WCF Chair warrants chamber support for R20 initiative

One year after the initiative was first proposed by Mr Schwarzenegger, Mr Yircali sealed WCF’s commitment to the project by signing a charter at the third Governors’ Global Climate Summit, in Davis, California. “We can’t afford to wait for national and international movement. Action is needed now, and action is what we’re taking with R20,” said Mr Schwarzenegger Building on the work of the ICC Commission on Environment and Energy, WCF is partnering with the R20 to reinforce the capacities of both governments and the private sector on low carbon energy projects at sub-national level, in both developing and emerging countries. While the International Chamber of Commerce and WCF favours a global approach to addressing climate change WCF will ensure that regional chambers are involved as much as possible within the R20 venture, which has the support of more than 60 geographical regions around the world. “With 60 years experience of facilitating exchange among the worldwide community of over 12,000 chambers of commerce there is no better organization to use the chamber network to help the R20 convert high-level policy input into specific sustainability projects for small and medium-sized enterprises (SME),” said Mr Yircali.WCF will help the R20 reach out to SMEs and help them implement and understand the need for, sustainable solutions in their operations. Through a series of local events and initiatives WCF will help the R20 to facilitate public-private partnerships, promote the sharing of best practices, accelerate the development of eco-innovations and begin implementing clean energy demonstration projects. As well as promoting the crucial role of chambers of commerce in helping SMEs to implement sustainable solutions in their operation, the R20 initiative will also help SMEs understand and make the most of the low-carbon green economy, and identify new business opportunities. Mr Yircali joined a host of eminent leaders from government, business, non-profit organizations and academia at the Summit, which took place on 15-16 November in Davis, California. They included British Prime Minister David Cameron, Actor and Environmentalist Harrison Ford, the Prince of Wales and President of Chevron Energy Solutions Jim Davis.