Alexandria, VA (July 5, 2011) – The Center for Environmental Innovation and Leadership (CEIL) talked with career diplomat Chris Dunnett last week about the Swedish American Green Alliance.  

SAGA was launched February 2010 by Minister for Enterprise and Energy, Maud Olofsson and U.S. Ambassador to Sweden, Matthew Barzun to increase collaboration between Sweden and the United States in energy and environment.   It serves as a sustainability exchange for Swedish and American researchers, entrepreneurs, policy makers, journalists, legislators, activists, industry leaders, academics, NGOs, and more.

SAGA “makes connections, cultivates partnerships, and celebrates the ongoing story of progress toward a sustainable future,” according to Mr. Dunnett.  "The real dynamic around the Swedish American Green Alliance is putting out information about the interesting things that are going on in sustainability in Sweden and in the United States, in order to create an ongoing network.”

To date, nearly one hundred official SAGA partners has been established and over 600 examples of sustainability innovations have been posted on the SAGA web platform - sagastory.blogspot.com.   In addition, a Memorandum of Cooperation was created between the United States and Sweden on sustainable transportation, Sweden joined the Clean Energy Ministerial and the U.S. National League of Cities, and the National Association of Swedish Eco-municipalities have signed an agreement to collaborate on urban sustainability. The partnership includes 1700 cities in Sweden and the United States.  Eleven mayors visited Stockholm last year to meet with Swedish counterparts and this year representatives from five Swedish cities attended the annual conference of the National League of Cities.

"Our embassies serve as demonstration platforms for great American technologies that can reduce emissions and increase efficiencies,” says Dunnett. Mr. Dunnett is the Counselor for Public Diplomacy at the U.S. Embassy in Sweden.  

About GOVgreen
CEIL’s GOVgreen Conference and Exposition (November 30 – December 1, Washington Convention Center) is the one event where government stakeholders connect to learn how to transform green policies into actionable plans and programs in order to achieve the interrelated goals of sustainability in energy, water/wastewater, facilities and transportation.  Educational tracks include Procurement, Contracting and Finance; Workplace and Workforce; Policies, Planning and Implementation; and Measuring, Tracking and Reporting.   The exhibit floor features companies that provide green products and services to the government.  GOVgreen’s conference program is free to government and military professionals.  Learn more about GOVgreen at www.GOVgreen.org.

About CEIL
Inform. Educate. Enable.
The Center for Environmental Innovation and Leadership (CEIL) is an independent organization designed to facilitate information and education exchange among government professionals charged with identifying, specifying, and buying green goods and services and with the vendors, contractors, and consultants that provide green goods and services.    CEIL provides an interactive environment for government and industry professionals engaged in green activities that includes educational events, website, podcasts, webcasts, news and a social media.   Learn more about CEIL at www.CEILeadership.org.