Category Archives: Resource Based Economy

STAMFORD, Conn., Oct. 24, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Information Services Group (ISG) (Nasdaq: III), a leading global technology research and advisory firm, will discuss specific steps enterprises should take to optimize and digitize their supply chain management in a live webinar today hosted by HERE Technologies.

Ron Exler, principal analyst for ISG Research, will be a featured speaker in "The Role of Location Intelligence in Supply Chain Transformation," at 12 noon, U.S. Eastern Time. Exler will explore how a digital backbone, digital ecosystem and business model innovation will help supply chain managers improve asset utilization and customer satisfaction, lower operational costs and unlock new revenue streams.

"Self-driving and electric vehicles and commercial drones are poised to disrupt the shipping industry, but transportation infrastructure remains underfunded and fragile in many locations," Exler said. "I look forward to a productive discussion on the digital capabilities supply chain managers need to succeed in an environment where labor disputes, talent shortages, local regulations, environmental concerns and ongoing trade wars challenge the ability to deliver as customers expect."

Exler noted that enterprise resource and supply chain management systems are often complex, poorly integrated and unable to share data in real time. To overcome these restrictions, enterprises need a change in both "thinking" and "doing," and should pursue digital transformation following the outline of the ISG Digital Cube, a virtual, interactive model that outlines the six enterprise capabilities required for digital transformation: Digital Backbone; Emerging Technologies at Scale; Enterprise Agility; Digital Ecosystems; Insights, and Business Model Innovation.

"Location Intelligence plays a central role in all six domains of an enterprise's digital transformation, and ISG expects a growing number of supply chain logistics managers to embrace digital transformation to increase asset visibility, lower costs and improve services," he said. "The first three areas they should explore are their digital backbone, their digital ecosystem, and their potential for business model innovation."

Exler said improving the efficiencies of complex supply chains requires a digital backbone of accurate location information pulled from multiple sources, with real-time, end-to-end tracking and monitoring of assets. To implement the right tracking technologies, logistics managers need a digital ecosystem of partners, suppliers and customers to enable their organization to rapidly leverage market innovation at scale. And by innovating their enterprise business model, they can generate new revenue streams and stay relevant and competitive in the digital economy.

HERE, the Open Location Platform company, enables people, enterprises and cities to harness the power of location. In today's webinar, HERE will share use case examples of how its digital solutions fit the ISG Digital Capability Model and help supply chain logistics managers.

About ISGISG (Information Services Group) (Nasdaq: III) is a leading global technology research and advisory firm. A trusted business partner to more than 700 clients, including more than 70 of the top 100 enterprises in the world, ISG is committed to helping corporations, public sector organizations, and service and technology providers achieve operational excellence and faster growth. The firm specializes in digital transformation services, including automation, cloud and data analytics; sourcing advisory; managed governance and risk services; network carrier services; strategy and operations design; change management; market intelligence and technology research and analysis. Founded in 2006, and based in Stamford, Conn., ISG employs more than 1,300 digital-ready professionals operating in more than 20 countriesa global team known for its innovative thinking, market influence, deep industry and technology expertise, and world-class research and analytical capabilities based on the industry's most comprehensive marketplace data. For more information, visit http://www.isg-one.com.

SOURCE Information Services Group, Inc.

http://www.isg-one.com

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ISG to Explore Digital Transformation for Supply Chain Management in HERE Technologies Webinar - PRNewswire

With sustainability high on the water industry's agenda, maximising resource recovery from wastewater is becoming increasingly important. As part of our Utility of the Future campaign, we look at the challenges and innovations that could impact the industry as it harnesses the potential value of wastewater. Nadine Buddoo reports.

Severn Trent has recently opened a new multi-million pound demonstration test-bed site at Spernal STW in Redditch and will be using this to validate technologies and flowsheets that can be used to upgrade its wastewater treatment works to resource recovery factories.The test-bed offers the opportunity to evaluate energy neutral wastewater treatment and to recover valuable materials contained in wastewater.Energy neutral sewage treatmentThe initial focus of the trial programme will be on low energy treatment consisting of enhanced primary treatment and mainstream anaerobic treatment.An enhanced primary treatment stage removes more suspended solids and more organic load than conventional primary settlement tanks.This directs more of the organic load to the energy generating anaerobic sludge digesters and less to the energy consuming wastewater secondary treatment process.

Severn Trent has been developing the anaerobic technology over the last 10 years with one of its research partners, Cranfield University. Anaerobic treatment is already successfully used in warm countries like Brazil, but recent research breakthroughs with anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBRs) have developed a process capable of efficient treatment in temperate climates like the UKs. In 2020 the company plans to commission the largest demonstration scale AnMBR system in Europe, capable of treating up to 500m3/d.The AnMBR will degrade the organic material in sewage without the need for air and in doing so will produce methane that can generate renewable electricity.Nutrient recoveryIn most of Severn Trents wastewater treatment plants the company also removes nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus to protect the streams and rivers it discharges into.Nutrients, however, are an essential resource, they are a component of all living cells and without them it is impossible to grow crops, fruit or vegetables.Nitrogen fertilisers are manufactured by the energy intensive Haber-Bosch process which chemically converts nitrogen from the air to ammonia.Phosphorus is a non-renewable, finite resource that is mined and incorporated into fertilisers.Consequently, the Earths phosphate rock reserves are becoming rapidly depleted.There is a compelling argument, therefore, to recover both nitrogen and phosphorus from sewage.

Severn Trent already has a full-scale plant that recovers phosphorus in the form of struvite (magnesium ammonium phosphate) at its Nottingham sewage treatment works.Mainstream anaerobic treatment will not remove nitrogen and phosphorus from the sewage, which in the context of nutrient recovery is yet a further advantage. The effluent from an AnMBR will be relatively rich in nitrogen and phosphorus, but crucially it is free from solids and hence very suitable for adsorption and ion exchange based nutrient recovery technologies that the company will also evaluate at Spernal.These technologies, developed by Cranfield University, use a media mesolite for ammonia recovery and an iron nano-particle embedded ion exchange bead for phosphorus recovery.Future opportunitiesThis work in developing resource recovery from sewage has been strongly supported by the companys involvement in a number of EU research projects.The EUs Horizon 2020 Innovation Fund has provided approximately 450,000 worth of funding for the AnMBR demonstration plant through the NextGen project.This European consortium, consisting of over 30 world-leading partners from across the EU, is setting out a four-year programme to evaluate and champion circular economy solutions and systems in the water sector.

Global demand for energy and water is expected to increase by 40 per cent and 50 per cent respectively by 2030, according to the United Nations. As this demand soars, optimising wastewater management processes could unlock solutions to some of societys biggest sustainability challenges, from food production to renewable energy.

In January 2018, the UK government published its 25 Year Environment Plan which sets out plans to improve the environment within a generation. As part of this ambitious strategy to improve the UKs air and water quality, a key target is minimising waste and championing the reuse of materials to reduce the impact on the environment.

Work is already underway as the government aims to reach zero avoidable waste by 2050 and water companies must play a vital role in reducing waste and delivering a sustainable water system for the future.

UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR) is currently leading the development of the water research agenda by defining a strategic research programme to address the key sustainability issues facing the industry. From a growing population and changing climate, to extensive market reform and evolving customer expectations, the challenges for the water industry are myriad and complex.To ensure the industrys response to these key issues is informed by comprehensive research, UKWIR has developed 12 Big Questions that seek to shape the blueprint for a more sustainable future.One big question is how the industry can maximise recovery of useful resources and achieve zero waste by 2050. Recovering valuable resources from water and wastewater is becoming particularly crucial as the industry recognises that the traditional linear economic model of take, make, use throw is simply unsustainable.

Recovery from wastewater is becoming increasingly important because we need to move from a linear to a circular economy in a world of depleted resources, explains Alison Fergusson, associate director at Ofwat. For example, the use of materials like phosphorus which is essential for food production and yet our source for it is a finite and limited mineral.

Traditional wastewater treatment methods call for the removal of phosphorus, resulting in increased use of chemicals like iron salts. But the finite nature of phosphorous, for example, makes a compelling case for resource recovery, instead of removing it and treating it as waste.

Peter Vale, technical innovation lead in Severn Trents environmental R&D team, agrees that the water industry can play an important role in an emerging circular economy (re-use, remanufacture, repair, recycle) where there is more focus on recovery and regeneration. We receive huge amounts of waste water that is full of potentially valuable materials that can be recovered and regenerated, for example nutrients, cellulose, bio-plastics and perhaps in the future higher value materials such as proteins and enzymes, he says.We can potentially use some of these materials ourselves or sell them on to be made into value-added products.

According to Vale, Severn Trent has advanced plans to be at the forefront of the emerging circular economy through recovering materials, energy and clean water from the wastewater it treats. By reducing the amount of resources we need to effectively treat sewage, we can also keep customers bills low, he adds.

Key challengesWhile the benefits of wastewater recovery are clear, the route forward is a challenging prospect. The key challenge facing the water industry is getting the right balance between investment, implementation of changes on complex infrastructure, and delivering real efficiency and cost benefits for the future, says Tony McKenna, head of business development and optimisation services, Veolia. Veolia Optimisation Services aims to help clients tackle these challenges by reducing operational costs of wastewater plans. The companys approach to water and wastewater management involves working directly with existing operations to implement and sustain new operating regimes, while benchmarking against global asset performance.

Outcomes include energy efficiency, reduced chemical usage, reduced carbon footprint, improved resilience, reduced capital maintenance spend and a set of optimised business processes and associated operating philosophy, says McKenna.

Vale agrees there are complex challenges ahead for water companies, but believes the major obstacles are more around regulation and public perception rather than operational concerns. In order for an investment in resource recovery technology to be viable we need to achieve a reasonable price for the recovered material we generate, this is unlikely if it is still perceived as a waste product.Gaining end of waste status for recovered materials will be an important component of this, he says.

