GreenBiz 2011 leaves its mark in grand style

VIR talks with Alain Cany, chairman of the European Chamber of Commerce (EuroCham), to see how he saw the recent European event GreenBiz 2011 to assist Vietnam in this endeavour.

Can GreenBiz 2011 be considered a success, from EuroCham’s perspective as the event’s organiser?

GreenBiz 2011 was a great success. It has attracted thousands of visitors during its two-day exhibition and conferences. A wide range of topics, ranging from sustainable cities over green manufacturing to energy efficiency  were discussed in Ho Chi Minh City, with the participation of leading international and domestic experts. The conference presentations reflected Vietnam’s most current challenges and opportunities for sustainable green solutions. GreenBiz 2011 attracted 70 exhibitors, 12 sponsors and more than 3,000 specialised visitors. Nearly 50 experts from business, government and academia discussed the most pressing environmental challenges and suitable business solutions.

Many manufacturing companies in Vietnam have had to cut operational costs, restructure operations and even halt their expansion plans due to global financial woes and Vietnam’s macroeconomic problems. Did this impact on the interest of Vietnam-based firms in GreenBiz 2011?

No, quite the opposite. At GreenBiz 2011 we had more exhibitors presenting even better technologies and solutions than was the case in GreenBiz 2009. A lot of progress has been made in terms of technology and our member companies are on the edge of this. It seems many companies are using the period of economic stagnation to rethink and re-evaluate their long-term business plans. They are considering more lifecycle costs instead of only looking at short-term solutions. We clearly observed a shift in mindset, which is good for Vietnam and its long-term sustainable progress. We observed that there were many B2B discussions taking place and GreenBiz 2011 was a great platform for Vietnamese and European companies to establish the links with each other.

What opportunities are there for European firms to transfer green technologies to Vietnam following GreenBiz 2011?

GreenBiz 2011 has opened up new opportunities for Vietnam in various areas of green solutions and technologies, and it also has raised the awareness that Vietnam will attach to sustainable development in particular with regards to sustainable cities, climate change and energy efficiency, as well as cleaner production and green business practices in general.

Let me give you a very simple example, energy saving light bulbs. It is said that if energy saving light bulbs were installed in every home and office in Vietnam, it could cut the entire country’s electricity consumption used in lighting by more than 30 per cent - a massive saving from something so small.  So even if you don’t want to install solar panels, heat pumps, small scale hydro or wind systems, you can still reduce your impact on climate change with very little effort or expense.

This is a good solution for a developing country like Vietnam. GreenBiz 2011 will display many upgraded products and solutions, ranging from light bulbs to water heaters, environmentally friendly cars and motorbikes to waste-water treatment and water-saving solutions. Finally, some new features of GreenBiz 2011 also include renewable energies, in particular new solar technologies in addition to wind energy that was already presented in 2009.

What are your recommendations to the Vietnamese government concerning developing sustainable cities, a focus of GreenBiz 2011?

To encourage sustainable green solutions for Vietnam, the Vietnamese government will need to continue its already good work on a system of incentives to build sustainable cities and implement efficient, green solutions. This includes creating a good regulatory environment that promotes green investment. It also means better enforcement of environmental laws, regulations and procedures. It additionally means giving more incentives for small- and medium-sized enterprises, to ensure that more companies invest in green technologies. We believe that the government should further promote public and private investments in these fields as well as take necessary measures to raise awareness among both businesses and people. Consistent and sustainable urban planning takeing into consideration all aspects of cities will be key, from transportation over energy to residential housing. Our sponsor Siemens has impressively showcased such comprehensive solutions and already implemented them outside of Vietnam.

When is the next GreenBiz event and how will the next event be different in your vision as compared with GreenBiz 2009 and GreenBiz 2011?

Given this year’s great success, the next GreenBiz may be in 2012 already, even though our target is 2013. Of course, we will make it even bigger and better. We would like to reach 100 exhibitors and bring even more government and private sector speakers to the conference. We may do it in the capital Hanoi rather than Ho Chi Minh City, but this has yet to be decided. The next GreenBiz will also be more specific and targeted at key topics that we will decide over the next couple of months. It will be important to follow-up the issues that were discussed this year and see if progress has been made.