The GREEN MARKET ORACLE

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Event - Ceres Conference 2014

This conference will take place on April 30 and May 1, 2014 at the Westin Waterfront Hotel in Boston Massachusetts. The Ceres Conference 2014 to connect with fellow leaders creating the innovative solutions that will build a more sustainable global economy. Throughout the two-day program, attendees will engage on a broad range of topics, including: Sustainable agriculture, clean energy investment opportunities and corporate sustainability for the 21st Century.

The First Global PAGE Conference "Green Economy for Sustainable Development: Progress and Prospects," will take place on March 4 -5, 2014, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) is a joint initiative by UNEP, ILO, UNIDO and UNITAR to provide comprehensive assistance to countries seeking to develop and implement inclusive green economy strategies. The inaugural conference will be held under the Patronage of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

The conference will be an opportunity to review international experience and progress related to green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication. It will also consider how greener economies can contribute to the emerging post-2015 development agenda.

The Responsible Sourcing Summit 2014 will take place on March 5-6, 2014 at the Hotel Monaco, 501 Geary St., San Francisco, California. Listen to subject matter experts in the field of supply chain sustainability and network with other professionals.

Some of the topics that will be covered at this summit include:

Examining the Impact of Recruitment Practices on Human Rights
Taking a Management Systems Approach to Continuous Improvement
Providing Traceability within Supply Chains: Conflict Minerals and Other Raw Materials
Lean Manufacturing - Understanding the Benefits of Production Efficiencies
Implementing Sustainable Chemistry in Supply Chains Addressing Fire Safety in Facilities

Video - Green Vehicles at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show

Although green vehicles were in scarce supply at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show compared to previous years, here are visuals for some of the greenest cars on display at this year's show. This includes offerings from:

Video - Watch the Disintegration of the Largest Glacier Ever Recorded on Film

Glaciers are melting at an ever expanding rate all around the world and this video documents the disintegration of the largest glacier ever recorded on film. This glacier has ice spires that are two or three times taller than the tallest buildings in New York City. In the last ten years it has retreated more than in the previous century.

Video - Extended Producer Responsibility for Post-Consumer Packaging

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is an effort designed to reduce the waste we send to landfill. Unfinished Business describes how EPR shifts the responsibility for post-consumer packaging materials from taxpayers and governments to the companies that produce the packaging.

Toyota's Resource Efficiency: Best Practice in Integrating Industrial Sustainability and Eliminating Waste

Resource efficiency is the rage in 2014 and Toyota is one of the world’s most resource efficient companies. Simply put Toyota abhors waste and here is a summary of Toyota's secrets to achieve radical resource efficiency. Steve Hope, General Manager Environmental Affairs and Corporate Citizenship, Toyota Motor Europe, explains how Toyota has dramatically improved its resource efficiency, reducing its energy, water and waste per vehicle by 70%, 75% and 60% respectively from 1993 to 2007. This video effectively summarizes the systems, processes, culture, enablers, tools and habits that have helped Toyota to reach the top of their industry.

Video - Nissan BladeGlider Zero Emission Electric Concept Car

While green cars were MIA at the recent Detroit Auto Show, the Nissan BladeGlider was one of several zero emission vehicles unveiled at the 43rd Tokyo Motor Show in November. The BladeGlider is a futuristic Delta Wing electric car concept designed by Ben Bowlby. His wedge shape may look showy but it has real practical aerodynamic benefits including an awesome drag coefficient. This 3 seat concept is only 3.3 feet across the front. The BladeGlider is an ultra light weight vehicle that is stable and corners as well as anything in its class. The power and drive trains is where this car truly shows its green credentials.

Ethical Corporations Top Anayses of 2013

The Ethical Corporation provides business intelligence for sustainability to more than 3,000 multinational companies every year. Their conferences are widely recognized as the best in the field of corporate responsibility and sustainability. They publish the leading responsible business magazine, website, research reports and analyses.

Here are the Ethical Corporations three most read analyses of 2013 from the Business Strategy hub:

What can we expect from energy efficiency in the US in 2014? Insight into some of the major trends in energy efficiency for the year to come and beyond (this article is a followup to US Energy Efficiency in 2013: Success Stories and Barriers).

Efficiency will have an even greater impact on both residential and industrial energy consumption this year compared to 2013. This is driven by policy at the federal, state and municipal levels. Net-positive energy buildings is another trend expected to grow in 2014. Other specific initiatives that will define energy efficiency in 2014 relate to financing, data usage, operational savings, and equipment integration.

The cleantech story of 2014 may very well be the growth of green bonds, (aka climate bonds). A growing number of financial institutions and state governments are issuing green bonds to generate funding for sustainable development and clean energy technology. This rapidly emerging financial instrument is capable of significantly advancing global efforts to combat climate change.

Green bonds may very well be able to meet the Herculean funding challenge we have ahead of us. It is widely understood that there are technological solutions that will reduce our emissions and keep the temperature from climbing beyond the widely agreed upon 2 degree Celsius upper threshold limit. However to get there we will require massive capital investments of 36 trillion by 2050 or an average of 1 trillion per year.

Not Business As Usual: A Film About Disrupting the Business Quo

It was the promise of something better…A better life for your family, a better start for your business, a better legacy to leave the world. Founded on the virtues of hard work, equal opportunity and a free market economy. But somewhere between the dreaming, and the making, and the buying, and the selling – we were duped. And we’re just now beginning to realize how badly.

Not Business As Usual is a provocative look at capitalism as envisioned by Nobel Prize winner Milton Friedman, the most influential economist of the late 20th century. The film explores why he only measured success by one metric: Greed. And how that narrow view has resulted in environmental destruction, human rights abuses and ironically enough, unsustainable business practices.

More investment is needed to avert the worst impacts of climate change. Without such investments we will not be able to avoid a temperature increase of more than two degrees Celsius (2 °C) above pre-industrial levels (this is the upper threshold agreed upon by scientists and governments in 2010).

On Wednesday January 15, the non-profit investment group Ceres launched their latest Clean Trillion Report, entitled Investing in the Clean Trillion: Closing The Clean Energy Investment Gap. The report incorporates data from the International Energy Agency (IEA). The Ceres report was released as investors met in New York for a conference on climate risk where they called for a fossil fuel stress test.

To have an 80 percent chance of staying within this 2 °C limit we will have to build a low carbon infrastructure which will cost a total of $36 trillion by 2050. To be successful in this effort we will need to see an average investment of 1 trillion a year.

EcoWatch is a leading environmental platform that publishes stories on econews, green living and sustainable business. Here is their list of the top five stories for 2013.

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If you need more evidence that oil is dangerous and destructive, even for a state owned oil company, you need look no further than the recent spills in Trinidad and Tabago. This island country off the northern edge of South America was a beautiful paradise until it's beaches were coated with oil in the middle of December.

Starting on December 17th, oil began leaking from an aging pipeline. Since then a total of eleven oil spills have destroyed beaches along the coasts of Trinidad and Tabago. This is one of the worst environmental disasters in the tiny nation's history.

Webinar - The Crazy World of Nonprofit Business: How to Survive and Thrive

The webinar entitled "Crazy World of Nonprofit Business: How to Survive and Thrive," will take place on January 16, 1:30 p.m. ET. The cost for this webinar is $99 or FREE to CMF Members.

Check out the candid learnings delivered within light-hearted stories from Jennifer Maher, president of The Cause Academy and author of Nonprofit Nonsense.

Business and nonprofit executives alike will appreciate Jennifer's tips for 'managing the crazy' and thriving in the world of cause marketing. You'll enjoy: the saga of saving a partnership from a nutty CEO; an insider's guide to getting things through legal; and reflections on holding the line in the face of an overly assertive corporate partner.

John Upton is a science fan and green news boffin who writes and comments about ecology for the 15 year old Seattle based online environmental non-profit Grist. Here are Upton's choices for 2013's top five positive climate stories (something of a rarity at Grist). They run the gamut from Obama and climate activists, to energy and EVs.

1. Obama shows he cares about the climate

President Barack Obama unveiled an actual, coherent climate plan in June, full of steps he can take without cooperation from Congress. The centerpiece is regulations cracking down on coal-burning power plants in the U.S. The plan also entails ending U.S. support for most coal plants abroad. And it calls for boosting renewables and energy efficiency, cutting fossil fuel subsidies, preparing for climate change that’s already inevitable, and lots of other good stuff. To the surprise of almost everyone, Obama also said he wouldn’t approve the Keystone XL pipeline if it were determined that it would “significantly exacerbate the problem of carbon pollution.” Of course, there’s lots of debate over that question.

A new spending bill may have bipartisan support but it has both good and bad implications for the environment. On Monday January 12, 2013, the House and Senate appropriations committee chairs announced that they had agreed on an omnibus appropriations bill (FY14). The bilateral agreement put together by House Appropriations Chair Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) and Senate Appropriations Chair Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) allocates $1.012 trillion in federal spending.

On Thursday January 9, a chemical used in coal processing began poisoning the Elk River in West Virginia. The spill came from a storage tank owned by Freedom Industries and consisted of 7,500 gallons (28,000 litres) of a chemical known as 4-methylcyclohexane methanol (MCMH). A total of 14 people exposed to the contaminated water were admitted to the hospital and dozens of people are reported to have gotten sick. Although officials are downplaying human health effects, MCHM is one of thousands of industrial chemicals whose effects on human health haven't been studied.

Today, January 15, 2014, CERES will ask 48 of the world's leading fossil fuel companies to run a ‘climate stress test.’ The purpose of the exercise is to show that the core activities of the major oil, gas and coal companies are incompatible with mitigating global warming. The test also makes the point that these companies need to diversify beyond fossil fuels. Fund managers and investors are in New York for an annual summit hosted by Ceres at UN headquarters. US based global sustainability leader CERES heads a $12 trillion network of investors. CERES has organized a low carbon investor’s conference at the UN for the past six years. According to CERES data, shareholders in the US continue to show interest in disclosures regarding companies exposure to climate change risks.

One of the chief issues is a so called carbon bubble. This reflects worries about the $674 billion of fossil fuel investments that cannot be extracted if the world is to avoid dangerous levels of warming. Each year about a half a trillion dollars is being spent to locate new petrochemical sources. This is at odds with the low carbon economy. It is also incomprehensible in light of the fact that preparations are well underway that will arrest the growth of the carbon based economy.

Climate Change in Africa by Jim Heck

Climate change in Africa is Jim Heck's #5 story for 2013. Jim began his career with the United Nations, working in several capacities for UNESCO, the International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). In 1976 he and his wife formed Morgan Tours, Inc., which in 1979 became Explorers World Travel (EWT). For the last 15 years, Jim has specialized in East Africa and probably knows more about the Serengeti and other wilderness touring in the area than any man alive. But his career in Africa spans a much wider area:

The unbridled pursuit of profit by powerful interests is actively delaying action on climate change. Climate denying corporate interests and their political counterparts, along with the press and cynical investments, are making progress on climate change mitigation very difficult.

Republicans are the political minions of climate denial

Republicans continue to oppose action on climate change. Rather than lead, Republicans in the House are catering to the most conservative elements of their own constituencies and putting partisan interests ahead of national interests. However, this is only part of the story.

Last year we saw a number of very depressing climate stories from silent but deadly things we can't see like the 400 parts per million of carbon in the atmosphere to those which are painfully visible like Typhoon Hiayan. Here are climate Reality's top ten stories of 2013.

Greener cars appear to be missing at this year's Detroit Auto Show. One of the most high profile vehicles at the show was the the 620-horsepower 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06. Other notable vehicles on display were two 2015 products from Ford, the F-150 pickup truck and the iconic Mustang. Even Kia has opted to focus on performance over efficiency by debuting a concept sports car called the GT4 Stinger. Electric, hybrid and fuel cell vehicles were altogether absent in Detroit this year.

In 2010 almost all the major automakers were aggressively promoting a growing number of electric and hybrid cars. The Ford Fusion hybrid won the 2010 North American Car award at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Toyota introduced the FT-CH concept car, a subcompact hybrid. BMW showed the ActiveE concept, Honda debuted the CR-Z a two-seat hybrid. Audi unveiled its e-tron, an electric sports car that can accelerate to 60 mph in less than five seconds. Subaru shared its Hybrid Tourer concept, Tesla released its Model S sedan, Volkswagen put its hybrid-powered NCC on display and Volvo announced its test fleet of 50 electric C30s. However, at the 2014 Detroit auto show there are no global debuts of new plug-in electric cars, hybrids or even new diesel vehicles, but there are lots of luxury models, high-performance cars and sports cars.

EDF's Top Stories of 2013 are Not Without Controversy

Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) is a scientist founded organization that works to preserve the natural systems on which all life depends. They focus on the most critical environmental problems including, climate and energy, oceans, ecosystems, and health. They use a uniquely effective approach, drawing on science, economics, partnerships and bipartisan outreach. They solve problems by bringing together insights from many disciplines and diverse groups of people. EDF works with industry and believes in a data driven approach to promote market incentives for change behavior. They describe themselves as utterly nonpartisan and oriented toward practical policy solutions. Their work is grounded in the belief that we can protect our health and the environment while improving our economic well-being.

The following article was published at the end of 2013 under the title, EDF Voices: People on the Planet A year of environmental controversy – and that’s a good thing.

Energy efficiency has played a pivotal role in American productivity improvements. In 2013, energy efficiency continued to move forward in the U.S. Driven by cost savings, energy efficiency is good for business and the economy. Improving efficiency increases production and can even lead to a higher quality of material life. Energy efficiency improves the nation’s GDP for each national energy dollar. Perhaps most importantly, energy efficiency is a meaningful part of emissions reductions, which combats climate change and improves air quality.

Despite progress, there is still a lot of room for improvement in energy efficiency. As reported in Forbes, the U.S. is the global leader in wasting energy with the nation currently wasting more energy than it uses. A total of 57 percent of the energy flowing into our economy is wasted as heat, noise, and leaks, costing U.S. businesses and households an estimated $130 billion per year. In addition to massive cost savings, it is estimated that energy efficiency can also create more than one million jobs in the U.S.

Canadian rock icon Neil Young has come out with his strongest statements yet against Alberta's tar sands. He has previously described the tar sands as, “a devastating environmental catastrophe.” Now he is laying the blame squarely on Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper and asking people to see beyond the federal government's misinformation and embrace an understanding informed by science.

Young's statements come as he and Diana Krall are embarking on a concert tour to raise funds for the Athabaska Chipewyan First Nation's (ACFN) legal fight against the expansion of the Athabasca tar sands. The ACFN are seeking controlled development and stricter regulations for oil companies. The four-city Honour the Treaties tour started on Sunday January 12 at Toronto’s Massey Hall. Other dates include Winnipeg on Jan. 16, Regina on Jan. 17 and Calgary on Jan. 19.

The seemingly endless litany of fossil fuel carrying train derailments has yet another statistic to add to a long and ever expanding list. This time a coal train derailed in Burnaby, B.C. on Saturday January 11. This derailment adds fuel to the public debate about the safety of transporting fossil fuels by rail.

Seven cars in a 152-car long Canadian Pacific Railway train traveling from the Kootenays to Vancouver went off the tracks. Coal spilled into a nearby creek requiring the involvement of environmental agencies. Early indications are that extreme weather in the form of a heavy rainstorm washed away tracks.

Event - Annual International Zaragoza Conference: Preparing for World Water Day 2014

The Conference will take place from 13 to 16 January 2014 at the Confederación Hidrográfica del Ebro. Sala del Consejo. Paseo Sagasta 24-28. 50071 Zaragoza. Spain. The 2014 UN-Water Annual International Zaragoza Conference. Preparing for World Water Day 2014 is subtitled partnerships for improving water and energy access, efficiency and sustainability.

