-
3,641,114
MILLION TONS OF CO₂E IN THE ATMOSPHERE IN 2009
Atmospheric concentrations of CO₂e are rising due to increasing anthropogenic emissions. Unchecked, rising concentrations of CO₂e in the atmosphere will lead to catastrophic climate change.
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6,682,199
THOUSAND TONS OF CO₂E EMISSIONS IN 2007
Public electricity and heating in Annex I countries accounted for over 6.68 billion tons of CO₂e emissions annually in 2007.
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4,626,841
THOUSAND TONS OF CO₂E IN 2007
Transport is responsible for approximately 20% of global anthropogenic emissions, or more than 4.63 billion tons of CO₂e annually. Source: UNFCCC, 2009.
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1,449,778
THOUSAND TONS OF CO₂E IN 2007
Buildings are responsible for an estimated 1.45 billion tons of CO₂e in Annex I nations and over 20% of global anthropogenic emissions annually. Source: UNFCCC, 2009.
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1,301,663
THOUSAND TONS OF CO₂E EMITTED ANNUALLY IN 2007
Annex I industry emissions are over 1.3 billion tons of CO₂e annually. Global industry emissions account for approximately 24% of annual anthropogenic emissions. Source: UNFCCC, 2009.
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1,304,628
THOUSAND TONS OF CO₂E IN 2007
Emisisons from agriculture in Annex I countries totaled more than 1.43 billion in 2007 CO₂e emissions.
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7,613,844
THOUSAND TONS OF CO₂E IN 2006 FROM INDIA AND CHINA
The EIA estimates that 2006 energy-related emissions from non-OECD countries accounted for approximately 30%, of global anthropogenic CO₂e emissions, or 15.4 billion tons. Source: EIA, 2009.
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1,000,000
THOUSAND TONS OF CO₂E EMISSIONS
Biochar could potentially remove over 1 billion tons of CO₂e annually. In general, carbon management solutions could remove billions of tons of CO₂e from the atmosphere annually.
As President of Costa Rica, José Maria Figueres created a comprehensive national sustainable development strategy, combining sound macroeconomic indicators, strategic human development investments, and a strong alliance with nature. In the international arena, President Figueres has pioneered the linkage between sustainable development and technology. He helped create and lead the United Nations ICT Task Force as its first Chairperson. He was the first person to be named CEO of the World Economic Forum, where he strengthened global corporate ties to social and governmental sectors by identifying common long-term interests.
Currently President Figueres is CEO of Concordia21 in Spain, dedicated to supporting organizations which promote development and democratic values around the world. He holds an Industrial Engineering Degree from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and a Masters in Public Administration from the JFK School of Government, Harvard University.
Jean is the CEO of Virgin Unite, the entrepreneurial Foundation of the worldwide Virgin Group. In her previous life, Jean lived and worked on five continents helping to lead successful mobile phone start-ups in South Africa, Colombia, Bulgaria, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia and the US.
Jean has long explored the overlap of the business and social sectors and has been involved in both, having worked for the Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife in Australia, and in numerous volunteer roles, including a stint as a VISTA volunteer where she worked with - and learned from - homeless teens in Chicago.
In 2003 she was joint CEO of Virgin Mobile in Australia when she was asked to work with Richard Branson and the Virgin staff around the world to create Virgin Unite. The team works with Virgin's two hundred businesses worldwide and other entrepreneurs to help put driving positive change at their core. Virgin Unite also works with partners to create new approaches to social and environmental issues, such as a school of entrepreneurship for young people in Johannesburg and an entrepreneurial approach to rural health transport in Kenya.
Jean and Virgin Unite have also helped to incubate a number of global leadership initiatives such as the Elders and the Disease Control Room in sub-Saharan. Jean sits on the Advisory Board of the Elders and on the Board of the Bushbuckridge Health and Wellness Trust.
George Polk is currently leading a new $1 billion initiative by George Soros to invest private equity in ways which accelerate the development and diffusion of climate change technologies and business models. George was formerly Senior Advisor on Climate Change to McKinsey & Company and the ClimateWorks Foundation.
Prior to working on climate change, George had a successful career as a technology entrepreneur, most recently CEO of The Cloud, the leading broadband wireless network operator in Europe. George was recognized as Global Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum, a Pioneer of the City of London, and has been ranked several times in the top 25 global technology agenda setters by Silicon.com.
