Lower emissions for profit and the planet

WWF’s Climate Saver companies show business the way
PARIS, France, Feb. 1 /CNW/ – Twelve major corporations in WWF’s Climate Savers Programme are on course to eliminate at least ten million tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually by 2010. If 1,300 more large companies join them, this would fulfil the current climate targets of the Kyoto Protocol, says WWF.

“Fighting climate change can provide business opportunities and spur
innovation and jobs in all parts of the world,” says Hans Verolme, Director of
WWF’s Global Climate Change Programme. “The Climate Savers companies show that
sustainable development is not an academic concept but something that can be
tackled with a profit – for nature, for society, but also for the companies
themselves.”
A statement released at the Paris conference states that the solutions to
climate change exist: “As members of the WWF Climate Savers Programme, we have
gained significant experience in past years and learned that we can reduce the
climate change footprint of our companies and grow as businesses at the same
time.”
All twelve Climate Saver companies have pledged to considerably reduce
their absolute carbon emissions. Most found that reducing emissions makes
business sense. WWF urges lawmakers and corporate executives around the world
to move now and reduce absolute carbon dioxide emissions.
WWF and the twelve Climate Saver companies are meeting in Paris on
February 1-2, 2007. It is an opportunity for these firms to show other
corporations the way forward to reduce absolute carbon emissions. WWF notes
that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is taking place from
January 29 to February 1 and matches the IPCC’s message of urgency by showing
a way towards solutions.
“Lafarge made its Climate Savers commitment back in 2001 to reduce its
carbon dioxide emissions,” says Bruno Lafont, CEO of Lafarge, a world leader
in building materials. “Since then, we have worked hard to extend this
initiative within the cement sector and we are pleased that a number of other
major cement players have decided to commit themselves as well.”
Sportswear manufacturer Nike receives an award at this year’s Climate
Savers conference for having reached its carbon dioxide reduction target.
“Participation in Climate Savers enabled us to get an early start on an issue
that has major consequences for business and society,” says Sarah Severn,
Director, Corporate Responsibility Horizons at Nike. “We have found that
constraints can lead to tremendous innovation and despite growth in our owned
and managed operations we have become more efficient with our energy use. Our
next steps will be partnering with suppliers to further reduce our
manufacturing and logistics climate footprint.”
“Catalyst joined WWF’s Climate Savers initiative because we believe
collective action is the best way to address the risk of global warming,” says
Lyn Brown, Vice-President, Corporate Affairs and Social Responsibility, for
the world’s largest directory paper producer. “There is simply no excuse to do
nothing. We can show cost-effective strategies exist and we are implementing
them now to make steady reductions in our own greenhouse gas emissions.”
Catalyst, the only Canadian Climate Savers company so far, pledged to reduce
its carbon dioxide emissions 70 per cent by 2010 compared to 1990 levels
through lower energy use, switching from fossil fuels to renewable biomass,
and better equipment and water efficiency.
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/For further information: Josh Laughren, Communications Director,
WWF-Canada, phone: (416) 484-7708, cell: (647) 400-9578, Email:
jlaughren@wwfcanada.org; Brian Thomson, Press Officer, WWF International,
phone: +41 22 364 9562, cell: +41 79 477 3553, Email: bthomson@wwfint.org;
Martin Hiller, Communications Manager, WWF International’s Global Climate
Change Programme, cell: +41 79 347 2256, email: mhiller@wwfint.org/