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The Prince of Wales's EU Corporate Leaders Group on Climate Change

EU CLG

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3 May 2012: EU CLG meeting with President Barroso, Commissioners Potočnik and Hedegaard on redoubling green growth efforts

A delegation from the Prince of Wales' EU Corporate Leaders Group on Climate Change (EU CLG) and invited guests from the EU CLG-led Atlas Schools Project and the Cambridge Natural Capital Leaders Platform met with a large delegation of top EU officials led by José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, and Commissioners for the Environment Janez Potočnik and for Climate Action Connie Hedegaard.

The discussion was based on four key themes: how to maintain European leadership internationally; the low carbon policy and market fundamentals; innovation, jobs and growth; and resource efficiency and integrated approaches. The business leaders spent one and a half hours discussing with the President, Commissioners, Director General and staff the need for recalibration of the ETS, how best to move from austerity to prosperity through innovation, necessary resource efficiency actions, and the need for greater public–private partnership in the creation of a competitive Europe.

The EU CLG will follow up a series of key deliverables requested by the EU delegation. The meeting was followed by a lunch with Commissioner Potočnik around Rio+20 and the initiatives undertaken by the Cambridge Natural Capital Leaders Platform in preparation for Rio+20 such as the Leadership Compact: Committing to Natural Capital.

Read the press release. 

View a video of President Barroso's introductory remarks, and comments from CPSL's Director Polly Courtice.

15 December 2011: Letter to EU decision makers

On 15 of December, some members of The Prince of Wales’s EU Corporate Leaders Group on Climate Change and their industry colleagues sent a letter to EU decision makers including President Barroso and EU Commissioners, Ministers and MEPs. The document calls for an urgent recalibration of the ETS, and a withholding of allowances, in order to bring stability to carbon markets, spur innovation and drive investment.

The business leaders point out that the economic crisis has significantly impacted the effectiveness of the EU ETS, as demonstrated by today’s limited levels of trading and low carbon price, and ask European policymakers to adopt near- and mid-term measures both to take into consideration future economic instability and to ensure that new policy proposals do not negatively impact the trading scheme.

Read the letter.

Read the press release.  

8 November 2011: dinner debate in the European Parliament on the European Commission’s Roadmap for moving to a low carbon economy in 2050 and Chris Davies’ draft report

The event was co-hosted by the EU CLG, and brought together key speakers such as Chris Davies, MEP; Morten Bæk, Deputy State Secretary for Climate & Energy from the Danish Government, Jos Delbeke, Director General, DG CLIMA, European Commission and ten Members of the European Parliament.

Together with business leaders from The Prince of Wales's Business & Sustainability Programme (BSP), the EU CLG and the Cambridge Sustainability Network (CSN) on how to bring forward key feedback to the European Commission and Chris Davies, MEP (Rapporteur on the Roadmap for moving to a low carbon economy in 2050). MEPs debated with the Commission and business leaders the feasibility of implementing a progressive, clear, long-term EU policy framework that includes mid-term GHG emissions reduction milestones and sectoral targets under current economic pressures.

EU CLG members present: CEMEX, Johnson & Johnson, Barilla, Kingfisher , Philips, Vodafone, Alstom, Unilever

CSN members present: European Investment Bank, European Aluminium Association, 3M, JP Morgan

24 October 2011: Hungarian and UK Governments join forces to break down low carbon finance barriers, in partnership with the EU CLG

Read the DECC press release.

President Barroso addressing a meeting of the CLG

President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso addressing a meeting of the EU CLG

The EU Corporate Leaders Group on Climate Change (EU CLG) was set up in 2007 and brings together business leaders from a cross-section of EU and international businesses who believe there is an urgent need to develop new and longer-term policies for tackling climate change. The Group was brought together by The Prince of Wales and is managed by CPSL.

This group is essentially about driving strategic, long-term, transformational change in the economy which is often frustrated by short-term political economy and decision-making. The group is focusing on the changes necessary to ensure long-term economic prosperity, competitive advantage and corporate sustainability at an EU-wide level.

Latest Activities

DECC press release, 24 October, 2011: Hungarian and UK Governments join forces to break down low carbon finance barriers, in partnership with the EU CLG

Image of the Acciona logoACCIONA

ACCIONA is one of the foremost Spanish business corporations, leader in the development and management of infrastructure, renewable energy, water and services. Listed on the selective Ibex-35 stock exchange index, it is a benchmark for the market. The Company was set up over a century ago and is made up of more than 35,000 employees and has a presence in more than 30 countries on five continents.

