A new cooperation has been launched in Nairobi between UN Environment and the World Economic Forum. This cooperation was articulated alongside a similar agreement with Philips Lighting. The memoranda of understanding were signed in the context of the Science-Policy-Business Forum on the Environment. Mr. Dominic Waughray, Senior Director of Environment signed on behalf of the World Economic Forum, and Mr. Harry Verhaar, Head of Global Public & Government Affairs signed on behalf of Philips Lighting. The inaugural Forum took place on 2 and 3 December, 2017, with a focus on market-based implementable green solutions. It aims to identify and promote opportunities for green investment that are driven by: advances in science and technology, empowering policies and innovative financing.
Driven by this goal, the forum will strengthen the wider interface between science, policy, business, and society by building consensus around key issues and by tearing down traditional barriers between these sectors. The Forum will address a wide range of thematic and cross-cutting issues such as, i.e. challenges and opportunities for environmental sustainability in the Fourth Industrial Revolution; Science as a Game Changer for Pollution-free and Healthy Planet, with a deeper dive into the inter-related themes of Energy, Air, Climate, Water, Food, Ecosystems, Biodiversity, and Oceans; Addressing the Environmental and Sustainability Dimensions of the Belt and Road Initiative; and Innovations and Opportunities in Big Data and Earth Observation Systems.
The agreements with both the World Economic Forum and Philips Lighting will strengthen the science-policy interface through the inclusion of cutting-edge technology and innovation, as well as economic models that can help to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals.
