Tokyo – A business group including leading companies such as Sony, Nokia and Nike has come together to present the Tokyo Declaration, a joint call to tackle the urgent issue of climate change. Signing the declaration at the Climate Savers Summit 2008 held by WWF and Sony in Tokyo today, a dozen business leaders highlighted that the world’s greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced by more than 50 percent by 2050, and that emissions must peak and start to decline within the next 10 to 15 years in order to keep global warming below the dangerous threshold of 2 degrees Celsius.
Presented by Sony Chairman and CEO Sir Howard Stringer on the eve of the 3rd anniversary of the Kyoto Protocol’s entry into force, the Tokyo Declaration is the most far reaching call for action on climate change from the global business community.
“At Sony, we believe that it is impossible for a business to flourish in a degraded environment. For this reason we are committed to using our technological ability and know-how to reduce our impact on the planet, and to help our customers reduce their impact at home,” said Sir Howard Stringer. “We have always recognized that we have an obligation to act responsibly in all of our business activities to help minimize our environmental impact, and at the same time utilize our unique talents to help solve environmental problems together with our peers and our partners.”
Many signatories of the Tokyo Declaration and other WWF Climate Saver companies have already exceeded the ambitious emission reduction targets they set themselves upon joining the Climate Savers Programme. In the declaration they go beyond this with a pledge to reach out to their business partners and urge them to undertake effective steps to reduce climate pollution. The companies also pledge to promote and enable a low-carbon lifestyle among their customers and consumers.
“WWF’s Climate Savers Programme and the Tokyo Declaration suggest the scope of the contribution business can make to successful action on climate change”, said James Leape, Director General of WWF International. “These companies are to be applauded, not just for the example they have set in reducing their own emissions, but also for their willingness to urge action on governments, the broader business community and their customers and consumers.”
With the Tokyo Declaration, Climate Saver companies intend to emphasize the imperatives and benefits of early, voluntary and innovative action on climate change. The signatories are Allianz Group, Catalyst, The Collins Companies, Hewlett-Packard Company, Nike, Inc., Nokia Corporation, Novo Nordisk, Sagawa Express, Sony Corporation, Spitsbergen Travel, Tetra Pak and Xanterra Parks & Resorts.