Category Archives: Resource Based Economy

Presidents Shavkat Mirziyaev of Uzbekistan (L) and Xi Jinping of China, Beijing, May 11 (Source: UzDaily.com)

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyaevs five-day trip to China earlier this month (May 1115) has signaled that he is now moving on from the first phase of his foreign policy activities (Ng.ru, May 11). Since President Mirziyaev took office last December, priority was first accorded to Uzbekistans immediate neighbors: he has either hosted or visited the leaders of each of the countries bordering on Uzbekistan, except for Tajikistan and Afghanistan. But in the second phase, the focus is now on Uzbekistans most significant partners outside the region, Russia and China, visited by the president in April and May, respectively. Cumulatively, these visits delineate President Mirziyaevs foreign policy priorities. The Russia and China trips highlight limited deviations from Uzbekistans previous foreign policy under then-president, Islam Karimov, for whom these two countries were the closest partners by choice and need.

Mirziyaevs recent trip to China consisted of two parts: an official state visit and participation in the international One Belt, One Road forum, held in Beijing. Of the regional leaders, President of Kyrgyzstan Almazberk Atambayev and President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbaev also participate in the forum. The significance and high priority of the China trip for Uzbekistan was signified by Shavkat Mirziyaevs entourage of nearly all senior government officials in his administration: Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov, Deputy Prime Minister Rustam Azimov, Deputy Senate Speaker Sodiq Safayev, Minister of Foreign Economic Relations and Trade Elyor Ganiyev, and Defense Minister Kabul Berdiev (Ozbekiston via BBC Monitoring, May 14).

Mirziyaev was meeting President Xi Jinping in his new role as president of Uzbekistan for the first time, but both had dealt with each other in the past. During President Xis visit to Uzbekistan in 2016, thenprime minister Mirziyaev personally accompanied him on a sightseeing trip to Bukhara (Gazeta.uz, June 21, 2016). The previous personal acquaintance likely helped the two heads of state to swiftly move to substantive talks, without first spending time on warm-up get to know each other sessions. President Mirziyaev returned from China with cooperation agreements worth $20 billion, the largest amount so far since bilateral relations were established (Uzdaily.uz, May 13). The agreements were mainly in the real sector of the economy, such as improvements in the quality of education in Uzbekistan, the modernization of medical facilities, agriculture, the modernization of 299 water pump stations, and the production of synthetic liquid fuel (Gazeta.uz, May 13).

To put the May 2017 China-Uzbekistan meeting in perspective, when the last time the countries signed bilateral agreements, in 2013, they agreed on $15 billion worth of deals (Uza.uz, September 9, 2013). At that time, President Xi first announced his Silk Road InitiativeChinas road and railway plans traversing Central Asiain Kazakhstan, right before his visit to Uzbekistan (The New York Times, September 7, 2013). It also bears noting the Uzbekistans latest cooperation agreements with China were even larger than the bilateral cooperation agreement President Mirziyaev signed with the Russian government in April, during his visit to Russia. Last months deal with Moscow amounted to $15 billion (Izvestia, April 5).

China has thus become nothing short of a true strategic partner for Uzbekistan. Beijing co-funded the first and only railroad connecting the Ferghana Valley, the most eastern corner of the country, with the rest of Uzbekistan. The connection is crucial for trans-regional railroad projects to ship Chinese goods as well. Now with that railroad complete, China has committed to an equally strategic $175 million motorway project to run parallel to the railroad in the Ferghana Valley (Gazeta.uz, May 15).

Bilateral trade between China and Uzbekistan has reached $4.2 billion, but fell slightly short of the targeted $5 billion set by President Xi himself back in 2013 (Lenta.ru, September 9, 2013). Coincidently, bilateral trade between Russia and Uzbekistan has also now reached $4.2 billion (Anhor.uz, February 16). During their latest summit, Uzbekistan and China set a new bilateral trade target of $10 billion, without providing a concrete date for when this goal should be reached (Uzdaily.uz, May 15). In terms of investments in Uzbekistans economy, China is slightly ahead of Russia: China invested a total of $8 billion to date, while Russia invested over $7 billion (Uzdaily.uz, May 15; RIA Novosti, March 23).

During the One Belt, One Road forum, President Mirziyaev spoke about Uzbekistans role in the initiative and highlighted a planned ChinaKyrgyzstanUzbekistanAfghanistan railroad connection as a strategically important transportation corridor (Gazeta.uz, May 15). To bring this railway connection to life, Uzbekistan will have to remain willing to engage with Kyrgyzstan, a neighbor with which Tashkent has had a rocky relationship since independence (see EDM, September 13, 2016). President Mirziyaevs other major proposal at the forum was a call to establish joint projects among the participant countries to produce high-technology goods. The proposal signals that Uzbekistan is attempting to move away from a resource-based economy toward high-value-added manufacturing (Gazeta.uz, May 15).

