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News Release

Ricoh Endorses “The 2°C Challenge Communiqué” Joint Declaration on Climate Change

Tokyo, September 29, 2011—Ricoh Company, Ltd. (President & CEO: Shiro Kondo) has endorsed the "The 2°C Challenge Communiqué" joint declaration issued by the CEOs of global corporations to leaders of national governments.

The joint declaration has been proposed by the Corporate Leaders' Group on Climate Change (hereafter "CLG"), a group of companies that is proactively tackling climate change issues in the United Kingdom, and Corporate Leaders Network for Climate Action (hereafter "CLN"), a cross-sector network between CLGs in each country with a view to preventing a rise in the atmospheric temperature by 2°C, which would likely have a devastating impact.

President's Statement

We should rethink the paradigm of contemporary society, which is based on the massive use of energy and resources, and accelerate our efforts to shift to a sustainable society.
This calls on corporations to develop and establish new, innovative business models which can lead such transformational efforts in society.

Summary of Declaration

The declaration calls for the following key areas of action:

  • 1.The 17th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP17) should not only aim to eliminate deadlocks in international negotiations, but also to adopt a number of key international frameworks.
  • 2.It is vital to have frameworks that adequately reflect the costs needed to reduce greenhouse gases, and within which markets that have established a stable carbon price over the long term can function.
  • 3.COP17 needs to debate the management, funding, and so forth of the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
  • 4.National governments need to create appropriate government frameworks to stimulate innovation.
  • 5.The effective and efficient use of energy and resources that can reduce greenhouse gases rapidly without significant expense should be tackled as a matter of the highest priority.
  • 6.Climate change initiatives will be undermined unless carbon sinks typified by forests are preserved, efforts made to increase their size, and measures taken to curb the greenhouse gases emitted from fossil fuels.
  • 7.National governments are called on to devise comprehensive adaptation policies that anticipate the risks produced by climate change.

Reasons for Ricoh's Endorsement

Ricoh believes it must achieve a sustainable society where our environmental impact is limited to what the Earth can deal with, handing on our precious Earth to future generations. In order to do this, it is important that each country is proactive in implementing climate change initiatives.
We support the joint declaration because we believe that a declaration transmitted by the CEOs of global corporations to the leaders of national governments will be effective.

■Ricoh's previous key actions pertaining to climate change framework conventions

July 2001
Became a signatory to "e-emission 55" calling for the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol at the 7th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP7).

December 2008
Endorsed the CLG Poznan Communiqué calling for early establishment of post-Kyoto framework at the 14th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP14)

September 2009
Endorsed the CLG Copenhagen Communiqué calling for early establishment of post-Kyoto framework at the 15th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP15).

December 2010
Endorsed the CLG Cancun Communiqué calling for ambitious, robust, and equitable global deal on climate change at the 16th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP16).

Link to relevant information

Related Subject CSR/Environment