Writers Guild Wants the Government to Keep Disney, Amazon, and Netflix from Getting Any Bigger

Brian Welk
Thu, August 17, 2023 



Just as the Writers Guild and the AMPTP are currently at the negotiating table trying to hash out a deal that could end a strike that’s lasted for over 100 days, the Writers Guild of America West has released a blistering new report that calls on lawmakers and antitrust agencies to regulate what it says are anti-competitive practices by Disney, Amazon, and Netflix, specifically.

Pundits and analysts have speculated for some time that, in the near future, only a handful of the many streaming services available today will survive, and consolidation could mean there are just a few media giants left standing. The WGAW’s new report from Thursday, titled “The New Gatekeepers,” believes Disney, Amazon, and Netflix will be those players. And it wants policymakers to act now in keeping them from getting any bigger.

Specifically, it says that to “protect the future of media,” lawmakers must “block further consolidation,” “proactively investigate anti-competitive practices and outcomes,” and “increase regulation and oversight in streaming.”

“Writers being forced to strike in this climate should come as a surprise to no one,” WGAW’s Research & Public Policy Director Laura Blum-Smith said in a statement. “We’re transitioning from a period of rapid investment and competition that brought about new and diverse content to a monopolistic model that will concentrate control over entertainment programming in the hands of just a few large and powerful corporations. For writers, that means fewer buyers for their work, employers who exert more leverage in individual deal negotiations, and depressed pay and working conditions.”

The report kicks off alleging the monopoly that CBS, NBC, and ABC had over TV viewers up through 1970 and how federal antitrust groups had to break up that dominance over the airwaves. But it now says Disney, Amazon, and Netflix are positioning themselves as the next gatekeepers that will soon control all media, and that Wall Street is cheering them on to further merge and squeeze out competition.

“Each is now taking anti-competitive vertical integration to an extreme, turning its streaming service into a walled garden for self-produced content — a model built for and dependent on restricting the availability of independent content from competing producers, underpaying creators, and, above all, making future consolidation the name of the industry game,” the report reads. “Each has demonstrated that it will abuse a position of dominance to disadvantage competing producers and streaming services, reduce output, creativity, and choice in content, and push down wages for creative workers. Unless antitrust agencies and lawmakers prevent future merger activity by dominant firms and step in to preserve and protect the competitive environment for other streaming services, the future of content is in peril.”

Members of the Writers Guild of America picket at The Walt Disney Studios on July 13, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Gilbert Flores for Variety/Variety via Getty Images)Variety via Getty Images

For its analysis of Disney, WGAW looks back at the studio’s $19 billion acquisition of ABC in 1995 as the starting point for its “anti-competitive behavior,” accusing the company of reducing output after gobbling up other studios (such as shuttering the animation house Blue Sky Studios after the Fox acquisition), and further leading the charge of companies pulling back their copyrighted content in order to bolster their own streamers. The report argues that writers and independent producers don’t have a choice to walk away from poor terms as a result of Disney’s vertical integration, especially if they want to work on any of Disney’s tentpole IP properties. It also cites recent price hikes for Disney+ and an analyst report that projects Disney will have 42 percent of all streaming subscribers by 2025.

For those reasons, the WGAW suspects Disney could seek to acquire another competing studio or other major IP. Though for what it’s worth, Disney CEO Bob Iger recently said that ABC and some of its other linear TV businesses are “non-core,” leading to speculation that networks like that or even ESPN could be spun off or sold and that Disney would get smaller, not bigger. Iger was even asked on the most recent earnings call whether Disney itself could be wholly acquired by a tech giant like Apple.

In the case of Amazon, the WGAW didn’t give Jeff Bezos’ company a pass just because it’s new to the media game. It says the company’s “exploitative practices” over pricing, acquisitions, and “abusing” its position between competitors and customers are part of the company’s playbook, including for media.

The guild certainly didn’t like Amazon’s $8.5 billion acquisition of MGM and says Amazon has never produced a show or movie for a service other than itself. But the control it has over its Fire TV interfaces and its ability to extract fees makes it a literal gatekeeper over which services can show their content. The guild cites a media report circa when HBO Max first launched about how new subscribers to the streamer slowed because, for months, it wasn’t available on Amazon devices.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 10: Members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) East hold signs as they walk in the picket line outside of HBO and Amazon’s offices on May 10, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)Getty Images

Finally, Netflix, it says has gone from upstart innovator to “powerful incumbent focused on raising prices, vertically integrating, and exerting its dominance over workers.” It says that though it once had a habit of rescuing canceled shows from other networks, that habit has slowed, and seemingly popular shows canceled on Netflix almost never have the same luxury to go elsewhere. It cites the WGAW’s own challenge against Netflix that demanded the streamer pay out $42 million in underpaid residuals, as well as refer to the ongoing fight over data transparency. And it doesn’t approve of Wall Street’s urging to further raise prices and cut costs.

“No longer committed to competitive innovation, the company will slash programming and underpay workers, abusing its dominant position to offer consumers less content—and less innovative content—for more money,” the report says.

The report concludes by saying that there is no regulatory oversight for streaming the way there is for broadcast TV networks, meaning that while Disney couldn’t buy the Fox network in its acquisition, there’s nothing stopping the company from buying out Comcast’s share of Hulu and merging it with Disney+, as Disney seems poised to do. And it also says that Sony, Paramount, and Warner Bros. Discovery are likely not going to remain major competitors for long.

“Paramount is disadvantaged by a comparative lack of scale, Sony by a lack of vertical integration, and Warner Bros. Discovery appears to be already withdrawing from its investment in HBO Max,” the report claims.

Among the guild’s recommendations are that antitrust groups block further acquisitions by Disney, Amazon, and Netflix, including any mergers, that it should investigate competitive practices by the companies, and sweeping new rules need to be put in place around streaming to “level the playing field.”

Authors and Booksellers Urge Justice Dept. to Investigate Amazon

Alexandra Alter
Thu, August 17, 2023 

An Amazon Fulfillment center on Staten Island in New York, May 15, 2019. 

(Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times)


With mounting signs that the Federal Trade Commission is preparing to file a lawsuit against Amazon for violating antitrust laws, a group of booksellers, authors and antitrust activists are urging the government to investigate the company’s domination of the book market.

On Wednesday, the Open Markets Institute, an antitrust think tank, along with the Authors Guild and the American Booksellers Association, sent a letter to the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission, calling on the government to curb Amazon’s “monopoly in its role as a seller of books to the public.”

The groups are pressing the Justice Department to investigate not only Amazon’s size as a bookseller, but also its sway over the book market — especially its ability to promote certain titles on its site and bury others, said Barry Lynn, the executive director of the Open Markets Institute, a research and advocacy group focused on strengthening anti-monopoly policies.

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“What we have is a situation in which the power of a single dominant corporation is warping, in the aggregate, the type of books that we’re reading,” Lynn said in an interview. “This kind of power concentrated in a democracy is not acceptable.”

The letter, addressed to Lina Khan, the chair of the Federal Trade Commission, and Jonathan Kanter, who leads the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, comes as the FTC appears to be closing in on its decision to bring an antitrust case against Amazon. Amazon representatives are expected to meet this week with members of the commission to discuss the possible suit, a sign that legal action may be imminent.

Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

It is still unclear whether the government’s case will scrutinize Amazon’s role as a bookseller as part of its investigation of the company. While Amazon got its start nearly 30 years ago as a scrappy online bookstore, it has since mushroomed into a retail giant that has gained a foothold in other industries, with its expansion into cloud computing and its purchase of the grocery chain Whole Foods and the movie studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

Even as books have become a smaller slice of the company, Amazon has become an overwhelming force in the book market. It accounts for at least 40% of physical books sold in the U.S., and more than 80% of e-books sold, according to an analysis released by WordsRated, a research data and analytics group. With its purchase of Audible in 2008, Amazon has also become one of the largest audiobook producers and retailers.

The effects of the site’s rise have been profound, Open Markets Institute and the other groups argued, contributing to a steep decline in the number of physical bookstores across the United States, and leaving publishers and authors beholden to the site.

Amazon also has influenced which books readers are exposed to and buy, and has made it more challenging for lesser-known authors to gain exposure on the site, while blockbuster authors and celebrities whose books are likely to sell well are prominently featured.

Some antitrust experts are skeptical that Amazon’s role as a bookseller merits government scrutiny. Erik Gordon, a professor of business at the University of Michigan who studies antitrust, said that while the company’s dominance in the book world might be an element of an overall antitrust suit, the FTC will likely focus elsewhere.

“There’s not a great case against Amazon with respect to their book-selling practices,” he said. “Many publishers and authors are making more money than they would have without Amazon.”

Amazon has already been a target of the Biden administration’s stringent regulatory efforts, as it has sought to rein in tech giants like Amazon, Google and Meta.

In June, the FTC brought a separate case against Amazon that argued the company had manipulated users into signing up for its Prime membership program and made it hard for them to get out of it.

The Justice Department has also shown an interest in preventing the consolidation in the book market. Last year, a judge sided with the Biden administration in an antitrust case and blocked Penguin Random House from acquiring its smaller rival Simon & Schuster.

After the deal collapsed, some in the industry saw Amazon as the next logical antitrust target.

Allison Hill, chief executive of the American Booksellers Association, said that she was hopeful that the government was taking a serious look at Amazon’s role in the book world.

“Amazon has been unchecked for so long that our fight for a level playing field has become moot,” she said. “Amazon owns the playing field.”

c.2023 The New York Times Company

UK

The great car insurance con: Complaints about payouts soar as motorists hit by record-high premiums

Ruth Emery
Wed, 16 August 2023 

Britons are unhappier than ever with their car insurance as complaints soar amid rocketing premiums.

Almost 12,000 complaints were received by the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) in the past year – a four-year high – making car insurance the third most complained-about financial product, behind current accounts and credit cards.

The number of car and motorcycle insurance disputes submitted to the watchdog has jumped by 27 per cent in a year, from 9,310 in 2021/22 to 11,851 in 2022/23, according to figures obtained by The Independent.

Payout delays and the undervaluing of vehicles were among the grievances raised.

The revelations follow this newspaper’s exposé into the great car insurance con, which found that car insurance premiums have been hiked by 48 per cent over the past year.

Millennials and older drivers have been hit hardest, with some drivers seeing their premiums almost double, despite there being no changes to their policy.

Have you been affected by this story? email maryam.zakir-hussain@independent.co.uk

Martyn James, a consumer rights expert, said motorists were facing a double whammy of soaring premiums and poor customer service. “Car owners are already having to deal with massive insurance increases at the height of the cost of living crisis. So, reports of terrible customer service, reluctance to pay out on claims and helplines that are anything but helpful are hitting people hard.”

The FOS provides a free mediation service between financial companies and customers: where a customer is unhappy with how a firm has handled their complaint, they can escalate it to the FOS.

The ombudsman said the spike in complaints was largely due to administration and customer service issues, and insurers delaying paying out on claims.

Number of complaints about car insurance rose 27 per cent in a year (PA)

It also had cases where customers complained that their car was worth more than the amount their insurer had given them, following a theft or an accident that wrote off the vehicle. The ombudsman said insurers did not always consider “all the available information, which tended to lead to offers that were less favourable”.

The FOS added: “We also saw complaints from consumers who felt it was unfair their claim for a vehicle theft by deception was rejected by their insurer.” Examples of deception include a thief pretending to be a potential buyer and switching the owner’s key with a similar one, then returning to steal the car.

The ombudsman upheld 30 per cent of the cases it received about car and motorcycle insurance in the customer’s favour, up from 28 per cent a year ago.

Complaints about car and motorcycle insurance have been steadily rising quarter on quarter, with 3,741 cases lodged with the ombudsman in the first three months of 2023. This compares to 2,623 a year ago, a 30 per cent increase.

According to Mr James, other common complaints with car insurance include partial payouts, misleading contracts, quality of repairs and disputes over when the damage occurred and whether it’s “wear or tear”. He commented: “I still hear quite a bit about people having their claims amended or dropped because they didn’t realise they had to disclose a previous incident that they chose not to claim for.”
Most complained-about car insurers

The FOS also revealed the most complained-about firms for car and motorbike insurance: Advantage Insurance Company (1,156 complaints in 2022/23), UK Insurance (907 complaints), Aviva (672), Esure (646) and AXA (639). Completing the top 10 are Admiral Insurance Company, Admiral (Gibraltar), West Bay Insurance, Skyfire Insurance Company and Ageas.

In recent years, Admiral has attracted the most complaints, but Advantage Insurance Company, a subsidiary of Hastings Group Holdings, now takes the dubious honour.

Steve Blears and Penny Haslam’s annual car insurance premium rose £550 to £1,046 – a blistering 90 per cent increase. (Getty/Supplied)

James Daley, founder of consumer group Fairer Finance, commented: “Hastings is a broker but has been placing more business with its own brand Advantage in recent years – and it would seem Advantage has not coped well with the growth. Ironically, Hastings has been running an advertising campaign over the last few years about how life is complicated – but Hastings car insurance is simple. Turns out that often isn’t the case.”

A spokesperson for Advantage Insurance Company said: “We take all expressions of dissatisfaction from our customers very seriously and work hard to put them right. We continuously review all complaints and make changes to processes to strive for the best possible service for our customers.”

UK Insurance is the second most complained-about insurer, according to FOS. It underwrites policies for the Direct Line Group, which also owns the Churchill, Privilege and Green Flag brands.

