Christine Todd Whitman to Speak at Cape Eleuthera Institute’s 2010 Sustainability Conference February 19-21

Former New Jersey Governor and administer of the EPA will be keynote speaker at Cape Eleuthera Institute’s conference on small island sustainability

(JANUARY 19, 2010--Eleuthera, Bahamas)  Cape Eleuthera Institute (CEI) is pleased to announce that Christine Todd Whitman, former Governor of New Jersey and administer of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from 2001-2003, will serve as the keynote speaker at CEI’s 2010 sustainability conference.  The conference, taking place February 19th-21st, will be the second in the Institute’s series following 2008’s Freedom 2030 conference on sustainable energy.  This upcoming conference will think beyond energy as it relates to sustainable tourism, to consider other basic needs like food, clean water, and waste processing which often present solutions that are more accessible and less costly. 

In her keynote address, Whitman will speak on confronting development challenges ahead through partnerships and innovative policy.  The Bahamas is poised to move towards a more sustainable future as the Ministry of the Environment and the Bahamas Electricity Corporation are currently finalizing a short list of alternative energy proposals.  Governor Whitman’s experience in building public-private partnerships is key for small islands in the Caribbean.

“We are confident Governor Whitman’s insights will stimulate new ideas among attending policymakers, business leaders, researchers, and resort developers,” said Karla Cosgriff, managing director of CEI.  “Out of this conference we hope to share some of the successful models we’ve developed here at CEI and The Island School and to issue an action plan to stimulate what is needed to make a green, sustainable Eleuthera attainable.  This kind of plan can bring worldwide attention to The Bahamas.”

If you are interested in attending CEI’s 2010 sustainability conference or would like more information, please email conference@ceibahamas.org.