Trump Seeks to End Climate Action in America

On March 28th 2017, Trump signed an Executive Order (EO) that represents his most significant and far-reaching attack against climate action to date. His new EO is directed at the Environmental Protection Agency and to a lesser extent the Department of Interior. The EO seeks to do away with the Clean Power Plan, methane regulations, mining restrictions on federal land, and emissions reductions efforts in the federal government.

Just before signing the EO Trump did what he does best, he lied. First by extolling the virtues of "clean coal" and then by suggesting that his EO will result in jobs for coal miners. There is no such thing as clean coal and there is no market demand and therefore there are no jobs for miners.

Grist quotes an official as saying, the White House will direct government agencies to root out "all rules, all policies, and guidance documents that serve as obstacles or impediments to domestic energy production."

Make no mistake about it this is an all out multi-front attack on anything resembling climate action. As reported in Mother Jones, Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) called Trump's actions "a declaration of war on American leadership on climate change and our clean energy future." 

It would seem that Trump is intent on eradicating President Barack Obama’s climate-change legacy. However, Trump's most recent assaults on climate action and environmental protections should not come as a surprise.  Thinking people knew the darkness that Trump's electoral victory augured for the planet.

Trump made his contempt for environmental and climate regulations clear. During the campaign he repeatedly promised to dig for coal, frack for gas and drill for oil. Shortly after being sworn in as President, Trump issued an order to move forward with the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) and The Keystone XL pipeline (KXL).

This most recent EO is entirely consistent with Trump's budget, and his decision to drop vehicle mileage standards.  His method was on display in his first address to Congress, Trump thrives on doublespeak and subterfuge.

Trump repeatedly said that he would do away with regulations during the campaign and he signaled that he was going to make good on his intentions right after taking the oath of office. He quickly declared war on the EPA and then he nominated a climate denier and industry advocate by the name of Scott Pruitt to head the EPA. The new chief administrator's emails revealed that he is an anti-regulation industry lobbyist. Shortly after being confirmed Pruitt began to dismantle the agency he was tapped to lead.

Than there is Trump's nomination of former Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson to be Secretary of State. This is a man who has equivocated on climate change in Senate nomination hearings. He is also someone who would desperately like to remove sanctions against Russia so that Putin and Exxon can proceed to remove a half trillion dollars of oil in the Russian Arctic.

The GOP's environmental assault began in early February when they began gutting environmental protections and transparency.  Republicans even put forward a bill designed to kill the EPA, they are also working to sell off public lands and strip federal agencies of power.

Here is a summary of what Americans stand to lose with Trump's new EO:
  • Emissions rules for existing power plants (Clean Power Plan).
  • Carbon standards for new power plants.
  • Methane regulations in the oil and gas industry.
  • Mining restrictions on federal land (moratorium on federal coal leasing).
  • The consideration of climate mitigation strategy and the national security risks of global warming in federal departments.
  • Consideration of climate change when federal agencies analyze environmental permits (NEPA reviews).
  • The cost of carbon to guide government actions and justify climate regulations.
  • the Interior Department to rewrite a 2015 rule, currently stayed.
  • Restrictions on hydraulic fracturing on federal and tribal lands.
  • The Climate Action Plan.
  • Reduced CO2 emissions in federal agencies.
  • Stronger community resilience to climate impacts.
There will be legal challenges and some of the moves called for in the EO, like killing the Clean Power Plan, will take years.

Nonetheless, the leader of the most powerful nation on Earth has enacted a policy shift bereft of scientific guidance or economic sense. This will most certainly mean that the US will blow past its climate reduction targets and other nations may see it as an example that they will follow. Generations to come will rue this president and his policies will be viewed as the reason we were not able to avert a climate catastrophe.

Trump has kept his promise, in fact his war on climate action may be the only promise he is able to keep.

How to Fight the Trump Administration and Fake News

Here are 11 strategies to challenge Trump and his lies. Resistance to the ruling Republican administration is both appropriate and necessary. All who care about the environment, climate change or social justice are called to peacefully and lawfully oppose this government.

Trump is increasingly vulnerable in the wake of his unprecedented unpopularity, the ongoing investigation into his team's collusion with Russia, and his inability to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.

Trump has publicly lied more than 4 times every day since becoming president (according to a recent Washington Post article he has lied 317 times since becoming president).

Trump may be the chief liar but he is not the only liar in this administration. His adviser Kellyanne Conway is now infamous for spewing a litany of untruths in her efforts to legitimize "alternative facts". Press Secretary Sean Spicer has lied so many times he can give his boss a run for his money.

We cannot allow the cavalcade of deception to become normal. This is not about hating Trump it is about loving America's great democracy. This administration depends on fake news to control the narrative and deceive Americans. Disparaging the press is key to their success as they are vulnerable to fact based news. Trump has given an indication of just how far he will go when he shut down press access earlier this month. Exposing lies is a core part of the mission of fact based news.

Facts are the bedrock of democracy (a point echoed by President Obama in his farewell speech) and essential to upholding the Constitution. It is critical that we refute the false narratives of this president who has become the chief advocate of a post factual world. It is the future of the United States and by extension the future of the free world that hangs in the balance.

Social Media

There are already efforts underway to combat fake news. Social media platforms including Facebook and Google are working to confront fake news. In November Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said his company is responding to lies which he referred to as "misinformation".  As reported by NPR, some of the ideas being proposed include automatic detection of potentially false stories and easier flagging by users.

Another NPR article outlined some of Zuckerberg's approaches to combating fake news that range from consulting with journalists and fact-checking organizations to disrupting the flow of money to fake news organizations.

"[W]e know people want accurate information," Zuckerberg was quoted as saying. He outlined a variety of steps including better detection, easier reporting, warning labels, assessing the quality of related articles, disrupting fake news economics, and listening to journalists and others.

Wikipedia

Wikipedia is the best-known, oldest and most trusted example of an open community. They are self-regulating and yet they seem to get it right most of the time. According to a psmag article, Wikipedia is cultivating an army of fact checkers to battle fake news. Given their decade and a half track record of defending themselves against fake news, they have an approach that may be worth disseminating.

Wikipedia has been combating misinformation with strict vetting guidelines that Wikipedians (active editors in the Wikipedia community) transparently refine and enforce. They have developed very extensive policies for determining what is a reliable source and what is not. Although Wikipedia is far from perfect, they do offer a working example of an information source that has not been contaminated with polarized viewpoints.

With the help of the Wiki Education Foundation, Wikipedia wants to "engender its unique institutional brand of media literacy in every young mind in the country." The idea is to provide a crash course in the site’s rigorous research and fact-checking process.
"Generally, we believe that if you give people good information, they can make good decisions, and that comes with trusting the users," says Wikimedia Foundation communications director Juliet Barbara. "Having open, transparent spaces for public discourse is really critical: Behind every Wikipedia article, there’s a newsroom in the form of a Talk channel, where editors are discussing current events and bringing different points of view to the table."
Everyone

Of course people can do their own research and cross reference sources. We can also avoid outlets known to be purveyors of fake news. Simply put, the best way to expose fake news is to step outside your ideological bubble and expose yourself to news that is generated beyond your silo. Here are a few approaches (many of which can be found at Political Murder) that challenge the Trump administration and their lies.

