COMPASSIONATE CAPITALI$M

SG, SRI, and Impact Investing: What's the Difference?

By MICHELLE ZHOU
Updated Jun 20, 2021
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ESG vs. SRI vs. Impact Investing
ESG
SRI
Impact Investing
The Bottom Line

ESG, SRI, and Impact Investing: What's the Difference?

The value of an investment is no longer just about returns. An increasing number of investors are also calling for their money to make a positive impact on society and the world at large.


In fact, socially responsible investing and one of its subsets, impact investing, accounted for more than $1 out of every $3 under professional management in the U.S., according to the 2020 survey by the U.S. Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment. This amounts to over $17 trillion in assets under management yearly, an increase of 42% from 2018.1


Accompanying the growing demand is a proliferation of funds and strategies that integrate ethical considerations into the investment process. Environmental, social, and governance (ESG), socially responsible investing (SRI), and impact investing are industry terms often used interchangeably by clients and professionals alike, with the assumption that they all match in meaning and approach. However, distinct differences exist that will affect how client portfolios should be structured and which investments are suitable for meeting social impact goals.


KEY TAKEAWAYS

A growing number of investors want to see their money go toward stocks or funds that are both profitable and reflective of their social values.

Three styles of investing fulfill this: Environmental, social, and governance (ESG), socially responsible investing (SRI), and impact investing.

ESG looks at the company's environmental, social, and governance practices, alongside more traditional financial measures.

Socially responsible investing involves actively removing or choosing investments based on specific ethical guidelines.

Impact investing looks to help a business or organization complete a project or develop a program or do something positive to benefit society.
ESG

ESG refers to the environmental, social, and governance practices of an investment that may have a material impact on the performance of that investment. The integration of ESG factors is used to enhance traditional financial analysis by identifying potential risks and opportunities beyond technical valuations. While there is an overlay of social consciousness, the main objective of ESG valuation remains financial performance.

The table below lists common ESG factors that are considered. Investments with good ESG scores have the potential to drive returns, while those with poor ESG scores may inhibit returns.



Environmental

Social

Governance


Energy consumption

Human rights

Quality of management

Pollution

Child and forced labor

Board independence

Climate change

Community engagement

Conflicts of interest

Waste production

Health and safety

Executive compensation

Natural resource preservation

Stakeholder relations

Transparency & disclosure

Animal welfare

Employee relations

Shareholder rights



SRI

Socially responsible investing goes one step further than ESG by actively eliminating or selecting investments according to specific ethical guidelines. The underlying motive could be religion, personal values, or political beliefs. Unlike ESG analysis which shapes valuations, SRI uses ESG factors to apply negative or positive screens on the investment universe. For example, an investor may wish to avoid any mutual fund or exchange traded fund (ETF) that invests in companies engaged in firearms production because they hold anti-conflict beliefs. Alternatively, an investor may opt to allocate a fixed portion of their portfolio to companies that contribute to charitable causes.


Other negative SRI screens include:

Alcohol, tobacco, and other addictive substances
Gambling
Production of weapons and defense tools
Terrorism affiliations
Human rights and labor violations
Environmental damage

For clients engaged in socially responsible investing, making a profit is still important, but must be balanced against principles. The goal is to generate returns without violating one’s social conscience.

Between 2018 and 2020, sustainable, responsible, and impact investing grew at a more than 42% rate, rising from $12 trillion in 2016 to $17.1 trillion in 2020, according to the U.S. Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment.1
Impact Investing

In impact or thematic investing, positive outcomes are of the utmost importance—meaning the investments need to have a positive impact in some way. So the objective of impact investing is to help a business or organization accomplish specific goals that are beneficial to society or the environment. Investing in a nonprofit dedicated to the research and development of clean energy, regardless of whether success is guaranteed, is an example.

The Bottom Line

About half of investors currently own responsible investments, and about the same number would be willing to convert their entire portfolio to be responsible, according to a recent survey conducted by TIAA. The desire to invest ethically is especially pronounced among millennials, the study showed. Implementing that desire, however, may be no easy task, given the growing complexity of investment concepts and products catering to this sector, which is why advisors must be well prepared to step in and help.

