Michelin's Challenge Bibendum covers heavy issues

Shanghai, China -- Michelin's 2007 Challenge Bibendum began on 14 Nov. in Shanghai with discussions marked by increasing concern about global climate change and $100 a barrel oil.

"This world is rapidly urbanising and increasingly energy hungry," Michelin Chairman Michel Rollier told attendees. "It is also showing more and more irrefutable signs of global warming, and we cannot continue to accept the human and social costs of road accidents.

"It must be our legacy to present and future generations that as far as road transport is concerned we have made the correct analysis of the issues, and that we have rightfully and forcefully acted on them."

The firm's annual gathering of "sustainable mobility" experts was held jointly with the United Nations Environment Programme (pan-Asian meeting on biofuels), the World Health Organisation (road safety), and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (transport).

Michelin describes Challenge Bibendum as an "independent, impartial forum for sustainable mobility where panels of experts, from the private and public sectors, debate, discuss and share visions."

The company points out there are five key challenges to address: climate change, energy, local pollution, road safety and urban traffic congestion.