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Welcome to the WE-CAN Climate News Roundup
Your Primary Source for CLIMATE NEWS
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Issue #237 March 31, 2026
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Stay Connected. Be Inspired. Get Involved.
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Top Story
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CleanBC - Dumped, or Recycled?
From The Tyee: B.C. has quietly eliminated its Climate Action Secretariat, the long-running agency that produced and implemented climate policy. The Ministry of Energy and Climate Solutions pushed back on the idea that it had eliminated the secretariat, instead referring to the cuts as a “reconfiguration.” “We have combined it with the Energy Decarbonization Division to form a new Climate Solutions Division, bringing together climate policy, program delivery and energy decarbonization expertise in a more integrated way,” adding that CleanBC and the province’s existing climate legislation and regulations remain firmly in place. Read more
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From WE-CAN: Dumped or recycled? We just don’t know. Let’s hope that nothing has been lost, and the new Climate Solutions Division is as strong as its name implies.
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Join the Movement. Fuel the Change. The climate crisis won’t wait — and neither can we. At the West Coast Climate Action Network, we connect with and support nearly 300 climate organizations across BC. Together, we amplify impact, share resources, and drive urgent change.
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But we can’t do it without you!
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By becoming a monthly donor, you provide steady and reliable support that sustains the climate movement throughout the year. Your contributions fund vital coordination, advocacy, events, and tools — empowering people and organizations across BC to fight for a livable future. Monthly giving also makes it easier for you to stay connected to the cause, while helping us plan and grow with confidence
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Whether it’s $5 or $50 a month, your donation directly strengthens climate action in BC — and every dollar adds up.
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Be the spark. Join our growing community of monthly donors today.
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Thank you for standing with us in this decisive decade.
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Action Now!
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Have You Met with Your MLA Yet?
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From WE-CAN: Have you met with your MLA yet, to make sure they are properly informed about the climate crisis, and the 2025 Climate Emergency Progress Report? It’s still essential, and there’s still time. When Dr Ron Wilson and Dr. Theresa Clinton from Denman Climate Action met Josie Osborne, MLA and Minister of Health, they took bunches of daffodils for her and her assistant. A very useful meeting was had by all (see photo). Sign up here
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📌 The Next Provincial BC Budget (Sign up by Friday April 10)
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From BC Government: British Columbians wishing to present to the Committee in-person or virtually are asked to complete a presentation request form by Friday, April 10 at 2pm. The Parliamentary Committees Office will follow up with interested participants in May. The Committee will be holding public hearings in June and will be a mix of virtual meetings and in-person meetings in Burnaby, Castlegar, Cranbrook, Dawson Creek, Kamloops, Kelowna, Mission, Nanaimo, Prince George, Smithers, Vancouver and Victoria. Participate here
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WE-CAN Friends and Allies
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Tuesday, March 31, 4 pm LNG: Not in Our National Interest Campaign Launch
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From Stand.earth and others: “LNG: Not in Our National Interest” is a new campaign to pressure PM Carney and his ministers to stop the government from giving billions more of our taxpayer money to dirty energy megaprojects that only benefit foreign billionaires. We want the government to fund the clean, renewable economy instead. Register here
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Wednesday, April 1, 3:30-5 pm BC Seniors for Climate Provincial Meeting
We’ll discuss progress so far, and a workshop on how to run a Climate Cafe to Break Through the Climate Silence. Join the meeting here
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Thursday, April 9, 4 pm Drop Tunes, Not Climate Bombs: Want to Help Unmute the Climate Silence by Writing Some Memorable Music?
From Seniors for Climate: What better way to break through the climate silence than with a jingle? If you’re musically or lyrically inclined, we’re inviting you to help create climate jingles to build the movement with music. Together, we can take over the airwaves, unmuting the climate silence, with movement-building music. We’ll discuss this in detail and get to work on crafting some memorable tunes to turn the tide with. Register here
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Saturday April 11, 11am Drop Tunes, Not Climate Bombs
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Same as above, register here.
