The °Climate Group has convened similar highly-successful roundtable meetings with key business and government leaders over the past years. In July 2006 former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Dr. Steve Howard, CEO of The °Climate Group joined a select group of prominent CEOs and business leaders for an energy roundtable in California.  This past July, The °Climate Group convened two business roundtables in Florida for Governor Charlie Crist’s Serve to Preserve: A Florida Summit on Global Climate Change .

Excerpts from the interview

SS: You run a Beijing think tank which is devoted to sustainable development trying to control climate change. Does your heart sink when you look at the reality of what is happening in China?
CW: Not really.  I do know how challenging it is. But [when you] look at what is going on already, on the ground, here in China: in terms of the political will; the policy and laws regulations; the leadership and emerging leadership from China’s business community - as well the increasing awareness among public consumers about climate change issues and environmental issues. I am hopeful.

China is already the number two polluter in the world today, on track to being number one, to overtake the United States.SS: That’s an incredible optimistic spin on a reality which is very depressing. China is already the number two polluter in the world today, on track to being number one, to overtake the United States. That is the reality and it is frightening.
CW: It is. And it’s unavoidable, if you look at the reality and the numbers. China is at the stage of rapid industrialisation as well as urbanisation...We have a huge population base: 1.3 billion people already here. People are looking for a better lifestyle, a better life quality… [but] people are taking action. Not only here in this country - if you look at the national level and local level - but also internationally. I think there has been increasing awareness and also political will emerging at the international level - particularly dealing with climate change issues…

SS: International will but also international concern… they see the reality out of this window. They see that Beijing is one of the world’s top twenty polluted cities, and perhaps fourteen or fifteen of the others in the top twenty, according to the World Bank, are also inside China. And they believe that is a clear sign that China has got its environmental policies wrong.
CW: If you look back historically like sixty or even one hundred years ago:  look at the UK, look at North America. What did you see then? You probably would see an even worse situation in many, many cities - in London, in Pittsburgh, places like that… Today it’s a totally different situation. We have better awareness, we have knowledge, we have the will and the policies, as well as [that] awareness.  We have the tools and solutions now.  Yes we have to acknowledge the problems, the challenges that we are dealing with at this moment, in China in particular.  We are hopeful because there are solutions. And people are willing to take solutions, to take action, to deal with the problem.

SS: How do you solve the problems presented by this basic fact: China get two thirds of its energy right now from coal, which is the dirtiest form of energy production. How do you overcome that basic fact?
“Today it’s a totally different situation...We have the tools and the solutions now.”CW: It is a fact unfortunately… [But when] you look at the action, the investments, the policies, the financing, the technologies, everything here around clean coal technology.  It’s happening here already. China actually has now the first supercritical technology units for power generation, which probably has the highest energy-efficiency level -

SS: These are just experiments aren’t they? I know your think tank helps to finance these experiments and is very actively involved in pushing new ideas and innovation. But they are still at the testing stage. It’s no good testing things and telling me that that makes a difference when many, many dirty coal fired power stations in the old form are still being built.
CW: I wouldn’t really think that way… You need a lot of technologies; you need to experiment. China is moving very, very fast towards alternative energies, including renewable energy. If you look at wind and solar, China has been doing a dramatic and very impressive job already. You have really the leading Chinese companies supplying the European and North American markets with solar PV. And we have lots of wind power units actually installed here on the ground, operating already...With all these things combined together, it is hopeful that the situation will definitely get better. 

Of course you would wish that things would be taken care of faster than you would expect:  then that would take more effort, commitment from the international community as well as from here.

SS:… Is authoritarian rule the best way to deliver on climate change?
“This system in many, many ways works better. As long as there is a top management commitment - the political will - things happen here.”CW: ...Here in China, I wouldn’t say it’s totally authoritarian at this moment, compared to a couple of decades ago. It is very different now. China is in a stage of transition...But with the current system in place, at this moment: in many, many ways particularly coming down to climate change issues, this system in many, many ways works better. As long as there is a top management commitment - the political will - things happen here.

