INTRODUCTION A lot of things seem impossible – until they’re done The 2011 UN Conference in Durban delivered a breakthrough on the international community’s response to climate change. Commenting on the accord that promises to bring all major greenhouse gas emitters under a single roof, Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UN’s Framework Convention on Climate Change, cited Nelson Mandela to say, “It always seems impossible until it’s done. But now, it is done!” that’s a sentiment that, i’m sure, many ÅF clients can echo. For the past 100 years ÅF has been initiating, innovating, pioneering and perfecting solutions to technical challenges that have confounded conventional thinking. times change, locations differ, industries come and go, but one thing always remains the same: ÅF uses its vast pool of expertise and experience to create solutions that are profitable, safe and sustainable. every time. our commitment to this mission is evident in the projects and research studies described in this edition of the Green Advisor report: • projects to improve energy efficiency and to measure and reduce greenhouse gas emissions for public utilities and industries as diverse as danish oil and shipping, Chinese dairies, swedish telecoms and norwegian paint manufacturers. • projects to investigate ways of exploiting more effectively the potential of hydropower, wind power and biofuels, and to promote the use of renewable energy in sweden, Finland and romania. • projects that use the best available techniques to move companies in, for example, the packaging and chemical industries one step closer towards a pollution-free future. • and, last but by no means least, advanced research studies together with industry, government agencies, nGos and academic partners. studies that will ultimately become important milestones on the roadmap to a more sustainable society. in short, innovative solutions that save time, effort and money for our clients while also helping to save the planet for the generations yet to come. Building a sustainable society is a responsibility shared by every single one of us. And all of us at ÅF are firmly committed to playing our part in this. that’s why in 2011 we decided to publicly report our own greenhouse gas emissions to the increasingly influential Carbon disclosure project, Cdp. in business, what gets measured gets managed. so independent global initiatives like the Cdp can help accelerate solutions to climate change by putting relevant information at the heart of business policy and investment decisions. As always, it is those most in the public eye – governments, big companies and international brands – that need to set an example by leading the way forward. the problem is, in today’s fiercely competitive marketplace companies need to focus on their own core business 24/7. that’s where ÅF, with more than a century of environmental consulting experience and a team of about 5,000 talented experts accustomed to thinking outside the box, can help. no matter how unattainable your dream of contributing to a sustainable society may seem, i am confident that ÅF has a solution for your company, too. Much has been dismissed as impossible. until ÅF has shown that it isn’t. “ÅF uses its vast pool of expertise and experience to create solutions that are profitable, safe and sustainable for its clients.” regards, Jonas Wiström, Ceo Green Advisor report 2012:01 1
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