Springtime in conferenceland!

Play ball!! That’s the cry that will be heard at MLB parks throughout the land this month, for the first time since last October (at least for lucky fans in Texas and San Francisco). Also in April, you can check out the rhetorical fast balls, change-ups, and curves at these excellent conferences.

Foremost forums upcoming in April

• Fortune Brainstorm: Green (April 4 – 6; Laguna Niguel, Calif). Program has a focus on “the opportunities, risks, and impact of environmental issues on businesses and the economy,” and addresses the overriding question of “how can business help solve the world’s big environment problems.” Read more.

• Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship International Corporate Citizenship Conference (April 10 – 12; Minneapolis). Program examines challenges, strategies and best practices for managing corporate citizenship in companies worldwide. The theme for 2011: “Make the Connection.” Read more.

• International Conference on Energy and Sustainability (April 11 – 13; Alicante, Spain). Biennial event focuses on “topics related to sustainability in energy production, energy storage and distribution, and energy management.” Program addresses such topics as renewable energy technologies; conversion process for biomass and biofuels; and CO2 sequestration and storage. Read more.

• Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference (April 14 – 16; Boao, China). Program supports the organization’s mission of being “the most prestigious and premier forum for leaders in government, business, and academia in Asia and other continents to share visions on the most pressing issues in this dynamic region and the world at large.” 2011 conference theme: “Inclusive Development – Common Agenda and New Challenges.” Read more.

• Business for the Environment (B4E) Global Summit (April 27 – 29; Jakarta, Indonesia). Event focuses on “the most urgent environmental challenges facing the world today,” examining such sustainability-related topics as resource efficiency, renewable energies, new business models and climate policy and strategies. Read more.

• Fast Company Innovation Uncensored (April 28; New York). Self-described as “a day full of provocative thinking and great workable business ideas,” the program aspires to “give attendees live access to top business visionaries and the companies to watch,” with many of the latter found on the Fast Company Most Innovative Companies List. Read more.

Noteworthy conferences beginning agenda planning this month

• Chief Executive will begin agenda development for its CEO2CEO Leadership Summit, being held December 13 in New York. Program examines the challenges of globalization and is considered a top executive networking event for chairs and CEOs of US companies, primarily those with $500 million or more in annual revenues. Program examines topics such as global competitiveness; business-to-business models; technological agility; and alliances and partnerships. Read more.

• Economist Group will begin developing the agenda for its Global Agenda meeting scheduled for March 26 – 27 in Abu Dhabi. Program is a by-invitation-only event that is self-described as “a private gathering in which business leaders, senior policymakers, and influential thinkers from economics and academia gather to consider the business and economic issues of the day.” Topics include the fate of global financial markets; India and China as agents for change; and the transfer of capital from energy-consuming to energy-producing countries. Read more.

• Financial Times will begin solidifying the agenda for its View from the Top, taking place October 13 in New York. Program focuses on the perspectives of “some of the top minds in today’s corporate and political community” concerning current economic affairs, from a local to a global perspective. The one-day forum will gather expert speakers to debate the essential questions affecting financial institutions today, as well as to share their thoughts on the long-term economic outlook and most critical business issues that will define the sector in the years ahead. Read more.

• Linkage has issued a call for papers for its Women in Leadership Summit, scheduled for November 14 – 16 in Chicago, with a proposal submission deadline of April 14. Summit is self-described as equipping “women leaders with the strategies and skills to catalyze change, accelerate development, gain visibility, and create sustainable operating results.” Program addresses topics such as mentoring; workplace politics; the power of diversity; and methods for building a champion team. Read more.