Global CEOs Urge ‘Ambitious Climate Deal’ at COP21

CEOs from 78 global companies — including PepsiCo, Dow Chemical, Nestlé, Unilever, and Accenture — are urging governments to work with them to co-design climate solutions ahead of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP21) in Paris. The conference will see the leaders of nearly 200 countries meet to finalize a global agreement on climate.

These business chiefs collectively represent $2.13 trillion in revenue. Many of them lead companies from outside of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) group of developed nations.

The CEOs hope to capitalize on the momentum created by pledges from more than 160 countries, notably from the US and China, in recent months to bolster the case that governments have industry support to take decisive action to combat climate change.

As well as pledging support, the CEOs have committed their companies to:

• Reduce environmental and carbon footprints and collaborate in supply chains.
• Act as ambassadors for climate action, focusing on solutions and economic opportunities.
• Manage climate risks and include them in decision-making.

They advocate:

• Explicit or implicit carbon pricing, which they believe will “trigger low-carbon investment.”
• Innovation in alternative and renewable energy sources, energy efficiency and an end to deforestation.
• Climate action through greater corporate disclosure of carbon risks and projects such as green bonds.
• That governments set science-based global and national targets for the reduction of global greenhouse gas emissions and the development of alternative energy sources.

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