Science meets Industry, Policy and Public

5 - 7 March 2009, Aarhus, Denmark

OPENING ADDRESSES BY

               Gro Harlem Brundtland          Sir David King                   

                  Ulla Tørnæs               Jørgen E. Olesen             

       John D. Hofmeister       Wallace S. Broecker   

Svend Auken

The challenges of climate change to sustainable development globally require creative thinking and holistic ideas, innovative solutions, and development of new technologies. Climate change also creates new opportunities.

The challenges can be used to break new ground in terms of research, products and politics. This can be achieved through innovative thinking, inventiveness, creativity, profitability, sustainability and alternative outlooks. 

Denmark is very much at the forefront with regard to research, consumer and business behaviour as well as public policy aimed at limiting or adapting to the effects of climate change nationally and internationally.

Denmark will be hosting the UNFCCC-climate summit (COP15) later in 2009. The most important issue of COP15 will be global regulatory agreements that can join forces of the major economies in the world. The present agreement – the Kyoto-Protocol is expected to be replaced by a stronger commitment. The questions are at present which environmental, ethical, social, economic, and business considerations will determine the negotiations for the period after 2012 – and what global commitments can be achieved.

There is a need for innovative solutions, technology development and public participation, and a need for cooperation across the multiple interests of the global society.

The conference in Aarhus on 5-7 March 2009 ‘Beyond Kyoto: Addressing the Challenges of Climate Change – Science Meets Industry, Policy and Public’ focused on these questions in a multidisciplinary approach. 

 "7 Aarhus Statements on Climate Change" is the result of these discussions:

Final version