French and Brazilian company chairmen share their energy to combat climate change
Inspired by the joint position taken on climate change by the presidents of Brazil and France on 14th November, the 25 companies in the Franco-Brazilian high level group[1] are working alongside their governments to support their approach and extend it through technological and industrial co-operation between the two countries.
“We can make a decisive contribution to this commitment, especially as the transition to a green economy will create new opportunities for development and employment” declared Gérard Mestrallet (CEO of GDF SUEZ), José Grubisich (Chairman of ETH), Jean-Pierre Clamadieu (CEO of Rhodia and Chairman of the MEDEF’s Sustainable Development Commission) and Roger Agnelli (Chairman of Vale) on behalf of the high level group.
The French and Brazilian companies have made a joint commitment to develop industrial partnerships that will target a reduction in greenhouse gases (GHG), placing the emphasis on:
- Combating deforestation, which is the main source of GHG emissions in Brazil, by converting forestry products and sub-products produced by wood conversion into energy;
- Developing cleaner and more sustainable production processes by using clean technologies, biomass as raw material for industrial chemistry, CO2 capture and storage technologies and co-generation technologies;
- Developing renewable energy sources, with priority given to biomass and wind energy, which are still under-exploited in our two countries;
- Continuing solid co-operation in the civil nuclear industry, sustainable transport and water power fields.
The high level group states in its declaration that it is in favour of creating new, substantial financial assistance for developing countries and the least well-developed countries. It also encourages the introduction of stable, legal frameworks to guarantee respect for intellectual property rights in green technology transfers. In addition, the group recommends the progressive creation of a regulated, worldwide carbon trading scheme that will include a mechanism to encourage a reduction in emissions caused by deforestation and damage to forestry.
