Prince George gearing up to host BC Special Olympics
Bill Shorten represents the best in Australian politics. And the worst. In his valedictory speech to the House on Thursday, ending 17 years in parliament, he spoke of the achievement in government that was “closest to my heart” – the National Disability Insurance Scheme. “The NDIS belongs alongside Medicare and superannuation as examples of Australian exceptionalism.” Illustration by Simon Letch Credit: Shorten is rightly proud of the NDIS. It was a world-first undertaking and instantly set the standard for the way that civilised societies should treat their disabled citizens. It was not all his work. As Shorten acknowledged, it was Kevin Rudd who gave him his start in the field by appointing him as the parliamentary secretary for disabilities in 2007. “I thought I knew hardship, having seen disadvantage representing workers,” Shorten told the House. “But nothing had prepared me for the way literally hundreds of thousands of Australians with disability and their carers were sentenced to a second-class life of lesser opportunity.” And it was Julia Gillard who committed her government to implementing it. Shorten recalls asking the then prime minister to do just one thing: “I asked her to meet five people in my office and leave her phone outside for an hour and a half.” She heard their stories and was persuaded. Credit must also go to Tony Abbott, the opposition leader who embraced the idea. As he said: “Normally I’m Mr No, but on this occasion I’m Mr Yes!” It’s hard for any major reform to endure without bipartisan support; Abbott gave it that support. Bill Shorten delivers his valedictory speech in the House of Representatives on Thursday. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer But Shorten can take most of the credit for creating the scheme when Labor was in power in 2007-2013, and for repairing it now that Labor is in power once more. By the time Anthony Albanese gave Shorten responsibility for the NDIS in 2022, it had veered out of control. It had become an open secret that it was rife with rorting. Not rorted by the disabled people receiving help, but by the companies and individuals who were supposed to help them and who then billed the government for services provided.SANTA CLARA — Brock Purdy is charged with distributing the ball to the 49ers’ still-plentiful array of offensive weapons. On Tuesday, he threw disgruntled wide receiver Deebo Samuel his full support. “I want to get Deebo the ball every play if I could,” Purdy said. “I want to have him break all the records as best as possible. I want Deebo to do Deebo things, and we all do in this building.” Thing is, Samuel’s sub-par production this season has mirrored the 49ers’ rocky road to a 6-7 record entering Thursday night’s visit by the Rams (7-6). “Not struggling at all just not getting the ball!!!!!!!” Samuel wrote Monday in a since-deleted post on the social media platform X. The timing off that complaint was peculiar. The 49ers had just shaken a three-game losing streak with a 38-13 win over the Chicago Bears, a game Samuel acknowledged was their best offensive showing and most complementary outing. But the 49ers did so with minimal production again from Samuel, who had two catches for 22 yards and five carries for 13 yards. “You read what you read. A little frustrated, for sure,” Samuel said Tuesday at his locker before practice. General manager John Lynch asked 49ers fans to give Samuel “some grace,” and coach Kyle Shanahan also threw support behind Samuel’s gripes. “Deebo and I talk every day so I understand Deebo saying that,” Shanahan said. “Deebo wants to help us out, and the only way he is helping us is getting the ball more. And we’d like to get him the ball more.” Samuel, a two-time captain, has scored just two touchdowns (Week 1 run, Week 5 reception) after 12 last regular season; he had 14 in 2021. He missed the 49ers’ Week 3 loss in Los Angeles because of a calf injury. Three years removed from his All-Pro breakout season, Samuel’s production has taken a nosedive this season, even though he is getting the ball. His 72 touches (40 receptions for 533 yards, 32 carries for 92 yards) are second to only now-injured running back Jordan Mason’s 164. In an X post 10 minutes after complaining about his opportunities, Samuel wrote : “Just cause I voice my opinions don’t mean I’m hating on any of my teammates!!” Jauan Jennings (57 catches, 774 yards, six touchdowns) and tight end George Kittle (56-800-8) have seized more on their targets from Brock Purdy, while 2022-23 mainstays Brandon Aiyuk and Christian McCaffrey have missed most of the season injured. “We’d always love things to stay in-house,” Shanahan said. “It’s probably why I don’t go on social media: I’d get worked up if I was reading stuff all the time. Is it a distraction in our building? No.” “He’s one of my best friends on this team. I absolutely love Deebo and what he’s done for me,” Purdy said. “He’s right: he’s doing great right now with what we ask of him the offense. He’s not struggling. Like Ricky (Pearsall) or Aiyuk last year a little bit, there are moments through a season where guys just don’t get the ball, depending on defensive schemes and taking guys away.” Samuel has flourished in the 49ers’ rivalry against the Rams, including