The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and Informa Connect announced that Christiana Figueres, former executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will headline the 2020 Greenbuild International Conference and Expo. Figueres will deliver the keynote address during the opening session on Tuesday, November 10. This year’s virtual Greenbuild experience will take place November 10-12 with three virtual summits focused on green business, resilience and global health and wellness, taking place September 10, October 1 and October 22 as a lead up to the main event. Registration is now open.

“Greenbuild is honored and excited that Ms. Figueres has accepted our invitation to speak at Greenbuild 2020,” said Sherida Sessa, Greenbuild brand director. “Ms. Figueres is a global leader and through her leadership brought forward one of the most valuable commitments to combating climate change the world has seen. Her dedication to humanity and actionable change is unwavering and we are excited to hear her outlook on the future.”

Ms. Figueres is credited with forging a new brand of collaborative diplomacy. During her tenure as executive secretary of the UNFCCC from 2010 – 2016, Ms. Figueres brought together national and sub-national governments, corporations, activists, financial institutions and NGO’s to jointly deliver the historic Paris Agreement on climate change in which 195 sovereign nations agreed on a collaborative path forward to limit future global warming to protect the most vulnerable. Since then, Ms. Figueres has continued to serve her one and only boss – the global atmosphere. Ms. Figueres will share the future of purpose driven work and initiatives led through Global Optimism, her latest co-founded venture focused on social and environmental change. 

Ms. Figueres’ participation in Greenbuild 2020 reinforces the event’s continued commitment to bringing the leading innovators together to further the green building community’s mission to deliver a higher living standard for all.

“Ms. Figueres brings with her a wealth of knowledge and experience that demonstrates how bold thinking can drive change at local and global levels,” said Kim Heavner, vice president of conference and events at USGBC. “Her insights and commitment to innovative ideas and approaches will be a valuable contribution as we gather the green building industry together to share best practices and solutions for creating a world that prioritizes the health of all people. As we consider the current challenges the world is facing, we know that green building has never been more important and will be a critical part of building a healthy, sustainable, resilient and equitable future for all.”

Greenbuild, the largest green building conference and expo in the world, is produced by Informa Connect and presented by USGBC. Greenbuild 2020 features an all-virtual format with expanded education and high-demand topics including social equity, materials, circular economy, health and wellness, resilience, green building, corporate social responsibility and more.

Previous Greenbuild keynote speakers have included former President Barack Obama, Ret. Gen. Colin Powell, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, famed architect Bjarke Ingles, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, human rights activist Amal Clooney, former Vice President and climate activist Al Gore, and many others.

Companies interested in virtual exhibition or sponsorship opportunities should contact Jeff Stasko, Sales Director at jeffrey.stasko@informa.com or +1. 917.608.9294.

Individuals interested in receiving the latest updates as more 2020 details are announced should visit www.greenbuildexpo.com or contact the event team at info@greenbuildexpo.com.