NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Thursday, December 1, 2011

New York, Durban, 28 November 2011-More than 12 million low-income people in Africa, Asia, and Latin America will gain access to clean energy following four companies’ commitments made today to the Business Call to Action, a global leadership initiative that promotes sustainable economic and social development. The companies also expect to create approximately 42,000 environmentally sustainable job opportunities by 2016.

The pledges that range from expanding clean energy in more than 40 developing countries to promoting sustainable use of Amazon Rainforest fruits were made at the start of the 2011 United Nations Climate Change Convention in Durban in South Africa.

“Clean energy access is essential to building a healthier and more prosperous world. We need to come together to find bold and bankable solutions that protect our planet and promote the welfare of all people. We need CEOs, investors, utility companies and renewable energy businesses,” said Business Call to Action Acting Programme Manager Amanda Gardiner. “These pledges show the private sector’s growing commitment to address such challenges by promoting alternative solutions to traditional infrastructure and boosting environmentally sustainable jobs.”

United States-based juice company Sambazon committed to train 7,000 açaí-berry harvesters in the Brazilian Amazon Rainforest on organic, non-invasive harvesting principles and environmental management principles. In addition to doubling current yields of the Amazon berry and increasing harvesters’ earnings by 40 percent by 2016, the initiative is expected to preserve over 1.2 million hectares of forestland.

“As worldwide demand for açaí continues to rise, this initiative will help promote a sustainable value chain and ensure adequate supplies of organic fruit,” said Ryan Black, CEO of Sambazon. “To date, Sambazon’s supply chain has provided alternative livelihoods for over 2,500 people and ensures the sustainable use of 700,000 hectares of in the Brazilian Amazon.”