Last year was a momentous year for both
climate action and environmental destruction. Perhaps most importantly, 2015 will be remembered as the moment in history when the world finally woke up to the threat of climate change.
Here is a review of the ten best and the ten worst sustainability and climate stories of 2015.
The Best of 2015In reverse chronological order here are the 10 best sustainability and climate stories of 2015: 10. Canada's Petro-Conservatives replaced by Eco-LiberalsAfter ten years of failed leadership Canadians turfed their
oil-obsessed conservative government and replaced them with the Liberal party who made a raft of
energy and environment promises. Delivering on these promises will be
difficult after a decade of Conservative rule. However, this change signals the
dawn of a new Day in Canada and hope for
climate action in the country. We have seen the appointment of
Stephane Dion and
Catherine McKenna to key environmental and climate posts. So far both the Prime Minister's
mandate letters and the
throne speech suggest that the new government plans to follow through on its campaign pledges. The Liberals were quick to differentiate themselves from the previous government by
un-muzzling government scientists and assuming a
leadership role at COP21.
9. The Growth of Sustainable InvestingLast year was a
big year for green investors. A growing number of investors are now banking on climate action. SRI and impact investing are becoming an
increasingly important part of efforts to combat climate change. There are a number of
drivers advancing green investment and there is growing demand for
nonfinancial information. Many see sustainability as an opportunity to
add value and new
financial instruments including those in
solar energy and other renewables are helping to advance green investing. These efforts are also being helped by a host of
resources designed to assist those interested in responsible investing. One of the most interesting sustainable investment trends in 2015 involved the increase in action from institutional investors who are getting on-board with initiatives like the
The Montreal Pledge 8. Divestment from Fossil Fuels and Investment in Renewable EnergyIn 2015 the fossil fuel divestment movement has
grown and
came of age. Concerns about
stranded assets are driving investor concerns as they grapple with the realization that
fossil fuels will be replaced. The divestment movement saw a broad range of support from
cities, investors and even a prince and the movement is having an impact on
investors, businesses and power companies. The fossil fuel industry will not go quietly and returns look grim for the foreseeable future. This increases the urgency of the
need to divest and the realization that this is
only logical option. The fossil fuel industry has
reason to be nervous as there is a powerful
logic and a number of benefits associated with divestment. Even without considering climate concerns there is a strong
economic case that can be made for divestment. The
United Nations has pledged its support for divestment and some major investors have pledged to divest including the
Norway Pension Fund and the
Rockefeller Fund. These efforts have been aided by events like
Global Divestment Day as well as the proliferation of
resources designed to help investors to divest and reinvest.
7. Most Important Climate Actors While there have been a number of stellar global actors who have helped to advance climate action in 2015 two people stand out as having done the most to move the climate agenda forward. The top two climate leaders last year are a
President and a Pope. Together President Obama and Pope Francis have done more to advance climate action than anyone in history. Despite
GOP climate denial the President has shown solid support for
clean energy. Likewise the Pope has remained stalwart in the face of
opposition from the GOP, he even called out
Republican climate deniers in his address to Congress.
6. Most Sustainable Countries While there is a long list of nations that are acting to combat climate change,
Nordic countries continue to be the most sustainable countries in the world according to at least two independent assessments. Two countries that also deserve to be mentioned as among the most sustainable in 2015 are
Germany and
France.
5. Leadership in InnovationInnovation is essential in business and when it comes to those who practice sustainability it is a matter of
life and death. In 2015 we saw a number of
sustainability focused innovations. There is a growing understanding that
creativity is essential and there is good evidence to support the contention that
sustainability drives innovation and generates returns. It is also becoming increasingly apparent that
innovations in sustainability are essential if we are to meet the climate challenges we face.
4. Sustainable BusinessDespite the
complexity and arcane
lingo sustainability is gaining ground. Last year was an important year for
sustainable business. Historians may very well say that 2015 was the year that
sustainability reached a tipping point. The leading
climate focused sustainable companies in 2015 put forward a number of
products, projects and leaders. The successful outcome of
COP21 resonated throughout the business community. Companies showed that they can
double their revenues and
add value. Simply put
sustainability contributes to the bottom line,
lends legitimacy to profitability and
combats the culture of corruption. Climate
solutions that combine
people, product and profit makes a compelling
case for Sustainability and this holds true for
corporations, banks and investors. As revealed by
PwC,
Risky Business and
other reports, acting on climate change is an
opportunity that makes
economic and
business sense. The
science of sustainability is supporting the kind of
business leadership we saw at the World Economic Forum (WEF). This is translating to growing
interest in sustainability at business schools. While we still need more
consistency we are seeing major corporate initiatives to
reduce greenhouse gases because
carbon reduction makes good business sense3. The Growth of Renewables and Improving Battery TechnologyIn 2015 it became apparent that the
growth of renewable energy is unstoppable. Part of the increasing confidence in renewables comes from improvements in battery storage which is an essential component of a clean energy infrastructure. Declining price points and increasing efficiency of both
stationary batteries and
EV batteries are driving this optimism. The
COP21 deal signals the end of fossil fuels and the dawn of unprecedented growth for renewables. The market reaction to the Paris deal seemed to corroborate this point as
fossil fuels crashed while renewables soared.
