Communication Department Archives

USCIB & ICC to Convene Numerous Events at UN Climate Conference

Published on November 30, 2015
L-R: Norine Kennedy (USCIB), Nick Campbell (Arkema) and Andrea Bacher (ICC)

As leaders and delegates from nearly 200 countries descend on Paris for the pivotal COP21 climate conference, USCIB and the International Chamber of Commerce are planning an array of timely and informative business-themed events. USCIB President and CEO Peter Robinson led an American business delegation along with Norine Kennedy, vice president for strategic international engagement, energy and environment, to the UN climate change conference.

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) will be convening and participating in a series of events to make the case for a robust global agreement that works with business to meet the climate challenge. The private sector has been vocal in calling for bold action in the run up to the historic climate negotiations in Paris.

If you’re headed to Paris for COP21 here are a number of key dates for your calendar:

Official Business and Industry Day

As the business focal point to the UN climate talks, ICC will be hosting a range of briefings and events for the private sector, including the official COP21 Business Day on December 4. The event, known in UN circles as BINGO day, will demonstrate the private sector’s commitment to an ambitious agreement and will explore how business is already taking action for a low-carbon, resilient economy. Key speakers include:

  • John Danilovich, Secretary General, International Chamber of Commerce
  • Laurent Fabius, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development of France and President-Designate of COP 21 and CMP 11

Click here to learn more about this event.

USCIB-American Chamber of Commerce, Executive Briefing and High Level Roundtable Meeting for US Business”

One of the fundamental challenges facing governments at COP21 is how to animate the private sector’s innovation and investment and channel that to address climate change and adapt to its impacts. If the Paris outcomes don’t work with and for business, they will not deliver their full potential. Clearly, governments will need a fully engaged business community across all sectors to turn the Paris outcomes into action in the near and long terms.

On Saturday December 5, USCIB and AmCham in France will convene a high level business meeting at the halfway point of COP21 to:

  • Overview on the latest developments in the political process relevant to U.S. business engagement
  • Review U.S. business issues and achievements in support of COP21
  • Look ahead to U.S. business priorities and initiatives in the implementation and further elaboration of the Paris outcomes.

A draft agenda can be viewed here.

ICC Conference on Climate Change Related Disputes

A unique event looking at the role of alternative dispute resolution – including arbitration – in resolving climate change related disputes. The event will look at the possible “enforcement gap” under a COP21 deal and the potential role of arbitration in building confidence in a new global climate architecture.

This groundbreaking event is jointly organized by the ICC International Court of Arbitration, the International Bar Association, the Permanent Court of Arbitration and the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce.

Click here to learn more about this event.

#OurClimate Photographic Award – Winners Announcement

Over 600 professional and amateur photographers from more than 60 countries have submitted entries to the ICC Photographic Award 2015, an official COP21 event. The award is a celebration of artistic skill and outstanding photography which aims to draw attention to and stimulate dialogue around the global challenge of climate change.

The three award winners will be announced during a high-level ICC COP21 Gala Reception.

Be the first to know the winners! Follow this event on Twitter via @iccwbo and #OurClimate .

Energy for Tomorrow Conference

Climate change is transforming supply chains, operations and markets, creating new challenges and significant growth opportunities for forward-thinking business leaders and investors.

Hosted and moderated by New York Times journalists, the Energy for Tomorrow conference brings together powerful CEOs, influential policymakers, energy entrepreneurs and leading academics to uncover the technologies, strategies and investments that will drive success in the new low-carbon economy.

ICC Secretary General John Danilovich will be delivering his vision for climate policy beyond COP21 on the second day of this event on December 9.

Click here to learn more about this event.

BizMEF side-event on INDC’s

On December 10, the Major Economies Business Forum on Energy Security and Climate Change will host an official UNFCCC side-event on intended nationally-determined contributions (INDC’s)

Click here to learn more about USCIB’s COP21 events event.

Sustainable Innovation Forum

The Sustainable Innovation Forum will convene cross-sector participants from business, government, finance, UN, non-governmental organizations and civil society to create an unparalleled opportunity to bolster business innovation and bring scale to the emerging green economy.

Cherie Nursalim, vice chairman of Giti Group and ICC Executive Board Member, will be a speaker at the keynote plenary session “Sustainable supply chain innovation and the circular economy” on December 8.

