Big Oil Puts New Shade of Lipstick on Climate Denial Pig

By Andy Rowell

“You can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig.”

The history of Big Oil‘s climate denial campaign is littered with slightly progressive sounding front groups trying to give the impression that the industry cares about climate change.

From the Global Climate Coalition, the Climate Council, the Global Climate Science Team to the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative, the industry has repeatedly tried to create an illusion that it’s taking climate change seriously while undermining any meaningful action.

Take the Climate Change Coalition, which was active in the nineties. It was no coalition of concerned citizens, but was made up of BP, Shell, Exxon and Texaco, and its aim was to derail climate action.

The newest manifestation is the Oil & Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI) which will announce its latest plans to solve climate change on Nov. 4, the day the Paris agreement comes into effect.

According to a press release, “The OGCI will announce details of the next phase in their collective action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

So what is the OGCI?

Formed in 2014, the initiative says it is “a CEO-led organization designed to catalyze practical action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It is currently made up of ten oil and gas companies that aim to lead the industry response to climate change.”

…(read more).

Trump says he will ‘leave business’ to focus on presidency – BBC News

President-elect Donald Trump has announced he is to leave his business empire to focus on the presidency and avoid perceived conflicts of interest.

Mr Trump gave few details but said he would expand on his plans at a press conference next month.

He has previously dismissed concerns over potential conflicts between his businesses and the presidency.

Meanwhile, former Goldman Sachs executive Steven Mnuchin confirmed he had been picked as treasury secretary.

Billionaire investor Wilbur Ross has been chosen for commerce secretary.

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Mr Trump meanwhile focused on his plans to distance himself from his business in a series of four tweets released over 20 minutes.

Master’s Degree | Sustainability & Environmental Management | Harvard Extension

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• Laudato Si

Lessons of Climate Resilience in New York City – Videos – The Earth Institute – Columbia University

Oct, 19 2016

NYC has been a proven leader in long-term sustainability planning, but Hurricane Sandy was a profound wake-up call that showed how vulnerable the City was to extreme weather events. NYC’s Office of Recovery and Resiliency is charged with leading the City’s efforts to build a stronger, more resilient New York & implementing recommendations laid out in ‘One NY: The Plan for a Strong & Just City.’

Where does the city stand in the implementation of its plan? What else can the city do to be more resilient & protect New Yorkers from the harmful impacts of extreme events? Moderated by the Earth Institute’s Steven Cohen, and featuring Curtis Cravens, George Deodatis, Kate Orff, and Adam Sobel, this discussion will focus on how NYC – and other cities like it – can take steps to become stronger and more resilient in the face of climate change.

Moderator: Steven Cohen, Executive Director, the Earth Institute and Professor of Practice, School of International and Public Affairs

Panelists:
George Deodatis, Santiago and Robertina Calatrava Family Professor; Chair, Department of Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics
Kate Orff, Associate Professor, Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation; Director, Urban Design Program
Adam Sobel, Professor of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics and of Earth and Environmental Sciences; Director, Initiative on Extreme Weather and Climate
Curtis Cravens, Senior Advisor for Coastal Resiliency, New York City Mayor’s Office of Recovery and Resiliency
http://www.earth.columbia.edu/videos/watch/597

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• The SDG Academy | Educational Resources from the World’s Leading Experts on Sustainable Development
• Laudato Si

 

Laudato Si

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Published on Sep 25, 2015

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• Sustainable Development Solutions Network
• The SDG Academy – Introduction
• The SDG Academy | Educational Resources from the World’s Leading Experts on Sustainable Development
• The SDG Academy – YouTube Channel

NR MOOC | 15 September 2016 | Dr. Jeffery Sachs

The SDG Academy

Streamed live on Sep 14, 2016

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• Sustainable Development Solutions Network
• The SDG Academy – Introduction
• The SDG Academy | Educational Resources from the World’s Leading Experts on Sustainable Development
• The SDG Academy – YouTube Channel
• Laudato Si

The SDG Academy | Educational Resources from the World’s Leading Experts on Sustainable Development

The SDG Academy (formerly known as SDSNedu) is a virtual platform that provides high-quality, mass online education in the field of sustainable development. We bring together the world’s foremost experts on sustainable development – including health, education, climate change, agriculture and food systems, sustainable investment, and other related fields – to offer a comprehensive core curriculum, equipping the next generation of sustainable development practitioners to take on the complex challenges facing our planet. All course materials are available free of cost to everyone!

See also:

• Sustainable Development Solutions Network
• The SDG Academy – Introduction
• The SDG Academy – YouTube Channel
• Laudato Si

The SDG Academy – Introduction

The SDG Academy

Published on Sep 19, 2016

Introducing the SDG Academy!

The SDG Academy is a virtual platform that provides high-quality online courses. Our global faculty comprises leading experts in sustainable development from around the world who believe in the power of sharing knowledge to improve the lives of everyone. All course materials are available free of cost to all!

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and see also:

• Sustainable Development Solutions Network
• The SDG Academy | Educational Resources from the World’s Leading Experts on Sustainable Development
• The SDG Academy – YouTube Channel
• Laudato Si

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