Investor statements appeal to private and public sectors to combat climate change

Azzad recently joined two initiatives targeting climate change. The first is a business and investor statement to President-elect Donald Trump in support of U.S. participation in the Paris Climate Agreement. Organized by Ceres, a coalition of sustainability-focused groups, the statement is intended to show broad support from large and small businesses and investors for continuing with the Paris accord, which has been signed by 193 countries so far, including the United States.

The statement says in part:

“We want the US economy to be energy efficient and powered by low-carbon energy. Cost-effective and innovative solutions can help us achieve these objectives. Failure to build a low-carbon economy puts American prosperity at risk. But the right action now will create jobs and boost US competitiveness.”

Starbucks, Gap, Nike, L’Oreal, and hundreds of other American businesses signed the statement to tell the incoming administration that they are committed to fighting global warming.

See: Business backs low-carbon USA

The second initiative is an investor letter calling on more than 100 public companies to demonstrate their plans for the adoption of science-based targets for greenhouse gas emissions. Those companies, which include such names as Intel, Merck, and UPS, have committed to adopting science-based targets within the next two years.

Scientific consensus indicates that planetary warming should not exceed 2°C above preindustrial levels, entailing a reduction of emissions by 55% by 2050. The two-degree target is considered the maximum temperature rise allowable in order to have a likely chance of reducing the worst impacts of climate change.