4 Points (Katrina vanden Heuvel, The Washington Post)
  • Don't be conned by Trump’s game of "divide and conquer" 
  • The media have to be more than an echo chamber
  • Common threat from an administration that is hostile to the very notion of freedom of the press. 
  • Be watchdog journalists committed to digging up the truth for the sake of democracy
11 Investigative reporting outlets
  • Pro Publica
  • Bill Moyers & Co
  • the Center for Public Integrity
  • the Center for Investigative Reporting
  • now online at Reveal
  • Frontline on PBS
  • Mother Jones
  • the Intercept
  • Real Clear Investigations
  • the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists
  • Investigative Reporters and Editors
  • BuzzFeed.
5 Things Reporters can Do (Dan Rather)
  • "[Reporters] can’t back up or back down or turn around. We can’t get distracted or lose focus or, for that matter, deal in any kind of cowardice, small or large."
  • Cover middle America (the flyover states)
  • Acknowledge the media's special responsibility as part of the checks and balances in our system.
  • We can all step up and say simply and without equivocation, "a lie, is a lie, is a lie!" Do whatever is in our power to diminish the liar’s malignant reach into our society.
  • Every Republican must be asked: "What will you do to combat the lying from the White House?"
6 Points (FAIR: Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting)
  • Don’t consent to closed-door meetings
  • Stop normalizing hate
  • Cover real issues
  • Diversify the newsroom
  • Cover local issues
  • Cover political dissent
 Open letter to Trump from the US Press Corps (The Columbia Journalism Review)

"We will set higher standards for ourselves than ever before. We credit you [Trump] with highlighting serious and widespread distrust in the media across the political spectrum. We have to regain that trust. And we’ll do it through accurate, fearless reporting, by acknowledging our errors and abiding by the most stringent ethical standards we set for ourselves. We’re going to work together. We now recognize that the challenge of covering you requires that we cooperate and help one another whenever possible (you’re going to face a unified front). We’re playing the long game. You have forced us to rethink the most fundamental questions about who we are and what we are here for.
Best-case scenario, you’re going to be in this job for eight years. We’ve been around since the founding of the republic, and our role in this great democracy has been ratified and reinforced again and again and again."

9 tweets (GOP media consultant Cheri Jacobus)

1. One of the positive aspects of Trump/Bannon extremism in the first 2 weeks is that it's harder to deny the trouble we're in  and we can act
2. The days of pretending that this isn't serious are over. It is worse than what was warned about during the campaign. The press must unite
3. When Trump tries to shut down one media outlet, the rest must resist. When Trump tries to bully a judge, the rest must be louder.
4. When Trump/Bannon overreaches, all must call them out. When they lie, all must expose them. When they are treasonous, say so. Loudly. 5. When a Trump family member is in a meeting they should not be in, question it immediately.
6. Interviews with Trump and his people should be pre-taped and fact-checked at the time they are aired.
7. Ignore & block Trump twitter trolls. Don't engage.They give media & lawmakers false impression of Trump support by viewers & constituents 8. emails & tweets media and Cong get showing massive support for Trump are FAKE. Do not make programming or policy decisions based on these
9. Media should boycott the White House Correspondents Dinner unless Trump agrees to free & open press.

"The Path Forward" EDF Plan to Fight Trump

Step 1: Hold EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt accountable
Step 2: Defend our core clean air, clean water, and climate protections
Step 3: Defend the Landmark Clean Power Plan
Step 4: Accelerate our transition to the clean energy economy of the 21st century
Step 5: Defend the Paris Climate Agreement and support reductions in global climate emissions
Step 6: Drive and support corporate actions to reduce climate emissions
Step 7: Defend methane pollution standards and drive reductions by expanding work globally
Step 8: Defend and strengthen pollution and fuel economy standards for transportation
Step 9: Promote rebuilding America's infrastructure for a clean energy future
Step 10: Expand and mobilize grassroots efforts to fight and win tough political battles

For a summary of 99 ways to combat Trump click here

Event - VERGE Hawaii 2017 Accelerate Showcase

Have a solution in energy, transportation, agriculture, water or infrastructure resilience? The VERGE Accelerate Showcase is a fast-pitch competition on the main stage of VERGE Hawaii, giving selected finalists the opportunity to pitch to a live audience of ~1,000 business leaders, government officials, investors, and a global online audience.

THE PERKS

Targeted exposure: Selected finalists will be joined on stage by hand-selected industry experts, giving you exposure to investors, corporates and decision makers who have deep experience working with entrepreneurs.

Global exposure: The VERGE Accelerate Showcase will take place on the main stage of VERGE Hawaii, amplifying you and your solution to a captive audience of ~1,000 attendees and many more tuned into globally online.

Free Startup Showcase Exposure: In addition to one all-access pass, selected finalists will be given a complimentary booth space on the VERGE Interconnect floor (usually reserved for paid exhibitors) and the opportunity to interact with potential partners and investors throughout the week.

Ongoing exposure: Beyond the live event, finalists will benefit from broad amplification via GreenBiz.com editorial coverage, the GreenBiz 350 podcast and published videos of the pitches.

SUBMITTING YOUR NOMINATION

Qualifying nominations must include a 60 second video naming the market opportunity your company addresses and why you want to pitch at VERGE. These should feature the team member being nominated to deliver the pitch.

GreenBiz is excited to be partnering with F6S to streamline the process: If you already have a profile, the F6S platform will automatically pull your information! If you don’t have one yet, you can easily create one to join the fastest growing, global hub for startups.

TIMELINE

March 13 – April 10: Entrepreneurs submit 60-second video nominations

April 14 – 28: Community votes to help decide the finalists

May 3: Finalists announced!

June 20 and 22: The two Accelerate pitch sessions take place at VERGE Hawaii in Honolulu, HI

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Participating entrepreneurs:

Are developing technology solutions (commercially applicable products or services) related to at least one of the following: distributed or renewable energy, transportation, agriculture, water or infrastructure resilience;

Are incorporated and have a product ready for testing or deployment; have less than $5M in combined investment and current revenue

“ VERGE Accelerate got us in front of the potential customers, investors and partners we were dying to connect with. We really appreciated the exposure to key decision makers in our industry. ”

Tristan de Frondeville CEO SkyCentrics Inc., VERGE Hawaii Accelerate Finalist (2016)

“ VERGE Hawaii Accelerate was a great experience for myself and our company. It gave us direct access to major industry executives, enabling us to “sit at the table” and build relationships in a way that's often challenging for start-ups. I had meaningful discussions with potential partners and customers like MGM, Maui Electric Company, Trane and many others. ” Phillip Kopp CEO Conectric Networks, LLC, VERGE Hawaii Accelerate Finalist (2016)

Click here to apply.

Event - Collision & Planet:tech (Accenture Strategy)

This event will take place in New Orleans on May 2-4, 2017. Collision is America’s fastest growing tech conference. This event was created by the team behind Web Summit. In two years, Collision has grown to over 20,000 attendees from more than 110 countries. Attendees include CEOs of both the world’s fastest growing startups and the world’s largest companies, alongside leading investors and media.

