Daily Archives: April 21, 2021

What Earth was like last time CO2 levels were this high – Mashable SE Asia

Posted: April 21, 2021 at 9:37 am

Climate 101 is a Mashable series that answers provoking and salient questions about Earths warming climate.

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The last time CO2 levels were as high as today, ocean waters drowned the lands where metropolises like Houston, Miami, and New York City now exist.

Its a time called the Pliocene or mid-Pliocene, some 3 million years ago, when sea levels were around 30 feet higher (but possibly much more) and giant camels dwelled in a forested high Arctic. The Pliocene was a significantly warmer world, likely at some 5 degrees Fahrenheit (around 3 degrees Celsius) warmer than pre-Industrial temperatures of the late 1800s. Much of the Arctic, which today is largely clad in ice, had melted. Heat-trapping carbon dioxide levels, a major temperature lever, hovered around 400 parts per million, or ppm. Today, these levels are similar but relentlessly rising, at some 418 ppm.

Humanity is currently on track to warm Earth to Pliocene-like temperatures by centurys end unless nations ambitiously slash carbon emissions in the coming decades. Sea levels, of course, wont instantly rise by tens of feet: Miles-thick ice sheets take many centuries to thousands of years to melt. But, critically, humanity is already setting the stage for a relatively quick return to Pliocene climes, or climes at least significantly warmer than now. Its happening fast. When CO2 naturally increases in the atmosphere, pockets of ancient air preserved in ice show this CO2 rise happens gradually, over thousands of years. But today, carbon dioxide levels are skyrocketing as humans burn long-buried fossil fuels.

"CO2 in the atmosphere has gone up 100 ppm in my lifetime," said Kathleen Benison, a geologist at West Virginia University who researches past climates. Thats incredibly fast geologically."

"You dont have to be a scientist to realize something totally weird is going on, and that weird thing is humans," noted Dan Lunt, a climate scientist at the University of Bristol who has researched the Pliocene.

Sure, it takes a long time for sea levels to catch up with Earths warming. But in a plethora of other ways, the planet is already reacting to about 2 F (1.1 C) of warming since the late 1800s: Wildfires are surging in the U.S., major Antarctic ice sheets have destabilized, heat waves are smashing records, storms are intensifying, and beyond.

More warming will further exacerbate these consequences of increased heat. It will get worse. But will it get Pliocene bad? Thats up to the most fickle, unpredictable factor of the climate equation: humans.

"CO2 levels are going to increase," said Lunt. "We could hit the Pliocene in terms of temperature. But it depends on how rapidly we emit [greenhouse gases]."

"CO2 levels are going to increase."

Some of the human-driven changes happening on Earth today wont be reversed for centuries or thousands of years. In large part, thats because civilization continues to deposit prodigious loads of carbon into the atmosphere each year, and all these heat-trapping gases wont magically vanish from the air, even if we instantly stop adding carbon to the atmosphere. Rather, theyll have impacts upon the planet like gradually rising seas and acidifying oceans for at least centuries. Already, sea levels have risen by some eight to nine inches since the late 1800s, and a conservative estimate, from the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, is sea levels will rise by another one to two feet by the century's end. But, this could very well be more like two or three feet, or even more depending on what Antarcticas colossal, melting Thwaites Glacier (its the size of Britain) purges into the sea this century.

"Sea level rise and ocean acidification are permanent on a human time scale," said Julie Brigham-Grette, a geologist at the University of Massachusetts Amherst who researches how the Arctic has changed since the Pliocene.

The Pliocene certainly cant give us all the answers for where were headed. We dont know, for example, how quickly the seas rose during this far-off period. But the Pliocene does show us how sensitive parts of Earth are to just a few degrees of warming. For instance, much of the vast Greenland ice sheet, which is two and a half times the size of Texas, melted during the warmer Pliocene. And ancient evidence of long-ago beaches, dated to the Pliocene, show where past shorelines lay: A ballpark height of 30 feet or so higher than today is ominous.

"That means the ice sheets are really sensitive to a modest amount of warming," said Rob DeConto, a professor of climatology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst who studies the response of ice sheets to a warming climate.

This doesnt bode well for human civilization, which heavily populates the coastlines. "Thats where civilization has built much of its infrastructure," said DeConto. "Were a species that gravitated toward the coast."

Earths CO2 levels have always naturally wavered. Humans didnt exist (and wouldnt exist for millions of years) during the Pliocene though our hirsute primate ancestors were already walking around Africa at the time.

So what explains the high Pliocene CO2 levels (400 ppm) without a world of fuel-guzzling cars and coal-fired power plants? The answer lies in deep time.

Long before the Pliocene, CO2 levels were extremely elevated during the age of the dinosaurs (which ended 65 million years ago), perhaps at some 2,000 to 4,000 ppm. Tremendous CO2 emissions, from incessant and extreme volcanism, heated Earth and allowed dinosaurs to roam a sultry Antarctic. But over millions of years, Earths natural processes (specifically the slow, grinding, but potent process of rocks absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere, dubbed "the rock thermostat") gradually reduced CO2 levels to some 400 ppm during the Pliocene. (We know this because there are indirect, though reliable, ways to gauge Earths CO2 levels from millions of years ago, including the chemical make-up of long-dead plankton and the evidence stored in the breathing cells, or stomata, of ancient plants.)

"Were on our way to the Pliocene."

After the Pliocene, Earth continued to pull CO2 from the air, finally settling CO2 levels between some 200 to 280 ppm during the more recent ice ages, when mammoths, mastodons, and giant sloths dominated a cooler earth, and humans eventually appeared. But humanity, by rapidly digging up and burning fossil fuels, has now promptly returned CO2 to Pliocene levels.

"We, in 150 years, have completely reversed everything the rock thermostat has done in the last 3 million years," explained Brigham-Grette. "The transition from a warm Arctic to a cold one that has ice sheets took a million years. Were jumping out of that in less than 150 years."

Indeed, the Arctic has changed dramatically in just the last 40 years. Arctic sea ice is in rapid decline. Greenlands melting is off the charts.

Humanity, fortunately, still has the ability to stabilize Earths temperatures this century at levels that would avoid catastrophic impacts like more extreme storms, coral devastation, punishing heat, and beyond. But, as of now, were on a trajectory to the climes of 3 million years ago. (And in some respects notably atmospheric CO2 were already there.)

"Were on our way to the Pliocene," said Brigham-Grette.

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What Earth was like last time CO2 levels were this high - Mashable SE Asia

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Bising weakens further as it moves slowly over PH sea – ABS-CBN News

Posted: at 9:37 am

MANILA Typhoon Bising (international name Surigae) weakened further as it moved over the Philippine Sea, the state weather bureau said Sunday night.

The country's second storm this year will bring moderate to heavy with at times intense rains over Bicol region, Northern Samar, Samar, Eastern Samar, Biliran and Leyte from Sunday night until Monday, PAGASA said in its 11 p.m. weather bulletin.

The following areas were placed under tropical cyclone wind signal no. 2, where winds of up to 120 kph may be expected in at least 24 hours, which may cause old wooden electric posts to be tilted or downed:

Storm signal no. 1, which may cause slight damage to some houses of very light materials or makeshift structures in exposed communities, was hoisted over the following areas:

Bising was last estimated 270 kilometers east of Virac town, Catanduanes, moving slowly west northwestward.

It was packing 195 km per hour (kph) maximum winds near the center and gusts of up to 240 kph, according to PAGASA.

It was forecast to continue moving slowly in the next 6 to 12 hours as it begins to turn generally northward over the Philippine Sea, PAGASA said.

It will then turn northward while gradually accelerating until Wednesday before turning northeastward and east northeastward away from the Luzon landmass, PAGASA added.

"The recent weakening of Bising after reaching its peak intensity was caused by a recently completed eyewall replacement cycle. The typhoon is forecast to maintain its current intensity in the next 24 to 48 hours before gradually weakening throughout the remainder of the forecast period," it also said.

The PAGASA warned that very rough to very high seas will be experienced over the northern and eastern seaboard of Luzon (5.0 to 12.0 m), rough to very high seas over the eastern seaboard of Eastern Visayas (2.5 to 7.0 m), and rough to very rough seas over the northern and western seaboard of Northern Luzon (2.5 to 5.0 m) and the eastern seabord of Caraga (2.5 to 4.0 m),

Rough seas are also expected over the remaining seaboards of localities where wind signals are in effect and the eastern seaboard of Davao Oriental (2.5 to 4.0 m), while moderate to rough seas may be experienced over the western seaboard of Central Luzon (1.2 to 3.0 m).

Sea travel is risky for all types of seacraft over these waters, especially those under storm signals, it said.

Globe Telecoms said Saturday its technical and support personnel and generators were on standby in areas threatened by Typhoon Bising.

It said its Libreng Tawag, charging, and WiFi services will be deployed in areas where the typhoon was forecast to bring heavy rains and strong winds.

Science Cooperation with the Snow Dragon: Can the US and China work together on the Arctic Climate Crisis? – The Arctic Institute

Posted: at 9:37 am

The U.S. Coast Guard medevacked a man suffering a broken arm from the Chinese research vessel Xue Long (Snow Dragon), 15 nautical miles from Nome, Alaska, 2017. Photo: U.S. Coast Guard.