Mirziyaevs first phase of foreign activities came to an end with the visit to China. A close analysis of the timing and substance of these meetings suggests that, for Uzbekistan, its Central Asian neighbors are vital to maintain peace and security in the region and increasingly to engage in trade relations. But China and Russia are the countrys leading trade partners and investors: both Russia and China are more or less equal in their respective bilateral trade with Uzbekistan, though China is slightly ahead in terms of foreign direct investments. Chinas role in foreign relations with Uzbekistan has also been growing, as it recently participated in an engineeringly complex railroad project and is planning to assist in constructing a similar motorway project. China has also been invited to participate in ever more economic diversification initiatives in Uzbekistan. In this, the Central Asian republic hopes to transition to a high-value-added manufacturing economy and away from an agriculturally based economymuch as China has done in the last few decades.

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Uzbekistan's Economic Ties to China Continue to Grow Under New ... - The Jamestown Foundation

By Wajahat Qazi Donald Trump , in his maiden visit to Saudi Arabia, as president of the United States, has waxed lyrical about the nature of United States relationship or even alliance with the Saudis and his expectations from them. Stripped of accretions and rhetoric, Trump has essentially revalidated and reaffirmed support for the United States alliance with Saudi Arabia propped the country up as a counterweight to Iran and pledged support to the country. On the face of it, Saudis given the fluidity and flux that defines the region- Irans assertiveness, the intensification of the Sunni- Shiite schism and conflict, the various proxy wars and the overall structural decrepitude of the Saudi economy- would be elated at Trumps offer of support and validation. But as Trump has alluded to, the premise behind his approach to the Saudis is based on realism- the school of international relations which is based on interest, power and stability. Saudis must be realist too and extract maximum leverage and dividends from the alliance. What could be the nature of this quid pro quo? First, while Saudi Arabia must cannibalize the alliance for its security needs, it must also be careful not to be used against any nation in the region- especially Iran. The reasons largely pertain to the fact that interests of nations are not set in stone and the nature of the power political world that we inhabit is fluid in terms of both system and structure. Moreover, the United States is in relative decline. The shape and form of international relations , say in a span of a decade (less or more), might be in stark contrast to today. In essence then Saudi Arabia must keep its options open. This means , among other things, not solely relying on the United States for security and allied needs. Diversification would be key here. The Saudis, as insurance against the ups and downs of international relations and alliance politics thereof, could look toward Pakistan and perhaps even Turkey as partners to hedge the countrys bets. In the meantime, negotiating channels with Iran must not be closed down. In terms of the economy, the Saudis have no choice other than to diversify the economy and build a new business model to predicate their economy upon. A mono-cultural , resource based economy has started to yield diminishing returns and it is about time to restructure the economy of the Saudi state. This, among other things, could mean the obvious: trim extensively the bloated public sector of the state, gradually phase out subsidies , and build a social safety net to cushion the shocks and effects. But key here is building the human capital of the country. This does not mean Saudization but building the educational edifice of the country though huge investments in the education- primary, secondary and higher- sector. Given that oil is the commodity that the Saudi economy could be said to be built around, diversification cannot realistically take the form and shape of tradables(narrowly defined). The way out is a knowledge based service economy. Again key here would be human capital oriented around higher end of the Information, Communication and Technology(ICT) spectrum. This is doable- eminently so. However, building this paradigm would entail breaking past paradigms and economic theories that the Saudi economy has been built upon. Disaggregated, all this would mean ensconsing the Saudi economy in and around global flows of trade, technology and communication. Here , the role of the United States assumes significance. The countrys expertise and reach in high tech domains should be sought by the Saudis and then replicated in Saudi Arabia. Clusters and tech sectors modeled along the lines of Silicon Valley and links with it must be built and high tech entrepreneurship encouraged. But again diversification is important here. The Saudis must build trade and technology bridges with China as well. Another important domain that the Saudis must seek to capitalize upon is the treatment of Muslims in the United States. If Trump has lauded and appreciated Islam and its civilization in his speech and held Saudi Arabia as the centre of gravity of the Muslim world, he must be held to it. This too is doable given that he has made these pronouncements in public and full media glare. If Trump, for instance, targets Muslims in the United States as he promised in his campaign trail, he must be held to account against the back drop of his speech. All these steps and measures, though not exhaustive , fall in the domain of the possible. The Saudis must seek and extract maximum benefits from the United States. This is what realism demands and it is what the Saudis must do. The United States is reviewing its foreign policy orientation and approaches. This includes the nature of the relationship with Saudi Arabia. Viewing Trumps outreach as continuation of the past would constitute a mistake. The Saudis must also undergo a review and approach the relationship in consonance with the spirit of realism. Any other approach would be mushy and muddleheaded. The time for realistic clarity is now.

