Business Reporter
DOHA Bank organised a seminar on ‘Global warming and environment protection’ in Singapore at the weekend as part of its ongoing pro-environment initiative.
The bank’s chief representative in Singapore M Sathyamurthy welcomed the gathering and highlighted the bank’s achievements.
Simon Tey, chairman of the National Environment Agency at Singapore’s ministry of environment, spoke about the significance of global warming from his country’s perspective.
Edwin Khew, president of Singapore Manufacturers Forum, lauded Doha Bank for the “exemplary initiative” it had undertaken to spread awareness of global warming.
Doha Bank deputy CEO R Seetharaman elaborated on various aspects of global warming and how one could effectively tackle it.
He explained how rapid urbanisation, industrialisation, pollution and population growth had been creating severe imbalances in the ecological system.
“We are seeing the impact of global warming getting worse with each passing day. Increasing temperatures, rising sea levels, melting of glaciers worldwide, severe weather changes resulting in increasing natural calamities are all due to global warming. We must do our bit to maintain the ecological balances globally.”
“Industries and institutions need to take initiatives to factor environment protection into trade negotiations, foster renewable energy, liberalise environmental goods and invest in development of eco-friendly bio fuels. The need to develop environmentally sustainable businesses is becoming stronger, so that the globe remains a healthy place to live. We need to strive towards investing in approved, UN-compliant clean energy carbon credit programmes. Investments made now in clean energy such as biofuels and bio-diesel projects represent the future and will be a hedge against possible oil-deflation prices as well as profit-generating on their own account.”
“We must reduce energy consumption with initiatives such as car pooling, and putting unnecessary lights and electric gadgets off. We must totally eliminate usage of non bio-degradable materials, encourage recycling and buy environment friendly goods. We must plant more trees,” Seetharaman said.
“Doha Bank has taken various proactive measures in addressing global warming. It has conducted a series of seminars in creating awareness across the region on global warming and its ramifications. It is propagating energy saving as a corporate habit. It is committed to planting one tree per employee per year. Doha Bank encourages ideas from staff on energy savings and suitably rewards them. Doha Bank is taking a leading position in the Middle East as it is the first bank in the region to propagate a ‘green’ culture. Doha Bank is committed to be a carbon neutral entity,” he added. |
