Latest news with #EnvironmentalImpact
National Post
12 hours ago
- Business
- National Post
Primaris REIT Publishes Inaugural Green Finance Framework
Article content TORONTO — Primaris Real Estate Investment Trust ('Primaris') (TSX: announced today that it has published its inaugural Green Finance Framework (the 'Framework'), under which it may issue green bonds, green loans or other related financial instruments. The framework outlines eight eligible categories for investment: green buildings, energy efficiency, renewable energy, sustainable water and wastewater management, clean transportation, climate change adaptation, pollution prevention and control, and the circular economy. Article content 'As a Board member and Chair of the Compensation, Governance, and Nominating Committee, I'm pleased to support the introduction of our Green Finance Framework,' said Anne Fitzgerald, Trustee. 'It's a practical step that aligns with our broader sustainability strategy and helps ensure we're investing in projects that support environmental progress in a thoughtful, responsible way.' Article content Rags Davloor, Chief Financial Officer added, 'Today marks a significant step forward in our commitment to sustainability. With the publication of our Green Finance Framework, we are aligning our environmental goals and targets with business strategy. Proceeds from green financing will support our focus on emissions reduction, building certifications, energy and water management, and tenant sustainability impacts, while creating long-term value for our stakeholders.' Article content The Framework has been reviewed by Moody's Ratings, which issued a Second Party Opinion confirming the Framework's alignment to the International Capital Market Association Green Bond Principles (2021) and the Loan Market Association Green Loan Principles (2025). Article content Primaris will report annually on the allocation and impact of financed projects under the Framework on its website, and/or in its corporate reporting. The Framework and Second Party Opinion are available on the ESG section of the Primaris website. Article content Scotiabank acted as sole sustainability structuring agent on the Framework. Article content About Primaris Real Estate Investment Trust Article content Primaris is Canada's only enclosed shopping centre focused REIT, with ownership interests in leading enclosed shopping centres located in growing Canadian markets. The current portfolio totals 15.0 million square feet, valued at approximately $4.9 billion at Primaris' share. Economies of scale are achieved through its fully internal, vertically integrated, full-service national management platform. Primaris is very well-capitalized and is exceptionally well positioned to take advantage of market opportunities at an extraordinary moment in the evolution of the Canadian retail property landscape. Article content Forward-Looking Statements Article content Certain statements included in this news release constitute 'forward-looking information' or 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The words 'will', 'expects', 'plans', 'estimates', 'intends' and similar expressions are often intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Specific forward-looking statements made or implied in this news release include but are not limited to statements regarding: Primaris' intention and ability to complete an offering of green bonds, green loans or other related financial instruments, Primaris' expected investment in the eligible categories outlined herein and the expected sufficiency of proceeds from any such offering to fund these investments and to create long-term value for stakeholders. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of presenting information about management's current expectations and plans relating to the future and readers are cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are based on estimates and assumptions that are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties. Primaris cautions that although it is believed that the assumptions are reasonable in the circumstances, actual results, performance or achievements of Primaris may differ materially from the expectations set out in the forward-looking statements. Material risk factors and assumptions include those set out in Primaris' management's discussion and analysis for the three months and years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, which is available on SEDAR+, and in Primaris' other materials filed with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities from time to time. Given these risks, undue reliance should not be placed on these forward-looking statements, which apply only as of their dates. Other than as specifically required by law, Primaris undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect new information, subsequent or otherwise. Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Contacts Article content Alex Avery Chief Executive Officer 416-642-7837 aavery@ Article content Rags Davloor Chief Financial Officer 416-645-3716 rdavloor@
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Giant 'Saharan dust' plume swirls around Africa a week before it hit Florida
