JEWISH KING JESUS IS COMING AT THE RAPTURE FOR US IN THE CLOUDS-DON'T MISS IT FOR THE WORLD.THE BIBLE TAKEN LITERALLY- WHEN THE PLAIN SENSE MAKES GOOD SENSE-SEEK NO OTHER SENSE-LEST YOU END UP IN NONSENSE.GET SAVED NOW- CALL ON JESUS TODAY.THE ONLY SAVIOR OF THE WHOLE EARTH - NO OTHER.
1 COR 15:23-JESUS THE FIRST FRUITS-CHRISTIANS RAPTURED TO JESUS-FIRST FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT-23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.ROMANS 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.(THE PRE-TRIB RAPTURE)
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Carbon Pricing Poised for Rapid Adoption, World Bank Says-Mathew Carr-Updated on September 21, 2015 — 12:19 PM EDT-BLOOMBERG
Carbon-pricing mechanisms such as markets and taxes are set for “widespread and rapid” use in the years after the Paris climate talks as more nations are seen adopting them as incentives for cleaner energy, according to the World Bank.Carbon taxes introduced in Portugal, South Africa and Chile through 2017 will see 38 systems govern about 12 percent of the world’s greenhouse-gas emissions, up from 5 percent in 2011, the bank said in its annual State and Trends of Carbon Pricing report.“We are not asking people to walk around a blind corner anymore,” Rachel Kyte, a special climate envoy at the bank, said in a call with reporters on Friday before publication of the report.More than 190 nations are meeting in Paris in December with the aim of agreeing to limits on heat-trapping pollution and keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit). The European Union, which manages the world’s biggest carbon market by traded volume, on Friday urged United Nations envoys to agree international carbon-market rules and emissions-accounting systems by 2017.The bank isn’t advocating market systems that allow excessive speculation, a concern raised by the Catholic church in June, Kyte said.“This is not about making a quick buck on the back of the poor in order to put a green invisibility cloak on yourself,” she said.Carbon-pricing systems may work even if nations fail to adopt common accounting systems at the UN talks in December, said Grzegorz Peszko, the lead economist on climate change at the bank. Ratings agencies could assess national, regional or state systems and still allow trading.Details of emissions-trading rules will probably be hammered out after the meeting in December than during it, Kyte said.“You might not see detailed negotiation on the mechanics of future carbon pricing regimes in Paris,” she said. “I don’t think that is where it should be negotiated.”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/carbon-pricing-report_ 55fc8026e 4b08820d 918b6f9?utm_content=bufferf1ab7&utm_medium=socialutm_source= twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
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Informal talks on climate change reveal broad support for ‘durable’ deal in Paris, Ban reports-UN
27 September 2015 – Secretary General Ban Ki-moon reported today that ahead of an upcoming United Nations climate conference in Paris, world leaders have voiced broad support for reaching a durable agreement that will accelerate investments in clean energy and spur a global, low-carbon transformation well before the end of the century, consistent with a below 2 degrees Celsius pathway.“Leaders expressed their resolve to finalize a durable, meaningful agreement in Paris that applies to all countries,” Mr. Ban told reporters following a high-level working lunch held on the margins of the UN Sustainable Development Summit, which opened in New York on Friday and wraps up later today.The Summit, which has adopted the landmark new sustainability blueprint, Transforming Our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – composed of 17 goals and 169 targets to wipe out poverty, fight inequality and tackle climate over the next 15 years – is also being seen as an opportunity to continue momentum ahead of the Twenty-first meeting of States Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), informally known as COP 21, taking place in the French capital this December.“Our meeting today was not a negotiation, but an informal gathering to inject greater political energy,” explained the UN chief at a press conference alongside Peruvian President Ollanta Humala and French President François Hollande, who both had participated in the working lunch and welcomed the generally positive nature of the discussions.Stressing that the points of political convergence that had emerged must be translated into tangible action, the Secretary-General said that leaders had noted that a Paris agreement must be a turning point that sends a clear signal to citizens and the private sector that the transformation of the global economy is inevitable, beneficial, and already underway.“There was also consensus that the agreement must strengthen resilience to climate impacts, with a focus on the poorest and most vulnerable. Leaders agreed that Paris must be the floor, not the ceiling, for collective ambition,” said Mr. Ban, adding that they had also agreed that a review process is needed to strengthen national commitments over time in order to limit global temperature rise to below 2 degrees Celsius.While noting that collectively, national contributions are still not enough, the UN chief said he was pleased to hear leaders pledge to continue working closely with each other and with other leaders to remove political roadblocks.The Secretary-General went on to highlight several upcoming meetings that “can help us cross the finish line in Paris,” including the October meeting of finance ministers in Lima, Peru; the G20 Summit in Turkey; the Cochabamba Summit and the Commonwealth Heads of Government in November.“I appeal to all leaders to show flexibility, vision and leadership,” said Mr. Ban, noting that the UN general Assembly had just adopted the inspiring new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and that momentum must continue with a “robust” agreement in Paris.For his part, President Humala said participants in the working lunch had evinced a joint vision on the need to collectively tackle climate change. In that regard, there was general agreement on the need to keep the global temperature from rising more than 2 degrees Celsius, as well as ensuring support for developing countries to adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change.He also urged countries heading to Paris to make their commitments on climate change and to likewise support the efforts of the French Government in hosting a successful meeting. “Humanity has the opportunity to build the strongest and most powerful alliance ever,” to protect the planet, he declared.President Hollande said that from what he had heard at today’s meeting, none of the leaders had expressed any reservation or opposition to reaching an agreement in Paris. There was a will towards sticking to the 2 degree Celsius pathway. With that in mind, he urged all those countries that had not presented their climate initiatives to do so ahead of COP 21.He went on to stress the need to set out a five-year review mechanism that would help ensure that the goals agreed in Paris will be met. President Hollande also said it was important for every country to implement a carbon pricing system, without which, “there will be no real change.”He looked forward to reaching a “pre-agreement” ahead of COP 21 to set out a clear guide to what could be expected in Paris. “Everyone is convinced that there will be an agreement in Paris but the question is what type of agreement” and how strong the commitment will be to implement it, he concluded.
Big Banks Call For 'Strong' Climate Deal-Without government action, they say, private investment won't be enough.Ben Walsh-Business Reporter, The Huffington Post-Edited: 09/28/2015 07:57 PM EDT
NEW YORK -- Six big U.S. banks called for a "strong global climate agreement" in a statement Monday, with Bank of America, Citi, JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Wells Fargo arguing in a joint release that government action, in addition to private business investment, is needed to address climate change. The banks said that putting a price on carbon emissions is crucial to increasing investments in clean energy. The right policy frameworks, they wrote, "can help unlock the incremental public and private capital needed to ensure" that the estimated $90 trillion in new infrastructure investments projected over the next 15 years will help reduce, not increase, carbon emissions.The next round of United Nations climate talks will take place from Nov. 30 through Dec. 11 in Paris. This series of talks has dragged on for years without yielding a significant deal, but as Reuters' David Stanway reports, the 2014 agreement between the U.S. and China means that "a global deal in Paris has become much more likely" -- although Stanway also notes that the individual country targets that have been laid out so far are not as ambitious as many countries would like to see. The banks' statement adds four major financial institutions to the list of U.S. businesses that support a deal in Paris."As U.S. negotiators enter climate talks in Paris, they can say with confidence that the business and financial community in this country is ready for government leadership to address climate change," said Mindy Lubber, president of the nonprofit Ceres, in a statement Monday.In July, 13 major U.S. companies, including Bank of America and Goldman Sachs, signed a White House statement in favor of a Paris deal. Politically, support from the business community could help to undercut the argument that economic growth and reducing carbon emissions are mutually exclusive goals.Still, no matter what the country's major banks say, it's not clear whether they'll persuade many Republican lawmakers to get on board with addressing climate change -- especially if those lawmakers are facing primary challenges from tea-party types and already feel insecure about holding on to their seats. It's also far from certain whether the business community can do much to change the anti-climate-action views of conservative lawmakers who have won congressional seats in recent years.
STATEMENT BY THE BIG 6 BANKS CONFIRMING CLIMATE CHANGE AGREEMENT
Scientific research finds that an increasing concentration of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere is warming the planet, posing significant risks to the prosperity and growth of the global economy. As major financial institutions, working with clients and customers around the globe, we have the business opportunity to build a more sustainable, low-carbon economy and the ability to help manage and mitigate these climate-related risks.Our institutions are committing significant resources toward financing climate solutions. These actions alone, however, are not sufficient to meet global climate challenges. Expanded deployment of capital is critical, and clear, stable and long-term policy frameworks are needed to accelerate and further scale investments.We call for leadership and cooperation among governments for commitments leading to a strong global climate agreement. Policy frameworks that recognize the costs of carbon are among many important instruments needed to provide greater market certainty, accelerate investment, drive innovation in low carbon energy, and create jobs. Over the next 15 years, an estimated $90 trillion will need to be invested in urban infrastructure and energy. The right policy frameworks can help unlock the incremental public and private capital needed to ensure this infrastructure is sustainable and resilient.While we may compete in the marketplace, we are aligned on the importance of policies to address the climate challenge. In partnership with our clients and customers, we will provide the financing required for value creation and the vision necessary for a strong and prosperous economy for generations to come.Citi-Morgan Stanley-Bank of America-JPMorgan Chase-Goldman Sachs-Wells Fargo.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE-Major U.S. banks call for leadership in addressing climate change-Bank of America, Citi, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley & Wells Fargo issue joint statement on the need for global climate agreement-For more information, contact-Aaron Pickering — Ceres | pickering@ceres.org | phone: 617-247-0700 ext. 148 | cell: 508-951-0919
New York, NY – Sep 28, 2015-Six major U.S. banks – Bank of America, Citi, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley and Wells Fargo – have issued a joint statement calling for cooperation among governments in reaching a global climate agreement. The statement, published today by the sustainability advocacy nonprofit Ceres, voiced support for policy frameworks that “will provide greater market certainty, accelerate investment, drive innovation in low carbon energy, and create jobs.”The banks said that their institutions are collectively “committing significant resources toward financing climate solutions” and added that “clear, stable and long-term policy frameworks are needed to accelerate and further scale investments.”“ Financial institutions have a critical role to play in financing the transition to a low-carbon future,” said Mindy Lubber, President of Ceres and director of its $13 trillion Investor Network on Climate Risk. “As U.S. negotiators enter climate talks in Paris, they can say with confidence that the business and financial community in this country is ready for government leadership to address climate change.”In today’s statement, the banks said they are “aligned on the importance of policies to address the climate challenge.” They also expressed ambition to continue investing directly in climate change mitigation efforts to make cities and communities more resilient.For more information and to view the statement, visit: www.ceres.org/bankstatement.
About Ceres-Ceres is a nonprofit organization mobilizing business and investor leadership on climate change, water scarcity and other sustainability challenges. Ceres directs the Investor Network on Climate Risk (INCR), a network of over 100 institutional investors with collective assets totaling more than $13 trillion. Ceres also directs Business for Innovative Climate & Energy Policy (BICEP), an advocacy coalition of 34 businesses committed to working with policy makers to pass meaningful energy and climate legislation. For more information, visit www.ceres.org or follow on Twitter @CeresNews.Additional Quotes:“Climate change presents enormous challenges for global business, but addressing it also offers tremendous opportunities,” said Alex Liftman, Global Environmental Executive at Bank of America. “Financial institutions play a vital role in accelerating the transition to a low-carbon economy.”“Financing sustainable solutions that matter is central to our business success,” said Valerie Smith, Director of Corporate Sustainability at Citi. “We are increasingly working with our clients across various sectors to not only manage and mitigate risks but also recognize opportunities associated with addressing climate change.”“One of the critical roles financial institutions play in helping to address climate change is to harness market mechanisms to mobilize much needed capital to facilitate the transition to a low carbon future and build greater physical resiliency. Governments can help markets by establishing a clear, stable policy framework that creates value for these investments and facilitates innovation,” said Kyung-Ah Park, Head of Environmental Markets at Goldman Sachs.“Significant investments in urban infrastructure and energy will need to be made over the next two decades,” said Matt Arnold, Managing Director and Head of Social and Sustainable Finance at JPMorgan Chase. “Governments need to take the lead in sending clear and timely policy signals to ensure these investments support and enhance sustainable economic growth and development – which includes addressing climate change.”“Morgan Stanley believes that the capital markets can and must play a positive role scaling solutions to global challenges,” said Audrey Choi, Managing Director and CEO of the Morgan Stanley Institute for Sustainable Investing. “The demand for financial tools that address climate change is strong and growing, and we are committed to continued leadership across a range of climate-focused capital markets activity, including financing for clean-tech and renewable energy businesses, underwriting green bonds, and ensuring our wealth management clients have options to align their portfolios with their environmental goals.”“Businesses across the spectrum are evaluating the risks and opportunities associated with a changing climate – and taking action,” said Mary Wenzel, Head of Environmental Affairs at Wells Fargo. “Strong, long-term policy frameworks can provide the business certainty needed to accelerate innovation and investment.”
