Category Archives: Resource Based Economy

An outdated economic model is responsible for St Ann being one of the poorest parishes in Jamaica, says Earl Jarrett, chief executive officer of The Jamaica National Group (JN Group).

"The parish has a resource-based economy which has moved little beyond the basic exploitation of its agricultural land, its bauxite and its beauty," Jarrett stated. Therefore, the business sector needs to work with political representatives and the people of St Ann, to create a more prosperous future for its population.

"The stories I have read about St Ann over the past decade remain the same," Jarrett told the meeting of the St Ann Chamber of Commerce (St Ann Chamber). "It remains stories about poor market conditions, tourist harassment and roads that need to be improved. It is a single story."

"This is despite the fact that St Ann has a history of outstanding private-sector leadership, particularly those who pioneered the development of the tourism sector, on top of traditional agriculture," he said. "And, the bauxite/alumina sector developed subsequently, giving the economy its three broad divisions, currently."

The economic development has been limited in scope, resulting in negative consequences for the parish and its people, he stated.

"Our parish has continued to plough ahead in agriculture, mining and tourism, even to this day," said Jarrett, who pointed out that his own ancestors had originated from the Watt Town agricultural community in the parish.

"The challenges that we came and saw are part of the old economy," he told the February 18 meeting at the Hibiscus Lodge/Almond Tree Restaurant in Ocho Rios. "Those economic drivers are the same ones our parents and grandparents came and saw. Therefore, this parish needs to look beyond those old industries.

"The data say that over 30 per cent of the people in this parish live in poverty, largely as a result of declines in agriculture," he pointed out. This is confirmed by the fact that 73.2 per cent of the population of 180,000 live in rural parts of the parish, where agriculture remains a major source of employment.

"If we cannot accommodate more of this rural population in urban St Ann, then they will move on to Kingston and to Brooklyn, NY, because they will try to find a way to improve their lives," Jarrett stated. "You need a new business model to make this parish perform better.

"You should convene a meeting with the parliamentary representatives of your parish in one room," Jarrett suggested to the St Ann Chamber. "And, you need a parish agenda that the four members of parliament can find common cause to support."

He offered the 45 members attending the joint parish chambers of commerce meeting his participation in the first session if they wanted him to. Along with members from the parish chamber, executive members from the Portland, St Mary, Trelawny, Montego Bay, Hanover and the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce attended the meeting.

The St Ann Chamber members welcomed the suggestions from Jarrett with applause, pointing out that there were substantial resources within the parish that could be harnessed more efficiently, and that more effort needs to be focused on marketing goods and services to the domestic market.

Opportunities in e-commerce and distribution were also discussed, with St Ann Chamber President Pixley Irons establishing a working committee to complete the parish agenda for presentation to the political representatives.

Norma Walters, custos of St Ann, added that "this is not about Ocho Rios, it is about St Ann. We need to see the parish in the global context and operate as a united group".

Jeanne Dixon, a former director of the chamber, pointed out that "for many years, the chamber has had plans. All we need is to upgrade those plans".

Supporting Jarrett's call for an agreed parish agenda, Dixon stated that many large businesses in St Ann are not controlled at the local or even the national level. For the locally controlled businesses, she declared, "We now need a voice."

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St Ann can do better Earl Jarrett - Jamaica Gleaner

Lessons from Canada's scientific resistance Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists But its resource-based economy has always been wary of environmental science. In many respects, Harper played to the nation's roots as a freewheeling mining republic that has always been fearfully allergic to scientific evidence that might limit the ...

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Lessons from Canada's scientific resistance - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

To celebrate its 10th anniversary of providing digital marketing, public relations, creative media planning and buying, and development communication in Nigeria, Verdant Zeal is set to hold a lineup of activities in March. The events kick off with a thanksgiving service on March 1, 2017 at its premises in GRA, Ikeja; a photo exhibition titled Journeys and Discoveries, will follow from Friday, March 17 through Sunday, March 19 at Renaissance Hotel, GRA Ikeja.

