CDP Report Shows a Growing Number of Companies See the Risks Posed by Climate Change

The 2012 Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) report indicates that the threats associated with climate change are increasingly being factored as corporate risks. According to the CDP report, a growing number of global businesses understand that environmental concerns represent a "real and present" danger to their operations.

Companies are increasingly coming to terms with the risks associated with climate change. The New York Times blog reports that the total cost of the floods in Thailand last year was $15 billion to $20 billion. The automaker Daimler said the floods disrupted the automotive supply industry. Hewlett-Packard and Dell both said that the flooding resulted in shortages of critical components and materials.

Top Ten Companies in the 2012 Carbon Disclosure Project Report

The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) knows that assessing greenhouse gas emissions is the first step to making reductions. The CDP is a British nonprofit at the forefront of disclosure advocacy, they are champions of transparency in environmental reporting as well as strategies to address environmental impacts. The CDP represents 655 institutional investors with $78 trillion in assets. The CDP is an international, not-for-profit organization providing the only global system for companies and cities to measure, disclose, manage and share vital environmental information. The latest CDP Global 500 Climate Change report, was co-written with professional services firm PwC.

The New Era of Green Schools

In February 2012 at the Green Schools National Conference in Denver, Colo., U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan expressed the view that green schools are no longer part of a fringe movement. EE is, in fact, necessary to meet the challenges of the 21st Century.

Duncan, whose administration launched the Green Ribbon Schools Program, called for inclusion of EE in the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The U.S. Senate voted in favor of the change in 2011, thus marking the first time EE has been formally included in federal K-12 education policy. The Campaign for Environmental Literacy lists approximately one dozen states with requirements for EE in their K-12 curriculums. And, according to the North American Association for Environmental Education, some 47 states and the District of Columbia are in the process of developing new or revised Environmental Literacy Plans.

The Need for Global Environmental Education

In a paper prepared for the 2012 Rio +20 Earth Summit, leading scientists issued a warning that humans are facing “an unprecedented [planetary] emergency” driven by overpopulation, over-consumption and use of environmentally damaging technologies. Climate change, biodiversity loss, resource depletion, environmental degradation, economic instability and a host of environmentally related illnesses will threaten civilization’s very survival if people do not act. Unfortunately, say the authors, “humanity’s behavior remains utterly inappropriate” for dealing with the problems people face, and their continued “failure to act will impoverish current and future generations.”

China and the Growth of Global Wind Power

China is now the global leader in the rapidly growing wind energy sector. The International Wind Energy Development (IWED) report predicts that the wind power market, is expected to grow from $96.4 billion in 2011 to $161.2 billion in 2015. By 2020, wind power expected to supply almost 10 percent (9.1 percent) of the world’s power needs. The report predicts an average global growth rate of 15.5 percent a year for new annual installations through 2015, which would result in a total global capacity of 513.6 GW by 2015. The report also predicts an average annual growth rate of 11.5 percent from 2016 to 2020, which would bring world capacity to almost 1,000 GW by 2020.

The Promise of Renewable Energy in the US

While many Republicans are deriding a future powered by renewable energy, others are working to bring that reality to fruition. Renewable energy is not a pipe dream like the GOP supported Keystone XL pipeline. Clean power can supply the majority of America's energy needs. The right combination of leadership and popular support could radically change US dependence on fossil fuels while significantly reducing climate change causing emissions.

The School of Earth and Environment (SEE)

The UK's School of Earth and Environment (SEE) was ranked second nationally in terms of research power in earth and environmental sciences in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise. The school is at the forefront of tackling global issues such as climate change, energy, water and sustainable development. Its research is organized across four institutes and two national research centers.

The School of Earth and Environment is one of the largest and most vibrant Schools in the UK. Experts within the School study the Earth from its core to the atmosphere, with expertise ranging from geophysics and surface processes to atmospheric science, climate change and environmental sustainability. Leeds is in fact, one of just a few universities that has brought the complete range of disciplines from geology and geophysics, environmental science, meteorology and climate science, to environmental social science together under one banner.

