Paris 2015: Climate and the Business Imperative

First, honesty: We are currently on a path to devastating climate change that will be catastrophic for many business sectors and many economies, not to mention millions if not billions of people around the world.

Second, put our own houses in order as it makes economic as well as environmental sense - the UK Carbon Trust's analysis of energy efficiency measures identified in over 2,000 organizations showed an average internal rate of return of over 40 percent which compares very favorably with 10-15 percent returns from ‘typical' business investments.

Even bigger benefits can be reaped by looking outwards, up and down supply chains and working with suppliers, customers and consumers to rethink systems.

This in turn has the potential to tip whole economic sectors onto a more sustainable path, reducing risk and increasing returns.

The work of the Consumer Goods Forum in addressing deforestation and emissions from refrigeration is an example of bold action.

The revolution in sustainable sourcing with partnerships such as the New Vision for Agriculture is another.

Third, work in partnership with political leaders - there are still vested interests in the old economy telling them it's too difficult, too expensive or not the right time.

None of this is true. In fact it is too difficult and too expensive not to act, and more than ever before, the time to do so is now.

We are in an era of unprecedented change where businesses and consumers are facing unpredictable risk: supply chains draw on resources that are volatile in both price and supply.

Take for example the case of a beef processing plant in Texas that shut down last year, because there just wasn't enough water in the region to keep the cattle industry alive - 2,300 jobs or 10 percent of the town's population and $55 million in payroll were eliminated in a stroke.

The science of the IPCC will speak to us all in 2014 with ever greater clarity and concern about the world we are shaping for ourselves right here and now and the next generation.

The good news is that many sectors of society, including business are not just listening but are acting in ways that can make Paris 2015 the success it needs to be for seven billion people, rising to over nine billion by 2050.

In the past, climate summits have fallen short because leaders were asked to make sacrifices in the name of a common good. Today the value proposition is dramatically different.

Today we simply ask all leaders to recognize the changes they must make for what they are – the beginning of the end of the high carbon era and the birth of a new kind of economy. An economy in which the new businesses of the future and the forward-thinking ones from the past will come together to power up a new sustainable industrial landscape and a brighter future for us all.

Each one of you reading this has a unique role to play in making this a reality. Whether leadership through business action, political courage or simply spreading the message that the time to act is now, we urge you to step up and play your part in changing the course of history.

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