tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-164274922024-03-13T10:26:12.900-07:00Strategies for SustainabilityStrategic leadership towards sustainability - individuals, organizations, and communities using systems thinking to create a better future that is peaceful, healthy, prosperous, just, equitable, and resilient for generations to come.Georges Dyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565513691257540801noreply@blogger.comBlogger437125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16427492.post-65849699542430434532022-07-24T12:41:00.000-07:002022-07-24T12:41:01.577-07:00It's been a while... How to Think About Your Carbon Footprint <p>Well, it's hard to believe it's been five years since my last post. Time flies. And that when it comes to the climate emergency and sustainability, that's not a great thing. As Bill McKibben often says "winning slow is the same as losing." </p><p>We've made some amazing progress in the last few years -- the cost of renewables has continued to plummet and clean energy's been a rapidly growing part of the energy mix; the investment community has largely woken up to climate risk and the importance of other sustainability factors, from justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI) to agriculture, to biodiversity and more. But we're still so far from where we need to be. </p><p>I've been focusing most of my efforts on our work at the <a href="https://www.intentionalendowments.org/">Intentional Endowments Network </a>(IEN) -- and it's been gratifying to see the progress. We have over 200 members -- a mix of endowments and other asset owners, investment managers, consultants and outsourced CIO firms and amazing nonprofit partners. And more endowments continue to take action, with a lot of focus and growing momentum on the concept of <a href="https://www.intentionalendowments.org/net_zero_endowments">Net Zero Portfolios</a> and addressing <a href="https://www.intentionalendowments.org/racial_equity_investing_primer">racial equity in the investment process</a>. </p><p>But given the original purpose and audience of this blog, I'm going to try to focus more on the things we can all do as individuals in this critical moment. Despite lots of inaction and interference and misinformation from the fossil fuel industry and its allies, we've made some good progress over the past ~20 years. But we need to make a lot more over the next 8 years. So let's stay going. </p><p>I thought this short article from Bloomberg Green on <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-07-23/does-my-carbon-footprint-matter#xj4y7vzkg">"How to Think About Your Carbon Footprint"</a> was a good one - showing where the origins of the concept came from -- the fossil fuel industry wanting to shift attention away from it's business model (a core concept behind the fossil fuel divestment movement that's often under appreciated) -- and also making the important point that while we all need to think systemically, our individual actions are indeed tied to that. </p><p>I was particularly pleased to see this point articulated: </p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;"><i>Moreover, purchasing power sends a message to businesses that you support their investment in a climate-friendly world. There’s even public opinion polling to back this up. “For years, we’ve been asking, ‘Would you reward or punish companies for their actions?’” says Anthony Leiserowitz, director of the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, whose team has identified a growing consumer base that is “rewarding and punishing companies for their action or inaction on climate change.” </i></span></p><p>Because while every ton of carbon emissions avoided is important, sending these types of signals to the markets -- whether its the car companies, heat pump manufactures, solar companies, insulation installers, etc. -- if there's demand for it, companies will invest and grow that business, advertise and sell it to others who might not be self-motivated to take climate action, etc. </p><p>So, keep on pushing to reduce your own carbon footprint -- but also vote, write your politicians, look at your investments, and send a note to your alma mater(s) to encourage them to put sustainability at the center of their investment strategies, (and to join IEN if they haven't already :) </p><p>I'll aim to post some more quick, practical ways to take action... and hopefully before another five years goes by... </p><p>Stay going. </p><p><br /></p>Georges Dyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565513691257540801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16427492.post-86105710649139769042017-06-01T12:27:00.002-07:002017-06-01T12:37:52.188-07:00It's the end of the world as we know it... and I feel fine The Trump administration is expected to announce plans to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement right about now. The headline implications of this are on the surface, hard to fathom. Run-away climate change will cause immeasurable suffering and economic decline. If this move leads other countries to back away from their commitments, we could lose what may have been the very last-minute last change we had to avoid really devastating climate impacts.<br />
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On the other hand, much of the rest of the world, and much of the US will not let this ill-considered move slow them down. In fact it could help us all redouble our efforts.<br />
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In the US, leading companies, cities, states, colleges and universities, faith groups, and others see the benefits of accelerating the transition to a low-carbon economy. The market forces are there. By giving up our leadership role, the US may miss some opportunities, but others will take advantage of them.<br />
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The <a href="http://www.lowcarbonusa.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Low-Carbon USA</span></a> initiative has been tracking businesses and cities committed to creating a sustainable future. Recently our friends at <a href="http://secondnature.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Second Nature</span></a> looped in the colleges and universities that we have been working with on this for 10 years -- with over 600 committed to carbon neutrality, and making great strides in that direction.<br />
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Groups like the <a href="https://www.clcouncil.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Climate Leadership Council</span></a>, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/02/07/senior-republican-leaders-propose-replacing-obamas-climate-plans-with-a-carbon-tax/?utm_term=.129b66f09f99" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">conservative Republicans</span></a>, and the <a href="https://citizensclimatelobby.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Citizens Climate Lobby</span></a> are working to enact smart carbon fee and dividend programs. States like Mass and California are considering ways to advance and expand their carbon pricing initiatives. With long-standing leadership from the likes of Michael Bloomberg, <a href="https://www.compactofmayors.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">mayors and cities</span></a> have been working on these issues, and aren't going to stop.<br />
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<a href="http://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/intentionalendowments/sites/1/meta_images/original/IEN-Logo-sml.png?1458644339" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Intentional Endowments Network IEN" border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="411" height="193" src="https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/intentionalendowments/sites/1/meta_images/original/IEN-Logo-sml.png?1458644339" title="Intentional Endowments Network" width="200" /></a></div>
Investors see where we the world is going. Most of the <a href="https://about.bnef.com/blog/most-of-worlds-largest-investors-taking-action-on-climate-risk/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">world's largest asset owners</span></a> are taking action on climate risk and moving to greener investments. At the <a href="http://intentionalendowments.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Intentional Endowments Network</span></a> we're supporting endowments in keeping up with this trend.<br />
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While the climate challenge requires all oars rowing in sync -- and Trump's rowing backwards will hurt Americans, our children, and people everywhere -- my message to the rest of the world would be that the US is still with you, and we will now accelerate our work to address the climate crisis. We have no other choice.<br />
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<br />Georges Dyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565513691257540801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16427492.post-35455783877394909602016-11-05T07:07:00.000-07:002016-11-05T07:08:34.701-07:00New video from the MSLS programme A great new video that captures the spirit, diversity, and effectiveness of the <span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.bth.se/eng/msls/" target="_blank">Master's in Strategic Leadership towards Sustainability</a></span> programme at BTH.<br />
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Enjoy, and share with any young leaders, or later career professionals looking to enhance their sustainability leadership abilities and tap into an amazing global network:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/189429422?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="550"></iframe>
<a href="https://vimeo.com/189429422">MSLS</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user36539053">MSLS</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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<br />Georges Dyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565513691257540801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16427492.post-46661747440458355352016-09-16T12:31:00.001-07:002016-09-16T12:31:25.209-07:00Below is a great quick recap of a few pieces of huge news on climate this week. It comes from a "Morning Climate" - a news briefing on Monday, Weds, and Fridays from the MacArthur Foundation. <span style="color: blue;"><u><a href="http://macfound.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=fb8b009de3fd2039c4cad7cf1&id=694a4adce6" target="_blank">Subscribe here.</a></u></span><br />
