Mayor of London Ken Livingstone will say in Davos today that he aims to make London the world's leading centre for research and financial development on climate change over the next five years. The Mayor is in Davos to attend the World Economic Forum. He will be concentrating today (Thursday) on how government and business can work with cities to accelerate global emissions reductions. London established the C40 Large Cities Climate Leadership Group - to accelerate emissions reductions in the world's largest cities. Last August the Mayor announced a partnership with the Bill Clinton's Foundation to take this forward.
(Media-Newswire.com) - Mayor of London Ken Livingstone will say in Davos today that he aims to make London the world's leading centre for research and financial development on climate change over the next five years.
The Mayor is in Davos to attend the World Economic Forum. He will be concentrating today ( Thursday ) on how government and business can work with cities to accelerate global emissions reductions.
Ken Livingstone said today:
?The challenge of climate change requires immediate action across governments and business to effect change.
'Cities produce 75 per cent of global carbon emissions and it is therefore in cities that the battle against climate change will have to be won.
'To win this battle three things are required.
'First, determination to tackle climate change and not denial of its reality or consequences.
'Second, the most sophisticated financial institutions to respond to carbon trading and investment in new technologies.
'Third, state of the art scientific and technical research facilities to develop the technological solutions of the future.
'A number of cities have parts of this solution. But London is the only one that brings together all three. My administration is totally focused on this.
'That is why I am setting the target that in the next five years London should become the undisputed world leader in research and financial development on climate change.
'Climate change is a tremendous challenge to humanity. But for London it is also a tremendous opportunity. The world is shifting to a new technical and financial system in which we do not produce and waste energy, in the form of carbon, but must conserve it. London has the potential to be at the centre of this shift and intends to work with all the other great world cities to achieve it. That is why London established the C40 group of major world cities on climate change.'
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Notes to Editors
London established the C40 Large Cities Climate Leadership Group - to accelerate emissions reductions in the world's largest cities. Last August the Mayor announced a partnership with the Bill Clinton's Foundation to take this forward.
The World Economic Forum is an independent international organisation committed to improving the state of the world by engaging leaders in partnerships to shape global, regional and industry agendas. WEF is expecting over 2,000 leaders from business, politics, academia, the media and civil society to attend.