Mr James said: “It’s clear there’s a lot of dissatisfaction out there with certain firms, who would be well advised to up their game if they want to keep their customers.”

Mr Daley reflected that it had been a challenging time for motor insurers over the past year, “with Direct Line reporting massive losses in its book last year, which eventually led to the resignation of its CEO”.

He noted: “In that kind of environment, we’re inevitably going to see insurers fighting claims a little harder – which in turn pushes up complaint volumes and FOS referrals.”

According to consumer group Which?, the best car insurers for claims are RSA, Direct Line, LV and NFU Mutual, which all score highly for customer service and dealing with claims quickly.

EY to cut jobs and hand out smaller pay rises

Henry Saker-Clark, PA Deputy Business Editor
Thu, 17 August 2023 



EY is set to cut jobs in the UK and has told staff to expect less generous pay rises as it seeks to cut costs.

The accounting giant has confirmed the round of redundancies will impact staff at its financial services consulting arm amid pressure on market demand.

EY will axe more than 5% of the roughly 2,300-strong practice, with 150 jobs due to be impacted which advise on business transformation and risk management, according to the Financial Times.

It comes after the firm said in April it planned to cut 3,000 jobs in the US, as it blamed “overcapacity” at the firm.

Workers are also expected to receive smaller pay rises and bonus pools for the year.

Meanwhile, partners, who own and run the business, will be paid out of profits for the year.

Last year, the average partner at EY received a record £803,000 in pay after surging demand for the firm’s services.

A spokeswoman for EY said: “EY continues to perform strongly, with double digit growth in the UK, and the vast majority of our people will receive an annual pay rise and variable bonus payment this year.

“EY’s UK financial services consulting practice has taken measures to align current resourcing requirements with market demand.

“Regrettably, a group of employees in this part of the business are now subject to a redundancy consultation process.”

Harmony House: Purchase means seniors don’t have to live in fear of being forced from their homes in Vancouver’s historic Chinatown


Local Journalism Initiative
Thu, August 17, 2023

For Harmony House residents like Ada Cheng, the purchase of the assisted care facility means the 92-year old can live out the rest of her days without worrying about being compelled to move from her home in the heart of Vancouver’s historic Chinatown.

The B.C. government has helped nonprofit S.U.C.C.E.S.S. to buy Harmony House, an assisted living residency for seniors. The social service agency will continue managing the 33 strata rental units at 588 Shanghai Alley and preserving it as affordable rental housing.

This news comes about a month after the City of Vancouver approved a controversial condo development at 105 Keefer St., which is about two blocks away from Harmony House. Local community groups and Chinatown residents rallied and protested the Keefer block, demanding instead for low-income social housing.

Harwinder Sandhu, Parliamentary Secretary for Seniors’ Services and Long-Term Care, said in a news release, “The purchase of the Harmony House in Vancouver Chinatown demonstrates our government’s understanding that seniors want to live in their desired community that serves their specific cultural and linguistic needs, which are so important to their happiness and well-being.”

Ownership of the assisted living housing means the organization can now do long-term modifications such as installing specific equipment or lifts in the units, said S.U.C.C.E.S.S. executive director of health services Sinder Kaur.

Previously, the organization had to get strata approval for any changes.

Kaur, who has worked for S.U.C.C.E.S.S. for 22 years, was always mindful of the lease renewal, which was every three to four years. Any plans were often short-term.

“The goal is for seniors to age in place with as much independence as possible,” Kaur said.

As she walked through the halls, residents greeted Kaur warmly by her Chinese name. Born in India, Kaur speaks fluent Cantonese because she grew up in Hong Kong and studied there before coming to Canada in 1995.

Cheng, the 92-year-old resident, is happy and grateful about the news because it means she can remain in her home comfortably, taking afternoon naps and reading the Bible.

With Kaur’s translation, Cheng said, “The staff treats us all as equals.”

There is no hierarchy and everyone is friendly, she said.

Kaur said, the main feeling they want each person to have is that it’s their own home with privacy and respect.

Cheng loves the location because it’s near the T&T Supermarket and local stores. The route to shopping has benches and raised planters as resting spots along the way.

Every Sunday, a handyDart picks her up and takes her to her church near Renfrew and E. 1st Ave. She sings in choir and then her daughter drives her back home.

Cheng moved in 13 years ago after being on a waitlist for a couple of years. She discovered Harmony House when she visited a friend who lived there.

The friend has since died.

“People have lived and died here,” said Kaur.

Seniors don’t need to go to extended long-term care places such as hospitals or nursing homes, she said.

