EBA/NYS Announces Formation of Climate Change Committee

ALBANY, NY (07/25/2007)(readMedia)-- The Environmental Business Association of New York State, Inc. announces the creation of a Committee on Climate Change. EBA/NYS Board President John Cusack of Gifford Park Associates called to convene the committee and has named Kelly Bennett of Sterling Planet and Sander Bonvell of Air Resources Group, LLC as Co-Chairs. The Committee will represent and is open to all sectors of New York’s economy.

The Climate Change Committee will help businesses, investors, colleges and universities, policymakers, municipal/local officials, and consumers better understand the risks and opportunities inherent in an increasingly carbon-constrained world.

The inaugural meeting of the committee will take place in Albany on September 12, 2007. Goals will be set forth and solidified, and attendees will have the opportunity to hear from representatives from government and industry. An additional organizational meeting will be held in Westchester County on October 10, 2007.

"Climate change is a serious challenge for New York, the US, and for the world. The issue warrants precautionary, prudent, and early actions to enhance New York’s competitiveness and protect corporate profitability," said Kelly Bennett, Northeast Regional Director of Sterling Planet, the nation’s largest retailer of renewable energy. "The Committee is dedicated to doing its part in shaping an effective strategy for market success and statewide leadership."

Concerns about climate change, along with growing constraints on the use and availability of carbon-based fuels, affect business operations, customers, investors, and the broader community. A growing segment of the New York business community wants to see New York emerge as a global leader in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, promoting clean technologies, and fostering sustainable economic development.

"This is a long-overdue initiative for industry to take seriously the economic and environmental risks posed by climate change," said John Cusack, President of Gifford Park Associates, a management consulting firm specializing in the relationship of financial and environmental issues. “It is in the interest of society and business to reduce the uncertainty and increase the predictability of market conditions and policy frameworks around the issue of climate change.”

The Committee on Climate Change will work on technology, policy, marketing, and product initiatives that are expected to move the issue – and New York's business community – forward over the near to medium term. The inital committee goals are:

· To raise awareness and develop consensus about what actions business can take to identify, manage, and reduce their carbon impact, and integrate these issues into their business strategy and operations;

· To seek out and offer ways to reduce, mitigate and manage the risks associated with climate change;

· To examine the market, policy, and social enablers required to achieve significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions;

· To consider New York's prospects for developing technology and financial policies and products to mitigate and adapt to climate change;

· To educate government officials, business executives and the public on the risks and opportunities presented by climate change in New York State and the region;

· To monitor existing regulatory and policy environment (e.g., Renewable Portfolio Standard, Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard, Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, etc.); and

· To produce recommendations for sound government action that also fosters vibrant market-driven opportunities.

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