Swiss endorses climate change recommendations

International

Jacques Aigrain, the chief executive of Swiss Re, and 91 other chairmen and chief executives, signed a document on a new climate change framework to succeed the Kyoto Accord which formally expires in 2012. The document by business leaders will be presented to Group of Eight (G8) leaders who meet in Japan later this month by the chairman of the World Economic Forum Executive, Klaus Schwab. Mr Schwab will attend the meeting as an observer. Swiss Re, in a statement, said that the document outlined a more environmentally effective and economically efficient long-term framework. Notably, the document called for halving worldwide greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. It also urged governments to adopt a rapid and fundamental strategy to bring about a low-carbon world economy. Swiss Re also said that the signatory companies promised to stand ready to work with governments and the UNFCCC to explore and refine the ideas set out in this document and to help build consensus for a fair and effective post-2012 framework.