19 May 2015 – From May 20 to 21, the Business & Climate Summit 2015 will take place at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France. The Summit provides a unique forum for business and government leaders to demonstrate bold action 200 days before the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris.

Co-hosted by the UN Global Compact, the Summit will pose questions, including:

• How can business work with government to support development, grow the economy and limit global temperature rise to 2° Celsius?
• How will effective carbon pricing unleash innovation, create new markets, generate employment, reduce energy consumption and increase savings?

Vision of a low carbon society

On 20th May, the Summit showcases what business are already doing and planning to make the low carbon economy a reality.

To this end, the opening plenary session will underscore that the private sector now recognizes that the transition to a low-carbon economy is the only way to secure sustainable economic growth and prosperity for all.

However, business solutions on climate are not being scaled up fast enough.

To address this, the Summit will pose questions such as how can governments create enabling environments, which allow for an ever-widening group of companies to scale-up solutions and how can business and government collaborate to create a bold, ambitious low-carbon vision that ensures economic growth while delivering a better, stronger world for all?

Realizing the vision: accelerating the solutions roll out

On 21st May, the Summit focuses on the policies required to create the prosperous, low carbon economy of the future.

In doing so, the Summit discusses the lack of public engagement with the low carbon movement. Many still associate it with higher energy prices, carbon taxes and unappealing frugality. Companies need to step up, offer consumers better options so that low-carbon choices are seen as easier, cooler and better.

Attention will also be paid to tools and solutions, including the need for: robust carbon pricing, smart policies that can help accelerate the transition to a low carbon world and the mobilisation of investment flows to finance the low-carbon economy.

Looking ahead and beyond COP21

All of this builds to a discussion on the impending COP21 conference in Paris and, specifically, the inclusion of the collaborative efforts of businesses and governments.

Looking ahead and beyond COP21, the Summit will ask the vital question:

How could a global, long-term goal in the Paris agreement mobilise capital globally and accelerate the transition to a low carbon economy?

To find out more about the Summit and its constituent sessions, visit the event website or follow the dedicated Twitter page @BClimateSummit.