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Adapting to Climate Change - Impacts for Business
Geneva5 August 2008 - Changes in the Earth's climate system are already creating issues for how business operates. While the magnitude and frequency of climate impacts is uncertainthe consequences of some climate change impacts are now unavoidable.
These includewater scarcitydisruption of international marketsincreased frequency of extreme weather eventsand potential mass migration of people. According to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)adapting to climate change will require the right measures to reduce the negative impacts of climate change (or exploit the positive ones) by making the appropriate adjustments and changes.
The WBCSD's new publication "Adaptation: An Issue Brief for Business" presents an overview of climate adaptation issues from a business perspective. The report examines the potential impacts of climate changes on businessrisks and opportunitiesthe business case for adaptation planningand highlights areas in which business could have a role in promoting adaptionboth at community and global levels.
Key highlights:
- Coordination of mitigation and adaptation policies is necessary and will lead to global benefits.
- Climate change impacts will create business risks and opportunities within a company's operations and supply chainsa company's local communityand in the global consumer market in both developed and developing countries.
- The risks to consumer markets are greatest in developing countries because they lack sufficient adaptive capacity to climate change impacts.
- Key drivers of adaptation planning include: competitive advantagecost savingsliability managementinvestor pressureregulation and community resilience.
"The WBCSD is committed to helping business find solutions to the challenges of energy and climate change," says Björn StigsonPresidentWBCSD. "Adaptation measures are intrinsically linked to challenges of sustainable developmentand business is part of the sustainable development solution."
Contact
Lynette Thorstensen
WBCSD Communications Director
E-mail: thorstensen@wbcsd.org
Tel.: +41 22 839 3141
Download
- Adaptation: An Issue Brief for Business ( 628 kb):
http://www.wbcsd.org/includes/getTarget.asp?type=d&id=MzA5ODgAbout the WBCSD
The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (
http://www.wbcsd.org) is a uniqueCEO-ledglobal association of some 200 companies dealing exclusively with business and sustainable development. The Council provides a platform for companies to explore sustainable developmentshare knowledgeexperiences and best practicesand to advocate business positions on these issues in a variety of forumsworking with governments and non-governmental and intergovernmental organizations.
