Content tagged: government

Nick Otter, CEO at the Global CCS Institute (GCCSI), writes an op-ed in the recent August edition of the GCCSI newsletter.

With results of the recent Australian Federal Election remaining unclear, Rupert Posner, Australia Director of The Climate Group, explores the potential outcomes for climate change policies in Australia.

Climate Group founding member, the Australian State of Victoria, has committed this week to introduce legislation to cuts its greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent by 2020.

Damian Ryan, Senior Policy Manager for The Climate Group, analyzes what progress has been made so far and what remains to be done in the build up to COP16 in Mexico at the end of the year.

The Climate Group partnered with Ernst & Young and three Australian State Governments to hold a series of Electric Vehicle (EV) Roundtables this week, looking at accelerating the development and deployment of EVs in Australia.

On Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) outlined four components of the upcoming energy bill in the Senate: addressing the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, promoting clean energy, increasing energy efficiency, and limiting pollution from the power sector.

The Climate Group today backed a new push by climate change ministers in the UK, France and Germany to persuade Europe to cut its emissions by 30% by 2020.

Molly Webb, Head of Strategic Engagement at The Climate Group, discusses the outcomes of the recent 'Partnership for Urban Innovation', co-sponsored by The Climate Group, Cisco and Metropolis, and also analyzes the role of ICT and smart cities...

Australia’s new Prime Minister, Julia Gillard used her first press conference in charge to affirm her belief that humans are causing climate change, and that Australia, like the rest of the world needs to take decisive action.

Steve Howard, CEO of The Climate Group, and Luc Bas, Head of Government Relations for The Climate Group, write an op-ed on The Climate Group’s States and Regions leadership in June's edition of Europe’s 'Parliament Magazine'...

Leaders from the G8 and G20 will meet this weekend in Ontario, Canada...

The Climate Group's Thurstan Wright reports on policies and legislation being adopted in the US, EU and China to accelerate the scale up and deployment of electric vehicles...

The Climate Group's Damian Ryan reports back from Bonn, following the conclusion of the latest round of UN climate talks...

The Climate Group's Damian Ryan reports on the slow progress made during the first week of the latest round of UN climate talks, which began in Bonn on May 31st...

The Source-to-Socket seminar brought together senior utility players, innovators in smart grid solutions, regulators and city officials for a series of expert panel discussions focusing on smart grid implementation in the UK...

Damian Ryan, Senior Analyst at The Climate Group, discusses why engagement in the international UN climate talks should be on the agendas of businesses and sub-national governments...

The Climate Group and the German state of North Rhine Westphalia hosted a high-level international summit on the sidelines of the UN’s mid-term climate talks in Bonn, Germany...

Following the commitment made in Copenhagen to plant a billion trees, The Climate Group has been working with members of Governments...

The Climate Group's Damian Ryan looks ahead to the UN climate talks in Bonn, discussing the likely focus of attention...

The Climate Group today hosted a roundtable to establish how the Australian state of Victoria could take a leading role in driving a low carbon economy...

The Government of India has released the country’s emissions data for 2007, the first such official estimate to be presented since 1994...

The 2010 China (Tianjin) Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Forum, organized by the Tianjin Airport Economic Area, The Climate Group and Johnson Controls, was held in the Tianjin Binhai New Area (TBNA) today...

Rupert Posner, The Climate Group's Australia Director, comments on the Australian Government’s recent announcement that it is shelving its proposed Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) until 2013...

US Climate bill: The way forward on Climate Policy

The plan to introduce a new, bi-partisan climate and energy bill on Monday was delayed due to a disagreement over which issue the Senate should address first...

Countries belonging to the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate (MEF) appear to have had a constructive meeting in Washington on April 19th.

The Climate Group's Damian Ryan reports on the UN climate talks that took place in Bonn at the weekend...

The Climate Group's Damian Ryan reports on the ‘International Climate Change Action Plan’, released today by the UK government...

Just weeks ahead of an expected national election, the UK’s Conservative Party has released plans for a ‘radical overhaul’ of Britain’s energy policy should they be elected to government.

The Climate Group and the Île de France-Paris Region hosted a high level conference with Government and business to discuss eco-innovation strategies and opportunities in the challenging context of the post-Copenhagen climate summit...

The Union Budget of India for 2010-2011 is a clear indication of the operationalization of the National Action Plan on Climate Change, and "conveys the government’s serious intent to walk the talk on climate change".

