The Abertis Foundation’s headquarters, Castellet Castle (Barcelona), which is a UNESCO Centre on Mediterranean Biosphere Reserves, played host to the second edition of the prestigious Barcelona BioEconomy Forum (BBF) held between 27 and 29 November. The event was chaired by Salvador Alemany, President of Abertis and the Abertis Foundation; and the Catalan Regional Government’s Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, Food and the Environment, Josep M. Pelegrí; and moderated by Dr. Eduardo Rojas-Briales, Assistant Director-General and Head for Forestry Department of the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Keynote speeches were delivered by Dr. Martí Boada, the Abertis Foundation’s scientific advisor and member of the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA) of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB); Dr. Rachanda K. Pachauri, Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC); Dr. Chadi Mohanna, Director of Rural Development and Natural Resources at Libya’s Agriculture Ministry; Elisa Tonda, Head of the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Business and Industry Unit; and Dr. Antoni Trasobares, Director of Natural Resources and Biodioversity at the Catalan Regional Government’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, Food and the Environment.
On 27 November, the Spanish Government’s Minister of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Isabel García Tejerina, chaired the opening ceremony of the Barcelona BioEconomy Forum, a science-based, solution-seeking discussion platform, bringing together top-level company leaders with policy makers, scientists and other opinion leaders. This is the first event in a series of biennial global forums on sustainable economic development derived from a wide variety of forest-based renewable resources and ecosystem services. The focus is on the challenges of the Mediterranean area and Southern Hemisphere – with strong global connections.
The full results of the Forum will be distributed shortly to key decision-makers and institutions around Europe. In the meantime, participants left the meeting with the clear message that radical change is required and that true leaders, not just opinion leaders are needed. Dr Rojas asserted that “the bioeconomy must overcome the dictatorship of status quo economies”, while Professor Martí Boada invoked the great 20th century revolutionary leader, Nelson Mandela in his statement: ““The next great cause to fight for will be for the natural environment”.
The Abertis Foundation and the Environment
The Abertis Foundation is an organisation dedicated to the promotion and dissemination of studies of the impact of major infrastructures on the territory, especially on the economy, demography and environment, in collaboration with universities and academic institutions. The Foundation also channels some of Abertis’ sponsorships and plays a coordinating role with regard to the corporate social responsibility activities of the group’s businesses.
Abertis’ environmental policies are centred on the progressive establishment of a system of environmental management in the group’s areas of activity, in accordance with the requirements of ISO 14001, with the objective of minimising the environmental impact of the group’s operations.
Abertis is thus working to reduce the carbon footprint of its economic activity (Carbon Disclosure Project), optimise its waste management and conserve the biodiversity of the natural environments where infrastructure managed by the group is located. Abertis is also carrying out environmental awareness-raising campaigns to include its partners, customers and suppliers in its commitment to the environment.
Publication
Comments