Online >> The US SIF Foundation’s Biennial “Trends Report” Finds That Sustainable Investing Assets Reach $17.1 Trillion

investor_interest_in_responsible_investing_soars.pdf (tiaa.org)

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GREEN CAPITALI$M

Goldman to RBC See a Slow-But-Sure European Green Stocks Revival

Sam Unsted

BLOOMBERG
Sat, June 19, 2021



(Bloomberg) -- European renewable-energy stocks, battered for much of this year, present a buying opportunity because their growth story remains intact. That pitch from Goldman Sachs is luring some investors -- those not in a hurry, that is.

The way Goldman tells it, with governments promising to phase out fossil fuels and the environmental, social and governance mantra still resonating, the sector is bound to eventually provide rich rewards for the long-term investor. RBC Wealth Management concurs.

“For us, the recent correction represents a good opportunity to build strategic positions in these stocks which should benefit from strong secular growth,” said Frederique Carrier, head of investment strategy at the firm. But “patience may be required,” she said.


After a stellar rise last year, renewables have fallen out of favor. The European Renewable Energy index is down 27% from its January peak, and three of the 10 worst-performing Stoxx 600 constituents in 2021 are renewable-energy plays -- tumbling an average of 35%. Last year, they were among the best performers in the index, with Norwegian electrolyzer company Nel ASA more than tripling and solar power firm Scatec ASA more than doubling.Many factors have coalesced to pull the sector down, leaving renewable-energy equities trading at a discount to other growth stocks. As the economy rebounds after the pandemic, cheaper value stocks are outperforming pricier growth shares. Also, prominent clean-energy exchange-traded funds are rebalancing holdings, putting technical pressure on some high-flying renewable names. Added to that are rising bond yields, inflation jitters and increasing competition in a sector where, as Carrier says, valuations got “a bit stretched.”

“Renewable companies have just been stuck in with all the other growth stocks,” said Randeep Somel, portfolio manager on the M&G Climate Solutions fund, suggesting that’s a mistake. Unlike tech stocks that benefited from a pandemic-driven demand boost, “it is the one area where you are guaranteed a positive growth trajectory,” he said.

That may be, but some still see renewables as pricey. For instance, even after declines this year, wind-turbine maker Vestas Wind Systems A/S trades at around 34-times forward earnings, while Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy SA is at nearly 43-times, according to Bloomberg data. That compares with around 17 times for the Stoxx 600 Europe benchmark.

“What we’re not doing is just buying the very expensive pure-plays,” said James Sym, head of European equities at investment firm River & Mercantile. “They’re still expensive. I have no idea, and nor does anyone else, whether inflation proves to be transitory.” If it doesn’t, pricey clean-energy stocks could be “very vulnerable,” he said.

To investors like Martin Todd, those concerns look “misplaced” given the underlying growth story for renewables and as inflation fears and commodity prices ease.

“If anything, the investment case has strengthened,” said the portfolio manager at Federated Hermes.

Hints of a recovery are starting to emerge. A global basket of “green transformation” stocks created by Saxo Bank has risen more than 10% in the past five weeks. Analysts are also turning positive. UBS AG upgraded its rating on Orsted and Berenberg said Vestas is among its top clean-energy picks, with both brokers saying the stocks are attractive after falling this year.

“Now is a good entry point for investors looking for a long-term play given the momentum is growing and we are likely to see multiple decades of growth,” said Harrison Williams, an analyst at Quilter Cheviot. His preferred stocks are Vestas and Portuguese renewable utility EDP Renovaveis SA.

The European Union reached an agreement on its Green Deal in April and U.S. President Joe Biden has set out a $2.25 trillion plan to invest in clean power and electric vehicles. Bloomberg New Energy Finance forecasts two years of record onshore wind builds in Europe in 2021 and 2022, plus a record year for solar builds in 2021 too. Then there’s the November United Nations Climate Change Conference, which could help to boost sentiment, M&G’s Somel said.

That said, anyone looking for a quick rebound may be in for a disappointment. For starters, the market backdrop of economic recovery will be more conducive to value stocks. Also, while renewables have strong winds in their sails, much of them are on the horizon.

“We won’t necessarily see a bounce back within six months, but this ultimately does not matter as it is a theme that is going to dominate for years to come,” said Williams.

Renewable stocks could rebound in the fourth quarter, said Adeline Diab, head of ESG and thematic investing in EMEA for Bloomberg Intelligence.

