07 Mar Swedish royal visit to Palo Alto focuses on urgency of green transition
Global leaders call on Silicon Valley to prioritize sustainable technology
At a summit in Palo Alto on Thursday, a Swedish business delegation led by the crown princess couple and the minister of foreign trade called on Silicon Valley leaders to lend their efforts to a sustainable technology transition.
The summit, part of the delegation’s four-day visit to California, honed in on fostering greentech collaborations between Sweden and the state. In her opening address, Crown Princess Victoria underscored the collective responsibility in shaping a sustainable future, particularly amid escalating conflicts and divisive rhetoric worldwide.
“In challenging times like this, we must meet eye to eye,” she said. “Because let’s not forget that we all share the responsibility for the future. This is a mission that unites us all.”
Among the invited guests and speakers were Palo Alto Mayor Greer Stone, businessman and industrialist Marcus Wallenberg, Nobel Laureate Steven Chu, California Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, Michael Marano, technical director at Google, and Suzanne DiBianca, executive vice president and chief impact officer at Salesforce.
Kounalakis emphasized the significant investments made by the California government in green energy initiatives and its role in fostering collaboration and innovation within the private sector, thereby driving progress towards clean energy goals.
