Press Release
Sherine Bouez

The World Environment Magazine acts as a reference and as a practical guide for Green workers, conscious professionals, leaders, and citizens of the world. Readers from all walks of life refer to it for information, but also for inspiration to pioneer and integrate transformation into their new thinking. The Magazine boldly addresses a wide array of specialized topics ranging from Ecology to Health, with the aim of fostering Innovation. This is conveyed though articles, interviews, and documentaries, on green issues like global warming, biodiversity, waste management, sustainable development, water and energy challenges.

Current affairs have geared business efforts towards corporate social responsibility, by factoring it into their profitable business equations to achieve sustainable growth. It has now undeniably become an essential component of an optimized business model. The Magazine is a rich platform for idea generation across industries and green projects, providing handy material and state of the art elucidations to conceive of, but also to technically implement various projects, such that of facing the future of energy.

A simultaneously tense and hopeful build up intensifies in the global green ‘arena’ as we approach the start date of the Rio de Janeiro Summit 2012, on June 20th, twenty years after the 1992 United Nations Conference on the Environment and Development, the Rio Earth Summit.

Indeed, as the new June 2012 issue of the World Environment Magazine portrays, with the ‘Rio+20’, many controversies, wounds, but also new probabilities surge with challenges such as that of poverty eradication being in the spotlight at the event, in the context of a green economy. Another issue that is brought to the forefront of this gathering is the ocean- an area beyond national jurisdiction covering a bigger part of the planet than the one we occupy. Once again, the ball is in our court, and on firm grounds. For now.

Governments, civil society organizations, youth groups, and interested citizens, to name a few stakeholders, will all join forces: the primary goal of the convention is to stabilize greenhouse gas concentration in such a way as to ‘allow eco-systems to adapt naturally to climate change, ensure that food production is not threatened, and to enable sustainable economic development’. Scientific and conservation evidence provided by leading experts substantiates the case for ocean preservation by shedding light on the practical measures that are being taken, such as ‘directing new funds to climate change activities in developing countries’, or keeping tabs on developments.

In addition, a new section of the magazine is dedicated to the role of business in preserving the environment and to the powerful position that ‘Green CEOs’ find themselves in to lead by example and positively impact the context in which their organizations work. We present remarkable examples of best practice in the Financial, Food Distribution, Construction, and Healthcare industries. These include programs and initiatives, such as the promotion of wildlife conservation, instigated by successful businessmen interviewed here, who are dedicated to their cause and apply a ‘no compromise policy’ despite all odds. To them, corporate social responsibility is a conscious choice and an integrative part of a business agenda.

In a wider, more global context, we take a close look at sustainability initiatives and their implications, such as following up Jakarta’s water agreement, introducing a new model for ethical water exchange, saving the cultural heritage of a city like Beirut, or preserving authentic architecture as a reflection of a way of life that is in tune with Nature. On the technological front, innovation complements architecture through experiments in lighting to maximize energy saving with trendy concepts and designs. Colorful pictures also immerse us in rural areas of Kenya, where an emergency water resource management program carried out in response to the Horn of Africa drought of 2011 has yielded significant results, after having affected around 4 million people.

In the spirit of ‘Eco-living’, social, regional, and educational differences are bridged by a bold effort on behalf the ‘Foundation Saradar’ to offer E-ecoeducation and a Mobile computer school in an ‘E-caravan’ that crosses miles to make education and conscious living available to all. In the same vein, the ‘Stars Foundation’ supports and awards frontline, impactful initiatives improving children’s health, education, and protection needs, inspiring many to reach similar standards of excellence. Noise pollution, the Creative Arts, and the story of a successful communication campaign of an NGO fighting child abuse, Child of Lebanon (COL), all complement the green lifestyle encouraged by the World Environment Magazine.

Numerous voices will finally be heard, particularly those of developing countries. Many participants, green workers, and concerned parties feel ‘guardedly optimistic’ that, with the Rio+20 being a UN conference of the highest level and with the involvement of all governments at the UN general assembly, ‘there will be enough political will to make meaningful progress’.

Source: www.worldenvironment.tv