The Future Minerals Forum panel discussion at the MENA Climate Week
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Oct. 17, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Middle East and North Africa Climate Week (MENACW) 2023, hosted in Riyadh, underscored the pivotal role of the Future Minerals Forum (FMF) in shaping the future of minerals.
The panel moderated by Aldo Pennini, Director of Strategy, Program, and Content for FMF, featured distinguished panelists, including Abdulrahman Al Belushi, Assistant Deputy Minister for Mining Enablement at the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources; Eng. Saud Al Mandil, Vice President of Technology, R&D, and Innovation at Ma’aden; Dr. Thamer Aldaajani, General Manager of Mining and Hydrocarbon Research at King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology; Ali Al-Mutairi, Executive Director at FMF; Dr. Abdullah Al-Nabhan, Senior Director of the Survey and Exploration at the Saudi Geological Survey; and Professor Jim Skie, Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
“Minerals represent a crucial pillar in powering numerous industries and projects,” said Abdulrahman Al Belushi. He stressed the need for sustainable operations that minimize environmental impact and ensure community benefits.
Saud Al Mandil emphasized Maaden’s commitment to sustainability in the mining sector. The company is dedicated to minimizing environmental impact and responsibly managing natural resources, aligning with the Kingdom’s commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement.
Thamer Aldaajani stressed the pivotal role of research in comprehending the economic and environmental impact of mineral resources and enhancing their value chains. He acknowledged the challenges faced by the mining sector in balancing the extraction of required minerals with environmental preservation.
Ali Al-Mutairi outlined FMF’s mission, stating, “FMF aims to shape the future of minerals in the context of the energy transition through multi-stakeholder dialogue and collaboration. The Forum serves as an international platform, fostering opportunities for entities involved in the mining sector to explore potential opportunities across the mineral super region, which stretches from Africa through West and Central Asia.”
Abdullah Al-Nabhan elaborated on the geological characteristics of the Arabian Shield, highlighting its abundant mineral resources essential for the green energy transition. Meanwhile, Professor Jim Skea announced, that for the first time, the IPCC will incorporate the role of minerals in the energy transition as part of its next multi-year report.
The third edition of FMF, under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, will be held from January 9-11, 2024, at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center in Riyadh.
New York, New York, Oct. 17, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Water Resilience Coalition (WRC), an industry-driven, CEO-led initiative convening global companies to address the global water crisis, today announced the launch of the Women + Water Collaborative, a flagship corporate collective action program to improve access to clean water and sanitation in India.
Gap Inc., Cargill, and GSK, in partnership with WaterAid and the Water Resilience Coalition, are launching the initiative to improve health, livelihoods, and climate resilience in water-stressed communities in India, beginning with the Krishna and Godavari basins. The WRC is an initiative of the CEO Water Mandate, a partnership between the UN Global Compact and the Pacific Institute.
This marks the first time that companies from different sectors spanning apparel, biopharma, and agriculture have united with shared goals, metrics, and governance to provide access to clean water and sanitation in the same communities. The Collaborative builds on the success of the previous USAID Gap Inc. Women + Water Alliance, which empowered over 2.4 million people to improve their access to water and sanitation in India between 2017 and 2023. This is one of 21 collective action projects in 15 basins underway across Asia, Africa, South America, and North America as part of the Water Resilience Coalition’s 2030 ambition to build water resilience across 100 Priority Basins.
The Women + Water Collaborative will improve the availability and quality of water in priority river basins through water replenishment and conservation using methods such as rainwater harvesting. It will provide communities with safe drinking water and climate-resilient sanitation and hygiene infrastructure and services. Although women in rural India play a crucial role in water collection and use, their participation in decision-making around water resources remains low. This program will leverage women’s leadership to build water resilience, improve water security, and enable equitable access to water and sanitation for communities at scale.
“As part of the Forward Faster Water Resilience Target and as members of the Water Resilience Coalition, the companies involved in this initiative have joined an alliance that thrives on collaboration and collective action. This cooperation will play a key role in achieving the WRC’s ambitious goals outlined in its 2030 strategy,” said Sanda Ojiambo, CEO and Executive Director of the United Nations Global Compact and Co-Chair of the Water Resilience Coalition.
“The Women + Water Collaborative builds on Gap Inc.’s history of designing innovative programs with nonprofits and the public sector, and then convening corporate partners to drive sustainability at scale,” said Dan Fibiger, Head of Global Sustainability for Gap Inc. “By joining across food, fashion and biopharma, we can drive meaningful impact in communities that fuel our global supply chains.”
“Water is essential for human health, as well as for the ongoing production of our medicines and vaccines,” said Claire Lund, VP Sustainability at GSK. “Yet climate change and nature loss are impacting water and health in locally specific ways – with some countries being more vulnerable. That’s why we are focused on water as part of our commitment to contributing to a nature positive world. We are proud to be a founding partner of the Women + Water Collaborative to improve water quality, quantity, and access in India, in turn helping to support local community health.”
