News

The University of Delaware's College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment has launched a program to promote regional collaboration and information sharing on offshore wind across all sectors. The Special Initiative on Offshore Wind (SIOW) focuses on capitalizing on lessons learned from European clean energy efforts, generating objective analytics and communications on the benefits of offshore wind, and fostering collaboration among the states.

The New York City Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs has created a series of guides to help other municipal governments support immigrant populations. Blueprints for Immigrant Integration provide guidance to mayor's offices across the country on effective local policies and practices that help immigrants successfully be a part of their communities.

Climate change is not only an environmental issue, it is a global security issue, Stephen Heintz said in remarks at the Off-the-Record Lecture Series. Mr. Heintz addressed the global security implications of climate change, describing how its consequences become a threat multiplier across the world.

The National Priorities Project has been nominated for the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize. For 30 years, NPP has been committed to providing clear and transparent information about the United States' federal budget process, making it easier for citizens to oversee and influence how their tax dollars are spent. The unusual nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize recognizes NPP's important role in informing Americans about the nation's war spending.

There is reason to be optimistic about climate action, according to Michael Northrop, director of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund's Sustainable Development program. In a recent Huffington Post article, Mr. Northrop highlights factors bringing about new opportunities to mitigate climate change.

The Investigative Reporting Workshop has released the trailer to its upcoming series, Years of Living Dangerously, which will air on Showtime in April 2014. The eight-part series examines the impact of climate change around the world, covering it from three angles: how it is affecting people, the politics that surround the issue, and solutions to address the problem.

Pollution in Hong Kong is worsening because of emissions produced by marine vessels, according to a report published by Rockefeller Brothers Fund grantee Civic Exchange, along with the Atmospheric Research Centre at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and the Department of Community Medicine at the University of Hong Kong.

The Rockefeller Brothers Fund is pleased to announce the appointment of Keesha Gaskins as director of the Democratic Practice program's U.S. portfolio. Ms. Gaskins is responsible for program development and grantmaking to advance democratic reforms and other strategic efforts to strengthen the vitality of democracy in the United States.

In a New York Times op-ed column, Roger Cohen argues that an agreement with Iran to limit its nuclear program is still possible, despite not reaching a deal in Geneva over the weekend. Cohen quotes Stephen Heintz, stating that although Iran's nuclear knowledge cannot be destroyed, the international community should recognize its capability and "put it in a box where it is verifiable, contained, and controlled."

With the election of New York City's first new mayor in 12 years comes an opportunity to continue engaging the public in discourse that often fades after the ballots are cast. Talking Transition is a nonpartisan effort to empower New Yorkers as Bill de Blasio takes office. Rockefeller Brothers Fund grantees that are participating, include Make the Road New York, the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance, and The New York Immigration Coalition, among others.