Click here to register for this event.

ICC Underscores Importance of Freedom of Commercial Communication

Published on November 30, 2015

Digital marketing concept

A new International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) statement urging governments to reject general advertising bans and overly prescriptive restrictions on truthful commercial communications, in favor of self-regulatory practices, warns that excessive regulation in the field of advertising and commercial communications could hinder trade and hamper economic growth and development.

Issued on November 24, the ICC policy statement addresses continuing threat of bans on advertising and promotion of legal products and restrictions on freedom of commercial communication in favor of self-regulatory practices.

“This statement presents the views of global business on the freedom of commercial communication and expands on the discussion of the rights of advertisers,” said Brent Sanders (Microsoft), chair of the ICC commission and of USCIB’s Marketing and Advertising Committee. “It outlines the responsibilities accepted by business and supports the argument for continued self-regulation through ICC codes.”

ICC’s Commission on Marketing and Advertising will hold its nextg meeting on December 7 in New York. The Consolidated ICC Code of Advertising and Marketing Communications Practice (the ICC Code), is the gold standard for most nationally applied self-regulation around the world.

The newly revised ICC policy statement on freedom of commercial communication outlines ICC Code principles related to freedom of commercial communication and self-regulation, and recognizes business responsibility to consumers in providing decent, honest and truthful commercial communication. It aims to underscore that freedom of advertising and of commercial speech, underpinned by effective self-regulation, are cornerstones of the market economy.

“Latin America has seen a proliferation of proposals or enacted laws to restrict food and beverage marketing and this statement from ICC is most timely as business concern mounts with threats continuing to extend globally,” said Ximena Tapias Delporte, vice chair of the ICC Commission on Marketing and Advertising and executive chairman of the Colombian Union of Advertising Companies.

In the statement, ICC upholds that products that can be legally manufactured and marketed should be legal to advertise in line with free market media and communication laws, taking into account the interests of the public and the common good.

ICC has served as the authoritative rule-setter for international advertising since the 1930s, when the first ICC Code on advertising practice was issued. Since then, it has updated and expanded the ICC self-regulatory framework where needed to assist companies in marketing their products responsibly and to help self-regulators apply the rules consistently.

Download the ICC Policy Statement on Freedom of Commercial Communications

Download the Consolidated ICC Code of Advertising and Marketing Communications Practice

Overview of the 2015 APEC Summit

Published on November 20, 2015

AELM-family-photo-1Thousands of delegates from around the Pacific Rim gathered in the Philippines this month for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit, the most influential and high-level economic dialogue in the region. The summit brings together heads of state, business leaders and economic experts to share their views on how to promote free trade, innovation, growth and integration in the Asia-Pacific.

APEC leaders released two statements following the conclusion of the CEO summit: the 23rd APEC Economic Leaders’ Declaration titled “Building Inclusive Economies, Building a Better World: A Vision for an Asia-Pacific Community” and a statement supporting the multilateral trading system on the occasion of the World Trade Organization’s 20th anniversary.

Throughout the year, USCIB participated in several APEC workstreams, including efforts on chemicals, advertising and global value chains. USCIB also noted the November 19 APEC leaders’ announcement of an initiative aimed at boosting services trade among all 21 APEC economies. Leaders also reaffirmed their objective of completing the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP). 

We are pleased to see the following items USCIB worked on were highlighted in the Ministerial statement:

Global Value Chains

The APEC Leaders’ Declaration called for the development of policies that take full advantage of global value chains (GVCs) and encourage greater participation, competition, entrepreneurship and innovation through effective and comprehensive measures, including balanced intellectual property systems and capacity-building.

In August at the third APEC Senior Officials Meeting (SOMIII), USCIB participated in a half-day trade policy dialogue titled, “APEC Best Practices to Create Jobs and Increase Competitiveness,” which convened private-sector representatives and officials from the United States and the OECD for a discussion of the impacts of forced localization policies and how best trade practices can serve as sound alternatives to these policies. APEC ministers welcomed the results of the trade policy dialogue and instructed officials to continue to identify alternatives to localization policies and develop best practices as a means to foster job creation and increase competitiveness.

The declaration also noted progress in the APEC Strategic Blueprint for Promoting Global Value Chain Development and Cooperation as a promising avenue for growth, competitiveness and job creation in the region.

Chemicals

The APEC Chemical Dialogue recently undertook research to better understand divergences in the implementation of the Globally Harmonized System for Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS). APEC leaders look forward to a report from the Chemical Dialogue in 2016 on the implementation of measures to reduce these divergences, and welcomed the work of the APEC regulatory community to strengthen capacity in the scientific assessment of metals and metal compounds, as well as the work of the Chemical Dialogue on Good Regulatory Practices.

At SOMIII in August, Helen Medina, USCIB’s vice president for product policy and innovation, represented member views at several meetings of the Chemical Dialogue. USCIB also brought to the table two new ideas at the Chemical Dialogue to help bolster regulatory cooperation and streamline customs procedures in the APEC region: 1) a self-certification customs form, in which an importer of goods would self-certify that their imports comply with the U.S. Toxic Substances and Control Act, and 2) a regional capacity-building project related to the theme of  “Analogue/Read-across use in Risk Assessment.”

Advertising

APEC leaders endorsed the Principles for Government’s Role in Promoting Effective Advertising Standards and instructed officials to advance work in this area in 2016. They also encouraged continued discussions on the implementation of the APEC Action Agenda on Advertising Standards and Practices.

APEC and the Future of Asia-Pacific Trade and Economic Growth

USCIB is an outreach partner for a December 14 event hosted by the Asia Society Policy Institute in New York about the future of the Asia-Pacific region’s economic growth. Registration and the event program are available on the Asia Society’s website.

IOE Welcomes Business Reforms Reported in World Bank Doing Business 2016

Published on November 19, 2015

DoingBusinessThe World Bank’s Doing Business 2016: Measuring Regulatory Quality and Efficiency finds that 85 developing economies implemented 169 business reforms during the past year, compared with 154 the previous year. High-income economies carried out an additional 62 reforms, bringing the total over the period to 231 in 122 economies.

The majority of the new reforms were designed to improve the efficiency of regulations by reducing their cost and complexity, with the largest number of improvements made in “Starting a Business.”  A total of 45 economies, 33 of which developing, undertook such reforms.  India, for example, eliminated the minimum capital requirement and a business operations certificate, saving entrepreneurs unnecessary bureaucracy and five days’ wait. Kenya simplified pre-registration procedures, reducing incorporation time by four days.

Efforts to strengthen legal institutions and frameworks were less common, with 66 reforms implemented in 53 economies. The largest number of such reforms were carried out under “Getting Credit,” with 32 improvements – nearly half in Sub-Saharan Africa.

“A modern economy cannot function without regulation and, at the same time, it can be brought to a standstill through poor and cumbersome regulation,” said Kaushik Basu, World Bank chief economist and senior vice president. “The challenge … is to tread this narrow path by identifying regulations that are good and necessary, and shunning ones that thwart creativity and hamper the functioning of small and medium enterprises.”

Singapore retains the top spot in the global ranking of the most business-friendly regulatory environments. The top ten also includes New Zealand (2); Denmark (3); Republic of Korea (4); Hong Kong SAR, China (5); United Kingdom (6); United States (7); Sweden (8); Norway (9); and Finland (10).

Read the full report.

More information available at the International Organization of Employers website.

Global Business Calls on G20 to Deliver on Growth and Employment

Published on November 16, 2015

g20Business has called on world leaders gathering in Antalya, Turkey for the 2015 G20 Summit to commit to a four-point agenda to revitalize GDP growth and kick-start job creation across the world’s largest economies. USCIB members contributed to ongoing work by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the International Organization of Employers (IOE) and the Business & Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD (BIAC) to inform the G20 process.

World leaders arrive in Antalya with the global economy at an apparent crossroads: GDP growth remains sluggish and youth unemployment stands at a record global average of over 13 percent. Worryingly, trade flows, which have historically been an important driver of growth and job creation, recorded an unanticipated 6 percent drop through the first half of this year.

Against this backdrop, CEOs from the ICC-led B20 International Business Advisory Council have outlined four key areas for urgent action:

  1. Ratify and implement the World Trade Organization’s Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA)
  2. Take concrete actions to create more opportunities for women and young people in the labor market
  3. Establish country-specific infrastructure strategies to boost investment in much needed infrastructure projects worldwide
  4. Improve SME access to finance

ICC has responded to the release of the G20 Leaders’ communiqué at the conclusion of the summit. Read more on the ICC’s website.

