EU Urged To Speed Up Ratification Of Paris Agreement By Corporate Leaders Group

Today, The Prince of Wales’s Corporate Leaders Group have pleaded with Europe to ratify the Paris Agreement on Climate Change without disregarding its ambitious climate agenda, this comes in the build up to an extraordinary EU Environment Council on Friday in Brussels.

Jill Duggan, Director of The Prince of Wales’s Corporate Leaders Group (CLG), which brings together 24 global businesses employing 2 million people worldwide, said:

“With India scheduled to ratify the Paris Agreement on 2 October, following the footsteps of China and the US, three of the five biggest polluters are now on board. And we are ever closer to an early entry into force. It would be sad if Europe, the third largest greenhouse gas emitter with 12% of global greenhouse gas emissions, missed this symbolic milestone.

“The European Union (EU) has been a driving force in climate negotiations for more than two decades. Unless it ratifies the Paris Agreement in the next few days, it risks being side-lined as the treaty enters into force and its rules are drafted.

If it ratifies the Paris Agreement by 7 October, the EU will win an important symbolic battle by triggering an early entry into force at COP22 in Marrakesh next month.

 

“The Prince of Wales’s Corporate Leaders Group urges European Environment Ministers, who meet tomorrow in Brussels, to adopt the fast-track ratification proposed by the Commission and the Slovak Presidency, without weakening Europe’s ambitious climate goals.

“If it ratifies the Paris Agreement by 7 October, the EU will win an important symbolic battle by triggering an early entry into force at COP22 in Marrakesh next month. But equally important is Europe’s ability to deliver a prosperous, competitive and zero carbon economy. Only an influential and ambitious Europe can provide business leaders and investors with the certainty they need to play their role in this transition.”