Former Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern Announces The World Carbon Neutrality Forum
22.9.2021 02:01:00 EEST | Business Wire | Press release
The "World Carbon Neutrality Forum" (WCNF) was announced today by the former President of the European Council (2004) and former Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern. Mr Ahern is currently co-chair of the Interaction of Council of Former Heads of State and Government, and the Eco Global Forum.
The date of 22nd September has been chosen to mark the first anniversary of President Xi’s double carbon commitment and his efforts towards a community with a shared future. The Forum is established to promote climate cooperation between China, the United States, Europe, and the rest of the World.
In its first year of operation, the World Carbon Neutrality Forum will be held virtually and transmitted by a dedicated video platform called the World Carbon Neutrality Media Network. The Forum will be based on a Davos model and will seek to stimulate thoughts globally by leadership on decarbonisation. It is a pluralistic organisation which will meet each quarter and will invite current and former Heads of State and Prime Ministers from developed and developing countries to discuss global decarbonisation targets.
The World Carbon Neutrality Forum will be based on the consensus model as proposed in the Paris Climate Agreement - it will bring together government leaders, global companies, institutions, scientists to promote and discuss knowledge of related topics such as climate change, carbon neutrality and new energy technology.
It is committed to empowering the global carbon neutral revolution and promoting the national awakening of green awareness. The Forum has commenced cooperation with several of the world’s leading academic, business, non-governmental organisations and institutions to initiate the first forum which will take place in January 2022.
The “World Carbon Neutrality Media Network" (WCNMN) was announced to commence broadcasting in 2022. It will be a global media and cloud video conference platform similar to TED, which focuses on the national decarbonisation targets and promotes climate cooperation between Europe, China, the United States and the rest of the World. Its objective is to provide a dedicated platform to bring together influential thought leaders.
Ms. Yang Lan, a well-known media proprietor and journalist, will serve as the chief host and be responsible for moderating WCNMN sessions and debates. Other sessions may be conducted to respond to topical issues on climate action and climate change that might arise.
Commenting on the announcement today Mr Ahern said:
“Without doubt climate change is the central issue challenging world leaders economically, politically and socially. What is required of a single generation is a scale of change ordinarily phased in over several decades. The politics to deliver that change will require political courage and skill.”
“Throughout my career I have always tried to cultivate the spirit of partnership and consensus. I am delighted to be Chair of the World Carbon Neutrality Forum because I believe collaboration, cooperation and coalition are key to substantial change. When it comes to climate action – we need borderless dialogue.
“The World Carbon Neutrality Media Network will provide an opportunity for industry leaders and Governments to listen to each other and take practical solutions from each other if we are to collectively realise global decarbonisation targets.
“As part of the European Green Deal, the Commission proposed in September 2020 to raise the 2030 greenhouse gas emission reduction target, including emissions and removals, to at least 55% compared to 1990. It looked at the actions required across all sectors, including increased energy efficiency and renewable energy, and started the process of making detailed legislative proposals by July 2021 to implement and achieve the increased ambition. This will enable the EU to move towards a climate-neutral economy and implement its commitments under the Paris Agreement.
“In addition the clear goal of carbon peak by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060 was declared on this day last year by President Xi Jinping of China. Recent announcements from China as well as the recently renewed commitment by the United States to the Paris Agreement means that policy and political momentum are moving in the same direction on carbon neutrality.
“The activity amounts to a paradigm shift and I believe there is an opportunity for a leadership voice to emerge to articulate the value of net zero-carbon target. The World Carbon Neutrality Forum will seek to find our collective voice through a network for like minded political and business leaders and will provide a collaborative forum to motivate and share experience.”
