Mayors’ Voices: Basel Mayor Dr. Guy Morin
Monday, January 30, 2012 at 09:30AM 
While national governments fail to come to an agreement on how to stop global warming, cities of all hemispheres are already acting. They would do even better if adequate financial resources were available. The C40 affiliate City of Basel, Switzerland, a centre for cleantech and finance, has initiated the platform “Global Energy Basel (GEB) – The Sustainable Infrastructure Financing Summit.” Today, I am happy and proud to invite all fellow Mayors and Senior City Officials from Environmental and Finance Departments of cities to the 2nd GEB Summit.
As Mayors, we know that there is great willingness among our citizens to address climate change. However, it is the available infrastructure, in conjunction with this positive mind-set, that allow people to make the right choices. How can one save energy if the insulation of one’s home is insufficient? Who can be blamed for owning and using multiple cars per household if there is no adequate public transportation system?
The type of sustainable infrastructure to be discussed and promoted at GEB addresses these issues at the root, efficiently and cost effectively. The GEB Summit brings together project owners such as cities with investors, including pension funds and banks, who want to participate in this green, equitable and profitable development.
On February 21 and 22, 2012 the most inspirational and knowledgeable decision-makers and experts will gather at the GEB summit to advance this agenda: to agree on a framework for evaluating investment conditions, and discuss good practice for sustainable infrastructure project implementation. C40 and other cities are welcome to get further information and register now at www.globalenergybasel.com. See you in Basel!
For information on C40 City-specific workshops at the event, click here.