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. QUICK FACTS Where is it? Mid-Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of West Africa What's in the photo? A giant, comma-shaped cloud of Saharan dust being blown out to sea Which satellite took the photo? GOES-19 When was it taken? May 28, 2025 Satellites recently snapped a giant cloud of "Saharan dust" blowing out to sea from the world's largest hot desert. The hazy mass later traveled more than 4,000 miles (6,500 kilometers) to North America, where it polluted the skies of Florida and other states. In the early hours of May 28, 2025, a large cloud of dust and sand began to blow out from the Sahara and over the Atlantic Ocean, according to a statement from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Around a week later, on June 4, the cloud made landfall in Florida, with the plume also reaching Louisiana, Texas and other parts of the Gulf Coast. En route, it also briefly filled the skies of several Caribbean nations, including Puerto Rico and the Bahamas. A photo captured by the GOES-19 satellite, which is co-run by NASA and NOAA, revealed the cloud as it first began its transatlantic journey. At the time, it covered an area of roughly 240,000 square miles (620,000 square km) between Cabo Verde — an archipelago of 10 volcanic islands in the mid-Atlantic — and the coast of West Africa, including the shorelines of Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia and Guinea-Bissau. The dust cloud was a "particularly robust, comma-shaped plume," representatives from the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA) at Colorado State University wrote on Bluesky. However, soon after the photo was taken, the cloud dispersed, making it "appear larger in size." Astronauts on board the International Space Station (ISS) also captured shots of the plume as it moved across the Atlantic, Live Science's sister site reported. Related: See all the best images of Earth from space In Florida, the plume caused a brief reduction in air quality that may have impacted people with respiratory conditions. The state's skies remained hazy for around 48 hours before the majority of the dust settled — some of which was later visible on windows and cars. A second, smaller plume reached the U.S. between June 13 and 15. Saharan dust can have several other surprising effects. "When it reaches the U.S., it can cause hazy skies as well as vivid sunrises and sunsets as the sun's rays scatter the dust in the atmosphere," NOAA representatives wrote. "It can even suppress thunderstorm development over locations where the dust is especially thick." Saharan dust gets whipped up by strong gusts of wind, which occur much more frequently in deserts than other environments, and can reach several miles above Earth's surface, according to the U.K. Met Office. This mainly happens between late spring and early fall. Once the dust is airborne, it hovers above the desert in a region known as the "Saharan Air Layer" — a roughly 2.5-mile-wide (4 km) band of very dry air that forms around 1 mile (1.6 km) above the Sahara desert. Every three to five days, the accumulated dust gets blown out to sea, and if there is enough of it, the particulates form large plumes that can travel across entire oceans, according to NOAA's Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, which helps monitor the Saharan Air Layer. MORE EARTH FROM SPACE —Successive lightning strikes illuminate eye of tropical cyclone in rare photos —3 hurricanes form a perfect line before smashing into land —Near-lifeless 'Land of Terror' looks like an alien landscape in the Sahara Saharan dust plumes of various sizes reach the U.S. every year, usually peaking in intensity between June and August. One of the most famous examples in recent years was the "Godzilla" plume, which hit large parts of the southern U.S. in June 2020. During this two-week-long event, the amount of dust reached the highest levels since satellites began tracking plumes 18 years previously, according to a 2021 study.
News24
4 days ago
- Business
- News24
‘No space for Bezos': Venice residents protest Amazon founder's upcoming Italian wedding
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos's upcoming wedding in Venice from 24 to 26 June has sparked backlash among locals, with a 'No Space for Bezos' collective erecting signs and organising protests. Residents criticise the city's use as a venue for wealthy events, claiming it undermines Venice as a living community. Bezos, also owning space venture Blue Origin, has faced criticism for the environmental impact of his endeavours, fuelling local hostility. Protesters argue against Venice's transformation into a playground for elite celebrations. Residents of Venice, already fed up with crowds of tourists cramming into their canal city, now have one more gripe: Jeff Bezos. The billionaire Amazon founder is due to marry journalist Lauren Sánchez in a celebration in Venice from 24 to 26 June that is expected to attract countless VIPs. Not everyone is feeling the love, though, with some residents hanging a huge banner with an X over Bezos's name on a belltower overlooking the Venice lagoon before the sign was removed on Thursday. 'He's not welcome, not in Venice, not anywhere!' wrote the 'No Space for Bezos' collective on Facebook, which was responsible for the banner. Bezos is also the owner of space travel company Blue Origin, whose all-female flight in April carrying Sánchez, pop star Katy Perry and four others met with a public backlash for its high cost and environmental impact. The anti-Bezos group, whose posters and stickers have been seen in recent days across the city, has called a public assembly for Friday evening to drum up opposition. The UNESCO-listed city, famous for its romantic gondolas and canals, is a favourite spot for lovers. In September 2014, it was the backdrop for the wedding of Hollywood actor George Clooney and human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin, a glamourous high-profile event that attracted countless tourists, fans and onlookers. The atmosphere ahead of Bezos's nuptials appeared more hostile. 'Venice is a living city, not a place to rent to the highest bidder,' the collective wrote on social media. AFP Venice's mayor, Luigi Brugnaro, had welcomed the couple's decision, however, saying in March that the wedding would bring in millions of dollars to the city. City hall in March blasted 'fake news' circulating about the wedding, saying that only 200 people were on the guest list and that the event would be 'without any disruption whatsoever to the city, its residents and visitors'. Local media say that five hotels have been reserved for the occasion, as well as an impressive fleet of water cabs and a mooring for Bezos's megayacht. It is unclear where exactly the marriage ceremony will take place.
