Don’t diminish climate commitments, ICC urges G20 leaders

On behalf of 45 million enterprises in over 100 countries, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) is calling on leaders to demonstrate leadership through support for the Paris Agreement and other global efforts to keep global temperature rises to below 1.5 degrees.

ICC Secretary General John W.H. Denton AO said:

“We urge G20 leaders to seize this opportunity to demonstrate the political will and leadership needed to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Private sector climate action and innovation is key to realising the ambition of the Paris Agreement. Businesses worldwide are looking to political leaders for long-term certainty and a balanced framework that support business commitments and action. Recognising the growing emergency of climate change, ICC is working to make climate action everyone’s business, wholly endorsing  the findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change on the urgent need keep the global temperature increase below 1.5 degrees Celsius.”

ICC calls for a clear, coherent and predictable framework to stimulate investment that will help enable a transition to a low carbon economy that leaves no one behind.

“Clear and continued commitment from leaders of countries representing two-thirds of the global population would go a long way in providing business and investors with the long-term certainty needed to scale up innovation and investment in climate solutions,” Mr Denton said.

ICC is undertaking a number of efforts to help bolster climate action by business including a new Chamber Climate Coalition. ICC is bringing a business perspective to climate negotiations and advocating for higher climate ambition at the United Nations Climate Change Conference currently taking place in Bonn, Germany.