At the Corporate ECOforum, Google CEO Eric Schmidt gave a talk that looks well worth hearing. Schmidt began his talk with a Google Earth heavy discussion “of rising temperatures and government policies that are either speeding up or slowing down climate change.”
There’s a total failure of political leadership, at least in the United States, if not in the world.
His plan deals with three interrelated challenges: over-reliance on oil; sluggish world economy; and global warming.
His $2.7 trillion plan would provide real benefits:
That $2.7 trillion “cost” doesn’t point to the very real and very strong real benefits, such as that much in energy savings (generated power) and huge numbers of job creation.
Google.org is investing heavily in these realm, with a very interesting portfolio (such as its efforts to produce renewable energy for a cost less than coal). And, “Green” is a core part of Google’s business future. As Schmidt says,
This is the largest opportunity that I could possibly imagine.
And, if you wish to watch the speech and presentation, put aside 46 minutes and 46 seconds.
NOTE: Here is a useful 36 minute Tom Friedman interview with Google leadership about Climate Change.
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1 Google steps up with energy plan // Oct 2, 2008 at 9:45 pm
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2 Senate Democratic Policy Committee (DPC) Cozying up With T Boone Pickens // Jul 29, 2009 at 5:33 pm
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