Report of the Year 2012 - Peter Head, Executive Chairman

Report of the Year 2012 – Peter Head, Executive Chairman

2012- A story of a year in which the world searched more urgently for greater resilience and moved focus from National global initiatives towards Regional urban-rural, globally supported, projects with community participation.The Ecological Sequestration Trust actively supported this trend from WEF Davos to Rio+20 , on the ground in China, India, Africa and Europe and started building foundation tools to enable everyone to eventually do this for themselves.I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our Trustees, executive team and Advisory Board members for a successful first year and wish you all a very happy and successful New Year.

The report is seen through a selection of my year’s Tweets https://twitter.com/PeterHeadCBE.

10th April A useful explanation of my leaving Arup and setting up The Ecological Sequestration Trust and plans going forward
http://youtu.be/iT9eMustoIc .

26th April Thoughts from me on resource scarcity and what we do about it on the Arup blog. http://thoughts.arup.com/post/details/189/a-new-approach-to-resources …

Nice article on the Ecological Sequestration Trust background and approach http://www.greenprospectsasia.com/node/2161#sustainable_development 14th August

Video of my 10min presentation at opening plenary of Open Innovation Conference in Moscow and useful intro to Trust. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yk15-XCgZE0&feature=channel&list=UL … 14th November

India

It has been a good week meeting Tata Trust, Adani Group, Dr Pachauri and today Chief Minister Modi, the day after his fast. We have agreed on decisive appropriate, timely and ‘convenient action’ (not inconvenient) in a Gujarat demonstrator region. I am leaving India in an optimistic mood on demonstrating a new development approach integrating urban rural systems. Why? I have met so many bright young Indian people who have the skill and understanding to join and help communities to show a better way.And there is enough political leadership and corporate interest in exploring this path too plus community enthusiasm to move forward. 21st January

Mike Rann (Trust Advisory Board) on platform with Arnie at Delhi Sust Dev Summit talking about the Ecological Sequestration Trust and demos. 2nd Feb

Just as London’s Boris was re-elected I was in office of Surat Mayor Rajendra Desai talking about massive challenge of 6% pop growth per year 4th May

Our partner TARU have prepared this excellent resilience strategy for Surat that the Trust will support delivery of. http://www.acccrn.org/sites/default/files/documents/SuratCityResilienceStrategy_ACCCRN_01Apr2011_small.pdf 9th May

Today we are in Surat to discuss how to develop the city in a more resilient way that addresses mitigation and adaptation to climate change 18th May

Article about The Ecological Sequestration Trust recent workshop in Surat and the proposals to support the city region. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-06-10/surat/32155434_1_ecological-sequestration-trust-suda-surat-urban-development-authority

Indian Government to invest US$2.3 billion over next 8 years to boost adoption of electric & hybrid vehicles http://ow.ly/bYYB1 #EVs#EV 3rd July

Arriving at Surat airport at sunset with monsoon storm clouds. Rains have been unreliable this year http://pic.twitter.com/bvOl1B0L19th August

Rush hour in Surat outside city hall. Good meetings with Commissioner and City Engineer on taking model Trust forward. 22nd August

Trust proposals for demonstration region in Surat after successful meetings this week.Timings not correct but ideas are http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-08-21/surat/33302483_1_public-transport-green-campus-surat-municipal-corporation

Need for infra -India is over $1trillion to enable growth in the economy.’innovation is needed in holistic approach to integrated urban Dev’.India is now spending 2.8% of GDP on climate adaptation measures and this has doubled in the last 10 years.This is 10% of annual budgets 19th September Delhi

CNBC presents The Future Cities of India.From this series, watch the city of Surat, the Trust chosen demo city in India http://www. facebook.com/suratrealestate 22nd September

Just leaving Surat after busy series of meetings with Chamber,business and City leaders. Impressive low carbon activity http://www.jhminternational.com/ 22nd September

The challenge of urban development in India and insight into why we chose Surat as demonstrator region-the Economist http://www.economist.com/node/21563412 28th September

In my favourite Indian city of Surat-talk to SGCCI about taking forward Surat demo region for sustainable development http://pic.twitter.com/bTl5ot2V 28th November