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<b>NASA</b> <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://macfound.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u%3Dfb8b009de3fd2039c4cad7cf1%26id%3D1d817517cd%26e%3Dc622763247&source=gmail&ust=1474140289379000&usg=AFQjCNE0ToEtzFRGfgnV-ZrtM_VdR4eZ6Q" href="http://macfound.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=fb8b009de3fd2039c4cad7cf1&id=1d817517cd&e=c622763247" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">released</a> data <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1704443991" style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">on Monday</span></span> showing that July tied August for the hottest month in recorded history—the 11th monthly record in a row—giving 2016 better than 99-percent odds of becoming the warmest year on record. <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1704443992" style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">On Tuesday</span></span>, <b>BlackRock</b>, the world's largest asset manager, released a <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://macfound.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u%3Dfb8b009de3fd2039c4cad7cf1%26id%3Df6b3679b3b%26e%3Dc622763247&source=gmail&ust=1474140289379000&usg=AFQjCNF8zjo_O8v7d_wHF62MFN6OZP3PPQ" href="http://macfound.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=fb8b009de3fd2039c4cad7cf1&id=f6b3679b3b&e=c622763247" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">report</a> advising investors to prepare their portfolios for fallout from global warming. "We see climate-proofing portfolios as a key consideration for all asset owners," the report says. A non-partisan coalition of <b>43 military and security experts</b> <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://macfound.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u%3Dfb8b009de3fd2039c4cad7cf1%26id%3D50fdda708d%26e%3Dc622763247&source=gmail&ust=1474140289379000&usg=AFQjCNHqIslWHftuq6AdAKUjOuDfP2tQaQ" href="http://macfound.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=fb8b009de3fd2039c4cad7cf1&id=50fdda708d&e=c622763247" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">released</a> a briefing book <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1704443993" style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Wednesday</span></span> for the next U.S. president warning that "climate change presents a strategically significant risk to national and international security, and... more comprehensive action must be taken to ensure the U.S. response is commensurate with the risks." Then <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1704443994" style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">on Thursday</span></span>, a new <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://macfound.us11.list-manage2.com/track/click?u%3Dfb8b009de3fd2039c4cad7cf1%26id%3Dcf0d1ec475%26e%3Dc622763247&source=gmail&ust=1474140289379000&usg=AFQjCNHlePSV6hFBYYqUM2AQH31hIyvCRg" href="http://macfound.us11.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=fb8b009de3fd2039c4cad7cf1&id=cf0d1ec475&e=c622763247" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">analysis</a> from <b>Climate Action Tracker</b> said everyone may have to give up their fossil-fuel cars before 2035 to avoid climatic catastrophe. “...[I]t is clear that in order to get to the Paris Agreement’s lower temperature goal of 1.5°C, the world needs to make a paradigm shift to zero-emissions vehicles,” said Markus Hagemann of the NewClimate Institute.</div>
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In the aggregate, the week was full of significant climate news, nearly all of it underplayed—when it was picked up at all.</div>
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Georges Dyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565513691257540801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16427492.post-74230415345541838862016-07-22T14:57:00.000-07:002016-07-22T14:57:22.925-07:00Three former Treasury secretaries call on SEC to require climate risk disclosure Former US Treasury Secretaries, Hank Paulson (R), Robert Rubin (D), and George Schultz (R) issued a <span style="color: blue;"><u><a href="http://www.eenews.net/assets/2016/07/22/document_cw_01.pdf" target="_blank">letter</a></u></span> to the SEC urging it to require companies to disclose how they are accounting for and preparing for risks posed by climate change -- calling it <i>"the biggest economic risk the world faces today." </i><br />
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The Secretaries praised the SEC's 2010 guidance on the materiality of climate risks, but said it did not go far enough, and most companies have not been disclosing their exposure to these risks well, using boilerplate language that was not helpful. The called for "<b><i>mandatory and meaningful disclosures of the material effects of climate change on issuers."</i></b><br />
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It's hard to imagine a more credible group calling for such action -- and another strong signal that companies and investors need to be doing more to understand and mitigate climate risks.<br />
<br />The letter stems from the work of the <span style="color: blue;"><u><a href="http://riskybusiness.org/" target="_blank">Risky Business Project</a></u></span>. Learn more about the letter in <span style="color: blue;"><u><a href="http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/former-treasury-chiefs-tell-sec-to-crack-down-on-climate/" target="_blank">this article from <i>Scientific American</i></a></u></span>.<br />
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<br />Georges Dyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565513691257540801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16427492.post-1410966957815202742016-05-13T12:42:00.001-07:002016-05-13T12:42:28.746-07:00Is there a warming trend? This info-graphic (via <a href="http://www.climatecentral.org/news/see-earths-temperature-spiral-toward-2c-20332" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Climate Central</span></a>) has been making the rounds lately -- it does a great job showing the warming trend over time, and just how close we're getting to the dangerous 1.5 degree threshold:<br />
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<br />Georges Dyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565513691257540801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16427492.post-56276546785023456182016-04-25T07:37:00.002-07:002016-04-25T07:37:38.947-07:00Sorry, not sorry Great video from Prince Ea on alternate future scenarios, and how sustainability is about looking upstream to root causes, tying everything together:<br />
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<br />Georges Dyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565513691257540801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16427492.post-67425042773395373112016-04-06T18:26:00.001-07:002016-04-06T18:26:43.498-07:00The most interesting sustainability report you'll never have to readThere's no doubt we need art if we're going to make the progress toward sustainability on the timeline we need to avoid big trouble. Cheers to Heineken:<br />
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.Georges Dyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565513691257540801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16427492.post-26136914481144898022016-03-22T10:01:00.001-07:002016-03-22T10:01:25.500-07:00Al Gore back on the TED stage: Optimism on Climate Change Ten years after his <a href="https://www.ted.com/talks/al_gore_on_averting_climate_crisis?language=en" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">first TED talk</span></a> (the first one I ever watched back in 2006!) Al Gore is back on the main stage at TED, reinforcing the urgency of the science of climate change, and also doing a great job of explaining how we're crossing positive tipping points in terms of lower costs for renewable energy and broader support for the kind of climate action we need:<br />
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<br />Georges Dyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565513691257540801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16427492.post-46821166413188866342016-03-15T05:01:00.001-07:002016-03-15T05:01:02.549-07:00The Intentional Endowments Network -- formal launch & founding members <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yesterday we announced the Founding Member group of the Intentional Endowment Network (IEN), the initiative I've been working on for the past couple of years.<br />
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This project grew out of an initial forum held in Boston partnership with Hampshire College in April 2014. It was clear from that event that an ongoing network to serve as a venue for learning and collaboration was necessary to help colleges and universities tackle sustainable and ESG investing in their endowments.<br />
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After 18-months of what was essentially a pilot phase, we're thrilled with the <a href="http://www.intentionalendowments.org/membership" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">nearly 80 institutions</span></a> that have joined on as the core group to more formally launch this initiative.<br />
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Please check out and share the <a href="http://www.intentionalendowments.org/ien_founding_members_launch" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">press release</span></a> (also pasted below).<br />
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Higher education and the financial system are two of the most influential sectors of our society. The former shapes and reinforces the mental models and modes of thinking for most of our leaders and professionals. The latter shapes our business models and modes of development. By working at the intersection of the two to integrate the goal of creating a healthy, just, and sustainable society, this network holds the promise of having a profound positive impact on the world, now and for generations to come.<br />
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</div>
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<strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">77 Founding Members Launch the Intentional Endowments Network to Support Growing Interest in ESG Investing </strong></h2>
