CleanTech Comes of Age – CleanTech Investments Have Reached Record Levels

The report, entitled “Cleantech Comes of Age,” discusses the trends in clean technology from the impact of oil prices to the M&A market and includes data from the MoneyTree Report, a quarterly survey that tracks cash-for-equity investments by the professional venture capital community in private emerging companies in the United States.The increased venture capital investment into the Cleantech sector can be directly associated with the growing concerns about the environment, energy costs and security. Despite signs of a weakening economy, the high investment level and intensified adoption rate of technologies in this sector validates the expected growth predicted by industry experts.

Kresge Foundation Announces New Environment Grantmaking Program

The Kresge Foundation has announced a new comprehensive grantmaking programs: The Environment Program. With the announcement of this new program, the foundation is expanding its commitment and narrowing its focus in each field for maximum long-term impact in its strategic areas of interest. The Environment Program addresses environment-related social issues, particularly those affecting minority, low-income, and other underserved communities. The Environment Program seeks to have tangible effects on the practices and policies associated with climate change and environmental sustainability. The programs are in the development stage; program teams will be refining their grantmaking focus and strategy over the next year.

Applications Being Accepted to Join the SustainUS Youth Delegation to The Fifth Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol

Agents of Change is now accepting applications to join the SustainUS youth delegation to the fifteenth session of the Conference of the Parties to the Climate Change Convention and fifth meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (COP15 and COP/MOP5), which will be in Copenhagen, Denmark from December 7-18, 2009. COP15 will determine the future international policy on climate change, and youth must make their voice heard. Between now and December, youth from across the globe will organize to bring a sense of urgency and rationality to the meeting.

Green Jobs Spotlight: Manager, SmartGrid Technologies – ICF International, Fairfax, VA

To support our client’s needs, we seek individuals with expertise in the understanding of SmartGrid technologies, as well as implementation and policy issues. In this role you will build and manage a group of engineers, economists and other professionals to support utility and government clients that seek to evaluate and install SmartGrid technologies. You will work directly with internal ICF staff, our customers and partners for the purpose of providing advanced business solutions that address the SmartGrid challenges of the utility industry.

Companies in Emerging Markets Catching Up on Environmental Issues

Corporate responsibility, long seen as the preserve of companies in developed economies, is gaining ground in developing countries according to a review of ESG practices in 40 large emerging market companies – a new report published by Sustainable Investment Research Analyst Network (SIRAN), a working group of the Social Investment Forum (SIF).
SIRAN has partnered with global sustainable investment specialists EIRIS to assess 40 leading companies in ten emerging markets against key environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria, including indicators on board practice, bribery, human rights, labor standards in the supply chain, health and safety, environment, climate change and biodiversity. Countries assessed in the study include Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Israel, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Russia and South Africa.

National ‘Green The City’ Initiative Announce by Black Mayors Group

The National Conference of Black Mayors (NCBM) joined President Barack Obama’s national agenda to promote clean energy innovation and announced its “Green The City” Initiative on Earth Day. This initiative targets three primary areas: city conversion to clean energy vehicles, green-collar job creation and training, and the expansion of biomass energy production. This three-pronged strategy aims to reduce U.S. fossil fuel energy dependence, slow the pace of global climate change and establish a robust green economy in our cities. NCBM Mayors are aggressively moving to organize their communities to fully participate in the Green The City initiative.

GREEN JOBS SPOTLIGHT: Environmental Accountant – Burlington, VT

AgRefresh, the premier agriculture-focused environmental and carbon accountancy in the nation seeks creative quantitative analysts with a passion for solving climate change challenges. We need data-literate individuals with demonstrated competency in carbon accounting or related disciplines. Join an entrepreneurial team focused on carbon market opportunities for producers in biofuels, dairy, and other segments of the agricultural and forestry sectors.

GREEN INTERNSHIP SPOTLIGHT: Intern for ISC Programs and Development Teams, Montpelier, VT or Washington, D.C.

The Institute for Sustainable Communities seeks candidates for 2 internships based either in ISC’s Montpelier, VT or Washington, D.C. office. Interns will support ISC’s Program Team and monitoring and evaluation staff on a range of projects, including: 1) developing a U.S.-based program on Climate and Environment; 2) compiling and editing materials for inclusion in a database about ISC’s impact; 3) updating contacts in our database; and, 4) drafting ‘performance stories’ about program successes. This is an ideal opportunity for a college or graduate student who wishes to gain exposure to international development, in the areas of civil society advocacy work and environment and climate programming in the United States and internationally, and to explore a career in the nonprofit arena.

Take The Carbon Salary Survey

The Carbon Salary Survey 2009 is a global survey and aims to provide insight into the people working in the Climate Change sector, from the types of organizations they are working for to their job function, salaries and backgrounds. By participating in the survey, you’ll receive a full report on the findings, including statistical analysis, comments from some of the sector’s leading professionals, and some predictions as to what these trends suggest for the future. Deadline: April 30, 2009.