Video - The Road to Sustainability and Climate Stability (EDF)


Here is a recording of an EDF webinar that discusses a way forward towards sustainability and climate stability. The webinar reviews some of the major highlights from Blueprint 2020, in which the EDF's scientists, economists, and political and policy experts have created a strategic plan to begin reversing global emissions and arrest some of the worst impacts of climate change.

EDF’s senior climate staff discuss the fact that climate change is the most serious environmental threat humanity has ever faced. The levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere we’re seeing today are unprecedented in at least the last 800,000 years.

Rising global temperatures, ocean acidification, rising seas and melting ice sheets all make a compelling case that climate change is already well underway.

Video - Sustainable Packaging and Millenials (Stora Enso Packaging Solutions)


At the 2015 Global Packaging Summit in Barcelona on 26 – 27 January, 2015, Stora Enso Packaging Solutions presented how Millennials are becoming the key target group for retailers and brand owners to win. The Millennials favor sustainable packaging more than older generations, and they are ready to pay for it. The brand owners and retailers that respond to Millennials’ values have a high likelihood of attracting and building loyalty and sales opportunities with this important next generation of consumers; simultaneously they can increase operational efficiency and EBIT margins via smart packaging solutions.

Sustainable packaging is good for the environment and the bottom line. As explored in another Green Market Oracle article, sustainable packaging is growing. It offers added value and a competitive advantage.

Video - Do You Believe the Senator with the Snowball?



On February 26, 2015 Senator Whitehouse refuted Senator Inhofe's absurd comments on climate change. Whitehouse specifically addressed Inhofe's ridiculous use of a snowball as a prop to try to prove his irrational point that the cold and snow in Washington disproves climate change. Whitehouse schooled Inhofe and other climate Luddites about the polar vortex. He then went on to point out all of those who accept the existence of anthropogenic climate change.

  • You can believe NASA or you can believe the Senator with the snowball
  • You can believe the US Navy (and National Security leaders) or you can believe the Senator with the snowball.
  • You can believe religious and faith groups or you can believe the Senator with the snowball.
  • You can believe corporate America (Coke, Pepsi, Ford, GM, Caterpillar, Walmart, Target, VF Industries, Nike, Mars, and Nestle and others)
  • You can believe every major scientific society or you can believe the Senator with the snowball.

Video - Inhofe Uses a Snowball to try to Disprove Climate Change



On February 26, 2015, Senator Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma brought a snowball onto the Senate floor and made the outlandish claim that the cold and snow in Washington somehow disproves climate change. Standing in front of a picture of snow, Inhofe tried to support his feeble argument by pointing to 67 record lows in the US this year. What he failed to mention was that there have been 4,074 record high temperatures logged in the US in the first half of February alone. He derides the finding that 2014 was the warmest in recorded history, and he fails to acknowledge that 9 of the last 10 years are the hottest on record. Inhofe's views would be laughable if it were not for the fact that the GOP controls both the House and the Senate and a majority of Republicans in each chamber deny the existence of man-made climate change.

For more information click here.

Webcast - Innovation in an Unpredictable, Expensive, Digital, and Connected World

Digital Lumens and Andrew Winston present the Webcast - Innovation in an Unpredictable, Expensive, Digital, and Connected World on Tuesday, March 10 at 11:00 AM EDT (10:00 AM Central, 8:00 AM Pacific, 4:00 PM London).

Andrew Winston, a globally recognized speaker and business strategy expert, lays out a new vision for business in a fundamentally changed world. Business as usual is changing as a result of mega-trends that are driven by new technologies that connect us all. But these challenges also offer unprecedented opportunities: multi-trillion-dollar markets are in play and the winners of this new game will profit mightily.

In a unique and entertaining way, Winston's discussion will:

1. Describe the simple but profound mindset shift - the Big Pivot - that companies must make to go beyond merely coping and actually navigate and solve the world's toughest challenges.

2. Provide crucial tactics and strategies for executives and managers to profit from this new, volatile reality. 

3. Offer many "a-ha" and "wow" moments backed by surprising data about the world around us. With concrete advice and tactics, and stories from companies like Coca-Cola, Dow, Ford, Nike, Unilever, and Walmart.

All registrants will receive a copy of Andrew Winston's book The Big Pivot Your mailing address will be required upon registration. The Big Pivot provides a blueprint for creating more resilient, flexible businesses that profit from building a healthier, more sustainable, more prosperous world.

About Andrew Winston

Andrew Winston is a globally recognized expert on how companies can navigate and profit from humanity's biggest challenges. His views on strategy have been sought after by many of the world's leading companies, including HP, J&J, Kimberly-Clark, PepsiCo, PwC, and Unilever. Andrew's latest book, The Big Pivot has been selected among the "Best Business Books of 2014" by Strategy+Business magazine. His first book, Green to Gold, was the top-selling green business title of the last decade. Through his writing, consulting, and speeches (including a TED talk), Andrew provides a practical and optimistic roadmap for building resilient, thriving companies and communities in a volatile world.

Click here to register.

The CPAC Anti-Climate Conference

The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at Maryland's National Harbor takes place from February 25 - 28. It is an opportunity for the right to project their hate onto some of their favorite targets including Tom Steyer, climate scientists, the EPA and of course President Obama.

On Thursday February 26th a panel discussion was held under the title, "What Tom Steyer Won’t Tell You." During this discussion Tom Steyer emerged as the unofficial nominee to replace Al Gore as the most hated environmentalist in Conservative America. Steyer earned the wrath of conservatives for having invested $67 million in support of the environment in the 2014 midterm election cycle.

The Steyer panel discussion denied the existence of climate change. They also derided the vast majority of climate scientists while they lauded a ridiculously small group of climate denying scientists funded by the fossil industry.

Congressman Bill Flores of Texas was one of the speakers and he attacked the EPA, particularly its proposed ozone standards and carbon pollution cap on power plants. Flores's made the absurd claim that due to the EPA's regulations, Obama is on the hook for "trillions" of dollars in economic damages. Flores is clearly not very good at math. The actual cost of reducing coal pollution and shifting to cleaner energy is 9 billion per year while the savings are estimated to be around $55 billion per year by 2030.

Rick Perry spoke at CPAC on Friday February 27th and during which time he did his best to feign interest in science. Perry said that he cares about "real" pollution like nitrogen oxide levels, but inferred that climate change causing carbon dioxide is in some way not quite as real.

He was revealing his climate denying credentials even as he was congratulating himself for work he did not do. He bragged about how carbon dioxide levels are down in his state but added, "whether you believe in this whole climate change concept or not."

