Change of Climate or Climate Change?

We note a change of climate at Z/Yen Group, not just our recent sale of a subsidiary to Aon, but also the increasing emphasis on "climate change". As regular readers know, our interest in environmental matters is long-standing and, at a personal level, well pre-dates our 1994 founding. Nevertheless, it is gratifying to see numerous projects finally underway. The London Accord, our "cash-in, carbon-out" project with BP and the City of London Corporation, among others, holds its pathway conference on 29 and 30 March at Reuters in London. We also made a small contribution to a February 2007 publication, "Clean Capital: Financing Clean Technology Firms In The UK", produced by Forum for the Future, in partnership with the City of London Corporation, DTI, Defra and Gresham College. “Clean Capital” – available here – states that London’s Alternative Investment Market (AIM) is the market of choice for cleantech start-up companies, already listing 61 firms with a combined market capitalisation of over £4 billion.

Green, Mean, Debating Machine

One climate change highlight in January was The City Debate 2007. This prestigious fixture in the annual calendar is sponsored by The Futures and Options Association and hosted in the Mansion House with the Lord Mayor in attendance. Professor Michael Mainelli joined forces with Richard D North (iconoclastic author and Fellow of the Institute of Economic Affairs) to generate a discussion on "Green and Growth Don't Go" against Chris Huhne MP (Liberal Democrat Shadow Environment Food and Rural Affairs Secretary) and Emma Duncan (Deputy Editor, The Economist), moderated by the Rt Hon Michael Portillo. Of course Michael opened the debate with a balanced broadside – "Green and growth is a lie-for-children alongside Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, Nessie, immaculate conception, intelligent design and honours-on-merit..." While Michael and Richard had the least savoury position, and despite their nuanced stance ultimately lost, they managed to swing nearly 10% of the audience to their side during what proved to be a stimulating, and fun, evening.

The Job Must Go On

We have a number of new and exciting projects underway. One new client is PEFC, the global Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification, where we are helping with strategic planning. PEFC endorses standards used to give society assurance that people manage forests sustainably. We are able to deploy our deep experience with both environmental issues and standards markets in our work with them. We have also been working with PwC and the World Economic Forum on a ground-breaking project to move from just identifying global risks to providing a framework for their solution. In our view, the world needs to get together and collaborate on these big issues, or collapse. The objective of the work is to provide a methodology and set of publications to help people organise cooperative efforts to combat climate change, public health and security problems of a global nature.

Green Game Gamble

Devotees of Z/Yen's S.B. Lady Daphne networking trips know that no trip is complete without an "icebreaker" game. This year is no exception and we've been working hard at this year's new offering. Our games have ranged from our "Boating Bourses" to "OligopoLuedo" and "Smugglers' Choice". All of the games have a rigorous theoretical underpinning and help to elucidate things such as Prospect Theory or the Prisoners' Dilemma. For the past few months we've been working with Mike Young and Geoff Buckingham of Corda, part of BAE Systems, on a joint venture game that helps people to understand negotiation in the context of cooperation on reducing carbon emissions.

Term-Time Gresham Professor

Michael claims that one of the great thing about Gresham College is summer break. Can even he be tired of the sound of his own opinion? Michael's last formal lecture this academic year will be "Does Society Risk My Life Through Safety? The Perils of Too Much Risk-Aversion" on Monday, 19 March 2007 at 18:00, in Barnard’s Inn Hall, Holborn, London EC1. Naturally, all are welcome and Michael has big plans for the 2007/2008 series of lectures, but we're a bit concerned when Michael then claims he's off-duty till September – don't forget the day job!