The Climate Group and representatives of Europe’s most powerful regional governments have sent a joint statement to EU leaders today to warn that more ambitious EU climate and energy policies will be essential to powering Europe’s future competitiveness, growth and jobs.

Fifty-five countries have met the UN’s 31st January deadline for submitting their intended climate mitigation commitments under the Copenhagen Accord...

The United States today announced in Copenhagen that they would contribute to the $100 billion per year needed by 2020 to help developing countries adapt to climate change...

Corporate and state leaders assembled to discuss the benefits of high-level commitment to innovative technologies and policies in energy efficiency...

Representatives today signed a statement of intent to support the territorial approaches to climate change with the UNDP, a further indication of the success of north-south partnerships.

Representatives from sub-national governments and business leaders from major power companies and renewable energy developers yesterday came to two major conclusions...

Steve Howard, CEO of The Climate Group, said the pledges and actions reported in Copenhagen will make a very large contribution to a greener planet: "The states and regions taking part in todays summit can make a huge difference and represent 360 million people, a combined GDP of USD$10.5 trillion, and businesses of every sector with a collective turnover of USD$620 billion."

The Climate Leaders Summit 2009, convened by international non-profit The Climate Group, gave platform to HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco, Shai Agassi, Founder & CEO of Better Place, First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond, Premier Rann of South Australia and Premier Charest of Quebec, among others. Each made an individual announcement on new low carbon initiatives in front of 60 leaders and ministers from around the world.

The Planetary Skin Institute was launched today as a unique cross-sectoral collaboration aims to research and develop near to real-time monitoring of global environmental conditions and changes. This move embodies an unprecedented level of collaboration between the public, private, NGO and academic sectors to meet the major environmental challenges facing the world.

The decision enables the EPA to move forward with regulations that would limit greenhouse gas emissions from cars and large industrial sources, without new Congressional legislation.

After their historic meeting last week, both President Hu and President Obama have now come forward with real targets that can serve as the basis for further negotiations in Copenhagen", said Mark Kenber, The Climate Group's Policy Director. The key now is to use this as the basis for an ambitious binding global agreement that sends a clear signal to investors that the world is firmly on a low carbon path.

At The Climate Group's first continental Europe members meeting, over 60 representatives of business and regional government across Europe called for EU leadership at the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's recent visit to the United States culminated with the launch of a new "Green Partnership to Address Energy Security, Climate Change, and Food Security..."

"While Obama has said that climate change is a priority for his Administration, his attendance in Copenhagen will underscore his commitment to driving investment into low carbon technologies," says The Climate Group's US Director, Amy Davidsen.

But with the short time remaining until Copenhagen, it is now up to the US and China to translate these promises into clear commitments for the negotiations.

In an Australian first, State Premiers joined with business leaders to discuss accelerating the development of the low carbon economy.

The Catalan Government and The Climate Group convened this high-level conference in Barcelona

More than 100 business leaders, scientists and thought leaders attended the event, which we co-hosted with the Queensland Government.

And 79 per cent want their governments to commit to 'meet or significantly exceed' a 50-80 per cent cut in emissions by 2050

A leading German industrial center, North Rhine-Westphalia's government is committed to lead also in the low carbon economy.

The London MEF meeting ended with an upbeat communiqué but recognition that there are still major obstacles to agreement on a new climate deal.

The region of Ile-de-France, which contains the Paris metropolitan area, has signed on as our first full French-European member.

LOS ANGELES - Speaking at the second Global Governor's Summit last week, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger told delegates that, while nations continue to negotiate a global agreement on climate change, state and regional governments are taking action and making real progress in tackling climate change...

The Premier said that because sub-national and local governments together will need to deliver up to 80 per cent of the cuts needed to global greenhouse gas emissions, many cities, states and provinces around the world were already acting on this responsibility.

Rt Hon Tony Blair and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon join key climate negotiators to launch Climate Week NYC

NEW YORK - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the Rt Hon Tony Blair, and The Climate Group CEO Steve Howard are taking part in the Climate Week NY°C opening ceremony today. Lead climate change negotiators from the U.S., China, India and Denmark - as well as luminaries from business, subnational government, and civil society - will also participate....

The Climate Group has launched a ground-breaking LED pilot project in New York City to assess potential of this low carbon technology in curbing urban greenhouse gas pollution and cutting energy costs, while making cities brighter and safer at night.

