Environment
Our world faces many serious environmental challenges. We can meet them – but only if we act now.
Protecting the environment isn’t just an investment in the future – it also brings immediate public health and economic benefits. Climate change endangers people’s health and poses serious economic risks. So does declining ocean health. Pollution from coal power plants is the biggest contributor to our carbon footprint and cause hundreds of thousands of deaths every year. By acting boldly to address these threats, we can improve millions of lives today – and build a safer, healthier future for the generations to come.
Timeline
2023
December 2023
Hundreds of Local Leaders Convene at First-Ever COP28 Local Climate Action Summit
September 2023
The Earthshot Prize and Bloomberg Philanthropies Convene to Celebrate and Scale Innovators’ Groundbreaking Climate Solutions
March 2023
UN Special Envoy Michael R. Bloomberg and COP28 Presidency Announce Partnership to Tackle Climate Change Ahead of 2023 UN Climate Change Conference
2022
November 2022
Michael R. Bloomberg Deepens Commitment to Moving the World Beyond Coal with Plan to Turbocharge Clean Energy Finance in Global South
October 2022
World’s Best Climate Projects Recognised at 2022 C40 Cities Bloomberg Philanthropies Awards
September 2022
The Earthshot Prize and Bloomberg Philanthropies Convene World Leaders, Investors, and Activists to Celebrate and Scale Climate Innovators’ Groundbreaking Solutions
September 2022
Michael R. Bloomberg Launches New $85 Million Campaign to Stop Rapid Rise of Pollution From the Petrochemical Industry in the United States
June 2022
Bloomberg Philanthropies Joins $1B USD Pledge to Protect 30 Percent of the Ocean by 2030
2021
November 2021
GFANZ, a private sector-led initiative committed to accelerating and mainstreaming the decarbonization of the world economy and reaching net zero emissions by 2050, includes over 450 financial institutions. This announcement builds on Bloomberg’s extensive leadership in the climate finance space.
November 2021
The new campaign will aim to close a quarter of the world’s remaining 2,445 coal plants and all 519 proposed plants by expanding Bloomberg Philanthropies’ efforts into an additional 25 countries where coal power is projected to rapidly grow.
September 2021
Launched by Prince William and The Royal Foundation in October 2020, The Earthshot Prize aims to inspire collective action around our unique ability to innovate, problem solve and ultimately repair our planet. In this new role, Michael R. Bloomberg will help to scale and replicate the Prize Winners’ solutions.
April 2021
Carbon Mapper, a new nonprofit organization, and its partners announced a pioneering program to help improve understanding of and accelerate reductions in global methane and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
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Bloomberg Philanthropies and Europe Beyond Coal announced that 162 of Europe’s 324 coal plants have closed or confirmed pre-2030 retirements, marking the halfway point in the campaign to retire all coal plants on the continent by 2030 at the latest.
2021
March 2021
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and Michael R. Bloomberg announced a joint investment in air quality monitoring worth almost £1.5m, to help ensure London’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic is green and clean.
March 2021
At the 2021 Powering Past Coal Alliance Global Summit, Mike Bloomberg launched the Bloomberg Global Coal Countdown. Created in partnership with the Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA), the dashboard provides data about the world’s remaining coal plant units as governments and businesses accelerate the transition from coal power to clean energy.
February 2021
As U.S. formally rejoins the Paris Agreement, a new coalition of American communities, businesses, and institutions will play critical role in supporting an ambitious new U.S. climate target and mobilizing whole-of-society climate action.
2020
September 2020
America's Pledge co-chairs Mike Bloomberg and former CA Gov. Jerry Brown announced America’s Pledge’s fourth analysis, which finds that despite the past four years of environmental rollbacks from President Trump’s administration, we have successfully counterbalanced the climate denial and obstruction from the White House through bottom-up actions. This has made it possible for the U.S. to reach net zero emissions by 2050 with aggressive federal climate re-engagement in 2021.
