Environmental Policy

Georgetown, Texas, is perhaps best known for its antiques and retirees. So what led former Vice President Al Gore and hundreds of renewable energy leaders to converge on this small Central Texas town last month? In 2016, Georgetown became the nation’s largest city to rely on 100% renewable electricity after signing a solar agreement with NRG[1]. In this context, the city provided a fitting backdrop for the GridNext conference organized by the Texas Renewable Energy Industry Alliance (TREIA). Each year, GridNext convenes private, public, and academic sectors to discuss the rise of renewable energy and the implications for the Texas grid.

Businesses across Virginia are commending Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s proposed rule that would cut carbon dioxide emissions from the Commonwealth’s electricity sector by 30 percent between 2020 and 2030.

The McAuliffe Administration will present their proposal to the State Air Pollution Control Board later today in Richmond.

This year’s “Conference of the Parties,” or COP, is officially underway. Now in its 23rd year, organizations have an opportunity to understand its purpose and meaning for the public and private sectors. The COP traces its roots back to the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, which set out a framework for action aimed at avoiding climate impact. Today, the conference boasts a near-universal membership of 196 countries, carrying forward the mission of addressing leading climate issues facing the world.

In mid-June 2017, the Schneider Electric Foundation, under the aegis of the Fondation de France, and Ashoka, launched a new Call for Projects, in partnership with Enel, to select the 15 most innovative organizations that offer creative and systems-changing solutions to tackle fuel poverty and promote energy sustainability in Europe. Fuel poverty is a major issue in Europe, whereby tens of millions of people struggle every day to ensure adequate heating, light, and cooking power in their dwelling at an affordable price. This severely affects their health and wellbeing and ultimately has a negative impact on society.

Tracey Dubuque has worked with Tetra Tech for more than 15 years. She began her career as an engineer working in Tetra Tech’s remediation group. In 2005, she transitioned to working on energy projects, supporting front-end permitting and siting for various wind developers. In 2013, she became the practice leader for Tetra Tech’s onshore wind program.

As global leaders meet in Bonn to discuss efforts to tackle climate change, 7 states and the District of Columbia announced a regional stakeholder process in pursuit of policies to reduce emissions in the transportation sector. These states have decided to embark on an extended process over the coming year which could substantially transform the region’s transportation sector.

Mining, like all large-scale industrial operations, is energy-intensive and uses myriad energy sources including diesel fuel, coal, natural gas, electric grid power and renewable sources to run our operations. Fossil fuels are well known sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions which trap heat in the atmosphere and lead to changes in our climate.

Ingersoll Rand (NYSE: IR), a world leader in creating comfortable, sustainable and efficient environments, joins representatives from hundreds of countries at the 23rd session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 23) to the United Nations Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on Nov. 6-17 to support continued actions that address climate change.

Schneider Electric, which has been at the forefront of sustainability efforts for more than a decade, has made significant progress on its 10 Commitments for Sustainability since 2015. Schneider Electric uses 16 indicators from the Planet & Society Barometer to measure its commitment to sustainable development. In October 2017, Schneider Electric announced that it exceeded its barometer target for 2017; a quarter ahead of schedule.

Today at COP23, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) announced a major expansion of its below50 project, designed to rapidly grow the market for the world’s most sustainable fuels. As part of this expansion, new hubs will begin operating across three continents: Australia, North America and South America.