The FIA Foundation has participated in a United Nations Forum for business and civil society leaders held at the UN Headquarters in New York during the High Level Plenary Meeting on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The Forum, hosted by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, examined the potential of the business and ‘third sector’ NGOs to contribute the achievement of the MDGs.
The event featured a series of Roundtable discussion on each MDG. The FIA Foundation’s Director General, David Ward, contributed to the Roundtable on the ‘Green Economy’, chaired by former Irish President, Mary Robinson and facilitated by the Executive Director of UNEP, Achim Steiner. During the discussion David Ward highlighted the Foundation’s work with UNEP promoting the Global Fuel Economy Initiative and the need for an integrated approach to sustainable mobility that combined concern for emissions reduction and improved road safety. The Roundtable highlighted the potential of investment in clean energy technologies to promote both growth and employment whilst reducing demand for fossil fuels.
At the Forum over 30 commitments to advance progress on the MDGs were made by companies, foundations and civil society organisations. Private sector representatives such as Sir Richard Branson highlighted the positive business case for partnering with governments to support the MDGs and Dr Graca Machel, former First Lady of South Africa stressed the vital importance of fully engaging women in the development process. Also participating in the Forum was the President of Senegal, Mr Abdoulaye Wade, the Prime Minister of Denmark, Mr Lars Lokke Rasmussen, and the President of the World Bank, Mr Robert Zoellick.