Business leaders push for effective climate treaty

Picture 500 world business leaders in one room with the single-minded goal of pushing for a new, effective global climate agreement. That was the objective of the World Business Summit on Climate Change held in Denmark in May 2009. Novo Nordisk was a key player in the Summit, as part of its efforts to engage in a wide range of climate advocacy activities.

The Summit was convened by the Copenhagen Climate Council, an independent global initiative gathering business leaders from over 40 countries as well as leading politicians, authorities and scientists. The Council set out to promote a broad global dialogue and build momentum for achieving an ambitious, global and binding treaty at the UN Climate Summit in Copenhagen in December 2009 (also known as COP-15).

The Summit's objectives were

To mobilize private sector engagement in the development of the future policy framework on climate change
To provide constructive ideas and practical proposals to support an ambitious global deal on climate change at COP15
To urge politicians to make a stable, global framework promoting a sustainable world economy
To demonstrate how policy, coupled with innovative business models, can drive a sustainable transformation of the economy and stimulate job creation and low-carbon solutions

The ambition was to address the twin challenges of climate change and the economic crisis. Participants considered how these risks can become an opportunity if business and governments work together, and what policies, incentives, and investments will most effectively stimulate low-carbon growth.

The Copenhagen Call

At the conclusion of the Summit, a 'Copenhagen Call' was handed over to the host of the COP-15, the Danish Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Yvo de Boer, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC). This two-page document outlined the elements needed to effectively boost investment, markets, innovation, and the development of technology.

"When we started this journey, it almost seemed like a mission impossible. Today I'm immensely proud that we managed to gather more than 500 business and thought leaders in a joint call for action on climate change," said Lise Kingo, Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff at Novo Nordisk on the closing of the event.

Showcasing solutions

On the evening of the first day of the Summit, Novo Nordisk hosted an informal, private dinner with former US Vice President and climate activist Al Gore and 60 VIP-guests, including the Danish minister for Climate and Energy Connie Hedegaard; the US ambassador to Denmark Laurie S. Fulton; Chairman of the Copenhagen Climate Council Tim Flannery and CEOs from leading European businesses.

The three-day summit included a series of plenary sessions, industry- and technology-specific meetings and roundtable discussions. Day 1 was dedicated to highlighting the critical issues. Keynote addresses were made by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, former Vice President, Al Gore and Dr R.K. Pachauri, chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Showcasing solutions was the theme of the second day which opened with a keynote address by José Manuel Barrosso, President of the European Commission followed by a series of parallel working groups on technology, financing, mitigation, adaptation, measurement of progress and value chain.

The World Business Summit on Climate Change was supported by the Danish government and organised in collaboration with the United Nations Global Compact, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, The Climate Group, 3C, and the World Economic Forum's Climate Change Initiative. The International Herald Tribune and CNBC were media partners.

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