Comprehensive Green School Information and Resources 2010 - 2017

In 2018 the Green Market Oracle (GMO) is reprising its annual Green School Series. Over the course of the last seven years the GMO has published almost 400 articles related to environmentally oriented academics, sustainable infrastructure and green initiatives in pedagogical settings. In the coming weeks we will post articles on a daily basis related to the green schools and sustainability focused academics.

These efforts contribute to the growth of a well informed population, a sustainable economy and ultimately a healthier planet. This focus is a key part of the GMO's mission to help facilitate the convergence of sustainability and the global environment.

Course - Business Sustainability Management (Online)

The Business Sustainability Management online course from Cambridge University starts on August 1.  Presented by University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership in collaboration with GetSmarter, this short course is compatible with the busy schedules of working professionals. It provides practical skills and knowledge to drive meaningful change.

Event - Bipartisan Conversation on Pricing Carbon Emissions

The Bipartisan Conversation on Pricing Carbon Emissions will take place on August 29, 2018 --- 1:15 PM to 2:45 PM EDT. Join Senator Sheldon Whitehouse for a discussion of current efforts to price carbon emissions. Co-sponsored by Arizona State University and moderated by Robert Litterman, co-founder of Kepos Capital, this panel will explore questions such as:

• What is the most promising legislative pathway to pricing carbon emissions? 
• What does a bipartisan solution look like? 
• Where should legislative efforts focus - at the state or federal level? 

Trump's America: State of Lies

Donald Trump deflects, distracts and exaggerates, but he is best known for his straight out lies. He has proven to be a master of the double-down. When he is caught lying he just lies some more. Even before he took office the New York Times wrote a piece titled, "Trump, Trapped in His Lies, Keeps Lying. Sad!". It is indeed sad, but the understandable outrage at his repeated deceptions misses the point.

Dishonest Don's malfeasance will live in infamy, however, his mendacity serves a darker end-game then most people realize. The unreality king lies to muddy the waters making it hard for casual observers to understand the issues, and that is the point.

The liar-in-chief has repeatedly deceived the American people and his own staff. The spin king lies about his business, he lies about his policy positions and now we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that he lies about his philandering.

GMO's Annual Green Schools Posts in 2017

Each summer and fall the Green Market Oracle (GMO) publishes a series of posts addressing a wide range of green school related subjects. In addition to green buildings, this series reviews hundreds of sustainability-focused schools and accreditation. Last year GMO published 19 articles in this series bringing the total to almost 400.  In 2017 the articles focused on dozens of academic degrees, climate denial in early education, renewable energy and conservation in schools. The first article explains why business schools are getting a failing grade in environmental sustainability.

Event - Sustainability Summit 2018: Water

Sustainability Summit 2018 will take place on August 1 at the Tent of Enderun Colleges, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, the Phillipines. Enderun will tackle Water in its third Sustainability Summit.

Over 200 delegates from top corporations, business leaders, government, NGO professionals and the academe will attend the one-day event — to identify and discuss the more pressing issues, trends, synergies and challenges and ideate achievable and lasting solutions for one of the world’s more critical sustainability concerns: WATER.

Pruitt's War Against Science

During his rule as EPA administrator Scott Pruitt waged war on science. He ignored evidence, undermined scientific research programs, purged scientists, and demoted employees who disagreed with him. He has also replaced many of the EPA’s independent scientific advisors with industry insiders.

Incredible as it may sound Pruitt made it known that he does not support fact based policy decisions. He refused to craft  policy based on science and he repeatedly made inaccurate scientific claims. This includes untruthful statements intended to undermine the veracity of anthropogenic climate change. He once said, “I would not agree that [carbon dioxide]’s a primary contributor to the global warming that we see.”

Pruitt is Gone but his Destructive Legacy will Endure

EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt resigned on July 5th in response to a litany of controversies including his relationships with lobbyists, inappropriate spending, and dozens of other abuses of his office. Pruitt is well known as a climate denier who is in a deeply committed long-term relationship with the oil and gas industry. His reign at the head of the EPA was defined by his efforts to kill Obama-era climate regulations and rules designed to protect Americans from pollution.

