Right now, world leaders are gathered here in Copenhagen for the UN’s COP15 conference to mitigate the causes of climate change. Thousands of governmental and non-governmental participants are here to play their part in the negotiations. I am deeply impressed by the commitment of all involved to reach a political deal.
At the same time, I am convinced of the necessity to involve world businesses as they hold the key to climate solutions. World leaders will, I sincerely hope, carve out a global ambition and framework for a low carbon economy, for countries and businesses to deliver in the decades to come.
On Friday UKTI hosted an official COP15 side event to showcase how business can – and already does – provide solutions to climate change. The UK wants to invite countries, organisations and companies to engage in partnerships and to draw on their knowledge and expertise.
I was impressed by how organisations like the Carbon Disclosure Project, through its database of corporate climate change information, can help policy decision-making globally. How the Carbon Trust helps innovative ideas reach world markets and how Climate Change Capital unleashes billions of dollars for investment in the low carbon economy.
The illustration of how, in the UK, the transition to a low carbon economy is conducted in partnership between public and private initiative particularly inspired me. And I was surprised by how innovative planning, engineering and design companies like Arup, think low carbon into every step of a given project, large or small (mostly large!), thus backing London’s ambitious carbon reduction scheme.
As COP15 negotiations gear up a level for its last week of discussions amongst ministers and heads of state, I'm happy knowing the transition to a low carbon economy is not a story of a distant future but that in the UK the transition is already happening.
UKTI’s COP15 involvement helped me make sense of the necessity for global engagement, because low carbon is everybody’s business and everybody’s opportunity.
3 comments
Comment by Terry Lempriere posted on
Intereting. Cruising round the UKTI site. How many articles do I see regarding the need for assertive UK entrepreneurs to have someone on the ground toe to toe, face to face? Does the UK business community think there Goverment will sell there goods? As a Brit myself ( proudly born in Devon,UK) and now located in he heart of western Canada's oil & gas/mining world I see a huge need here for UK goods and technologies. Showing up at one or two trade shows isn't going to do it . At Tgra Zbusiness Zdvment where passionate, and on the ground here making the key contacts with buyers. Give us a call, C:403-988-5367
Comment by Terry Lempriere posted on
Intereting. Cruising round the UKTI site. How many articles do I see regarding the need for assertive UK entrepreneurs to have someone on the ground toe to toe, face to face? Does the UK business community think there Goverment will sell there goods? As a Brit myself ( proudly born in Devon,UK) and now located in he heart of western Canada's oil & gas/mining world I see a huge need here for UK goods and technologies. Showing up at one or two trade shows isn't going to do it . At Tgra Zbusiness Zdvment where passionate, and on the ground here making the key contacts with buyers. Give us a call, C:403-988-5367
Comment by Terry Lempriere posted on
Intereting. Cruising round the UKTI site. How many articles do I see regarding the need for assertive UK entrepreneurs to have someone on the ground toe to toe, face to face? Does the UK business community think there Goverment will sell there goods? As a Brit myself ( proudly born in Devon,UK) and now located in he heart of western Canada's oil & gas/mining world I see a huge need here for UK goods and technologies. Showing up at one or two trade shows isn't going to do it . At Tgra Zbusiness Zdvment where passionate, and on the ground here making the key contacts with buyers. Give us a call, C:403-988-5367