The author can be reached: wajahatqazi1234@gmail.com

Saudi Arabia, United States, US President

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What Saudi Arabia must Demand from Trump? - Kashmir Reader

Rural communities dependent on U.S. public lands for everything from outdoor recreation to hunting to livestock grazing could be hit hard under the Trump administration's latest budget proposal unveiled Tuesday.

Still subject to approval by Congress, the president's budget includes a roughly $1.4 billion cut to the Department of Interior and far deeper cuts to the Department of Agriculture: combined the two agencies own and manage more than 700 million acres of public lands, mostly in the West.

Here are three items of note in the Department of Interior budget alone that aren't generating much attention so far. But they could disproportionately hit rural communities, many of which tended to support President Trump in last year's election.

As a congressman representing Montana, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke was a vocal supporter of the Land and Conservation fund. But at a budget briefing for reporters Tuesday he appeared to sound a different tune on future land acquisition and conservation more generally.

"Rather than simply adding more land, we want to make sure we take care of what we have," Zinke said.

Like many of his predecessors, Secretary Zinke has articulated a broad, if sometimes complicated, vision for the future of public lands management. On the one hand, he's pledged to be a conservation champion in the spirit of Teddy Roosevelt. But he's also promised to boost the economies of rural American towns by increasing mining and other development on public lands that surround them.

For sure, this reflects the often competing "multiple use" mission of DOI agencies such as the Bureau of Land Management. But Zinke predicted that reversing Obama-era policies restricting off-shore drilling alone could bring revenue back for many of the restoration and conservation programs currently facing cuts.

"Some of it has been due to oil and gas pricing, but not all," Zinke said. "A lot of it is uncertainty that we have not been a good partner with industry."

Still, many influential sportsmen and public lands groups say the administration's budget is directly at odds with many of the conservation values Mr. Zinke espouses.

"When you talk about on the one hand, increasing access, and then you cut out the very tool to do that, it's hard to reconcile," said Land Tawney, executive director of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers.

Tawney says the DOI's budget proposal is reflective of a broader trend that he says has been building in Washington in recent years: "when you starve these agencies of their budgets, you make them look sick, so we can [then] think about divesting in them."

As much of the rural West in particular has been transitioning from a resource-based economy to one more dependent on outdoor recreation, groups like Tawney's have flexed their political muscle recently. They say they plan to press Congress in the coming weeks as well, if the administration's budget proposal moves forward.

Meantime there is early and widespread speculation that much of the budget stands little chance of passing Congress, at least in its current form, even with the president's party in control of both the House and the Senate.

For his part Tuesday, Secretary Zinke seemed to view the latest budget proposal as a conversation starter, even if it's controversial. He argued that many federal land agencies need to be overhauled and updated with a longer term vision.

"I view this as a reorganization to look at how best to manage, protect and use our public lands in the next 100 years, given that we have a number of challenges," Zinke said.

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This land is ... cut under Trump's budget? - Minnesota Public Radio News

Desert lands run by the U.S. Department of Interior in Utah. Kirk Siegler/Kirk Siegler hide caption

Desert lands run by the U.S. Department of Interior in Utah.

Rural communities dependent on U.S. public lands for everything from outdoor recreation to hunting to livestock grazing could be hit hard under the Trump administration's latest budget proposal unveiled Tuesday.

Still subject to approval by Congress, the president's budget includes a roughly $1.4 billion cut to the Department of Interior and far deeper cuts to the Department of Agriculture: combined the two agencies own and manage more than 700 million acres of public lands, mostly in the West.

Here are three items of note in the Department of Interior budget alone that aren't generating much attention so far. But they could disproportionately hit rural communities, many of which tended to support President Trump in last year's election.

As a congressman representing Montana, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke was a vocal supporter of the Land and Conservation fund. But at a budget briefing for reporters Tuesday he appeared to sound a different tune on future land acquisition and conservation more generally.

"Rather than simply adding more land, we want to make sure we take care of what we have," Zinke said.

Like many of his predecessors, Secretary Zinke has articulated a broad, if sometimes complicated, vision for the future of public lands management. On the one hand, he's pledged to be a conservation champion in the spirit of Teddy Roosevelt. But he's also promised to boost the economies of rural American towns by increasing mining and other development on public lands that surround them.