This flagship collective action program demonstrates tangible progress toward the Water Resilience Coalition’s ambition to contribute to water security for 3 billion people and enable equitable access to water, sanitation, and hygiene for more than 300 million people by 2030.
“We know that reliable access to clean water and sanitation is essential for people and agriculture. At Cargill, we are focused on improving access to safe drinking water and sanitation, with the goal of reaching 500,000 people in priority communities by 2030,” said Michelle Grogg, Vice President of Corporate Responsibility at Cargill. “Partnership and collective action are a critical pathway to help us deliver on this ambition and we’re pleased to be a participating company in the Women + Water Collaborative.”
WaterAid will launch the program in five Indian states and six priority districts. The NGO is keen to bring on additional corporate partners to expand the reach.
“Our impact is limited only by the number of corporate partners we are able to bring on,” says Kelly Parsons, CEO of WaterAid America. “We know that solving the water crisis is a business imperative. We also know that none of the sustainable development goals will be achieved without global collaboration and partnership. By coordinating large, multi-stakeholder partnerships, we create holistic impact, at scale. That’s the power of collective action.”
##
About the Water Resilience Coalition
The Water Resilience Coalition is an industry-driven, CEO-led initiative of the CEO Water Mandate that aims to elevate the long-term mounting crisis of global water stress to the top of the corporate agenda and to preserve the world’s freshwater resources through collective action in water-stressed basins and ambitious, quantifiable commitments. Since the Coalition’s launch in 2020, 35 global companies across multiple sectors with a combined market cap of US$4.8 trillion and operations in more than 140 countries have joined the effort. For more information, visit ceowatermandate.org/resilience.
About the Pacific Institute
Founded in 1987, the Pacific Institute is a global water think tank that combines science-based thought leadership with active outreach to influence local, national, and international efforts in developing sustainable water policies. From working with Fortune 500 companies to frontline communities, our mission is to create and advance solutions to the world’s most pressing water challenges. Since 2009, the Pacific Institute has also acted as co-secretariat for the CEO Water Mandate, a global commitment platform that mobilizes a critical mass of business leaders to address global water challenges through corporate water stewardship. For more information, visit pacinst.org.
About the UN Global Compact
As a special initiative of the United Nations Secretary-General, the UN Global Compact is a call to companies worldwide to align their operations and strategies with Ten Principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. Our ambition is to accelerate and scale the global collective impact of business by upholding the Ten Principles and delivering the Sustainable Development Goals through accountable companies and ecosystems that enable change. With more than 18,000 companies and 3,800 non-business signatories based in over 101 countries, and 62 Local Networks, the UN Global Compact is the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative—one Global Compact uniting business for a better world.
Dover, DE, Oct. 17, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Pacific Green Technologies, Inc. (“Pacific Green”), (OTCQB: PGTK) today announced the appointment of Dane Wilkins as Managing Director of its Pacific Green Energy Parks Europe division, a wholly owned subsidiary of Pacific Green.
Dane will take up the post in November 2023 and joins from leading advisory firm Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL), where he was European Head of Energy and Infrastructure Advisory.
At JLL Dane built a European wide team focussed on strategic and financial advisory within the renewable sector across the UK, Italy, Romania, and Poland that has been ranked one of the leading financial advisers in Europe and among the top 15 globally, by number of deals, according to data provider InfraDeals.
The team has been acclaimed for leading some of the first transactions in the battery storage and flexible generation sector, acting for buyers and sellers on battery, solar pv, onshore and offshore wind and advising clients on energy strategies.
Scott Poulter, Pacific Green’s Chief Executive said: “We are delighted to have Dane join Pacific Green as we rapidly roll out our energy parks business throughout Europe and around the world to enable and facilitate the energy transition. Building on the success of the commissioning of 100MW Richborough Energy Park and development of 375MWh Sheaf Energy Park in the UK we are building a platform globally.”
Wilkins added: “I have been impressed with the unique offering Pacific Green brings to the battery energy storage sector and am delighted for the opportunity to contribute to the next phase of the company’s growth. It’s a privilege to join the Pacific Green team at this exciting time.”
About Pacific Green
Pacific Green is focused on addressing the world’s need for cleaner and more sustainable energy. It offers grid-scale battery energy storage systems, renewable and environmental technologies.
This news release contains “forward-looking statements,” as that term is defined in Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Statements in this news release which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things, the continued development of the Project, any potential business developments and future interest in Pacific Green’s battery, solar and environmental technologies.
Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, the continuation of the development of the Project, general economic and political conditions, and the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and Pacific Green assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although Pacific Green believes that the beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this news release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. Investors should consult all the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in Pacific Green’s annual report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year, Pacific Green’s quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and other periodic reports filed from time-to-time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Scott Poulter, Chairman & CEO
Pacific Green Technologies, Inc.
T: +1 (302) 601-4659
Damascus, Since launching the Operation (Al-Aqsa Flood) by the Palestinian resistance on October 7th in response to the Israeli occupation crimes, European and American attitudes and statements have been accelerating to support the brutal Israeli aggression against the besieged Gaza Strip.
The most prominent Western stances came by the U.S. which announced from the first moment of the aggression its absolute support for the occupying entity, ignoring the humanitarian catastrophe, the martyrs, the wounded, and the destruction it left in Gaza, in addition to water and electricity blackout.
Thus, the U.S. role in that aggression exceeded the limits of absolute bias toward the occupation to further go to public incitement and calls through the American media to exterminate the population of Gaza Strip, deport those who survive, and practice ethnic cleansing against them and displace them.
To show its aggressive support, Washington immediately sent its Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, to the region where he paid two visits to the Israeli occupation entity.
It also sent Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to the region to show full solidarity with “Israel,” and while he is in a state of permanent meeting with the so-called (emergency government) which was formed by the Zionist occupation authorities.
Washington also announced brining in aircraft carriers, destroyers and ships to the Mediterranean to affirm military support for the usurping Zionist entity.
In an unprecedented matter that had never happened before, the US administration announced yesterday a visit by US President Joe Biden to the Israeli occupation authorities’ tomorrow, Wednesday, in solidarity with “Israel,” which effectively stresses that Washington is the one leading the current aggression against Gaza, politically and militarily.
Meanwhile, in Britain, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced his government’s support for the crimes of the Israeli entity.
Sunak told reporters, ignoring all the scenes of crime committed against the people of the Gaza Strip, “We support Israel in exercising its right to self-defense and taking appropriate measures to end the violence” .
Sunak also stressed during a phone call with Prime Minister of the Israeli occupation entity that Britain will provide “Israel” with any support it needs, and that London will deploy two ships belonging to the British Royal Navy, helicopters, and surveillance planes in the Eastern Mediterranean in support of “Israel.”
With the continuous shameful and heinous Western attitudes towards the suffering of Gaza people, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that he agreed with the leaders of the United States, France and Britain that “Israel” has the right to self-defense, while the German News Agency reported that the German Ministry of Defense had put two drones at Israel’s service.
French President Emmanuel Macron also claimed that Israel is defending itself by eliminating terrorist organizations in this war.
The Western bias towards “Israel” was not limited to political statements or sending fleets to the region, but rather moved to the UN Security Council whose decisions are supposed to be for the benefit of the people, not against them, and for a ceasefire, not to increase escalation, but what happened yesterday through the vote of the United States, Britain, and France against the Russian draft resolution that calls for an immediate and humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip showed the reality of these countries that seek to ignite war instead of extinguish fires.
Damascus, Units of the army, in cooperation with Russian friendly air forces, have destroyed terrorist organizations’ positions, fortified points, ammunition depots and leadership HQ in Idleb countryside.
“Within the framework of accurate monitoring and follow-up operations of the points and locations of terrorist organizations that launch repeated attacks on safe villages and towns and some of our military points in Idleb countryside, units of the armed forces, in cooperation with the friendly Russian air forces operating in Syria carried out several special operations during the past days,” Defense Ministry said in a post of its Facebook page.
The army also targeted and destroyed a den for terrorist organizations designed for booby-trapping vehicles and repairing heavy equipment, killing and wounding dozens of terrorists belonging to the so-called “Tahrir al-Sham” and “Turkestan Islamic Party.”
Occupied Jerusalem, Following are the most important updates of Operation “Al-Aqsa Flood” launched by the Palestinian resistance:
-Palestinian resistance targets occupied Ashkelon with missile barrages in response to Israeli occupation’s attacks against people of Gaza Strip.
-Palestinian media, quoting WHO Regional Director: We demand aid access to Gaza via Rafah crossing, and we have been waiting for their access for more than 72 hours.
-Palestinian media: new massacre committed by Israeli occupation by bombing Palestinian homes near a hospital in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, causing a large number of martyrs and wounded.
-Palestinian resistance: The occupation’s massacres will not succeed in breaking the will of the Palestinian people and their solidarity with their resistance.
-Palestinian Health Ministry: 2,837 martyrs and about 12,000 wounded in Israeli occupation’s continued aggression on the besieged Gaza Strip for the 11th day in a row
-Palestinian resistance targets Israeli army areas of deployment east of Nahal Oz military site with a number of mortar shells
-Palestinian resistance targets areas of deployment of the Israeli enemy at the “Tselem” military base with missile barrages within Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.