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Climate Science and Impacts
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‘Very Alarming’ Winter Sees Arctic Sea Ice Hit Record-Low for Second Year Running
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From Carbon Brief: The past six months has seen Arctic sea ice extent at record or near-record lows, alongside unusually warm conditions across much of the region. And there is more grim news, as the thickness of the ice is near record lows – meaning that Arctic sea ice is entering late winter in one of its weakest states in the satellite record. Read more
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There Is No Historical Precedent for How Badly Out of Balance the Climate Is Now, U.N. Warns
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From Scientific American: The past 11 years were the 11 hottest on record amid an increasing onslaught of climate-driven disasters, the World Meteorological Organization said in a new report. Excess heat is being trapped by ever-rising concentrations of greenhouse gases in Earth’s atmosphere as humans continue to burn fossil fuels. Most of this heat—91%—is being absorbed by the world’s oceans. Read more
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BC Climate Politics
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Expedited Environmental Assessments Public feedback (By April 13)
From Government of BC: The Environmental Assessment Office is proposing an expedited environmental assessment process for projects designated under the Infrastructure Projects Act that are provincially significant or critical public infrastructure. The proposed process would reduce timelines to under two years for these significant projects compared to the three to five year timeline of the standard process. We want to know what you think. Read more
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Is a Final Investment Decision Coming for Ksi Lisims LNG?
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From Seth Klein, National Observer: The next major LNG project on the docket for Canada’s West Coast is Ksi Lisims LNG. The PRGT pipeline needed to bring gas to the proposed floating liquefaction plant was granted regulatory approval in June 2025. The LNG export facility was granted the green light last September. Two months later, the Carney government designated it as a “Major Project” for fast-tracking. All that awaits now is a “final investment decision”, and construction will get underway. So what’s the hold up? Read more
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Climate Solutions
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Nanaimo High School students at the RDN. Source: NCAH
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Youth in Action: The Push for Free Bus Passes for Adolescents
From Nanaimo Climate Action Hub: Until last month, high school students paying for their access to buses was unquestioned. Despite the clear benefits of public transportation for both civilians and the environment, Nanaimo had made no movements to make this resource more accessible to youth. That is, until last month, when a delegation of students from Dover Bay, Cedar, and Wellington decided to speak up, proposing free bus passes for all students aged 13-18. The motion for a staff report on how it can be done and paid for was approved by the Board. Read more
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Heat Pumps for All New Homes and Plug-In Solar in England
From BBC: Developers in England will be required to install solar panels and heat pumps in all new homes as part of updated planning requirements published by the government. The guidance means that from 2028, no new homes will be on the gas network and they must have solar panels covering an area equivalent to 40% of the ground floor space. "The Iran war has once again shown our drive for clean power is essential for our energy security so we can escape the grip of fossil fuel markets we don't control," said Energy Secretary Ed Miliband. Read more
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Heat Pump Owners Have Their Say
From Clean Energy Canada: Canada’s first ever publicly released survey of 3,800 heat pump owners finds 91% would recommend a heat pump to their neighbours, with satisfaction consistent across regions, housing types, and demographics. Read more
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First Nations Generating Futures
From The Narwhal: From hydrogen to solar, geothermal to wind, First Nations are leading the development and implementation of sovereign energy solutions and infrastructure for their communities. Read more
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Solar Is Winning the Energy Race
From DW: The world’s cheapest power source is scaling at warp speed, pushing coal, gas and nuclear aside. Global solar energy capacity has skyrocketed over the last decade:
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- 2015: 228 gigawatts = 1% of the world's electricity.
- 2020: 759 GW = 3% of global energy demand.
- 2025: 2,919 GW = 10% of the world's energy.
