Top Executives from Danisco join world leaders to tackle climate change

Tom Knutzen, Danisco CEO, and Philippe Lavielle, Executive Vice President of Business Development for Danisco’s Genencor Division, join world leaders in industry and government this week at the World Business Summit on Climate Change in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Over 800 global leaders from business, government, and civil society have come together at the event to discuss solutions to the climate crisis.  Innovative business models, new partnerships, and the development of low-carbon technologies, are some examples of topics in focus.

The meeting will help to forge ideas for COP15, which aims to create a global protocol to take effect after the Kyoto protocol expires in 2012.

The results of the summit discussions will be presented to the Danish government, host of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP15) in December 2009, and to world leaders as input for the next international climate treaty.

“The climate change issue affects all of us, and we have a responsibility to do something now,” says Danisco CEO Tom Knutzen. “Governments certainly have an obligation, but we, as individuals and as a business, do as well.”

“The world will collectively hold its breath waiting for the outcomes of COP15” says Philippe Lavielle. “The results will largely determine the future for our planet, and also for industry. Biobased technologies are a vital contribution to low carbon industry, for example through innovative enzyme solutions that can significantly reduce carbon emissions and natural resource consumption.” 

Danisco and Nordic signatories of the UN Global Compact “Caring for the Climate” initiative met with Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations Secretary General prior to the summit. At this event, Tom Knutzen gave a brief presentation on how industrial biotechnology creates business opportunities, while playing a key role in reducing global climate change impacts. Later that evening, Tom attended a dinner party where former U.S. Vice-president and environmental activist Al Gore and Danish CEOs discussed how business can play a part in the climate agenda and drive change.

“Climate change also opens business opportunities, and we can capitalize on this by utilizing our knowledge and capabilities in industrial biotechnology,” says Knutzen. “Through strategic collaborations with other industry leaders we are opening new frontiers in the emerging biobased economy – such as: second generation biofuels based on biomass through the joint venture DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol; and finding bio-based routes to chemicals, through our collaboration with The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company.”

Danisco is not only prepared to confront the enormous climate challenges ahead of us, it is well positioned to be a key player in delivering real solutions.

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