UNEP Delivers Clarion Call for Action to World Business & Civil Society Leaders

As a number of countries have taken backward steps from the Climate Change agenda as COP19 unfolded this week, the world sits poised wondering whether world leaders are backing down and abandoning their green goals.

According to Achim Steiner; “Climate Action has to be centered on promoting effective partnerships between the public and private sector by helping to create dialogue and knowledge transfer between corporates, international governments and NGOs, with the acceleration of the inclusive green economy the ultimate aim.”

The Age of Transparency has now been side-lined by the Age of Action and the Age of Reason. Whilst governments debate policy, businesses and civil society realise it not business as usual. A range of sectors therefore converged at the Sustainable Innovation Forum to explore how business and civil society can join forces and inspire change.

The Forum is recognised as a pivotal annual business event mobilising and connecting high-level influencers to catalyze innovation, facilitate public private partnerships and to create positive actions to address climate change. The focus was on scaling up renewable energy and energy efficiency strategies which attracted more than 500 delegates in support of the move towards a greener economy.

Previously hosted in Cancun (2010), Durban (2011) and Doha (2012), this year saw it hosted at the Intercontinental Hotel, Warsaw, Poland, alongside COP19.

Other keynote speakers include leading global economist, Lord Nicholas Stern and His Excellency Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, Minister of the Environment, Peru & COP20 President.

About Climate Action

Established in 2007 and headquartered in London, UK, Climate Action has, for the last six years, worked in a unique, contractual partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) – the world’s foremost body on environmental protection and stewardship.

Climate Action establishes and builds partnerships between business, government and public bodies to accelerate international sustainable development and advance the ‘green economy’. It does this by providing a global media and events platform across which stakeholders can share knowledge, technologies and expertise, and identify innovative solutions to the challenges faced by climate change and a growing population.

The forum is privileged to be supported by some of the most innovative and influential members of the global business, technology, finance and energy communities including the European Investment Bank, World Energy Council, Verne Global, Carbon Disclosure Project, World Green Building Council, Avaya, New Holland Agriculture, the International Finance Corporation, Siemens, International Emissions Trading Association and the European Climate Foundation.

Forum speakers included Mark Radka, Chief, Energy Branch, UNEP; Jochen Flasbarth, President, German Federal Environment Agency; Paul Simpson, Chief Executive, Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP); Dirk Forrister, President and Chief Executive, International Emissions Trading Association (IETA); Professor Karl Rose, Senior Director Policies & Scenarios, World Energy Council; Farooq Ullah, Executive Director, Stakeholder Forum; Paul Wheelhouse, Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Scotland; Stephanie Miller, Director, International Finance Corporation; Bård Vegar Solhjell, Minister of Environment, Norway; Gino Van Begin, Secretary General, Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI); and Ville Niinistö, Minister of Environment, Finland.