Setting the Sustainability Agenda for the 21st Century
Notable Figures from the Administration, Cabinet Agencies, Major Corporations, Non-Profits and Civil Society Organizations Gathered in Washington to Mark the Launch of National Leadership Speaker Series Co-hosted by ICLEI USA and USGBC.
Washington, DC, July 02, 2011 --(PR.com)-- ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability USA (ICLEI USA) and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) today marked the launch of the National Press Club Leadership Speaker Series with a major keynote address by Mr. Sha Zukang, Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio +20). During a galvanizing speech to an audience of high-ranking officials representing the Administration, cabinet agencies, Ambassadors from China and Brazil, major corporations, academia, the scientific community, non-governmental organizations and civil society, Mr. Sha provided critical insight about the importance and expected outcomes of the Rio+20 conference - the seminal conference on sustainable development for the 21st century. Mr. Sha received a standing ovation following his inspiring speech, which called for all nations to join together in building a road to Rio+20.
“Sustainable development is not an option. It is the only path that allows all of humanity to share a decent life on this planet,” said Ambassador Sha in his keynote address. “Rio gives our generation the opportunity to choose this path. We know that the three pillars of sustainable development – social, economic and environmental – are closely interdependent. We cannot continue to wreak havoc on the environment and the earth’s ecosystems. It will only become harder to sustain progress on social and economic development.”
As Secretary-General of Rio+20, Ambassador Sha will convene high-ranking leaders from government, the private sector and civil society to chart a pathway to accelerate the implementation of sustainable development decisions and the green economy through the creation of an institutional framework and inclusive participation.
“The question of how we pair economic growth with sustainability—both here at home and around the world—is intricately tied to the concept of the ‘green economy.’ Just as the Earth Summit of 1992 shaped the environmental priorities of the last two decades, the Rio +20 Conference will help set the sustainability agenda for the 21st Century. We are honored to have Secretary-General Sha Zukang help launch our ‘National Press Club Leadership Series’ to share his vision for this historic conference,” said Roger Platt, Senior Vice President, Global Policy and Law, USGBC.
Rio+20 to be held in Rio de Janeiro in June 2012, is expected to guide the international development agenda for the next decade and beyond. It will also mark 20 years after the ground breaking “Earth Summit” in Rio de Janeiro where the world first met to chart the course for sustainable development.
“Mr. Sha provided a sophisticated analysis to the high level audience of how leadership from their sectors can shape effective outcomes for the focus areas of this upcoming watershed conference, including governance and the green economy,” said Martin J. Chavez, Executive Director, ICLEI USA and former three-term mayor of Albuquerque, NM. “We strongly believe that Rio+20 will have profound implications for global climate, energy, and environmental priorities over the next 20 years. Local governments will play a key role in implementing sustainability and expanding the green economy of the 21st century.”
ICLEI USA and USGBC co-hosted this important event, which marked the launch of the National Leadership Speaker Series under the theme: “Resiliency and National Security in the 21st Century.” In addition to providing support for the upcoming Rio+20 Conference, The National Leadership Speaker Series will lay out a strategic vision for the concept of “Resiliency” as a key component of future sustainable development by describing the inextricable linkages between national security and economic, social and environmental sustainability.
“This series is designed to help advance this new agenda and to mobilize a new generation of leadership in a world that is clearly more interconnected, more urbanized, more complex, and yet more fragile than ever,” said Jason Hartke, Vice President of National Policy, U.S. Green Building Council.
Ambassador Sha’s keynote address can be found on the USGBC website.
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“Sustainable development is not an option. It is the only path that allows all of humanity to share a decent life on this planet,” said Ambassador Sha in his keynote address. “Rio gives our generation the opportunity to choose this path. We know that the three pillars of sustainable development – social, economic and environmental – are closely interdependent. We cannot continue to wreak havoc on the environment and the earth’s ecosystems. It will only become harder to sustain progress on social and economic development.”
As Secretary-General of Rio+20, Ambassador Sha will convene high-ranking leaders from government, the private sector and civil society to chart a pathway to accelerate the implementation of sustainable development decisions and the green economy through the creation of an institutional framework and inclusive participation.
“The question of how we pair economic growth with sustainability—both here at home and around the world—is intricately tied to the concept of the ‘green economy.’ Just as the Earth Summit of 1992 shaped the environmental priorities of the last two decades, the Rio +20 Conference will help set the sustainability agenda for the 21st Century. We are honored to have Secretary-General Sha Zukang help launch our ‘National Press Club Leadership Series’ to share his vision for this historic conference,” said Roger Platt, Senior Vice President, Global Policy and Law, USGBC.
Rio+20 to be held in Rio de Janeiro in June 2012, is expected to guide the international development agenda for the next decade and beyond. It will also mark 20 years after the ground breaking “Earth Summit” in Rio de Janeiro where the world first met to chart the course for sustainable development.
“Mr. Sha provided a sophisticated analysis to the high level audience of how leadership from their sectors can shape effective outcomes for the focus areas of this upcoming watershed conference, including governance and the green economy,” said Martin J. Chavez, Executive Director, ICLEI USA and former three-term mayor of Albuquerque, NM. “We strongly believe that Rio+20 will have profound implications for global climate, energy, and environmental priorities over the next 20 years. Local governments will play a key role in implementing sustainability and expanding the green economy of the 21st century.”
ICLEI USA and USGBC co-hosted this important event, which marked the launch of the National Leadership Speaker Series under the theme: “Resiliency and National Security in the 21st Century.” In addition to providing support for the upcoming Rio+20 Conference, The National Leadership Speaker Series will lay out a strategic vision for the concept of “Resiliency” as a key component of future sustainable development by describing the inextricable linkages between national security and economic, social and environmental sustainability.
“This series is designed to help advance this new agenda and to mobilize a new generation of leadership in a world that is clearly more interconnected, more urbanized, more complex, and yet more fragile than ever,” said Jason Hartke, Vice President of National Policy, U.S. Green Building Council.
Ambassador Sha’s keynote address can be found on the USGBC website.
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Contact
ICLEI USA
Guillermo Meneses
(202) 629-3591
www.icleiusa.org
Guillermo Meneses
(202) 629-3591
www.icleiusa.org
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