Negotiating an agreement at COP21 - WIG workshop report

On October 1 2015, The Whitehall & Industry Group (WIG) held a workshop at Imperial College London to bring an audience of business and government together to discuss the challenges and opportunities presented by a prospective agreement in Paris.

The majority of participants were representatives from major FTSE and multinational companies, with some participants from government departments who work with the Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) on the climate change agenda.

There were two keynote talks: James Hughes, Deputy Director - International Strategy, Engagement & Analysis, DECC discussed the political conditions in the lead up to Paris, the mechanisms by which a deal will most likely be made, and the potential risks facing countries aiming to secure a strong global agreement. Jonathan Grant, Director, Sustainability & Climate Change, PwC UK gave an overview of some recent analysis from PwC on effective motivators for CEOs to take actions on climate change and the key implications of the COP negotiations on business.

Following the talks, the delegates were invited to participate in round table discussions. Two questions were used to focus these discussions:

1.  What would you like to feedback to DECC on the risks and opportunities of an agreement in Paris?
2. Can an agreement be reached that is both good for climate change and for economic growth, and how?

The aim of this report is to summarise the insight and knowledge shared in the two keynote talks, and to give an overview of business responses to the round table questions.