02/24/15 -
ATLANTA - From an innovative partnership enabling colleges to sell carbon credits to fund clean energy plans on campuses to some of the country's leading corporations setting and exceeding aggressive emission reduction goals, the E.P.A.'s
Climate Leadership Award winners announced today are demonstrating that innovative actions to combat climate change are smart business decisions. Bank of America together with fifteen other organizations and one individual represent the wide array of industries-from finance and manufacturing to retail and technology-showing exemplary corporate, organizational, and individual leadership in response to climate change.
"I am proud to recognize our Climate Leadership Award winners for their actions to reduce the harmful carbon pollution that's fueling climate change," said E.P.A. Administrator Gina McCarthy. "Our winners are demonstrating that a healthy environment and a strong economy go hand in hand. These organizations are providing the leadership, commitment, and solutions needed to cut greenhouse gas emissions and meet head on the challenge of a changing climate."
EPA's Center for Corporate Climate Leadership, in partnership with the Association of Climate Change Officers (ACCO), the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES), and The Climate Registry (TCR), announced the 4th yearly Climate Leadership Award winners.
Bank of America (Charlotte, N.C.) is being recognized with the Organizational Leadership Award award for not only completing its own comprehensive greenhouse gas inventory and setting an aggressive emissions reduction goal, but also exemplifying extraordinary leadership in its internal response to climate change through engagement of its peers, competitors, partners, and supply chain, and addressing climate risk in its enterprise strategies. Bank of America issued the 1st corporate green bond to fund energy efficiency plans in 2013. Bank of America is setting an absolute global greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goal of 15 percent from 2010 levels through 2015. This goal builds on a previous total reduction of 18 percent of its U.S. GHG emissions from 2004-2009.
The other 2015 Climate Leadership Award recipients include:
Innovative Partnerships Certificate (new category): This award acknowledges organizations working collaboratively on leading edge climate initiatives with established objectives to measurably address greenhouse gas reduction goals and/or adaptation and resilience activities. This year's recipients include:
·
Chevrolet Clean Energy Campus Campaign (Detroit, Mich.): The Chevrolet Campus Clean Energy Campaign marks the 1st time college campuses have been able to use carbon performance methodologies to earn revenue via GHG reductions that result from on-campus efficiency and clean energy. The Campaign set a 100 percent absolute GHG reduction goal through 2014 (2012 base year).
· San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative (San Diego, Calif.): The Climate Collaborative supports members in setting and meeting GHG reduction targets via trainings and information on GHG inventory and monitoring tools; sharing climate action project templates; supporting local governments in developing climate action plans; developing capacity for local governments to implement measures in their climate action plans; and more.
Individual Leadership Award: Mayor Bill Finch, City of Bridgeport, Conneticut, is being acknowledged for demonstrating extraordinary leadership in driving meaningful climate action within the Greater Bridgeport community and throughout the City's operations. The Mayor is implementing an emission reduction goal for the city of ten percent below 2007 levels by 2020.
Excellence in Greenhouse Gas Management (Goal Achievement Award): The following organizations are being recognized for publicly reporting and verifying organization-wide greenhouse gas inventories and achieving publicly-set aggressive greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals:
·
The City and Co. of San Francisco;
· The Clorox Company (Oakland, Calif.);
· DPR Construction (Redwood City, Calif.);
· South Carolina Johnson (Racine, Wis.);
· Sprint (Overland Park, Kan.); and
· UPS (Atlanta).
Excellence in Greenhouse Gas Management (Goal Setting Certificate): The following organizations are being recognized for publicly reporting and verifying organization-wide greenhouse gas inventories and publicly setting aggressive greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals:
·
Brown-Forman Corporation (Louisville, Ky.);
· California Department of Water Resources;
· Capital One Financial Corporation (McLean, Va.);
· CH2M HILL (Englewood, Colo.);
· The Clorox Company (Oakland, Calif.);
· EMC Corporation (Hopkinton, Mass.);
· The Hartford (Hartford, Conn.); and
· Tiffany & Co. (New York).
"Climate change presents immense challenges across an incredible array of sectors, geographic regions and job functions,"
said Daniel Kreeger, executive director of the Association of Climate Change Officers. "The 2015 Climate Leadership Award winners have shown that incorporating climate into decision making is critical to their organizational success and are raising the bar on climate action."
"After the hottest year globally on record, action on climate change is more urgent than ever," said Elliot Diringer, executive vice president of C2ES. "We applaud the CLA winners for demonstrating the many paths forward to a low-carbon future, and hope others follow their example."
"The Climate Registry is recognized to recognize an impressive group of climate champions for their dedication to and leadership in addressing climate change in their operations," said David Rosenheim, executive director of TCR. "This year's deserving award winners are leading the way in reducing carbon pollution through greater transparency and consistent data, demonstrating the path to a more sustainable future."
The awards were presented at the 2015 Climate Leadership Conference in Arlington, Va.
EPA's Center for Corporate Climate Leadership establishes norms of climate leadership by encouraging organizations with emerging climate objectives to identify and achieve cost-effective GHG emission reductions, while helping more advanced organizations drive innovations in reducing their greenhouse gas impacts in their supply chains and beyond. The Center provides technical tools, guidance, educational resources, and opportunities for information sharing and peer exchange among organizations interested in reducing the environmental impacts associated with climate change.
More information about the 2015 Climate Leadership Award winners: www.epa.gov/climateleadership/awards/2015winners.html
More information about EPA's Center for Corporate Climate Leadership: www.epa.gov/climateleadership
Connect with E.P.A. Region four on Facebook: www.facebook.com/eparegion4
And on Twitter: @EPASoutheast
