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Published May 30, 2024
Climate and Energy
Today, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, in response to a question about the Climate Superfund Act, stated “we do want to do some environmental things” in the remaining days of the legislative session. In response, Food & Water Watch Senior Organizer Laura Shindell issued the following statement:
“It’s great that Speaker Heastie wants to do some ‘environmental things’ before the end of session. New York’s climate and clean energy movement has made very clear what those things should be. Heastie should follow the lead of the state Senate and pass the NY HEAT Act and the Climate Superfund Act now, to slash pollution, lower electricity bills and put our state on a real path to 100 percent clean, renewable energy once and for all.”
Press Contact: Seth Gladstone [email protected]
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Is Temu Sustainable? A Look Inside the Online Marketplace – Brightly
After countless TikTok hauls and viral commercials, Temu is trending. But what exactly is the online marketplace—and can companies like this ever be sustainable?
Sielen Namdar – Sustainability Magazine
Sielen Namdar spearheads Cisco’s global sustainability for industries, supporting customers in 11 industries across the globe in their sustainability journey by leveraging Cisco technology. From utilities to manufacturing, government to healthcare, and beyond, the work and impact of Sielen and her team is far-reaching.
Alongside key strategic partners, Cisco is not only creating more innovative sustainability solutions with an integrated approach, but also supporting measurable outcomes for its customers.
Sielen is a seasoned sustainability executive and, before joining Cisco, spent two decades at Jacobs in the infrastructure sector, pioneering the integration of digital technologies into physical infrastructure and programmes through co-founding the smart cities initiative, which in a way was a great foundation for advancing many of the sustainability solutions today.
She is also passionate about giving back, serving on nonprofit and corporate boards which accelerate value in sustainability, industry digital transformation, community and diversity. On top of this, Sielen is a mentor and coach for the OnBoarding Women programme offered by Deloitte, Madrona Venture Group and Perkins Coie, dedicated to increasing the percentage of women on corporate boards.
Sielen joined Cisco in 2018 to build and lead Cisco’s very first digital water practice from the ground up, before taking up her current role of Global Head of Sustainability for Industries in 2021.
“As I’m a civil and environmental engineer by training, my current role has been a fantastic way to come full circle, bringing the power of technology to drive impactful sustainability outcomes for our industry customers and communities,” Sielen shares.
And it’s passion that drives Sielen in her work, relishing the privilege and opportunity she has to work with “amazing and dedicated” teams, partners and customers who are equally passionate about driving sustainability at scale and are committed to innovating collectively for impactful outcomes.
She continues: “What inspires me is the progress and innovation in sustainability solutions and technologies that are ready to be implemented right now to solve the climate challenge, and the opportunity to make a measurable difference on a global scale. They also make great business sense.
“Every day, I’m driven by the potential for our teams to innovate, collaborate and implement solutions that not only address environmental challenges but also drive economic and social progress. Knowing that our work contributes to a more sustainable future for our kids and generations to come fuels my passion and dedication to this cause.”
Among Sielen’s life highlights, outside of being incredibly proud of her family, is being the driving force behind Cisco’s Global Sustainability for Industries.
“This opportunity allows me to blend my passion for sustainability with my experience in strategy, leadership and industries, fostering positive change in pivotal industries such as utilities, manufacturing, healthcare, government and more,” she adds. “The knowledge that our collective work contributes to a more sustainable future fills me with gratitude, motivating me to continually explore new horizons in sustainable innovation.”
Sielen is passionate about leading with purpose and making a positive impact in the world through innovative and inclusive approaches, as well as giving back. This hinges on her tried-and-tested method of understanding the diverse stages of Cisco customers’ sustainability journeys, something she maintains is paramount while also a challenge.
“From smart and sustainable buildings and facilities, and modernising data centres to smart grids, integrating renewable energy sources and EV charging stations, our solutions are designed to help accelerate progress,” Sielen highlights.
