It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Wednesday, August 02, 2023
The 2022 Sichuan-Chongqing spatio-temporally compound extremes: a bitter taste of novel hazards
This study is led by Dr. Zengchao Hao (College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University) and Dr. Yang Chen (Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences). This article documents the unfolding process, reason and impact of compounding and cascading amongst multiple weather and climate extremes during the course of 2022 summer, across the Sichuan Chongqing region.
An exceptionally severe and sustained hot—drought in afflicting the Sichuan Chongqing region increased the dryness of forests, creating flammable conditions and sparking the widespread wildfires near Chongqing. Subsequent extreme precipitation, as a part of southwest China autumn rainfall, coincidently fell on the overheated and burned grounds, and elevated the risk of geological hazards such as flash floods and mudslides as a result. The rapid sequence of these weather and climate extremes led to impacts cascading and multiplying across sectors, for instance human health, energy, agriculture, industry and emergency response. Both natural weather and climate variability and man-made climate change are at play in shaping the compound event. The team also pointed out underestimated socioeconomic and ecological vulnerability and therefore lack of preparedness to increasingly connected extremes.
Finally, the team proposed several key steps for addressing the imminent threat of compound and cascading hazards, including understanding and predicting extremes from a multivariate perspective, improving impact quantification and risk assessment through the compound event lens, and devising adaptation planning tailored to compound and cascading events.
See the article:
The 2022 Sichuan-Chongqing spatio-temporally compound extremes: a bitter taste of novel hazards
Beachgoers are familiar with the experience of spending hours in the sun, going home, and noticing only hours later that their skin has changed color. A new Tel Aviv University study uncovers the science behind the mystery of why the body's tanning process does not occur immediately after sun exposure, but only after a few hours or even days. The research findings reveal the mechanism behind this phenomenon, according to which the body’s initial response is to prioritize repairing DNA damage in the skin cells, which inhibits the mechanism responsible for skin pigmentation, commonly known as tanning.
The study, published in the Nature Group’s Journal of Investigative Dermatology, was led by doctoral student Nadav Elkoshi and Prof. Carmit Levy of the Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry at Tel Aviv University’s Faculty of Medicine, and in collaboration with a number of other researchers from Tel Aviv University, Wolfson Medical Center, the Weizmann Institute of Science, the University of California, and Paris-Saclay University.
Nadav Elkoshi explains: “We have two mechanisms designed to protect the skin from exposure to dangerous UV radiation. The first mechanism repairs the DNA in the skin cells damaged by the radiation, while the second mechanism involves increased production of melanin, which darkens the skin in order to protect it from future exposure to radiation. In our study, we discovered why the tanning phenomenon does not occur immediately when the body is exposed to the sun, but only following a delay. It turns out that the mechanism that repairs our DNA takes precedence over all other systems in the cell, temporarily inhibiting the pigmentation mechanism. Only after the cells repair the genetic information to the best of their ability do they begin to produce the increased melanin.”
To test their hypothesis, the Tel Aviv University researchers activated the DNA repair mechanism in both animal models and human skin tissues. In both, a tan developed even without any exposure to UV radiation, substantiating their findings.
Prof. Carmit Levy: “The genetic information must be protected from mutations, so this repair mechanism takes precedence inside the cell during exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun. The DNA repair mechanism essentially tells all the other mechanisms in the cell, ‘Stop everything, and let me work in peace.’ One system effectively paralyzes the other, until the DNA correction reaches its peak, which occurs a few hours after the UV exposure. Only then does the pigment production mechanism get to work. In our previous research, we showed that a protein called MITF, which is activated during exposure, is responsible for regulating these two mechanisms. In the current study we show that another protein, called ATM, which plays a key role in DNA repair, activates one mechanism while disabling the other. This process likely harnesses the pigmentation mechanism’s components to maximize the chances of the cell surviving without mutations following radiation exposure.”
Prof. Levy concludes: “This scientific discovery has revealed a molecular mechanism that could serve as a foundation for further research that may lead to innovative treatments that will provide maximum protection of the skin against radiation damage; in the long run, it may even contribute to the prevention of skin cancer.”
