The environmental significance of the `Heart of Borneo’ initiative was highlighted yesterday during the “Brunei Environment Roundtable 2007” talk at the Empire Hotel and Country Club. The roundtable talk, which was organised by the Asia Inc Forum, began with a keynote address on “Global Warming: Consequences and Opportunities” by General Manager of TOTAL, Mr Louis Heuze. He touched on factors that contribute to climate change, and how atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases was increasing rapidly. Mr Heuze said that the ultimate objective was to achieve the stabilisation of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere to a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.
This session was moderated by Allen Lai, CEO of Asia Inc Forum. Next on the agenda was a discussion on “The Green Heart of Borneo”, where speakers stressed on the environmental significance of the project and its economic implications, as well as what to expect of the government and private sector.
The open forum discussion was led by: WWF Special Advisor to the `Heart of Borneo’ initiative, Dato Mikaail Kavanagh Abdullah; Deputy Director of Forestry Department Mahmud bin Mohd Yussof; Professor Wangari Maathai; Managing Director of Brunei Shell Petroleum Sdn Bhd, Dr Grahaeme Henderson; and Director of Environmental, Health and Safety of Alcoa Inc, Global Primary Products Growth, Mr Patrick Grover. The forum was moderated by Dato Paduka Timothy Ong, Acting Chairman of Brunei Economic Development Board.
During lunch at Spaghettini’s restaurant, the world’s leading scientist and environmentalist, Professor David Bellamy, talked about recycling and future sources of energy. This session was moderated by Mr John Saville, British High Commissioner to Brunei. Also attending the talk was special guest, Minister of Development Pehin Dato Awang Hj Abdullah bin Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar.
The CEO of Asia Inc Forum told the Bulletin, “The presence of Pehin Dato Awang Hj Abdullah and senior government figures shows that the government sees this as an important topic as highlighted by His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam in Cebu during the 12″ Asean Summit in January.” — Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin
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