Customers are often resistant to the prospect of wastewater recovery, primarily due to a lack of awareness and concerns over the re-use of waste products. While more research is undoubtedly required to improve public perception, Vale does not see this as an insurmountable hurdle. I think there is an opportunity to tap into the increasing public demand for sustainable products, he explains. It may be that in the same way as organic food the public will be prepared to pay a premium for sustainable recovered materials and this will make the financial case for investing in resource recovery more compelling.

As further research will be critical to help move the industry forward, UKWIR is hopeful that its programme around maximising recovery of useful resources and achieving zero waste will provide some much-needed clarity, particularly around the value of waste and its economic viability.

There is huge potential to remove valuable resources from water and wastewater, but we really need to understand the whole cycle and getto the heart of the most efficient and economically viable point of recovery, insists Steve Kaye, chief executive, UKWIR.

The research programme will involve a series of projects on issues such as improving resource recovery efficiencies, while ensuring these practices arecommonplaceand championed across the industry.Over the course of the next year, the UKWIR team will be inviting universities, consultants and other key stakeholders to get involved and help deliver these research projects. It is this type of industry-wide collaboration that will be vital to help drive innovation and maximise resource recovery from the creation and operation of valuable assets.

Promoting innovation Currently, the value of recovered materials is not overtly taken into account in how Ofwat carries out its economic regulatory duties, but the regulator is encouraging water companies to find innovative ways to improve their processes and efficiency through its comparative benchmarking regulation. If net costs can be reduced through additional income from sale of recovered materials then companies can reap the benefits of improved efficiency, says Fergusson.

The regulator has been consulting on ways to improve the uptake of innovation and hopes to see a transformational change in how innovation is tested and successful innovations are adopted across the water sector. We hope that encouraging a transformation in innovation will ensure that resource recovery gets a seat at the table and we can forge a way to meet zero waste by 2050, adds Fergusson.

For Severn Trent, collaborating with academia and other stakeholders is key to driving innovation in this area. As well as working with Cranfield University to develop anaerobic technology [see case study], the company is also collaborating on a new development with Coventry University that will produce hydrogen from waste materials using renewable energy produced at its sites.

Looking aheadThe future sustainability of the water industry is heavily dependent on the way wastewater is managed. But shifting towards a more circular approach is about more than just delivering an alternative source of clean water to meet rising demand. Wastewater is a largely untapped resource, with the potential to have wide-ranging impact in areas such as energy production, agriculture and industrial development.

With the emergence of new technologies, increased collaboration will be key for the industry as it forges ahead into a new era of wastewater management. Working closely with research partners to harness the potential value of wastewater, while engaging with communities, could help secure the sustainability of the water system to 2050 and beyond.

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Wastewater: Seizing the opportunity - WWTonline

Drilling rig operator Cornelius Malebye samples groundwater emerging from the 356m-deep H8A12 well drilled in the utility section of the Steenbras Nature Reserve. (Photo: John Yeld / Groundup)

Another hydrological year (October September) has passed, marking the fifth straight year of below-average rainfall. The relatively drier months of August and September dropped South Africa below average for the year. My records show a rainfall of 702mm, against an average of 788mm. Collectively, we are now less concerned than in previous years as the main dams feeding Cape Town are at a more healthy 80%. As a result, we can face the coming summer with some confidence.

While Capetonians deserve a pat on the back for their extraordinary water savings the key reason we got through the drought it is also a time to reflect on those aspects we got right and those aspects we got wrong. Some of us will remember the City of Cape Towns plan to produce 500ML/day of new water through the introduction of desalination, recycled water and groundwater. The production of 20ML/d of new water from a couple of small desalination plants and rejuvenation of the Atlantis Aquifer water supply scheme points to their plan being greatly flawed from both a volume and timing perspective.

There is no doubt the officials dealing with the crisis were under a huge amount of pressure at the time, but some robust introspection now that the dams are fuller could help us do better next time. And make no mistake there will be a next time. Our provincial neighbours to the north and east are currently dealing with the same drought issues and, based on our experiences, we should be able to offer them some wise counsel.

The agricultural sector in the Western Cape was one of the real casualties of the drought. While many of us only really suffered the indignation of not smelling as fresh as we wanted or dealt with toilets that didnt have our sanitary stamp of approval, it was estimated in July 2018 that more than 30,000 farmworkers lost their jobs a devastating impact to them, their dependants and the economy. The drought cost the economy of the Western Cape R5.9-billion.

It was while wondering what remedial measures were being put in place to help the agricultural sector and those that had suffered direct economic hardship that a really interesting scientific paper crossed my desk.

It was prepared by friend and colleague Dr Jude Cobbing together with Bradley Hiller and was titled Waking a sleeping giant: Realising the potential of groundwater in Sub-Saharan Africa. Cobbing now finds himself temporarily in Washington, but remains a Grahamstown boy at heart.

Initial geological training was superseded by a focus on hydrogeology and a career that has seen him work in the groundwater arena in many far-off places, and with some well-respected hydrogeologists. It is probably this more worldly and unconstrained view that allowed Cobbing to consider the future role of groundwater in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Reading scientific articles can be a chore, but this one piqued my interest on a couple of fronts.

Using large-scale estimates argued by some to be of little value Cobbing and Hiller contend that SSA uses a small amount of its available groundwater resource, only 5%. They state that only seven out of 43 SSA countries use more than 10% of their estimated renewable groundwater resource, of which South Africa is one. Accepting that these estimates are ballpark at best, they nonetheless indicate that there is scope for greater groundwater use.

In contrast, groundwater is overused in places like California and India with concomitant declining groundwater levels, deteriorating quality, subsidence and the like. However, it is unreasonable and illogical that we concern ourselves with the problems experienced elsewhere, but which are not applicable here. The general absence of scientifically documented negative impacts resulting from groundwater abstraction in South Africa supports this. Not for one minute am I advocating that we disregard potential impacts associated with over-abstraction, but rather we need to retain context and perspective based on experience and observation.

Cobbing and Hiller then argue that the under-used renewable resource needs to be viewed in light of the pressing problems of the region, namely the need for job creation, economic development and water scarcity manifested in 315-million people in SSA remaining without access to improved drinking water, endemic food insecurity, low levels of irrigated agriculture and recurrent drought events. Instead of focusing on conservation and remediation as is done in the US, SE Asia and China in response to groundwater use being at or over the limits of the resource we need to be using groundwater beneficially and sustainably to overcome our own pressing challenges.

Groundwater is used to supply 350 towns and villages in South Africa with water either independently or in conjunction with surface supplies. This is achieved with varying degrees of success, but often without informed management. The empty dam at Beaufort West became the poster for the drought in the Western Cape, yet 90% of the towns water supply comes from boreholes. The real issue in Beaufort West is that about half of abstracted water is unaccounted for, ie no one knows where it goes. Crazy, but let me not digress.

What really got me excited about the Cobbing and Hiller paper was their contention that under-utilised groundwater married with new technologies like solar power could play a major role in combating poverty and improving food and water security. In addition to shifting the focus away from the potential negative impacts of using groundwater, political, economic and administrative barriers will have to be overcome. This can be done with good leadership and money.

But how exciting would it be to develop local groundwater resources abstracted using solar-driven borehole pumps to supply water to villages and for small-scale irrigation? And all to the benefit of those South Africans who battle to feed themselves and their families.

Outside of the major metropolitan areas, a large part of the South African population resides in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal stretching from Port Elizabeth all the way up the eastern seaboard. The groundwater resources of the region vary, but are more than adequate to supply small villages and irrigate small plots.

Groundwater is a local resource driven by local geology, and well-suited to supplying water to remote and dispersed areas. It is generally resilient to drought and can be developed incrementally, avoiding large capital expenditure from the outset.

A national programme is required to develop the skills needed to site, drill, test and equip boreholes. Without trying to offend my younger colleagues, hydrogeologists need to have a strong grounding in geology and they need to get into the field kicking rocks is what we do. If our universities and technikons are going to produce young people with the requisite skills, there has to be a job market ready to employ them, but I will get to that.

It is also central that appropriate technology be used. We need to move away from high-tech stuff rather focusing on robust, durable equipment readily serviceable on-site. The selfsame Jude Cobbing has been telling us for years that O&M is the kicker operation and maintenance. To be successful, this programme has to train men and women from the benefiting communities to operate and maintain the pumps and associated infrastructure, another clear need in the education curriculum going forward.

If there is anything I have learnt in the past two years implementing drought-alleviation measures at key facilities across the Western Cape, it is that the development of the groundwater component is a small part of any water supply system. We are going to have to train engineers and technicians to design and implement groundwater schemes that take account of the peculiarities of the resource, the remote areas in which they will be working and the need for simple, robust infrastructure.

The notion of using groundwater to address poverty and hunger goes far beyond my area of expertise. As communities are able to feed themselves, and then produce excess food so too will a local economy develop. Trading in produce and other goods and services will grow, maybe to a point of trading with other villages or regions. Clearly we will need the input of sociologists, economists and the like to enhance the business end of things.

Is this naive thinking? Maybe. But it could work, given the right support and energy. We have a nation with many impoverished people about 40% according to Stats SA and we are not making much headway in improving their lot. With the unemployment rate just below 30%, the outlook is bleak.

As the groundwater community gathers for their biennial conference in Port Elizabeth this week, maybe this long-term opportunity should be put on the table. While the technical aspects are entirely feasible, a programme such as this requires significant backing both political and financial and over the long term. Our young graduates battle to find jobs, yet there is so much to do in this country. The Working for Water programme where the state employs individuals to achieve a goal might be a template to advance this idea.

However, we need to find a mechanism to wake the sleeping giant to trigger the change we so dearly need. DM

Dr Roger Parsons is a hydrogeologist with more than 30 years experience. He is the director of Parsons & Associates Specialist Groundwater Consultants and former provincial branch chair of the Ground Water Division. He writes this article in his private capacity.