Investors may “rush into” clean-energy names before the end of the year as they align with the EU Taxonomy, the bloc’s sustainable investment framework, she said. The “most direct and quick way” to do this is to invest in pure-play names like Vestas or wind-farm operator Orsted A/S, Diab said.

“Despite elevated equity valuations, investors cannot overlook one of the biggest transformations of our society since industrialization,” said Peter Garnry, Saxo Bank’s head of equity strategy.

Forecast predicts global increase in coastal overtopping


When waves, tides or storm surges breach natural or artificial barriers, whether dunes or a flood wall, it is called coastal overtopping. Photo courtesy of the government of Guadeloupe

June 18 (UPI) -- Coastal overtopping is expected to accelerate during the coming decades, exposing more of Earth's coastline to the risk of flooding.

Coastal overtopping, or wave overtopping, occurs when waves, storm surges or extreme tides breach natural or artificial coastal barriers, whether a reef or flood wall.

As sea levels rise and coastal storms become more frequent and intense, the risk of coastal overtopping predictably increases.

To anticipate global increases in coastal overtopping, researchers combined satellite images with sophisticated models.

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The results, published Friday in the journal Nature Communications, suggest coastal overtopping will accelerate through the end of the century, especially in the tropics.

Scientists began by estimating the number of global submersion events between 1993 and 2015.

Using satellite data, researchers measured the slope of coastlines around the world, as well as the highest points along a coastline.

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Armed with timestamped measurements of local sea levels, researchers estimated how often and for how long coastal defenses were at risk of being overtopped.

"The combination of tides and episodes of large waves is the main contributor to episodes of coastal overflow," study coordinator Rafaël Almar said in a press release.

"We identified hot-spots, where the increase in risks of overtopping is higher, such as in the Gulf of Mexico, the Southern Mediterranean, West Africa, Madagascar and the Baltic Sea," said Almar, a researcher in coastal dynamics at the French Institute for Sustainable Development, IRD.

RELATED Scientists measure ocean currents underneath 'Doomsday Glacier'

Next, scientists used computer models to simulate coastal overtopping increases under various sea level rise scenarios.

The simulations showed increases in the risk of coastal overtopping are likely to outpace rates of sea level rise.

"The frequency of overtopping is accelerating exponentially and will be clearly perceptible as early as 2050, regardless of the climate scenario," Rafaël Almar said. "By the end of the century, the intensity of the acceleration will depend on the future trajectories of greenhouse gas emissions and therefore the rise in sea-level."

Researchers found that under the high emissions scenario, the risk of coastal overtopping could increase by 50 fold.

"As we go along the 21st century, more and more regions will be exposed to overtopping and consequent coastal flooding, especially in the tropics, north-western United States, Scandinavia and the Far East of Russia," Rafaël Almar said.

Researchers suggest additional studies are necessary to home in on more precise coastal overtopping forecasts for regions and stretches of coastline.

CAPITALI$M IN SPACE: BALLOON FLIGHTS

Space tourism startup flies test balloon 20 miles high over Florida


Space Perspective's test article for a planned passenger airship called Neptune is shown during a test on Friday at Space Coast Regional Airport. Photo courtesy of Space Perspective



A conceptual image shows the Spaceship Neptune, a project of aerospace firm Space Perspective, suspended from a hydrogen balloon in the stratosphere. Image courtesy of Space Perspective

ORLANDO, Fla., June 18 (UPI) -- Space tourism company Space Perspective successfully flew a prototype of its giant stratospheric balloon 20 miles high over Florida early Friday, the company announced.

The balloon lifted off at 5:23 a.m. EDT from the Space Coast Regional Airport near Kennedy Space Center and splashed down 6 hours and 39 minutes later in the Gulf of Mexico, the company reported. Crews recovered the balloon and a test article representing the Neptune capsule that eventually may carry people

The test of the prototype, Neptune One, kicks off an extensive test campaign, company co-founder Jane Poynter said in an interview before the test. She said Space Perspective aims for its first crewed flight in 2023 and first commercial flight in 2024.

"These test flights are designed to make sure that the particular geometry that we using, the shape of the capsule, will fly as we plan it to and splash down as planned, so there's nothing to take us by surprise later," Poynter said.