For sure, this reflects the often competing "multiple use" mission of DOI agencies such as the Bureau of Land Management. But Zinke predicted that reversing Obama-era policies restricting off-shore drilling alone could bring revenue back for many of the restoration and conservation programs currently facing cuts.

"Some of it has been due to oil and gas pricing, but not all," Zinke said. "A lot of it is uncertainty that we have not been a good partner with industry."

Still, many influential sportsmen and public lands groups say the administration's budget is directly at odds with many of the conservation values Mr. Zinke espouses.

"When you talk about on the one hand, increasing access, and then you cut out the very tool to do that, it's hard to reconcile," said Land Tawney, executive director of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers.

Tawney says the DOI's budget proposal is reflective of a broader trend that he says has been building in Washington in recent years: "when you starve these agencies of their budgets, you make them look sick, so we can [then] think about divesting in them."

As much of the rural West in particular has been transitioning from a resource-based economy to one more dependent on outdoor recreation, groups like Tawney's have flexed their political muscle recently. They say they plan to press Congress in the coming weeks as well, if the administration's budget proposal moves forward.

Meantime there is early and widespread speculation that much of the budget stands little chance of passing Congress, at least in its current form, even with the president's party in control of both the House and the Senate.

For his part Tuesday, Secretary Zinke seemed to view the latest budget proposal as a conversation starter, even if it's controversial. He argued that many federal land agencies need to be overhauled and updated with a longer term vision.

"I view this as a reorganization to look at how best to manage, protect and use our public lands in the next 100 years, given that we have a number of challenges," Zinke said.

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This Land Is ... Cut Under Trump's Budget? - NPR

Business News of Tuesday, 23 May 2017

Source: http://www.ghanaweb.com

USAID Ghana Country Director, Girmay Haile

The Country Director of USAIDS Ghana, Girmay Haile has lauded the governments decision to introduce the 1 district 1 factory policy. The policy he intimated will help transform the country from a resource based economy to an industrialised one.

He bemoaned the absence of value addition on the resources we have in the country and explained that the decision to introduce such a project will go a long way to strengthen the economy.

The policy is to industrialise the country, the interpretation of the government is to start from the community with a factory. That way they have pushed the agenda to the community they have pushed the district to the expert, they have pushed the agenda to the investor. He stated.

He added that the policy also gives the opportunity to the community to focus more on it capacity and what it can contribute to the growth and development of its inhabitants and the country by extension We need to look at Ghana and identify what is feasible in terms of industrialisation in each district and each district will have to identify what its actual wealth and capacities are in order for it to start to plan at the district level, a development plan. So I think its a right step In the right direction and we need to and should benefit from that policy, he insisted.

He, however, cautioned that for districts to have the full benefits of the policy, government must dialogue with stakeholders and have broad consultations.

He was sad that a sector like Agriculture which is touted as the backbone of the economy and contributes about 17%-20% to the economy but investment in less than 5% of government expenditure.

The USAID Ghana Country Director expressed worry that most transnational companies that operate in the country end up remitting most of its returns leaving Ghana with nothing.

He called for a proper policy framework to correct such business practices as the country is on the losing side most of the time.

He made these revelations to http://www.ghanaweb.com on the sidelines of day two of the Ghana CEOs Summit held at the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City in Accra on Tuesday.

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USAID country director lauds one district, one factory policy ... - GhanaWeb

A mining port facility in Port Hedland, Australia.

House-buyers seeking a bargain amid the wreckage of Australias mining boom might want to get in quick.

Port Hedland, a shipping hub for the Pilbara iron ore region in Western Australia, saw house prices collapse nearly 70 percent in the past four years as workers lost their jobs and left amid theend of a resources investment boom. But prices there have reached a bottom and are now even rising.

"Were starting to get multiple offers on properties," said Peter Dunning, a real estate agentat Ray White Group in Port Hedland, who says local values have risen about A$50,000 ($37,470) in the past six months."People realized that prices had got so cheap, they probably werent going to get any cheaper. So they started buying.

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Brighter spots in housing is one of three chunks of evidence adding to a growing sense that Australias resource-based economies are improving. The Reserve Bank of Australias liaison with businesses and its data analysis show emerging signs that the Queensland and Western Australian slowdowns are coming to an end, it said earlier this month. The regions jobs markets, meanwhile, showed a healthy pickup in April.

The recent commodities rally has laid a foundation for recovery. While the price of iron ore -- Australias biggest export -- has slipped after unexpectedly rebounding toward the end of last year, it remains well above the lows beneath $40 seen in late 2015. Still, there is potential for the steel-making metal to fall further as no.1 trading partner China stockpiles its holdings.

