Business commits to climate action in New Delhi

Business is recognised as crucial to meeting global climate goals and this year’s Business and Climate Summit in New Delhi is poised to deliver a powerful statement as private sector representatives from around the world gather for the first time in an emerging country to showcase their commitment to tackling climate change. While the Paris Agreement aims to hold the increase in global average temperature to well below 2°C, current government pledges will only contain the increase in global warming to approximately 3°C. Business has already stepped up to bridge the gap, and the Summit aims to highlight how.

Hosted by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in collaboration with ICC and other partners, the Summit consists of two days of high-level discussions across six plenary sessions and nine ‘focus sessions’, covering topics from urban mobility to energy security. The Summit will host high-level deliberations to voice messages from businesses on private sector actions around climate change and future visions for a low-carbon trajectory.

“Business has a vital and constructive role to play in informing climate policy,” ICC Secretary-General John Danilovich said. “This year’s Business and Climate Summit comes at a crucial time and offers business the opportunity to show the positive steps we are taking towards a more sustainable economic future.”

Several members of the ICC Commission on Environment and Energy will speak at the Summit to share how their companies and industries are helping to meet global climate objectives.

Bharat Salhotra, Managing Director of Alstom India and South Asia, saidd: “The transport sector has a key role towards delivering the mitigation and adaptation objectives of the Paris Agreement. Getting city-dwellers out of their private fossil-fuelled vehicles and into sustainable mass transport must be an objective of city authorities.”

Ravi Kirpalani, CEO of thyssenkrupp India, said: “Sustainable growth is integral to our strategy and brand promise. 60% of the windmills in India are powered by bearings from thyssenkrupp.”

The Business and Climate Summit will bring together more than 70 high-profile speakers from around the world—comprising CEOs of top companies, ministers and high-level representatives of governments, international agencies and global climate-related organizations—with participation from more than 15 countries representing over 30 sectors of the economy. Participants aim to amplify key policy messages ahead of the UNFCCC’s COP23 meetings.

The New Delhi Summit is being shown a high level of support from the Indian Government, with key ministries such as the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Ministry of Railways represented by speakers at the event.

Read more about ICC’s work on climate issues here