There's been a nasty change in the weather of late, and for businesses the forecast is simple: be prepared.

In 2011, extreme weather caused more than $148 billion in economic losses, and $55 billion in insured losses globally. A major chunk of those insured losses -- more than...

Given the economic, energy and climate change challenges we face, you'd think it wouldn't be necessary to write a column illustrating how it makes no sense to "flare" -- literally burn up -- $110 million worth of perfectly good natural gas each year without even using it to...

"Everyone talks about the weather, but no one does anything about it," said Mark Twain.

Now that we understand the link between Earth's changing climate and the severe weather, that's no longer true. Individuals, companies, and countries are working to curb emissions that are warming the world...

At any moment Congress will decide whether to extend the production tax credit, which gives wind power producers a 2.2 cent tax credit for every kilowatt hour of power they produce.

Among those urging extension are some of America's biggest brands and largest purchasers of wind and...

Anyone who thinks the business world doesn't believe in acting on climate change should check out what's happening at the United Nations today. Some 450 global investors who control tens of trillion in assets are gathering for the Investor Summit on Climate Risk and Energy Solutions.

These...

With all eyes riveted on the debt talks and efforts to avert an economy-busting government default, little attention is being paid to another debt that is similarly ballooning out of control and threatening to spur its own economic chaos:

The carbon debt.

Those pesky greenhouse gas emissions that we spew...

CANCÙN -- Denise Bode is like a salmon swimming up a dam-laden river.

Bode is America's leading wind energy advocate and all the conversations she's hearing in Cancún are about exciting wind projects across the globe -- except in America.

At a GreenSolutions panel this week, the CEO of Spanish...

'Tis the season for low expectations on climate change and other global sustainability challenges. Yet there's no reason to think our stockings will forever be stuffed with coal.

Enormous worldwide business innovation is taking place to build a clean sustainable economy and it's just a matter of time before it...

When does 9 miles a gallon sound just dandy -- environmentally and businesswise -- to a longtime sustainability stalwart like me?

No, it's not because I've sold out and traded my Camry hybrid for a fire-sale Escalade.

We're talking trucks here -- those big, hulking semis filling your rearview mirror...

Jared Diamond is the prophet of sinking societies.

His acclaimed book, "Collapse," chronicled the demise of simple and advanced civilizations alike - the deforestation that ravaged Easter Island, the soil and water depletion that undid the Mayans, the drought and overpopulation of New Mexico's Anasazi Indians.

So what is Diamond's...

By Mindy Lubber

Attention T-shirt lovers: Pakistan's catastrophic flooding is important to you, too.

Beyond the immense suffering within Pakistan's borders, the flooding is also triggering ripples for America's economic interests, from higher cotton and rice prices to national security costs in the fight against terrorism.

While many...

Now that the climate bill is in hibernation, it would be easy to despair that the US power sector will resume its tradition of burning high-polluting coal to sell increasing amounts of electricity.

The Washington Post opted for such a conclusion in an Aug. 23 article, "Proliferation of...

Even in hyper-partisan modern Washington one would have thought that, in the end, the Senate would have more plain sense than to turn its back on comprehensive energy and climate legislation this year. But that's exactly what it did last week.

In a breath-taking act of historic and inter-generational irresponsibility,...

The World Cup. The BP Oil Spill.

Both are reverberating around the world. But in one, you have a company who responded poorly to risk. In the other, you have one meeting it head on -- a soccer header if you will.

What exactly do the World Cup and...

It's July 4th weekend in 2025, and you're an outdoors lover looking to go rafting and trout fishing in the national park formerly known as Glacier.  The only problem, in the midst of the longest drought on record, is that many rivers in Montana -- as well as the rest...

Out of the frying pan and into the fire? Offshore oil drilling, meet Canada's oil sands.

Proponents of this vast alternative oil source in Canada have wasted no time loudly pitching themselves as the great North American alternative to risky deepwater drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. Not...

Consider these morsels from last week's Wall Street Journal: "By 2050, there could be two billion cars on the road - twice as many as there are today." "Energy demand is expected to be 35 percent higher in 2030 than in 2005." "Pollution of drinking water is Americans' #1 environmental...

Is the political malaise about climate change getting you down? Take a trip to Colorado, a clean energy hotbed that is creating thousands of new green jobs despite the climate cold war in Washington.

Two dozen business leaders held a Race for American Jobs event in Denver last...

Wall Street is on the hot seat these days and no wonder. Between record high bonuses and their staunch opposition to proposed consumer financial protections, Wall Street institutions appear blithely indifferent to the economic turmoil on Main Street.

Banks and other financial institutions could refurbish their tarnished reputations by using...

As tens of thousands gather in Copenhagen to hammer out innovative strategies for cooling the planet, here's a carbon-cutting idea consumers can rally behind: Car insurance based on the miles you drive.

Drive less and you pay less -- and the smaller your carbon footprint.

It's called Pay-As-You-Drive (PAYD)...