Today we launched the latest version of our Cool IT leaderboard – take a look a which of the biggest names in IT are doing the most on the top priorities to tackle climate change. As well as scores we’ve added more background on the issue and started the first in series of comparisons, starting with Google v Microsoft. This is all the product of many company meetings, phone calls, sifting through carbon disclosure project reports and lobby expenditure filings along with far more late nights team discussions than I care to remember!
The leaderboard covers companies measurable climate solutions, climate advocacy and efforts to reduce their own emissions. With the vital UN climate meeting in Copenhagen fast approaching we are focusing on which companies are speaking out in support of a strong deal that is vital for the planet, as well as being good for IT companies bottom line. In short no company really stands out on climate advocacy, even Google, with a relatively high score on advocacy has been silent on Copenhagen.
There’s never been a more urgent need for climate champions, and none more so in the US right now. Strong domestic US legislation to tackle global warming is a key element of getting a strong deal at Copenhagen. But even the weak legislation in the US Congress is under all out attack from the US Chamber of Commerce. Despite some high profile company criticizing the chamber and Apple’s departure, the Chamber president Tom Donahue has gone on the attack, saying he hasn’t heard hardly any objections from other Chamber members, and urged any critics "to bring em on" over climate. Here’s a few choice quotes from an interview yesterday:
"But I think we’ve picked the right issues, I think we’re doing what’s right. I’ve got extraordinary support from our board and from the business community.
Donohue refused to say if he believes the science behind global warming. "Is the science right? Is science not right? I don’t know," he said.
Well that’s why we are now calling on Google, Microsoft and IBM (all Chamber members) to ‘bring it’ to Mr Donahue loud and clear. They are all paying membership dues which fund Donahue to trash any meaningful climate legislation and even still question the science behind global warming. What ever these companies might claim they are doing behind the scenes in the Chamber, it’s clearly not enough. If you only do one thing today – pressure Google, IBM and Microsoft to speak up for the climate now.
