Mes: diciembre 2020

The Free Livestreamed Event Will Take Place on January 9, 2021 at 10:30pm EST

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., Dec. 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Today, the Mind & Life Institute announced a special conversation with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, climate activist Greta Thunberg, and leading scientists from the Woodwell Climate Research Center, on the crisis of climate feedback loops and steps for addressing this urgent set of challenges. The event will livestream for FREE on January 9, 2021 at 10:30 p.m. EST (January 10, 2021, 9:00 a.m. IST) on Mind & Life’s website and Facebook as well as on the Dalai Lama’s website and Facebook. 

From the destruction of forests to the thawing of permafrost, the effects of human-induced climate change have set into motion self-perpetuating feedback loops that are accelerating global warming. What can be done to slow down this threat before it’s too late?

Moderated by Diana Chapman Walsh, President emerita Wellesley College, the discussion will be grounded in a new series of educational films, «Climate Emergency: Feedback Loops,» narrated by actor Richard Gere. Contributing their expertise to the conversation will be leading scientists representing the Woodwell Climate Research Center, including Susan Natali, Arctic Program Director, and visiting scientist William Moomaw, Professor Emeritus of International Environmental Policy at Tufts University and lead author of several reports for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007.

«This unique intergenerational dialogue will raise awareness of climate feedback loops, a critical yet not widely understood phenomenon, by bringing together three essential perspectives—science, contemplative wisdom, and social action,» said Mind & Life President Susan Bauer-Wu. «All three perspectives are necessary: science reveals new understanding of the problem and solutions, contemplative wisdom lifts up a moral and inspirational message in service of our common humanity, and social action is crucial to influencing public policies and personal behaviors.» 

The Dalai Lama speaks to the urgent need for climate action in his new book, Our Only Home: A Climate Appeal to the World, in which he praises Greta Thunberg and other young climate activists for their determination to bring about positive change. 

The livestream event will aim to highlight recent scientific findings from Woodwell Climate, the ethical imperative of taking action, and what we can do collectively to slow, halt, and even reverse the devastating impact of climate feedback loops.

For more information, and to R.S.V.P. in advance to receive additional updates and a tune-in reminder, please visit: https://www.mindandlife.org/event/the-dalai-lama-with-greta-thunberg-and-leading-scientists-a-conversation-on-the-crisis-of-climate-feedback-loops/

Following the event, the Mind & Life Institute will continue to explore the climate crisis and the human-earth relationship at its virtual 2021 Summer Research Institute, to be held online June 6-12, 2021. Applications are now open.

ABOUT THE MIND & LIFE INSTITUTE:
At the Mind & Life Institute, we bridge science and contemplative wisdom to better understand the mind and create positive change in the world. Our grantmaking, convenings, and digital education programs fall into three main focus areas: nurturing personal well-being, building compassionate communities, and strengthening the human-earth connection. Ultimately, we seek to spark a global transformation toward a society where we embrace our shared humanity. Learn more at: www.mindandlife.org 

ABOUT WOODWELL CLIMATE RESEARCH CENTER:
Woodwell Climate Research Center is an organization of renowned researchers who work with a worldwide network of partners to understand and combat climate change. We bring together hands-on experience and 35 years of policy impact to find societal-scale solutions that can be put into immediate action. Learn more at www.woodwellclimate.org or subscribe to our monthly newsletter.

Media Contact: mindandlife@sunshinesachs.com

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SOURCE Mind & Life Institute

NEW YORK, Dec. 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — S&P Dow Jones Indices today released the latest results for the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Indices, the leading measure of U.S. home prices. Data released today for October 2020 show that home prices continue to increase across the U.S. More than 27 years of history are available for these data series, and can be accessed in full by going to https://www.spglobal.com/spdji/.

Please note that transaction records for September 2020 for Wayne County, MI are now available. Due to delays at the local recording office caused by the COVID-19 lockdown, S&P Dow Jones Indices and CoreLogic were previously unable to generate a valid September 2020 update of the Detroit S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller indices.

