[Vnbiz] Google.org Announces Core Initiatives to Combat Climate Change, Poverty and Emerging Threats

[Tran Dinh Hoanh]

Dear CACC,

This is from anh James Do (Thanks, anh Phuoc), screened out by accident.

Hoanh

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "J.Do" <jdo at pacificlinks.org>
To: <vnbiz at vietlinks.net>
Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2008 22:18:33 -0000
Subject: Google.org Announces Core Initiatives to Combat Climate Change,
Poverty and Emerging Threats
 http://www.google.com/intl/en/press/pressrel/20080117_googleorg.html
http://blog.google.org
**
*Google.org <http://google.org/> Announces Core Initiatives to Combat
Climate Change, Poverty and Emerging Threats *

*Reveals its plans for philanthropy; announces new grants and investments*

*MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (January 17, 2008) – *In its continuing effort to use
the power of information and technology to help people better their lives,
Google.org <http://google.org/> today rolled out five core initiatives that
will be the focus of its philanthropic efforts over the next five to ten
years. Google.org <http://google.org/>, the philanthropic arm of Google
(NASDAQ: GOOG), will collaborate with experienced partners working in each
of these fields, investing its resources and tapping the strengths of
Google's employees and global operations to advance its core initiatives.

Today's announcement includes more than $25 million in new grants and
investments to initial partners. The resources come from a commitment by
Google's founders to devote approximately 1 percent of the company's equity
plus 1 percent of annual profits to philanthropy, as well as employee time.


"In their first Letter from the Founders (2004), Larry Page and Sergey Brin
said that we wanted to 'make Google an institution that makes the world a
better place.' The work of Google.org <http://google.org/> will help us do
that by applying Google's strengths in organizing information and scaling
technology to these complex issues," said Sheryl Sandberg, VP Global Online
Sales & Operations, and Google.org <http://google.org/> Board member.

Added Dr. Larry Brilliant, executive director of
Google.org<http://google.org/>,
"These five initiatives are our attempt to address some of the hard problems
we as a world need to face in the coming decade. We have chosen them both
because we think solving them will make a better, fairer, safer world for
our children and grandchildren – and the children and grandchildren of
people all over the world – but also because we feel that these core
initiatives fit well with Google's core strengths, especially its innovative
technologies and its talented engineers and other Googlers, who are really
our most valuable assets."

Google.org <http://google.org/> joins a community of like minded groups
working to make the planet and population healthier and more equitable.
Google.org <http://google.org/>'s five initiatives and initial partners
include:

*Predict and Prevent*

Google.org <http://google.org/> supports efforts to empower communities to
predict and prevent events before they become local, regional, or global
crises, by identifying "hot spots" and enabling a rapid response. Rapid
ecological and social changes are increasing the risk of emerging threats,
from infectious diseases to drought and other environmental disasters.
Google.org <http://google.org/> is initially focused on Southeast Asia and
tropical Africa. In Southeast Asia, a hot spot for SARS and potentially bird
flu, Google.org <http://google.org/> is working with partners to strengthen
early warning systems and build local capacities to prevent the next
pandemic. Initial grants include:

$5 million to InSTEDD (Innovative Support to Emergencies, Diseases and
Disasters) to improve early detection, preparedness, and response
capabilities for global health threats and humanitarian crises. InSTEDD will
work with the community of relief and response organizations, governments,
academia and top scientists around the world to address gaps in information
flow with software and other technology-based tools and services. Acting as
an innovation laboratory, InSTEDD aims to support the humanitarian community
in preparing for and responding to global public health emergencies, working
together towards a safer world. For more information, see
http://instedd.org/.

$2.5 million to the Global Health and Security Initiative (GHSI),
established by the Nuclear Threat Initiative to prevent, detect, and respond
to biological threats. Google.org <http://google.org/>'s support will help
GHSI to strengthen national and sub-regional disease surveillance systems
through workforce training and better laboratory capacity in the Mekong
Basin area (Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Yunnan
province, China). For more information, see http://www.ghsi.org/.

More than $600,000 to Clark University, with equal funding from the Gordon
and Betty Moore Foundation, for Clark Labs to develop a system to improve
monitoring, analysis and prediction of the impacts of climate variability
and change on ecosystems, food and health in Africa and the Amazon. This
system is a prototype platform to deploy global environmental, health, and
development data, information and analysis tools that the global community
can freely access over the Internet. For more information, see
http://www.clarklabs.org/.

*Inform and Empower to Improve Public Services*

Google.org <http://google.org/> works with partners to improve the flow of
vital information to improve basic services for the poor in India and East
Africa. In many countries in the developing world, essential public services
are failing, especially for the poorest members of society.
Google.org<http://google.org/>supports efforts to provide information
to empower citizens and communities,
providers, and policy makers to improve the delivery of essential public
services such as education, health, water and sanitation. Initial grants
include:

$2 million to Pratham, a non-governmental organization in India, to create
an independent institute that will conduct the Nationwide Annual Status of
Education Report (ASER) as well as large scale assessments in the education
sector. Our goal is to expand these types of assessments to other sectors.
For more information, see http://www.pratham.org/.

