Michael Bloomberg Launches Beyond Carbon, the Largest-Ever Coordinated Campaign Against Climate Change in United States
June 7, 2019
In a commencement address at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Michael R. Bloomberg will launch Beyond Carbon, the largest coordinated campaign to tackle climate change ever undertaken in the United States. With a $500 million investment — the largest ever philanthropic effort to fight the climate crisis — Beyond Carbon will work to put the U.S. on track towards a 100% clean energy economy by working with advocates around the country to build on the leadership and climate progress underway in our states, cities, and communities. Bloomberg and his foundation joined forces with the Sierra Club in 2011 to launch Beyond Coal with the goal of closing at least a third of the country’s coal plants. With 289 of 530 closed to date – more than half the country’s coal fleet – Beyond Carbon will aim to close the rest by 2030 and stop the rush to build new gas plants.
Read moreMichael Bloomberg Announces New Funding for “America’s Pledge” U.S. Climate Report to Counter Trump Administration’s Failure on Addressing Climate Crisis
May 24, 2019
Michael R. Bloomberg, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Climate Action, is doubling down on his commitment to support ongoing efforts at the state and local levels to combat the climate crisis as the current U.S. administration fails to act. Bloomberg will grant $2.3 million to the University of Maryland’s Center for Global Sustainability and the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) to evaluate and analyze current U.S. greenhouse gas emissions reductions. As UN Special Envoy, Bloomberg will submit the report to the United Nations to demonstrate U.S. progress in meeting carbon reduction commitments made under the Paris Climate Agreement.
Read moreMichael Bloomberg Announces Midwestern Collegiate Climate Summit
May 16, 2019
Michael R. Bloomberg announced the largest expected convening of Midwest universities focused on mitigating the effects of climate change and moving to a 100% clean-energy economy. The Midwestern Collegiate Climate Summit will be held in early 2020, bringing together leaders from Midwestern universities, local government and the private sector to drive measurable, local action on climate by leveraging the partnerships, innovations and talent from institutions of higher education. In parallel to the new global commitments made by federal leaders in line with the Paris Agreement, the Climate Summit will catalyze climate action commitments from all regional leaders and provide a support network to achieve new ambitious goals. Bloomberg Philanthropies will provide support for the operations of the Climate Summit.
Read moreSEED Lab, a Center to Incubate Solutions for Energy and Equity through Design, Opens May 4
April 29, 2019
SEED Lab, a center to bring artists, designers, engineers and community members together to propose solutions to climate change and related challenges, opens to the public May 4, 2019. It is located in a building in the downtown Design District, across from the Anchorage Museum.
Launched in partnership with the Municipality of Anchorage and the Anchorage Museum, SEED Lab is one of five winners of the Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge. The Challenge awarded $1 million each to five cities to create temporary public art projects that address important civic issues.
Read moreBloomberg Philanthropies Announces the American Cities Best at Using Data to Improve Residents’ Lives in 2019
April 24, 2019
Bloomberg Philanthropies announced the seven cities to achieve 2019 What Works Cities Certification, a national standard of excellence in city governance. What Works Cities Certification rates how well cities are managed by measuring the extent to which city leaders incorporate data and evidence in their decision-making. This year, the Certification recognizes Arlington, TX; Kansas City, MO; Louisville, KY; Memphis, TN; Philadelphia, PA; Scottsdale, AZ; and Washington, DC.
Read moreMichael Bloomberg Contributes Additional $5.5 Million to United Nations Climate Change Secretariat to Again Fill United States Federal Funding Gap
April 22, 2019
Michael R. Bloomberg, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Climate Action, announced that for the second year in a row he will make up the funding gap left by the United States federal government and provide $5.5 million to the United Nations Climate Change Secretariat to ensure it can continue its critical work empowering countries to meet the goals outlined in the Paris Agreement. Today’s announcement, along with the $4.5 million he contributed last year for the same purpose, brings his support for the United Nations Climate Change Secretariat to a total of $10 million in the past two years.
Read moreThe Task Force on Fiscal Policy for Health Calls for Increase in Excise Taxes on Tobacco, Alcohol and Sugary Beverages
April 11, 2019
The Task Force on Fiscal Policy for Health, created to address the growing global burden of noncommunicable diseases, including heart disease, cancer and diabetes, today released new findings showing that over 50 million premature deaths could be prevented if countries implemented tax increases large enough to raise product prices of tobacco, alcohol and sugary beverages by 50 percent over the next 50 years. The Task Force-commissioned analysis, published in the report “Health Taxes to Save Lives,” found that the impact of these taxes, projected to yield over US$20 trillion in revenue, would be highest in low- and middle-income countries, where consumption and associated healthcare costs and productivity losses are growing.
Read moreMichael Bloomberg Calls for Leadership from Utility Sector in Global Decarbonization Efforts
March 25, 2019
At the BloombergNEF (BNEF) Summit, Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Philanthropies, announced plans for a new Decarbonization Tracker for utilities. It will track the progress made by utility companies transitioning away from fossil fuels, as part of the larger global effort to reduce carbon emissions to levels in line with those established by the Paris Agreement.
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Bloomberg Philanthropies Announces New Collaboration with the OECD to Advance Innovation in Municipalities Around the World
March 20, 2019
Bloomberg Philanthropies today announced a new partnership with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) that will measure the impact of city innovation on the lives of urban residents around the world at the 4th meeting of the OECD Champion Mayors Initiative for Inclusive Growth in Athens. James Anderson, Head of Government Innovation at Bloomberg Philanthropies, joined Jose Angel Gurria Trevino, Secretary General of the OECD, this week to reveal the new collaboration.
Read moreBloomberg Philanthropies Announces $10 Million Investment in Michigan to Help Curb Opioid Overdose Deaths
March 14, 2019
Bloomberg Philanthropies announced the next state in its groundbreaking $50 million initiative to combat the nationwide opioid crisis, providing $10 million in support to Michigan to help the state address its fast-rising opioid overdose death rate. Michigan joins Pennsylvania as the first two states selected for this initiative, which comes amid an alarming decline in U.S. life expectancy driven in large part by a massive increase in opioid use nationwide.
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