These Big Businesses Have All Committed To Climate Action-Apple, Coca-Cola and Google among the companies that signed the Obama administration's climate pledge.Kate Sheppard-Senior reporter/Environment and energy editor, The Huffington Post-Edited: 07/27/2015 09:44 PM EDT
ASSOCIATED PRESS- WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration on Monday announced a new collaboration between major U.S.-based companies on climate change, teasing what has been promised to be another big push on climate change in the coming weeks.Participants in the "American Business Act on Climate Pledge" include Alcoa, Apple, Bank of America, Berkshire Hathaway Energy, Cargill, Coca-Cola, General Motors, Goldman Sachs, Google, Microsoft, PepsiCo, UPS and Walmart, which combined brought in $1.3 trillion in revenue last year. The companies together called for a "strong outcome" at the climate negotiation in Paris at the end of this year, and each put forward voluntary commitments on climate, which include investments in renewable energy, individual emissions reduction targets and reducing water use and deforestation in their operations and supply chain."We recognize that delaying action on climate change will be costly in economic and human terms, while accelerating the transition to a low-carbon economy will produce multiple benefits with regard to sustainable economic growth, public health, resilience to natural disasters, and the health of the global environment," states the pledge.Alcoa pledged to cut its greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. operations by 2025 to 50 percent of its 2005 levels. Berkshire Hathaway Energy pledged to increase its investments in renewable energy generation by $15 billion. Google pledged to triple the amount of energy it purchases from renewable sources by 2025. The White House has posted a list online of other company-specific commitments.The White House said it intends to release a second round of pledges from businesses this fall, and that Secretary of State John Kerry would host an event on the role of businesses in climate efforts on Oct. 20-21.President Barack Obama indicated in an appearance on "The Daily Show" that he plans to make another big push on climate change in the coming weeks. The Environmental Protection Agency is due to release final versions of regulations on emissions from both new and existing power plants sometime in the next few weeks, though the exact dates are still unclear. Best estimates range from Aug. 3-11. It remains to be seen whether the administration at the same time will also issue a final decision on the proposed Keystone XL pipeline, which climate change advocates have been urging the administration to reject.
Six Oil Majors Say: We Will Act Faster with Stronger Carbon Pricing-Open Letter to UN and Governments-Statement / 01. JUN, 2015
Six major oil companies have written an open letter to governments and the United Nations saying that they can take faster climate action, if governments provide even stronger carbon pricing and eventually link it all up into a global system that puts a proper price on the environmental and economic costs of greenhouse gas emissions.BG Group, BP, Eni, Royal Dutch Shell, Statoil and Total sent the letter to France's Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius and Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) The letter said:Our companies are already taking a number of actions to help limit emissions ... For us to do more, we need governments across the world to provide us with clear, stable, long-term, ambitious policy frameworks. We believe that a price on carbon should be a key element of these frameworks.The full letter can be seen below.Ms Figueres has said that the oil and gas industry must be a major part of the solution to climate change by harnessing its power and technical expertise to cut back emissions much faster.World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim later issued a statement responding to the letter. “I welcome the call today for a price on carbon by six of the world’s major oil and gas companies. This is an important step in global efforts to drive the world’s economy toward a low-carbon, resilient future and lower climate risks," he said.-Global Business and Investors Calling for Stronger Carbon Price-Carbon pricing has been expanding rapidly around the world in recent years but is still a long way from a globally consistent system. For some time now, businesses and investors have been urging governments to speed up their policy response to provide much stronger carbon pricing.There has also been a remarkable groundswell of climate action by business and investors across the world which have reconized that climate change is one of their biggest risks but that the solutions - renewable and efficient energy, less pollution and resilient economies - offer them the only future which can sustain their long-term stability and profitability.Companies, cities, regions and investors can now directly register their bold climate action commitments on a new and revamped online platform as part of the growing ambition towards the UN’s climate conference in Paris. The NAZCA portal showcases inspiring initiatives including those under the Lima-Paris Action Agenda. The agenda is designed to catalyze public and private sector action on climate change both before and after 2020, the date when the universal climate agreement which governments will reach in Paris comes into effect.The full letter from the six companies follows:Climate change is a critical challenge for our world. As major companies from the oil & gas sector, we recognize both the importance of the climate challenge and the importance of energy to human life and well-being. We acknowledge that the current trend of greenhouse gas emissions is in excess of what the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) says is needed to limit the temperature rise to no more than 2 degrees above pre-industrial levels. The challenge is how to meet greater energy demand with less CO2. We stand ready to play our part.Our companies are already taking a number of actions to help limit emissions, such as growing the share of gas in our production, making energy efficiency improvements in our operations and products, providing renewable energy, investing in carbon capture and storage, and exploring new low-carbon technologies and business models. These actions are a key part of our mission to provide the greatest number of people with access to sustainable and secure energy.For us to do more, we need governments across the world to provide us with clear, stable, long-term, ambitious policy frameworks. This would reduce uncertainty and help stimulate investments in the right low carbon technologies and the right resources at the right pace.We believe that a price on carbon should be a key element of these frameworks. If governments act to price carbon, this discourages high carbon options and encourages the most efficient ways of reducing emissions widely, including reduced demand for the most carbon intensive fossil fuels, greater energy efficiency, the use of natural gas in place of coal, increased investment in carbon capture and storage, renewable energy, smart buildings and grids, off-grid access to energy, cleaner cars and new mobility business models and behaviors.Our companies are already exposed to a price on carbon emissions by participating in existing carbon markets and applying ‘shadow’ carbon prices in our own businesses to test whether investments will be viable in a world where carbon has a higher price.Yet, whatever we do to implement carbon pricing ourselves will not be sufficient or commercially sustainable unless national governments introduce carbon pricing even-handedly and eventually enable global linkage between national systems. Some economies have not yet taken this step, and this could create uncertainty about investment and disparities in the impact of policy on businesses.Therefore, we call on governments, including at the UNFCCC negotiations in Paris and beyond to:introduce carbon pricing systems where they do not yet exist at the national or regional levels create an international framework that could eventually connect national systems.To support progress towards these outcomes, our companies would like to open direct dialogue with the UN and willing governments. We have important areas of interest in and contributions to make to creating and implementing a workable approach to carbon pricing, including: 1. Experience. For more than a century we have provided energy to the world. We are global in reach, closely familiar with managing major projects and risks of many kinds, and well-versed in trading and logistics. As we are already users of carbon pricing systems across the world, exchange of information at international scale could help to identify the best solutions.