– call for enhanced cooperation to tackle climate change
President Bharrat Jagdeo was among politicians, scholars and industry leaders who on June 20 touted a global shift towards green growth and called for enhanced cooperation to tackle the environmental challenges facing mankind.
About 90 academics, businessmen and officials from 25 national governments and international institutions shared views at the first Global Green Growth Summit hosted by the Korean government and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Among them were OECD Secretary General Angel Gurria; the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, chief Noeleen Heyzer; Danish Climate and Energy Minister Lykke Friis; and chief of South Africa’s National Planning Commission, Minister Trevor Manuel.
The list also includes Lord Nicholas Stern, a London School of Economics professor; Japan’s Softbank Corp Chairman and Chief Executive, Masayoshi Son; and the world’s top solar panel producer, Suntech Power Holdings’ Chairman Zhengrong Shi.
The two-day event commemorates the OECD’s 50th anniversary and Korea’s 15 years of membership, plus the first anniversary of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), a think tank established by the Lee Myung-bak administration in May last year. At the forum, participants were unanimous in promoting green growth as a fresh driver for the future economy while providing poor countries with a sustainable growth engine.
“We’re looking at opportunities to drive growth,” Heyze said during a roundtable. “There are challenges for our generation, but also opportunities. Green growth is one of shifts we have to move toward.”
An active GGGI board member, Lord Stern said the high- carbon growth path is a dead-end which could result in severe consequences for all human beings.
“(Green growth) involves a new energy-industrial revolution full of creativity, innovation and growth,” he said. “We must look to rich countries to provide a stronger lead. Success will involve initiative and entrepreneurship from the local private sector to international collaboration.”
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