He is a graduate of Harvard University and is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and of the Royal Institute of International Affairs.
Jack D. Hidary built his career as an entrepreneur and is focused on clean energy technology and policy. In April 2009, the Hidary Group bought the majority interest from JP Morgan in Primary Insight – a leading expert network used by top-tier investment funds. Primary Insight covers sectors ranging from energy and renewables to technology, media, telecom and emerging markets.
Hidary recently launched and serves as Chairman of Global Solar Center, a marketplace which connects solar installers and customers. Prior to GSC, Hidary co-founded Vista Research in 2001, an independent network of 50,000+ experts serving institutional investors.
Committed to community and philanthropic causes, Hidary has received several industry and community awards as well as being recognized as a Global Leader of Tomorrow at the WEF, Davos. Hidary is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and of the Clinton Global Initiative. Hidary has been particularly involved in issues of energy and transportation. He is chairman and co-founder of the Freedom Prize Foundation, which provides monetary prizes to cities, schools and other entities that can most reduce their petroleum use. The Freedom Prizes were mandated by Congress in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (Title X: 1008). Hidary is the founder and publisher of the OpinionSource Energy Newsletter which provides summaries of major op-eds and editorials around the world on topics in the energy sector.
Mr. Hidary helped coordinate and organize the initial development of the Cash for Clunkers bill. This aim of this bill is to reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil, decrease greenhouse gas emissions and stimulate the economy by promoting auto sales. In New York City, Hidary was a leading proponent of switching over the taxi fleet to high mileage hybrids. Hidary serves as Chairman of SmartTransportation.org, a non-profit dedicated to promoting clean energy and transportation policy in the US. Hidary serves on the advisory board of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
Hidary studied philosophy and neuroscience at Columbia University and was then awarded a Stanley Fellowship in Clinical Neuroscience at the National Institutes of Health.
Marc has led pioneering technology and materials companies for 25 years, first in the information sector and now in energy efficiency. Seven years ago he moved into cleantech with a vision to radically reduce energy consumption in the built environment, create green jobs and attack climate change. He has created a group of venture-backed green manufacturing companies to reinvent traditional building materials and transform building design, construction and operation. Marc founded three companies focused on creating jobs, reducing energy consumption and mitigating climate change: Serious Materials, CalStar Products, and ZETA Communities. The geographical focus is USA and China.
In 2009, Marc joined Pegasus Capital Advisors as an Operating Advisor. Pegasus is a multi-billion dollar private equity firm headquartered in NYC with operations in Washington DC and California. The firm is establishing its fifth fund exclusively focused on sustainability, energy efficiency and renewable energy. The Pegasus Sustainable Century merchant bank and fund is designed to create a portfolio of companies that can consequentially impact energy supply and demand, create green collar jobs and mitigate climate change. Marc is developing an operating company, “GreenCube”, focused on transforming existing commercial and residential buildings in the USA at-scale, improving building performance, health and comfort while eliminating 50% of their energy consumption.
Marc completed his Stanford University doctoral dissertation, The Information Economy in 1976. Following, he served as Senior Economist at U.S. Department of Commerce, then Director of the Aspen Institute. At the Aspen Institute, he produced, wrote and hosted a PBS documentary, “The Information Society”. In 1983, he founded Private Satellite Network, a DBS pioneer that built and operated television and data networks for Fortune 500 companies, serving as its Chairman & CEO (sold). In 1988, Marc joined Apple Computer and led a project that developed a smart personal communicator. Apple spun out the project as General Magic, building communication hardware and software for PDAs and intelligent agents. Marc was Chairman & CEO (IPO 1995). In 1998, Marc founded Perfect Commerce and served as its Chairman. The web-based enterprise software company provides CRM, sourcing, procurement software, and supply chain optimization (merged). In 2002, Marc transitioned from information technology to cleantech and founded Serious Materials.
Marc is a Board Member of the Clean Economy Network Foundation and a supporting member of Natural Resource Defense Council, Environmental Defense Fund, U.S. Green Building Council, China-U.S. Energy Efficiency Alliance, Environmental Entrepreneurs, Rocky Mountain Institute and Global Green.