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Exciting Announcement! We successfully completed our first, historic #Spaceship #NeptuneOne #TestFlight reaching 100,000 feet!

Making the first steps for #SpacePerspective towards flying #SpaceExplorers to space for an unrivaled experience.https://t.co/lcWuGKPtDP pic.twitter.com/Iz5ayCzavz— Space Perspective (@SpacePerspectiv) June 18, 2021

Space Perspective has joined a growing number of companies that plan to conduct space tourism, with the important qualifier that it would only bring passengers to the edge of space. The test flight height of 20 miles falls short of the definition of space -- which is the Kármán line at 62 miles high.

RELATED Balloon firm plans test to later take tourists to edge of space

The leaders are Blue Origin, which intends to fly its CEO, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, to space in July, Elon Musk's SpaceX and Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic.

Space Perspective intends to be the most affordable option at roughly $125,000 per ticket, whereas Blue Origin and SpaceX so far have multimillion-dollar seat prices, and Virgin Galactic proposes prices over $250,000. Space Perspective plans leisurely, six-hour flights, whereas the other companies launch on rocket engines.

The test flight on Friday also carried a few science payloads, such as an ozone sensor for the physics department at the University of Northern Florida in Jacksonville and experiments proposed by high school students that were selected through Virginia-based non-profit Higher Orbits, according to Space Perspective.

The company's announcement also carried a note of congratulations from Frank DiBello, president and CEO of Space Florida, the state's development agency for space.

"We look forward to the coming milestones for Space Perspective as they prepare to take private citizens to space," DiBello said.

WHAT ABOUT DEATH PENALTY SUPPORTERS
Nearly 60 House Democrats oppose denial of communion to abortion supporters


A group of nearly 60 House Democrats signed a "Statement of Principles" opposing a plan by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to deny communion to lawmakers who support abortion rights. File Photo by Tasos Katopodis/UPI | License Photo

June 19 (UPI) -- Nearly 60 House Democrats signed a document opposing the Catholic church's plan to deny the sacrament to elected officials who support abortion rights.

In a "Statement of Principles" released on Friday, the lawmakers led by Reps. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn.; Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, and Brendan Boyle, D-Pa., described the vote by Catholic bishops in favor of a proposal to deny some lawmakers the right to participate in the tradition as "weaponization of the eucharist."

The document states that government "has a moral purpose" and noted that the co-signers are committed to Catholic principles such as reducing poverty and increasing access to education and healthcare.

They also said they support a separation of church and state, noting lawmakers have not been denied access to the sacrament for other stances that clash with the church's teachings.

"No elected officials have been threatened with being denied the Eucharist as they support and have supported policies contrary to the Church teachings, including supporting the death penalty, separating migrant children from their parents, denying asylum to those seeking safety in the United States, limiting assistance for the hungry and food insecure and denying rights and dignity to immigrants," they wrote.

Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., called the Catholic church "hypocrites" for not seeking to deny former Attorney General William Barr communion for expanding use of the death penalty in a tweet on Friday.

"You are being nakedly partisan and you should be ashamed. Another reason you are losing membership," he wrote.

RELATED US Supreme Court rules Catholic adoption agency can refuse LGBT couples

The statement came in response to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops voting 168-55 with six abstentions in favor of drafting a document to examine the "meaning of the eucharist in the life of the church," earlier on Friday.

The bishops debate surrounding the eucharist comes as President Joe Biden, just the second Catholic to hold the office, proposed a healthcare plan that would expand access to contraception and abortion and restore funding to Planned Parenthood, during his campaign.

US Catholic bishops vote to approve new guidance on communion



Rev. Bob Evans gives communion to parishioners at the Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Maryland Heights, Missouri. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo

June 18 (UPI) -- Catholic bishops on Friday voted to develop new guidelines on communion in a possible step toward denying the sacrament to elected officials such as President Joe Biden who support abortion rights.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, meeting virtually for its 2021 Spring General Assembly, voted 168-55 with six abstentions in favor of drafting a document to examine the "meaning of the eucharist in the life of the church."

The vote came following a lengthy and often emotional debate in which some bishops expressed strong reservations about the potential for the new guidelines to politicize the sacrament by denying it to Catholic politicians such as Biden who back abortion rights.