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Drought-proofing South Africa: Groundwater is the way to go - Daily Maverick

In September, Skies held a roundtable discussion with four corporate aviation department managers and Anthony Norejko, president of the Canadian Business Aviation Association (CBAA).

This was different from past talks, where weve invited business aviation operators to speak on the record about their biggest operational concerns. Without exception, theyve historically shied away, citing a fear of attracting the wrong kind of attention.

This time, to encourage candid discussion, we offered them anonymity in a roundtable format of their peers. The result is a stark, honest assessment of the challenges and opportunities facing Canadian business aviation a traditionally reticent aviation sector that has always preferred to fly under the radar.

For contextual purposes, our four participants are spread across the country and each operates multiple twin-engine business jets in the super midsize category or above.

Generally speaking, the panels four participants are positive about the current state of business aviation in Canada.

With hours flown holding steady or even increasing, operators see a bright future, albeit one without massive growth.

We all want to be optimistic, said Operator B, a Western Canadian operator of two business jets that fly roughly 400 hours each per year. We trust there is a future in this business; we all pour a lot of time and effort into it to make business aviation a very productive and constructive component of not only our industry, but the economy overall.

While the use of a corporate aircraft has always ebbed and flowed according to business strategy, Norejko said the CBAA has recently noted an element of seeking new business and maintaining current business that bodes well for business aviation.

But all panel members cautioned that a sunny outlook for the sector depends largely on perception both internal and external.

Theres not a CFO [chief financial officer] in the world that doesnt look at corporate aviation and ask its value proposition, said B.

Operator C, who flies two jets based in Eastern Canada, agreed. In business aviation, its often about perception versus reality. And those perceptions and challenges come not just from the public but internally as well. We cant become siloed within our own companies; when a new CEO comes on board, you have to legitimize the operation to them all over again its a business tool.

Very quickly, executives come to realize the inherent benefits of business aviation.

I found that individuals who understand the value of time understand the value of a business aircraft security and safety, internal networking, commented Operator D, also based in the West. At the end of the day, they support the companys bottom line and growth. There is a huge value here and thats why most of the worlds large companies have corporate aircraft.

But while company executives soon come to realize that a business aircraft is essentially a time machine a tool, just like an iPhone, according to Norejko the general public is less easy to convince.

Although its been 11 years since the CEOs of Chrysler, Ford and GM flew in their business aircraft to Washington to request taxpayer bailouts, that single event in November 2008 set off a shockwave of anti-business aviation sentiment. While that tide has since been turned back through education campaigns run by associations like CBAA and U.S.-based National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), the public perception of business aviation remains skeptical and thats difficult to change.

I think were seeing a bit of an upward trend with bizav being more accepted. I think its improving, but there is a long way to go, commented D.

Its a challenge on a few different fronts. It is an industry that is often not understood and forgotten by many. The overall bigger perception of business aircraft is sometimes that they are toys for the wealthy. And [executives] dont want to open themselves up to that criticism, he continued.

While some business professionals might avoid discussing the company jet, research published by NBAA says they shouldnt.

Business aircraft users have a dominant presence on best of the best lists for the most innovative, most admired, best brands and best places to work, as well as dominate the lists of companies strongest in corporate governance and responsibility, revenue growth and market share, indicating that business aviation is the sign of a well-managed global company, according to the associations Business Aviation Fact Book.

There is definitely a case to be made for bizav, said Norejko.

Its clear, if you deploy this asset the right way, you get time, freedom, flexibility and efficiency, he said. We choose to pay for business tools and, in this case, you make the cost/benefit analysis, he explained.

According to the CBAAs 2017 economic impact report, Canadas 1,900 business aviation operations generate 23,000 jobs in Canada and are responsible for a $3.4 billion contribution to gross domestic product and $7.8 billion in economic output.

Skies asked the panel to discuss their three biggest operational challenges. In no time at all, a few common concerns emerged.

One is simply keeping pace with regulatory changes to ensure compliance.

The biggest challenge that is always on our minds is around changes in the regulatory environment, said A, an Ontario-based operator of two mid-size corporate jets. That always brings with it some angst. Well always figure it out and do what is required, but its commonplace that those changes are not necessarily put in the context of our world.

Operator D said its sometimes difficult to keep up with the sheer volume of regulations from different agencies.

Its never simple, he said. There isnt necessarily one place to go to get the information. You have to keep up with Transport Canada, the Canada Labour Code, and Occupational Health & Safety. Falling behind could result in a penalty. The CBAA is a big resource for an operator to tap into in that regard. But, at the end of the day, its the operators responsibility to make sure they follow through.

In general, operators feel business aviation is forced to adapt to regulations that are crafted with the airline sector in mind regulations that in most cases do not fit their unique operational realities.

We can talk about the new [CARS] 604 guidelines through to fatigue management; its a reflection of the regulators failure to understand and facilitate this sector, said A.

I have had conversations lately with people who interact with Transport Canada and the trajectory is not good, he continued. Its a regulator in decline and I dont think weve reached the bottom yet. [As a mature flight department,] I have very little interaction with Transport Canada and Im happy with my relationship with my POI [principal operations inspector]. But that isnt everyones experience.

Last year, C was seeking a special authorization from Transport Canada. While his contact at the agency was as helpful as possible, he had no corporate or airline experience to draw upon.

My experience is that Transport is very helpful. You get to know your local people, but they cant do everything, said C. Retirements are causing high turnovers. People are leaving to fly because the opportunity is there now. You can really see the lack of experience and manpower to turn around files.

B agreed, noting that the regulatory element can be tied back to the issue of perception and a general lack of understanding

We continue today to struggle in Canada with the public, regulator and airport authorities perception of business aviation, he said. We find ourselves constantly having to make our case for inclusion, to make sure we have the access that we need, and that regulations when introduced are not simply adopting an airline model to business aviation. We are constantly having to preserve our position in the industry. A lot of the challenges we face are embedded in that reality.

C pointed out that its not just domestic regulations that pose challenges.

I would say theres a fairly large percentage of corporate operators who operate across the Atlantic intermittently. It can be challenging because the EASA [European Union Aviation Safety Agency] regs continue to change. It takes an immense amount of flight preparation to head off any issues.

Despite these challenges, Norejko pointed out some positive progress with the regulator. He credited Transport Canada for working with CBAA on the request to delegate authority to the association to approve aircraft minimum equipment lists (MELs) for bizav operators.

Im cautiously optimistic, continued the CBAA president. If we look at the MEL experience as a toehold, we are hopeful . . . We are not asking to change the regulations or their oversight responsibility were simply asking them to delegate the subject matter experts, in direct contact with Transport Canada, the ability to get this work done.

Perhaps one of the biggest sore spots for operators is ensuring business aviation access to Canadas major airports, an issue that CBAA has been actively promoting for years.

If were talking about the use of an asset, in this case airports, its that you have a business model that fits around the airlines, said Norejko. But the thing that airports serve is Canadians and that includes businesses that fly in and out. We have to contend with a business model that is more favourable to the airlines.

The association has been making progress with the YYZ Airport Technical Working Group to ensure business aviation access to Toronto Pearson International, as well as with the Montreal airport operator, Aroports de Montral, among others.

While our panellists all appreciate the associations lobbying efforts, its clear this is a frustrating issue.

We could spend hours talking about Toronto and Montreal right now, which are trying to make it more complicated for us to access those airports, said A.

Operator C said access to Montreal is simply brutal. His operation runs a quasi-scheduled service to Montreal and has recently found those flights hampered by runway construction and restrictions to general aviation aircraft.

I dont believe we fall into that criteria, but as far as the airport authority is concerned, we do, said C. Weve had to adjust our schedule and will start operating from St. Hubert instead of Trudeau. Its a real inconvenience to our passengers.

Operator A is clearly frustrated with the situation.

If there is a limitation at an airport for construction or runway work, their default is airlines can come and go as they please, and well put bans in place for non-airlines, he commented. I find that very frustrating. The idea that were just a less worthy customer is offensive to all of us and they appear to have no remorse for doing that. Weve gone through that in Toronto, Montreal and Calgary.

He added that clearances will sometimes change en route; diversions become a possibility.

My job in management is to eliminate and reduce distractions so my pilots can fly safely then we get thrown these curveballs and it just adds stress where its not needed, said A. Were all about mitigating risk.

The CBAAs Norejko reiterated that airports are federal assets for all Canadians to use. Restricting bizav access also affects fixed-base operators who rely on this traffic, he added.

One operator suggested airport authorities and Transport Canada should be taken to task because they are failing to advocate for business aviation.

We promote the value of what we do because we see it, he said. They have an obligation [to understand and] to advocate for us. We shouldnt constantly have to advocate for our positions.

Operators pointed out that a lot of behind-the-scenes planning goes into transporting the CEO to an important meeting. A sudden change to airport access can cause a trip cancellation or lost revenue for the company.

As the winter season approaches, business aviation operations are still fighting for equal and affordable access to airport deicing facilities. In every case, operators must plan ahead.

In some cases, smaller airports that dont have regular scheduled service reserve their deicing fluid for the occasional airline traffic that does come in telling business aviation that it must wait.

Often the airlines will engage a third party on the field to provide deicing, said Norejko. The individual bizav operator often faces much higher prices. And this exposes the problem we have: One, the airports having the equipment; and two, we dont have the volume and therefore we pay double or more than the airlines pay.

In fact, its not uncommon for a business jet to pay upwards of $8,000 to get deiced, depending on the airport and the level of contamination.

Operator D said it pays to be proactive and his flight department tries to make arrangements ahead of time.

We personally do everything we can to not have to deice without compromising safety, he said. That includes hangarage, if available. We also carry our own deicing equipment along with us for minimal contamination if needed. We put the onus on the flight crews to be very proactive to look at weather. We are second-class citizens to the airlines when it comes to deicing.

