Paris Climate Talks – Why should companies care?

As of yesterday (September 1st), a mere 90 days remain until delegates from around the globe gather in Paris for the 21st annual session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 21) to the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Their aim is short and sweet: to carve out a universally acceptable, legally binding agreement on climate change that will reduce emissions globally to 2 degrees C above pre-industrial levels.

What’s it all about?

The latest UN report on climate change, published in November 2014, made it crystal clear – action to curb climate change is needed and it is needed now. This cannot be solely achieved by Government officials sitting in their offices drafting theoretical legal texts. This can only be achieved if all levels of society – from the corner shop owner to the CEO of a multi-billion company – join forces and agree to reduce energy consumption through their supply chains and ensure the efficient handling of waste, water and energy.

Where do we sign?

Unfortunately, international diplomacy and the workings of the UN dictate that these agreements are negotiated by individual country representatives only. Some "sub-national" actors will be included – such as the state of California. However, for the most part, corporations will be excluded from the main discussion table and ultimately signature of the treaty.

Many of today's large multinationals have a greater GDP then some of the countries sitting around the discussion table in Paris this December –so it is questionable whether this is a realistic representation of the key global actors around the world. However, Rome was not built in a day - and we cannot expect to change the way the UN - and indeed world diplomacy – has operated to date.

So what can we do?

As a corporation, you can stand tall and still make yourself heard:

• Reduce your own carbon emissions and set your own renewable energy goals. Join the likes of Apple and Facebook – both of whom have set 100% renewable energy goals. Look at IKEA, Nestle and H&M who have also issued their own clean energy goals!
• Use your products, employees and financial status to render implementation of a global climate agreement a reality.
• Put peer pressure on your counterparts in the private sector and forge ties with government officials to lobby for greater climate action.
• Attend one of the many 'side events' being organized as offshoots to the official discussions in Paris. The Sustainable Innovation Forum and the World Climate Summit are just two events that are being organized in tandem with the main event – both of which appear to represent platforms for businesses to showcase their solutions for solving the climate change crisis. Many other smaller events are also being organized.

Conclusion

If a workable, effective, meaningful, and ultimately successful global agreement on climate change is to be achieved in December, we simply cannot leave it to our Government officials to do the hard work. Governments and businesses alike must join together in a strong, unified manner to work within the confines of the UN in order to obtain a genuine deal that will result in the reduction of our carbon emissions. We need to bridge the gap between government policies and private sector needs. The time to act is now.

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