Global green growth forum ends in Copenhagen

The inaugural Global Green Growth Forum, which ended in Copenhagen Wednesday, seeks to boost public-private partnerships in the green economy.

The greening of energy, transport, and trade, and financing the shift from a traditional to a sustainable economy with help of private sector investment, was the forum's main focus.

"Eighty-five percent of the money in circulation in the world today is private money. We need it to make a green transition as we simply do not have money enough in the public sector," said Martin Lidegaard, Denmark's Minister for Climate and Energy.

"If we are going to achieve our targets, we can only do it in a public-private partnership," he told journalists at the forum's closing press conference.

The two-day forum launched or scoped public-private actions on sustainable biofuels for civil aviation, green international trade, global green public procurement, and energy efficiency and renewable energy.

And there was clear indication from businesses at the forum that it made financial and environmental sense to come on board the green agenda.

"This forum has marked the transition from looking at climate as a cost, to climate issues as a source of future growth," said Niels B. Christiansen, CEO of Danfoss, a leading Danish manufacturer of temperature-control systems.

Christiansen added that the forum encouraged business to show which solutions are available, and how they can be scaled-up for commercial viability.

"This is not about constantly coming up with new ideas. It is about making sure that the ideas that work are being implemented," said Ditlev Engel, CEO of wind-turbine manufacturer Vestas.

The idea is to roll out green technology and systems on a scale large enough to make them accessible to consumers in both developed and developing countries.

Engel added that a sound regulatory framework is also necessary to achieve public-private green growth initiatives.

In an interview with Xinhua, he recommended governments "put a price on carbon, end fossil fuel subsidies, scale up research and development, and make sure that free and green trade run as freely as possible."

Organized by the Danish government, the forum attracted some 200 participants including Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, heads of UN and EU agencies, and some 50 top corporate leaders.

The next Global Green Growth Forum is scheduled for Oct. 9 to 10, 2012, in Denmark.