SS: If that’s true, why does the Economist magazine report that the very ambitious energy intensity reduction targets, that have been put in place by the government here, are being missed?...It comes back to this point of the nature of the government. How can the failure be so bad if the government and the leadership have decided it must be so?
CW: Well again this is making an interpretation. This is not a simple process. The good thing, positively, is that the government decided to make a commitment.

SS: Well that’s the message you give me: that there’s got to be all this co-operation, there’s got to be awareness raising, there’s got to be new incentives, there’s got to be innovation.  All sorts of positive messages… [all] more carrot than stick. Let’s talk stick for a second.  For a start do you believe that China as part of a post-Kyoto global agreement should sign up to binding cuts in emissions?
CW: That’s a tough question -

SS: That’s why I am asking. Do you believe they should?
CW: Down the road, somehow -

“Countries across the world are facing this issue of whether to and how to establish a really meaningful post-Kyoto agreement now. China has to decide NOW.”SS: It’s not a question of down the road. It’s about now.  Because countries across the world are facing this issue of whether to and how to establish a really meaningful post-Kyoto agreement now. China has to decide NOW.
CW: I think my answer will be really around [the] kind of target.  China is setting a lot of targets already, meaning energy efficiency targets, renewable energy, as well as [for] forest carbon sinks...[and] shutting down all the polluters, everything like that. If you think that’s good enough, then China is there already....

SS: I am talking about the sorts of binding commitments from China...that would say: “By a certain time you have to reduce your emissions to this level; you have to stop some of the growth that you have planned, because it is not sustainable.”
CW: ... China will definitely make its commitment, as the Bali process showed. The government have decided to take on certain actions, commitments, and it is included in the Bali road map already. Meaning they are going to set specific targets, measurable reports, that will be verifiable. But in terms of what that means: what kind of targets they will be? Will they be the same as the Annex 1 countries at this moment, that say by 2010, by 2020, we are going to cut emissions by 50 or 20 percent compared to 1990 level?

SS: Do you know what they are saying? In the European Union and in Britain they are saying we will commit to cut by 60% by 2050.  Is that realistic in China?
CW: No. Honestly, no. We don’t even have an understanding of what the base line is at this moment. I just don’t feel it is realistic.

SS: Given that China by then will be the world’s number one polluter, by some way, what you’ re telling me is worrying, is it not?
“In terms of putting a cap there - saying that by 2020 the Chinese will commit [reductions] compared to 2005 as the baseline year… it’s a tricky question in a way:  Is it a ‘should’? Or [is it] whether it’s doable...”It is worrying. There’s no doubt about it. China is the [world’s] biggest country and by then very possibly China will be the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases. Actions have to be taken.  But in terms of putting a cap there - saying that by 2020 the Chinese will commit [reductions] compared to 2005 as the baseline year… it’s a tricky question in a way:  Is it a ‘should’? Or [is it a question of] whether it’s doable...All the countries really ‘should’.  Definitely everybody has to cut their emissions… That’s where we just started the process at this moment. I don’t have a definite answer at this moment.

SS: The final thought. It seem to me what the Chinese government says it can do is something unprecedented, truly historic. They say that they can develop China, grow in the most remarkable way and somehow break with the cycle we have seen, in all industrial societies, which links growth in per capita income to growth in consumption of energy.  The Chinese say for the first time ever they can be an economy, a society, that breaks that umbilical cord. Do you believe that?
CW: I do, actually...It is possible. With the technology level at this moment; with the financing resources; the investments and interest from the financing sector in new technology… And the political will is there. I think it is doable. And China is trying very, very hard to be the showcase and to demonstrate that it is doable.

SS: You are a remarkable optimist.
CW: I am. Otherwise I wouldn’t be in my position, honestly…

[End]

Thanks to the BBC for the permission to post this transcript from the interview on this website

Preeti joined The °Climate Group as our India Director last month. Here she talks to us about her new role and its central objective:  to catalyse positive climate leadership across India’s public and private sectors. 

