Issues:
Contact:
Ms. Satwant Kaur
Tel: +662-288-2127
Fax: +662-280-3829
Email: kaur@un.org
International Media Workshop on Business and Environment
21-24 April 2008
Raffles City Convention,
Swissotel, Singapore
Background
Background The greatest threat to mankind, currently, is climate change and everybody – governments, corporations, NGOs and individuals – has a responsibility to take measures to combat it.
The build-up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is largely the consequence of industrialization over the last two and a half centuries. How has the corporate world measured up to this threat, particularly in an era of rampant economic globalization? Is it part of the solution or part of the problem? What can be done to arrest this trend, even while permitting developing countries to industrialize?
The media is playing an increasingly critical role in disseminating information on this highly significant issues and providing analysis of the many complex factors surrounding it. On the eve of B4E, the Global Business Summit for the Environment, and Champions of the Earth (CoE) in Singapore 22-23 April 2008, being organised by UNEP and its partners, there will be a media workshop which looks at the role of business and the environment.
It will be open to journalists from all parts of the globe: North America, Latin America, Africa, Europe, West Asia and Asia and Pacific. The estimated number of participants is 20, excluding local journalists and those who may be covering B4E. It will include print and electronic media and attempt a gender balance. As a general principle, there will be equal representation of business and environmental journalists.
There will be case studies of successes and failures where business leaders have faced up to the challenge of tackling climate change by reducing their energy consumption, adopting alternative technologies and the like. One session will be devoted to the promises and pitfalls of carbon trading.
Journalists – working in media organisations or freelance -- will be chosen by selection after being asked to submit a short CV. They will also be asked to submit two previous articles in the print media – soft copies – or the outline of one story in the electronic media where they have covered some aspect of the environment, preferably – but not necessarily – with a business angle.
Some of the subjects that will be covered during the workshop will include pressing issues on the environment as a whole, which have direct implications and in links from the business sector. These include: an introduction to carbon trading, energy conservation; alternative energies, mining, biofuel and water.
Objectives
Organization
The workshop will organized by UNEP Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific and will be facilitated by the International Federation of Environmental Journalists, a worldwide network, which was formed in Dresden, Germany, in 1993. It will bring together a wide spectrum of media and specialists from diverse backgrounds to share their insights. The workshop will be coordinated and facilitated by Darryl d’Monte, the Federation’s chairperson.
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