Chinese Business Representatives Commit to Address Climate Change
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Beijing, China
(Beijing, 24 July 2013) – Chinese business leaders today publicly announced their commitments to address climate change and promote low-carbon development at the China Summit on Caring for Climate.
Hosted by the Global Compact Network China and organized by the Global Compact Promotion Office of China Enterprise Confederation, the China Summit on Caring for Climate convened senior business leaders, chief executives, UN representatives and members of the Chinese Government to discuss action on their shared commitment to address climate change.
At the summit leading representatives from the Chinese business community including members of China Enterprise Confederation, China Federation of Industrial Companies and China Association of Listed Companies presented a proposal for joint action against climate change. The statement declares that companies should “address climate change and reduce pollution and emissions” and proposes seven action areas for Chinese companies, including a commitment to low-carbon development and the proactive reduction of emissions.
Held at the Sinopec Conference Center from 29-31 July in Beijing, the event introduced the goals, policies and measures the Chinese Government has in place to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and showcased best practices from Chinese companies in the areas of climate change mitigation and adaptation. It served as a platform for exchange and dialogue between Government officials, entrepreneurs, scholars, civil society organizations and members of the business community, with an aim to drive innovation and promote collaboration in response to international conventions on climate change.
Participants included Chairman of SINOPEC and Global Compact Board member Fu Chengyu, Chairman of China Enterprise Confederation Wang Zhongyu and Vice Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission Xie Zhenhua.
Youth representatives from China, Japan and Korea demonstrated their support of the government and business commitments to address climate change in a signed youth statement. The UN Global Compact China-Japan-Korea Network Roundtable Forum selected Corporate Social Responsibility Youth Ambassadors to promote corporate sustainability in their communities and among their peers.
In a video message, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the summit and urged businesses to accelerate climate action. He stated, “It all starts with a commitment to ecologically sound growth, and this summit brings together the actors that know the market realities needed to accelerate ecologically sound economic action.” He also encouraged increased momentum towards a universal climate change agreement by 2015. [Watch]
Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, stated in an additional video message that the summit is being held at “a moment in history marked by great opportunity” and stressed the important role of the private sector in promoting clean energy and efficient, low-carbon development.
UN Global Compact Executive Director Georg Kell stated, “Business leadership is critical to meet the climate challenge. The China Summit on Caring for Climate sends a powerful message that Chinese companies are ready to undertake climate action on a large scale. It is my hope this event will inspire other business leaders around the world to follow China’s lead.”
The China Summit on Caring for Climate follows recent agreements between the United States and China to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, and to phase out the production and use of hydrofluorocarbons – a major source of greenhouse gases. The Summit also builds on China’s momentum to track and reduce greenhouse gas emissions as the country begins to gradually establish an emissions trading market as noted in China’s Twelfth Five-year Plan.
The three commitments signed at the summit will be submitted to relevant Chinese authorities as well as the UN Global Compact Leaders Summit, to be held 19-20 September 2013, and the UN Climate Change Conference, to be held in Warsaw, Poland in November 2013.
About Caring for Climate
Caring for Climate is the UN Global Compact, UN Environment Programme and the Secretariat of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change’s initiative aimed at advancing the role of business in addressing climate change. It was launched by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in 2007 with a view to mobilize a critical mass of business leaders to implement climate change solutions and help shape international public policy. Chief executive officers who endorse the initiative are prepared to set goals, develop and expand strategies and practices, and to publicly disclose emissions as part of their existing disclosure commitment within the UN Global Compact framework, that is, the Communication on Progress – Climate. Caring for Climate is endorsed by nearly 400 companies from 65 countries.
- More information on the China Summit on Caring for Climate
- Watch video message: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
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