Less than a decade ago, ACCIONA was one of the main construction companies in Spain, but by immersing itself in a process of diversification and looking for business opportunities at the international level, ACCIONA has succeeded in reinventing itself. During 2008, and after exiting Endesa in 2009, ACCIONA completed its transformation into a pioneering company in development and sustainability, converting itself into a global leader in the development, production and management of renewable energies, water and infrastructures with the minimum environmental impact.

AvivaAviva

Aviva is the world's sixth largest insurance group, providing insurance, savings and investment products across Europe, North America and Asia Pacific. We are the largest insurance services provider in the UK and one of the leading providers of life and pension products in Europe. Aviva's vision is to bring prosperity and peace of mind to our 53.4 million customers worldwide.

Image of the Alstom logoAlstom

Alstom develops, constructs, markets and provides systems, components and customer support to the world's infrastructure markets in the fields of power generation, transmission and distribution and transport.

Image of the Barilla logoBarilla

Barilla, originally established in 1877 as a bread and pasta shop in Parma, is today one of the top Italian food groups: a leader in the pasta business worldwide, in the pasta sauces business in continental Europe, in the bakery products business in Italy and in the crispbread business in Scandinavia.

The Group employs more than 18,000 people and in 2007 had net sales of more than euro 4,2 billion. The Company has been managed for over 130 years by one family’s entrepreneurial experience and is now run by the fourth generation siblings: Guido, Luca, Paolo and Emanuela Barilla. Always oriented toward proper diet through exceptionally flavored and nutritionally balanced wheat products intended for daily use, Barilla became popular worldwide due to its attention to the quality of its products, the result of significant investments in research, innovation and technology, as well as communication.

Barilla owns 54 production facilities (14 in Italy and 40 outside Italy), of which 10 are directly managed mills that provide most of the raw materials for the production of its pasta and bakery products. Barilla exports to more than 125 countries. Every year more than 2,800,000 tons of food products, with the brands Barilla, Mulino Bianco, Voiello, Pavesi, Wasa, Harry’s (France, Spain and Russia), Lieken Urkorn, Golden Toast and Kamps (Germany), Alixir, Academia Barilla, Misko (Greece), Filiz (Turkey), Yemina and Vesta (Mexico), are featured on dining tables the world over. The Number1 brand, a Group company engaged in logistics activities stand alongside the product brands.

By respecting its own traditional principles and values, which still feel current today, by considering employees a fundamental asset and by developing leading-edge production systems, Barilla has become one of the world’s most esteemed food companies, and one that is recognised worldwide as a symbol of Italian know-how.

CocaCola Enterprises Inc.Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc.

Coca-Cola Enterprises' product portfolio includes the world's greatest brands and beverages. Working closely with our customers, we ensure availability in the right place at the right moment with outstanding marketplace execution. We are the third largest Coca-Cola bottler in the world, and our portfolio encompasses a full range of beverage categories, including energy drinks, still and sparkling waters, juices, sports drinks, fruit drinks, coffee-based beverages and teas.

Deutsche TelekomDeutsche Telekom

Deutsche Telekom has been strongly committed to addressing climate change since 1995, and considers that climate protection offers major business opportunities. The company follows a double strategy:

1. We are actively implementing measures to increase energy efficiency and to decouple energy consumption from CO2 emissions.

2. We offer products and services to our customers, which increase their energy efficiency; promote the development of environmentally-friendly technologies; deliver solutions which help our customers to reduce their own CO2 emissions and costs, e.g. tele/audioconferencing to replace travelling and telework to avoid commuting, e-commerce instead of going to the supermarket, business-TV, e-business, e-learning, e-teaching, e-government.

Furthermore, Deutsche Telekom plays an active role in National and International Business initiatives aimed at promoting climate protection. As part of its commitment to climate change, in 2008 Deutsche Telekom has ‘greened its network’. 100% of the power supply for the company’s network in Germany, and 50% in the UK now comes from renewable energy sources (mainly water, wind power and some from bio plants).

Doosan Power SystemsDoosan Power Systems

Doosan Power Systems is a leading provider of cleaner, greener technology, products and services for power generation: from turnkey steam power-plant projects to boilers, turbines, nuclear and Air Pollution Control technologies.

Image of the Johnson & Johnson logoJohnson & Johnson

Caring for the world, one person at a time...inspires and unites the people of Johnson & Johnson. We embrace research and science – bringing innovative ideas, products and services to advance the health and well-being of people. Employees of the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies work with partners in health care to touch the lives of over a billion people every day, throughout the world.