Part of “aging in place” sometimes means dying in your own bed at home.

Cheng previously lived with her daughter but it had difficulties because there were a lot of stairs.

Kaur, a former nurse, said stairs can impede mobility. “Seniors will often be stuck at home and lack socializing and community. Their mental health will start to deteriorate.”

When Cheng first moved into the strata, she said her daughter was initially resistant because her daughter was worried about being blamed for abandoning her.

But Cheng said she insisted she wanted to live at Harmony House.

She explained it was hard for her daughter because she cares for both children and elders.

Cheng said her daughter accepted the decision after visiting and getting to know the staff.

Kaur explained that Cheng’s daughter also works for Vancouver Coastal Health, which funds Harmony House’s health services and provides a case manager for each person.

Cheng’s daughter trusted the place more after some research, Kaur said.

Kaur said Harmony House supports caregivers by relieving stress and concerns about whether their relatives will be safe, healthy and happy.

Harmony House provides two meals and two snacks each day, however preparing breakfast is up to each resident, Kaur said. Cheng usually makes coffee and toast in the morning.

She loves soups and used to make them all the time but Cheng cannot stand for long periods anymore.

Instead, her daughter brings her herbal medicinal soups and Harmony House provides nutritional Chinese soups that simmer for more than two hours.

At 92, Cheng has limited mobility and uses a walker with a built-in seat. The only step in the whole place is in her bathroom when she has to step into her shower and the one step is taxing enough.

Harmony House has 24-hour emergency aid. However, the only requirement Harmony House has for its residents is to be able to move from their place to the front door.

“In case of an emergency, they just have to make it to the elevator and staff will help them,” said Kaur.

Cheng came to Canada from Hong Kong in 1989 after her daughter sponsored her. She helped her daughter with childcare. Today, Cheng has five children, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

When asked about future concerns, Cheng laughed and said she is pretty happy and satisfied. “I’m 92 years old. I’m here [with a home at Harmony House]. What more do I need?”

Deanna Cheng, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, New Canadian Media

Dresden community welcoming Jamaican workers back for canning season


CBC
Thu, August 17, 2023

The Dresden Municipal Building will be lit up in yellow and green to welcome guest workers to the region, starting Thursday night. (Municipality of Chatham-Kent - image credit)

Jamaican workers coming to southwestern Ontario to work at the Conagra canning facility will back in town this weekend.

The community has a couple of events on deck to welcome them.

"There's been a lot of buzz about appreciating the farm workers in the community and how we can better our relationships with them," said Nancy Melnyck, client co-ordinator with FarmGate Advisors.

"We're going to have a fun day of Jamaican music, socializing, and because we want them to feel welcomed into the community and we want them to feel a part of the community while they are here."

FarmGate has worked with Conagra Brands to prepare the taxes for guest workers at the company's canning facility since 2018. Guest workers typically arrive in August and will be there until about November.

The event will feature a catered lunch from Yardie Vibez in Chatham, as well as music and socializing. The community is welcome to attend, Melnyck added.

Melnyck said workers add a lot to the Dresden community and its economy.

"While they're in the community, they're shopping in our stores," she said. "They're purchasing things that they need to use while they're here. Plus, they are shopping for things that they can't get in their own country that they can take back home with them to use."

While Melnyck couldn't speak to the exact number of workers who come to Dresden each year, it changes, but it is growing, she said — they've been coming for more than 30 years.

Many workers who return year after year have friends and relationships within the community, she said.

"They are very crucial. We depend on them, the companies, the farmers depend on them for the work, for their ability and their commitment," she said. "They're very committed and they show up for work every day and they do the job that needs to be done

"We rely on them very much. We just don't have the manpower to be able to provide all of that employment."

Dresden lighting up town in yellow and green

Conagra and FarmGate won't be the only ones welcoming the guest workers.

"What we do with Dresden Shines is throughout the year we do different light-ups to celebrate different events," said Stuart Kiar, co-chair of Dresden Shines.

"This weekend, we're doing a light-up in honour of the guest workers that are returning to town working at the local canning factory. Town hall will be lit up green and yellow in honour of the Jamaican flag. And on the town hall LED sign, we have a welcome message to all our Jamaican friends."

Kiar said this is the third year they've welcomed the workers with lights, and Dresden Shines first started to lift spirits during the pandemic.

"It's to demonstrate that we're a welcoming and inclusive community and just to let them know that we really appreciate the importance that they bring to the local economy."