Los Angeles Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Why California won't give up the dream of high-speed rail
We have heard the stories and seen the headlines over and over: 'Trump Administration to Pull $4 Billion in Funding for California High-Speed Rail,' 'California's high-speed rail project has 'no viable path forward,' new report says.' In the face of constant negative prognostications and outright attacks by pundits and politicos of all stripes, how is it that California, like Sisyphus, keeps pushing such a giant boulder up an ever-growing mountain? We have to admit that the history of our state's high-speed rail has been disappointing, to say the least. The route has been planned, changed, argued over, compromised and hammered out over many years. Too many consultants were hired, too many lawsuits filed, too many hands have dipped into a governmental pot that looks like a get-rich scheme. The money stops and starts, which causes efficiency losses of all kinds, and it's the ultimate political football, easy to kick by anyone with hatred of the 'other side,' which seems to be all of us now. The final Environmental Impact Report has been approved after Herculean effort, construction is well under way, and yet many hurdles remain. Despite the larger-than-life challenges, there are a few social issues that keep our state pounding away at this dream. Traffic is one of them. Californians clog their freeways up and down the state at nearly all hours. We subsidize highways to the tune of $32 billion a year, only to sit on them stewing. But we still love our cars, so would travelers give them up when going up and down the state? Apparently yes. In a recent survey, 54% of Californians still believe high-speed rail is worthwhile — suggesting that they would rather take a three-hour train trip than spend six to eight hours driving from San Francisco to Los Angeles. Besides the time savings for residents, it would cost roughly twice as much in new highway construction to provide the equivalent trip volume provided by high-speed rail, making it a financial win as well. But aren't there more pressing problems for California to worry about — like housing, for instance? Like most states, California faces an affordable housing crisis. Perhaps unintuitively, trains can help here as well. The decision to run the rail line through the Central Valley was deliberate. This is the area of the state with the least expensive land to develop, for housing and commerce. Just as the East Coast developed into a string of megacities linked by Amtrak, California is evolving into its own megalopolis. High-speed rail will not only connect these areas of housing and commerce but also will help produce them by reducing transportation issues. People will be able to commute by rail from affordable areas or live farther from urban centers without sacrificing access to urban amenities. Another huge factor in the high-speed rail discussion is climate. Extreme weather events are growing worse, more frequent and more costly. More than 16,000 structures were destroyed in L.A.'s January wildfires, an astounding loss. The science of climate change is undeniably clear, and California is ground zero for the effects. Transportation causes around 30% of the greenhouse gas pollution in the United States, and it's one of the sectors where we have many known technologies to replace our polluting ways. High-speed rail is one of them. The efficiency of converting stored energy into electric train motion is incredibly high. It's up to four times more efficient than driving cars and nine times more efficient than flying. And as we convert the grid to ever-cleaner sources of electricity, use of grid-sourced transportation like electric trains becomes cleaner as well. The many reasons we need a modern rail system should keep us focused as we face obstacles. Remember that the Shinkansen in Japan, the Eurostar, the TGV in France and many other high-speed systems also went substantially over budget or were delayed during construction. Ultimately, they have been heavily used, and the results have been celebrated. The costs have been amortized over decades and proved to be totally worth the effort. In the United States, we could get past much of the financial drama for high-speed rail if we considered creating a National Infrastructure Bank, which would rebuild our crumbling infrastructure and finance transportation projects like high-speed rail without adding to the national or state-based debt load. This common-sense financial mechanism built huge amounts of our national infrastructure in the past but currently faces headwinds because of self-destructive political polarization. Climate, congestion, housing and commerce all help keep the dream alive, but perhaps there is something else brewing in California that just might make the dream real. We are the ultimate land of hope and solutions. This is still where dreamers dream and doers do, and we are stubborn about it. We see the political capture by entrenched, polluting profit seekers and it raises our ire. The success of high-speed rail in other countries raises our competitive hackles. The constant doom spread by media-driven conflict profiteers that use California high-speed rail to demonize things social in America makes us defiant. Maybe all of these reasons have a multiplicative effect. Or maybe we simply refuse to believe that audacity, hope and pride in collective achievement is a thing of the past in the United States, and especially in California. Jeffrey Beeman is a retired materials scientist and a member of Californians for Electric Rail.