While campaigning for the presidency, Biden proposed a healthcare plan that would expand access to contraception and abortion and restore funding to Planned Parenthood. In addition, the plan sought to prevent states from passing laws to outlaw abortion.

RELATED Catholic bishops to consider communion guidance over abortion views

In a prerecorded opening statement, Bishop Kevin Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Ind., chairman of the bishops' doctrine committee, said it was never their intention to "produce national norms for denying Catholics holy communion" but rather "to present a clear understanding as to why the church has these laws."

The proposed guidelines -- part of a larger effort to revive the institution of the eucharist among Catholics -- are also not meant as "a statement about any one individual or about any one category of sinful behavior," he added.

But Cardinal Blase Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, said there was "significant ambiguity" about the actual intention of the effort.

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"We have heard a number of bishops ... indicate, in fact, that it's time that we take a position with regard to these public officials receiving communion. So it's hard to know what direction you're going to go."

San Diego Archbishop Robert McElroy, meanwhile, warned that it will be "impossible to prevent [the eucharist's] weaponization, even if everyone wants to do so" and that it could become "a tool in vicious partisan turmoil."

If the church legitimizes "public policy-based exclusion" from communion, McElroy said, "we'll invite all political animosity into the heart of the Eucharistic celebration."

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The vote allows the bishops' doctrine committee to proceed with drafting the document and present it for discussion when the bishops reconvene in person in Novembe

LGBTQ RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS

Thousands march in LGBT Equality Parade in Poland

Thousands of people participated in an LGBTQ Equality Parade in Warsaw Saturday amid what marchers described as rising homophobia in Poland. Photo by Leszek Szymanski/EPA-EFE

June 19 (UPI) -- Thousands of LGBT people and allies marched through the streets for the 20th Equality Parade in Warsaw on Saturday.

Participants waved rainbow flags outside of the neo-Gothic Palace of Culture and Science as a DJ played dance music while marchers sought to combat what they described as rising homophobia throughout Poland in recent years.

"The equality parade is a celebration of LGBT people and all those who have to fight for their rights," Sylwester Cimochowski, a 22-year-old marcher, told The Guardian. "Homophobia is a huge problem in Poland ... there are lots of people who can't cope with it, they kill themselves. The situation of LGBT people in Poland is tragic and that's why I'm here -- to support them."

Rafal Wojtczak, a representative of the Voluntary Service for Equality Foundation, expressed the opposition LGBT people have felt in recent years from police and the government under the role of the conservative United Right coalition.

"After two years, during which we have been hurt as the LGBT community of Warsaw, we are going out stronger, we are united," said Wojtczak.

Foreign ambassadors and several members of the Polish parliament took part in the march on Saturday, along with Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski.

"This is a place where everyone smiles, no aggression," Trzaskowski said. "This the place where the heart of a smiling Poland is beating."

The 2020 Equality Parade was canceled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and in 2019 police used tear gas on crowds and arrested nearly 30 people in a September LGBT March.

Warsaw pride parade returns amid LGBT rights backlash


Issued on: 19/06/2021 

People with rainbow flags cool off in a sprinkler ahead of the Equality Parade, the largest LGBT pride parade in Central and Eastern Europe, in Warsaw, Poland, June 19, 2021. © Czarek Sokolowski, AP

Text by: NEWS WIRES

The largest gay pride parade in central Europe took place again in Warsaw for the first time in two years after a pandemic-induced break — and amid a backlash in Poland and Hungary against LGBT rights.

Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski walked at the head of the Equality Parade on Saturday — a sign of support for LGBT rights by the liberal politician. Thousands of people joined the march and were cheered on by others waving rainbow flags from their apartment balconies.

But that level of acceptance is not universal in Poland, a heavily Catholic, largely conservative nation.

The joyful and colorful celebration was tinged with fear of what the future holds for the rights of gay men, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people after setbacks first in Russia and now in Hungary.

“The day of the parade is always a bitter-sweet moment for our community," said Rafal Wojtczak, a spokesman for the organizers. He described feelings of sadness and helplessness that LGBT people have not achieved rights like same-sex partnership or marriage in Poland, while also facing new threats.

The parade comes days after Hungary's parliament passed a law that makes it illegal to show any materials about LGBT issues to people under 18.