Meeting of Future Institute in Indian Habitat Centre in New Delhi trying to help fashion a resilient development path 29th November

China

Getting ready to go to China for important Trust meetings around our China demonstrator.Then back to Singapore next week. 7th March

29th May Just off to Beijing to present Trust proposals for Chongming demonstrator to Urban Tech China conference http://www.urbantecchina.com/press_show.asp?pressid=189

China announces to cut emissions by 25%, coal power plants by 8% and cement factories by 3% by 2015 based on a 2010 baseline. 22nd August

Back on Chongming Island-negotiating for it to be Trust demo region in China.Huge new planning exhibition for Island http://pic.twitter.com/qrfGNVrX 28th August

Signed an MOU for the Trust to support world Eco- island of Chongming on the Island in forum closing ceremony http://pic.twitter.com/syX7ZRkL 29th August

I am now looking for UK University to occupy a joint Campus with Tongji on Chongming to research and teach Eco development.Finance in place. 29th August

Africa
‘The most authentic thing about us is our capacity to create, overcome, endure, transform, love & be greater than our suffering’ Ben Okri

UNESCO – Africa needs 300% increase in water engineers to meet demand, one example of why education underpins sustainable dev#rioplus20 16th June

President Kagame on food-http://www.guardian.co.uk/sustainable-business/blog/food-water-energy-resource-efficiency?newsfeed=true#block-10 12th July

Sister city partnerships between Africa and China will double over next 5 years. Trust aims to support this http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/…/content_ … 27th August

@SOAafrica The Eco Sequest Trust aim to provide and demo tools for The sustainability revolution in Africa http://fb.me/2lkKGsM9W 6th December

@SOAafrica I am based in London but the Trust will be working with African Centre for Cities in Cape Town. I will be meeting Edgar Pieterse tomorrow in London 6th December

Swansea(Europe Demo Region)
Today I attended a great Trust workshop to explain how we can facilitate a profound accelerated transformation of the Swansea Bay Region 20th April

News of the Trust and our proposals for Swansea Bay Region demonstrator. http://www.cynnalcymru.com/blog/development-swansea-bay-city-region ….

Just arriving in Doc Penfro (Pembroke Dock) to meet ecnmc dev teams from Welsh counties in our Europe demonstrator region.286mls from london 24th May

@InstForSustain: http://bit.ly/Sg0wFJ At launch of resrch reports #GREEN#RETROFIT #GREENBUILDING #SUPPLYCHAIN#SUSTAINABLE#ENERGY GUIDES 6th December

Wales the most progressive country in Doha ,asks Guardian? This is why we chose Swansea Region as our Trust Europe demo http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/dec/06/doha-most-progressive-country-wales7th December

Community Participation.
All welcome to Culture Futures event today at Hilton 1325 ave Americas NY 3rd floor.I will be giving keynote 9am to 9.45am 6th January

Today speaking at Culture Futures event in Budapest organised under EU presidency of Denmark. http://www.culturefutures.org 24th January

New World Bank blog site on cities that is worth following http://blogs.worldbank.org/sustainablecities 14th February

Getting ready for Rio+20. Join us if you are there on Monday 17th June. Location on http://theecologicalsequestrationtrust.createsend1.com/t/j-l-vjylll-l-d/calsequestrationtrust.createsend1.com/t/j-l-vjylll-l… … I will keep you posted#rioplus20

News from City Regions in Rio from Mike Rann who is a member of the ecological sequestration trust advisory board.http://cnponline.org/ht/display/ViewBloggerThread/i/38494

Pessimistic view from Rio +20 chief Maurice Strong, “there´s not much to celebrate at Rio92 anniversary”, and there are tremendous gaps. 16th June

Frank Bures essay ‘We picked place to live because of cheap hous­ing, jobs family friends,arts, bik­ing, pub­lic tran­sit&qual­ity of life’ What we need is multilateral process supporting local economies and public institutions to democratically manage the commons’ 19th June Rio

Blog about ‘people smart city regions’ explaining our collaboratory proposal for innovation and cultural change hubs http://blogs.worldbank.org/sustainablecities/supporting-people-smart-regions