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Boston, MA (March 14, 2016) – The Intentional Endowments Network (IEN) today announced the launch of a peer network designed to support endowment investment practices that address environmental, social, governance (ESG) and sustainability factors in order to enhance financial returns and align with institutional mission and values. The network launched with 77 <a href="http://www.intentionalendowments.org/membership" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0088cc; outline: none; text-decoration: none;">Founding Members</a> including 27 asset owners. </div>
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Founding Members include: Arizona State University, ASU Foundation, Becker College, California State University, Calvert Investments, Carleton College, Hampshire College, Hanley Foundation, Litterman Family Foundation, Middlebury College, Portland State University, San Francisco State University Foundation, Wallace Global Fund, UBS Asset Management, University of Maine and University of Massachusetts Foundation. Regular membership enrollment is now open to all endowments, foundations and practitioners of ESG and sustainable investing. For more details, visit <a href="http://www.intentionalendowments.org/membership" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0088cc; outline: none; text-decoration: none;">www.intentionalendowments.org/membership</a>.</div>
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“The California State University is committed to staying informed and educated in ways that support a sustainable future,” said Garrett Ashley, Vice Chancellor of University Relations and Advancement at The CSU “each of our 23 campuses has unique needs and requires that we are thoughtful when making investment decisions. The Intentional Endowments Network is an invaluable resource for endowments and other investors designed to make good stewardship the norm.” </div>
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“Colleges and universities have been leaders in advancing sustainability through education, research, campus operations and community engagement. Now, they are leveraging the financial and social capital of their endowments to support those efforts by taking a more comprehensive approach to sustainability risks and opportunities in the investment process,” said Anthony Cortese, Co-Founder of IEN, and former President of Second Nature, Dean at Tufts University, and Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.</div>
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To support the development of <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">intentionally designed endowments</em> – that consider institutional mission, values, and sustainability risks and opportunities – the network facilitates peer-to-peer connection and learning, thought leadership, and collaborative action. A <a href="http://www.intentionalendowments.org/steering_comm" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0088cc; outline: none; text-decoration: none;">Steering Committee</a> composed of leaders from higher education, non-profit organizations and the investment industry guides IEN’s work. Collectively, the network identifies practical options for administrators and trustees to successfully enhance their institutions’ approach to sustainable investment and address stakeholders’ concerns.</div>
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“There are many important considerations in managing endowments. Increasingly, investors are coming to see climate change, human rights abuses, and other social and environmental challenges as material investment risks,” said Jonathan Lash, President of Hampshire College. “Regardless of how endowments ultimately decide to address these risks, all should be intentional in considering them and fostering educational dialogues on campus about them.”</div>
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“Because of the enthusiastic response from endowments and the investment community during IEN’s eighteen-month pilot phase we are now substantially expanding our activities in 2016,” said Georges Dyer, Co-Founder of IEN. The network will host interactive, action-oriented forums for senior decision makers in Chicago and San Francisco. It will enable endowments to support implementation of the Paris Climate Agreements, and host a webinar series to inform endowments on industry developments. The network will publish articles and reports on sustainable investing topics such as fiduciary duty, shareholder engagement, and financial performance, for trustees and other decision makers.</div>
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“Endowments have a unique opportunity, where doing the right thing for the climate – reducing stranded carbon asset risk and investing in solutions – is also the smart thing for their investment portfolios,” said Bob Litterman, Litterman Family Foundation and Chair of the Risk Committee at Kepos Capital, LP. “The Intentional Endowments Network is the venue for finding the best ways to take advantage of these opportunities.”</div>
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<strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">About the Intentional Endowments Network</em></strong></div>
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The Intentional Endowments Network (IEN) is a collaborative network advancing <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">intentionally designed endowments</em> through a variety of strategies – including ESG integration, impact investing, shareholder engagement – that will make a significant and critical contribution to creating a healthy, just, and sustainable society. It supports colleges, universities, and other mission-driven organizations in aligning their endowment investment practices with their mission, values, and sustainability goals without sacrificing financial returns.<em style="box-sizing: border-box;"> IEN is an initiative of The Crane Institute of Sustainability, a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) non-profit. It is coordinated by Georges Dyer and Tony Cortese and based in Boston, MA. </em><em style="box-sizing: border-box;"></em></div>
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<a href="http://www.intentionalendowments.org/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0088cc; outline: none; text-decoration: none;">www.intentionalendowments.org</a></div>
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<em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">About the IEN Team:</strong></em><em style="box-sizing: border-box;"> </em><a href="http://www.intentionalendowments.org/team" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0088cc; outline: none; text-decoration: none;">www.intentionalendowments.org/team</a></div>
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Georges Dyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565513691257540801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16427492.post-78365264087557808152016-03-10T06:25:00.000-08:002016-03-10T06:25:07.503-08:00We've breached 2 degreesHeat records are again being obliterated. Anyone in New England yesterday has a visceral sense of this after experiencing summer in March.<br />
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And the news is coming in that we've breached the dreaded 2 degree average temperature rise. These climate changes aren't linear, so it will likely (hopefully) take some time before we're consistently over that level -- in fact, hopefully we'll never be consistently over that level, because that will be a chaotic and dangerous world -- but if we needed any more evidence that the urgency of this challenge is extreme, we've got it.<br />
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More details from Slate: <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2016/03/01/february_2016_s_shocking_global_warming_temperature_record.html" target="_blank">Our Hemisphere’s Temperature Just Reached a Terrifying Milestone</a></span><br />
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Op-Ed from Bill McKibben: <span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2016/03/04/why-degree-temperature-jump-more-important-than-trump-hands/lCyz5MHZkH8aD0HIDJrcYJ/story.html" target="_blank">The mercury doesn’t lie: We’ve hit a troubling climate change milestone</a></span><br />
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Stay going.<br />
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<br />Georges Dyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565513691257540801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16427492.post-12465760041472356102016-01-21T14:33:00.001-08:002016-01-21T14:34:27.537-08:00Environmental Voter Project Hey, fellow Massholes -- check out this project aiming to get out the environmental vote:<br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.environmentalvoter.org/" target="_blank"><b>The Environmental Voter Project</b> </a></span><br />
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It's being piloted in Massachusetts, so sign-up to be counted as someone who prioritizes sustaining our common and irreplaceable life-support system as an important policy issue.<br />
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Apparently most people who understand this don't vote -- and that is a huge problem.<br />
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Here's a catchy video explaining why:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bL-W_FieeWA" width="560"></iframe>
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Stay going.<br />
--Georges Dyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565513691257540801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16427492.post-76459199598836732082015-11-27T09:52:00.001-08:002015-11-27T09:52:03.272-08:00Business calls for carbon pricing and climate action ahead of Paris summitThe big annual climate negotiations start in Paris next week (COP21), and the stakes are high. We're overdue on initiating strong, international climate policy, and now we have to play catch up.<br />
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There are many strong statements of support, all of which should give negotiators cover in creating an ambitious deal. Here are a few recent statements:<br />
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<li><a href="http://www.climateactionprogramme.org/news/ceos_of_78_major_firms_call_for_carbon_pricing_cop21_deal?" target="_blank">CEOs of 78 major firms call for carbon pricing COP21 deal</a>: organized by the World Economic Forum and has a combined annual turnover of $2.1 trillion<br /></li>
<li><a href="http://www.ceres.org/files/global-food-and-beverage-leadership-statement-on-climate-change" target="_blank">CEOs of 10 food and beverage companies call for a "sound agreement to affect real change"</a>: organized by Ceres' "Accelerating Change, food and beverage leaders" initiative.<br /></li>
