Annan urges business to press ahead on new ideas.
JOHANNESBURG, 2 September 2002 - Kofi Annan, United Nations Secretary-General, vented his frustration with slow government decision-making at the UN World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg by urging business to press ahead with development initiatives.
Ecology opens for business - Companies are pushing green credentials in Johannesburg. JOHANNESBURG, 31 August 2002 - Tomorrow, the business delegation spearheaded
by the Paris-based Business Action for SustainableDevelopment (BASD), a grouping
of international chambers of commerce, is hosting an exhibition. Kofi Annan,
United Nations secretary-general, and summit host President Thabo Mbeki will
join chief executives to celebrate business's contribution to development and
a clean environment.
Renewable energy must make economic sense - Moody-Stuart
JOHANNESBURG, 30 August 2002 - International business will embrace renewable energy, provided it makes economic sense, according to Mark Moody-Stuart, the chairman of Business Action for Sustainable Development (BASD).
Business
plea for greater investment in poor nations.
JOHANNESBURG, 29 August 2002 - Global business leaders yesterday launched
a programme to promote greater investment by multinationals in the world's
50 poorest countries.
Business Embraces Call for Sustainable Development.
WASHINGTON, DC, 29 August 2002 - Ten years ago at the Earth Summit in Rio,
world business leaders were mostly in attendance to say "no" to any
proposals for firm action to reduce greenhouse gasses, as well as to demands
for more investment in reducing pollution and controlling toxic wastes.
U.N. Signals New Openness to Big Business
JOHANNESBURG, 29 August 2002 - The United Nations is delivering a new message at the World Summit on Sustainable Development: It is open for business.
Blame game
THE GLOBE AND MAIL, 28 August 2002 - Usually I applaud Maude Barlow's position on her organization's various campaigns, but this time I think she only serves to entrench those corporations that are looking for an excuse not to join the good-corporate-citizen ranks. Why should they if they are just going to get their knuckles rapped anyway?
Business Scales World Summit - U.N. Signals Openness to Corporate View, Irking Activists
WALL STREET JOURNAL, 28 August 2002 - The U.N. is providing a stage for multinational corporations to deliver their pitch that private investment is helping to raise the global standard of living while protecting the environment.
Companies court partners among world's poor.
JOHANNESBURG, 28 August 2002 - By the middle of next week, the UN hopes to have in place a political declaration, a plan of action and a plethora of development partnerships between companies, governments and civil society.
U.S. opposes cuts in energy subsidies ; Developed nations urged to take lead
on summit plan.
JOHANNESBURG, 28 August 2002 - The United States last night was digging in
its heels amid demands at the World Summit on Sustainable Development for a
cut in the developed world's subsidies to companies producing fossil fuel and
nuclear energy.
Sustaining Environmentalists
JOHANNESBURG, 28 August 2002 – As Nitin Desai, the summit's Secretary-General
declared last week: "Development is now as sexy as the environment, absolutely."
Business has made
giant strides in energy efficiency
JOHANNESBURG, 28 August 2002 – Industrial, commercial and consumer equipment
today can be as much as 80% more energy efficient than equipment installed as
recently as 20 years ago.
Business Day (South Africa) - Eskom reveals its African ambitions.
JOHANNESBURG, 27 August 2002 - Eskom reveals its African ambitions Financial Services Reporter ESKOM Enterprises has revealed details of plans to extend its electricity backbone into Africa, reporting that it has set aside between R3bn and R3,5bn of an initial R6bn needed for two projects.
Business not opposed to successful WSSD.
JOHANNESBURG, 27 August 2002 - BASD refuted suggestions that corporations were opposed to a successful outcome of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD).
A positive image at Summit is important for business says world poll
PARIS, 27 August 2002 - Three out of four corporate executives polled worldwide say it is important for business to project a positive image of its concrete achievements at the Earth Summit in Johannesburg.