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Mark Jones, Chief Sustainability Officer at THG, on how the global ecommerce leader is making a positive impact in the realm of sustainability
Chad Wilkerson, Director, Sustainability at T-Mobile, shares how the company is reducing its impact on the environment, and the suppliers that contribute
Henkel’s customer centric Supply Chain (SC) transformation programme is nothing short of remarkable, Bjoern Kirchner shows us how they did it
MPT (Africa) and DPA (South Africa) are transforming the DC environment and their respective regions through the power of data and regional development.
MPT (Africa) and DPA (South Africa) are transforming the DC environment and their respective regions through the power of data and regional development.
Mark Jones, Chief Sustainability Officer at THG, on how the global ecommerce leader is making a positive impact in the realm of sustainability
Chad Wilkerson, Director, Sustainability at T-Mobile, shares how the company is reducing its impact on the environment, and the suppliers that contribute
Henkel’s customer centric Supply Chain (SC) transformation programme is nothing short of remarkable, Bjoern Kirchner shows us how they did it
MPT (Africa) and DPA (South Africa) are transforming the DC environment and their respective regions through the power of data and regional development.
MPT (Africa) and DPA (South Africa) are transforming the DC environment and their respective regions through the power of data and regional development.
Sustainability Magazine connects the leading sustainability and ESG executives of the world's largest brands. Our platform serves as a digital hub for connecting industry leaders, covering a wide range of services including media and advertising, events, research reports, demand generation, information, and data services. With our comprehensive approach, we strive to provide timely and valuable insights into sustainable practices, fostering innovation and collaboration within the sustainability community. Join us today and shape a sustainable future for generations to come.
Climate change added nearly a month's worth of extreme heat in past year – Report – Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre
By the IFRC
(This story is an IFRC press release that appeared earlier today; it has been edited slightly here for length. Register to take part in the third global heat action day this Sunday 2 June here.)
The Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, World Weather Attribution and Climate Central today released a report looking at the role climate change played in increasing the number of extreme heat days around the world over the last twelve months.
It was already known that 2023 was the hottest year on record. The report confirmed that almost all the world’s population was affected by 26 extreme-heat days that would probably not have occurred without climate change.
Heat action day – organized by the Climate Centre – draws attention to the threat of extreme heat and what can be done to mitigate it. National Societies around the world are sharing ideas via a dedicated website.
As part of a heat action sprint organized alongside USAID and launched at a heat summit in late March, people are being urged to hold events and share artwork to highlight the danger of extreme heat to lives and livelihoods.
Attention is needed this year more than any other. There is an ongoing extreme heatwave in Asia across Bangladesh, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal and the Philippines.
In Bangladesh alone, the extreme heat has hit 57 of 64 districts, home to well over 120 million people; in Myanmar an extreme temperature of 48.2°C was recorded on 28 April – the highest ever in the country;
in Nepal, the city of Nepalgunj is in the grip of weeks of temperatures of more than 40°C.
‘We need to focus attention on
the silent killer of climate change’
There have been long-lasting recent heatwaves this year across swathes of Africa too. Extreme heat is known to have killed tens of thousands of people over the last 12 months, but the real number is likely in the hundreds of thousands or even millions.
Unlike sudden-onset weather disasters, heatwaves kill more slowly and less obviously; they are often exacerbators of pre-existing medical conditions. Heatwaves hit the vulnerable hardest: the young, the old, the poor and those obliged to work outdoors.
National Societies are at the forefront of actions to mitigate extreme heat. In Bangladesh, for example, a first-ever early action protocol for heat was activated in April, targeting 123,700 people with early warning messages, safe drinking water and oral saline solution, and cooling stations.
In Nepal, a three-year collaboration between the IFRC, the Nepal Red Cross Society, local authorities and others in the city of Nepalgunj has culminated in a detailed heat action plan, now serving as an example for cities around the world.
Cities are where extreme heat is most dangerous so that’s where efforts are focused. Locally led plans and adaptation, early warning systems, information campaigns and efforts focused on the most vulnerable are what saves lives.
