Four former heads of the Environment Protection Agency (EPA), who served under Republican Presidents of the United States , have come out strongly in support of Obama’s climate action plan and say categorically that the US “must move now on substantive steps to curb climate change, at home and internationally”. They point to examples of environmental actions in the past – like dealing with the hole in the ozone layer and the devastation wrought by acid rain – which happened when Republican Presidents were in the hot seat. Read More

A Republican Case for Climate Action

By William D. Ruckelshaus, Lee M. Thomas, William K. Reilly and Christine Todd Whitman for New York Times (1 August 2013)

EACH of us took turns over the past 43 years running the Environmental Protection Agency. We served Republican presidents, but we have a message that transcends political affiliation: the United States must move now on substantive steps to curb climate change, at home and internationally.

There is no longer any credible scientific debate about the basic facts: our world continues to warm, with the last decade the hottest in modern records, and the deep ocean warming faster than the earth’s atmosphere. Sea level is rising. Arctic Sea ice is melting years faster than projected.

The costs of inaction are undeniable. The lines of scientific evidence grow only stronger and more numerous. And the window of time remaining to act is growing smaller: delay could mean that warming becomes “locked in.”

A market-based approach, like a carbon tax, would be the best path to reducing greenhouse-gas emissions, but that is unachievable in the current political gridlock in Washington. Dealing with this political reality, President Obama’s June climate action plan lays out achievable actions that would deliver real progress. He will use his executive powers to require reductions in the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by the nation’s power plants and spur increased investment in clean energy technology, which is inarguably the path we must follow to ensure a strong economy along with a livable climate.

The president also plans to use his regulatory power to limit the powerful warming chemicals known as hydrofluorocarbons and encourage the United States to join with other nations to amend the Montreal Protocol to phase out these chemicals. The landmark international treaty, which took effect in 1989, already has been hugely successful in solving the ozone problem.

Rather than argue against his proposals, our leaders in Congress should endorse them and start the overdue debate about what bigger steps are needed and how to achieve them — domestically and internationally.

As administrators of the E.P.A under Presidents Richard M. Nixon, Ronald Reagan, George Bush and George W. Bush, we held fast to common-sense conservative principles — protecting the health of the American people, working with the best technology available and trusting in the innovation of American business and in the market to find the best solutions for the least cost.

That approach helped us tackle major environmental challenges to our nation and the world: the pollution of our rivers, dramatized when the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland caught fire in 1969; the hole in the ozone layer; and the devastation wrought by acid rain.

The solutions we supported worked, although more must be done. Our rivers no longer burn, and their health continues to improve. The United States led the world when nations came together to phase out ozone-depleting chemicals. Acid rain diminishes each year, thanks to a pioneering, market-based emissions-trading system adopted under the first President Bush in 1990. And despite critics’ warnings, our economy has continued to grow.

Climate change puts all our progress and our successes at risk. If we could articulate one framework for successful governance, perhaps it should be this: When confronted by a problem, deal with it. Look at the facts, cut through the extraneous, devise a workable solution and get it done.

We can have both a strong economy and a livable climate. All parties know that we need both. The rest of the discussion is either detail, which we can resolve, or purposeful delay, which we should not tolerate.

Mr. Obama’s plan is just a start. More will be required. But we must continue efforts to reduce the climate-altering pollutants that threaten our planet. The only uncertainty about our warming world is how bad the changes will get, and how soon. What is most clear is that there is no time to waste.

The writers are former administrators of the Environmental Protection Agency: William D. Ruckelshaus, from its founding in 1970 to 1973, and again from 1983 to 1985; Lee M. Thomas, from 1985 to 1989; William K. Reilly, from 1989 to 1993; and Christine Todd Whitman, from 2001 to 2003.

Source: www.nytimes.com

Cities are heading where countries fear to tread. Last issue we highlighted actions by Copenhagen and Houston. This issue we look at Chicago and Los Angeles as leaders in climate change and sustainability action. Los Angeles gets its first full-time CSO – Chief Sustainability Officer – while Chicago is focussing on sustainable development for infrastructure and urban planning. Read More

Garcetti names LA’s first Chief Sustainability Officer

By Frank Stoltze  for Southern California Public Radio (SCPR) (2  August 2013):

Signaling he intends to focus on creating a more environmentally-friendly Los Angeles, Mayor Eric Garcetti Friday named Global Green USA CEO Matt Petersen as the city’s first Chief Sustainability Officer.

“I am proud to have him lead my citywide effort to make every neighborhood healthier, create green jobs, and hold every city department responsible for cleaner air and water,” Garcetti said in a statement.

Since 1994, Petersen has led Santa Monica-based Global Green USA. It is the American affiliate of Green Cross International, which was founded by former Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev to “foster a global value shift toward a sustainable and secure future,” according to the group’s website.

Petersen, 46, has worked to create greener cities and advance solar energy and fuel-efficient car markets, according to the mayor’s office. In 2008, Time Magazine recognized him for helping New Orleans rebuild a greener community after Hurricane Katrina.

“Its something I’m very excited about and I’m very honored,” Petersen said of his selection. He said he’s known Garcetti since the mayor’s days as a city councilman who met regularly with environmentalists. Petersen said he was “very active” in Garcetti’s campaign for mayor.

“Cities are on the front lines of solutions to climate change and creating a clean energy economy,” he said. Petersen mentioned all of the usual green goals: more mass transit, more solar energy, more local water supplies, and more energy efficiency. He also said he’d like to see L.A. allow more food to be grown locally by small farmers.

“That’s going to require not just the city creating new zoning ordinances, but looking at urban banks and how they can lend to small businesses that they are not used to seeing,” Petersen said. “That’s going to require some education and risk on behalf of the private sector – and some encouragement.”

Asked about a controversial $500 million plan for a massive railyard at the Port of Los Angeles near Wilmington, Petersen said it had “great attributes.” The city council approved the project with Garcetti’s support earlier this year, but legal challenges are expected over how much air pollution it might produce.

“Matt historically has been a pragmatist,” said Mark Gold, associate director of the UCLA Institute for the Environment and Sustainability and the former head of Heal the Bay. “He’s a very smart, articulate guy. He is not a lightning rod in the environmental community.”

Other environmentalists withheld judgment of Petersen.

“We hope he is interested in paying attention to the most poor,” said Leonardo Vilchis of Unión de Vecinos, an environmental justice group based in Boyle Heights.

Petersen will resign his position at Global Green USA, but remain a member of its board of directors. He said he earned $180,000 a year at the non-profit. The L.A. city government job will pay $163,000.

Southern California Public Radio (SCPR) is a member-supported public media network that operates 89.3 KPCC-FM in Los Angeles and Orange County, 89.1 KUOR-FM in the Inland Empire and 90.3 KVLA in the Coachella Valley. We also inform and interact with our communities through our web site, mobile and social media channels and live events.

Source: www.scpr.org/

Richard M. Daley wants to make your city more sustainable

By Sophie Quinton for Grist

Richard M. Daley, who served six terms as mayor of Chicago from 1989 to 2011, was one of the first big-city mayors to focus on sustainable development. Some of his projects, such as the development of Millennium Park, flourished. Others are more likely to be remembered as flops — Chicago taxpayers may lose money on a solar-power deal Daley negotiated, and his administration spent millions of dollars on recycling initiatives that went nowhere.

Two years after leaving office, the longtime mayor is using his hard-won experience to head up a new company — launched by his investment firm, Tur Partners — that will help cities pursue money-saving infrastructure investments. Cities that agree to join The Sustainability Exchange, or TSE, will get a free analysis of their assets and potential projects, and will share information with other member cities. TSE will alert vendors when a city is planning a request for a proposal. And because the company is low-profit instead of nonprofit, when a city or region decides to go ahead with a project, TSE will take a cut of the savings the city realizes over time.

Five cities have already signed up to join the fledgling exchange, including South Bend, Ind.; Parma, Ohio; and New Orleans. I recently spoke with Daley and Lori Healey, his former chief of staff and now TSE vice chair, about how their idea is taking shape.

Q. Why is there a need for something like The Sustainability Exchange?

A. Richard Daley: Everybody has problems with infrastructure. Whether it’s a port, rail, water, lighting, waste – this is part of the sustainability effort that we’re looking at. We’re looking at working with groups of cities to identify the project, raise the capital from the private sector as well as the public, and document the results.

Lori Healey: Most cities are not New York or Chicago or Los Angeles. They don’t have either the technical or financial resources to plan out and implement these kinds of projects. The Sustainability Exchange creates a platform that allows cities to come together to access national expertise in these areas – at no cost to them – with the goal of executing a transaction in a much compressed time frame.

Q. Is it fair to say that the exchange is focused on changes that will save municipalities money over the long term?

A. RD: That’s right. The areas we’re looking at are energy efficiency, water treatment, waste management, and transportation.

Q. What’s going on here other than the collection and sharing of data about city assets?

A. LH: We’ve started to bring together expert resources – including at Harvard and Arizona State University – to take that raw data and enhance it. So what you’re putting out to the private sector is so much better than a typical city RFP [request for proposal]: Here are my buildings, they have lights, tell me what I should do. It’s a much more specific RFP developed as a result of identification of needs.

RD: I think a lot of cities are afraid to invest. You spend a huge amount on the project, and then four or five years later, there’s a whole new project out there that’s going to save more money.

