Blog Archives: December 2010
December 23, 2010
Top 10 CSR Events of 2010
Kara Hurst, Former Vice President
My kids asked me the other day why Santa needed to make a list. "Can't he just remember it all?" they asked. But as Santa and others do this time of year, we are compelled to not only examine the year in retrospect, but to celebrate, analyze, and debate the major events of the last twelve months. Read more
December 9, 2010
The State of Corporate Volunteering in China
Adam Lane , Manager, Advisory Services
In celebration of International Volunteer Day on December 5, I attended the inaugural Volunteering Expo in Beijing to get a close look at the evolving state of corporate volunteering in China. Read more
December 9, 2010
WikiLeaks, Human Rights, and Business
Faris Natour , Director, Human Rights
As if the political fallout from the recent disclosure of U.S. diplomatic cables was not reason enough to follow this story closely, the WikiLeaks saga has now squarely landed in the middle of one of the most pressing business and human rights debates of our time: the responsibility of business to respect the rights to free expression and privacy. Read more
December 8, 2010
Growth: Can’t Live with It. Can’t Live Without It
Aron Cramer , President and CEO
Concerns that the U.S. and European economies are condemned to years of slow growth are worrying policymakers, publics, and economists globally. While China, India, and many African countries continue to chug along at growth rates of more than 5 percent, the U.S. and most European economies are limping along, with debt levels limiting their ability to stimulate short-term growth or long-term investments. Read more
December 7, 2010
For Solutions in Cancun, Look beyond the Moon Palace
Joyce Wong, Former Associate, Advisory Services
As global ministers and high-level delegates arrived in Cancun over the weekend, they landed amid encouraging signs that progress in key areas could be made by the end of this week’s talks. While the future of the Kyoto Protocol remains uncertain, the draft text for a potential Long-Term Cooperative Action (LCA) agreement was released on Saturday. Although not a globally binding agreement that so many developing countries are calling for, the document recognizes that “deep cuts in global emissions are required according to science,” and includes key issues such as mitigation, adaptation, verification, technology development and transfer, forests, and finance. While the critical issues are represented, in some areas, the draft text puts forth multiple options that reflect the different positions of the negotiating countries. While vulnerable nations implore the negotiators to move faster on climate commitments, expectations and progress remain modest and are quietly moving forward. Read more
December 6, 2010
Risk on the Global Agenda
Aron Cramer , President and CEO
At last week’s Summit on the Global Agenda, convened in Dubai by the World Economic Forum (WEF), risk was high on the agenda. In fact, risk has been center stage from the very first Summit, held in the late fall of 2008. Read more
December 3, 2010
A Sense of Urgency and Optimism in Cancun
Joyce Wong, Former Associate, Advisory Services
While the call to curb global carbon emissions remains strong, the voices of climate scientists, vulnerable nations, organizations working in those countries, and even an impassioned youth movement to mobilize committed funds to start implementing measures now to prepare for the challenges of living in a warmer world are getting louder. As expectations for progress toward a binding global agreement seem to be on pause, the conversation and the science have turned to assess the potential of the voluntary Copenhagen Accord to put us on track to avert a more than 2°C increase that would lead the way, experts say, to an irreversibly different planet. Read more
December 2, 2010
Moment Has Arrived for Business in Climate Negotiations
Ryan Schuchard , Manager, Climate and Energy
Though hopes for Cancun are modest, we are in a phase of climate progress. Recently, all major emitting countries updated their emissions-reductions commitments through the Copenhagen Accord, and rich nations have pledged US$30 billion for long-term finance. China is coming around, finally acknowledging that it is the number one emitter of greenhouse gasses, and saying that it has no problem with transparency mechanisms. Meanwhile, there are more ways than ever for China and the United States to work together. Read more
December 1, 2010
BSR at Cancun: What We’re Watching at the Climate Talks
Ryan Schuchard , Manager, Climate and Energy
The sixteenth annual UN climate treaty negotiations are underway in Cancun, Mexico, where my colleague Joyce Wong and I are looking for insights on how business can take the lead ahead of slow-moving governments. We’re also investigating topics like how companies can best adapt to climate change and motivate people for more climate sustainable consumption. Read more
