What's Emerging end of November/Beginning of December 2024
A newsletter on interesting stuff that is emerging around the world so you can think about strategy.
Welcome to our end of November/early December newsletter.
As previously flagged our newsletters will be a little more intermittent and shorter until the New Year (including this one) as Paul has to take significant time off to deal with a health issue. As a result, he will not be taking on any new project work until the New Year.
In the next few weeks Paul will continue to work on the strategy implementation consultation process with RSL Victoria. Paul will also finalise work on a scenario and Foresight Forum project with the Professional Standards Authority on the future of the professions and implications for standards and regulation. He will also continue in his role of Chair with venture philanthropy organisation Social Venture Partners.
If you are interested in talking to us about any of our strategy approaches, foresight approaches, workshops, or conference presentations for next year, please Contact Us.
This is our last newsletter for the year so we would like to take the opportunity to wish you a happy and safe holiday season and we look forward to interacting with you again in 2025.
The Emergent Futures Team
In case you missed it. The most popular link from the last edition was:
Snakes are waking up. What should you do if you’re bitten? And what if you’re a long way from help?
From the creeks that wind through inner city Melbourne to the far outback in Western Australia, snake season is beginning. Over the cooler months snakes have been in state of brumation. This is very similar to hibernation and characterised by sluggishness and inactivity. As warmer conditions return both snakes and humans become more active in the outdoors, leading to an increased likelihood of interaction. This may happen when people are hiking, dog-walking or gardening. The risk of being bitten by a snake is exceptionally small, but knowing basic first aid could potentially save your, or another person’s, life. .……….Read More
What are we Writing About?
As Paul has been dealing with a health issue there is nothing in this section this newsletter
What’s Emerging
Australia on track to meet 2030 43% emission’s reduction target, on latest figures
The analysis shows Australian emissions are projected to be 42.6% below 2005 levels in 2030. The government has released the new numbers ahead of Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen’s Thursday annual climate change statement to parliament..........…..Read More
Global EV sales heading for record 16.7 million sales in 2024, despite reports of slowdown
In a presentation at the BloombergNEF Summit in London BNEF analysts say EV sales are heading towards 16.7 million units in 2024, up from 13.9 million in 2023 and in line with the firm’s forecast at the start of the year......….….Read more
RNA editing is the next frontier in gene therapy
The United States Food and Drug Administration has just approved the first-ever clinical trial that uses CRISPR-Cas13 RNA editing. Its aim is to treat an eye disease called wet age-related macular degeneration that causes vision loss in millions of older people worldwide.”......…..Read More
Japan plans automated cargo transport system to relieve shortage of drivers and cut emissions
Japan is planning to build an automated cargo transport corridor between Tokyo and Osaka, dubbed a “conveyor belt road” by the government, to make up for a shortage of truck drivers............…..Read More
Plant 'Vaccines' Could Help Reduce Pesticide Use
We rely heavily on plants, which are often exposed to pesticides or fungicides to control insects or fungal diseases, for example. But pests and pathogens may evolve and change to overcome such control measures. Or the chemicals can have a variety of undesirable effects and impacts beyond their targets. But there may be a way to create a kind of resistance to some threats, like a kind of vaccine for plants. This approach triggers a type of plant immune defense, so that a plant can respond more effectively when it encounters a threat. The work has been reported in Frontiers in Science.......……. Read More
CSIRO opens $6.8m printing facility to make flexible solar panels
CSIRO has opened a $6.8 million facility in Clayton, Victoria, to take its printed flexible solar panel technology out of the lab and into the real world.......……. Read More
CATL outs its commercial EV batteries with 500-mile range and 15-year lifespan that run cheaper than diesel
The LFP batteries in its freshly released Tectrans series are separated in several categories in terms of capacity and range, but they all offer 15-year of service lifespan without significant degradation. For CATL, this is usually falling below 85% of the original capacity, unlike current packs in electric vehicles like Teslas whose battery degradation warranty is valid for the below 70% mark......…..Read more
China unveils new heavy rocket that looks eerily similar to SpaceX Starship
New images of the rocket, released at a major airshow in Zhuhai, China, indicate that the plan for the country’s Long March 9 rocket is a departure from the original design. Instead of the initially proposed design of three stages and solid motors, the new model presented at the airshow is a two-stage launch vehicle closely resembling SpaceX’s reusable Starship rocket.......…..Read more
Uber for AI labeling
The company’s new “Scaled Solutions” division claims it can connect businesses to “nuanced analysts, testers, and independent data operators” using its platform. It’s an extension of an internal team with members based in the US and India that do new feature testing and other tasks like converting restaurant menus to Uber Eats selections.....…..Read more
Xiaomi SU7 Ultra Prototype Laps the Nürburgring in 6:46.87 Minutes
The Chinese sports sedan's run doesn't qualify as a production-car record, but it's very impressive for a company that just started making cars. Yes the smartphone maker.....…..Read more
BYD produces its 10 millionth EV
This growth is particularly impressive, when you consider that it took the firm 15 years to produce its first 5 million NEVs, with the next 5 million arriving in only 15 months – evidencing the increasing demand for EVs, worldwide. It also comes just two months after the manufacturer reached 9 million NEVs produced........…..Read more
USA: Nationwide IV fluid shortage changing how hospitals manage patient hydration
Hurricane Helene, which hit North Carolina in September, flooded a Baxter International facility that produces 60% of the IV fluids used in the U.S., according to the American Hospital Association. The company was forced to stop production and is rationing its products. In an update posted Nov. 7, Baxter said its facility in Marion, N.C., has resumed producing some IV fluids. Paul: an example of market failure. While it may make sense to consolidate production from a very narrow cost of production point of view placing so much of such a critical product in one facility creates a single point of failure for a whole system. Do you know your own supply chain from this point of view.? Are there any single points of failure in that supply chain that could cripple your business? How many levels down do you know your supply chain? .......…..Read more
Business and Other Tips
Brain Dump Meaning: How This Simple Technique Can Boost Your Productivity
In today's fast-paced world, the overwhelming flood of tasks, thoughts, and responsibilities can easily lead to stress and mental overload. When your mind is juggling a hundred things at once, it becomes nearly impossible to focus effectively or find the clarity needed to make sound decisions. This is where the concept of a "brain dump" comes in—a powerful technique to declutter your mind and make way for productivity and peace of mind.……….Read More
Social impact bonds: how to engage with potential investors
A practical guide to help you find and engage with organisations and individuals to invest in your social impact bond. .……….Read More
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