Operator C said he tries to get deiced by the FBO in the hangar when passengers arrive, to bypass the shenanigans at the deicing bay.

If were going to a remote location, we may take some deicing fluid along with us, he continued. But at the big airports, were at the bottom of the list. In Ottawa, we had to deice at the deicing bay. There was light freezing rain at the time. It cost us $8,500 that morning to get deiced.

B said his operation has also had difficulty getting access to deicing at some airports. Sometimes we have to ask airlines for help.

Maybe some thought needs to be given to deicing is every bit as important in ensuring safety as is fire and rescue. Perhaps resources need to be directed there, he suggested.

D is encouraged by a request earlier this year from Transport Minister Marc Garneau, in which all aviation operators and airports were required to provide their deicing plan for the winter of 2019-2020. The request was made following a 2017 accident in which the Transportation Safety Board pointed to ice on the wings as contributing to the crash.

To me, thats kind of a big step, he said. We know as an operator that it is an important thing to do, but to send out a letter seems to indicate they realize they need to step in. I think its going in the right direction. Government needs to be held accountable to step up to help all operators have equal access to that service at airports. Its an important bucket of safety that cant be ignored.

None of the business aviation operators we spoke to said they are having trouble finding staff. Most indicated they are fortunate to have experienced, long-term employees and enjoy a low turnover.

One of the reasons I think were not challenged that way is that these are very good jobs, said Operator C. They are high paying, rewarding. Its an element that is attractive to pilots. These corporate jobs are few and far between, but they are the bestkept secret in aviation.

But even though none of them are currently hiring, theyre still aware of the human resources challenges other operators are facing.

I would put us all at the top of the food chain in our world, said A. I would fully expect that any of us could post a position and wed choose from the best applicants. [But] I would hate to be a small jet operator starting out. Even the regional [airlines] now, the choicest airline pilot role has been distilled down.

D said his company has much to offer its flight department employees, including fair compensation, an attractive schedule, well maintained and equipped aircraft, and work/life balance. He believes education is key to attracting tomorrows top-notch employees.

We operate in a sector that has real professional people that are high performers with good paying jobs, said D. Often, corporate aviation from an industry perspective is not viewed as a desirable place to be, but its becoming more sought after. Especially with the shortage of personnel, its important for the industry to educate talent coming into this world, so they know bizav is very much alive and well.

As the voice of business aviation in Canada, the CBAA is focused on celebrating its potential for not only revenue and profit growth, but also customer and employee satisfaction.

CBAA is the purveyor of the facts, said Norejko. I see our job as celebrating those buckets about how an aircraft can be used.

When it comes to changing the perception of business aviation, he said public opinion is diverse and hard to measure. On the other hand, collaborative partnerships with authorities and regulators can make definitive progress.

Despite its many challenges, every operator participating in the roundtable discussion loves the business and is optimistic about the future.

I have the best job in the world, said Operator A. Despite all the frustrations, I still love our business. Were the classic ops world. You dont hear anything from anyone when it goes well. The passengers have no idea what weve gone through when we have a bad day, but we still pull it off for the customers.

As long as there is a business case to be made for corporate aviation, these operators say they arent going anywhere.

Im optimistic because this sector has some of the best people in the business: hard working, experienced, concluded B. We understand the value; were not giving up. Were just looking for a little more co-operation.

We wont go down without a fight we just wish we didnt have to have our elbows out all the time.

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Business aviation: A matter of perception - Skies Magazine

SEATTLE The first thing Chris Caculitan mentions, when asked how the Emerald City has changed in the years since he grew up here, is the tech companies. Theyre everywhere now.

Local media refer to the Pacific Northwest citys recent tech-fuelled economic boom as the second gold rush to hit town.

But that wealth hasnt lifted all boats, as Caculitan, 28, has seen first-hand. Caculitan, who studied social work at Seattle University, works for the Low-Income Housing Institute, a Seattle non-profit. Born in the Philippines, Caculitan immigrated to Seattle as a child. The support his working-class family received from the government and community members influenced his career choice, he said. I kind of saw what that struggle was like, so I wanted to make it a career, helping those who needed more.

As money poured into Seattle in recent years, some of Caculitans family and friends have been forced out. That will sound familiar to many Vancouverites, particularly renters. But in Seattle, even longtime homeowners with full-time jobs have had their property taxes soar beyond what theyre able to pay, forcing them to leave town.

Caculitan manages one of the tiny house villages that the City of Seattle has supported in recent years in response to the citys increasing homelessness. He works at the village in South Lake Union, a rapidly changing neighbourhood, home to expensive residential highrises and some of the citys and the worlds largest tech companies.

Chris Caculitan, a special projects manager for the Low Income Housing Institute, a Seattle non-profit housing provider, in the Lake Union Village, one of the citys tiny house villages for formerly homeless people. Dan Fumano / PNG

The village, which was an underutilized city-owned parking lot until last year, is home for 28 previously homeless Seattleites living in 22 wooden sheds. The homes are less than 100 sq. ft. each, but the villagers are happy to have a locking door and a roof that keeps out the rain.

The day before Caculitan gave The Vancouver Sun a tour of the village this month, a different Seattle was on display a six-minute Uber ride away, in a downtown hotel ballroom.

There was no shortage of optimism among government officials and business leaders from B.C., Washington and Oregon, gathered for the Cascadia Innovation Corridor Conference. The governor of Washington and premier of B.C. sat together on stage discussing big goals they share as allies, and the mayors of Vancouver and Seattle met to discuss their cities shared opportunities. There was much talk of how the Cascadia mega-region of 10 million people can be a bigger global competitor than any of its three urban centres Portland, Seattle and Vancouver could be on their own.

Brad Smith, president of Microsoft, told the crowd his trillion-dollar company has been so excited to see Vancouver increasingly take off.

We at Microsoft have been so enthusiastic about our development centre in Vancouver, said Smith, adding that its not surprising so many Seattle-based tech companies are moving north to Vancouver.

Microsoft isnt the only Washington giant growing in Vancouver. When Seattle-based online retailer Amazon unveiled plans last year to create 3,000 jobs in Vancouver in a 416,000-square-foot complex being built on top of the old Canada Post facility on West Georgia, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was there for the announcement.

B.C.s leaders have worked for years to boost the provinces tech sector. Government officials often talk about boosting the innovation economy as a way to produce high-paying jobs, generate tax revenue, and help move the economy away from dependence on resource-based industries and towards a more climate-friendly future.

Hours after Microsofts Smith sang the praises of Vancouver and Surrey, Premier John Horgan and Wash Gov. Jay Inslee took to the same stage.

The tech sector has certainly developed here, and then as it blossoms into British Columbia, we see synergies between the two jurisdictions that are compelling to investors, Horgan said. The opportunities are immense.

Some of B.C.s traditional industries, such as forestry, are struggling, but the provinces technology sector has been setting records for revenue and job numbers. The latest government numbers show more than 114,200 people are employed in B.C.s high-technology sector, with $31 billion in revenue in 2017, a 6.9 per cent increase over the previous year.

Sitting in the governors Seattle offices, Horgan listed Metro Vancouvers advantages in competing for top companies and talent from the U.S. and abroad: an educated population, top research universities, good health care, multicultural cities, order and stability.

And as U.S. immigration has tightened under President Donald Trump. it has become harder for American companies to bring in top international talent. But a Seattle-based company with a Vancouver office can attract foreign recruits to its northern outpost. That, Horgan said, represents a competitive advantage for us.

The B.C. government wants, Horgan said, to focus on lifting wages. We dont want to be the lowest common denominator.

That touches on one of B.C.s competitive advantages in the tech industry: cheap labour or at least relatively cheap. In 2017, when cities around North America made pitches to Amazon seeking to host its second headquarters, Vancouvers application highlighted: We have the lowest wages of all North American tech hubs.

Vancouvers bid, which drew criticism locally for boasting about its low-earning tech workers, cited an average salary for a software engineer in Vancouver as US$60,107 compared to $92,380 in Atlanta and $113,906 in Seattle. That means while a Vancouver software engineers average salary was almost half that of a Seattle counterpart, its still 65 per cent higher than Metro Vancouvers average market income. By some estimates, the wage gap between tech workers and other occupations is even wider in Seattle.

With the federal election days away, Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart said he hasnt heard anything on the campaign trail about promoting economic co-operation and development in Cascadia.

I havent heard it mentioned once, Stewart said after the Cascadia conference. It would be my job to make this Cascadia corridor idea clearer to the feds. The province and John Horgan are all over this. But whoever wins the federal election, I think one of the things that Ill be talking to them about is that weve got to take this more seriously.

Im a passionately proud Canadian, Horgan said, but I see there are obstacles because our east-west linkages often times get in the way of expanding our north-south relationship. Ottawa is 3,000 miles away from British Columbia physically, and sometimes, it feels like theyre a couple of light years away. So we have more in common north-south, quite often, than we do east-west.

As a former NDP MP representing Burnaby, Stewart knows about that distance between B.C. and Ottawa. His first term was under Stephen Harpers Conservatives and his second under Justin Trudeaus Liberals, and both parties, he said, seemed Ottawa-centric and out of touch with the West Coast.

International companies are looking at us in a serious way, and I dont think were ready for that, Stewart said. Im getting ready for it, but we have to have a real conversation as a community about what we want this city to be. Because I think the opportunities are there, but its just weve got to make sure we take the right ones.

Leaders on both sides of the border acknowledge concerns about the dark side of the boom.

Metro Vancouver has grappled for years with a housing affordability and homelessness crisis. But the Seattle-King County area, with a similar overall population, has almost four times as many homeless people, including many full-time workers and families with children. Researchers have found Seattles recent surge in homelessness is not linked to increases in either population or poverty in the region, but instead to rising housing costs and wealth inequality.

