The Global Cleantech Summit 2015 with 800 participants start today in Helsinki
The Global Cleantech Summit 2015 will be started in Helsinki at Kalastajatorppa with an invitational strategy day. Dr. Olli Rehn, Minister of Economic Affairs of Finland, will open the summit. About 250 influencers, corporate directors, and researchers from 25 different countries are expected to join the conference today.
The keynote speakers of the day are Professor Anil K. Gupta of the University of Maryland, Hashim Yamani, CEO of K.A.Care (King Abdullah City of Atomic and Renewable Energy) in Saudi-Arabia and Achim Steiner, Executive Director of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP).
In the Ministerial Talks session the keynote is given by the Vice President Masoumeh Ebtekar of Iran, on how Iran is responding to the climate challenge. Finland's Minister of Agriculture and the Environment Kimmo Tiilikainen, and Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Lenita Toivakka will take part in the panel discussions.
– We already have a toolbox of technological solutions and financial instruments available and a far-reaching commitment to battle the climate change and other environmental problems that are threatening sustainable development. The time of talking needs to come to an end; what we need now is action on global, national and local levels, says Minister of Economic Affairs Olli Rehn.
– While some still argue that making the necessary changes would be costly a process, doing nothing would be not only irresponsible but also even more costly and would shake the very foundations of our way of living, prosperity and wellbeing – even global stability and security. The good news, however, is that clean technologies and right policies can provide hope and solutions, says minister Rehn.
– Let me be very clear here: business as usual is not an option. The very basic human driver throughout ages has been the wish to give our children a better life. However, global environmental challenges have questioned this wish. But I am convinced that we can overcome these challenges. Because, while resources on this limited planet are scarce, human ingenuity is not.
– As the Minister of the Economy, I am honoured to meet on a regular basis women and men who are creating innovative solutions to our problems. But the challenge we face is so great, the transformation required so rapid, that they cannot do it alone And thus it is our duty as policymakers to step in and make the change happen, sums minister Rehn.
– Here, the rules matter. If the rules of the game are not fair, even the best teams cannot win. Unfortunately the rules of the cleantech game are not yet fair. The International Monetary fund recently estimated that we are spending more than five trillion US dollars every year subsidising energy, most of it going to carbon-producing fossil fuels that cause emissions. A key opportunity for creating fair rules is the UN climate conference in Paris later this year. All countries need to contribute, each according to their responsibility and capability. To be successful in Paris, we need to change our mindsets, says Rehn.
The Summit is organised by the Cleantech Strategic Programme of the Finnish government, in collaboration with front-line players in the Finnish cleantech. Over 800 participants are expected to join the conference 8.–10.9. 2015. It is targeted for corporate executives, political decision-makers, investors, researchers, the media, and other stakeholders. The Summit will offer new viewpoints, contacts, and a possibility for a dialogue on global solutions and technological success stories, which are the keys for the sustainable growth.
The public conference on 9-10 September will feature presentations by the internationally recognised cleantech specialists. 9 September will focus on cleantech business. The global industrial revolution and division of industrial work, key enabling technologies, smart mobility of the future and cleantech success stories will be discussed.
On 10 September, the focus will be on cleantech innovation in the minerals production, discussing the ideas of the future mines, integrated material chains and industrial symbiosis, as well as the role of metals in the circular economy. The agenda also includes special questions related to the production of minerals in the Arctic and Barents regions.
Alternatively, the conference guests will have an opportunity on 10 September to take part in Smart Visits to see examples on how clean technologies are applied in Finnish companies. The visits have sparked much of interest.