2016 Corporate Sustainability Leaders

A bevy of iconic brands have been singled out as the world's leading sustainability companies. The results of the 2016 GlobeScan/SustainAbility survey of corporate sustainability leaders were released on June 7th 2016. The list is formally known as the The 2016 Sustainability Leaders and his year it was produced in partnership with Sustainable Brands,

The Sustainability Leaders Survey tracks expert opinions on the evolution of sustainability. These experts are now saying that values and purpose are "top drivers" of change. Leaders in sustainability excel at integrating social and environmental purpose into their core business. Leading companies also model innovation and set ambitious goals.

Glaxo­SmithKline Doing Well by Doing Good

Glaxo­SmithKline (GSK) is at the top of Fortune's 2016 Change the World list. They are being recognized for their exemplary corporate citizenship. In an age of rampant profiteering in the pharmaceutical industry, Glaxo­SmithKline (GSK) has stood out by making it their business to give back.

The practices of GSK stand in stark contrast to other recent pharmaceutical news. Martin Shkreli bought the rights to a life saving HIV drug called Daraprim,then he hiked up the price by 5,000 percent. CEO of Mylan Pharmaceuticals Heather Bresch raised the price of an EpiPen pack to more than $600.

Green Business Award Winners in 2016 (Guardian and Environmental Leader)

Here is a summary of sustainable businesses, projects and individuals that are leading the way forward. As we teeter on the brink of tipping points, sustainability leadership is more important than ever. Awards that recognize the best companies, projects and individuals lead by example and serve as valuable models. In addition to well deserved recognition these efforts put sustainability on display, showcasing achievements that other businesses can follow. Here is a summary of green awards that have been handed out to businesses and individuals in the first half of 2016. This list includes Guardian's Sustainable Business Awards as well as Environmental Leaders Product and Project of the year awards.

The Best and the Worst of Sustainability and Climate in 2015

Last year was a momentous year for both climate action and environmental destruction. Perhaps most importantly, 2015 will be remembered as the moment in history when the world finally woke up to the threat of climate change.

Here is a review of the ten best and the ten worst sustainability and climate stories of 2015.

The Top Sustainability Focused Innovations of 2015

Innovation is more than a buzzword, it is an absolutely essential component of the required efforts needed to address the environmental and climate crisis we are facing. Here is a summary of some of the best sustainability focused innovations of 2015 from Sustainia.

On December 6th, 2015 the fourth Sustainia awards celebrated a number of groundbreaking sustainability solutions, technologies and projects from around the world. In honor of COP21 the awards took place in Paris, home to the COP21 climate talks.

The Best of Green in 2015: Products, Projects, Leaders, Corporations, CEOs and Chemistry

Here are some of the best of the best in the green economy from 2015. This includes the best products and projects of the year, the top sustainability leaders and corporate citizens, leading innovative bioeconomy CEOs and the best green chemistry companies. These lists are derived from Energy Manager Today, edie, Corporate Responsiblity (CR) Magazine, Il Bioeconomista and the EPA.

Video - Summary of the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report Synthesis Report

Graphs - IPCC Report: CO2, Temperatures and Emissions

IPCC Synthesis Report: Background and Summary

In November the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released its final world Synthesis Report. This is the world's most comprehensive assessment of scientific knowledge on climate change. The conclusions in the report are the starkest warnings yet. Urgent action is required as we are rapidly running out of time.

The final Synthesis Report summarizes three massive climate investigations:

1. The report on the physical science of climate change was released in September 2013. It reiterated the finding that humans are the leading cause of climate change. They further demonstrated that as measured by a number of indicators (ice sheet melt, glacial melt and sea level rise), climate change is occurred faster than predicted. It further stated that this is impacting meteorological conditions by increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events.

Video - India's Use of Solar in Rural Villages

Solar lanterns are popping up in rural villages all over northern India. This An ADB-assisted project helps communities to study, do chores and lead more productive lives at night. Solar lanterns complement solar energy which is now present in many of India's rural areas. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has the ambitious goal of bringing electricity to the 400,000,000 Indians who do not currently have access to it. By 2019, says Narendra Taneja — Modi's energy spokesperson — every household will be able to run at least two light bulbs, a television and also cook with a solar cooker.

Video - Iran's Renewable Energy Revolution

This 2012 video shows that Iran was already exploring cleaner energy two years ago. Iran may be an oil producing state that is at odds with the West over its desire to exploit its nuclear options, but the country is also investing in renewable energy and solar power in particular. In May 2014, Iran approved the allocation of €500 million from national development fund for renewable energy projects. Iran is diversifying its energy portfolio a necessity.and this includes growing amounts of investment in solar and wind. As reported in Cleantechnica earlier this year, Iranian Energy Minister Hamid Chitchian announced plans to increase Iran's solar and wind portfolio by 5,000 MW by 2018. This is an ambitious undertaking when you consider that Iran is currently producing only 200 megawatts for photovoltaic solar.

