UN Secretary-General Appoints Michael Bloomberg Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change

NEW YORK — United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced January 31, 2014 the appointment of Michael Bloomberg of the United States as his Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change.

Mr. Bloomberg will assist the Secretary-General in his consultations with mayors and related key stakeholders in order to raise political will and mobilize action among cities as part of his long-term strategy to advance efforts on climate change, including bringing concrete solutions to the 2014 Climate Summit that the Secretary-General will host in New York on 23 September.

Obama’s 2014 State of the Union Address has Climate Change on Frontburner

President Obama addressed the nation last night and discussed climate change as an opportunity for America going forward. It has been a while since the president spent as much time discussing climate change in a State of the Union address.

In his intro, the president made mention that autoworkers are producing the "most fuel efficient cars in the world", that America is weaning itself off of foreign oil and that for the first time in 20 years America is producing more oil at home than it imports.

He later devoted 10 paragraphs to climate change and climate change innovation!

EPA Launches Climate Awards Program

Washington, DC – The Climate Registry (The Registry), the Pew Center on Global Climate Change (Pew Center) and the Association of Climate Change Officers (ACCO) announced that they will jointly sponsor a new national awards program with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to recognize exemplary corporate, organizational and individual leadership in response to climate change.

By showcasing voluntary action on climate and energy under a unified banner, EPA, The Registry, Pew Center and ACCO are sending a strong signal that innovative and sustained leadership in greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) management will be recognized in the United States.

"The co-sponsorship of this new recognition opportunity reflects EPA’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) and recognizing leadership on climate change," said  EPA  Assistant Administrator Gina McCarthy. "We are pleased to be partnering with three non-profit organizations that have demonstrated expertise in GHG emissions management."

An event to honor award recipients will be held in early 2012. Specific award categories will include:

• Sustained Excellence in Public Reporting –Recognizing companies that continually raise the bar in the area of public disclosure of GHG emissions data. This would include regular public reporting and verification of corporate GHG inventories, GHG goal setting and achievement of GHG emissions reductions.
• Supply Chain Leadership –Recognizing companies that have their own comprehensive GHG inventories and emissions reduction goals and can demonstrate that they are at the leading edge of managing carbon in their supply chain.
• Organizational Leadership –Recognizing companies that have “mainstreamed” climate change across their operations and can demonstrate that they factor climate change into their business decisions.
• Individual Leadership –Recognizing individuals exemplifying extraordinary leadership in leading their organizations’ response to climate change and/or affecting the responses of other organizations.

These award categories provide a legacy for EPA’s Climate Leaders program, which provided support to private sector corporations who voluntarily set and achieved greenhouse gas reduction targets, and ACCO’s Climate Leadership Awards, which recognized exemplary leadership by organizations in industry, government, academia and the non-profit community.

“Corporate leadership is essential to advancing climate and energy solutions,” said Eileen Claussen, President of the Pew Center on Global Climate Change. “In growing numbers, companies and their employees are working tirelessly in pursuit of cost-effective solutions that reduce carbon and benefit consumers. Recognizing these great accomplishments serves to motivate and accelerate efforts throughout the business community toward a cleaner, more efficient energy future."

“The Climate Registry is delighted to partner with EPA, the Pew Center and ACCO on this important program, which will build on the work of Climate Leaders as well as our own carbon management program,” said Denise Sheehan, Executive Director of The Climate Registry. “Together we look forward to continuing to provide the tools, resources and recognition that organizations need to take their climate and carbon leadership to the next level.”

"Amongst ACCO’s primary missions is bringing together climate executives from across sectors to collaborate and establish best practices," said Daniel Kreeger, ACCO's Executive Director.  "We look forward to undertaking such a timely and important effort with our partners - The Climate Registry and the Pew Center - who have been on the cutting edge of climate response, and of course EPA, whose Climate Protection Awards inspired ACCO’s 2010 Climate Leadership Awards program and whose Climate Leaders program has been so instrumental in driving climate response."