The 2021 United States-China dialogue in Alaska began with unprecedented harsh accusations from both sides, but by the end of the summit, the top diplomats from both countries were obliged to agree that there are several areas where U.S. and Chinese interests intersect. One of these issues is the climate crisis. The two sides expressed their willingness to enhance cooperation in tackling climate change and stated that they will establish a joint working group on that subject.1)Xinhua (2021). Dialogue, win-win are right choices for China-U.S. relations Xinhua Commentary. March 21. http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2021-03/21/c_139824328.htm

The Arctic, warming at nearly three times the global average, is a glaring focal point for the U.S.-China climate change working group. Based on an existing history of bilateral collaborations, U.S.-China scientific cooperation to tackle climate change in the Arctic is achievable and can have meaningful benefits even in the face of mounting hostilities between the two countries. This article focuses on these countries as they are the two largest carbon dioxide emitters and leaders in the production of knowledge as measured by the number of scientific publications. There is likewise Chinese scientific cooperation with other Arctic states.

As the largest carbon dioxide emitter in the world, China is fulfilling its responsibility to the rest of the world to contribute to global knowledge on climate change. Chinas rise as an industrial power has produced black carbon emissions that have played a significant role in the warming Arctic.2)Yamineva, Y. (2020) Reducing Chinas Black Carbon Emissions: An Arctic Dimension, The Arctic Institute. April 14. https://www.thearcticinstitute.org/reducing-china-black-carbon-emissions-arctic-dimension/ Conversely, China is affected by changes in the Far North. The loss of sea ice and altered wind circulation in the Arctic was found to contribute to Chinas airpocalypse severe air pollution that hung over eastern China for nearly a month in 2013. Scientists warn that the warming Arctic will continue to have severe effects on China.3)McGrath, M. (2017) Chinas airpocalypse linked to Arctic sea ice loss, BBC News. March 15. https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-39279500 The climate crisis in the Arctic in the form of sea-level rise, loss of sea ice, and rising ocean and air temperatures affects all countries with no regard for national borders.

The rapidly changing Arctic and the internationalization of the Arctic situation form the rationale for Beijings interests in the Far North, according to documents published by Chinas State Council Information Office.4)Xinhua (2018) Chinas Arctic Policy, State Council Information Office of the Peoples Republic of China. http://english.www.gov.cn/archive/white_paper/2018/01/26/content_281476026660336.htm China has formalized its Arctic ambitions with an official Arctic Policy published in 2018 that outlines aims to develop infrastructure, shipping routes, and energy extraction in the Far North. The document declares that China is ready to participate in Arctic governance and work with other nations in scientific research, academic exchanges, and environmental observation. China will improve the capacity and capability in scientific research on the Arctic [and] pursue a deeper understanding and knowledge of the Arctic science so as to create favorable conditions for mankind to better protect, develop, and govern the Arctic.5)Xinhua (2018) Chinas Arctic Policy, State Council Information Office of the Peoples Republic of China. http://english.www.gov.cn/archive/white_paper/2018/01/26/content_281476026660336.htm

However, some scholars argue that Chinas official approach to polar research and emphasis on international collaboration is for symbolic reasons. Some analysts argue that Chinese Arctic science is meant to advance Chinas strategic interests in the region which may ultimately include a military component.6)Koh, S.L.C. (2020) Chinas strategic interest in the Arctic goes beyond economics, Defense News. May 12. https://www.defensenews.com/opinion/commentary/2020/05/11/chinas-strategic-interest-in-the-arctic-goes-beyond-economics/ There is a concern that scientific research serves a dual purpose and is a precursor to the development of Arctic military technology. For example, Anne-Marie Brady points to studies by Chinese academics examining the feasibility of Chinese submarines navigating the Arctic.7)Brady, A.M. (2017) China as a Polar Great Power. Cambridge University Press. 138-76

Can Arctic states cooperate with China in understanding the Arctic if Chinas Arctic intentions are still hotly debated?8)Sun, Y. (2020) Defining the Chinese Threat in the Arctic, The Arctic Institute. April 7. https://www.thearcticinstitute.org/defining-the-chinese-threat-in-the-arctic/ Scientific cooperation is still an important pursuit despite mounting hostilities and suspicion. Working together on climate research can serve as a stabilizer of uncertainty amid a shift in the global balance of power. Chinese investments in land and infrastructure and resource extraction are viewed suspiciously in Northern European states, although Chinas scientific engagement has been positively received.9)Kopra, S. and M. Puranen (2021) Chinas Arctic Ambitions Face Increasing Headwinds in Finland, The Diplomat. March 18. https://thediplomat.com/2021/03/chinas-arctic-ambitions-face-increasing-headwinds-in-finland/ Rasmus Gjedss Bertelsen writes, [T]he Arctic states and China have used science to integrate China into Arctic institutions and build Sino-Arctic epistemic communities.10)Bertelsen, R.G. (2020) Science diplomacy and the Arctic, in Routledge Handbook of Arctic Security. An epistemic community is a transnational expert network that shares and co-creates knowledge about scientific problems and solutions. Arctic science diplomacy can build trust and produce valuable knowledge.

China has taken significant steps to contribute to Arctic science through both unilateral and cooperative initiatives. Scientists aboard Chinas research icebreaker Xuelong (Snow Dragon) completed the ninth Chinese Arctic expedition in 2018 and deployed two Atmosphere-Sea-Ice-Ocean (ASO) unmanned stations on Arctic drift ice floes.11)Xinhua (2018) Icebreaker returns to Shanghai after completing Arctic research expedition, Xinhua. http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-09/26/c_137494647.htm In 2019, China sent eighteen scientists and Xuelong to support marine surveys and data collection as part of MOSAiC, the largest international Arctic expedition in history.12)Yan, W. (2020) Arctic exploration: drifting with the ice, China Dialogue Ocean. March 2. https://chinadialogueocean.net/13226-arctic-exploration-drifting-with-the-ice/ MOSAiC produced unique new oceanographic and glaciological data to fill the knowledge gaps in Arctic climate science and allow for the production of better climate models. China has established and supported Arctic research centers with Arctic states, including the Chinese-Russian Arctic Research Center and the China-Nordic Arctic Research Center.13)Devyatkin, P. (2019) Russian and Chinese Scientists to Establish Arctic Research Center, High North News. April 15. https://www.highnorthnews.com/en/russian-and-chinese-scientists-establish-arctic-research-center A joint research team from Chinas Academy of Space and Technology and Sun Yat-sen University is planning to deploy satellites to monitor the ice conditions of Russian Arctic shipping routes in 2022.14)Humpert, M. (2020) China to Launch Satellite to Monitor Arctic Shipping Routes, High North News. December 8. https://www.highnorthnews.com/en/china-launch-satellite-monitor-arctic-shipping-routes By producing useful knowledge and opening communicational channels, science for diplomacy bolsters Chinas soft power and voice in shaping governance related to fisheries, natural resources, and shipping rights for non-Arctic states. China is already an active participant in Arctic governance; by being a member of the International Maritime Organization and party to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, China plays a role in the development of the Polar Code and rules of marine research in the high seas.15)Eiterjord, T.A. (2020) Arctic Technopolitics and Chinas Reception of the Polar Code, The Arctic Institute. May 26. https://www.thearcticinstitute.org/arctic-technopolitics-china-reception-polar-code/. Chinas scientific engagement is intended to advance Chinas voice as a rule maker in Arctic affairs.

Having rejoined the Paris Agreement and identified climate change as a priority issue, the Biden administration will likely find it constructive to cooperate with China in tackling the climate crisis, as many analysts call for.16)Anonymous (2021) The Longer Telegram: Toward a new American China strategy, Atlantic Council. https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/content-series/atlantic-council-strategy-paper-series/the-longer-telegram/#strategic-cooperation; Stern, T. (2020) Can the United States and China reboot their climate cooperation? Brookings Institution. September 14. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/can-the-united-states-and-china-reboot-their-climate-cooperation/; Sengupta, S. (2021) Biden Wants to Be the Climate President. Hell Need Some Help From Xi Jinping, The New York Times. January 20. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/13/climate/biden-climate-china.html; Quincy Institute (2020) Greening U.S. China Relations: A Symposium Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. https://quincyinst.org/symposium/greening-u-s-china-relations-a-symposium/; Klare, M. (2021) The U.S. and China Should Anchor an Alliance for Survival Foreign Policy in Focus. March 3. https://fpif.org/the-u-s-and-china-should-anchor-an-alliance-for-survival/ A 2021 poll found that a majority of U.S. voters see climate change as the most important issue for the United States and China to cooperate on more so than COVID-19 and are even supportive of the U.S. and Chinese militaries working together to assess climate risks and improve disaster preparedness.17)Asia Society Policy Institute & Data for Progress (2021) Understanding American Voter Attitudes Toward U.S.-China Climate Cooperation, Joint Paper. https://asiasociety.org/policy-institute/understanding-american-voter-attitudes-toward-us-china-climate-cooperation John Kerry, President Bidens newly appointed special climate envoy, says climate is a critical standalone issue that we have to deal [with China] on. Its urgent that we find a way to compartmentalize [and] move forward.18)Basu, Z. (2021) John Kerry: U.S.-China climate cooperation is a critical standalone issue, Axios. January 27. https://www.axios.com/john-kerry-china-climate-9c2f3a13-9c6f-46ef-a63e-26a8962059af.html

Moreover, Beijing has recently appointed veteran climate expert Xie Zhenhua, who has a personal relationship with Kerry, as Chinas special climate envoy. Many Chinese analysts see the appointment as a sign that the bilateral relationship may be productive when discussing climate change.19)Liu, M. (2021) Climate Offers a Glimmer of Hope for U.S.-China Cooperation, Foreign Policy. March 16. https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/03/16/climate-change-china-united-states-cooperation/ There is ample support for the U.S. and China to come together and work on the climate issue.