IMAGE: THE STUDY CONCLUDES THAT ONE-DAY PROGRAMMES DO NOT AFFECT ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION; WHILE THEY SERVE TO PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES IN THE SHORT TERM, THEIR EFFECTIVENESS IS LIMITEDview more
CREDIT: TERE ORMAZABAL. UPV/EHU
In Western societies, the way nature and the environment are understood is very important, as knowledge of them can influence environmental attitudes. Environmental education is a key tool when it comes to increasing awareness, and a range of programmes are offered in both formal and informal settings. The Urdaibai Bird Center (UBC), located in the heart of the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve, has numerous habitats necessary for the observation and conservation of migratory birds and is also an ideal location for running environmental education programmes.
Although programmes to bring biodiversity closer to young people have been run for many years in these settings, their effectiveness has not been evaluated until now.Based on environmental education programmes of this type, researchers from the UPV/EHU's Department of Didactics of Mathematics, Experimental and Social Sciences analysed the extent to which 908 secondary school students taking part in the Urdaibai Bird Center's activities for a day assimilated what they had seen and learnt.
To do this, the students completed a written questionnaire to ascertain their perceptions about the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve and the marshes, their interest in biodiversity, their ability to identify bird species, their knowledge of bird migration, and their attitude towards conservation.
The researcher Unai Ortega emphasised that the main aim of the research was, firstly, to diagnose the students’ knowledge and attitudes and, secondly, to evaluate these environmental education programmes. “They are very common, but their effectiveness has not been evaluated, so we need to know how well these programmes are achieving their objectives,” he explained.
The importance of environmental literacy
The researchers found that secondary school students have scant knowledge of biosphere reserves, marshes and bird migration, especially when it comes to identifying bird species. However, despite the high scores in environmental attitudes, many students are of the opinion that conservation efforts in these environments are excessive and hinder economic development. The results also showed that students from rural areas and those living in or around the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve know more about local biodiversity, and so do students who in primary school drew up a plan related to birds.
The study concludes that “one-day programmes do not affect environmental education”, said Ortega. “While useful in promoting environmental knowledge and attitudes in the short term, these programmes are of limited effectiveness.” So the researchers pointed out that it might be advisable to adapt the environmental education programme of the Urdaibai Bird Center so that it could be included in formal contexts through practical activities or projects, and so that the results could be systematically evaluated. They stressed the importance of continuing to develop “long-term strategies” for systematic evaluations of this type.
Ortega highlighted the importance of emotional attachment in environmental literacy. In his opinion, it is “essential to feel that it is worthwhile caring for what needs to be cared for”. In this respect, many of us “have participated in this type of programme, but the level of environmental literacy has not increased; on the contrary, the data show that this literacy is on the decline”, he pointed out.
Additional information
This study was supported by a Basque Government grant awarded to the IKASGARAIA research group. Unai Ortega is a lecturer in the Primary Education and Social Education undergraduate degree courses at the UPV/EHU.
JOURNAL
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
VIDEO: PEPTOIDS INACTIVATE ENVELOPED VIRUSES BY DISRUPTING THEIR MEMBRANES.view more
CREDIT: DAVID SONG/NYU
Antiviral therapies are notoriously difficult to develop, as viruses can quickly mutate to become resistant to drugs. But what if a new generation of antivirals ignores the fast-mutating proteins on the surface of viruses and instead disrupts their protective layers?
“We found an Achilles heel of many viruses: their bubble-like membranes. Exploiting this vulnerability and disrupting the membrane is a promising mechanism of action for developing new antivirals,” said Kent Kirshenbaum, professor of chemistry at NYU and the study’s senior author.
In a new study published Aug. 2 in the journal ACS Infectious Diseases, the researchers show how a group of novel molecules inspired by our own immune system inactivates several viruses, including Zika and chikungunya. Their approach may not only lead to drugs that can be used against many viruses, but could also help overcome antiviral resistance.
The urgent need for new antivirals
Viruses have different proteins on their surfaces that are often the targets of therapeutics like monoclonal antibodies and vaccines. But targeting these proteins has limitations, as viruses can quickly evolve, changing the properties of the proteins and making treatments less effective. These limitations were on display when new SARS-CoV-2 variants emerged that evaded both the drugs and the vaccines developed against the original virus.
