Business Leaders call for action on climate change when meeting German Federal Chancellor Merkel
Berlin, 10 May 2007 - When meeting the German Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel, business leaders united in the 3C initiative called for a global policy to reduce the emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases to acceptable levels as rapidly as possible whilst providing secure and affordable energy for a stable, global development.
The Business Leaders’ Initiative 3C (Combat Climate Change) is a global opinion group consisting of companies showing leadership by demanding an integration of climate issues into the world of markets and trade facilitated by means of a global framework coming into force in 2013. Today a selected number of member leaders met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
“We are all concerned with the way climate change poses a threat to humanity, to sustained welfare and to global security. We already have the technology to drastically reduce the carbon dioxide emissions, but lack the financial incitements to do so. Therefore we need strong leadership, from politicians as well as from companies,” says Lars G Josefsson, President and CEO of Vattenfall.
The 3C Initiative was launched on January 11, 2007 when presented to the European Commission’s President José Manuel Barroso in Brussels. There has been a significant interest among the world’s leading companies to join. Today 40 companies from 11 countries on 4 continents participate (see attached list).
The 3C companies are committed to take their share of the responsibility to combat climate change and they are prepared to take action now. The support of the global community is needed to create incentives for commercial solutions, technological development and market-based investments.
The 3C initiative has set up an internal working process based on three themes:
- Promoting efficient policies by mapping abatement potentials in the global economy.
- Making use of markets by developing Emissions Trading Systems and flexible mechanisms.
- Achieving a strong technology push by supporting and disseminating key
technologies.
“Let us join forces around a common vision of a low-emitting, sustainable society and let us together create and promote a common roadmap that will, step by step, lead to the realisation of this vision,” says Lars G Josefsson.
For further information, please contact:
Martin May, Head of Media Relations, Vattenfall AB, phone: +46 (0) 8 739 52 70.
Arne Mogren, Head of Climate Policy, Vattenfall AB, phone: +46 (0) 8 739 52 34.
3C Member companies
ABB Switzerland
Alcan Inc. Canada
Alstom France
Areva France
Bayer Germany
British Petroleum BP UK
British Sky Broadcasting Ltd UK
Centrica UK
CEZ Group Czech Republic
China National Offshore Oil Corp. China
Citigroup Inc. USA
Deutsche Bahn Germany
Deutsche Post Germany
DONG Energy Denmark
Duke Energy Corporation USA
E.ON AG Germany
EnBW AG Germany
Endesa S.A Spain
Enel Italy
Eskom South Africa
Fortum Finland
General Electric Co USA
Hitachi Ltd Japan
Iberdrola Spain
Lufthansa Germany
Munich Re Group Germany
Norske Skog Norway
NRG Energy USA
Nuon The Netherlands
Otto Group Germany
PG & E Corp. USA
PNM Resources USA
RAO UESR Russia
Reuters UK
SAS Sweden
Siemens Germany
SUEZ France
The Tata Power Company Ltd India
Wallenius Lines Sweden
Vattenfall Sweden
3C Quick facts
• 41 member companies
• 24 members on Fortune 500 list
• Total turnover: 1 100 Billion Euros (10 x European Union budget and 2% of global GDP)
• 4 Million employees in 220 countries
• 18 power companies producing 15% of global electricity ( 2 500 TWh)
• Sector distribution (core business)
– Power/Energy: 21 – Industry: 9
– Transport: 5 – Services, Technology & Others: 6
• Geographical distribution (Headquarters)
– North America: 8 – Western Europe: 27
– Eastern Europe: 2 – Asia incl. China: 3
– Africa: 1