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Focus
on long-term, business urges climate change governments
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| Business
recognizes that serious action on climate change is required |
Buenos
Aires, 17 December 2004
-- International climate change policy needs to respond to energy and
economic growth needs of developing countries, drive technological innovation
and stimulate global participation according to the business and industry
groups attending the United Nations climate change talks here.
In a speech delivered
during the official UN closing session, and speaking on behalf of the
more than 200 international business delegates gathered in Buenos Aires,
Argentinian CEO, Mr Arturo Acevedo said governments needed to balance
the competing priorities of "economies, competitiveness, development,
lifestyles and the environment".
"Businesses all
over the world recognize that the climate change challenge is serious
and many are taking action," said Mr Acevedo, CEO of local company,
Acindar. "We call upon governments to think of the pressing needs
in Latin America and other developing countries for investment, market
access and economic development that will address environmental issues
and enable our societies to flourish.
"With such potential
for far-reaching consequences, the international community must find effective
ways to proceed that include all countries and regions. Business remains
concerned that current implementation approaches have the potential to
impose high costs on business and society, exacerbate tensions in international
trade, and to damage economic prospects, competitiveness and investment,
while doing little to address increasing global greenhouse gas emissions."
Urging governments
to look beyond the current 2012 Kyoto Protocol commitment period, Mr Acevedo
said long-term international climate policy needed to encourage investment
in and widespread use of "a full range of energy and energy efficiency
options and technologies".
"We must ensure
the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) will stimulate projects in developing
countries as soon as possible, with all types and sizes of projects encouraged,"
he said. "The CDM must become more business friendly and transparent
to enable greater numbers of projects. In its current form, it may be
bypassed, or simply slow down and discourage cleaner investments from
the private sector."
The speech was delivered
at the culmination of two weeks of intergovernmental climate change negotiations
in the Argentine capital.
The business and industry
delegation at the meeting, coordinated by ICC, comprises more than 500
business executives from 36 countries. Representing the gamut of industry
sectors, the delegates have been contributing business views to governments
to ensure the negotiations take account of economic realities and focus
on effective solutions to the climate change challenge.
For further information, or to arrange an interview with a member of the
business delegation, contact Mary Kelly, Communications Director. Tel
33 (0)1 49 53 2987 Email:Click here to send a mail
Business
perspectives on a long-term international policy approach to address global
climate change
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