{"id":313,"date":"2019-11-22T18:24:28","date_gmt":"2019-11-22T18:24:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.clubofrome.gr\/?page_id=313"},"modified":"2019-11-22T18:24:28","modified_gmt":"2019-11-22T18:24:28","slug":"inspiration-and-innovation-for-climate-change-mitigation","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/www.clubofrome.gr\/?page_id=313","title":{"rendered":"Inspiration and Innovation for Climate Change Mitigation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

9 January 2017 \u2013 Hilton Athens <\/strong>
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Biopolicy & Development <\/em><\/strong>  <\/sub><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Money Show  <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


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New\ndevelopments in the field of international\ncooperation for climate change mitigation<\/strong> were discussed at an event\njointly sponsored by the Biopolitics\nInternational Organisation<\/strong> and the Hellenic\nChapter of the Club of Rome<\/strong>, at the Athens\nMoney Show<\/strong>, on January 9, 2017.<\/strong>\nThe event was themed \u201cInspiration\nand innovation for climate change mitigation \u2013 biopolicy & development\u201d <\/strong>andfeatured distinguished speakers\nfrom science, politics, academia, the IT\nsector and the NGO community<\/strong>.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The discussions shed light on new paradigms<\/strong> that will help us save time<\/strong> and make decisive\nleaps forward<\/strong> in climate change mitigation. By taking into consideration\nthe progress achieved in Paris and\nMarrakech, <\/strong>it is essential to question\nour choices<\/strong> and to form inspired\ndecisions<\/strong> based on innovation<\/strong>\nand a new vision for the protection of\n\u201cbios,\u201d<\/strong> all life on our planet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The event was chaired<\/strong>\nby Agni Vlavianos Arvanitis, <\/strong>President\nand Founder of the <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Biopolitics International Organisation and the\nHellenic Chapter of the Club of Rome, and speakers included: Rodi Kratsa, <\/strong>Chair of the Board of the\nConstantinos Karamanlis <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Institute for Democracy and f. Vice-President of the\nEuropean Parliament; Sotiris Mousouris,<\/strong>\nf. Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations; Michael Scoullos, <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

UNESCO Chairman on Sustainable Development Management\nand Education in the Mediterranean (MIO\/ECSDE); Nikos Charalambides, <\/strong>Executive Director, Greenpeace Greece; George Saliaris-Fasseas, <\/strong>President for\nSouth Europe, IPG Mediabrands; Ioannis <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mangos, <\/strong>Chief\nTechnologist, HP\u0395 First EMEA & APJ, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Software WW\nHQ; George Kazantzopoulos,<\/strong> Managing\nPartner, Global Challenges; Christos\nEftymiopoulos, <\/strong>Researcher \u0391\u2019, Center for Astronomy and Applied Mathematics,\nAcademy of Athens; and, George Patoulis,\n<\/strong>Mayor of Amaroussion, President of the Central Union of Municipalities of\nGreece, and President of the Medical Association of Athens. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In her opening speech, Agni Vlavianos Arvanitis<\/strong> stressed how today\u2019s societal and\nenvironmental challenges are pressing for a re-evaluation of political targets,\nas well as a <\/p>\n\n\n\n

10 TIM. VASSOU ST., ATHENS 11521, GREECE   TEL. (+30) 2106432419   FAX (+30) 2106426221 e-mail:\nava@biopolitics.gr  \nwww.biopolitics.gr  \nwww.clubofrome.gr <\/p>\n\n\n\n

re-evaluation of the concept of profit, in order to\nachieve development with a sustainable vision. \u201cClimate change is destroying\nbios, and the Biopolitics International Organisation has been working hard for\nmore than three decades to make the world acknowledge the urgency of the\nsituation. It is encouraging that the climate talks in Paris resulted in\npositive steps forward. COP22 in Marrakesh was equally important, as it successfully\ndemonstrated to the world that the implementation of the Paris Agreement is\nunderway and the constructive spirit of multilateral cooperation on climate\nchange continues. We must no longer allow for valuable time to be lost; the\nticking clock of destruction is threatening both lives and livelihoods, and no\neconomic policy makes sense if bios on our planet disappears.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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From left to\nright: Michael Scoullos, UNESCO Chairman on Sustainable Development Management\nand Education in the Mediterranean (MIO\/ECSDE); Rodi Kratsa, Chair of the Board\nof the Constantinos Karamanlis Institute for Democracy and f. Vice-President of\nthe European Parliament; Agni Vlavianos Arvanitis, President and Founder of the\nBiopolitics International Organisation and the Hellenic Chapter of the Club of\nRome; and, Sotiris Mousouris, f. Assistant Secretary General of the United\nNations. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rodi Kratsa<\/strong>\npointed out that the meeting was being held at a very crucial moment in the\ncontext of international negotiations for climate change mitigation. \u201cThe\nratification of the Paris Agreement is a global success story for the abatement\nof global warming, and it is also significant that this ratification is based\non understanding and solidarity between North and South. The Constantinos\nKaramanlis Institute for Democracy has promoted the close relationship between\nclimate change and energy on a national as well as on a European level. The\nInstitute has also promoted the importance of combining economic development\nwith pollution reduction through new investments in innovation, new\nentrepreneurship and new employment opportunities for experts. New technologies\nand prevention measures are critically important and useful for Greece, a\ncountry which needs to demonstrate the political will to draft and deploy green\nstrategies and development policies that are currently lacking.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sotiris\nMousouris<\/strong> explained that the world community is experiencing many and\ndiverse global changes, and proceeded to add: \u201cIn my opinion, the most\nimportant accomplishment for Ban Ki-moon as UN Secretary General is that his\nname is associated with the success of the Paris Agreement. In the framework of\nthis agreement, developed countries will be required to contribute US$100\nbillion to help developing countries turn to clean and renewable energy and to\ntackle the impacts of climate change. The agreement also foresees that this\namount will be increased if deemed necessary. These crucial steps for the\nfuture of our planet have also been supported by the Greek Government. I am\nstill concerned, however, about the issue of environmental awareness and\neducation, especially among young people. It is imperative for the young to be\neducated and informed about climate change, as it affects the quality of their\nlives, their present, their future and the future of their children.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Michael\nScoullos <\/strong>discussed the crucial role of international organizations in\npromoting environmental awareness and eliciting action. He also emphasized the\nimportance of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that were agreed in\nParis, in December 2015. He explained that the SDGs are pivotal, because,\nunlike the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that had been ratified in 2000,\nthe SDGs apply to all countries, not just those of the developing world. The\nEuropean Union has been the first to set the SDGs as cornerstones for\ndevelopment, and has already proceeded with the \u2018decoupling\u2019 between GDP growth\nand energy consumption. Mr. Scoullos also spoke about the Action Plan on\nEducation for Sustainable Development in the Mediterranean, which was\nunanimously adopted at the Ministerial Conference in Cyprus, in December 2016.\nThe Action Plan was the result of a participatory and consensus building\nprocess, involving Member States of the European Union and the Mediterranean\nregion, international and regional organizations and all other interested\nparties who joined forces towards making the Mediterranean region safe,\nhealthy, prosperous and sustainable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second session of the panel discussion opened with\nNikos Charalambides<\/strong>, who focused on\nthe difficulties inherent in the application of sustainable energy policies.\n\u201cThe development and implementation of energy policies implies a 30- to 50-year\ntime frame, well beyond the time in office of any politician, and this poses\nmany difficulties. The good thing about climate change mitigation is that there\nare no technical gaps. The technology is there, and global investments in\nrenewable energy sources are higher than investments in conventional fuels. We,\nas an international organization active within civic society, have searched for\nthe right investment tools to help Greek citizens make the best use of\navailable funds in order to perform energy upgrades in buildings or invest in\nclean technologies. There are many solutions out there. We should not ignore\ngovernment, but we do not need to waste time waiting for enlightened leaders\neither.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ioannis Mangos<\/strong>\npointed out that we have a false impression of most environmental problems,\nwhich are largely the result of our lifestyles and consumption patterns. \u201cWe\nlive in a world of overconsumerism, which moves at a breakneck pace, creating\nfalse needs that result in thousands of products ending up in landfills. I\nbelieve it is essential for us as individuals and for society as a whole to\nbecome environmentally literate citizens and change our consumption patterns.\nIt is our consumer behavior that determines supply and demand patterns, as well\nas pollution levels; in short, we are the ones responsible for propagating the\nproblem. Only if we change our daily habits and become mindful citizens and\nconsumers, will international climate agreements bear fruit. High technology\nhas always been a \u2018dirty\u2019 business. Fortunately, today, there are people and\ncompanies, like Hewlett Packard and Google, that have espoused an environmental\nconscience and have created the necessary infrastructure so that 50% to 100% of\ntheir energy use is based on renewables.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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From left to\nright: Ioannis Mangos, Chief Technologist, HP\u0395 First EMEA & APJ, Hewlett\nPackard Enterprise Software WW HQ; Nikos Charalambides, Executive Director,\nGreenpeace Greece; Agni Vlavianos Arvanitis, President and Founder of the\nBiopolitics International Organisation and the Hellenic Chapter of the Club of\nRome; George Saliaris-Fasseas, President for South Europe, IPG Mediabrands;\nGeorge Kazantzopoulos, Managing Partner, Global Challenges; and, Christos\nEftymiopoulos, Researcher \u0391\u2019, Center for Astronomy and Applied Mathematics,\nAcademy of Athens. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