Addressing the G20 heads of state and government on Sunday BIAC Chairman Phil O’ Reilly called for structural reforms for dynamic and inclusive labor markets.

O’Reilly underlined the “pressing need” for the G20 heads of state and government to adopt predictable and productivity-enhancing structural policies, both in product and labor markets.

“What we are really talking about are policies that promote open and competitive markets for investment and trade, access to finance, a predictable regulatory environment, flexible labor markets and measures to support innovation and entrepreneurship,” said O’Reilly. He noted overriding need for business confidence to be strengthened in order for investment to flow.

With a focus on policies for job creation, O’Reilly identified the key areas the G20 Leaders had to address to stimulate private sector employment. Measures included removing barriers to starting, operating and growing a business; creating easy-to-understand, employment-friendly labor laws; promoting a variety of forms of employment to allow maximum opportunities for hiring; decreasing the burden of non-wage labor costs and creating an attractive regulatory framework for apprenticeship systems.

As the world looks ahead to the G20 presidency transferring to China for 2016, there was a clear message from the B20 that the Leaders could not take a business as usual approach to employment policy: “A sense of urgency must now underpin the implementation of the previous commitments of G20 governments,” O’Reilly concluded.

ICC and BIAC Families and Staff Safe After Terrorists Attack Paris

Published on November 16, 2015

Paris_peaceUSCIB is relieved to report that all Paris-based staff and their families at the International Chamber of Commerce and at the Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD are safe and no USCIB staff were in the city at the time of the attacks.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and families affected by the horrific series of attacks that took place in Paris last Friday and we echo what John Danilovich, ICC’s secretary general wrote on Friday, “We are united in our profound sadness and grief following the attacks.”

On Monday at the OECD and BIAC, staff observed a minute of silence for the victims and their families and friends. “It is important for us to know that we all stand together in these difficult times,” said Bernard Welschke, BIAC secretary general, in a note to members on Monday.

Francois Georges, secretary general of ICC France responded to USCIB President Peter Robinson’s note of concern with “Such a dramatic tragedy and event gives a lot of sense to ICC Founders’ message when they called themselves ‘Merchants of Peace’. It is more than ever relevant.”

ICC’s Banking Commission meetings that were originally scheduled for this week have been cancelled. At the time we posted this story, all the United Nations COP21 meetings are still scheduled to take place in Paris from November 30 to December 11.

Our hearts are with Paris in these difficult times.

ICC Calls for Collaboration to Tackle Climate Challenge

Published on November 16, 2015

 

ICC Secretary General John Danilovich at the G20 Summit in Antalya, Turkey
ICC Secretary General John Danilovich at the G20 Summit in Antalya, Turkey

With less than two weeks to go to the United Nations Conference on climate change (COP21) and the conclusion of the G20 last weekend, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) continues to engage its network in more than 130 countries to advocate for a climate deal that engages business to fully address the climate challenge.

“ICC has underscored the need for the G20 to show leadership in engaging and collaborating with the private sector in an unprecedented way to tackle the climate challenge,” said Kersten-Karl Barth, chair of the ICC commission on the environment and energy.

As energy investment is expected to be the largest single area of overall infrastructure investment over the coming decades requiring $1-2 trillion per year over the coming decades, engagement of the private sector will be critical.

As the lead business representative to the UN climate talks, ICC supports an ambitious global agreement which works with business to speed emissions reductions and build climate resilience.

Invited by French Foreign Affairs Minister Laurent Fabius to speak on behalf of business and industry NGOs at the pre-COP meeting involving in Paris last Sunday, ICC Secretary General John Danilovich said: “Businesses are already innovating to develop the technological, organizational and financial solutions needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to changing climate patterns.

“But to scale up these solutions we need enhanced collaboration between business, and more importantly, between the public and private sectors.”

Danilovich led a business delegation at the G20 Summit in Antalya, Turkey in what was an important staging post ahead of COP21.

Norine Kennedy, USCIB’s vice president for strategic international engagement, energy and environment, attended the pre-COP and the Bonn negotiating sessions.