The annual Verdant zeal 6th innovation series will hold on March 23 at Civic Centre, Victoria Island and has as theme How Technology is Driving Africas New Narrative. There will be a Quantum awards night on the same day to wrap up the activities.

While speaking with The Guardian, Chairperson of the committee and Group Director, Marketing and Business Development, Nkiruka Oguadinma, said, The events will be an opportunity to showcase what we have done and so we decided to start with the thanksgiving, which will host some of our key clients and partners and those who have supported us in the past 10 years.

Oguadinma also noted that the Quamtum awards would be awarding our first staff, first client and other passionate people who have worked with them since inception.

On the annual invention series, Oguadinma said its focus on technology was due to recent evolvement, adding, Statistics updated in June 2015 shows that Africa has 28.6 per cent Internet penetration with Nigeria having 11.3 per cent of the total penetration in Africa. This shows that Nigeria is a big player in the African market and is expected to be among the top 10 internet-using countries in the world by 2018.

According to her, Africa is gradually moving from a resource-based economy to knowledge-based, innovation-driven economy. This has helped in impacting our youths as more of them are exposed to the internet, share ideas with local and foreign friends. Great minds are stirred up and our leaders are gradually investing in technology in ensuring that Africa is not left behind.

Managing Director, Guarantee Trust Bank Plc, Mr. Segun Agbaje, is expected to be keynote speaker at the invention series, while Chairman, Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Hakeem Belo-Osagie, will chair the occasion, among other invited speakers.

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Verdant Zeal set to celebrate decade of providing media solutions - Guardian

What do Dubai, Houston and Edmonton all have in common?

These cities in the United Arab Emirates, the United States and Canada all once faced the same problem Perth has right now - shifting their economiesaway from relying so heavily on resources.

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WA Premier Colin Barnett takes an evening stroll with WAtoday Political Journalist Brendan Foster and discusses the issues heading into the State Election.

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A man who was bashed trying to stop gate-crashers from storming a school ball after-party remains critically injured in hospital this morning. Vision: Today Perth News.

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Superstar Adele has hit Perth and we're being warned to expect a commuter nightmare as fans make their way to Domain Stadium on Tuesday night. Vision: Today Perth News.

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Ben Cousins has been refused bail after facing court on a range of charges. Audio:6PR

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The derby in Geraldton has sold out! It will be the first time people can see Sam Mitchell play in the blue and gold. Vision: Today Perth News.

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Ben Cousins is due to face court on a string of charges after being arrested by Armadale Detectives. Audio:6PR.

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Scarborough Beach is undergoing a $101 million dollar facelift, set to transform the coastal suburb into one of Australia's best beachfront destinations. Vision: Nine News Perth.

WA Premier Colin Barnett takes an evening stroll with WAtoday Political Journalist Brendan Foster and discusses the issues heading into the State Election.

In their case it was oil and gas: Dubai invested in airlines, tourism and luxury retail, Houston focussed on medicine, education and aeronauticswhile Edmonton homed in on technology, becoming one of the largest producers of video games on the planet.

Resources arevital to these cities' economies. But through diversifying their plays in otherindustries these placesare now better insulated from the boom and bust cycle that continues to define WA's economy.

Crime, roads, health, transport, infrastructure;there's a huge list ofworthy issues both side of politics are focusing on as they scramble to winvotes ahead of the looming state election.

But the economy is the fundamentalissue for WA - and whoeverwins the day on March 11will inherit acomplex economic riddle and be tasked - even foreverdefined - with how theyaddress it.

Can WA move beyondbeing a mining state?Photo: Brendon Thorne

This week WAtoday will explore fivesectors of the WA economy that could grow and be our future if they are given the right backing- tourism, the arts, technology, education and agriculture.

These are already important economic sectors, but they are not WA's focus. Mining is.

So to find out how WA canpivot from boom and bust to something a bit steadier, we'll be speaking with leaders of WA's otherindustries to find out what they want and what they needto prosper whether the Liberals or Labor are at the helm.

But first, let's take a look at where WA's economy is at right now...

