John Elkington

The latest in my Green Swan conversations reworked by Topia features sci-fi giant David Brin. What a joy!

After getting back into São Paulo from Paraná, Louise and I were picked up by Nina, a sister of a friend of Louise’s in Denmark, who drove us to Vila Madelena. We walked around this high creative quarter of the city, centre of bohemian culture and art. A visual feast. Fascinating visit to a cooperative supermarket. Lovely lunch in a small café, though – by no means atypically – I left my bag there and we had to retrace our steps to retrieve it.

Then we took the subway to the city’s main avenue, Paulista Avenue. There we went to a high observation point to look across the city, before taking a cab back to the hotel.

The adventures continue. Yesterday, we were flown to Paraná in a small, private Citation jet – though we were assured that the emissions were being offset as part of the previous day’s event. Four Klabin people accompanied us, including Klabin’s Chief Technology Officer, Francisco César Razzolini.

Among other things we were given a guided tour of: the Klabin pulp mill – where we saw different stages of the Puma project, the biggest investment in Klabin’s history; one of a series of smallholdings helping the landless find a footing; and the company-sponsored ecology park, where we watched an operation being carried out on a maned wolf.

In the evening we went out for a beer in Harmonia, where many Klabin people live, staying overnight at the Klabin hotel there. Then, this (very cold) morning we visited the Klabin technology centre nearby, being shown a range of products, old and new.

Next, we were invited to plant another tree each, this time within Harmonia, behind an environmental centre. Louise planted a Copaíba, whereas in my case the sapling was a Sibipiruna. As I said to Louise after yesterday’s rather more informal planting, it’s as if you leave something of your soul in the soil – in a good way.

Then we were flown back to São Paulo, clear skies permitting a very different view of the landscape than we could see through yesterday’s clouds.

Extraordinary day at the Inova Klabin event held in the Biennial Building in Ibirapuera, São Paulo’s city park. Did the keynote on Green Swans and the regenerative economy. Among many highlights were meeting and talking with senior Klabin management, including the chairman, CEO and CTO. Fascinating exchange with the CEO, Christiano Cardoso Teixera and three senior people from Tetrapak, one of Klabin’s big customers.

Also immensely enjoyed meeting the artist Edson Pavoni, who had done a stunning artwork for the event based on the canopies of forests, made out of configured paper and then animated by winds passing through the canopies of distant forests in Brazil. Also delighted to meet musicians from the Instituto Baccarelli, which works with young people from the city’s favelas, or slums, to turn them into professional musicians – or whatever else they want to become.

Arrived in São Paulo around 05.00 this morning and were ferried to hotel by our driver, Carlos. Did a Volans team meeting en route. On my first visits to the Brazil, the thought of wi-fi from a speeding car would have seemed like sci-fi. Then across to Acciona to hear about their mega-project, Line 6 of the city’s subway system. After a briefing and lunch, we were vanned across to one of the construction sites and taken deep into the tunnel workings. Beyond impressive. But the social and environmental aspects were fascinating, too. More on that anon.