Hungary's conservative ruling party portrayed the law as an effort to fight pedophilia. But human rights groups see it as a cynical tool that will stigmatize and discriminate against LGBT people, and prevent youth from accessing critical information.

Poland's populist ruling party has taken a political direction very similar to that of Hungary under Prime Minister Viktor Orban in past years, pushing conservative policies and tightening ruling party control over courts and media. The European Union has denounced both these two member nations, accusing them of eroding democratic norms.

One prominent Polish activist, Bart Staszewski, carried a Hungarian flag in Saturday's march. He said it was a message to the EU to act in defense of LGBT people because he fears that “Poland will be next.”

A year ago, the Polish LGBT community faced a backlash from ruling conservative politicians, local communities and the church. In his successful bid for reelection against a challenge from Trzaskowski, President Andrzej Duda declared that “LGBT is not people; it's an ideology” while also claiming that it was “even more destructive” than communism.

A Polish archbishop warned of a “rainbow plague.” And dozens of local communities in Poland were passing resolutions against "LGBT ideology” in what was described as an attempt to protect the traditional family. These were strongly denounced by EU officials and a handful have since been rescinded.

“We’ve been through a very, very rough time, but at the same time we are going out in the streets and we are saying we are stronger and we are not going to give up,” said Miroslawa Makuchowska, vice director of Campaign Against Homophobia.

Wojtczak said “our community has been used in a political war.”

At the start of the march, some people chanted a vulgarity against Poland's ruling party.

This weekend’s Equality Parade comes 20 years since the event was first held in the Polish capital. It was banned twice in its early years by a conservative mayor, Lech Kaczynski, who feared it would promote homosexuality, and last year it was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Since the first event in 2001, Polish society has become largely more open on the issue of gay rights, shaped by EU membership and cultural influences from the West.

This year's parade was smaller than the one in 2019 due to some pandemic restrictions.

(AP)

THIRD WORLD USA
Many 'high priority' patients not making it onto kidney transplant lists

By Amy Norton, HealthDay News

Many Americans who stand to benefit most from a kidney transplant may be missing a key window of opportunity, a new study finds.

The study focused on kidney failure patients who would be expected to live many years after receiving a kidney transplant. That generally includes relatively younger people without other major medical conditions.

In 2014, the U.S. kidney allocation system made changes to help ensure those patients receive a donor kidney that is likely to function for many years -- which typically means from a young, healthy donor.

A scoring system, called the estimated post-transplant survival, or EPTS, score, was introduced. Once transplant candidates are placed on the waitlist, they are given an EPTS score; those in the "top 20%" get priority whenever a particularly high-quality kidney becomes available.

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But the new study found that many patients who would fall into that category are not making it onto the transplant waitlist in a timely manner.

Of more than 42,000 U.S. patients who would score in the top 20%, fewer than half were on the waitlist. And among the 34,000-plus who'd started kidney dialysis, only 37% were waitlisted for a transplant within three years.

"It's extremely discouraging," said study leader Jesse Schold, a researcher at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.

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These are patients who are very likely to do well after a transplant, he said. But by the time they get on the transplant list, many will no longer have a top EPTS score.

In fact, Schold's team found, of dialysis patients, 61% fell out of the top 20% group within 30 months. And, as seen throughout U.S. health care, there were disparities: Black patients and those from low-income groups were less likely to be waitlisted.

The findings were published online this week in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

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Kidney transplant is considered the best option for most people with end-stage kidney disease, or kidney failure. Currently, more than 90,000 Americans are on the donor-kidney waitlist, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing, or UNOS, the nonprofit that manages the nation's donor organ system.

"It's much better to be referred for a transplant before you need dialysis, which is called preemptive waitlisting," said Dr. Joseph Vassalotti, chief medical officer of the nonprofit National Kidney Foundation. "Unfortunately, that doesn't happen enough."

The current study, he noted, looked at patients who would be optimal transplant candidates -- all with EPTS scores in the top 20% and an average age of 38.

"They should have a very high percentage of placement on the waitlist," Vassalotti said.

Yet of the 42,445 patients, only about 7,900 were preemptively waitlisted. The rest -- more than 34,500 -- started dialysis sometime between 2015 and 2017, and only 37% moved onto the transplant waitlist within three years.