The state of play for WA in 2017

"It was like being on a fantastic fairground ride, centrifugal forces throwing us wider and wider. Now imagine the machine breaks. For a while, it's even better, because you're really flying; but then, you're f----d, because nobody beats gravity."

These lines from the movie 24 Hour Party People describe the rise and fall of the 1990s 'Madchester'music scene - but theymay as well be describing WA's economy right now.

We all know that WA has been supercharged by the resources boom, and we all know that the good times are coming to an end. The signs are all around us, from the industrial zones of Wangarato the glass towers of St George's Terrace.

The mining sector has shed thousands ofjobs and justentered its second consecutive period of contraction. Perth'sCBD has gone from hosting the head offices of 45iron ore mining companies in 2012 to just 18 in 2017, andvacancy rates are at25.2 per cent- a 25-year peak.

WA's unemployment rate is the worst in the nation at 6.5 per cent, and the resource royalties hitting the state's coffers totalled $4.6 billion in 201516, a decline of 21 per cent on 201415 brought about by falling commodity prices.

Perth's CBD is changing fast. Photo: Philip Gostelow

Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre's 2016 report called this 'the new normal,' where under-employment is rising and growth is stagnating.

But Damian Stone from the independentfirm Y Research sees opportunity in this decline.He quite literally has his finger on the pulse of Perth - his firm goes door to door to find out which businesses aredoing what where, and produces detailed reports on business trends in WA.

From what he's seeing first hand, Mr Stone reckons the crunch is coming sooner than we'd like to think.

"2017 marks the end of the construction boom, including Gorgon, the largest resources project ever in Australia," he said.

"This process will accelerate in 2017 as WA moves on from the "resources boom" and starts to transition to a more diverse, resilient economy based around the evolution of the resources sector and WA's emerging economic drivers.

"Inaction will lead to economic stagnation as we await the next round of investment in resources projects. If we wait until the next investment boom commences it will be too late to adjust. 2017 is the time to move forward."

Looking to the future of WA's economy

There's widespread consensus that diversifying the economy throughsectors like tourism and agriculture is the way ahead, but the Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre'sresearch showsthese sectors barely make a dent right now.

Agriculture contributed less than two per cent to the state's output in 2015; tourism-related industries 4.9 per cent.

Mining, by comparison, made up 37 per cent and remainedthe sixth-biggest employer.

So it's a conundrum - mining is still the cornerstone of WA's economy, but it's shedding jobs, slowing down and offers no guarantee of long term stability.

Y Research's Damian Stone reckons WA needs to take a deep breath and ask this question -what do we want to be?

"Mining will always be there. But beyond that, are we a tourismhub? The new food bowl of Asia? The boarding school of the region? The new Silicon Valley of technology start ups?

"Once we determine our place in the world, the government and private sector need to work together. What can we learn from international resources cities, is that government assistance and leadership is required from the federal to the local level with a co-ordination of effort.

"Support can range from innovation funds, payroll tax exemptions, cutting red tape, international marketing, investment tours etc. As countries around the world look to close their borders, we need to be open to the world."

WA has much more to offer than just iron ore and gold.

The resources boom may be fading, but according to Mr Stone, it's left us things can be capitalised on if we move quickly.

"The resources boom has left a significant legacy for our state beyond Elizabeth Quay, Fiona Stanley Hospital, the new, redeveloped Perth Airport and the Burswood Football Stadium.

"The real legacy of this current boom is a larger population with significantly higher incomes compared to 2004. Combined with record growth in property development in metropolitan and regional areas, Perth will be better prepared for the next boom than it was for the last."

Time and tide wait for no one

President Barack Obama's first White House chief of staff Rahm Emanual famously said, "You never let a serious crisis go to waste. And what I mean by that it's an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before."

Just as the mining boom was an unprecedented economic opportunity for WA to grow, so too is the slow down.

So let's start the conversation.

On Tuesday WAtoday willlook at WA's tourism sectorand see how sharing our state's wonders could pay the bills, now and far into the future.

