From the August, 2017 Water Center Newsletter
“We value collaborations that develop sustainable policies and programs for protecting and restoring the Great Lakes. Engaging stakeholders with different perspectives and informing the process with sound science developed by technical experts from academia and elsewhere, results in policy that balances environment, economy, and society.”
Mission and Program Areas
The Council works to ensure that industry is a substantive partner in the public policy development process in the Great Lakes region. It focuses on a variety of issues that impact industries, such as the development and implementation of binational governance mechanisms, sustainability, the use and management of water resources, chemical management, water infrastructure, and climate adaptation and resilience. The Council leads outcome-based projects and studies that are designed to develop industry-focused responses to Great Lakes issues or to highlight important aspects of Great Lakes public policy.
Examples of Recent Research Partnerships
- Co-managing a project with the Great Lakes Commissionto evaluate the economic impact of U.S. federal investments under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Project partners: U-M Water Center, the U-M Research Seminar on Quantitative Economics, the Institute for Great Lakes Research at Central Michigan University, the Great Lakes Metro Chambers Coalition, the National Wildlife Federation, and the Alliance for the Great Lakes. Preliminary results are expected October 2017. The project will be completed by May 2018.
- Work with the Brookings Institution, the National Wildlife Federation, and the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition to produce America’s North Coast: A Benefit-Cost Analysis of a Program to Protect and Restore the Great Lakes (September 2007) and Healthy Waters, Strong Economy: The Benefits of Restoring the Great Lakes Ecosystem (September 2007).
- Led a project identifying a water use and management tool for Great Lakes industry to incorporate the unique characteristics of the Great Lakes region. The project team included researchers and water stewardship experts from Limnotech, the National Council on Air and Stream Improvement, and Nicholas H2O. Three project reports were completed in August 2010, May 2012, and February 2015.
Areas for Research Collaboration
CGLI’s current research interests include the following:
- Quantifying the impact of water and natural resources on the regional economy
- Defining the business case for industrial water stewardship in the Great Lakes region
- Developing a framework or protocol that Great Lakes industry can use to incorporate regional climate/extreme weather information into emergency response and business continuity plans.
About the Council
The Council of Great Lakes Industries promotes the economic growth and vitality of the region in harmony with its human and natural resources (sustainable development). The Council is a not-for-profit organization representing the common interests of U.S. and Canadian industries in the manufacturing, utilities, transportation, communications, financial services and trade sectors that have significant assets in the Great Lakes basin.
Contact:
Kathryn A. Buckner,
President
[email protected]or
734-663-1944 Council of Great Lakes Industries
Note: If you would like us to highlight your partnership efforts with U-M water researchers, please contact us.