three years ago when his “wide back” persona emerged as he scored on both a run and a reception to lead the victorious 49ers out of a 3-5 rut and toward the playoffs. That dual-threat duty is not such an inventive concept anymore, however. “They’re not surprised anymore,” Samuel said. “We’ve been doing it almost three years now, so you’ve got a 50-50 chance whether I’m in the backfield getting a handoff or anything along those lines. They have a glimpse of what’s going on. ... There’s three or four (defenders awaiting) no matter who has the ball.” “Deebo has created such a high standard, the things he’s done, the innovation which we’ve created things for Deebo. That’s part of the problem,” said Lynch, noting that multiple teams now deploy Samuel-esque, dual-threat players that no longer surprise defenses. “... That frustration mounts. But he’s made so many plays for us, I think we need to give this guy some grace and bring him along, because we need him the rest of the way,” Lynch added. “We need him Thursday night. Deebo’s a big part of this team. We’re alright. We can all learn from different situations and a lot of things in the world these days that you can get caught up in.” Some of Samuel’s most productive efforts this season have come as a kick returner (11 returns for 333 yards, including six returns in their Dec. 1 loss at Buffalo). “We’ve got a lot of big football to play and he’ll be a big part of our season moving forward,” Lynch said. As for next season, Samuel carries a $16 million mark on the salary cap. The 49ers restructured his contract in March, so he would incur a $31.6 million hit if he’s released or traded before June 1; after that date, an exit would count $11 million in 2025 and $21 million in ’26. GUERENDO IDLING Running back Isaac Guerendo’s foot sprain Sunday kept him out of Tuesday’s light walkthrough and it’s uncertain whether he’ll make a second straight start. Guerendo ran for 78 yards and two touchdowns, and he had 50 yards on two catches, before exiting and bequeathing the backfield to Patrick Taylor Jr. Guerendo got clocked at 20.2 mph on a 30-yard, second-quarter carry that was the NFL’s fastest by a running back in Week 14. GREENLAW UPDATE The 49ers remain reluctant to declare whether linebacker Dre Greenlaw will make his season debut Thursday night, the date pegged for his comeback from an Achilles tear in the Super Bowl. Shanahan said there’s been no setback, that he merely wants to talk first to Greenlaw and see how the next two days go. OTHER INJURY UPDATES Defensive end Nick Bosa (oblique, hip) and left tackle Trent Williams (ankle) will officially miss the fourth week of practice, albeit this week’s only consisting of Tuesday’s walk-through that began at 5:10 p.m. Shanahan has not indicated whether they’ll miss a fourth straight game. While left guard Aaron Banks practiced for the first time since a Nov. 24 concussion in Green Bay, guard Ben Bartch (ankle) did not practice and is expected to go on Injured Reserve before Thursday’s kickoff. Limited were defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos, safety Malik Mustapha, and linebackers Dee Winters and Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles. HARGRAVE MOVEMENT Defensive tackle Javon Hargrave’s bloated contract was restructured to lessen the 49ers’ financial restraints next year. While that could stage his potential release after two seasons, as pointed out by OverTheCap.com, Hargrave is also more affordable to keep, seeing how his 2025 salary was chopped from $19.9 million to $2.1 million, and his salary cap mark fell from $28 million to $10.3 million. “The plan for him is to be a Niner,” Shanahan said, deferring business matters to the front office staff. “The mechanics of contract stuff, those are things I don’t look into until after the offseason.” Hargrave, 31, has been on injured reserve since tearing a biceps in the Sept. 22 loss at Los Angeles. He made the Pro Bowl last season and totaled seven sacks in his first year with the 49ers. Jordan Elliott replaced him in this season’s lineup next to Maliek Collins, with rookie Evan Anderson, Kevin Givens, Kalia Davis and Khalil Davis also in the interior rotation.Adebayo triumphs at 6th BON sports classic amateur golf tourney
Final Pennsylvania state football rankings: No surprise who’s No. 1 in 3AOne of Trump’s most vulnerable Day One targets: newborn AmericansOne Toronto Maple Leafs prospect has etched his way into the team's history books as he looks to fight for a place on the team's main roster. Toronto Marlies forward Alex Steeves broke the team's all-time record for career points, netting his 170th point for the American Hockey League club against the Laval Rocket in his 200th career AHL game.a Having been tied for first all-time with 198, Steeves scored two goals on Laval to break the record, one that put him solely at first with 169, and his second to give him point 170. Steeves passes Kris Newbury for first place. Newbury had a similar pace to Steeves, having his then-team high 168 points in 198 games, both marks two back of Steeves. Newbury played just 44 games for the Leafs, having 76 career NHL games played. Steeves leads the Marlies with 12 goals and 16 points on the season in 12 games. He's played in four games for the Toronto Maple Leafs this