John Davies

Registration is now open for The SEC, California & Other Climate Disclosure Rules Webinar part of G&A's Pathfinder series. This segment will look at recent and important climate disclosure rules including the SEC’s final climate disclosure rules, California State's climate disclosure rules — such as SB 253, the Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act, SB 261, and AB 1305 — and potential regional regulations from other states such as New York and Illinois. 🔗 https://ow.ly/6fW350RNKor

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Climate Capital Guidebook: The Biden-Harris Administration is releasing a new Climate Capital Guidebook to provide a simple, comprehensive map of capital programs across the federal government that are available to climate-related start-ups, small- and medium-sized businesses, and their investors. While larger, institutionally-backed climate companies may have the resources to identify and access federal funding opportunities, smaller enterprises may face greater challenges in navigating these federal programs. https://lnkd.in/eJ3QV4Fw #climatechange #climatetech

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In 2023, disclosure policy seemed to be making significant strides with California's groundbreaking Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act (SB 253), mandating companies to disclose their Scope 3 emissions related to value chains. This landmark bill held the promise of pushing corporate sustainability efforts forward. The question remains: will disclosure policy overcome these hurdles and become the critical driver for corporate sustainability? Read more about the current state of climate disclosure policy and its potential impact on the future of sustainable business practices: #corporatesustainability #climatepolicies

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Happening Now!!!! The very exciting Circularity, its the event of the year in everyone's favorite city, Chicago. This a global conversation on how we change our ecosystems to eliminate waste. Clever is very please to contribute to this cause by demonstrating how fruit waste, particularly the critical component of farm loss, can be bioprocessed (fermented) into a valuable nutraceutical. In many jurisdiction often 25% of the best superfood in the world, never leaves the farm. The answer that unlocks this challenge is something we call the More Than Context. We need to stop thinking its ok to gather a waste product and develop a method to create new products that create a less than product. It won't find its way to the shelf and won't be sustainable. We need to create More Than products. When it comes to plants, bioprocessing is a viable option, including the style of fermentation that Clever Fruit pioneers. We bioprocess superfruit with the aim to create products 3-5 times more beneficial than the original fruit. That degree of added benefit will find a market, be sustainable and contribute to circularity. There are many ways to process waste and add value. Let's Go!

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V2G and microgrids are great together. Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology enhances energy deployment by allowing electric vehicles (EVs) to not only draw energy from the grid but also return it. This two-way energy exchange can help in balancing the grid and integrating renewable energy sources more effectively. #timeofusearbitrage

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ESG Trends 2024: A Whirlwind of Evolution and Impact 2024 is poised to be a transformative year for Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives. With climate changes intensifying and social inequities persisting, the demand for measurable impact and responsible action is greater than ever. Investors and stakeholders are no longer satisfied with mere green promises; they seek concrete results. This year, ESG will move from the periphery to the core, shaping corporate strategies and investment decisions. Let's delve into some trends that could shape ESG strategies in 2024, as highlighted by the World Environment Council's President, Prof. Ganesh Channa: 1. Climate Action Intensification: As climate change impacts become more evident, companies will be expected to take bolder actions. This includes setting ambitious carbon reduction targets, investing in renewable energy, and enhancing climate resilience across their operations. 2. Enhanced Social Responsibility: Social issues, including equity, diversity, and inclusion, will remain at the forefront. Companies will need to address systemic inequalities and ensure fair labor practices, both within their operations and throughout their supply chains. 3. Governance Transparency: Stakeholders will demand greater transparency in corporate governance. This includes clearer disclosures on decision-making processes, executive compensation, and the integration of ESG factors into corporate governance frameworks. 4. ESG Integration into Investment Decisions: Investors will increasingly integrate ESG factors into their investment criteria. This trend will drive companies to improve their ESG performance to attract and retain investment. 5. Technological Advancements: The adoption of advanced technologies, such as AI and blockchain, will play a crucial role in ESG reporting and monitoring. These technologies will help ensure data accuracy, enhance transparency, and streamline ESG compliance. 6. Regulatory Changes: Governments and regulatory bodies will continue to implement stringent ESG-related regulations. Companies will need to stay ahead of these regulations by proactively adopting best practices and ensuring compliance. 7. Stakeholder Engagement: Engaging with a broad range of stakeholders, including customers, employees, and communities, will be crucial. Companies will need to listen to and address the concerns of these groups to build trust and enhance their ESG credentials. 8. Focus on Circular Economy: There will be a greater emphasis on adopting circular economy principles. This involves designing products and processes that minimize waste, promote recycling, and optimize resource use. 9. Sustainable Supply Chains: Companies will need to ensure their supply chains are sustainable and ethically managed. This includes sourcing materials responsibly, reducing supply chain emissions, and ensuring fair labor practices. #esgtrends #environment #corporate #news #theparliamentnews #unitednations