However, relations between the countries have declined in recent years and growing bilateral disagreements may present obstacles to cooperation. The U.S. State Department has rejected Chinas claim to being a Near Arctic State and repeatedly expressed concern over Chinese actions in the region.20)Chorush, J.A. (2020) Prepared to Go Fully Kinetic: How U.S. Leaders Conceptualize Chinas Threat to Arctic Security, The Arctic Institute. June 16. https://www.thearcticinstitute.org/prepared-kinetic-us-leaders-conceptualize-china-threat-arctic-security/ The U.S. Department of Defense is likewise apprehensive of Chinas Arctic activities. Civilian research could support a strengthened Chinese military presence in the Arctic Ocean, which could include deploying submarines to the region as a deterrent against nuclear attacks, a 2019 Pentagon report to Congress asserted.21)Office of the Secretary of Defense (2019) Military and Security Developments Involving the Peoples Republic of China, Annual Report to Congress. https://media.defense.gov/2019/May/02/2002127082/-1/-1/1/2019_CHINA_MILITARY_POWER_REPORT.pdf However, there is no indication that China would try to match the substantial military presence of the U.S. and its NATO allies in the Arctic.22)Raspotnik, A. & A. sthagen (2021) A Global Arctic Order Under Threat? An Agenda for American Leadership in the North, Polar Institute at the Wilson Center. March 10. https://www.wilsoncenter.org/blog-post/no-3-global-arctic-order-under-threat-agenda-american-leadership-north

Arctic expert Guo Peiqing of the Ocean University of China said China will not send warships and nuclear submarines to the Arctic because it is in Chinas long-term interests to maintain peace and stability in the Arctic.23)RIA Novosti (2019) China is not interested in militarization of the Arctic, says expert, RIA Novosti. May 7. https://ria.ru/20190507/1553326728.html Despite the suspicion and competitive rhetoric, there are several ways President Biden can depart from the climate skeptic and insulting anti-China rhetoric of the former Trump administration and work with China in the Arctic, where climate change is transforming the region. Moreover, cooperating with China in vital climate research does not preclude competition or disagreement regarding international trade, human rights violations, and maritime security in the Pacific Ocean. Such points of contention will likely remain with us for the foreseeable future, but a productive competitive strategy should also advance shared global interests.24)Ladislaw, S. (2021) Productive Competition: A Framework for U.S.-China Engagement on Climate Change, Center for Strategic & International Studies. https://www.csis.org/analysis/productive-competition-framework-us-china-engagement-climate-change Andreas Raspotnik and Andreas sthagen write, After years of undermining allies and partners, the U.S. needs to re-find its international leadership in keeping its (old) friends close and its enemies even closer. The Arctic case is ideal to showcase the value of this approach. Under the Trump Administration, the U.S. tactic of name-calling and rebuking China did not achieve much.25)Raspotnik, A. & A. sthagen (2021) A Global Arctic Order Under Threat? An Agenda for American Leadership in the North, Polar Institute at the Wilson Center. March 10. https://www.wilsoncenter.org/blog-post/no-3-global-arctic-order-under-threat-agenda-american-leadership-north

The COVID-19 pandemic has frozen Arctic research and delayed projects, making it critical to revive Arctic science through innovative and new practices.26)Uryupova, E. (2021) COVID-19: How the Virus has frozen Arctic Research, The Arctic Institute. January 12. https://www.thearcticinstitute.org/covid-19-virus-frozen-arctic-research/ There are several ways the U.S. and China can work together in this area. The U.S. and China should establish a high-level dialogue on Arctic climate research to maintain transparent communication on each countries research aims in the region and provide much-needed data sharing. Reviving climate-related cooperation will require dtente. The U.S.-China Climate Change Working Group, first launched in 2013 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution in both countries but suspended during the Trump presidency, may provide a venue for meetings and a sustained bilateral partnership on addressing the climate crisis in the Arctic. Chinas emergence as a growing science actor in the Arctic should be welcomed but its scientific activities and research stations must be more purposefully integrated into a broader international collaborative effort, writes Heather Conley of the Center for Strategic and International Studies.27)Conley, H. A. (2018). Chinas Arctic Dream. Center for Strategic & International Studies: 11.

This can be achieved by both countries supporting and participating in joint research projects. China regularly invites foreign scientists to participate in its Arctic expeditions. For example, China invited American researchers to join the ninth expedition aboard Xuelong in 2018.28)Smieszek, M., Koivurova, T., and Nielsson, E. T. (2020) China and Arctic Science, Chinese Policy and Presence in the Arctic, eds. Koivurova and Kopra. Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill Nijhoff. Chinese and American researchers and institutions are already working together as part of the MOSAiC expedition, each contributing to a greater understanding of the evolving environment. A new U.S.-China dialogue on the Arctic should support and expand such initiatives. In practice, this may involve facilitating scientists access to civilian research infrastructure, metadata and data, and protected territories for research purposes. Moreover, both sides should facilitate easier movement for researchers by reducing visa requirements and restoring closed consulates and diplomats working in scientific exchanges. Such measures were discussed during the 2021 Alaska summit.29)Xinhua (2021). Dialogue, win-win are right choices for China-U.S. relations Xinhua Commentary. March 21. http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2021-03/21/c_139824328.htm In general, the obstacles to research and collaboration should be eased.

The U.S. and China have a history of successfully cooperating in science and technology since the opening of relations in the 1970s. During the period of rapprochement, the U.S. and China cooperated in areas that would today be considered militarily sensitive. In the 2000s, China rose to become the U.S. top collaborator in science, as measured by the co-authorship of scientific publications.30)Lee, J.J., Haupt, J.P. (2020) Winners and losers in US-China scientific research collaborations, Higher Education 80: 5774.

The Obama administration extended the U.S.-China Agreement on Cooperation in Science and Technology and published numerous joint presidential statements on climate and science cooperation with Chinese Presidents Hu Jintao and Xi Jinping. The success story of bilateral climate cooperation during the Obama era is in part due to the inclusion of climate change as a security issue in Chinas strategy, a process propagated by the Chinese scientific community.31)Jiahan, C. (2018) Recalibrating China-US Climate Cooperation Under the Trump Administration, China Quarterly of International Strategic Studies, 4 (01): 77-93. The U.S. Department of Defense now likewise regards climate change as a top national security priority.32)Mehta, A. (2021) Climate change is now a national security priority for the Pentagon, Defense News. January 27. https://www.defensenews.com/pentagon/2021/01/27/climate-change-is-now-a-national-security-priority-for-the-pentagon/Overall, it is abundantly clear at senior levels of the U.S. and China that both countries have to cooperate on climate change. The Arctic has long been regarded as a peaceful zone of cooperation and is a suitable setting for U.S.-China scientific cooperation. Humans would look pityingly at two tribes of apes that continued fighting over territory while the forest around them was burning. But this is how America and China will appear to future generations if they continue to focus on their differences while the Earth is facing an extended moment of great peril, writes Singaporean diplomat Kishore Mahbubani.33)Mahbubani, K. (2020) Has China Won? The Chinese Challenge to American Primacy, Public Affairs.