$765,000 to the Centre for Budget and Policy Studies, a Bangalore-based
analysis group, to create a Budget Information Service for local governments
to facilitate better district- and municipal-level level planning in India.
For more information, see http://www.cbpsindia.org/.

$660,000 to the Center for Policy Research, an action oriented think tank
based in India, to increase the debate and discourse on issues of urban
local governance and urban service delivery. With the rapid expansion of
cities in India, our goal is to provide policy makers the necessary
information to make more informed decisions.  For more information, see
http://www.cprindia.org/.

*Fuel the Growth of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises  *

Google.org <http://google.org/> supports efforts to lower transaction costs
to invest in SMEs, create opportunities to access larger financial markets
and make investments in this sector. SMEs are critical for inclusive
economic growth and job creation in the developing world, but lack the
capital and tools necessary to succeed. Many micro-enterprises and most
large businesses have access to capital through microfinance institutions,
banks and capital markets, but SMEs remain extraordinarily underserved,
creating a "missing middle." Google.org <http://google.org/> wants to help
increase the flow of capital to "the missing middle" by tackling some of the
root causes that prevent these firms from becoming profitable investment
opportunities. Technoserve is an initial partner:

$4.7 million grant to TechnoServe to provide general support to expand
Technoserve's efforts to support enterprises, spur job creation, and
strengthen poverty alleviation programs globally, and to develop and
implement a business plan competition to support entrepreneurs in Ghana and
Tanzania. For more information see, http://www.technoserve.org/.

These three new efforts join two climate change related initiatives
announced earlier this year:

*Develop Renewable Energy Cheaper Than Coal (RE<C) *

This cross-Google collaboration has set a goal of producing one gigawatt of
renewable energy capacity that is cheaper than coal, within years not
decades. The initiative, known as RE<C, was launched in November 2007 and
will focus initially on advanced solar thermal power, wind power
technologies, enhanced geothermal systems and other potential breakthrough
technologies. For more information on Google's commitment to a clean energy
future, see http://www.google.com/renewable-energy. As part of the RE<C
initiative, Google.org <http://google.org/> is supporting strategic
investments, including:

$10 million to eSolar, a Pasadena, CA-based company specializing in solar
thermal power which replaces the fuel in a traditional power plant with heat
produced from solar energy. eSolar's technology has great potential to
produce utility-scale power cheaper than coal. Google announced its
intention to work closely with eSolar in November, and has now closed the
investment deal. For more information, please visit
http://www.google.com/corporate/green/energy/esolar.pdf.

*Accelerate the Commercialization of Plug-In Vehicles (RechargeIT) *

RechargeIT is a Google.org <http://google.org/> initiative that aims to
reduce CO2 emissions, cut oil use and stabilize the electrical grid by
accelerating the adoption of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and
vehicle-to-grid technology. Google.org <http://google.org/> launched a $10
million request for investment proposals this Fall, and will invest amounts
ranging from $500,000 to $2 million in selected for-profit companies whose
innovative approach, team and technologies will enable widespread
commercialization of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, electric vehicles
and/or vehicle-to-grid solutions.

Unlike conventional philanthropies, Google.org <http://google.org/> is a
hybrid organization, giving it the flexibility either to make direct grants
or invest in for-profit companies that might yield returns.
Google.org<http://google.org/>can also lobby public officials in favor
of policies supporting its goals.


*Additional Google Giving*
Beyond the grants and investments announced today under
Google.org<http://google.org/>'s
core initiatives, Google will continue its philanthropic work through
programs to leverage Google products for non-profits, including: Google
Grants™, which donates free ads to non-profits; Google Apps™, which provides
free, web-based services to non-profits; and contributions from departments
including Google Earth™, which offers mapping to monitor events such as the
crisis in Darfur.

*About Google.org <http://google.org/>*
Google.org <http://google.org/>, the philanthropic arm of Google, uses the
power of information and technology to help people improve their lives. We
develop and invest in tools and partnerships that can help bring shared
knowledge to bear on the world's most pressing challenges in the areas of
climate change, economic development and global health. For more
information, visit http://www.google.org.

*About Google Inc. *
Google's innovative search technologies connect millions of people around
the world with information every day. Founded in 1998 by Stanford Ph.D.
students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google today is a top web property in
all major global markets. Google's targeted advertising program provides
businesses of all sizes with measurable results, while enhancing the overall
web experience for users. Google is headquartered in Silicon Valley with
offices throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. For more information,
please visit http://www.google.com.

*Conference Call Information   *

Google.org <http://google.org/>'s call begins today at 9:00 AM (PT) / 12:00
PM (ET).  To participate, call 877-604-9673 in the United States or
719-325-4905 for calls from outside the United States, and use the
confirmation code 4699562. A replay of the call will be available beginning
at 3:00 PM (ET) today through midnight Thursday, January 24th, 2008 by
calling 888-203-1112 in the United States or 719-457-0820 for calls from
outside the United States. The required confirmation code for the replay is
4699562.

*Media Contact:*
Jacquelline Fuller
Google
press at google.com<https://mail.google.com/mail?view=cm&tf=0&to=press@google.com>
+1.650.930.3555 ./.





-- 
Tran Dinh Hoanh, Esq., LLB, JD
Washington DC
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