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Tuesday, May 28, 2024 3:08 PM My team at RMI has been working to increase trust and transparency in the voluntary carbon market (VCM) for a number of years — and today that work is reinforced by the federal government’s announcement committing to seven principles for a high-integrity VCM.    To unlock the full potential of carbon markets, we need clear rules. Today’s announcement unveils a set of principles that acknowledge the need for a responsibly managed VCM; one that ensures that the climate impacts promised by carbon projects make a tangible difference in curbing climate change.     While this announcement marks a major governance milestone, the work to create a trusted, scalable VCM is just beginning. Which is why I'm equally excited about the work that RMI and our partners are developing to ensure all data about carbon credit performance – namely, their verified emissions, community, and ecosystem impact and benefits – can be more accessible, digested, and used to guide decisions   We’re excited to share more about these projects in the coming months!   https://lnkd.in/gjw_2trP

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📣 Last call to register at the *Best Rate* for VERGE 24! This fall, join the climate tech community to learn, connect and share what it takes to deploy climate tech at scale at #VERGE24 (Oct. 29-31, San Jose, CA). As the effects of the climate crisis continue to unfold, now is the time to share your experience, discover new collaborations, and find the inspiration you need to de-risk your strategies and supercharge your impact. Today is the last day to save $500 off the Final Rate. ➡️ Register here: https://buff.ly/4bECa5A

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Discussing a #Carbon Tax with Dr. Gilbert Metcalf: https://j.mp/2VkgEyb Rate It Green spoke with economist Dr. Gilbert Metcalf of Tufts University about carbon taxes, the Green New Deal, role of the EPA, border carbon adjustments, and bringing others to the table on climate change. His perspective was enlightening in terms of how to curtail emissions and smoothly transition to a clean energy-based economy. Dr. Metcalf, Professor of Economics and the John DiBiaggio Professor of Citizenship and Public Service, is the author of Paying for Pollution: Why a Carbon Tax is Good for America (2019). His primary research area is applied public finance with particular interests in taxation, energy, and environmental economics and has taught at Princeton University, the Kennedy School of Government, and MIT. A carbon tax has seemed like a practical solution and a pretty good idea since Dr. Metcalf first studied environmental economics and learned about externalities, consequences of activities or commercial that aren't factored into costs. It seems like solving this problem with a market mechanism if possible ought to be a pretty widely appealing idea... right? So, let's discuss why we don't have a carbon tax yet. Add your opinion! @GibMetcalf @TuftsUniversity #carbontax #energy #economy #business #fossilfuels #environment #sustainability #incentives #tax #renewableenergy #bipartisan #policy #emissions #SDGs #GHGs #politics #climatechange

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Discussing a #Carbon Tax with Dr. Gilbert Metcalf: https://j.mp/2VkgEyb Rate It Green spoke with economist Dr. Gilbert Metcalf of Tufts University about carbon taxes, the Green New Deal, role of the EPA, border carbon adjustments, and bringing others to the table on climate change. His perspective was enlightening in terms of how to curtail emissions and smoothly transition to a clean energy-based economy. Dr. Metcalf, Professor of Economics and the John DiBiaggio Professor of Citizenship and Public Service, is the author of Paying for Pollution: Why a Carbon Tax is Good for America (2019). His primary research area is applied public finance with particular interests in taxation, energy, and environmental economics and has taught at Princeton University, the Kennedy School of Government, and MIT. A carbon tax has seemed like a practical solution and a pretty good idea since Dr. Metcalf first studied environmental economics and learned about externalities, consequences of activities or commercial that aren't factored into costs. It seems like solving this problem with a market mechanism if possible ought to be a pretty widely appealing idea... right? So, let's discuss why we don't have a carbon tax yet. Add your opinion! @GibMetcalf @TuftsUniversity #carbontax #energy #economy #business #fossilfuels #environment #sustainability #incentives #tax #renewableenergy #bipartisan #policy #emissions #SDGs #GHGs #politics #climatechange