ICC national committees all over the world will also be promoting an ambitious global climate agreement which works with business with a series of events throughout the month of November:

USCIB Participates in 4th UN Forum on Business and Human Rights

Published on November 16, 2015

The 4th United Nations Forum on Business and Human Rights got underway this week in Geneva, convening hundreds of government officials, business leaders, civil society representatives and representatives from the UN and other international organizations to track progress and promote policy coherence around business and human rights, specifically the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

The Guiding Principles, which were prepared under the stewardship of former UN special representative on business and human rights John Ruggie, established a framework under which states are obligated to protect and fulfill the human rights of those in their jurisdiction, while businesses, both foreign and domestic, are responsible for respecting these rights throughout their operations. The principles also propose a framework for greater access to effective remedy for human rights victims.

Prior to the forum, the business community issued a statement supporting respect for human rights as a critical component of implementing the UN’s recently adopted Sustainable Development Goals. USCIB co-signed the document along with nine other business organizations.

Ariel Meyerstein, USCIB’s vice president for labor affairs, corporate responsibility and corporate governance, is attending the forum in Geneva along with USCIB members. On November 16, he participated in a business pre-meeting hosted by the Canadian Embassy with other business associations including the International Chamber of Commerce, the International Organization of Employers, the UN Global Compact and many more. Also on Monday, Meyerstein spoke at a panel on “Unpacking the Guiding Principles in Investment Disputes.”

On November 17, Meyerstein will moderate a panel about “SME’s, Informality and Human Rights: Challenges and Solutions,” as well as serve as a panelist on a discussion about “Measuring and Tracking Businesses’ Implementation of the Guiding Principles” and another on “Access to Remedy – Roles and Responsibilities of States Concerned in Crossborder Cases.”

Videos of some of these panels will be made available on UN TV. More information will be forthcoming after the conclusion of the forum.

USCIB Honors AT&T CEO at 70th Anniversary Gala

Published on November 10, 2015
Randall L. Stephenson (AT&T)
Randall L. Stephenson (AT&T)

Over 200 government officials, business leaders, representatives from international organizations including the United Nations and OECD, and staff and friends of the USCIB gathered at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York to honor Randall Stephenson, chairman and CEO of AT&T – a longtime USCIB member – and to celebrate 70 years of USCIB’s business leadership. Stephenson was presented with USCIB’s International Leadership Award for outstanding contributions to open markets and for expanding global trade and investment.

In 1945, American executives founded USCIB as an independent organization to represent the views of the U.S. business community on the international stage. Seventy years later, USCIB celebrated this calling at its annual Award Dinner, an event established in 1980 to honor leadership in improving the competitive arena in which U.S. companies do business.

Participants took a trip down memory lane during the 2015 gala, as the venue recreated the look and feel of the 1940s. During dinner, a band gave a well-received musical performance featuring songs from the 1940s to the present as a slideshow projected images of USCIB historical highlights. The program ended with a standing ovation.

As he accepted the 2015 International Leadership Award, Stephenson commended USCIB for its seven-decade commitment to free trade. He said that when countries erect barriers, either against people or commerce, the results are always self-defeating. But when people connect and trade flourishes, growth and prosperity will follow. He called for reforms in immigration and education, arguing for the need to make America’s workforce more inclusive and productive, and he hailed the Trans-Pacific Partnership as a “monumental achievement,” as trade is an effective way of increasing both the size and productivity of the workforce. He also made a plea to set a good example for younger generations to not text and drive; AT&T recently spearheaded its “It Can Wait” campaign warning against the dangers of texting behind the wheel.

“This award coming from this organization is special,” Stephenson concluded. “Growth matters.”

USCIB’s 70th birthday was the theme of the evening. During his welcoming remarks, USCIB President and CEO Peter Robinson referenced USCIB’s first annual report from 1946.

L-R: Harold "Terry" McGraw III (McGraw Hill Financial), Randall L. Stephenson (AT&T) and Peter M. Robinson (USCIB)
L-R: Harold “Terry” McGraw III (McGraw Hill Financial) [now S&P Global], Randall L. Stephenson (AT&T) and Peter M. Robinson (USCIB)

“Today, the problems and responsibilities that have faced American business have increased. If our American system of free enterprise is to achieve its objective of a high level of economic prosperity here at home, it must, through concerted action and cooperative leadership promote the needed expansion of international trade,” Robinson read from the report. “Only if you assume your share of our joint responsibility, only if you work closely with your associates in this country and abroad, can American business look to the future with confidence.”