-2. Motivation. We want to be a part of the solution and deliver energy to society sustainably for many decades to come. Like our counterparts in other industry sectors we will play a key role in implementing the measures and deploying the technologies that will lead to a lower carbon future. Low carbon business models and solutions are fragile until they reach critical size, but with linked carbon pricing systems worldwide, uncertainty would be reduced and such solutions will start to create value for business more rapidly.-3. Pragmatism. We believe our presence at the table could be helpful in designing an approach to carbon pricing that would be both practical and deliverable, as well as ambitious, efficient and effective.-4. A forum for discussion. Our companies and others have come together under the auspices of the World Economic Forum to form the Oil & Gas Climate Initiative, or are members of the International Emissions Trading Association, the World Bank or the UN Global Compact Carbon Pricing initiatives. We believe these forums may offer an appropriate ground for public-private dialogue on how to price carbon into energy.-Practically, we and our senior staff will seek to engage and share our companies’ perspectives on the role of carbon pricing in several important settings: in our meetings with Ministers and Government representatives-as we attend and address conferences-as we hold engagements with our investors-as we conduct meetings with other stakeholders including partners, suppliers, academics and researchers-as we hold meetings for management and staff within our businesses.Pricing carbon obviously adds a cost to our production and our products – but carbon pricing policy frameworks will contribute to provide our businesses and their many stakeholders with a clear roadmap for future investment, a level playing field for all energy sources across geographies and a clear role in securing a more sustainable future.We acknowledge the long-term challenge and appreciate that this will be transformative across the energy sector. Over many decades, our industry has been innovative and has been at the forefront of change. We are confident that we can build on our trajectory of innovation to meet the challenges of the future.Each of us will copy this letter personally to key contacts among investors, governments, civil society and our staff.Signatories:BG Group plc - Mr. Helge Lund-BP plc - Mr. Bob Dudley-Eni S.p.A. - Mr. Claudio Descalzi-Royal Dutch Shell plc - Mr. Ben van Beurden-Statoil ASA - Mr. Eldar Saetre-Total S.A. - Mr. Patrick Pouyanné.
Date-28 September 2015-UN-Report: Over 170 companies, states, regions and cities have 80-100% climate commitments
http://www.theclimategroup.org/what-we-do/news-and-blogs/report-over-170-companies-states-regions-and-cities-have-80-100-climate-commitments/
NEW YORK: Today, CDP and The Climate Group released a report showing that over 170 major companies, states, regions and cities around the world have committed to reducing their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 80-100%, or procuring 100% of their power from renewable sources.Bringing together information from several trusted sources, the findings demonstrate a trend toward increasingly ambitious climate action on the part of “non-state” actors (i.e. non-national governments), in the lead up to the Paris Climate Conference later this year. Evan Juska, Head of Policy for The Climate Group, North America said: “What surprised us was the diversity of companies and sub-national governments setting ambitious climate targets. They differ in location, size, energy use, and ideology. But they share a belief that reducing emissions makes sense for both customers and constituents.”The report also explores what motivates these leaders to be bold in addressing climate change, when so many national governments remain hesitant. While their reasons vary, “efficiency,” “competitiveness” and “values” were frequently mentioned drivers.Lance Pierce, President, CDP North America said: “Managing environmental risk is fundamental to a company’s or city's competitive advantage. Consumer and investor demand for bold climate action is rapidly rising, and those who lag behind risk losing market share. The achievements of the companies, cities, states and regions in this report, with their impressive targets on GHG reduction and renewable energy, encourage hope for a vigorous yet sustainable low carbon future.”The commitments included in the report are just the tip of the iceberg. The UNFCCC’s Non-State Actor Zone for Climate Action (NAZCA) now includes nearly 4,000 climate commitments by “non-state actors” – from states and regions pledging to end forest loss by 2030, to companies adopting an internal price on carbon and setting targets in line with climate science.Read the full report-#CWNYC 2015-Climate Week NYC is a key event in the international calendar that brings together leading governments, investors, businesses, innovators and opinion formers. The Climate Group launched Climate Week NYC in 2009, and has acted as the secretariat since its inception.Host to more than 100 affiliate events from September 21-28, Climate Week NYC 2015 is the collaborative space for climate events in support of the UN Summit to adopt the Post-2015 Development Agenda.Climate Week NYC 2015 is supported by BT Group, Siemens, Procter & Gamble, Nike, SkyPower, SolarCity, CBRE Group, and Bank of the West - BNP Paribas; and the We Mean Business coalition members: BSR, The B Team, CDP, Ceres, The Climate Group, The Prince of Wales’s Corporate Leaders Group and WBCSD.ClimateWeekNYC.org | @ClimateWeekNYC | #CWNYC
Unlocking Ambition: Top corporate and sub-national corporate commitments-Date-28 September 2015
Unlocking Ambition: Top corporate and sub-national corporate commitments-This report by CDP and The Climate Group reveals that over 170 major companies, states, regions, and cities around the world have committed to reducing their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 80-100%, or procuring 100% of their power from renewable sources.Bringing together information from several trusted sources, the findings demonstrate a trend toward increasingly ambitious climate action on the part of “non-state” actors (i.e. non-national governments), in the lead up to the Paris Climate Conference later this year. The commitments included in the report are just the tip of the iceberg. The UNFCCC’s Non-State Actor Zone for Climate Action (NAZCA) now includes nearly 4,000 climate commitments by “non-state actors” – from states and regions pledging to end forest loss by 2030, to companies adopting an internal price on carbon and setting targets in line with climate science.