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The future of WA's economy: Life beyond mining - WAtoday

By Steve RobitailleSpecial to the Star-Banner

As president of Florida Defenders of the Environment, whose history includes stopping the completion of the Cross Florida Barge Canal and advocating for restoration of a free-flowing Ocklawaha River, I am no doubt identified as someone inherently hostile to bass-fishing interests and tournaments at the Rodman dam pool.

As someone who likes to fish and who recently took his sons for a fishing adventure in the Everglades, I would like to clear up some misconceptions as to why I wish to set the Ocklawaha free again.

First, I want to see a return to the greater numbers and diversity of fish species that were once available in the river. There is a great photo of the late Lester Teuton, who was baptized on the Ocklawaha. Hes holding a string of fish the likes and size of which had virtually disappeared by the time he died in 2014 at age 95.

I know there is considerable satisfaction in pulling a prize-winning largemouth bass out of the Rodman pool. But I know trophy bass are being caught in the St. Johns River. It just seems wrong to deny folks up and down the Ocklawaha the opportunity for a good catch in return for the impoundment of a single species of trophy fish.

I know the annual Rodman fishing tournament has long been associated with a boost in the local economy, but a drive through neighboring Palatka and Putnam County reveals that the economic vitality of the region still suffers. It is in need of a more diversified ecotourism industry.

Paddle-boats once took tourists up the river to Silver Springs. Visitors fell under the spell of manatees, teeming pools of large fish and a crystal-clear Silver Springs. Now only the rare manatee gets past the dam, unable to find the warm springs they counted on for survival and that are now submerged except when draw-downs occur. And Silver Springs, the jewel of Floridas natural wonders, now suffers from reduced flow. Where once black clouds of fish were seen suspended in the crystal-clear depths below, their diminished numbers now swim in a cloudy, algae-choked spring.

A survey that the University of Florida food and resource economics department is conducting suggests the promise that a restored river would significantly increase the numbers of canoe and kayak paddlers. Pontoon-boat tours would replace the tourist steamboats of years gone by, and hikers, bikers, birders and myriad other outdoor recreationalists would be attracted to the region and support an ever-expanding number of businesses who would cater to their needs.

Millennials hold the promise to a revitalized recreationally based economy in Putnam County (not to mention Marion County) and along the Ocklawaha watershed. They like to fish, too, but are more likely to be found in a kayak than in a bass boat. Their increased numbers are also likely to spend more money at local businesses.

Finally, if youve been watching the news, dams have a way of wreaking havoc on the watersheds they are intended to manage. For example, the Orville Dam near Sacramento, California, is experiencing serious engineering problems with age. Dams are expensive to maintain and upset the natural ecology everywhere they have been constructed. The days of dams are numbered. Between 1915 and 1975, 46 dams in the U.S. came down. Between 1976 and 2014, that number jumped to 1,040. Not a single dam was built after 2014.

A dam was removed on the Suwannee River near the Florida border after upsetting the pattern of natural fires and the hydrologic health of the Okefenokee Swamp. The use of structural water control has nearly destroyed the Florida Everglades and will cost taxpayers billions of dollars in wetlands restoration.

The clock on the Rodman dam is ticking, and the inevitable cost of needed upkeep and repairs will not be covered by proceeds from bass fishing tournaments. Also lost to the people of Florida is a large amount of freshwater that evaporates every day the Rodman pool remains in place. With freshwater supplies ever more strained in North Florida, a net loss of 5 million to 10 million gallons per day for the sole purpose of fishing is an extravagance we can no longer afford. Its simply not in the public interest of the people in our region.

So lets find a better location for a bass-fishing tournament in Putnam County. There are potential locations along the St. Johns and Ocklawaha where some of the largest bass have been caught, and not at the expense of damming the states most unique river.

Florida Defenders of the Environment is committed to working with area residents, businesses and community organizations to tell our elected representatives that money misspent on barge canals and dams would now be better invested in the flow of green ecotourism dollars that a free-flowing Ocklawaha would help release.

Steve Robitaille lives in Gainesville and is president of Florida Defenders of the Environment.