Ideally, the issue needs to be addressed far "upstream," Schold said -- meaning more Americans with kidney disease need access to optimal care well before their kidneys fail.

Vassalotti said racial and income disparities in waitlisting might, at least in part, be related to lack of access to specialized kidney, or nephrology, care -- whether it's because primary care doctors are not referring patients, patients cannot afford it, or there are few specialists in patients' local areas.

But Vassalotti also said doctors need to do a better job of communicating about the benefits and risks of transplant versus dialysis. And those discussions, he said, should happen early, so patients can be "empowered" to plan for what they want when their disease progresses.

Darren Stewart, principal research scientist with UNOS, said the EPTS score has helped better "longevity match" transplant candidates with donor kidneys. Donor kidneys, themselves, are also subject to a scoring system.

"But this study highlights the disparities in access to the waitlist in the first place," Stewart said.

He noted that UNOS does not have the ability to create policies on what happens before patients are waitlisted. But he agreed that both better access to nephrology care, and better patient education about transplants, are needed.

Schold also said that education is critical, but the process of getting on the waitlist could be made less cumbersome, too.

He pointed to the idea of an automated system that refers all patients with late-stage kidney disease for a transplant - or at least a subset of patients, such as those who would have a top 20% EPTS score.

"We have to make these processes easier," Schold said.More information

The National Kidney Foundation has more on kidney transplantation.

Copyright © 2021 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

U.N. Report: Record number of people were displaced in 2020


A Yemeni woman leads a donkey transporting her daughter and food aid provided by Mona Relief Yemen in Bani Matar, Yemen on Thursday in the middle of an ongoing civil war. A new United Nations report Friday that a record number of people around the world were displaced in 2020, mostly because of violence. Photo by Yahya Arhab/EPA-EFE

June 18 (UPI) -- The United Nations said Friday that a record number of people around the world were forcibly displaced by the end of last year because of ongoing conflicts and new violence.

The report, released by UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency, said 82.4 million people were displaced. The record number is a significant jump from 2012 when 41 million were displaced and 79.5 million in 2019.

"Many also fled from climate-related emergencies such as floods and droughts, with no guarantee of a quick return," the report said. "As displacement grew, so did the number of people of concern to UNHCR, with almost 92 million refugees, asylum-seekers, internally displaced, stateless, recent returnees and host communities."

The report said 110 countries made asylum possible by the end of 2020 even though COVID-related border restrictions were in place.

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"As the COVID-19 crisis unfolded, governments acted rapidly to contain the spread of the virus," the report said. "Within a few short months, 100 countries had closed their borders, putting displaced populations under increasing stress and at growing risk. And yet, in a sign of solidarity and respect for human rights, some border restrictions were eased for people fleeing conflict and persecution."

The U.N. report said many people of concern to UNHCR were in areas with struggling health systems, limited COVID-19 testing and treatment and no provision for isolation or quarantine.

"UNHCR moved rapidly to build or rehabilitate hospital facilities and to bolster the health response while urging governments to bring displaced people into their COVID-19 response," the report said. "Although much of global transport was at a standstill, UNHCR sent protective equipment, rapid test kits and other critical supplies worth $186.1 million."

The report said the coronavirus added to the distress of people who were forced to flee their homes, complicating how governments and social service agencies dealt with them.

B.C. to begin DRIPA-based negotiations with Tahltan First Nation on two northwest mining projects

The province of B.C is set to negotiate its first consent-based decision making agreement based on Section 7 of the Declaration of the Rights Of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA) with Tahltan First Nation.

The province is holding talks with the Tahltan Central Government (TCG) – the political arm of the Tahltan First Nation – mining companies and stakeholders to reach an agreement related to environmental assessment approvals for two mining projects in Tahltan Territory.

These include the expansion of the Red Chris copper and gold mine located 80 kilometres south of Dease Lake and operated by Australian company Newcrest Red Chris Mining Ltd., and the Eskay Creek Mine operated by Skeena Resources Ltd.

The Tahltan Nation is also an investor in Skeena Resources and has developed a strong relationship with Newcrest Red Chris Mining Ltd. Both projects represent up to $3.3 billion in potential investment.