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Carbon Pricing Poised for Rapid Adoption, World Bank Says-Mathew Carr-Updated on September 21, 2015 — 12:19 PM EDT-BLOOMBERG
Carbon-pricing mechanisms such as markets and taxes are set for “widespread and rapid” use in the years after the Paris climate talks as more nations are seen adopting them as incentives for cleaner energy, according to the World Bank.Carbon taxes introduced in Portugal, South Africa and Chile through 2017 will see 38 systems govern about 12 percent of the world’s greenhouse-gas emissions, up from 5 percent in 2011, the bank said in its annual State and Trends of Carbon Pricing report.“We are not asking people to walk around a blind corner anymore,” Rachel Kyte, a special climate envoy at the bank, said in a call with reporters on Friday before publication of the report.More than 190 nations are meeting in Paris in December with the aim of agreeing to limits on heat-trapping pollution and keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit). The European Union, which manages the world’s biggest carbon market by traded volume, on Friday urged United Nations envoys to agree international carbon-market rules and emissions-accounting systems by 2017.The bank isn’t advocating market systems that allow excessive speculation, a concern raised by the Catholic church in June, Kyte said.“This is not about making a quick buck on the back of the poor in order to put a green invisibility cloak on yourself,” she said.Carbon-pricing systems may work even if nations fail to adopt common accounting systems at the UN talks in December, said Grzegorz Peszko, the lead economist on climate change at the bank. Ratings agencies could assess national, regional or state systems and still allow trading.Details of emissions-trading rules will probably be hammered out after the meeting in December than during it, Kyte said.“You might not see detailed negotiation on the mechanics of future carbon pricing regimes in Paris,” she said. “I don’t think that is where it should be negotiated.”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/carbon-pricing-report_ 55fc8026e 4b08820d 918b6f9?utm_content=bufferf1ab7&utm_medium=socialutm_source= twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
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Informal talks on climate change reveal broad support for ‘durable’ deal in Paris, Ban reports-UN
27 September 2015 – Secretary General Ban Ki-moon reported today that ahead of an upcoming United Nations climate conference in Paris, world leaders have voiced broad support for reaching a durable agreement that will accelerate investments in clean energy and spur a global, low-carbon transformation well before the end of the century, consistent with a below 2 degrees Celsius pathway.“Leaders expressed their resolve to finalize a durable, meaningful agreement in Paris that applies to all countries,” Mr. Ban told reporters following a high-level working lunch held on the margins of the UN Sustainable Development Summit, which opened in New York on Friday and wraps up later today.The Summit, which has adopted the landmark new sustainability blueprint, Transforming Our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – composed of 17 goals and 169 targets to wipe out poverty, fight inequality and tackle climate over the next 15 years – is also being seen as an opportunity to continue momentum ahead of the Twenty-first meeting of States Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), informally known as COP 21, taking place in the French capital this December.“Our meeting today was not a negotiation, but an informal gathering to inject greater political energy,” explained the UN chief at a press conference alongside Peruvian President Ollanta Humala and French President François Hollande, who both had participated in the working lunch and welcomed the generally positive nature of the discussions.Stressing that the points of political convergence that had emerged must be translated into tangible action, the Secretary-General said that leaders had noted that a Paris agreement must be a turning point that sends a clear signal to citizens and the private sector that the transformation of the global economy is inevitable, beneficial, and already underway.“There was also consensus that the agreement must strengthen resilience to climate impacts, with a focus on the poorest and most vulnerable. Leaders agreed that Paris must be the floor, not the ceiling, for collective ambition,” said Mr. Ban, adding that they had also agreed that a review process is needed to strengthen national commitments over time in order to limit global temperature rise to below 2 degrees Celsius.While noting that collectively, national contributions are still not enough, the UN chief said he was pleased to hear leaders pledge to continue working closely with each other and with other leaders to remove political roadblocks.The Secretary-General went on to highlight several upcoming meetings that “can help us cross the finish line in Paris,” including the October meeting of finance ministers in Lima, Peru; the G20 Summit in Turkey; the Cochabamba Summit and the Commonwealth Heads of Government in November.“I appeal to all leaders to show flexibility, vision and leadership,” said Mr. Ban, noting that the UN general Assembly had just adopted the inspiring new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and that momentum must continue with a “robust” agreement in Paris.For his part, President Humala said participants in the working lunch had evinced a joint vision on the need to collectively tackle climate change. In that regard, there was general agreement on the need to keep the global temperature from rising more than 2 degrees Celsius, as well as ensuring support for developing countries to adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change.He also urged countries heading to Paris to make their commitments on climate change and to likewise support the efforts of the French Government in hosting a successful meeting. “Humanity has the opportunity to build the strongest and most powerful alliance ever,” to protect the planet, he declared.President Hollande said that from what he had heard at today’s meeting, none of the leaders had expressed any reservation or opposition to reaching an agreement in Paris. There was a will towards sticking to the 2 degree Celsius pathway. With that in mind, he urged all those countries that had not presented their climate initiatives to do so ahead of COP 21.He went on to stress the need to set out a five-year review mechanism that would help ensure that the goals agreed in Paris will be met. President Hollande also said it was important for every country to implement a carbon pricing system, without which, “there will be no real change.”He looked forward to reaching a “pre-agreement” ahead of COP 21 to set out a clear guide to what could be expected in Paris. “Everyone is convinced that there will be an agreement in Paris but the question is what type of agreement” and how strong the commitment will be to implement it, he concluded.