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Steve Robitaille: Removing Rodman dam would boost economy - Ocala

A Crescent Point production operation.

The Conference Board of Canada is predicting Saskatchewans economy will be back in the black in 2017.

Thats good news for Minister of Energy and Resources Dustin Duncan.

These are positive signs, said Duncan. But we still are trying to find a way to fill basically $1.2 billion in resource revenue evaporated in a couple of years, so its not going to be overnight that those numbers return to where they were.

The report from the Ottawa-based not-for-profit think tank forecasts Saskatchewans gross domestic product (GDP) growth for 2017 at 0.9 per cent, as the oil industry turns around.

The oil rebound will most help Alberta, which is projected to have the strongest growth among the provinces at 2.8 per cent 0.4 per cent due to continued rebuilding in Fort McMurray.

Albertas economy has been more heavily impacted by the oil decline, though: Its GDP dropped four per cent in 2015; Saskatchewans dropped 1.4 per cent.

Although GDP numbers for 2016 are not yet available, last years CBOC winter report projected Saskatchewans GDP would grow 0.7 per cent, while Albertas would shrink 1.1 per cent.

Oil will not be a godsend for years to come, according to Marie-Christine Bernard, associate director of the CBOC Provincial Forecast.

We expect more subdued economic growth next year as oil prices are not expected to increase very much, Bernard said in a statement.

But Duncan foresees good things to come, as he said several companies have already made major investment announcements, including Crescent Point Energy, which will spend 80 per cent of its $1.1-billion capital investment in this province.

But he remains concerned about a federally imposed carbon tax.

We are largely a resource-based economy, and a carbon-intense economy, so were still concerned about that, he said.

CBOC predicts Saskatchewan will still be challenged by global prices of potash and uranium.

Duncan said the government will continue to work to try to expand markets and increase sales of both potash and uranium.

CBOC reports a net 1,804 jobs will be created this year, but it will not be enough to prop up disposable income. Further, the struggling retail sector will not find relief as a result, since household spending will be modest.

Duncan said Saskatchewans retail and manufacturing jobs have led the country.

Saskatchewans projected growth outranks only Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador. The latter economy is the only one expected to shrink, with unemployment projected to rise to 15.5 per cent.

Manitoba can expect 1.9-per-cent growth, with strong manufacturing, transportation and insurance sectors.

amartin@postmedia.com

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Economic growth projected for Saskatchewan in 2017 | Regina ... - Regina Leader-Post

Shirley Vickers, President & CEO, BC Innovation Council.

image credit: Submitted

The BC Innovation Council (BCIC) was in Castlegar last week as part of their Regional Innovation Opportunities tour encouraging local companies and individuals to delve into the innovation and technology sector.

According to BCIC the initiative is intended to bring business and local tech companies together and spark further innovation and job growth in our regional economies.

The instructional and networking event promoted the idea that communities and businesses in the Interior can join in the new job economy through technology and innovation. Representatives from several companies from Kamloops were on hand to share how their companies had grown through introducing innovation and technology aspects to their businesses.

You can do the same type of thing in small towns like Castlegar, Nelson and Trail, said Castlegar Councillor Arry Dhillon, who attended the event.

The group was given examples of some challenges that large corporations are trying to overcome and encouraged that solutions could come from anywhere.

The point of the event was to spark discussion around innovation and how that can be brought into regions like ours, explained Dhillon. He thinks the ideas presented are a step in the right direction as we see resource-based economies faltering and tech-based sectors driving the future.

The tour is visiting seven cities with stops in Terrace, Kelowna and Nanaimo still to come in the next few weeks. BCIC is a Crown Agency of the Province of British Columbia. Locally BCIC is one of the funding partners for the Kootenay Association of Science and Technology.

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Event promotes innovation and technology expansion - News - Castlegar News

February 24, 2017

The Government of Myanmar and WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society) announced today a comprehensive plan to protect the country's diverse fisheries and marine lifeincluding dolphins, sea turtles, and other speciesand other marine resources.