If it continues at current rates, global capacity could hit 9,000 GW by 2030 = 20% of the world's energy demand. Read more
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Australia Urged to Swap Diesel for Electric Buses as Fuel Costs Soar
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From The Guardian: Electric buses are just 1% of the Australian fleet compared with 80% in urban China, a quarter in the Netherlands and 12% in the UK. Read more
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Climate Image of the Week
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Climate Politics and Action
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The Spiral of Silence: Six Groups Across Society Whose Views Point to Systemic Change
From Climate Majority Report: A major barrier to tackling climate change—and the general mess society is in—is that people feel much more alone with their hopes and fears than they really are. Our latest report, Mobilising Silent Majorities, shows how much people do care—but too often, don’t speak up. And that silence is slowing down the possibility of large-scale change. Read more
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Talking Climate Crisis Without Climate Solutions is Science Denial, Hayhoe Says
From The Energy Mix: Climate scientists and communicators are practicing science denial when they continue hammering away at the dire news about global warming without also helping audiences understand what they can do about it, says veteran climate scientist and communicator Katharine Hayhoe. “Doom and gloom creates more clicks and shares, but it’s the absolute worst at motivating people to act.” Read more
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An Energy War is Raging. The Last Thing Canada Needs is More Fossil Fuel Production
From The Energy Mix: The Middle East war is the excuse du jour for new oil and gas exports. But the global energy shock brought on by the Middle East war makes it more important, not less, to keep the deep risks of new fossil fuel investment in clear focus. With the energy shock driving importing countries to ditch fossil fuels, Canada must prepare for the industry's decline. Read more
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The Climate Aligned Finance Act: What Is New, and What Is Next?
From Environmental Defence: In March 2022 a bill to align Canada’s financial system with climate action was introduced in the Senate. The draft legislation drew global praise for its thorough approach. It was studied by the Senate, but following the federal election in spring 2025 it needed to be reintroduced. When re-introducing the bill, Senator Galvez highlighted how important it is to align Canada’s financial system with our legal commitments to reduce carbon emissions. Read more and watch the video here.
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Smith and Carney's Deal on Methane Could Let Big Oil Waste Millions Worth of Natural Gas
From National Observer: Excess leakage of methane, which is about 80 times more potent a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, will accelerate global heating. It will also be expensive, resulting in up to $530 million worth of natural gas seeping into the atmosphere. The amount of gas that leaks hinges on when Ottawa and Alberta agree fossil fuel producers will need to meet emissions reduction targets. Read more
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To Lead on Climate, Colombia’s Petro Must Oppose Trade Framework that Impedes Action
From Common Dreams: As Colombia prepares to host the world’s first Global Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels, a powerful coalition of 220 economists, legal scholars, and policymakers is calling on President Gustavo Petro to take bold action to the dismantle investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) system that’s embedded in thousands of trade and investment agreements worldwide, including Colombia. Read more
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Big Oil’s Lobbying Efforts in Canada
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From Environmental Defence: Our latest report tracking Big Oil's lobbying efforts shows that fossil fuel industry lobbyists had at least 986 meetings with the federal government in 2025, nearly four per working day. The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers lobbied the government 138 times, opposing each federal climate regulation. The Minister for Natural Resources, Tim Hodgson, met with more fossil fuel lobbyists than any other elected official, taking at least 63 lobby meetings since being appointed in May. Read our report here
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Resistance and Movement Building
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A Toxic Trivia Party. Photo Credit: 350.org
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Toxic Trivia! Pizza, not Pipelines!
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From 350.0rg: A Toxic Trivia party shows how simple and fun it can be to bust the myths the fossil fuel industry is pushing on the Canadian public. We’ve built a set of 50 trivia questions, each with a well-researched explanation. If you register to organize a Party, we’ll send you a pack of cards. You can also download a print-at-home or a slide deck version to preview the whole set. Toxic Trivia is part of a broader campaign pushing the government to back affordable, renewable energy instead of climate-wrecking pipelines. It can be tough to take the step to in-person organizing, but with Toxic Trivia we’ve designed something that should make it easy. Create a party!! Read more
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You Can Take Action! Events, Protests and Rallies
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*PLEASE NOTE* If your climate organization is a WE-CAN member, click “Post your Event” under ‘Calendar’, and it will be added following approval.
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The calendar is a great networking tool, helping you connect and share events with the broader climate movement. Check it out and start posting your events today!