The city of Kolkata ranks among the world’s top 10 cities most vulnerable to climate impacts; already we are seeing impacts taking a toll on the Indian coast.  What strategies are in place to help India’s population cope with these impacts?
India has long recognised and emphasised that that the adverse impacts of current climate change already threaten the livelihoods of many Indians, especially the poorest. Indian coastal states in particular are examining the impacts of sea level rise on the local economy. “The current government expenditure on adaptation to climate variability already exceeds 2% of GDP.” The state of West Bengal has been at the forefront of such research, with large-scale efforts there to afforest and manage the Sunderban Islands, which are particularly vulnerable. Other states, including Rajasthan, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh, are making similar efforts.

Cities now have a growing interest in the link between climate change and urban planning. For example, Kolkata is looking at emissions from high impact sectors such as transport, with a view to exploring alternative fuels and technologies such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) options are being explored; the Delhi Metro is hailed as best practise that other cities in India, such as Bangalore now plan to follow. 

Official figures indicate that the current government expenditure on adaptation to climate variability already exceeds 2% of GDP with agriculture, water resources, health and sanitation, forests, coastal zone infrastructure and extreme weather events being specific areas of concern. The work, however, has just started.

The Indian government has indicated it will announce its national policy framework on climate change in June. What will it say?
The National Action Programme on Climate Change is expected to be a forward looking document that will consolidate actions already taken by India to address climate change. It will also outline the measures – the technologies and the investments – required by India to effectively tackle its emissions and to enable its vulnerable populations to adapt. This will help provide a blueprint for institutions to respond domestically. 

“India’s position has been that tackling climate change, through either adaptation or mitigation, is largely a co-benefit of mainstream sustainable development.”What needs to happen in order for emerging economies, like India, to sign up to a global framework? 
It is important that countries with binding commitments demonstrate deeper reductions. It is also important to facilitate the transfer of technology and investments for both adaptation and reduction of emissions. This is necessary to enable developing countries to take action. The need for developing countries to grow should be recognised as well as their capabilities to tackle climate change, in line with the principle of ‘common but differentiated responsibilities’.  This has been recognised at Bali.

Former UK PM Tony Blair was recently in India to publicise the Breaking the Climate Deadlock initiative. Do you think Indian government is ready to support such an initiative?
As long as the initiative feeds into the UNFCCC, which it does, India is likely to engage. It provides India and other countries the opportunity to get involved outside the official negotiations. It also enables them to go into greater depth on some key issues. India has participated in such discussions in the past; my experience suggests that it has helped to build momentum resulting in a more constructive engagement at the UNFCCC CoPs. We did get a good response at the launch of the initiative in India this March. We are hopeful of fuller engagement in the coming months.

Where do businesses stand on climate change?  Are any firms leading the way towards decarbonising the Indian economy?
Yes, some really are. Suzlon is ranked as the fifth leading wind-turbine supplier in the world. It has, in a very short time, added as customers several of India’s leading corporations (both private and public sector) such as ONGC, Reliance Energy, TATA Power, DLF, and HPCL.

“Around 300 [projects] have been registered by the CDM Executive Board, amounting to 27 million tonnes of certified CO₂ emissions reductions.”A number of Indian companies such as Infosys, HSBC India and ABN Amro India have announced that they will go carbon neutral by 2010.  For the last two years, ITC Ltd has been ‘carbon positive’. It achieved this status through energy conservation measures, use of carbon neutral fuels and carbon sequestration through large-scale agro-forestry programmes. And the Indian Designated National Authority (DNA) has approved more than 700 CDM projects; around 300 of these have been registered by the CDM Executive Board amounting to 27 million tonnes of certified CO₂ emissions reductions. Many, if not all, of these projects are based on technological innovations. 

Are any incentives in place to help firms decouple growth from increased greenhouse gas emissions? 
The CDM offers incentives to reduce emissions and Indian firms and project developers have been actively participating. This is evident from the number of Indian projects registered with the Executive Board. Efficiency standards have been established, requiring, for example, the use of supercritical technology in the upcoming Ultra Mega Power Projects (4000 MW). Legislation requires distribution companies involved to purchase a fixed percentage of their power from renewable sources. Still, these measures are small. They need to be up scaled in order to provide more attractive incentives to reduce emissions.

