Environment Archives

UN High-Level Political Forum Countdown: Ensure Water, Sanitation and Energy for All

Published on June 28, 2018

This year’s United Nations High-Level Political Forum (UN HLPF) on sustainable development will be held from July 9-18 in New York under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council. The theme for the forum will be “Transformation towards sustainable and resilient societies” focusing in part on Sustainable Development Goal 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all, and Sustainable Development Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.

As part of USCIB’s countdown to the UN HLPF, USCIB is highlighting select initiatives by its member companies. In particular, USCIB is selecting some company initiatives that are working to transform toward sustainable and resilient societies, while subsequently meeting the SDG targets set by the UN. A more comprehensive list of examples can be found on USCIB’s Business for 2030 website.

SDG 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

One impactful project to note is an initiative by Monsanto that led to the development of a well for clean drinking water in Malawi. A team from Monsanto Malawi discovered that students at Kaphulika Primary School near Lilongwe had a commute of two miles to the closest water source, and therefore limiting drinking water and hygiene water at the school. The team subsequently constructed a water pump on school grounds to provide clean and reliable drinking water for over 950 children and the village of 3,000 people. The children were also gifted with reusable water bottles to take water home every day after school. The development of the well is another step forward for Monsanto to help achieve SDG 6 for Malawi and the world.

SDG 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

In order to achieve SDG 7 to ensure renewable energy around the world, Mars has added solar panels to factories in California and aims to create renewable infrastructure in the U.S. and the UK. By the end of 2018, Mars will be using or purchasing renewable electricity to cover 100% of its operations in 11 countries. The use of renewable energy will help Mars reach its goal in reducing GHG emissions 100% by 2040 from direct operations and will help drive action for global climate change.

Tune in for next week when we will highlight company initiatives on Goal 11: make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable, and Goal 12: ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.

USCIB SDG Series: Countdown to UN’s High-Level Political Forum

Published on June 22, 2018

This year’s United Nations High-Level Political Forum on sustainable development will be held from July 9-18 under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council. The theme for the forum will be “Transformation towards sustainable and resilient societies” focusing on the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

Goal 6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

Goal 7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

Goal 11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

Goal 12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

Goal 15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

Goal 17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development (included every year)

USCIB is deeply engaged in all aspects of the 2030 Development Agenda, advocating for good governance and the rule of law, economic growth, investment in infrastructure, enabling environments to foster innovation, strong public-private partnerships and above all, an open channel for business input into policy negotiations and implementation.

USCIB believes that good governance and rule of law, infrastructure, enabling environments and private-public partnerships are the building blocks of success in achieving prosperity and eradicating poverty. While much work remains, USCIB members are already doing their part to ensure the realization of these goals. Leading up to the HLPF, we will feature these goals in this publication. Additionally, we refer you to USCIB’s Business for 2030 website which showcases the private sector’s contributions to the SDG’s. Stay tuned!

Unilever Chief Paul Polman Named Chair of ICC

Published on June 21, 2018
Paul Polman
Photo credit: ICC

Paul Polman, CEO of consumer goods company Unilever, has been elected chair of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) at the ICC World Council in Paris today, June 21, 2018.

Having led Unilever since 2009, Polman is a leading advocate for the role of business in driving progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Under his leadership, Unilever set an ambitious vision to fully decouple business growth from its overall environmental footprint and increase the company’s positive social impact through the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan.

Polman’s commitment to securing long-term sustainable growth and development is also reflected in his membership of the World Economic Forum’s International Business Council, and his role as Chair of the B Team and Vice-Chair of the UN Global Compact.

“I am very pleased to join the ICC leadership at a pivotal moment for the organisation and the international community,” said Polman. “It is more vital than ever for business to take a leading role in reaching the Sustainable Development Goals and responding to the many global challenges we collectively face. As the voice of the private sector on the world stage, ICC is uniquely poised to mobilize business towards long-term gains that are both socially and economically productive.”

