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UAE Ministry of Environment And Water, UNU, AMG and LG Electronics Sign Environmental Guideline
Published Oct 5, 2009
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An environmental guideline on business sustainability titled 'Greenomics Conference 2009 Protocol' was signed by the UAE Ministry of Environment and Water (MoEW), the United Nations University International Network on Water, Environment and Health (UNU - INWEH), the Arab Media Group (AMG) and global digital leader LG Electronics at the end of a one day conference dedicated to environmentally responsible initiatives.
Under the patronage of His Excellency Dr. Rashid Ahmad Bin Fahad, UAE Minister of Environment and Water, in collaboration with UNU - INWEH and LG Electronics, the 'LG Greenomics Conference 2009' was held to review global and regional environmental trends and discus how they can be applied to local sustainable business and economic models.
"Sustainability as a business theme has grown exponentially in recent years as companies realise that customers are voting with their wallets for brands to pay greater attention to their environmental impact," said Mr Ki Wan Kim, CEO of LG Electronics Middle East and Africa Company "This is no longer a 'fringe' addition to a company's CSR programme. It is no longer 'trendy' to be green. Companies have realised that there are significant benefits available to their bottom line when they invest in reducing their impact on the environment. They are realising they have a duty to ensure they make a positive contribution to earth's 'environmental balance sheet' before it is too late".
The high profile summit, which sought to find possible solutions to some of the many challenges facing all industries in creating sustainable business models and determine how to implement these solutions, was held at the Cultural & Scientific Association, Dubai and brought together government agencies, international and regional private sector companies, environment experts and members of the media from across the region.
His Excellency Dr. Rashed Ahmad Bin Fahad, UAE Minister of Environment and Water commented: "One might surmise that with its oil reserves, the UAE is less inclined to consider what it needs to do to reduce its reliance on carbon based fuels and seek alternative, sustainable energy sources.It is precisely because of these reserves that the UAE is able to invest time and resources into seeking more sustainable practices. The government has a duty of care for the nation; we must ensure we preserve our way of life in a sustainable manner; we must ensure future generations are able to live and thrive in the environment we leave for them. We stand at an environmental crossroads; we are in danger of taking a path of climate mismanagement that will have an impact on generations to come".
Keynote speaker Mr Zafar Adeel, Director at UNU-INWEH added:"Today's business world is getting increasingly dominated by impacts caused by environmental processes both positive and negative. On the one side, the global dialogue on climate change and how to introduce "green" economic measures has dominated the international agenda. On the other side, ecosystem degradation, over exploitation of natural resources and extreme climatic events are causing adverse impacts on national economies the food crisis of 2008 is a case in point. The international development and business communities need to come together to discuss innovative solutions that increase the robustness of economies and minimize adverse impacts on communities".
The protocol that pledges to nurture and develop a sustainable economy for the UAE was signed towards the end of the programme by Dr. Rashid Ahmad Bin Fahad, UAE Minister of Environment and Water, Mr Zafar Adeel of UNU - INWEH, Mr Abdullatif Alsayegh, CEO of Arab Media Group and Mr. K. W. Kim, CEO of LG Electronics Middle East and Africa Regional Company.
The event was inaugurated by Dr. Rashid Ahmad Bin Fahad, UAE Minister of Environment and Water who delivered the opening keynote address, followed by speeches delivered by UNU-INWEH Director Mr Zafar Adeel, Masdar's Dr Nawal Al-Hosany, and LG's head of R&D Mr IK Yoo and solar energy business head Mr K.S Cho.
The conference also included panels that led discussions on clean and efficient eco technologies and renewable energy, focusing on how these initiatives can shape environmentally conscious business models.
Also shown were successful global and local case studies in environment management undertaken by international and global companies.
Speakers at the event represented diverse organisations and private sector entities including Gulf Tech, UNEP Economic & Trade Branch, IUCN, Emirates Airline, Microsoft and Proctor & Gamble.
Posted by
VMD - [Virtual Marketing Department]
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