“Universal support” is needed from businesses across the world to tackle global warming, the United Nations climate chief says.



Business leaders and politicians are meeting in London to discuss how to implement the first comprehensive climate agreement, secured at UN talks in Paris in December, to cut greenhouse gas emissions and avoid dangerous temperature rises.

The two-day Business and Climate Summit will look at how companies can continue with leadership that has already seen firms take steps such as pledging to source 100% clean energy to transforming their supply chains.

In her final speech as the head of the UN’s climate change convention body, Christiana Figueres, will say that in the run-up to the Paris talks an extraordinary alliance of business and investors committed to “ambitious” action on driving down emissions.

But she will also warn that “a universal climate agreement of nations also needs universal support from the private sector beyond Europe and North America”, and urge businesses to reach out to those in Africa, Asia and Latin America to build action.

Ségolène Royal, French environment minister and president of the talks in Paris, will say that wide-scale use of a price on carbon pollution will help encourage the move towards a clean economy.

“Businesses are key for the implementation of the Paris agreement. Many advocate carbon pricing in order to give the right signal to investors and drive the transition towards a low carbon economy, which is very encouraging,” she will say.