US Proposals to Cut Methane and Other Pollutants

As an extension of his Climate Action Plan President Obama through the EPA has announced a series of proposals that will reduce methane and other harmful emissions. While there are there are already some voluntary programs to reduce methane emissions, the EPA has proposed new regulations that will significantly reduce methane in the oil and gas sector as well as in landfills.

In June of this year the EPA announced that it was preparing plans to limit methane. On August 18, 2015, the EPA publishes more details of the new rules. The standards are intended for the oil and gas sector. They are designed to reduce methane, VOCs and other toxic air pollutants. Under the proposed regulations the oil and gas industry would have to cut methane emission by 40 to 45 percent from 2012 levels by 2025.

Video - Methane is a Potent Greenhouse Gas

Methane is one of the most destructive global warming causing greenhouse gases. By some estimates it is 34 times more harmful to our climate than carbon dioxide. The explosion in Harlem last week is a tragic reminder of just how common it is for natural gas (methane) to leak from pipelines. Methane seeps from wells while it is being extracted. It also leaks from the sea floor due to global warming which is causing ice and permafrost to melt in the Arctic.

Video - The Most Important Carbon Numbers on Earth are 530, 840 and 310

This video shows a very simplistic way of understanding that we can only add so much more carbon to our atmosphere before we reach catastrophic temperature increases. While most are familiar with levels of atmospheric carbon this is not the most important number. The most important carbon numbers relate to the amount of carbon we have added to date, the total amount that we can add to avoid runaway climate change and the difference between the two which is our carbon budget.

White Paper - The Logistics, Carbon and Business Data Book

The Logistics, Carbon and Business Data Book: Fall 2013 Sustainability Trends provides sustainability executives, decision-makers, and research teams a collection of charts presenting logistics, sustainability and sustainable business-driven data. The goal of this 31 page white paper is to gather together the essential information and metrics about sustainable business for corporate teams.

Environmental Leader assembles the data and research in this summary report for executives and corporate sustainability teams to utilize in their planning and decision making. A collection of 19 charts covering the important metrics in the specific areas of Sustainable Strategy, Green Fleets, Sustainable Energy, and Energy & Carbon Management.

US CO2 Emissions at a 19 Year Low Due to Less Coal and Warmer Winters

Due in large part to reduced coal use and warmer winters, the US is producing less carbon emissions than they have in almost two decades. The combination of warmer winters, significantly less electricity from coal, and reduced gasoline consumption reduced carbon emissions to their lowest level in almost two decades.

According to a report titled "U.S. Energy-Related Carbon Dioxide Emissions, 2012" release on October 21, 2013 by the Energy Information Administration (EIA), US carbon dioxide emissions generated from energy consumption and production fell 3.8 percent in 2012 to 5,290 million metric tons, reaching their lowest level since 1994. The annual energy-related emissions in the US were 5,498 million metric tons in 2011. Although the US economy grew by 2.8 percent in 2012, energy intensity (Btu per dollar of GDP) fell by 5.1 percent.

World Bank President on the Cost of Carbon

In an interview for the Climate Reality Project's Cost of Carbon event on October 22, World Bank President Jim Yong Kim explained the Bank's increasing focus on sustainability. Dr. Jim Yong Kim is the 12th president of the World Bank Group, he is also a champion of efforts to combat climate change.

When asked why is the World Bank is so involved in the climate crisis, Dr Kim responded that while he thought he was well informed about the latest science, when he assumed his position at the Bank he was shocked to discover just how perilous our current trajectory is.

Courses - Carbon Professional Path (CPP)

Carbon Professional Path (CPP) will take place on Tuesday Oct 22 to Wednesday Oct 23, 2013, Toronto, Ontario. The Carbon Professional Path is a groundbreaking program that will prepare you in obtaining a CSA Greenhouse Gas Inventory Qualifier; a globally recognized certification. The certification demonstrates your competence to quantify, assess and report GHG emissions and HRCarbon is the only global provider of a pre-CSA GHG Inventory Quantifier exam program. This learning event is organized by HR Carbon.

CDP Global 500 Climate Disclosure Leadership Index 2013

Sector Company Disclosure score Performance Consecutive years in the CDLI Consumer Discretionary BMW 100 A 3 Daimler 100 A 2 Royal Philips 100 A- 3 General Motors 100 A- 1 Honda Motor 99 A 2 Volkswagen 99 A 1 Home Depot 99 A- 2 Nissan Motor 99 A 1 Las Vegas Sands 98 A- 1 TJX Companies 98 B 2 News Corporation 97 A- 4 Consumer Staples Nestlé 100 A 4   Colgate Palmolive 99 B 1   Reckitt Benckiser 99 B 1   Diageo 98 A 2   Philip Morris International 97 B 1 Energy Spectra Energy 98 A 2 Repsol 98 B 2 Chevron 97 A- 1 Hess 97 B 5 Financials BNY Mellon 100 A 1   Bank of America 98 A 1   Goldman Sachs 98 A 2   Marsh & McLennan 98 B 1   Simon Property Group 98 B 1   HSBC 97 A 1 HCP 97 A- 1   Allianz 97 B 3 Healthcare Bayer 99 A- 6 GlaxoSmithKline 98 A 1 Johnson & Johnson 98 A- 1 United Health Group 98 B 1 Sanofi 97 A- 1 Industrials Eaton 100 A- 1   UPS 99 A- 3   Raytheon 98 A 1   Deutsche Post 98 B 4   Union Pacific 98 B 1   Schneider Electric 97 A 1   EADS 97 B 1 Information Technology Cisco Systems 100 A 5 Hewlett-Packard 99 A 1 Samsung 99 A 1 SAP 98 A 1 Adobe Systems 97 A 1 EMC 97 A 1 Materials BASF 100 A- 6   Air Prodcuts & Chemicals 99 B 3   Ecolab 98 A 1   Kumba Iron Ore 98 B 1   Praxair 98 6 1   Vale 98 B 1   POSCO 97 B 2 Telecommunication Services Swisscom 97 A 1 Utilities Gas Natural SDG 100 A 2   Iberdrola 99 B 2   Exelon 98 A 2   Endesa 98 B 1   National Grid 98 B 1   Centrica 97 B 6

