Bright Green demonstrators

By Inge Kjærgaard

Summits call for inspiring debate and preferably common objectives for the future. But demonstrators can also turn up to express their opinions – sometimes in a violent way.

When the countries of the world meet at the UN Climate Change Conference COP 15 in December, the business community will also be demonstrating ... with an exhibition. Bright Green is the name of the trade fair, where energy companies from all over the world will showcase their products.

“It is not a doomsday demonstration, but a set of positive pointers to how climate challenges can be solved. It is a collective voice and we would like to send a strong signal that the solutions are here,” says Jens Holst-Nielsen of DI (Confederation of Danish Industry).

He hopes that politicians and civil servants will visit the exhibition, which is also designed to provide the Danish public with an opportunity to get closer
to COP15 and pick up ideas for what they themselves can do at home.

“We think that the climate challenge can seem rather distant to the general public, and the exhibition provides an opportunity to be involved in the event. Our impression is that the climate challenge is becoming increasingly interesting to ordinary people,” says Jens Holst-Nielsen.

150 companies are expected to exhibit at Bright Green. Each will have a stand where they will present their contribution to solving the climate challenge. It is not just an exhibition to promote the Danish business community – the whole world is invited. There will be major companies from Japan, Germany, USA and France. For the organisers of Bright Green, it is important to show that climate is a global challenge.

Vestas installs a wind turbine every three hours. Globally. Photo: Scanpix