[hepr-vn] Davos to fuel climate and energy debate – IUCN

[Vern Weitzel]

IUCN For immediate release

Davos to fuel climate and energy debate – IUCN

Background:

The World Economic Forum (WEF)’s Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, (January 
23 – 27) provides
an unrivalled platform for leaders to shape the global agenda at the start of 
each year. At its core this is
the world’s largest gathering of business leaders, along with government, media 
and civil society.
Following the UN’s Bali Summit in December, global warming and the search for 
alternatives to fossil
fuels will be at the top of the Davos agenda. IUCN’s Director General, Julia 
Marton-Lefèvre, will be taking
part in the Annual Meeting’s Energy Summit and is available for interview and 
comment in Davos.

Key Issues:

• Business cannot avoid the costs of climate change. It has a huge role to play 
in creating a
climate-safer future. “Set against a backdrop of melting Alpine glaciers the 
message to the world’s
business community is clear,” says IUCN’s Director General, Julia 
Marton-Lefèvre. “Climate
change is the number one priority here in Davos and energy is obviously a key 
part of the puzzle we
need to resolve.”
• Biofuels can only be expected to make only a relatively modest contribution to 
the energy
needs of modern society. “Biofuels are not a catchall bandage that will stem 
global warming all on
their own,” says IUCN’s Director General, Julia Marton-Lefèvre. “Conservation, 
fuel efficiency, new
technologies, must be part of a serious and concerted effort by governments, 
academia, and the
private sector to devise a post-petroleum future that’ll enable human 
civilisation to continue
prospering.”
• Business cannot wait for governments to lead; action on emissions reductions 
are needed
now. “Some companies have said they’re waiting for government leadership; others 
recognize the
commercial benefits of being innovators and leaders,” says IUCN’s Director 
General, Julia Marton-
Lefèvre. “Business needs to understand how dramatically different operations 
need to be in order to
save the climate.”

Media Events/Activities:

• Energy Summit - Beyond Kyoto: Is Collaboration possible? IUCN’s Director 
General, Julia Marton-
Lefèvre -Hotel Seehof, Seehorn – 20h00-22h00, Wednesday, 23 January.
• Energy Summit - Managing our Future Water Needs: Water for Health, Industry, 
Agriculture and the
Environment - Hotel Seehof, Palais Mitte – 08h00-10h15, Thursday, 24 January.
• Energy Summit - Sustainable Biofuels - Need for Cross-Industry Action? IUCN’s 
Director General,
Julia Marton-Lefévre -Congress Centre, Parsenn Work Space – 15h00-17h30, Friday, 
25 January.

Materials for the Media:

All related press materials and audio for download at: 
http://www.iucn.org/en/news/media.htm

Spokesperson:  Julia Marton-Lefèvre, IUCN’s Director General, email jml at iucn.org

Media team:

Sarah Halls, IUCN Global Communications, m +41229990127, e sarah.halls at iucn.org.
Brian Thomson, IUCN Global Communications, m +417972182326, e 
brian.thomson at iucn.org.