The Red Chris JV (Newcrest Red Chris Mining Ltd.) and Eskay Creek Revitalization Project (Skeena Resources) mining projects in the core Territory of the Tahltan Nation represent up to $3.3 billion in potential investment.

The provincial government’s move to table negotiations with TCG and mining stakeholders came a week after both governments signed a Shared Prosperity Agreement to achieve long-term land-use predictability on June 10. As part of this agreement, the province committed $20 million to TCG to support economic growth and reconciliation.

READ MORE: Tahltan Nation, B.C. government sign agreement for shared decision-making

Welcoming the agreement, TCG president Chad Norman Day said that it provides “an opportunity to meaningfully advance reconciliation grounded in the principles of respect and recognition of Tahltan rights and title.”

“The ongoing evolution and growth of the Tahltan Nation shows outside governments, industry and the world how working alongside the Tahltan Nation as true partners can help secure certainty, economic benefits and pride for everyone involved,” said Day.

Spread across 95,933 square kilometres of northwestern British Columbia Tahltan territory covers 11 per cent of the province and includes 70 per cent of B.C.’s resource rich ‘golden triangle’.

Along with Newcrest and Skeena Resources other stakeholders such as Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine, Mining Association of British Columbia, Association for Mineral Exploration and Business Council of British Columbia will also be part of the consultation.

The discussions are scheduled to take place under the framework of Section 7 of the DRIPA Act– which B.C. adopted in 2019– which sets out provisions for negotiating consent-based decision making agreements for the the purposes of reconciliation.

“If we are successful, the agreement would bring greater clarity in decision-making and forge a partnership with the Tahltan Nation on two projects. It would also support Tahltan self-government and promote significant economic development in the region,” said Murray Rankin, B.C.’s Indigenous Relations & Reconciliation Minister.

Binny Paul, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Terrace Standard

Scientists unravel shocking new 'chocolate' frog in New Guinea
Nathan Howes 

The Weather Network

Embedded content: https://players.brightcove.net/1942203455001/B1CSR9sVf_default/index.html?videoId=6256695700001

A new surprising discovery of a chocolate-coloured frog in the Southern Hemisphere is shedding light on the prehistoric links between Australia and New Guinea.

Because of its colouring, the chocolate moniker was picked -- and stuck -- for the new Litoria mira species since tree frogs are generally known for their green skin, according to the study's lead author Dr. Paul Oliver, of the Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security and Queensland Museum.

SEE ALSO: B.C.'s most endangered amphibians get new lease on life

“The closest known relative of Litoria mira is the Australian green tree frog. The two species look similar except one is usually green, while the new species usually has a lovely chocolate colouring,” said Oliver, in a Griffith University news release.

© Provided by The Weather NetworkChocolate frog (Litoria mira) was a strange finding for researchers. (Steve Richards/South Australian Museum)

The new Litoria frog species was named Mira, which means surprised or strange in Latin, Oliver said, since it was a shocking discovery to stumble upon an "overlooked relative" of Australia’s well-known and common green tree living in the lowland rainforests of New Guinea.

ANCIENT CONNECTION BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND NEW GUINEA

The news release stated that Australia and New Guinea were connected by land for much of the late Tertiary geologic period (2.6 million years ago) and share many of the same living elements. New Guinea is now dominated by rainforest, while northern Australia is controlled by savannah.

“Resolving the biotic interchange between these two regions is critical to understanding how the rainforest and savannah habitat types have the expanded and contracted over time of both,” Oliver said.

According to Oliver, the research estimates a connection between the two frog species can go as far back as the Pliocene Epoch (5.3 to 2.6 million years ago) across the lowland tropical habitats of northern Australia and New Guinea.

© Provided by The Weather Network

Chocolate frog. (Steve Richards/South Australian Museum)

“These results emphasize that the extent and connectivity of lowland rainforest, and savannah environments across northern Australia and southern New Guinea, and the profound shifts the region has undergone since the late Pliocene," said Oliver.

Steve Richards, who co-authored the paper and is from the South Australian Museum, said researchers believe the species is likely widespread in New Guinea.

“Because the frog lives in very hot, swampy areas with lots of crocodiles, all these things discourage exploration,” said Richards, in the release.

Full details of the findings can be found in a new paper published in the Australian Journal of Zoology.

Thumbnail courtesy of Steve Richards/South Australian Museum