Jagan Chapagain, IFRC Secretary-General, said: “Flooding and hurricanes may capture the headlines, but the impacts of extreme heat are equally deadly. That’s why heat action day matters so much.
“We need to focus attention on climate change’s silent killer. The IFRC is making heat – and urban action to reduce its impacts – a priority and remains committed to working with communities that are at risk of extreme heat through our global network of National Societies.”
Climate Centre Director Aditya Bahadur said: “This report provides overwhelming scientific evidence that extreme heat is a deadly manifestation of the climate crisis.
“This wreaks havoc on human health, critical infrastructure, the economy, agriculture and the environment, thereby eroding gains in human development and decreasing well-being – especially for poor and marginalized communities in the Global South.”
The Kaliganj Block branch of the Indian Red Cross Society recently responded to ongoing extreme heat by establishing posts to distribute drinking water and oral rehydration salts. (Photo: IRCS)
Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre 2024
Bungling climate change campaigners declare war on 'gas guzzler' cars… by vandalising an eco-friendly electr – Daily Mail
By Eirian Jane Prosser
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Climate change campaigners declaring war on ‘gas guzzling’ cars have made a blunder after slashing the tyres of an eco-friendly Tesla in a comically ‘ridiculous’ protest.
The eco-warriors, who call themselves the Tyre Extinguishers and operate across the world, slashed the man’s car in Clifton, Bristol.
One owner had been out walking his dog when he noticed his car had a leaflet left in his windscreen which read ‘your gas guzzler kills’ before seeing the group had deflated his tyres.
He told the BBC that there was ‘something comical about it’ but he felt ‘slightly violated’.
‘It’s ironic, because I was trying to do the right thing by buying an electric car. It’s ridiculous and inconvenient,’ the unnamed man added. ‘I get why climate activism is happening, but I’m not seeing the point of this.’
Have YOUR car tyres been slashed? Email jack.wright@mailonline.co.uk
Climate change activists the Tyre Extinguishers are known for painting ‘climate criminal’ or ‘gas guzzler’ on SUVS
The Tyre Extinguishers climate change group made a blunder by targetting the wheels of an electric Tesla
The typical leaflet from the group reads: ‘We have deflated one or more of your tyres. We did this because driving around in your SUV has huge consequences’
And it is not the first time the group has deflated the tyres of electric vehicles. It made the same mistake with another Tesla in Notting Hill last year.
Mark Moran, chief executive of Hydrate for Health Ltd, also said his car had been ‘hit multiple times’ once seeing paint thrown on his vehicle, with his wheels being punctured.
He told the corporation that the group ‘are simply a faceless bunch of eco warriors who want to force their will upon people, with zero rational debate’.
Mr Moran said there was ‘no debate’ more needed to be done to improve the environment but the cost of replacing tyres was ‘far in excess of any saving their smugness will make’.
The typical leaflet from the group reads: ‘We have deflated one or more of your tyres. We did this because driving around in your SUV has huge consequences.
‘SUVs cause more air pollution in your neighbourhood than smaller cars. SUVs are also more likely to kill people in collisions.’
Avon and Somerset Police are said to have received reports on Friday, adding that they thought the stunts were conencted to ‘a national environmental protest group’ which had previously targeted SUVS in the area. MailOnline has contacted the force.
SUVs are generally less fuel efficient, and are said to emit 25 per cent more carbon dioxide than a medium-sized car
Last year the group targeted 4×4 across swathes of Britain including in London, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Manchester and Devon, while their activism has also taken place across the globe striking Germany, France and the United States.
The ‘Tyre Extinguishers’ tend to sneak out into the dead of night in affluent areas of the country and deflated the tyres of ‘gas guzzling’ cars including Range Rovers, Mazdas and Volkswagens.
Globally, the number of SUVs has increased from less than 50 million in 2010 to around 320 million last year – equivalent to the total car fleet of Europe.
Because of their size, on average, SUVs consume around a quarter more energy than medium-sized cars.
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Black & Veatch expands to help clients meet sustainability goals – The Business Journals
Listen to this article 2 min
Black & Veatch has expanded its business structure to include five new client-facing entities focused on sustainability.