“There is an urgent need for antiviral agents that act in new ways to inactivate viruses,” said Kirshenbaum. “Ideally, new antivirals won’t be specific to one virus or protein, so they will be ready to treat new viruses that emerge without delay and will be able to overcome the development of resistance.”
“We need to develop this next generation of drugs now and have them on the shelves in order to be ready for the next pandemic threat—and there will be another one, for sure,” added Kirshenbaum.
Drawing inspiration from our immune systems
Our innate immune system combats pathogens by producing antimicrobial peptides, the body’s first line of defense against bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Most viruses that cause disease are encapsulated in membranes made of lipids, and antimicrobial peptides work by disrupting or even bursting these membranes.
While antimicrobial peptides can be synthesized in the lab, they are rarely used to treat infectious diseases in humans because they break down easily and can be toxic to healthy cells. Instead, scientists have developed synthetic materials called peptoids, which have similar chemical backbones to peptides but are better able to break through virus membranes and are less likely to degrade.
“We began to think about how to mimic natural peptides and create molecules with many of the same structural and functional features as peptides, but are composed of something that our bodies won't be able to rapidly degrade,” said Kirshenbaum.
The researchers investigated seven peptoids, many originally discovered in the lab of Annelise Barron at Stanford, a co-author of the study. The NYU team studied the antiviral effects of the peptoids against four viruses: three enveloped in membranes (Zika, Rift Valley fever, and chikungunya) and one without (coxsackievirus B3).
“We were particularly interested in studying these viruses as they have no available treatment options,” said Patrick Tate, a chemistry PhD student at NYU and the study’s first author.
How peptoids disrupt viral membranes and avoid other cells
The membranes surrounding viruses are made of different molecules than the virus itself, as lipids are acquired from the host to form membranes. One such lipid, phosphatidylserine, is present in the membrane on the outside of viruses, but is sequestered towards the interior of human cells under normal conditions.
“Because phosphatidylserine is found on the exterior of viruses, it can be a specific target for peptoids to recognize viruses, but not recognize—and therefore spare—our own cells,” said Tate. “Moreover, because viruses acquire lipids from the host rather than encoding from their own genomes, they have better potential to avoid antiviral resistance.”
The researchers tested seven peptoids against the four viruses. They found that the peptoids inactivated all three enveloped viruses—Zika, Rift Valley fever, and chikungunya—by disrupting the virus membrane, but did not disrupt coxsackievirus B3, the only virus without a membrane.
Moreover, chikungunya virus containing higher levels of phosphatidylserine in its membrane was more susceptible to the peptoids. In contrast, a membrane formed exclusively with a different lipid named phosphatidylcholine was not disrupted by the peptoids, suggesting that phosphatidylserine is crucial in order for peptoids to reduce viral activity.
“We’re now starting to understand how peptoids actually exert their antiviral effect—specifically, through the recognition of phosphatidylserine,” said Tate.
The researchers are continuing pre-clinical studies to evaluate the potential of these molecules in fighting viruses and to understand if they can overcome the development of resistance. Their peptoid-focused approach may hold promise for treating a wide range of viruses with membranes that can be difficult to treat, including Ebola, SARS-CoV-2, and herpes.
In addition to Kirshenbaum, Tate, and Barron, study authors include Vincent Mastrodomenico, Christina Cunha, and Bryan C. Mounce of Loyola University Chicago Medical Center; Joshua McClure of Maxwell Biosciences; and Gill Diamond of the University of Louisville School of Dentistry.
The research was supported in part by the National Science Foundation (CHE-2002890 and NSF GRFP) and the National Institutes of Health (R35GM138199 and 1DP1 OD029517-01). Kirshenbaum is the Chief Scientific Officer for Maxwell Biosciences, a biotech company that has licensed patents originating from his lab at NYU. The company is seeking to commercialize these compounds and bring them to the clinic to advance human health.
Just as bacteria can develop antibiotic resistance, viruses can also evade drug treatments. Developing therapies against these microbes is difficult because viruses often mutate or hide themselves within cells. But by mimicking the way the immune system naturally deals with invaders, researchers reporting in ACS Infectious Diseases have developed a “peptoid” antiviral therapy that effectively inactivates three viruses in lab tests. The approach disrupts the microbes by targeting certain lipids in their membranes.
Viruses are almost like biological “zombies.” They are not quite living or nonliving, and are only able to multiply within a host, such as our body’s cells. Oftentimes, the immune system naturally destroys the pathogens with special molecules such as antibodies.
Less-well-known members of the immune system’s defense force are small protein-like molecules called antimicrobial peptides. These peptides aren’t good drug candidates, though, as they’re expensive to make, are quickly eliminated from the body and can cause side effects. Instead, some researchers have mimicked their function with lab-made molecules called peptoids that aren’t easily degraded by the body and are more economical to produce. Previously, Annelise Barron’s team showed that certain peptoids could pierce and destroy the SARS-CoV-2 and herpes viruses. This time, joined by Kent Kirshenbaum and colleagues, the group wanted to see if the peptoids could inactivate three other “enveloped” viruses enclosed within membranes — Zika, Rift Valley fever and chikungunya virus — as well as one that lacks a membrane envelope, coxsackie B3. No treatments currently exist for infections caused by these microbes.
The peptoids used in these experiments included three of the linear peptoids previously studied by Barron’s team, as well as four new circularized versions with increased antiviral activity. The researchers created model virus membranes using common lipids, including phosphatidylserine (PS). Membranes were disrupted most effectively when PS was present in higher concentrations, suggesting that the peptoids target it specifically. Though both human and viral membranes contain the lipid, it’s distributed differently in each instance, allowing an antiviral to preferentially attack the invader instead of the host. Next, the team incubated the peptoids with whole, infectious virus particles. Again, each worked to a different extent on the three enveloped viruses: some disrupted all three, some only one. However, none of the peptoids could inactivate the non-enveloped coxsackie B3 virus, showing that the mechanism of action hinges on the presence of the viral envelope. The team says that understanding this mechanism could inform the design of future peptoid-based antiviral treatments, and could be used to create drugs already armed against the next emerging viral threat.
The authors acknowledge funding from the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, Stanford University’s Discovery Innovation Fund, the Cisco University Research Program Fund, the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, and Dr. James Truchard and the Truchard Foundation. Kirshenbaum is the Chief Scientific Officer for and has material financial interests in Maxwell Biosciences, which is working to commercialize peptoid oligomers as anti-infective agents.
For more of the latest research news, register for our upcoming meeting, ACS Fall 2023. Journalists and public information officers are encouraged to apply for complimentary press registration by completing this form.
The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS’ mission is to advance the broader chemistry enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of Earth and all its people. The Society is a global leader in promoting excellence in science education and providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple research solutions, peer-reviewed journals, scientific conferences, eBooks and weekly news periodical Chemical & Engineering News. ACS journals are among the most cited, most trusted and most read within the scientific literature; however, ACS itself does not conduct chemical research. As a leader in scientific information solutions, its CAS division partners with global innovators to accelerate breakthroughs by curating, connecting and analyzing the world’s scientific knowledge. ACS’ main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.
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How the tropical red swamp crayfish successfully invaded the cold regions of Japan
Researchers from Japan have identified the molecular mechanisms that allow the red swamp crayfish to develop cold tolerance and, thus, colonize cold regions
IMAGE: THE RED SWAMP CRAYFISH—ORIGINALLY IMPORTED FROM NEW ORLEANS, USA, TO KAMAKURA, JAPAN, IN 1927—SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE JAPANESE ARCHIPELAGO EXCEPT FOR HOKKAIDO, THE NORTHERNMOST ISLAND OF JAPAN, OVER THE YEARS AND BECAME ONE OF THE MOST NOTORIOUS NON-NATIVE FRESHWATER INVERTEBRATES BY THE 1950S. A RECENT STUDY, HOWEVER, REPORTED THE POSSIBILITY THAT SOME POPULATIONS SETTLED IN SAPPORO CITY OF CENTRAL HOKKAIDO, WHERE WATER TEMPERATURES BECOME EXTREMELY LOW DURING THE WINTER.view more
CREDIT: DAIKI SATO AND TAKASHI MAKINO
Owing to human activities and climate change, many animal species have invaded new habitats. Such biological invasion comes with devastating impacts on the local biodiversity and ecosystems. The red swamp crayfish—known to the scientific world as Procambarus clarkii (P. clarkii)— is no exception. P. clarkii is a freshwater crayfish native to the tropical regions of southern USA and northeastern Mexico. After their introduction to different parts of the world, they have become one of the most widespread and invasive animal species. They are known for their adaptability and aggressive behavior that ensure their survival in a wide range of environments, even in regions much colder than their original habitats.
