The company has also launched the Bayer Climate Programme focused on averting the negative consequences of climate change. One of its objectives is bringing together professionals to share their knowledge and find new environmentally sound solutions for industries and businesses.The 2008 Eco-Forum held at the Warsaw University Library was devoted to limiting carbon-dioxide emissions. The debate was attended by specialists: Lauren Willoughby of The Climate Group, Achim Ilzhöfer, an expert at the Bayer Climate Programme and Eco-Construction, Edwin Bendyk, journalist specializing in ecological transport and Antoni Bielewicz, a publicist writing on Green IT.

The experts agreed that all industries need to limit their CO2 emission and energy consumption through the use of innovative technologies. Businesses seem to be bound to exchange all existing construction, transport and IT technologies within the next twenty-forty years. Bayer has made a clear statement by cutting its direct and indirect green-house gas emissions by 37% between 1990 and 2007. The company is planning to keep GHG emissions at the current level until 2020 despite the expected growth in production. It has also secured EUR 1 bn for investments in climate-related R&D and projects between 2008 and 2020. The Bayer Climate Programme has already initiated several light-house projects which provide groundbreaking examples of initiatives aimed at tackling consequences of climate change and supporting climate protection like the Bayer EcoCommercial Building.

The EcoCommercial Building (ECB) introduced at the conference by Achim Ilzhöfer is an alternative to regular buildings in which energy use accounts for 20% of global GHG emissions. ECB is based on a concept of zero-emission buildings that can be adapted to any of the world’s various climate zones. The approach is to integrate climate friendly technologies such as polyurethane insulation, polycarbonate sheeting, in-house photovoltaic energy, and special glazing and ventilation systems, most of which are originally developed by Bayer. The first ECB is located near New Delhi in India. The groundbreaking ceremony took place in May 2008 and construction is expected to take 15 months.

Bayer in cooperation with the UNEP holds a competition for the Ambassador of Sustainable Development which was won this year by Marta Lach of the Technical University of Łódź.