New York, NY – May 26, 2020 – International non-profit, The Climate Group, welcomes two new Directors to the organization’s North American board: Mr. David Crane and Mr. Gary Doer.
David Crane is the former President and CEO of NRG Energy from 2003 to 2015, the nation’s largest competitive power generator where he was one the first U.S. power industry CEOs to publicly call for mandatory climate change measures and carbon emission reduction. Mr. Crane continues to advocate for clean energy and smarter energy use. Currently, he serves as a Board member at JERA Inc., a Japanese power company, VoteSolar, and EEx, the cleantech accelerator. Mr. Crane is also a member of the B Team, a nonprofit partner of The Climate Group.
On joining The Climate Group’s North American Board of Directors, Mr. Crane said: “Notwithstanding the warnings of experts, public policymakers failed to prepare adequately for a global pandemic and our political leaders are in the process of repeating the same tragic mistake when it comes to the looming global climate crisis. It should be clear to all private sector leaders to step in and act on climate now, or there will be dire consequences for all of us. The Climate Group is positioned to play a pivotal role in catalyzing private sector action and I am honored to be part of it.”
Gary Doer served as the 20th Premier of Manitoba from 1999 – 2009, after which he served as the Canadian Ambassador to the United States from 2009- 2016. As Premier, he pushed for stricter vehicle emission standards like those in California and was a supporter of a North American cap and trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Mr. Doer was named one of the top 20 international leaders fighting climate change by Business Week in 2005 due to his strong advocacy for renewable energy and market-based emissions trading.
Currently, Mr. Doer is a senior business advisor to the global law firm, Dentons. He said: “Climate change is a risk to our health and global economy. When I signed Manitoba as a member of the States and Regions Alliance, now the Under 2 Coalition and the largest global community of state and regional governments committed to climate action, I knew that The Climate Group’s role in driving positive change was evident. Their work with over 300 global businesses and 200 governments drives action at an ambitious pace and I am inspired to join The Climate Group’s Board to foster greater collaboration between the public and private sector.”
William Moomaw, Chair of The Climate Group, North America said: “We are delighted to welcome two such distinguished leaders, Gary Doer and David Crane, to The Climate Group, North America Board. Their experience and knowledge in both the public and private sectors will help lead us to bolder and faster climate action during this essential Climate Decade. As the climate emergency escalates, it is critical that greenhouse gas emissions are reduced in half by 2030 to prevent no more than 1.5oC of global warming. Only unwavering leadership, action and collaboration towards this goal will ensure a healthy and prosperous future for all.”