Port Hedland last month approved BHP Billiton Ltd.s request to boost the amount of iron ore it ships through the port by 5 million tons to 275 million tonnes a year, after the miner initially sought an increase to 290 million tons. The coal-mining state of Queensland, meanwhile, is starting to reap benefits from large-scale liquefied natural gas projects coming on stream.

A CoreLogic report earlier this month found that many mining towns across Australia were seeing sales volumes of houses lift and the rate of price declines starting to slow. But its still a far cry from the good times, when median prices in the fly-ridden, cyclone-prone outpost of Karratha, the Pilbaras biggest town, topped Sydneys by 49 percent.

Read more about the peak of Western Australias housing boom

Nobodys expecting a return to the boom years, when mining workers with no degrees were commanding salaries akin to that of Wall Street bankers. The bonanza lasted for much of the decade though 2012. But recent green shoots bolster the RBAs case that the unwinding of the mining investment boom is almost done, as the central bank seeks to diversify the economy toward services industries.

Drivers of growth in mining states appear to be broader-based than just commodities. Western Australia is getting a A$2.3 billion overhaul of its roads and rails, with a new 60,000-seat stadium also under construction, while works are well underway on Queenslands Gold Coast in preparation for the city hosting next years Commonwealth Games.

Queensland has got a pretty good spread of industries, for example tourism and education, so once the worst of this mining pullback is done, then the prospects are pretty good," said Steven Milch, chief economist at Suncorp Corporate Services Pty.

Deloitte Access Economics is also optimistic about Queensland. It forecasts the north-east state to grow 4.5 percent in fiscal 2018, outstripping New South Waless 3 percent and Victorias 3.4 percent.Growth in Western Australia, the state hardest hit by the mining downturn, is tipped to accelerate from 0.2 percent in fiscal 2018 to 2.2 percent the next year.

Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd. gave a tempered assessment in a May survey:"While activity in Western Australia continues to expand well below trend pace, the weight of the downturn is lifting." The banks Queensland index also improved, but it said that labor-market slack was still a drag on economic activity.

April data showed improvement in the resource states job markets. Queensland added a net 62,100 roles in the six months through April, the most of any state during the period. Western Australias jobless rate dropped 0.6 percentage points to 5.9 percent, the biggest decline in almost two years.

"It is busy over here," said Guy Fulcher, a recruitment consultant at Zenith Search agency in Perth. "Its been slowly picking up in the past 12 months. Its still nowhere near where it was in the boom time, but compared with how quiet it was, its a lot better."

With soaring property prices in Sydney and Melbourne far out of reach for many workers, some economists also expect to see northward migration to Queensland increase. That might go some way to easing an apartment supply glut in Brisbane, which the RBA has identified as a significant restraint on prices in the states biggest city.

Its still a stretch to suggest that resurgent mining states can pick up Australias growth baton should east-coast property markets stutter.

Back in Port Hedlands real estate market, Dunning saidhes also seen a sharp drop in rental vacancies, usually a sign that employers are in hiring mode, while buyer demand is almost entirely from owner-occupiers. He says the real gains wont come until a different type of bargain hunter reappears.

Nothing will happen dramatically until the investors start to come back,"said Dunning. For investors, Port Hedland has got a skull and crossbones on it.

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Australia's Mining Bust Town Reawakens - Bloomberg - Bloomberg

This past week we celebrated graduation at Columbia University. Throughout the week, schools gathered under tents on campus, and on Wednesday the entire university gathered for the official commencement and to hear Columbias President Lee Bollinger speak on the importance of free speech and the free global exchange of ideas. Some advocates of sustainability push a particular ideology or set of answers to these pressing problems, but at Columbia we have worked hard to ensure that multiple perspectives are part of our teaching and learning. We teach climate law and command and control regulation, and at the same time offer a certificate in sustainability finance that focuses on market-based solutions to the challenges of transitioning to a renewable resource-based economy. Our search for sustainability must be an open and honest one. My favorite part of President Bollingers speech was when he put his own office and prestige behind his advocacy of free speech and observed that:

Anyone with a voice can shout over a speaker; but being able to listen to and then effectively rebut those with whom we disagreeparticularly those who themselves peddle intoleranceis one of the greatest skills our education can bestow. And it is something our democracy desperately needs more of. That is why, I say to you now, if speakers who are being denied access to other campuses were to come here, I will personally volunteer to introduce them, and listen to them, however much I may disagree with them. But I will also never hesitate to make clear why I disagree with them.

