From the Trump era to the refugee crisis, we analyse the latest in sustainable business

Events in America have been so fast-moving that it has been tricky keeping this month’s briefing on sustainable business in the Trump era up to date. Diana Rojas, Ethical Corporation’s Washington-based correspondent, looks at how cities and state governments are partnering with the private sector to pick up the baton that has been dropped by Trump through his decision to pull out of the Paris Climate Agreement. She also reports on the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal campaign to bring new clean energy jobs to devastated Appalachia coal communities, and the Tiny Homes affordable housing movement.

April Streeter, our West Coast correspondent, looks at how cities like Seattle are looking to the private sector for help in funding transport infrastructure as Trump slashes federal funding. She also reports on how Philadelphia is seeking help from corporate volunteering programmes to address deep-seated poverty, job and housing woes, and how New York is setting new standards for green building.  We also have an interview with the mayor of Atlanta, Kasim Reed, who talks about how Atlanta, a city away from the traditionally liberal east and west coast, is acting as a role model for tackling climate change within a highly conservative state.

Our second briefing is on the corporate response to the refugee crisis in Syria, the biggest movement of people since the Second World War, with Angeli Mehta reporting about Germany, the epicentre of the effort, and on the companies, like IKEA and Unilever, working in Jordan refugee camps.  Meanwhile Diana Rojas reports on how US companies that are rallying to help are having to tread carefully on what has become a hugely politicised issue.

Lots of food for thought.

 

Terry Slavin

Editor

refugees  Syria  Trump  Paris Agreement  New York  Seattle  Philadelphia  Ikea  Unilever  coal 

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