Given that P. clarkii is typically limited to subtropical climates, researchers have long endeavored to find a few P. clarkii populations in the colder regions of Japan. In Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan, P. clarkii populations have been observed in a limited number of rivers and ponds where water from hot springs or sewage treatment plants flows in and contributes to high water temperatures throughout the year. A recent report, however, describes some populations settled in Sapporo City of central Hokkaido, where water temperatures become extremely low during the winter. A group of researchers from Japan, including Dr. Daiki Sato, Assistant Professor in the Graduate School of Science of Chiba University, and Professor Takashi Makino from Tohoku University sought to study the genetic changes that have allowed the crayfish to adapt to these cold environments. Their study was made available online on July 3, 2023, and will be published in Volume 26, Issue 8 of the journal iScience on August 18, 2023. Their article was additionally selected and included in the journal’s special issue, “Invasion Dynamics.”
Speaking about the motivations behind their study, Prof. Makino, who led the study, says, “Although the red swamp crayfish has been a well-known and notorious invasive species in Japan for quite some time, nobody has examined its genomic and transcriptomic characteristics that contribute to its invasiveness yet, thus motivating us to pursue this study. We feel our study has far-reaching ecological implications.”
Accordingly, the researchers studied P. clarkii from different populations in the newly colonized Japan and the originally inhabited USA. They compared differences in cold tolerance and related genetic characteristics among the samples. They also studied the effects of natural selection by comparing changes in gene sequences among the samples.
When asked about the main findings of the study, Dr. Sato, the first and co-corresponding author of the study, exclaims, “A population of red swamp crayfish in Sapporo, Japan may have acquired genetic changes that enhanced its cold tolerance. We have revealed the genes and genomic architecture possibly involved in the cold adaptation mechanism.”
The researchers found that different P. clarkii populations, even within Japan, responded differently to the cold: some showed no significant changes in gene expression over time, while others displayed noticeable differences between the beginning and the end of the experiment.
Notably, they discovered regulatory changes in a group of genes involved in developing the protective outer layer of P. clarkii, called the cuticle. They also found an increase in the production of peptidase inhibitors—proteins that prevent the enzymatic degradation of proteins in the body. These peptidase inhibitors play a role in preserving protective proteins from being cold-damaged, thus contributing to cold resistance in P. clarkii.
Further, the researchers also found that some of the studied genes had undergone significant levels of duplication that resulted in a large number of copies of the same genes within the genome. This duplication may have amplified the genes’ functional abilities in dealing with low temperatures.
These results provide valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms adopted by invasive species to develop cold resistance and survive in cold habitats. When used in the right context, these findings could have potential medical applications.
Overall, these findings significantly contribute to our understanding of invasive species, which may help us take measures to prevent their spread and, in turn, protect global biodiversity.
About Assistant Professor Daiki Sato
Dr. Daiki Sato is an assistant professor at the Institute for Advanced Academic Research/Graduate School of Science, Chiba University. He works to unravel the molecular mechanisms and ecological functions underlying behavioral diversity in animals. His research interests include evolutionary genomics and behavioral ecology. He is a member of the Society for Evolutionary Studies, Japan, and The Ecological Society of Japan.
