Posted on November, 06 2009

Current rates of consumption that far outstrip the Earth's carrying capacity, and a world population that is projected to increased from 6 to 9 billion people within the next few decades are just some of the challenges facing humanity today, said Jean-Paul Jeanrenaud, WWF International's Head of Business & Industry at The Green Innovations Forum taking place in Sofia.

"We are facing an unprecedented challenge, the outcome of which will determine the bottom line of business, not to mention the future of humanity", he added in his keynote speech.

"At the same time, however, these unprecedented challenges present significant opportunities for businesses, in Bulgaria as elsewhere."

Jean Paul Jeanrenaud outlined the opportunity for businesses in delivering solutions to the world's growing environmental problems. He gave a number of examples of WWF's work with a range of major companies members of the initiative Climate Savers. WWF has been working with these companies – Coca Cola, IBM, HP, Nike, Nokia, Sony, Lafarge to name but a few - to reduce their carbon footprint. "When these companies start to act, their competitors follow suit, producing major gains for the environment," Jeanrenaud added.

Other speakers at the seminar included representatives of Toyota, Aurubis, Siemens, Hilton and local communications giant Globul.

Contact:
Jean-Paul Jeanrenaud, Head, Business and Industry Relations
WWF International
Tel +41 22 364 90 11
E-mail: jpjeanrenaud@wwfint.org