Representatives from the two initiatives, 3C – Combating Climate Change and 2° Deutsche Unternehmen für den Klimaschutz, visited the Chancellery to talk about their goals and objectives. The Chancellor praised their commitment and expressed her hope that more companies would join in.
Lars Josefsson, CEO at Vattenfall and climate change adviser to the government, and Michael Otto, Chairman of the Executive Board at the Otto mail order group, pledged their support for the German government, not least with the G8 Summit to be held under the German presidency and in international negotiations on the post-Kyoto agreement.
Potential in climate change technologies
Chancellor Merkel believes that the initiatives’ strength lies in their ability to lobby the cause for climate change mitigation. But more than that, they help to ensure that research and development place greater focus on finding ways to reduce CO2 emissions. After all, two-thirds of the funds spent on research and development come from industry.
"Rather than working in opposition, the climate change regime and industry can become allies”, said Chancellor Merkel. The task at hand, she said, is to allay the fears people associate with this issue, not least the loss of jobs.
The 2° – Deutsche Unternehmer für Klimaschutz initiative was called into being by Michael Otto, CEO at Otto Group. 2° is an alliance of large German businesses aimed at supporting global climate change policy designed to stop the Earth’s temperature from rising more than two degrees Celsius. In providing suitable technology and services, and by participating in the Emissions Trading Scheme, the alliance headed by Michael Otto plans to help the German government devise climate change policy that is market-focused.
The 3C initiative has an international membership and was founded by Lars Josefsson, Vattenfall CEO and climate change advisor to the German government. 3C stands for "Combating Climate Change”, the key area of focus being to establish a global climate change regime to which all industrialised and developing countries are signatories. 3C will give preference to poorer countries when trading emissions allowances. Its membership now boasts some 40 large businesses from all over the world.
The 3C initiative has an international membership and was founded by Lars Josefsson, Vattenfall CEO and climate change advisor to the German government. 3C stands for "Combating Climate Change”, the key area of focus being to establish a global climate change regime to which all industrialised and developing countries are signatories. 3C will give preference to poorer countries when trading emissions allowances. Its membership now boasts some 40 large businesses from all over the world.