2. The Fall of the Fossil Fuel IndustryIt is clear that
fossil fuels are being replaced by renewable energy. The fossil fuel industry is in trouble and the situation is destined to worsen as
subsidies are coming under increasing scrutiny. The
financial losses and
diminishing oil industry profits we saw in 2015 signal the beginning of the end for fossil fuels. Simply put concerns about
stranded assets make
oil a bad investment.
1.
The Positive Outcome at COP21The
deal reached at COP21 in Paris is a
momentous leap forward and an
unprecedented turning point in human history. There are a number of
optimistic predictions for climate action in the wake of the agreement. This includes the accelerated demise of the fossil fuel industry and unparalleled growth for renewable energy.
Worst News Stories of 2015In reverse chronological order here are the 10 worst sustainability and climate stories of 2015: 10. Canadian Conservatives Failed Climate Leadership Although they were kicked out of power by the Canadian electorate at the end of 2015, Canada's long ruling Conservatives continued their reign of environmental destruction until the end. Under the leadership of Stephen Harper's Conservatives
Canada's failed climate leadership began to manifest as an economic disaster. The government cynically made
new emissions reduction promises and an unattainable
decarbonization pledge. The Harper government
reneged on its promise to mirror US climate policyand worst of all the extent of the government's
tar sands complicity came to light. After their defeat the
environment record of the new Conservative leader suggested that the party has not learned a thing.
9. Countries that Undermined Climate ActionThe countries that did the most to contribute to climate change are Saudi Arabia and Russia. Saudi Arabia is one of the worst countries on earth because it is the world's largest oil producer and because of its efforts to
undermine COP21. Russia is on this list because it is also a large oil producer that is actively involved in
offshore drilling in the Arctic. The nation is also a leading proponent of
Arctic sea traffic. Russia is eager to exploit new shipping routes made possible by the retreating ice and this along with Arctic drilling could have calamitous impacts on the far north's fragile ecosystem.
8. Indonesian FiresThe
Indonesian fires of 2015 were one of the worst environmental crimes of the 21st Century (Video). Each year slash and burn agriculture destroys vast swaths of forest in Indonesia, but 2015 was the worst yet. The combination of smoke from the fires and loss of forest carbon sinks is responsible for huge amounts of atmospheric carbon and other pollutants.
7. Growing Climate Refugee Crisis There is a
growing climate refugee crisis brewing in the US and around the world. The etiology of a climate refugee is complex, but it is fair to say that climate change plays a role in some of the world's current refugees and it will certainly play a far greater role in the mass dislocations of the future.
6. Volkswagen's Epic GreenwashOne of the most disturbing business stories to emerge in 2015 is the disheartening tale of how
Volkswagen tried to cheat emissions tests. The actions of the German automaker threaten to undermine the public's trust in automakers mileage claims. It may even compromise the popular perception of sustainability initiatives around the world.
5. The Porter Ranch Methane Leak The
Porter Ranch methane leak was one the worst fossil fuel disaster since the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf in Mexico. This sad tale sheds light on the dangers of methane and may lead to more responsible fossil fuel extraction practices.
4. Fossil Fuel SpillsAs in previous years there were a number of
fossil fuel leaks in 2015. These spills prove once again that extracting and transporting fossil fuels is not safe.
3. Republican Climate Obstructionism Republicans' ongoing climate obstructionism continued in 2015. All you need to do is follow the money
money to see that the GOP's climate denial is
fueled by the fossil fuel industry. While we may expect that the profit incentive is the driving motivation for the climate subterfuge of some businesses, it is a sad day when these same interests hijack governments and thwart climate action. On the issue of climate action, Republicans
oppose the views of the majority of Americans, they ignore or deride the scientific consensus and they
rejected a unanimous pledge from world government's to act on climate change at COP21. The slate of
Republicans presidential contenders also derided the COP21 climate talks. Republicans have not only prevented passage of climate focused legislation, they have actively worked to dismantle the administration's Clean Power Plan. In one of the few pieces of legislation that did pass in 2015, the Democrats signed a
deal with the devil that would allow fossil fuels to be exported outside of the US. Although it was
vetoed by the President, Republicans
passed legislation to kill the Clean Power Plan.
2. Global Heat Records and Extreme WeatherLast year made history as the warmest year ever recorded. As the year come to an end record heat dominated the headlines and provided
unseasonably warm Christmas temperatures. In addition to the highest average temperatures in recorded history, 2015 was marked by another year
extreme weather events. The bad news is that while
2015 was the hottest year on record, 2016 is expected to be even hotter.
1. ExxonBy far the worst climate story in 2015 was the revelation that Exxon actively lobbied against climate action despite the fact that it has known the facts about the role of fossil fuels as the leading cause of anthropogenic climate change. Rather than heed their own scientific findings they knowingly tried to conceal the truth in an effort to bring as much oil to market as they could before the facts caught up with them. While
lies and misinformation from the fossil fuel industry should come as no surprise, Exxon's malfeasance takes it to another level. Their actions warrant being described as a
crime against humanity.
