Author: Michael Shank

Examining the Environmental Impacts of Buildings in Vermont

BRATTLEBORO REFORMER 08/10/22 TIMES ARGUS 08/13/22 RUTLAND HERALD 08/13/22 By Michael Shank With Indonesian islanders suing cement producers for climate damages recently, buildings are getting much-needed attention for their carbon-heavy footprint. The built environment generates nearly 50 percent of annual global emissions, which is why efforts in Vermont to weatherize […]

Climate Activism Can’t Leave Out the Built Environment — It Generates Half of Emissions

THE HILL 08/05/22 By Michael Shank With Indonesian islanders suing cement producers for climate damages recently, buildings are getting much-needed attention for their carbon-heavy footprint. The built environment generates nearly 50 percent of annual global emissions. Yet, buildings hardly receive the climate activism commensurate with their impact – despite concrete […]

It’s Time to Cut the Emissions From Creating Our Homes and Offices

REUTERS 08/05/22 By Michael Shank Michael Shank is the director of engagement for the Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance. With Indonesian islanders suing cement producers for climate damages recently, buildings are getting much-needed attention for their carbon-heavy footprint. The built environment generates nearly 50% of annual global emissions. Yet buildings hardly […]

Closing High-level Segment, Economic and Social Council Adopts Ministerial Declaration Reaffirming Poverty Eradication Indispensable for Building Resilient Societies

UNITED NATIONS 07/18/22 Against the backdrop of a highly uncertain global outlook, with rising food and fuel prices blunting efforts to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Economic and Social Council formally adopted the ministerial declaration of its high-level political forum on sustainable development today, reaffirming that poverty eradication is […]

Scott’s ‘Symbolic Bipartisanship’ Helps No One

BRATTLEBORO REFORMER 07/12/22 By Michael Shank Over the July 4th weekend, a resident of a town in Vermont posted a picture on social media of Governor Phil Scott walking in a parade and said that Vermont has a great governor, and that Scott is one of the good Republicans and […]

Bipartisanship in Name Only Helps No One

VTDIGGER 07/13/22 By Michael Shank This commentary is by Michael Shank, a resident of Montpelier who is an adjunct professor at New York University’s Center for Global Affairs and George Mason University’s Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution. Over the July 4 weekend, a resident of a town in […]

Phil Scott, Dems and Bipartisanship

Rutland Herald 07/09/2022 Times Argus 07/09/2022 By Michael Shank Over the Fourth of July weekend, a resident of a town in Vermont posted a picture on social media of Gov. Phil Scott walking in a parade and said Vermont has a great governor, Scott is one of the good Republicans […]

Pinpoint Our Real Problem — Our ‘Suicidal War on Nature’

VTDIGGER 06/15/22 RUTLAND HERALD 06/18/22 TIMES ARGUS 06/18/22 By Michael Shank This commentary is by Michael Shank of Montpelier, director of engagement for the Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance and an adjunct faculty member at NYU’s Center for Global Affairs and George Mason University’s Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution. Shank recently […]

Let’s Revamp How We Talk About Climate Change

REUTERS 06/10/22 By Michael Shank Anytime the international community convenes on climate change there’s a predictable mix of criticism and encouragement. This month’s 50th Anniversary of the Stockholm Declaration, commemorating the United Nations’ first official gathering to discuss the “human environment” and ways to protect it, was no different. After […]