Economy
Can a Global Gathering in Davos Help Protect the Planet?
The World Economic Forum, which takes place in Switzerland, aims to meet at least some of the goals its leaders set for the rest of the world.
When the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting begins in Davos, Switzerland, on Monday, sustainability will again be at the forefront. Last year, “Safeguarding the Planet” was one of the five pillars of the gathering, and the topic continues to be top of mind at this year’s event. One of the five key global challenges under the meeting’s headlining theme, “A Spirit of Dialogue,” asks: “How can we build prosperity within planetary boundaries?”
But the focus on sustainability extends beyond panel discussions and speeches, influencing how the event itself is designed and operated, according to Mirek Dusek, a managing board member, chief business officer and head of global programming for the World Economic Forum.
“Sustainability has always been a core operational principle because we believe in the long-term value of society, and overall, it is a smart thing to include sustainability in how we plan and run the event,” he said. To that end, the broader goal of sustainability globally is to meet the needs of people now, in the short term, without damaging the future of the planet.
Davos, the Forum’s largest meeting, brings together some 3,000 global leaders from business, politics and civil society. The gathering unfolds across three primary venues: the Congress Centre; Kurpark Village, a nearly 65,000-square-foot temporary wooden chalet that debuted in 2024, which gets assembled and disassembled each year; and the Zondacrypto-Arena, the home stadium of the local hockey team. Collectively, the sites form the Secured Zone and are within a five-minute walk of one another. “All have sustainable aspects in different ways,” Mr. Dusek said
In his role as head of global programming, a position he has had since June 2022, Mr. Dusek also oversees the program design, logistics and operations of the meeting. With respect to sustainability and planning, Mr. Dusek is responsible for the way that venues are constructed and powered, along with transportation, food sourcing and waste management throughout the weeklong gathering.
“It’s an exciting job because advances in technology allow us to modernize our sustainable initiatives every year,” he said. Before joining the World Economic Forum, he worked on public diplomacy at the U.S. embassies in Baghdad and Prague.
In an interview ahead of the meeting, Mr. Dusek, who lives and works in Geneva, discussed the ways in which the Forum defines sustainability when it comes to planning and running the event, the progress it has made in reducing the meeting’s environmental footprint and the challenges that remain.
Source: NYTimes