Trilateral conference in Saskatoon recognizes First Nations' importance in agriculture


Local Journalism Initiative
Thu, August 17, 2023 

The story of nature’s unwavering magnitude and man’s stewardship has persevered among First Nations people, even as communities have moved away from hunting and gathering. “They respect the land and want to make sure it’s protected for the next generation,” Derrick Meetoos said of elders at Thunderchild First Nation in west central Saskatchewan, where he manages Thunder Farms, a fully-owned First Nation company. There’s a story in the exchange between man and nature by First Nation peoples that details the relationship between humans and the natural world. Man was born disadvantaged to animal and plant. Unable to fend for himself, Mother Earth was compassionate towards the struggling man and brought her plants and animals as part of an agreement to let him live. In return, man agreed to become a steward of the natural world, to care for and respect Mother Earth, her animals and plants.

“For us, it’s really not about profit. It’s about respecting the land,” said Meetoos, who was invited to speak this week in Saskatoon at the Tri-National Agricultural Accord on a panel about Indigenous agriculture and trilateral rural development.

Saskatoon hosted delegates from Canada, the United States and Mexico for the 2023 conference. Attendees peppered Meetoos with questions about how an Indigenous farm runs and operates. All in all, he was encouraged to see the interest around the need for communication and support, he said.

“I’m hopeful the understanding they reached was we need to start communicating better.” The accord is part of a commitment between Canada and its two North American counterparts to collaborate on agricultural trade and development, including how to bring matters of interest to First Nations more to the forefront.

Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister David Marit said Indigenous communities “play a critical role” in meeting agriculture targets laid out in the province’s growth plan. The government “realizes the importance of building and strengthening relationships and opportunities with Indigenous communities,” he said.

Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture Blayne Arthur, who attended the conference, said this was the first time the Tri-National Agricultural Accord has had a focus on Indigenous agriculture. Oklahoma has 39 federally-recognized tribes within its borders, she said.

“We need to continue to initiate those conversations but then make certain both that at state level and the federal level that we are having collaboration there.”

Constitutionally, the Crown has the duty to consult with First Nation people regarding industry activities that might affect treaty rights. Agriculture activities that are part of the regulation of First Nation communities in Saskatchewan include cattle farming and crop land for Indigenous operations as well as in leasing of lands. The province has also been called on to improve collaborative planning in reducing barriers to federal and provincial programs. Further to this is the emphasis on building meaningful community engagement with First Nations such as understanding practical structures, requirements and Indigenous values.

First Nations groups have often played a leading role in preventing climate disasters connected with commercial production. Organizations such as the Saskatchewan First Nations Natural Resource Centre of Excellence have worked to ensure protection of the environment, including assessment work around water security.

The three-day, closed-door conference included representatives discussing priorities such as economic growth, trade, and food security in North America.

Saskatchewan continues increase its agricultural exports. In 2022, they were the largest on record, with total international sales of $18.5 billion. Exports have increased 58 per cent since 2013.

The U.S. is the province’s top export destination, accounting for 33 percent of its agricultural food exports with sales valued at $6.2 billion. Mexico is the province’s fourth-largest market, with an export valuation of $992 million. For farming experts like Meetoos, attaining loans for farms is an ongoing and difficult effort, but he said he’s pleased that agricultural partners are starting to recognize First Nations are capable of running their own operations, and how successful they can be with greater collaboration.

“I hope they realize that we are capable of running our own land,” he said. “I’m very encouraged.”

Kimiya Shokoohi, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The StarPhoenix

Pacific island sea levels rising faster than global average, WMO says

Reuters
Thu, August 17, 2023 

Rising sea levels are forcing Fiji's villagers to relocate. 

They want polluters to pay instead


GENEVA (Reuters) - Sea levels in the South-West Pacific are rising faster than the global average, threatening low-lying islands while heat damages marine ecosystems, the U.N. meteorological agency said on Friday.

In its State of the Climate in the South-West Pacific 2022 report, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said water levels were rising about 4 mm per year in some areas, slightly above the global mean rate.

That means low-lying territory such as Tuvalu and the Solomon Islands over time could become flooded, destroying agricultural and habitable lands with inhabitants unable to move to higher elevations.

The report added that marine heatwaves had occurred in a large area northeast of Australia and south of Papua New Guinea over more than six months, affecting marine life and the livelihoods of local communities.

WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas said that El Niño, a warming of water surface temperatures in the eastern and central Pacific Ocean that returned this year, would strongly affect the region.

"This will have a big impact on the South-West Pacific region as it is frequently associated with higher temperatures, disruptive weather patterns and more marine heatwaves and coral bleaching," Taalas said in a statement.

The region last year recorded 35 natural hazards, including floods and storms, that killed more than 700 people, according to the report. These hazards directly affected more than 8 million people.

Although the number of reported disaster weather events in the region decreased last year compared to 2021, the scale of economic losses due to flooding and weather events increased, according to the report.

Flood damage, including in Australia and the Philippines, amounted to $8.5 billion, almost triple the previous year.

(Reporting by Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)

UK birth slump dubbed ‘good for planet’ as number of babies born hits 20-year low

Eir Nolsoe
Thu, 17 August 2023 

Little newborn baby relaxing on woman hands in bed

Britain’s top demographics expert has said the falling number of babies born in Britain is a “good thing” after new data showed the number of births had hit a 20-year low.

Professor Sarah Harper CBE, founder and director of the Oxford Institute of Population Ageing and a former government adviser, said falling birth rates in the West were “good for… our planet”.

Her comments came after official figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed there were 605,479 live births in England and Wales last year, the lowest number since 2002.

The total was down 3.1pc compared to 2021 and is part of a long-term decline in the number of births across Britain and the developed world.

Prof Harper told the Telegraph: “I think it’s a good thing that the high-income, high-consuming countries of the world are reducing the number of children that they’re having. I’m quite positive about that.”

The academic said declining fertility in rich countries would help to address the “general overconsumption that we have at the moment”, which has a negative impact on the planet.

Prof Harper served on the Prime Minister’s Council for Science and Technology between 2014 and 2017. She was awarded a CBE for services to demography in 2018.

She said the UK’s declining birth rate was “inevitable” and in-line with trends in other developed economies.

She said: “We will see smaller populations in high-income countries going forward. It’s just going to be a trend of the 21st century and that will actually be good for general overall overconsumption that we have at the moment and our planet.”

Research has found that wealthy nations tend to have much larger carbon footprints than poorer countries, as rich people can afford to buy more goods, travel more and do other activities that generate emissions.

Carbon emissions from high-income countries were 29 times larger than low-income countries on a per capita basis in 2020, World Bank figures show.

While slowing population growth may reduce carbon emissions, analysts have warned that it also poses significant challenges for economic growth.

A shrinking workforce puts pressure on younger generations to pay more tax for the healthcare of older people. It can also lead to worker shortages that can slow growth.

While the overall number of births in Britain is declining, the share of children born to women from outside of Britain has hit a record high.

Almost one in three children born last year were delivered by mothers born outside of the UK. The number of births by women born outside the UK rose 3,600 year-on-year to account for 30.3pc of all births. The previous peak was 29.3pc in 2020.

When including the father, more than one in three children born last year had at least one foreign-born parent. In London, the figure was two thirds.

The ONS said: “In 2022, India replaced Romania as the most common country of birth for non-UK-born mothers, and Pakistan as the most common country of birth for non-UK-born fathers.”

For the first time since records began in 2003, Afghan women were among the top ten most common nationalities for foreign-born mothers.

It comes after Afghan women were granted humanitarian protection by the UK following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.

The number of births is separate from Britain’s fertility rate, which measures the ratio of live births to women of childbearing age. This will be published later in the year, as population estimates for mid-2022 are yet to be released.

The fertility rate sank to a record low of 1.58 children per woman during the first year of Covid and recovered slightly to 1.61 in 2021.

WAR IS ECOCIDE

Dolphins are dying in droves in the Black Sea, and Ukraine says it's evidence that Russia is committing a new kind of war crime


Sonam Sheth,Jenny McGrath
Thu, 17 August 2023

A stranded dolphin on the Black Sea.rai36de/Getty Images

Ukrainian officials have documented an uptick in dolphin and porpoise deaths near the Black Sea.


They may use the data to build a case accusing Russia of environmental war crimes, NYT reported.


Factors like maritime mines and pollutants from explosives likely contribute to the dolphin die-off.

As Russia's war against Ukraine rages on, Ukrainian officials have noticed an uptick in marine mammal deaths — and they want to use it as evidence to accuse Russia of ecocide and environmental war crimes.

That's according to The New York Times, which reported that there's been a significant increase in dead dolphins and porpoises washing ashore in the Black Sea.

What's causing massive dolphin die-offs

The Times reported that a number of factors related to the war could be contributing to marine mammal die-off including maritime mines, pollutants from explosives and fuel leaks, and toxic algae brought about by the presence of pesticides and heavy metals in the water.

An explosion in Khmelnytskyi, UkraineTwitter

The cacophony of sounds coming from Russian fighter jets, explosions, and rocket launches could also be a contributing factor, the report said. Noise from ships, sonar, and drilling is known to affect marine mammals' communication, ability to hear predators and prey, and navigation, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

In a peace plan he laid out last November, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed the environmental damage Russia's war was causing.