He noted that not much has changed between now and 1946: “Despite the progress of the 70 years, today, and in the future, we cannot lose sight of the fact that the mission of promoting economic cooperation is perhaps more important than ever—especially in a world where globalization impacts everyone.”

Robinson then introduced Terry McGraw, chairman of USCIB and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), and thanked him for his tireless championing of open global trade and investment as one of America’s most prominent business statesmen. Before he became chairman, McGraw received USCIB’s International Leadership Award in 2006.

McGraw spoke about the challenges U.S. business leaders will face in the future, and urged attendees to apply the wisdom of those who built the post-1945 world to today’s challenges. He also read a letter by President Barack Obama congratulating USCIB on its anniversary and noting that pro-trade organizations like USCIB have “helped make this country what it is today.”

McGraw added: “I am confident that American leadership, and American business leadership, will continue to play a critical, perhaps the critical, role in determining whether our children can achieve a better future,” McGraw said. “With your support, USCIB will continue to serve as an unparalleled platform for focusing American business leadership on today’s, as well as tomorrow’s, most important challenges.”

McGraw then presented the 2015 International Leadership Award to Stephenson: “Randall, as we in the business community work to advance a common vision of openness, security and inclusion in the years ahead, we will continue to rely on the essential, continued leadership of companies like yours.”

The evening ended with a post-dinner reception of cordials and sweets, and a toast by Robinson to the next 70 years of American business leadership.

View photos of the gala (Flickr)

Find out more about the USCIB 2015 International Leadership Award.

USCIB Represents Business at Cool Earth Forum in Tokyo

Published on November 9, 2015
USCIB President and CEO Peter Robinson at a press conference in Lima, Peru on December 8. “If a global agreement on climate change doesn’t work for and with businesses, it just won’t work,” he said.
USCIB President and CEO Peter Robinson at a press conference in Lima, Peru on December 8. “If a global agreement on climate change doesn’t work for and with businesses, it just won’t work,” he said.

As the world prepares for the pivotal Paris COP21 summit meeting on climate change, the role of innovation – and the proper policies to catalyze the dissemination of greener technologies around the world – is emerging as a critical issue.

USCIB attended the 2nd Innovation for Cool Earth Forum (ICEF2) on October 6-7 in Tokyo.  ICEF2, convened at the initiative of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, focused on promoting technological innovation as a means to address climate change. The two-day forum brought together 1,000 researchers, business representatives and policymakers from around the globe to present a broad range of innovative technologies, and discuss what innovative measures should be developed, how the innovation should be promoted, and how cooperation and public private partnership should be enhanced.

USCIB, as part of the Major Economies Business Forum (BizMEF), worked with the Japanese business organization, Keidanren, to attract business participation, and ensure private sector views were reflected.

USCIB President and CEO  Peter Robinson was invited to address the ICEF2 Plenary. Norine Kennedy, USCIB’s vice president for environment, energy and strategic international engagement also attended the Tokyo meetings. Robinson stressed the importance of strengthened enabling frameworks for innovation in the global marketplace – in policy, markets and institutions, both inside and outside the United Nations. In particular, a successful outcome in the UN climate negotiations would demonstrate work in synergy with trade, markets and intellectual property right protection.

Robinson emphasized that a successful UNFCCC (UN Framework Convention on Climate Change) implementation for greenhouse gas reduction and societal adaptation and resilience would need to rely on innovation from business, across every sector and from multiple energy sources, in both developed and developing countries, from companies large and small.

At another ICEF2 session on business engagement, Robinson spoke about institutional evolution underway in the UNFCCC, which has changed significantly in the 20 years since its inception, especially in its interactions with business and other stakeholders.

Robinson said: “The challenge in Paris at COP21 is how to also reflect and integrate these non-state actor resources – in other words, can the Paris outcomes promote institutional innovation that features private sector engagement.”

He commented on the worrying absence of references to business in the current Paris outcome negotiating text, and highlighted the necessity for recognized business involvement in implementation and policy consultation.

While in Tokyo, Robinson also represented U.S. business at the 3rd meeting of the Paris Business Dialogue on technological innovation, convened by Laurence Tubiana, climate envoy, France and Gerard Mestrallet, CEO, Engie.