There are environmental advocates who believe that they have a monopoly on wisdom. They dont. Ive been working on environmental policy for over four decades and I have made many mistakes. Over time, I think Ive learned some hard lessons and come to understand that listening is central to learning. Hearing contrary perspectives and stories drawn from many experiences is essential to intellectual growth. Columbias sustainability curriculum and co-curricular programming provides opportunities for choice and different approaches. I dont always agree with the faculty I recruit to teach and I know they dont always agree with me. And following the lead of our universitys president, one of my jobs as an educator is to ensure the respectful airing of disagreements and to insist on dialogue and genuine free speech. The goal of sustainability is an economy that does not damage the planet beyond repair. There are many ways to achieve that goal; some have not yet been invented.

I direct and teach in two masters programs at Columbia, the Master of Public Administration in Environmental Science and Policy at the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) and the Master of Science in Sustainability Management at the School of Professional Studies. While Ive participated in many commencement ceremonies, they never get old. This weeks school ceremonies were thrilling. On Monday, I greeted well over one hundred Sustainability Management graduates and witnessed our students and faculty winning several school awards for outstanding achievements. On Thursday, I celebrated with about 50 MPAs in Environmental Science and Policy as they graduated from SIPA. The student bodies of both schools were diverse, happy and surrounded by family and friends. Families travel thousands of miles to participate in this educational rite of passage. At SIPAs graduation, graduates carried flags from scores of nations. From the stage, the faculty viewed a sea of colors of nations and faces celebrating a globalism that cannot and will not be stopped by the forces of reaction and xenophobia.

Our economic life is changing, and for some the transition has been painful. Education at every levelfrom K-12 through community college and from college to graduate schoolhas become key to economic survival in this changing world. So too has specialized technical and vocational training. Last week I saw proud parents who have struggled and sacrificed to ensure that their children could succeed in this changing world. It doesnt get much more expensive than New York Citys cost of living and Columbias tuition. The faces of parents seemed to reflect pride of accomplishment and a little sense of relief. As faculty, it is critical that we always remember our responsibility to deliver on our end of the bargain. Educators must be life-long learners themselves, in order to ensure that we are able to prepare our students for the dynamic environment they are entering.

When I first studied and taught about environmental policy, my focus was on pollution and its impact on ecology and human health. Today, the field of sustainability management seeks to integrate understanding of the physical dimensions of sustainability into routine management decision-making. I am teaching tomorrows CEOs to manage their organizations waste, use of energy, water and other raw materialsto ensure sustainability throughout supply chains and to be aware of the financial risks posed by environmental accidents, pollution and climate change. The field continues to study conservation and pollution, but now encompasses a far broader set of concerns and has come to include the built environment, management, and the transition to sustainable cities. Students are pushing us to teach about start-ups, locally sourced food, and the environmental benefits of the sharing economy.

While the content of our courses evolves, some basics remain. Understanding the planets physics, chemistry, ecology, biology, culture, technology, politics, organizations, economics and values are at the center of our curriculum. Academic integrity, civility and hard work are as important as ever. Students of environment and sustainability can be wonderful to teach because they are often idealists with a deep sense of mission. They are determined to apply their new knowledge in the real world and spend a great deal of time and effort networking to find meaningful work in an unstructured but rapidly growing profession.

I hear often from our graduates who are applying the knowledge they gained in our programs to the problems they address every day. They are not shy about suggesting improvements, relaying trends and telling me the positive value of the lessons they learned with us. A number have come back to teach or give talks. Many mentor current students, and many are extraordinarily generous with their time. I am sure these experiences feed my optimism that we will meet the challenges of the crisis of global sustainability. A positive, creative and energetic community of sustainability professionals has emerged over the past decade. Many environmental scholars and advocates are skilled at communicating worst-case scenarios. They believe that gloom and doom conveys the sense of urgency that they feel. But spend a few months with our students and alums and you start to believe that even the most urgent crises can be addressed.

The most fundamental evolution of the field from environmental policy to sustainability management is that our profession is no longer limited to advocates, lobbyists and policy makers, but now includes entrepreneurs, green financiers, builders, managers and owners. We know we need to change the world, but the process will take place piece by piece, block by block, within distinct organizations, specific neighborhoods, cities and states. Our graduates are working to improve the quality of our lives while maintaining the quality of the environment. They are trained to do that. They know the questions to ask and how to find the experts needed to provide answers. And each year American universities are producing more and more graduates like the ones we educate at Columbia University.

Start your workday the right way with the news that matters most.

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The Evolution Of Sustainability Education - HuffPost

A report recently published by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) revealed that Iran has made significant progress towards a knowledge-based economy, powered by science and innovation. However, the report indicates that certain measures should be taken to fully harness the potential of the country.

