G8 Climate Change Roundtable

The G8 Climate Change Roundtable was formed in January 2005 at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.[1] Its purpose was to address the global climate change issue facing governments, business and civil society. The first meeting was held in Gleneagles, Scotland, from 6–8 July 2005, to coincide with the 31st G8 summit.

The roundtable was established by twenty-three leading international businesses with the assistance of G8 President and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Tony Blair, to co-operatively engage in a global plan of action.[2] The aim of the group was to ensure that a long-term policy framework was set up to enable consistent and transparent market-based solutions in mitigating climate change, while also addressing issues linked to climate change; such as economic growth, poverty, and adequate energy supplies.[3] Carbon trading is one of the most popular pricing mechanisms used to the reduce greenhouse emissions worldwide.

The group devised a Framework for Action which called for technology incentive programs, the establishment of common metrics,[4] for example in energy efficiency, and the expansion of emissions trading schemes.

Some of the companies participating include Ford, British Airways, HSBC, Électricité de France and BP.[5] Now, the Climate Change Roundtable has a membership of 150 businesses spread across the globe.[6]

Environmentalists raised concerns that the body's statement does not call for targets or include timetables.[5] Friends of the Earth noted that the roundtable represented a major shift by the business community towards efforts to mitigate climate change.[5]

  1. ^ "Ford Report On The Business Impact Of Climate Change" (PDF). Ford. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 April 2013. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
  2. ^ "Bush Heads for G8 With Malaria Relief, Nod to Climate Change". Environmental News Service. 2005-07-01. Archived from the original on 2010-12-27. Retrieved 2009-12-04.
  3. ^ "Statement of G8 Climate Change Roundtable" (PDF). World Economic Forum. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 May 2013. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
  4. ^ "More Business Leaders Support Action on Climate Change". ClimateBiz. Greener World Media. 2005-07-10. Archived from the original on January 19, 2013. Retrieved 2009-12-04.
  5. ^ a b c Jeremy Lovell (2005-06-10). "Big Business Urges Urgent G8 Global Warming Action". Planet Ark. Thomson Reuters. Archived from the original on June 19, 2005. Retrieved 2009-12-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  6. ^ "Global Warming and Climate Change". Retrieved 23 March 2013.