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210921006121/en/
Contact information
For more information:
James Taylor, Roaring Mouse Public Relations
james.taylor@roaringmousepr.com
+44 (0)1246 938833
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
The Premier Jumping League (PJL) & McCarthy Jumping Team Announce Landmark Purchase29.6.2026 16:10:00 EEST | Press release
The Premier Jumping League (PJL) today announced that seasoned trader, investor, and competitive race car driver Jason McCarthy and McCarthy Jumping League LLC acquired the first PJL team in a landmark $50 million acquisition, building on rising momentum for the highly acclaimed professional jumping league. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260629512997/en/ The Premier Jumping League (PJL), photographed by Daniel Benson. The milestone investment represents an unprecedented valuation for a team in a newly established sports competition and underscores the confidence that sophisticated investors are placing in the PJL. The inaugural PJL season is scheduled to commence in April 2027. McCarthy brings extensive investment and trading experience to the League, having held leadership positions across the financial sector throughout his career. A graduate of MIT, McCarthy is the Founder and Managing Principal of a propr
InvestEco Sustainable Food Fund IV Holds a Final Close With Total Commitments of C$106M29.6.2026 16:00:00 EEST | Press release
InvestEco Capital is pleased to announce the final close of the InvestEco Sustainable Food Fund IV. This fund will continue InvestEco’s work of investing in high-growth food companies that promote health and sustainability in the food sector. The Fund closed with total commitments of C$106M, the largest InvestEco fund to date. Investors include Farm Credit Canada, Export Development Canada, Business Development Bank of Canada, Fonds de solidarité FTQ, and two Government of Canada Social Finance Fund wholesalers: Boann and Realize Capital Partners. In addition, the Fund received commitments from a number of private investors and family offices. The Fund's investments to date include Humble Snacks, Little Sesame, Mid-Day Squares and Algae Cooking Club. The Fund expects to make a further 6 - 10 investments over the next few years. InvestEco Capital, founded in 2002, is a Toronto-based venture capital firm and impact investor focused on the sustainable food sector. For more information, em
Geoswift and SKUx Announce Strategic Partnership to Develop a First-of-Its-Kind Programmable Stablecoin Commerce Network29.6.2026 15:00:00 EEST | Press release
Geoswift and SKUx announced a groundbreaking partnership to develop a next-generation programmable stablecoin commerce network. This strategic collaboration bridges digital assets, traditional finance, and real-world commerce at a global scale, representing a "one-of-one" opportunity by combining Geoswift's global infrastructure with SKUx's specialized item-level controls directly within point-of-sale (POS) systems. While enterprise stablecoin usage continues to accelerate globally, governments, enterprises, payment networks, and AI-driven commerce platforms are increasingly seeking programmable payment infrastructure that can bridge digital assets with real-world commerce. The innovation goes far beyond treasury management or even enabling consumers to spend stablecoins at retail locations. Instead, it unlocks true "programmable money" with embedded controls, rules, and purpose-driven utility —requiring both programmable settlement and programmable spending controls. Geoswift and SKUx
Esri Sponsors Smithsonian Exhibition Showcasing Natural and Cultural Objects from All 50 States29.6.2026 15:00:00 EEST | Press release
Esri, the global leader in location intelligence, is sponsoring From These Lands: Sharing Our Natural and Cultural Heritage, a new exhibition at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History that showcases objects from all 50 states and explores the deep connections between people, place, and the natural world that unite the nation. The exhibit, which opened this June 18 and runs through 2029, brings together more than 600 specimens and cultural artifacts from across the United States, Washington, DC, and the five territories that people call home. Drawing from the museum's own collection, From These Lands shows how natural systems, cultural traditions, and geography intersect. The exhibition presents stories that span millions of years—from ancient fossils and geological formations to cultural artifacts and scientific breakthroughs—inviting visitors to reflect on their own sense of place. By pairing natural specimens with cultural objects, From These Lands demonstrates how huma
Cartilage Tissue Engineering Heads to Orbit in NSF and NASA-supported Study at the International Space Station29.6.2026 15:00:00 EEST | Press release
Researchers in the DELTAi Lab at the University of California, Irvine, working with NASA, are using Evercode Cell Fixation to preserve samples aboard the International Space Station as part of a study of cartilage tissue engineering in microgravity. The unprecedented work, part of a National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded grant led by Dr. Wendy Brown and Dr. Kyriacos Athanasiou, announced today by Parse Biosciences, aims to advance treatments for the hundreds of millions of people worldwide affected by cartilage injury. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260629548658/en/ Rachel Nordberg, PhD, from the DELTAi Lab at UC Irvine, prepping the BioServe device before it goes into orbit. Cartilage injuries cause significant pain and disability, and the need for implants that can repair or regenerate damaged tissue without harming a donor site has gone unmet for decades. Part of the difficulty is gravity itself, which m
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom