HSBC Climate Partnership

> Running from 2007 to 2011: a critical period for action on climate change

Latest Updates

5 Dec 2007, HSBC Climate Partnership Launches China Programme

Background

HSBC has created a five-year, US$100 million partnership to respond to the urgent threat of climate change worldwide with the support of The ˚Climate Group, Earthwatch Institute, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) and WWF.

Speaking at the HSBC Climate Partnership 30th May London launch, the leading broadcaster Sir David Attenborough said, "We are not powerless if we act now, collectively and decisively. We can significantly reduce the causes of climate change and greatly improve the chances of safeguarding for future generations the spectacular diversity of life on Earth."

The partnership will:

> Help some of the world’s great cities - Hong Kong, London, Mumbai, New York and Shanghai - to respond to the challenge of climate change;
> Create climate champions worldwide who will undertake field research and bring back valuable knowledge and experience to their communities;
> Conduct the largest-ever field experiment on the world’s forests to measure carbon and the effects of climate change; and
> Help protect some of the world’s major rivers - including the Amazon, Ganges, Thames and Yangtze - from the impacts of climate change, benefiting the 450 million people who rely on them.

The partnership term, 2007-2011, coincides with a crucial period for taking action avoiding a 2˚C temperature rise, preparing for the consequences of unavoidable climate change, and building international support for a strong successor agreement to Kyoto.

The ˚Climate Group’s role

TCG will receive US$17 million over five years through the partnership, making this the largest single donation received to date. The funds will have a transformational impact on TCG’s capacity and the reach of TCG activities.

Key outputs through the partnership:

> Opening TCG’s first offices in India, mainland China and Hong Kong
> Expanded capacity of TCG’s London and New York offices
> Focused programmes to engage business, government and consumers in five world cities;
> Add 40 new and influential business and government members to an international coalition of the willing on climate change in Hong Kong, London, Mumbai, New York and Shanghai;
> Launch campaigns in each city during the partnership term to increase consumer awareness of, and access to, climate-friendly products and services;
> In the UK and US, work to secure government adoption of strong greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets by 2012, and the policy frameworks necessary to meet those targets at city, regional and national levels; and
> In China and India, work towards national, regional and city policies to limit greenhouse gas emission growth.

Speaking about The ˚Climate Group’s role in this new partnership Steve Howard said, "Climate change is an increasingly urban issue. High summer temperatures, storms and rising sea levels will have more extreme impacts on city life. We have a short period of time left to take action. Many of the solutions lie in cities - concentrations of capital, decision makers, opinion formers and population. Through the HSBC Climate Partnership we will accelerate our programme in five world cities, engaging the most influential businesses and city governments to lead a coalition of the willing against global warming."

Learn more about the HSBC Climate Partnership and the partners: