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COPENHAGEN: The international business community is hoping that a global agreement on climate change will be reached by the end of the week.
The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), which is participating in the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, also wants political leaders to engage the community more regularly.
Laurent Corbier, chairman of Environment & Energy Commission, ICC, said: "As far as business is concerned, we're looking forward to an agreement here in Copenhagen. We keep our fingers crossed and we hope that the delegates and ministers will do their job so that we can have a successful outcome.
"The overall framework is of great interest to us because those are the rules of the game by which we're going to play in the next decade."
Businesses believe they are part of the solution in addressing climate change problems.
Nick Campbell, chairman of Climate Change Working Group, ICC, said: "It's part and parcel of our business these days. Our customers want us to be involved; our customers want us to produce products that are low emissions.
"Just look at Electrolux. It has completely changed its range of fridges over the past five years – it uses 70 per cent less energy. We want to do it, we're trying to do it; we need the framework to better encourage us to do it.
"Businesses are really the main constituency that is reducing its emissions at the present moment. What we're looking for here is a framework that would help us continue our actions and encourage a lot more action, particularly in the research and development of new products."
The ICC said it is also working closely with its members in Southeast Asia on the issues surrounding climate change. It added that companies in countries like Thailand and the Philippines have done a lot in energy efficiency.
The organisation hopes to gather all these good examples and share the best practices with its other half a million international members.
- CNA/so
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