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It’s time to get more ambitious – it’s time to move Beyond Carbon

Beyond Carbon, a first-of-its-kind ambitious plan to put the United States on course to a 100 percent clean energy economy, builds on Mike Bloomberg’s successful investments in:

Beyond Coal – In 2011, Mike partnered with Sierra Club in their Beyond Coal effort, which has delivered the greatest carbon emissions reduction in U.S. history, shuttering more than half the U.S. coal fleet.

America’s Pledge – In 2017, Mike and former California Governor Jerry Brown launched America’s Pledge, which showcases how cities, states, and businesses can drive progress without the federal government. America’s Pledge is a commitment showing the world how, even in the absence of federal leadership, the United States will continue to work to drive down emissions towards the goals of the Paris Agreement.

American Cities Climate Challenge – In 2018, Mike launched the American Cities Climate Challenge, which is tackling accelerated bottom-up implementation of plans to reduce carbon pollution at the city-level.

Mike Bloomberg

Environmental leader

Mike Bloomberg is an entrepreneur and three-term Mayor of New York City whose innovations in government and philanthropy have made him a global leader on climate change, public health, and other critical issues facing America and the world. Elected mayor in 2001, he implemented PlaNYC, an unprecedented citywide sustainability plan, and reduced New York’s carbon footprint by 14 percent and added more than 850 acres of new park land. After leaving City Hall, he resumed leadership of Bloomberg LP, the financial information and technology startup he launched in 1981 that now employs nearly 20,000 people in 120 countries.

Bloomberg has served as the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Climate Action. He was charged with galvanizing the efforts of governments, businesses, and civil society to fight climate change, and has made the issue a top priority of his foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies. In the wake of Congress’ failure to pass a climate bill in 2010, Bloomberg worked with the Sierra Club to launch the Beyond Coal campaign, which has retired more than half of all U.S. coal plants since its inception. Politico has called it perhaps the most effective campaign in the history of the environmental movement. When President Trump announced his intention to pull out of the Paris Climate Agreement, Bloomberg joined former California Governor Jerry Brown to create “America’s Pledge,” a coalition of more than 3,000 local leaders committed to meeting the goals the U.S. set under the Agreement. With the launch of Beyond Carbon – the largest-ever coordinated campaign to fight the climate crisis in the U.S. – Bloomberg’s investment in the global fight against climate change reaches $1 billion.

Bloomberg leads two networks of cities focused on meeting ambitious climate goals, the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group and the Global Covenant of Mayors. He serves as Chair of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures, and launched and chaired the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board, both of which provide companies with standards to improve the transparency of climate-related risks and opportunities. In 2019, he formed the Climate Finance Leadership Initiative with other private sector leaders to accelerate investments in climate solutions. Bloomberg is co-author, with Carl Pope, of the New York Times bestseller Climate of Hope: How Cities, Businesses, and Citizens Can Save the Planet.

Mike’s Environmental Work

A timeline of climate leadership: 2006-2019

2019

June 2019 Beyond Carbon

Mike Bloomberg launches Beyond Carbon, the largest coordinated campaign on climate change the United States has ever undertaken. It will turbo-charge work that is underway in nearly every corner of the country, empower elected officials and citizens who are leading it, mobilize voters who support it, and ensure that America leads the way in upholding the Paris Climate Agreement – and move the world well beyond it.

Michael Bloomberg

May 2019 Midwestern Collegiate Climate Summit

Mike Bloomberg announced the Midwestern Collegiate Climate Summit, the largest expected convening of Midwest universities seeking to fight climate change and move to a 100% clean-energy economy. Washington University in St. Louis is the Anchor University, and Ohio State University is a Founding Member.

Midwestern Collegiate Climate Summit Announced
2018

September 2018 Global Climate Action Summit

Mike Bloomberg joins former California Governor Jerry Brown in convening more than 4,000 business, city, state, and civil society delegates to share progress and encourage more ambition on climate action.