<li><a href="http://www.ceres.org/files/bank-statement-on-climate-policy" target="_blank">6 major banks call for a "strong global climate agreement"</a>: organized by Ceres<br /></li>
<li><a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/10/19/fact-sheet-white-house-announces-commitments-american-business-act" target="_blank">81 companies sign the American Business Act on Climate pledge</a>: organized by the White House, representing companies with combined market cap of over $5 trillion.<br /></li>
<li><a href="http://investorsonclimatechange.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/22NovGlobalInvesorStatementClimateChange.pdf" target="_blank">Over 400 investors have signed the Global Investor Statement on Climate Change (GISCC)</a>: organized by the Investor Network on Climate Risk (INCR), signatories represent over $24 trillion in assets. <br /></li>
<li><a href="http://www.ceres.org/declaration/sign/built-climate-declaration" target="_blank">Over 50 companies have signed the Building and Real Estate Climate Declaration, calling on global leaders to "realize the opportunity of the low-carbon economy"</a>: organized by the US Green Building Council, the Carbon Leadership Forum, and Ceres.<br /></li>
<li><a href="http://www.ceres.org/declaration/sign/who-has-signed" target="_blank">Climate Declaration</a>: organized by Ceres, signed by more than 1,000 companies. </li>
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What's less clear is even with all of these statement of support from companies, how effectively they are supporting the political process to put a price on carbon. There is still a lot of false rhetoric about how a price on carbon will hurt the economy, despite the evidence to contrary; and those making such claims often claim to represent the 'business sector'. In addition to important statements like these, we need to see more companies advancing their enlightened self-interest in the political arena by actively and aggressively lobbying for a price on carbon.<br />
<br />Stay going.<br />
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Georges Dyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565513691257540801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16427492.post-76203874553233267682015-11-06T17:31:00.001-08:002015-11-06T17:31:22.687-08:00Political WillToday the president announced that the Keystone XL pipeline would not be approved. You probably heard about this, it's getting front page coverage on news outlets across the world. This is a big victory in the fight against climate change, even if it is in many ways symbolic. <br />
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In reading the president's announcement (below) I was just struck by how far we've come in the past 10 years in terms of finally starting to wake up on this issue. We could barely dream of a president making this kind of speech 10 years ago. <br />
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And while talk is cheap, and we still haven't started implementing nearly the kind of action we need to (and should have been for the past 25 years) -- this is real progress. Once the political will is there, we can start implementing changes much faster than we typically think, as the president mentions below. Worth the read:<br />
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THE PRESIDENT: Good morning, everybody. Several years ago, the State Department began a review process for the proposed construction of a pipeline that would carry Canadian crude oil through our heartland to ports in the Gulf of Mexico and out into the world market.</div>
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This morning, Secretary Kerry informed me that, after extensive public outreach and consultation with other Cabinet agencies, the State Department has decided that the Keystone XL Pipeline would not serve the national interest of the United States. I agree with that decision.</div>
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This morning, I also had the opportunity to speak with Prime Minister Trudeau of Canada. And while he expressed his disappointment, given Canada’s position on this issue, we both agreed that our close friendship on a whole range of issues, including energy and climate change, should provide the basis for even closer coordination between our countries going forward. And in the coming weeks, senior members of my team will be engaging with theirs in order to help deepen that cooperation.</div>
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Now, for years, the Keystone Pipeline has occupied what I, frankly, consider an overinflated role in our political discourse. It became a symbol too often used as a campaign cudgel by both parties rather than a serious policy matter. And all of this obscured the fact that this pipeline would neither be a silver bullet for the economy, as was promised by some, nor the express lane to climate disaster proclaimed by others.</div>
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To illustrate this, let me briefly comment on some of the reasons why the State Department rejected this pipeline.</div>
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First: The pipeline would not make a meaningful long-term contribution to our economy. So if Congress is serious about wanting to create jobs, this was not the way to do it. If they want to do it, what we should be doing is passing a bipartisan infrastructure plan that, in the short term, could create more than 30 times as many jobs per year as the pipeline would, and in the long run would benefit our economy and our workers for decades to come.</div>
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Our businesses created 268,000 new jobs last month. They’ve created 13.5 million new jobs over the past 68 straight months -- the longest streak on record. The unemployment rate fell to 5 percent. This Congress should pass a serious infrastructure plan, and keep those jobs coming. That would make a difference. The pipeline would not have made a serious impact on those numbers and on the American people’s prospects for the future.</div>
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Second: The pipeline would not lower gas prices for American consumers. In fact, gas prices have already been falling -- steadily. The national average gas price is down about 77 cents over a year ago. It’s down a dollar over two years ago. It’s down $1.27 over three years ago. Today, in 41 states, drivers can find at least one gas station selling gas for less than two bucks a gallon. So while our politics have been consumed by a debate over whether or not this pipeline would create jobs and lower gas prices, we’ve gone ahead and created jobs and lowered gas prices.</div>
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Third: Shipping dirtier crude oil into our country would not increase America’s energy security. What has increased America’s energy security is our strategy over the past several years to reduce our reliance on dirty fossil fuels from unstable parts of the world. Three years ago, I set a goal to cut our oil imports in half by 2020. Between producing more oil here at home, and using less oil throughout our economy, we met that goal last year -- five years early. In fact, for the first time in two decades, the United States of America now produces more oil than we buy from other countries.</div>
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Now, the truth is, the United States will continue to rely on oil and gas as we transition -- as we must transition -- to a clean energy economy. That transition will take some time. But it’s also going more quickly than many anticipated. Think about it. Since I took office, we’ve doubled the distance our cars will go on a gallon of gas by 2025; tripled the power we generate from the wind; multiplied the power we generate from the sun 20 times over. Our biggest and most successful businesses are going all-in on clean energy. And thanks in part to the investments we’ve made, there are already parts of America where clean power from the wind or the sun is finally cheaper than dirtier, conventional power.</div>
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The point is the old rules said we couldn’t promote economic growth and protect our environment at the same time. The old rules said we couldn’t transition to clean energy without squeezing businesses and consumers. But this is America, and we have come up with new ways and new technologies to break down the old rules, so that today, homegrown American energy is booming, energy prices are falling, and over the past decade, even as our economy has continued to grow, America has cut our total carbon pollution more than any other country on Earth.</div>
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Today, the United States of America is leading on climate change with our investments in clean energy and energy efficiency. America is leading on climate change with new rules on power plants that will protect our air so that our kids can breathe. America is leading on climate change by working with other big emitters like China to encourage and announce new commitments to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions. In part because of that American leadership, more than 150 nations representing nearly 90 percent of global emissions have put forward plans to cut pollution.</div>
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America is now a global leader when it comes to taking serious action to fight climate change. And frankly, approving this project would have undercut that global leadership. And that’s the biggest risk we face -- not acting.</div>
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Today, we’re continuing to lead by example. Because ultimately, if we’re going to prevent large parts of this Earth from becoming not only inhospitable but uninhabitable in our lifetimes, we’re going to have to keep some fossil fuels in the ground rather than burn them and release more dangerous pollution into the sky.</div>
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As long as I’m President of the United States, America is going to hold ourselves to the same high standards to which we hold the rest of the world. And <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_568161998" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">three weeks from now</span></span>, I look forward to joining my fellow world leaders in Paris, where we’ve got to come together around an ambitious framework to protect the one planet that we’ve got while we still can.</div>
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If we want to prevent the worst effects of climate change before it’s too late, the time to act is now. Not later. Not someday. Right here, right now. And I’m optimistic about what we can accomplish together. I’m optimistic because our own country proves, every day -- one step at a time -- that not only do we have the power to combat this threat, we can do it while creating new jobs, while growing our economy, while saving money, while helping consumers, and most of all, leaving our kids a cleaner, safer planet at the same time.</div>
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That’s what our own ingenuity and action can do. That's what we can accomplish. And America is prepared to show the rest of the world the way forward.</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: 20px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: 20px;">
Thank you very much.</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: 20px;">
-- President Barack Obama</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: 20px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: 20px;">
--</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: 20px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: 20px;">
Stay going. </div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: 20px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: 20px;">
- </div>
Georges Dyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565513691257540801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16427492.post-46349794476117062962015-09-03T10:10:00.000-07:002015-09-03T10:10:00.649-07:00How To Meet The Challenges Of Rapid Urbanization<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<i>The following is a guest post by Ray McNeal, Real Estate and Environment Blogger:</i></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The number of people living in cities worldwide
is </span><a href="https://hbr.org/2013/07/building-sustainable-cities"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">expected to nearly double</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> by the
year 2050, increasing from 3.6 billion in 2011 to more than 6 billion. This
rapid growth will surely present challenges, but it will also provide huge
opportunities for the public and private sectors to work together to develop
more connected and efficient cities. In addition to environmental sustainability,
well-planned urban areas </span><a href="http://2015.newclimateeconomy.report/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">could mean improved public health</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, job growth, a reduction in excess spending, and an increased
economic appeal for investors. </span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The issue is that resources – limited land, water,
electricity, and transportation – must increase dramatically in order to
support population growth, putting serious additional strain on the
environment. To ensure success, public sector urban planners and private sector
developers are already working to get ahead of some of the challenges that come
with supporting a mass migration to cities, finding ways to stretch resources
and make more efficient use of limited space. </span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://planbayarea.org/plan-bay-area/final-plan-bay-area.html"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Plan Bay Area 2040</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> is a
prime example of a forward-thinking initiative created to prepare for expected
growth in the San Francisco Bay Area. The Bay Area as a whole is expected to
see significant growth in jobs and housing over the next 25 years, with the majority
concentrated within its three central cities – San Jose, San Francisco, and
Oakland. As part of the initiative, officials from each central city meet
regularly with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) and the
Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) to discuss progress in developing a
transportation and housing plan that reduces dependence on cars and makes
efficient use of land. MTC Commissioner </span><a href="http://planbayarea.org/plan-bay-area.html"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mark
Luce</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> considers it an historic step forward in
serving future generations. </span><a href="http://www.spur.org/blog/2014-12-12/how-are-bay-area-s-biggest-cities-planning-growth"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Advocates of Plan Bay Area</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
acknowledge that decisions regarding land use are ultimately local, but that the
creation of a joint initiative will lead to smarter, more eco-friendly cities
able to reach the common goals of each region. </span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The private sector is also making efforts to be
more environmentally responsible in urban development. At the Urban Land Institute’s
2014 fall conference, real estate developer and Tishman Speyer President and
co-CEO </span><a href="http://robspeyer.com/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Rob
Speyer</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> addressed the need to look beyond the obvious
solution of LEED Certification, focusing instead on how individuals make use of
structures within cities. “Buildings don't exist in a vacuum, and the behavior,
and the lifestyles of the people that live and work in our buildings? That's
what's really going to determine the future of the environment,” said Speyer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Tishman Speyer is the owner of Rockefeller
Center in New York City, and Speyer often cites the structure as an example of
a “</span><a href="http://www.environmentalleader.com/2007/11/21/rockefeller-center-launches-major-green-initiatives/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">happy building</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">” – one
that makes the best possible use of space in a crowded city. Aside from a green
rooftop, it also provides the opportunity for shopping, entertainment, and
office space in one central location and cuts down on the need for
transportation that can drain the environment. </span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Multi-city transit systems and buildings
designed to serve more than one purpose are two pieces to the solution in
supporting rapid urbanization. Developers and urban planners are headed in the
right direction, but must continue their focus on developing well-connected and
efficient cities.</span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Georges Dyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565513691257540801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16427492.post-89965489071515882702015-03-19T08:38:00.000-07:002015-03-19T08:39:15.858-07:00Green Bronx MachineHere's an amazing and inspiring video, showing how all that theory about 'win-win-win' sustainability strategies can look in action. <a href="http://greenbronxmachine.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Green Bronx Machine</span></a>:<br />
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<script id="vidyard_embed_code_LX19Q0Or1SWsuXgkVQmICw" src="//play.vidyard.com/LX19Q0Or1SWsuXgkVQmICw.js?v=3.1&type=lightbox" type="text/javascript"></script><br />
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<br />Georges Dyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565513691257540801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16427492.post-5512855193346911412015-02-17T08:46:00.000-08:002015-02-17T08:46:33.901-08:00The Power DialogSee below for an announcement about an exciting new project aimed at getting students civically engaged around the Clean Power Plan, and share with teachers and students who might be interested:<br />
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Dear Colleagues,<u></u><u></u></div>
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Over the next two years, students have a unique and critically important learning and civic engagement opportunity. Student voices can impact the scope and direction of state implementation of the EPA’s Clean Power Plan, mandating global warming pollution cuts in the electric power sector.<u></u><u></u></div>
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<b>We are circulating this call to help organize a </b><a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Kp0g9j2TOLx2IhUrDv5-uYU_axGXP98DYZTb8AShM_w/viewform" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><b>Power Dialog</b></a><b> in March of 2016: hundreds of college, graduate, and high school level classes in states across the country taking field trips to meet with their Department of Environmental Conservation heads to discuss state implementation of the EPA’s new rules.</b><u></u><u></u></div>
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State agency leaders are already seeing their calendars fill up with meetings with utility executives and coal industry lobbyists. Why not our students?<u></u><u></u></div>
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By 2017, each state is required to come up with a plan to meet the targets set by the EPA. New York, for example, has to cut the emission rate from the power sector by at least 44% by 2030; in Ohio the required target is 28%; in Texas, 38%. These are big numbers. They could be bigger. State level plans can be more ambitious then the EPA requires. Yet the states and EPA are being pressured to relax the targets.<u></u><u></u></div>
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According to Dr. Dallas Burtraw, Senior Researcher at Resources for the Future, the climate policy dialogue has moved “outside the Washington beltway to 50 state capitals where stakeholders have long-term relationships and a long-term stake in the outcome. Citizen input is a critical part of the process-- whether it is technical, or simply provides the decisionmakers with information that the public cares about the issue.” <u></u><u></u></div>
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Typically, it is the state DEC or DEQ that is the lead agency in drafting these plans. With the action now beyond the partisan wrangling of Washington and the state legislatures, students can gain both a powerful learning opportunity and a real voice in the policy process.<u></u><u></u></div>
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DEC officials will welcome visits from unusual suspects. Hearing the voice of students—young people who will live to see the late 21<sup>st</sup> century first-hand-- will provide a fresh perspective, focused on the long-term impacts of today’s policy decisions. <u></u><u></u></div>