Earlier this year, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II awarded Polman an honorary knighthood (KBE) in recognition for his services to business and received the Treaties of Nijmegen Medal, for his contribution to building a more sustainable world. He is also a recipient of France’s Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur, recognizing his work in support of the landmark UN Climate Change (COP21) agreement in Paris.

“Throughout his business career, Paul Polman has consistently set himself apart as champion of sustainable development and inclusive growth,” said ICC Secretary General John W.H. Denton. “I am very pleased to have him on board as ICC approaches its 100-year anniversary and have no doubt that his leadership will help us achieve the ambitious new course we have set.”

Polman succeeds Sunil Bharti Mittal, founder and chairman of Bharti Enterprises, who assumes the role of honorary chair having chaired the ICC Executive Board since June 2016. ICC has accomplished several landmark achievements under Mittal’s leadership. In April 2017, Mittal met with the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and as chair of the first private-sector organisation accorded permanent Observer Status at the UN General Assembly, Mittal attended a Heads of State lunch meeting attended by U.S. President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Brazilian President Michel Temer as well as other global leaders. Mittal also joined global business leaders to call for international cooperation to shape an interconnected world ahead of the Hamburg G20 Summit in 2017, underscoring how common rules and strong institutions such as the World Trade Organization (WTO) are vital to ensuring that globalization benefits everyone, everywhere. Mittal highlighted the potential of e-commerce to revolutionize global trade flows and has recently responded to rising trade tensions, to urge the U.S. and all its trading partners to find new ways to resolve tensions through multilateral dialogue — and without recourse to further tariff increases.

“We are delighted that Paul Polman was elected Chair of ICC and while in Paris last week, I had the opportunity to congratulate him in person,” said USCIB President and CEO Peter Robinson.  “Paul’s leadership in and commitment to the UN Development Agenda have been vital in allowing business to play a more active role in crucial multistakeholder dialogues, as well as in contributing to the SDGs. This is an exciting time for USCIB/ICC-USA since the ICC World Council also confirmed Ajay Banga, President and CEO of Mastercard as ICC First Vice-Chair. Mastercard plays an active role within USCIB, and we presented Ajay with USCIB’s International Leadership Award last fall. Finally, we are grateful to Sunil Mittal for his recent service as ICC Chair in advocating on behalf of business and we wish him well as Honorary Chair and in his future endeavors.”

The ICC World Council also confirmed the following leadership positions today:

  • Alexis Mourre was elected to a second term as President of the ICC International Court of Arbitration
  • Yassin Al Suroor, Chairman of A’amal Group, was named ICC Vice-Chair
  • Ajay Banga, President and CEO of Mastercard, was named ICC First Vice-Chair

Banga was the 2017 honoree of USCIB’s International Leadership Award.

Four new Executive Board members were also elected:

  • Monica de Grieff, President, Bogota Chamber of Commerce (Colombia)
  • Giampiero Massolo, Chairman, Fincantieri S.p.A. (Italy)
  • Xu Niansha, Chairman, China Poly Group Corporation (China)
  • Zabihullah Ziarmal, CEO, Cefe Group International (Afghanistan)

USCIB Gathers Stakeholders on Margins of UN Science, Technology, Innovation Forum for SDGs

Published on June 6, 2018
US Ambassador to ECOSOC Kelley Currie gives remarks

As governments and stakeholders gather for the third annual United Nations Multi-stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) for the SDGs in New York June 5-6, USCIB organized a timely breakfast roundtable on the margins of the forum titled, “Together for Impact: Business Innovation for the SDGs” earlier this morning. USCIB partnered with the U.S. Department of State and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) to create a productive dialogue between USCIB member companies and relevant UN missions and agencies.

The roundtable – held at Pfizer’s Headquarters in New York – brought together UN Missions, UN Agencies, and USCIB Member companies to discuss opportunities to partner and scale up the deployment of innovation to deliver progress on the SDGs.  Representatives of companies, governments and the UN system began a practical dialogue on operationalizing private sector innovations through conducive enabling regulatory frameworks and inclusive international cooperation.