Mike Bloomberg and Peter Prato at the Global Climate Action Summit

June 2018 American Cities Climate Challenge

Bloomberg Philanthropies announces the American Cities Climate Challenge to support mayors tackling climate change in the United States, a challenge open to the 100 most populous cities in the United States.

American Cities Climate Challenge

March 2018 UN Special Envoy for Climate Action

UN Secretary-General António Guterres appoints Mike Bloomberg as the UN Special Envoy for Climate Action. Under his new title, Mike is charged with galvanizing the efforts of local and regional governments, businesses, and civil society.

UN Special Envoy for Climate Action
2017

November 2017 America’s Pledge Inaugural Report

California Governor Jerry Brown and Mike Bloomberg release the inaugural America’s Pledge report. The report is the first communication to the international community specifically addressing the scope and scale of non-federal climate action in the United States following the Trump administration’s decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement.

America's Pledge

November 2017 Launch Beyond Coal Europe

Mike Bloomberg travels to the global climate negotiations in Bonn, Germany to launch the Europe Beyond Coal campaign with a $50M investment. The goal is the end coal in Europe by 2030.

Mike Bloomberg travels to the global climate negotiations in Bonn, Germany to launch the Europe Beyond Coal campaign with a $50M investment. The goal is the end coal in Europe by 2030.

October 2017 Doubling Down on Coal and Clean Energy

Bloomberg Philanthropies doubles down with a $64 million investment to continue Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal campaign and also support the League of Conservation Voters state affiliates and state advocacy coalitions working for clean energy policy in more than a dozen states.

Beyond Coal Women

July 2017 America’s Pledge

Mike Bloomberg and California Governor Jerry Brown form a partnership to lead America’s Pledge, an initiative for cities, states, universities and businesses to deliver the country’s ambitious climate goals of the Paris agreement.

America's Pledge Announcement

June 2017 We Are Still In

The day after Washington backed out of the Paris Agreement, Mike Bloomberg travels to Paris to meet with President Emmanuel Macron and Mayor Anne Hidalgo to ensure the world that Americans don’t need Washington to meet its Paris commitment – they are still in.

Mike Bloomberg in Paris

April 2017 Support Local Efforts for Coal Workers and Communities

Bloomberg Philanthropies announces a $3 million fund to support local economic development efforts in coal communities.

Bloomberg Philanthropies announces a $3 million fund to support local economic development efforts in coal communities.
2016

June 2016 Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy

Mike Bloomberg joins European Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič to announce the new Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy, a newly merged initiative between the Compact of Mayors and the Covenant of Mayors.

Global Covenant of Mayors
2015

December 2015 Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures

At COP21 Chair of the global Financial Stability Board Mark Carney announces the formation of an industry-led Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures with Mike Bloomberg as chair. TCFD aims to develop climate-related financial risk disclosures for use by companies in providing information to investors, lenders, insurers, and other stakeholders.

Task Force on Climate-related Financial Discloures

December 2015 Climate Summit for Local Leaders

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo and UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Mike Bloomberg convene more than 200 mayors at the Climate Summit for Local Leaders, a historic event coinciding with the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) in Paris.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo and UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Mike Bloomberg convene more than 200 mayors at the Climate Summit for Local Leaders, a historic event coinciding with the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) in Paris.

April 2015 Beyond Coal Expansion

Bloomberg Philanthropies invests an additional $54 million to increase the ambition of coal retirements and secure the retirement of half of the U.S. coal fleet by 2017 while winning state policy.

Beyond Coal Expanded in 2015

2015 Clean Energy Initiative

Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Heising-Simons family commit $48 million to launch the Clean Energy Initiative to support state-based solutions that will ensure an American energy system that is clean, affordable, and reliable.

Clean Energy Initiative
2014

2014 UN Special Envoy

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appoints Mike Bloomberg as his first Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change, signaling cities’ significant role in keeping the planet from warming.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appoints Mike Bloomberg as his first Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change, signaling cities’ significant role in keeping the planet from warming.

