Minerva’s View
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Climate Change and Agriculture Production in West Africa
At the end of 2017, Minerva’s Karl Van Orsdol, was sent by the US Agency for International Development to Ghana in West Africa to examine the operations of an agricultural cooperative and assess through a case study how community collaboration could provide resilience against climate change.…
Report from COP 23: Time to Throw Out Limitations of the Past
You may have noticed that the United National Framework Convention on Climate Change 23rd annual meeting (referred to as COP 23) concluded in Bonn in November. In the US, the meeting went largely under the radar, displaced by stories on tax legislation and the increasing scrutiny of the sexual misconduct of alpha males within our culture. Everywhere else in the world, the meetings were front page news due the attendance of nearly every major political leader in the world, except of course, from the US.
Dr James Hansen's remarks to COP23 in Bonn, Germany
Dr. James Hansen calls for Global Climate Justice: Making the Carbon Majors Pay for Climate Action at COP23 in Bonn, Germany. He held a press conference with his granddaughter Sophie Kivlehan who is suing the US government for failing to act on climate change.…
The Future of Seeds in a Changing Climate
While flying to Amsterdam for a conference on sea level rise, I sat next to a man who is an agronomist and financial manager for an American-owned international seed company. He is based in Costa Rica where his company hybridizes flower seeds. I asked him if he sees an impact from climate change on his business. He said yes, that the rainy and dry seasons in Costa Rica used to be predictable. They would plant seeds appropriate to the wet or dry season and the plants would grow. The weather was consistent and predictable.
The Environment's Invisible Issues
Well publicized issues such as rising sea levels and greenhouse gas emissions are just the start of how our changing environment will continue to affect humankind. There are a host of invisible issues that impact the environment negatively. These matters will have a direct impact on generations to come and if we care about the future of the planet, we need to take action now.
What if Saving the Planet Were Up to You?
Iceberg the size of Delaware calved off the Larsen C Ice Sheet of Antarctica. What are you doing to turn the tide?
10 Years to Save Civilization
Scientists at IIASA join others in sounding the alarm for quick and decisive action to protect the future.
Sustainability 2.0
Minerva and FigBytes just collaborated on a webinar about Sustainability 2.0. I was surprised to be reminded how inspiring systemic change can be. We delved into the transformative possibilities for sustainability and climate action and considered tools for setting ambitious visions and navigating to those goals.
Story of Micro-fibers
Have you heard of micro-fibers? I recently learned the Story of Stuff launched a campaign to raise awareness about micro-fibers in the water supply. Micro-fibers are microscopic plastic fibers coming off of your synthetic clothing.
The most popular example of such synthetic clothing is fleece....
FigBytes Inc. & Minerva Ventures Announce Strategic Partnership
FigBytes and Minerva join forces to help companies and communities achieve simplicity on the other side of complexity.
Better, Safer Buildings February 2, 2017
Find out how to have healthier, safer, more efficient buildings, for better financial returns, happier tenants and more productive employees.
Unaccounted for Risk: How Climate Change Affects Your Bottom Line and What to Do About It
Sound business practice and fiduciary responsibility require that risks to a business are estimated and taken into account either through insurance or through measures to prevent or reduce losses.
Unlocking Value from Holistic Approach to Building Upgrades
Many commercial building energy efficient upgrades are proposed each year, but more than 75% are left unapproved. Here’s why…
Is Divestment Just a Moral Issue?
When I started to hear about fossil fuel divestment movements, I simply thought that was a moral argument; Fossil fuels are major drivers of climate change, which imperils our future and therefore endowments and pension plans should divest from the fossil fuel companies to align their investments with shareholders’ values.
2016 Silicon Valley Energy Summit Videos Available
Minerva Ventures was on the organizing committee of the Silicon Valley Energy Summit at Stanford University in June. The videos are now available from the event which included a lively debate on nuclear power featuring 2 Nobel Laureates.
The Climate Music Project - Transformational
I urge you to experience this amazing performance that marries music, art and climate data for a visceral understanding of the future we have set in motion. Come to the Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose on July 19.
7th Clean Energy Ministerial on June 1&2 in San Francisco
CEM7 is the follow-up meeting to the COP21 U.N. Convention of Parties climate change talks last December in Paris. The participating energy ministries include Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the European Commission, Finland, France, Germany, India, Japan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Water Reuse Innovation at Stanford's CR2C
The water system in the U.S. and in California was designed with an assumption of abundance. As climate change progresses, the amount and distribution of water is changing, while California's population is growing.
Minerva Ventures' Goals for 2016
2016 promises to be a breakthrough year for global action to address the challenge of climate change. In December 2015, representatives of many of the world's countries gathered in Paris and agreed to significant action for both developed and developing countries. Now the challenge is to make the changes to our energy systems and how we design, make and distribute products and services. This is the year to push for dramatic advances in the way we manage and use water and how effectively we protect natural resources and ecosystems, including forests and oceans.