Green Business Symposium

A symposium titled, “Greening the Pathway to Recovery,” will highlight the key issues of sustainability in the legal and business sectors. It will occur on March 31 and April 1, 2011, at the University of Oregon’s White Stag Building in Portland, Oregon.

This event is produced by the Green Business Initiative Student Association, a joint venture of students from the University of Oregon School of Law and the Lundquist College of Business.

The symposium, presented in partnership with Pacific Continental Bank, brings together regional and national business leaders, policymakers, academics, and legal practitioners to engage in discussions on what is necessary to realize the goal of achieving sustainability in this recovering economy. The two-day event will explore the policies and practices necessary to unlock the full potential that green business represents.

The first day of the event will feature a guest speaker between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m., which will be followed by a reception. On the second day a keynote presentation and four open-dialogue panels, will begin at 8:30 a.m. and continue until 4 p.m. followed by a reception for symposium participants.

This year’s keynote speaker is Ralph Cavanagh, co-director of the Natural Resource Defense Council’s energy program and a board member of the Northwest Energy Coalition, the Bonneville Environmental Foundation, and the Renewable Northwest Project.

For more information about the 2011 symposium click here or contact Kimberly Pray Assistant Director, Green Business Initiative, University of Oregon School of Law, 503-412-3725 or prayk@uoregon.edu.

Dream Green Job Workshop

On Friday, January 21, 2011 in Raleigh, North Carolina, Net Impact Jenkins hosted a free three hour workshop on green jobs. Net Impact Jenkins is the North Carolina State University graduate student chapter of Net Impact, an international nonprofit organization with a mission to inspire, educate, and equip individuals to use the power of business to create a more socially and environmentally sustainable world. Spanning six continents, thier membership makes up one of the most influential networks of students, and professionals in existence today.

Net Impact members are the current and emerging leaders in CSR, social entrepreneurship, nonprofit management, international development, and environmental sustainability who are actively improving the world

The Dream Green Job Workshop event helped students explore career opportunities in the growing sustainability market segment. The workshop explored the following topics:

Career options in the green market
How to get plugged into the green network
Training programs
Certifications
Financial resources/grants

Through events like the Green Dream Job Workshop, Net Impact is preparing the business leaders of tomorrow for a more sustainable world.


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Surge in Growth Predicted for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy in 2011

The future of renewable energy looks very bright. Although energy efficiency will be the main sector in the coming years, wind energy and solar power will see meteoric growth.

The global clean energy market will continue to grow in 2011. According to forecasts by Kachan & Co., a US consulting firm that specializes in green technologies, renewable sources of energy will contribute to the ongoing recovery in 2011 and the ongoing recovery will contribute to the growth of renewables.

Energy efficiency, including smart grid technologies, will lead clean technologies in 2011. Energy efficiency investments in the US and Europe, as well as in some large emerging countries will drive this growth in 2011. Even Russia has recently launched an ambitious energy efficiency plan.

Growth forecasts of renewable energy production in 2011 are attributable to several factors. While concerns about the environment and the effects of climate change are driving the growth of renewables, they are secondary concerns. The primary factor driving the growth of renewables in 2011 is the ongoing recovery of the global economy. The recovery increases demand for oil and this increases the price of a barrel of crude, which in turn will make renewables more cost competitive.

China became the leader in renewable energy in 2010 and will widen the gap with other major countries in 2011. The Chinese market for clean technologies may be the largest and fastest growing in the world, however, there are also significant opportunities for companies in the West.


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The G20 and the Green Economy

The green economy can provide a very real return for people and economies and the G20 can play a pivotal role in sustainable development.

The Executive Director of UNEP, Achim Steiner, said that green spending offers "a very real return for people and economies, north and south...The G20 particularly has huge potential in energy, mobility, buildings, agriculture, forestry, [and] water."

Last year, ahead of the April, 2009 G20 summit, over 50 of the world's largest businesses joined forces to call for sustainable stimulus packages. An open letter to the British Prime Minister asked for a coordinated global recovery package with private sector incentives to stimulate the low carbon economy.

This year, it is becoming increasingly clear that we are in recovery and green projects have helped to stimulate the sagging world economy. Although $500 billion has been earmarked for green initiatives, UNEP has a $750 billion dollar goal. It is worth noting that developed nations are responsible for the majority of the 250 billion dollar shortfall. In contrast, China is responsible for almost 40 percent of funds earmarked green

Unlike many in the developed world, China is investing massively in cleantech and this has effectively positioned it as a world leader in renewable energy. This sector now employs 1.5 million people with 300,000 new workers added in 2009 alone. India has been successful in its efforts to improve water security.

China and India may have received considerable attention for their growing emissions, however they are also showing leadership. It is the developed world that is falling behind and must step up its efforts.

"The green economy is not a luxury, but a 21st century imperative on a planet of six billion, rising to 9 billion in just 40 years," Steiner and Pavan Sukhdev, head of UNEP's Green Economy initiative, wrote in a pre-G20 comment.

There is a shift to greener economic growth, and this includes a higher value on nature, but the developed world must assume greater responsibility. Steiner has indicated that the G20 summit is an opportunity for developed nations to contribute their share to the green economy.
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UN Chief Asks G20 to Focus on a Sustainable Recovery

Leaders of the group of 20 developing countries (G20) are scheduled to meet in Toronto, Canada, June 26-27, to discuss the recovery of the world economy and the reform of the international financial system in the aftermath of the global crisis.

According to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, G20 leaders should focus on environment-friendly measures to promote global economic recovery.

In an open letter to the G20 leaders, Mr Ban said,“Based on our collective experience, the best way to enhance the framework for strong, sustainable and balanced economic growth is to put development front and centre, and to invest in a green economic recovery for all.”

“Now, more than ever, investments for the world’s poorest are necessary to recover lost ground in pursuit of development objectives, including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs),” Xinhua quoted Mr. Ban as saying.

The UN chief welcomed the G20’s intention to include development in its agenda during this week’s summit and at the Seoul Summit in November 2010. “Such an approach can help address food security and climate change, while ensuring job creation,” Mr. Ban said.

The UN is amongst a growing number of organizations that see the green economy as a means of consolidating the recovery, as Mr. Ban said, “Going forward, I encourage support for initiatives that will sustain recovery efforts while enhancing global economic stability, environmental sustainability and achievement of the MDGs.”

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