More than 200 of Ireland’s business leaders and policy makers will gather tomorrow morning at the Four Seasons Hotel in Dublin for the 2nd annual Business & Leadership briefing on The Green Economy, where international speakers will look at the opportunities and risks posed by climate change.
With speakers travelling from Spain, the Netherlands and Germany, the organisers were relieved to see the Icelandic ash cloud dissipate. Seville-based Tom Raftery of GreenMonk travels to Dublin to address the credentials of green cloud computing at the event, while German Willfried Wienholt of Siemens will examine the technologies available to build the sustainable cities we need for a low-carbon economy.
Dick Budden of the Carbon Disclosure Project will look at how capitalism is adapting to the new environmental realities, while the Keynote will be delivered by Yvo de Boer, former UN climate change chief, the man who steered 193 countries through the climate change negotiations in Copenhagen to achieve the Copenhagen Accord in 2009.
“All but the most sceptical realise we have to face up to the challenges of climate change, but this reality presents opportunities, too, on Ireland’s road to recovery, prosperity and jobs,” said Ann O’Dea, editor-in-chief at Business & Leadership.
“Just last Wednesday, the OECD launched its Green Growth Strategy, urging governments to look to the green economy to seize opportunities and new sources of growth and jobs. It is important that Ireland not take its eye off the ball in this vital area.
“In the natural resource sectors alone, the OECD estimates that commercial opportunities related to investments in environmental sustainability could run into trillions of dollars by 2050. The opportunities for Ireland to be a serious player in this sector are clear.”
Limited places still remain for The Green Economy, and bookings will still be taken today online.
