Companies agree on climate-change actions

Abstract

Believing that proactive leaders there are major business opportunities in meeting the climate challenge, if the policy environment is right, British Petroleum, General Motors, and Monsanto have joined with the World Resources Institute—a Washington, D.C.-based center for environmental policy research-in a broad scheme to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. After 18 months of negotiation, the coalition, which is calling itself Safe Climate, Sound Business, has come up with plans for reduction and sequestration of carbon dioxide emissions and increased support for climate-change research. The coalition says it has reached three conclusions: Climate change is a concern, and action is justified now; business can contribute to climate protection in substantial positive ways; and flexible and market-oriented climate policies are needed to address the long-term issue of atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations. The emphasis is on durable policy pathways that maximize environmental protection and economi...