However, there are not a sufficient number of records for the month of October for Detroit. Since Wayne is the most populous county in the Detroit metro area, S&P Dow Jones Indices and CoreLogic are unable to generate a valid Detroit index value for the December release. When the sale transactions data fully resume and sufficient data are collected, the Detroit index values for the month(s) with missing updates will be calculated.

YEAR-OVER-YEAR 

The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price NSA Index, covering all nine U.S. census divisions, reported an 8.4% annual gain in October, up from 7.0% in the previous month. The 10-City Composite annual increase came in at 7.5%, up from 6.2% in the previous month. The 20-City Composite posted a 7.9% year-over-year gain, up from 6.6% in the previous month.

Phoenix, Seattle and San Diego continued to report the highest year-over-year gains among the 19 cities (excluding Detroit) in October. Phoenix led the way with a 12.7% year-over-year price increase, followed by Seattle with an 11.7% increase and San Diego with an 11.6% increase. All 19 cities reported higher price increases in the year ending October 2020 versus the year ending September 2020. 

MONTH-OVER-MONTH

The National Index posted a 1.4% month-over-month increase, while the 10-City and 20-City Composites both posted increases of 1.4% and 1.3% respectively, before seasonal adjustment in October. After seasonal adjustment, the National Index posted a month-over-month increase of 1.7%, while the 10-City and 20-City Composites both posted increases of 1.6%. In October, all 19 cities (excluding Detroit) reported increases before and after seasonal adjustment.

ANALYSIS

«The surprising strength we noted in last month’s report continued into October’s home price data,» says Craig J. Lazzara, Managing Director and Global Head of Index Investment Strategy at S&P Dow Jones Indices. «The National Composite Index gained 8.4% relative to its level a year ago, accelerating from September’s 7.0% increase. The 10- and 20-City Composites (up 7.5% and 7.9%, respectively) also rose more rapidly in October than they had done in September. The housing market’s strength was once again broadly-based: all 19 cities for which we have October data rose, and all 19 gained more in the 12 months ended in October than they had gained in the 12 months ended in September.

«We’ve noted before that a trend of accelerating increases in the National Composite Index began in August 2019 but was interrupted in May and June, as COVID-related restrictions produced modestly-decelerating price gains. Since June, our monthly readings have shown accelerating growth in home prices, and October’s results emphatically emphasize that trend. The last time that the National Composite matched this month’s 8.4% growth rate was more than six and a half years ago, in March 2014. Although the full history of the pandemic’s impact on housing prices is yet to be written, the data from the last several months are consistent with the view that COVID has encouraged potential buyers to move from urban apartments to suburban homes. We’ll continue to monitor what the data can tell us about this question.

«Phoenix’s 12.7% increase led all cities for the 17^th consecutive month. Seattle (11.7%) and San Diego (11.6%) repeated in second and third place. Prices were strongest in the West and Southwest regions, but even the comparatively weak Midwest and Northeast (up 7.7% and 7.9% respectively) performed creditably well.»

SUPPORTING DATA 

Table 1 below shows the housing boom/bust peaks and troughs for the three composites along with the current levels and percentage changes from the peaks and troughs.

Table 2 below summarizes the results for October 2020. The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Indices are revised for the prior 24 months, based on the receipt of additional source data.

Table 3 below shows a summary of the monthly changes using the seasonally adjusted (SA) and non-seasonally adjusted (NSA) data. Since its launch in early 2006, the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Indices have published, and the markets have followed and reported on, the non-seasonally adjusted data set used in the headline indices. For analytical purposes, S&P Dow Jones Indices publishes a seasonally adjusted data set covered in the headline indices, as well as for the 17 of 20 markets with tiered price indices and the five condo markets that are tracked.

For more information about S&P Dow Jones Indices, please visit https://www.spglobal.com/spdji/.