season, but has gone pointless, although his ice time only reached a high of 14 minutes. Is Alex Steeves An Ignored NHLer, or a AAAA player? In 11 total NHL games, Steeves has just a single point. His story is quite similar to former Leafs center Adam Brooks. A promising forward for Toronto with offensive skill, like Steeves struggled making the transition from the AHL to the NHL. Brooks now plays in Germany with EHC Munich after 43 career NHL games. The transition between the two leagues is a difficult climb. In baseball, the term 'AAAA' player is common to describe players who are not able to make MLB, but are too skilled for Triple-A baseball, the highest minor league system in MLB. In the NHL, the same factors exist where a player benefits from a certain designation or play style, with some top-six talents who don't have the physicality or skating to be bottom-six players are often relegated to the AHL top-six where their toolkit fits better. There's nothing wrong in Steeves game. He's a hard worker with fine physicality and skating, and has a good work ethic. In an interview with the Toronto Observer , Steeves discussed his mentality for being the best he can be. Steeves has always been a player who has slipped through the tracks, having been undrafted and ignored in junior hockey, he's found a way to overcome. It took Bobby McMann until the age of 26 to make the NHL and end up a full-time Leaf. If Steeves is patient, there may be a spot for him, but at 25, Steeves is one of the best players in the AHL, nothing to feel ashamed about, but his NHL chances have not come easy and it'll remain a question if he'll make the league full time. For now, he's made his mark in the second best league in the world, and will continue to do so. This article first appeared on Hockey Patrol and was syndicated with permission.
From wealth and success to murder suspect, the life of Luigi Mangione took a hard turn
Stocks wavered on Wall Street in afternoon trading Thursday, as gains in tech companies and retailers helped temper losses elsewhere in the market. The S&P 500 was down less than 0.1% after drifting between small gains and losses. The benchmark index is coming off a three-day winning streak. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 6 points, or less than 0.1%, as of 1:52 p.m. Eastern time. The Nasdaq composite was down less than 0.1%. Trading volume was lighter than usual as U.S. markets reopened after the Christmas holiday. Chip company Broadcom rose 2.9%, Micron Technology was up 1% and Adobe gained 0.8%. While tech stocks overall were in the green, some heavyweights were a drag on the market. Semiconductor giant Nvidia, whose enormous valuation gives it an outsize influence on indexes, slipped 0.1%. Meta Platforms fell 0.7%, Amazon was down 0.6%, and Netflix gave up 1.1%. Tesla was among the biggest decliners in the S&P 500, down 1.9%. Health care stocks helped lift the market. CVS Health rose 1.7% and Walgreens Boots Alliance rose 3% for the biggest gain among S&P 500 stocks. Several retailers also gained ground. Target rose 2.8%, Best Buy was up 2.2% and Dollar Tree gained 2.7%. Retailers are hoping for a solid sales this holiday season, and the day after Christmas traditionally ranks among the top 10 biggest shopping days of the year, as consumers go online or rush to stores to cash in gift cards and raid bargain bins. U.S.-listed shares in Honda and Nissan rose 4% and 16%, respectively. The Japanese automakers announced earlier this week that the two companies are in talks to combine. Traders got a labor market update. U.S. applications for unemployment benefits held steady last week , though continuing claims rose to the highest level in three years, the Labor Department reported. Treasury yields turned mostly lower in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.57% from 4.59% late Tuesday. Major European markets were closed, as well as Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia. Trading was expected to be subdued this week with a thin slate of economic data on the calendar. Still, U.S. markets have historically gotten a boost at year’s end despite lower trading volumes. The last five trading days of each year, plus the first two in the new year, have brought an average gain of 1.3% since 1950. So far this month, the U.S. stock market has lost some of its gains since President-elect Donald Trump’s win on Election Day, which raised hopes for faster economic growth and more lax regulations that would boost corporate profits. Worries have risen that Trump’s preference for tariffs and other policies could lead to higher inflation , a bigger U.S. government debt and difficulties for global trade. Even so, the U.S. market remains on pace to deliver strong returns for 2024. The benchmark S&P 500 is up roughly 26% so far this year and remains near its most recent all-time high it set earlier this month — its latest of 57 record highs this year. Wall Street has several economic reports to look forward to next week, including updates on pending home sales and home prices, a report on U.S. construction spending and snapshots of manufacturing activity. AP Business Writers Elaine Kurtenbach and Matt Ott contributed.ROSEN, LEADING INVESTOR COUNSEL, Encourages Kyverna Therapeutics, Inc. Investors to Secure ...