Summit row over big business plans - Business in summit row
THE GUARDIAN, 27 August 2002 - Accusations that big business is hijacking the earth summit and pushing its own agenda of free trade and privatisation in developing countries overshadowed the first official day of the conference yesterday.
Business not opposed to successful WSSD.
JOHANNESBURG, 27 August 2002 - BASD refuted suggestions that corporations were opposed to a successful outcome of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD).
NGOs Accuse Big Business of Trying to Hijack World Summit.
JOHANNESBURG, 26 August 2002 - The International Forum on Globalisation (IFG) yesterday accused big business and transnational corporations of attempting to hijack the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) and use the forum to drive their own agenda.
African Energy
Fund To Be Launched At Development Summit
DOW JONES, 26 August 2002 - An African Energy Fund will be launched at
the World Summit on Sustainable Development currently taking place in
Johannesburg, a business delegation at the conference said Monday.
Business leaders fly
the green flag at Earth Summit
THE TIMES, 26 August 2002 - Business leaders plan to take
the initiative at this week's Earth Summit in Johannesburg to forestall another
damaging dialogue of the deaf with campaigning environmental and anti-capitalist
groups.
Companies start
to detail what on earth is going on
FINANCIAL TIMES, 23 August 2000 - It began as a trickle
after the Rio summit. But in the past few years, a stream of companies
has started to report on environmental and social issues in an effort
to demonstrate accountability and a commitment to sustainable business.
A recent survey by KPMG found that 45 per cent of the world's largest
250 companies now produce such reports, up from 35 per cent in 1999.
Get the business side
of the story.
22 August 2002 - Companies from all over the world will be in Johannesburg for
the Earth Summit. Read the media briefing from BASD - the umbrella initiative
coordinating private sector input to the Summit.
Lord Holme responds
to Christian Aid calls for corporate accountability laws
19 August 2002 - In a televised debate with Christian Aid's Danny Graymore,
BASD chief Lord Holme argues laws to bring companies to account will only stifle
enterprise in developing countries.
Stop finger pointing and get on with problem solving, BASD chief says
16 August 2002 - In an interview with BBC's Radio Four, BASD vice chair Lord Holme has said that for the Johannesburg Earth Summit to realise many of its objectives, it must accept that business is part of the solution.
‘The World Summit needs
you’
15 August 2002 - BASD Chair urges all delegates who will be attending the WSSD to join the campaign for a Climate Neutral Summit and help fund carbon-reducing development projects in Africa.
IAC launches Jo’burg
push with Virtual Exhibit video
1 4 August 2002 –Paris: ICC’s Investment Advisory Council has launched its Earth
Summit campaign with a video submission to the Virtual Exhibit.
Water Neutral legacy
project launched
14 August 2002 - Tokyo Sexwale, South African Business Co-ordinating Forum Chair, urges Summit participants to Get Water Neutral! and help turn on the tap for those living in remote communities in South Africa who cannot quench their thirst without walking miles to the nearest stream.
Pre-WSSD Business
Survey
9 August 2002 - New on-line survey allows business professionals to define the
importance of sustainable development in the corporate sector. Results to be
presented at Lekgotla Business Day in Johannesburg on 1 September.
Summit agenda 'hijacked'
says development group
9 August 2002 - According to the UK Guardian newspaper, Christian Aid has launched
a blistering attack on the business community in the lead-up to the World Summit,
blaming the lobbying power of Business Action for Sustainable Development.
Business sets the
record straight on corporate accountability pre-Summit
7 August 2002 - In an article published today in The Guardian newspaper, Lord Holme, BASD Vice Chairman, responds to NGO calls for a "corporate accountability convention" to come out of the Johannesburg Summit.
IUCN will host over
100 events at World Summit
7 August 2002 – BASD Chair, Booker Prize winner, and Mikhail Gorbachev to participate in open debates at the IUCN Environment Centre during the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg.
General Motors to promote
eco-friendly transportation at Summit
6 August 2002 – World’s largest car manufacturer works with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development to promote sustainable mobility.
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