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This is not a lobbying effort. We have no collective policy agenda for which we are advocating. Rather it is a learning opportunity for students, and also a chance for students to share their own individual thoughts and policy insights with state officials.<u></u><u></u></div>
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If you are interested in helping organize a class field trip, along with colleagues in your state, to visit your state capitol for a meeting with the relevant state officials, please sign up here. As we move forward with an organizing plan, we will connect you with other interested professors and university staff in your state, and will develop and circulate learning materials to prep your students for the conversation.<u></u><u></u></div>
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Kp0g9j2TOLx2IhUrDv5-uYU_axGXP98DYZTb8AShM_w/viewform" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">The Power Dialog</a> will take place in March 2016, so there is lead-time for planning. The Bard Center for Environmental Policy will be hosting <a href="http://www.bard.edu/cep/news/event.php?eid=128421"><span style="color: #1155cc;">a dial-in conversation on </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_97427298" style="border-image-outset: initial !important; border-image-repeat: initial !important; border-image-slice: initial !important; border-image-source: initial !important; border-image-width: initial !important; border: none !important; color: #1155cc; cursor: inherit !important; position: static !important; top: -2px; z-index: auto !important;"><span class="aQJ" style="border: none !important; cursor: inherit !important; position: static !important; top: 2px; z-index: auto !important;">February 18 at noon</span></span><span style="color: #1155cc;"> eastern</span> </a>to brainstorm how to help build a power dialog in your state over the coming year.<u></u><u></u></div>
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Learn more about the <a href="http://www2.epa.gov/carbon-pollution-standards/clean-power-plan-proposed-rule" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">EPA’s Clean Power Plan here</a>, or <a href="http://www.bard.edu/cep/programs/climateseminar/archive/index.php?year=2014" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">listen to a podcast by RFF’s Burtraw</a> about the EPA’s program and the importance of state level engagement. As a group, we will start scheduling our trips to Phoenix, Nashville, Salem, Tallahassee, Boston and Peoria. <u></u><u></u></div>
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<a href="http://cp.mcafee.com/d/FZsSd1NJ5xdyVEV73xPxKVJ6X0UsyyOMOrhKMe78EIL6zASztxUQsI9FCzCVJ6X1EVuhd7aatPq16dj7wGKBjZwxqTuwSrHFk_o8mJTEdCTvhKDX3_nVwsOMyVRXBQSn6usovv76zDBHEShjlhK_OEuvkzaT0QSqejqbVKVKVIDeqR4IN2JGshHkyv_bUXmaJcgN42BHAjhO8FwAc1kfj3iojy76nOXo72oHEu4w62NEVu3we1898f20Mj6NkNxCnC7qNld-gS16Jk0kgSa7uwSrhuK-Ur9RmYQg5GJCy2SMd40zmk3h1cDVEwJFVVEwcuxgKnd44Djh1iFEwmf_quq86Wuq89A_d41eJ9Cy2Rkfd45aCy0JlIQgmS1EwDFVkQg62vMd44OvCy0-kfd44G6y1lKvE6QrICW1QI" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Sign up here to learn more</a>, and thank you for the work you are doing.<u></u><u></u></div>
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Eban Goodstein, Ph.D.<br />Director, <a href="http://cp.mcafee.com/d/2DRPos81MArhojoKqehMUsUrKrhKMe78EIIcCQrI3xOabbNEVdEToud7b2qpEVKrhKMqenAjhOyDsSwhzkNUaHFk_o8mJTEdCWWlfS25HtW3pJTQrF-M_R-o7cI8KtuVtdBNDD67TNNEVVqWdAkRkrLYG7DR8OJMddETdELCXCXCM0h3oEtW3umZoTV3o4qRg1h3oEtW3pJ5WXXxIDlrPh0mGSq8br0Qg2dpgd44OvCy2SDDCy0NW52VsQgitd45aCy1o_ZFVEwrFVEwCjYQg4WQCq8blgYQgkGq82RmPh1ro6y2uDBjh0o9_0Qgj9-q83VgYQgiEq85mV-wrhKOrirMqu-_D" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Bard Center for Environmental Policy</a><br />Director, <a href="http://cp.mcafee.com/d/FZsS920w96Qm4SbCzAse7e6XCQrI3xOabb39J6X0UsyyOYqejqdS7zhOMCCqerCQrI6zBV4QsEFTdE4oRcu2GWlfS25HtW3pKKBjZwxqTuwSrtZ6WvIfZvC1Pb2bDnKnjpspVNxZYsqeumKzp5dl6X_axVZicHs3jqa9J5YTsTsS028r53LgrNkxFLO6M8RGw2y6NgXQ6PqbRTT3peGTCy0JlIQgmS1Ew4qOwq89A_d45Jffd41zQa5OVEwAWq8ald42N_XjPh0TjPh1cDVEw9RFcQgmGxVEwFkQg5GJCy2SMd44ZfaCy0Mj-1EwCjYQg7OxVEwBgQgaJPZ0SztAS7VXkrmr" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Bard MBA in Sustainability</a><u></u><u></u></div>
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Debra Rowe, Ph.D.<br />President<br /><a href="http://cp.mcafee.com/d/2DRPos82gQd6Qm4SbCzAse7e6XCQrI3xOabb39J6X0UsyyOYqejqdS7zhOMCCqerCQrI6zBV4QsEFTdE4oRcu2GWlfS25HtW3pKKBjZwxqTuwSrtZ6WvIfZvC1Pb2bDnKnjpspVNxZYsqeumKzp5dl6X_axVZicHs3jqapJ5YTsTsS02rEJIpM-d2sBK00UrYxI2dqE0ExIkeZ1ISyZtZMSjGJVEwblrd45Jwq816IE6y2pfPh1rjPPh0oZ2xsKq89eCy2Bjh0Iv-QYQgdQYQgj9-q82tqjd45GEuq8ald41qHpEwJI3h1fjOFEwc4_wq89A_d41YEuq89kd42Hs_gdETpd-W5n" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">U.S. Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development</a><u></u><u></u></div>
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David Blockstein, Ph.D.<br />Senior Scientist<br /><a href="http://cp.mcafee.com/d/FZsS86Qm4SbCzAse7e6XCQrI3xOabb39J6X0UsyyOYqejqdS7zhOMCCqerCQrI6zBV4QsEFTdE4oRcu2GWlfS25HtW3pKKBjZwxqTuwSrtZ6WvIfZvC1Pb2bDnKnjpspVNxZYsqeumKzp5dl6X_axVZicHs3jqb9J5YTsTsS02xqDRwva7Y01MTV3o4qRg1h3oEtW3pJ5WXXxIDlrPh0mGSq8br0Qg2dpgd44OvCy2SDDCy0NW52VsQgitd45aCy1o_ZFVEwrFVEwCjYQg4WQCq8blgYQgkGq82RmPh1ro6y2uDBjh0o9_0Qgj9-q83VgYQgiEq85mV-wrhKOrSd98" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">National Council for Science and the Environment</a></div>
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Georges Dyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565513691257540801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16427492.post-37370916453367410172015-02-12T18:43:00.001-08:002015-02-12T18:47:10.004-08:00Fossil Fuel Divestment Day Fossil Fuel Divestment Day is tomorrow (and Saturday) -- it's a big global push to keep building the fossil fuel divestment movement's momentum. This video tells the story:<br />
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The really interesting part of this is the coordinated counter attack from the fossil fuel industry. Earlier this week, a report commissioned and funded by the Independent Petroleum Association of America was released. It was <a href="http://www.intentionalendowments.org/study_claims_oil_divestiture_may_hurt_college_endowments"><span style="color: blue;">highlighted in the NY Times</span></a>, and the report's author penned an <a href="http://www.intentionalendowments.org/the_feel_good_folly_of_fossil_fuel_divestment"><span style="color: blue;">opinion piece in the WSJ</span></a>. It makes a <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/damian-carrington-blog/2015/feb/11/fossil-fuel-lobby-goes-on-the-attack-against-divestment-movement"><span style="color: blue;">dubious case</span></a> that divestment could hurt college endowments. And then this amazing video from the '<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/07/environmental-policy-alliance-berman_n_4913303.html"><span style="color: blue;">Environmental Policy Alliance</span></a>' (a PR group) that suggests the alternative to fossil fuels is going back to the time of Adam and Eve (only without food): </div>
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We all know fossil fuels have brought us tremendous benefit and advances that have immeasurably improved the lives of countless people. They've also set the stage for us to take the next step, especially now that we know the incredibly dangerous unintended impacts of our burning them.<br />
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We have what we need to maintain, even improve, quality of life while getting off fossil fuels. It won't be easy, and our future won't look the same, but it doesn't have to be worse. Dramatic increases in energy efficiency and reduced need for transport from smart building and community design can reduce our overall demand for energy. An LED bulb doesn't decrease quality of life; and it uses 90% less electricity, saving money over the life of the bulb. Passive House design can eliminate the need for heating and cooling systems altogether. People in walkable communities don't need cars. And with that reduced demand, and the rapidly decreasing costs of renewables, it's entirely possible to get off fossil fuels<br />
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Here's a compelling vision for getting there:<br />
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As the <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/damian-carrington-blog/2015/feb/11/fossil-fuel-lobby-goes-on-the-attack-against-divestment-movement">Guardian piece</a> evaluating the oil industry divestment report notes, this scenario is playing out like a text book Ghandian change movement: "first they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win." Feels like we're just moving into the 'laughing at you' phase. The 'fight you' phase could get really ugly. But, a clean, healthy, sustainable future will win. For all the talk of how the divestment movement is ineffective, it seems to be having quite an effect. #Divest.<br />
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Stay going.<br />
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Georges Dyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565513691257540801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16427492.post-68476097205126756752014-10-14T10:48:00.002-07:002014-10-14T10:48:12.969-07:00The New Climate EconomyA recent report from <a href="http://newclimateeconomy.net/"><span style="color: blue;">The New Climate Economy</span></a> highlights (again) the need for action on climate change; and emphasizes (again) how delays will increase costs:<br />
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The <a href="http://newclimateeconomy.report/"><span style="color: blue;">New Climate Economy Report </span></a>comes from the <a href="http://newclimateeconomy.net/content/global-commission"><span style="color: blue;">Global Commission on the Economy and Climate</span></a> -- a group of high-level representatives from various sectors in countries around the world.<br />
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The report includes a pretty good list of 10 things we know we need to do avoid to minimize the damage of climate change:<br />
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<li>Accelerate low-carbon transformation by integrating climate into core economic decision-making processes. </li>
<li>Enter into a strong, lasting and equitable international climate agreement</li>
<li>Phase out subsidies for fossil fuels and agricultural inputs, and incentives for urban sprawl</li>