Speakers

Chris Sacca Founder & Chairman Lowercase Capital United States
Alexis Ohanian Co-Founder Reddit United States
Karen Walker CMO Cisco United States
Miguel McKelvey Co-Founder WeWork United States
Jessica Alba Founder The Honest Company United States
Kevin Lin Co-Founder & COO Twitch United States
Walter Isaacson President & CEO The Aspen Institute United States
Jamie Moldafsky CMO Wells Fargo United States
Suzy Deering CMO eBay United States
Shailene Woodley Actress and Co-Founder Up to Us United States
Alan Boehme CTO The Coca-Cola Company United States
Stan Chudnovsky Head of Product for Me... Facebook United States
Lauren Crampsie Global CMO Ogilvy & Mather United States
Ethiopia Habtemariam President Motown Records United States
Irwin Gotlieb Chairman GroupM United States

Planet:tech, Part of ALPHA at Collision in collaboration with Accenture Strategy

Ten of the world’s most impactful startups will be invited to Collision. Are you a startup in the field of circular economy, sustainability, energy efficiency or clean tech? If so, you can exhibit for FREE for three days at Planet:tech, as part of ALPHA at Collision in collaboration with Accenture Strategy.

Accenture Strategy operates at the intersection of business and technology. They bring together our capabilities in business, technology, operations and function strategy to help our clients envision and execute industry-specific strategies that support enterprise-wide transformation. Our focus on issues related to digital disruption, competitiveness, global operating models, talent and leadership helps drive both efficiencies and growth. Accenture Strategy’s Global Sustainability Practice focuses on helping our clients create value through sustainability in a digitally disruptive era. For more information, follow @AccentureStrat.

Speakers
  • Will Marshall Co-Founder & CEO Planet Labs United States
  • Shailene Woodley Actress and Co-Founder Up to Us United States
  • Greg Stone Executive Vice President Conservation Internati... United States
  • Samir Kaul Founding General Partner Khosla Ventures United States
  • Terry Tamminen CEO Leonardo Di Caprio Fou... United States
  • Matt Rogers Co-Founder & Chief Pro... Nest United States
  • Ryan Popple CEO Proterra United States
  • Jennifer Holmgren CEO LanzaTech United States
  • Christoph Gebald Founder & Director Climeworks Switzerland
  • David Mount Partner Kleiner Perkins Caufie... United States
  • Mike Hamilton CEO Renmatix United States
  • Andy Ridley Founder Earth Hour Australia
  • Mike Massimino Astronaut Columbia University & ... United States
  • Jodie Fox Co-Founder & Chief Cre... Shoes of Prey United States
  • Andrew Beebe Managing Director Obvious Ventures United States
  • Rich Kylberg Chief Marketing Officer Arrow Electronics United States
  • Leila Janah Founder Samasource United States
  • Xavier Helgesen Co-Founder & CEO Off.Grid:Electric United States
  • Andy Ruben Co-Founder & CEO Yerdle United States
  • Adam Lowry Co-Founder & Co-CEO Ripple Foods United States
  • Andy Wales Global Head of Sustain... AB InBev United Kingdom
  • John Carrington CEO Stem United States
  • Anup Jacob General Partner Element Partners United Arab Emirates
  • Peter Shannon Managing Director Firelake Capital United States
  • Paul Leggett Managing Director Mithril United States
  • The ALPHA Startup Experience in Collaboration with Accenture Strategy
The startups chosen by the panel of judges will win an ALPHA exhibition stand, two tickets to Collision, the opportunity to access tailored Planet:tech Investor Office Hours, Mentor Hours, Startup University, Startup Workshops, Startup Roundtables and much more. If you are one of the startups chosen, you will access all of this as well as flights and accommodation, up to the value of $1,000 USD.

To be one of the startups invited to attend click here (deadline for application is March 31, 2017).
To attend the conference and join 20,000 attendees click here.

Corporate Water Risk Assessment Tools (Videos)

Assessing water risks is the first step towards developing strategies and there are a number of tools that can help. This post explores the cost of water risks, it then explores some of these risks and concludes with a review of five assessment tools.

Water related issues are a significant and growing risk and corporations are stepping up. They represent a $63 trillion risk and the actual cost of these risks increased five fold last year ($14 billion in 2016 compared to $2.6 billion in 2015). These risks include drought, flooding, tightening environmental regulation and the cost of cleaning up water pollution and fines.

Businesses need to start by quantifying water requirements then they must examine the hydrological and ecological characteristics of the local systems in which they operate

As explained by Sissel Waage, director of BSR’s biodiversity and ecosystem services practice in an Environmental Leader article, companies can future-proof their water supplies. To do so they will need to conduct a risk assessment that includes regulatory and competitive landscape issues. It must also include a thorough analysis of all water requirements. The key to future-proofing water supply is to view it holistically, says BlueTech Research chief executive Paul O’Callaghan. He also said corporate water risk is, "an input that is necessary to economic survival."

Corporate water management is complex and the impacts of scarcity on business are far reaching. To help corporations manage tools are being developed that do much more than just help corporations with water conservation.

The following video addresses water risks and introduces the WWF's Water Risk Filter.



There are a number of other water risk assessment tools including WRI’s Aqueduct, Global Environmental Management Initiative’s Water Sustainability Tool, and Ceres Aqua Gauge and Water Risk Monetizer. The analysis that these tools provide is both an essential and a fundamental part of developing a water strategy.

Here is a video review of the WRI's Aqueduct



The following webinar reviews the business value of water risk assessment tools. It also addresses specific water risk tools focusing on GEMI and IPIECA



One of the most capable tools is the Water Risk Monetizer. It is designed to transform the way businesses consume and manage water by ascribing financial values to current and future risks.

This publicly available online financial modeling tool helps businesses understand the impact of water quantity and quality on their operations. It gives them the insights they need to make more sustainable business decisions. The data derived from this tool can be translated into actionable insights.

The Water Risk Monetizer uses economic techniques and scientific methodologies. The tool is site specific as it draws on local water data. In addition to scarcity and quality, the tool quantifies human health and environment impacts of water use and displays risk levels for individual facilities in comparison to current water costs.

The Water Risk Monetizer was developed by water technology and services firm Ecolab and environmental data and risk analysis specialists Trucost, and built on Microsoft Azure Cloud technology. The quantification of reputational risk exposure is provided in partnership with RepRisk.

The Water Risk Monetizer prices water correctly, "it translates scarcity into the language of business which is money". By using the actual market price of water businesses will be more likely to value it. Here is a good overview video explaining the tool:



Here is a good introduction to how the Water Risk Monetizer works:



Christophe Beck, Ecolab executive vice president and president, Nalco Water, an Ecolab company explained the business value of the tool:

"Successful business leaders will drive water strategies that go beyond simply using less to reuse and recycling. Data provided by the Water Risk Monetizer not only encourages conservation but also helps make circular water management an important and viable option to ensure a more resilient future for businesses and communities.”

Water Management: Industries Showing Leadership

The business case for aggressive water management is building. Increasing interest in water management is a function of the powerful combination of cost savings through risk mitigation, good ROI, and the advantage of being first to market in this critical space. Businesses that tackle water conservation and replenishment will be working to provide critical solutions to a serious problem. They will also be well-positioned to take a leadership role in the industry.

