CEO's want “ambitious” Paris climate deal
A total of 78 bosses from leading companies representing a collective $2.13trn in revenue, including Unilever, Schneider Electric, Microsoft, Veolia, Lloyds and IKEA, say that delaying action is not an option and argue that an economically sustainable shift to a low-carbon future will create jobs and growth across the world.
In an open letter, the firms, co-ordinated by the World Economic Forum, back the idea of “explicit or implicit” carbon pricing in global government policies; with the companies also supporting the development and scaling-up of alternative and renewable energy sources.
The multinational, cross-sector coalition also promotes energy efficiency and the acceleration of other low-carbon options and technologies such as ICT in the letter, as well as emphasising the need for worldwide governments to be transparent when creating new energy policies.
Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), welcomes the message, stating that climate action represents a “massive economic opportunity.”
“This is the first intentionally directed industrial revolution and will be the source of good new jobs and strong growth for the coming decades, something developing countries are increasingly realizing and taking the lead on,” she said.
The participating companies pledge to reduce their carbon footprint and set their own emissions targets in the statement, whilst also agreeing to act as ambassadors for climate action and incorporate climate risks into their decision making process.
The letter comes as former Labour leader Ed Miliband has called on the UK to make a legally binding zero carbon commitment, building on the country’s existing reduction target of 80% by 2050 under the Climate Change Act.
Mr Miliband believes a zero carbon promise would be consistent with the government’s support for zero emissions at G7 level, whilst also showing the country’s determination to tackle the problem in a comment article for The Guardian.
“It [a zero carbon pledge] will provide an essential framework for business and government so that we make the right decisions now on key energy and infrastructure issues and it will inspire the inventors, engineers and businesses that can deliver on this challenge.
“Paris must be the start of a journey of the whole world towards this goal and far from this commitment holding Britain back, we can be a leader again on climate change; leadership which does not mean harm to our economy, but will put us ahead in the race for the new jobs, businesses and advantages of this new world.”
Ben Stafford, WWF-UK Head of Public Affairs, supports Mr Miliband’s view, stating: "Global emissions will need to be reduced to near zero by the end of the century, and the government should play a more assertive role in ensuring this happens.
“Establishing a legally binding UK target would provide vital leadership internationally and help persuade investors that we are serious about building a cleaner economy."
Sir David King, the foreign secretary’s special representative on climate change, believes that Mr Miliband’s statement was important and timely.
“It stresses the importance of maintaining all-party political agreement on the commitments of the UK to act on climate change. This has already created the certainty on investments in the new low carbon sector that means this is now the fastest growing sector in the British economy, now employing over 450,000 people in Britain,” he commented.
The United Nations meet in Paris for their annual Climate Change Conference later this month, with a number of world leaders hoping to achieve a universal agreement on global climate for the first time in over 20 years of UN negotiations.