Would you say that India’s consumers – and consumer markets – are becoming more ‘climate-friendly’?
Yes, awareness of climate change is growing; citizen groups, NGOs and businesses are all spearheading action. They are helping reinforce traditional green behaviors, like recycling. “Since 2004, the Indian economy has grown at a rate of over 9% per year, supported by an energy growth rate of less than 4% per year.” New concepts, like eco-labelling, are also catching on.  In 2006, the government introduced a new energy labeling programme for electrical appliances to help enable consumers to make informed purchasing decisions. Companies - Reliance, Electrolux, Hindustan Lever to name a few - are also investing R&D funds into products that consume less power and water. The hotel and leisure sector has also been active in reducing its environmental impact.

Still, surveys have shown that consumers are unwilling to pay extra for greener products or services, and at the moment most alternative products are unable to compete on price.  More incentives are needed for suppliers, service providers and consumers. One positive is that a few cities and states are organising consumer education and awareness programmes especially targeting school children. These isolated activities need to turn into mass movements.

What are the key challenges to decarbonising India’s economic growth?
Politically it will be difficult to ask people to alter their lifestyles. Any slowdown in growth – delays in infrastructure projects, for example - is unacceptable. Still, there has been good progress.  Since 2004, the Indian economy has grown at a rate of over 9% per year, supported by an energy growth rate of less than 4% per year. India’s position has been that tackling climate change (through either adaptation or mitigation) is largely a co-benefit of mainstream sustainable development. With economic growth and reducing poverty as its overriding priorities, the nation’s position is unlikely to change in the near future.

It sounds like plenty of challenges and opportunities both lie ahead on the road to a low-carbon India.  As Director of The °Climate Group’s India office, how do you plan to tackle these?
Climate change has caught the attention of senior figures in government, media, and business, and to some extent the public at large over the past year or so. The opportunities for progress are therefore tremendous. The India office hopes to take advantage of these and to further build climate leadership among individuals and organisations that can then have a cascading affect. There is need for sharing information on low-carbon opportunities. This will be an area we hope to address by facilitating interaction on many fronts and sharing best practices from around the globe. Areas of focus will include technologies, investment opportunities, marketing strategies, entrepreneurship and climate leadership. India is keen to engage in the low carbon economy; TCG India plans to fully maximise the opportunities in this!

Business leaders from dozens of major US companies joined representatives from the governments of several Canadian provinces, the US state of Florida and the city of New York to discuss strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  At the meeting, Miami Mayor Manny Diaz officially announced that the city of Miami would join The °Climate Group.

This action-oriented session was immediately followed by a series of interactive break-out groups that brought together leaders from government and the private sector. Participants were selected to represent an effective cross-section of different business segments to help foster greater cross-fertilization.

One key learning was that participants feel that while they are all working towards solutions, efforts remain siloed, which slows progress and means duplication of effort. Some in the private sector expressed a desire to do more, and asked that government be more proactive in facilitating solutions. Business also could be more proactive in approaching government; this not only helps ensure policy direction more closely maps to the realities of doing business but it also gives government the political capital to act.

The meeting also featured presentations from and interactive sessions with China Director Changhua Wu and recently-appointed India Director Preeti Malhotra.  The directors briefed members on the achievements and challenges in addressing climate change within their regions.  Their discussions underscored a common theme: accelerated transfer and global diffusion of low carbon technologies are crucial if the global fight against climate change is to succeed. 

This was an important takeaway for membership in both the public and especially the private sector, as members look to address supply-chain issues and work with overseas suppliers on carbon disclosure and low carbon strategy.

Members expressed their desire to “go deeper” within their own organizations and also discussed means to better integrate climate change within the corporate culture to secure greater employee “buy-in.”