The costs associated with inaction and the drivers supporting action make water stewardship an imperative for businesses. Water related issues represent a $63 trillion risk. The actual costs are increasing each year. According to CDP water-related impacts cost companies $14 billion in 2015, or more than five times more than they did the previous year ($2.6 billion).

The World Economic Forum says that water crises present one of the top global risks over the next decade. A 2016 World Bank report finds that most countries can neutralize the adverse impacts of water scarcity by taking action to allocate and use water resources more efficiently.  

The average cost of water is already on the rise, having increased 48 percent since 2010. Companies that invest in water treatment and reuse technologies stand to reap tremendous benefits. Triple Pundit cites reports that anticipate 22 percent annual growth in recycled water production and use across all market sectors. As reported by Environmental Leader, Bluefield Research forecasts US water reuse capacity to increase 58 percent in the next 10 years. The report said CAPEX investment in reuse is expected to total $11 billion between 2016 and 2026.

The potential associated with water investments are catching the attention of global investors. Chinese investors seem to appreciate the scale of this opportunity and they are enjoying significant returns. At the end of last summer, the China Water Index was among the best performing sub-indices for the month with a 10.3 percent gain. Water.org estimates that every $1 invested in water and sanitation provides a $4 economic return. Going forward we can expect the demand for advanced water treatment technologies will grow exponentially.

These solutions commonly involve recycling wastewater using technologies like micro filtration, UV disinfection, biological treatments, capacitive deionization and forward and reverse osmosis. These approaches are being used by governments and corporations. Cities in Texas treat wastewater to produce drinking water. California is about to expand its use of recycled water from purely non-potable purposes such as agriculture and irrigation to include drinking water. 

Some world leading corporations are already using tools to assess their water risks and are crafting targeted solutions. Here are seven examples of leading water management in the private sector:

Wine

Drought has made California a testing ground for radical water efficiency strategies. California's wine and beer industries have been especially creative. Vineyards across the state have stepped up to meet the challenges associated with water scarcity.  One winery that stands out is Jackson Family Wines and there are many other sustainable wines in the marketplace.

Environmental Leader recently reported that General Electric (GE) is helping to turn rainwater into wine. The project is a collaborative partnership between GE Water & Process Technologies, wine industry services provider Winesecrets and the University of California Davis. The project is an amalgamation of existing technologies and advanced digital capabilities.  They rely on a reverse osmosis system and a total organic carbon analyzer. 

Beer

Given the quantities consumed and the consequent demand on water resources, it is appropriate that the beer industry is emerging as a sustainability leader. The brewing industry has taken great strides to minimize their rapacious appetite for water.  Pilot projects are underway that transform gray water into both beer and renewable energy.

MillerCoors is working to reduce the amount of water they use to meet their ambitious 2020 goals. They have already reduced their water usage by 128.8 million gallons as assessed year over year. Anheuser-Busch has achieved the goal of lowering its water usage. In 2014 they committed to seven global environmental goals including three that involve water. By the end of 2017 the company aims to Reduce water risks and improved water management in 100 percent of its key barley growing regions in partnership with local stakeholders. They also engage in watershed protection measures in their facilities. SABMiller has been recognized as a leader in water management and conservation and they also work with their vendors to reduce water pollution and minimize runoff.  Some other sustainability leaders in the beer industry are Asahi (perhaps the world's most sustainable brewery) and Heineken

PepsiCo

Conserving water is a bottom line issue. As reported by Environmental Leader, PepsiCo saved $80 million by cutting water use by 26 percent between 2011 and 2015. PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay snacks near net zero footprint facility in Casa Grande, Arizona, treats and recycles about 648,000 gallons per day of process water. This LEED EB Gold-certified facility from the US Green Building Council. They recycle up to 75 percent of process water, enabling Frito-Lay to reduce its annual water use by 100 million gallons, and sends less than 1 percent of its waste to landfill.

PepsiCo has reduced its operational water use per unit of production by 26 percent, exceeding the company’s goal of 20 percent reduction by the end of 2015. Lux Research ranked PepsiCo and Kellogg as the food and beverage industry’s leaders in water efficiency. The PepsiCo Foundation has partnered with nonprofit organizations around the globe to help provide safe water to 9 million people since 2006, exceeding its original goal of 6 million by the end of 2015. The company also works with its suppliers to help them operate more efficiently with less water. PepsiCo also developed and deployed a direct seeding machine for rice farmers in India, helping growers there to save more than 10 billion liters of water since 2013.
"As a global food and beverage company, water is the lifeblood of our business and the many communities we serve," PepsiCo’s Al Halvorsen, senior director environmental sustainability global operations, told Environmental Leader. "Conserving water across our global enterprise can have a huge impact on our communities and our planet. From a business perspective, these efforts help us lower our operating costs. By doing more with less, we are able to increase our agricultural yields, strengthen our water infrastructure and deliver cost savings."

Coca-Cola

In 2016 Coca-Cola announced that they and their bottling partners have met their goal to replenish the equivalent amount of water used in their global sales volume back to nature and communities. They have also improved water use efficiency by 2.5 percent from 2014 to 2015.

Another Environmental Leader article reports that Coca-Cola returned about 191.9 billion liters of water to nature and communities in 2015 through community water projects in 71 countries. This represents about 115 percent of the water used beating its 100 percent water replenishment goal five years early. The company's water usage inside factory walls has achieved a 27 percent improvement in water efficiency since 2004.

The company has set a 2020 goal to improve water efficiency in manufacturing operations by 25 percent, compared with a 2010 baseline. Coca-Cola now uses 1.98 liters of water to make 1 liter of product and is working to reduce it to 1.7 liters of water per liter of product by 2020. Coca-Cola has invested $300 million in water efficiency technologies and these investments will help the company and its bottlers avoided about $1 billion. To address global water issues Coca-Cola currently partners with about 400 governments, nonprofits and other private companies.

Chief sustainability officer Bea Perez, and Greg Koch, global head of water stewardship make the business case for Coke’s water replenishment projects saying:
"If you think about what we sell as a finished product, our no. 1 ingredient is water," Perez said. "It’s very important for us to be as efficient as possible with water and we also have to ensure we’re protecting the water source — quantity, quality and infrastructure — for the local communities in which we operate. That’s what allows us to be welcomed by the community and operate as a thriving business."
Coca-Cola CEO Muhtar Kent made a bold prediction when he wrote, "I predict that if you aren’t responsibly managing water in your business, you won’t be in business 20 years from now".

Ford

Ford is a serious player in the corporate water conservation space they understand both the business case and consumer appetites. They get results through their extensive use of comprehensive risk assessment tools.  Ford's global water strategy is on track to reduce water usage per vehicle by 72 percent as of 2020. The company saved 10 billion gallons of water from 2000 to 2015, a decrease of 61 percent

To commemorate World Water Day on March 22, Ford announced significant water savings at one of their facilities. As reported by Environmental Leader water saving technologies at Ford's Chicago Assembly Plant have reduced the company's water usage by 13 Million gallons in 2016 and even greater savings are expected in 2017.

