Latest news with #SFClimateWeek
San Francisco Chronicle
24-04-2025
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
Barack Obama dines at S.F. Michelin-star restaurant
Barack Obama dined at Quince in San Francisco, one of the Bay Area's only three-Michelin-star restaurants, on Wednesday evening. The former president walked into the Jackson Square fine dining restaurant around 7 p.m., shortly after Marc Benioff, the CEO of Salesforce; it's unclear if the two dined together. Both were quickly escorted from large SUVs into Quince. Secret Service members were awaiting Obama's arrival. Michael and Lindsay Tusk operate Quince, as well as the nearby Italian restaurant Cotogna and French-inspired wine bar Verjus. (All three are San Francisco Chronicle Top 100 restaurants.) It's not the first time Obama has patronized the Tusks' businesses. A few weeks ago, he dined at Officina, their private event space in North Beach. In 2012, Michael Tusk cooked a private dinner for Obama. The purpose of Obama's visit to San Francisco wasn't immediately clear. He is not on the schedule for SF Climate Week, which has brought high-profile figures to the region, including keynote speaker Al Gore. Benioff, a major philanthropic donor, is a onetime Republican who campaigned for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential race. He has since described himself as nonpartisan, but expressed support for President Donald Trump after his election in 2024.
Business Journals
23-04-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
At SF Climate Week, local companies seek path through the Trump era
SF Climate Week — one of the largest climate conferences in the country — kicked off Monday with a land acknowledgement followed by a fiery speech from former Vice President Al Gore, urging climate activists and startup founders in the Bay Area to confront fossil fuel companies and the Trump administration head on in the fight to stop climate change. "The Trump administration is insisting on trying to create their own preferred version of reality," Gore said at an event Monday at the Exploratorium. "Their allies in the oligarchic backlash to climate action argue that those who want to stop using the skies as an open sewer for God's sake need to be more realistic and acquiesce to the huge increases in the burning of more and more fossil fuels." However in other corners of SF Climate Week, an annual series of events with an estimated 25,000 to 30,000 participants, a more conciliatory tone was formulating, one that seeks to find a path through the Trump era that doesn't directly butt up against it. One climate-focused VC in the audience said he is optimistic about the next four years and that companies in the climate space can learn to speak with more Trumpian overtones, like focusing on bringing American manufacturing jobs home and dominating emerging industries. As federal grants for batteries and EV chargers are likely to be completely cut off during the Donald Trump's presidency, climate investors will have to give up on batteries and other areas dominated by China, and focus on new technologies where U.S. companies can cement an edge, said the VC who asked not to be named. Climate startups, which make up a broad array of sectors from batteries to carbon capture technology, have much to be worried about over the next four years. Along with cut-off access to grants that buoyed many startups developing risky technologies, many larger renewable energy projects have been stalled or cancelled after federal funding was pulled. Trump has even threatened to remove the nonprofit status from organizations fighting climate change. A concurrent Climate Week event held by the VC firm Climactic and co-working space 9zero, sought to provide solutions to the climate industry on how to survive and thrive over the next four years. CNN host and former Obama White House advisor Van Jones, speaking at the event, even went as far as giving advice to the audience of climate tech founders and funders on how to speak to Trump and his supporters about renewable energy to find common ground. "(Trump) says he wants America to be energy dominant," Jones said. "How are we going to be energy dominant? We should be dominant in every form of energy possible and use it. Yep, I agree with that, and that's all you need. Is just a nod from him, and he just go tell his people, it's now we're going to be dominant in solar, dominant in the wind, dominant battery, dominant geothermal, dominant nuclear, dominant." Jones worked with the Trump administration, particularly Trump's son-in-law, in 2018 to get a criminal justice reform bill passed in Congress. He says a similar strategy can be taken to curry favor for green technologies in the eyes of Trump and his allies, especially as the country will have to lean on a variety of forms of energy to meet increased grid demand posed by AI. "Only Trump can save the solar industry, and only the solar industry can save Donald Trump," Jones said. "What am I talking about? I'm talking about basic math. The AI companies are going to need a massive amount of industry of energy to beat China in this AI race that we're in ... and they're going to need 20% to 30% more energy." Here are the 60 largest manufacturers in the Greater Bay Area Greater Bay Area employees Rank Prior Rank Business name 1 1 Tesla Inc. 2 2 Genentech Inc. 3 3 Applied Materials Inc. View this list
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Al Gore criticizes Trump administration at San Francisco Climate Week kickoff
The Brief Al Gore opened SF Climate Week with a warning about threats to both climate and democracy. He criticized the Trump administration and highlighted the influence of the fossil fuel industry. The event marks the largest climate summit in the U.S., with 25,000 attendees expected. SAN FRANCISCO - Former Vice President Al Gore delivered a fiery keynote speech at the kickoff of the third annual SF Climate Week on Monday, sharply criticizing the Trump administration and warning of urgent threats to both democracy and the planet. Speaking at the Exploratorium on the eve of Earth Day, Gore told the crowd that the climate movement in the United States is "under attack" and urged attendees to take immediate collective action. "It is abundantly clear that after only three months and one day, that the new Trump administration is attempting to do anything it possibly can to try to halt the transition to a clean future and a deep reduction in the burning of fossil fuels," Gore said. Gore, a longtime climate advocate, called the situation a national emergency for democracy and a global emergency for the climate system - and said the two are deeply connected. He also highlighted the threat posed by the fossil fuel industry. "They say the climate crisis is a hoax invented by the Chinese to destroy American manufacturing, they say coal is clean, they say wind turbines cause cancer, they say sea level rise just creates more beachfront property," he said, referring to the Trump administration. He called on attendees to stay energized and take action, describing the moment as "all hands on deck." His message was echoed by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who also addressed the crowd. "When the vice president talks about recruiting you and the rest, he's got great opportunity out there because so many of the things that we were able to do in Congress, came from San Francisco," Pelosi said. This year's Climate Week is now the largest climate summit in the country, with a record attendance of at least 25,000 people. San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie emphasized the importance of tangible efforts during his remarks. "My vision for San Francisco's climate future is rooted in action, because the truth is, plans don't reduce emissions, projects do, partnerships do, and that's why what's happening this week matters so much," Lurie said. The opening ceremony was held at the Exploratorium, which it said is recognized as one of the largest net-positive energy museums in the country, if not the world. Hundreds of events will be held throughout the Bay Area as part of Climate Week, which concludes April 27.