AP Sports SummaryBrief at 6:57 p.m. ESTSANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — When the San Francisco 49ers used a third-round pick to draft Jake Moody last year, the hope was it would settle their kicking position for years to come. A shaky second half to Moody's second season with San Francisco has put that into question headed to the offseason. Moody missed his sixth field goal in the past seven games last week, leading to questions about whether the 49ers will need to replace him or at least bring in competition for next season. Coach Kyle Shanahan expressed confidence in Moody on Thursday, attributing some of the struggles to a high ankle sprain he suffered in his kicking leg earlier in the season. “I still feel the same about him, that I believe he is going to be our guy," Shanahan said. “Everyone has got to perform and do things like that and I think he has had a tough year. ... I thought he was doing really well and then had a high ankle sprain to his kicking foot. Since he’s come back, he hasn’t been as consistent, obviously. But I think a lot of that probably has to do with that, just common-sense wise.” Moody got off to a strong start this season, making all six field goals he attempted in the season opener and going 13 for 14 before injuring his ankle while attempting to make a tackle on a kickoff return in Week 5. He missed three games and has struggled since he returned. He missed three field goals in first first game back at Tampa Bay, two more in the snow at Buffalo in Week 13 and then a 41-yarder last week against the Dolphins. “That’s the great thing about kicking is, you can be as talented as whoever and you can struggle,” Moody said. “I feel like this year, I’ve struggled. It doesn’t really waver my confidence or anything. I feel like, throughout my entire life, I’ve gone through struggles, I’ve gone through high points. The biggest thing is to just stay consistent, not change anything.” Moody had an up-and-down rookie season, making 21 of 25 field goals in the regular season and missing only one extra point. But he missed a potential game-winning kick in a loss at Cleveland and missed field goals in playoff wins against Green Bay and Detroit. Moody then made three field goals in the Super Bowl with two coming from more than 50 yards, including a go-ahead 53-yard kick late in the fourth quarter against Kansas City. But Moody also had an extra point blocked in that game. “I believe we’ve got the right guy and I think that eventually, I think he has shown that at times,” Shanahan said. "I thought he showed that at times his rookie year. I thought he showed that big time being 12 out of 13 to start this year. And I think he’ll show us all that in the future.” NOTES: The Niners placed LT Trent Williams on IR after his ankle injury hasn't healed as quickly as hoped. Shanahan didn't think there were any long-term issues. ... LB Dre Greenlaw (calf) will be shut down for the rest of the season after playing parts of two games in his return from a torn left Achilles tendon. ... OL Spencer Burford (calf) didn't practice but might be able to play this week. ... San Francisco has signed two OL this week, adding Matt Hennessy and Charlie Heck. ... RB Isaac Guerendo (hamstring, foot) was limited but appears on track to play this week. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
Lewandowski leading Barca CL charge on Dortmund returnThe S&P 500 dipped 0.3%, a day after pulling back from its latest all-time high. They're the first back-to-back losses for the index in nearly a month, as momentum slows following a big rally that has it on track for one of its best years of the millennium. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 154 points, or 0.3%, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.3%. Tech titan Oracle dragged on the market and sank 6.7% after reporting growth for the latest quarter that fell just short of analysts' expectations. It was one of the heaviest weights on the S&P 500, even though CEO Safra Catz said the company saw record demand related to artificial-intelligence technology for its cloud infrastructure business, which trains generative AI models. AI has been a big source of growth that's helped many companies' stock prices skyrocket. Oracle's stock had already leaped more than 80% for the year coming into Tuesday, which raised the bar of expectations for its profit report. In the bond market, Treasury yields ticked higher ahead of Wednesday's report on the inflation that U.S. consumers are feeling. Economists expect it to show similar increases as the month before. Wednesday's update and a report on Thursday about inflation at the wholesale level will be the final big pieces of data the Federal Reserve will get before its meeting next week, where many investors expect the year's third cut to interest rates. The Fed has been easing its main interest rate from a two-decade high since September to take pressure off the slowing jobs market, after bringing inflation nearly down to its 2% target. Lower rates would help give support to the economy, but they could also provide more fuel for inflation. Expectations for a series of cuts through next year have been a big reason the S&P 500 has set so many records this year. Trading in the options market suggests traders aren't expecting a very big move for U.S. stocks following Wednesday's report, according to strategists at Barclays. But a reading far off expectations in either direction could quickly change that. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.22% from 4.20% late Monday. Even though the Fed has been cutting its main interest rate, mortgage rates have been more stubborn to stay high and have been volatile since the autumn. That has hampered the housing industry, and homebuilder Toll Brothers' stock fell 6.9% even though it delivered profit and revenue for the latest quarter that topped analysts' expectations. CEO Douglas Yearley Jr. said the luxury builder has been seeing strong demand since the start of its fiscal year six weeks ago, an encouraging signal as it approaches the beginning of the spring selling season in mid-January. Elsewhere on Wall Street, Alaska Air Group soared 13.2% after raising its forecast for profit in the current quarter. The airline said demand for flying around the holidays has been stronger than expected. It also approved a plan to buy back up to $1 billion of its stock, along with new service from Seattle to Tokyo and Seoul. Boeing climbed 4.5% after saying it's resuming production of its bestselling plane, the 737 Max, for the first time since 33,000 workers began a seven-week strike that ended in early November. Vail Resorts rose 2.5% after the ski resort operator reported a smaller first-quarter loss than analysts expected in what is traditionally its worst quarter. All told, the S&P 500 fell 17.94 points to 6,034.91. The Dow dipped 154.10 to 44,247.83, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 49.45 to 19,687.24. In stock markets abroad, indexes were mixed in China after the world's second-largest economy said its exports rose by less than expected in November. Stocks rose 0.6% in Shanghai but fell 0.5% in Hong Kong. Indexes fell across much of Europe ahead of a meeting this week by the European Central Bank, where the widespread expectation is for another cut in interest rates.
Semiconductor companies will suffer if Big Tech's spending on data centers slows, the head of the largest provider of chip-testing equipment told . Artificial intelligence-linked smartphones could save the day, he added. According to Advantest CEO Doug Lefever, the downswing wouldn't have to last long to have a pronounced effect on the industry. Given the concentration of hyperscalers in the space, he said, "any slowdown in the data center buildout is going to have big reverberations in the supply chain." Firms such as Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta Platforms have , generating both excitement and apprehension on Wall Street. By the end of the year, hyperscalers will have spent an estimated on AI chips and data centers to run the emerging technology. Although AI spending is projected to keep surging, some industry watchers have grown anxious about whether the — especially if . Even "While there is a big movement of a lot of companies into these kind of public clouds, I think that we have to be careful exactly how much we're investing." Overspending fears briefly in September. Lefever has good reason to pay close attention to the space: Enthusiasm for AI has made semiconductors increasingly complex, boosting demand for Advantest's equipment. ADRs on the Tokyo-based stock are up 71.32% this year as a result. "I don't like to use the word bubble because it implies that it's going to go away, but there will be cycles," Lefever told FT. "When that next cycle comes . . . it could be pretty vicious." AI smartphones, however, could prove the industry's saving grace, Lefever said. "Everyone is holding their breath, waiting for the killer app with the AI handsets . . . if that happens and people start replacing their phones, it's going to be crazy," he told FT. Wall Street analysts are equally bullish over AI phones, a consideration already seeping into price targets. On Thursday, Wedbush Securities raised its target on to $325, citing high expectations over Apple Intelligence — an AI software accessible on new iPhone products. "This will be a multi-year AI journey that will define the future for Apple with its next generation chip architecture, hardware releases, and future iPhone models built around the AI foundation that many consumers will ultimately embrace," analyst Dan Ives said. Read the original article onCommitments for a sustainable future A Pakistani man rests under the shade of trees during a heatwave in Karachi, Pakistan, on June 23, 2015. — AFP The pursuit of climate prosperity has become a defining theme of international cooperation, signalling the end of an era when climate commitments were viewed in isolation from socio-economic development with the operationalisation of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) and their climate prosperity plans (CPPs). googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1700472799616-0'); }); The latest cycle of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), referred to as NDCs 3.0, reflects a