All Hail Sir Richard
Sir Richard Branson, the Virgin Atlantic kingpin with the Prince Valiant hair and the rock-and-roll swagger, has pledged the proceeds from his transportation interests (planes and trains) over the next ten years to curbing global warming by investing in alternative energy research. The sum is estimated to reach $3 billion.
Branson, long a skeptic on the issue of global warming, last year announced plans to run the company's 100 or so airplanes on cellulosic ethanol derived from waste materials.
Branson announced his latest initiative in New York today, at the Clinton Global Initiative, a summit hosted by former president Bill Clinton. He told the assembly, "Our generation has inherited an incredibly beautiful world from our parents and they from their parents. We must not be the generation responsible for irreversibly damaging the environment."
Back in July, when Warren Buffet pledged $31 billion to the Gates Foundation, which is concentrating its efforts on humanitarian projects like AIDS treatment and boosting agricultural yields in poor countries, I expressed the hope that some other "venture philanthropist" would launch a similar effort to fight global warming. Looks like it has happened.
May many more follow.
Branson, long a skeptic on the issue of global warming, last year announced plans to run the company's 100 or so airplanes on cellulosic ethanol derived from waste materials.
Branson announced his latest initiative in New York today, at the Clinton Global Initiative, a summit hosted by former president Bill Clinton. He told the assembly, "Our generation has inherited an incredibly beautiful world from our parents and they from their parents. We must not be the generation responsible for irreversibly damaging the environment."
Back in July, when Warren Buffet pledged $31 billion to the Gates Foundation, which is concentrating its efforts on humanitarian projects like AIDS treatment and boosting agricultural yields in poor countries, I expressed the hope that some other "venture philanthropist" would launch a similar effort to fight global warming. Looks like it has happened.
May many more follow.
3 Comments:
Wow.
Ironic that it's the same amount the Bush adminstration has proposed spending annually on this problem. That simultaneously shows the generosity of Branson's gesture as an individual and the stinginess of the committment from the world's only superpower.
Branson is free to speculate as a free venture capitalist. More money from government probably would mean the end of a free market approach to cellulosic ethanol as big business would be sure to get enough "safety regulation" and other roadblocks to a real and competitive C.E. market.
I caught an interview with Sir Richard yesterday on everybody's favorite channel, Fox News, and he made a statement that I believe is often missed when discussing the topic of Global Warming or "climate crisis". He said (paraphrased) even if we are wrong about what is happening isn't prudent for us to do everything possible to protect ourseleves and the future of earth in case we are correct. Sort of an insurance policy for humanity. - I have often used this point in arguement or conversation but it was nice to hear someone else say it. I believe it takes the debate to another level and allows for others to think in a more sensible fashion regarding this problem instead of just rejecting the idea of a "climate crisis" all together. - A big thank you to Sir Richard Branson and the Clinton Global Initiative.
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