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In a joint op-ed with former Colombian President César Gaviria, Bloomberg Philanthropies CEO Patti Harris called on government leaders around the world to urgently accelerate meaningful protections for the ocean, which "provides half the planet's oxygen, helps to feed half the world's people, and, as the world's largest carbon sink, is one of our best defenses against climate change." It is critical, they write, that countries close the gap between the number of "official marine protected areas" and waters that actually have a "level of protection necessary to conserve marine life."

Carbon Mapper's Tanager-1 satellite was launched in August, with support from Bloomberg Philanthropies, to detect major carbon and methane leaks and share the data in real time. The innovative approach has already had an impact. Last month the satellite spotted a leak in the Texas Permian Basin emitting approximately 7,000 kilograms of methane every 60 minutes. That's the equivalent, each hour, of carbon emissions generated by 47 gas-powered cars in a year. After alerting the relevant authorities and sharing their data, action was taken to cap the leak, marking a win for the climate and clean air.

Before and after images of the capped leak. Credit: Carbon Mapper

For 16 days in February of 2005, New York City's Central Park hosted The Gates by Christo and Jeanne-Claude. It was a collection of 7,503 saffron-colored gates adorned with free-flowing fabric that spanned 23 miles of pathways. The iconic installation drew more than four million visitors and is credited with sparking a tradition of public art in New York City that continues today. In February 2025, Bloomberg Philanthropies is marking the 20th anniversary of The Gates by partnering with the Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation, the Shed, the Central Park Conservancy, and NYC Parks on a comprehensive, multi-platform commemoration. Attractions will include an exhibition of the artists' drawings, scale models, and unrealized projects at the Shed in New York City starting February 12, 2025, as well as an augmented reality experience which will allow Central Park visitors to see The Gates using the free Bloomberg Connects app. Download the app today, which offers content and guides from more than 600 arts and cultural institutions around the world, in addition to the upcoming Gates features. You can read more about the 20th anniversary celebration of The Gates in The New York Times.

The Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayors Challenge supports mayors implementing innovative solutions that tackle big issues in their cities. Over the years, those ideas have had a real impact on residents' lives and communities. As we continue to receive submissions for our new Mayors Challenge — our biggest competition to date, which calls on city halls, residents, and local entrepreneurs to reimagine an essential municipal service — we wanted to share how three winning ideas from our 2021 Mayors Challenge have made a difference around the world.

In Rourkela, India, a Mayors Challenge winning idea providing solar-powered cold storage to local farmers has reduced food waste by 75% and allowed farmers to grow more produce that sells at a higher price.

A Mayors Challenge winning idea from Bogotá, Colombia offers direct-to-resident services for women who are homebound due to the needs of those they care for. The program provides "a new kind of support and confidence to caregivers, most of them women," wrote The Guardian.

In Jalisco, Mexico, another Mayors Challenge winning idea for an open-source online platform to improve business permitting and construction licensing has reduced processing times by 84% and cut bribery attempts by 74%. It's now being adopted in more than 100 cities — and as one of the first 11 solutions added to the Bloomberg Cities Idea Exchange, even more local leaders around the world can find ways to implement it in their own cities. Ryan Pierce from our Government Innovation team visited Jalisco to see firsthand the impact of this innovative solution.

On December 3rd, the seventh Bloomberg American Health Summit in Washington D.C. will bring public health leaders, government officials, community organizations, researchers, and students together for conversations on a critical challenge: "Advancing Public Health in Uncertain Political Times." Speakers and panels will cover a range of issues, including bipartisan support for public health, protecting reproductive health, defending science, and more. Learn more about speakers, topics, and how you can tune in to the Summit on December 3rd.

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