全球最大金融服務公司花旗集團，近日宣佈參與一項由投資人、環保團體和公益組織共同組成的網絡，與許多企業在環境永續議題上進行合作。
Ceres投資人聯盟董事會3月27日通過花旗的入盟申請，認同花旗集團在氣候變遷方面的領導地位，並以其為決定通過申請的關鍵因素。參與Ceres聯盟的企業必須承諾持續在永續績效上有所進展，並回報相關落實行動。
目前Ceres聯盟成員約有70多間企業，其中20 多間企業名列《財星》雜誌前500大。Ceres同時管理氣候變遷風險投資者聯盟，由超過60多名機構投資人組成，共同管理市值超過5兆美元的資產。
花旗集團主要提供消費金融和信貸、企業投資銀行業務、證券經紀業務和財富管理等服務，其下品牌包括花旗銀行、花旗財務、Primerica金融服務和Smith Barney券商部。直到2004年，花旗仍是全球化石燃料和原木採運企業的重要借貸銀行之一，讓花旗成為雨林行動網(Rainforest Action Network, RAN)或其他環保團體撻伐的主要目標。
讓花旗陷入窘境的例子包括抗議人士在康乃爾大學放置35英尺高的地球形狀氣球，上面寫著「花旗更富，地球買單」的字樣，或是在花旗紐約總部大樓前放置類似的批評旗幟；2004年與雨林行動網達成共識後，花旗集團採納了一套環境政策，做為借貸的指導方針，其他銀行也陸續跟進制定類似的經營政策。
花旗表示將透過投資、融資和相關行動，支持其服務的顧客、市場，甚至是花旗集團本身業務運作上選用替代性能源和清潔科技。
Ceres聯盟主席呂伯(Mindy Lubber)表示：「花旗對於解決氣候變遷問題所提出的承諾相當令人興奮，以其地位應該能有效降低其自身及客戶的碳足跡，Ceres期待與花旗合作找出解決氣候威脅的方法，並進一步將永續性的作法與公司的企業策略、產品和服務進行整合。」
但環保人士絕對不會滿足於花旗集團目前的立場，雨林行動網認為「碳原理(Carbon Principles )」在界定氣候危機和資助燃煤發電廠之間的關聯性，是相當重要的一步，但這項原理也會因為缺乏具約束力的協議，以及無法有效禁止類似移除山頂採礦這種破壞性採煤行為，其成效將受到限制。
The world's largest financial services company, Citi Inc., has joined a network of investors, environmental groups and other public interest organizations working with companies to address sustainability challenges.
Citi was approved March 27 as a Ceres network company by the Ceres board of directors, who cited the company's leadership on climate change as a determining factor. Companies that join the Ceres company network commit to making continuous strides in improving their sustainability performance and reporting practices.
Citi is among more than 70 companies in the Ceres network, including more than 20 Fortune 500 companies. Ceres also directs the Investor Network on Climate Risk, comprised of more than 60 institutional investors who collectively manage over $5 trillion in assets.
Citi provides consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, and wealth management. Citi's brand names include Citibank, CitiFinancial, Primerica, and Smith Barney.
Until 2004, Citi was one of the world's top funders of the fossil fuel and logging industries, which made the corporation a major target of the Rainforest Action Network, RAN, and other environmental groups.
Embarrassed by demonstrations such as a 35-foot-tall Earth-shaped balloon carrying the message "Citi Lives Richly and the Earth Pays!" at Cornell University and similar critical banners in front of its New York headquarters, in 2004, RAN and Citigroup agreed that the corporation would adopt an environmental policy to guide its lending practices, a step other banks have since taken.
The company says it intends to act through investments, financings and related activities to support the commercialization and growth of alternative energy and clean technology among the clients and markets it serves, as well as within its own businesses and operations.
"Citi's commitment to tackle the challenges posed by climate change is exciting," said Mindy Lubber, president of Ceres. "Citi is well positioned to reduce both its own operational greenhouse gas footprint and those of its clients. Ceres looks forward to working with Citi to develop solutions to the climate threat and further integrate sustainability into the company's business strategies, products and services."
Environmentalists are by no means satisfied with Citi's position. The Rainforest Action Network says the Carbon Principles are "an important step toward recognizing the climate risks associated with financing coal plants" but the group says they are "limited by their lack of any binding commitments and their failure to address the impact of destructive coal extraction methods such as mountaintop removal mining."
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In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
