VENICE, Italy, April 15, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The world's fifth International Symposium on Sustainability, "Climate Change: How to Engage Society and Deploy Decarbonization," took place earlier this year on Venice's San Servolo Island.
Organized by Alcantara with the Venice International University and support from the World Bank Group's Connect4Climate global partnership program, the two-day program (Feb. 7-8) involved more than 30 major corporations, international organizations, scientists, entrepreneurs, economists, communication experts and policy makers.
Participants debated how best to mitigate climate change and build a low-carbon future by engaging different levels of society with involvement from policy makers, corporations, consumers and citizens in general.
Comments from symposium speakers and panelists included:
Georg Kell – Chairman of Arabesque and founder and former director of the United Nations Global Compact said, "Policy makers and corporations have to work together in defining regulations and implementing actions with the support of the emerging opportunities driven by technology and digitalization. Digitalization of sustainability information about corporations is now allowing investors to relocate capital towards sustainable companies. This is a breakthrough and we will greatly accelerate decarbonization across markets."
Hermann Pengg – Head of Project Management E-Fuels at Audi AG pointed out that "Policy makers have to integrate cradle-to-grave lifecycles into legislation to allow for rapid and technology-neutral decarbonization."
Ralf Pfitzner – Vice President and Global Head of Sustainability at Volkswagen said his company's approach to decarbonization called for the introduction of 50 new e-models by 2025 with an e-mobility investment of 30 billion euros over the next five years. He added, "We are addressing an entire ecosystem, going beyond the vehicle itself."
Daniel Klingenfeld - Head of the Directors' Staff at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) noted that,"Companies and citizens have a crucial role to play in taking action themselves, thereby signalling that the time to act is now."
Timothy Nixon – Managing editor of Thomson Reuters Sustainability presented recent research indicating that approximately half of the 250 companies (G-250) responsible for approximately one third of annual anthropogenic emissions "are now measuring and reporting relatively complete emissions data and are demonstrating at least a 'readiness' to manage the decarbonization of their businesses in line with the Paris Accords."
Andrea Boragno, Alcantara's chairman and CEO, concluded the intensive two-day symposium by noting that "To make things happen and to increase engagement on those issues we have to give continuity to action, evaluating the option of creating a permanent organization devoted to promoting concrete actions in the field of sustainability and decarbonization."
Alcantara S.p.A.
Founded in 1972, Alcantara is one of the leading Made in Italy brands. The registered trademark of Alcantara S.p.A and the result of unique and proprietary technology, Alcantara® is a highly innovative material offering an unparalleled combination of sensory, aesthetic and functional qualities. Thanks to its extraordinary versatility, Alcantara is the chosen material for leading brands in numerous specialist fields: fashion and accessories, the automotive industry, interior design, home décor and consumer electronics. These characteristics, together with a serious and proven commitment to the use of sustainable materials, allow Alcantara to express and define contemporary lifestyle: the lifestyles of those who love to enjoy everyday products to the full while respecting the environment.
Having analyzed, reduced and offset all CO2 emissions linked to the company, in 2009 Alcantara was certified "Carbon Neutral." In 2011 the report was extended to include the entire life cycles of Alcantara products in a "cradle-to-grave" analysis including use and disposal. To document the company's journey in this field, Alcantara conducts and publishes an annual Sustainability Report, certified by BDO and available on the company website.
Headquartered in Milan, Alcantara also has production facilities and a research department in Nera Montoro in the heart of Italy's Umbria region (Terni).
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SOURCE Alcantara S.p.A.
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