Event - Rise for Climate, Jobs, and Justice

The Rise for Climate, Jobs, and Justice mobilization event will take place on September 8, 2018. This is the weekend before San Francisco’s Global Climate Action Summit, the Peoples Climate Movement will lead this moving demonstration of the breadth and depth of the climate movement.  Across the country, tens of thousands of people will show their power by hitting the streets, holding community forums, and educating voters about the issues – all to ensure that elected and private sector leaders make action on climate a priority.

Event - Concordia Annual Summit

This years edition of the Concordia Annual Summit will take place on September 24-26, 2018 at the Grand Hyatt New York, New York. The Concordia Annual Summit convenes business, government, and nonprofit leaders to foster dialogue and enable effective partnerships for positive social impact. This global affairs forum takes place in New York City and examines the world’s most pressing challenges to identify avenues for collaboration.

Event - Global Climate Action Summit

The Global Climate Action Summit will take place from 12-14 September, 2018 at Moscone Center South in San Francisco, California. The Summit challenges people, communities, societies and economies around the world to ‘step up’ and take ambition to the next level across five key issue areas: Healthy Energy Systems, Inclusive Economic Growth, Sustainable Communities, Land and Ocean Stewardship and Transformative Climate Investments (for more information on these five areas see below)

Don't Let Them Fool You Carbon Pricing Works

Making polluters pay should not be a hard sell. Nonetheless, after so much progress we are moving away from this sensible approach to climate action in North America. Carbon pricing leverages market forces to reduce emissions. This efficient system ascapsigns costs to major polluters commensurate with the amount of emissions generated. By making carbon intensive activities more costly it also incentivizes lower carbon alternatives and spurs investments in climate solutions. Carbon pricing does more than just combat climate change. It improves the quality of our air and our oceans.

The most obvious benefits of carbon pricing are laid out in this simple 2011 Australian government video:

Webinar - Reporting on the Sustainable Development Goals

Ethical Corporation is hosting an exclusive webinar on SDG reporting on Thursday, July 12th from 9 - 12 EDT. This webinar is designed to help you successfully integrate the SDGs into your reporting process. It is being presented by Tetra Pak, PPGM, Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company and WBCSD. The increasing focus and push towards the UN Global Goals and 2-degree target requires businesses to disclose accurate data to showcase future risks, demonstrate the long-term value of the business and show their impact on the SDGs.

Event - Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting

The Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) annual meeting will take place on September 19-21, 2018 in New York, New York. Every September, the CGI community comes together in New York City for the Annual Meeting. This year the conference theme is: “Creating a unified foundation for the Sustainable Development: research, practice and education.”

IKEA's Sustainable Supply Chain Leadership

The IKEA Group has demonstrated that it is a sustainability leader. So over the years IKEA has consistently increased its commitment and it is now fair to say that they have gone all the way with their sustainable supply chain planning. In previous years they led the retail space with their investments in renewables and efficiency and in 2018 they addressed the elephant in the room by committing to make all of their 12,000 products from renewable and recyclable materials by 2030. In this article the focus in on IKEA's supply chains, reforestation and packaging.

IKEA uses IWay, a code of conduct with precise environmental and social requirements for sourcing and distributing products. IKEA is investing more than $1.1 billion in sustainable supply chain including forestry and companies developing recycling technologies, renewable energy, and biomaterials. This is not just good for the planet it is a smart business move. These investments will help with risk management while stabilizing costs. A sustainable supply chain preempts disruptions and ensures long term access to materials. As a public facing brand IKEA's sustainable positioning also contributes to differentiation that offers reputational benefits.