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Science Cooperation with the Snow Dragon: Can the US and China work together on the Arctic Climate Crisis? - The Arctic Institute

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Trudeau says Liberal budget is not a launch pad for a federal election – Yahoo Canada Finance

Posted: at 9:36 am

GlobeNewswire

Abstract: - Global Tonometers Market to Reach $481. 2 Million by 2027. - Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Tonometers estimated at US$340. 5 Million in the year 2020, is projected to reach a revised size of US$481.New York, April 21, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Global Tonometers Industry" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06033140/?utm_source=GNW 2 Million by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 5.1% over the analysis period 2020-2027. Applanation Tonometer, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to record a 4.9% CAGR and reach US$182.3 Million by the end of the analysis period. After an early analysis of the business implications of the pandemic and its induced economic crisis, growth in the Rebound Tonometer segment is readjusted to a revised 5.4% CAGR for the next 7-year period. - The U.S. Market is Estimated at $91.9 Million, While China is Forecast to Grow at 8.2% CAGR - The Tonometers market in the U.S. is estimated at US$91.9 Million in the year 2020. China, the world`s second largest economy, is forecast to reach a projected market size of US$101.9 Million by the year 2027 trailing a CAGR of 8.1% over the analysis period 2020 to 2027. Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Japan and Canada, each forecast to grow at 2.8% and 4% respectively over the 2020-2027 period. Within Europe, Germany is forecast to grow at approximately 3.6% CAGR. - Indentation Tonometer Segment to Record 5.1% CAGR - In the global Indentation Tonometer segment, USA, Canada, Japan, China and Europe will drive the 4.8% CAGR estimated for this segment. These regional markets accounting for a combined market size of US$56.2 Million in the year 2020 will reach a projected size of US$78.2 Million by the close of the analysis period. China will remain among the fastest growing in this cluster of regional markets. Led by countries such as Australia, India, and South Korea, the market in Asia-Pacific is forecast to reach US$65.3 Million by the year 2027, while Latin America will expand at a 5.5% CAGR through the analysis period. - Select Competitors (Total 40 Featured) - 66 Vision Tech Co., Ltd.Accutome, Inc.Amtek, Inc.Canon Medical Systems Europe B.V.Haag-Streit GroupHuvitz Corp.Icare Finland OyKeeler LtdKowa American CorporationMetall Zug AGOculus, Inc.Reichert, Inc.Revenio Group OyjRexxam Co., Ltd.TomeyUSATopcon CorporationZiemer Ophthalmic Systems Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06033140/?utm_source=GNW I. METHODOLOGY II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. MARKET OVERVIEW Influencer Market Insights World Market Trajectories Impact of Covid-19 and a Looming Global Recession 2. FOCUS ON SELECT PLAYERS 3. MARKET TRENDS & DRIVERS 4. GLOBAL MARKET PERSPECTIVE Table 1: World Current & Future Analysis for Tonometers by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 2: World Historic Review for Tonometers by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 3: World 15-Year Perspective for Tonometers by Geographic Region - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa Markets for Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 Table 4: World Current & Future Analysis for Applanation Tonometer by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 5: World Historic Review for Applanation Tonometer by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 6: World 15-Year Perspective for Applanation Tonometer by Geographic Region - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa for Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 Table 7: World Current & Future Analysis for Rebound Tonometer by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 8: World Historic Review for Rebound Tonometer by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 9: World 15-Year Perspective for Rebound Tonometer by Geographic Region - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa for Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 Table 10: World Current & Future Analysis for Indentation Tonometer by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 11: World Historic Review for Indentation Tonometer by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 12: World 15-Year Perspective for Indentation Tonometer by Geographic Region - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa for Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 Table 13: World Current & Future Analysis for Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometer by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 14: World Historic Review for Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometer by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 15: World 15-Year Perspective for Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometer by Geographic Region - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa for Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 Table 16: World Current & Future Analysis for Handheld by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 17: World Historic Review for Handheld by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 18: World 15-Year Perspective for Handheld by Geographic Region - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa for Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 Table 19: World Current & Future Analysis for Desktop by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 20: World Historic Review for Desktop by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 21: World 15-Year Perspective for Desktop by Geographic Region - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa for Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 Table 22: World Current & Future Analysis for Ophthalmic Centers by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 23: World Historic Review for Ophthalmic Centers by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 24: World 15-Year Perspective for Ophthalmic Centers by Geographic Region - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa for Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 Table 25: World Current & Future Analysis for Hospitals by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 26: World Historic Review for Hospitals by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 27: World 15-Year Perspective for Hospitals by Geographic Region - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa for Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 Table 28: World Current & Future Analysis for Other End-Uses by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 29: World Historic Review for Other End-Uses by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 30: World 15-Year Perspective for Other End-Uses by Geographic Region - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa for Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 III. MARKET ANALYSIS UNITED STATES Table 31: USA Current & Future Analysis for Tonometers by Type - Applanation Tonometer, Rebound Tonometer, Indentation Tonometer and Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometer - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 32: USA Historic Review for Tonometers by Type - Applanation Tonometer, Rebound Tonometer, Indentation Tonometer and Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometer Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 33: USA 15-Year Perspective for Tonometers by Type - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Applanation Tonometer, Rebound Tonometer, Indentation Tonometer and Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometer for the Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 Table 34: USA Current & Future Analysis for Tonometers by Portability - Handheld and Desktop - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 35: USA Historic Review for Tonometers by Portability - Handheld and Desktop Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 36: USA 15-Year Perspective for Tonometers by Portability - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Handheld and Desktop for the Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 Table 37: USA Current & Future Analysis for Tonometers by End-Use - Ophthalmic Centers, Hospitals and Other End-Uses - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 38: USA Historic Review for Tonometers by End-Use - Ophthalmic Centers, Hospitals and Other End-Uses Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 39: USA 15-Year Perspective for Tonometers by End-Use - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Ophthalmic Centers, Hospitals and Other End-Uses for the Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 CANADA Table 40: Canada Current & Future Analysis for Tonometers by Type - Applanation Tonometer, Rebound Tonometer, Indentation Tonometer and Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometer - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 41: Canada Historic Review for Tonometers by Type - Applanation Tonometer, Rebound Tonometer, Indentation Tonometer and Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometer Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 42: Canada 15-Year Perspective for Tonometers by Type - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Applanation Tonometer, Rebound Tonometer, Indentation Tonometer and Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometer for the Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 Table 43: Canada Current & Future Analysis for Tonometers by Portability - Handheld and Desktop - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 44: Canada Historic Review for Tonometers by Portability - Handheld and Desktop Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 45: Canada 15-Year Perspective for Tonometers by Portability - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Handheld and Desktop for the Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 Table 46: Canada Current & Future Analysis for Tonometers by End-Use - Ophthalmic Centers, Hospitals and Other End-Uses - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 47: Canada Historic Review for Tonometers by End-Use - Ophthalmic Centers, Hospitals and Other End-Uses Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 48: Canada 15-Year Perspective for Tonometers by End-Use - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Ophthalmic Centers, Hospitals and Other End-Uses for the Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 JAPAN Table 49: Japan Current & Future Analysis for Tonometers by Type - Applanation Tonometer, Rebound Tonometer, Indentation Tonometer and Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometer - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 50: Japan Historic Review for Tonometers by Type - Applanation Tonometer, Rebound Tonometer, Indentation Tonometer and Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometer Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 51: Japan 15-Year Perspective for Tonometers by Type - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Applanation Tonometer, Rebound Tonometer, Indentation Tonometer and Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometer for the Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 Table 52: Japan Current & Future Analysis for Tonometers by Portability - Handheld and Desktop - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 53: Japan Historic Review for Tonometers by Portability - Handheld and Desktop Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 54: Japan 15-Year Perspective for Tonometers by Portability - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Handheld and Desktop for the Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 Table 55: Japan Current & Future Analysis for Tonometers by End-Use - Ophthalmic Centers, Hospitals and Other End-Uses - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 56: Japan Historic Review for Tonometers by End-Use - Ophthalmic Centers, Hospitals and Other End-Uses Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 57: Japan 15-Year Perspective for Tonometers by End-Use - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Ophthalmic Centers, Hospitals and Other End-Uses for the Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 CHINA Table 58: China Current & Future Analysis for Tonometers by Type - Applanation Tonometer, Rebound Tonometer, Indentation Tonometer and Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometer - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 59: China Historic Review for Tonometers by Type - Applanation Tonometer, Rebound Tonometer, Indentation Tonometer and Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometer Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 60: China 15-Year Perspective for Tonometers by Type - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Applanation Tonometer, Rebound Tonometer, Indentation Tonometer and Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometer for the Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 Table 61: China Current & Future Analysis for Tonometers by Portability - Handheld and Desktop - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 62: China Historic Review for Tonometers by Portability - Handheld and Desktop Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 63: China 15-Year Perspective for Tonometers by Portability - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Handheld and Desktop for the Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 Table 64: China Current & Future Analysis for Tonometers by End-Use - Ophthalmic Centers, Hospitals and Other End-Uses - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 65: China Historic Review for Tonometers by End-Use - Ophthalmic Centers, Hospitals and Other End-Uses Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 66: China 15-Year Perspective for Tonometers by End-Use - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Ophthalmic Centers, Hospitals and Other End-Uses for the Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 EUROPE Table 67: Europe Current & Future Analysis for Tonometers by Geographic Region - France, Germany, Italy, UK, Spain, Russia and Rest of Europe Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 68: Europe Historic Review for Tonometers by Geographic Region - France, Germany, Italy, UK, Spain, Russia and Rest of