Washington Climate Summit Seeks
Huge Boost for Renewables
Jump starting a green energy revolution will be the focus of a
two and a half day Summit September 4-6, 1996. This unique climate
gathering will pull together climate experts and policymakers,
energy experts from a dozen nations with about 60 percent of global
carbon dioxide emissions, foundation and pension fund officials,
and other senior finance and procurement decisionmakers. Presentations
on country panels will identify opportunities between now and
year 2005 for solar, wind, biomass, geothermal, hydro, and hydrogen
and efficiency applications.
Convened by the Climate Institute on the occasion of its Tenth
Anniversary, the Washington Summit on Protection of the World's
Climate enjoys co-sponsorship from a diverse range of organizations
including the United Nations Environment Programme, Solar Energy
Industries Association, National Bioenergy Industries Association,
US Department of Energy, US Environmental Protection Agency, US
Country Studies Program, the US Initiative on Joint Implementation,
The National Parks and Conservation Association, the Tennessee
Environmental Association, and John Noel Investment Company.
The first half day of the Summit will consist of presentations
by many of the world's top climate scientists and impact specialists
on stakes of climate change. Hon. Wayne Gilchrest, US Representative
from Maryland, will open this initial symposium in the Cannon
Caucus Room of the U.S. House of Representatives with remarks
asking what are the answers policymakers want from climate scientists.
Following the Symposium, the Summit conferees will attend a dinner
reception in the US Botanic Garden, marking the Climate Institute's
Tenth Anniversary and honoring winners of its Tenth Annual Awards.
A feature of this reception will be a display of state of the
art renewable energy technology, such as solar pumps, solar roof
shingles and battery powered motoer scooters. A large number of
the Washington diplomatic corps and the Congress, especially the
members of the burgeoning House Renewable Energy Caucus, are expected
to attend the Tenth Anniversary Gala.
The heart of the Summit will be a Symposium on September 5-6
on Shaping Markets and Financing to Achieve a Green Energy Revolution.
The Chair of this Symposium will be Sir Crispin Tickell, Chairman
of the Climate Institute and Warden of Green College, University
of Oxford. Sir Crispin, who serves as Convener of the British
Government Panel on Sustainable Development, will make the lead
presentation on green energy options in the United Kingdom. Dr.
Jose Goldenberg of the University of Sao Paulo will provide the
lead presentation on Brazil's options and Luis Manuel Guerra,
Director General of Instituto Autonomo de Investigaciones Ecologicas,
A.C., on Mexico's options for greenhouse benign energy. Dr. Florentin
Krouse, Director of International Project for Sustainable Energy
Paths and a lead author of IPCC Working Group III will provide
a similar presentation on Germany. The keynote address for the
Green Energy Symposium will be provided by Senator Heherson Alvarez,
Chairman of the Environmental Committee of the Phillipine Senate
and Chairman of the 1995 Manila Asia and Pacific Leaders Conference
on Climate Change.
A major goal of the Summit is to stimulate the creation of a large
risk pool of private venture capital for investments in renewable
energy and end-use efficiency. The Summit's anticipated three
hundred participants are expected to include several dozen presidents,
treasurers or senior officials of US and international foundations,
pension funds and private investment companies. Dr. Stephen Viederman,
President of the Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation, and Dr. Thomas
Gale, former President of the William Bingham Foundation, are
leading the effort to attract key nonprofit leaders. Peter Goldmark,
President of the Rockefeller Foundation, will address the Green
Energy Symposium luncheon, September 5.
Simultaneous with the Green Energy Symposium which will be held
in plenary sessions, the Summit will also feature three Workshops.
One will review the Montreal Protocol's first nine years as an
example of industry-government cooperation in introducing environmentally
benign substitutes. A second workshop of climate scientists will
review the IPCC's experience and recommend future changes. A third
workshop will seek to identify practical strategies for speeding
applications of electric, hydrogen, and other low emissions vehicles.
The principal site for the Summit is the Washington Court Hotel,
525 New Jersey Avenue, NW. Rooms are available through August
3 at a special conference rate of $145 double or single at this
luxury hotel only two blocks from Union Station. The conference
registration fee of $250 for individuals and employees of non-profit
and government organizations, payable to the Climate Institute,
120 Maryland Avenue, NE, Washington, DC, 20002, covers the cost
of the dinner reception and up to three meals. The registration
fee for major corporate registrants is $1000. Washington Summit
Coordinator, Michele Pena can be reached at the Climate Institute,
(202) 547-0104 for further details.