Consumer research presented at the meeting added further incentive to members’ climate strategies and initiatives.  The research showed little real demographic difference in attitudes towards climate change action: Consumers from all age groups and income levels now express similar views on the need for action.

This insight provides valuable guidance as The °Climate Group prepares for the US launch of its consumer climate campaign Together on 5 June 2008.

Other topics covered during the meeting included:

> Green buildings
> Breaking the climate deadlock
> Supply chain and carbon neutrality
> Emerging markets
> Green energy
> Corporate philanthropy
> Climate conscious consumer
> Carbon markets and the Voluntary Carbon Standard
> IT solutions to climate change

*****

If you would like more information about this meeting or about The °Climate Group, please contact:

Trina Chattoraj Mallik
Director of Corporate Engagement, North America
The °Climate Group
Tel: 646.233.0558

Many were of the view that although climate change is not on the average American’s voting agenda, a new President will provide the opportunity needed to change the rhetoric and open the door for positive discussions to set a carbon emissions reduction target as part of the post-Kyoto process. The reason for this belief is that foundations to support robust commitments on carbon reduction are already being built.

Lieberman-Warner double bill

America’s Climate Security Act of 2007, better known as the Lieberman-Warner bill, is one of those foundations. It proposes to establish an economy-wide cap and trade programme to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the United States – it is probably no surprise that an economy- based mechanism is the one that offers the most hope in a capitalist economy. It is the first climate change bill to be approved by a Congressional committee, passing through the US Senate Environment and Public Works Committee by a vote of 11 to eight.

As the bill moves to the Senate floor for debate, it is likely to serve as a focal point for any future climate legislation in the US. The bill will establish a yearly cap on GHG emissions from the electric power, heavy industry and transportation fuel sectors. In the electric power and industry sectors, the programme regulates facilities (downstream regulation) that emit more than 10,000 tonnes of CO₂e per year. In the transportation fuel sector, the programme regulates emissions from refineries (upstream regulation) whose fuel will emit more than 10,000 tonnes of CO₂e per year.

The regulated sectors account for between 75 per cent and 86 per cent of total US emissions. The total cap would begin at 2005 levels in 2012 and tighten gradually each year, reaching 70 per cent below 2005 levels by 2050.

Election boost

Debate about Lieberman-Warner, and other climate change bills including the Bingaman-Specter bill, is expected to continue in earnest through 2008¹. Bingaman-Specter similarly calls for an economy-wide cap on emissions, auction and allocation of allowances, and set-asides for R&D. Conventional thinking is that there will be no passage of legislation in 2008 because of the presidential elections. However, all three presidential candidates are supportive of climate change legislation – Republican candidate, Senator McCain, is the co-sponsor of one of the bills introduced in the Senate. Climate change legislation will continue to be discussed and debated in the near and medium-term future, with the potential for legislation to pass in the 2009-2010 timeframe.

Vital influence

The Lieberman-Warner bill has gained traction in the Senate largely as a result of its sponsors. Senator Lieberman, an Independent, and Senator Warner, a long-serving Republican, are seen by Republican lawmakers as honest brokers. Their support of national climate legislation has sent a not-so-subtle signal to a group of moderate Republican lawmakers that support of national climate legislation passes a necessary litmus test of party loyalty. Without such a highly regarded and senior lawmaker as Senator Warner on the bill, it is unlikely to have made enough impact to survive. This is evident in the fact that the Bingaman-Specter bill, of which maverick Republican lawmaker Arlen Specter is a co-sponsor, has not moved out of committee.

Pragmatic appeal

Beyond politics, Senators and business people have been willing to show support for the legislation because it effectively takes a middle-of-the-road approach to most design issues, including a mix of upstream and downstream points of regulation and a generous balance of allocation and auction of allowances. It is generally assumed that national climate legislation passed by the 111th Congress will have striking similarities to the Lieberman-Warner bill.

The US business community sees the potential for this legislation to help drive the low carbon economy because it relies on market mechanisms and is less extreme than other proposals languishing in committee. Its measured approach to regulation is enticing to a business community which has repeatedly asked Congress to lay out workable rules so that it could adapt to and leverage these rules for its economic interests.

Trading buzz

In addition to legislation to frame the development of a price on carbon is the development of several mechanisms to trade carbon. In the US, many companies are preparing for the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and the state-wide cap on emissions in California (AB-32) and are therefore buying from the compliance market.

The Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX)is a membership-based cap and trade system. Membership in the CCX is voluntary but members must meet legally binding limits on their GHG emissions. In addition to allowing member companies to trade allocated emissions allowances, the CCX allows members to use approved offsets from the voluntary markets to meet their emissions limit. In 2006, 10.3 million MTCO₂e worth US$36.1 million were traded on the CCX, representing 43 per cent of total volume traded in the US voluntary markets. The fact that Goldman Sachs has a significant investment in the CCX also provides a good indication that the US financial markets are expecting to develop in the future.

Unstoppable momentum?

The positive direction that climate change legislation and carbon markets are travelling in the US goes a long way to support the optimistic outlook that many of The °Climate Group’s members share – perhaps enough to convince a cynical European onlooker that the US really is ready to roll up its sleeves and get stuck in to the fight against climate change. Continued niggling over the details aside, what is clear is that the momentum behind legislation, a budding carbon market and the appetite for leadership from North American corporations, states and cities means it will take a mighty force to stop it.

¹ A summary chart of all the legislative bills for cap-and-trade is issued periodically by the World Resources Institute and can be found at http://www.wri.org/publication/usclimatetargets.

Emily Farnworth is director of corporate engagement at The °Climate Group.

The °Climate Group’s Australian Director, Rupert Posner, said it appears higher prices are having very little impact on petrol use.

“Emissions from petroleum products were up 3 per cent on the same period in 2007 in NSW and 4 per cent higher in Victoria.”

For the first quarter of 2008 in NSW electricity from coal produced 15.084 million tonnes of greenhouse gases (61 per cent), natural gas-fired electricity was responsible for 0.113 million tonnes (1 per cent) and petroleum 9.491 million tonnes (38 per cent).

“Electricity demand in NSW was 2 per cent lower in the first quarter of 2008 compared to 2007 due to milder weather,” said Mr Posner. “However, NSW’s emissions rose steeply due to an 11 per cent increase in emissions from coal-fired generation. This has been due to a reduction in hydro generation and lower power imports from Victoria.”

For the first quarter of 2008 inflows into the hydro storages in NSW have been low and the level of water storage has been at historic lows. Hydro-generation was 19 per cent lower than the same period in 2007 – which wasn’t particularly high.

In Victoria, for the first quarter of 2008 electricity from coal produced 15.767 million tonnes of greenhouse gases (62 per cent), natural gas was responsible for 2.377 million tonnes (9 per cent) and petroleum 7.295 million tonnes (29 per cent).

“With a cooler start to this year in Victoria, emissions were lower than 2007 for the first half of the quarter but hot weather in March saw emissions increase to levels higher than the same period in 2007,” said Mr Posner.

While electricity demand in Victoria grew slightly, this did not correspond to an increase in Victorian generation but rather a reduction in the level of electricity exported to NSW. Emissions from coal-fired electricity reduced marginally (0.4 per cent). Emissions from natural gas were 5 per cent lower due to a reduction in the level of gas used for power generation due to milder weather compared with the same time in 2007.

In Victoria the Weekly Greenhouse Indicator peaked in mid February (2.035 million tonnes, 16-22 Feb) when emissions from coal-fired electricity were greatest and was at its lowest (1.831 million tonnes) at the beginning of January.

Launched in 2007 by The °Climate Group, the Weekly Greenhouse Indicator track’s the States’ greenhouse emissions in real time.

“The Greenhouse Indicator shows us that rather than heading down as they need to, our emissions continue to rise and for the first quarter of 2008 were 12 per cent higher than the equivalent average weekly emissions in 1990 in NSW and 27 per cent higher in Victoria.

“The urgent challenge is to turn things around and try and make the number go down rather than up.”

Learn more about the indicator or to sign up to receive weekly updates at www.theclimategroup.org/indicator

Under the deal, Dell will secure power from Waste Management’s Austin Community Landfill gas-to-energy plant, enough to provide 40 per cent of the campus’ power needs. As existing wind farms, powered by TXU Energy, already power 60 per cent of the campus, this deal means Dell’s headquarters will now be powered entirely by renewable sources.

“For Dell to partner with Waste Management and TXU Energy to source renewable energy on this scale is great news,” said Dr. Steve Howard, CEO of The °Climate Group.  “Greening the company’s Texas operations not only underpins Dell’s bold carbon neutral commitment but helps drive clean energy investment and tackles climate change.”

Dell also announced it would increase green power use for its Austin Parmer Campus, provided by Austin Energy, from eight to 17 per cent. The company is a leading participant in Austin Energy’s GreenChoice® power program.  Dell also powers its Twin Falls, Idaho, facility with 100 percent green power, 97 per cent of which is wind power and three percent solar.

“It’s time for our industry to take a lead role in creating a clean energy future,” said Paul Bell, President of Dell Americas. “Today, we are challenging every technology company to work with their suppliers and partners in integrating green power and energy-efficient strategies into their operations.”

In September 2007, Dell announced it would make company-owned and leased facilities carbon neutral in 2008 through a strategy of improving energy-efficiency in its operations and maximizing the purchase of renewable power.  This commitment is part of the company’s climate strategy which also seeks to minimize carbon impact of supplier operations and customer product use.

“Powering an entire campus with green power, in partnership with these two leading companies, is an important step in becoming the greenest technology company on the planet and the right thing to do for our shared earth,” said Mr. Bell. “At the same time we’re using green technology to drive operating expense down.”

Operational initiatives to increase efficiency and reduce electricity use already implemented on Dell’s central Texas campuses are expected to save the company more than$2 million annually in operating costs and cutting CO₂-equivalent emissions by nearly 20,000 tonnes per year.  The purchase of green power gives Dell price certainty on its operational costs for power, and the company expects it may see cost benefits to using green power in the future.

The company’s desktop systems alone have helped customers save more than US$2.2 billion and avoid approximately 22.4 million tons of CO₂.

“We’re very pleased that our Austin Community Landfill’s gas to energy project will play a key role in Dell’s commitment to using renewable energy.  This project is part of our company’s environmental initiative to increase the production of waste based energy.  Today, we create enough energy for the equivalent of 1 million homes each year and by 2020 we expect to double that output, producing enough energy for the equivalent of more than 2 million homes,” said David Steiner, Chief Executive Officer of Waste Management, Inc.

The bottom line: Greening your supply chain is not an act of sentimentality. It is pure good business.

It’s good for the environment. Good for operational efficiency. Good for customer satisfaction. And great for the bottom line. No wonder leading companies are going green at virtually every stage of their supply chains.

Achieving a green supply chain isn’t simply about measuring your carbon footprint and reducing emissions, it’s also about water and energy efficiency, and management of toxic chemicals.

This is a one stop shop event for supply chain and procurement professionals concerned about finding a holistic approach to supply chain management and getting the right balance between your social and environmental agenda.

Hear from industry leaders such as:
Eastman Kodak Company, Dr David M. Kiser, Vice President and Director of Health, Safety, and Environment
Philips, Jan Roodenburg, Senior Vice President, Supplier Development and Sustainability
Unilever, Ian Midgley, Senior Vice President, Supply Chain
HP, Christian Verstraete , Worldwide Senior Director of Manufacturing and distribution, Solutions and Technology Integration Group
ASDA, Dr Christopher Brown, Head of Ethical and Sustainable Sourcing
SABMiller, Andy Wales, Group Head of Sustainable Development
Vodafone, Peter Stangl, Head of Supplier Performance Management

****
WEB: http://www.ethicalcorp.com/greensupplychain/?t=CGroup
WHERE: Regent’s Park Marriott, London
128 King Henry’s Road
London NW3 3ST, UK
WHEN: June 24-25, 2008
CONTACT: For more information or to RSVP, please contact: 
Ethical Corporation
TEL: + 44 (0) 207 375 7575
EMAIL: conferences@ethicalcorp.com

Do you have any thoughts on the following:

> Is it possible to reduce carbon emissions by 80% and retain economic stability?