Vancouvers chief planner, Gil Kelley, made a prediction on the subject of local wealth inequality in 2017, when he presented the citys new 10-year housing strategy to the previous mayor and council.

Kelley, whod arrived in Vancouver a year earlier from San Francisco, where he was director of citywide planning, said both cities faced housing challenges, but there were notable differences. One key element of San Franciscos housing crisis, that hasnt quite hit Vancouver yet, but likely will, with its growing high-tech economy, was the growing wage gap between high-technology workers and regular folks in San Francisco, Kelley said.

Vancouver had high housing prices but not very high wages, and its housing affordability woes were instead largely driven by a very extreme level of speculative investment in real estate, he said.

To deal with Vancouvers near-zero rental vacancy rate, Kelleys housing strategy sought to boost construction of rental housing, a direction broadly supported by the current mayor and council.

Over the past decade, 77 per cent of homes built in Vancouver were condos and houses. Only 17 per cent were market rental homes and five per cent were social housing. That includes the uptick in rental housing in recent years, as Vancouver adopted policies to encourage private-sector apartment construction.

Its a dramatically different picture from Seattle, where the one saving grace has been the immense amount of apartment construction, said a University of Washington professor, Margaret OMara.

Policies in Seattle have been welcoming for big rental projects, while Vancouver developers have long complained their citys onerous approval process threatens the viability of such projects. A Seattle planning official recently gave a presentation to a room full of Vancouver developers, The Province reported in August, that elicited envious sighs when he talked about approving a proposed Seattle apartment tower in about a year.

Vancouver developers many increasingly active in Seattle point to Seattles rental construction boom and say Vancouver must build its way out of its own housing crisis. While Vancouvers rental vacancy rate remains below one per cent, Seattles vacancy rate is around 10 per cent, and rents in some Seattle neighbourhoods have started to drop.

But while Seattles rental supply increase has helped, somewhat, to ease the tight market, those apartments are still too expensive for many locals. And the fact that thousands of Seattleites are homeless while one in 10 apartments sit empty suggests a rental construction boom is not, on its own, the solution to the housing crisis.

Its market-rate housing, its meeting the tech workers needs, not the needs of a lower-income population, OMara said. Thats been the knock on Seattle.

In the years since Kelleys 2017 presentation, government interventions such as Vancouvers empty homes tax and B.C.s speculation tax have been credited with helping cool the housing market.

In that context, it makes sense that a large enough influx of new people earning far above median local incomes could potentially undo the recent efforts to moderate the housing market, said Trevor Barnes, a professor of geography at the University of B.C.

San Francisco and Seattle provide examples of what a tech gold rush can do if it gets big enough, Barnes said. Vancouvers tech industry, he said, is not big enough, I think, at the moment to have that kind of effect, but it is a fast-growing sector, so I dont know how long its going to be before the tide turns.

Canada also has many locally born and bred tech companies, many of which have criticized the federal government for failing to give priority to the countrys homegrown digital economy. This month, more than 100 Canadian tech CEOs signed an open letter to the leaders of the federal Liberals, Conservatives, NDP and Greens, urging them to develop economic policies that advance innovative Canadian companies, claiming Canadas productivity is lagging.

There are concerns, too, about foreign tech companies coming here to exploit our comparatively cheap labour and take home most of the benefit.

Of course, thats the story of B.C., historically, Barnes said. Foreign companies that have come in to exploit resources here, lumber and minerals. Maybe this is another version of that. Except its our talent thats being exploited.

Its up to our governments, Barnes said, to ensure enough of that prosperity benefits regular Canadians, and not only a small number of tech executives in the U.S. He isnt sure those governments are up to the task, noting its certainly not been a major issue in the federal election.

B.C. Finance Minister Carole James is aware of concerns around upward pressure on housing prices. Indeed, she said, she hears directly from the tech sector about the importance of creating affordable housing options to attract and maintain skilled workers.

Good jobs and affordable communities go hand-in-hand and we are committed to delivering both, James said in an emailed statement. Our government has made tech and innovation a priority for economic growth across the province, from Surrey to Victoria to Kelowna, because we recognize British Columbias potential to be a global hub of innovation My ministry continually monitors the housing market, and so far I am cautiously optimistic the measures implemented by our government are beginning to bear results, with strong indications that moderation and stability are returning to B.C.s housing market.

Amazons presence in Seattle is especially large as thats where it is headquartered. But even if Vancouver becomes home to a number of branch offices for tech companies, it could be enough to bring unintended consequences, Stewart said, adding it could actually be more of a risk because the company has less of a connection with the community.

Microsoft touted its deep connection with the Seattle when, earlier this year, it announced an unprecedented commitment of US$500 million in loans and grants to support middle- and low-income housing in the area.

Of course, Stewart said, his cautious approach doesnt mean he doesnt want economic growth and job creation in Vancouver.

These opportunities might be the best that ever happen to us. We just have to be able to evaluate this, as a community, Stewart said. What can we learn from Seattle and San Francisco? Whats happened to them, both good and bad?

I like a bowl of ice cream. But I dont want to eat a bucket of ice cream. And I think thats what this kind of growth can be: It can have detrimental effects if you get too much of a good thing all at once.

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Seattle offers lessons in the dark side of the tech industry boom - Times Colonist

When Kim Mullins and her husband downsized in 2011, they moved to Orchard Estates, a community of manufactured homes in Beaver County.

The couple moved there from Cranberry Township in 2011, drawn to the safety and convenience of the relatively rural community in Economy Borough. Now she feels some of these qualities have been compromised.

First of all, we are planning on moving, said Mullins, 72, citing concerns over hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, planned fewer than a thousand feet from Orchard Estates. I dont want this in my neighborhood.

Shes worried about the health consequences. She and her husband feel like prisoners in their own home, and shes concerned she wont even be able to take her dogs outside for fear that future pollution could cause nosebleeds.

She knows other residents share her worries, and some have already decided to leave the tree-lined neighborhood.

Though fracking has yet to begin, crews were working to clear-cut trees at the site in September, according to Mullins. Economy officials approved a zoning permit for the project a year ago, and in February, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection issued permits for the well site known as well pad B50 to Pittsburgh-based PennEnergy Resources.

A spokesperson for PennEnergy Resources declined a request for comment. Staff from the Economy Borough administrative office did not return a call requesting comment and borough council members either declined comment or did not return messages. Economy Borough Manager Randy Kunkle declined to comment in an email.

Some Economy residents say the borough should change its zoning ordinances to regulate fracking, like other nearby communities have done. Representatives from the oil and gas industry note that residents can see substantial financial benefit from fracking, which is already regulated by the state.

For municipalities in Western Pennsylvania, the question isnt whether to ban fracking a power they dont have but rather how to regulate it and reduce unwanted impacts on residents.

Differences Among Neighbors

The fact that municipalities like Economy can have different rules than their neighbors is tied to a 2013 decision from Pennsylvanias Supreme Court.

Pennsylvanias General Assembly in 2012 stripped local power to regulate fracking. But several boroughs fought back, and in December 2013, the Supreme Court in Robinson Township v. Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission ruled 4-2 that the new state law violated Pennsylvanias constitution, which guarantees residents clean air and water. In 2016, the court reaffirmed the principles of the 2013 decision.

Since the Robinson Township decision, several municipalities in Western Pennsylvania have passed ordinances regulating natural gas development. Municipalities lack the authority to ban fracking outright, though they can put restrictions on where it is allowed. This year, Leet Township which borders Economy designated setback distances between fracking operations and certain protected structures like homes and schools. Leet also set conditional-use guidelines governing the approval process for drilling.

John Smith, an attorney at the law firm Smith Butz, LLC, argued on behalf of Pennsylvania municipalities in the Robinson Township case. In 2016, he helped the Bell Acres Planning Commission review and update the boroughs municipal oil and gas ordinances to give it more power to determine where fracking is allowed.

Diane Abell, who chairs the Bell Acres Planning Commission, said her committees understanding of the oil and gas industry began to change in 2015, when PennEnergy started conducting seismic testing in Bell Acres and elsewhere. That was a red flag that more industry activity may be coming.

Council passed an ordinance in 2016 that restricted oil and gas development to the boroughs heavy industrial district. No residents live in this district, Abell said.

The first thing was to immediately remove oil and gas drilling from our RR-1 [rural-residential] zoning district, she said.

Mullins said she wants Economy to update its zoning ordinances to prohibit drilling in the rural-agricultural zoning district that includes Orchard Estates.

Now we are asking for that, but we cant get it for us, Mullins said.

Economy allows drilling as a permitted use in its rural-agricultural, commercial and industrial zoning districts. This means that plans for oil and gas operations are not subject to conditional-use procedures or a public hearing. Without a public hearing, local officials can approve a drilling operation without taking comment from affected residents.

A sign in Economy Borough indicating the site of future fracking. (Photo by Terry Clark/PublicSource)

According to Smith, the state Supreme Court has given municipalities the power to protect residents through zoning districts, allowing local officials to clearly define where a natural gas operation can go.

Every single municipality before oil and gas came to town has designated which parts of their township is for which particular use, Smith said. The wild card is this is the only industry weve seen that certain municipalities are willing to allow to stray outside of those defined districts.

Smith also noted that officials in some municipalities tend to prioritize the interests of oil and gas leaseholders over residents who may not stand to gain financially from fracking. Proponents of drilling cite the economic benefit to residents and the limits fracking ordinances put on residents making choices about their own land.

Jackie Root, a board member of the Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Landowner Alliance, opposes fracking regulations by municipal governments.

For them to say, It can now only be done in this area, would essentially say that you cant develop your oil and gas rights, said Root, who lives in Tioga County.

Royalty income from fracking has made a significant financial difference for Pennsylvania landowners and their families, helping to pay for college expenses, medical bills or retirement, Root added.