The truth is Perry is a climate Luddite who has done nothing but obstruct efforts to combat climate change. Perry concluded his remarks with the comment, "open up the Keystone XL pipeline," which brought the crowd to their feet cheering.

Inhofe's Bastardization of Climate Science

Shifty self serving politicians like Senator Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma use venerable legislatures as a stage for scientific misrepresentation. To illustrate Inhofe's ignorance he recently brought a snowball onto the Senate floor and suggested that snow in Washington disproves climate change. His antics are at odds with the evidence and the will of the American people. 

There is good scientific support indicating that snow and cold in some parts of the nation are entirely consistent with climate change.

Inhofe supported his argument by pointing to 67 record lows in the US this year. What he failed to mention was that there have been 4,074 record high temperatures logged in the US in the first half of February alone. 

He ignores the fact that national and global average temperatures continue to climb. While he derides the finding that 2014 was the warmest in recorded history, he omits to acknowledge that 9 of the last 10 years are the hottest on record. He does not address the fact that the period from December 2014 to January 2015 was the sixth warmest ever recorded for the contiguous US. Nor does he mention that globally the month of January was the second hottest ever recorded.

The positions held by Inhofe and other Republicans on climate change is at odds with the views of the American people. As reported in the Washington Post, the Yale Project on Climate Change Communication indicates that 83 percent of Americans think the country should make efforts to reduce global warming, "even if it comes with economic costs," and more than half said that Congress should do more.

While climate deniers may be a dying breed, the one place they still rule is in US legislatures. Right now Republican deniers control both the House and the Senate. A total of 53 percent of Republicans in the House and 70 percent in the Senate deny humanity's role in climate change. This is a troubling statistic because it precludes the possibility of climate legislation.

It could be argued that legislators who ignore the will of the people and eschew reams of peer reviewed science are unfit to hold public office. Given the magnitude of the repercussions from unchecked climate change it could even be argued that they are criminally liable.

A 2012 report from climate change advocacy group DARA stated that global climate change and pollution from the use of fossil fuels killed nearly 5 million people around the world in 2010 alone.

The refusal of legislators to act has deadly consequences which will get far worse in the future. Those who play politics with this globally devastating issue may even be seen as complicit in murder.

The misrepresentation of climate science for political gain suggests a degree of moral turpitude that is beyond the pale. Inhofe's callousness and intellectual vacuousness will be remembered by future generations with the utmost scorn.

Sustainable Packaging Growth and Competitive Advantage

Research reveals that sustainable packaging is growing and provides a competitive edge. In addition to addressing current and future regulatory demands, green packaging offers added value. As online shopping proliferates consumers are becoming increasingly savvy and part of that awareness extends to packaging.

Many big corporations already use sustainable packaging materials. This includes Cadbury, Coca-Cola, ConAgra Foods, Nestle and Pepsico. These companies know that sustainable packaging materials can preserve food and protect its nutritional value.

As reported in an Environmental Leader article, research firm TechNavio says that the global green packaging market is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 7.84 percent between 2014 and 2019. This growth is expected to be driven largely by the food and beverage industry.

Faisal Ghaus, VP of TechNavio, explained that green packaging also offers a competitive advantage. Sustainable packaging is both good for the environment and the bottom line.

The Business Case for Sustainability: Corporations, Banks and Investors

In recent years the business case for sustainability has grown stronger. The combination of corporate engagement, banking support and shareholder demand support the drive towards sustainability. The demand for sustainability increases environmental commitments multiply. There is unprecedented demand for sustainability from consumers, clients and shareholders. Corporations, banks and shareholders are all in business to make money and sustainability is good business.

Corporations

There are a large and growing number of studies which make the business case for sustainability. Businesses are increasingly looking to capitalize on opportunities associated with the green economy and to protect themselves from exposure to environmental risks.
In a Guardian article, Andrew Behar, the CEO of As You Sow, a nonprofit promoting environmental and social corporate responsibility explains it this way: "The business case is that we are at the inflection point of the greatest transition in human history from a fossil-fuel-based economy to a clean economy."

There are a number of very successful corporations that are engaging sustainability. This includes corporations like Patagonia, AECOM and Unilever. The sheer size of the opportunity commands the interest of the business community. The World Economic Forum estimates that the transition to a low carbon economy will require $1 trillion in investments.

Banks

In the last couple of years, a number of large banks have set sustainability investment goals. In 2013 Bank of America and Wells Fargo each committed $50 billion for financing sustainable initiatives and green transport. Most recently Citigroup announced that they would invest an additional 100 billion in sustainability. That is in addition to the 50 billion they have already invested.

Valerie Smith, director of corporate sustainability at Citigroup said that the company’s announcement comes in the face of immense client demand for sustainable investing: “You probably can follow the chain. Our clients are demanding it, our clients’ clients are demanding it, our clients’ investors are demanding it. There is a momentum and focus on solving big global societal problems that everybody is rallying to.”

Investors

Investors interest in sustainability is being driven by lucrative opportunities as a growing body of data shows that sustainability pays. Investors are concerned about both the risk of exposure to environmental concerns and the opportunities from companies with strong sustainability oriented positioning.

The opportunity is huge and investors want in on the action. "It’s the economics now. It’s not just about wanting to save the planet,” Behar said. New metrics are also driving investments in sustainability.

The world is catching up to predictions that called sustainability an unstoppable megatrend driven by a powerful logic

Citigroup Invests 100 Billion to Combat Climate Change

Citigroup, the third largest US investment institution, announced they will invest $100 billion to finance green initiatives and sustainable growth. Citigroup will support a wide range of mitigation efforts that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as well as adaptation projects that help communities to adapt to the impacts of climate change.

They plan to incorporate sustainability principles into everything they do and assist their clients to address environmental risks. Their efforts will cut GHG emissions through resource efficiency, sustainable transport, energy efficiency, renewable energy, green housing, and water waste reduction.

These new initiatives are designed to help them meet their 2020 environmental impact targets which include slashing GHGs by 35 percent, reducing energy and water use by 30 percent and cutting water waste by 60 percent. In 2007 the committed to invest 50bn in green investment by 2016. They met this goal in 2013, three years earlier than expected.

However, critics point to Citibank's fossil fuel investments, particularly those associated with coal, which undermine the value of these sustainability initiatives.

Infographic - States that Send the Most Climate Deniers to Washington


Duke Energy's $102 M Plea Bargain for its Coal Ash Dumping

Following years of protests and legal challenges from environmental groups, justice is finally catching up to Duke Energy. The company has accepted responsibility and begun to negotiate the amount of it will pay in response to a number of criminal charges stemming from years of dumping coal waste into North Carolina's rivers.