Ford supply chain efforts are on track to save an additional 550 million gallons of water over the next five years. Ford's new manufacturing water strategy calls for a 30 percent reduction in water use per vehicle from 2015 to 2020. The company has a long-term goal of zero drinkable water use in manufacturing. These efforts have earned Ford an "A" grade for water management from the CDP.

Ford sees water management as a top trend in 2017. A recent report from Ford offers a window into the rationale driving their pursuit of water stewardship. As explained by an Environmental Leader article, Ford's annual trends report 2017 draws on insights — from technological, economic, environmental and political arenas — to "create meaningful vehicles and services." This guidance document helps them to provide products and product features that appeal to consumers. One of the trends that stands out is that customers want and are prepared to pay for a product that has a respectable water footprint. This is something Ford calls sustainability blue.

Sheryl Connelly, Ford global trend and futuring manager said There were three trends that stood out in the report and water, and a company’s overall environmental footprint, was one of these trends. She goes on to suggest that manufacturers across industries can follow Ford’s lead in water management and achieve water and cost savings, as well as other business benefits.

Apparel etc

Levi has become a champion of water stewardship and they have been working on conservation for several years. Levis WaterLess jeans use a technique that reduces water use in the finishing process by up to 96 percent. Nike has developed a waterless dyeing process for fabrics.

No discussion on water stewardship would be complete without mentioning Nestlé. In addition to their in-house efforts, they have recently invested $7 million as part of an innovative plan to transform a California milk factory into a zero water factory.

Finding solutions to the growing problem of water scarcity demands the involvement of industry.  However, there are many in the corporate sector who have yet to see the wisdom of assuming their share of the water stewardship burden.

Water Scarcity and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

The importance of water cannot be overstated. It is vital to every aspect of our civilization from the survival of our ecosystems down to our own biological needs. It is intertwined with energy and agriculture, both of which are inextricably tied to climate change. On World Water Day we are called to recognize the fundamental importance of this crucial resource. In 1993, the United Nations General Assembly officially designated March 22 as World Water Day. This day is a call to action on behalf of the 1.8 billion people who are at risk of contracting cholera, dysentery, typhoid and polio because they are forced to drink contaminated water. This is the white horse, also called disease, the first of the four horsemen of the apocalypse.

The world water crisis is real. Only about 3 percent of total earth's water is drinkable, the other 97 percent is salt water. Water from lakes, ponds, swamps, streams, rivers and all other surface water make only 0.3 percent of the earth’s fresh water. 68.7 percent of the earth’s fresh water is frozen in glaciers; about 30 percent of earth’s fresh water is ground water.  In response to the shortage of water the world's aquifers are being tapped unsustainably.

Water scarcity also augurs another apocalyptic horseman, the red horse signaling conflict. A 2016 World Bank report finds that water scarcity, exacerbated by climate change, could hinder economic growth, spur migration, and spark conflict. According to the report water scarcity could cost some regions up to 6 percent of their GDP by 2050.

We are already seeing divisions over water. In 2016 the New York Times reported that ever expanding deserts are causing conflicts in China. Similar conflicts occurred during the Brazilian water crisis of 2014, between the people in São Paulo and the residents of Rio de Janeiro. Water is already a weapon of war and it is not hard to imagine a future in which wars will be fought over access to water.

State actors are failing to protect their water.  In 2014 Duke Energy repeatedly dumped coal ash into North Carolina's waterways. The first incident spilled 40,000 tons of toxic coal ash and 27 million gallons of wastewater into the Dan River. In October 2016 North Carolina’s chief epidemiologist, Megan Davies resigned after accusing GOP state lawmakers of purposely misleading the states residents when it comes to the safety of their drinking water.  Republican have already started to gut water protections including regulations preventing the dumping of coal ash into America's waterways. 

This brings us to the third horseman, the black horse of oppression. In the US a dark cloud is descending over America's hard fought water protections. Republicans have already voted to remove regulations protecting streams. Trump has advanced a budget that kills projects to clean up the great lakes and Chesapeake Bay. Even more importantly Trump has vowed to kill the Clean Water Act (also known as the “waters of the U.S. rule”). In particular, he is targeting regulations adopted by the Obama administration to protect wetlands and marshes, the nation’s natural water filters.

Water is central to the interconnected challenges associated with both energy generation and climate change. As such its stewardship is key to resolving some of the central issues of our times. We celebrate water as a staple of life and we work to provide it to those in need. Including safe water in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is but one example of UN efforts to make water accessible to everyone.

Managing water demands international cooperation.  This includes the involvement of international bodies like the UN and all levels of government. Many corporations have been working on improving their water management practices. Increasingly sophisticated techniques to re-use water have contributed to some recent advances. Appropriately the theme of this year's World Water Day is "wastewater".

In 2015, when CDP first published its Water A list there were eight companies that achieved an ‘A’ rating. In 2016, 25 companies made the A list. While we are seeing progress, there is still a long way to go for corporations to be in a position where they can say they are doing all that they can. Only 25 companies out of 600 earned an "A" from the CDP and only two are based in the US.

The current problems will be exacerbated by growing demand and increasing scarcity. The UN predicts that the global demand for water will exceed supply by 40 percent by 2030. According to the OECD Environmental Outlook to 2050 there will be catastrophic consequences if we do not change our current course. Failure to address pressing water issues will augur the fourth horseman, the pale horse which heralds destruction.

Related
Water is a Key to Sustainable Development
Water Stewardship Steps: Developing a Water Strategy
Six Innovations for Better Water Management
Solutions to Diminishing Ground Water
A Condensed History of Responsible Water Stewardship
Worldwatch Institute: The Looming Threat of Water Scarcity
Video - Water in the Anthropocene
Alarming Facts About Water
Disturbing Water Statistics from the Food Tank

Trump's Budget is a Declaration of War Against Environmental Protections, Climate Action and Scientific Research

Donald Trump has released his first official budget proposal and it affords a window into his administration's determination to eradicate environmental protections, climate action, and scientific research. The proposed cuts are both a public health issue and a threat to national security. This budget is intent on killing the Obama administration's investments in climate change and clean energy. This budget is unprecedented as proposed cuts are far worse than those of previous Republican administrations.

Trump wants to eliminate funding for mitigation, adaptation, and science related to climate change. He wants to slash funding to climate science agencies by 17 percent. The fact that this includes climate research is a bitter irony. Republicans have falsely claimed that there is not enough evidence to support action on climate change. Now Trump wants to end government support for climate research that would add to the already considerable body of evidence. Trump wants to eliminate government funding of science altogether so that he can control the narrative by depriving Americans of the facts.  

In addition to massive cuts to environmental oversight and climate action, this budget specifically targets the most vulnerable. Trump wants to kill 19 agencies including those that are involved with development, community service, public broadcasting, homelessness, peace, the arts and the humanities. The budget would eliminate chemical safety oversight and climate change prevention programs, including money owed to the U.N. Trump also wants to slash funding for the World Bank and cultural-exchange programs.

This administration wants to end protections designed to safeguard the air Americans breathe and the water Americans drink. Trump wants to end regulations like the vehicle emissions standards that save money and contribute to the health of Americans. He also wants to end oversight the ensures Americans have access to safe food.

