The Business Forecast

On October 5th and 6th, The Climate Group, in partnership with DEFRA and DTI, convened a climate change conference in London bringing government together with international industry representatives. The aim was to build on the momentum of the G8 Gleneagles summit, driving forward action on a low carbon future. 

The conference, Climate Change: The Business Forecast, was attended by Environment Secretary Margaret Beckett and Trade and Industry Secretary Alan Johnson as well as corporate leaders including: James Rogers, Cinergy CEO; Lord John Browne, Group Chief Executive of BP plc. and; Sir John Bond, Group Chairman of HSBC.  The event was introduced and facilitated by The Climate Group’s CEO, Steve Howard.

Participants at the meeting were divided into four focused discussion streams; Consumers, Products and Buildings; Transport and Logistics; Climate, Investment and Finance and; Power and Energy, providing the opportunity to discuss in detail the business risks and opportunities associated with climate change.  All four streams reported back to the plenary with recommendations to feed into the wider political process at the end of the two-day event.

Key messages from all groups included the need for a clearly mapped out long-term policy framework to create security and confidence for business, and the importance of joined up policy across government departments on climate change.  The vast majority of companies present also stressed that they were committed to taking action to reduce emissions and that they saw business opportunities as a result of doing so.

In response to the recommendations and observations put forward, Secretary of State Beckett emphasized the need for business to be clear and consistent in communicating this message to all levels of national and international government.  She stressed that this presented a real opportunity to drive the wider process forward. 

For further information and downloads of all presentations given at the event please visit DEFRA.