New & Noteworthy
Fellowships in Sustainability Science, Harvard University's Center for International Development
Due date for applications: December 1, 2010: The Sustainability Science Program at Harvard University's Center for International Development invites applications for resident fellowships in sustainability science for the University's academic year beginning in September 2011. The fellowship competition is open to advanced doctoral and post-doctoral students, and to mid-career professionals engaged in research or practice to facilitate the design, implementation, and evaluation of effective interventions that promote sustainable development. Applicants should describe how their work would contribute to "sustainability science," the emerging field of use-inspired research seeking understanding of the interactions between human and environmental systems as well as the application of such knowledge to sustainability challenges relating to advancing development of agriculture, habitation, energy and materials, health and water while conserving the earth's life support systems. This year we will give some preference to applicants whose work addresses challenges of innovation for sustainable development, with special attention to innovation in the energy, health and agricultural sectors. In addition to general funds available to support this fellowship offering, special funding for the Giorgio Ruffolo Fellowships in Sustainability Science is available to support citizens of Italy or developing countries who are therefore especially encouraged to apply. The Sustainability Science Program is directed by Professors William Clark and Michael Kremer, and Nancy Dickson. For more information on the fellowships application process see http://www.cid.harvard.edu/sustsci/fellowship. Applications are due December 1, 2010.
GOVERNOR CHRISTIE SIGNS OFFSHORE WIND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACT TO SPUR ECONOMIC GROWTH, ENCOURAGE ENERGY AS INDUSTRY
TRENTON, NJ -- Today, Governor Chris Christie continued his commitment to grow and strengthen New Jersey's economy by utilizing and promoting energy initiatives as key to the State's technology future by signing the Offshore Wind Economic Development Act.
The bipartisan measure will spur economic growth in the Garden State through the development of renewable energy resources and the creation of green jobs. The legislation will establish an offshore wind renewable energy certificate program (OREC) and will make available financial assistance and tax credits from existing programs for businesses that construct manufacturing, assemblage and water access facilities to support the development of qualified offshore wind projects.
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CEOs Say Sustainability Crucial to Success
A new survey of CEOs by the United Nations Global Compact and Accenture found that 93 percent see sustainability as crucial to their future success. The report, “A New Era of Sustainability” interviewed more than 750 chief executives from almost 100 countries. Of these, 72 percent said that strengthening their brand, trust and reputation with consumers was the primary driver behind sustainability initiatives. Learn more
The Biosphere Economy
Welcome to the Biosphere Economy, a revolution ignited by global ecological overshoot, which is transforming the way business, investors, and governments view, value and manage natural capital. Download the latest report we have prepared for CEOs and business leaders at the Business for Environment Summit Learn more
Launching Ecological Footprint Survey
Alejandro Litovsky
May 14, 2010
How can we accelerate the use of new metrics for a Biosphere Economy? The Global Footprint Network and Volans are asking people in government and international agencies how decision makers address resource constraints and ecological limits in their institutions’ programs and policies.Learn more
Iceland Leads Environmental Index as U.S. Falls
A new ranking of the world’s nations by environmental performance puts some of the globe’s largest economies far down the list, with the United States sinking to 61st and China to 121st.
In the previous version of the Environmental Performance Index, compiled every two years by Yale and Columbia University researchers, the United States ranked 39th, and China 105th.
The top performer this year is Iceland, which gets virtually all of its power from renewable sources — hydropower and geothermal energy. It was joined in the top tier by a cluster of European countries known for their green efforts, including Switzerland, Sweden, Norway and Finland.
Hopenhagen, When people lead, leaders follow
Welcome to Hopenhagen.
Hopenhagen is a movement, a moment and a chance at a new beginning. The hope that in Copenhagen this December – during the United Nations Climate Change Conference – we can build a better future for our planet and a more sustainable way of life.Fixing a Critical Climate Accounting Error
Timothy D. Searchinger,1,* Steven P. Hamburg,2,* Jerry Melillo,3 William Chameides,4 Petr Havlik,5 Daniel M. Kammen,6 Gene E. Likens,7 Ruben N. Lubowski,2 Michael Obersteiner,5 Michael Oppenheimer,1 G. Philip Robertson,8 William H. Schlesinger,7 G. David Tilman9
"The accounting now used for assessing compliance with carbon limits in the Kyoto Protocol and in climate legislation contains a far-reaching but fixable flaw that will severely undermine greenhouse gas reduction goals (1). It does not count CO2 emitted from tailpipes and smokestacks when bioenergy is being used, but it also does not count changes in emissions from land use when biomass for energy is harvested or grown. This accounting erroneously treats all bioenergy as carbon neutral regardless of the source of the biomass, which may cause large differences in net emissions. For example, the clearing of long-established forests to burn wood or to grow energy crops is counted as a 100% reduction in energy emissions despite causing large releases of carbon."
Hazel Henderson presented "Beyond GDP: Operationalizing Indicators of Sustainability and Quality of Life".
Hazel provided an up-to-date review of all the broader indicators of health, environment, poverty gaps and education, which are now being recognized as a necessary part of measuring a country's progress.
This presentation was given at the Breakfast Seminar Series of the Institute for Sustainable Enterprise (ISE), Fairleigh Dickinson University on October 16, 2009.
To see the PowerPoint presentation, please click the Icon on the right of this page.
To see the archived video of Hazel Henderson's presentation, CLICK HERE.
On 81st birthday, Oregon man gives company to employees
Scores of employees gathered to help Bob Moore celebrate his 81st birthday this week at the company that bears his name, Bob's Red Mill...
By DANA TIMS
The Oregonian
MILWAUKIE, Ore. — Scores of employees gathered to help Bob Moore celebrate his 81st birthday this week at the company that bears his name, Bob's Red Mill Natural Foods.
Moore, whose mutual love of healthful eating and old-world technologies spawned an internationally distributed line of products, responded with a gift of his own — the whole company. The Employee Stock Ownership Plan that Moore unveiled means that his 209 employees now own the place and its 400 offerings of stone-ground flours, cereals and bread mixes. [READ MORE]
Microsoft co-founder Gates tackling climate change
AFP, 13 February 2010 - Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has broken from philanthropic work fighting poverty and disease to take on another threat to the world's poor -- climate change."Energy and climate are extremely important to these people," Gates told Friday a TED Conference audience packed with influential figures including the founders of Google and climate champion Al Gore.
"The climate getting worse means many years that crops won't grow from too much rain or not enough, leading to starvation and certainly unrest."
Gates said he is backing development of "terrapower" reactors that could be fueled by nuclear waste from disposal facilities or generated by today's power plants.
He broke down variables in a carbon-dioxide-culprit formula, homing in on a conclusion that the answer to the problem is a source of energy that produces no carbon. [READ MORE]
Hazel Henderson presented "Beyond GDP: Operationalizing Indicators of Sustainability and Quality of Life"
Henderson_10-16-09_FDU_ISE