Kevin Murphy, Chairman
Having worked for decades on projects focused on poverty reduction through economic growth, agriculture, institution building and other projects, some years ago I came to believe that all of the people on the planet, from the extreme poor to the affluent, are now at risk from global warming. It was as if all my work had been to feed, clothe, educate, and give better health to the people who were in steerage class on this ship we call a planet. But the ship was called the Titanic and it is headed to a possible collision with global warming. Therefore, I have begun to commit my time, my resources, and my contributions in the struggle to limit global warming. Over the past 35 years, I have helped implement over 650 development projects in 127 countries, including a project that used carbon swap financing to preserve forests in Colombia, South America. I look forward to focusing more deeply on projects that can help us keep global warming within acceptable limits.
Kenneth Lanza, President & CEO
I am enthusiastic about leading SDI’s mission to address the most pressing global environmental issues to help sustain a healthy planet for us all. Over my four decades of working in international development, with USAID and then in management consulting companies, I promoted and supported sustainable, broad-based growth to increase the quality of life for the world’s poorest. Economic growth has proven to be the best way to provide opportunities to billions of people, yet it has come at a great cost to our environment. In order to sustain productive growth, better collaboration between governments, civil society and the private sector is necessary to more efficiently manage the shifting balance between utilizing our environment and protecting it from irreparable degradation. Understanding and balancing those trade-offs is the only way to promote growth, while also protecting the environment. Climate change is exacerbating these challenges as oceans rise, desertification expands and the earth warms, creating an urgency greater than ever before to develop resilience strategies for countries across the globe. In my long career in supporting economic growth through competitive advantages I have witnessed how interconnected and essential the environment, growth and resilience are to sustaining, equitable, broad-based human development. We are committed to developing solutions to today’s greatest environmental challenges including fostering regenerate agriculture; generating renewable, clean energy; mitigating environmental damage and engaging the public and private sectors to act in slowing global warming.