Mexico’s Calderon Leads Climate Change Economics Probe
By Alex Morales - Sep 24, 2013 12:01 AM ET
Former Mexican President Felipe Calderon is spearheading a study sponsored by seven countries into the economics of climate change, seeking to set out the benefits of reducing carbon emissions.
Calderon’s panel aims to draw from the experience of companies and governments around the world in fighting off the ravages of storms and droughts and cutting greenhouse gases. It will also use academic research to show the costs and risks associated with climate change and efforts to stem it, publishing a report next September to guide policymakers.
The effort by a group that includes Unilever NV Chief Executive Officer Paul Polman and former leaders of Chile, New Zealand and Mozambique is designed to guide global envoys as they devise a new treaty to fight climate change in 2015. Britain, Colombia, Ethiopia, Indonesia, South Korea, Norway and Sweden are sponsoring the panel.
“For many decision makers in government and business there is a trade-off whereby combating climate change means sacrificing economic growth, job creation or business revenues,” Calderon told reporters on a conference call. “We believe that the trade-off between economic growth and fighting climate change is a false dilemma.”
The panel, called the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate, also includes business leaders such as Vattenfall AB Chief Financial Officer Ingrid Bonde, China International Capital Corp. CEO Zhu Levin and officials from the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.
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