2014 National Greener, Greater Buildings Plan

Bloomberg Philanthropies helps scale the Greener, Greater Buildings Plan nationally by committing $3.2 million to City Energy Project, a 10-city effort to cut climate pollution from buildings.

Houston, City Energy Project
2013

October 2013 Risky Business Initiative

Mike Bloomberg, Tom Steyer, and former Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson launch the Risk Business Initiative, a year-long effort to quantify and publicize the economic risks the United States faces from the impacts of a changing climate.

Mike Bloomberg, Tom Steyer and former Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson launch the Risk Business Initiative, a year-long effort to quantify and publicize the economic risks the United States faces from the impacts of a changing climate.

September 2013 Cleanest Air Quality in 50+ Years

New York City’s air quality reaches the cleanest levels in more than 50 years, with dramatic reductions in air pollutants since the launch of the Administration's sustainability plan PlaNYC. Since 2008, levels of sulfur dioxide in the air have dropped by 69%.

Air Quality Report

June 2013 Special Initiative for Rebuilding and Resiliency

Following Hurricane Sandy, Mayor Bloomberg releases a Special Initiative for Rebuilding and Resiliency, a $20 billion plan to protect New York City against the impacts of climate change.

Following Hurricane Sandy, Mayor Bloomberg releases a Special Initiative for Rebuilding and Resiliency, a $20 billion plan to protect New York City against the impacts of climate change.

April 2013 Mayors Carbon Challenge

Bloomberg LP becomes an anchor participant in the Mayors Carbon Challenge, which invites the private sector to match New York City government’s goal to reduce its emissions by 30% in 10 years – part of the broader PlaNYC goal to reduce citywide emissions 30% by 2030.

Bloomberg LP becomes an anchor participant in the Mayors Carbon Challenge, which invites the private sector to match New York City government’s goal to reduce its emissions by 30% in 10 years – part of the broader PlaNYC goal to reduce citywide emissions 30% by 2030.
2012

August 2012 Fracking Regulations

Bloomberg Philanthropies awards $6 million grant over 3 years to the Environmental Defense Fund to win strict regulations on fracking in the 14 states that produce the most natural gas.

Fracking

March 2012 Bloomberg LP NJ Goes Solar

To demonstrate Mike Bloomberg’s overarching commitment to sustainability, Bloomberg LP completes an 8-acre solar energy system to help power the company’s New Jersey office.

Bloomberg LP NJ goes solar
2011

July 2011 Investment in Beyond Coal

Bloomberg Philanthropies commits $50 million to Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign, with an initial goal of retiring one third of the coal plants in the U.S., and moving America toward cleaner energy.

Beyond Coal - No More Coal
2010

November 2010 C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group

Mayor Bloomberg is appointed Chair of C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, the network of world’s megacities working together to take measurable actions to reduce carbon emissions.

C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group
2009

December 2009 NYC’s Greener, Greater Buildings Plan

Mayor Bloomberg targets buildings, the highest emissions-emitting sector, by introducing The Greener, Greater Buildings Plan, which will help reduce emissions in New York City by 5%.

Greener, Greater Buildings Plan
2007

October 2007 Million Trees NYC

Mayor Bloomberg and New York Restoration Founder Bette Midler plant the first three in the Million Trees NYC initiative to plant and care for one million trees throughout the city in the next decade. Part of PlaNYC, Million Trees NYC will expand the city’s urban forest by 20%.

October 2009 Million Trees 1st Planting

April 2007 PlaNYC

Mayor Bloomberg unveils PlaNYC: A Greener, Greater New York, a comprehensive plan to prepare the city for one million more residents, strengthen the economy, combat climate change, and enhance the quality of life for all New Yorkers by 2030.

April 2007 PlaNYC Announcement
2006

September 2006 Created NYC Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability

Mayor Bloomberg announces a series of initiatives to create an ambitious environmental agenda for New York City, including the creation of the Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability and board to advise the City on environmental practices and policies.

Sustainability