The Environmental Impacts of 9/11 Continue to Compromise People's Health and Finances

In addition to the horrific cost to human life, 9/11 has had a devastating environmental impact that continues to harm human health. The felling of the twin towers in Manhattan on September 11th 2001, killed 2973 people, and the toll on human life continues to be felt eleven years after the tragic event. First responders charged with cleaning up the carnage, along with others who spent time on or near the 9/11 site continue to suffer from serious health effects.

Study Shows Deforestation of Tropical Rainforest Decreases Precipitation

Deforestation can have many impacts including increases in un-sequestered carbon, and decreases in atmospheric oxygen, but according to new research loss of tropical rainforests can also significantly decrease rainfall. According to a new study titled, "Observations of increased tropical rainfall preceded by air passage over forests," the destruction of tropical forests could reduce rain across the Amazon basin by more than a fifth (21%) in the dry season by 2050.

Study Shows that Climate Change is Killing Forests

Climate change is causing a massive forest die-off on almost every continent on Earth. Forests are already under threat from illegal logging and land clearing for agriculture. According to a new paper published in the journal Nature Climate Change, trees in forests all around the world are dying due to dry climatic conditions and elevated heat. This study corroborates the notion that global warming is increasing the risk of fires, disease and pest infestations like pine beetles. This die-off is undermining the wide range of ecological and economic benefits that forests provide.

Call to Service: Teaching Sustainability at Business Schools

Business schools have a critical role to play in helping students to see why and how they must reign in GHGs and scrutinize business activities with sustainability in mind. Ideally business people should come out of business school with a sense of their emerging societal and environmental responsibilities.

In a February 9, 2012, message, Business School Lausanne (BSL) Dean-Katrin Muff makes the point that we need a radically new vision of business schools that can best be described as a "call to service: To educate citizens to act responsibly for the world."

Here is a review of the major definitions in Dean Katrin Muff's conception of how business schools can communicate the call of service to their students:

BP Accused of Corporate Recklessness Including Willful Misconduct, Gross Neglect and Making False Statements

A recent US Justice Department court filing, accuses British Petroleum (BP) of gross neglect, as well as making false and misleading comments. The accusations stem from BP's handling of the 2010 explosion of the Deepwater Horizon that spilled 5 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico and killed 11 workers.

The Justice Department alleges false statements and misrepresentation over BP's assertion that the Gulf Coast's natural resources are making a "robust recovery" from its massive 2010 oil spill.

Sustainable Talks - Sustainable Design Forum 2012 (Event)

Sustainable Design Forum 2012 will be taking place from September 24th to the 27th in Dubai. The program this year will consist of a combination of seminars and workshops; which will be appeal to architects, interior designers, design consultants, project mangers and government bodies. Attendants of the workshops will be able to work together in teams to find solutions to real life challenges and will be also benefit from walking away with a certificate of attendance at the end of the workshop.

One of the topics being addressed at the Forum is Education for Sustainable Development. More precisely the topic is called, "Learning from Best Practice."  In this talk Verena Harwardt, discusses how sustainability became a value in Germany and how it can become a value in the UAE. Education for a Sustainable Development suggests that for the UAE to spread the awareness and change behavior sustainability needs to be a value that people cherish.

Sustainable Innovation 2012 (Event)

The 17th International Conference of Sustainable Innovation: Resource Efficiency, Innovation and Lifestyles is part of the ‘Towards Sustainable Product Design’ series of conferences. It will take place on the 29th-30th October 2012 at Alanus University in Bonn, Germany.

Sustainable Innovation 2012 [SI12] focuses on Resources, Innovation & Lifestyles. SI12 has attracted over 2000 delegates from 50 countries. It includes 50+ presentations and 'top 30' reviewed papers

Green Business Seminar: Energy, Revenue, Cash Flow (Event)

Green Business Seminar: Energy, Revenue, Cash Flow will take place at the Northern Virginia Community College at the Schlesinger Center, Alexandria Campus, on October 23, 2012 from 8:00 AM to 11:30 AM. The Northern Virginia Community College (Alexandria Campus) and Relerience, a green energy consulting company, have formed a strategic alliance to provide a Green Business Seminar for the business community in Northern Virginia.

BIT's World Congress of Greentech (Event)

On October 19-21, 2012, BIT's annual World Congress of Greentech will take place in Guangzhou Baiyn International Convention Center, China. This conference will focus on practical perspectives on green economy, promotion of sustainable or renewable energy, and technical solutions.

