The Climate Group Launches Corporate Carbon
Strategy Guideline, to help Chinese Enterprises’
Sustainable Development

One of the first guidebooks designed to provide practical solutions
to support businesses “carbon low, profits up” growth in China
16 June 2011 [Beijing] –The Climate Group has launched the new
Guideline for Chinese Corporate Carbon Strategy. The Guideline gives
Chinese enterprises an overview on how to develop and implement low
carbon strategies, by analyzing challenges and opportunities that they are
facing in their efforts for sustainable growth and includes suggestions on
capability building, performance tracking and evaluating, as well as
financing
and
external
communications
for
low carbon
strategy
development. It is one of the first practical low carbon strategy Guidelines
for Chinese enterprises and highlights The Climate Group’s sustained
focus in helping China with developing low carbon policies. The Guideline
also provides specific advice for the electric power, finance and supply
chain management sectors, by presenting best practices and initiatives
implemented by Chinese businesses and international corporations with
operations in China.
The Guideline is the first result of The Climate Group’s Carbon
Treasure program which aims to help enterprises capitalizing on
opportunities from Greenhouse Gasses emission reduction. It is also the
result of joined efforts of, among others, the China Electricity Council, Nike,
Deutsche Bank (China), IKEA China, COSCO GROUP, Duke Energy, and
Tesco China.
With clearer energy strategies and more strict emission reduction
targets established as part of China’s 12th Five Year Plan, Chinese
enterprises have been facing significant challenges as they try to increase
energy efficiency and cut emissions while adopting new technologies and
changing their business models. There are increasing signs that
enterprises are beginning to realize that they need to re-evaluate their
development strategies to meet low-carbon economy targets, reduce risks
and ultimately improve their market performance. With lack of experience
and communication blueprints the Guideline sets out to address those
challenges and help Chinese enterprises build their low carbon strategies
according to their specific needs and resources available.
Power: Strategic thinking guides the focus on low carbon
technologies development
Accounting for 50% of the country’s total CO2 emissions, electric
power has to meet increasing electricity demands while playing a decisive
role in emissions reduction. Zhixuan WANG, Secretary of China electricity
Council, said: “To meet the low carbon development needs under high
carbon resources condition, electric power is faced with its biggest
challenge ever. Therefore, enterprises must develop the required
strategies to effectively face those challenges.” The Guideline puts forward
specific suggestions, such as on how to set goals, and reduce emissions
with four energy efficiency approaches - structural, engineering, marketing
and management.
Finance: developing innovative risk management systems and
tools, to enhance low carbon practices profitability
The finance sector is also facing challenges since it not only has to
face new realities brought by climate change, but also to drive other
sectors and the economy as a whole to a low carbon future. The Guideline
discusses low carbon policy development within two major finance
domains, banking and insurance, giving perspective on strategy and
product development as well as financial risk control. It also suggests three
key finance management points: environmental risk estimation, social
environmental professional estimation and loan approval process.
Supply chain: core corporations play critical role - financing and
policies keys factors
One of the areas most impacted by climate change is supply chain.
The Guideline puts forward low carbon solutions on how to effectively
manage complex supply chains, including manufacturers, logistics
providers and retailers.
There are excellent practices showcased by some corporations, such
as Duke, China Power Investment Corporation, the Commercial Bank, the
Munich Reinsurance Group, IKEA China, Tesco China, and the COSCO
GROUP etc. The Guideline looks into those representative cases, to
inspirer the corporations on their low carbon strategies development.
Changhua WU, Director of The Climate Group Greater China, says:
“The Guideline provides practical advice to Chinese enterprises that face
the challenge of both increasing their energy efficiency and cut emissions
while improving their market competitiveness. With this Guideline The
Climate Group once more highlights the importance it gives to the role
China has to play in low carbon economy, and the leadership already
shown by the Chinese government and businesses alike. We hope that
this Guideline will act as catalyst, a blueprint and an inspiration for other
corporations to implement the policies needed for a more sustainable,
prosperous economy”.
About The Climate Group
The Climate Group (www.theclimategroup.org) is an independent,
not-for-profit organization working internationally with government and
business leaders to advance smart policies and technologies to cut global
emissions and accelerate a clean industrial revolution. We are the world’s
most influential global coalition of major businesses, cities, states and
regions that recognize the economic and environmental imperatives of
taking decisive action now. The Climate Group was founded in 2004 and
has operations in Australia, China, Europe, India and North America.
About Carbon Treasure – China's Corporate Carbon Strategy
Carbon Treasure – China's Corporate Carbon Strategy is a program that
The Climate Group particularly tailored for Chinese enterprises, intending
to enhance their low-carbon awareness, and integrate multiple resources
on this basis to assist companies with the intention to develop appropriate
low-carbon strategy. The first phase of the program will focus on three
major industries/fields with significant “gaining from carbon emission
reduction” characteristics, namely, electric power, finance and supply chain
management, which has the honor to be supported by a number of
companies and organizations including China Electricity Council, COSCO
GROUP, IKEA, Taobao, Qumei Furniture, China Mobile, Ping’ an
Insurance, SGS, and Carbon Disclosure Project.
-ENDNotes to Editors:
For the latest news from Carbon Treasure please visit www.theclimategroup.org.cn
For interviews or further information please contact:
Xia (Angela) Wu (China)
Tel: +0086 010-6440-3639 ext.8009
Mob: +86 135 0120 7902
Email: xwu@theclimategroup.org