Environmentalism

When dozens of world leaders descended on Rio de Janeiro last June for one of the biggest global environmental conferences in 20 years, observers had a dilemma: should they stay in the conference hall to watch the parade of presidents and prime ministers? Or head out to see executives from Microsoft and dozens of other companies at various parallel green business events dotted around the city?

Back at the first Rio Earth Summit in 1992, relations between companies and environmental campaigners were more prickly, writes Pilita Clark. Today, the rise of the digitally empowered consumer and environmental activist has driven a profound change. Rarely does an executive voice publicly any private reservations about recycling or climate change.