More than 350 businesses, including a significant number of major multinational firms, have co-signed a letter addressed to global leaders attending COP22 this week in Marrakech, urging them to support the Paris Climate Agreement.
The heads of companies including Nike, Mars, Unilever, L’Oreal, General Mills, Hewlett Packard and Starbucks have signed the letter which was issued earlier today.
The letter issues its support to global leaders seeking to implement the historic Paris Agreement reached at COP21 last year to limit the effects of global warming to a maximum temperate increase of 2 degrees Celsius.
It goes on to state that their support would enable businesses and investors to “turn the billions of dollars in existing low-carbon investments into the trillions of dollars the world needs” to decarbonise as required.
Lara Birkes, chief sustainability officer at Hewlett Packard, said: “The Paris Agreement was a vital step forward, but its power is in our collective action. Business and government leaders must urgently work together to drive a thriving, low-carbon economy.”
Meanwhile Barry Parkin, chief sustainability and health and wellbeing officer at Mars, said that it was “vital” that the business community demonstrated ongoing commitment to tackling climate change.
“This is an important moment in global political and economic history, and we absolutely must come together to solve the immense challenges facing the planet. Climate change, water scarcity and deforestation are serious threats to society. It is imperative that global businesses, like Mars, do their part to face down those threats,” Parkin added.
