Event 4th B4E Summit
Venue Coex Seoul
Organiser United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP)
Delegates 500
Date April 21-23



The brief
B4E, the Business for Environment Global Summit, is an international conference attracting top-level government and corporate figures.

The UNEP primarily sought a venue with the IT capability to host high-tech video feed speaker panels, but also one that would meet the organisation’s stringent sustainability requirements. A large factor in the venue selection process was Coex’s water use standards, waste-reduction practices and energy-efficiency systems.

Challenges
Despite the event happening during the Iceland volcano disruption, attendee levels were high and VIP speakers were still able to present as planned via live video feeds.

Three heads of state were in attendance, Guyanese president Bharrat Jagdeo, Maldivian president Mohamed Nasheed and Korean president Lee Myung-bak, so security was a key concern. The entire venue was closely monitored and access to the third level and the auditorium was closely guarded.

Execution
UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon gave the opening remarks, calling for businesses to work towards preserving biodiversity and preventing further climate change. Korean President Lee Myung-bak then delivered the keynote address about how green growth can be achieved by developed nations.

Video feeds were used for some speakers, including former US vice-president Al Gore and movie director James Cameron, who spoke via the world’s first 3-D video conference feed to delegates wearing 3-D glasses.

Comment
The organisers were impressed with Coex’s green initiatives, including the venue’s solar street lamps, urban park areas and the outdoor Piano Fountain, which filters fumes from the complex through a light-and-water show.

Arab Hoballah, chief of sustainable consumption and production at UNEP, says: “I know a lot about conference centres around the world. I know the one in Copenhagen, the one in Singapore and the one in Dubai very well and I believe Coex is among the best.”