PARIS – Cleantech businesses and biodiversity efforts will be on display at Paris’s annual Pollutec show at the end of this month. Nearly 1400 professional participants will join at the Paris Villepinte expo hall to welcome an anticipated 35,000 visitors to discuss topics from waste exploitation to nanotechnology.
Conferences and demonstrations on the latest environmental technology are scheduled from November 29 to December 2. Pollutec originated in Lyon, where it will be celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2012.
The expo is being held just as French environmental group Les Amis de la Terre (Friends of the Earth) recently highlighted the disappointing state of sustainable efforts in France. The group partnered with a major research institute to launch an online poll for the most disappointing ecological efforts, with winners earning “Pinocchio awards,” referring to the perceived deceptive nature of projects. Voters singled out major companies like bank Société Générale for partaking in ecologically unfriendly projects under the pretense of sustainability.
While many sustainability efforts are not always honest or straightforward, Pollutec hopes to highlight the latest companies and technologies that are making positive gains in environmental issues. Isabelle Filleul de Brohy, a press contact for Pollutec, said that there will be plenty of meetings covering topics from both local and international perspectives. “There are four focuses this year: pollution management, cleantech, energy and biodiversity,” she said.
Biodiversity issues will be a huge part of expo this year with the addition of the Biodiversity Village, a part of the expo sponsored by the French Ministry of the Environment. Restoring natural habitats, especially in urban areas, is an increasingly popular topic. The Village will give visitors the chance to attend talks over the five days given by professors, researchers, and heads of major cleantech companies
The Pollutec expo maintains an international aspect, including eight international pavilions while nearly a third of all presentations are coming from abroad. Many presentations will be in English while the majority will be in French.
The event is free for professionals who register on the site but there is a fee for the general public.
Photo: SAACKE