Our Family of Companies comprises:

• The world’s premier consumer health company
• The world’s largest and most diverse medical devices and diagnostics company
• The world’s fourth-largest biologics company
• And the world’s eighth-largest pharmaceuticals company
• We have more than 250 operating companies in 60 countries employing approximately 114,000 people.

Image of the Kingfisher logoKingfisher

Kingfisher is the leading home improvement retail group in Europe and Asia, and the third-largest in the world with 780 stores in 9 countries. Our main retail brands are B&Q, Castorama, Brico Dépôt and Screwfix.

We work with our partners to reduce our contribution to climate change by minimising the greenhouse gas emissions resulting from our stores and operations and offering products that are energy efficient both in their manufacture and use.

Our own CO2 emissions in 2007/08 were 548,000 tonnes – equivalent to the annual CO2 arising from energy use in around 89,000 UK households. We have a target to reduce our CO2 emissions per £million retail sales by 10% by 2012/13 (against the 2006/07 baseline of 64) and are working to achieve this by improving energy and transport efficiency and switching to lower carbon energy sources. We are also helping our customers reduce their own carbon footprints at home. B&Q UK is working with BioRegional to launch a range of One Planet Home products and Castorama France has introduced the ‘La Maison Éco’ (The Eco Home) initiative in stores.

Image of the Philips logoPhilips

Philips is the worlds leading supplier of energy efficient lighting solutions. Today more than two thirds of all electrical lighting systems currently installed in the world are based on older less efficient technologies, initially developed before 1970. During the last decade Philips has led a technological revolution in lighting. This new lighting, available on the market today for all sectors, not only saves energy but also offers better quality light. However despite these advances our current rate of changeover from older to newer technologies which include LEDs is too slow. At present it will take many decades before the full impact is felt. Our strategy is therefore to speed up this shift. The global CO2 savings off such as switch have been calculated as 106 billion euro per year in energy costs and 555 million tons of CO2.

Image of the Renault Nissan logoRenault-Nissan Alliance

The Renault-Nissan alliance was established in March 1999. The alliance is the first industrial and commercial partnership of its kind involving a French and a Japanese company.

Image of the Shell logoShell International

The Shell Group shares the widespread concern that the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG) from human activities is leading to changes in the global climate. We believe action is required now to lay the foundation for eventually stabilising greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere in an equitable and an economically responsible way. It is time to pursue stable, market-based policies that help energy users and suppliers pursue innovative energy solutions.

We have exceeded our 2002 target to reduce emissions by 10% from 1990 and we will continue to manage emissions such that by 2010 our GHGs are still 5% or more below 1990 levels, even as we grow our business. We support and are working on efforts that promote:

• A stable, moderate and widely inclusive policy regime;
• New lower carbon technologies such as carbon capture and storage;
• International cooperation and international agreements;
• Involving developing countries;
• Flexible market mechanisms like effective 'cap and trade' systems;
• Efficient energy use by consumers;
• Natural gas as an important enabler to lower carbon intensity economic growth;
• A 'well-to-wheels'; or 'life-cycle' perspective of emissions.

Image of the Skai logoSkai Group

Skai Group is one of the largest media groups in Greece, with activities across television, radio, internet and publishing.

Image of the Skanska logoSkanska

Operating in Northern Europe, North and Latin America, Skanska is one of the largest construction and development companies in the world. Since the 'built environment' accounts for approximately 40% of energy consumption and related CO2 emissions, for several years now we have been working on adaptation and mitigation strategies focused on the things we can directly control and influence. Over 50 years, the construction phase of a typical building accounts for 5–10% of lifetime CO2, while the rest is contained in the materials of construction and lifetime use. Our strategy is to focus on three areas: our people, to ensure that they have the right motivation and skills to design, build and operate buildings and other structures; our assets, such as offices that we occupy, car and heavy equipment fleet, and our residential, commercial and infrastructure development projects so that they are as energy efficient as economically possible; and delivery of state-of-the-art projects for likeminded clients.

TescoTesco

We are committed to playing our part in tackling climate change by reducing our energy use and emissions from our distribution fleet. In 2005/6 we reduced our energy use per square foot by 15% which has saved 59,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.

We have set up a £100m fund within our business to be used for innovation in sustainable environmental technology. We will be installing wind turbines at some of our new stores, alongside solar energy technology, geothermal power, combined heat and power and trigeneration. We will also be trialing gasification, a revolutionary technology to turn waste into clean, sustainable power.