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I am proud to be a host committee member for #Circularity24 — the leading convening of professionals building the circular economy — coming to Chicago, May 22-24. Join the growing circularity community and get empowered to move beyond incremental action, catalyze systems change and accelerate the transition to a circular economy. Use code C24HC15 to save 15% off when you register here: https://buff.ly/4aur4j1 ••••••••••• Ok, that’s the offical copy. The community part is key. The “beyond incremental action” is essential. Atmospheric CO2 is now *above* 425 ppm. The global temperature is 1.73°C *above* the average from 1880-1920 (https://lnkd.in/gH33zUXu). The time is NOW to make a difference. As those of you in Chicago who know me are well aware, I have been diving deeply into materials. Nano. Molecular. Cellular. Structural. Process. Systems. Design. Textiles. Packagaing. Agriculture. Industrial Chemicals. Manufacturing. Infrastructure. Buildings. The fabulous news is that everything we make can be made better. The question is whether it can scale fast enough. The fact that GreenBiz Group’s Circularity conference is going to be in our backyard - this is real opportunity. AND, you can still snag a discount… Thierry Van Landegem Ryan Jeffery Bill Schleizer mHUB Melissa Rabin Lederer Chicago Climate Connect The American Institute of Architects (AIA)

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CDP's 2023 Climate Transition Plan Disclosure is out! Here are the key takeaways: - Climate transition plan indicators are converging across major frameworks like CDP, International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB)'s IFRS S2 (TCFD), EU's ESRS, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Climate rules, UK's TPT, GRI, and Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ). - Sectors that inherently focus on long-term strategic planning and sustainable returns, such as power generation (32%), financial services (30%), and infrastructure (24%), are leading in climate transition disclosures. - Climate transition plans appear to be a higher priority for companies that are publicly listed. Europe's FTSEurofirst 300 (77%) and Korea's KOSPI 200 (74%) are top-performing climate transition disclosure indexes. - The companies that disclosed to CDP that they would develop a climate transition plan in 2021, only 44% established a plan by 2023, with just 25 disclosing plans credibly. We are in the most critical decade of environmental action. Companies are grappling on how to take meaningful climate action and be Paris aligned. Do you think the convergence of climate transition frameworks will accelerate the rate of companies to develop climate transition plans in the next year? #CDP #ClimateChange #ClimateStrategy

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Check out this recent IUCN report on the Regenerative Blue Economy if you are interested in what the future of the blue economy should look like. Below, I share my perspective as a member of the advisory committee of this initiative, on the main message and a couple features I found particularly striking. ✅The main message (as I read it): The report builds a historical perspective to explain why the 'blue economy', or even the 'sustainable blue economy', are not sufficient anymore. As the decline of ocean life has already been so dramatic that there is not much left to sustain or conserve, we need to raise our ambition and aim at a 'Regenerative Blue Economy'. One that actively addresses climate change an biodiversity loss. Alexandra Cousteau first convinced me of this in 2018 and it has guided my efforts in the space since. As a member of the advisory committee of this report, this was the main message I tried to pass on. 🧬The report (page 11, box 1) says the Regenerative Blue Economy is based on "scientifically grounded assessments". Indeed, I believe we will succeed in building a Regenerative Blue Economy only if we can embed science at the core of economic decisions. We need to overhaul our economic governance (shareholder meetings, boards, investment committees, etc...) to achieve this. This is why for example at SWEN Blue Ocean we created an Impact Committee composed of science and conservation experts to help us make the right investment decisions. We need to do this at scale, across the economy. 🌟Pages 30-31 of the report recognizes the potential of the impact framework of the Ocean Impact Navigator, developed by 1000 Ocean Startups, to apply to the economy as a whole, not just startups. I have always believed that, meaning the impact of the Navigator may expand beyond ocean startups at some point. Helping characterize what belongs to the Regenerative Blue Economy is a step in that direction. Congratulations to the lead authors, RAPHAELA LE GOUVELLO, Francois Simard, and the IUCN team. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to contribute. Adrien Vincent Minna Epps https://lnkd.in/eNKPxYZ4

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Comment: Why the SBTi’s proposal on carbon offsets will deepen the climate crisis. SOMO researchers Joanna Cabello and Ilona Hartlief weigh up the potential move by SBTI to allow companies to offset emissions in key parts of their value chain. #scope3 #ghgemissions #carboncredits #carbonoffsetting #climatecrisis #climatechange Terry Slavin Liam Dowd Ed Long https://lnkd.in/eGtgf3Xp

