Rio+20: Investe SP enters into a memorandum with R20 to encourage the promotion of investments in green economy

Agency enters into a partnership with the organization R20, created by Arnold Schwarzenegger to assist local governments to adopt measures in favor of the climate

Investe São Paulo and R20 - Regions of Climate Action, founded and chaired by Arnold Schwarzenegger, entered into a memorandum of intent with the aim of encouraging the promotion of investments in green economy in the State of São Paulo. The partnership was established in the Pavilion of the Government of Rio de Janeiro, at Parque dos Atletas, this Wednesday, June 20, at an event held during the UN Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20.

“This partnership is important because R20 is able to identify companies interested in investing in the green economy sector in the State of São Paulo and refer them to Investe SP, which will support them for free,” says the president of Investe SP, Luciano Almeida. “We can also identify companies from São Paulo who wish to receive aid from R20 in the development of projects and in the implementation of best practices in favor of the climate,” added Almeida.

R20 is a nonprofit organization founded in 2011 in cooperation with the United Nations. It is a coalition of partners led by regional governments working to promote and implement projects to produce a series of economic and environmental benefits in the form of reduced energy consumption and emissions of greenhouse gases; strengthen local economies; improve public health and create new green jobs.

The mission of the Institution – which currently has 24 members, 43 partners and two observers –  is to help states, provinces, regions and other subnational governments worldwide to develop, implement and communicate and low carbon economic development projects and resilience to climate changes, in addition to public policies and good practices in this area.

Actions of Investe SP at Rio+20
In order to meet the investors’ demand, the team of Investe SP is lecturing at the booth of São Paulo State Government, at Parque dos Atletas (Avenida Salvador Allende, Barra da Tijuca), from Monday, June 18, until Friday, 22, always at 11  a.m. The purpose is to show the business opportunities in the State in sanitation and solid waste; sustainable transport; green technologies; renewable energy and; forests.

The agency has supported three companies in the green economy sector that have recently announced investments in São Paulo. One of them is Caterpillar, which will produce remanufactured parts in the State, as announced yesterday, June 19, during an event at the Rio+20.

The other is Syngenta, which inaugurated a biofactory worth US$ 100 million in Itápolis, generating 200 direct jobs for the Northwest region of the State. And finally, Solazyme Bunge Produtos Renováveis will invest R$ 180 million in the construction and operation of a plant of renewable oils, in Orindiúva, generating 80 direct jobs.

In addition, the agency developed a special content about green business, which is available on the website created by the State Government exclusively for Rio+20 (http://saopaulo.sp.gov.br/rio20/). The content can also be accessed in English and Spanish versions through the website of Investe SP: http://www.investe.sp.gov.br/setores/economia_verde