Zero Emissions Research and Initiatives

Zero Emissions Research and Initiatives (ZERI) was founded by Gunter Pauli in 1994 at the United Nations University (UNU) with support from the Japanese Government. The stated aim of the initiative is to design a new business model that could operate without generating emissions or waste. Originally, ZERI was headquartered at UNDP in Geneva, and later at IUCN in Gland, but how been decentralized into 34 project offices around the world. The common vision of the ZERI network is to find and improve sustainable solutions for society, from unreached communities to corporations, inspired by what is locally available.

History
ZERI participated in the World Expo in 2000 in Hanover, Germany. For the event they built a bamboo pavilion.

They were recognized by the Specialty Coffee Association of America in 2009 for their 15 year project using waste from coffee farms in Columbia to grow Shitake mushrooms. It was estimated to have produced 10,000 jobs.

Gunter Pauli initiated The Blue Economy concept in 2009. The book was accepted on November 2, 2009 as a Report to the Club of Rome and was published in 2010.

At the 20th anniversary of the creation of ZERI on November 12, 2014 at the UNU in Tokyo, it was reported that 34 organizations from around the world associated and inspired by this initiative of Gunter Pauli, have implemented 188 projects, mobilized €4 billion in capital and generated approximately 3 million jobs.

ZERI International board
The board consist(ed) of the following people:


 * The Rt Hon Anders Wijkman (Sweden)
 * Co-President of the Club of Rome
 * Member of the Swedish Royal Academy of Sciences
 * Former Member of the European Parliament and President of Globe Europe (2000–2009)


 * Prof. Dr. Ashok Khosla (India)
 * Chairman of Development Alternatives Group
 * Former Chairman of IUCN


 * Prof. Dr. Heitor Gurgulino de Souza (Brazil)
 * President of the World Academy of Arts and Sciences
 * Former Rector of the UNU (1988–1997)


 * Prof. Dr. Jorge Reynolds Pombo (Colombia)
 * Scientist and Inventor


 * Prof. Yasuhiro Sakakibara (Japan)
 * Entrepreneur and Philanthropist