Major Group: Business & Industry
Business and Industry Intervention
Remarks by Louise Kantrow, Permanent Representative of the
International Chamber of Commerce to the UN
10 January 2014
7th Session of the Open Working Group on SDGs
Thank you Mr. Co-Chair.
My name is Louise Kantrow, I am the Permanent Representative to the United Nations for the International Chamber of Commerce, speaking on behalf of ICC and the Global Business Alliance for Post-2015, representing the Business and Industry Major Group.
Mr. Co-Chair, business concurs with the view expressed by the esteemed panellists and numerous representatives this morning that climate change and disaster risk reduction must be fully integrated into any Post-2015 development framework. We are particularly gratified to note the numerous references made to the important role of the private sector going forward.
Mr. Co-Chair, Climate Change and disaster risk reduction are global issues which need global participation. ICC has been actively engaged in the UNFCCC negotiations and business urge governments to conclude an equitable and effective global climate agreement under the UNFCCC in 2015.
Already, companies have been taking actions that address climate change impacts and lower emissions of greenhouse gases through investment, research and deploying innovative technologies, processes, products and services. Business is committed to pursuing and building on the significant actions already taken, both at national and international levels through sharing expertise and good practices in areas such as technology, financing, research and development; and playing its crucial role as partner for climate solutions – as investor, innovator and job creator.
According to the United Nations and the International Energy Agency, in order to halve global emissions by 2050 the private sector will contribute to roughly 3/4 of the estimated $1 trillion in climate finance required. Additionally, the IEA also estimates that on average, an additional $1 spent on more efficient electrical equipment, appliances and buildings avoids more than $2 in investment in electricity supply.
In the last 10 years alone, more than 200,000 patents have been registered worldwide for solar, biomass, fuel cell, wind, ocean, geothermal and other new climate-friendly technologies.
Removal of trade distortion, particular harmful subsidies, can constitute a triple win for trade, development, and environment. A 2007 World Bank study, International Trade and Climate Change - estimates, the removal of tariffs for four basic clean energy technologies (wind, solar, clean coal
and efficient lighting) in 18 developing countries with high greenhouse gas emissions would result in trade gains of up to 7%. The removal of both tariffs and non-tariff barriers could boost trade by as much as 13 %. The net effect would, however, vary across technologies and across countries, depending on existing barriers and the import elasticities of demand (ICTSD 2008).
ICC and its members support a balanced and globally effective outcome, and recommends policy makers to take decisions on the following three key areas:
Strengthen Competitiveness (ensure free and open markets, eliminate tariff and non-tariff barriers and avoid protectionism.
Create Opportunity (increase in energy efficiency measures, stimulate market-based investment, research and development, establish a transparent and standardized systems for measuring, reporting and verification (MRV) of national emissions).
Build Partnership (incentivize to cooperate, establish efficient institutional arrangement and mainstream climate change in all relevant areas, including all actors of society).
The most economically feasible way to meet the challenge of climate challenge and disaster risk reduction is through the scaling up and implementation of development, commercialization and widespread dissemination of technologies and innovative services. Such technologies and services are primarily developed by business.
Enabling frameworks, such as education, stable legal, economic, and regulatory environments, including IPR, and appropriate market based incentives are critical to scale up and accelerate technology development, commercialization, and uptake.
At the recently concluded COP in Warsaw, business and industry urged the COP to work in synergy with the larger context of the U.N. Post 2015 Development Agenda which we expect to advance energy access, synergies across food/water and energy and taking a “wholeplanet” approach to sustainable development, engaging all countries and all stakeholders.
Thank you Mr. Co-Chair.
Remarks by Louise Kantrow, Permanent Representative of the
International Chamber of Commerce to the UN
10 January 2014
7th Session of the Open Working Group on SDGs
Thank you Mr. Co-Chair.
My name is Louise Kantrow, I am the Permanent Representative to the United Nations for the International Chamber of Commerce, speaking on behalf of ICC and the Global Business Alliance for Post-2015, representing the Business and Industry Major Group.
Mr. Co-Chair, business concurs with the view expressed by the esteemed panellists and numerous representatives this morning that climate change and disaster risk reduction must be fully integrated into any Post-2015 development framework. We are particularly gratified to note the numerous references made to the important role of the private sector going forward.
Mr. Co-Chair, Climate Change and disaster risk reduction are global issues which need global participation. ICC has been actively engaged in the UNFCCC negotiations and business urge governments to conclude an equitable and effective global climate agreement under the UNFCCC in 2015.
Already, companies have been taking actions that address climate change impacts and lower emissions of greenhouse gases through investment, research and deploying innovative technologies, processes, products and services. Business is committed to pursuing and building on the significant actions already taken, both at national and international levels through sharing expertise and good practices in areas such as technology, financing, research and development; and playing its crucial role as partner for climate solutions – as investor, innovator and job creator.
According to the United Nations and the International Energy Agency, in order to halve global emissions by 2050 the private sector will contribute to roughly 3/4 of the estimated $1 trillion in climate finance required. Additionally, the IEA also estimates that on average, an additional $1 spent on more efficient electrical equipment, appliances and buildings avoids more than $2 in investment in electricity supply.
In the last 10 years alone, more than 200,000 patents have been registered worldwide for solar, biomass, fuel cell, wind, ocean, geothermal and other new climate-friendly technologies.
Removal of trade distortion, particular harmful subsidies, can constitute a triple win for trade, development, and environment. A 2007 World Bank study, International Trade and Climate Change - estimates, the removal of tariffs for four basic clean energy technologies (wind, solar, clean coal
and efficient lighting) in 18 developing countries with high greenhouse gas emissions would result in trade gains of up to 7%. The removal of both tariffs and non-tariff barriers could boost trade by as much as 13 %. The net effect would, however, vary across technologies and across countries, depending on existing barriers and the import elasticities of demand (ICTSD 2008).
ICC and its members support a balanced and globally effective outcome, and recommends policy makers to take decisions on the following three key areas:
Strengthen Competitiveness (ensure free and open markets, eliminate tariff and non-tariff barriers and avoid protectionism.
Create Opportunity (increase in energy efficiency measures, stimulate market-based investment, research and development, establish a transparent and standardized systems for measuring, reporting and verification (MRV) of national emissions).
Build Partnership (incentivize to cooperate, establish efficient institutional arrangement and mainstream climate change in all relevant areas, including all actors of society).
The most economically feasible way to meet the challenge of climate challenge and disaster risk reduction is through the scaling up and implementation of development, commercialization and widespread dissemination of technologies and innovative services. Such technologies and services are primarily developed by business.
Enabling frameworks, such as education, stable legal, economic, and regulatory environments, including IPR, and appropriate market based incentives are critical to scale up and accelerate technology development, commercialization, and uptake.
At the recently concluded COP in Warsaw, business and industry urged the COP to work in synergy with the larger context of the U.N. Post 2015 Development Agenda which we expect to advance energy access, synergies across food/water and energy and taking a “wholeplanet” approach to sustainable development, engaging all countries and all stakeholders.
Thank you Mr. Co-Chair.