ABOUT S&P DOW JONES INDICES

S&P Dow Jones Indices is the largest global resource for essential index-based concepts, data and research, and home to iconic financial market indicators, such as the S&P 500^® and the Dow Jones Industrial Average^®. More assets are invested in products based on our indices than products based on indices from any other provider in the world. Since Charles Dow invented the first index in 1884, S&P DJI has been innovating and developing indices across the spectrum of asset classes helping to define the way investors measure and trade the markets.

S&P Dow Jones Indices is a division of S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI), which provides essential intelligence for individuals, companies, and governments to make decisions with confidence. For more information, visit https://www.spglobal.com/spdji/.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

April Kabahar
Global Head of Communications
New York, USA
(+1) 212 438 7530
april.kabahar@spglobal.com

Raymond McConville
Communications Manager
New York, USA
(+1) 212 438 1678
raymond.mcconville@spglobal.com

S&P Dow Jones Indices’ interactive blog, IndexologyBlog.com, delivers real-time commentary and analysis from industry experts across S&P Global on a wide-range of topics impacting residential home prices, homebuilding and mortgage financing in the United States. Readers and viewers can visit the blog at www.indexologyblog.com, where feedback and commentary are welcomed and encouraged.

The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Indices are published on the last Tuesday of each month at 9:00 am ET. They are constructed to accurately track the price path of typical single-family homes located in each metropolitan area provided. Each index combines matched price pairs for thousands of individual houses from the available universe of arms-length sales data. The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index tracks the value of single-family housing within the United States. The index is a composite of single-family home price indices for the nine U.S. Census divisions and is calculated quarterly. The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller 10-City Composite Home Price Index is a value-weighted average of the 10 original metro area indices. The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller 20-City Composite Home Price Index is a value-weighted average of the 20 metro area indices. The indices have a base value of 100 in January 2000; thus, for example, a current index value of 150 translates to a 50% appreciation rate since January 2000 for a typical home located within the subject market.

These indices are generated and published under agreements between S&P Dow Jones Indices and CoreLogic, Inc.

The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Indices are produced by CoreLogic, Inc. In addition to the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Indices, CoreLogic also offers home price index sets covering thousands of zip codes, counties, metro areas, and state markets. The indices, published by S&P Dow Jones Indices, represent just a small subset of the broader data available through CoreLogic.

Case-Shiller^® and CoreLogic^® are trademarks of CoreLogic Case-Shiller, LLC or its affiliates or subsidiaries («CoreLogic») and have been licensed for use by S&P Dow Jones Indices. None of the financial products based on indices produced by CoreLogic or its predecessors in interest are sponsored, sold, or promoted by CoreLogic, and neither CoreLogic nor any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, or predecessors in interest makes any representation regarding the advisability of investing in such products.

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sp-corelogic-case-shiller-index-shows-annual-home-price-gains-remained-strong-in-october-301199020.html

SOURCE S&P Dow Jones Indices

YAKUM, Israel, Dec. 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Augwind (TASE: AUGN) today announces that it has signed an MOU with EDF Renewables Israel Ltd., a subsidiary of the global EDF conglomerate. Under the terms of the agreement, Augwind and EDF will work together to build and operate a 5 MW photovoltaic power plant integrated with a 20 MWh Augwind’s storage system – AirBattery. The project will be built as a pioneering facility with a secured PPA from the government’s owned electricity company (IEC) for 23 years.

Or Yogev, CEO and Founder of Augwind, said:

«Augwind aims for global expansion and a significant presence in the storage market through its groundbreaking technology. The agreement we are signing today is an expression of confidence by one of the world’s largest market leaders in energy and is yet another keystone in Augwind’s strategic plan for global expansion and for becoming a leading supplier in the energy storage market worldwide.

«Within a matter of weeks, Augwind has expanded its circle of partners for installation of the AirBattery energy storage system and is poised to continue the momentum of development into 2021.

«The MOU we have signed is significant milestone both at the global and the local levels – EDF Renewables Israel is a major leader in development and operation of renewable energy assets in the local market since its early days a decade ago. The company own hundreds megawatts of operating solar plants and develops dozens of additional projects the be built in the coming years.»