> What are the barriers/threats to delivering a low carbon society?

If so, take part now at www.newscientist.com/lowcarbonuk.ns

Teaming with the world’s only international organization dedicated solely to the issue of climate change is the latest move that demonstrates the city’s commitment to addressing climate change.

“We are pleased to announce that we have now officially become a member of The °Climate Group, a group that is doing innovative work in creating public-private partnerships to find solutions to climate change,” said Miami Mayor Manuel Diaz.

Mayor Diaz has been actively implementing substantive initiatives to bring the city decisively into the low-carbon 21st Century.

”Mayor Diaz provides an excellent example of the kind of bold leadership that can have a real impact on global warming,” said Chris Walker, North American Director with The °Climate Group, speaking at an event held to announce the new partnership. ”We would like to acknowledge Mayor Diaz for his leadership on this important issue, to welcome him to The °Climate Group and to ask that he share his vision with our other members from business and government. There is no one single solution that will address this challenge, we need to work together to find solutions that can collectively achieve the carbon reductions we need.”

The °Climate Group is a global, independent organization made up of member companies and governments. The °Climate Group’s mission is to accelerate the pace of international action on climate change to more quickly move the world towards a low-carbon economy.

The °Climate Group is raising awareness of the need to do more to address the challenge of global warming. The organization expanded to the United States just a few years ago with only a few people based in New York, but now has over a dozen full-time staff managing projects in offices in New York, the San Francisco Bay area, Tallahassee and soon Chicago. Internationally, the °Climate Group has offices in London, China, Australia and India.

The °Climate Group focuses on those key influencers in business and government best positioned to bring about the changes needed to achieve the carbon reductions that will help mitigate the impact of global warming. By acting as a catalyst, The °Climate Group is also able to facilitate bolder, more innovative initiatives. It has convened historic round-table discussions with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Prime Minister Tony Blair and Florida Governor Charlie Crist focused on opportunities for public-private partnership and inter-government cooperation.

The °Climate Group is also working to create the infrastructure we need to accelerate the development of a low-carbon economy.

In 2005, The °Climate Group began work on developing a single standard for voluntary carbon trades that could be easily used to verify that specific projects met a very clearly defined standard. The result was the Voluntary Carbon Standard, which has quickly established itself as one of the world’s two most widely used standards.

The growing acceptance of standards has in turn bolstered market growth, with much as 75 million tonnes of CO₂-e traded on the voluntary market in 2007, up more than 200 per cent from 2006. Annual carbon offset sales are expected to hit an estimated US$4billion by 2010.

*****
For further information please contact:

Neal McGrath, Communications Director, North America
The °Climate Group
Tel: 1 646 233 0554

Kelly Penton, Director, Office of Communications
City of Miami
Telephone: 305-416-1440


****

About Mayor Diaz’s Sustainable Initiatives

Mayor Diaz has launched a proactive and ambitious environmental program to clean streets, waterways, brown fields, storm drains, as well as improve air and water quality. His initiatives included the largest ever Adopt-A-Waterway project, Miami’s first Citywide Tree Master Plan, and the introduction of a Green Fleet – requiring all City vehicles to meet or exceed fuel efficiency standards. Mayor Diaz has also created the City of Miami Green Commission to bring together a cross section of local experts and community representatives that will help mold the City’s environmental policy in the areas of Climate Action, Green Buildings, Urban Forestry and Bicycle Transportation. The Mayor has spearheaded public-private partnerships to promote sustainable initiatives with a variety of groups, including the World Wildlife Fund, EcoMedia, and United States Green Building Council. These initiatives include Earth Hour 2008, the City Hall Energy Efficiency Retrofit Project, and the Miami Green Lab.