A global agreement on climate change under the auspices of the United Nations is the best way of ensuring international cooperation to resolve this vital issue, ICC said in statement to environment ministers from the world’s most highly industrialized countries.

The statement also called on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change that is currently drafting a global post-2012 agreement to succeed the Kyoto Treaty to “maximize and enable the contribution of business” in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The UN agreement is expected to be concluded in Copenhagen this December.

“Climate change is one of the most pressing challenges of our times, associated as it is with meeting real needs for energy, development and economic growth,” ICC said in the statement sent to environment ministers from the United States, France, Britain, Germany, Canada, Japan, Italy, and Russia. “We support the G8’s priority attention to climate change, integrated with energy security, and its dedication to multilateral approaches to global challenges.” 

The environment ministers are meeting this week ahead of the G8 summit in July on the Italian island of La Maddalena off the coast of Sardinia.

In a letter presenting the statement, ICC Secretary General Guy Sebban urged the ministers to fight against protectionist tendencies and other counter-productive measures.

“These would only compound economic challenges and undermine the needed consensus for cooperative climate change and environmental action at a global level,” Mr Sebban said.

He urged the G8 to “support an economic recovery that creates jobs and promotes technological innovation and good environmental practices.”

Specifically, ICC called on the G8 to commit all countries to mid and longer term objectives and policies in reducing gas emissions; strengthen multilateral trade and investment that will support economic and technological flows required to implement solutions; and recognize the important role markets play in a cost-effective response to climate change.

“Existing low-emissions technologies have the potential to significantly reduce global emissions,” the statement added, “but enabling frameworks, intellectual property rights protection, market-based deployment of those rights, innovative funding mechanisms and specific policy responses are needed to support their rapid deployment in both developed and developing countries.”

“Innovative public-private partnerships that foster rapid development of advanced technologies to reduce emissions will play a pivotal role,” ICC added.

To view the statement, please  click here