The UN-Water Annual Zaragoza Conferences serve UN-Water to prepare for World Water Day. This conference is part of the road map for World Water Day 2014 focused on the nexus of water and energy. A focused dialogue would already be initiated with the UN-Water seminar on the same topic during World Water Week in Stockholm.

The Cause Marketing Conference is a must-attend cause marketing conference of the year. Innovating for Impact is the theme of this year's conference. Attendees will gain access to changemakers who are pushing the envelope of cause programs.

The 13th Annual Responsible Business Summit will take place on May 19-20, 2014, London, UK. The theme is "embed sustainable innovation for business growth." This is Europe's leading and meeting place for business professionals looking to put sustainability at the heart of business growth. The conference organizers aim to put heads and the C-Suite from some of the world’s leading brands on the stage to outline the challenges and opportunities that sustainability presents. This summit will address all the key issues faced both this year and the coming years. it will provide a great opportunity to hear from the top of some of the world’s leading brands on how sustainability is becoming an integral part to business plans.

The 11th annual Sustainable Energy Conference, will be held on April 22-23, 2014, NCSU McKimmon Center 1101 Gorman St. Raleigh, North Carolina. It will be hosted by the State Energy Program of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources' Division of Energy, Mineral and Land Resources.

INNOVA-CON 2014 will take place on January 14-15, 2014 in Brooklyn, New York. The first conference by the International Association of Innovation Professionals (IAOIP) featuring world-class innovation experts. The INNOVA-CON is a great opportunity to meet in person and connect with luminaries in the innovation profession. Content will focus on how to use strategies and methods of innovation to create value.

IAOIP is a professional membership organization that is the world's only independent innovation certification body, providing members with the knowledge, skills and opportunities to deliver real change in their industry or field.

Video - Global Warming is Melting Ice and Raising Sea Levels

The science is clear, the planet is warming and our waters are rising. With the help of satellites, lasers, radar in space, and researchers on the ground, NASA and other research organizations have clearly demonstrated that the seas are rising. If all the ice on Earth were to melt sea levels would rise by 75 meters. Scientists known that global warming is already melting ice around the world, particularly at the poles, in addition to climate impacts this will raise sea levels. Very rapid sea level rises, three to four times as fast as current rates are expected if we continue on our current trajectory.

Video - The Tar Sands Wastes and Pollutes Vast Quantities of Water

There is a nationwide effort from Harper's Conservative government and Big Oil to try to make the case that tar sands oil is not so bad for the environment. Together they are spending millions of dollars to try to greenwash the tar sands. However as pointed out in this Environmental Defense "reality check" The tar sands industry is wasting and polluting vast quantities of water.

Video - Nature is Canadians' Identity Lets Protect it by Law

Canadians love the plethora of natural beauty that surrounds them but Canada is at the bottom of the OECD list on environmental performance. Canada is one of the last pristine wild places on earth. The nation is home to 20 percent of the world's fresh water and 20 percent of the world's natural forests but our environmental protections have been systematically eroded by Harper's Conservatives.

Video - How Global Warming Can Exacerbate Cold Snaps (Jetstream and Rossby Waves)

Cold spells are often used as fodder for climate Denial. However, the science behind them is entirely consistent with a warming planet. In this video Climate scientist Jennifer A. Francis of Rutgers University reviews how the jetstream and Rossby waves work. The key factor is a feedback mechanism of climate change known as Arctic amplification. As ice and snow vanish in the Arctic this causes warming slowing down wind speeds in the atmosphere and creating wavier jet stream patterns which pushes cold air further south.

The David Suzuki Foundation Reflects on 2013 and Raises the Bar for 2014

David Suzuki and the foundation that he created have been one of Canada's leading champions of the environment. Here is their review of 2013 and their hopes for 2014.

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Sunday, January 19, 2014

Saturday, January 18, 2014

Friday, January 17, 2014

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Republicans are the political minions of climate denial

Monday, January 13, 2014

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Saturday, January 11, 2014

Friday, January 10, 2014