for sustainable growth in developing countries. A CE is one in which products are recycled, repaired or reused rather than thrown away, and in which waste from one process becomes an input into other processes. In recent months there has been CE-related activity in countries as diverse as Laos, Rwanda and Colombia.A CE strategy could help lower-income countries ‘leapfrog’ to a more sustainable development pathway that avoids locking in resource-intensive practices and infrastructure. But a stronger evidence base is needed to show how the agenda can deliver opportunities for industrialization, as well as addressing environmental insecurity.Lower-income countries are in many ways more ‘circular’ than their developed-economy counterparts – the question is how to turn this into a development opportunity. Much economic activity in lower-income countries revolves around sorting and reusing waste. However, higher-value, employment-generating opportunities for reuse and remanufacturing are yet to be captured.The existence of circular activities in developing countries provides excellent political ‘entry points’, which could enable governments, the private sector, civil society and other actors to promote innovative economic models. The CE could provide a powerful narrative, helping to build momentum around a set of ideas that can be applied in and tailored to multiple sectors or cities.There is a window of opportunity in which to align the efforts of development organizations and partner countries. Donors are exploring how the agenda should be aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Climate Agreement. Wider international cooperation on the CE could involve trade partnerships, regional hubs or pilot zones. Department/project Energy, Environment and Resources Programme Full Article