B4E Business for the Environment

The B4E Business for the Environment Summit (commonly abbreviated as B4E or B4E Summit) is an international platform for dialogue and partnership for the environment.

The acceleration and delivery of such transformative solutions will require a higher level of collaboration between business, government and NGOs than ever seen before. B4E aims to facilitate such collaboration through networking, informed discussion and the creation of innovative partnerships for change.

Issues addressed at the summits include energy, natural resource security, climate change, water management and biodiversity conservation, among others.

Past speakers at previous Summits include international luminaries like Ban Ki-moon, Al Gore, Helen Clark and Goran Persson, the current Presidents of South Korea, Indonesia and Guyana, business leaders such as Nam Yong, Ben Verwaayen, Jochen Zeitz, Sir Richard Branson, Barbara Kux and renowned experts like David Suzuki, Janine Benyus and Amory Lovins representing civil society. The Summits also involve international NGOs and agencies like WWF, Greenpeace, the Rocky Mountain Institute, the World Food Programme and UNDP in its inclusive dialogues.

Official outcome declarations from the Summit discussions reflect commitments from stakeholders on the need to embrace innovative solutions for environmental issues and are used to provide input to the UN Climate Change Conferences and Rio+.

History

Past B4E Summits were convened for the last five years in Singapore, Paris, Copenhagen during the COP 15, Seoul, Mexico City, Cancún during the COP 16 and Jakarta in partnership with the United Nations, WWF, Global Initiatives and host Governments where the summits took place.

B4E Global Summit 2007 & 2008 Singapore

The first and second B4E Summits were held in Singapore. The guest of honour at the event was Singapore’s then-Minister for National Development, Mah Bow Tan, and distinguished speakers included Achim Steiner, Georg Kell, David Suzuki, H.E. Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, Adam Werbach and Zhang Yue.^[1]

B4E Global Summit 2009 Paris

Titled “The Green Imperative: Leadership, Innovation and Technology”, B4E Global Summit 2009 took place in Paris, France. Notable speakers at the 2009 summit included Joseph Alcamo,^[2] Pavan Sukdev and H.R.H Prince El Hassan bin Talal, as well as repeated appearances by Achim Steiner and Georg Kell.

B4E Global Summit 2010 Seoul

The B4E Global Summit returned to the Asian continent in 2010, and was held in Seoul, Republic of Korea. With addresses and presentations from Lee Myung-bak, Al Gore, Ban Ki-moon, James Leape and numerous other dignitaries, international attention from the media, policy makers and industry was drawn to the event.^[3][4]

B4E Climate Summit 2010 Cancún

The Climate Summit at Cancún saw a greater and growing partnership between the Summit and international organisations such as WWF and various UN agencies.^[5] The outcome statements were favourably viewed upon by industry and non-governmental observers as a feasible avenue for business, government and civil society to gather and discuss business-led targets and solutions for climate change.^[6][7]

B4E Global Summit 2011 Jakarta

Recently concluded in Jakarta, Indonesia, the Global Summit in 2011 took ownership of its location in Jakarta to shift focus to forestry and agriculture, in conjunction with the UN International Year of Forests. A steering committee of business, governmental and civil representatives was formed and gathered first in January to engineer focused discussion panels for the actual Summit in April. The Jakarta Summit included notable speakers such as Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono,^[8] Helen Clark^[9] and Andrew Steer.

The summit once again featured a recurring Youth Dialogue component to encourage students to engage in local environmental projects, with a separate workshop conducted by National Geographic wildlife presenter Hayden Turner.^[10]

References

1. "B4E: Caring for the Environment Can be Good for Business". Knowledge@SMU. Knowledge@SMU. Retrieved 20 July 2011.
2. "Green Business: A Key to Protecting Climate" (PDF). UNEP. UNEP. Retrieved 22 June 2011.
3. Kwon, Mee-yoo (15 April 2010). "Business Leaders to Gather in Seoul for B4E Summit". The Korea Times. Archived from the original on 4 October 2012. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
4. Tobias, Chris. "B4E Summit: Energy critical to get right". Eco-Business.com. Archived from the original on 19 April 2011. Retrieved 22 June 2010.
5. "B4E Climate Summit 2010 Statement (UN Global Compact)" (PDF). UN Global Compact. UN Global Compact. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
6. Malkin, Elizabeth (6 October 2010). "Businesses Seek Clarity on Climate Goals". NYTimes.com. Archived from the original on 13 July 2011. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
7. "B4E Panel Discusses Solutions for a Low Carbon Future". Environmental Leader. Retrieved 22 June 2011.
8. Satriastanti, Fidelis E. (29 April 2011). "B4E Summit: Adviser Explains What SBY Meant by 'Balls'". Jakarta Globe. Archived from the original on 26 September 2012. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
9. "UNDP Administrator Addresses B4E Summit". Climate Change Policy & Practice. Retrieved 22 June 2011.
10. Christie, Shirley (30 April 2011). "Students Get Primer on Conservation". Jakarta Globe. Archived from the original on 27 September 2012. Retrieved 21 July 2011.