Category: Life & Style

“Climate washing” litigation has risen sharply in the last two years as environmental groups and governments grew frustrated with increasing corporate claims about tackling climate change, says a report by London-based Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment.

The annual report on climate litigation trends released on June 29 defines climate washing as cases that challenge companies, and sometimes governments, over misinformation or misleading green claims.

In 2022, 26 climate washing cases were filed against companies globally. It was slightly lower than 27 in 2021, but higher than the previous two years. Lawyers, working on behalf of activists and others disturbed by the lack of progress in lowering greenhouse gas emissions, have filed 2,341 climate litigation cases worldwide, half of them since 2015. Most of the cases have been filed in the United States.

A significant group of climate-washing cases has been challenging the accuracy of corporate climate commitments, especially if these declarations are not backed up by enough plans and policies. Total climate litigation cases filed till May 31 this year dropped to 190 from 266 the year before. However, the report found that the diversity of cases was growing.

The tropics lost 10 percent more primary rainforest in 2022 than in 2021 – the equivalent of 11 soccer pitches of forest disappearing per minute – according to a global analysis of 2022 tree cover loss data released on June 27.

The forest loss was highest in Brazil, Bolivia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Indonesia and Malaysia maintained their recent trend of low rates of tree loss, said the study. The total tropical primary forest loss was 4.1 million hectares, an area about the size of Switzerland. The study based on satellite measurements was done jointly by the University of Maryland and the World Resources Institute’s Global Forest Watch.

Globally, the tropics are losing forests faster than anywhere else, mainly for agriculture, timber and mining. This is a global concern, as tropical rainforests are huge stores of biodiversity and absorb vast amounts of carbon dioxide, besides regulating local and regional climates.

The forest loss in 2022 led to 2.7 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, which is equivalent to the fossil fuel emissions of India, said Mikaela Weisse, the director of Global Forest Watch, an online data platform.

The study researchers said that fires are a major and growing source of forest loss in the tropics and elsewhere as global temperatures rise and droughts become more severe. In 2015, fires devastated large areas of Indonesia. In 2016, Brazil lost 1.6 million ha due to fires. In 2022, Russia lost 4.3 million ha of tree cover, of which 73 percent was related to fires.

About 2 million Muslim pilgrims took part in the annual Hajj pilgrimage that began on June 26, making it the ‘largest’ Hajj pilgrimage in history. This year, Hajj was held between June 26 and July 1, with the celebration of Eid al-Adha on June 28.

One of the five pillars of Islam that is mandatory for Muslims to take part, the pilgrimage absolves sins, brings them closer to God, and unites over 1.8 billion followers across the world. In 2023, Hajj returned to full capacity for the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic three years ago.

This year’s Hajj was also a challenge, as the pilgrimage took place in the nearly 45-degree-Celsius heat. Saudi authorities said more than 32,000 health workers and thousands of ambulances were on standby to treat cases of heatstroke, dehydration and exhaustion.

Despite being an expensive ritual, the annual pilgrimage is inspirational for many, even those located in countries affected by war, poverty or calamity. This year, four groups of pilgrims left Gaza for Hajj. Pilgrims from northwestern Syria streamed through border crossings with Turkey, while Yemenis took the first direct flight to Saudi Arabia since 2016.

Infosys’ Co-founder Nandan Nilekani has donated ₹315 crore to IIT Bombay, making his total contribution to the institute to ₹400 crore. The recent grant will be used to enhance world-class infrastructure, foster research in emerging areas, and support a deep-tech start-up ecosystem.

Nilekani joined IIT Bombay in 1973 for a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. He has donated $38.5 million to his alma mater. IIT Bombay plans to raise $500 million over the next five years and establish centres of excellence in artificial intelligence, green energy and quantum computing. Nilekani has contributed $85 million to the institute over the years and served on its board of governors.

A memorandum of understanding was signed between Nilekani and institute director, Professor Subhasis Chaudhuri in Bengaluru on June 20. The institute plans to set up world-class centers of excellence in strategic areas such as artificial intelligence, green energy, and quantum computing in the next 10 years.

Over the past five decades, Nilekani has remained connected to the institute, assuming various roles. He served on the board of the IIT Bombay heritage foundation from 1999 to 2009 and was a member of the board of governors from 2005 to 2011. His initial contributions played a crucial role in constructing new hostels, co-financing the school of information technology, and establishing India’s first university incubator.

Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Canada, on June 27 announced that the government will establish an open work-permit stream for 10,000 American H-1B visa holders, to attract skilled workers from the United States and provide them with employment opportunities in Canada. In addition, the program will allow for study or work permits for family members of H-1B visa holders.

The official release said that thousands of workers in high-tech fields are employed with companies that have large operations in both Canada and the US, and those working in the US often hold an H-1B specialty occupation visa. As of July 16, 2023, H-1B specialty occupation visa holders in the US, and their accompanying immediate family members, will be eligible to apply to Canada.

The approved applicants under this new decision will receive an open work permit valid for up to three years. This permit will enable them to work throughout Canada. They will be able to work for almost any employer anywhere in the country. Their spouses and dependants will also be eligible to apply for a temporary resident visa, with a work or study permit, as needed.

The exact qualifications and admission numbers for this stream were not explicitly outlined.

The H-1B visa program in the US grants temporary work permits to foreign nationals in specialised occupations, particularly in the technology and skilled sector. As tech companies experienced a surge in hiring during the pandemic but subsequently faced layoffs, many H-1B visa holders found themselves in need of new job opportunities.