More information is available online at www.epa.gov/climateleaders. Additional information on the award categories and nomination process will be made publicly available in the next few weeks.

Innovative Art Contest Explores Climate Change.

LOS ANGELES - The Gulf oil disaster is but one example of the ways in which our fossil fuel economy is impacting the planet we call home. But as bad as this catastrophe is, the specter of global climate change looms even larger as a threat to sustaining life on Earth. Despite overwhelming evidence - species extinction and dwindling water supplies to mass migrations and mega-storms - the public is still unclear what climate really means for them.

That is why the Creative Visions Foundation is calling on artists worldwide to participate in the CoolClimate Art Contest – the first online art contest exploring climate change in its many forms – how it is impacting our lives and what can be done to ensure a sustainable future for all of Earth’s inhabitants.

How Does it Work?
Submit a work of art that explores our relationship with the climate – from clean energy jobs to pollution-free oceans – the subject choice is yours. You can submit a piece you’ve already made, or pass this email along and get an artist friend involved. Post your art on www.coolclimate.deviantart.com and you will be eligible to win prizes, be featured on the Planet Green Planet100 show and be displayed at key leader events nationwide on 10/10/10.

A panel of esteemed judges, including: Philippe Cousteau (ecologist); Van Jones (environmental activist) and; Jackson Browne (musician)will select 20 finalists from all submissions.

Submissions are now open and will close on August 23, 2010. You can read the Official Contest Rules on the CoolClimate Group Page.

Historically the creative community has always helped to create new and expanded visions of possibility during difficult times and we look forward to the artist’s vision for a cool and sustainable future.

Declarations, warnings and goals dominate climate change news

The leaders of Canada, Mexico and the United States issued a declaration on climate change at the conclusion of the Three Amigos summit this past weekend in Guadalajara, Mexico.

President Calderón, President Obama and Prime Minister Harper as heads of the three countries meet annually at what is formally known as the North American Leaders’ Summit. Issues of climate change along with H1N1 virus and the economy were the focus of this year's discussions.

The declaration on climate change comes on the heels of United Nations Chief Ban Ki-moon stating that climate change is the most pressing issue facing the planet today. In a keynote address to the Global Environment Forum in his native South Korea, Ban Ki-moon said, "The human suffering will be incalculable," if climate change remains unchecked.

"As we move toward Copenhagen in December, we must seal a climate change deal that secures our common future," added Ban.

The North American leaders declaration addresses the Copenhagen conference. "Building on our respective national efforts, we will show leadership by working swiftly and responsibly to combat climate change as a region and to achieve a successful outcome at the 15th Conference of the Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change," reads the joint statement.

North American Leaders’ Declaration on Climate Change and Clean Energy "recognizes the broad scientific view that the increase in global average temperature above pre-industrial levels ought not to exceed 2 degrees C, we support a global goal of reducing global emissions by at least 50 percent compared to 1990 or more recent years by 2050, with developed countries reducing emissions by at least 80 percent compared to 1990 or more recent years by 2050."

The 80 percent reduction in GHG from 1990 levels is the same number and time frame that the G8 countries agreed to at its July meeting in Italy. These distant targets were also agreed to by the House of Representatives in passing the ACES bill last month.

New York Governor David Paterson signed an executive order late last week that establishes a goal to reduce 80 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions in the state by 2050. The executive order also creates a climate change council.

Oxfam: Climate change could leave 75 million homeless

In the midst of a three-day meeting in Dhaka, Bangladesh 21 of the poorest countries in Africa and the Asia-Pacific who are trying to draft a climate change declaration received ominous news.

Oxfam Australia says that climate change could leave up to 75 million people in the Asia-Pacific region homeless by 2050. The Future is Here: Climate Change says that these island nations are already suffering from drought, food shortages and rising water levels.

