G7 Day 1: Climate Change and the South West

Author
Nina Skubala
Head of Climate Strategy | Business West
12th June 2021

The G7 summit has now begun at the resort of Carbis Bay in Cornwall, bringing together the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the US and UK for the first time since the pandemic started.

Boris Johnson kicked off the summit by urging fellow world leaders to "build back better" after the Covid pandemic, saying it was vital to learn from the "mistakes" of the 2008 financial crisis and to tackle the "scar" of inequality.

Delegations from the G7 nations had the opportunity to meet South West businesses whose products and services are aligned to the G7 aims, to address the G7 policy priorities at Cornwall House in Falmouth. Exhibitors include: Innovate UK, Trevi, and Bristol Robotics Lab.

Campaigners and activists were making their views known throughout the day. One visually spectacular piece from Greenpeace was created using drone art by Celestial Labs who are working with Natalie Collard, an Innovation adviser with Innovate UK and Business West. Here is how we are supporting their growth.

Business West, along with members of the South West Chambers of Commerce, were a signatory of a letter sent to the Prime Minister following the C7: Blue and Green Recovery Conference, to set out their key asks

After a day of talks the leaders then joined the Queen and members of the Royal Family for a dinner at the Eden Project.

Here, HRH Prince of Wales addressed the leaders and applauded their determination during this G7 Summit to create a greener and more prosperous future in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.  

He then spoke about his Sustainable Markets Initiative which has brought together over 300 global CEOs, to form a ‘coalition of the willing’. They have over $60 trillion in assets under management and, crucially, a determination to direct tens of trillions of dollars towards sustainable investment by 2030.

He also spoke about “Terra Carta” - a Road Map, offering practical steps on where business need to go to protect nature and address climate change and, importantly, how to get there. View his full comments here.

The Eden Project provided a wonderful backdrop for the dinner, as a leading UK visitor attraction with strong environmental and sustainability credentials. Their latest venture is to secure geothermal energy to power the whole site. In May 2021 they began to drill a single 4.5km well into the rock. Learn more here.

Sir Tim Smit, founder of The Eden Project, also set up Planet Mark, an accreditation body, to enable businesses to demonstrate their environmental credentials. Planet Mark are embarking on a Zero Carbon tour of the UK ahead of COP26 to illustrate the phenomenal array of actions the business community is taking to address the climate crisis.

Business West is a BCorp and a carbon neutral business organisation which is on its own journey towards Net Zero by 2030. We have created the Trading to Net Zero hub to support our members, the wider business community and the region on the Net Zero journey.

Do you want to join the conversation?

Sign up here
  • Trading to Net Zero

    How business acts now will shape our planet and communities for centuries to come. Business West is commited to safeguarding the environment and addressing the climate crisis.