Europe Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 69: Europe 15-Year Perspective for Tonometers by Geographic Region - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for France, Germany, Italy, UK, Spain, Russia and Rest of Europe Markets for Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 Table 70: Europe Current & Future Analysis for Tonometers by Type - Applanation Tonometer, Rebound Tonometer, Indentation Tonometer and Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometer - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 71: Europe Historic Review for Tonometers by Type - Applanation Tonometer, Rebound Tonometer, Indentation Tonometer and Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometer Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 72: Europe 15-Year Perspective for Tonometers by Type - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Applanation Tonometer, Rebound Tonometer, Indentation Tonometer and Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometer for the Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 Table 73: Europe Current & Future Analysis for Tonometers by Portability - Handheld and Desktop - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 74: Europe Historic Review for Tonometers by Portability - Handheld and Desktop Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 75: Europe 15-Year Perspective for Tonometers by Portability - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Handheld and Desktop for the Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 Table 76: Europe Current & Future Analysis for Tonometers by End-Use - Ophthalmic Centers, Hospitals and Other End-Uses - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 77: Europe Historic Review for Tonometers by End-Use - Ophthalmic Centers, Hospitals and Other End-Uses Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 78: Europe 15-Year Perspective for Tonometers by End-Use - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Ophthalmic Centers, Hospitals and Other End-Uses for the Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 FRANCE Table 79: France Current & Future Analysis for Tonometers by Type - Applanation Tonometer, Rebound Tonometer, Indentation Tonometer and Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometer - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 80: France Historic Review for Tonometers by Type - Applanation Tonometer, Rebound Tonometer, Indentation Tonometer and Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometer Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 81: France 15-Year Perspective for Tonometers by Type - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Applanation Tonometer, Rebound Tonometer, Indentation Tonometer and Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometer for the Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 Table 82: France Current & Future Analysis for Tonometers by Portability - Handheld and Desktop - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 83: France Historic Review for Tonometers by Portability - Handheld and Desktop Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 84: France 15-Year Perspective for Tonometers by Portability - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Handheld and Desktop for the Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 Table 85: France Current & Future Analysis for Tonometers by End-Use - Ophthalmic Centers, Hospitals and Other End-Uses - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 86: France Historic Review for Tonometers by End-Use - Ophthalmic Centers, Hospitals and Other End-Uses Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 87: France 15-Year Perspective for Tonometers by End-Use - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Ophthalmic Centers, Hospitals and Other End-Uses for the Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 GERMANY Table 88: Germany Current & Future Analysis for Tonometers by Type - Applanation Tonometer, Rebound Tonometer, Indentation Tonometer and Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometer - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 89: Germany Historic Review for Tonometers by Type - Applanation Tonometer, Rebound Tonometer, Indentation Tonometer and Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometer Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 90: Germany 15-Year Perspective for Tonometers by Type - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Applanation Tonometer, Rebound Tonometer, Indentation Tonometer and Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometer for the Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 Table 91: Germany Current & Future Analysis for Tonometers by Portability - Handheld and Desktop - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 92: Germany Historic Review for Tonometers by Portability - Handheld and Desktop Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 93: Germany 15-Year Perspective for Tonometers by Portability - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Handheld and Desktop for the Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 Table 94: Germany Current & Future Analysis for Tonometers by End-Use - Ophthalmic Centers, Hospitals and Other End-Uses - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 95: Germany Historic Review for Tonometers by End-Use - Ophthalmic Centers, Hospitals and Other End-Uses Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 96: Germany 15-Year Perspective for Tonometers by End-Use - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Ophthalmic Centers, Hospitals and Other End-Uses for the Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 ITALY Table 97: Italy Current & Future Analysis for Tonometers by Type - Applanation Tonometer, Rebound Tonometer, Indentation Tonometer and Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometer - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 98: Italy Historic Review for Tonometers by Type - Applanation Tonometer, Rebound Tonometer, Indentation Tonometer and Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometer Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 99: Italy 15-Year Perspective for Tonometers by Type - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Applanation Tonometer, Rebound Tonometer, Indentation Tonometer and Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometer for the Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 Table 100: Italy Current & Future Analysis for Tonometers by Portability - Handheld and Desktop - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 101: Italy Historic Review for Tonometers by Portability - Handheld and Desktop Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 102: Italy 15-Year Perspective for Tonometers by Portability - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Handheld and Desktop for the Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 Table 103: Italy Current & Future Analysis for Tonometers by End-Use - Ophthalmic Centers, Hospitals and Other End-Uses - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 104: Italy Historic Review for Tonometers by End-Use - Ophthalmic Centers, Hospitals and Other End-Uses Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 105: Italy 15-Year Perspective for Tonometers by End-Use - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Ophthalmic Centers, Hospitals and Other End-Uses for the Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 UNITED KINGDOM Table 106: UK Current & Future Analysis for Tonometers by Type - Applanation Tonometer, Rebound Tonometer, Indentation Tonometer and Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometer - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 107: UK Historic Review for Tonometers by Type - Applanation Tonometer, Rebound Tonometer, Indentation Tonometer and Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometer Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 108: UK 15-Year Perspective for Tonometers by Type - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Applanation Tonometer, Rebound Tonometer, Indentation Tonometer and Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometer for the Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 Table 109: UK Current & Future Analysis for Tonometers by Portability - Handheld and Desktop - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 110: UK Historic Review for Tonometers by Portability - Handheld and Desktop Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 111: UK 15-Year Perspective for Tonometers by Portability - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Handheld and Desktop for the Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 Table 112: UK Current & Future Analysis for Tonometers by End-Use - Ophthalmic Centers, Hospitals and Other End-Uses - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 113: UK Historic Review for Tonometers by End-Use - Ophthalmic Centers, Hospitals and Other End-Uses Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 114: UK 15-Year Perspective for Tonometers by End-Use - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Ophthalmic Centers, Hospitals and Other End-Uses for the Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 SPAIN Table 115: Spain Current & Future Analysis for Tonometers by Type - Applanation Tonometer, Rebound Tonometer, Indentation Tonometer and Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometer - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 116: Spain Historic Review for Tonometers by Type - Applanation Tonometer, Rebound Tonometer, Indentation Tonometer and Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometer Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 117: Spain 15-Year Perspective for Tonometers by Type - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Applanation Tonometer, Rebound Tonometer, Indentation Tonometer and Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometer for the Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 Table 118: Spain Current & Future Analysis for Tonometers by Portability - Handheld and Desktop - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 119: Spain Historic Review for Tonometers by Portability - Handheld and Desktop Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 120: Spain 15-Year Perspective for Tonometers by Portability - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Handheld and Desktop for the Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 Table 121: Spain Current & Future Analysis for Tonometers by End-Use - Ophthalmic Centers, Hospitals and Other End-Uses - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 122: Spain Historic Review for Tonometers by End-Use - Ophthalmic Centers, Hospitals and Other End-Uses Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 123: Spain 15-Year Perspective for Tonometers by End-Use - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Ophthalmic Centers, Hospitals and Other End-Uses for the Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 RUSSIA Table 124: Russia Current & Future Analysis for Tonometers by Type - Applanation Tonometer, Rebound Tonometer, Indentation Tonometer and Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometer - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 125: Russia Historic Review for Tonometers by Type - Applanation Tonometer, Rebound Tonometer, Indentation Tonometer and Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometer Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 126: Russia 15-Year Perspective for Tonometers by Type - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Applanation Tonometer, Rebound Tonometer, Indentation Tonometer and Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometer for the Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 Table 127: Russia Current & Future Analysis for Tonometers by Portability - Handheld and Desktop - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 128: Russia Historic Review for Tonometers by Portability - Handheld and Desktop Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 129: Russia 15-Year Perspective for Tonometers by Portability - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Handheld and Desktop for the Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 Table 130: Russia Current & Future Analysis for Tonometers by End-Use - Ophthalmic Centers, Hospitals and Other End-Uses - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 131: Russia Historic Review for Tonometers by End-Use - Ophthalmic Centers, Hospitals and Other End-Uses Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 132: Russia 15-Year Perspective for Tonometers by End-Use - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Ophthalmic Centers, Hospitals and Other End-Uses for the Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 REST OF EUROPE Table 133: Rest of Europe Current & Future Analysis for Tonometers by Type - Applanation Tonometer, Rebound Tonometer, Indentation Tonometer and Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometer - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 134: Rest of Europe Historic Review for Tonometers by Type - Applanation Tonometer, Rebound Tonometer, Indentation Tonometer and Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometer Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 135: Rest of Europe 15-Year Perspective for Tonometers by Type - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Applanation Tonometer, Rebound Tonometer, Indentation Tonometer and Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometer for the Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 Table 136: Rest of Europe Current & Future Analysis for Tonometers by Portability - Handheld and Desktop - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR Table 137: Rest of Europe Historic Review for Tonometers by Portability - Handheld and Desktop Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR Table 138: Rest of Europe 15-Year Perspective for Tonometers by Portability - Percentage Breakdown of Value Sales for Handheld and Desktop for the Years 2012, 2020 & 2027 Table 139: Rest of Europe Current & Future Analysis for Tonometers by End-Use - Ophthalmic Centers, Hospitals and Other End-Uses - Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Thousand Please contact our Customer Support Center to get the complete Table of ContentsRead the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06033140/?utm_source=GNWAbout ReportlinkerReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. 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Trudeau says Liberal budget is not a launch pad for a federal election - Yahoo Canada Finance

