Five major companies said Thursday they have jointly launched an organization to fight global warming by creating a sustainable low carbon society.
Aeon Co., Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Fujitsu Ltd., Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co. and Ricoh Co. have founded the Japan Climate Leader's Partnership, or Japan-CLP, which they said supports the idea of halving global greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
The launching of the joint body, unique among Japanese businesses, comes ahead of a key U.N. climate change conference to be held in Copenhagen in December aimed at creating a global framework to replace the Kyoto Protocol.
"We have founded Japan-CLP to urge the industrial community to develop a sound sense of urgency on the issue of climate change and to initiate more proactive actions," the five companies said, adding Japan-CLP will provide support for "helping emissions to peak at the earliest possible stage."
"The transformation to a sustainable low-carbon society will also open up new business opportunities driven by appropriate policies and frameworks, and the proactive engagement of corporations," they said in a statement.
The companies said the Copenhagen conference "will have a significant impact not only on the implementation of effective climate change measures, but also on the execution of future corporate management."
Japan-CLP plans tieups with similar groups led by major companies in the United States and Britain.