24 October 2008: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) hosted the Global Business & Industry Dialogue on 23-24 October 2008, in Paris, France. This forum on climate change and resource efficiency brought together over 100 leaders from business, government and non-governmental organizations from developed and developing countries.

Participants assessed approaches in different industry sectors and regions to advance climate mitigation and adaptation, and discussed inputs for the Marrakech Process on sustainable consumption and production. UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner stressed the need to shift from a “throw-away society” towards a resource-efficient one, and called on governments to agree on collective solutions and on business to introduce new resource-efficient business models. The meeting is part of the discussions among business, government and NGOs in the run up to the UNFCCC climate conferences this year and next, in Poznan and Copenhagen. The ICC is the focal point for business and industry in the UNFCCC negotiations and has hosted industry meetings jointly with UNEP since 1984. [UNEP Press Release]