Climate Change ‘Addressing the Challenge’ 2008

Acclimatise are pleased to be a key adviser and contributor to this year’s landmark global G8 climate change ‘Addressing the Challenge’ publication released in March 2008. The publication features 54 contributors from governments, businesses and NGOs including:

• G8 members: Rt Hon Gordon Brown, George W Bush, Nicolas Sarkozy, Angela Merkel, Yasuo Fukuda and Rt Hon Stephen Harper


• HRH the Prince of Wales, Prince Charles


• EU Président, José Manuel Durao Barroso


• United Nations Exec Sec, Yvo de Boer


• IPCC Chairman, Rajendra Pachauri


• World Bank Group President, Robert Zoellick


• United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon, and


• business leaders from BP, Shell, Exxon Mobil, Fortis Bank, Ford Motor Company, Novo Nordisk, Cadbury Schweppes, Deutsche Bank, Virgin Group, HP and Intel.

Acclimatise advised the publishers as well as contributing two articles on the need for action by business to respond to the risks and opportunities arising from inevitable climate change.

Acclimatise provides rapporteur for EU consultation on the Adaptation Green Paper

The European Commission held four regional consultation events (Helsinki, Budapest, London, and Lisbon) to debate its first policy document on adapting to the impacts of climate change. This Green Paper “Adaptation to climate change in Europe – options for EU action”, outlines the important role the European Union can play in supporting adaptation efforts by adjusting relevant policies, filling knowledge gaps and coordinating strategies.

Acclimatise acted as rapporteur for the Business and Finance sector group during the London consultation event, and we have produced a summary of the group’s discussions available for download below. Other sector group summaries are available on EC Environment web pages.

Acclimatise advises Iwokrama

The Iwokrama International Centre for Rain Forest Conservation and Development is an autonomous non-profit institution established by the government of Guyana and the Commonwealth in 1989. The Centre manages the nearly one million acre (371,000 hectares) Iwokrama Forest to show how tropical forests can be conserved and sustainably used to provide ecological, social and economic benefits to local, national and international communities. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales is the Patron of the Board of Trustees.

Iwokrama is a living classroom, showing how the world’s forests and their resources can be managed sustainably. It can, with some justification, claim to be the world’s largest outdoor research facility. The impacts of a changing climate will be far reaching and we do not know what undiscovered resources Iwokrama possesses that may help the world adapt; for example providing medicines to treat new diseases.

Iwokrama is not immune from the effects of climate change. Increases in temperature and changes in precipitation for example will have impacts upon the forest’s ecology. Sustainable management of the world’s forest estate to ensure that it can adapt in response to climate change is essential. We are fortunate that the Government of Guyana had the foresight to realise that its own forests were a global resource and therefore took historic steps to set up the necessary administrative and funding measures to secure the future of Iwokrama.

The business community should also show the same foresight in recognising the role Iwokrama and other forests can play in meeting the climate change challenges we all face. In particular those companies developing and selling products and services deriving from the wealth (for example: pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, agriculture, tourism and timber products) of a forest’s natural resources should actively consider the steps they will take to support the sustainable management of the world’s forests, as a practical demonstration of good corporate governance.

Acclimatise provides pro bono advice and guidance on adapting to inevitable climate change to the International Board of Trustees

Climate risks for PFI / PPP projects (extract)

This paper assesses the climate risks for participants in PFI / PPP projects using four case studies. It details the impact that a changing climate will have on the assets and users during concession periods and how this will increase costs and reduce income.