FIRST ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

“GOING GREEN: GREEN GROWTH, GREEN JOBS, GREEN CITIES”
15 – 16 June 2010, CROWNE PLAZA Hotel, Prague

The conference is held under the auspices of and in collaboration with the Czech Ministry of Environment


Programme

Day I - Tuesday, 15 June 2010

8.30 Registration of participants, welcome coffee

9.00 Opening Ceremony


Chair: Bedřich Moldan, Senator and Director of the Centre for the Environment, Charles University

1.    Keynotes and address:

Rut Bízková, Minister of Environment of the Czech Republic

Rostislav Vondruška, Minister of Regional Development of the Czech Republic

Vladislav Mareček, Councillor for the Environment, City of Prague



2.    Redefining Economic Development - Green Growth

Green Growth is globally relevant way out of the current economic crisis towards sustainable economic growth. At the same time, it acts as an effective tool for creating new jobs, reducing poverty and balancing regional development. In order to achieve green growth, fundamental changes in our approach from "grow first, clean up later" to a more responsible position will be necessary in the long term. Governments can accelerate green growth through targeted support of the economy with emphasis on environmental and social issues. Equally important, however, will be the role of the private sector, which is able to respond flexibly to the challenges of the global economy, such as the economic crisis and the impending shortage of raw materials and energy.


Karl Falkenberg, Director-General, DG Environment, European Commission

10.30 – 11.00 Coffee Break

Green Innovative Entrepreneurship – A new opportunity for the private sector
Martin Tlapa, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic
and
Olga Girstlová, Director, FLEXIBUILD Ltd, Leading Woman Entrepreneur of the World 1999

Green Education – Get ready for new technologies
František Holec, President, Association of Entrepreneurs in the Field of Technical Equipment CR

How much will the last litre of oil cost? Economic aspects of a green economy
Lubomír Lízal, Cerge – EI (Centre for Economic Research and Graduate Education, Charles University)

13.00 – 14.00 Lunch

OECD: Green Growth Strategy as way our of the crisis
Rober Visser, Acting Director, Environment Directorate, OECD

Environmental governance in the private sector: Building and Construction Industry
Leoš Vrzalík, Vicepresident, Executive Director of Shared Services Division, Skanska Plc.

How can buildings contribute to a more sustainable future?
Barry Lynham, Director Public Affairs pro, Knauf Insulation

Driving Green – Opportunities and Threats. Will the cars of the future be green?
Radek Špicar, Director of External Affairs, Skoda Auto

Responsible (and green) conduct of the firm – a reality that is paid
Přemysl Filip, Senior Manager, Corporate Responsibility, Vodafone Czech Republic

15.00 -15.30 Coffee Break

Environmental governance as a long-term sustainable strategy in the public sector: Case Nuremberg
Peter Pluschke, Head of the Nuremberg Department for Environment and Health, Germany
 

Sustainable purchasing in the Netherlands’ central administration and local governments: focus on public procurement
Wiana Partakusuma, Director of Sustainable Purchasing, Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment, Netherlands
 

From strategy to reality: Tackling carbon and energy poverty through local strategic partnership

Catrin Maby, Director, Severn Wye Energy Agency, Gloucester, UK

Energy self-sustainability in the Güssing region as a solution to social deprivation
Peter Vadasz, Mayor of Güssing, Burgenland, Austria

17.00 Discussion, end of conference Day I

19.00 – 21.00 Banquet at the Lord Mayor’s Residence (Mariánské náměstí 1, Prague 1)
hosted by the City of Prague


Day II - Thursday, 16 June 2010

9.00 Opening of the second day

Chair: Rostya Gordon-Smith, Director of EMEA, PeopleImpact and Vice President of the Czech Society for Human Resources Development

3.    Green Jobs
Since the start of the 21st century, entire new industries have risen up rapidly, building on the growing demand for "green" products and services – for instance, the renewable energy sector is experiencing an unprecedented boom. With the growth of labour productivity and the gradual transformation of the economy from an exploitation phase to sustainable production and consumption, qualification requirements for people, their knowledge and skills are changing as well. Green jobs are not only a progressive topic, but an existing reality, and their number will grow rapidly in the coming years.

Green Jobs Programme of UNEP
Kees van der Ree, Coordinator of the joint UNEP/ILO Green Jobs Programme

The Green Savings programme in the Czech Republic and impact on employment
Petr Štěpánek, Director, SFŽP ČR (State Environmental Fund of the Czech Republic)
 
Rehabilitation of houses according to new standards – Introducing boom to the building sector in Hungary
Diana Urge-Vorsatz, Director of the PhD Program, Dept. of Environmental Sciences and Policy, Central European University, Budapest, Hungary

Green innovations don’t come out of the blue
Josef Zbořil, Confederation of Industry, Board member and representative of the Republic of the EESC (European Economic and Social Committee, Brussels)

10.30 – 11.00 Coffee Break

 
Renewable energy sources as an important source of new jobs
Zuzana Musilova, secretary general, Czech Industrial Photovoltaic Association
Kateřina Sobolíková, BTG, Netherlands Bioenergy Association (PBE)

Potential of sustainability in the hotel business   

Karel Doubek, general manager, Adria - Neptun and hotel Adria

Panel Discussion: HR professionals vs. New generation - Student Forum

13.00 – 14.00 Lunch

4.    Green Cities

Over 50% of the world’s population now lives in cities - the urban environment has thus become a more natural habitat for humans than nature. However, our towns were not designed for this purpose – rather, they were built as a place for people to work, trade, travel to or stay, but not as a place to live permanently! To put this change in motion and reshape our cities into a pleasant place to live, we must abandon current approaches to development and focus on the sustainability of life in the cities, on humans as the basis and ultimate measure of the city’s future functionality.

Prague is going greener: Green approach and new projects for Prague
Vladislav Mareček, Councillor for the Environment, City of Prague

Anna Vojtěchová, waste management specialist, City of Prague

Sustainability and green technology from a consultant’s perspective: Examples from Denmark
Peter Hostrup Rasmussen, Regional Vice President, COWI Central & Eastern Europe

Pilsen - Open up - Culture as a factor of sustainable city development 
Milan Svoboda, Project director, European Capital of Culture Candidacy at City of Pilsen

Humanization of the Ostravice River – Case study
Dalibor Madej, Deputy Mayor, City of Ostrava

Why to pay for energy at home? Low-energy, passive and zero emission housing in Prague
Jan Řežáb, Director, JRD Ltd., Czech Green Building Council

Panel discussion on Green Cities of the Future

17.00 Conclusion of the conference