Oil giants join powerful coalition to tackle climate change

Tony Blair will challenge George Bush's refusal to confront global warming by announcing the creation of a powerful coalition of big businesses, including oil giants, to tackle climate change.
In the Prime Minister's most outspoken statement yet on the threat posed by global warming, Blair will claim that big business has a responsibility to tackle climate change, a direct contrast to Bush's stance, which has seen him accused of having helped industry by watering down anti-pollution measures in the United States.

The consortium will try to find ways of reducing greenhouse gas emissions far beyond that of the stalled Kyoto protocol, which Bush rejected. Blair has responded to advice that Britain must abandon hope of attempting to persuade the Bush administration to take the threat seriously.
The new London-based consortium, called The Climate Group, involves Marks & Spencer, banks such as HSBC and oil giants such as BP and Shell. Although having some of the world's biggest polluters on board is bound to cause controversy, environmentalists have welcomed the pledges to reduce greenhouse gas emission and hailed the consortium as a positive move.

Dr Steve Howard, CEO of The Climate Group, said: “Some companies in the oil and gas sector have done little or nothing, or seem to have lobbied against attempts to tackle the problem or are simply seen as part of the problem. Yet companies like BP have reduced emissions by 18 % in the last three years.”
“Prior to this there has been an absence of international leadership on climate change. The case for change is very compelling and this is no longer just an environment issue, but a social and economic one too.”

The launch will underline the credentials of Blair as one of the most committed world leaders to at least slowing climate change.
Among those present will be Environment Secretary Margaret Beckett, Environment Minister Elliot Morley, Trade and Industry Minister Patricia Hewitt as well as Blair's chief scientific adviser, Sir DavidKing, who recently described global warming as a greater threat to the world than international terrorism.