Reflections on US Canada Relations in the Space Between our Birthdays

Canadians had reasons to be unhappy on their nation's 151st birthday. Canada Day takes place on July 1, just a few days before our neighbors to the south celebrate their independence on the fourth of July. Although I feel truly blessed to be born in Canada, the Trump administration's march towards authoritarianism makes me skeptical of even the mildest forms of nationalism.  In no way am I trying to suggest that Canada is beyond the reach of  destructive politicians. Canada has also fallen prey to political leaders who preach fear and eschew climate action. The election of Doug Ford in Ontario is but the most recent example.

Event - ICSD International Conference on Sustainable Development

The ICSD's 6th International Conference on Sustainable Development will take place September 12 - 13, 2018 at Roma Eventi Gregorian University, Piazza della Pilotta, 4, Rome, 00187, Italy Rome. TheConference theme is: "Creating a unified foundation for the Sustainable Development: research, practice and education". This ambition will proceed in a multidisciplinary way across the various fields and perspectives, through which we can address the fundamental and related questions of Sustainable Development. This interdisciplinary forum is for scholars, teachers, and practitioners from any professional discipline who share an interest in—and concern for— sustainability in an holistic perspective, where environmental, cultural, economic and social concerns intersect.

IKEA is a Corporate Leader in Renewables and Efficiency

The IKEA Group is investing massively in renewable energy and efficiency, they are even helping developing countries adapt to climate change. Ikea has invested almost $2.5 billion in renewable energy since 2009. This is not only about responsible corporate conduct this is also about reducing costs and managing business risks associated with volatile energy prices. IKEA is committed to generating an amount of renewable energy equal to its power requirement by 2020. IKEA's renewable energy investments put the company on track to become energy independent within the next couple of years.

Warming Temperatures are an Urgent Warning

We are seeing more intense, frequent, wider, and longer heat waves as well as five times more heat records than we did when the climate was stable. The global average temperature has been surpassing the 20th century average for more than 42 straight years. Last year was no exception with record breaking temperatures exceeding 129°F (54°C) which according to some analysts is the highest accurately recorded temperatures ever documented. Last year was the hottest year on record after 2016 and 2015. The trend is clear, all of the hottest years on record have occurred in recent years. The five warmest years have all come since 2010, the 10 warmest years have occurred since 1998 and the 20 warmest years on record have occurred since 1995.

In the face of overwhelming evidence deniers continue to look for ways they can refute the scientific consensus on global warming. We continue to debate the veracity of this issue despite the fact that it has been settled by decades of science. It is unconscionable that mainstream journalists continue to publish alternative interpretations of the data. A good example is a recent Wall Street Journal article that casts aspersions on James Hansen's predictions.

Event - Companies Vs. Climate Change (Europe & US)

The European event will take place October, 9-10, 2018 at the Amsterdam ING Headquarters. The US event will take place on November 28-29, 2018 at the Adrienne Arsht Center, in Miami.

Companies vs. Climate Change (CvCC)  is an event series whose mission it is to bring together companies from around the world to discuss climate change and how they can work together to address it most impactfully. CvCC is a media and events company whose mission is to serve as a global forum for companies of all sizes to share best practices for solving climate change with wholly justifiable business value. CvCC strives to serve as a conduit that will bring companies together to create business driven solutions to the climate crisis. Certain things call for simplicity.

IKEA Goes All the Way with Sustainability

The IKEA Group is the world's largest furniture retailer and a leading sustainability-focused corporate brand. IKEA recently promised to make all of its 12,000 products from renewable and recyclable materials by 2030. This is in addition to adopting science-based emission reduction targets and deriving all of their energy from renewable sources by 2020.

The Dutch-based company of Swedish origin has an enormous customer base estimated to be approximately one billion people. To put that number into context that is almost two times Apple's client base and more than a tenth of the global population. IKEA has built an empire that now totals 418 stores in 49 markets around the world. In 2017 IKEA had $45.3 billion in retail sales, an increase of $8 billion over 2016 totals.

IKEA is leveraging their tremendous economic clout to address climate change, arguably the most serious threat ever faced by humanity.

