Caroline Lucas: Gove unfit to be environment secretary

12 June 2017

The Green Party has responded to Theresa May’s appointment of Michael Gove as Environment Secretary.

Caroline Lucas MP, co-leader of the Green Party, said:

“It is hard to think of many politicians as ill equipped for the role of environment secretary as Michael Gove. His record of voting against measures to halt climate change and his attempt to wipe the subject from our children’s curriculum show him entirely unfit to lead our country in tackling one of the greatest threats we face. And as we enter Brexit negotiations, Gove’s past suggestion we scrap vital EU environmental protections becomes ever more concerning.

“This appointment is further evidence of both Theresa May’s complete disregard for the environment and her desperation to hold together a Government in chaos.”

Notes:

1. https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/11858/michael_gove/surrey_heath/votes#environment

2. https://www.theguardian.com/education/2013/jul/05/michael-gove-climate-change-geography-curriculum  

3. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-eu-regulations-michael-gove-environment-drugs-a7649041.html

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China has the largest proportion of myopic teenagers

Among China’s 600 million myopic sufferers, almost half the population of the country, Chinese teenagers have the highest ratio in the world, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported recently.

Although the causes of myopia are still unclear, some scientists believe that surroundings in addition to genes and nutrition are a major factor causing impaired eye sights.

Bad habits such as staring for long periods of time at LED electron screens, reading in the either too dark or too bright, sitting with the wrong posture and watching things too close, can all result in myopia.

Some experts even suspect that education models whereby parents in China urge their children to study hard in an attempt to secure access to top-notch universities, have resulted in the prevalence of myopia, especially among college or high school students. Indoor studying has replaced teenagers spending time doing outdoor activities.

Additionally, the emergence of digital products has led children to spend considerable time staring at screens, increasing the burden on eyes and reducing the frequency of blinking.

In spite of the harm resulting from the electronic screens to eyesight, some schools and parents continue to encourage the replacement of books with tablet computers, which, according to some experts, could lead to more children being prone to myopia.

Statistics show that the myopia is rising among young children between the ages of three and six.

According to the guidance of opticians, children from three years old should keep checking their eyes at least once a year. Parents are advised to bring their children to hospitals if the child is squinting or blinking.



ESMA issues positive opinion on short selling ban by Spanish CNMV

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has issued an official opinion agreeing to an emergency short selling prohibition, for a period of one month, by the Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores (CNMV) on net short positions in Liberbank, S.A. (Liberbank) shares under the Short Selling Regulation.

The measure is expected to enter into force at 08:15a.m. CET, (before trading session begins) and to be applicable until 23:59 of 12 July 2017. It temporarily prohibits transactions in any shares, either directly or through related instruments and irrespective of the venue or market in which the transactions leading to those positions are conducted. The measure does not apply to market-making activities, trading in index-related instruments or short positions entered into to hedge positions on convertible bond or subscription rights.

The short selling measure applies to any natural or legal person, irrespective of their country of residence, and does not exempt market making activities.

ESMA considers that the current circumstances related to Liberbank constitute an adverse scenario for the Spanish financial system, and that the proposed measure is appropriate and proportionate to address the threat in the Spanish financial markets.



ESMA issues positive opinion on short selling ban by Spanish CNMV

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has issued an official opinion agreeing to an emergency short selling prohibition, for a period of one month, by the Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores (CNMV) on net short positions in Liberbank, S.A. (Liberbank) shares under the Short Selling Regulation.

The measure is expected to enter into force at 08:15a.m. CET, (before trading session begins) and to be applicable until 23:59 of 12 July 2017. It temporarily prohibits transactions in any shares, either directly or through related instruments and irrespective of the venue or market in which the transactions leading to those positions are conducted. The measure does not apply to market-making activities, trading in index-related instruments or short positions entered into to hedge positions on convertible bond or subscription rights.

The short selling measure applies to any natural or legal person, irrespective of their country of residence, and does not exempt market making activities.

ESMA considers that the current circumstances related to Liberbank constitute an adverse scenario for the Spanish financial system, and that the proposed measure is appropriate and proportionate to address the threat in the Spanish financial markets.



Draft Opinion on CNMV emergency measure under the Short Selling Regulation

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