Bruno Sarda

🌱 EPA's New Climate Plan: Building a Resilient Future! 🌱 The EPA just released its 2024-2027 Climate Adaptation Plan, which aims to strengthen its operations and workforce against climate change. 🔹 What's in the Plan? - Climate-Ready Workforce: Training staff to understand and tackle climate impacts. - Facility Resilience: Assessing and upgrading facilities to withstand climate challenges. - Climate-Resilient Supply Chains: Ensuring supply chains can handle climate risks. - Supporting Communities: Providing tools and data to help communities assess and manage their climate risks. 📅 New Office Alert: - The EPA has launched an Office of Climate Adaptation and Sustainability to support these initiatives. 🔍 Here are three questions that a Board Advisor might propose to an SME or Small-Cap, highlighting the opportunities or changes to adapt to the new EPA Climate Adaptation Plan: Question 1:  "How can our business leverage the EPA's new climate adaptation initiatives to enhance our operational resilience?" Question 2:  "What steps can we take to align our sustainability practices with the EPA's 2024-2027 Climate Adaptation Plan to access potential funding or support?" Question 3:  "How can we utilize the tools and data provided by the EPA to better assess and mitigate climate risks within our supply chain and business operations?" 🤝 What other questions do you think an Advisor or Board Member could bring to the Board?

4

If we think back to 2020, we were mired in an “alphabet soup” of reporting frameworks. The common refrain from companies and investors was that we needed harmonization. The IFRS Foundation and its International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) have done monumental work in service of that goal as reflected in the report issued today. #corporatereporting #financialreporting #sustainability https://lnkd.in/epGkbDXr

20

🎧 New Episode Alert! 🎧 Laur Hesse Fisher from Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Environmental Solutions Initiative discusses how to make a larger impact on climate change by working with your community. Learn about critical climate policies and the power of local action! 🌟 https://lnkd.in/dWxANUr9 #ClimateChange #LocalAction #CommunityPower #Podcast #SustainableFuture #ElectricLadiesPodcast

3

1 Comment

Congratulations on the negotiations and outcomes of COP 29. The outcomes in policy and finance in Government Aid and the disproportionate majority in debt creating concessional loans in the triple crisis environmental and socio-economic global landscape, potentially creating debts in unprecedented catastrophic climate impact conditions and economic uncertainty. COP 29 is not a bank for climate solution loans. Regardless of the outcomes from the hottest part of the world in oil reserves below, the importance of prioritised action is not fully understood in political science, the power of the global environmental organisations, philanthropy, private sector and leading global multilateral financial institutions are capable of moving forward with definitive solutions and strategies for implementation at scale of income producing assets in "Nature capital" the potential "new currency" in the lucrative trillion dollar emerging financial institutions, banking industry and the global stock exchanges. Nature capital is predominantly found in Asia Pacific region, South America and Africa all rich in high density nature capital.👣😉🌺

2

1 Comment

Scenario analysis and why it is more than just a ‘reporting’ requirement. 💡 It has an important role managing climate-related risks and opportunities. 🤷 It can inform decision making and strategy. 🚗 It’s used for evaluating climate resilience and shaping strategic planning. @Meg Fricke, @Emma Herd, @Matthew Nelson, @Pip Best and @Glenn Brady discuss the ‘how’, ‘what’ and ‘why’ of scenario analysis in non-financial reporting. ☝ We’ll unpack the latest drafts, standards and legislation to have you mandatory reporting ready. Register here to join us – https://lnkd.in/gt5s2_y7

6

Need to find your way around the top 2024 sustainability reporting standards? Read below an useful summary that provides an at-a-glance overview and helps navigate the acronym sea.

4

New report from the #NetZero Asset Owners Alliance - calling for disclosure on Scope 3 emissions: "there are currently multiple challenges for asset owners, including the difficulties with carbon accounting, double counting and a lack of data availability, accuracy and consistency ... To help address those current challenges, NZAOA recommended asset owners account for scope 3 emissions separately from scope 1 and scope 2 emissions and “avoid aggregating all emission scopes on [a] portfolio level.” It’s also recommended that asset owners look to enhance voluntary scope 3 disclosures and promote standardization; engage with data vendors to improve the quality of data; and disclose any data quality details, limitations, assumptions and judgments." Intentional Endowments Network

6

As COP29 concludes in Baku, Azerbaijan, we at Conrad Energy are pleased to see more progress made towards a sustainable future, and to hear some of the shared goals that align with our commitment to a cleaner, greener world. We believe that energy and technology plays a crucial role in addressing climate emergencies, and are excited about the path ahead and the opportunities to make a meaningful impact. #COP29 #UNFCCC #climatechange #renewableenergy #sustainability #netzero

