Future green business conference |

“Future GREEN Business” – an initiative in the form of a conference organized by the International Institute for Climate Action (IICA) is held with the primary goal of educating, informing, raising awareness and networking the business community and the financial sector in order to achieve the fastest possible transition to a low-carbon sustainable economy.

By sharing knowledge, practices, ideas and projects, we enable a significant increase in the level of social and personal responsibility in the direction of sustainability and help companies introduce new work and management models to ensure stable future growth.

This year’s “Future GREEN Business” international conference organized by the International Institute for Climate Action (IICA) entitled “HOW THE BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL SECTOR CAN CONTRIBUTE TO CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION (EU & FRICA)” is dedicated to the is dedicated to the business and financial sector, and the conference theme is a reflection on the previous implementation of ESG in the business and financial sector and provides concrete instructions on how climate action can contribute to building a sustainable economy – the economy of the future.

At the 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, the EU called on all other major players to take ambitious action as well as all countries to meet the goal of dramatically increasing global renewable energy capacity and energy efficiency, and reiterated its readiness to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.

The EU and the Republic of Croatia remain committed to their goals of achieving climate neutrality, and by increasing their ambition until 2040, we additionally confirm our commitment to the green transition of our economy – an economy for future generations. To achieve these goals, all EU countries must work together to promote common values, which include peace, freedom, democracy and the rule of law. This is precisely why this Conference represents an opportunity to connect the main stakeholders in the economy and to consolidate our leadership in response to the urgent global challenge that the climate crisis brings with it for the economy, which we can only solve together.

To achieve this goal, we need strong unity and support from both the business and financial sectors, which can find their place and role in this Initiative in a strong change in society and the economy towards a “Green Economy!”

Given the importance of this topic, it is our great honor to present this year’s Keynote Speaker of the conference, Ms. H.R.H. Princess Abze Djigma – Co-Chair of the UNFCCC Paris Committee on Capacity Building.

In addition, this conference is worthy of the attention of the business and financial sector because at the conference, the Women Green Leaders Club (WGLC) will present its initiative to award new future leaders of the green transition with education in the field of ESG, namely students who, through a competition, have won the right to apply for an internationally recognized prize in the field of ESG.

The purpose of this initiative is to encourage and motivate new generations from the Republic of Croatia to continuously invest efforts, improve and act towards sustainable business, so that they can ultimately be recognized and acknowledged not only in the Republic of Croatia, but also on a global level.

INTRODUCTORY SPEECH LECTURERS

Marija Pujo Tadić

President of the International Institute for Climate Action (IICA) and main organizer of the Future Green Business Conference

Marija Pujo Tadić is a climate leader and ambassador of the EU Climate Pact. As an international expert in climate change law and policy, she has spent over 25 years dedicated to environmental issues, with a focus on climate change law and policy for the past decade. With extensive knowledge of national and international institutions involved in climate change, she has become a sought-after speaker and lecturer, sharing her expertise at conferences and summits worldwide. As the founder of the International Institute for the Climate Action (IICA), which has become a key player in climate change and CO2 issues in Croatia, she was a member of the official negotiating team of Croatia on the negotiations to he Paris Agreement in Paris (COP21) and each COP’s until last in Dubai (COP28). In 2020 she took the role of coordinating the Croatian Presidency of the Council of the EU’s Climate Change Team, while in 2024 she was appointed as a Board Member of the Scientific Council of COP29 Presidency – Azerbaijan. In addition, in the same year, the Government of the Republic of Croatia appointed her as a Special Advisor/Envoy for Climate Action of the Republic of Croatia.

Zrinka Ujević

Head of the Representation of the European Commission in Croatia

During her 30 years of service in Croatian diplomacy, Zrinka Ujević acquired advanced diplomatic and negotiation skills as well as advocacy skills. She systematically dealt with issues related to the EU and thus gained a true understanding of various areas of EU policies and the work of institutions. Since 2016, she has been the director of the Directorate for Europe in the Croatian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs. From 2000 to 2014, she played an important role in the mission of the Republic of Croatia to the EU. She was in charge of political issues, and then during the Croatian presidency of the EU, she was the head of the Office of the Chief Negotiator. After that, she was the deputy head of the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Croatia to the EU, and at the same time the representative of Croatia in the Political and Security Committee. Previously, she was the deputy head of the Department for the United Nations in the Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In that position, she dealt with numerous international issues, including the area of security and peacekeeping. Zrinka Ujević attended the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia and has been an ambassador since 2014.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER, Future GREEN Business, 2024.

H.R.H. Princess Abze Djigma

H.R.H. Princess Abze Djigma is a Mossi Princess from Burkina Faso and a leading representative of the traditional authorities in Africa. She is the Initiator and Leader of the MAMA-LIGHT® Initiative for Sustainable Energy distinguished by the UNGA 2015 one of the 14 breakthrough solutions to achieve the SDG’s. She brings over 20 years of experience of rural development and working with local communities as well as with the United Nations and she is internationally recognized as a role model for empowerment of the less fortunate, for recognizing the importance of the informal sector and for unleashing the potential of women and youth in developing countries. H.R.H. Princess Abze Djigma is a strong leader and an experienced senior negotiator. She is involved in Climate related negotiations over 20 years, including the Senday Framework, as well as COP’s. Currently she is the CoChair of the Paris Committee on Capacity-Building (PCCB) under the Convention, the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement (PCCB), representing the Least Developed Countries (LDC’s). She is the lead coordinator on Adaptation Stream on behalf of the G77 and China representing 134 countries over 5 billion people. And she is the LDC coordinator on Just Transition.

H.R.H. Princess Abze Djigma is an Expert for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and the
Chair of the International jury of the UNESCO-Japan Prize on ESD. She is the Chair of the H.R.H.
Princess Abze Djigma Foundation, and she was then Special Envoy for SDG’s of the President of Burkina Faso 2017-2021 and Member of the African Union – European Union Digital Economy Task Force. In Co-creation with UNFCCC secretariat and in coordination with the RCC’s she hosts and leads the Talk-Shows “On the road to COP’s” to raise awareness and action on climate action implementing ACE. H.R.H. Princess Abze Djigma got awarded the honorary Degree of Doctor for her contribution to the Advancement of Science and Culture from the University of Okayama Japan, in recognition of her distinguished leadership and contribution to a just, peaceful and inclusive society through the empowerment of women and youth, as well as extraordinary works and achievements at a local, national and international levels on education for sustainable development (ESD) and Sustainable Development Goals.

“Future GREEN Business” panel moderator