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Some provinces not ready to embrace Liberal pledge to build a national child care system – CBC.ca

Posted: at 9:36 am

Provincial governments have reacted with a mixture of skepticism and openness to the Liberal government's pledge to build a universal and affordable child care system.

In the federal budget, tabled yesterday, the federal government said it would invest up to $30 billion over the next five years, starting this fiscal year, tohelp offset the cost of early learning and child care services.

Thegoal is to cut fees in half within the next 18 months and reduce the cost for parents to $10 a day by 2026, the budget said.

Thestrings attached tothe spending pledge would dictate what forms of child care could be eligible for federal funding, and how much parental fees must drop.

"We really look forward to rolling up out sleeves and starting to negotiate bilateral deals, with willing partners, among the provinces and territories on really stepping up our game on early learning and child care," Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said told reporters today.

But some provincial leaders either feel the strings on the cash are too tight, orwon't necessarily help their provinces.

Their responses mark the opening salvos in what could become complex and thornynegotiations between the Liberals and the provinces to create a national system.

Alberta and Ontario said the proposed measures don't meet the unique needs of parents in their provinces, while New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs wondered if the money is aimed at buying votes in large urban centres.

"While we welcome increased support for child care, until this year, the federal government only contributed 2.5 per centto Ontario's program," Ontario's Education Minister Stephen Lecce said in a statement.

"Ontario needs long-term financial support that is flexible to respond to the unique needs of every parent, not a one-size-fits-all approach."

Alberta's Children's Services MinisterRebecca Schulz also called for flexibility in the funding.

"What I really want to make sure is that there's flexibility so that we can meet the unique needs of Alberta childcare operators and Alberta parents," Schulz said.

WATCH | Working parents say national childcare plan could be life-changing:

Schultz said that in Alberta, more than 60 per cent of childcare centres are privately ownedand only one in seven parents enroltheir children in licensed daycares.

"Let's put that into context: to expand a universal program right across Alberta would cost more than $1 billion," Shulz said.

Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister said he needs to see more detailsbefore passing judgment. But he criticized thefact that the budget did not include a substantial and permanent increase to the Canada Health Transfer a key demand premiers have been making for months.

"We have trouble with a federal government here that doesn't want to partner effectively on providing health care," said Pallister.

"So I'm very hesitant to give a blank cheque to the federal government already on a pronouncement pre-election."

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said provincesmust agree to targets on affordability, quality of care and training of early childhood educators if they want a share of the federal child care funding laid out in the budget.

"Provinces that agree to step up in real ways on child care will move forward on agreements," Trudeau said in an interview with Edmonton-based online talk show host Ryan Jespersen.

"Those who aren't interested, well, there's nothing we can do to force them to do it, but they won't be getting the resources that will come through a bilateral deal to move forward on child care."

Nova Scotia Premier Iain Rankin and Newfoundland and Labrador's finance minister were bothmore open to the funding.

"Ithink this is very important to families andin particular, women, allowing them to get back into the workforce," said Newfoundland and LabradorFinance MinisterSiobhan Coady.

Rankin said he's directed the province's education department to examine how the proposed "substantial" funding can help the province improve itspre-primary program. He said an initial calculation projects Nova Scotia would receive around $100million over the next five years.

"Iexpect that this budget will pass, hopefully, and we'll be able to leverage this opportunity and we'll finally have universal child care," said Rankin.

"[In the] last budget, we lowered our cost per childcare to $25 per day and now with this assistance we'll be considering what more we can do."

In Quebec, the province already operates a child care system where parents pay a flat fee of $8.35 per day. The budget said the Quebec system would be a model for a national system, and that the federal government would look to reach an agreement with the province to further improve its system.

The Liberals hope to build on previous child care funding deals, signed four years ago, that broadly outlined how spending tied to the Trudeau government's first foray into daycare needed to be used.

Those deals committed thefederal governmentto spending$7.5 billion over11 years to create or maintain 40,000 child carespaces.Freeland's first budget doesn't say how many spaces the new federalpledge would create, nor does itestimate how many spaces might move from home-based or private care to non-profit settings.

Expanding spaces needs to go hand-in-hand with fee reductions, said David Macdonald, senior economist with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

"There are not specific targets on the number of child care spaces created. Hopefully, there will be soon," he said.

"That's a big part of a national childcare plan, particularly if your goal is to reduce fees."

The budget's child care spending pledge would see the government increase funding over time before matching provincial spending on child care.

Provinces aren't being asked to match costs over the ramp-up period, assuming they sign on to five-year funding agreements starting this fall, said economist Armine Yalnizyan.

"I'm very hopeful that for the first time with political will, as well as moneyand ambition at the table, we are going to get to where we need to go," said Yalnizyan, who sits on Freeland's task force on women in the economy.

"The only hiccup is going to be intransigent provinces."

Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Ahmed Hussen said the 2017 agreement and previous bilateral agreements on childcare between the federal and provincial governments provide a foundation for co-operation.

"This is a journey that we want to embark on together with provinces and territories,"Hussen said in an interview on CBC'sPower & Politics.

Hussen said the negotiations will determine how much money each province willcontribute to the system, and the design of the system in different regions.

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Rohail Hyatt issues one last clarification about what he means by ‘liberal’ – The Express Tribune

Posted: at 9:36 am

Ever since Rohail Hyatt revealed he will not be producing Coke Studio (CS), he has been notably spending a lot of his time of Twitter. And so, the founding member of Vital Signs has been in the crosshairs for commenting on various socio-political matters since becoming an avid tweep.

Earlier, Hyatt and singer-turned-politician Jawad Ahmad locked horns on the micro-blogging site after the prior claimed that Prime Minister Imran Khan's comments on the rise in sexual violence in the country had been misconstrued. Following this, the maestro's tongue-in-cheek take on the liberals opposing his arguments left many confused and some, disappointed. "Never thought I'd get the chance to say this, I live in the Islamic Republic of Liberals!" Hyatt had argued.

In response, Jami lamented, "You lost me, boss, you were my King all this time." But the filmmaker wasnt the only one. Hyatts mindless support for PM Khan was reason enough for many to give up on a childhood hero they once idealised.

Thus, taking to his favourite social media platform once again, Hyatt has provided his final take on the term liberal for those who are still wondering how a popular liberal like himself could make a mockery of his own.

Ever since my tweets about liberals, Ive been asked by a lot of people to provide clarity. Obviously, family and friends who know me, know that Im 'liberal' in my viewpoint so they are curious about why I might oppose the idea, Hyatt wrote. Im posting this clarification one last time so that I dont have to respond to everyone again and again, he added.

The Aitebar hit maker then provided the literal definition of the term. The word liberalism means: willingness to respect or accept behaviour or opinions different from one's own; openness to new ideas, noted Hyatt. He then asserted that one either practices this point of view or doesnt, but either case makes no difference to him. But by calling oneself liberal and then behaving the exact opposite to it gives the word the wrong meaning. Thats what I observe on Twitter.

Hyatt slammed pseudo-liberals for having zero tolerance towards any opinion other than their own, which contradicts the very ideology of liberalism. While real liberals just to distance themselves from this wrong version of liberalism are left to coin terms like 'centrist' or 'neutral' to define themselves, he said.

Meanwhile, the artist explained how that is precisely what extreme right-groups have done with religion, because of which, calling oneself religious is now misconstrued and equated to being an extremist, or someone with radical tendencies. The former Vital Signs founding member concluded, So from a 'true liberal' perspective, everyone has a right to be who they are and express themselves as they like, even the extremists. But a few shouldn't hijack the terms that the majority of us need to use for ourselves especially when theyre not going to practice what these terms really mean.

Hyatt also clarified that although he does not appreciate the need for labels since he considers them to be divisive. In a world that lacks the depth to understand without categorisation, associating oneself with a label one best identifies with is better than being labelled. I hope this helps clear any confusion. Peace!However, it is pertinent to mention here that Hyatts recent comments arent the only comments to have attracted the ire of Twitter previously.

Prior to this years Aurat March, while responding to a user who narrated how being cat-calling left her traumatised, Hyatt suggested that women need to have stronger nerves to endure such behaviour. The two then had a Twitter exchange which garnered divisive responses. Provided that the cat call was a prank, the music maestro had added, "Of course its natural to react but once one realises it was a prank, its important to quickly channel the fear out of the system. Laughter is often the best remedy."

A female user then schooled him saying, Harassment is unacceptable, prank or notdisappointed in your response Rohail sahab."

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The State Of Liberal Arts Education In India – Forbes India

Posted: at 9:36 am

At Ashoka University in Haryana, one can choose from 21 major and 18 minor coursesAcademician Pratap Bhanu Mehtas resignation from Haryana-based Ashoka University in March not only resulted in protests by students, but also put the spotlight on universities that offer them the option of getting a well-rounded and expansive intellectual grounding in all kinds of humanistic inquiryin the form of a liberal arts degree. Though specialised liberal arts colleges in India are still relatively youngmost of them were established only about a decade agothey are increasingly becoming popular and beginning to gain a wider student base.

Liberal arts courses are designed to introduce students to four areas of studyarts, humanities, natural and social sciencesand enable them to critically evaluate the environment around them. According to the draft National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 document, A liberal arts education enables one to truly develop both sides of the brainthe creative and analytical side.

How, not whatCourses under the umbrella of liberal arts are designed with a multi-faceted approach to challenge students understanding beyond their lived experiences. They are focussed on the how rather than on what.