2019
December 2019
America’s Pledge co-chairs Mike Bloomberg and former California Governor Brown present the group’s third report to the U.N. at an event at COP25. The report shows the potential for progress on U.S. emissions reductions if climate-forward leaders are elected to all levels of government – from city halls to the White House.
October 2019
The Bloomberg Terminal adds Global Fishing Watch data, increasing transparency for businesses and governments by allowing them to track data such as fishing vessel location, which will be featured alongside the latest information on climate change, coral reefs, natural resources, and natural disasters.
October 2019
Mike Bloomberg joined leaders in Copenhagen for the C40 World Mayors Summit to discuss climate action, host the C40 Cities Bloomberg Philanthropies Awards, and name LA Mayor Garcetti as the new C40 Cities Chair, building on Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo’s success.
September 2019
More than 50 heads of state and delegations, as well as 200+ CEOs joined Mike Bloomberg in New York City to discuss solutions to the rising threats of economic and environmental instability at the third annual Bloomberg Global Business Forum.
September 2019
Mike Bloomberg announced Satellites for Climate Action, a new partnership with the state of CA and earth-imaging company Planet, that will use satellite data to better inform and accelerate climate protection.
June 2019
Mike launched Beyond Carbon, the largest-ever coordinated campaign against climate change in the United States. With a $500 million three-year investment, the initiative will employ advocacy, legal, and electoral strategies to accelerate coal plant retirements, stop gas rush, and win policy changes.
May 2019
With the Rocky Mountain Institute, the University of Maryland’s Center for Global Sustainability was granted $2.3M to evaluate nationwide greenhouse gas reduction efforts. Data collected will be submitted to the U.N. to demonstrate U.S. progress in meeting the Paris Agreement goals.
May 2019
Mike announced the Midwestern Collegiate Climate Summit, the largest expected convening of Midwest universities seeking to fight climate change and move to a 100% clean-energy economy. Washington University in St. Louis is the Anchor University, and Ohio State University is a Founding Member.
April 2019
On Earth Day, Mike pledged an additional $5.5M, totaling $10M, to help fill the gap in federal funding to the UNFCCC to support international climate efforts.
January 2019
Bloomberg Philanthropies named Albuquerque, Austin, Denver, Orlando and San Antonio the final of twenty-five winning cities to be awarded resources and technical support to help achieve their ambitious climate goals.
2018
December 2018
Mike Bloomberg joined Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles at the UNC Charlotte Center City Garden to announce Charlotte as the nineteenth winning city in Bloomberg’s American Cities Climate Challenge.
December 2018
Bloomberg Philanthropies and Vanity Fair co-hosted a unique sustainability conference, ‘Climate Exchange’ at the Bloomberg LP European Headquarters in London.
November 2018
Mike Bloomberg joined Mayor Berkowitz in Anchorage to announce the city as a 2018 Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge Winner, receiving a $1 million grant to address climate change and economic development through art.
November 2018
Mike Bloomberg joined Mayor Caldwell to announce Honolulu as a winner of the Bloomberg American Cities Climate Challenge. The city’s ambitious proposal aims to curb air pollution and city-wide emissions by 80%.
October 2018
Mike Bloomberg joined Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Saint Paul Mayor Melvin Carter to announce Chicago, Cincinnati, Columbus, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and St. Louis as the next round of winning cities in Bloomberg Philanthropies’ American Cities Climate Challenge.
October 2018
Mike Bloomberg and Ray Dalio’s OceanX announced a new partnership to increase their support for the oceans, marked by their first joint project: an expedition to the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument on OceanX’s marine research and exploration vessel, the Alucia.
October 2018
Mike Bloomberg joined Pittsburgh Mayor William Peduto in West End Overlook Park to announce Boston, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Boston, and Washington D.C. as the next round of winning cities for the Bloomberg American Cities Climate Challenge.
