Storify: Business charts a course at Rio+20

Published June 18, 2012

Tags: Commitments & Goals, Policy, More... Commitments & Goals, Policy, Renewable Energy, Rio+20

View the story "Business charts a course at Rio+20" on StorifyBusiness charts a course at Rio+20Who will lead the way to the green economy of the future? While governments may be heading the negotiations at the Rio+20 conference, the business community is taking a high-profile role, though -- no surprise! -- it hasn't escaped criticism.Storified by Liz Enochs · Mon, Jun 18 2012 19:24:11Bright start for business leaders at #RioPlus20 reports Eric Marx http://ow.ly/bEcxi #csr #business #siemens #microsoftEthical CorporationRT @CFigueres: Tomorrow is Business Day at #Rioplus20! 1st thing in the AM, I’ll explain why businesses are crucial to #sustainability and #climatechange.DotGreen RT @PwCclimateready: Have we got a business case for Rio? Malcolm Preston previews Business Day at #Rioplus20 http://pwc.blogs.com/sustainability/2012/06/have-we-got-a-business-case-... PattbergRT @LykkeHS: "Yes, there IS a business case", Susanne Stormer on Novo Nordisk's climate strategy #compact4rio #Rioplus20bvonwurdenRT @UNrightswire: #RightsRio: #RioPlus20 outcome needs to inclu business - UN Protect, Respect & Remedy framework: http://bit.ly/KEfWRTBashir Abdal AzizBut not all businesses are feeling the love in Rio. Activists have been skewering Big Oil with the #fossiloftheday meme.
Eliminating inefficient fossilfuel subsidies could achieve half the world’s carbon reduction goals http://www.slate.com/articles/business/moneybox/2012/01/fossil_fuel_subs... #rioplus20Marcos MéndezRT @amarapossian: Just walked into a room full of billionaires making signs... #fossiloftheday should be interesting. http://yfrog.com/ob7q5itjCam FentonFossil fuels are subsidized 12 times as much as renewable energy. Time for a #PowerShift! http://endfossilfuelsubsidies.org/twitterstorm/ #EndFossilFuelSubsidiesEnergy ActionJournalist: "you've got 3 lobbyists for the fossil fuel industry for every congressman in the US. HOW will you #endfossilfuelsubsidies?"Amara Possian@PriceofOil says they're working to get politicians who are in bed w/ fossil fuel industry out of office #endfossilfuelsubsidiesAmara PossianGovernments weren't spared either.
You know another thing that #Canada could do? Stop lobbying the #EU on the Tar Sands. As well as #EndFossilFuelSubsidiesNeva FrechevilleRT @life_lite: Embarrassing! Canadian negotiator at #rioplus20 called promoting #tarsands "doing God's work" http://www.canada.com/business/Canada+shielding+fossil+fuel+subsidies+Ea... #endfossilfuelsubsidieskevin russellOn the flip side, renewable energy got a few shout-outs.
Since 2005, we financed >$2.3B in #RenewableEnergy projects. #IFCclimate clean #energy http://on.ifc.org/HDSIMC #IFCsusdev #RioPlus20IFCQuite the stat: “@Accenture/@globalcompact report: 90% of consumers worldwide want more #renewableenergy. #rioplus20. http://bit.ly/MbxXVM”Steve SmithOverall, there's been plenty of positive Rio buzz -- and business leaders are taking advantage of the spotlight to focus attention on their sustainability goals and commitments.
Business Leaders Commit to Water Sustainability at #rioplus20 http://goo.gl/YoIIa #compact4rioUN Global CompactRT @CabreraAngel: The Rio Declaration adopted by business educators gathered at #Rioplus20 #compact4rio PDF http://www.unprme.org/resource-docs/3rdPRMEGFRioDeclaration.pdf #PRMEGIBS SustainabilityPledge to go #green: "1,200 business executives have joined government and NGO representatives" at #Rioplus20 http://ow.ly/bDtbvScope 524 Major Companies Announce Commitments Demonstrating the Business Imperative of Valuing Nature http://shar.es/s7nwX #rio20 #rioplus20Andrew DeutzRT @wbcsd President discusses how business has focused on reporting & valuing natural capital at #Rio20 #Rio #RioPlus20 http://bit.ly/L9BbNNRon YachninBasic resources have become a big concern. For instance, businesses are taking the question of water scarcity seriously.RT @KPMGglobal: It’s predicted that by 2030 global demand for freshwater will exceed supply by 40% http://bit.ly/MA9mhY #rioplus20 #rio20Rebecca H. GoldbergRio+20: Big businesses club together to demand #water is given fair value http://gu.com/p/38ckp/tw via @guardian #Rioplus20IISD WICRT @GuardianSustBiz: RT @andycwales: 45 CEOs call for water to be better valued and pledge their own action http://bit.ly/M7cOvL #rioplus20 @SABMillerCDSBWhat's next? Businesses and governments look ahead to 2015.
Down to Business: Leading at #RioPlus20 & Beyond. White paper & reports on the state of sustainable development: http://bit.ly/MF1HbXGlobeScanRT @yvodeboer_KPMG: Clear Sustainable Development Goals are the basis for a structured business approach to climate change #Rioplus20 http://bit.ly/LKfRfoMarco AlbonicoRT @ipsnews: New Set of Sustainable Development Goals Looks Beyond 2015 http://ow.ly/bE4Jv #SDGs #RioPlus20 #FutureWeWant #earthsummit2012Onésimo here

Liz Enochs, managing editor at GreenBiz Group, is an award-winning business journalist with more than two decades of experience. Previously, she covered business, economics and finance for news organizations from Bloomberg News to Red Herring to Hanley Wood.

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