ECO POWER Brings UN Envoy and Two Nobel Peace Prize Winners to Brazil; Conference Seeks to Generate Public Policies Aimed at Making Renewable Energy Viable

FLORIANOPOLIS, Brazil, Nov. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- The opening of the ECO POWER Conference -- International Forum on Renewable Energy and Sustainability -- featured 2007 Nobel Peace Prize winner and Vice-President of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Mohan Munasinghe, former President of Chile and UN Special Envoy for Climate Change Ricardo Lagos, and Governor of Santa Catarina state Luiz Henrique da Silveira. "From 2020 the developing countries with average per capita income will have carbon emission and deforestation reduction targets, as well as energy efficiency objectives," Ricardo Lagos emphasized.

(Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20071203/SPTH001 )

The event will run through November 30 at the Costao do Santinho Resort in Florianopolis (Santa Catarina state), bringing together 130 conferees and speakers. The objective is to generate public policies that make implementation of renewable energy projects in Brazil viable and create business opportunities. A variety of topics will be addressed: Ethanol and biofuels: How to produce without compromising the use of land for growing food; Green companies x positive balance sheets: Encouraging responsible consumption standards; New technology for using clean coal, etc.

Muhammad Yunus of the Grameen Bank (2006 Nobel Peace Prize Winner) will discuss Karma Capitalism, how cooperation and microcredit can eradicate poverty. The conference's scientific advisor is one of Brazil's top energy specialists, physicist Jose Goldemberg, professor and former president of the University of Sao Paulo. "In Brazil, renewable energy is still not discussed much, whereas nuclear and hydroelectric power are always controversial subjects. Cost is the problem with renewable energy in Brazil, as the technology is already there, but the barriers can be eliminated with large- scale production," said ECO POWER director Ricardo Bornhausen.

"This very important event will debate and showcase alternatives to current energy matrixes. Our planet of tomorrow depends on our attitudes today," said Mohan Munasinghe. The event has the official support of the State Tourism, Culture and Sports Secretariat -- Funturismo -- and Celesc (Santa Catarina's electricity company), and is sponsored by Banco Real, Bunge, Sadia, Eletrosul and Tractebel Energia. More information at www.ecopowerbrasil.com.br