Axios
22-04-2025
- Business
- Axios
How San Francisco is leading the nation in climate tech
San Francisco's reputation as a leader in clean technology will get another boost on Tuesday when a climate solutions partnership announces the names of more than a dozen entrepreneurs who have been selected to launch sustainability projects to revitalize downtown. Why it matters: Tuesday's announcement, which coincides with Earth Day, comes as thousands of attendees have gathered at SF Climate Week, an annual climate summit taking place until April 27. Driving the news: The Yes SF Urban Sustainability Challenge — an initiative dedicated to building a network of clean tech startups — will announce 12 new "innovators" selected from this year's pool of 200 applicants to participate in a yearlong program that aims to transform downtown. The goal of the program is to create new jobs in the clean economy and use new technologies to help the city meet its ambitious climate goals. The new projects will focus on renewable energy, using environmentally friendly construction materials and resource management. The winners will have access to new funding and other resources to help bring their projects to life, according to Emily Abraham, a spokesperson at the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. What they're saying:"This initiative grew very much out of the need to revitalize San Francisco. We believe that we have to invest in these green technologies for a greener future," Abraham said. Catch up quick: The program was launched in 2023 as a partnership between Deloitte, Salesforce, the World Economic Forum, the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce and more than 20 other organizations calling on entrepreneurs to submit project proposals aimed at breathing new life into the city's core. The program's first-year projects included indoor vertical farms, energy-efficient heating and cooling systems and water-conserving shower appliances. The big picture: From rainwater harvesting systems to AI-powered waste management, San Francisco has led the country as a clean tech hub, with hundreds of local companies finding new solutions to address the climate crisis. Zoom in: The city is home to more than 700 climate tech companies and has seen more than $42 billion invested in the industry in the past five years. San Francisco also leads the nation in energy efficiency and reducing its carbon footprint, with climate and transportation plans that have been recognized nationally. The city has credited its progress to more EV adoption and public charging stations, a clean transportation fleet, building electrification efforts and the use of renewable energy to power the city. San Francisco aims to cut emissions 61% below 1990 levels by 2030 and become carbon-neutral by 2040. Zoom out: Globally, the clean tech market has been experiencing a surge in growth and is expected to surpass $2 trillion by 2035, according to a 2024 report from the International Energy Agency.
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Shailene Woodley Joins Voices Across the Nation to Promote Sustainable Living This Earth Week
NEW YORK, April 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As Earth Day approaches, voices across the nation are coming together with one urgent message: our planet is in crisis, and it's time to act. With the climate emergency accelerating, reducing food and energy waste has become one of the most actionable and immediate ways to slow environmental damage and protect natural resources. Launching on April 20, Mediaplanet's Sustainable Living campaign is uniting environmental advocates, educators, and innovators to inspire widespread change. By amplifying the voices of those on the frontlines of climate action, the campaign empowers individuals and businesses alike to embrace more sustainable practices—at home, at work, and in everyday life. Actress Shailene Woodley joins the conversation with an exclusive interview with Mediaplanet, sharing her passionate commitment to climate advocacy. In her discussion, she emphasizes the emotional toll of today's environmental challenges while highlighting the transformative power of connection. "It's really easy to get lost in the macro vision of everything because the world right now feels so overwhelming," Woodley said. "And when it comes to the environment, the messaging and the narrative can be full of so much doom and gloom and fear and terror. But the thing that counteracts all of that fear always is love, and love can be found in community, and community can really change the world and affect legislation and the way things work." The print component of "Sustainable Living" is available in today's edition of LA Times. The digital component is distributed nationally, through a vast social media strategy, and across a network of top news sites and partner outlets. To explore the digital version of the campaign, visit: This campaign was made possible with the support of Shailene Woodley, Kevin Bacon, Tony Robbins, Kathryn Kellogg, Maggie May Baird, American Solar Energy Society, ClimateBase, Jim McDermott and features paid content from Frigidaire, Aiper, Sunrun, Samsung Electronics. Copies of the print component will be available at SF Climate Week (April), ASES Solar 2025 (August) and ASES Solar Tours (October). About MediaplanetMediaplanet specializes in the creation of content marketing campaigns covering a variety of industries. We tell meaningful stories that educate our audience and position our clients as solution providers. Our unique ability to pair the right leaders with the right readers, through the right platforms, has made Mediaplanet a global content marketing powerhouse. Our award-winning stories have won the hearts of countless readers while serving as a valuable platform for brands and their missions. Just call us storytellers with a purpose. Please visit for more on who we are and what we do. ContactJamie View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Mediaplanet Sign in to access your portfolio
