Days after the UK vote to leave the EU shocked global markets, business leaders, government officials and UN envoys gathered in London to discuss how this could impact efforts to tackle climate change.
Short term pain but long term stability was the message of the day at the Business and Climate Summit. Watch a selection of Climate Home’s interviews with officials from Barclays, WPP, Moody’s and the Kellogg Company below.
Mark Lewis, MD, Barclays European Utilities Research: “I’m optimistic that what is moving this forward now is the economics of renewables relative to conventional fuel”
Rachel Kyte, CEO SE4ALL: “We can’t take our eye off the horizon and allow inward looking forces to distract us from the biggest collaborative challenge… which is combating climate change”
Sir Martin Sorrell, CEO of advertising giant WPP: “Brexit is likely to lower rates of growth in the UK and world… that will hit advertising funding.”
Chris Hood, president, Kellogg Europe: “It’s an uncertain environment… maybe for a couple of years but the work we’re doing on sustainability is an enduring focus area for companies like ours.”
Brian Cahill, MD, Moody’s Investors Services: “We need long term policy certainty… the key is to see we see the Paris Agreement implemented at a national level.”
Sandrine Dixson Decleve, CPO SE4ALL: “We will continue to see leadership out of Brussels… the French have stepped up to the plate, as have the Germans and some eastern Europeans. The key question is how this will affect the European economy.”
Mark Kenber, CEO Climate Group: “This is a long term game… people are thinking of investments over 5-10 years. It’s a blip but I don’t think it changes the fundamentals”