Birmingham Takes Sustainability Messages to Chicago Businesses

June 4 2008

Key representatives from Birmingham City Council and Birmingham businesses, led by the Cabinet Member for Regeneration Councillor Neville Summerfield, will be in Chicago this week. They will be there to discuss the impact of sustainability on corporate profits.

Clive Dutton, Birmingham City Council Director of Planning and Regeneration will deliver a key speech at the Climate Change Business Forum, on day three of Chicago's 'International Sister City Week', taking place between 2-6 June.

Joining Clive to talk about sustainability in the Climate Change forum will be Birmingham business representative Martin Jackson, General Manager of Strip Tinning Ltd and Dr Adrian Murphy, Technical Director of the National Industrial Symbiosis Programme (NISP), a UK organisation aimed at supporting businesses with environmental issues.

Councillor Neville Summerfield said:

"No place was more influential than Birmingham in driving the carbon based industrial revolution in the 19th century. Birmingham has now set itself a role to be a pioneer for the low carbon future, which all of us agree is an urgent priority.

"We have agreed a plan, to be implemented over the next three years, which will drive a radically new approach to the sustainable development of this city, to ensure we achieve a 60% cut in our greenhouse gas emissions by 2026. We are proud to address Chicago businesses and their sister cities to highlight this target.

"The Birmingham emission reduction target is far more ambitious than central government's plans, which has the 60% reduction set to be achieved by 2050.

"We are in a prime position to make a big difference to minimise our environmental footprint and impact, and raise awareness that businesses in Birmingham and Chicago alike, need to take responsibility as much, or more than individuals who are already making positive sustainability changes in their own lives."

Birmingham City Council is also supporting the Birmingham Science City project, combining the expertise of the city's three universities to drive forward low carbon technology development.

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