Students are not taught what to think, but how to think, says Dishan Kamdar, vice chancellor of Pune-based Flame University. Such a learning system helps students develop abilities to connect the dots, hone a creative mindset, and inculcate skills to think out of the ordinary.

This has resulted in a majority of the graduates coming out of our education system not being employable as they lack the requisite skill sets for 21st century jobs, says professor Malabika Sarkar, vice chancellor, Ashoka University. Liberal arts focus on all-round development and in shaping students intellectual, aesthetic, social, physical and emotional capacities not only equips students for a career but also for life.

Every liberal arts college provides an opportunity to combine multiple academic interests into a single degree programme ranging from arts and performance, communication and design, to history, economics and even international relations.

At Ashoka University, a not-for-profit university and a philanthropic initiative that has raised over 1,100 crore in the past eight years through 119 individual and 27 corporate founders, students can choose from a range of 21 majors and 18 minors while making it mandatory to opt for two co-curricular courses.

Slow, steady growthIn the past few years, the awareness of liberal arts education has increased considerably, say academicians.

For instance, Bengaluru-based Azim Premji University, which began by offering two postgraduate programmes in 2011, currently operates 11 degree programmes and 30 short-term courses across the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Mumbai-based Jyoti Dalal School of Liberal Arts (JDSoLA), established in 2016, started with a batch of 60 students; today it has 120.

Shivali Padmanabh, 25, who completed her liberal arts undergraduate course in 2017 from Pandit Deendayal Energy University, Gujarat, recalls it was a new concept when she signed up for it. When I was looking for options for my undergraduate degree, I was looking for a holistic approach over any specialised degree. Liberal arts back then was a rather new concept, she says, adding that since her graduation she has noticed a considerable increase in the number of students per batch in her university.

Applications have grown manifold in the last few years, with higher growth seen from international boards and from students who have taken international entrance tests like the SAT or ACT, says Kamdar of Flame University, a private philanthropic initiative that receives funding through grants. Our incoming class has more than doubled in the last few years.

One of the factors behind the growing popularity, say experts, may have to do with the faculty chosen. At JDSoLA, candidates need to have a PhD or an MA and six to seven years of industry experience in the specialised area. Selection is done after several rounds of rigorous interviews, and once selected, they go through intensive training, informs Dr Vaze.

At Azim Premji University, says the registrar Manoj P, We look for deep and sound disciplinary expertise. After multiple rounds of interactions, including campus visits, the facultys abilities are also gauged on the basis of their display of passion for teaching, and more importantly, an openness to engage with a learning community beyond their disciplinary boundaries.

Another factor that might have worked in favour of these universities is that they are increasingly opting for foreign collaborations to stay true to their idea of exposure. Many foreign universitiesfrom the best in business schools to Ivy League Universitieshave signed MoUs with universities like Ashoka, Azim Premji, and NMIMS in India, which ensure that international professors visit these universities for classes/sessions. Some of them also offer exchange programmes.

However, one of the biggest concerns about liberal arts education is about its future prospects, meaning how and what the degree could lead to, especially because these three- to four-year courses can cost anywhere between 4 lakh and 10 lakh a year.

Dr Neeti Sethi, Chair programmes, and professor of liberal arts courses at Thapar School of Liberal Arts and Sciences, in Patiala, Punjab, points out that while the purpose of liberal arts education is much beyond just securing a job, getting a job is not something that can be completely ignored since many students might have educational loans to pay off.

Besides, parents still struggle to fit such courses in the ideal educational path they imagine for their children. There is a lot of interest for such courses in India but that comes mostly from students, not parents. People from my generation rarely understand the significance of liberal arts, adds Sethi. This, she says, might also have to do with the limited number of degree options while growing up.

But all this seems to be changing. A 2017 Dell Technologies report predicted that 85 percent of the jobs of 2030 have not been invented yet. In this context, liberal arts universities believe that the jobs of the 21st century will require a capacity to think critically, read discerningly, write persuasively, and be conscious of the impact of ones actions on society and environment.

In my experience of studying higher education trends, Ive seen that liberal arts courses are still misconstrued as not an equivalent of their mainstream counterparts. Majorly so because of the narrative of securing a decent job as the outcome of enrolling in a degree. This is slowly changing as students focus on education more than the need of securing a job, says Akshay Chaturvedi, founder and CEO, Leverage Edu, a higher education and career guidance platform.

Harshali Padmanabh, who is pursuing arts and business from the University of Waterloo, Canada, says the reason behind opting for liberal arts was the exposure to a wide array of subjects. I did not know what I wanted to get out of the degree back then, but I knew I wanted to acquaint myself to newer ideas for which the degree seemed ideal, she says. Employment is a secondary consideration. When you want to learn life skills, charting out a unique path becomes the focus.

Chaturvedi adds that though its still an urban concept, over the last three to five years such courses are being increasingly opted for by people from Tier II and Tier III cities as well, indicating the rising awareness about its significance.

Global vs local Despite the efforts taken to put Indias liberal arts universities on the global map, they have failed to grab a spot even in the top 100 over the years. The reasons might be many, say academicians.

Universities should focus on providing quality education and their interests should be towards the concerns of the students more than those of their investors, says Balveer Arora, chairman, Centre for Multilevel Federalism, Institute of Social Sciences, New Delhi.

We received applications that exceeded the size of the current batch by more than 10 times, a clear indication of the rising demand for liberal arts education. Dr Achyut Vaze, dean, Jyoti Dalal School of Liberal Arts

Elucidating what the Indian education landscape has to offer, Vaze says a local perspective will further develop the creative thinking, innovation, and problem-solving abilities of students. India has a rich cultural heritage, thriving schools of philosophies and ideologies, and a vibrant political and social life. It provides a unique, multi-dimensional, and highly specialised foundation for an education in liberal arts, giving an edge to Indian colleges that cannot be replicated abroad, he says.

Another aspect that Indian universities still lack in comparison to the ones abroad is the focus on admitting students from diverse backgrounds to enable the exchange of different viewpoints. In India, such programmes must become truly inclusive. If the student body does not truly reflect India, and somehow becomes an island of privilege, it would not serve its intended purpose, says Manoj P.

(This story appears in the 23 April, 2021 issue of Forbes India. You can buy our tablet version from Magzter.com. To visit our Archives, click here.)

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Liberals promise $30B over 5 years to create national child-care system – CBC.ca

Posted: at 9:36 am

After decades of broken promises and half measures on child care, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland announced today the federal government will invest roughly $30 billion over five years to help offset the cost of early learning and child care services.

This federal investment the single largest line item in the massive 739-page budget document tabled today is designed to significantly reduce what parents pay for care in the coming years. The government's stated goal is to make life more affordable and to drive economic growth by drawing more women into the workforce.

The federal government estimates the COVID-19 pandemic has driven at least 16,000 women out of the job market altogether, while the male labour force has grown by 91,000 over the same period.

Another recent analysis by RBC found that almost half a million Canadian women who lost their jobs during the pandemic still hadn't returned to work as of January. Employment among women in Canada who earned less than $800 a week has fallen almost 30 per cent, the bank reported.

Freeland said this child care investment will help counter some of the gender disparities fuelled by the pandemic crisis.

Freeland said that, as result of the new spending, the next 18 months could see a reduction of up to 50 per cent in the average child care fees paid by parents. With child care expenses running nearly as high as rent or mortgage payments in some cities, the household savings could be significant.

But to get average fees down to that lower level, the provinces and territories would have to kick in more funding as well. The promise of additional federal money could be used as a bargaining chip to convince provinces and territories to boost their own spending in this area.

Freeland said such an affordable child care system could increase the overall size ofthe economy as measured by the gross domestic product (GDP) by some 1.2 per cent.

"It's expensive, but it's an investment worth making," shesaid.

Of the $30 billion promised today, $27.2 billion will be used to "bring the federal government to a 50/50 share of child care costs with provincial and territorial governments," says the budget document.

The government's stated goal is to drive down child-minding costs within five years to just $10 a day per child, nationwide significantly less than what most working parents pay now in all jurisdictions outside Quebec.

The budget earmarks another $2.5 billion for the Indigenous early learning and child care system to create new spaces, to build or renovate existing centres and to support after-school care programs on-reserve.

The budget also sets aside money to make over 400 existing child care centres nationwide more accessible for children with disabilities.

After that initial $30 billion has been spent, the government says it will allocate $8.3billion a year in new program spending nearly eight times more than what the federal government spent on child care last year to make child care a permanent fixture of the country's social safety net.

That money is to be used to lower costs, create new spaces and hire more early childhood educators to bolster the quality of care in years to come.

Citing research compiled by TD Economics about Quebec's existing child care regime, Freeland said such a national child care system could eventually generate more in economic returns than what it costs the federal government.

In Quebec, where parents already pay less than $10 a day for care, the TD study suggests that for every dollar invested in child care, between $1.50 and $2.80"comes back to the broader economy."

Before the implementation of the Quebec Educational Childcare Act in 1997, the labour force participation rate for women in Quebec was four percentage points lower than in the rest of Canada.