Since 2010 Duke has dumped thousands of tons of coal ash waste from power plants into the state's rivers. On Friday February 20, 2015, federal prosecutors filed nine counts of misdemeanors under the Clean Water Act.

Rather than challenge the charges in court, Duke is getting out their checkbook. As part of a plea bargain agreement they are working on with the federal government Duke will pay more than $100 million. The plea bargain deal would see Duke pay $68 million in fines and $34 million in restitution for a total of more than $102 million.

The public first became aware of the problem on February 3, 2014, when Duke spilled thousands of tons of coal ash into the Dan river. The incident was followed by another incident where Duke was caught red handed deliberately dumping coal ash into the state's waterways. Coal ash contains a number of toxic components including arsenic, mercury and lead.

The problem is recurrent as indicated by a Duke report filed in December which acknowledged 200 seeps at its coal fired plants in North Carolina. Two of the plants sited leaked almost 1 million gallons every day.

Bristol Wins the European Green Capital Award

The UK city of Bristol has been selected as the winner of the European Green Capital award. Bristol is located in the South West England and it won the jury over with its ambitious investment plans in transport and energy. Since 2000 the city has implemented a series of strategies and action plans to combat climate change. This includes Bristol Climate Protection and Sustainable Energy Strategy and the Local Transport Plan to 2026.

Bristol is already known as the UK's greenest city and it has established a well earned reputation for efficiency. Since 2005 Bristol has consistently reduced its carbon emissions and improved air quality and the acoustic environment while growing the economy at the same time. The green economy in Bristol grew by 4.7 percent in 2012. The city has also made great strides in reducing and managing waste.

As a carbon free mode of transportation cycling has received significant support from the city. Since 2010 they have doubled the number of cyclists on Bristol's roads and they are committed to doubling this number again by 2020.

The city seeks to be carbon free and with this in mind it has announced that it will be investing €500m for transport improvements by 2015 and up to €300m for energy efficiency and renewable energy by 2020. A €100m ELENA investment is part of their renewable energy efforts.

Bristol wants to be a European economic center for low-carbon industry. The city focused on innovation as evidenced by their tag line which reads, "Laboratory for Change." Their eco-innovation is part of their sustainable jobs strategy. They are pursuing a target of 17,000 new jobs in creative, digital and low carbon sectors by 2030.

Between 2005 and 2010, Bristol's domestic energy use declined by 16 percent while the energy efficiency of housing has improved by 25 percent between 2000 and 2011. As a signatory to the Covenant of Mayors in 2009, the city has set ambitious targets to reduce energy use by 30 percent and CO2 emissions by 40 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050 (from 2005 baseline).

Bristol will use its digital acumen through social media to interact with the rest of Europe. The city is already a role model for the UK and now this award will increase their profile in Europe and the wider world. Bristol is a showcase of sustainable city attributes that can serve as a template for cities everywhere.

President Obama Vetoes the Keytone XL Pipeline

On February 24 President Obama vetoed a bill that would have forced approval of the Keystone XL (KXL) tar sands pipeline. Thousands of people urged the President to reject the bill.

While the veto is good news, it is a little more than a stay of execution. The State Department is about to release its final decision on the fate of the pipeline.

The President said that he would not allow the Keystone to proceed if it increases climate change causing emissions. Millions of people expect the President to honor his pledge and cancel the KXL once and for all.

The Keystone XL bill included some small concessions including an energy efficiency amendment. However, a scaled-back version of bipartisan energy efficiency legislation and the promotion of energy efficiency retrofits for schools are small consolation compared to the massive carbon bomb associated with the KXL.

Online Course - Introduction to Sustainability Reporting

This course is an introduction for people who are thinking about getting into sustainability reporting and want to learn why it’s important. Participants will gain key tips for drafting their first sustainability report. This course is taught in 6 sections, each with its own video, notes, activities and list of follow-up resources. Intro to Reporting is designed to be an introduction for people who are thinking about getting into sustainability reporting, want to get a taste of why it’s an important practice, or hope to simply gain understanding of trends in the industry.

The course assumes you have some basic understanding of sustainability issues: the environmental and social issues facing companies today, like water, waste, climate change, human rights and supply chain. If you aren’t sure what that means, consider taking the Intro to Sustainability course taught by Jennifer Roney first.

If you are planning to become a sustainability reporter for your organization, this course will provide an overview of key topics you need to understand. You’ll also get concrete tips for drafting your first report.

This course is taught in 6 sections, each with its own video, notes, activities and list of follow-up resources. The six sections are:

Section 1: Why Report

We cover popular reasons for producing a sustainability report. We start here because many sustainability reporting initiatives begin with an internal champion – maybe that’s you! We want to give you some resources for making the internal case for your reporting efforts and help you clarify your own reasons for reporting, so that you can move forward efficiently.

Section 2: Current State of Sustainability Reporting

In section 2, we take a look at trends in sustainability overall, as these will help you frame your efforts.

Section 3: Overview of Popular Sustainability Reporting Standards

In section three we offer an overview of many of the popular sustainability reporting standards. The industry is on the insular side and therefore includes a number of acronyms. We’ll introduce you to the leading organizations and resources and explain how they can help you with your reporting efforts.

Section 4: What to Report (Materiality)

Section 4 gets into the meat of your reporting efforts: how to decide what belongs in a sustainability report. We’ll walk you through some of the easier ways to decide and introduce some of the more detailed options for organizations that are further along in their sustainability reporting efforts. We’ll also cover time management, materiality and improving your reporting over time.

Section 5: How to Report (Data Collection)

Section 5 provides some tips on collecting data to make sure that you’re your report is rigorous and complete. It’s possible to produce a high-quality report without a ton of resources and we’ll explain how.

Section 6: Stakeholder Engagement

In the final section, we’ll talk about common stakeholders and understand why we care about what they think. We’ll discuss why and how to integrate them into your reporting process.

Outline

Module 1 Intro to Sustainability Reporting Unit 1 Part 1: Why Report? Unit 2 Part 2: Current State of Sustainability Reporting Unit 3 Part 3: Popular Reporting Standards Unit 4 Part 4: What to Report (Materiality) Unit 5 Part 5: How to Report (Data Collection) Unit 6 Part 6: Stakeholder Engagement Unit 7 Feedback and Certificate (Intro to Reporting)

Each section includes resources for further study and an activity to help drive home the messages of the section. The course is also filled with tips to share with your colleagues to introduce them to some of the course learnings.

This course is designed to be self-directed and for you to learn at your own pace. Registration of $297 includes all updates for one year.

Click here to register.

Related
Comprehensive Summary of Sustainability Reporting Guidance
The Future of Integrated Sustainability Reporting
Sustainability Reporting to Minimize Negative Impacts and Increase Positive Benefits
Sustainability Reporting: Video of Company efforts to Engage New GRI G4 Guidelines
Webinar - Sustainability Reporting to GRI G4: Time to Make The Switch
Meaningfull Change to Make CR Reporting Pay: Inverviews
Video - Corporate Sustainability Report 2013: The Way to Long

Webinar - Sustainability Consulting: Market Size And Future Forecast

This webinar will take place on Thursday, March 5, 2015 at 11am - 12 noon (EST), 4.00pm - 5.00pm (UK), 8am - 9am (PST). It shares data from the new Verdantix market size and forecast study for sustainability consulting looking at multiple markets around the world.

Sustainability consulting burst into the mainstream business consulting market in 2007. But it has been a challenging segment for management consulting firms due to small deal sizes, the illusionary budgets of sustainability leaders and competition from not for profits with heavily networked consulting arms. This webinar shares data from the new Verdantix market size and forecast study for sustainability consulting looking at multiple markets around the world. You will have the opportunity to debate the future prospects for this enigmatic market in the context of our global sustainability survey data.

The webinar will be presented by Yaowen Ma, Analyst, Verdantix

When registering for the webinar please use your work or institute email address. Personal email addresses e.g. gmail, yahoo, aol cannot be approved.

Click here to apply.

Sustainable Packaging is Good for the Enviroment and the Bottom LIne

Sustainable packaging reduces environmental impacts, saves money, it can even increase sales and support premium pricing. The 500 billion global packing industry is addressing burgeoning demand and meeting the challenge by developing packaging that saves on materials that do not compromise stability. This is hardly a new trend and it has been gaining momentum for a number of years now.

A 2009 AMR research study reported in an IndustryWeek article said the most frequently used method of generating savings is by reducing packaging waste. More than three quarters (76 percent) of the companies surveyed stated that they are engaged in efforts to reduce packaging waste.

A 2007 survey by the Sustainable Packaging Coalition and Packaging Digest magazine indicated that almost three quarters (73 percent) of 1,255 respondents involved in packaging stated that their companies were emphasizing sustainable packaging.

Efforts to reduce packaging include some big names like Dell which in 2008 announced its plans to cut its packaging by 20 million pounds. Others include sustainability leader Unilever which has promised to cut its use of materials by one third by 2020. Kraft Foods now uses recyclable cardboard instead of tins for its coffee brands (Maxwell House, Nabob and Yuban).

In 2010 US market analyst Pike research predicted that sustainable packaging will grow to 32 percent of the total global packaging market by 2014, up from just 21 percent in 2009. Pike Research estimates that global sales with sustainable packaging will almost double between 2009 and 2014, from 88 to 170 billion dollars.

"The environmental awareness of consumers has significantly increased as a consequence of the climate debate," said Pike Research President Clint Wheelock.

Paper and paper-based packaging are the largest sectors with more than 40 percent of the global packaging market. However, plastic and metal base recycling will continue to grow. Plastic accounts for 35 percent of packaging materials and it may see the fastest growth while metal is the easiest material to recycle. Pike estimates that by 2014 more than 63 percent of metal based packaging will be environmentally friendly.

Wheelock also said “ the move toward sustainable packaging represents a broad based effort by manufacturers, retailers, industry groups, and governments to promote the design of minimal packaging that can be easily reclaimed. A tremendous amount of innovation is going into reducing energy requirements to manufacture packaging and using more recyclable and compostable materials, but there is still a long way to go.”

A 2011 Packaging Digest survey revealed that interest is being driven by Consumer demand (48 percent), pricing pressure (47 percent) and retailer/brand owner requirements (35 percent).

In addition to saving costs, sustainable packaging can also increase sales and justify higher price points. According to a Viewpoint report from Stora Enso, sustainable packaging can increase net sales by between 2 and 4 percent. They further predict that this will increase as millenials assume more buying power.

Almost 60 percent of millennials consider packaging sustainability to be important. Four out of five millennials consider packaging as important when making purchasing decisions and 85 percent of millennials consider packaging material part of the brand experience, compared to 71 percent among non-millennials.

Even more interestingly, the report reveals that 44 percent of millenials are prepared to pay a premium for products with sustainable packaging.

Sustainable packaging is growing and offers a competitive advantage.  

A Case Study on the Value of Sustainable Sourcing

Sustainable sourcing really does make good business sense. The value of this view has been demonstrated by a very successful US restaurant chain. They are showing that responsible procurement is entirely consistent with bottom line concerns. Sustainable sourcing goes beyond economic considerations and takes into account environmental, social and ethical factors as well.
As Apple CEO Tim Cook explained, engaging sustainability initiatives is about more than ROI. However, Apple's bottom line appears to be benefiting. The example of Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. demonstrates that sustainable sourcing can be a bottom line success factor. An earnings call on Tuesday February 3, by fast food restaurant Chipotle provided the business case for a principled stand on the sourcing of sustainable meat.

The success of Chipotle is built on a business strategy that involves acquiring ingredients from organic and local meat and vegetable producers. They avoid antibiotics, added hormones and chemical pesticides. 

Chipotle stock has climbed steadily in the last decade and in the last five years it has enjoyed a meteoric rise and a particularly strong final quarter of 2014. As of February 23 it was listed at $671 a share just below its 52 week high of $727. The chain has recently added 60 new restaurants and its 2014 revenues went up 27.8 percent to $4.11 billion.

Chipotle is a global leader in terms of its sourcing of sustainable, humanely treated animals. The company recently had its supply chain disrupted when it was forced to suspend an important pork supplier in January because they did not comply with its animal welfare standards. Chipotle demands that its pork suppliers give pigs access to the outdoors and deeply bedded barns.

"The differences in animal welfare between pigs raised this way and pigs that are conventionally raised [are] stark, and we simply won’t compromise our standards this way," a company spokesman said in an email.

In a conference call, Co-Chairman and Co-CEO Steve Ells explained the merits sustainable business and expressed confidence about this decision along with his company’s mission and business model.

"[M]ost conventionally-raised pigs are subjected to conditions that we find unacceptable," Ells said.

This suspension meant that one third of Chipotle's 1,800 restaurants had to remove pork from their menus, a move which could hurt sales. However, Ells is confident the strategy will continue to pay off in the long run.

