Jakarta, Indonesia – More than 600 hundred Indonesian government and business leaders joined former US Vice President and Nobel Laureate, Al Gore and WWF Indonesia’s CEO, Dr. Efransjah at a gala dinner to celebrate the United Nation’s International Year of the Forest and to discuss the role of business in finding forest solutions to the challenge of climate change.
Co-hosted by the Republic of Indonesia’s House of Regional Representatives (DPD), WWF-Indonesia and Global Initiatives (GI), the dinner was part of the 2011 Business for Environment (B4E) Forest Dialogue – the forerunner to the world’s leading international conference for business-driven action for the environment -the B4E Global Summit, organised by GI and scheduled for 27 – 29 April, 2011, in Jakarta.
As one of the world’s most influential voices on the environment and climate change, Mr. Gore delivered an exclusive keynote address sharing his vision for the role of forests in a sustainable future.
“The beginning of the U.N. International Year of the Forests is the perfect time to have the impressive collaboration that this dinner and forthcoming B4E gathering between the business community, government leaders and NGOs represents,” he said.
He went to outline the huge advantage for Indonesia to become the regional leader in the pursuit of a green economy in partnership with business.
“This may not be the easy choice today, but history will show that it is the right choice, morally, economically and environmentally,” he said.
Heart of Borneo – Green Business Network
WWF marked the event by launching a new initiative called the Heart of Borneo – Green Business Network (HoB-GBN). This network aims to get business engaged in delivering the Heart of Borneo Declaration, made by the governments of Indonesia, Brunei Darussalam and Malaysia in 2007, to conserve and sustainably manage the 22 million hectare of trans-boundary forests called Heart of Borneo.
WWF’s CEO, Dr Efransjah said: “we know the commitments under the Heart of Borneo Declaration cannot be achieved without the support of the private sector. Tonight, we highlight solutions for involving business in green growth and offer then a range of tools to help them to do that.”
Business Solutions in the Heart of Borneo: Report
A report also launched by WWF on the night found that only 54% of businesses in the HoB had heard of the Tri-lateral government agreement – the ’Heart of Borneo Declaration – but that once they found out more information, many were willing to be involved and felt that business, as well as government, would have an important role to play.
“That’s why we’re launching the Green Business Network, to support business that wants to be part of the solution to climate change and environmental damage, not part of the problem,” said Dr Efransjah.
The report, ‘Business Solutions: Delivering the HoB Declaration’ was prepared for WWF with project assistance by international business consultants, PwC, and focused on engaging with businesses in the HoB. The firm’s global Sustainability and Climate Change team, including environmental specialists from the firm’s Indonesia, Malaysia and the UK offices conducted research and analysis with 84 businesses in the region.
Malcolm Preston, global leader of Sustainability and Climate Change, PwC said:
“The report demonstrates that early progress has been made in realising the Heart of Borneo vision. Without business engagement, however, sustainable economic development will be an uphill struggle. This is about working with business to build capacity and include them in a green growth economy, rather than excluding them, so that everyone in the area benefits.”
In 2011, the United Nations’ International Year of Forests, mean the eyes of the world will be on Indonesia as one the most forest rich nation on the planet and business will also be under the spotlight for their role in saving the remaining globally significant tropical rainforests. WWF hopes that HoB-GBN initiative helps to ensure that this is not a year of just further discussion of the problems but a real chance to start delivering solutions.
