Thursday 11 April 2013

US businesses urge strong policy action on climate change

A total of 32 international companies and consumer brands, including L’Oreal, Nestle (pictured), Nike and eBay joined forces yesterday urging the US policy makers to take action on climate change.

The firms signed a “climate declaration” in support of climate change policy, suggesting a response to the climate challenge is “one of the greatest American economic opportunities” of the 21st century.

A project of Ceres, an advocate for sustainability leadership, the Business for Innovative Climate & Energy Policy (BICEP) is a coalition of businesses committed to working with policy markers for energy and climate legislation towards a rapid low carbon transition. They are calling on the US Government to address climate change by promoting clean energy, boosting efficiency and limiting carbon emissions – strategies the businesses claim are already employed within their own operations.

Anne Kelly, Director of BICEP said: “The signers of the Climate Declaration have a clear message for Washington: Act on climate change. We are and it’s good for our businesses. The cost of inaction is too high. Policymakers should see climate change policy for what it is: an economic opportunity.”

BICEP claims recent polls suggested that a majority of Americans believe climate change is happening and that businesses and Government officials should be doing more to address the issue.