IMAGE: THE NINTH EDITION OF THIS ANNUAL EVENT INVITES VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS TO COME TOGETHER AND DISCUSS CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS TO IMPLEMENT THE UNITED NATIONS’ SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS; THIS YEAR’S THEME WAS CENTRED ON BIODIVERSITY.view more
CREDIT: CREDIT THE CREATOR AS “RELX” IMAGE SOURCE: HTTPS://SDGRESOURCES.RELX.COM/EVENTS/RELX-SDG-INSPIRATION-DAY-2023
In 2015, the United Nations (UN) New York Summit adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to make the world fairer, healthier, safer, and better by 2030. Biodiversity is at the heart of UN SDG 14 (conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development) and 15 (protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss). It is also closely connected to the other 15 Goals, especially SDGs 2 (agriculture and food systems for zero hunger), 3 (health and wellness), 11 (sustainable cities and communities) and 13 (need for urgent climate action).
RELX SDG Inspiration Day 2023, a free, annual virtual event hosted by RELX, a global provider of information and analytics for professional and business customers, examined our progress as a global community in achieving the SDGs connected to biodiversity and nature. The event gave thought leaders, corporate representatives, investors, government, and NGOs a shared platform to explore issues with practical engagement and ideas. The ninthedition of this event took place on 13th June 2023, with over 1500 people in attendance.
The event was hosted in partnership with the Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens, The UN Global Compact Network UK, Responsible Media Forum, Global Citizen, Pineapple Sustainable Partnerships, World Humanitarian Forum, The Elsevier Foundation, Business or Social Responsibility (BSR), Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data, Oxford SDG Impact Lab and the Institute of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability. Lawyer and activist Dr. Shola Mos-Shogbamimu moderated the event. Eminent environmentalist and UN Messenger of Peace, Dr. Jane Goodall, and Former United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, were keynote speakers.
The first keynote address from Mr Ban Ki-moon encouraged businesses to identify their full environmental impact. “I believe it is vital that businesses firstly identify their full environmental impact, starting with a clear understanding of the organisation's impact on the whole of the environment, not exclusively their carbon emissions and pollution”, he said.
At multiple points throughout the day, the role of businesses and how they could contribute to sustainability were discussed. Dr. Jane Goodall, in her keynote address, highlighted the need for people and businesses worldwide to become more sustainable and the importance of community-led conservation. "How do I have hope for the future?” she asked. “Well, for one thing, there is a growing awareness about this (the need for biodiversity conservation). And then there are four main reasons—the human intellect, the resilience of nature, the indomitable human spirit, and the energy, and passion, and action of young people".
In the speeches that followed, Juliette Pugliesi, Nature Manager at Business for Social Responsibility and Eva Zabey, CEO of Business for Nature, discussed the link between biodiversity and economic stability. They also explained why businesses need to rethink their commitment to biodiversity conservation.
Through spirited panel discussions, the event also shed light on pressing issues in biodiversity conservation and gave attendees a platform to examine potential solutions. The panel discussion, ''Right to Nature'',explored how law can protect biodiversity through legal rights accorded to natural habitats. Justin Webb, a former foreign correspondent for the BBC, moderated the panel discussion.
Another insightful panel discussion hosted by Josefine Gibson, Deputy Editor of The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, discussed the connection between biodiversity and human health. The ensuing panel discussion, hosted by the founder and CEO of Pineapple Sustainable Partnerships, Andy Dewis, discussed the wisdom of indigenous people. After that, attendees were invited to join discussions in six virtual biodiversity problem solving spaces. The broad topics of these discussions ranged from technology to business.
Later, RELX awarded four customers with an SDG Customer Award. These four companies—Solvay, a global leader in materials, chemicals, and solutions; Panasonic; Silverback Films and Studios; and Neste, a producer of renewable fuel—share our commitment to drive action in support of the UN SDGs.
The final panel discussion, hosted by Senior VP of Elsevier, Michiel Kolman, addressed barriers for policymakers in meeting biodiversity commitments. And with closing comments, the fulfilling 2023 SDG Inspiration Day came to an end.
RELX is a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. RELX serves customers in more than 180 countries and has offices in about 40 countries. It employs more than 35,000 people, of whom over 40% are in North America. The shares of RELX PLC, the parent company, are traded on the London, Amsterdam and New York Stock Exchanges using the following ticker symbols: London: REL; Amsterdam: REN; New York: RELX. The market capitalisation* is approximately £48bn, €55bn, $58bn.