Doha, Dubai, and Istanbul are the world’s most competitive job markets with the highest number of candidates per LinkedIn job posting, according to online resume builder Resume.io. These cities saw an average of 399, 283 and 168 applicants per job, respectively. Other cities with competitive job markets include Johannesburg, Abu Dhabi, Madrid, San Jose, Buenos Aires, San Francisco, and Tel Aviv.

With cities like Doha and Dubai topping the List of World’s Most Competitive Job Markets, the study of LinkedIn job postings showed that candidates are flocking to the Middle East and Silicon Valley.

The recruitment website Resume.io surveyed LinkedIn posts in 130 cities globally to come up with the data. San Jose, California, was North America’s most competitive job market according to the data, and Buenos Aires, Argentina, the most competitive job market in South America.

Sydney was Australia’s most competitive job market, London was the UK’s most competitive job market, and Toronto was the most competitive market in Canada. Bangkok, Thailand, was the most competitive job market in Asia.

Qatar’s prominent position in the rankings can be attributed to its hosting of the Football World Cup in 202, say reports. Since 2010, the Gulf nation has invested over $250 billion in preparations, such as constructing new hotels, expanding its port and airport facilities, and renovating road infrastructure.

Prince William has launched a five-year project to end long-term homelessness in the United Kingdom. He plans to use 1,30,000-acre land of his Duchy of Cornwall estate for public housing.

William launched the initiative, called Homewards, by visiting pilot projects that have received grants of up to 500,000 pounds ($637,000) each from the Royal Foundation, the charity that supports his and his wife, Kate’s work.

All of the initiatives, with more to be unveiled, involve collaborative efforts between local people, organisations and businesses to develop programs built as per the needs of their communities.

The new initiative aims to learn from countries such as Finland that have virtually eliminated homelessness. These nations have been able to do it partly by ensuring that people in crisis get permanent housing before helping them overcome other issues such as substance abuse.

William announced the plan as rising rents and a shortage of affordable housing have pushed more people into homelessness amid the biggest decline in living standards since World War II. More than 300,000 people throughout the UK have no permanent housing on any given night. These include people that are sleeping on the streets, living in cars, staying in hostels or temporarily seeking help from family and friends.

Singapore on June 20 became the most expensive city globally for luxury living. The city-state surpassed Shanghai and Hong Kong, said a report by Swiss wealth manager Julius Baer Group Ltd.

The city-state was ranked fifth last year, while Shanghai was on the top as per the Global Wealth and Lifestyle 2023 report. The reason for its success has been attributed to reopening of its borders during the pandemic that contributed to its attractiveness to high-net-worth individuals. By the end of 2022, the city counted around 1,500 family offices, twice the number from the year before.

Julius Baer’s Lifestyle Index evaluates the 25 most expensive cities worldwide based on various factors such as residential property, car prices, business class flights, fine dining experiences, and more.

The Asia region has maintained its position as the costliest for luxury living for the fourth consecutive year. For the first time since the inception of the report, the most affordable region to live luxuriously is Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, with European cities dropping in the rankings.

Overall, the report reflects an increase in experiential spending as people embrace their newfound freedom and indulge in social experiences, with hotel suites and business class flights among the areas experiencing significant price hikes.

At least 135 countries represented at the Yoga session hosted at the United Nations headquarters in New York on the International Day of Yoga (June 21), creating a Guinness World Record for seeing the participation of most nationalities in a Yoga session.

The Yoga celebration was led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his inaugural state visit to the United States, following an invitation from President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden. PM Modi was joined by President of the77th session of the UN General Assembly Csaba Korisi and Deputy Secretary General Amina Mohammed. The event, commemorating the 9th International Day of Yoga, witnessed the presence of esteemed UN officials, diplomats and prominent personalities, including American actor Richard Gere and New York City Mayor Eric Adams. 

In his address, PM Modi called Yoga to be a way of life. “A holistic approach to health and well-being… a way to mindfulness in thoughts and actions, a way to live in harmony with self, with others, and with nature,” he added.

Michael Empric, Guinness World Records official adjudicator, presented the certificate to Ruchira Kamboj, India’s permanent representative to the United Nations. Denise Scotto, the moderator of Yoga Day at the UN HQ in New York, said she was honoured to be able to introduce Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In a remarkable archaeological find in decades, Etruscan and Roman statues were pulled from the mud in Tuscany in Italy with “the intuition” of a retired garbage man. After months of restoration, these statues were put on display at Quirinale Palace in Rome on June 22.

About two dozen bronze statues from the third century BC to the first century AD were extracted from the ruins of an ancient spa. The statues were found in 2021 and 2022 in the hilltop village of San Casciano dei Bagni, a place known for its thermal baths. Archaeologists had long suspected ancient ruins could be discovered at these ancient sites. When the discovery was announced in November, experts called it the biggest collection of ancient bronze statues ever found in the country.

Digging for the statues started in 2019 on a small plot of land next to the village’s Renaissance-era public baths, but nothing substantial could be recovered. Then, a former bin man and amateur local historian Stefano Petrini had an intuition, remembering that years earlier he had seen bits of ancient Roman columns on a wall on the other side of the public baths.

The columns could only be seen from an abandoned garden in San Casciano that had once belonged to his friend, who grew fruit and vegetables there to sell in the village shop. When Petrini took archaeologists there, they knew they had found the right spot.