By Gene Roe
Ceres is a nonprofit organization that leads a national coalition of investors, environmental organizations and other public interest groups working with companies to address sustainability challenges such as global climate change and water scarcity. They bring pressure to bear on corporations through the filing of shareholder resolutions that put companies on notice that major investors are interested and concerned about the environment and energy policy.
For example, they recently filed shareholder resolutions with Exxon-Mobil, Chevron, Chesapeake Energy, ConocoPhillips and 14 other oil and gas companies, pressing them to disclose their plans for managing environmental and workplace challenges including hydraulic fracturing, greenhouse gas emissions and worker safety. This kind of financial pressure applied by an organization of this stature is going to result in change, perhaps significant change. Politics are one thing, economics are another.
It was recently reported by Bloomberg that, “The U.S. has reversed a two-decade-long decline in energy independence, increasing the proportion of demand met from domestic sources over the last six years to an estimated 81 percent through the first 10 months of 2011, according to data compiled by Bloomberg from the U.S. Department of Energy. That would be the highest level since 1992.”
In addition they note, “Domestic oil output is the highest in eight years. The U.S. is producing so much natural gas that, where the government warned four years ago of a critical need to boost imports, it now may approve an export terminal. Methanex Corp., the world’s biggest methanol maker, said it will dismantle a factory in Chile and reassemble it in Louisiana to take advantage of low natural gas prices. And higher mileage standards and federally mandated ethanol use, along with slow economic growth, have curbed demand.”
All of this is occurring in spite of the lack of leadership and accomplishment in Washington. The private sector is finding solutions. One can only imagine where we could be with a commitment to a clear and visionary energy policy. There is not doubt that there are environmental concerns and safeguards that need to be in place and enforced, but all most people are asking for is an honest dialogue.
John Friedman, in an article entitled, The Politics of Sustainability points out that, ” Building an economy that endures, based on the principles of sound fiscal management (financial responsibility), a sense of shared values (social justice) and environmental stewardship ought to not be a political issue. However in the United States the issues relating to sustainability have become so politicized that phrases like “climate change” have become anathema to the lexicon. Instead we talk about clean energy, energy security and energy independence. ”
He continues, “In short, we have a strong argument that the very foundation of America is rooted in ideas and principles that support the sustainability mindset and efforts. Thus we have to come back to fulfill the first principle of our constitution and our democracy — to serve our people and to provide a vision and leadership which serves as a catalyst for change. ”
It seems to me that Ceres is an organization that is strongly aligned with this principle.