The mission of the World Congress is to reign in excessive emissions from fossil fuels, halt the rise of the oceans and avoid extreme weather. The event promulgates practical solutions and policies for greenhouse gas mitigation.

Update on the Green Schools and the Community College Summits (Events)

As reviewed in an August 13th post, the Green Market Oracle is proud to be an outreach partner for Green Schools and Community College Summits and Expo. Both the Community College Summit and the Green California Schools Summit emphasize innovations in technology, policy and practice.  Organizers expect approximately 3000 to attend the combined summits. These two events will take place concurrently on September 27-28, 2012 in Pasadena, California. It is fitting that this event is taking place in the state that is on the leading edge of the green schools movement and the home of the nation’s first green building rating program for K-12 schools.

The Green California Schools Summit  is one of the nation's largest annual green school events. The Summit is a gathering of those involved in the greening of California's schools - from facility managers, finance officers, teachers and administrators to architects, engineers and curriculum developers.  

What Romney's Energy Policy looks Like on the Ground (Video)

Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney has emphatically articulated his support for coal. This video by Alastair Good http://www.telegraph.co.uk/journalists/alastair-good/ takes a close up look at what Romney's energy policy actually looks like on the ground. In addition to the GHGs produced by coal there are also numerous local environmental impacts. This video examines how both the landscape and the people have been adversely impacted by the mining of coal. environmental regulations and increase domestic energy production the Telegraph goes to Eastern Kentucky to investigate one of the most controversial energy production processes, mountain-top removal.

The Role of Business Schools Embedding Sustainability (Video)

This presentation on sustainability and the role of business schools was given at CQ University on 21 Oct 2010 by Liz Sidiropoulos. She suggests how we can navigate society's journey to sustainability and the role of universities and business education. She reviews some of the issues and she explains why the context and the culture is very important. She goes on to review the ways that we can build momentum for the transformational journey ahead.

To view the video click here.

Business Education in Sustainability (Video)

Bainbridge Graduate Institute co-Founder, Jill Bamburg, describes today's business responsibilities. As she envisioned ways of positively impacting the world she came to the conclusion that business and particularly sustainability business education. She describes the issues associated with business education in sustainability.

New Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement

As revealed in a September 7, 2012 news release, the United States Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson and Canada’s Minister of the Environment Peter Kent have signed a newly amended Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement in Washington, D.C. First signed in 1972 and last amended in 1987, the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement is a model of bi-national cooperation to protect the world’s largest surface freshwater system and the health of the surrounding communities.

Environmental Education Resources

Here is a comprehensive compendium of links to help students explore their green academic options. Most of these sites are completely searchable by location and/or subject of study. Each link offers a wealth of information to help college and university students find the right green school and the right green program.

The information contained in these searchable directories and databases include listings of environmental degree programs as well as environmental opportunities and organizations at campuses around the country. These sites enable students to compare environmental schools in the US and around the world. Degree programs include but are not limited to Environmental Engineering, Wildlife Sciences, Environmental Studies, Environmental Education, Forestry, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Students looking to explore their environmental education options need look no further than the links below:

DNC Platform is Less Environmentally Focused than in 2008

The platform being discussed at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) is infinitely more environmentally aware than the platform agreed upon at the Republican National convention. However both political parties are less than perfect when it comes to their proposed green initiatives for the next four years.

As reviewed in a Desmog blog post published in Eco-Watch the Republican party platform is essentially a recipe for dependence on fossil fuels.

For their part the Democrats have caved to Republican pressure and they have backpedaled on the environment from their 2008 position. They are no longer calling for an end to fossil fuels, instead they have adopted an all of the above strategy. Although the DNC platform calls for an international deal to curtail GHG pollution, it no longer indicates that the agreement should be binding. The platform also drops the party’s 2008 support for cap-and-trade.

Courses from Virginia Renewable Energy School

Virginia Renewable Energy School offers a number of courses focused on the provision of renewable energy like solar and wind. These short duration courses are between two and five days. Here is a short list of the courses they offer:

Democrats Against Efforts to Manage Climate Change

While we often think of Republicans as being the minions of the fossil fuel industry, there are also a number of Democrats who support dirty energy like coal. Although Republicans comprise the largest share of people who do not support a science based approach to climate change, some Democrats are also guilty of ignoring the facts about global warming and resisting climate and energy legislation.