Here are some of the initiatives that Trump wants to take away from Americans in nine departments.

Department of Agriculture

If Trump gets his way he will end the Department of Agriculture’s water and waste disposal loan and grant program, which gives money to rural governments and tribal nations to improve drinking water systems.

Interior Department

Trump wants to decrease the Interior Department's budget by $1.6B (12 percent reduction). This means less support for national parks, historic sites, and combating the trafficking of illegal wildlife.

HHS

Proposed cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will directly impact the National Institutes of Health (NIH) with cuts of $5.8 billion. Other HHS agencies that will be impacted include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Trump wants to end funding to research on climate and public health at both the NIH and the CDC. This budget also delivers a painful blow to biomedical research and public health infrastructure.

NASA

Trump's promised cuts to NASA's budget strategically kills all Earth-observing and education programs. Trump proposes cuts of $115 million for the Office of Education and he slashes $102 million earmarked for climate research. Trump has proposed cuts to NASA's research programs aimed at gathering information about climate change. This includes the Orbital Carbon Observatory mission, meant to take measurements from space of the Earth’s carbon dioxide levels. It also includes CLARREO (Climate Absolute Radiance and Refractivity Observatory) Pathfinder mission that would have contributed to the creation of reliable climate models.

Commerce (NOAA)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is part of the Commerce Department, which Trump would like to see cut by 18 percent. Trump proposes cuts to NOAA's budget of $126 million, or 26 percent. The proposed cuts would eliminate funding for external research, coastal management, estuary reserves and coastal resilience. NOAA's funding for education, grants and research would also be cut. The National Marine Fisheries Service and National Weather Service would be cut by 5 percent. More than half a billion would be cut from NOAA’s satellite division (National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service) which includes climate and environmental information by the National Centers for Environmental Information. If passed this budget would undermine accurate weather forecasting and make Americans more vulnerable to extreme weather. This includes $250 million in coastal and ocean grants and programs that address rising seas and acidic oceans associated with global warming.

Energy Department

Trump proposes a $1.7B (6 percent decrease) in the energy budget. He wants to Cut $900 million from the Office of Science. He wants to stymie the growth of renewable energy by cutting the budget of the DOE's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy. This means an end to a wide range of research from biofuels to batteries. Trump also indicated that he wants to slash funding for the Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy and The Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Program, which works to develop more advanced, efficient cars.

Trump even wants to cut scientific programs aimed at reducing the emissions associated with fossil fuels. This includes the Energy Department’s Fossil Energy Research and Development program. This means an end to research into carbon capture and storage technologies. Trump also wants to eradicate the Energy Star program, Weatherization Assistance Program, ARPA-E, and Title 17 loan guarantees.

State Department & USAID

Trump wants to cut the State Department's budget by $10.9B (29 percent reduction). This will reduce aid to some of the most strategic regions in the world. Cuts to the US Agency for International Development (USAID) include the UNs Global Climate Change Initiative (Green Climate Fund), which is instrumental to help developing countries adapt to climate change and shift to cleaner energy. Trump will renege on Obama's 3 billion dollar pledge. USAID was created by President John F. Kennedy and it is responsible for administering civilian foreign aid.

EPA

No agency is hit harder by Trump's proposed budget cuts than the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Trump declared war on the EPA shortly after coming to power, but his budget makes his intentions clear. He wants to slash the agency's budget by $2.5 billion or almost a third (31 percent), this would reduce the EPA's budget to the lowest level in 40 years. This would also eliminate scientific research conducted by the agency and cause 3,200 people to lose their jobs. This translates to less environmental oversight and fewer environmental regulations for companies.

The new EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt is pro-industry and anti-climate. He is trying to kill the agency as are Republicans. Even if the EPA survives, if enacted, Trump's budget would have serious consequences for agency's core mission of protecting the climate, clean air, water and public health.

Trump's assault on the EPA slashes nearly 50 programs. This includes the Clean Power Plan which both prevents up to 3,600 premature deaths every year and would have provided more than a quarter of million jobs. This budget would also terminate vehicle emissions standards that have made the air cleaner, reduced dependence on foreign oil, and ultimately saved Americans nearly $35 billion in fuel. Other programs on the chopping block include the Energy Star program as well as grants that help states and cities fight air pollution.

The Office of Research and Development would be cut in half and Trump hopes to eliminate restoration programs for the Great Lakes and the Chesapeake Bay. Another EPA program Trump would like kill provides clean water and sewage treatment systems to native Alaskan villages. There would also be significant reductions in funding for the Superfund cleanup program, the Chemical Safety Board, as well as the Office of Enforcement and Compliance.

Although Congress will ultimately decide just how deep these cuts will go, Trump has once again made it clear that his administration is determined to undermine environmental protections, kill climate actions and defund scientific research.

Event - Innovating Alberta's Energy Future: Energy Futures Lab Showcase

Innovating Alberta's Energy Future: Energy Futures Lab Showcase will take place on Wednesday, April 19, 2017 - 1:00pm to 5:00pm at the Jack Singer Hall, in Calgary, Alberta. Innovating Alberta’s Energy Future Showcase event will feature leaders and influencers from across Alberta and inspiring talks by EFL Fellows.

As polarized debates over energy continue, thinkers, officials, innovators, and investors are helping to shape Alberta’s energy future. They operate between the ‘black and white’ polarized sides of the debate in the very colourful middle ground, and have come together to find ways to help Alberta transition to a low carbon future.

This inspiring afternoon will include three sets of three speakers and brief cultural performances between sets. The speakers will include several EFL Fellows—innovators and influencers from industry, government, non-profit, First Nations and others—who will talk about the initiatives and ideas they are developing together. Other provocative and informed guest speakers will also join and spark conversation!

Learn more about the exciting initiatives of the Energy Futures Lab, while engaging with leaders and influencers in Alberta’s energy space. More details to come soon!

The cost is $57.75 (+ fees)

Click here to register.

Event - Environmental Leader 2017 Conference

The Environmental Leader Conference 2017, featuring the Energy Manager Summit, will take place on June 5-7, 2017 at the Hyatt Regency Denver Tech Center in Denver, Colorado. It will take a look at what the next four years look like for the business community in terms of regulatory mandates. Early actions taken by Trump indicate he intends to keep his campaign promises to reduce regulations and slash funding for the Environmental Protection Agency.

This conference offers a unique opportunity for environmental, sustainability and energy professionals to come together to identify new areas of opportunity to work more collaboratively in addressing their organizations goals.

Unlike other conferences, this program unites a group of multidisciplinary, forward-thinking executives to share diverse perspectives and approaches to improving processes and better managing resources.

Highlights

Hear about new ways to tackle the issues, discover innovative technologies, and learn about implementation practices for environmental, sustainability, and energy management goals. Engage with more than 300 decision makers from industrial and commercial corporations that are leading the way. Takeaway actionable steps to improve sustainability performance and reduce negative social and environmental impact. The Energy Manager Summit-an independent conference track tackling the vital issue of energy management and efficiency. Network with leading environmental health and safety, sustainability, and energy management executives.

This conference will also host lively discussion with Martha Rudolph, director of environmental programs, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and John Jacus, partner, Davis, Graham & Stubbs. They will discuss this radical shift in environmental policy and explore the ways that this will affect you and your business.