In a 3-part articlewe will highlight the main findings of the 100 page report on Irans science, technology and innovation standing. The first part will focus on the human resource base of Iran. In the next two parts, infrastructure and the role of knowledge-based firms in the transition towards a knowledge-based economy will be discussed.

In recent years, Iran has been moving swiftly towards a more diverse economy that is less dependent on oil. Statistics show that the number of knowledge-based firms and S&T parks, and the amount of technology-based and knowledge-based exports have increased noticeably. These statistics indicate a national commitment to foster economic growth and sustainable development.

While not long age sanctions had almost left Iran no choice other than to opt a self-reliance strategy, recent political developments have provided grounds for Iran to collaborate internationally, exchange technology and know-how and engage in more innovative and scientific economic activities. Using the revenues from Oil and Gas to finance innovative endeavors and invest in other industrial sectors, Iran has been steadily moving away from an economy that was once almost solely dependent on oil.

The devotion of the country to develop a knowledge-based innovative economy has led to a strong human resource base. Iran has now one of the highest numbers of young educated adults. It ranks second globally in the number of engineering graduates per capita. Many well-educated and trained Iranians also live abroad as scientists and entrepreneurs, some of which are returning or plan to return to Iran following the optimism regarding the economy and politics of the country.

Iran has made significant progress in science; Higher education enrollment has almost doubled, the number of PhD students has tripled in the last 10 years, and the country is now ranked 16th globally and first in the middle east in terms of scientific publications, a significant improvement since 2005. New areas of research including nanotechnology, biotechnology and renewable energies have gained popularity among Iranian academics, ranking 15th in the world in 2016.

Despite these promising prospects, Iran still suffers from an illiteracy rate of around 13% among adults, an issue that the government should tackle. The unemployment rate among educated adults is twice the national average, which highlights the need to improve training and include vocational and technical education to deliver a better match between the skills of this group and industry needs.

The Human Development Index (HDI) shows Iran has moved from countries with low human development to countries with medium human development, from the 1980s to 2002. Womens participation in higher education has now reached the position of near equality. Female students now account for more than half the student population in social and medical sciences and while the engineering sciences are still dominated by men, women account for 35% of the total engineering students.

The highly educated and skilled labour force in Iran is a major resource for economic development, however, to ensure a fast and reliable transition towards a knowledge-based economy policymakers should plan to fully leverage this valuable resource.

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Iran Swiftly Moving Towards a Knowledge-Based Economy Part 1 - TechRasa (press release) (blog)

The regional district also retains responsibility for some backcountry roads, such as the road up to the Beaver River Stockyards, but they put up signs indicating the property is not maintained. Many locals are wondering why the Province cant do the same in other instances? / EVAN MATTHEWS

by EVAN MATTHEWS

Locals are working with their politicians to keep access to the Dore River Valley as backcountry roads are threatened with closures.

Forestry companies originally installed many of the Robson Valleys Forest Service Roads (FSRs) and permit roads, but once companies log and vacate the areas, many roads are decommissioned and the Ministry of Lands, Forests and Natural Resources takes control over the areas.

The Ministry is decommissioning many of the roads, as neither the logging companies nor the Province want the responsibility and/or liability that comes along with controlling them, according to locals.

Sledders, horse riders, cross-country skiers, hikers, farmers, trappers and hunters tourists and locals, alike all use the roads until they are decommissioned.

Theres quite a lot of roads like this, and its not my thinking we need to have all of them open, says Bill Arnold, having lived in the valley and accessed its backcountry since 1958.

But there are a few that should be kept open, and it should be up to residents of the valley as to which ones, he says.

The Dore River Valley is one of the more well-known and used backcountry areas, according to Glen Stanley, who has lived in the valley for 70 years, and is a member of the Ozalenka Alpine Hiking Club.

Now the Dore River Road might be closed for good, if the Province yanks out the bridge crossing the Dore River.

University students from who come as far as Ontario to use the backcountry near McBride.

Up the Dore River Valley, a hiking trail leads to an area with some extremely rare rock formations, according to locals. The rocks are rare in that the only other place scientists have found similar formations are along the ocean floor.

Geology students from Ontario come to study the formations in the summer. In the fall, students from the University of Northern British Columbia come to study the areas receding glaciers.

There is so much opportunity here, says Arnold.

Some said they have always done the majority of their hiking in Jasper, but after seeing it here, theyve said theyll never go (to Jasper) again, he says.

As much of the valley transitions from resource-based economies to a tourism-based economy, the existing infrastructure and the opportunity to develop new infrastructure should be viewed as a positive, and as an attraction to the increasing percentage of the tourist population, according to Arnold.

Its infrastructure providing access to a recreational activity, says Arnold.

