International action on climate change

The need to act on climate change is clear. The world has seen huge population growth, 150 years of industrialisation, deforestation, large scale agriculture and economies based on the consumption of fossil fuels. The quantities of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere have risen to record levels not seen in three million years. Limiting global warming to 1.5°C is now an international ambition following on from the 2015 Paris Agreement. The CBI also played a significant role in securing the UK’s net-zero by 2050 target – an ambitious goal backed by business.

The role of business will be integral in the transition to low-carbon economies that will make the commitments made in Paris, and the 2050 target, a reality.

The UN’s Climate Summit marks an important step for the international community in tackling climate change. The Summit, which will be hosted in New York on Monday 23 September, will bring togeth