Transcript UK CLG Mission (2008

UK (2003-2005):

The CBI repeatedly warned that
environmental regulations would
cause UK based companies to
relocate

The CBI Business Agenda,
published to coincide with the 2005
General Election, called on the
future Government to:
“…set emissions reduction
targets …that are sensitive to the
need not to simply drive business
overseas”
UK (2003-2005):

Digby Jones, DirectorGeneral of CBI accused
the UK Government of:
“sacrificing UK jobs on
the altar of green
credentials”
The UK Corporate Leaders Group
on Climate Change

Convened in 2004

Aim: To bring together business leaders (UK & international) to
advocate the development of new and longer term policies for
tackling climate change

13 companies initially

First output was letter to PM Tony Blair in May 2005,
immediately in advance of G8 Gleneagles Summit
Key messages of 2005 Letter to Prime Minister
Tony Blair:

Need to take “urgent and informed action now if we are to avoid
worst impacts of climate change”

Enabling a low-carbon future should be “a strategic business
objective for the UK”

A lack of long-term climate policies from Government makes it
difficult for companies to scale up their investments in low-carbon
technologies

Government finds it difficult to introduce such policies because
their fear business resistance

Group offered to work “in partnership” with Government to make
progress on climate change

Need strong policy framework to create business certainty that
climate change will be addressed
Messages in letter reinforced in 2005
meeting between CLG and PM
2006 Letter to Prime Minister Tony Blair urged:

ambitious action to stimulate investment low-carbon
technologies, especially in development stage

action to improve energy efficiency in the large commercial
sector (e.g. offices and retail)

government to help stimulate consumer action on climate
change

strengthening of product and building regulation

action to reduce impact of transport on climate change

UK government to use negotiations at next round of EU
Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) to take on challenging
targets
2006 Letter to President of European Commission,
José Manuel Barroso, from 25 companies
Echoed many of messages in letters to PM Blair , but also:

Need to prevent “dangerous climate change”

Long-term policy frameworks needed at EU level

Emissions Trading Scheme welcome but not enough

Longer term emission reduction targets needed to deliver
certainty

Remove policy inconsistencies and perverse incentives

EU’s overall competitiveness need not be harmed

Competitive advantage to be gained in growing global market
for low-carbon technologies
UK CLG membership (2008)
EU CLG membership (2008)
The Bali Communiqué (Nov 2007)
“The scientific evidence is now overwhelming”.
“As business leaders, it is our belief that the benefits of
strong, early action on climate change outweigh the
costs of not acting”
The Bali Communiqué (Nov 2007)

“It is our view that a sufficiently ambitious, international
and comprehensive legally-binding United Nations
agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions will
provide business with the certainty it needs to scale up
global investment in low-carbon technologies”.

“We believe that an enhanced and extended carbon
market needs to be part of this framework”
“In order to avoid dangerous climate change, the
overall targets for emissions reduction must be
guided primarily by science.”

“According to IPCC, even an immediate peaking in
global emissions would require a subsequent reduction
of at least 50% by 2050

“the later the peak in emissions, the greater the required
reduction”

“the greatest effort must be made by those countries
that have already industrialised”.
Where next?
UK CLG Mission (2008-2010):

“To trigger the step-change in policy and action needed both to
meet the scale of the threat posed by climate change, and to grasp
the business opportunities created by moving to a low climate risk
economy”
EU CLG Mission (2008-2010):

“To communicate the support of business for the European Union to
move to a low climate risk economy and to work in partnership with
the institutions of the EU to secure the policy interventions that are
needed to make this a practical reality”.
UK CLG letter to UK party leaders
(September 2008)

“Climate change demands a transformational
change in how we manage our economy”.

“Government and business must now work
together to demonstrate real change on the
ground”

“We need a cross party effort to develop a
comprehensive package of policy measures to
change every major sector of the economy”
UK CLG letter to UK party leaders
(September 2008)

“The global economic downturn may cause
some to question whether we can act so boldly”.

“…but we believe action cannot be delayed and
..that decisive action will stimulate economic
activity and job creation”.
EU CLG letter to MEPs (October 2008)

“We are writing …to express our support for the
European Commission’s package of climate
and energy proposals”.

“…the adoption of a strong and effective
package will ultimately be good for European
business”.

“The EU’s future competitive advantage lies in
encouraging and enabling its businesses to help
drive the transformational change that will occur
in the world economy within the next couple of
decades, not to hide from it”.