Today, that rate is four points higher than the Canadian average. Quebec women now have some of the highest employment rates in the world, Freeland said.

A senior government official, speaking on a not-for-attribution basis during a technical briefing for reporters, said Quebec would see some of the $30 billion in child care spending but the details of that "asymmetrical agreement" will be worked out at a later date.

In her budget speech in the House of Commons, Freeland said she was determined to build this nationwide "social infrastructure" after previous attempts failed.

"I make this promise to Canadians today, speaking as your finance minister and as a working mother we will get it done," she said.

"COVID has brutally exposed something women have long known: Without childcare, parents usually mothers can't work."

Freeland said the child care program will not materialize overnight. Ottawa will have to negotiate the program with the provinces and territories because child care is principally a provincial responsibility.

"This is not an effort that will deliver instant gratification. We are building something that, of necessity, must be constructed collaboratively, and for the long-term. But I have confidence in us," Freeland said.

The Liberal plan got a thumbs-upfrom child care advocates Monday, with the Canadian Child Care Federation praising the government's "incredible leadership" on a long-promised program.

"Importantly, this is not just about spaces, but a historic investment in building a system, which will include Canada's early childhood education workforce. It will take timebut we are ready to start moving forward for all," the federation said in a statement.

Child Care Now, a national advocacy group, called the $30billionplan "historic" anda"turning point" because it will create accessible and affordable care by capping the amountparents pay.

WATCH | Working parents say national child-care plan could be life changing:

"Provincial and territorial governments will be hard pressed to turn away, especially given that each has stated repeatedly through the pandemic that child care is essential to their own economies," saidMorna Ballantyne, the group's executive director.

Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole, meanwhile,signalled his party would oppose the child careinitiative.

"This is one area where we'll be proposing amendments and ever better policies," he said."I'd prefer letting parents be in the driver's seat and giving options to all Canadianfamilies.

"Canadians deserved better than an election-style budget when we're in a pandemic."

In 2006, former prime minister Stephen Harper tore up a previous funding agreement for a national child care system,opting instead to send cheques to parents with young children.

"This is dj vu," O'Toole said, adding child care is a provincialresponsibility and premiers should take the lead. "The Liberals have promised this three times before and did they consult before making it a fourth time?"

Cardus, a faith-based think tank, offered a similar criticism, saying this sort program will unfairly punish parents who care for their own children.

"Supporting parents directly is the equitable way to help all families, regardless of the type of care arrangement they use," said Andrea Mrozek, a senior fellow with the group. "The proposed plan devalues the work parents and other caregiversdo outside of an institutional setting."

At successive Liberal Party policy conventions, delegates have endorsed child care measures.

But at the party convention earlier this month, members signalled their top priority was some sort of national pharmacare plan to help Canadians pay for prescription drugs.

There are no new spending commitments for pharmacare in this budget. Instead, the government commits to "moving forward" on such a plan and working with the provinces, territories and other stakeholders "to build on the foundational elements that are already in progress, like the national strategy on high-cost drugs for rare diseases, toward the goal of a universal national program."

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said the Liberal budget "let the ultra-rich off the hook" by failing to levy a wealth tax that could have helped tofund new programs like pharmacare. He said he doesn't trust Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to keep his promises.

"Pharmacare was something he campaigned on it was in the throne speech and now his budget has completely abandoned it. What's to say he won't do the same with child care?" Singh said. "They're breaking their commitment and their confidence with Canadians, and they'll have to pay a price."

But Singh said there's "no way" his party would trigger a mid-pandemicelectionby voting against this budget in the Commons.

The pandemic has killed thousands of seniors in this country, including many in long term care homes. A recent report from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) found 14,000 long term care residents have died of COVID-19 in this country to date, representing 69 per cent of all COVID-related deaths in Canada significantly higher than the international average of 41 per cent.

Many have called for reforms to the way long term care functions in Canada to avoid future tragedies. Today, Freeland promised $3 billion in new spending over five years to help the provinces and territories implement new standards of care in these homes.

The Heath Standards Organization and Canadian Standards Association are now drafting new national guidelines for long term care homes. The new money announced today is meant to ensure those "permanent changes are made," Freeland said.

"We have tragically failed so many of those living in long term care facilities," she added. "To them, and to their families, let me say this I am so sorry. We owe you so much better than this. As a country, we must fix what is so clearly and utterly broken."

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Conservative MP says budget needs job creation, while former Liberal candidate pleased with document – battlefordsNOW

Posted: at 9:36 am

Falk said its good to see the government is extending the COVID-19 relief aid for those affected with job losses, but she is disappointed there doesnt appear to be a plan for more economic opportunities for Canadian families.

Many workers have had their wages cut and hours slashed because economies arent open yet, she said, but there isnt a plan for that.

This is the first [budget] for two years, right, so that makes it a little more difficult maybe for the government, she said. But were getting a little bit better of a financial snapshot of where Canada is at.

Larry Ingram of Turtleford, the former federal Liberal candidate for the BattlefordsLloydminster, said he is in favour of the budget.

Im looking at the budget to some degree now and thinking that its a good budget, he told battlefordsNOW. I think that if the Opposition Party supports it, then we will be in a good position. I honestly believe that the federal Liberals have done a really good job with the COVID-19, keeping it under control as much as possible.

As far as support for agriculture in concerned, Ingram says that also requires more response on the provincial levels for risk management program upgrades.

Im an hour out of North Battleford and the things Ive been asked about over the last while have been more related to packages like the AgriStability, which the federal government has proposed to the provincial governments, that they go and do their share of the funding. The provincial governments havent been doing that yet, he said. So that is one of the things that has been more clear to me. You cant blame the federal government for it not coming out yet.

Looking at economic opportunities in the federal budget, Ingram said he believes there is significant job creation right now.

Especially as we move into the Green Energy , he said. There are a lot of jobs going to be in that, as people decide its time we went there and start getting involved in the supporting of it. There will be a lot of jobs manufacturing and actually just repurposing a lot of the vehicles and the equipment to electric.

On the governments high debt load and current financial situation, Ingram said the country couldnt have been able to get through this pandemic as well as it did without the federal Liberal party being in charge in Ottawa, responding to the nations needs.

Everybody is pretty well aware of that we have been able to control the pandemic quite a bit because of the federal Liberal party, he said. So Im quite happy with what this budget is coming out with. I look at it, and Im supporting it.

angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW

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Freeland delivered an election budget, Liberal and Conservative MPs agree – CBC.ca

Posted: at 9:36 am

Liberal MP Sean Casey and Conservative MP Rob Moore agree Monday's federal budget was an election budget, but they do not agree on the implications of that.

Casey, the MP for Charlottetown, did not hesitate to label Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland's plan an election budget, saying he fully expects an election in the fall because the behaviour of the opposition will make an election necessary.

"When you look at the obstructionist tactics that are being used by the opposition to thwart the government's agenda from going forward, and when you look at this budget, in my view it's quite clearly an election budget," he said.

While it is a budget Casey would be happy to campaign on, Moore, the MP for Fundy-Royal in New Brunswick, who has Conservative caucus responsibility for P.E.I., characterized it in a different way.

"This is a budget that is all about an election and not about actual results," said Moore.

Moore expressed concern about the money set aside to support the tourism industry, which is perhaps the hardest hit sector in the COVID-19 pandemic. That support tapers off through the summer and into the fall.

"Whether you're talking about the tourism sector or small business, people are in need of help in Atlantic Canada right now," he said.

"Some of the funding for the tourism sector is earmarked for next year, when I know that the many tourism operators in my riding, they need help this year."

Casey said there is no need for alarm.

"It isn't a concern at all. The prime minister has been clear from the get go that we will be there for as long as it takes. So, although the plan is to scale these measures back, if they need to be increased they will be," he said.

"The plan laid out in the budget anticipates that the vaccines will catch up to the variants, that the economy will start to come back."

Moore also attacked the lack of focus on health care during the pandemic.

"There's nothing in it about health care. Our health-care systems are strained to the max right now," he said.

"The premiers were calling for help in that regard. Instead, we see this new program about child care that's going to cost $30 billion."

Moore said the child care program is set out as something that will be developed over the coming years, and expressed doubts about whether it would actually happen, saying the Liberals have promised national child care programs before.

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Daily Archives: April 21, 2021

What Earth was like last time CO2 levels were this high – Mashable SE Asia

Bising weakens further as it moves slowly over PH sea – ABS-CBN News

Science Cooperation with the Snow Dragon: Can the US and China work together on the Arctic Climate Crisis? – The Arctic Institute

Trudeau says Liberal budget is not a launch pad for a federal election – Yahoo Canada Finance

Some provinces not ready to embrace Liberal pledge to build a national child care system – CBC.ca

Rohail Hyatt issues one last clarification about what he means by ‘liberal’ – The Express Tribune

The State Of Liberal Arts Education In India – Forbes India

Liberals promise $30B over 5 years to create national child-care system – CBC.ca

Conservative MP says budget needs job creation, while former Liberal candidate pleased with document – battlefordsNOW

Freeland delivered an election budget, Liberal and Conservative MPs agree – CBC.ca

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