Big Banks Call For 'Strong' Climate Deal-Without government action, they say, private investment won't be enough.Ben Walsh-Business Reporter, The Huffington Post-Edited: 09/28/2015 07:57 PM EDT
NEW YORK -- Six big U.S. banks called for a "strong global climate agreement" in a statement Monday, with Bank of America, Citi, JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Wells Fargo arguing in a joint release that government action, in addition to private business investment, is needed to address climate change. The banks said that putting a price on carbon emissions is crucial to increasing investments in clean energy. The right policy frameworks, they wrote, "can help unlock the incremental public and private capital needed to ensure" that the estimated $90 trillion in new infrastructure investments projected over the next 15 years will help reduce, not increase, carbon emissions.The next round of United Nations climate talks will take place from Nov. 30 through Dec. 11 in Paris. This series of talks has dragged on for years without yielding a significant deal, but as Reuters' David Stanway reports, the 2014 agreement between the U.S. and China means that "a global deal in Paris has become much more likely" -- although Stanway also notes that the individual country targets that have been laid out so far are not as ambitious as many countries would like to see. The banks' statement adds four major financial institutions to the list of U.S. businesses that support a deal in Paris."As U.S. negotiators enter climate talks in Paris, they can say with confidence that the business and financial community in this country is ready for government leadership to address climate change," said Mindy Lubber, president of the nonprofit Ceres, in a statement Monday.In July, 13 major U.S. companies, including Bank of America and Goldman Sachs, signed a White House statement in favor of a Paris deal. Politically, support from the business community could help to undercut the argument that economic growth and reducing carbon emissions are mutually exclusive goals.Still, no matter what the country's major banks say, it's not clear whether they'll persuade many Republican lawmakers to get on board with addressing climate change -- especially if those lawmakers are facing primary challenges from tea-party types and already feel insecure about holding on to their seats. It's also far from certain whether the business community can do much to change the anti-climate-action views of conservative lawmakers who have won congressional seats in recent years.
STATEMENT BY THE BIG 6 BANKS CONFIRMING CLIMATE CHANGE AGREEMENT
Scientific research finds that an increasing concentration of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere is warming the planet, posing significant risks to the prosperity and growth of the global economy. As major financial institutions, working with clients and customers around the globe, we have the business opportunity to build a more sustainable, low-carbon economy and the ability to help manage and mitigate these climate-related risks.Our institutions are committing significant resources toward financing climate solutions. These actions alone, however, are not sufficient to meet global climate challenges. Expanded deployment of capital is critical, and clear, stable and long-term policy frameworks are needed to accelerate and further scale investments.We call for leadership and cooperation among governments for commitments leading to a strong global climate agreement. Policy frameworks that recognize the costs of carbon are among many important instruments needed to provide greater market certainty, accelerate investment, drive innovation in low carbon energy, and create jobs. Over the next 15 years, an estimated $90 trillion will need to be invested in urban infrastructure and energy. The right policy frameworks can help unlock the incremental public and private capital needed to ensure this infrastructure is sustainable and resilient.While we may compete in the marketplace, we are aligned on the importance of policies to address the climate challenge. In partnership with our clients and customers, we will provide the financing required for value creation and the vision necessary for a strong and prosperous economy for generations to come.Citi-Morgan Stanley-Bank of America-JPMorgan Chase-Goldman Sachs-Wells Fargo.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE-Major U.S. banks call for leadership in addressing climate change-Bank of America, Citi, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley & Wells Fargo issue joint statement on the need for global climate agreement-For more information, contact-Aaron Pickering — Ceres | pickering@ceres.org | phone: 617-247-0700 ext. 148 | cell: 508-951-0919
New York, NY – Sep 28, 2015-Six major U.S. banks – Bank of America, Citi, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley and Wells Fargo – have issued a joint statement calling for cooperation among governments in reaching a global climate agreement. The statement, published today by the sustainability advocacy nonprofit Ceres, voiced support for policy frameworks that “will provide greater market certainty, accelerate investment, drive innovation in low carbon energy, and create jobs.”The banks said that their institutions are collectively “committing significant resources toward financing climate solutions” and added that “clear, stable and long-term policy frameworks are needed to accelerate and further scale investments.”“ Financial institutions have a critical role to play in financing the transition to a low-carbon future,” said Mindy Lubber, President of Ceres and director of its $13 trillion Investor Network on Climate Risk. “As U.S. negotiators enter climate talks in Paris, they can say with confidence that the business and financial community in this country is ready for government leadership to address climate change.”In today’s statement, the banks said they are “aligned on the importance of policies to address the climate challenge.” They also expressed ambition to continue investing directly in climate change mitigation efforts to make cities and communities more resilient.For more information and to view the statement, visit: www.ceres.org/bankstatement.
About Ceres-Ceres is a nonprofit organization mobilizing business and investor leadership on climate change, water scarcity and other sustainability challenges. Ceres directs the Investor Network on Climate Risk (INCR), a network of over 100 institutional investors with collective assets totaling more than $13 trillion. Ceres also directs Business for Innovative Climate & Energy Policy (BICEP), an advocacy coalition of 34 businesses committed to working with policy makers to pass meaningful energy and climate legislation. For more information, visit www.ceres.org or follow on Twitter @CeresNews.Additional Quotes:“Climate change presents enormous challenges for global business, but addressing it also offers tremendous opportunities,” said Alex Liftman, Global Environmental Executive at Bank of America. “Financial institutions play a vital role in accelerating the transition to a low-carbon economy.”“Financing sustainable solutions that matter is central to our business success,” said Valerie Smith, Director of Corporate Sustainability at Citi. “We are increasingly working with our clients across various sectors to not only manage and mitigate risks but also recognize opportunities associated with addressing climate change.”“One of the critical roles financial institutions play in helping to address climate change is to harness market mechanisms to mobilize much needed capital to facilitate the transition to a low carbon future and build greater physical resiliency. Governments can help markets by establishing a clear, stable policy framework that creates value for these investments and facilitates innovation,” said Kyung-Ah Park, Head of Environmental Markets at Goldman Sachs.“Significant investments in urban infrastructure and energy will need to be made over the next two decades,” said Matt Arnold, Managing Director and Head of Social and Sustainable Finance at JPMorgan Chase. “Governments need to take the lead in sending clear and timely policy signals to ensure these investments support and enhance sustainable economic growth and development – which includes addressing climate change.”“Morgan Stanley believes that the capital markets can and must play a positive role scaling solutions to global challenges,” said Audrey Choi, Managing Director and CEO of the Morgan Stanley Institute for Sustainable Investing. “The demand for financial tools that address climate change is strong and growing, and we are committed to continued leadership across a range of climate-focused capital markets activity, including financing for clean-tech and renewable energy businesses, underwriting green bonds, and ensuring our wealth management clients have options to align their portfolios with their environmental goals.”“Businesses across the spectrum are evaluating the risks and opportunities associated with a changing climate – and taking action,” said Mary Wenzel, Head of Environmental Affairs at Wells Fargo. “Strong, long-term policy frameworks can provide the business certainty needed to accelerate innovation and investment.”