“People are already leaving their homes because of climate change, with projections that 75 million people in the Asia-Pacific region will be forced to relocate by 2050 if climate change continues unabated," says Oxfam Australia Executive Director Andrew Hewett. "Not all will have the option of relocating within their own country, so it’s vital that the Australian Government starts working with Pacific governments to plan for this now.”

The Australian government which has committed $150 million to help islanders adapt to climate change will host the Pacific Islands Forum next week where climate change talks are expected to dominate the proceedings. Hewett adds that Australia needs to show leadership at the meetings and that it is willing to do its fair share to mitigate climate change in the region.

To meet existing needs in the region Oxfam says that Australia should immediately double its financial commitment to $300 million and cut its emissions to 40 percent below 1990 levels.

The report details how nations at risk have already begun to adapt. In Micronesia and parts of the Solomon Islands villagers have been forced to move to higher ground. Mangroves and native grasses have been planted on Fiji in an effort to abate coastal erosion. Other measures have been put in place to protect Fijian food staples and water supply.

In Dhaka, the Bangladesh minister for environment and forests, Mostafizur Rahman said, "It is a matter of life and death for us." The countries attending the Dhaka conference are low carbon emitters who suffer disproportionate to their carbon footprint. By speaking with one voice these vulnerable nations hope to be heard during the Copenhagen round of climate change talks in December.

Sea Temps at Record Highs say NOAA

Surface temperatures of the world's oceans are at their highest levels since records have been kept says the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This is particularly bad news for people living on the Atlantic coast as rising ocean temperatures fuel hurricanes and raise sea levels.

Preliminary data extrapolated by the National Climatic Data Center reports that sea level temperatures for the month of June were 1.06°F above the 20th century average. To pour salt on the wound the NCDC also reports that land and sea temps combined for the second warmest June in history behind June 2005. At just over 61°F the global temperature rose 1.12°F over the 20th century average.

The G8 recently agreed that a rise in global temperatures of two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels would set off a catastrophic chain of events. While many environmental groups chastised the G8 for setting distant and ambiguous targets it should be noted that the record temperatures that the NOAA has reported on for June 2009 are a little more than one half a degree Celsius.

The NOAA report also states that the Arctic sea ice continues to melt at a record pace shrinking 5.6 percent below the 1979-2000 average extent.

Closer to home, the temperature-related energy demand for June was up two percent. Depending on where you live in America you were either using your air-conditioner too much or in the case of North Dakota, which had a record cold June, using your furnace to keep warm.

Sarkozy shows climate change leadership in talks with UN chief

French President Nicolas Sarkozy discussed climate change in New York City on Friday with United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Sarkozy stressed the need for a new organization that would oversee climate change initiatives.

The French President's comments come on the heels of the G8 conference earlier this month in Italy where members agreed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050. Sarkozy's call for a new global group comes scant weeks in advance of G20 talks scheduled for Pittsburgh and the meeting of United Nations General Assembly.

Both of these meetings are expected to lay out the final climate change groundwork that will be necessary for the Copenhagen Conference in December when the successor to the Kyoto Protocol will be established.

Ban Ki-moon praised Sarkozy during the working lunch at the French consulate for his, "full commitment to work together to seal the deal in Copenhagen on a globally acceptable" agreement.

The Secretary General, who considers the recent G8 commitments as insufficient commended Sarkozy for his climate change initiative during the working lunch. "I am very happy to have such a strong support," he said. Ban Ki-moon added that he was "very grateful for his commitment on climate change."

Sarkozy has become increasingly vocal lately with regards to climate change and many in the environmental community see him as one of its champions including Rajendra Pachauri, Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The Panel will be responsible for the successor of the Kyoto Protocol.

As host to the European Union last year, Sarkozy helped negotiate the climate change deal that saw member countries agree to reduce carbon emissions by 20 percent of 1990 levels by 2020.

Prior to the recent G8 meeting, Sarkozy met with his British counterpart, Prime Minister Gordon Blair to forge a common vision in advance of Copenhagen. At the time Sarkozy said of the upcoming G20 meeting in Pittsburgh, "We won't be satisfied with very long-term goals," adding that he wanted to set ambitious targets that reflected the goals discussed during the London meeting of the G20 in April.

"We will fight, hand in hand, a battle against the consequences of climate change," said Sarkozy on Friday. "We must create a global organization on the environment."

France, which receives most of its energy from nuclear sources has long been at the forefront of environmental change. Measures big and small, include an advanced rail system and the novel approach of renting bicycles in Paris. Both have been lauded and replicated in other cities and countries around the world.

Exclusive of climate change, the two leaders had intense discussions on international trouble spots including Iran, Darfur and Somalia.

G8 Moves Forward on Climate Change

The eight richest industrialized nations - the G8 - gathered in L'Aquila, Italy last week to discuss among other things climate change. Unfortunately, the only news that grabbed the world's attention was a photo of who was looking at what.

It was expected that the G8 - Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States - would agree that a rise in global temperature of two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels would set off a catastrophic chain of events that would send our planet spiraling out of control ecologically speaking.

The G8 also agreed to greenhouse gas reductions that echo the recent reduction targets passed in the US Congress. The Group mandated its members to cut carbon emissions by 80 percent by 2050. This commitment reasserts the targets and principles set out in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and cites the statement adopted in Toyako, Japan last year.

With its new targets in hand the G8 then challenged developing countries to cut global carbon emissions by 50 percent by 2050.

China and India do not support such a measure as they believe that it would cripple their burgeoning economies. Other developing countries are particularly concerned that the G8 will not offer financial aid and technical support to help them adapt and meet these targets.

The Italian meeting of the G8 was held in conjunction with the Major Economies Meeting. The MEM is comprised of Australia, Korea and Indonesia, the G8 and the G5 - China, India, Brazil, South Africa and Mexico. Together, these 16 countries account for more than 80 percent of global CO2 emissions.

This meeting marks the last time that all the major players are together until the Copenhagen Conference in December. At that time a new global agreement is expected to be reached that will replace the expiring Kyoto Protocol which sought to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 6-10 percent below 1990 levels by 2008-2012.

Talks on addressing climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions have been ongoing since the Rio Accord of 1992.

Survey Says...Green Jobs on Rise

So you want to save the planet and make some money doing so. The recently released Carbon Salary Survey is a good resource to see what green professionals are saying about the work they do and the duties they perform.

The survey, conducted in English, was distributed online and via email to the professional networks of the three research partners: Acona; Acre Resources and; Thomson Reuters. World-wide, nearly 1,200 participants replied to the survey through April of this year.

"This is the first time in history that this number of climate change professionals has been surveyed in relation to the carbon job market," says co-author Andy Cartland, Managing Director, Acre Resources. "The ultimate example of the emerging pale green job market is the demand we’re seeing for top level professionals, such as CEOs, who understand the commercial opportunities that are emerging both through legislation and stakeholder risk. It is interesting that 20 percent of the survey respondents consider themselves to be in ‘management’ roles – proof that the mainstream economy is greening."

Co-author Paul Burke, Senior Partner, Acona adds that,"many of those working in the sector may be able to find equally well – if not better – remunerated jobs elsewhere. That they continue to work in the sector suggests a considerable degree of personal commitment to and interest in the subject matter."

Show me the Money
As Burke states, remuneration is good. The survey found that the average salary of green professionals was $76 000. Three percent stated that they earned more than $200 000. Longevity in the field of climate change also directly impacts salary levels. Respondents with more than 10 years experience command salaries twice that of those with less than two years experience. Over half earned between $40 000 to $100 000. For those starting out, hook up with a company. Consultants earn approximately $10 000 less than in-house company employees.


Unfortunately there is no pay equity in the environmental sector and women earn approximately 75 percent of a male counterpart's wages. The gender gap is closed somewhat in professions with a historically high female workforce such as in public relation, marketing, and media services.

