4/29/2014 March/April News from The Climate Registry Having trouble viewing this email? Click here Monthly Newsletter March/April 2014 In This Issue Letter from the Executive Director Save the Dates for Coffee with Cool Planet Thanks for Attending the 2014 Climate Leadership Conference! General Verification Protocol v. 2.1 Update Announcing the 2014 Cool Planet Awards US EPA Emission Factor and eGRID Updates GHG Protocol Scope 2 Guidance Public Comment Period Winter is in Trouble Celebrate Earth Day 2014 with The Climate Registry Upcoming Trainings and Partner Events Cool Planet Member Spotlight Staff Spotlight - TCR is hiring in Sacramento, CA Congratulations, Climate Registered Members! Letter from the Executive Director Over the last month, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released two volumes of its latest report. The UN body has been publishing its assessments since 1990, but its March report surrounding Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability contains the most dire warnings yet. Food and water supplies are at risk, and economic growth and human health are also to be significantly affected. IPCC's chairman, Rajendra K. Pachauri said, "Nobody on this planet is going to be untouched by the impacts of climate change." Sobering words. However, there is progress: faced with strong opposition in Congress, President Obama is using his authority under the Clean Air Act to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. We are also optimistic because of who we get to deal with every day: the states, provinces and territories on our Board, many of whom are making bold policy choices; and our 300+ members, who over the years have blown us away with their leadership on managing and reducing their carbon footprint. You are the difference makers. However, more people, organizations and jurisdictions need to be part of the solution, given the scale of the problem. With all the information available to us on the science and impacts of https://ui.constantcontact.com/visualeditor/visual_editor_preview.jsp?agent.uid=1117030724113&format=html&print=true 1/10 4/29/2014 March/April News from The Climate Registry climate change, the question is: why isn't there a greater imperative to act, and to act now? Gallup Surveys have shown significant swings in Americans' concern about global warming: in 2004, 26% of respondents said they worried "a great deal" about the issue; in 2007 that number rose to 41%; by 2010, it had fallen to 28%. A 2012 study from Drexel University, McGill University and Ohio State University sought to explain these variations. It found that the most significant driver of public opinion on climate change was the battle between Democrats and Republicans on the issue. Because the parties are sending opposing messages, they have driven down climate change concern. In contrast, the latest IPCC report could not be more definitive: there is no disagreement within the scientific community that climate change is happening, that we are causing it, and that we must act now to prevent the worst from happening. As we look ahead to the UN climate conference in Paris 2015, and begin to take into practice the IPCC's latest volume on Mitigation of Climate Change, we can only hope that the efforts of so many individuals, organizations and state governments across the U.S. will pave the way for understanding, cooperation and bold action. Our future depends on it. My very best, David Rosenheim Executive Director Save the Dates for Coffee with Cool Planet Grab your cup of coffee or tea and join Cool Planet staff, Outreach Manager Annie Hoeksma and Program Manager Amy Holm, as they discuss a variety of topics related to GHG reporting and energy management with invited guests. This your opportunity to get to know other Cool Planet Members and ask questions of The Registry's staff, guest speakers, and each other. Thursday, May 22nd at 10am PST - Focus on Local Governments: Register HERE. Thursday, June 12th at 10am PST - Reporting Deadline Approaching, Ask Your Questions: Register HERE Thursday, July 17th at 10am PST - Steps to Applying for a Climate Leadership Award: Register HERE. Dates, times and topics are tentative and subject to change. Congratulations, Climate Leadership Award Winners! Over 400 attendees gathered in San Diego in February to attend the Climate Leadership Award Ceremony and Conference convened in partnership with the US Environmental Protection Agency, The Climate Registry, the Association of Climate Change Officers (ACCO) and the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES). The national awards program recognizes and incentivizes exemplary corporate, organizational and individual leadership in response to climate change. Overall, 19 awards were given to 15 organizations and two