GREEN MISSION INTERVIEW OF THE WEEK- with Dr. Charles Fishel- Chairman, Abundant Biofuels Corporation

[Chandra Kishore]

Dr. Charles Fishel- Chairman, Abundant Biofuels Corporation

Abundant Biofules Coporations Goal is to build partnerships in energy-dependent countries that will produce bio-diesel and create renewable oil fields.

It's Vision is to become the dominant producer of biodiesel from Jatropha curcas in developing countries throughout the world that must import the majority of their diesel oil. Unlike most other international biofuels companies, ABC will sell its refined bio-diesel in-country.

Check out: http://www.abundantbiofuels.com

http://www.abundantbiofuels.com/contact_us.htm

How the RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD at Abundant Biofuels?

Green Corporate Network's Founder, Chandra Kishore, interviewed Dr. Charles V. Fishel, Chairman and CEO of Abundant Biofuels and presented him with 10 questions on his Green MIssion. His Biodata can be found at http://www.abundantbiofuels.com/Dr%20Charles%20V%20Fishel.htm

Here is the interview:

1. What organization do you represent? What are its products and services and areas of operation?

• Abundant Biofuels Corporation is an integrated renewable energy company. Its goal is to build partnerships in energy-dependent developing countries that will produce bio-diesel and create renewable oil fields. At this time, all of Abundant’s operations are in the so-called “Jatropha Zone” (within 10 – 15 degrees of the Equator). Initial operations are targeted for the Philippines, Peru, Colombia, and Indonesia.

• Abundant’s product line includes B100 (refined biodiesel) and neet oil. At this time, we plan to sell most of out products will be sold within the country of origin.

2. What is your organization’s “Green Corporate Mission”?


• Abundant Biofuels:
• Will not divert agricultural land from production
• Will not engage in deforestation (or use any recently deforested land)
• Will minimize water usage
• No irrigation, waterless refining

• We have adopted full compliance with the 12 Principles of Sustainability recently adopted by the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels (http://energycenter.epfl.ch/biofuels). See (http://www.abundantbiofuels.com/Sustainability.htm)

• In addition, Abundant Biofuels has stated its full acceptance of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (http://www.abundantbiofuels.com/Indigenous%20Peoples.htm)

3. Can you give us examples of how your organization is fulfilling its “Green Mission”?

Case Study – The Philippines

In 2006, Dr. Rene Lacsina and Dr. Melchizedek Solis (Apo Amay Mamatikan) began working with the Lumads in Northern Mindanao in an effort to stimulate economic development and education. Many of the Lumad tribes have joined a confederation of the tribes – the Supreme Council of Datus Alimaong - the Holy Warriors (SCODA). They concluded that production of biodiesel from tubang-bakod (the Philippine name of Jatropha Curcas) would create wealth for the Lumads.

They approached Abundant Biofuels to see whether their goals matched those of Abundant Biofuels. They introduced ABC executives to SCODA’s leadership in November 2007, resulting in mutual agreement to jointly undertake economic development in the Lumad ancestral domain in a manner that would benefit the domain residents while protecting their rights as indigenous peoples and preserving the land against environmental degradation.

Agreement to work toward economic development of Lumad ancestral domains was reached at the meeting in Cagayan d’Oro (Mindanao) between SCODA and ABC.

The agreement was celebrated in a ceremony that inducted Abundant Biofuels executives Charles Fishel (CEO) as Datu Libokasan and James Love (President) as Datu Malingin (Dr. Rene Lacsina had already been honored as Datu Mantukodan).

ABC retained a consulting firm to evaluate possible farming sites in the Lumad ancestral domain to assure that the land was not suitable for other agricultural uses and would not require deforestation. Then, SCODA worked with the domain holders to determine whether they want to participate in Tahas Kasla (Jatropha Project).

The agreement was celebrated in a ceremony that inducted Abundant Biofuels executives Charles Fishel (CEO) as Datu Libokasan and James Love (President) as Datu Malingin (Dr. Rene Lacsina had already been honored as Datu Mantukodan).
[See more details and pictures in attached People-Planet-Profits Newsletter]

4. Can you tell us how your initiatives have created a difference in the society?

• Development is still in the early stage. An immediate result has been to assist the Supreme Council of Alimaong to organize the Lumad indigenous peoples to prepare for development of Tahas Kasla (jatropha project). The attached Pandaigdigan newsletters published by the Supreme Council illustrate some of the excitement among the Lumads.

5. Where are you from and where are you settled now?

• I am from the Midwest (Kansas). Our management team, however is multinational with key executives from the US, Philippines, Sweden, Pakistan, and Egypt.

• Most of us are based in Monterey, CA. We have colleagues in Philippines, Sweden, and Egypt.

6. What is your own mission in life? How did it help you associate and work with this organization?

• Too often “extractive” companies have only been interested in how cheaply and how fast they will be able to get a country’s natural resources out of the ground. Sometimes this driving forces leads to collaboration by the company and governments to bend the rules.

As a professor of business, I have emphasized my belief that business’ “dark ages” are past. International business can no longer be successful unless it is responsive to the needs (“People-Planet-Profits”) of the environment in which it does business. This means that sustained success must be tied to economic developments.

Our present undertaking has given me the opportunity to demonstrate that principle people and profits can be combined for the benefit of the earth --- and shareholders.

Login or Register to Read the full interview and interact with memb...