U.S. Green Chamber Participates in Clinton Global Initiative in New York 

Peter Zahn, USGCC's Chairman attended last week's sessions and filed this report:

Attending the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) meetings is an exhilarating experience. This unique event, which is hosted by former President Bill Clinton and coincides with the opening of the U.N. General Assembly in New York, brings together leaders from corporations, nonprofits, and governments around the globe to address BIG social and environmental problems. While there was an interesting smattering of celebrities in attendance - and an awards ceremony with musical performances by Sting and K'aan - the central focus is on numerous meaty commitments that are made to solve or ameliorate the problems. The results are uber-impressive, with promises to spend billions of dollars and massive hours pursuing creative, measurable approaches to issues such as AIDS eradication, sanitary drinking water, expanded educational opportunities, and preventing environmental degradation.  

Environmental sustainability and climate change were key topics at this year's gathering. At the opening session eight heads of State sat on a panel on climate change. Moderated by Bill Clinton, the Presidents or Prime Ministers of Mexico, South Africa, Norway, the European Union, Bangladesh, Slovenia, and Mali spoke their minds. President Calderon of Mexico (the country that hosted the last UN climate change meeting in Cancun) and Zuma of South Africa, (who will be hosting the next meeting in Durban, South Africa), weighed in on the challenges faced by countries big and small. Calderon, whose country faces tough issues such as mass killings by drug cartels, put things into perspective when he declared that climate change is "the most challenging problem for the world for the future." The Cancun Climate Change assembly committed last year to a maximum 2� C global temperature rise and reduced deforestation. Calderon said the challenges facing the group this December in Durban are daunting. One of the critical issues is that the Kyoto Protocol will expire in 2012. Despite several major countries (including the USA and China) failing to commit to Kyoto, it would be an enormous setback if the world comes away without any significant greenhouse gas reduction agreements.

To read the full report with the exclusive interview details click here  

Carbon Nation Movie Screening and Q&A with Director Peter Bick

 

Carbon Nation Movie Screening, with Introduction by Dr. Naomi Oreskes and Q&A with the director, Peter Bick
 
Carbon Nation is an optimistic, solutions-based, non-partisan big tent film that shows how new energy solutions can boost the economy, increase national security and promote health & a clean environment.
 
Dr. Oreskes is a UCSD Professor of History and Science Studies and was awarded the 2011 Climate Change Communicator of the Year by George Washington University. She is the author of Merchants of Doubt.
 
Location: UCSD, Robinson Auditorium at the School of International Relations and Pacific Studies (IR/PS)

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