The plan titled "Marine Spatial Planning for Myanmar: Strategic Advice for Securing a Sustainable Ocean Economy" was unveiled at this week's World Ocean Summit in Bali, Indonesia. Sponsored by The Economist, the event (Feb. 22-24) provides marine experts and decision-makers with a forum for examining and promoting sustainable uses of the oceans and marine resources.

The new marine spatial planning strategy was produced by Myanmar's Department of Fisheries, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation, with technical guidance from WCS, University of Exeter and Pyoe Pin (a program that provides assistance to democratic and accountable governance). The strategy's central goal is to provide decision-makers with a reliable road map for ocean space management and to create the conditions needed for economic and ecological sustainability and prosperity.

"The Union of the Republic of Myanmar is focused on balancing natural resource use across all production sectors, while providing investment opportunities, and economic prosperity for its people. We believe this strategy provides us with a robust structure through which to develop this goal and our ocean economy," said U Hla Kyaw, Deputy Director of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation (Department of Fisheries). "Our aim is to work with public and private partners to bring this vision to life for the people of Myanmar."

"The Pyoe Pin program has been working to support different key actors to work together to create a model of good governance across Myanmar's coastal states and regions, such that the enabling conditions for co-managing marine fisheries resources now exists," said U Aung Kyaw Thein, Strategic Advisor to Pyoe Pin. "Adopting area based management will ensure that our fisheries and marine resources are secure, and also drive upward flows of economic and social benefits to small-scale fishers."

As mainland Southeast Asia's largest country, Myanmar boasts a vast marine region covering some 486,000 square kilometers, most of which is currently unprotected. The country's extensive coastal areas provide vital habitats for species such as the finless porpoise, several species of sea turtle, and the dugong (a relative of the manatee).

The waters of Myanmar also contribute significantly to the country's economy and provide livelihoods for an estimated 1.4 million inshore and offshore fishers. Local and commercial fisheries also provide protein for millions, but illegal fishing has decimated local fish populations and could put the country's food security at risk if not regulated. The country's sovereign waters are also being explored for coastal development (tourism, ports) opportunities and gas reserves.

"Myanmar is a country undergoing great change as its engagement with the international community increases," said Martin Callow, Advisor to WCS's Myanmar Marine Conservation Program. "At the same time, the country's irreplaceable marine heritage is at risk from this new spirit of openness. The new marine spatial planning strategy fills an urgent need to understand current and future marine resource use and how these activities can be combined into a coordinated plan for a sustainable ocean economy."

"Our new National Coastal and Marine Resources Management Committee is fully supportive of this marine spatial planning strategy and, this committee, chaired by the Vice President and supported by respective coastal Chief Ministers, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation (MONREC), the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation, and the Navy, look forward to working with partners to enable the development of our sustainable ocean economy", said U Khin Maung Yi, Permanent Secretary of MONREC.

The strategy is a multi-faceted initiative featuring a number of programs focused on: building consensus and developing capacity; developing institutional arrangements; and strengthening data knowledge on marine life, resources, and the scale and scope of various extractive activities such as gas exploration and commercial fishing.

Myanmar representatives and scientific collaborators also announced the publication of a supporting documentthe "Myanmar Marine Biodiversity Atlas"which will provide natural resource managers with a foundation of spatial data for directing management strategies. Specifically, the atlas contains a comprehensive overview of the country's marine environment, it oceanographic characteristics, and the distribution of its abundant marine life. The atlas and strategy will be used in tandem to devise strategic approaches to support sustainable fisheries, and to establish a balance between marine conservation and marine protected area creation with ocean-based industries.

"It has been a great privilege to develop with partners a resource that can be used in future marine spatial planning activities", said Dr. Matthew Witt from the University of Exeter's Environment and Sustainability Institute. "We hope the atlas will help guide discussions and decision support around sustainable use of Myanmar's coastal and offshore environments, upon which many are dependent for food, employment and biodiversity services"

"We commend the Government of Myanmar for taking the first crucial steps needed to protect its marine resources for future generations with this new strategy," said Jason Patlis, Executive Director for WCS's Marine Conservation Program. "As evidenced in this first-ever marine atlas, Myanmar's waters play a critical role for the health of the global ocean, and the Government's efforts will benefit not only its own citizens, but the region and the world."