Event - Sustainability Summit: How Corporate Superstars Get it Right

This event will take place July 17 – 18, 2018, at the The Conference Board Conference Center, 845 Third Avenue, 3rd Floor, New York, NY. The Conference will focus on the tools used for sustainability and it will provide a unique opportunity for sustainability practitioners to enjoy a safe space to address the most urgent and persistent strategic, operational, and implementation challenges they face in addressing the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance of their companies. The Summit enables peer-to-peer exchange and engagement with leading sustainability practitioners and subject matter experts to work in a collaborative way through the major challenges that corporate sustainability professionals face.

Do You Still Think that Sustainability will Outlast Trump?

After Trump won the US presidency in 2016 there were a number of articles that reassured us by saying that sustainability will persevere. While some were very pessimistic there were a slew of optimists in 2017 who defiantly proclaimed that sustainability will outlast Trump. A year and a half later many of those voices are silent.

One year ago an article by Ken Silverstein said that Trump has not slowed sustainability. Silverstein pointed to demand and economics to argue that sustainability is resilient. He cited a poll by Lucid’s Phil Pinson and Urjanet’s Tim Porter which says that 73 percent of companies expect their commitment to be the same while 21 percent planed to increase their involvement. Only 7.7 percent planed to decrease their commitment. Silverstein points out that sustainability budgets did not decline between 2016 and 2017. The research shows that sustainability is driven by compliance, corporate mission, business performance, employee satisfaction and industry recognition. "Regulations are helping [drive sustainability] but economics are driving it," said Porter.

Trump's Trade Wars and Love for Despots: Why Environmentalists are Not the Only Ones Who Should Fear the Rise of Populism

The rising tide of populism is antithetical to good government. We are teetering on the brink of a climate catastrophe yet we are distracted by a number of surreal political dramas as the window of opportunity to act is closing. Although widespread ecological degradation demands urgent action the influence of populism is eroding environmental protections and diminishing climate action. 

Those who subscribe to science-based policy decisions have every reason to fear populism. This is a brand of politics commonly premised on xenophobia. It preys on people's darkest fears and panders to tribalism. Populism creates an enemy out of the marginalized and unravels the fabric of the social contract. It enfeebles multilateralism and strikes at the heart of our democracies.

America may no longer be the leader of the free world but Donald Trump is the de facto leader of this populist movement. He has started a trade war with his his closest allies while lauding despots. Trump imposed tariffs on its friends under the ridiculous pretext of national security. It is an insane irony that while branding its closest allies as national security threats Trump is inviting Russia to rejoin the G7 and lauding the barbarous regime of North Korea.

Doug Ford's Victory Will Reverse Ontario's Green Leadership

The election that gave Doug Ford and the PCs a majority in the Canadian province of Ontario has disastrous implications for both the environment and climate action. The PCs stated policy priorities will slow the growth of clean energy and undermine the green economy. 

This is a radical shift from where the province was four years ago. In 2014 the Liberals had a majorityo government in the province and they passed a raft of environmental legislation. Ontario became the first place in North America to end coal power generation.

Four years later the province appears to be doing a 180. Once a global environmental and climate leader Ontario is now poised to win the race to the bottom. The PCs have a track record of environmental neglect, it was under PC leadership that the Walkerton deadly tainted water disaster occurred. Under Ford's leadership the situation is likely to be even worse.

Event - Solar Canada Conference & Exposition 2018

The 2018 edition of CanSIA’s annual Solar Canada Conference & Exposition will take place starting with pre-conference events on June 19th. The event will take place in   in Calgary, Alberta and it formally begins on Wednesday, June 20 and concludes on Thursday, June 21. 

This is the largest solar energy conference and a must-attend event for solar energy professionals, stakeholders, and advocates. At this event, attendees can connect with the entire spectrum of the solar energy industry. Solar Canada offers unique educational opportunities to gain the latest insight into solar policy frameworks in each of Canada’s provincial markets from industry leaders and influencers. Topics will also include both utility-scale and consumer/business focused installations.

Can the Courts Defend Water Protections Against Assaults from Trump and the GOP?