The natural gas industry supports common-sense, predictable and workable regulations, according to David Spigelmyer, president of the Marcellus Shale Coalition, which promotes natural gas drilling.

We have a long and clear record of working collaboratively with stakeholders and governments at the local level to ensure our operations are conducted safely and responsibly while protecting the private property rights of citizens to realize the full value of their land, Spigelmyer wrote in an emailed statement.

He added that organizations that oppose the industry have put forth model ordinances and zoning proposals which he called back-door attempts at banning of natural gas development that is already strongly regulated by the state.

Root said the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection [DEP] has staff with a scientific understanding of the drilling process, something local governments usually lack.

They have people trained to understand the drilling process, the permitting and the science behind it, Root said. There are regulations in place with DEP to control permits, to control setbacks and all that.

Conflict In Franklin Park

Not all municipalities have an industrial district in which to sequester fracking operations.

Franklin Park Borough, an Allegheny County municipality that borders Economy to the southeast, has residential districts as well as three mixed-use districts that allow combinations of residential, commercial and light-industrial uses. The boroughs recently enacted ordinance involves the creation of an oil and gas recovery overlay district that includes a residential and mixed-use zone.

Robin Martin, a Western Pennsylvania-based organizer who works on the Municipal Ordinance Project for the nonprofit Food & Water Watch, has been working with Franklin Park residents since November 2018. She said overlay districts must be compatible with the base zoning of an area. This means an overlay district cannot accommodate a drastically different land use than the district it is located in, whether that district be industrial, residential or otherwise. As an example, Martin said a municipality can use an overlay district in a residential area to preserve a natural landscape. Food & Water Watch supports bans on fracking nationwide.

Smith said an overlay district in a residential area should protect public health and safety, no matter how many residents live in the district.

By placing industrial use over a residential use, thats called an incompatible use, and that nullifies the base zoning intent, Martin said. You cant come right out and say its illegal, but given what the borough has dictated for their residential areas, it doesnt make sense.

In December, a group of residents formed a community organization called Protect Franklin Park in response to a proposal to lease shale gas rights underneath the boroughs Linbrook Park. Earlier this year, the group published a report containing recommendations on Franklin Parks then-pending oil and gas ordinance. Borough council adopted an oil and gas ordinance on Sept. 18.

Members of the public have 30 days starting Oct. 4 to bring legal action challenging the ordinance.

Protect Franklin Parks report suggests exploring joint land-use planning with other municipalities. Doug Shields, Western Pennsylvania outreach liaison for Food & Water Watch, said communities like Franklin Park should utilize joint planning.

Through a joint comprehensive plan, a group of municipalities can designate a portion of their collective land for industrial use. This would put them into compliance with the state Municipalities Planning Code, which requires municipalities to allow for resource extraction in their boundaries, Shields said.

Prior to unconventional drilling, there was no impetus to do area-wide zoning, Shields said, adding that the state has allowed joint planning since 1968.

For fracking wells, state law requires a minimum setback distance of 500 feet from occupied buildings, unless the owner consents to a shorter distance. Protect Franklin Park recommended a half-mile setback, citing a peer-reviewed study published by the University of Chicago and Princeton University. The study found increased risk of low birth weights for infants born to mothers who live very close to fracking sites.

Horizontal drilling, a common fracking technique that involves drilling laterally into a shale gas formation thousands of feet beneath the ground, has given energy companies some flexibility in where they locate well sites, Root said.

After first drilling vertically, a drill can be turned to penetrate horizontally through a shale formation, creating more fissures for gas to escape. Operators often drill multiple horizontal wells from a single site and can access reserves located miles away from a well pad.

From a zoning perspective, Smith said operators do not have to locate their operation in a residential district and still there should be the ability to capture that gas.

But he added that gas companies tend to view a piece of land according to its suitability for drilling and not its zoning designation.

Contesting Drilling

Industrial zoning isnt always an easy fix. Some Mon Valley residents have loudly opposed a well site proposed at U.S. Steels Edgar Thomson steel mill, which has industrial zoning. According to a permit application Merrion Oil & Gas filed with the DEP, the gas wells will be located on a section of U.S. Steels property in North Versailles Township. Supporting infrastructure for the site extends into East Pittsburgh and North Braddock.

Nearby residents worry the wells will bring increased truck traffic and degrade air quality in an industrial region that already suffers from high levels of pollution.

Municipal officials have approved permits for a well pad and supporting infrastructure. Approvals from DEP are pending.

More than 20,000 people live within 2 miles of the site, with many of these residents living in East Pittsburgh, North Braddock and Braddock, said Kelly Yagatich, who advocated on behalf of residents health in her past role as Southwest Pennsylvania outreach coordinator for the Clean Air Council.

If a municipality allows for drilling in an industrial district, it can still place conditions on the activity to protect residents health and limit disturbances.

According to Smith, local governments can require sound walls, limit hours of operation and require emissions studies as necessary steps for receiving a conditional-use permit, even in an industrial district.

The North Versailles gas well ordinance contains a conditional-use requirement and noise limits but does not require emissions studies or limit hours of operation.

Laurel and Barry Beitsinger inside their home near the site of planned fracking by Pittsburgh-based PennEnergy Resources. (Photo by Terry Clark/PublicSource)

In Economy, PennEnergy Resources has the approvals needed to move forward. But that hasnt stopped some residents from demanding that the borough change its ordinances.

The most basic fix, and thats what Bell Acres did, is said, No youve got to put this in an industrial-zoned area, said Economy resident Bryan Warren, who estimates that he lives about a thousand yards from well site B50. Even if you did allow it, you could have a more significant setback rule.

Warren lives close enough to the well site that he has concerns about noise disturbances.

When I moved here, it was to live in a quiet, residential area, he said.

For former Orchard Estates resident Laurel Beitsinger, the boroughs decision impacts the safety of residents. She moved from Orchard Estates to a nearby farm in 1975, and she worries about the harm residents could face from accidental fire or explosions as well as day-to-day health impacts. Now, she and her husband are planning to move, in part to get farther away from the fracking site.

While most of Pennsylvanias roughly 10,000 active fracking wells operate safely, accidents have been reported at Western Pennsylvania sites, including in Greene, Washington and Mercer Counties, since 2014.

Im glad I dont live in Orchard Estates, Beitsinger said. I would be terrified. Theyre ground zero.

Note: The Heinz Endowments provided funding to Food & Water Watch. The Heinz Endowments provides unrelated funding to PublicSource.

Reporting by Sam Bojarski. Fact-checked by Juliette Rihl. PublicSource.orgLicensed by BeaverCountian.com for republication.

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Economy Borough Residents Fret The Potential Harm From Fracking - beavercountian.com

Chaired by Mr. Lesetja Kganyago, Governor of the South African Reserve Bank

October 19, 2019

We extend our deepest sympathies to the people and Government of The Bahamas for the loss of human lives and the devastating impact of the recent natural disaster.

Global outlook and policy priorities

The global economy is projected to grow by about 3 percent this year, but the pace has continued to weaken since April. Growth is projected to pick up next year, but the outlook is highly uncertain and subject to elevated downside risks. These include trade tensions, policy uncertainty, and geopolitical risks, against a backdrop of limited policy space, high and rising debt levels, and heightened financial vulnerabilities. Other longstanding challenges also persist.

We will employ all appropriate policy tools, individually and collectively, to mitigate risks, enhance resilience, and shore up growth to benefit all. Available fiscal space should be used to support demand as needed. Where consolidation is needed to ensure debt sustainability, fiscal policy should be carefully-calibrated, growth-friendly, and safeguard social objectives. In line with central banks mandates, monetary policy should ensure that inflation remains on track toward, or stabilizes around targets, and that inflation expectations remain anchored. Central bank decisions need to remain well-communicated and data-dependent. We will continue to monitor and, as necessary, tackle financial vulnerabilities and risks to financial stability, including with macroprudential policies.

Strong fundamentals, sound policies, and a resilient international monetary system are essential to the stability of exchange rates, contributing to strong and sustainable growth and investment. Flexible exchange rates, where feasible, can serve as a shock absorber. We recognize that excessive volatility or disorderly movements in exchange rates can have adverse implications for economic and financial stability. We will refrain from competitive devaluations and will not target our exchange rates for competitive purposes.

We will advance structural reforms to lift growth, employment, and productivity; enhance resilience; and promote inclusion. We reaffirm our commitment to strong governance, including by tackling corruption. We will advance policies that foster innovation and more competitive and flexible markets, and strive to address challenges from demographic shifts. We will provide opportunities for all people to contribute to economic activity and share its benefits, and effectively assist those bearing the cost of ongoing transitions.

We will enhance our efforts to reduce policy uncertainty and strengthen international frameworks and cooperation.

Sustained joint action is essential to address other challenges that transcend borders. We support efforts toward achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We will continue to support domestic and multilateral efforts to address, build resilience to, and deal with the macroeconomic consequences of pandemics, cyber risks, climate change and natural disasters, energy scarcity, conflicts, migration, and refugee and other humanitarian crises. We will continue to collaborate to leverage financial technology while addressing related challenges.

IMF operations

We welcome the Managing Directors Global Policy Agenda. In line with its mandate, the IMF will continue to support its members and collaborate with the World Bank, standards-setters, and other partners to:

We welcome the IMFs efforts to continue providing high value-added support to its members and to enhance its efficiency. To this end, we welcome efforts to attract and retain high-caliber staff. We support ongoing modernization initiatives, including the HR strategy, the comprehensive review of compensation and benefits, and the work on enterprise risk management. We call on the IMF to make progress toward the 2020 diversity benchmarks. We support increasing gender diversity in the Executive Board.