Black & Veatch has expanded its operations with a new focus on sustainability.
The Overland Park-based engineering firm added five new client-facing enterprises focused on supporting the growing demand for sustainable infrastructure:
Black & Veatch Chairman and CEO Mario Azar said the shift is key to supporting clients through their decarbonization, clean water and operational process resiliency strategies.
“Amid the changes prompted by evolving regulations, advancing technologies and increasing cybersecurity threats, our clients are looking to confidently deploy their capital to transform their infrastructure, accelerate to a net-zero emissions capability and remain resilient, compliant and competitive,” Azar said in the release. “Addressing those strategic needs requires sharpened expertise in consulting, engineering, construction and asset management solutions.”
In addition to restructuring, the employee-owned firm announced the appointment of Steve Meck as general counsel and chief compliance officer. He also will be board secretary.
The company also has selected James Bleak as the new president of its Bird Electric business.
Black & Veatch acquired Texas-based Bird Electric Enterprises and Bird Electric Properties last May. Four months later, the company opened an office in Houston with the goal of adding 800 new jobs in the Texas market.
The company ranks No. 2 on the Kansas City Business Journal’s Engineering Firms List. It reported 2,377 local employees in 2023, including 493 licensed engineers.
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Hawaii judge orders a new environmental review of a wave pool that foes say is a waste of water – ABC News
A judge in Hawaii has halted plans for an artificial wave pool until developers can revise an environmental assessment to address concerns including impacts on water supply and anticipated growth of the area
HONOLULU — A judge has halted plans for an artificial wave pool until developers can revise an environmental assessment to address concerns raised by Native Hawaiians and others who say the project is unnecessary in the birthplace of surfing and a waste of water.
In granting a temporary injunction Tuesday, Hawaii Environmental Court Judge Shirley Kawamura ordered a new review of concerns including impacts on water supply and anticipated growth in the area.
A group of Native Hawaiians and other residents filed a lawsuit last year challenging the Hawaii Community Development Authority’s approval of the 19-acre (7.6-hectare) Honokea Surf Village planned for west Oahu, which found that it will have no significant environmental impacts.
Opponents of the project say the wave pool, with a capacity of 7 million gallons (26 million liters), isn't needed less than 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) from the ocean and another existing wave pool.
Project backer and renowned Native Hawaiian waterman Brian Keaulana has said artificial waves are useful for competitive surfers to train on perfect breaks that are sometimes elusive in the ocean. Customizable surf, he said, can also help create ideal conditions to teach surfing and lifesaving skills.
“Our goal of creating a place that combines cultural education with skill-based recreation must be done in a way that does not harm our natural resources,” he said Wednesday in a statement. “The court’s ruling allows us an opportunity to revisit the environmental concerns, especially our water resources.”
The judge said in her ruling that there was “insufficient evidence for the HCDA to determine whether there is a likelihood of irrevocable commitment of natural resources and whether secondary and cumulative impacts of water use, injection, land use changes, and wildlife mitigation would likely lead to a significant impact, thereby favoring an injunction.”
The current assessment is “ambiguous as to the specific manner, time frame, and actual daily water use implicated by the initial and periodic filling of the lagoon,” the ruling said.
However the development authority did make sufficient assessment of potential impact on historic preservation and burials, it added. The HCDA declined to comment Wednesday on the ruling.
Developers say the project would be drawing from a private water company separate from Oahu's water utility, using a supply that was committed decades ago.
But the judge noted that they draw from the same underlying aquifer.
“Thus, additional analysis is needed to fully capture the potential cumulative impact of anticipated growth and subsequent increased competing water demand,” the ruling said.
The state attorney general's office said it was reviewing the decision.
Healani Sonoda-Pale, one of the plaintiffs, called the ruling a “pono decision,” using a Hawaiian word that can mean “righteous.”
“Much has been made about Hawaiians being on both sides of the issue,” she said. “Building a wave pool is not a cultural practice. The threat of a wave pool … is so immense in terms of how many people it could affect.”