more cohesive approach: countries are updating their pledges under the Paris Agreement by mapping out concrete sectoral and cross-sectoral strategies that unite economic growth, social equity, and environmentally sustainable economic priorities. Recent examples from the UAE, the UK, and Brazil, presented at COP29, underscore the importance of operationalising Article 4.1’s temperature targets in a manner that respects national circumstances yet pushes global ambition toward limiting temperature increases to well below 2 C and, ideally, toward 1.5 C. This new wave of climate commitments extends beyond symbolic statements. Sector-focused policies for renewable energy, decarbonised transport, and industrial transformation exemplify the progression principle enshrined in Article 4.2, which requires each successive NDC to demonstrate incremental ambition. Yet the tension between economic prerogatives and climate action remains palpable, most visibly in nations reliant on fossil fuel revenues. Even when updated NDCs articulate bold objectives, inconsistencies in implementation can dilute progress, as evidenced by the underutilisation of Decision 4/CMA.1 on clarity in accounting methodologies. Without robust and transparent accounting, global stocktaking under Article 14 risks being muddied by inconsistent data, eroding trust and hindering coordinated action. Climate prosperity, as illustrated by Brazil’s CHAMP initiative ‘Coalition of High Ambition Multilevel Partnerships’, elevates climate policy from a narrow focus on emissions reductions to a broader transformative agenda. By incorporating subnational authorities, local governments, and civil society, these frameworks can generate synergy between climate resilience and socio-economic benefits. Decision 4/CMA.1 emphasises the necessity for clarity in NDC design, ensuring that ambitious goals translate into measurable and verifiable outcomes. The draft decision -/CMA.6 advances this discourse by mandating an annual synthesis report on NDCs – a critical instrument to aggregate best practices, identify bottlenecks, and pinpoint areas of overlap or duplication that could benefit from collective interventions. Although ambitious commitments are increasingly common, disparities remain. Major emitters sometimes present laudable targets but lack the policy muscle or enforceable frameworks to put them into effect. Article 4.3’s call for the highest possible ambition continues to clash with entrenched economic dependencies, particularly when fossil fuels still underpin large segments of national revenue. More acutely, adaptation measures remain underprioritised, despite Article 7.9 stipulating their integration into NDCs, leaving frontline communities vulnerable and undermining the comprehensiveness of climate strategies. Similarly, loss and damage considerations often lack detailed guidance in national pledges, weakening the potential for a truly inclusive approach that safeguards those most at risk. Effective NDC implementation hinges on frameworks that move beyond aspirational statements. Decision 1/CP.21, paragraph 26, offers pathways for legally binding commitments, timelines, and accountability measures that ensure compliance with Article 4.1’s temperature goals. Likewise, Article 13’s enhanced transparency framework requires harmonised reporting formats for both mitigation and adaptation, reinforced by Decision 18/CMA.1. These guidelines lay the groundwork for an annual synthesis process, as advocated by draft decision -/CMA.6, providing a realistic barometer of global progress and revealing areas where corrective measures are most urgent. In concert with multilateral platforms like the G20’s net-zero coalition, countries can pool resources, deepen technical collaboration, and orchestrate the large-scale shifts required for a just and inclusive transition. For Pakistan, whose vulnerability to climate shocks is well documented, the trajectory toward climate prosperity demands targeted policy choices. In a context where development deficits converge with intensifying climate threats, updated NDCs must serve not just as compliance documents but as cornerstones of socio-economic transformation. A National Climate Action Transparency Portal could complement the Article 13 requirements by systematically tracking progress on emissions reduction, adaptation initiatives, and loss and damage assessments, feeding the information for Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs). Coupled with annual synthesis reports as outlined in Decision 1/CMA.3, paragraph 30, this platform would allow policymakers to detect gaps in near real-time, refining strategies that unite mitigation with resilience-building. Public institutions in Pakistan should enact legislative frameworks that institutionalise climate commitments, mandating that federal and provincial budgets allocate resources for renewable energy expansion, resilient infrastructure, and climate-smart agriculture. Incentives can encourage research and development in low-carbon technologies, creating local supply chains that support green jobs and economic growth. Complementing these measures, the private sector must align corporate