Scott O’Connell, director of environmental affairs at Dell, will be offering a four-hour workshop on the circular economy — along with Larry Black of McDonough Innovation Sustainability Collaboration and Tom Carpenter of Waste Management..

Click here to view the agenda and speakers. Click here to register.

Event - WSBE17 Hong Kong

The World Sustainable Built Environment Conference 2017 (WSBE17) will take place on June 5-7, 2017 at the at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC).

This is the preeminent global conference on sustainable building and construction. Themed "Transforming Our Built Environment through Innovation and Integration: Putting Ideas into Action", this event is focused on both innovation and integration.

WSBE17 Hong Kong will bring together 1,800 green building advocates, policy-makers, academics, and industry practitioners from all over the world, offering an inspirational opportunity for delegates to "Put Ideas into Action" to transform the world's built environment.

The conference will celebrate the continual efforts and achievements of different regions of the world in terms of sustainable built environments of various scales, with a particular emphasis on urban neighborhoods and buildings.

There will be a gala dinner,  youth competition,  green building / eco tours and an exhibition.  BEAM Pro & BEAM Affiliate can earn 19.5 Mandatory CPD Hours. This event is presented by Construction Industry Council (CIC) and the Hong Kong Green Building Council (HKGBC).  

Hong Kong

This event takes place in Hong Kong one of the densest and most vibrant urban environments in the world. This is the perfect setting for conference participants to experience and discuss both the challenges and solutions involved in creating a sustainable built environment. Serving as a strategic gateway to Mainland China, Hong Kong also provides an unparalleled viewpoint for reviewing and discussing China's rapid urbanisation.

WSBE17 Hong Kong is the world conference of the 2015-2017 cycle of the renowned SBE Conference Series, which is now considered to be the most influential of its kind globally. Following Hong Kong's selection as the host city, WSBE17 Hong Kong will conclude the cycle by embracing all of the findings from the 20 regional conferences held in different parts of the world in 2016
Keynote Speakers

Mr Matthew CHEUNG Kin-chung, GBS, JP
Chief Secretary for Administration, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

Mr SU Yunshan
Director-General, Department of Science & Technology and Energy Saving on Buildings, Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, People's Republic of China

Ms Christiana FIGUERES
Vice-Chair, Global Covenant of Mayors

Prof. Thomas AUER
Managing Director, Transsolar
Professor, Building Technology and Climate Responsive Design, Technical University of Munich

Prof. Peter GUTHRIE
Professor, Engineering for Sustainable Development, University of Cambridge

Dr Raymond COLE
Professor, School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, University of British Columbia, Canada

Click here for the programme
Click here to register

Irish Parliament Votes to Fully Divest from Fossil Fuels (Videos)

Ireland leads the world in its effort to become the first nation on Earth that completely stops funding fossil fuels. A divestment bill recently passed by a vote of 90 to 53 in the Irish Parliament. It will end public funding of fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas from the €8 billion (US$8.6 billion) Ireland Strategic Investment Fund, part of the Republic’s National Treasury Management Agency.

Ireland is a global sustainability leader and has been for some time. On the first anniversary of Hurricane Sandy in 2013, Democracy Now interviewed Mary Robinson, former Irish president and U.N. high commissioner for human rights. She now heads the Mary Robinson Foundation--Climate Justice, where her efforts include campaigning for the divestment from fossil fuels. "We can no longer invest in companies that are part of the problem of the climate shocks we're suffering from," Robinson says. "To me it's a little bit like the energy behind the anti-apartheid movement when I was a student. We were involved because we saw the injustice of it. There's an injustice in continuing to invest in fossil fuel companies that are part of the problem."



Proponents of the 2017 bill cited the malfeasance of oil companies who have manipulated scientific data to serve their own interests at the world's expense. As quoted in Science Alert:
"This principle of ethical financing is a symbol to these global corporations that their continual manipulation of climate science, denial of the existence of climate change, and their controversial lobbying practices of politicians around the world is no longer tolerated," Deputy Thomas Pringle, who introduced the bill, told the media. Pringle also mentioned the disproportional impact climate change has on the world's most vulnerable people. "We cannot accept their actions while millions of poor people in underdeveloped nations bear the brunt of climate change forces as they experience famine, mass emigration, and civil unrest as a result."
In the Irish parliament Green Party leader Eamon Ryan shared his support for the Divestment Bill, he further stated that the bill is an appropriate answer to Trump and Tillerson.



Catholic groups applauded the news. "The Irish political system is now finally acknowledging what the overwhelming majority of people already know: that to have a fighting chance to combat catastrophic climate change, we must phase out fossil fuels and stop the growth of the industry that is driving this crisis," Éamonn Meehan, executive director of the Catholic poverty charity Trócaire, told the Belfast Telegraph.

Other countries have made steps in this direction, but none have gone as far as Ireland. In 2015, Norway announced that it was divesting €7.4 billion (US$8 billion) from coal in their sovereign wealth fund.

The Irish divestment bill is currently being reviewed by the financial committee and is expected to become law in the coming months.

Ireland Illustrates the Benefits of Going Green

In Ireland, green has many meanings. It can be seen as the color of their national symbol, a way of describing the government's environmentally responsible initiatives and the economic benefits the nation gleans from sustainability.

Ireland's investments in sustainability are paying off. Ireland continues to have the fastest growing economy in the European Union. In 2015 the country led the EU with a 6.9 percent growth rate and in 2014 the country led with a 4.8 percent growth rate. As reported in the Irish Times, the European Commission has indicated that it expects Ireland will continue to lead the EU with 4.5 percent growth in 2016.

The government is engaging a number of sustainability related programs and they rank very favorably on a number of green indices.

Although Ireland's green economy is booming, it has not achieved the recognition it deserves. According to the The 4th edition of the Global Green Economy Index (GGEI), produced by private US-based consultancy Dual Citizen LLC, Ireland's performance exceeds its perception. The GGEI ranked 60 countries on how they are developing more environmentally friendly economies, both in terms of actual performance and expert perception of their performance.Ireland occupies the top spot on the Good Country Index which measures how much each country contributes to the planet. Ireland ranked 9th on the list of 58 countries in the Climate Change Performance Index.

In addition to being the home to some of the greenest shopping centers in the world and green schools like Queen's University Belfast, The Irish government is at the forefront of sustainable development.

Ireland is working to cap its national emissions profile and the public sector is leading by example and improving its energy efficiency by 33 percent. Hundreds of millions of dollars are being invested in energy upgrades and tens of thousands of homes and buildings are getting energy efficiency upgrades.

Ireland is working to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels by developing its abundant renewable energy resources. While they still have a ways to go they are planning for a future with far more renewable energy resources. As outlined in a 2007 government White Paper, Renewable energy constitutes a core element of the Government’s overarching energy policy. In this document they outline the importance of renewable energy in their pursuit of environmental sustainability.

As explained in the White Paper, "Renewable energy is an integral part of our climate change strategy and sustainability objectives. The additional diversity which renewables bring to Ireland’s energy demand will also make a direct contribution to our goal of ensuring secure and reliable energy supplies."