"Due to the Russian aggression, 6 million domestic animals died," he wrote in the plan. "These are official numbers. At least 50,000 dolphins were killed in the Black Sea."

Currently, there are four acts that are considered international crimes that the International Criminal Court (ICC) oversees: genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and crimes of aggression. Ukraine proposes to add a fifth act to the list: ecocide.

'Fuel of the future': Gulf states bet on 'green' hydrogen



AFP
Wed, 16 August 2023 

After riding a fossil-fuel boom for decades, Gulf Arab states are eyeing "green" hydrogen as they try to transition their economies and ease the climate crisis at a stroke.

Oil producers Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Oman are investing heavily in the climate-friendly fuel in a search for alternative revenues to crude and gas.

Green hydrogen, which is the hydrogen created when renewable energy electrolyses water, appears to solve many problems: it is low-polluting and has widespread potential uses, which could make it lucrative and planet-saving at the same time.

But the fuel, which currently makes up less than one percent of total hydrogen production, is not yet commercially viable and needs a major scaling-up of renewable energy sources -- a process that could take years.

Despite this, the Gulf monarchies sense an opportunity to remain major players in energy markets as oil revenues fall.

"Gulf states aim to lead the global hydrogen market," said Karim Elgendy, associate fellow at Britain's Chatham House think tank.

"They see green hydrogen as critical to remain major energy powers, allowing them to continue their influence as fossil fuel demand declines."

Most hydrogen is produced from polluting fossil fuels, but green hydrogen is extracted from water using renewable energy such as wind, solar and hydropower.

While fossil fuels create harmful greenhouse gases when they burn, hydrogen emits only water vapour. It is touted for potential use in high-polluting industries such as transport, shipping and steel.

- 'Export leaders' -

Wielding its massive investment capital, oil-rich Saudi Arabia is constructing the world's largest green hydrogen plant at NEOM, the $500 billion futuristic megacity being built on the Red Sea.

The $8.4-billion plant will integrate solar and wind energy to produce up to 600 tonnes of green hydrogen a day by the end of 2026, officials say.

In July the UAE, which will host the United Nations' COP28 climate conference this year, approved a hydrogen strategy that aims to make it one of the top 10 producers by 2031.

"Hydrogen will be a critical fuel for the energy transition," said Hanan Balalaa, a senior official at the UAE's oil firm ADNOC, calling it a "natural extension" for the company.

"We believe hydrogen and its carrier fuels have great potential as new, low carbon fuels, that the UAE is well placed to capitalise" on, Balalaa told AFP.

But it is Oman, which lags Saudi Arabia and the UAE in fossil fuel production, that looks poised to lead the Gulf's clean hydrogen race.

The sultanate is on track to become the sixth-largest exporter globally and the biggest in the Middle East by the end of the decade, the International Energy Agency said in a June report.

Oman aims to produce at least one million tonnes of green hydrogen a year by 2030, and up to 8.5 million tonnes by 2050, "which would be greater than total hydrogen demand in Europe today", the IEA said.

According to auditing firm Deloitte, Middle Eastern countries, primarily the Gulf, will lead global clean hydrogen trade in the short-term, exporting around half of their domestic production by 2030.

By 2050, North Africa and Australia are projected to have the greatest potential, although Gulf states will remain "export leaders", the company said in a June report.

- Hope or hype? -

The investment in green hydrogen has not curbed expansion in oil and gas, with both the UAE and Saudi Arabia planning to grow their hydrocarbon industries.

Experts predict it could still take years before Gulf countries can produce green hydrogen at a cost competitive with fossil fuel-based alternatives.

While the cost of renewable energy has fallen due to technological advances, green hydrogen cannot yet be produced at a profit.

"Gulf countries will focus on maximising the sales of hydrocarbons as long as possible," said Aisha al-Sarihi, a research fellow at the National University of Singapore's Middle East Institute.

"It will take years of trial and error for green hydrogen to become a commercially traded commodity," the expert said, adding that it "can be the new fuel of the future" once the technology matures and costs fall.

Demand for hydrogen also remains unclear.

But Gulf states are long-time energy suppliers of import-dependent Asian countries such as Japan and South Korea that plan to incorporate it in their decarbonisation plans.

Abdullah al-Nuaimi, the UAE's former climate change minister, cautioned, however, that "the existing infrastructure for transporting hydrogen is not adequate and would require massive investment to modify".

"The time required to overcome and solve the challenges facing hydrogen is too long," he told AFP.

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