Eco-Collaborators Unite Over Action Plan

Live webcast by Science|Business

Sustainability Consult participated in a live webcast conference on the European Commission’s 'Eco-Innovation Action Plan' on Wednesday 26 September.  Taking place at the Mission of Norway to the EU, the event was organised by the Science|Business Innovation Board and featured Environment Commissioner Janez Potočnik on the panel. 

Investing in Global Health R&D: Is it worth it?

(L) Dr. Line Matthiesen, DG Research & Innovation, European Commission

MEP Maria Da Graça Carvalho, member of ITRE (Industry, Research & Energy Committee)

(R) Karen Hoehn, Vice Executive Director and Director of International Affairs, DSW

Sustainability Consult attended a study launch event (‘EU Return on Investments in Global Health R&D’) at the European Parliament on Wednesday 26 September.  Hosted by MEP Maria Da Graça Carvalho, the launch panel included representatives of the European pharmaceutical industry, such as GlaxoSmithKline’s VP for Government Affairs Jon Pender, academia, such as Professor Bruno Gryseels, Director of the Institute of Tropical Medecine at Antwerp, Dr. Line Matthiessen from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research & Innovation and NGOs such as Chris Wilson of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Most Innovative EU Biotech SME Awards

Source: ProtAffin AG

The Most Innovative EU Biotech SME Awards ceremony took place this month on the European Parliament.  Organised by the European Association for Biotechnology, the top five candidates presented their outstanding.  This year, two innovative SMEs shared this prestigious award.

Communications Learnings from Green Architecture

Since Wiebke Herding, founder of the Brussels Sustainability Communications Lunches, relocated to Amsterdam, Sustainability Consult offered to continue organising these informal meetings for communications professionals interested in sustainability issues.  Our first invited speaker was the young Gent-based architect Noémie Benoit. 

Climate Change Scepticism and the Decrease in Climate Change Coverage in the UK

people.howstuffworks.com

“The media have a responsibility to provide the correct information [on climate change] for the public to think quietly about”  - Nicholas Stern

The 2006 Al Gore documentary ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ coincided with the publication of the IPCC’s Fourth Assessment report, reconfirming a temperature rise and man’s role in the changing climate.  Both of these elements contributed to heightened public awareness of climate change which was reflected in the media. 

Indexing Sustainability Investing: Results of 2012/2013 DJSI Announced

Akzo Nobel is out front in the chemicals sector of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (DJSI) World Index this year, replacing DSM, last year’s corresponding ‘supersector’ winner.

In the healthcare sector, Roche Holding was identified as a supersector leader, while Anglo American leads the mining industry in the DJSI.  A total of 340 companies were listed in the DJSI World Index by SAM, the Zurich-based investment company focused exclusively on Sustainability Investing, who last week jointly announced with leading global index provider Dow Jones Indexes the results of their 2012 DJSI Corporate Sustainability Assessment.

Guidance for Responsible Communications

European Bioplastics, the trade association for the European bioplastics industry, has published a guide for environmental communications about the false or misleading communication of environmental product properties.  

The brochure outlines general, ISO-compliant guidelines for environmental communications and provides recommendations on how to make credible claims for bioplastics such as biobased, biodegradable, compostable or CO₂ neutral.

Biking in Europe's Most Congested City

Source: Brussels Express

While some of us consider Brussels to be a pretty sustainable city and others find it cool to bike to work, it's still undeniable that Brussels is a heavily congested city.  In fact, it's the most congested city in Europe.  In his daring new documentary, Sander Vandenbroucke explores this weakness of the Heart of Europe, discusses the reasons behind the heavy traffic and argues why more biking could be a solution to a more friendly and less chaotic city.

Food crisis to see the back of biofuels?

Source: businessinsider.com

With prices of corn, wheat, soybean and other staples steadily rising, all three United Nations food agencies have this week issued a joint appeal calling for prompt action to avert a major global food crisis.

The heads of the World Food Program (WFP), Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and International Fund for Agriculture Development warned in a statement that the sharp rise in food prices in recent months threatens to make life even more difficult for tens of millions of people in both less developed and Western countries.