George\nSaliaris\u2013Fasseas<\/strong> used brief examples to illustrate the importance of our\ndaily choices as consumers and as service users, and how we can all make a\ndifference in protecting the environment. \u201cIf children learn to respect the\nenvironment through their daily education, important steps in climate change\nmitigation can be achieved. Small, everyday changes in our behavior as consumers\nand service users can make a small but pivotal difference to the way we deal\nwith climate change. Doing good to those around us and to the environment is\nthe new way of thinking that we need to bring to our daily routine as active\nand concerned citizens.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

George\nKazantzopoulos<\/strong> addressed the significance of the circular economy concept,\nwhose principles are very close to Plato\u2019s theory of a symbiotic relationship\nbetween the environment and human society. \u201cThe European Commission\u2019s Action\nPlan for the Circular Economy which was submitted in Paris, in 2015, claims\nthat it is unacceptable for EU Member States to abuse natural and energy\nresources. Products and processes should consume as few resources as possible\nin both the design and the production phases. Businesses should therefore focus\non resource efficient production and consumption patterns, as well as on the\nright recovery and end-of-life recycling options. The above Action Plan, which\nhas now become an urgent necessity, fully agrees with what the Biopolitics\nInternational Organisation has been publishing since 1985. If we were to look\nat these publications, which address the protection of bios, sustainable\neconomic growth, and recycling, it is certain that we would arrive at a\ncircular economy action plan equivalent to the one submitted by the European\nCommission.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christos\nEfthymiopoulos<\/strong> explained that it is the duty of scientists and\ninternational organizations to coordinate their efforts in order to convey to\nsociety the notion that it is scientifically proven that climate change is the\nresult of human activity. \u201cScientists, active citizens and international\ninstitutions are responsible for informing and sensitizing society on the\nurgency of climate change mitigation, as well as on the irrefutable scientific\nfact that the present rate of climate change is human induced. We should also become\nconvinced that by changing our daily habits we can indeed make a difference. A\nstudy carried out by the Academy of Athens some years ago demonstrated that our\ndaily choices as citizens and as consumers play a pivotal role in climate\nchange mitigation. They could even lead to a reduction in the cost of\nimplementing the Paris Agreement. To achieve the required changes in attitudes,\nwe need a top-down approach to education. Public awareness and civic education\ncan lead to the necessary steps forward.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Agni\nVlavianos Arvanitis, President and Founder of the Biopolitics International\nOrganisation and the Hellenic Chapter of the Club of Rome with George Patoulis,\nMayor of Amaroussion, President of the Central Union of Municipalities of\nGreece, and President of the Medical Association of Athens. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The event concluded with George Patoulis,<\/strong> who spoke about the contribution of the local\nauthorities to climate change adaptation and mitigation measures. \u201cA big\nobstacle in our country is the fact that we have not proceeded with the\nnecessary reforms to give local authorities the power to solve local problems.\nAnd this creates a huge bureaucracy which is counterproductive and impedes\ndevelopment. Climate change has many ramifications, reaching beyond our everyday\nchoices as citizens. An active and concerned citizenry can shape public\nconscience and bring results. In this effort, it is essential to make use of\nthe vast renewable energy sources available in our country. Wind energy, solar\nenergy and other renewables can guarantee energy self-sufficiency, improve the\ncountry\u2019s financial condition and reduce emissions through best practices.\nAlternative energy sources, sustainable waste management, recycling,\nenvironmental education and sensitization, solar panels, teleheating,\ngeothermy, and education and vocational training, need to become priorities on\nour agendas. Local authorities can and ought to play a principal role in\nenvironmental decision-making in cooperation with the legislative power.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

9 January 2017 \u2013 Hilton Athens Biopolicy & Development    Money Show   New developments in the field of international cooperation for climate change mitigation were discussed at an event jointly sponsored by the Biopolitics International Organisation and the Hellenic Chapter of the Club of Rome, at the Athens Money Show, on January 9, 2017. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.clubofrome.gr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/313"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.clubofrome.gr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.clubofrome.gr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.clubofrome.gr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.clubofrome.gr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=313"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.clubofrome.gr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/313\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":317,"href":"http:\/\/www.clubofrome.gr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/313\/revisions\/317"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.clubofrome.gr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=313"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}