These Big Businesses Have All Committed To Climate Action-Apple, Coca-Cola and Google among the companies that signed the Obama administration's climate pledge.Kate Sheppard-Senior reporter/Environment and energy editor, The Huffington Post-Edited: 07/27/2015 09:44 PM EDT
ASSOCIATED PRESS- WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration on Monday announced a new collaboration between major U.S.-based companies on climate change, teasing what has been promised to be another big push on climate change in the coming weeks.Participants in the "American Business Act on Climate Pledge" include Alcoa, Apple, Bank of America, Berkshire Hathaway Energy, Cargill, Coca-Cola, General Motors, Goldman Sachs, Google, Microsoft, PepsiCo, UPS and Walmart, which combined brought in $1.3 trillion in revenue last year. The companies together called for a "strong outcome" at the climate negotiation in Paris at the end of this year, and each put forward voluntary commitments on climate, which include investments in renewable energy, individual emissions reduction targets and reducing water use and deforestation in their operations and supply chain."We recognize that delaying action on climate change will be costly in economic and human terms, while accelerating the transition to a low-carbon economy will produce multiple benefits with regard to sustainable economic growth, public health, resilience to natural disasters, and the health of the global environment," states the pledge.Alcoa pledged to cut its greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. operations by 2025 to 50 percent of its 2005 levels. Berkshire Hathaway Energy pledged to increase its investments in renewable energy generation by $15 billion. Google pledged to triple the amount of energy it purchases from renewable sources by 2025. The White House has posted a list online of other company-specific commitments.The White House said it intends to release a second round of pledges from businesses this fall, and that Secretary of State John Kerry would host an event on the role of businesses in climate efforts on Oct. 20-21.President Barack Obama indicated in an appearance on "The Daily Show" that he plans to make another big push on climate change in the coming weeks. The Environmental Protection Agency is due to release final versions of regulations on emissions from both new and existing power plants sometime in the next few weeks, though the exact dates are still unclear. Best estimates range from Aug. 3-11. It remains to be seen whether the administration at the same time will also issue a final decision on the proposed Keystone XL pipeline, which climate change advocates have been urging the administration to reject.
Six Oil Majors Say: We Will Act Faster with Stronger Carbon Pricing-Open Letter to UN and Governments-Statement / 01. JUN, 2015
Six major oil companies have written an open letter to governments and the United Nations saying that they can take faster climate action, if governments provide even stronger carbon pricing and eventually link it all up into a global system that puts a proper price on the environmental and economic costs of greenhouse gas emissions.BG Group, BP, Eni, Royal Dutch Shell, Statoil and Total sent the letter to France's Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius and Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) The letter said:Our companies are already taking a number of actions to help limit emissions ... For us to do more, we need governments across the world to provide us with clear, stable, long-term, ambitious policy frameworks. We believe that a price on carbon should be a key element of these frameworks.The full letter can be seen below.Ms Figueres has said that the oil and gas industry must be a major part of the solution to climate change by harnessing its power and technical expertise to cut back emissions much faster.World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim later issued a statement responding to the letter. “I welcome the call today for a price on carbon by six of the world’s major oil and gas companies. This is an important step in global efforts to drive the world’s economy toward a low-carbon, resilient future and lower climate risks," he said.-Global Business and Investors Calling for Stronger Carbon Price-Carbon pricing has been expanding rapidly around the world in recent years but is still a long way from a globally consistent system. For some time now, businesses and investors have been urging governments to speed up their policy response to provide much stronger carbon pricing.There has also been a remarkable groundswell of climate action by business and investors across the world which have reconized that climate change is one of their biggest risks but that the solutions - renewable and efficient energy, less pollution and resilient economies - offer them the only future which can sustain their long-term stability and profitability.Companies, cities, regions and investors can now directly register their bold climate action commitments on a new and revamped online platform as part of the growing ambition towards the UN’s climate conference in Paris. The NAZCA portal showcases inspiring initiatives including those under the Lima-Paris Action Agenda. The agenda is designed to catalyze public and private sector action on climate change both before and after 2020, the date when the universal climate agreement which governments will reach in Paris comes into effect.The full letter from the six companies follows:Climate change is a critical challenge for our world. As major companies from the oil & gas sector, we recognize both the importance of the climate challenge and the importance of energy to human life and well-being. We acknowledge that the current trend of greenhouse gas emissions is in excess of what the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) says is needed to limit the temperature rise to no more than 2 degrees above pre-industrial levels. The challenge is how to meet greater energy demand with less CO2. We stand ready to play our part.Our companies are already taking a number of actions to help limit emissions, such as growing the share of gas in our production, making energy efficiency improvements in our operations and products, providing renewable energy, investing in carbon capture and storage, and exploring new low-carbon technologies and business models. These actions are a key part of our mission to provide the greatest number of people with access to sustainable and secure energy.For us to do more, we need governments across the world to provide us with clear, stable, long-term, ambitious policy frameworks. This would reduce uncertainty and help stimulate investments in the right low carbon technologies and the right resources at the right pace.We believe that a price on carbon should be a key element of these frameworks. If governments act to price carbon, this discourages high carbon options and encourages the most efficient ways of reducing emissions widely, including reduced demand for the most carbon intensive fossil fuels, greater energy efficiency, the use of natural gas in place of coal, increased investment in carbon capture and storage, renewable energy, smart buildings and grids, off-grid access to energy, cleaner cars and new mobility business models and behaviors.Our companies are already exposed to a price on carbon emissions by participating in existing carbon markets and applying ‘shadow’ carbon prices in our own businesses to test whether investments will be viable in a world where carbon has a higher price.Yet, whatever we do to implement carbon pricing ourselves will not be sufficient or commercially sustainable unless national governments introduce carbon pricing even-handedly and eventually enable global linkage between national systems. Some economies have not yet taken this step, and this could create uncertainty about investment and disparities in the impact of policy on businesses.Therefore, we call on governments, including at the UNFCCC negotiations in Paris and beyond to:introduce carbon pricing systems where they do not yet exist at the national or regional levels create an international framework that could eventually connect national systems.To support progress towards these outcomes, our companies would like to open direct dialogue with the UN and willing governments. We have important areas of interest in and contributions to make to creating and implementing a workable approach to carbon pricing, including: 1. Experience. For more than a century we have provided energy to the world. We are global in reach, closely familiar with managing major projects and risks of many kinds, and well-versed in trading and logistics. As we are already users of carbon pricing systems across the world, exchange of information at international scale could help to identify the best solutions.-2. Motivation. We want to be a part of the solution and deliver energy to society sustainably for many decades to come. Like our counterparts in other industry sectors we will play a key role in implementing the measures and deploying the technologies that will lead to a lower carbon future. Low carbon business models and solutions are fragile until they reach critical size, but with linked carbon pricing systems worldwide, uncertainty would be reduced and such solutions will start to create value for business more rapidly.-3. Pragmatism. We believe our presence at the table could be helpful in designing an approach to carbon pricing that would be both practical and deliverable, as well as ambitious, efficient and effective.-4. A forum for discussion. Our companies and others have come together under the auspices of the World Economic Forum to form the Oil & Gas Climate Initiative, or are members of the International Emissions Trading Association, the World Bank or the UN Global Compact Carbon Pricing initiatives. We believe these forums may offer an appropriate ground for public-private dialogue on how to price carbon into energy.-Practically, we and our senior staff will seek to engage and share our companies’ perspectives on the role of carbon pricing in several important settings: in our meetings with Ministers and Government representatives-as we attend and address conferences-as we hold engagements with our investors-as we conduct meetings with other stakeholders including partners, suppliers, academics and researchers-as we hold meetings for management and staff within our businesses.Pricing carbon obviously adds a cost to our production and our products – but carbon pricing policy frameworks will contribute to provide our businesses and their many stakeholders with a clear roadmap for future investment, a level playing field for all energy sources across geographies and a clear role in securing a more sustainable future.We acknowledge the long-term challenge and appreciate that this will be transformative across the energy sector. Over many decades, our industry has been innovative and has been at the forefront of change. We are confident that we can build on our trajectory of innovation to meet the challenges of the future.Each of us will copy this letter personally to key contacts among investors, governments, civil society and our staff.Signatories:BG Group plc - Mr. Helge Lund-BP plc - Mr. Bob Dudley-Eni S.p.A. - Mr. Claudio Descalzi-Royal Dutch Shell plc - Mr. Ben van Beurden-Statoil ASA - Mr. Eldar Saetre-Total S.A. - Mr. Patrick Pouyanné.
Date-28 September 2015-UN-Report: Over 170 companies, states, regions and cities have 80-100% climate commitments
http://www.theclimategroup.org/what-we-do/news-and-blogs/report-over-170-companies-states-regions-and-cities-have-80-100-climate-commitments/
NEW YORK: Today, CDP and The Climate Group released a report showing that over 170 major companies, states, regions and cities around the world have committed to reducing their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 80-100%, or procuring 100% of their power from renewable sources.Bringing together information from several trusted sources, the findings demonstrate a trend toward increasingly ambitious climate action on the part of “non-state” actors (i.e. non-national governments), in the lead up to the Paris Climate Conference later this year. Evan Juska, Head of Policy for The Climate Group, North America said: “What surprised us was the diversity of companies and sub-national governments setting ambitious climate targets. They differ in location, size, energy use, and ideology. But they share a belief that reducing emissions makes sense for both customers and constituents.”The report also explores what motivates these leaders to be bold in addressing climate change, when so many national governments remain hesitant. While their reasons vary, “efficiency,” “competitiveness” and “values” were frequently mentioned drivers.Lance Pierce, President, CDP North America said: “Managing environmental risk is fundamental to a company’s or city's competitive advantage. Consumer and investor demand for bold climate action is rapidly rising, and those who lag behind risk losing market share. The achievements of the companies, cities, states and regions in this report, with their impressive targets on GHG reduction and renewable energy, encourage hope for a vigorous yet sustainable low carbon future.”The commitments included in the report are just the tip of the iceberg. The UNFCCC’s Non-State Actor Zone for Climate Action (NAZCA) now includes nearly 4,000 climate commitments by “non-state actors” – from states and regions pledging to end forest loss by 2030, to companies adopting an internal price on carbon and setting targets in line with climate science.Read the full report-#CWNYC 2015-Climate Week NYC is a key event in the international calendar that brings together leading governments, investors, businesses, innovators and opinion formers. The Climate Group launched Climate Week NYC in 2009, and has acted as the secretariat since its inception.Host to more than 100 affiliate events from September 21-28, Climate Week NYC 2015 is the collaborative space for climate events in support of the UN Summit to adopt the Post-2015 Development Agenda.Climate Week NYC 2015 is supported by BT Group, Siemens, Procter & Gamble, Nike, SkyPower, SolarCity, CBRE Group, and Bank of the West - BNP Paribas; and the We Mean Business coalition members: BSR, The B Team, CDP, Ceres, The Climate Group, The Prince of Wales’s Corporate Leaders Group and WBCSD.ClimateWeekNYC.org | @ClimateWeekNYC | #CWNYC
Unlocking Ambition: Top corporate and sub-national corporate commitments-Date-28 September 2015
Unlocking Ambition: Top corporate and sub-national corporate commitments-This report by CDP and The Climate Group reveals that over 170 major companies, states, regions, and cities around the world have committed to reducing their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 80-100%, or procuring 100% of their power from renewable sources.Bringing together information from several trusted sources, the findings demonstrate a trend toward increasingly ambitious climate action on the part of “non-state” actors (i.e. non-national governments), in the lead up to the Paris Climate Conference later this year. The commitments included in the report are just the tip of the iceberg. The UNFCCC’s Non-State Actor Zone for Climate Action (NAZCA) now includes nearly 4,000 climate commitments by “non-state actors” – from states and regions pledging to end forest loss by 2030, to companies adopting an internal price on carbon and setting targets in line with climate science.