October 2018
Mike Bloomberg, with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) President Rhea Suh, announced California cities Los Angeles, San Diego and San Jose and Portland, Oregon as the next round of winning cities for the Bloomberg American Cities Climate Challenge.
September 2018
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres tapped Mike Bloomberg, the UN Special Envoy for Climate Action, to lead an initiative that will support a global mobilization of private capital in response to the challenge of climate change.
September 2018
At the One Planet Summit in New York, governments and philanthropies, including Bloomberg Philanthropies, announced the beginning of a new collaboration to accelerate the energy transition in partnership with countries in South East Asia.
September 2018
Innovate4Cities, a partnership between The Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM), Google & Bloomberg Philanthropies, channeled Google’s proprietary data through GCoM’s global network of cities, with Bloomberg Philanthropies’ leadership, to drive ambition to meet Paris goals.
June 2018
50 Reefs partners Bloomberg Philanthropies, Paul G. Allen Philanthropies, and the Tiffany & Co Foundation brought scientists together to identify coral reefs that have the greatest potential to survive growing threats of climate change if protected from local threats.
June 2018
Bloomberg Philanthropies announced the American Cities Climate Challenge to support mayors tackling climate change in the United States.
April 2018
Mike Bloomberg, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Climate Action, announces a $4.5M contribution to support the operations of the UN Climate Change Secretariat, including its work to help countries implement their commitments under the 2015 Paris Agreement.
April 2018
The new partnership between Bloomberg Philanthropies and Powering Past Coal Alliance has stemmed new research in support of governments around the world interested in phasing out the use of coal.
March 2018
Mike Bloomberg tours the Theewaterskloof Dam in Cape Town, the largest dam supplying water to the Western Cape of South Africa. He is joined by Leaders from the City of Cape Town, UCT’s Future Water Research Institute and WWF-South Africa to discuss Cape Town’s drought and Global Preparedness.
March 2018
UN Secretary-General António Guterres appoints Mike Bloomberg as the UN Special Envoy for Climate Action. Under his new title, Mike is charged with galvanizing the efforts of local and regional governments, businesses, and civil society.
2017
September 2017
The Bloomberg Global Business Forum convenes the world’s CEOs and heads of state in New York City for on-the-record mainstage discussions and private bilateral and multilateral meetings, to address the most pressing economic issues facing us today.
July 2017
Mike Bloomberg and California Governor Jerry Brown form a partnership to lead America’s Pledge, an initiative for cities, states, universities and businesses to deliver the country’s ambitious climate goals of the Paris agreement.
June 2017
A documentary on the legacy & future of coal in America, “From the Ashes,” produced by Radical Media LLC in partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies and distributed by National Geographic makes its primetime premiere.
June 2017
The day after Washington backed out of the Paris Agreement, Mike Bloomberg travels to Paris to meet with President Emmanuel Macron and Mayor Anne Hidalgo to ensure the world that Americans don’t need Washington to meet its Paris commitment.
June 2017
Immediately following Washington’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, Mike Bloomberg doubles down to ensure American will fulfill its intended climate goals and commits $15 million to support the operations of the UNFCCC.
May 2017
Mike Bloomberg was honored at Sierra Club’s 125th Anniversary Trail Blazers Ball for his longtime work in fighting climate change and his environmental leadership.
April 2017
Bloomberg Philanthropies announces a $3 million fund to support local economic development efforts in coal communities and launches a national fundraising campaign on Crowdrise.
April 2017
Mike Bloomberg and Carl Pope release their new book “Climate of Hope”, an optimistic conversation about climate change that outlines how cities, businesses and individuals can help save the planet.
February 2017
The 50 Reefs initiative, a global plan to save coral reefs from eradication caused by climate change, pollution and poor fishing practices launches in partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies, Tiffany & Co. Foundation and the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation.
