Peak Carbon?

Well, maybe not Peak Carbon yet, but it was a pretty hopeful signal that the International Energy Agency sent on March 13th in announcing Global energy-related emissions of carbon dioxide stalled in 2014.  The IEA noted “…that efforts to mitigate climate change may be having a more pronounced effect on emissions than had previously been thought.” Continue reading


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Norway Gets It! Deutsche Bank Gets It!

end of fossil fuelsAl Gore called them “subprime carbon assets.”  More and more banks, companies, countries, pension funds, universities, churches, and many others are beginning to understand the considerable investment risks in the constellations of fossil fuel companies.  The Norwegian Government Pension Fund Global (GPFG), the world’s biggest and most efficient sovereign wealth fund, last week jettisoned 32 coal mining companies, 5 tar sand producers, 2 cement companies and 1 coal-based electricity generator from its $850 billion portfolio.  The Guardian quotes a GPFG rep here:  “Our risk-based approach means that we exit sectors and areas where we see elevated levels of risk to our investments in the long term.” Continue reading


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NYU Divest – Spelling It Out

divest actionThe super motivated students of NYU Divest met with the University Senate yesterday.  They marked that important step forward with a great visual display of their intention.  I’ve had the pleasure of being involved a bit with these students over the past year.  They have a goal, a plan, and are executing it smartly.


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Decarbonizing Assets

take_climate_action_button-248x300Action This Day.  That’s what Winston Churchill wrote on many of his memos.  It has always worked for me as a call to arms.  Action was the persistent theme of the recent UN Climate Summit.  I had the good fortune to be there last week and I was, after a fair number of years of observing the environmental scene, somewhat in awe of the tone and timbre of the speeches in support of climate action.  Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has been building support for nearly a year for a successful summit, with leaders of governments, business and civil society in abundance coming to speak and to make commitments. Continue reading


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Do the Math – The Movie

I went to a great event last night:  the premiere of “Do the Math.”  It’s a powerful short (45-minute) documentary about what the indomitable Bill McKibben and 350.org have set in motion with their stunning and timely movement to get universities and others to divest from the fossil fuel industry.  I wrote about what I called McKibben’s Manifesto, a blockbuster piece in Rolling Stone last summer and a call to arms.  I subsequently wrote about the first stirrings of the divestment movement.  Well, the movement has grown exponentially in only a few months:  as of today, there are initiatives at 302 colleges and universities, in 74 cities and states, and beyond.  Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn, for one, has already set the wheels in motion in his city.  See what Fossil Free is doing and how you can get on board. Continue reading


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