Against a baseline of 2000, we want to cut the average energy use in our buildings (KwH/sqft) in half by 2010, delivering a huge reduction in carbon emissions. We built our first model energy-efficient store in Diss in 2005. The store uses 20% less energy than comparable stores by using clear roof sections to maximise natural light, wind turbines power the tills and cold air from chilled areas is re-used for air conditioning. Our second model energy store has now opened in Swansea.

Image of the Unilever logoUnilever

Unilever is one of the world's largest consumer goods companies employing over 174 000 people in around 100 countries worldwide.

Image of the UTC logoUTC

United Technologies Corporation is a diversified company that provides a broad range of high-technology products and services to the global aerospace and commercial building industries. Its businesses include Carrier heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration solutions; Hamilton Sundstrand aerospace and industrial systems; Otis elevators and escalators; Pratt & Whitney engines; Sikorsky helicopters; and UTC Fire & Security Systems. The company also operates a central research organisation that pursues technologies for improving the performance, energy efficiency and cost of UTC products and processes. UTC is a member of the Fortune 50, the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes.

United Technologies is committed to reducing the environmental impact of its operations and its products. Between year-end 1996 and year-end 2009, United Technologies has decreased its global water and base energy consumption by 57 and 29 percent, respectively, while the company has doubled in size. UTC focuses on improving sustainability criteria in all its products, looking at energy efficiency, waste production, emissions in production, use of materials of concern etc. Targets are set for all new products, as well as improvements on current processes. New UTC products released in 2009 improved in energy efficiency by an average of 25%.

Image of the Vodafone logoVodafone

Vodafone is the world's leading mobile telecommunications group with operations in 27 countries across 5 continents with 179 million proportionate customers worldwide as at 31 December 2005 as well as 33 partner networks. A consequence of our business growth is that there is increasing use of our networks and consequently increasing energy demands. Limiting our contribution to climate change is a priority for us and to that end Vodafone has set a target to reduce network carbon dioxide emissions per unit of data transmitted by 40% by 2011, when compared with 2006 levels. In partnership with equipment manufacturers we are improving the energy efficiency of our network so that data and voice can be transmitted with less climate impact. We are trialling onsite renewable energy technologies and a combination of these and the purchasing of renewable energy has resulted in the energy we source from renewables increasing by 22% in the last financial year. We are working with local operating companies to continue to monitor network energy use and to set local energy efficiency targets.

The EU CLG demonstrates leadership through open letters, facilitating international summits and meetings with key policy stakeholders. Through these messages and events the EU CLG encourages ambitious and robust climate change policy and that the adoption of a strong and effective climate package will ultimately be good for European business.  

Business Urges EU27 Ministers and 736 MEPs to Support Low Carbon Roadmap and Ambitious GHG Target

June 2011

Some of the European Union’s largest companies sent a letter today to EU27 Environment Ministers and Prime Ministers calling for a community wide 25% domestic GHG emissions reduction by 2020 - putting Europe on track to meeting 30% overall targets internationally. The letter was sent in preparation for the 21 June Environment Council where Ministers will debate the European Commission’s Low Carbon Roadmap to 2050. A similar letter will be sent to 736 Members of the European Parliament prior to next week’s plenary vote on moving towards 30% GHG reduction targets.

Download the press release.

Download a sample letter.

Business Welcomes Commission's Low Carbon Roadmap and Calls for Stronger Energy Efficiency Commitment

March 2011

A number of the largest companies in the European Union sent a letter on 8 March 2011 to President Jose Manuel Barroso and EU Commissioners welcoming the EC Communications on A Low Carbon Roadmap to 2050 and the Energy Efficiency 2011 Plan, but arguing that the Energy Efficiency Plan falls short of delivering the policy measures necessary to meet the 20% efficiency target for 2020.

Download the letter.

Download the press release.

EU CLG and President Buzek Host the Low Carbon Prosperity Summit

February 2011

Photograph of The Prince of Wales addressing the Summit alongside the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, and President of the European Council, Herman van Rompuy

The Prince of Wales addresses the Summit alongside the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, and President of the European Council, Herman van Rompuy

The EU Corporate Leaders Group on Climate Change, companies from The Cancun Communiqué network and investment community met with the three Presidents of the European Institutions on 9 February 2011 and argued that low carbon growth is the most effective driver of economic recovery and the best foundation for future prosperity in Europe. The Summit was attended by over 300 MEPs, economists Lord Nicholas Stern and Dr Ottmar Edenhofer, the EUCLG, P8 and IIGCC members. The Prince of Wales addressed the Summit alongside the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, and President of the European Council, Herman van Rompuy.