We can advertise these areas, but we dare not advertise something we dont have access to, he says.

All who accessOther examples have come forward, too.

Lester Blouin, a McBride resident who helped build many of the roads, says to remove them at this point just doesnt make sense.

Ron Westlund, who lives on Westlund Road, has a family farm and tenure up the Dore River Valley.

Westlund brings his cattle to the valley to graze, but he says if he cant access the area by road then he cant access the area at all. Hed have to find an alternative solution, if such a thing exists, he says.

Arnold and Stanley have been working together to add signs up the Dore Valley, he says, as the signs act as a tourists guide to the waterfalls and glaciers.

Its more interesting up there if you know the names and you have reference, says Stanley.

In listening to her constituents, Regional District Director for Electoral Area H and McBride resident Dannielle Alan has put forward a resolution to the North Central Local Government Association (NCLGA) on this very issue.

The North Central Local Government Association is a non-profit, non-partisan association comprised of all elected officials in North Central B.C., including Valemount and McBride.

The NCLGA is currently developing a list of resolutions on behalf of its members, so the organization can advocate for its members regarding specific issues, in this case, decommissioned roads.

Director Alan says in talking with locals, there is a definite need for access to some of these areas, and people are willing to work with government to come up with viable solutions.

Ideally, the Province would consult with communities to identify key access roads, preferably before they are decommissioned, and would work with communities, industry and stakeholder groups to put together a maintenance plan to keep these roads accessible to the degree mutually agreed upon, says Alan.

For some roads it may mean foot and ATV traffic only, for others by motor vehicle. It depends on the circumstance, she says, adding it would be up to the Province to set the parameters of the conversation.

Liability, again, makes the situation more difficult, Alan noted.

Now, in what feels like a power struggle between locals and the province, Arnold says locals are working in clarifying the record.

Were not interested in controlling the roads or the process, says Arnold.

Were just interested in keeping some of them open.

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[ May 20, 2017 ] Taking back the backcountry News and Views - The Rocky Mountain Goat

Youve heard it said and read it a thousand times: West Virginia must diversify its economy.

Whose job is it to do that, anyway? The governors? The Commerce Department? The Legislatures? The state and local chambers of commerce?

Well go out on a limb and say it is the job of every able West Virginian to do his or her best to grow the economy of West Virginia.

How so? By thinking differently, shopping differently and encouraging entrepreneurship.

Are you unemployed or feel underemployed in your present position? Then consider creating your own job using the skills and talents you have that you can market into a successful income.

Do you shop online or at the big chain stores and restaurants? Then consider seeking out locally owned establishments that employ West Virginians the people who own homes here and send their kids to school here.

Are you planning a vacation? Then look for all the great places you can visit in West Virginia away from home but still in our beautiful state and bring in family and friends from elsewhere.

People see it as someone elses role to diversify the economy without realizing how much power they have to do so themselves, individually and collectively. But some people do realize they have the power to create a new economy in West Virginia, and they are gathering today through Wednesday at the Charleston Civic Center to make it happen, one step at a time.

Celebrating its 10th year, Create West Virginia is working to develop creative communities, companies and centers of learning that thrive in an economy of global innovation.

To do so, they work to train local community leaders in innovation-economy principles. They support commercial and social entrepreneurship initiatives and reach out to recruit creative people who want to build interesting lives and careers that matter in a place brimming with raw opportunity: West Virginia.

They are taking a different approach in their conference this year, having partnered with specialists in universal design to bring some of the nations top builders, designers and policymakers together, wrote Create West Virginia President Sarah Halstead in a Daily Mail Opinion column last week.

Some people dont need to get a job: they create their own, Halstead wrote. And many are looking for a change of pace, lower cost of living and social and business connections in communities that value diversity and arts. And everyone needs a home that works.

With that in mind, this years conference is bringing different perspectives to address design, program and policy issues that impact everyones health, safety, independence and comfort, Halstead said.

Charleston native and User Design professional Carol Smith of IBMs Watson project will be a keynote speaker, addressing how next-generation technology will remove barriers and improve rural and small city life.

Richard Duncan, from the RL Mace Universal Design Institute will highlight why housing and design professionals can help the economy and sense of place by adopting universal design principles.

The people at Create West Virginia are not trying to create jobs the old-fashioned way, because that way of job creation in West Virginias traditional natural resource-based economy is no longer working.

They recognize an opportunity for a state where communities embrace creativity and innovation and use diversity, education, entrepreneurship, quality of place and technology to grow their local economies.

Its fresh thinking and a welcome change for a state that, when it comes to its economy, very much needs change.

See more here:

We all can help create a new economy in WV - Beckley Register-Herald