IMF resources and governance

We reaffirm our commitment to a strong, quota-based, and adequately resourced IMF to preserve its role at the center of the global financial safety net. We note the lack of progress on a quota increase under the 15th Review and call on the Executive Board to complete its work on the 15th Review and on a package of IMF resources and governance reforms, and to report to the Board of Governors as soon as possible. We support maintaining the IMFs current resource envelope and welcome the extension of the 2016 Bilateral Borrowing Agreements by one year. We look forward to consideration of a doubling of the New Arrangements to Borrow and a further temporary round of bilateral borrowing beyond 2020.

Beyond the 15th Review, we are committed to revisiting the adequacy of quotas and continuing the process of IMF governance reform under the 16th General Review of Quotas, including a new quota formula as a guide, with the Review to be extended from 2020 to no later than December 15, 2023. In this context, we remain committed to ensuring the primary role of quotas in IMF resources. Any adjustment in quota shares would be expected to result in increases in the quota shares of dynamic economies in line with their relative positions in the world economy and hence likely in the share of emerging market and developing countries as a whole, while protecting the voice and representation of the poorest members.

Other issues

We express our deep gratitude to former Managing Director Christine Lagarde for her outstanding leadership of the IMF and distinguished service to member countries and the global community over the past eight years. Under Ms. Lagardes leadership, the IMF undertook important reforms to maintain its relevance and responsiveness to members needs, including by modernizing its macro-financial surveillance; enhancing its financial support, lending facilities, and capacity development; increasing attention to the social outcomes and human dimensions of IMF policies and operations; and integrating climate change, gender, governance, and income inequality into the work of the IMF. Ms. Lagarde also worked tirelessly to secure the financial resources necessary for the IMF to deliver on its mission, to ensure that dynamic emerging market and developing countries have greater voice, and to achieve support for IMF governance reforms. We wish Ms. Lagarde all the best in her new position as President of the European Central Bank. We thank Mr.David Lipton for his stewardship as Acting Managing Director during the transition.

We warmly welcome Ms. Kristalina Georgieva as Managing Director and look forward to working closely with her in meeting the challenges ahead.

Our next meeting will be held in Washington, D.C., on April 18, 2020.

Attendance can be found here

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Communiqu of the Fortieth Meeting of the IMFC - International Monetary Fund

In recognition of its significant efforts towards driving Emiratisation in the UAE, du, from Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC), has received the Best Nationalisation Initiative in the GCC Award at the GCC GOV HR Awards 2019, held in Abu Dhabi. Fahad Al Hassawi, Deputy CEO Telco Services at EITC, received the award on behalf of the company at the prestigious award ceremony, which was attended by a host of game changing and progressive Human Resources (HR) industry figures.

Aimed at bringing together the regions brightest HR minds and key stakeholders, the GCC GOV HR Awards running for the 7th consecutive year in 2019 showcased and acknowledged leading organisations like du for their roles in placing national agendas at the heart of business frameworks geared towards economic diversification and the establishment of a robust and sustainable knowledge based economy.

As an exemplary regional leader, dus transformative Emiratisation strategy is an integral part of the companys focus towards providing career development for Emirati leaders and the aspiring national talent of tomorrow. For example, since 2006, the number of UAE National employees at du has doubled, with 66% of UAE Nationals currently holding leadership positions within the company.

Gaining momentum in its Emiratisation agenda by receiving a number of accolades and industry recognition, du is currently progressing towards a target Emiratisation rate of 35.5%, which is aligned with the companys commitment to the Ministry of Human Resources & Emiratisations (MOHRE) Emiratisation directives.

Nurturing the Future ICT Talent Pipeline

Fahad Al Hassawi, Deputy CEO Telco Services at EITC, said: As a driving force in the UAEs telecommunications sector, dus Emiratisation framework is an encouraging illustration of the formative feats that can be achieved by invigorating workforces and unlocking the full potential of homegrown talent. In adherence to the innovative policies and strategic imperatives of the UAE leadership, we place a strong emphasis on recruiting and empowering national talent to achieve the transformative visions of tomorrow. As the UAE leaders have reiterated time and time again, the countrys human capital is the most valuable resource towards achieving the future progress of the UAE, which is why we are honoured to be acknowledged for driving a talent pipeline that is fostering the economic imperatives of our knowledge-based economy.

Ehab Hassan, Chief Executive Officer, Human Resources and Administration, EITC, said: We believe that Emirati talents have proven their capabilities towards making a profound difference across various sectors. We pride ourselves on the efforts we have made to bring together not only national talent but also fresh graduates in order to provide them with world-class training programs and integrate them into our ICT business units.

We are proud to reiterate our commitment of adhering to our strategic goals of increasing the Emiratisation rate in our company by 1.5% on an annual basis. This will enable us to position ourselves among the leading companies in thisfieldand contribute to supporting the direction and vision of our wise leadership towards establishing a knowledge-based economy centred on Emirati nationals.''

A Roadmap to Emirati Empowerment

dus vested interest and support towards enriching the career pathways and prospects of emerging Emirati talent runs deep within the organizations roots. Since its inception, the company has placed strong emphasis on hiring, inspiring, and developing Emiratis to steer the future growth trajectory of the company, the industry, and the nation.

Organisation-wide, du is continuously working towards providing meaningful careers for UAE Nationals by creating jobs that increase the Emirati fingerprint across key developmental areas such as enterprise solutions, consumer business, and network proliferation.

This undeterred commitment has contributed to du being ranked 6th place in reference to its Emiratization Rate, as well as being awarded the Emiratization Award by MOHRE in 2018.

In 2019, dus focus has remained driven towards hiring quality UAE national talents to occupy leadership positions within the company. dus ongoing support and participation of Emirati career fairs such as Tawdheef and Careers UAE further boosts the companys commitment to unearthing the next generation of pioneering Emirati telco stars.

More information about dus Emiratisation progress can be found in the latest Annual Report: https://www.du.ae/about-us/investor-relations/reports

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du Receives the Best Nationalisation Initiative Award at GCC GOV HR Awards in Recognition for Its Transformative Emiratisation Roadmap - Al-Bawaba

South Africas much anticipated long-term energy infrastructure plan that was announced on Friday repeats the past mistake of assuming a demand for electricity that is far too high, says Peter Attard Montalto, head of capital investments at Intellidex.

Read: SA cabinet approves power plan

The plan, known as the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), maps out the scale and pace of new electricity generation capacity to be commissioned over the next decade and specifies the technology mix.

It provides for 1500 megawatts (MW) of new generation from coal, 2500MW from hydro, 6000MW from solar photovoltaic (PV), 14 400MW from wind, 2 088MW from storage and 3000MW from gas.

Own generation will be encouraged by removing certain regulatory requirements for projects between 1MW and 10MW, and government will urgently embark on emergency procurement of around 2 000MW to plug the current supply gap that has resulted from the poor performance of Eskoms generation fleet.

Read: Expert panel proposes new renewableenergy zones

In the document that was approved by cabinet last week, government admits that the growth in demand for electricity anticipated in the earlier IRP 2010-2030, which was promulgated in 2011, did not materialise.

This, it states, was the result of among other things lower economic growth; improved energy efficiency by large consumers to cushion against rising tariffs; fuel switching to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for cooking and heating; fuel switching for hot water heating by households; and the closing down or relocation to other countries of some of the energy intensive industry.

According to the analysis the actual electricity sent out declined at an average compound rate of -0.6% over the past years, compared to the expectation of a 3% average growth rate in IRP 2010-2030. In 2016, for example, the difference was a huge 18%.

Expected electricity sent out from IRP 2010-2030 vs actual

Source: IRP2019, Statistics SA and promulgated IRP 20102030

The document also points to a possible structural change in the economy to be less electricity intensive, which would be reflected in a decoupling of growth in electricity demand from GDP growth.

In its demand modelling the authors had to adjust the 2018 demand, which is the starting point. The 2018 actual recorded demand was about 3% lower than that assumed even in the draft IRP that was published for comment late last year.

Expected electricity demand forecast to 2050 IRP2019 provides for three scenarios:

Source: IRP2019

The upper forecast maintains the current economic structure and assumes average annual DGP growth of 3.18%. It forecasts 2% average annual growth in the demand for electricity by 2030 and 1.66% by 2050.

The median forecast is based on average annual GDP growth of 4.26% by 2030, but assumes significant structural changes in the economy. It results in 1.8% average annual growth in electricity demand by 2030 and 1.4% by 2050.

The low forecast is based on 1.33% average annual GDP growth by 2030, which results in 1.21% average annual growth in electricity demand by 2030 and 1.42% by 2050. This is based on a view that mining will continue to grow, but other sectors will suffer due to lack of investment should there be further credit downgrades for the country.

Attard Montalto says Intellidex sees average GDP growth up to 2030 at a maximum of 2%, and the average annual growth in electricity demand at no more than 1%.

He says the too-high assumptions made it possible for the planners to accelerate coal decommissioning and insert new coal and nuclear in the long term.

The IRP provides for the extension of the design life of the Koeberg nuclear power station by 20 years to 2044, which will also see a slight increase in its capacity.

New nuclear build

Government has also adopted the position that, considering the long lead times, preparations will start immediately for new nuclear build beyond 2030. It will however move away from mega fleets of nuclear reactors to affordable modular units close to end-users of electricity.

In the risk analysis that forms part of IRP2019 the authors acknowledge that actual demand is more likely to be lower than forecast, because of grid defections for various reasons.

It proposes mitigating the risk by managing the pace and scale of implementation of the new generation capacity the IRP provides for by accelerating or slowing down the ministerial determinations without which such developments cannot go ahead.

It has to be noted that Eskom in the past has based the demand forecast in its tariff applications on the IRP assumptions. The fact that actual demand turned out to be much lower left it with a revenue deficit that it is still fighting to recover by challenging the decisions made by energy regulator Nersa in court.

