Anniversary of Paris Agreement: Broad coalition of major global companies calls for accelerated climate action
Joint press releaseTwo years after the groundbreaking adoption of the Paris Agreement (December 12th, 2015) a broad alliance of 54 global companies from all continents and a broad range of industries jointly call for ambitious climate action as a basis for future economic success. In a joint declaration, they particularly address the twenty most industrialized countries accounting for 74% of the global emissions to use the G20 as a forum to come up with concrete long-term measures to accelerate the global decarbonization while inviting other countries to join efforts. Measures include a phase-out of fossil fuel subsidies by 2025, an adequate price on carbon and clarity on climate-related financial risks.
In the statement, the companies call for framework conditions that lay the foundation for a pathway towards limiting global temperature rise to well below 2° Celsius and allow them to actively contribute to the implementation of the Paris Agreement. They argue that a low-carbon development will secure jobs and prosperity, kicking off a new wave of innovation and entrepreneurship. The statement is, amongst others signed by Allianz, Michelin, UC Rusal and Unilever*. The undersigned companies represent more than 1.9 million employees worldwide and total revenues of more than 676 billion €, equivalent to a fourth of the GDP of France and more than twice of Denmark’s GDP.
The business coalition also addresses Heads of States who gather tomorrow at the “One Planet Summit” in Paris. They call on governments to keep up the momentum of the Paris Agreement when developing and implementing long-term decarbonization strategies. At the same time, the signatory businesses reaffirm their deep commitment to proactively tackling climate change in their own activities and policies, and take into account frameworks supporting business climate action such as internal carbon prices, TCFD implementation in their own reporting, as well as science-based targets.
“With this statement, businesses send a strong signal to world leaders that they are ready to do their part to achieve a low-carbon economy in line with the Paris Agreement”, says Sabine Nallinger, Managing Director of the German Foundation 2° that initiated the statement. “The companies make clear that the global decarbonization is already taking place and will need to be accelerated. Those who stay on top of this trend will shape the transformation and benefit most from the value creation in a future low-carbon economy. Policymakers of G20 countries have a particular responsibility to act as leaders and offer support to all other countries to win them as partners for this global low-carbon transformation”, Nallinger continues.
Nigel Topping, CEO of We Mean Business, the global business and climate coalition, remarks: “Since Paris, we have seen companies delivering further, faster action on climate change. In 2015, business signaled that it stood ready to work hand in hand with governments to deliver on the promises of Paris. With a 10-fold rise in companies committed to bold climate action since the Paris Agreement was signed it is clear that it is delivering on that commitment.”
Feike Sijbesma, CEO DSM, World Bank Climate Leader and CPLC co-chair, adds: “The private sector strongly supports the three goals of the One Planet Summit: to scale solutions, to step up our efforts and to collaborate in partnership. A key ask of this Declaration is for governments to put a meaningful price on carbon. An economic incentive will unlock the private innovation — and capital — needed to make the transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy.”
About the international business statement:
Initiated and organized by: Stiftung 2° (Foundation 2°)
Coordinated by: Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) | The Prince of Wales’s Corporate Leaders Group (CLG) |
Corporate Leaders Network for Climate Action (CLN) | Entreprises pour l‘Environnement (EpE) | Foundations Platform F20 | Deutsche Gesellschaft für internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) | Japan Climate Leaders Partnership (Japan CLP) | We Mean Business (WMB)
* 54 signatories: Acciona | adidas | AIDA Cruises | Allianz | Arcadis | Avant Garde Innovations | Bausparkasse Schwäbisch Hall | Capricorn Investment Group | DAIKIN Airconditioning Germany | Deutsche ROCKWOOL | Diageo | DSM | Econet Group | Energetics | EPSON Europe | Formula E | Gegenbauer Holding | Groupe ADP | H&M | Hangzhou Minsheng Pharm | IBA Group | IBERDROLA | Interface | Jiahe Agricultural Stockbreeding | Kering | LafargeHolcim | LeasePlan | Marks & Spencer | MICHELIN | Natura Cosméticos | Otto Group | Outokumpu | Philips | Philip Morris International | PUMA | Qingdao Double Whale Pharmaceutical | RTE | Saint-Gobain | Salesforce | Schneider Electric | Schüco International | Shandong Zhongcheng Feed Technology | Shenzhen Ausa Pharmed | Simble Solutions Ltd | Solvay | South Pole Group | Sun Daily Farm | UC Rusal | Unilever | Venture Garden Group | Virgin Group | Woolworths | Wuhan Dangdai Science & Technology Industries | Yukou Poultry
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