The purpose of the meetings was to strengthen the dialogue between EU policy makers, business leaders and investors on how best to support the development of a low carbon economy and take advantage of the tremendous economic and social opportunities offered by green growth.

CLG ‘Deal or No Deal’ international event at St James’s Palace

July 2010

On 14 July 2010, the CLG was delighted to bring together over 200 senior and influential business leaders, policymakers and civil society representatives at the impactful, ‘Deal or No Deal?’ event at St James’s Palace. The day included an inspirational call to action from The Prince of Wales, as well as galvanising and significant contributions from EU Commissioner for Climate Action Connie Hedegaard, Lord Nicholas Stern (author of The Stern Review on Climate Change) and Richard Kinley, Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC.

The need for, and route to, an international agreement was debated at high-level roundtable discussions, with the CLG and others drawn from the from The Copenhagen Communiqué network, playing a key role in ensuring stimulating and fruitful interactions. The main aim of the event was to reinvigorate the movement for an international deal within the international business community and the feedback on the day suggests a great success. The CLG will be working to build on this momentum to support essential agreements in Cancun and onwards, to South Africa in 2011.

Major European companies come out in support of higher climate change targets

June 2010

A grouping of 27 CLG and Copenhagen Communiqué signatories supported the British, French and German Ministers letter to the FT calling for a 30% target by 2020. The signatories of the letter indicated that shifting to 30% would be vital to support the carbon market and that low prices have "seriously undermined domestic investment in low-carbon technologies". "It is critical that we exit this recession in a way that lays the foundation for low-carbon growth." 

Download the letter

Download the press release

EU CLG meeting with Commissioner Hedegaard

April 2010

In April 2010 the EU CLG Leaders officially presented the draft EUCLG Company Compendium: Low Carbon Projects, which brings together some of the low carbon experience from the groups members. This Compendium was an answer to the Commissioner’s call for low carbon examples in preparation for her staff’s work on a Commission Communication and a further meeting in May. The meeting also set to explore how business can work in partnership with the Commission in advancing a low carbon economy. The Commissioner stated in the meeting the need for a progressive business voice and was open to key policy advice from the members (identifying markets and regulatory barriers).

EU CLG urge European Leaders that "EU Submission to Copenhagen Accord Should Show Leadership and Ambition"

2010

In January 2010, the EU CLG wrote to José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council, Jerzy Buzek, President of the European Parliament and José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, Spanish Presidency, calling on them to “show leadership by submitting an ambitious EU greenhouse gas reduction plan by the 31 January deadline”. The companies welcomed the fact that at Copenhagen many of the world’s major economies have, for the first time, made commitments to limit temperature rise to 2◦C, but stated that this “has not created the low carbon momentum nor investment security needed.”

EU CLG lunch meeting and press conference with President Barroso

2009

On 27th November, an EU CLG and Copenhagen Communiqué signatory delegation met with President Barroso and Commissioners Piebalgs and Dimas for a lunch meeting. The lunch was extremely successful in bringing forward the EU CLG as a strategic ally for Barroso going into the COP-15 negotiations and post-Copenhagen under a Barroso II Commission. The President was very appreciative of the messages from the EU CLG and was pleased to hear the leaders call for a strong deal in Copenhagen as well as present their personal efforts towards the creation of a low-carbon economy.

EU CLG Press Conference with Climate and Energy Rapporteurs from the European Parliament

2008

As the autumn of 2008 progressed, so did opposition to the EU Climate and Energy Package from mainstream business groups and some Member States. In an attempt to demonstrate credible business support for the package, the EU CLG hastily arranged a press conference in the European Parliament in Strasbourg during November, at which company representative were joined by the relevant Rapporteurs.

Low Carbon Compendium 

 Low Carbon Compendium

The purpose of this report, by The Prince of Wales's EU Corporate Leaders Group on Climate Change, is to demonstrate how the activities of some of the world’s largest companies are contributing to the delivery of a low climate risk economy. Profiles and examples of the activities and climate projects are given for each of the member CLG companies featured, including their carbon reduction goals and how these are being met.

The group felt it important to communicate and share examples of best practice and innovation, to support their current focus on driving the delivery on transformational change across all sectors. As Corporate Leaders the members wished to demonstrate what this meant for them in practice. This Low Carbon Compendium is an example of ‘walking the talk’ and demonstrating that low carbon industrial practices can be good for business and society at large.

Download

Download the Low Carbon Compendium. 

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Sandrine Dixson-Declève,
EU CLG,
Cambridge Programme for Sustainability Leadership,
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