TORONTO, ON -- EECO 2005, the must-attend conference of the spring in the Great Lakes Region, adds another speaker to its already glowing list of panelists. Bo Diczfalusy, Sweden's director of the Division of Energy at the Ministry of Sustainable Development, will provide an international perspective on the environment and his government's work on sustainable development. He will speak at the opening plenary of the upcoming Environment and Energy Conference taking place May 25-27 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

Sweden's Ministry of Sustainable Development was created on January 1, 2005 and takes over responsibility for environmental issues from the Ministry of Environment which ceased to exist when the Ministry of Sustainable Development was formed.

The Division of Energy is responsible for energy production, the trading of emissions, energy research and preparedness, as well as electricity and hydro dam safety and security. The division is a frontrunner in what is becoming an important office to countries around the globe. Director Diczfalusy's department is also responsible for monitoring energy usage and efficiency and transforming the Swedish energy system into an ecologically and economically sustainable system. This is possible with the aide of state capital and the co-operation of trade and industry, energy companies and the research community.

EECO 2005, one of the most powerful economic and business summits in the Great Lakes Region, will bring together key players from the local economy to discuss issues critical to corporate competitiveness in the area. This area, which includes Ontario, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, New York, and Pennsylvania, accounts for 75% of Canada's manufacturing output, 12% of the world's GDP and over $200 billion in Canada-US trade.

The plenaries and informative sessions provide a starting point for the four key themes of the conference: Eco-Efficiency, Environment and Energy, Cities, and Canada-US Dialogue. The conference will also feature the 4th Annual GLOBE Awards for Environmental Excellence, sponsored by the GLOBE Foundation and The Globe and Mail, and presented at the EECO Gala Luncheon. These prestigious awards are presented to extraordinary Canadian companies and industry groups who have demonstrated leadership in sustainable business strategies within Canada and around the world.

EECO runs May 25-27, 2005 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto, Canada. For more information, please visit www.eeco2005.com.

EECO 2005

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