"Customers are applauding our commitment to our vision, thanking us for standing on principle, commending us for taking action against the inhumane treatment of animals, and congratulating us for standing by our business values," he said.

Ells made the point that standing up for company values will strengthen its supply chain and contribute to further growth. In short, sustainable sourcing adds to the bottom line.

A growing number of customers are more concerned about the quality of their food and this is particularly true among younger consumers.

Chipotle's social responsibility leadership is a significant part of the reason why the company has enjoyed such strong growth and an even bigger reason why they are well positioned to keep eating up market share going forward.

Webinar - Sustainability Reporting to GRI G4: Time to Make The Switch

This free webinar will take place on Tuesday March 10, 2015. Sustainability Reporting to GRI G4, is aimed at helping organizations to succeed in developing winning sustainability strategies. Key to an integrated and effective organizational strategy is a clear sustainability story – this is central to business in 2015.

Organizations are advised strongly that they have until December 2015 to make the switch to GRI G4. This webinar gives organizations the guidance on what GRI G4 is and how to apply it. It is a taster session to support organizations as they prepare to report. GRI G4 is a robust framework and this webinar will help you to get started.

BACKGROUND

This is a key webinar in our webinar series aimed at helping organizations to succeed in developing winning sustainability strategies. Key to an integrated and effective organizational strategy is a clear sustainability story – this is central to business in 2015. SGS is running a range of webinars aimed at supporting organizations on every step of their sustainability journeys.

PRESENTER

Dr. Colin Morgan, Global Product Manager – Social Responsibility Performance Assessments

TARGET AUDIENCE

This webinar will be most of interest to organizational sustainability strategists, reporting specialists, corporate communications teams, finance officers, senior leadership teams at organizations around the globe, sustainability professionals.

Session 1
05:00 p.m. Singapore, Kuala Lumpur (Singapore Time)
09:00 a.m. London (GMT Summer Time)
10:00 a.m. Paris, Berlin, Madrid, Amsterdam (Europe Summer Time)
06:30 p.m. Darwin (Australia Central Time)

Click here to register for session 1

Session 2
10:00 a.m. New York (Eastern Daylight Time)
02:00 p.m. London (GMT Summer Time)
03:00 p.m. Paris, Berlin, Madrid, Amsterdam (Europe Summer Time)
11:00 a.m. Brazil (S. America Eastern Standard Time)

Click here to register for session 2

For more information contact Nelirene Dablio, Global Interactive Marketing Manager SGS S.A. +63 2 848 0777 loc. 8772

Related
Comprehensive Summary of Sustainability Reporting Guidance
The Future of Integrated Sustainability Reporting
Sustainability Reporting to Minimize Negative Impacts and Increase Positive Benefits
Sustainability Reporting: Video of Company efforts to Engage New GRI G4 Guidelines
Meaningfull Change to Make CR Reporting Pay: Inverviews
Video - Corporate Sustainability Report 2013: The Way to Long

Sustainability Best Practices and Case Studies

A new guide and toolkit helps organizations to cultivate a sustainability. The GEMI Quick Guide uses best practice and case studies to illustrate how corporations demonstrate and communicate the value of sustainability to achieve key sustainability objectives.

The guide makes use of case studies from GEMI member companies including 3M, Ashland, ConocoPhillips, P&G, Perdue Farms, Phillips66, Smithfield Foods and Union Pacific.

As explained by GEMI’s communications chair, Bob Toy, director of environmental sustainability at Union Pacific, the guide, "discusses how a company can promote, motivate, and accelerate sustainability within an organization by defining business opportunities and risks, establishing tangible objectives for sustainability projects or programs, identifying meaningful and relevant issues, and communicating effectively with stakeholders."

To access the free guide click here (pdf).

Cold and Snow Steal Headlines but we are Still Warming

While it may seem as though the US is enduring a record cold winter it is actually quite warm. We have witnessed record breaking snowfalls and parts of the North East are indeed colder than usual. The US is still in the grips of global warming and record snowfalls are consistent with climate change particularly in the Northeast.

According to the National Climatic Data Center, the period from December 2014 to January 2015 is the sixth hottest ever recorded for the contiguous US. Globally the month of January was the second hottest on record.

In California temperatures have been more than 5 degrees Fahrenheit above average. Across the country record high temperatures have been equaled or broken three and a half thousand times in January. There have been even more record breaking high temperatures in the month of February.

USA Today quotes the NRDC as saying there have been 4,074 record high temperatures logged in the US in the first half of February alone.

Cold temperatures are entirely consistent with climate change. Increasing levels of atmospheric carbon are changing the balance of naturally occurring weather systems. This can lead to periods of extreme cold weather.

However, periods of cold weather in some parts of the US does not alter the overall warming trend. Both nationally and globally temperatures are increasing. The key is to appreciate the difference between weather and climate. Overall temperatures continue to rise and we are experiencing far more record heat waves than cold.

There is a clear trend that is emerging over time. Last year 2014 is the hottest to date and nine of the 10 hottest years on record have come since 2000.

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Event - Smart Cities

The Smart Cities event will take place on March, 11 - 13, 2015 at the Inter Expo Center in Sofia, Bulgaria. The focus of ‘Smart Cities’ Exhibition and Conference will be on intelligent transport, building management and automation, ICT technology implementation in the overall urban activity. It will attract representatives of institutions, municipalities, branch organizations, private companies, providing interactivity and networking between them.

Today, 80 pecent of the Europeans live in cities. They occupy only about 2% of the land area, but they consume 75% of resources and emit 80% CO2. It is really important to change the way we consume and produce. The intelligent vision of the cities can be a reality through wider introduction of advanced solutions. ‘Smart Cities’ will identify the path towards the sustainable urban development in South-East Europe.

‘Smart Cities’ is an excellent opportunity to showcase your products, to start new joint business projects, to share your experience.

Click here to register.

Event - Energy Efficiency & Renewables

The 11th edition of the event Energy Efficiency & Renewables will take place on March 11 - 13, 2015 in Sofia, Bulgaria at the Inter Expo Center.

The 2015 edition aims to promote the latest energy developments and encourage their large-scale implementation in South-East Europe as well as speed up foreign investment in the regional economy. It is a great networking place for the international and local industry players.


South-East European Exhibition on Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy is organized by Via Expo.
It is attended by leading companies from Austria, Bulgaria, China, Czech Republic, Greece, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, the Netherlands and Ukraine showcased products and innovations. Among the exhibitors were AB Energy Romania, Austep, Biogest Energie- und Wassertechnik, CPM Europe, Dreyer & Bosse, Eqtec, Global Hydro Energy, Hitachi Zosen Inova, Nahtec, Polytechnik Luft-und Feuerungstechnik, Solare Datensysteme, Weiss, etc. For 5th year in a row there was an Austrian Pavilion, located at a larger exhibition area. Exhibition index: energy efficient solutions for heating, cooling, ventilation and lighting; bio-, hydro-, solar-, geothermal- and wind energy, waste-to-energy, electric vehicles, etc.

The opportunities and perspectives of the SE European market

The security of energy supply, fast climate changes, strong economic and social benefits have prompted many countries in South-East Europe to diversify their energy mix and to reduce the import of fossil fuels, keeping money circulation within the regional economy.

The Region has a great potential for utilization of renewables. Well-developed agriculture and forestry industries, availability of organic waste are a prerequisite for biogas, methane and biomass production. The decentralized solar electricity generation for heating and cooling is encouraging, too. A very perspective market segment is the realization of waste-to-energy projects through public private partnerships.

Countries with a sea outlet have the opportunity to drive forward the 'blue energy' sector and only 40% of the hydro energy sources is developed in SE Europe.

The energy systems transformation will need a new grid that combines capacity for high volume transfers and distribute energy with smart power management.

Investments for improvement of energy efficiency in private and public buildings as well as in industry are coming – the South-East European countries are developing also strategies for zero energy buildings.

The CO2 reduction in transport sector is the other priority issue and in the Region solutions for replacement of the fossil fuels with alternative low carbon fuels are sought. In terms of e-mobility, the South-East Europe is at its early stage and governments are going to stimulate this emerging industry.

Click here to register.

Or Contact Maya Kristeva for more information +359 (32) 960 011, 966 813 office@viaexpo.com  

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Event - Ecobuild 2015

The Ecobuild 2015 event will take place on March 3-5 in London, UK. This is the sustainable design, construction and energy event for new, refurbished, commercial and domestic buildings. Across three days, the seminar programme will deliver practical and applied information focusing on the key issues for sustainability professionals. Each seminar is structured to provide key learning points, supported by case studies, analysis and examples of best practice.

Discover the new innovative products, future materials, new thinking and solutions.

Explore things like solar thermal technology systems, rainwater harvesting and controlled release of excess water, natural and fan assisted convection heating emitters and passive heat recovery ventilation.

Ecobuild is ISO 20121 Sustainable Event Management System Certified.

For more information click here.

Event - Zero Waste Awards

The deadline to enter the Zero Waste Awards is March 2 2015. Businesses, public authorities and third sector organizations are becoming more and more aware of the importance of zero waste. They want to be part of the sustainability solution, and the Zero Waste Awards recognizes and rewards them for doing so.

All organisations who receive a Zero Waste Award will be invited to attend the annual recognition luncheon. Recipients of a Gold Zero Waste Award will receive further recognition for their commitment to reducing waste to landfill, being automatically entered into the Zero Waste Platinum category at the Awards for Excellence in Recycling and Waste Management.

This year, the Zero Waste Platinum Award was awarded to KP Snacks. Submitting an entry is straightforward and takes just a few simple steps. What’s more, entry is free of charge, and the rewards are hugely worthwhile. 

Celebrating commitment to zero waste A sustainable society is one that makes the most of its resources, reducing waste and keeping products and materials in the loop.

Businesses, public authorities and third sector organisations are realising the benefits of adopting a Zero Waste approach, eliminating waste to realise environmental and cost benefits. The Zero Waste Awards recognise and reward leadership, innovation and commitment to this goal.

Unique in the waste and recycling sector, the Zero Waste Awards are non-competitive and are awarded on merit, with Highly Commended, Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards to recognise good practice in the field. So whether you’ve completely eliminated waste from your processes, or you’re just setting out on the journey towards Zero Waste, a Zero Waste Award is within reach.

Winning a Zero Waste Award demonstrates commitment to environmental and cost savings to your customers, clients, partners and funders.

The Zero Waste Awards are celebrated at the annual recognition luncheon. Winners of the Gold Zero Waste Award are also automatically entered into the Zero Waste Platinum category at the Awards for Excellence in Recycling and Waste Management. This year, the Zero Waste Platinum Award was awarded to KP Snacks.

The Awards have been established by letsrecycle.com, the news and information portal for the recycling and waste management sector, businesses and local Government. They are partnered by SAICA Natur, the multinational paper and packaging manufacturer, Wastecare, the national waste management experts and Ceris Burns International, specialist PR and communication agency for the environmental; recycling and waste management; facilities management and cleaning industries.

Submitting an entry is straightforward and takes just a few simple steps.

AIMS OF THE AWARDS

Stimulate debate to drive improvement
Inspire and encourage organizations to commit to zero waste
Educate and connect with the next generation
Celebrate progress in driving down waste
Showcase innovation and recognize best practice
Reward those who demonstrate how zero waste can be achieved
Keep up with current legislation.

To enter click here.

For more information contact Daniella Jarvie-Thomas Senior Events Executive:
T: 020 7633 4524
E: daniella.t@letsrecycle.com

Event - Carbon Pricing Discussion Forum

A Carbon Pricing Discussion Forum will take place on Monday February 23, 2015, at 6:30 pm at the McNabb Community Centre, 180 Percy street, Ottawa, Ontario. Carbon pricing is the method most favored by economics for reducing global warming emissions. Such a system charges those who emit carbon dioxide (CO2) for their emissions. That charge, called a carbon price, is the amount that must be paid for the right to emit one tonne of CO2 into the atmosphere. This conversation is particularly relevant for Ontario as the province gets ready to implement carbon pricing. Come to this discussion forum to hear the thoughts of a distinguished panel of experts. They will discuss their views on different systems and invite the opinions of those in attendance.

Expert Panel
  • David Chernushenko (Councillor, Capital Ward)
  • Nathalie Chalifour (Social Justice Professor, UOttawa)
  • Nic Rivers (Canada Research Chair in Climate and Energy Policy, UOttawa)
  • Dave Sawyer (Economic Advisor and CEO, EnviroEcoonomics)
  • Alex Wood (Senior Director, Policy and Markets, Sustainable Prosperity, UOttawa)

The panel will discuss which carbon pricing instrument(s) may be better for:
  • Achieving the required emissions reductions
  • Ensuring stability of price of emission reduction
  • Achieving economic efficiency
  • Mitigating negative effect on competitiveness of industries
  • Making sure it is simple and transparent (and if it matters)
  • Addressing fairness for low- and middle-income families (mitigating regressive effects)
  • Ability to get public and stakeholder support
  • Ensuring that it survives over time

This discussion is hosted by Price Carbon Now a grassroots campaign that supports a broad, effective and equitable carbon pricing in Ontario.