Explore further: How China is poised for marine fisheries reform

More information: myanmarbiodiversity.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/2015MSP-web2.pdf

As global fish stocks continue sinking to alarmingly low levels, a joint study by marine fisheries experts from within and outside of China concluded that the country's most recent fisheries conservation plan can achieve ...

The proposed establishment of a new Marine Protected Area (MPA) in the Myeik archipelago has received enthusiastic support by participants in a workshop held recently in Myanmar's Tanintharyi region.

The designation of Meinmahala Kyun as a Wetland of International Importance protects the last wildlife refuge in the Irrawaddy delta, which once supported the largest area of estuary mangroves in mainland Southeast Asia

Fishers in Central Africa often cover hundreds of miles in very basic boats without engines searching for food to feed their families and make a living, a new study shows.

For the first time, Smithsonian researchers and collaborators have designed a marine reserve network to protect species threatened by overfishing while boosting fishing yields on nearby fishing grounds, resolving a long-standing ...

As ocean conditions continue to change, putting ocean ecosystems and the communities that rely upon them at risk, today, NOAA took a first step in providing regional fisheries managers and stakeholders with information they ...

Bioengineers at the University of California San Diego have developed a new tool to identify interactions between RNA and DNA molecules. The tool, called MARGI (Mapping RNA Genome Interactions), is the first technology that's ...

Small "bubbles" frequently form on membranes of cells and are taken up into their interior. The process involves EHD proteins - a focus of research by Prof. Oliver Daumke of the MDC. He and his team have now shed light on ...

Scientists from The University of Western Australia have identified a tiny mutation in plants that can influence how well a plant recovers from stressful conditions, and ultimately impact a plant's survival.

The first skirmish was fought last week in what could be a long war over a revolutionary patent on gene-editing technology, with colossal amounts of money at stake.

The last Neanderthal died 40,000 years ago, but much of their genome lives on, in bits and pieces, through modern humans. The impact of Neanderthals' genetic contribution has been uncertain: Do these snippets affect our genome's ...

Nearly 10 years after a "doomsday" seed vault opened on an Arctic island, some 50,000 new samples from seed collections around the world have been deposited in the world's largest repository built to safeguard against wars ...

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Government of Myanmar unveils new plan to protect marine wildlife and resources - Phys.Org

Fresh off a visit to Europe to discuss global hot spots with G-20 partners, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is now attending to another important relationship simmering much closer to home.

His meetings this week with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and his cabinet, alongside U.S. Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, spanned a broad agenda from border security to law enforcement to trade. The latter has certainly galvanized public sentiments on both sides of the border. Feisty rhetoric of walls, tariffs and win-lose trade deals risk driving a wedge in the bilateral relationship.

Tillerson was tapped to be Americas top diplomat in large part for his acumen working with foreign governments to advance strategic interests and establish long-term commercial ties experience honed while heading one of the worlds largest energy companies. Those same skills will be needed as the U.S. reevaluates its trade relations with Mexico.

Change of some sort is likely and implementing it is bound to be complex. While discussions will necessarily drill down to the brass tacks, it is important to keep in mind a top line message that the U.S. and Mexico have and will continue to gain from their interconnected economies.

Fittingly, Tillersons former industry epitomizes the type of deep economic integration between the U.S. and Mexico that businesses in both countries are keen to preserve. If youre searching for common ground to defend economic openness in a future trade agreement, look no further than the mutual gains from the U.S. and Mexicos interconnected energy trade.

Energy is indelibly an industry based on trade. The free movement of labor, equipment, and commodities allow for resources in one country to be put to productive use in another.

This interaction is firmly embedded between the U.S. and Mexico. Every day, Mexico exports roughly 688,000 barrels of crude oil to the U.S. The U.S., meanwhile, sends a similar volume of refined petroleum products to Mexico each day. Approximately half of Mexicos gasoline imports come from the U.S.