individuals in the public and private sectors for their leadership in addressing climate change or their efforts towards carbon reductions. The 2014 Climate Leadership Award recipients are: https://ui.constantcontact.com/visualeditor/visual_editor_preview.jsp?agent.uid=1117030724113&format=html&print=true 2/10 4/29/2014 March/April News from The Climate Registry Organizational Leadership Award City of Chula Vista Sprint University of California, Irvine Individual Leadership Award Sam Brooks, Associate Director, D.C. Department of General Services Robert Taylor, Energy Manager, Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission Supply Chain Leadership Award Sprint Excellence in Greenhouse Gas Management (Goal Achievement Award) The Boeing Company Caesars Entertainment Cisco Systems, Inc. Ecolab; The Hartford IBM Johnson Controls Kohl's Department Stores Mack Trucks Novelis Excellence in Greenhouse Gas Management (Goal Setting Certificate) Fruit of the Loom, Inc. Hasbro, Inc. Kohl's Department Stores "The Climate Registry applauds this year's Climate Leadership Award winners for demonstrating a meaningful, results-oriented response to climate change," said David Rosenheim, Executive Director of TCR. "Exhibiting transparency, consistent metrics, and innovative mitigation measures, our deserving award recipients are building a stronger platform for policy, innovation, and business solutions to reducing carbon pollution." The Climate Leadership Conference provided attendees with the opportunity to hear from many leaders representing government, business and the non-profit sectors including Janet McCabe, the EPA's acting Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation, California Air Resources Board Chairwoman and TCR Board Chair Mary Nichols, David Littell, commissioner at the Public Utilities Commission of Maine and TCR Board Member, and Tom Steyer, former hedge fund manager at Farallon Capital Management and co-founder of Advanced Energy Economy. General Verification Protocol 2.1: Thanks for your comments The Climate Registry's verification team would like to extend a warm thank you to all who made constructive contributions to our General Verification Protocol version 2.1 (GVP v. 2.1) during the public comment period. We at TCR sincerely appreciate your interest in the development and maintenance of our standards and protocols. The updates to the GVP include a new option for verification to be conducted to a limited level of assurance (The Registry's existing policy requires a reasonable level of assurance). This https://ui.constantcontact.com/visualeditor/visual_editor_preview.jsp?agent.uid=1117030724113&format=html&print=true 3/10 4/29/2014 March/April News from The Climate Registry update will provide Members with the flexibility to choose the level of assurance that best meets their reporting needs and objectives. After incorporating comments from the public and receiving approval from GVP 2.1's audit and verification oversight committee for all proposed changes, GVP version 2.1 is in the its final stages before publication. Stay tuned for GVP 2.1's official release in the coming month. Questions on how GRP 2.1 will affect verification of your organization's EY2013? Contact member services by sending an email to [email protected]. Announcing the 2014 Cool Planet Awards Is your organization a customer of Southern California Edison (SCE)? Is your organization an environmental leader in energy and carbon management? Has your organization implemented energy efficiency projects and/or participated in a Demand Response program? Your organization could be eligible to receive a 2014 Cool Planet Award! Click HERE to view a video with highlights from last year's award ceremony. SUBMITTING A NOMINATION IS EASY! 1. Download and complete the 10-question Cool Planet Award Nomination Form 2. Submit the form to Annie Hoeksma by May 30, 2014 For questions and assistance, please contact Annie Hoeksma, Outreach Manager with The Climate Registry at 213.542.0284 or [email protected]. About Southern California Edison An Edison International (NYSE:EIX) company, Southern California Edison is one of the nation's largest electric utilities, serving a population of nearly 14 million via 4.9 million customer accounts in a 50,000-square-mile service area within Central, Coastal and Southern California. Update: Emission Factors for GHG Reporting Each year in January, The Registry updates its emissions factor tables to reflect the most up-to- date knowledge regarding the components of energy and quantification of those factors. We then make our emission factor tables available to the public with the hope of encouraging accuracy and transparency in greenhouse gas accounting, and of course, for easing the calculation process. The Registry's 2014