2016
December 2016
The Finance Stability Board’s Task Force on Climate-related Financial (TCFD), chaired by Mike Bloomberg, releases recommendations outlining how businesses can disclose useful data that empower investors to actively measure and manage climate risk.
December 2016
At the C40 Cities Mayors Summit, Michael R. Bloomberg and Vice President of the European Commission Maroš Šefčovič announced the global mayoral board leadership for the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy.
December 2016
C40, a Bloomberg Philanthropies partner, hosts the C40 Mayors Summit and Awards in Mexico City, convening industry leaders and 40 Mayors from around the world.
November 2016
At the 22nd Conference of the Parties (COP22) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Marrakech, local leaders announced the impact of their actions to accelerate world progress on meeting the commitments of the Paris Agreement.
October 2016
The decision by European leaders to fast-track ratification of the Paris Agreement is historic. It is now certain that less than one year will have passed from the beginning of the COP21 climate negotiations in December 2015 to the moment when the Paris Agreement will come into force.
September 2016
Oceana launches the Global Fishing Watch platform, a free, interactive tool that shows fishing activity of thousands of fishing vessels around the world, empowering fishery managers to better understand activity in their waters and aiding enforcement agencies to stop illegal fishing.
July 2016
Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal campaign successfully retires the Colstrip power plant in Montana, the second largest coal plant west of the Mississippi.
June 2016
Mike Bloomberg joins European Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič to announce the new Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy, a newly merged initiative between the Compact of Mayors and the Covenant of Mayors.
June 2016
Two international organizations of cities — the European Union’s Covenant of Mayors and the United
Nations’ Compact of Mayors — announced an alliance Wednesday to tackle climate change.
June 2016
Bloomberg Philanthropies hosts China-US Climate-Smart Low-Carbon Cities Summit and releases a series of reports with Green Finance Committee, the Paulson Institute, and Energy Foundation China that a $1 trillion investment is needed in the next five years to build low-carbon cities in China.
April 2016
Leaders from the around world gather at UN Headquarters to officially sign the COP21 Climate Agreement from Paris.
April 2016
The first report is issued from the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures, which was created amid the Paris climate talks. The group advocates for businesses to provide information to investors and stakeholders on how climate change impacts business.
January 2016
Mike Bloomberg addressed the 2016 Investor Summit on Climate Risk with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Mary Shapiro, former Chairperson of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
2015
December 2015
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo and UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change Mike Bloomberg convene more than 200 mayors at the Climate Summit for Local Leaders, a historic event coinciding with the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) in Paris.
December 2015
To bring greater transparency for investors, the Financial Stability Board creates a disclosure task force on climate-related financial risks and Bank of England Governor Mark Carney appoints Mike Bloomberg as Chair.
December 2015
During COP21 in Paris, artist Olafur Eliasson and geologist Minik Rosing, unveil Ice Watch Paris, a public art installation supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies showcasing 80 tonnes of ice from a fjord outside Nuuk, Greenland with the aim of inspiring public action against climate change.
August 2015
EPA announces new carbon pollution standards for power plants, moving the U.S. away from coal-fired electricity. Thanks to the Bloomberg Philanthropies-funded Beyond Coal campaign, U.S. carbon pollution could drop further and faster than the EPA plans (decrease 32% below 2005 levels before 2030).
July 2015
Bloomberg LP unveils a unique and innovative solar project on three warehouses in Queens, NY which will provide clean energy for the company’s world headquarters at 731 Lexington Avenue and other Bloomberg facilities.
June 2015
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo and Mike Bloomberg announce the Climate Summit for Local Leaders – a historic convening of mayors during the 21st Conference of Parties in Paris, helping to ensure that the voices of local leaders are heard, and city efforts are recognized.
April 2015
Bloomberg Philanthropies invests an additional $30 million in the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign to help secure the retirement of half of the U.S. coal fleet by 2017.
