At Davos 2009, the Environment Remains Priority Despite the Downturn
At Davos this year, the focus remained steady (as it should have) on the global economy. However, to my delight, the attendees at the forum did not shy away from addressing the environment. In fact, members of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Climate Change attending Davos issued a report mandating a need to address global warming and the environment despite the ongoing economic crisis.
Within the report, Shaping an Opportunity out of Crisis, eight points are outlined justifying a need to maintain investments in environmental technology. The Council believes great opportunities exist for the global economy as job creation will be stimulated while the economy is transformed by environmental technology. Also, the report emphasized the need for immediate funding to enable the deployment of low-carbon technologies that are market ready via monies from economic stimulus packages.
The report is refreshing for green technology where demand has recently decreased and funding has dried up due to the credit crisis. My view—much like the authors of the report—is that waiting to invest in green technology will further increase the time to market resulting in grave environmental consequences. The time to invest in our environmental future is now—economic crisis or not.
To learn more about Davos, the World Economic Forum, and the WEF’s position of climate change, check out weforum.org.