strategies with net-zero aspirations, invest in decarbonising operations, and adopt transparent accounting methodologies to bolster the credibility of emissions reporting. Greater financial innovation, including green bonds and blended financing models, could channel private capital toward clean energy, sustainable transport, and climate-resilient urban development, amplifying the momentum generated by public investments. People at the grassroots level should be empowered to participate in shaping climate policies through local consultative forums and awareness initiatives. Community-driven adaptation projects, such as climate-resilient farming systems and disaster risk reduction protocols, can be scaled up with targeted support from development partners and national agencies. Civil society organisations have a pivotal role to play by raising climate literacy, bridging knowledge gaps, and ensuring that policy debates reflect grassroots realities. Initiatives aimed at behaviour change – ranging from water conservation to sustainable consumption – can reinforce the shift toward low-carbon lifestyles, particularly in urban centres where population pressures intersect with resource constraints. An additional consideration lies in recognising provincial disparities in emissions and capacities within Pakistan, where Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa emit considerably less than Punjab and Sindh, yet shoulder disproportionate climate vulnerabilities. In the spirit of Article 6.2, enabling province-specific emissions targets not only advances intra-national equity but also promotes the concept of inter-provincial emissions trading, thereby embedding climate justice within the national framework. Through such cooperative approaches, provinces with surplus emission reductions – like Balochistan or Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – could trade these credits to provinces that fall short of their targets, ensuring that collective national commitments remain intact. This mechanism, akin to Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs), could be adapted for domestic use, creating incentives for lower-emitting provinces to strengthen climate-friendly initiatives while preserving the flexibility needed for more industrialised regions to meet their commitments. By institutionalising provincial-level trading systems, Pakistan can reap the dual benefit of spurring localised investment in low-carbon projects and aligning overall NDC targets with equitable development, thus demonstrating a model for subnational integration that resonates with both national development priorities and global climate objectives. Pakistan’s integration of loss and damage considerations into its NDC can fortify the country’s standing in international forums, including the Warsaw International Mechanism and the Global Stocktake under Article 14. Such an approach would highlight the country’s climate vulnerabilities, attract targeted financial support, and catalyse regional partnerships with South Asian counterparts confronting similar climate hazards. By documenting the scale and frequency of climate-induced losses, Pakistan could make a compelling case for concessional financing and innovative insurance schemes designed to provide post-disaster relief and expedite recovery efforts. Climate prosperity envisions a future in which decarbonisation and socio-economic progress reinforce each other. Pakistan can fast-track this vision by establishing a Climate Prosperity Fund to underwrite integrated projects that combine emissions reductions, adaptation measures, and the generation of green jobs. These investments can also nurture a culture of innovation, encouraging homegrown enterprises to develop climate-compatible products and services. By proactively participating in global coalitions like the G20’s net-zero initiative and regional climate dialogues, Pakistan can access technical support, secure climate finance at competitive rates, and broaden the impact of domestic climate actions. In the age of NDCs 3.0, ambition without accountability is futile; every pledge must be backed by transparent implementation, reliable metrics, and clear legal scaffolding. From legislative mandates to corporate practices and grassroots engagement, a cohesive strategy hinges on synchronising public, private, and people-led efforts. Failure to seize the opportunities for climate prosperity could lock nations into unsustainable development paths, jeopardising global temperature goals and undermining collective resilience. But by aligning policy reforms with transparent governance, inclusive participation, and innovative financing, countries like Pakistan can carve out a resilient, low-carbon future. The evolution of NDCs, in essence, is a clarion call for nations to move from pledges to practice, ensuring that climate commitments spur an era of equitable growth that endures for generations to come. Twitter/X: @Khalidwaleed_ Email: khalidwaleed@sdpi.org The writer has a doctorate in energy economics and serves as a research fellow in the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI).
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