The linkages are further entrenched when it comes to natural gas. The U.S. exports about 3 billion cubic feet per day (bcf/d) of natural gas to Mexico. These flows are mainly one-way from the U.S. to Mexico, but absent a southern outlet, the glut of supply would put downward pressure on U.S. natural gas prices and hurt domestic producers.

The industry that goes into Mexican bi-lateral energy trade is also a major source of jobs in the U.S. In Texas, the nations top hydrocarbon-producing state, the oil and gas industry is responsible for nearly two million jobs, according to data from the American Petroleum Institute. In Pennsylvania, the second largest natural gas-producing state, the industry accounts for almost 340,000 jobs.

But its future planning that reveals just how tightly interdependent the U.S. and Mexico are on the energy front.

Mexico is banking on the sustained boom in U.S. shale gas production for its energy infrastructure expansions. Over the past five years, natural gas pipeline capacity between the U.S. and Mexico has nearly doubled from approximately 3.7 bcf/d in 2011 to 7.2 bcf/d in 2016, according to the U.S. Energy Information Agency. That capacity is expected to again double by 2018 to more than 14 bcf/d.

In turn, Mexico is expanding its domestic pipeline network to accommodate greater U.S. natural gas based on its energy ministrys current five-year plan. Some 3,300 miles of new gas pipelines are planned or under construction in Mexico, mainly to support its power sector.

Likewise, U.S. companies have placed long-term bets on developing natural resources in Mexico. U.S. oil majors ExxonMobil and Chevron were among the international investors who paid large sums in December to lease acreage in Mexicos deepwater portion of the Gulf of Mexico. Those investments came despite the sustained slump in oil prices that has tightened budgets across the entire global energy industry.

Their long-term commitments are capitalizing on Mexicos historic reforms to liberalize its energy industry and other key sectors of its economy. Mexicos national hydrocarbons agency is currently finalizing rules to auction off unconventional gas blocks, a process that could garner interest from similar mid-sized operators that unleashed the shale revolution in the U.S. Whether deepwater or onshore, the ability to develop energy resources cost-efficiently depends partially on the competitive pricing of goods and services that are traded across the border.

The energy industry is uniquely dependent on trade. Investments must be made where the resources are located. Goods and services must then flow to develop them. In this regard, the energy supplies and demands of the U.S. and Mexico have benefitted each other enormously. But the same principles of open economies for efficient resource management can be also applied to any number of industries.

Revisions to U.S.-Mexico trade relations will necessarily veer towards the technical if and when they arise. Potential negotiations would be well-served if they are underpinned from the start by visions of integration and opportunities rather than deficits and losses. The energy industry is an obvious pillar for future economic cooperation.

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Energy as a Model for US-Mexico Economic Partnership - RealClearEnergy

The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, said that the Federal Government would redirect its energy to harness natural resources to bridge technology gaps in the country.

The Chief Secretary to the Minister, Mr Taye Akinyemi, in a statement quoted on Friday in Abuja, quoted Onu as saying making the remark when he received the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Jigawa State,Hajiya Rabi Eshaq.

According to him, the ministry will utilise natural resources to enable diversification of the economy to yield better results.

The minister called for synergy between the Federal Government and the state governors to convert natural resources of the country to diversify the economy, create jobs and wealth for all.

Onu said that the ministry would intensify efforts to move Nigeria from a resource-based to a knowledge and innovation-driven economy.

He pledged to support science and technology initiatives in the in the country for national development.

He said that the ministry would assist education institutions by distributing science equipment to secondary and tertiary institutions to encourage students to embrace science and technology early in life.

Onu said that the ministry would continue to strive to ensure that the country produced most of its technology needs locally.

The commissioner had told the minister that the aim of her was to establish a better relationship between the ministry and her state in the area of science and technology.

This is with a view to expanding the scope of science and technology in Jigawa state,Eshaqsaid.

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Science and Technology: Minister says FG will harness natural ... - Pulse Nigeria