IRP2019 the emerging long term plan

Source: IRP2019

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IRP demand assumptions are 'far too high' - Moneyweb.co.za

Last week was a quintessentially South African week. Load-shedding a polite word for literally being left in the dark was once again upon us and at almost the precise moment when President Cyril Ramaphosa was trying to sell his not-so-new dawn to investors in London. Eskom apologised again and board chairperson and acting CEO Jabu Mabuza provided what can only be described as a convoluted explanation for what went wrong.

In the meantime, Minerals Minister Gwede Mantashe unveiled the governments Integrated Resource Plan to some fanfare, but alas, the wrong plan was uploaded on the government website. It felt as if the state was a parody of itself for a moment.

The reality is that South Africa is busy digging itself out of the hole of the wasted years of State Capture. The looting of the state has far-reaching repercussions and we are still counting the precise cost of the looting while the looters walk free among us. No doubt, Finance Minister Tito Mboweni will remind us of the cost of years of corrupt and inefficient government next week when he delivers his Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement. The news will be grim and that should come as no surprise. Neither should it come as a surprise that we are in load-shedding mode again or that we seem at sixes and sevens in trying to implement a reform agenda. The unfortunate fact is that every day is simply a different version of the same narrative.

The reforms have begun we see them slowly but surely in, inter alia, the National Prosecuting Authority and its slow work, in the feverish attempts to get SARS back on track and in the court judgments which slowly roll back corrupt events of the past. Yet, the road will be long and hard. Rebuilding hollowed-out institutions, trying to build capacity within a state that has largely been stripped of individuals of skill and integrity, will take time.

It will take considerable time and effort for the government to recreate linkages of trust between itself and citizens. At present, most South Africans simply cannot believe what politicians say perhaps also not unique to South Africa given the state of the world and some of the lying charlatans who run it.

The challenge, however, is not only for Ramaphosa and his government but for us all to reimagine our country and engage in renewed citizen activism so that we can transform our society in a sustainable way.

Transformation is a tired and overused word in South Africa. It is often used as a proxy to advance narrow political interests. Yet, the work of transforming a society needs to be done with care and has been described by former Chief Justice Pius Langa in his essay Transformative Constitutionalism as follows:

Transformation is a permanent ideal, a way of looking at the world that creates a space in which dialogue and contestation are truly possible, in which new ways of being are constantly explored and created, accepted and rejected and in which change is unpredictable but the idea of change is constant. This is perhaps the ultimate vision of a transformative Constitution. It envisions a society that will always be open to change and contestation, a society that will always be defined by transformation.

Transformation is often difficult because we are weighed down by the anger of both the past and the present, though in different ways. Our dialogue is brittle and blame is apportioned readily and angrily. We seem not to listen; we simply turn up the volume and outshout the other. It is difficult to have a debate on solutions for the future in this context.

Rhodes University academic Anthea Garman says, South Africa is going through a moment of a quite powerful rupture. This rupture is not so much with the apartheid of colonial past, as much as with the immediate democratic past which has failed to deliver on its promises of equality for all and which has its own lack of credible rupture with the apartheid past.

Accountability is hard also because there is a trust deficit created by our past. The past lies between us in every debate about race and class and in every disagreement about structural inequality and an economy built on cheap labour. It hampers our ability to find creative solutions.

The lack of accountability for past wrongs by those in the apartheid regime has left discomfort in the present, the danger of which is illustrated by Antjie Krogs extraordinary poem Country of Grief and Grace:

but if the old is not guilty does not confessthen of course the new can also not be guiltynor be held accountable if it repeats the old(things may then continue as before but in a different shade)

It is clear that the ANC alone some might say cannot at all fix it. So, citizens must, divided as we are. It will take a mammoth collective effort from business, civil society and communities to rise up and speak out against the inaction fuelled by those who would consign our country to the dustbin of failed state status. It is not too late to do so.

There are green shoots and we should be working hard to support initiatives aimed at greater government accountability. Zuma has fallen, but its not enough.

And so, the question we have to ask is, What is the work for us to do? That is both an individual and collective question for each one of us as we try to create a country that is more just and more equal.

Barack Obama in his final speech to the UN was right when he said:

It turns out building accountable institutions is hard work the work of generations. The gains are often fragile. Sometimes we take one step forward and then two steps back. So those of us who believe in democracy, we need to speak out forcefully, because both the facts and history, I believe, are on our side. That doesnt mean democracies are without flaws. It does mean that the cure for what ails our democracies is greater engagement by our citizens not less.

US activist and academic Harry Boyte has worked extensively on reimagining the civic space and understanding how societies can move towards a more citizen-centred politics.

He starts from the premise of respectful conversations that shift the centre of politics away from politicians.

Essentially Boyte argues for a new kind of (citizen) politics that centres on negotiating a common life. The creation of so-called free spaces is essential to the notion of citizens organising themselves. Boyte, together with his colleague Sara Evans, relies on the model at work in 1960s America. During the civil rights movement, civic spaces were reimagined in venues ranging from churches to beauty parlours. Boyte champions the notion of broad-based community organising in colleges and other spaces with citizens as co-creators with the state and not simply voting fodder.

At present, protest action in South Africa is further fuelled by the poor, who feel they have been forgotten by those in power once an election has come and gone. Citizens need to develop a sense of agency that moves beyond the protest. This requires sustained and systematic forms of mobilisation by citizens, whether in small community groups or larger ones.

Unfortunately, citizenship today is largely passive: citizens receive government services and are bestowed rights.

The default of consumer culture, Boyte says, is that people ask what they can get, rather than thinking about what they could build, in terms of common resources.

Are South Africans mature enough to do what Boyte suggests and work across differences to solve common problems, advance justice, and create community wealth, from schools, public spaces, libraries and local businesses to art, music and healthy lifestyles? In the examples he cites in educational spaces, teams of young people worked on real-world issues such as campaigns against bullying, sexual harassment, racism, teen pregnancy, and gang violence to building playgrounds, championing healthy lifestyles, and making curriculum changes.

In South Africa, Equal Education has done similar work with learners, governing bodies, school management and parents aimed at creating safer school environments, ensuring the state develops norms and standards around educational infrastructure, and demanding transport to and from school for children living far away from the nearest school. Such localised initiatives have been possible largely because of the mobilisation of learners and parents. It is a model worth extending to other areas of socio-economic development and where the state has abdicated its responsibilities.

We can build our communities as spaces for which we have an attachment and in which we would like to see change. We all have a stake in the future of such places to live and work. It takes a shared vision and is best cultivated at the local level before moving to the national level where accountability is demanded on different issues.

In a South African context, we can see where such creative citizenship (co-creation with the state) could take us. It would go beyond passive citizenship and the mere demanding of rights towards meaningful interaction between citizens and their public representatives. Our Constitution champions public participation but too often that participation is shallow and technocratic and does not facilitate an ongoing conversation between citizens and elected representatives. Is there any wonder that burning has become commonplace?

In the #FeesMustFall movement, there were nascent signs of our ability to build the kinds of circles of learning and meaning within universities that are needed for us to talk about decolonisation and other areas of concern. But those circles need to become more inclusive to reap real benefits. They also need to be led with increased thoughtfulness, because issues such as changing curricula cannot be the sole domain of a few.

The Right2Know organisation has also pursued successful campaigns over several years regarding the cost of mobile telephone data. Its campaign #DataMustFall has mobilised the poor in communities where the mobile phone has become a crucial way of communication but also for the transferring of remittances and other daily tasks. The right to communicate has thus been reframed as a human right.

However, more needs to be done in terms of moving towards a broader, more liberating notion of citizenship as work and as co-creating with the state. For that to happen, civic education regarding the rights and responsibilities in the Constitution must take place in schools and other places of learning.

All sectors of society need to be part of reimagining civic life, including business, which is a key actor. As the World Economic Forum argues, companies need to see the benefits of defending civic space, which includes the freedom of citizens to organise, speak up and protest against failings and corruption. In a 2017 World Economic Forum report, the fraying rule of law and declining civic freedoms have become major global risks for companies. In South Africa, this will mean that business too recreates its role as citizen to operate ethically regarding, inter alia, workers rights, occupational safety, transparent tender processes as well as executive pay.

Marikana stands out as an example in the mining industry where a company engaged in unsustainable and unethical practices in the way in which employees were paid and housed. Steinhoff is another. But, as the World Economic Forum report points out, it is not only business but civil society that needs to build pathways between them to protect human rights and find solutions to the challenges.

Ramaphosa has committed his government to re-establishing the social compact between government, business and labour. We have to do more to ensure that linkages between government, business, civil society and citizen groups are strengthened to work collectively towards a society that is more just and less unequal. These sectors can no longer work in isolation and it will mean combining resources and expertise, where appropriate. This not only envisages academic Harry Boytes notion of democratic co-creation with the state but also leads to a society that is more resilient in dealing with the turbulence that comes along with living in a deeply unequal society.

We are in a very particular time of global and local tension. Yet we have a window of opportunity, a second chance, which calls for the very opposite of despair, for greater mobilisation and the true awakening of citizen activism for progressive values and corruption-free societies to thrive.

As Cody Keenan wrote in his recent essay on the #Resist movement in the United States: History is made every day by the hopeful. Or as Adrienne Rich has written:

My heart is moved by all I cannot save:so much has been destroyed.I have to cast my lot with thosewho, age after age, perversely,with no extraordinary power,reconstitute the world.

And so, despite the complexity of the present and the future, a degree of hope still glimmers for us. There is much work to be done to reconstitute our own country and for that, the centre has to hold. DM

Judith February is a governance specialist, columnist and lawyer. She is currently based at the Institute for Security Studies and is also a Visiting Fellow at the WITS School of Governance. She was previously executive director of the HSRC's Democracy and Governance unit and also head of the Idasa's South African Governance programme for 12 years. Judith is also a conflict dynamics accredited commercial mediator. Her book, Turning and Turning: Exploring the Complexities of South Africa's Democracy (PanMacmillan) is available.

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The cure for what ails us is greater engagement by citizens - Daily Maverick