National Laws and a Global Climate Agreement

National laws are an important precursor to a UN climate agreement. Countries around the world are passing legislation ahead of the UN climate meeting in Paris scheduled for the end of 2015. These laws are essential for an international agreement. While some nations are passing comprehensive greenhouse gas (GHG) legislation others have passed sector-specific laws to tackle emissions.

A GLOBE International and CDKN Study found that there was a correlation between strong climate change legislation and high ambition at international climate talks. The study found that a total of almost 500 national climate change laws have been passed in 66 countries, according to the 2014 GLOBE Climate Legislation Study. All developed and major economies are expected to deliver emission reduction targets to the UN by the end of March 2015.

Denmark's Climate Change Bill

In June Denmark passed a climate change bill that will reduce emissions a total of 40 percent by 2020. The bill had widespread support from its coalition government. This is but the latest measure in a country that is a global wind energy leader. The country is also an international climate leader for its efforts to free itself from fossil fuels in its energy sector by 2050.

The country has a science based approach to managing climate change while at the same time focusing on the nation's economic well being. It is setting up a climate change council that will ensure the nation meets its goals both from a scientific and economic perspective.

Failure to Reduce Emissions will Result in an Ecological and Economic Catastrophe (IPCC's Leaked "Synthesis" Report)

The latest leaked Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report reiterates three points that we already know and warns us of dire consequences if we fail to act. Climate change is here, it is caused by humans and it has a number of dangerous impacts. It is noted that extreme weather like heat waves, drought, flooding and rising seas are already serious problems today.

The document specifically states that as greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise we can expect the situation to worsen. This means more "severe, pervasive and irreversible impacts for people and ecosystems."

Obama's End Run Around the Senate to Secure a Climate Deal

In an effort to bypass obstructionist Republicans the Obama administration is working on an international climate deal that does not require the approval of the Senate. A legally binding treaty would require the approval of two-thirds of the Senate. To circumvent partisan gridlock, in particular the anti science stance of Republican lawmakers, Obama is looking to craft a political agreement rather than a binding treaty. Republicans in the senate (alongside a handful of fossil fuel Democrats) will never ratify such a treaty. The sad reality is that these lawmakers, who represent less than 10 percent of the American population, have the power to kill a binding treaty.

This political agreement is being sought ahead of the December 2015 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (IPCCC) meeting in Paris.

Finland's New Legislation will Reduce Emissions by 80%

Finland has joined a number of other governments in adopting progressive climate legislation. Finland's new climate change act, will reduce emissions a total of 80 percent by 2050. Finland's Environment Minister Ville Niinistö said it will position the nation, "as a pioneer of low-carbon society."

The country's climate policy addresses regulatory uncertainty and provides a clear road forward for the business community. In addition to providing a predictable climate policy for business, it will also provide an impetus for low carbon research efforts.

Why France is a Global Climate Leader

France has shown the kind of climate leadership that sets an example for the world. Their crowing effort to date is new legislation that, if passed, would provide tremendous support to France's low-carbon, green economy.

The proposed bill is worth about €10 billion ($13.41 billion) and includes tax breaks, low-cost loans, and bonuses. The bill supports renewable energy, zero emission vehicles, and efficiency. The bill would reduce the nation's dependence on fossil fuels and nuclear energy.

Latest IPCC Report on the Viability of Fast Actions to Limit Climate Change Including SLCP

The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report indicates that many fast actions for addressing climate change are proving to be more affordable than previously imagined. The report is entitled Climate Change 2014: Mitigation of Climate Change, it is the third of three Working Group Reports, which make up the IPCC's fifth Assessment Report.

The report addresses the viability of restricting short lived climate pollutants (SLCP) and also indicates that there are a number of other fast actions that can be taken that will have a dramatic impact on global warming without adversely impacting people's quality of life. They include efforts to improve energy efficiency through new building codes, vehicle efficiency standards and increases in renewable energy. The economic viability of clean energy sources like wind and solar are becoming increasingly obvious as they are becoming cheaper to produce and deploy.

Latest IPCC Report Indicates the World is Headed Towards Unacceptable Temperature Increases

If we continue with business as usual we will see a temperature increase of more than 4ºC above preindustrial temperatures by the end of the century. This is more than double the internationally agreed upon upper temperature limit increase of 2ºC.

According to a report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions increased by the equivalent of ten billion tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) between 2000 and 2010. The report entitled Climate Change 2014: Mitigation of Climate Change, is the third of three Working Group Reports, which make up the IPCC’s fifth Assessment Report on climate change.

The Three Most Revealing IPCC Charts