It will fall to India's state governments to realise India's National Action Plan on Climate Change. The good news, writes Preeti Malhotra, India Director of The Climate Group, is that - from Himachal Pradesh to Maharashtra - India's state governments are already taking action.

A new report by The Climate Group shows that, despite the economic downturn, China's domestic markets continue to scale-up low carbon technology. On the back of ambitious government policies and a new breed of entrepreneurs, Chinese businesses are amongst the top producers of electric vehicles, wind turbines, solar panels and energy efficient appliances...

Recommendations offered at today's roundtable will feed into the Government's review of the tax system, as well as Government policy on climate change more broadly.

"The White Paper sends a strong signal to UN international climate negotiations," says Policy Director Mark Kenber.

Momentum towards a global deal remains, but the "question of targets and financing for 2020 has, once again, been kicked into the long grass" writes Mark Kenber, The Climate Group's Policy Director

For the first time South Australians can track their state's greenhouse gas emissions each and every week, thanks to an initiative launched in Adelaide today by The Climate Group.

Following a historic mandate achieved at the recent national elections, the Government of India is preparing its first budget for presentation to Parliament on 6 July.

New Agreements signed with the United Nations Development Program

Scotland leads the world with voting in a bill that sets a target to reduce greenhouse gases by 42 per cent by 2020.

World Leaders, NGOs, Businesses and Thousands of Individuals to Mobilize in NYC for Five Days of Workshops, Seminars, Cultural Events and other Activities Aimed at Pushing New Global Policies on Climate Change.

Negotiations at Bonn saw a modest degree of progress but have, on all counts, left negotiators mountains to do if they are to deliver an ambitious global climate agreement this December that sets the world firmly on the path to a low carbon economy.

Recognizing that local and subnational governments are and will continue to be responsible for implementing up to 80% of mitigation and adaptation actions, the initiative in Bonn this week will go a long way to ensuring the road after Copenhagen will be a success.

In April this year, India held its 15th Lok Sabha Elections (House of the People, the directly elected Lower House of the Parliament of India) -the largest democratic election in the world (an electorate of 714 million voters)...

Day 2 of the World Business Summit on Climate Change - a gathering of top business leaders, policy makers, negotiators, experts and scientists - was dominated by the working group sessions focusing on the means to achieve a rapid transition to a low carbon economy...

"There is now a strong recognition that climate change is one of the core issues that the government will need to address, both domestically and internationally," notes Preeti Malhotra, India Director of The Climate Group.

The Australian Government has committed to reduce Australia's carbon pollution by 25 per cent below 2000 levels by 2020 if the world agrees to an ambitious global deal to stabilise levels of {CO2} equivalent at 450 parts per million or lower by midcentury...

Mark Kenber, Policy Director of The Climate Group, welcomes the UK's first low carbon budget and assesses the next steps needed to keep the UK on track for a prosperous low carbon economy....

The °Climate Group, an international non-profit organisation that works to advance climate change solutions and accelerate a low carbon economy, today launched the Hong Kong Carbon Reduction Campaign (HKCRC)...

South Australia's Economic Development Board has published a statement which strongly supports the State's efforts to build on its position as a leader in renewable energy.

The Climate Group, in collaboration with Governor Jennifer M. Granholm and the Royal Danish Embassy, convened government and business leaders at "Switching Gears": a summit on bringing low carbon manufacturing jobs and industry to the Midwest region. At the meeting, leaders from Michigan and Denmark signed a MoU agreeing to share knowledge and learning en route to the new energy economy.

The Climate Group, in collaboration with Governor Jennifer M. Granholm and the Royal Danish Embassy, today convened government and business leaders at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor to discuss how to bring low carbon manufacturing jobs and industry to the Midwestern region....

Bold, new public-private partnership launches series of neighborhood environmental initiatives that help tackle climate change and offer quality of life benefits for the City of Chicago...

Over 20 Chinese business leaders signed an unprecedented climate change communiqué at the annual Yabuli Business Forum in northern China...

Obama's recent order to reconsider allowing California to adopt its own motor vehicle emission standards was one of two major executive actions he can take on climate change.The other could be much bigger. The Climate Group's Evan Juska explains.

The recently concluded 4th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Climate Convention was characterized by low expectations and few concrete outcomes...

New "Solar Credits" would effectively subsidise solar PV systems by about AU$7500 for all Australians, making them accessible to many more people.

The Australian Government's White Paper on a Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme sets a target range of 5 to 15 per cent reductions from 2000 levels by 2020...

The Climate Group's policy director Mark Kenber gave a cautious welcome to the Climate and Energy package agreed by EU Heads of Government in Brussels on December 12th.

California's Air Resources Board has voted to adopt the AB-32 Scoping Plan, a roadmap that describes how the state will reach the goals of AB32...

State and regional governments from all corners of the world today committed to setting targets for renewable energy and energy efficiency as part of a comprehensive "statement of action" to accelerate low carbon policies....

In a video message, California's Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today told UN delegates gathered at The Climate Group's States and Regions Climate Leaders Summit in Poland that green rules and regulations will help both the climate and the economy...

The UK Parliament has passed a powerful trio of climate and energy-related legislation - including the Climate Change Act...

The Climate Group's Michael Allegretti and Evan Juska consider the impact of a new pro-environment Energy & Commerce committee in the US.

Speaking to attendees of the Governors' Global Climate Summit convened by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, the US President-elect assured an audience of state and regional leaders from around the world that his administration would mark a "new era" of US climate leadership.

What does the election of Obama mean for the coming climate negotiations at Poznan and Copenhagen? The Climate Group's US Policy Director Michael Allegretti and Evan Juska weigh in....

California Air Resources Board Chairperson Mary Nichols today announced details of the final scoping plan for Assembly Bill 32 (AB32), the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006...

On 24 September 2008, The °Climate Group hosted Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd for a CEO roundtable with key climate leaders from the international business arena...

The °Climate Group has expanded its weekly Greenhouse Indicator to the Australian State of Queensland...

China is over-taking more developed economies in exploiting valuable economic opportunities, creating green-collar jobs and leading development of critical low carbon technologies, says a new report to be published by The °Climate Group...

On 16 July, the Government of Australia released a Green Paper for the creation of a Carbon Emissions Reduction Scheme...

The °Climate Group has welcomed the news that G8 leaders have agreed a long-term target of halving global emissions by 2050 but cautioned that this must just be the beginning of further concerted work over the next 18 months...

Key legislation in Congress and a hive of activity on the carbon trading front suggest real progress, writes The °Climate Group's Emily Farnworth in a column at ClimateChangeCorp.com...

The world's first weekly greenhouse indicator has revealed that greenhouse emissions from energy in NSW and Victoria have risen for the first quarter in 2008...

In a hard-hitting HardTalk interview first broadcast on Wednesday 26th March, the BBC's Stephen Sackur talks to Changhua Wu, Greater China Director for The °Climate Group....

Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair visited China to promote our joint Breaking the Climate Deadlock initiative.

Former UK Prime Minister, Tony Blair, has today announced a major new climate change initiative: Breaking the Climate Deadlock - achieving a global deal on climate change. The Climate Group - an independent, not-for-profit organisation working internationally with government and business leaders - is providing strategic international support for this new initiative...

The °Climate Group, one of the world's most influential climate change charities, has won significant funding worth ?1.5 million from the Dutch National Postcode Lottery - Nationale Postcode Loterij - to fund a major project involving state and regional governments around the world...

Former Victorian Deputy Premier John Thwaites has been appointed chair of The °Climate Group in Australia. Recently retired from politics, Mr Thwaites was Victoria's first Minister for Climate Change. He will be joined on The °Climate Group's Australian Board by 2007 Australian of the Year Tim Flannery, who will be vice-chair...

Climate change shot to the top of global agenda in 2007. The °Climate Group pauses to consider the ground covered in 2007 - and to assess the challenges and the events that await us in 2008...

The °Climate Group welcomed Europe's new climate change package announced yesterday and hailed it as a bold lead for the rest of the world to follow....

Governor Crist said Blair's leadership on climate change "is enormously helpful to us, to our administration, what we're trying to do to keep the ball moving down the field."

In an article published by www.climatechangecorp.com, The °Climate Group's Emily Farnworth illustrates California and Guangdong as exciting new grounds for potential climate change laws....

Welcoming the release IPCC's Fourth Assessment Report, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said: "The message it contains could not be simpler.The threat of climate change is real and there are concrete and affordable ways to deal with it."

Prime Minister Gordon Brown "impressed" by coalition of UK companies helping individuals and households to tackle climate change....

In front of 740 US mayors, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced that the City of New York would join The Climate Group and the 'Together' campaign being launched in the US early next year.

Speaking at an event in the European Parliament, CEO Steve Howard said: "As momentum builds towards a successor to Kyoto, EU leaders have a unique opportunity to lead the world in growing a low carbon economy."

The Government of Ontario recently unveiled "Go Green: Ontario's Action Plan On Climate Change." This ambitious five-point action plan against climate change promises to tackle climate change province-wide through an innovative blend of low-carbon targets, incentives and solutions....

°Climate Group member South Australia has released an unprecedented solar "feed-in" legislation. This move by the State Government will see home owners with solar panels receive double credit for power they feed back into the grid...

"The speed with which Governor Crist acted is impressive and provides a great example of what can be achieved in a relatively short space of time."

On July 13th The °Climate Group convened two business roundtables for Florida Governor Charlie Crist's "Serve to Preserve: A Florida Summit on Global Climate Change" to discuss how government and business can best collaborate to address climate change: through deployment of clean energy and clean technologies; by engaging citizens and customers; and by rapidly reducing greenhouse gases.

The HSBC Climate Confidence Index shows that people in developing economies exhibit the greatest concern towards the problem of climate change and in developed economies the greatest indifference...

19 business leaders met with British PM Tony Blair and California's Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on June 26th to accelerate transatlantic action towards a low carbon economy.

Premier Dalton McGuinty says Ontario will build on its efforts to fight climate change by setting aggressive targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as part of the government's climate change plan...

The leaders of the G8 countries have moved closer to the long-term agreement on emission reduction targets that the public, scientists and businesses have been calling for...

State and territory environment ministers agreed to a proposal for mandatory reporting by companies emitting more than 25,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases a year.

On June 4th China announced its aim to cut greenhouse gas emissions growth by almost one billion tonnes by 2010 under a long-awaited national climate plan announced in Beijing.

US President George Bush sent out mixed messages on climate change yesterday as he appeared to be joining the international mainstream on climate change by signalling the need for emissions targets and an international agreement covering the world's largest emitters.

Victorian Premier Steve Bracks today met with Californian Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in Los Angeles to discuss ways both States can work together to tackle climate change in their countries...

The draft Climate Change Bill calls for an independent panel to set ministers a "carbon budget" every five years, in a bid to cut emissions by 60% by 2050.

European Union leaders have agreed to adopt a binding target on the use of renewable energy, such as wind and solar power, officials say.

The first-ever comprehensive plan by a large city to cut carbon emissions, the plan sets out how London will reduce its carbon emissions by 60 percent of 1990 levels by 2025.

More companies, cities and regional governments than ever are managing to reduce their carbon footprints while strengthening operational performance, shows a new edition of the report Carbon Down Profits Up released today. In many cases these organisations have made significant cost savings as a result of their actions...

Dr. Steve Howard, CEO of The Climate Group - an organisation dedicated to advancing business and government leadership on climate change - will facilitate a business leader panel featuring Jim Rogers (CEO, Duke/Cinergy), Roger Ferguson (Chairman, Swiss Re America Holding), Sir Richard Branson (CEO, Virgin), Joe Pettus (Senior Vice President, Fuel & Energy Operations, Safeway) and Rick Lazio (Government Relations, JP Morgan)...

The snow came late to Davos - but just in time to give the impression of a more normal winter for the 2,400 delegates attending this year's World Economic Forum (WEF).

The Climate Group is bringing Linda Adams, California's Secretary for Environmental Protection, to the COP in Nairobi the week of November 13th to meet with the heads of regional governments across the world to discuss climate change action.

The key message from the report, the most extensive analysis carried out to date on the economics of climate change, is that the costs of taking action now (likely to amount to approximately 1% of GDP) are far outweighed by the costs associated with adopting a 'wait and see' attitude.

Prime Minister Tony Blair and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger join international business leaders to hold frank and far-reaching discussions on global partnership approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions...

Today, Prime Minister Tony Blair pledged his support for a new organisation dedicated to accelerating the world's response to the biggest issue facing the planet today - climate change.

Toronto, Canada: Leaders from corporations, governments and financiers from across the globe will meet today at the Climate Group's first major international "Conference of the Reducers" to demonstrate how they are taking practical action to drastically reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.