Monsanto, Ferrero, Pfizer, Novozymes, LexisNexis and CropLife International presented examples of how companies are working with other stakeholders to advance innovative technologies and knowledge-sharing.  Japanese Ambassador and Co-Chair of the STI Forum Toshiya Hoshino gave a government and UN perspective, as did Judith Arrieta, on behalf of Ambassador Juan Sandoval Mendiolea of Mexico, co-chair of STI Forum.  Also attending the meeting were the co-chairs and several members of the UN “10 Member Advisory Group” to the STI Forum, including Vaughan Turekian of the National Academy of Science.

U.S. Ambassador to the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Kelley Currie opened the meeting, highlighting the importance of bringing together the private sector, which is increasingly embracing and operationalizing SDG-related innovations – in terms of products, services, ways of producing, and the very means of cooperation itself – and the UN system.  In her keynote speech, she stated that, “there are such good intentions on all sides, and a great deal of achievement and potential to offer.  Three years after 2015, Addis and New York and Paris, those who understand the imperative of stepped up deployment of solutions do need to find ways to advance those opportunities, to bridge what appear to be missed opportunities and take them forward for shared impact and benefit.  Business too has to do more to encourage such a “skin in the game” working relationships, including through public-private partnerships.”

USCIB President and CEO Peter Robinson remarked, “dissemination and deployment of technologies and know-how for the widest possible societal benefits are imperatives that can only be advanced by working together with the US business community.  That is why USCIB called this meeting, for systems thinking and more importantly systems doing,  and to cultivate systemic collaboration and knowledge-sharing.”

USCIB will continue to work with its membership and with governments to ensure that business views and contributions to innovation in its products, initiatives and implementation are heard, welcomed, and taken into account within the international community working cooperatives on sustainable development.

Together for Impact: Business Innovation for the SDGs

Together for Impact: Business Innovation for the SDGs
At the 3rd UN Multi-Stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the SDGs

Wednesday, June 6, 2018 from 8:20 – 9:50 AM (registration opens at 8:00)
Location: Pfizer Offices at 235 E. 42nd Street

Breakfast will be served.

Please click here to view the official invitation and information about the event. Due to limited space and building security, an urgent RSVP is requested by close of business June 4 to mlauter@uscib.org.

Governments Reject Discriminatory Barriers to Business at UN Climate Talks

Published on May 21, 2018

Following intense and sometimes contentious negotiations, governments meeting in Bonn under the UN climate treaty last month rejected any reference to “conflict of interest” or conditionality for observer organizations. Commenting on the successful conclusion of UN discussions to allow transparent and inclusive involvement of business, Justin Perrettson (Novozymes), who co-chairs the USCIB Environment Committee encouraged  “all Parties to take full advantage of the depth and breadth of business engagement and experience with climate change issues and to partner with business to help inform and implement ambitious national pledges.”

Countries including the Africa Group, China, Ecuador, Venezuela and Cuba began the Bonn deliberations arguing for new measures to protect against “undue business influence,” and proposing language to:

  1. define “conflict of interest” in a way that would inherently discriminate against business
  2. require a statement of support of the UNFCCC in order for any non-governmental entity to be allowed to observe the climate negotiations.

Climate Justice, Youth, Indigenous Peoples and Women and Gender NGOs all advocated restricting, or even banning, certain sectors of business from the UNFCCC discussions, asserting a distorted interpretation of “conflict of interest,” and citing the precedent of the World Health Organization Framework of Engagement for Non State Actors (FENSA).

Along with Perrettson, USCIB representatives Nick Campbell (Arkema) and USCIB Vice President for Strategic International Engagement, Environment and Energy Norine Kennedy met with U.S. and other government delegations to make the case for inclusive and transparent engagement opportunities for all stakeholders, including business. In addition to the U.S.,  Australia, New Zealand and Norway spoke out definitively against the addition of any such business discriminatory practices.

The Bonn Climate Change Conference took place from April 30 to May 10 in Bonn, Germany. Approximately 4000 participants from governments, UN bodies and agencies, intergovernmental organizations, business and civil society organizations, and the media were on hand to make final preparations for the 24th Conference of Parties (COP24) in Katowice, Poland, which will take place later this year (December 3-18, 2018).

The main objective of the Bonn negotiations was to advance the Paris Agreement Work Programme (also known as “the Paris Rulebook”) and develop “negotiating text” for the decisions required to make the Paris Agreement operational by COP24. When complete, the Paris Rulebook would set out procedures for carbon markets and guide the tracking of comparability of effort across different national pledges.

Limited progress in Bonn necessitated the announcement of a supplementary negotiation session to be held in Bangkok, Thailand (August 31 to September 8).  It will be critical to have a negotiating text at the end of the Bangkok session if the Paris Rulebook is to be agreed at COP24.

USCIB members seeking more information on climate change and conflict of interest discrimination should contact Norine Kennedy and attend USCIB’s June 7 Environment Committee in NYC

UN Global Pact for Environment Negotiations to Begin

Published on May 18, 2018

After months of informal discussion, UN Member States have voted to launch a negotiation toward the development of a “Global Pact for Environment.” An initiative of French President Emanuel Macron, the Pact is to be a binding, universal “umbrella text” providing a common global legal basis for:

  • environmental policy principles, such as the polluter-pays and precautionary principles;
  • environmental rights-based approaches;
  • other international environmental regulations and treaties.

The United States voted against the resolution to launch the negotiations, while 143 countries voted in favor.  A copy of the resolution is available here.

U.S. Ambassador to the UN in New York Nikki Haley commented on the new General Assembly resolution stating, “When international bodies attempt to force America into vague environmental commitments, it’s a sure sign that American citizens and businesses will get stuck paying a large bill without getting large benefits. The proposed global compact is not in our interests, and we oppose it.”

As a basis for the deliberations, the UN will develop a report “that identifies and assesses possible gaps in international environmental law and environment-related instruments with a view to strengthening their implementation,” to be delivered to the UN General Assembly in New York. It is widely expected this report will be prepared by UN Environment.

“An ad hoc open-ended working group, under the auspices of the General Assembly, (will) consider the report and discuss possible options to address possible gaps in international environmental law and environment-related instruments, as appropriate, and, if deemed necessary, the scope, parameters and feasibility of an international instrument, with a view to making recommendations to the General Assembly, during the first semester of 2019, which may include the convening of an intergovernmental conference, to adopt an international instrument.”

Non-governmental organizations, including those representing business, will be allowed to observe the negotiations.  A first “organizational” meeting will take place in New York in late July; following that, deliberations will begin in Nairobi, Kenya at UN Environment headquarters based on a review of the report.

“USCIB will closely follow the negotiations, and work with the Administration, other governments and the International Chamber of Commerce to understand the specifics of what is to be proposed,” said Norine Kennedy, who leads USCIB’s work on strategic international engagement, environment, and energy. “USCIB will continue to gather intelligence, as questions remain on the legal form of the ‘Pact,’ and how it would relate to other existing agreements, such as UN Climate and chemicals conventions,  and the Sustainable Development Goals.”

USCIB members seeking more information on the GPE should contact Norine Kennedy, and attend USCIB’s June 7 Environment Committee in NYC.

USCIB Mission to Geneva Targets UN Agencies

Published on April 30, 2018

In an effort to ensure inclusivity and transparency of international policy deliberations for business at the United Nations, USCIB organized a Geneva “door knock” meeting to UN and multilateral institutions last week, bringing together a USCIB delegation of members and staff to meet with UN agencies, officials in the U.S. Mission to the United Nations and other important government representatives in order to highlight American policy priorities and concerns. The topical areas and issues of concern included food and agriculture, healthcare, intellectual property and innovation, sustainability, environment and chemicals, and trade.

USCIB presented itself as a unique business organization, affiliated with ICC, IOE and Business at OECD (BIAC), and constructively involved in an array of UN institutions, with positive examples of the benefits of such engagement. USCIB members spoke to how U.S. business innovation, investment, and partnership deliver global progress advancing economic benefits in the U.S. and globally, with examples found on USCIB’s Businessfor2030 web platform, and argued for enabling frameworks of policy, markets and governance.

The USCIB member delegation met with the World Health Organization (WHO), World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the World Trade Organization, and UN Environment, as well as country missions, including the U.S., UK, Japan and Brazil.

The delegation was led by USCIB Vice President for Strategic International Engagement, Environment and Energy Norine Kennedy, Vice President for Product Policy and Innovation Mike Michener, Senior Director for Membership Alison Hoiem, and Policy Assistant Mia Lauter. USCIB members include representatives from Cargill, AbINBev, CropLife, Ferrero, Sidley and GMA.

Watch Michener’s report from the field below!

USCIB Delegation Contributes to Extending a Global Pact on Chemicals

Published on March 20, 2018
Mike Michener (USCIB) and Sophia Danenberg (Boeing)

A global framework for chemicals that was to end in 2020 will be extended and include the sound management of associated industrial waste, government officials from around the world agreed at a summit in Stockholm which ended Thursday, March 15. The meeting, hosted by the Swedish government and attended by representatives of UN member states, NGOs and business and industry, aimed to draw up a global strategy for managing waste and chemicals based on agreed international standards.  Mike Michener, USCIB vice president for product policy and innovation, Sophia Danenberg of Boeing, chair of the USCIB International Product Policy Working Group, and Frank Mastrocco of Pfizer represented U.S. downstream users of chemicals as part of the private sector delegation.

Global cooperation in chemicals is currently governed by the UN-backed global initiative, the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM), but this only extends to 2020.  Sweden wants SAICM to be replaced with a global deal, similar to the Paris Agreement for climate.  The meeting decided that existing principles of SAICM should be retained beyond 2020, including risk reduction and illegal international traffic.

“This was the first meeting, so nothing is decided,” stated Michener. “The countries that participated all agreed they want to work jointly on extending an international agreement on the management of chemicals and waste, and that a global deal approved at the highest levels is necessary. Now the SAICM co-chairs will begin work on a zero draft of a new agreement, to be approved by member states sometime before 2020.”

 

USCIB Member Appointed Chair of ICC Environment Commission

Published on March 12, 2018
Justin Perrettson (Novozymes)

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) announced the appointment of USCIB member Justin Perrettson of Novozymes as the new chair of the Commission on Environment and Energy. Perrettson is head of global engagements at Novozymes, the world`s leading bio innovation company, where he leads a series of policy and stakeholder interactions that support its sustainability agenda.  He also has broad international policy experience from consulting, finance and not-for-profit sectors and has served as an active member of the Commission on Environment and Energy over the past seven years.

“We are excited that Justin has been appointed chair of the ICC Environment and Energy Commission,” said Norine Kennedy, who leads USCIB’s work on environment, climate and SDGs. “He has taken USCIB’s work in environment, climate and SDGs to another level in international forums, and we know he’ll bring the same amount of energy, commitment and passion about sustainability to enhancing those synergies working with ICC.”

Perrettson has been instrumental in leading the business voice for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), climate change and public-private partnerships, serving as vice chair of USCIB’s Environment Committee and leading USCIB work on sustainable development as member of its SDG Working Group.

Perrettson will be responsible for leading the Commission on Environment and Energy in a renewed strategic direction and will ensure that ICC is leading responsible business engagement that promotes sustainable, inclusive economic growth in line with the UN Climate Change and Sustainable Development Goals.

Perrettson has said that he is “both delighted and honored to take on this new role within ICC and to work with the world’s largest business organization to drive the global sustainable business agenda forward.”

Perrettson will take over from Kersten Karl Barth, who has led the Commission on Environment and Energy’s work for the past five years.