Climate Counts Joins 2012 Climate Leadership Conference as a Supporting Organization

(3BL Media / theCSRfeed) January 30, 2012 - CEQ Chair Nancy Sutley, EPA's Gina McCarthy and CARB Chair Mary Nichols Headline Program Featuring More than 30 Confirmed Speakers and 90 Participating Organizations

Gina McCarthy, Administrator of the Office of Air at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, has confirmed that she will join Mary Nichols, Chair of the California Air Resources Board and board member of The Climate Registry, and Eileen Claussen, President of the Center for Climate & Energy Solutions (C2ES) confirmed for the opening plenary session for the 2012 Climate Leadership Conference.

With the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as the headline sponsor, the first annual Climate Leadership Conference will be held from February 29-March 1, 2012 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The conference will bring together leaders from business, government and academic institutions, and the non-profit community interested in exchanging ideas and information on how to address climate change while simultaneously running their operations more competitively and sustainably.

Keynote Speakers

• Nancy Sutley – Chair, White House Council on Environmental Quality

• NEW: Gina McCarthy – Assistant Administrator, Office of Air, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

• NEW: Mary Nichols – Chair, California Air Resources Board

• Eileen Claussen – President, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES)

• NEW: Kateri Callahan – President, Alliance to Save Energy

Additional Speakers

• NEW: Doug Scott – Chairman, Illinois Commerce Commission (invited)

• NEW: Steve Leffin – Director of Global Sustainability, UPS

• NEW: Jonathan Newton – Global Lead, Supply Chain Sustainability Strategy, Ford Motor Company

• NEW: Seth Roberts – Director of Energy & Climate Policy, The Dow Chemical Company

• NEW: Gene Rodrigues – Director of Customer Energy Efficiency & Solar, Southern California Edison Company

• NEW: Yalmaz Siddiqui – Senior Director, Environmental Strategy, Office Depot

• NEW: Zoe Tcholak-Antitch – Director, North America, Carbon Disclosure Project

• Cynthia Cummis – Manager, GHG Protocol Supply Chain Initiative, World Resources Institute

• June Fischer – Senior Manager, Sustainability, Kohls

• Kathy Freas – Global Water Resources and Climate Risk and Resilience Director, CH2M Hill

• Brian Helmuth – Director, Environment and Sustainability Program & Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina

• Rame Hemstreet – Vice President, Operations & Chief Energy Officer, Kaiser Permanente

• Alice Hill – Senior Counselor to the Secretary, U.S. Department of Homeland Security

• Louis J. Hutchinson, III – Senior Vice President, Public Sector Sales, Constellation Energy

• Kimbrely Matsoukas – Sustainability Manager, Bentley Prince Street

• Michael Mondshine – Vice President and Senior Policy Analyst, SAIC

• Brian Mormino – Director of Energy Policy and Emissions Compliance, Cummins

• Clay Nesler – Vice President, Global Energy & Sustainability, Johnson Controls

• Phil Ovitt – Electric Vehicle Policy and Business Development, NRG Energy

• Valerie Patrick – Sustainability Coordinator, Bayer Corporation

• Kevin Rabinovitch – Global Sustainability Director, Mars Incorporated

• David Rosenheim – Executive Director, The Climate Registry

• Will Rowe – Principal, Booz Allen Hamilton

• Jim Sullivan – Vice President, Sustainability, SAP

• Mike Wallace – Director, Focal Point USA, Global Reporting Initiative

• Jeff Williams – Director, Climate Consulting, Entergy

• Additional speakers will be announced shortly

Program Highlights

• Network with leaders from the public and private sectors, including federal and state government officials, industry leaders, and nonprofit experts

• Attend the Climate Leadership Awards Gala, which is held in conjunction with the conference

• Hear insights from winners of the 2011 Climate Leadership Awards for the Supply Chain, Organizational and Individual Leadership categories

• Network with leaders from the public and private sectors, including federal and state government officials, industry leaders, and nonprofit experts

March 1, 2012 Post-Conference Activities

• Climate Counts - Consumer Engagement Workshop: Consumer product use often represents the bulk of a company’s indirect greenhouse (GHG) emissions, but few companies are willing to risk alienating their customer base by discussing a hot-button issue like climate change.  This session will rely on stakeholder participation to flesh out ideas on how companies can effectively manage their message to consumers on climate change, responsible consumption and proper product disposal.   Click here for more information.

• ACCO Adaptation Working Group Meeting: ACCO's Adaptation Working Group recently conducted research on barriers to implementing climate adaptation plans in organizations through a survey of 423 climate practitioners across sectors. The findings from this report highlight challenges and opportunities that climate professionals are facing in the field today. Members of the ACCO Adaptation Working Group will present these findings in a session that will also include a facilitated Q&A session, discussions on opportunities for future activities and suggested next steps for advancing climate adaptation efforts.   Click here for more information.

• WRI Post-Conference Workshops: WRI will offer two (2) half-day workshops on the Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) and Product Life Cycle Standards to introduce participants to the standards; provide the business case for adoption; review the accounting and reporting requirements; and offer practical guidance on implementation.   Click here for more information.

Conference attendees will learn about and exchange solutions on topics including:

• Leveraging Clean Energy Opportunities

• Managing Climate Risks and Building Resilience

• Supply Chain Strategies

• Disclosures and Questionnaires

• Setting and Achieving GHG Reduction Goals

• Education & Engagement Strategies

• Making the Business Case for Climate Response

Any sponsorship or advertisements appearing in these materials do not imply endorsement, recommendation, or favor by the United States Government or the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.