Climate Change Leadership Summit in Porto on March 7-9 to have Al Gore as Keynote Speaker

When former President Barack Obama accepted an invitation to be the keynote speaker at the CLIMATE CHANGE LEADERSHIP summit held in Porto earlier this July, there was skepticism about the success of the Conference by the Doubting Thomases. They once again started their campaign against the program. They were sure that after the mishap with the Institute of Masters of Wine that obliged Pancho Campo- the first master of Wine from Spain, to resign from the membership of the top Wine Institute of the world, it won’t be easy for him to duplicate the success he had generated in Conferences like the Wine Futures in Rioja and Hong Kong where the who’s who of the industry including Robert Parker Jr. and Jancis Robinson MW were present. Even Subhash Arora was invited as a panelist and came back genuinely impressed.   

Campo, who owns and runs Chrand marketing and Events, was never fazed and smiling through the debacle used to say that he was an event management man who had handled mega concerts in Dubai (the epicenter of his troubles) and he was sure he would come back a winner in Events. In collaboration with the American College in Spain owned by his father-in-law, he did very well and the one-day Conference was a success and the Porto Protocol was signed at this Conference.

Porto Protocol

The official launch of the Porto Protocol marked the Climate Change Leadership Summit 2018, held 3 months ago in July 2018 in the presence of former President Barack Obama.

In his speech, President Barack Obama said that Climate Change was the greatest threat to future generations and it ought to be addressed collectively. The purpose of the Porto Protocol was to raise awareness that climate change was here and that there were things we could do now to make a difference.

‘A key pillar of the wine industry is climate.  The industry can learn from each other to help solve a problem that impacts everyone and, as a branded agricultural industry, it can help shape consumer awareness that things are being done by this responsible industry to improve the future, says the website www.portoprotocol.com.

‘As wine producers, we strongly support and sustain rural communities and landscapes. Many of our vineyards are located in areas of great natural beauty, with rich histories and unique ecologies that we are committed to preserve,’ say the producers who have joined as members to take collective action.

The Conference

The Conference has been expanded in scope to 3 days and the Climate Change Leadership summit  (CCL-Porto19). back on March 5-7 already has a line- up of several luminary speakers headed by Al Gore, former (CCL-Porto19). Vice President of America (1993-2001) and a joint Nobel Peace Prize winner, who will be the Keynote Speaker. 

The conference will be organized at the Alfandega Conference Centre in Oporto (Porto) where 30 Speakers have already confirmed their presence to discuss the challenges the wine world faced or would face due to climate change. This is the same venue where Subhash Arora was awarded the OIV Medal of Merit in June 2011 for selfless service to the global wine industry and continues to be the only Indian ever to be thus honoured.

Working for Climate Change

It is almost a cliché that good results of any venture automatically follow when one works with passion for a cause. Pancho Campo has been involved in this cause even before Climate Change was accepted as a reality by most people. It was a topic for his Research Paper for his Master of Wine. In fact, he had organised a full-blown seminar at a wine event attended by a group of visiting Masters of Wine who were overwhelmed by his efforts. Soon after, he was awarded the title of MW. He has also trained under Vice-President Gore.

Conference Speakers

After Al Gore gives the keynote address, internationally renowned presenters Miguel Torres (Chairman-Bodega Torres), Cristina Arianism-May (CEO  Banfi Vintners), Prof. Roger Boulton ( UC-Davis), António Amorim (Chairman of Amorim Cork Company), climatologist Dr. Greg Jones, grapevine geneticist Dr. José Vouillamoz (co-author of Wine Grapes with Jancis Robinson MW and Julia Harding), Cindy DeVries- COO of Fetzer Vineyards,  Àlvaro Gonzalez of Concha y Toro in Chile,  Gilles Descôtes of Bollinger, Gerard Bertrand of his winery of the same name in Languedoc, , Pierre Corvisier of JF Hillebrand, Heinrich Schloms- South African water specialist, Jaume Gramona from Bodega Gramona in Spain, Richard Halstead and Linda Johnson-Bell from UK among others, have already confirmed as Speakers to share their studies, practical experience, and strategies in mitigating the effects of climate change. This in itself is highly commendable- to get 30 Speakers to confirm for an expanding conference! For details, please visit: http://www.climatechange-porto.com/

Wine industry vulnerable to climate change

This is the greatest challenge our industry faces today. We are well placed to tackle this threat but it requires more than good intentions. Concerted and urgent action is needed on the part of all industry players and of those who supply and work with them. The Climatic Conference could not be timelier. It needs the attention and commitment of the wine industry to be pro-active to find the solution collectively and the Speakers will try to find a common solution.

The Trade Show

The Conference will also feature an extensive Trade Show and Sponsors Area where the exhibitors will have the opportunity to display their products and services. This area is targeted principally to companies from all areas of business with an interest in protecting the environment.

For up to date information and registration and buying tickets, please visit their website

http://www.climatechange-porto.com/

Subhash Arora

Tags : Porto, Climate Change Leadership Summit, Al Gore, President Barack Obama, Pancho Campo, Robert Parker Jr, Jancis Robinson MW, Porto Protocol, Alfandega Conference Centre, Oporto, Climate Change, Miguel Torres, Cristina Arianism-May, António Amorim, Dr. Greg Jones, Fetzer Vineyards, Concha y Toro, Bollinger, JF Hillebrand

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