Global businesses must lead the way on climate action

The authors argue that the historical deadlock between governments and the private sector regarding climate action is ending, as nearly 40 countries have submitted national contributions and major corporations are integrating climate goals into their strategies. They highlight that green growth is a source of profit, noting that climate-conscious businesses see 18% higher returns on investment, while global inaction could cost $28 trillion by 2050. The text calls for business leaders to support ambitious policies and set concrete targets, such as 100% renewable energy use, to complement state-led measures ahead of COP21.

• A shift is occurring where governments and businesses are no longer waiting for each other to act; nearly 40 countries, including the US, Mexico, Gabon, and the 28 EU member states, have submitted national contributions regarding greenhouse gas emission reductions and climate adaptation.
• Major global corporations, including Google, Amazon, Apple, and General Motors, have entered agreements on renewable energy, while other firms like Ikea, Toshiba Corporation, and ING Group have committed to lowering emissions, reducing energy consumption, and integrating climate risks into decision-making.
• Financial data suggests that climate action is a driver of profit rather than a cost; businesses accounting for climate issues achieve 18% higher returns on investment, whereas global inaction could result in costs of $28 trillion by 2050.
• While state action remains decisive, the authors assert that governments should not be the sole actors in combating climate change and call for businesses to set targets such as 100% renewable energy use.

APA

Fabius, L., & Figueres, C. (2015). Global businesses must lead the way on climate action. We Mean Business Coalition. https://www.wemeanbusinesscoalition.org/blog/global-businesses-must-lead-the-way-on-climate-action/

Chicago

Fabius, Laurent, and Christiana Figueres. Global businesses must lead the way on climate action. We Mean Business Coalition, 2015. https://www.wemeanbusinesscoalition.org/blog/global-businesses-must-lead-the-way-on-climate-action/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Fabius |first1=Laurent |last2=Figueres |first2=Christiana |title=Global businesses must lead the way on climate action |publisher=We Mean Business Coalition |date=19 May 2015 |url=https://www.wemeanbusinesscoalition.org/blog/global-businesses-must-lead-the-way-on-climate-action/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{fabius2015global, author = {Fabius, Laurent and Figueres, Christiana}, title = {{Global businesses must lead the way on climate action}}, publisher = {We Mean Business Coalition}, year = {2015}, month = may, url = {https://www.wemeanbusinesscoalition.org/blog/global-businesses-must-lead-the-way-on-climate-action/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }