The Business of Climate Change

In December 2015, world leaders converged in Paris for the 21st Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to collectively address global warming. While an agreement among government leaders to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions was reached, the role of the private sector was acknowledged as critical to its success. The science of climate change is indisputable and its devastating effects universal, yet the opportunities for investment and innovation are abundant. And as extreme weather events intensify – threatening to compromise communities and undercut the world’s gross domestic product – so does the need to engage in long-term, sustainable resource development and management. Coordination of the process to transition to low-carbon economies is expected to come from private businesses and industries.