With the exception of Democrats from the East and West coasts, there are large pockets of Democratic resistance to serious action on climate change. As the second-biggest producer of this fossil fuel, West Virginia Democrats are amongst the worst climate change deniers in the country. The state's Govenor Earl Ray Tomblin and West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin are Democrats who championed the cause of coal industry.

Climate Change and the Democratic Party Platform at the DNC

The Democratic platform promotes the development of clean energy jobs, the conservation of public lands, clean air and water. However to appeal to the American public the Democrats are advocating an an “all-of-the-above" energy strategy, which includes oil, "clean" coal and natural gas. While we may rue support for fossil fuels and the conspicuous absence of important ideas like a market-based cap-and-trade system in the Democrat's 2012 platform, we would do well to remember that there will be no clean energy and no green jobs under a Republican president. The Democrats need to appeal to voters to get elected and at the present time issues like cap-and-trade are dead issues.

Clean Edison's Commercial Energy Auditor Training

It is truly an exciting time to get involved in the building energy management field. Whether your interests lie in commercial energy auditing or building energy management, Clean Edison's commercial energy auditor training can lay the foundation for you to jump right in.

Governments around the world are constantly incentivising the move toward the construction of more energy smart buildings and with this comes an increased need for building energy management and in house commercial energy auditors. With CleanEdison’s Professional Building Energy Management Training these are exactly the services you will be capable of providing. That makes today, the Best time to enter the commercial energy auditing and building energy management fields with certified building energy management training.

Obama's Energy Efficiency Executive Order for Industry

On August 30th, 2012, President Obama signed an executive order focused on efficiency in industrial facilities. That order sets a national goal of 40 GW of new combined heat and power (CHP) by the end of 2020. As stated in the order, the industrial sector accounts for over 30 percent of all energy consumed in the US, and energy costs affect overall competitiveness. The goal is to increase investments to reduce energy use through more efficient manufacturing processes and facilities and the expanded use of combined heat and power (CHP).

The Federal Government will help to overcome barriers to investment in industrial energy efficiency. This includes encouraging private sector investment by setting goals and highlighting the benefits of investment, improving coordination at the Federal level, partnering with and supporting States, and identifying investment models beneficial to the multiple stakeholders involved.

American Metrological Society Corroborates Anthropogenic Climate Change

The American Meteorological Society (AMS) has finally accepted the science of climate change. Polls show that the vast majority of US weather-casters do not believe in the science supporting the existence of anthropogenic climate change. According to a 2011 survey by George Mason University, only 19 percent of weather-casters believe climate change is “mostly” human-induced. The AMS statement may change the minds of some of these woefully misinformed people who bring us weather news.

At the end of August, AMS finally acknowledged that there is a scientific consensus. They released an official position statement which said that climate change is a reality and it is being caused by human activity.

How to Achieve Energy Efficiency Goals with Limited Resources (Webinar)

On September 12, 2012 at 11am PDT/2pm EDT see the complimentary webinar "How to Achieve Energy Efficiency Goals with Limited Resources." This one-hour energy management webinar will be presented by Constellation, Edison Electric Institute (EEI), and Environmental Leader.

Today’s challenging economic climate and increased focus on sustainability are driving more American businesses to focus on reducing energy consumption and lowering energy costs. According to the 2012 Deloitte reSources Study, 89% of businesses surveyed have electricity cost and consumption reduction goals in place. However, insufficient capital funding, implementation complexity, and lack of dedicated staff continue to be barriers to achieving these goals. Join Constellation, EEI and Environmental Leader to learn about the options available to businesses and how forward-thinking companies are strategically implementing energy efficiency projects while overcoming key resource barriers.

Green Schools Design Essentials

This PDF document was published by Green Charter Schools Network. Their goals involve the promotion the identification, connection and development of innovative Green Schools through partnerships across the United States. Here are four components of their "Green School Design Essentials."

Component 1: Standards-based integrated environmental learning and Green career education

-Solid emphasis on outdoor/hands-on learning Constructivist pedagogy driven by a school wide ‘Green’ culture.
-Engaged autonomous learners with the confidence and skills to pursue the widest range of post-secondary Green careers with STEM emphasis.
-Individual/group learning complimented by research based environment focused models: ex; project-based, expeditionary, and interdisciplinary units.
- All models incorporate place-based education approach.

European Job Days Brussels 2012: Special Focus on the Green Sector (Event)

On October 6, 2012, European Job Day (EJD), will be taking place in Brussels Belgium. EJD has taken place since 2007, it is the largest of the Job Days events, and sees thousands of visitors every year. This year it is complemented by a European Online Job Day that will give the event a unique and improved, pan-European character. There will be a special focus on green sector, as well as healthcare, and ICT jobs. It is an opportunity for jobseekers and employers from across Europe to meet and make contact. This year’s event is also taking place online, so you will be able to participate no matter where you are.

If you’re a jobseeker, you will have the chance to be interviewed on the spot by employers. There will also be advice on living and working in other European countries, presentations from leading employers, and panel discussions on EU initiatives aimed at increasing employment. To find out more click here.

Sustainability, The Impossible Dream? (Event)

On Wednesday, October 3, 2012 at the Sir Colin Campbell Building, University of Nottingham Innovation Park, Triumph Road, Nottingham. Learn how to prioritize the implementation of technologies, understand their impact from both environmental and financial points of view, improve efficiency, become greener & more sustainable, let your customers and supply chain look at both low and high tech quick wins, find the best solutions for you and your business.

The event starts at 7:30am start with breakfast. This breakfast seminar is hosted by Broxtowe Borough Council and the University of Nottingham and will examine the pros and cons faced by businesses implementing sustainable and renewable energy and technologies. (See the draft programme below).

COMMIT!Forum 2012 (Event)

On October 2 - 3, 2012, COMMIT!Forum 2012 will take place in New York City. Make commitments that change the world and benefit your brand. There will also be a bebate on the question of whether Sarbanes-Oxley and other corporate disclosure mandates do more harm than good. Participants can also understand how companies make CR Magazine’s 100 Best Corporate Citizens List.

Women's Congress for Future Generations (Event)

A Women’s Congress for Future Generations will gather in Moab, Utah September 27th-30th, 2012, to celebrate and express gratitude for the Earth’s wondrous bounty, and to fulfill the special responsibility that women hold as the first environment for future generations. They will map possibilities and pathways toward achieving whole health and justice in this generation and for all generations to come. Inspired by our environmental foremothers, their hope is to craft a dynamic articulation of the pressing rights future generations have to a livable world and the responsibilities of present generations to uphold those rights.

The New School's Sustainability Initiatives (Video)

The New School is committed to becoming a more sustainable university - The New School is a university in New York City offering distinguished degree, certificate, and continuing education programs in art and design, liberal arts, management and policy, and the performing arts. (for more information click here) In order to reduce the institution's environmental footprint and carbon emissions, the university has established the following goals:

The Free-Market Case for Sustainability from a Skeptic (Video)

Free market capitalist, libertarian, and green advocate T. J. Rodgers is neither a Democrat nor a Republican, yet he enthusiastically makes the business case for companies cashing in on renewable energy like solar power. He has demonstrated through his own experience and the experience of his company (Sunpower) that going green is fiscally responsible. Rodgers is even receptive to President Obama's take on cap-and-trade. What makes his approach particularly interesting is the fact that his advocacy does not engage the environmental argument, rather he argues the case for green based upon the benefits provided to business.

Al Gore Fears a Romney Presidency and Credits Obama

In a sit-down interview with TakePart, former Vice President Al Gore says he “would fear for the future of our environmental policy” if Mitt Romney were elected President in November.

Gore’s comments were taped in San Francisco on Tuesday, August 21, two days before the presumptive GOP presidential nominee unveiled his energy plan, which many environmentalists were quick to criticize, arguing that it would double down on America’s dependence on dirty fossil fuels like oil and gas. The former Massachusetts governor did not mention climate change once in his speech.

Paul Ryan Protecting Big Oil and Lining His Pockets (Video)

Mitt Romney Funded by Big Oil (Video)