Click here for more information.

Video - Live Earth 2015: Pharrell Williams and Al Gore Launch Live Earth Climate Action Concert

Video - Live Earth 2015:  Pharrell Williams and Al Gore Launch Live Earth Climate Action Concert

Oscar Nominated Film White Earth and Interview with the Director

Oscar Nominated Film White Earth and Interview with the Director
The Oscars will be taking place on Sunday February 22 and one of the films nominated is about the oil boom in America’s Northern Plains called "White Earth." This is the tale of three children and an immigrant mother as they brave winter. This film explores themes of innocence, home and the American Dream.

Here is an interview published on 350.org with the film's director J. Chrstian Jensen.

"I would like people to have a much more nuanced look at what is happening there, and I would like them to see in some small way the way that the oil industry has affected a community of people and to think long and hard whether that is something they want in their own community," Jensen said.

Q: What drew you to this location and this story?

A: I first heard about what was happening in North Dakota from my father who lives in southern Utah, in St George. There were a lot of people that were leaving my home town because of the bad situation, the housing market crash, and many of them were moving either by themselves or with their families to North Dakota. It was this economic promise land and it really felt like something from the ‘Grapes of Wrath.’ These people moving up in their cars and trucks and looking for work. So, that’s what led me to North Dakota.

What really sold me on sticking with the story and following through was when I arrived for the first time. It was around sunset in the late fall in 2012 and as I started driving across the highway – you just see miles and miles of wheat fields, and it kind of harkened on all these images I had in my head of the heartland. But, as the sun set, the transformation on the land became so dramatic because there were flames coming out of the ground as far as the eyes could see, and oil rigs with light that made it look like something sort of alien invasion and constant truck traffic, and the sounds. It really felt like something post-apocalyptic. And those images really stuck with me. I felt like I wanted to get to the bottom of those images in a small way.

Q: Out of all the different towns, what drew you to White Earth specifically?

A: My film is about people on the outside, misfits, people on the periphery. Just like the characters in the film, I felt like White Earth was sort of a misfit town. It was far enough outside of the highway that most people wouldn’t really know it was there and it was old and lot of derelict buildings. And it was also the home of this boy James who becomes sort of the heart of the film and the film’s narrator. I was just compelled by this tiny town, and the fact that multiple times a day hundreds of oil tankards passed through that town heading to who knows where. So it felt like this little microcosm of what was happening all across the region.

Q: What kind of research did you do in the lead up to making this film?

A: I tried not to go into it with a really strong political stance about what should or shouldn’t be happening there. I wanted to delineate my story to be about the people and even moreso, the people that you probably wouldn’t hear from in the major media coverage of what was happening. I learned about the process of fracking, which has driven the boom so I could have a sense of what kinds of technologies and what kinds of processes were being used. And that was very important so that I could speak the language and understand what people were doing.

Q: Besides the people you spotlight in the film, are there other perspective you met whose stories you wish you could also tell.

A: What’s happening in North Dakota and the regions it is so huge that there are limitless numbers of stories that could be told in a very compelling way. I met women who were working there in very much a man’s world, a man’s environment. I would have loved to tell some of their stories. And I was also very interested in the way that the locals, many of them, farmers and ranchers were having their lives transformed – sometimes through wealth. Vast wealth that was coming to them, and the conflicts and the tensions that arose out of that new found wealth and the fact that one farmer could be making millions and his next door neighbor could be making nothing – and how it might divide families who have grown up for generations next to each other. So there were a lot of stories I would have loved to tell, but just couldn’t given the constraints of my film.

Q: Were people welcoming to you? Were they eager to tell you their story or were some people more hostile to you being there recording?

A: There were definitely some people who were hostile. Largely because there were so many people out there – making films, reporting for the news, many of whom who had strong political leanings or leanings what was happening out there. And they were resistant to being misrepresented or made to look bad in some way. However, I was really surprised by generally how welcoming people were – especially the locals, the North Dakotans. They were so nice, and most of them allowed me into their home, tried to help me get access to some of the oil sites. The locals themselves were quite open and transparent about what was happening, but where I always seemed to get hung up was when I tried to engage with or get permission from the oil companies themselves and almost every single one of those experiences ended in failure.

Q: Were people aware of the negative environmental or climate impacts or was it just never part of their thought process?

A: I think that most of the people that were involved in the work were either politically leaned in some way that they really didn’t care that much about the larger environmental impact or the narrative that surrounds that – or there was a lot of willful ignorance or self-deception about what was happening. And almost anyone could hide behind the immediate economic needs they had.

It’s so complex, how can you judge someone that is really going to great lengths to try and provide for their family if they truly don’t have other options. It’s really difficult for me to judge someone in that situation. And for me, my sense was – and I heard this from a lot of people – ‘we all use this energy, people of all political leanings use this energy, using this oil- and we’re the ones doing the dirty work in order that they can have what they need.’ And so sometimes they felt targeted and misrepresented by people that are against the oil. And even I myself wondered – if we as a society continue to not make the changes in our energy priorities so that we do need this energy source, maybe we should be forced to see it in our back yard, maybe we shouldn’t be letting other countries do the dirty work. And perhaps if we saw what it does to our own land and landscape we might have a greater incentive to change our energy priorities on a much larger scale. I don’t know if that’s the answer, but it was something I frequently found myself thinking.

Q: Yourself being from southern Utah, the extractive industry is a very real presence isn’t it?

A: Yes, and that’s something I’m very close to. There’s definitely a battle brewing in southern Utah where my home is. The lands that are under threat are places that are very dear to me because I’m a big outdoor canyoneer and I very much have a deep sense of love for the wild places in southern Utah. And that’s something I will actively fight, because that is my place and that is my land, and it’s still my home. It’s a place where I have an especially strong stewardship and I think that the costs far outweigh the benefits.

Q: What are the some takeaways you want people to have after seeing your film?

A: I think that one of the main takeaways of my film is I would like people to have a much more nuanced look at what is happening there, and I would like them to see in some small way the way that the oil industry has affected a community of people and to think long and hard whether that is something they want in their own community. Ultimately, we are the stewards over the places we live, and the more knowledge and long term understanding about those places, the better we will be at making those decisions. Any time that outside forces come in seeking to capitalize off of a region, I think that there needs to be a very strong power balance between those forces and the local people. And not just a balance of who can say who is able to allow or disallow what happens, but also a balance of information. And if people are truly informed and given a very long term view of the pros and cons of the decisions they’re are making, then I think that people are more likely to make wise decisions they will not regret one or two generations down the road.