<li>Introduce strong, predictable carbon prices</li>
<li>Substantially reduce capital costs for low-carbon infrastructure investments</li>
<li>Scale up innovation in key low-carbon and climate-resilient technologies, tripling public investment in clean energy R&D</li>
<li>Make connected and compact cities the preferred form of urban development</li>
<li>Stop deforestation of natural forests by 2030</li>
<li>Restore at least 500 million hectares of lost or degraded forests and agricultural lands by 2030</li>
<li>Accelerate the shift away from polluting coal-fired power generation</li>
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The core take-away is that all countries will be able to sustain lasting growth while addressing climate change, but that the next 15 years will be crucial. <br />
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This brings up the <a href="http://strategiesforsustainability.blogspot.com/2005/12/macro-econ-worldviews-thresholds.html"><span style="color: blue;">whole concept of economic growth</span></a> -- what we mean by that and if unlimited growth in possible on a finite planet. If you're talking about crude, raw, physical growth of stuff -- increasing economic throughput, as measured by GDP -- the answer is clearly "no." But if you're talking about a more nuanced "growth of value" -- ways of increasing well-being while at the same time dematerializing and reducing throughput, then I think there are no limits.<br />
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Clearly, in some areas, in some economies, physical growth is still necessary to increase well-being (Exxon's <a href="http://www.exxonmobilperspectives.com/2014/10/10/some-thoughts-on-divestment/"><span style="color: blue;">recent blog post</span></a> arguing against fossil fuel divestment skews this point to make a case for continued reliance on oil). But at a certain point -- long-since crossed by many developed economies, more stuff doesn't necessarily equate with more well-being.<br />
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Coupled with the recent <a href="http://www.intentionalendowments.org/risky_business"><span style="color: blue;">Risky Business</span></a> report, this report is another big step in making the economic case for climate action, and more broadly for integrating sustainability principles into all we do.<br />
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Stay going.<br />
--<br />
Georges Dyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565513691257540801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16427492.post-86619367113534372702014-09-18T11:18:00.003-07:002014-09-18T11:18:59.635-07:00Sustainability Illustrated: Human NeedsEnjoy the latest video from <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://sustainabilityillustrated.com/en/">Sustainability Illustrated</a></span>:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="250" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/FyT9TMlzC6s" width="444"></iframe>
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Stay going.<br />
--<br />
<br />Georges Dyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565513691257540801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16427492.post-53021435362769665262014-09-11T13:00:00.002-07:002014-09-11T13:00:07.736-07:00Recent news from the Intentional Endowments Network <div class="page-excerpt" id="blog-post-page-101" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: proxima-nova, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">
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We have a great <a href="http://www.intentionalendowments.org/news"><span style="color: blue;">news feed</span></a> on the <a href="http://www.intentionalendowments.org/"><span style="color: blue;">Intentional Endowments Network</span></a> website, which has been seeing a lot of new additions recently. The fossil fuel divestment campaigns are generating a lot of conversation on college and university campuses, and while the number of institutions committing to divestment is still relatively low, the number that are evaluating their investment policies and practices in light of the climate change threat, and other critical sustainability issues, is growing rapidly. </div>
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Here's a run down of some of the latest exciting news: </div>
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<a href="https://www.responsible-investor.com/home/article/ri_swenson/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0088cc; font-family: proxima-nova, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="RI procures Swensen letter to Yale fund managers obliging climate evaluation and company engagement Responsible Investor Intentional Endowments Network">RI procures Swensen letter to Yale fund managers obliging climate evaluation and company engagement</a><span style="font-family: proxima-nova, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> </span><span style="font-family: proxima-nova, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">| Responsible Investor</span></h3>
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by Vibeka Mair, September 11th, 2014</div>
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<a href="http://www.bu.edu/today/2014/bu-faculty-petition-urges-divestment-from-fossil-fuel-companies/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0088cc; font-family: proxima-nova, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="BU Faculty Petition Urges Divestment from Fossil Fuel Companies Intentional Endowments Network">BU Faculty Petition Urges Divestment from Fossil Fuel Companies</a><span style="font-family: proxima-nova, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> </span><span style="font-family: proxima-nova, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">| BU Today</span></h3>
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by Rich Barlow, September 10, 2014</div>
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<a href="http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2014/9/11/faculty-renew-divestment-call/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0088cc; font-family: proxima-nova, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Faculty for Divestment Renew Call for Open Forum | Harvard Crimson Intentional Endowments Network">Faculty for Divestment Renew Call for Open Forum</a><span style="font-family: proxima-nova, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> </span><span style="font-family: proxima-nova, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">| Harvard Crimson</span></h3>
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<a href="http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2014/9/11/faculty-renew-divestment-call/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0088cc; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Faculty for Divestment Renew Call for Open Forum | Harvard Crimson Intentional Endowments Network"></a></div>
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by Dev A. Patel and Steven R. Watros, September 10, 2014</div>
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<a href="http://online.wsj.com/articles/fossil-fuels-stir-debate-at-endowments-1410306277?mod=WSJ_hp_LEFTWhatsNewsCollection" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0088cc; font-family: proxima-nova, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Fossil Fuels Stir Debate at Endowments Wall Street Journal Intentional Endowments Network">Fossil Fuels Stir Debate at Endowments </a><span style="font-family: proxima-nova, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">| Wall Street Journal</span></h3>
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by Dan Fitzpatrick, September 9, 2014</div>
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(subscription required) </div>
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<a href="http://socialinvesting.about.com/od/Sustainable-Investing/fl/Ranking-US-Fund-Managers-on-Climate-Change.htm" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0088cc; font-family: proxima-nova, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Ranking US Fund Managers on Climate Change by Cary Krosinsky Sustainable Investing Expert Intentional Endowments Network">Ranking US Fund Managers on Climate Change</a><span style="font-family: proxima-nova, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> </span><span style="font-family: proxima-nova, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">| About Money</span></h3>
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by Cary Krosinsky</div>
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<a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2014/09/03/questions-about-reliability-sustainability-watchdog" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0088cc; font-family: proxima-nova, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Green Rating Questioned - AASHE STARS Sustainable Endowments Institute">Green Ratings Questioned</a><span style="font-family: proxima-nova, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> </span><span style="font-family: proxima-nova, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">| Inside Higher Ed</span></h3>
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by Ry Rivard, September 3, 2014</div>
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<a href="http://www.endowmentinstitute.org/app/uploads/2014/09/SEI-College-Endowment-Investment-Trends-and-Best-Practices.pdf" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0088cc; font-family: proxima-nova, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="College Endowment Investment Trends and Best Practices: An Analysis of STARS Data Sustainable Endowments Institute AASHE">College Endowment Investment Trends and Best Practices: An Analysis of STARS Data</a><span style="font-family: proxima-nova, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> </span><span style="font-family: proxima-nova, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">| Sustainable Endowments Institute</span></h3>
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by Aaron Karp, Mark Orlowski, and Jaime Silverstein, September 3, 2014</div>
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<a href="http://www.pionline.com/article/20140828/ONLINE/140829879/yale-approves-environmentally-conscious-investment-guidance" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0088cc; font-family: proxima-nova, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title=" Yale approves environmentally conscious investment guidance">Yale approves environmentally conscious investment guidance</a><span style="font-family: proxima-nova, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> </span><span style="font-family: proxima-nova, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">| Pensions & Investments</span></h3>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;">by James Comtois, August 28, 2014</span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Check the news feed regularly - <a href="http://www.intentionalendowments.org/news"><span style="color: blue;">www.intentionalendowments.org/news</span></a> - and enter your email address on the site to receive periodic updates. </span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Stay going. </span></div>
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Georges Dyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565513691257540801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16427492.post-6545116212851777302014-08-28T11:35:00.001-07:002014-08-28T11:35:51.429-07:00DISRUPTION: Climate. Change. A new film on the climate change movement will be released next week. The trailer below gives a sneak peak of what looks like a powerful telling of the story of how the demands for action on climate change have coalesced into a social movement that recognizes this is a social justice issue, not just an environmental issue.<br />
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It's timed for release before what will be the largest climate march in history -- the <a href="http://peoplesclimate.org/march/">People's Climate March</a> -- taking place Sunday, September 21, in New York City (at 11:30, starting at Columbus Circle). <br />
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There will be a host of events and actions taking place in late September in NYC around the <a href="http://www.un.org/climatechange/summit/">UN Climate Summit</a>, which is an attempt to focus attention and engage as part of the run up to the pivotal climate negotiations in <a href="http://www.vox.com/2014/8/28/6075433/global-climate-talks-paris-2015">Paris in 2015</a>. <br />
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It will be an interesting few months in the climate action world, and I'm curious to see how it will play out with the backdrop of mid-term elections and <a href="http://www.weather.com/safety/hurricanes/hurricane-cristobal-rip-currents-east-coast-bermuda-20140827">hurricane season</a> here in the US.<br />
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<br />Georges Dyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565513691257540801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16427492.post-71103105002504314632014-08-26T14:27:00.000-07:002014-08-26T14:34:24.886-07:00CARBON: New short film on pricing carbonHere's a new short film, narrated and produced by Leonardo DiCaprio about the need to price carbon, and a run down on the national and regional efforts to do so.<br />
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It is the first in a 4-part series called Green World Rising. Go to <a href="http://www.greenworldrising.org/"><span style="color: blue;">www.greenworldrising.org</span></a> for more info, and to sign an open letter -- <a href="http://consensusforaction.stanford.edu/see-scientific-consensus/consensus_english.pdf"><span style="color: blue;">"Consensus for Action"</span></a> -- to world leaders at the UN Climate Summit happening in September in New York to show your support for bold action on sustainability.<br />
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Georges Dyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565513691257540801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16427492.post-67557595439019613022014-08-22T13:10:00.000-07:002014-08-22T13:10:00.106-07:00Intentional Endowments<div style="text-align: right;">
<a href="http://www.intentionalendowments.org/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJzzSD1pCokanHIxLY0dFwihQONNXyPoQ9iBDfCOXZ_lTePVIwTojCuWDx3fpnWColG5c_02jsTQphRxQ6l8kiuvnVHraQLop8XU8kK4d0C-IaHAYwLLleE1Jy7EmyVAm7WcBL/s1600/IEN-Logo.png" height="193" title="Intentional Endowments Network" width="200" /></a></div>
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Over the past year, much of my work has focused on an emerging new project aimed at supporting colleges and universities to better-align their endowment investment practices with their mission and values. </div>
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In April we held a summit in Boston -- the Intentionally Designed Endowment conference -- that brought together 120 leaders, including senior administrators from higher ed, endowment managers, investment firms, experts on sustainable investing and fiduciary responsibility, and non-profit executives.<br />
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The event was designed to create a highly-interactive, 'safe-space' to talk through the full range of issues and potential strategies for integrating sustainability and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria into endowment investment portfolios.<br />
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The <a href="http://strategiesforsustainability.blogspot.com/search/label/divestment"><span style="color: blue;">fossil fuel divestment</span></a> movement has been driven in large part by student leadership on college campuses. While many colleges have resisted calls to divest, it has opened up important conversations about if and how institutional mission and values should be incorporated into endowment investing policies and practices. At the same time, as the ESG / sustainable investing space has matured, it has become more common for investors to recognize that sustainability challenges can affect the value of companies and projects, and consequently pose material risks to their portfolios.<br />
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Given these complex and rapidly changing dynamics, participants of the event expressed a clear need for more forums like it, and other ways to continue the conversation and learning on these topics. In response, we've been developing the <a href="http://www.intentionalendowments.org/"><span style="color: blue;">Intentional Endowments Network</span></a>.<br />
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Our website has presentations and videos from the conference, a resource library with reports and articles on key topics, and a news feed for relevant media coverage:<br />
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<a href="http://www.intentionalendowments.org/"><span style="color: blue;">www.intentionalendowments.org</span></a><br />
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We are currently in the process of developing a strategic plan for this exciting new initiative, while at the same time developing tangible actions, including webinars, another Intentionally Designed Endowments conference in the Southwest, a student-focused conference, workshops and sessions at other conferences, new resources, and strategic engagements with individual institutions.<br />
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Please visit the <a href="http://www.intentionalendowments.org/"><span style="color: blue;">website</span></a> and share your thoughts.<br />
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Stay going.<br />
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<br />Georges Dyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565513691257540801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16427492.post-81746825214761930262014-08-20T12:25:00.000-07:002014-08-20T12:38:19.430-07:002014 HBCU Green Report<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWOy1RgwTEIrbrCjZUXZk7z8O9eJUtqJqZn68GBp2t7Z7Ct5SKqhyphenhyphengj6fuDfDjf75j3hTUczGVzno25uYnOhg-aVbaR_N7q6iLlpnyDvgN4zNA0rzr3WNgVja-6g2wzAXLrHxl/s1600/HBCU_green_report_cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWOy1RgwTEIrbrCjZUXZk7z8O9eJUtqJqZn68GBp2t7Z7Ct5SKqhyphenhyphengj6fuDfDjf75j3hTUczGVzno25uYnOhg-aVbaR_N7q6iLlpnyDvgN4zNA0rzr3WNgVja-6g2wzAXLrHxl/s1600/HBCU_green_report_cover.jpg" height="320" width="267" /></a>The second survey of Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs) -- the <a href="http://buildinggreennetwork.org/sustainability-study-reveals-green-revolution-blooming-at-america%E2%80%99s-historically-black-colleges-and-universities/">2014 HBCU Green Report</a> -- was recently released by the Building Green Initiative at Clark Atlanta University.<br />
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The report finds a "green revolution" is underway at HBCUs, despite the fact that these efforts are not sufficiently covered in mainstream higher education, sustainability, or media outlets. Forty-three institutions participated in the survey that yielded the data for the report. These institutions are active in the five focus areas covered: administration, green building, student involvement, food and recycling, and climate change and energy.<br />
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The report found that HBCUs are also recognizing that strategic sustainability plans can benefit the bottom line. Highlighted projects include UMD Eastern Shore's solar farm - the largest concentration of PV panels on one site in Maryland, a LEED Gold renovation at Spelman College, a new Sustainability Institute at Florida A&M, the conversion of the football field to an organic farm at Paul Quinn College, and a commitment to a 20% reduction in energy use over 5 years at Clark Atlanta.<br />
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CAU President, Dr. Carlton Brown states in the report: "Long before the world fully grasped the urgent need to address climate change, Clark Atlanta University’s (CAU) Environmental Justice Resource Center provided leadership in documenting and addressing industrial pollution practices that disproportionately impacted communities of color... This work evolved into a global movement for climate justice. Climate change is one of the most critical challenges facing the global family today and special mission institutions like CAU have a unique role to play in crafting triple bottom line solutions that transform challenged under-served communities into healthy, vibrant livable neighborhoods."<br />
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The Building Green Initiative's report is a great source for learning more about how HBCUs across the country are working to do just that.<br />
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Stay going.<br />
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<br />Georges Dyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565513691257540801noreply@blogger.com0