Conversely, the pay gap was larger in engineering, construction,consultancy and advisory sectors.

On the bright side, according to anecdotal evidence, the gap is narrowing. "At my first conference, there were only a handful of women in attendance," says Lucy Mortimer, Global Manager Clean Development Mechanism and Joint Implementation Business, TFS Green. "The market has changed considerably since then – half my team is female, and most broking firms and banks in carbon have women working for or leading the teams. At a recent “Women in Carbon” event, there were over 150 women in attendance, with an invitee list far higher."

Maybe it is just a case that the green market is a new market but eight in ten respondents stated that they work in teams of ten or less. Twenty percent of these team players indicate that they are working at their first full-time job. Upwards of 60 percent state that they had never worked in climate change before their current employment situation.

Sectors to Watch
With many companies and organizations coming to grips on how best to deal with environmental concerns it is not surprising to learn that the highest proportion of survey participants - 34 percent - worked as consultants. Renewable energies and technologies along with the financial and legal services account for a combined 26 percent of respondents. In Africa, charities and work in the public sector ranked second.

"The climate change industry in Africa has become increasingly diverse in the past two years and the maturity of the market is starting to show," says Rob Ashdown, Climate Change Principal Consultant Merchantec Capital, Johannesburg. "I would therefore anticipate that in future surveys we will see a higher representation from the African continent in these sectors."

While energy efficiency and clean development mechanism and joint implementation project development scored highly in all geographic regions, solar and wind energy schemes were more likely to occur in North America and the UK.

A Highly Educated Workforce
In general, respondents to the survey were highly educated individuals. All but four percent had a university degree with one quarter earning their bachelor's in a climate change field of study. More than two-thirds of respondents had a second degree but curiously less than ten percent had professional climate change qualifications.

"It has been estimated that a further 5000 engineers will be needed to upgrade the national grid in the UK alone, thus enabling renewable generators, such as wind farms, to connect," says Sharon Kelly, HR Director Mitsubishi Power Systems Europe Ltd."Engineers are going to be absolutely fundamental to new technology such as CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage), which is part of the EU's 2020 climate change package, and I anticipate attractive remuneration packages to those involved in the successful commercial deployment of CCS."

Green People are Happy People
A mind-boggling three-quarters report satisfaction with their job. This level of personal fulfillment is even higher in the utilities and industrial segments of the market. These levels of satisfaction are a good omen for those hoping to enter the market and also allow companies to breathe a sigh of relief knowing that their workforce is a happy workforce.

Green professionals are also an optimistic lot - how could they be anything but - as more than two-thirds believe that job security is the same now or better than it was one year ago.

The Green Crystal Ball
"The Carbon Salary Survey underlines that there is a transition underway across a range of professions and livelihoods as part of an employment revolution – one that will undoubtedly accelerate if governments at the crucial UN climate convention meeting in Copenhagen, in just over 180 days time, seal the deal on a scientifically defensible, economically sound and equitable agreement," states Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary General and Executive Director, United Nations Environment Programme. "This will bring certainty to and an expansion of the carbon markets, and
catalyze further investment in the $155 billion renewables markets. Indeed UNEP, the International Labour Organization, trade unions and employers groups estimate that employment may rise to 2.1 million in wind, 6.3 million in solar photovoltaics and 12 million in biomass-related industries by 2030."

There is a lot of green to be made by being green. The carbon emissions market - worth $126 billion in 2008 - has grown exponentially since 2006 and analysts forecast a market value that exceeds $1 trillion by 2020.

The Breathing Earth

Ever wanted to see your impact on the planet? How about the impact your country has on the planet? The Breathing Earth is a real-time map of our little blue planet and the effects we have on it.

By hovering your mouse over a country you can track births, deaths, CO2 emissions and more! The data for the map comes from respected sources and there are also links to help you learn more on climate change.