LH: Is it the best, most current of the technologies in the marketplace? We had one mayor recently tell us that he was on his third consultant for looking at a streetlight project – all private consultants for LED companies – and he had gotten three different recommendations.

Q. What’s an example of a project that the exchange could make possible?

A. LH: There are a couple of real-life examples. One is the purchase of LED street lighting. It would make sense for cities to work together within the same footprint of a utility company. That’s something that we help them with, to understand the regulatory environment. And then we bring cities together to take a look at separate transactions that, jointly, price like one.

Another example happened just recently. In a morning meeting in Newton, Mass., the mayor says, “We’re interested in anaerobic digestion; we want to do something in our community to recycle food waste.” We had the same meeting 30 minutes later in another suburb. Why would you do two or three anaerobic digestion plants when it would make sense to do one, with a documented feedstock from three separate communities? It becomes much more financeable and efficient.

RD: Nobody has really gone to the mayors and said, “Let’s all work together across a huge metropolitan area.”

Q. Will requests for proposal be broadcast through The Sustainability Exchange? Or will cities handle the solicitation process on their own?

A. LH: A combination of both. You have to incorporate and respect a city’s own requirements for procuring things. But you can also broaden the footprint for that solicitation. That’s the goal: to provide a bigger platform, on a national market, with independent expertise, to enhance their own capabilities.

Q. Will cities be able to finance these projects on their own? Or will there need to be public-private partnerships?

A. RD: It’s very hard for cities to self-finance. If it’s not a federal or state project, and you want to do it, you can receive a lot of private money.

LH: There is significant private capital committed to sustainability. But right now the market doesn’t have scale enough for them to be very involved at the municipal level.

Q. TSE is structured as a low-profit, limited-liability company, which allows it to accept investments from foundations and other private nonprofits. Why?

A. LH: We wanted, first of all, to be able to assure cities that this isn’t just another business that’s looking to make money. It allows us to accept PRI [program-related investments] income from foundations around data enhancement and data enrichment. And because it’s low-profit, any percent savings that comes back to the Exchange goes back into building the library of best practices.

Q. Will there be adjustments to the TSE model as more cities get involved?

A. RD: I think we’re still in the process, trying to figure out what works and doesn’t work. As we talk to mayors and the research people and universities, they’ll see things. It’s a learning experience for us. We don’t have all the answers, and that’s why we’re meeting with quite a number of people to really solidify the whole idea of this exchange.

LH: We’ve had inquiries from over 50 municipalities at this point. We’re in heavy discussions with 12 to finalize the relationship with them. I anticipate that we’re going to have more.

This story was produced by The Next Economy, a joint project of The Atlantic and National Journal as part of the Climate Desk collaboration.

Sophie Quinton covers the White House as a staff reporter at the National Journal.

Grist has been dishing out environmental news and commentary with a wry twist since 1999 — which, to be frank, was way before most people cared about such things. Now that green is in every headline and on every store shelf (bamboo hair gel, anyone?), Grist is the one site you can count on to help you make sense of it all. Grist is based in the Emerald City of Seattle, in the Evergreen State of Washington (both green!), with contributors scattered the world ’round. We are a nonprofit organization funded by foundation grants, user contributions, and advertising.

Source: www.grist.org

CapitaLand’s fourth Global Sustainability Report reflects progress in the reporting of its global performance as it operates in 20 countries and 110 cities. Besides being a leader at home and  abroad in sustainability and green building practices, CapitaLand also invests in people projects with its “Building People” photography competition and exhibition with National Geographic this month and its Eco Race for tenants, on 28 September 2013. Read More

 Continued commitment to progressive and comprehensive sustainability reporting

 Achieved cost avoidance in excess of S$35 million for utilities since 2009

Singapore, 31 July 2013 – CapitaLand Limited’s (CapitaLand’s) fourth Global Sustainability Report 2012 (Report) reflects continued strong commitment and progress in the reporting of its global performance.

The Report, validated by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), achieved Level B+ according to the GRI G3.1 Guidelines. It was audited by an Independent Certified Sustainability Assurance Practitioner.

Highlights of CapitaLand Limited Global Sustainability Report 2012:

Recognition

 Highlighted as a sustainability leader in the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations by Corporate Knights (the second consecutive year to be accorded)

 Listed in Sustainability Yearbook 2013 as the top 15% performing Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) companies

 Listed in Dow Jones Sustainability World and Asia Pacific Indexes 2012/2013 as the top 20% performing ESG companies

Environment

 Cost avoidance in excess of S$35 million for utilities since 2009

 Increased operational efficiency (per square metre) since 2008 with energy and water reduction of 11.7% and 16.1% respectively

 Reduced carbon emissions intensity by 16% since 2008

Social (Human Capital and Community Development)

 52 training hours per employee, well above the recommended industry guide of 40 hours

 Propagate gender equality with about 27% of women in top management positions

 Zero non compliance for environment, workplace health and safety

 Embrace diversity with employees from more than 80 different nationalities

 More than S$4 million donated by CapitaLand Hope Foundation (Foundation) in 2012 (close to S$20 million donated to more than 120 charities since the Foundation’s inception in 2005)

 100% staff volunteers have a stronger sense of belonging and pride in working for a socially responsible company

Governance

 Won for the 12th consecutive year the “Most Transparent Company (Property)” award by the Securities Investors Association, Singapore

 Implemented CapitaLand Global Principles on Ethical Business Conduct

Sustainability issues material to the organisation are a key priority for CapitaLand. Last November, stakeholders including senior management from various business units, departments and geographies were roped in for an independent materiality assessment to identify key Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) issues that are most relevant and important to the Group. This complements the annual review of internal key performance indicators and management processes.

Significant improvements were also made in the underlying process of the Group’s sustainability reporting framework via surveys and internal audits. The objectives aim to better understand energy and water management issues, green features in operational buildings, as well as the levels of staff engagement.

CapitaLand, one of the first companies in Singapore to voluntarily publish its Sustainability Reports, is committed to cover its Group-wide property portfolio in more than 110 cities in over 20 countries. CapitaLand’s presence across different geographies poses challenges to sustainability reporting. Differences in legislature, the availability of local infrastructure and supply chain, standards of measurement and climates (temperate vs tropical) make it challenging for implementation, data collection and date interpretation. By benchmarking against an international standard and framework, top management commitment and establishing Group-wide internal guidelines, CapitaLand has overcome some of these challenges.

Mr Lim Ming Yan, President & Group CEO, CapitaLand Limited, said: “CapitaLand is committed to building a sustainable future for our stakeholders and for generations to come. Sustainability is a Group-wide effort that is integral to our business. Guided by our core values and operating principles, we conduct our business, interact with stakeholders and contribute to the well-being of our employees and the community in an ethical and responsible manner.”

Mr Lim added: “Investors and consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of sustainability and its positive impact on them. In today’s business environment, sustainability and profitability are both important to the success of a company. The fact that we have avoided over S$35 million in utilities cost since 2009 shows that sustainability makes business sense.”

Mr Tan Seng Chai, Group Chief Corporate Officer, CapitaLand Limited, said: “The publication of CapitaLand’s fourth Sustainability Report 2012 attests to our commitment to transparency and to improving the economic, environmental and social well-being of our stakeholders. Apart from doing good, sustainability ensures our business operates in a transparent and ethical manner.”

The Report is available online at http://www.capitaland.com/sustainability/sustainability-report. In line with CapitaLand’s commitment to go green, no printed copies will be made to minimise the impact on the environment.

About CapitaLand Limited

CapitaLand is one of Asia’s largest real estate companies. Headquartered and listed in Singapore, the company’s businesses in real estate and real estate fund management are focused on its core markets of Singapore and China.

The company’s diversified real estate portfolio primarily includes homes, offices, shopping malls, serviced residences and mixed developments. The company also has one of the largest real estate fund management businesses with assets located in Asia. CapitaLand leverages its significant asset base, real estate domain knowledge, product design and development capabilities, active capital management strategies and extensive market network to develop real estate products and services in its markets.

The listed entities of the CapitaLand Group include Australand, CapitaMalls Asia, Ascott Residence Trust, CapitaCommercial Trust, CapitaMall Trust, CapitaMalls Malaysia Trust, CapitaRetail China Trust and Quill Capita Trust.

About Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)

GRI works towards a sustainable global economy by providing organisational reporting guidance.

GRI’s Sustainability Reporting Framework enables all companies and organisations to measure and report their sustainability performance. By reporting transparently and with accountability, organisations can increase the trust that stakeholders have in them, and in the global economy.

GRI is a network-based organisation. A global network of some 30,000 people, many of them sustainability experts, contributes to its work. GRI’s governance bodies and Secretariat act as a hub, coordinating the activity of its network partners.

Case study on retrofitting:

First Operating Office Building in the CBD to win 2010 Green Mark Platinum Award

Six Battery Road is a 42-storey Grade A office building and a Raffles Place landmark. The first operating office building in the CBD to attain Green Mark Platinum, its location, convenient transport access and excellent views are highly coveted features.  The building is currently operational while asset enhancement work is in progress. The enhancement is expected to complete by end-2013.

Green Features

With innovative features which enhance the aesthetics as well as its green specifications, Six Battery Road stands out as an iconic building for environmental sustainability. “Rainforest Rhapsody”, the largest indoor vertical garden comprising 2,000 square feet of a rich selection of more than 100 plant species, was unveiled on 24 March 2011. Some of its key recycling features include harvesting rainwater in an automatic irrigation system to water the vertical garden, as well as a pilot project which uses exhaust air to power a wind turbine and generate clean energy to drive the irrigation pumps of the vertical garden.

Engineered to conserve energy, the equipment plant room was redesigned with upgraded chillers that incorporate thermal energy storage to help raise system efficiency from 0.94kW/ton to 0.65kW/ton, and reap potential savings of 25% on consumption. Solar light tubes are installed to reduce reliance on artificial lighting.

CapitaCommercial Trust (CCT) Engages Tenants for Eco Race 2013

Race around CBD for a fun morning of eco-conscious activities

Capital Land is now seeking tenants’ registration for 2013 Eco race, happening on Saturday, 28 September 2013.

The objectives of “CCT Eco Race 2013‟ are to educate and promote awareness on environmental sustainability among tenants. It was an opportunity for CCT‟s marketing and leasing team, and property management team to interact with the tenants.

BUILDING PEOPLE 2013

A NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CHANNEL AND CAPITALAND PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION

The fourth edition of the CapitaLand-National Geographic  Channel “Building People” Photography Competition  injects life into buildings with new duo-themed contest.

Grand prize winner to go on an exclusive assignment under the mentorship of award-winning National Geographic photographer Mr Michael Yamashita

CapitaLand Limited (CapitaLand) will partner the National  Geographic Channel for the fourth consecutive year for the regional CapitaLand-National  Geographic Channel “Building People” Photography Competition (Competition).

For the first time, the Competition introduces a duo-theme feature – “Best Building  Moment” and “Best People Moment”. The “Best Building Moment” theme calls for creative  interpretations of CapitaLand’s properties, which effectively capture the best  characteristics of its homes, offices, shopping malls, serviced residences and mixed  developments while the theme “Best People Moment” further challenges participants to  capture memorable moments of human connections or experiences within any of  CapitaLand’s properties such as daily interactions, romantic escapism, joyful celebrations and intimate embraces.

With Asia’s rising economy and rapid urbanisation, industry leaders have observed that  people spend an increasing amount of time in buildings – to work, shop and play. Such  urban-living habits have prompted CapitaLand and the National Geographic Channel to  challenge photographers not only to capture photographs which embody the symbiotic  interactions between people and CapitaLand’s properties, but also to personify the  buildings in their work of art such that the buildings metaphorically come to life.

The highly-acclaimed Competition has seen increasing popularity and expanded outreach  as it welcomed a first-time entry from India last year. Last year, there was a 70% surge in  entries from 2011, with an overwhelming 2,000 submissions from Asia Pacific countries  including Australia, Brunei, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore,  Thailand and Vietnam.

A judging panel, comprising National Geographic photographer Mr Michael Yamashita  and executives from the National Geographic Channel and CapitaLand, will evaluate all  entries based on novelty, artistic direction, depth of judgement and the creative  interpretation of the themes, “Best Building Moment” and “Best People Moment”. The 2 judges will also be looking out for innovative portrayals of the synergetic interactions  between CapitaLand buildings and People.

Mr Tan Seng Chai, Group Chief Corporate Officer, CapitaLand Limited, said: “We are  heartened to see the growing popularity of this photographic Competition, as we witness  year-on-year increases in submissions from enthusiasts across the region. Capturing CapitaLand properties through the lenses of photographic talents has given fresh  perspectives to our buildings. Our unwavering dedication to ‘Building People’ at  CapitaLand has urged us to continually provide quality living for people, and we hope that  the submissions this year can illustrate our efforts to bring life to our buildings.”

In addition,  there will also be an opportunity for participants to showcase their photographic creativity  in an upcoming CapitaLand-National Geographic Channel “Building People” Photography  Exhibition in August 2013.

Venue: ION Orchard  from16th – 20th August 2013, 10am – 10pm daily

Exhibition will be opened to public from 7pm onwards on 16th August 2013.

Source: www.capitaland.com

Singapore based energy, water and marine company, Sembcorp Industries is to build a 1000 tonne per day waste to energy facility – its largest waste to energy facility to date – at a cost of over S$250 million. It will process commercial and industrial waste collected by its waste management operation. The facility is Sembcorp’s second waste to energy project in Singapore, in addition to its international renewable energy portfolio which includes waste to energy, biomass and wind power facilities in the UK and China. Read More

SEMBCORP TO BUILD 1000 TPD WASTE TO ENERGY PLANT IN SINGAPORE

By Ben Messenger, Managing Editor Waste Management World (2 August 2013):

Sembcorp  to Build 1000 TPD Waste to Energy Plant in Singapore

Singapore based energy, water and marine company, Sembcorp Industries is to build a 1000 tonne per day waste to energy facility – its largest waste to energy facility to date.

According to the company it will invest over S$250 million ($196 million) to build, own and operate the facility, which will process commercial and industrial waste collected by its waste management operation.

Located in the Sakra area of Jurong Island, the facility will consist of two boilers capable of producing a combined 140 tonnes per hour of high-pressure process steam to serve the needs of petrochemical manufacturers in the vicinity.

The company added that the facility strengthens synergies between its energy business and its solid waste management operations, through the conversion of waste, which would otherwise be sent for disposal, into energy in the form of steam for its customers.

Sembcorp claimed that once complete, the plant will offer a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared with a coal-fired steam plant, cutting carbon dioxide emissions by around 50%.

Thefacility is Sembcorp’s second waste to energy project in Singapore, where the company already owns and operates a steam boiler running on woodchips recovered from construction and demolition waste (pictured).

In addition to its waste to energy plants in Singapore, the company said that its international renewable energy portfolio also includes waste to energy, biomass and wind power facilities in the UK and China.

In Teesside in the UK, it owns and operates a 35 MW wood-fuelled biomass power station, and recently announced the development of a new energy from waste facility capable of generating 49 MW of gross power or 190 tonnes per hour of steam using municipal and commercial waste.

The company added that the investment will be funded through a combination of bank borrowings and internal sources and that the facility is expected to be complete by 2016.

Source: www.waste-management-world.com/

India is seen as a technology powerhouse, but as far as sustainability is concerned, the country is a laggard and has no companies listed on the top 100 by Corporate Knights. Things are changing as Kathryn Cave reports for IDG Connect. She says IT has the potential to lead the way across every areas of sustainability – in India as well.  In the modern age, sustainability is far more than simply power and electricity… and technology can help provide the necessary building blocks to facilitate global improvement across the board. Read more

“Cause India”: Global 100, Tata & ABG (Sustainability in Tech, Part 1)

Kathryn Cave for IDG Connect (3 August 2013):

Businesses are increasingly being judged within wider social frameworks and one of the most obvious ways to do this is via sustainability initiatives. Today, indexes, awards, and damning reports are popping up left, right and centre, whilst this year’s World Brand Congress is using “sustainability brands” as its overall theme. In the first of a two-part series on sustainability, Kathryn Cave looks at the Global 100, “cause India”… and what all this sustainability stuff really means.

“Cause India”: Global 100, Tata & ABG (Sustainability in Tech, Part 1)

Edward O. Wilson, the American biologist, researcher and author famously defined the great challenge of the twenty-first century as: “to raise people everywhere to a decent standard of living while preserving as much of the rest of life as possible.” This statement more or less holds the nub of sustainability – a word that is used and abused randomly – and increasingly hijacked to showcase a whole variety of very different things.

More often than not sustainability is the vehicle through which people talk about the environment, generally and the generation of electricity specifically. Yet as one of the great buzz words of the modern age it can also, equally suggest organisations’ levels of involvement in wider social causes, their treatment of staff, and how a company interacts with its customer base in the long-term.  All this makes sustainability extremely hard to pin-point… and even more difficult to measure.

The Global 100 is an annual project, run by Corporate Knights Inc. since 2005 and aims to do precisely that. Based on a data driven survey of 350 companies this seeks to identify an elite group of the top 100 large-cap companies in the world.  The methodology for evaluating sustainability or “clean capitalism”, as it is also known, is to analyse whether “a corporation’s long-term interests are intellectually and financially consistent with resource efficiency, proactive health and safety practices, and responsible leadership.”

Toby Heaps, editor-in-chief of Corporate Knights, stresses sustainability is when what is good for a company is also good for the planet, and vice-versa. “It means creating more wealth than we destroy. It means that a company is on balance increasing our overall stock of wealth, grounded in human, produced, financial, natural, and social capital.” Surprisingly enough, the full findings can even be accessed on an excel spreadsheet, complete with ratings against each criteria… this is not the usual slick PR presentation and actually suggests greater integrity.

The top three tech companies listed on the index are Intel (14), Cisco (20) – a company that incidentally ties with Google in the latest Greenpeace ranking of IT sector climate leadership and Alcatel-Lucent (28). The top two performing countries are the US and Canada (with 10 representative companies from each). Although the top three positions went to companies from: Belgium (Umicore SA), Brazil (Natura Cosmeticos SA) and Norway (Statoil ASA).

No Indian companies were included in the ranking, but India itself does have an extremely interesting attitude to sustainability. This year’s World Brand Congress  which will be held in Mumbai at the end of October and takes “sustainable brands” as its core theme.  Sustainability (in the wider sense) always generates a lot of attention in India.  A fact which is underpinned by Cause Marketing, a local trend where consumers are happiest to bond with brands that integrate Sales and Marketing strategies with social causes.

Interestingly, the Havas Prosumer Report 2012 shows that 83% of Indians would like to be part of a truly important cause compared to 45% from the UK and 61% from the US. Vikas Puthran, Vice-President-Alliances and Operations GiveIndia, explains this is because: “In India we see ‘in your face reality of the under privileged’ on a day-to-day basis. The young generation who have had the privilege of an education and, as a result, a decent livelihood, and want to make a contribution and give back to society. Since the beneficiaries are available in their local community or near about, the social impact they can make is visible for them to see and feel. So they have first-hand feedback of their return on social investment contributed either in money or resources.”

This can also be seen in a wider interest in social causes from some companies. There are so many (much publicised) companies that abuse society, that those that do have a conscience put a great deal of effort into it. Puthran offers the example of the ‘Aditya Birla Group’ (ABG) which puts its “excellent sustainability vision, execution and programs” at the centre of its various business groups:

“For ABG, sustainability is about working in the communities that they operate. They run programs to sustain the environment, livelihoods of people who are directly employed with them or generate indirect revenue to partners and employees of ABG. [This includes] providing education to underprivileged kids in their communities so that their families become sustainable and probably be a source of human resources.”

Another Indian corporate that’s a role model for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainability, Puthran tells me is the TATA Group. “Apart from the many CSR programs, the Tata Group has, Tata Index for Sustainable Human Development, a pioneering effort aimed at directing, measuring and enhancing the community work that Tata enterprises undertake. The Index provides guidelines for Tata companies looking to fulfil their social responsibilities.”

​In the IT sector however, the overwhelming tendency is to concentrate on environmental issues. This is natural because the industry as a whole is so dependent on power and datacentres. However, when Interbrand released its Global Green Brands report in June this year, 12 brands came from the IT industry and helped to reveal some broader, and often overlooked, truths.  The report stressed that across every sector, those organisations which were successful were those committed to transparency and clear communication with consumers. Because of this, market leading tech firms have the potential to take a real global leadership stance in environmental issues and can often spread a wider influence into other areas.

Today, IT has the potential to lead the way across every areas of sustainability. It can help reduce energy consumption through more efficient datacentre designs. It can help cut company waste through better managed processes. It can even help the disenfranchised poor by giving access to education, health and communication.  In the modern age, sustainability is far more than simply power and electricity… and technology can help provide the necessary building blocks to facilitate global improvement across the board.

Kathryn Cave is Editor at IDG Connect

DG Connect is the demand generation division of International Data Group (IDG), the world’s largest technology media company. Established in 2005, it utilises access to 35 million business decision makers’ details to unite technology marketers with relevant targets from any country in the world. Committed to engaging a disparate global IT audience with truly localised messaging, IDG Connect also publishes market specific thought leadership papers on behalf of its clients, and produces research for B2B marketers worldwide.

Source: www.ieet.org

Is a sustainable car industry just a pipe dream? The car industry insists that huge progress is being made. Average fleet emissions in Europe stood at 186g of CO₂ per kilometre in 1995. By 2011, that was down to 136.6 gCO₂/km, and the figure continues to fall. The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) credits “huge efforts” by manufacturers and “billions of euros of investment” in research and development for lowering the environmental impacts of driving. Is it enough, asks the Guardian Professional’s Oliver Balch. Read More

Is a sustainable car industry just a pipe dream?

Car companies are keen to trumpet their sustainability efforts, but there’s little sign of real change

By Oliver Balch in Guardian Professional (2 August 2013):

SUVs get a bad rap. Hulking great gas-guzzlers, they clog up city streets, belch out CO₂ and depreciate faster than the spinning price digits on a petrol pump.

Now car manufacturers are wising up. With regulators pushing them to cut tailpipe emissions and consumers worried about their wallets, a new generation of smaller, nippier, more “eco” SUVs is hitting the market.

The Range Rover Evoque epitomises this new-look category. With a lightweight body (with minimum 50% recycled content) and packed with hi-tech plastics, the cross-coupé vehicle is 35% lighter than its predecessor, the Land Rover’s 2010 Range Rover Sport.

“It has less fuel use, better performance, better breaking. It has a strong body, so it’s a safer vehicle as well,” enthuses Jonathan Garrett, sustainability director at Jaguar Land Rover.

So less polluting and a better drive: what’s not to like? Not much, it would seem. The Evoque now comprises around 30% of all Jaguar Land Rover’s global sales, with more than 100,000 units shifted in 2012 alone.

Yet, with car travel representing about 12% of all carbon emissions in the European Union, do the sustainability efforts of automakers go far enough?

Shifting gears

The industry insists that huge progress is being made. Average fleet emissions in Europe stood at 186g of CO₂ per kilometre in 1995. By 2011, that was down to 136.6 gCO₂/km, and the figure continues to fall.

Cara McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), credits “huge efforts” by manufacturers and “billions of euros of investment” in research and development for lowering the environmental impacts of driving.

This isn’t just industry puff. Only last month, the UK’s Department of Transport announced £500m in research grants for low-emission technologies. Car companies are earmarking large sums for sustainability innovations, too. A “large part” of the €32bn or so spent on R&D by European carmakers is destined for low-emission and fuel efficient technologies, according to the ACEA.

That such investment is having results is not without doubt. Phil Harrold, a partner in advisory firm PwC’s automotive practice, points to advances in engine management systems, such as start-stop functions and regenerative braking. Advances in low-carbon propulsion technologies are also under way, with substantive developments in hydrogen, bio-methane, fuel cell and – especially – electric power trains.

Sustainability is spreading into the manufacturing process, too. For example, Toyota’s Burnaston factory boasts more than 17,000 solar panels with an annual generation capacity of nearly 4m kWh – the largest of any manufacturing site in the UK. Moves to assemble cars closer to their destination market, rather than ship them fully manufactured, is another way in which the production process is getting greener.

These approaches are winning plaudits. Take Interbrand’s recent Best Global Green Brands ranking, a benchmark for eco-leaders. The top three green companies are all car manufacturers: Toyota, Ford and Honda.

Diversions ahead

Take a step back, though. Average tailpipe emissions of 136.6 gCO₂/km may be good, but they’re far from great. The European Union wants the figure down to 95 gCO₂/km by the end of the decade, and possibly as low as 68-78 gCO₂/km by 2025. Nor is car ownership slowing. Forecasts from PwC suggest that about 24m cars are expected to roll off European factory lines come 2019, up from 19m at present.

PwC’s Harrold describes sustainability as the “lifeblood of the industry”, but concedes much more must be done. “Is it enough?” he asks, referring to carmakers’ progress. “No, clearly not. We’re at a staging post in a journey.”

So, how will we achieve sustainable car travel as fast as possible? No one really knows.

Much has been made of electric vehicles (EVs) in recent years. EVs certainly tick a lot of boxes. The BMW i3 electric supermini, due to hit UK streets in November, weighs in at 1,195kg (similar to a Ford Fiesta) and has no tailpipe emissions. We should all drive one: problem solved.

Only, we won’t. There are plenty of reasons why. Range anxiety (the BMW i3 will run for 100 miles or so before the battery runs out), infrastructure limitations (most regions lack sufficient charging stations) and price (the basic i3 model starts at £25,680).

According to PwC’s forecasts, only 1.34% of all the cars produced in Europe by 2019 are likely to be electric. Hybrids fare little better, with projections of a 2.3% share of the market. Even if these numbers were to shoot up, questions still hang over the technology. If the electricity to charge a battery-powered car is generated from fossil fuels, then the carbon footprint remains much the same.

According to Jaguar Land Rover’s Garrett: “Unless you’ve got a green [electricity] grid, all you’re doing is switching the impact to another part of the lifecycle.”

Another area trumpeted by the industry is consumer use. Smart driving – not revving at the lights, or driving with flat tyres – can increase fuel efficiency (and reduce emissions) by up to 22%, according to ACEA. In the UK, Fiat has packaged its Blue&Me infotainment system with an eco-Drive application. Linked via a USB, the interactive tool offers drivers tips on fuel-efficient driving techniques and enables them to track their carbon savings.

From a usage perspective, lift sharing and car lending could reduce car ownership and individual journeys significantly. Peer-to-peer services such as BlaBlaCar, ZipCar and WhipCar are helping breathe life into these collaborative modes of car travel. With a mind to scale, it bodes well that manufacturers such as Daimler (with its car2go initiative) and BMW (with Drivenow) are getting in on the game.

Rear mirror view

For all its championing of sustainability, car manufacturers (much like oil companies) ultimately have a very fixed view of the future. It’s a future in which everyone has the right to drive a car. Their current business models are premised on shifting as many new cars as they can.

The only way this vision will change is if we, the driving public, start championing our own alternative. To date, there’s little sign of that happening.

Within the existing paradigm the industry’s strategy of incremental improvements in fuel efficiency is perhaps the best we can hope for. Unless we renounce our car keys and seriously seek out more sustainable modes of mobility. Unlikely? Maybe, but if SUVs can change their spots, perhaps their drivers can, too.

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Source: www.theguardian.com/