The Irish Government has enacted energy policies, initiatives and support mechanisms to steward the growth of renewable energy.

The greening of Ireland has helped the nation to achieve strong economic growth. Ireland has recently seen its double digit unemployment start to fall. Projections are that the unemployment rate will be 7.8 percent in 2017.

In 2017 the Irish parliament voted to fully divest from fossil fuels making it the first nation in the world to do so. 

Sustainability Leadership: 500 Companies, 50 Drivers, 5 Reasons and 5 CEOs

Sustainability is a mainstream phenomenon that has become an imperative. Driven by a powerful logic it has taken root in the US and around the world. Many CEOs and businesses in the United States are already fully engaged. The business case for sustainability has never been stronger. Businesses are moving forward despite the fact that the Trump administration is a serious impediment to the growth of sustainability.  However, contrary to the assertions of this administration the evidence shows that sustainability is a boon and not a liability.

As recounted in a We Mean Business post, "Corporate-level commitments to take action against climate change are gaining unprecedented momentum as the business case becomes ever more compelling." This article points to the more than 500 companies worth over $8.1 trillion in annual revenues, that have now made over a thousand ambitious commitments as part of the We Mean Business coalition’s (WMB) take action campaign.

This diverse array of companies includes more than 200 of the world’s biggest corporations that are have joined the Science-Based Targets initiative. This includes companies like Walmart, General Mills, Diageo and recently joined United Technologies Corporation. A total of 87 companies have already committed to source 100 percent renewable electricity as part of the RE100 commitment, this includes Google, Apple, General Motors, Danske Bank and Gatwick Airport.

While there are numerous drivers of sustainability (click here for a list of 50) here are 5 reasons cited by "We Mean Business" that have helped drive 500 companies to commit to take action on climate change:

1. Cost savings from efficiency and emissions reductions benefit the bottom line. Walmart has saved nearly $1 billion in the past fiscal year and avoided emitting almost 650,000 metric tons of CO2, by doubling the efficiency of its US fleet between 2005 to 2015.

2. The global impact of adopting emission reduction targets have a global impact. To illustrate the point RE100 Member companies (87 and growing) are now creating demand for approximately 107 TWh of renewable power annually. According to a recent CDP report, leading suppliers disclosed reductions equivalent to 434 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from reduction projects. This amounts to $12.4 billion in savings, more than double the figure from 2015.

3. Evidence for the decoupling of growth and emissions. According to a CDP emission reductions and growth can be compatible. The CDP analysis shows how 62 companies have reduced greenhouse gases (GHG) while improving revenue growth. These decoupled companies have grown by an average of 29 percent while their emissions fell by an average of 26 percent. Conversely companies that have not decoupled growth and emissions saw revenue decline by 6 percent on average, while their GHG emissions grew by 6 percent. A WMB report in partnership with CDP shows that companies taking climate action are outperforming their peers, and achieving an average Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 27 percent, with some US companies generating as much as 81 percent IRR on particular initiatives.

4. Sustainability drives innovation and opens new markets. The IKEA Group's investments in solar and wind has turned energy from being a cost center into a profit center. Philips innovative sustainability offerings saw increased sales of 15 percent in 2016 over 2015. Green products (especially low-carbon innovation) now represent a total of 52 percent of the company’s overall revenue.

5. The economic scale of sustainability is massive and businesses simply cannot afford to ignore the opportunity. The multi-trillion dollar opportunity associated with the transition to a low-carbon future is an economic boon. Implementing the Paris Agreement alone will unlock at least $13.5 trillion of economic activity globally. Renewable energy is at the forefront of this opportunity representing $7.8 trillion off the $11.4 trillion set to be invested in power generation globally by 2040.

As reviewed in a Triple Pundit article, here are comments from five successful CEOs that support the argument for engaging sustainability.

1. CEO Paul Polman is a sustainability champion that has been at the helm of Unilever for almost a decade. In a recent Fortune magazine feature titled "Unilever CEO Paul Polman’s Plan to Save the World," the Fortune 500 CEO said: "The real purpose of business has always been to come up with solutions that are relevant to society, to make society better."

2. Elon Musk is a prime example of a very successful business mind that sees real value in sustainability. Musk's leadership includes EVs (Tesla Motors), solar (Solar City), battery storage (Powerwall), the hyperloop and space travel, Musk is an innovator who is successfully leveraging technology for societal betterment. "We must at some point achieve a sustainable energy economy," Musk said last year, "or we will run out of fossil fuels to burn and civilization will collapse."

3. Another truly ground-breaking pioneer is Patagonia CEO Yvon Chouinard. He walks the talk as few others do. Sustainability is ingrained into the DNA of his company. "When we make a decision because it’s the right thing to do for the planet, it ends up also being good for the business," Yvon Chouinard wrote in his new book “Let My People Go Surfing".

4. Chobani founder and CEO Hamdi Ulukaya is a sustainability focused Greek yogurt king. He has recruited immigrants and refugees to work with him and he compensates them well recently giving 10 percent of his company’s stock to his employees in an ESOP. He has worked with other companies to file a legal brief opposing Donald Trump’s Muslim travel ban.

5. Sustainability-focused fashion mogul Eileen Fisher has been around for more than three decades. The company is moving forward with its 100 percent sustainability 2020 goals. This includes organic and sustainable fabrics, fair trade supply chains, and human rights. "These days I’m focused on the concept of good growth,” Fisher told Inc. magazine in 2014. “I constantly ask myself and my employees, How do we grow in ways that are sustainable, and ways we can be proud of?"

Related
10 Reasons Why Patagonia is the World's Most Responsible Company  

Trump Orders an End to Vehicle Mileage Standards

With an order to end vehicle mileage standards, Trump has removed another pillar of US environmental protections. It is hard to keep up with the Trump administration's steady stream of climate assaults. On March 15 in Detroit, Trump announced that he has directed the EPA to dismantle the Obama administration's vehicle emissions standards for cars.

Tailpipe emissions are one of the largest source of carbon pollution in the US. Vehicle emissions standards have reduced carbon pollution by 50 percent since they were introduced in 2010 and it has saved billions of dollars a year on fuel.

The latest rollback of climate protections is part of a consistent trend of this government's abject environmental disregard. Soon after taking office Trump declared war on the EPA. Then he nominated Scott Pruitt to lead the EPA laying bare this administration's stridently anti-government agenda. Pruitt has a decidedly pro-industry and anti-regulation agenda, he has already begun to dismantle the agency he now heads.

As illustrated by the most powerful chief White House strategy advisor in history, dismantling government is the clear and stated goal of this administration. Stephen Bannon did not pull his punches at the CPAC conference, he blatantly stated that the Trump administration is pursuing, "[the] deconstruction of the administrative state". He then went on to make the point that his administration has been staffed by people with the common goal of eradicating the government departments they are charged to oversee. "If you look at these Cabinet nominees, they were selected for a reason, and that is deconstruction," Bannon said.

Repealing vehicle emissions standards is but the latest affront to US environmental laws. There is no avoiding that Trump is very significantly eroding climate progress. With vows to kill the Clean Power Plan it will get worse before it gets better. In addition to sentencing future generations to a climate hell, this administration is depriving Americans of clean air, potable water and safe food.