Special Feature Sessions
GLOBE 2008 Opening Plenary
Wednesday, March 12, 8:30 - 10:00
A global overview of environmental issues facing society.
Dianne Dillon Ridgley, Director, Interface Inc., Atlanta, GA, USA (Moderator)
Gordon Campbell, Premier, Province of British Columbia, Victoria, BC, Canada (Welcoming Remarks)
His Royal Highness Prince Philippe of Belgium
Beth Lowery, Vice President of Environment Energy, General Motors, Detroit, MI, USA
Ministerial Dialogue on Sustainability
Wednesday, March 12, 1:30 - 3:00
Global and domestic environmental challenges are abound, ranging from the need to effectively manage both local and trans-boundary air and water quality issues, to ensuring the sustainable development of natural resources. Ministers from around the world presented how they are addressing these and other important issues.
Miro Cernetig, Columnist, The Vancouver Sun, Vancouver, BC, Canada (Moderator)
Colin Hansen, Minister of Economic Development, Province of British Columbia, Victoria, BC, Canada
Mitja Bricelj, State Secretary, Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning, Government of the Republic of Slovenia, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Jim Rondeau, Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mines, and Minister of Competitiveness, Training and Trade, Province of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Gianluca Salvatori, Minister of Science and Technology, Province of Trento, Italy
John Gerretsen, Minister of the Environment, Government of Ontario, Toronto, ON, Canada
Greening the Gulf
Thursday, March 13, 10:30 - 12:00
From green cities to green investments the Middle East is becoming a hotbed for Green initiatives. Abu Dhabi has announced $15 billion in new green investments aimed at making Abu Dhabi a leader in the field of sustainability. Dubai is driving forward green building projects and wants to be the 'green business capital' of the Gulf. Saudi Arabia is also investing in green technologies and urban developments. Leaders in the region have committed themselves to developing a more sustainable future and as a senior executive from Abu Dhabi said in response to the question of why the emirate is investing such large amounts in clean technology and alternative energy 'Because we can, and because we should'.
Sponsored by: Enpark
John D. Wiebe, President & CEO, The GLOBE Foundation, Vancouver, BC, Canada (Moderator)
Yahya Bin Saeed Al-Lootah, CEO and Vice Chairman, S.S. Lootah Group, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Ronald V. Portelli, Managing Director, Alturki Environmental; Vice President, Environment Sector, Alturki Group; Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia
Ali bin Towaih, Director, Enpark, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Closing Town Hall
Carbon: Tax or Trade?
Friday, March 14, 10:30 - 12:00
Leaders and experts debated the issues related to implementing economic mechanisms to reduce carbon emissions.
David Runnalls, President, International Institute for Sustainable Development, Winnipeg, MB, Canada (Moderator)
Robert Page, TransAlta Professor of Environmental Management and Sustainability, Institute for Sustainable Energy, Environment and Economy, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Acting Chair, National Roundtable on the Environment and the Economy; Ottawa, ON, Canada
Mathieu Bouchard, Vice President, Sustainable Development and Climate Change, Rio Tinto Alcan, Montreal, QC, Canada
Mark Jaccard, Professor, School of Resource and Environmental Management, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
David Hone, Group Climate Change Adviser, Shell International B.V., The Hague, The Netherlands
Toby Heaps, President and Editor, Corporate Knights, Toronto, ON, Canada
Henry Derwent, President & CEO, International Emissions Trading Association, Geneva, Switzerland
Colin Hansen, Minister of Economic Development, Province of British Columbia, Victoria, BC, Canada (Closing Remarks)