The courts have shown that they can protect America's water resources from the Trump administration and the GOP. Few issues are more important to current and future generations than water management. Water is the key to life and directly related to some of the central concerns of our times including the all important issue of energy.  Water stewardship efforts are being adopted by countries, cities, businesses and citizens. However, if we are serious about our efforts to protect finite water resources we must concede that voluntary efforts must be enjoined by the enforcement of laws.

The Courts Will Expose Trump and the GOP

The courts are a bulwark against Donald Trump's pessimal presidency and the malfeasance of the GOP. Trump has sought an end to climate action in the US, however, there is good reason to believe that the courts may offer our best hope to counter this administration and Republican lawmakers.

Soon after Trump was inaugurated Republicans started to slash both transparency and environmental protections. They are also working on dismantling the Clean Power Plan. The GOP and Trump are both complicit in their support for fossil fuels and climate denial.  History will judge Republicans harshly for supporting this president and it should be pointed out that their support for fossil fuels predates Trump, as does their resistance to protecting the environment and refusal to act on climate change. Although Republicans have environmental roots, in the last couple of decades they have consistently opposed environmental legislation and worked to kill existing laws and regulations.

Event - Zero Hour: Youth Climate Lobby Day and Climate March

This event will take place on July 19 - 21, 2018 in Washington DC. It will start with Youth Climate Lobby Day on July 19th. This is a day when young people will assemble on Capitol Hill to deliver their demands to politicians.  Zero Hour is calling for the immediate implementation of a science based climate action program.

On July 20th art builds will take place around the DC area. They will prepare for the march by creating signs and banners.  This event will celebrate both the movement and our planet while building community and combating hopelessness.

The Youth Climate March will take place on July 21 in Washington DC. At 9:00 AM marchers will assemble at 120 Constitution Ave NE, Washington, DC. They will then march to the National Mall and deliver the demands to politicians. They will rally and highlight the voices and stories of youth on the front lines of the climate crisis. Then, they will flood the streets as a demonstration of youth power and show how #ThisIsZeroHour to act on climate change.

Court Rulings Check Pruitt's Vision of the EPA

EPA administrator Scott Pruitt's vision for the agency is being challenged in the courts. Pruitt is leading the Trump administration's efforts to dismantle the agency he was tapped to lead. This is a reflection of Trump's agenda and a longstanding Republican goal. Although his mandate concerns the health of Americans, Pruitt has demonstrated that he is guided by an agenda that advocates for polluters. A.court-ordered release of Pruitt's emails reveal that he is a stalwart advocate for the fossil fuels industry who has no interest in science. Trump put the Fox in the Henhouse when he named Pruitt to head the EPA. Shortly after assuming his role as administrator Pruitt's intentions became clear as he began targeting environmental protections and climate action including the Clean Power Plan.

Event - Responsible Investment Forum Europe 2018

The Responsible Investment Forum Europe 2018 will take place on June 12 - 13 at the Waldorf Hilton, London, United Kingdom. Now in its 9th year, the longest running Private Equity meeting focused on bringing together GPs and LPs to discuss ESG issues and market trends is back again.

The Courts and Fossil Fuels

As the leading cause of climate change court rulings against the fossil fuels industry are a game changer. A bit more than a year ago a judge ordered Exxon to hand over internal memos that proved the company privately knew the truth about climate change while investing in campaigns of disinformation intended to undermine the perceived veracity of the facts.

Recent court decisions have ruled against the fossil fuel industry's climate change causing emissions under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the law governing all environmental reviews of federal decisions. This may set a precedent that has implications for the entire industry.

Courts Defend Climate Action and Environmental Protections

The courts have contributed to efforts to recognize and act on climate change and defend environmental protections. They have countered the Trump administration's deregulatory orgy and stopped Republican legislators from running roughshod over the natural world by shutting down dirty energy pipelines, and upholding the right of children to sue for climate action.