February 2015
The Sustainable Business & Enterprise Roundtable honors Bloomberg LP as the Outstanding Corporate Leader of 2014. The company receives an “A” for Climate performance from CDP and becomes the second company ever to receive LEED Gold recognition for New Construction Data Centers.
February 2015
In his role as the U.N. Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change, Mike Bloomberg travels to India to highlight the country’s economic growth and deliver the keynote address at the RE-Invest forum in New Delhi.
January 2015
Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Heising-Simons family commit $48 million to launch the Clean Energy Initiative to support state-based solutions that will ensure an American energy system that is clean, affordable, and reliable.
2014
October 2014
At the EU’s Mayors Adapt Signature Ceremony, Mike Bloomberg celebrates local leadership in fighting and adapting to the impacts of climate change, and encourages more European cities to join the Mayors Compact.
September 2014
Bloomberg Philanthropies CEO Patti Harris joins Secretary of State John Kerry and dignitaries from around the world to discuss the urgent work of protecting oceans at the “Our Oceans” event.
September 2014
At the U.N. Climate Summit, Mike Bloomberg joins Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and government, business and civil society leaders to announce concrete actions to fight climate change over the next year.
September 2014
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo and UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change Mike Bloomberg meet at Town Hall, demonstrating their eagerness to work together on cities and climate change leading to the Paris COP in 2015.
August 2014
University of the Philippines’ Marine Environment and Resources Foundation finds that Vibrant Oceans Initiative sites in the Philippines have seen an increase in fish abundance, fish biomass and coral cover.
July 2014
Environmental Defense Fund, in partnership with Google Earth, releases an interactive map that identifies methane leaks in key areas such as Staten Island, Boston, and Indianapolis.
June 2014
The Risky Business initiative releases its research on climate risks to the U.S. economy, including those related to sea level rise, heat waves, drought and other impacts already being felt now, and likely to worsen in the coming decades without significant action to cut emissions.
June 2014
The EPA announces its Clean Power Plan, which will impose, with its existing legal authority under the Clean Air Act, carbon pollution standards on existing U.S. power plants for the first time ever.
May 2014
The Sustainability Accounting Standards Board, a non-profit organization that develops sustainability accounting standards for publicly-listed U.S. corporations, announce that Mike Bloomberg will serve as chair SASB’s Board of Directors.
April 2014
Bloomberg Philanthropies invests $5 million in Little Sun, Inc., a manufacturer of solar-powered lamps that are sold at subsidized prices to low-income households and consumers without access to the electrical grid in sub-Saharan African countries.
March 2014
Mike Bloomberg addresses U.N.-Habitats World Urban Forum in Medellín, Colombia, focusing on cities crucial role in fighting climate change.
February 2014
Mike Bloomberg welcomes UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres at C40 Mayors Summit, the first time C40 actively engaged with the UN process.
January 2014
Bloomberg Philanthropies launches the Vibrant Oceans Initiative, a $53 million commitment to reverse declining fish supply.
January 2014
Bloomberg Philanthropies helps scale the Greener, Greater Buildings Plan nationally by committing $3.2 million to City Energy Project, a 10-city effort to cut carbon pollution.
January 2014
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appoints Mike Bloomberg as his first Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change, signaling cities significant role in keeping the planet from warming another 2 degrees Celsius.
2013
November 2013
Mayor Bloomberg plants the 800,000th tree as part of the MillionTreesNYC initiative to mark the completion of the first phase of the new Governors Island Park, including 30 acres of new parkland that will open to the public in May of 2014.
October 2013
Bloomberg Philanthropies, Next Generation and the Office of former Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson launch the Risky Business initiative, a year-long effort to quantify and publicize the economic risks the United States faces from the impacts of a changing climate.
October 2013
At a ceremony 150 feet underground, Mayor Bloomberg opens the spigot for the Manhattan section of the Water Tunnel No. 3. The new tunnel will serve as a backup to the city’s principal water tunnel and allow engineers to inspect the old tunnel for the first time since 1917.
September 2013
New York City’s air quality reaches the cleanest levels in more than 50 years, with dramatic reductions in air pollutants since the launch of the Administration’s sustainability plan PlaNYC. Since 2008, levels of sulfur dioxide in the air have dropped by 69%.
June 2013
Following Hurricane Sandy, Mayor Bloomberg releases a Special Initiative for Rebuilding and Resiliency, a $20 billion plan to protect New York City against the impacts of climate change.
April 2013
Bloomberg LP becomes an anchor participant in the Mayors Carbon Challenge, which invites the private sector to match New York City government’s goal to reduce its emissions by 30% in 10 years – part of the broader PlaNYC goal to reduce citywide emissions 30% by 2030.
2012
September 2012
Mayor Bloomberg breaks ground on the third and final section of the High Line, which is planned to extend one half mile beyond the current northern end of the High Line park and has welcomed more than ten million visitors since it opened in 2009.
August 2012
Bloomberg Philanthropies awards $6 million grant over 3 years to the Environmental Defense Fund to win strict regulations on fracking in the 14 states that produce the most natural gas.
March 2012
To demonstrate Mike Bloomberg’s overarching commitment to sustainability, Bloomberg LP completes an 8-acre solar energy system to help power the company’s New Jersey office.
2011
July 2011
Bloomberg Philanthropies commits $50 Million to Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign to move America toward cleaner energy.
2010
November 2010
Mayor Bloomberg is appointed Chair of C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, the network of world’s megacities working together to take measurable actions to reduce carbon emissions.
April 2010
Mayor Bloomberg unveils the finalized plan for a $220 million renovation of Gover
nors Island, complete with flowering terraces, boardwalks, marshland, and mountainscapes. Starting in 2012, construction will begin on the 172-acre island.
March 2010
The first portion of Pier 1 at Brooklyn Bridge Park officially opens. When complete, the Park will be a sustainably-built and operated 85-acre park stretching 1.3 miles along Brooklyn’s East River edge. (Photo by Alex Maclean)
2009
December 2009
Mayor Bloomberg targets buildings the highest emissions-emitting sector by introducing The Greener, Greater Buildings Plan, which will help reduce emissions in New York City by 5%.
June 2009
The first section of the High Line, a new public park built on top of a 1930s-era elevated rail line, opens to the public. The High Line is the first public park of its kind in the U.S. and the culmination of more than three years of construction and ten years of planning.
2007
December 2007
In Bali, Indonesia, Mayor Bloomberg urges larger focus on cities in fight against global warming to international delegates, as parties create a new roadmap to tackle climate change under Bali Action Plan.
October 2007
Mayor Bloomberg and New York Restoration Project Founder Bette Midler plant the first tree in the Million Trees NYC initiative to plant and care for one million trees throughout the city in the next decade. Part of PlaNYC, Million Trees NYC will expand the city’s urban forest by 20%.
April 2007
Mayor Bloomberg unveils PlaNYC: A Greener, Greater New York, a comprehensive plan to prepare the city for one million more residents, strengthen the economy, combat climate change, and enhance the quality of life for all New Yorkers by 2030.
2006
September 2006
Mayor Bloomberg announces a series of initiatives to create an ambitious environmental agenda for New York City, including the creation of the Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability and board to advise the City on environmental practices and policies.
2005
January 2005
Governors Island becomes open to the public. At the beginning of the Administration, Governors Island was little more than an abandoned and neglected green space. By 2013, Governors Island becomes a major attraction for New Yorkers and visitors.
2003
October 2003
Mayor Bloomberg announces the start of the Manhattan leg of Water Tunnel No. 3 – one of the largest public works project the City has ever undertaken. The project will increase the reliability of the city’s water system and provide essential services for future generations.
September 2003
Mayor Bloomberg announces the selection of an inter-disciplinary design team to lead the master planning process for the transformation of Fresh Kills in Staten Island into a world class park.