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Tuesday, March 31, 10 am Navigating the Short- and Long-Term Outlook for Canadian Oil and Gas
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From The Energy Mix: Our discussion will explore how changing demand dynamics could affect asset values, public finances, and long-term investment strategies. The session is designed for finance professionals, including investors, banks, regulators and policymakers. As a major oil and gas producer, Canada faces particular exposure to these risks. Register here
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Tuesday, March 31, 10 am Building a Wellbeing Economy: From Grassroots to Global Change
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From Ecojustice: Join us to explore how we can reshape our economic system to prioritize human and ecological wellbeing, with three experts in the wellbeing economy movement. We’re pushing for bold, systemic reforms that recognize the limits of our ecosystems and put social and environmental justice at the centre. Register here
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Wednesday, April 8, 3:30 pm Here Comes the Sun: Driving a Renewable Energy Revolution
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From Seniors for Climate: We are proud to host a timely discussion with climate author and activist Bill McKibben, who will answer important questions, and speak about his book, Here Comes the Sun, exploring why renewable energy is poised to transform the world. Q&A, update on our 2026 campaign, 'Break Through the Climate Silence.' Register here
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Wednesday, April 15, 2-3 pm The Changing Climate of Work: Green Jobs, Skills, and Sector Transitions
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From CASC: Scott Lundy, Jim Stanford and Ben Simoni will discuss emerging green jobs, evolving skill demands, and the roles of unions, employers, and educational institutions in supporting workers through rapid sector transitions. Register here
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Wednesday, April 15, 6-9 pm Neighbourhoods in the 21st Century (In Vancouver)
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From GTEC: Join us for an evening with Miranda Massie, Founding Director of the New York Climate Museum. Our fundraising dinner brings together community members and climate supporters to champion our Neighbourhood in the 21st Century exhibit—a dynamic arts and culture initiative designed to spark creativity, hope, and climate adaptation in local communities. Museum of Vancouver, 1100 Chestnut St. Read more
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Thursday, April 16, 5 pm Forests Frayed to Forests Renewed: The Case for Rezoning BC’s Public Lands
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From BC Policy Solutions: Ben Parfitt has covered forestry since the 1980s as a journalist and with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. He is currently a reporter with The Tyee, where he covers the forestry and oil and gas impacts on critical natural resources. Limited capacity. Will not be recorded. $20. At UVic. Register here
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Wednesday, April 22, 7-8 pm Climate Resilience for People with Intellectual + Developmental Disabilities
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From Down Syndrome Resource Syndrome: Climate change poses escalating physical, social, and financial risks, especially for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities like Down syndrome. This Earth Day, join us as we explore how we can improve our climate resilience, with our Sustainability Ambassador Nika Zondag, and a presentation by Dr. Sébastien Jodoin, who is researching the role of disability rights in addressing complex environmental and health issues and challenges. Read more
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Monday, April 27, 9 am-4:30 pm BCSEA Energy Connections 2026 (Vancouver)
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From BCSEA: We’re excited to invite you to BC's premier clean energy networking and knowledge-sharing event, in Vancouver. It brings together leaders from industry, government, utilities, Indigenous partners, innovators, and investors for a full day of insights, collaboration, and connection. Our Keynote Speaker is the Honourable Adrian Dix, Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions. Pinnacle Hotel Harbourfront, Vancouver. Register here to attend in person ($50 to $380) or here to attend by Zoom ($35 to $260)
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Grants, Job Vacancies and More!
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WE-CAN Is Seeking New Board Members - Apply Now!
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From WE-CAN: Do you want to join our Board? There are several positions up for election, including Treasurer. We meet twice a month, and most Board members are active on one or more of our working teams. Our purpose is to serve, support, amplify and promote the work of our 270+ member organizations, and to take whatever other actions we feel are needed to help end the global climate emergency. We strive to work with a culture of kindness, respect, and inclusivity. Read more
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Big Opportunity: Adaptive and Resilient Communities (Apply by March 25)
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From Tamarack Institute: Our 2026 Adaptive and Resilient Communities Cohort is designed to advance local climate adaptation and resilience projects. It will bring together 10 organizations for an 8-month journey of applied learning and action, from April to November. Read more
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Job Vacancies: Youth Climate Corps Community Climate Action Mobilizers
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From BC Youth Climate Corps: We are hiring Community Climate Action Mobilizers in Squamish, Kelowna, Courtenay, and Vernon. You’ll get paid to turn climate values into meaningful action, collaborate with an inspiring cohort, support hands-on projects with local community partners, build practical, transferable skills, and grow your confidence as a climate leader. Read more
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Environment Funders
Their list of members is here - a useful source of thinking when it comes to fundraising
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WE-CAN’s Fundraising Toolkit for Climate Action Groups is here
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From all of us in the West Coast Climate Action Network
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We honour the title and rights of the Indigenous peoples on whose ancestral lands we live and work.
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