Source: CDP

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CDP Global 500 Climate Performance Leadership Index 2013

Sector Company Performance Disclosure score Consecutive years in the CPLI Consumer Discretionary BMW A 100 4 Daimler A 100 1 Royal Philips A 100 1 Honda Motor A 99 1 Nissan Motor A 99 1 Volkswagen A 99 1 British Sky Broadcasting A 95 1 H&M Hennes & Mauritz A 83 1 Consumer Staples Nestlé A 100 2   Diageo A 98 2   L'Oreal A 93 1   Anheuser Busch InBev A 85 1   Unilever A 82 2 Energy Spectra Energy A 98 1 BG Group A 89 1 Financials BNY Mellon A 100 1   Bank of America A 98 4   Goldman Sachs A 98 1   HSBC A 97 1   Firstrand Limited A 96 1   Morgan Stanley A 96 1   Wells Fargo A 96 2 AXA Group A 94 3   TD Bank A 94 1   Ace A 93 2   BNP Paribas A 93 1   Barclays A 92 1   Swiss Re A 92 1   Deutsche Bank A 91 2   Munich Re A 91 1   National Australia Bank A 91 4   Westpac Banking A 91 4   Assicurazioni Generali A 87 1 Healthcare GlaxoSmithKline A 98 1 Industrials Raytheon A 98 1   Schneider Electric A 97 3   CSX A 95 1   Komatsu A 95 1   Lockheed Martin A 91 3 Information Technology Cisco Systems A 100 1 Hewlett-Packard A 99 1 Samsung A 99 1 SAP A 98 1 Adobe Systems A 97 1 EMC A 97 1 Microsoft A 96 1 Infosys A 92 1 Tata Consultancy Services A 89 1 Materials Ecolab A 98 1   Anglo American A 96 2   E.I. du Pont de Nemours A 96 1 Telecommunication Services Swisscom A 97 1 Telenor Group A 95 1 BT Group A 93 1 Utilities Gas Natural SDG A 100 2   Exelon A 98 2

Source: CDP

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CDP Global Climate Change Leaders 2013: Top 12 Companies According to Both CPLI and CDLI

Top 12 companies according to both CPLI and CDLI
Sector	Company	Performance	Disclosure score	Consecutive years in the CPLI
Consumer Discretionary	BMW	A	100	4
Consumer Discretionary	Daimler	A	100	1
Consumer Discretionary	Philips Electronics	A	100	1
Consumer Utilities	Nestlé	A	100	2
Financials	BNY Mellon	A	100	1
Information Technology	Cisco Systems	A	100	1
Utilities	Gas Natural SDG	A	100	2
Consumer Discretionary	Honda Motor	A	99	1
Consumer Discretionary	Nissan Motor	A	99	1
Consumer Discretionary	Volkswagen	A	99	1
Information Technology	Hewlett-Packard	A	99	1
Information Technology	Samsung	A	99	1

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The CDP's 2013 Top Fourteen US Companies (Disclosure and Performance)

Company Name	Sector	Disclosure Score	Performance Band
BNY Mellon	Financial Services	100	A
Cisco Systems, Inc.	Information Technology	100	A
Entergy Corporation	Utilities	100	A
Autodesk, Inc.	Information Technology	99	A
Northrop Grumman Corp	Industrials	99	A
NYSE Euronext	Financial Services	99	A
Hewlett-Packard	Information Technology	99	A
Bank of America	Financial Services	98	A
Best Buy Co., Inc.	Consumer Discretionary	98	A
Ecolab Inc.	Materials	98	A
Exelon Corporation	Utilities	98	A
Goldman Sachs Group Inc.	Financial Services	98	A
Raytheon Company	Industrials	98	A
Spectra Energy Corp	Energy	98	A

Source: CDP 2013

CDP Studies: Growth of Sustainability and Profitability

The findings of two reports released on September 23rd, demonstrates more convincingly than ever before the increase in corporate environmental action and the bottom line benefits of such action. These reports were released by CDP, PwC and Sustainable Insight Capital Management, Inc. (SICM) in the wake of the CDP's annual analysis of S&P 500 companies’ efforts to reduce and respond to climate change. The two new studies demonstrate that CDP leaders who incorporate environmental factors into their business strategies are mitigating climate related risks, finding opportunities to strengthen their businesses and delivering higher profitability than their industry peers.

Infographic - Companies, Governments and the Environment

Support for Reducing Power Plant Carbon Pollution

Carbon pollution is the main contributor to global climate disruption and is linked to life-threatening air pollution like smog – making it a serious hazard to Americans’ health and future. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed limiting emissions from power plants. Doctors, nurses, scientists, and leading public health groups like the American Lung Association have testified that carbon emission causes smog pollution that triggers asthma attacks, damages and reduces the function of the lungs, and can cause heart attacks and even premature deaths. According to professional testimony, children and seniors are particularly susceptible to the health consequences of air pollution and climate disruption. Below are statements by Dan Lashof and David Doniger in the Natural Resource Defense Council’s (NRDC) Climate and Clean Air Program, and Kim Knowlton in NRDC’s Global Warming and Health Project: