Companies Back Action On Climate

Chemical, consumer product, and ethanol makers are among 81 companies signing a pledge to curb their greenhouse gas emissions and backing conclusion of a new global climate change agreement later this year, the White House announced last week. Signing were Monsanto, Novozymes, Procter & Gamble, Unilever, and ethanol makers Abengoa Bioenergy, Pacific Ethanol, POET, and Cellerate, a cellulosic ethanol partnership between Quad County Corn Processors and Syngenta. Their pledge says, “We recognize that delaying action on climate change will be costly in economic and human terms, while accelerating the transition to a low-carbon economy will produce multiple benefits with regard to sustainable economic growth, public health, resilience to natural disasters, and the health of the global environment.” Each company has laid out goals for reducing its greenhouse gas emissions, increasing low-carbon investments, and deploying cleaner energy. The companies also support a strong outcome for a climate change conference, to be held in December in Paris, where a new agreement with emission controls by virtually all countries is to be completed.