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SEC Omits Scope 3 Emissions from Climate Disclosure Rule The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) final Climate Disclosure Rule unfortunately omits scope 3 emissions.  This was a missed opportunity to send a clearer signal to relatively large publicly traded companies that they too have to step up their action against climate change.  Only scope 1 and 2 omissions are covered by the Rule.  Thus, regulated companies will have to report on climate risks impacting the business and, if they have specific climate change targets and goals that have already materially affected or are likely to affect the registrant’s business, they must report on that too. At bottom, scope 1 emissions are direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that occur from sources that are controlled or owned by an organization, for example emissions associated with fuel combustion in boilers, furnaces, and vehicles.  Scope 2 emissions are indirect GHG emissions associated with the purchase of electricity, steam, heat, or cooling.  Scope 3 emissions are the result of activities from assets not owned or controlled by the reporting organization, but that the organization indirectly affects in its value chain such as supply chain “upstream” and downstream business activities.  Oil companies, for example, will for now not have to report on the emissions caused by vehicles using the fossil fuels they sell. The problem with scope 3 emissions not having to be reported is that they comprise the vast majority – as much as 80% or 90% - of most companies’ GHG emissions. Despite this, companies should and arguably are aware of the regulations that will come in the future both as regards reporting and, hopefully, actual emissions reductions.  For example, California’s SB 253 and the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) already require scope 3 emissions disclosure.  This impacts more than ten times the number of companies globally compared to the SEC rule.  If the nation takes the lead from California and the EU – known to take environmental matters more seriously than the U.S. tends to – scope 3 emissions might well come to form part of a future amendment of the SEC rule.  All this of course does not mean that companies cannot and should not simply do the “right thing”: Report on all your emissions no matter what scope.  Even better: take active steps to lower your emissions internally and demand that your suppliers do the same.  Consider the entire life cycle of your products and services to do some of the many things that can be done in the ESG arena to be on the forefront of this development, which is happening anyway, with or without a SEC leadership role on it.  Savvy businesses realize the many different advantages of active ESG action such as savings, attracting better employees, and valuable “green” PR. #climatechange #sec #Scope3 #GHG #SB253 #ESG

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Federal guidelines on carbon emissions: "The guidelines issued by the Biden administration say that these credits should represent actual and additional reductions in carbon dioxide emissions. They should be permanent emissions reductions and be validated by an accredited and independent third party. ... The principles put forward by the Biden administration Tuesday are largely in line with those put forward by non-profit entities like the Integrity Council for Voluntary Carbon Markets (IC-VCM)." More here: https://lnkd.in/ehpkr3W7

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In the midst of so much bad climate news, it would have been easy to miss these major decarbonization steps in the US just since January. Looking at the details, I am impressed by the thoughtful approach in each case. This is REAL #decarbonization at work. Note that many of the target dates are in the 2030s (as they should be), so the challenge is to keep these types of rules firmly in place as elections come and go. - Coal power plants would be required to cut 90% of their GHG emissions by 2039. https://lnkd.in/gaWHrdpf - New tailpipe pollution limits would result in at least 56% of new cars and light trucks being EVs or hybrids by 2032. https://lnkd.in/gfaiyg6A - Another tailpipe rule could result in 25% of new long-haul trucks being electric by 2032. https://lnkd.in/gS4CNZx7 - New rule to speed up federal permits for major power transmission lines – key for expanding and modernizing the grid. https://lnkd.in/gjpZn_gz - Increased royalty rates for drilling and mining for fossil fuels on public lands. https://lnkd.in/g5SP2XMg - Millions of acres of Alaskan wilderness protected from drilling and mining. https://lnkd.in/gmYZ-hsS - New proposal to charge $900-1500 per ton of methane released from pipelines and drill sites. https://lnkd.in/gpVKqXef

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Sustainability has benefits for Startup Ventures.

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-The Core Carbon Principles released by the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) are currently recognized by the market as the most rigorous carbon credit auditing rules. -If the top 4 global carbon credit programs (ACR, CAR, GS, VCS) can all comply with the CCP, the voluntary carbon credit market seems to have reached a pooling equilibrium. -However, if VCS fails (as it accounts for around 70% of the market share), there will likely be significant discussion in the market (Greenwashing?!) -From my option, corporations should pay more attention in carbon methodologies released in the second half of the year. If controversial methodologies like REDD and REDD+ can meet these rules, then businesses will have a good reason for investing in and purchasing such carbon credits. #carbon credits #CCP # VCS

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