Everyone talking about lack connection between private sector,people ,governments all in different places in Rio and not joined in practice 18th June

Just witnessed real anger from #Greenpeaceboss Kumi Naidoo post talks with Ban Ki Moon – “leaders hv abdicated responsibility”#RioPlus20 22nd June Rio

Gallons of anger and vitriol at #RioPlus20today – this assessment by@James_BGoffers a diff view worth reading: http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/james-blog/2186 22nd June

@RTCCnewswire: IPCC Rajendra Pachauri wants ‘people power’ to take lead: http://www.rtcc.org/living/dr-rajendra-pachauri-time-to-forget-governments-and-use-people-power-to-fight-climate-change/ … I hope Trust open source model will help 3rd July

Culture|Futures Clubs been awarded Council of Europe “Cultural Event Label” (CECEL) label for work with kids in sustainability and culture. For background on Culture Future Clubs see http://www.culturefutures.org/ started in Copenhagen and go global in 2013.We will run them in Trust demos 11th July

Participation so important-a Trust view!@CityRenaissanceparticipatory playground turns children into city planners http://ow.ly/ecgOn 3rd October

Off to be a speaker at tonight’s Edge debate on How to Get Innovation going towards a Circular Economy in Europe. http://www.edgedebate.com 8th October

@Remmid: How the ‘Civic economy’—social entrepreneurs strengthening local economies—I am sure this is the way forward http://www.valiz.nl/en/CompendiumfortheCivicEconomy11th December

Here’s a round up of nine interesting resilient community ideas from articles in 2012@CityRenaissance http://ow.ly/gnVSx via @who ge 29th December

Economics and modelling

Another group here (NYC) http://www.thecityatlas.com. Richard Reiss is creating an innovative digital platform for community understanding of sust devt 6th January

Towards the Circular Economy. E MacArthur Foundation’s report provides evidence for Trust http://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org 14th February

@worldresources http://www.censa.org.uk/partners.html ARUP and CENSA are building a global model of embodied emissions in supply chain 9th April

Going to launch of UK circular economy task force tonight http://www.green-alliance.org.uk/uploadedFiles/Media_room_2/Press_releases/20120704%20PRESS%20RELEASE%20-%20CETF%20Launch%20FINAL.pdf 4th July

Very interesting meeting with staff at Global Green Growth Institute discussing models, demos and possible cooperation http://pic.twitter.com/7xUtMXeh 31st August

It is good Korea will host the Green Climate Fund. Korea puts 2% GDP into own green growth http://reut.rs/Wyp6FT #COP18#GCF#climatechange 22nd October

A huge sense of relief that Obama has won the election as I leave. Madrid for London and MPA conference on carbon neutral projects. 6th November

The Eco Seques Trust has started creation of open-source model for integrated climate adaptation&mitigation for regions http://www.iier.ch/category/1 .The Trust open-source model is the ‘human ecosystem model 27th November

@InstForSustain: This is the type of model the Trust will build but with resource flows from human- eco and economics http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8TRchvO9Kw10th December

Negotiating funding from Foundations and Large Corporates

Now at Hub Culture Davos where tonight we have reception for Clean Energy Leadership from 7pm Promenade 93 7270 Davos Platz.Just did live webcast on http://www.HubLive.TV with Nissan + Climate Group being the first from Davos. You can see the Hub and snow outside! Clean revolution YouTube HubCulture video from Davos explaining what the ecological sequestration trust is all about 14th February.

GLTE meeting in beautiful AXICA building at old east west border in centre of Berlin. Frank Gehry says it his best. 19th April

Met Larsen&Toubro in Surat at fabrication plant employs 5000. They re-use waste steel from fabrication in high quality steel forgings.Bril! 21st August

Privilege to dine in Copenhagen with H Topsoe famous Danish 99 year businessman and Mr Ravindranath L&T.Mr Topsoe knew Larsen of L&T 13th September

Political high drama in India with minority gov,as arrive in Delhi to discuss at GLTE how to get infra investment going in low carbon growth 19th September