8

Exciting news for #funding #resilient #infrastructure! The Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (#PROTECT) Program Discretionary Grant application is open for Fiscal Years 2024-2026! The estimated total program funding is $876 million, with up to $576 million available for FY24-25! There are four types of PROTECT grants: 1) Planning, 2) Resilience Improvement, 3) Community Resilience and Evacuation Routes, and 4) At-Risk Coastal Infrastructure. If your state agency or MPO doesn’t yet have a Resilience Improvement Plan (RIP), the planning grant through the PROTECT program has a new #priority consideration on “Development of a Resilience Improvement Plan” and the federal share is 100%! The benefits of having a RIP that meets the requirements of 23 U.S.C § 176(e)(2) include (but aren't limited to!): 💰 Increased federal share for projects prioritized in the RIP to 87% (up to 90% if the RIP is integrated into long-range statewide transportation and/or metropolitan transportation plans); ⚖️ No benefit-cost analyses required to apply for resilience improvement grants and at-risk coastal infrastructure grants; 🌊 A systemic approach to transportation system #resilience and critical needs, including a risk-based assessment of vulnerabilities of #transportation assets and systems to current and future weather events and #naturaldisasters. Upcoming webinars to learn more are posted for November 12 (Tribal Applicants), November 18 (Benefit-Cost Analysis), and November 19. Applications are due February 24, 2025 for FY24/25. HNTB's Resilient Infrastructure Solutions and Grant Support teams have experience successfully completing FHWA-approved Resilience Improvement Plans and securing PROTECT program funds for critical transportation infrastructure projects. Feel free to reach out if you'd like help navigating the grant process or securing funding! #FHWA #resilienceimprovements #grants #infrastructure #climateresilience #extremeweather #BIL

20

What an extraordinary opportunity on Sep 17 from the Federal Innovators Network and speakers Andrew Winston , Mary Wilson , Frank Dixon , Sol Salinas and Facilitator Franco A. 🌎 Paving the Way for a Climate-Positive Future 🌎 Tuesday, September 17, 6:00-7:00 PM ET via zoom (RSVP required, code FIN-Sept) https://lnkd.in/eCkShek8 As the urgency of the climate crisis becomes increasingly evident, the need for businesses to adopt net positive practices—where they give more than they take across environmental, social, and governance areas—is more critical than ever. This Salon will explore how governments can effectively encourage industries not only to minimize their carbon footprints but to generate positive impacts across environmental, social, and governance (ESG) dimensions, thereby contributing to a net positive future. To be covered: 🌵 Environmental Impact: Strategies for reducing carbon footprints and enhancing biodiversity. 🤼 Social Impact: Approaches to improving the well-being of employees, communities, and other stakeholders. 🏬 Governance Impact: Policies and practices that ensure ethical, transparent, and inclusive business operations.

4

Regulators in 14 states, including State of California, State of Texas, State of Florida and New York , have resilience plan requirements for regulated utilities, according to a July study from Berkeley Lab. Through June, at least 30 utilities had filed resilience plans. Pillars Identify the threats Vulnerability assessment quantifying utility assets Financial Risks Adaption Measures Duke Energy Corporation Central Hudson Gas and Electric Pacific Gas and Electric Company Arizona Public Service - APS Puget Sound Energy CenterPoint Energy Florida Power & Light Tennessee Valley Authority PacifiCorp   Startup – Oklo – Nuclear – Electricity Power Generation - https://lnkd.in/gvNw_zJC  

2

I don't often disagree with what's written in the science magazine Nature. It has for a long time been my preferred read. However, I am finding an article published on the day of the US presidency election completely loony. It is calling on the IPCC to determine the financing for climate change. Why is this loony? Climate change is not a science issue. It is not even an economic issue. It is a social issue. The people who needs to decide are, well, exactly that: people. The truth is the lack of financing is highly informative. It is saying, "Governments can't fix this. There is no money." Look at the US after the impact of hurricanes Helene and Milton. Look at them with the fires burning now in California. Then look at the level of debt the US government is running, and look at the primary budget deficit. Even the richest country in the world has enough on its domestic plate to keep it in a debt trap. It is not going to come up with trillions to finance others. If the US is not going to finance it, then no other country is going to. It is time the climate agenda wakes up to the reality and what do they say? Smell the coffee? There is no money. There is now the build-up to call for even more money to prepare for #COP29. It will be yet another waste of time. At COP26, Carbon Brief published a table of emissions under the NDC. I did a little calculation. The amounts under the NDC scenario equated to seventy years of continued oil, gas, and coal use. That's more than the amounts of oil and gas currently in proven reserves and about half of the amounts of coal. So the Paris agreement is actually saying, "use up all the oil and gas the world has, and then some more". Every year the emissions keep increasing, and every year the world discovers more oil and gas. That's also informative. It's time to quit the pretence. If the world wants emissions to stop, it will have to find ways to make money by keeping the vast reserves of oil, gas, and coal in the ground. There are ideas, but more about those another time. Let's finish with the truth. Climate change is already happening. There are no trillions to fix it. So for anyone willing to accept this, then maybe this is the core question, What does it mean to thrive? People do not live to make money; they live to thrive. For each person, what it means to thrive is different. For me, it's to connect with others, with Nature, and with my own dignity. This is why it's important for me to keep oil, gas, and coal in the ground. Postscript: plug for 7am UK time live here and on YouTube Climate Courage, join us for The Air We Breath (https://lnkd.in/e244TkyC) East Africa Campuses and Colleges Green Network (EACCGN) Email us [email protected] https://lnkd.in/e3JRw2UK

9

7 Comments

ESG Ratings Providers Government response to ESG ratings providers condoc published. Only a handful of responses from civil society. Here is FIC's: https://lnkd.in/e76YMTmV. Good to see commitment to regulate. But several problems. 'The overall process of....commencing the ESG ratings regulatory regime is expected to take approximately four years'. Four years! In meantime, we have FCA's voluntary code developed by a group dominated by finance representatives. Gov not regulating ESG data nor it seems the models that determine ratings. V risky. We could be in a position where ESG ratings providers comply with new reg standards but the 'products' are still v misleading. The idea that 'competition' will drive up the quality of models and data is rather hopeful. Do policymakers really think that insurers,banks,asset managers will choose the most robust ratings models or that pension trustees/retail investors will have enough nous to ensure most robust models are used? To hold finance to account for harming people and planet, we need reliable foundational data eg. emissions data to allow independent analysts to build up composite models which provide an objective assessment of the degree of climate harm contained within financial portfolios. Ratings should be built on robust definitions and hard data, not 'qualitative' assessments of the 'intentions' of financial institutions or transition plans. Narrative based approaches allow for obfuscation. See: https://lnkd.in/erxdR6rs UK is bascially adopting IOSCO approach to assessment which is far too subjective, narrative and qualitative based. So, unless civil society can find a way to create truly objective ratings based on, say, emissions data this new regime is unlikely to do much to hold the City to account for enabling climate harm.  The S part of ESG has its own issues. The current approach promoted by advocates of 'Impact finance' sets a v low bar. See: https://lnkd.in/dHsh6Am2 And Gov response has obligatory 'Growth is the number one mission of this government' statement. There are 2 ways to be competitive and promote growth - i. robust regulation to ensure quality and trust; or ii. weak regulation to attract business (regulatory arbitrage) and reduce costs in short term. Which path will Gov and FCA (under real pressure to promote the City) choose? #ESG #financialregulation #greenwashing #impactwashing https://lnkd.in/erYrPUXa

2

To comply with the extensive new disclosures inside and outside financial statements, many companies will need to have controls and processes in place by 2025.  #sustainability #climatereporting Jeff Schwartz Doug Rand Laura McCracken Kristen Sullivan Deloitte

4

Public agencies are seeing #SurfaceWater supplies face existential challenges. ⚠ To diversify and create #ResilientWater supply portfolios, they are investigating alternative water sources, including #Desalination. 🚰 Learn about the momentum this one #WaterSolution is gaining, despite historical environmental and economic concerns. 👇 http://ms.spr.ly/6048WRs6E

5

Building resilience in small island states: what to expect at the 4th SIDS conference https://lnkd.in/ep4zc7WR EDF is advocating for an ambitious roadmap at the conference, focusing on resilient communities, clean energy transition, sustainable resource management, biodiversity conservation, and global cooperation.

1

Responding to Accenture's survey of 730 CFOs and senior finance executives from companies with over $1 billion in revenue, only one in five said they feel prepared for upcoming climate-related reporting requirements, even as most anticipate an increase in sustainability demands. Prepared executives are more likely to see sustainability as an opportunity. Read further: https://lnkd.in/eDj-MsBC ESG Today | Stephanie Jamison | Jens C. Laue | Michela Coppola #Climate #SustainabilityReporting #Assurance #ESG

10

1 Comment

New report (launched today!) from B Lab U.S. & Canada and Forum for the Future outlines how businesses can advance #climatejustice, including tangible actions and processes to consider in the operations of your company. In a space that can frequently seem not that well defined, the practical tips are particularly welcome. Credits: Kylie Nealis, Ksenia Benifand and several others. #EarthDay2024 #EarthDay

28

1 Comment