Coin Geek
5 days ago
- Business
- Coin Geek
Store excess solar power production in Bitcoin: IEEE study
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... Dynamic solar power systems that switch between selling excess electricity back to the grid and using it for digital asset mining may be an answer to energy problems, according to an IEEE case study. The study highlights the two critical problems for block reward miners: massive energy consumption and the resulting environmental pollution. 1/6A groundbreaking new study shows that Bitcoin mining is the most effective way to accelerate rollout of solar panels across the world's cities: More effective than using either subsidies or Batteries by an order of dive in 👇 Renewable energy sources, such as solar panels, are often touted as an answer to the electricity demands of digital currency. Yet, based on the current way that renewables are used and the technological and economic challenges that remain, it isn't possible for them to meet the demand for energy without further technological advancement and changes to the current energy system. One of the specific problems—one that is particularly prevalent in Finland, the location of the paper's case study—is that peak loads occur in winter, while renewables such as solar only hit peak generation during summer. This cascades into a broader problem: the perception that the fixed investment cost of getting a solar system up and running is not worth the ultimate savings of switching to renewables. A common solution to this problem has been to use batteries capable of storing excess electricity until needed. However, this is only so useful: batteries must be discharged past a certain point. 4/6 That's because batteries only give so much storage before they have to be dischargedThis study compared Battery to Bitcoin miningThe difference was stark Bitcoin is not just a little big better than batteries, it is 4.6x better than batteries: a facemelting 57.7% ROI — Daniel Batten (@DSBatten) June 10, 2025 The IEEE study essentially proposes storing the value associated with the excess electricity—not in a battery, but in Bitcoin. The study suggests a system that channels excess energy production in peak times—such as summer—into digital asset mining. This works on similar principles to a model already implemented in domestic renewable production, whereby homeowners with solar power can sell back excess production to the grid. Under the newly proposed system, homeowners could switch between putting their excess energy back into the grid and putting it into digital asset mining, depending on which is most competitive at the time. The benefits of this are myriad. Not only does it help populate the digital asset mining ecosystem with clean, renewable energy, but the savings and returns given to homeowners can help reduce the overall annual cost of housing. It also helps offset one of the drawbacks of the sellback model, which is the overall reduction of electricity price due to higher supply, thereby making it less viable for homeowners to sell. The envisioned model was applied to a 24-apartment building in Helsinki, Finland. The report contains a case study undertaken in Finland using a 24-apartment building in Helsinki with half of its roof space taken up by solar panels. It was found that the building's annual costs could be reduced by 68.1%. 'It has been shown that employing the proposed hedging mechanism will result in sufficient encouragement to invest in PV systems and decrease the annual cost of residential apartments,' reads the study. The study notes that though the case study bears out the assumptions, more work is still needed to test the model's viability. This could include investigating the potential of peer-to-peer energy trading among apartment tenants and investigating the role that government policy could play in encouraging adoption. Watch: Bryan Daugherty: Proof of ESG initiative through a sustainable blockchain