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Vermont becomes 1st state to enact law requiring oil companies pay for damage from climate change – ABC News
Vermont has become the first state to enact a law requiring fossil fuel companies to pay a share of the damage caused by climate change after the state suffered catastrophic summer flooding and damage from other extreme weather
Vermont has become the first state to enact a law requiring fossil fuel companies to pay a share of the damage caused by climate change after the state suffered catastrophic summer flooding and damage from other extreme weather.
Republican Gov. Phil Scott allowed the bill to become law without his signature late Thursday, saying he is very concerned about the costs and outcome of the small state taking on “Big Oil” alone in what will likely be a grueling legal fight. But he acknowledged that he understands something has to be done to address the toll of climate change.
“I understand the desire to seek funding to mitigate the effects of climate change that has hurt our state in so many ways,” Scott, a moderate Republican in the largely blue state of Vermont, wrote in a letter to lawmakers.
The popular governor who recently announced that he's running for reelection to a fifth two-year term, has been at odds with the Democrat-controlled Legislature, which he has called out of balance. He was expected by environmental advocates to veto the bill but then allowed it to be enacted. Scott wrote to lawmakers that he was comforted that the Agency of Natural Resources is required to report back to the Legislature on the feasibility of the effort.
Last July's flooding from torrential rains inundated Vermont's capital city of Montpelier, the nearby city Barre, some southern Vermont communities and ripped through homes and washed away roads around the rural state. Some saw it as the state’s worst natural disaster since a 1927 flood that killed dozens of people and caused widespread destruction. It took months for businesses — from restaurants to shops — to rebuild, losing out on their summer and even fall seasons. Several have just recently reopened while scores of homeowners were left with flood-ravaged homes heading into the cold season.
Under the legislation, the Vermont state treasurer, in consultation with the Agency of Natural Resources, would provide a report by Jan. 15, 2026, on the total cost to Vermonters and the state from the emission of greenhouse gases from Jan. 1, 1995, to Dec. 31, 2024. The assessment would look at the effects on public health, natural resources, agriculture, economic development, housing and other areas. The state would use federal data to determine the amount of covered greenhouse gas emissions attributed to a fossil fuel company.
It’s a polluter-pays model affecting companies engaged in the trade or business of extracting fossil fuel or refining crude oil attributable to more than 1 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions during the time period. The funds could be used by the state for such things as upgrading stormwater drainage systems; upgrading roads, bridges and railroads; relocating, elevating or retrofitting sewage treatment plants; and making energy efficient weatherization upgrades to public and private buildings. It's modeled after the federal Superfund pollution cleanup program.
“For too long, giant fossil fuel companies have knowingly lit the match of climate disruption without being required to do a thing to put out the fire,” Paul Burns, executive director of the Vermont Public Interest Research Group, said in a statement. “Finally, maybe for the first time anywhere, Vermont is going to hold the companies most responsible for climate-driven floods, fires and heat waves financially accountable for a fair share of the damages they’ve caused.”
Maryland, Massachusetts and New York are considering similar measures.
The American Petroleum Institute, the top lobbying group for the oil and gas industry, has said it’s extremely concerned the legislation “retroactively imposes costs and liability on prior activities that were legal, violates equal protection and due process rights by holding companies responsible for the actions of society at large; and is preempted by federal law.”
“This punitive new fee represents yet another step in a coordinated campaign to undermine America’s energy advantage and the economic and national security benefits it provides,” spokesman Scott Lauermann said in a statement Friday.
Vermont lawmakers know the state will face legal challenges, but the governor worries about the costs and what it means for other states if Vermont fails.
State Rep. Martin LaLonde, a Democrat and an attorney, believes Vermont has a solid legal case. Legislators worked closely with many legal scholars in crafting the bill, he said in statement.
“Most importantly, the stakes are too high – and the costs too steep for Vermonters – to release corporations that caused the mess from their obligation to help clean it up,” he said.
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