Climate change
International Chamber of Commerce Statement to UNFCCC Parties
We are writing on behalf of our 6.5 million member companies and private sector organizations in over 130 countries to bring to your attention an issue of serious concern with regard to the draft long-term agreement issued on December 10.
The International Chamber of Commerce welcomes the progress made in the COP21 negotiations to date and stands fully behind the efforts of governments to conclude an ambitious global agreement on climate change. Given the scale and urgency of the climate challenge, it is vital that the long-term agreement works with business to help reach greenhouse gas emissions neutrality in the second half of the century.
COP21 has seen an unprecedented mobilization of the business community in support of the global climate agenda. The private sector has been present here in historic numbers to support your work.
We are respectfully seeking an explicit reference to business in the Agreement Preamble, that recognizes and welcomes the knowledge, technologies, practices and efforts of all actors to address and respond to climate change- including those of civil society, the private sector, financial institutions, cities and other sub-national authorities.
The private sector has explicitly stated both its willingness and desire to positively contribute to the UNFCCC and its onward elaboration and implementation. It is vital that the long-term agreement capitalizes on this engagement and action, by sending a positive and unequivocal long term signal to the business community recognizing its role in meeting the climate challenge working with the Paris Agreement.
We believe the negotiations are already on the right track: the draft Decisions contained in the negotiating text incorporate several welcome references to business and other private sector actors-in keeping with the outcomes of the UN Addis Ababa Action Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.
COP21 provides a unique opportunity to deepen the engagement between business and government to meet the shared challenge of climate change. ICC remains at your disposal in the coming days and stands ready to work with all governments in the years ahead to implement what we hope will be a robust and ambitious agreement.