For more information on the film click here.

Click here to purchase the film on Vimeo.

Video - Drought in California: No Rain in San Francisco



Drought is making life difficult in areas all over the world and one of the worst hit areas is California. As a sign California's persistent drought, downtown San Francisco recorded no measurable rain in January 2015, this is the first time this has happened in at least 165 years. The National Weather Service also said Santa Cruz recorded no rain in January for the first time since 1893. Normal rainfall for that city in January is more than 6 inches. For the Bay Area as a whole, last month was the driest January on record, the weather service said.

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Video - Paulson and Page Live Discussion on the release of "Heat in the Heartland"


Risky Business Project co-chair Henry Paulson and Risk Committee member Gregory Page hold a live discussion on the release of "Heat in the Heartland: Climate Change and Economic Risk in the Midwest," the second report from the Risky Business Project.

Click here to see the report "Heat in the Heartland: Climate Change and Economic Risk in the Midwest"

Video - Launch of Heat in Heartland: Climate Change and Economic Risk in the Midwest


The new Risky Business Project report report, "Heat in the Heartland: Climate Change and Economic Risk in the Midwest, "quantifies climate risk for Midwestern metro areas in a more granular and industry specific way than any ever has before. In this video Risky Business Project Co-Chair and Former Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Risk Committee member and Former CEO of Cargill Inc. Gregory Page introduce the report.

Click here to see the report "Heat in the Heartland: Climate Change and Economic Risk in the Midwest"

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The Growing Strength of the Fossil Fuel Divestment Movement

Fossil fuel companies will never voluntarily walk away from dirty energy, so it is up to us to walk away from them. It is futile to try to encourage Big Oil to stop sucking at the teat of their carbon rich cash cow. They will continue to use their vast wealth and influence to advance their own agenda at the expense of people and the planet.

Esteemed environmentalist Jonathon Porritt worked on sustainability projects with big oil companies for years and he has indicated that it is "impossible" for today’s oil and gas companies to adapt to climate change and it is equally unlikely that they will voluntarily stop extracting fossil fuels. They are part of an entrenched culture that is resistant to the very idea of green energy. As Porritt said, these “hydrocarbon supremacists” persist despite the fact that they know that their business model threatens the future of humanity.

The science could not be more clear, the burning of fossil fuels is the leading cause of global warming. We know that if we are to have a chance of staving off the worst impacts of climate change we must prevent global temperatures from climbing more than 2 degrees Celsius above preindustrial times. To stay within this upper threshold limit we must leave at least three quarters of all known fossil fuel reserves in the ground. However, oil companies are undeterred they continue to spend astronomical sums of money on new developments. In 2013 alone $670 billion was spent on new fossil fuel exploration.

Many people around the world now understand that we must reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and they also are coming to acknowledge that we cannot rely on common sense from the hydrocarbon dinosaurs that run oil companies. The world is rising up and challenging the power of Big Oil.

On February 13 the world came together to stage hundreds of events for Global Divestment Day. This was the largest single day focused on fossil fuel divestment in history.

Fossil fuel divestment is the fastest growing movement in the world today. There are now 600 divestment campaigns around the world and 180 institutions have already divested from fossil fuels. So far $50 billion has been divested and investors representing assets of $1.2 trillion have committed to the pledge.

Even the current negotiating text of the U.N. climate agreement includes a call for divestment. This has implications for the $45 trillion of assets under management by 1,314 United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (UNPRI) signatories.

In 2014 alone the number of prominent institutions that divested from fossil fuels more than doubled. One of the most notable is the Rockefeller Brothers Fund which pledged to divest its fossil fuel holdings in September 2014. More recently Norway's sovereign wealth fund, valued at $850 billion, decided to divest from coal and tar sands companies.Norway is divesting from coal mining, coal fired electricity, tar sands producers, cement makers and companies involved in mountaintop removal.

Health organizations are also turning away from fossil fuels. In October the Australian Health Fund announced that it would divest its coal assets. This follows a number of US, Australian and UK health organizations that divested over the summer of 2014.

In June British Medical Association (BMA) moved to transfer its investments in fossil fuels to clean energy. There was even an editorial calling for divestment in the British Medical Journal. A number of health groups have joined the call including Medact and Healthy Planet UK. In September Gundersen Health System announced that it will restrict investments in fossil fuels. The Health Employees’ Superannuation Trust Australia (HESTA), with over $29 billion AUD in assets, announced a restriction on investments in thermal coal.

Some big utility companies are showing signs of moving away from dirty sources of energy. At the end of 2014 the German utility EON became the first big energy company to turn away from fossil fuels and focus on renewables. The company will split into two and one of the companies will relinquish all of its gas, hydro, nuclear, and the drilling rigs. The company has also indicated they will increase their investments in wind, solar and smart grids.

The EON decision follows European energy giant, Vattenfall's announcement that it will pull out of brown coal mining. Germany’s other power giant, RWE announced that it will focus on clean energy. Another utility behemoth, NRG recently announced that it had set a goal of 90 percent emissions reductions by 2050.

These are but the most recent in a slew of universities, faith groups, philanthropies, pension funds, governments and wealthy investors who are divesting from fossil fuels.

There is a powerful moral and religious argument driving fossil fuel divestment. However, divestment is also a pragmatic bottom line oriented decision. Investors are increasingly asking for and getting sustainability data, the more transparent the data offering the more divestment pressure will build.

The economic argument for divestment is compelling. Divesting from fossil fuels is not only about saving the planet from runaway climate change it is about avoiding the kind of risks that could seriously undercut the value of oil assets.

A massive carbon bubble is forming and this will make fossil fuels reserves worthless in the future. This is not environmental hyperbole, this is a view taken very seriously by some leading financial institutions including, Goldman Sachs, Citibank, the Bank of England, and many others.

A Deutsche Bank research paper stated, "If the world takes its climate change commitments seriously, then the dynamics of oil will be altered beyond recognition. Oil will become constrained by the level of demand allowed under CO2 emission limits and this will have implications for the behaviour of countries, companies and consumers alike. Perhaps last year’s fall was the first rumbling of this upcoming profound change."

The divestment movement will not bankrupt the fossil fuel industry any time soon. However what it does is challenge their social license to operate and this may prove to be a catalyst that spells the beginning of the end for fossil fuels.

Source: Global Warming is Real