EDF Renewables Israel is a subsidiary of the global EDF conglomerate, the third largest electricity company in the world, with extensive global activity in energy in general, and renewable energy in particular.

Augwind and EDF have agreed to hold the project in equal shares, with EDF being responsible for first securing the land of the project and later for the construction and operation of the photovoltaic facility. Augwind will act as the storage supplier and lead all aspects of engineering, construction, operation and maintenance of the system.

Augwind estimates that the pioneering facility will be completed within 12-24 months from the date the conditions precedent are met.

About EDF

EDF Group is a French multinational government-held company, headquartered in Paris. EDF is the third largest electricity producer in the world. The company specializes in initiating a variety of energy projects from conventional and renewable sources, including energy generation, distribution, planning, construction and trading.

In 2019, the company reported revenues of €71.3 billion. The French conglomerate operates a diverse portfolio of more than 137 gigawatts of power generation plants and active on five continents.

EDF Renewables Israel is a subsidiary of EDF Renouvelables, which has been active in Israel since 2010 and own about 320 MW of renewable energy assets.

Contact:
Tamir Vieman
tamir@aug-wind.com

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/edf-one-of-the-worlds-largest-electricity-companies-expresses-confidence-in-augwinds-airbattery-storage-technology-301198922.html

SOURCE Augwind

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 29, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Afshin Cangarlu, CEO of Stratus Building Solutions, the nation’s leading green commercial cleaning franchise, is actively working with the International Franchise Association to promote diversity in franchising and is hoping to make meaningful progress in 2021.

Cangarlu is a member of the IFA’s Diversity Institute Board of Directors which is made up of influential players in the franchise community. The Diversity Institute’s mission, on behalf of the IFA, is to make franchising the most diverse sector of the US Economy by 2030.

«I really love the franchising community and I think we can be leaders in advancing diversity over the next decade,» said Cangarlu.

In 1980, at age 13 as an immigrant, Cangarlu came to the United States with his family. He eventually went on to build an executive career in the technology and software development at DreamWorks and Quovadx, which afforded him the ability to start his own business.

He joined Stratus Building Solutions as a Master Franchisee in 2008, and eventually rose to become the company’s CEO in 2015.

«I am someone who has truly benefited from the American dream and that’s why I am so passionate about diversity,» said Cangarlu. «We need to do what we can to make these kinds of opportunities available to everyone, not just a select few.»

«At the IFA Foundation our volunteer leaders are the heart of our initiatives,» said Earsa Jackson, Diversity Institute Chairwoman. «From his first day in service to the Diversity Institute Board, Afshin has been a meaningful contributor to our work supporting diversity and inclusion in franchising and raising awareness of the positive impacts of the franchise business model. We cannot thank Afshin enough for his continued service to minority communities within franchising.»

The IFA Foundation’s Diversity Institute works to provide outreach and education about the benefits of franchising to those in minority communities. There is already a good foundation in franchising as 30 percent of all franchised businesses are owned by minorities compared with 18 percent of non-franchised businesses.

About Stratus Building Solutions
Stratus Building Solutions is an international franchise company in the commercial cleaning industry, founded in 2006 and headquartered in Los Angeles, California. Stratus was developed to provide environmentally-friendly commercial cleaning services driven by dedicated, entrepreneurial, small-business owners and regional support offices. Stratus has over 2,000 unit-franchisees in 57 major cities across the United States and Canada. Stratus is setting new standards in the building services and maintenance franchise industry by being the first to offer green janitorial products with their proprietary, Green Seal Certified line of cleaning chemicals. To learn more about franchising opportunities, visit https://www.stratusclean.com/.

Media Contact

Graham Chapman, Stratus Building Solutions, 919-459-8157, gchapman@stratusclean.com

Rachel Frazier, Stratus Building Solutions, 888-981-1555, rfrazier@stratusclean.com

SOURCE Stratus Building Solutions