– Palestinian media: Israeli occupation aircraft barbarically bombed homes in Rafah and Khan Yunis, southern Gaza Strip, dozens of Palestinians martyred and hundreds wounded, mostly women and children.
-Palestinian media: 25 Palestinians martyred, others injured as Israeli occupation aircraft bombed a five-story building behind Kuwaiti Hospital in Rafah City, southern Gaza Strip.
-UN Security Council rejects a draft resolution submitted by the Russian Permanent Mission that calls for an immediate and humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
-Palestinian media: A Palestinian martyred by fire of Israeli occupation forces in Halhul town, north of Hebron City in the West Bank.
-Palestinian media, quoting Palestinian representative to the UN: What is happening in Gaza is not a military operation, but rather an assault and massacre against innocent civilians…The health system has completely collapsed… and the Israeli enemy has killed entire families in Gaza.
-Palestinian media: Seven Palestinians martyred, others injured in a bombing by the Israeli occupation aircraft on a house in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip.
Occupied Jerusalem, Today, Tuesday, the 11th day of the Israeli occupation’s aggression on the besieged Gaza Strip, a massive explosion rocked the city of Deir al-Balah in the center of the Strip as the occupation aircraft bombed a residential building that shelters children and women. After hours of acts of searching under the rubble of the building, the bodies of two women and five children were unearthed.
Mahmoud Al-Awawdah, who was there at the time in an UNRWA shelter in the Nuseirat camp in the center of Gaza Strip, received news that the building targeted by the occupation in Deir al-Balah contained his sister, his wife, and three of his daughters.
Shock and tragedy hung over his features and those of his family around him… despite the intense bombing and the fear that the occupation aircraft would target him, Al-Awawda rushed to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir Al-Balah, hoping to hear the news of the survival of his wife, daughters, and sister, but hope faded and sadness settled in, as the doctors told him the martyrdom of them all.
Al-Awawda told SANA’s correspondent the details of the massacre committed by the occupation, saying “They left our house located east of the Bureij camp after rockets and shells rained down on every place and alley in the camp, and we dispersed hoping of escaping from the hell of the enemy’s rockets and shells. My wife, my sister, and my family headed for the house of one of our friends in The city of Deir al-Balah, believing that it was safe from bombing…but the occupation did not leave a safe inch in Gaza…its missiles and bombs rained down on children and women without stopping.”
Al-Awawda added that he silently buried the bodies of his wife, daughters, and sister, as no one can move, and everything that moves is a target exposed to occupation bombing. “I did not know that meeting with my wife, daughters, and sister two days ago was the last.. I am still in a state of shock at what happened… Children, Women are being killed in Gaza without any movement from the international community.”
Doha, The Qatar Financial Markets Authority participated today in the proceedings of the Forum for public companies listed on the Qatar Stock Exchange, organized by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
The event was attended by representatives and participants from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the Qatar Stock Exchange, as well as shareholders and representatives of public joint-stock companies, auditing and accounting firms, and several entrepreneurs and interested individuals.
The organization of the forum aims to enhance and facilitate investment and commercial activities in the country. It provides all means of assistance to joint-stock companies, ultimately leading to boosting confidence in the Qatari business environment and strengthening partnerships with the private sector. This aligns with Qatar’s National Vision 2030, which envisions a diversified and sustainable competitive economy.
Director of Corporate Governance and Disclosure Department at Qatar Financial Markets Authority Khaled Saif Al Sulaiti emphasized the importance of joint-stock companies in the national economy. The Authority is committed to keeping up with developments in global financial markets and informing stakeholders about the latest updates regarding legislation and regulations related to financial markets, including the corporate governance system for listed companies, the annual profit distribution system for shareholders, and the disclosure of board members’ bonuses and the method of calculation.
Al Sulaiti confirmed that the Qatar Financial Markets Authority is dedicated to enhancing and developing the services provided to joint-stock companies, aiming to facilitate and support these companies, traders, and investors in the capital market sector to the fullest extent.
Doha, Exchange rates for foreign currencies as issued on Tuesday by Qatar National Bank (QNB) are as following: Currency Buying Selling ————————————————- A.E. Dirham 0.97800 0.99700 Australian Dollar 2.28240 2.39620 Bahraini Dinar 9.46500 9.82600 Canadian Dollar 2.64740 2.77090 Swiss Franc 3.97420 4.15390 Chinese Yuan 0.47130 0.51220 Danish Kroner 0.48300 0.56120 Egyptian Pound 0.10330 0.12520 Euro 3.75730 3.95890 Sterling Pound 4.34080 4.57540 HongKong Dollar 0.44330 0.49530 Indian Rupee 0.04280 0.04540 Jordanian Dinar 5.08500 5.20200 Japanese Yen 0.02380 0.02510 Korean Won N/A 0.00320 Kuwaiti Dinar 11.64800 12.00000 (MORE)
