Government urges UK business leaders to sign up to tck tck tck

Tck tck tck – whose partners include World Wildlife Fund, Oxfam, Amnesty International, the World Council of Churches and the Union of Concerned Scientists – describes itself as an ‘open campaign’. It follows the chain-letter principle and allows organisations and individuals to use its branding to encourage their own supporters to demand action on a climate change agreement. 

One of the campaign’s leaders, former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, recently wrote to 100 global leaders, including Prime Minister Gordon Brown, to ask them to join the campaign for an ambitious global climate deal in Copenhagen. 

That call to action is now being passed on from the UK Government to Britain’s top 100 business leaders and top 100 media personalities who are in turn being asked to pass the message on to their own ‘top 100s’.

It may sound like a game, but the intention behind it could hardly be more serious.

Climate and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, who is in New York for the climate talks this week, explained the rationale behind the campaign: “Governments have to show leadership to get the deal we need at Copenhagen. But we also need all parts of society to show it matters to them.”

He added: “With all to play for, the campaign can help ramp up global pressure for the best possible climate deal in Copenhagen. I’ll be pushing at every opportunity over the coming 80 days to get a deal, but we need leaders from across the UK to lend their support too. It’s in everyone’s interests to back a deal to help make Britain a centre for green and low carbon jobs, and make our communities and homes greener.”

CBI director-general Richard Lambert, who co-authored the letter to businesses, added: “Business is looking to the Copenhagen talks to deliver a robust global agreement that gives companies confidence to make long-term investments in low-carbon products, while remaining internationally competitive.

“If we can get the right deal, then companies will grasp the nettle by developing exciting new technologies that will reduce carbon emissions for both the developed and developing world.”

One British business leader to have signed up to the campaign already is Sir Stuart Rose, executive chairman of Marks & Spencer. “We are supporting tck tck tck and will be encouraging our suppliers and employees to do so as well,” he said. 

“Copenhagen is a unique and crucial opportunity to make a difference in reducing the world’s carbon emissions. Failure to take that opportunity is, in my opinion, not an option.”

The tck tck tck campaign is also one of the partners backing the 60 or so climate meetings and events taking place in New York this week. Dubbed Climate Week NY°C, the idea is to “provide a platform for leaders from government and business – as well as everyday citizens – to demonstrate their support for a global deal on climate change in Copenhagen”.

The centerpiece of the week’s events will be the UN Secretary General’s Summit on Climate Change, which takes place tomorrow. The summit will bring together world leaders with the aim of building momentum towards a global deal in Copenhagen in December.

Speaking ahead of the event, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said: “This year in Copenhagen, we have an unprecedented opportunity to tackle the climate crisis. Support from all sectors of society is crucial if we are to halt runaway climate change, protect people and the planet, and chart a new course to green growth and sustainable prosperity for all. 

“Climate Week NY°C is an inspiring example of collective action to meet the most fundamental challenge of our time – climate change.”

As part of Climate Week NY°C, tck tck tck will be initiating dozens of strategic events and actions, both offline and online, aimed at mobilizing the public to show key decision-makers that there is widespread support for making the right deal in Copenhagen.

Climate Week NY°C is an initiative of the international non-profit The Climate Group, in partnership with the United Nations, the UN Foundation, the Government of Denmark, the City of New York and the Carbon Disclosure Project, as well as tck tck tck.