 Courts outside of the US are also mandating responsible government action.  In Denmark the courts have forced the government to reduce climate change causing greenhouse gases. In April Columbia's Supreme Court ruled that government must take urgent action to protect its Amazon rainforest and stem deforestation. These are but two examples of court actions that have resulted in victories for the natural world. According to an LSE study there are more than 1200 climate change laws around the world.

Event - Diversity and Inclusion: Respecting Difference and Standing on Common Ground

This event will take place on June 7 - 8, 2018 at the New York Marriott Marquis in New York, NY. 22nd Annual Diversity & Inclusion Conference is one of North America’s longest running and best-attended gatherings of D&I and business leaders that consistently addresses the most important issues in this area.

Does Business Need Government to Incentivize the Green Economy?

The business community is driving sustainability forward in response to market incentives. The question is how far can the private sector go in the absence of responsible leadership from government?

Businesses are leading first and foremost because they are looking to reduce costs and capitalize on opportunities. Other factors are also at play. Publically traded companies are  beholden to shareholders and as such they have a fiduciary responsibility to address threats. Investors are calling for nonfinancial information and a number of shareholder resolutions have demanded more disclosure and actions to mitigate climate change as well as adaptation strategies to protect against potential risks.

Republican Voters at Odds with Trump's Climate Denial

Republicans are nowhere near as ignorant about climate change as their commander and chief. Donald Trump's anti-science climate denial is at odds with the majority of Americans including Republican registered voters. According to a recent poll people in the party that elected Trump are slowly inching their way towards a science-based understanding of global warming with solid majorities indicating their support for climate action.

The latest national survey conducted by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication suggests that the views of Republican registered voters are evolving. Since last Fall, more Republicans are conceding that climate change is real and caused by human activities. What is even more surprising is the fact that they have increased their support for climate action. This is in stark contrast to the Trump administration which has systematically eradicated science-based climate policies.

Event - 2018 Sustainability Management Conference

The 2018 Sustainability Management Conference will take place July 30 - August 1, at the Omni Providence Hotel; Providence, Rhode Island.

At this event, you will learn how to further integrate sustainability into your business operations from fellow corporate EHS and sustainability leaders. Through a mix of peer-led case studies and benchmarking dialogues, NAEM’s annual sustainability conference is a unique opportunity to gain actionable insights you can use to immediately improve performance, identify opportunities for your business and set better sustainability goals.

Trump and Macron: A Climate Luddite and a Climate Leader

The Trump administration will go down in history for its assaults against environmental protections and eradication of climate action. Donald Trump's presidency has been a nightmare of Orwellian proportions so much so that it is a challenge to keep up with his malfeasance.

The Trump White House has an unprecedented aversion to science. Trump is the first president in modern history to be without a science advisor. The reason is simple, science exposes the highly destructive nature of his administration's policy positions. To further corroborate the point the Trump administration recently axed Nasa's Carbon Monitoring System (CMS) that measures atmospheric greenhouse gases.

Webinar - How to Put the Planet in Your Portfolio: CoPower's New Green Bonds for Canadian Investors

This webinar will take place today Thursday, May 17 at 4pm ET / 1pm PT. It will address the issuance of new Green Bonds that can help you put your money to work for profit and planet. With updated terms and some exciting new clean energy projects in the pipeline,  CoPower's newest Green Bonds include a 6-year, 5% bond, and a 4-year, 4% bond.

When you invest in Green Bonds you’re investing in a diversified portfolio of loans to clean energy and energy efficiency projects. The projects generate steady revenues from the sale of clean energy or energy savings, allowing you to earn competitive fixed returns while reducing carbon emissions.

Webinar - Rebuilding in Puerto Rico: Universities as Leaders in Community Resilience

This NCSC event will take place on May 23, 2018, 1:15 to 2:45 PM EDT. The webinar is presented by the National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE) as part of their Sustainable Infrastructure & Resilience Series. Long before Hurricane Maria made landfall on Puerto Rico, the University of Puerto Rico established the National Institute for Energy and Island Sustainability (INESI) as a collaborative platform to understand and address the infrastructure issues being faced by the campus system and island.