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“The severity of the climate crisis deserves more than empty rhetoric without any real climate action,” Warren wrote in a letter. obtained by CNN Business.
In September, the business roundtable called for “market-based solutions” to tackle climate change, including a price on carbon “where feasible and effective”. The group urged businesses and governments to work together to limit the rise in global temperatures in line with the targets set by the Paris Climate Agreement and recognized that current efforts “fall far short” from what is needed.
But the group’s accompanying report did not endorse a specific climate pricing proposal and only suggested “voluntary” disclosures on climate emissions.
“The actual text of the report contained weak and meaningless commitments,” Warren’s press office said in a statement.
‘Another empty press release’
In Warren’s letter to Walmart (WMT) CEO Doug McMillon, who chairs the business roundtable, the senator urged the group to provide detailed information to his office by Nov. 23 on “concrete actions to compel companies to respond to these demands,” including specific policies that CEOs will commit to supporting. Warren also wants the roundtable to report on the progress of its member companies towards meeting climate goals.
“Failure to do so would indicate that the new statement is another empty press release from the BRT, designed to bolster its public image without taking any action that merits it,” Warren wrote in the letter, also addressed to Mark Sutton. , the CEO of International paper (IP) and head of the group’s energy and environment committee.
In response, the Business Roundtable said in a statement to CNN Business: “The climate is an important issue for our CEO members. We look forward to engaging with the Senator and other policymakers on ways to combat change. climate. “
Call on CEOs to reverse their previous positions
Corporate America has taken significant steps to mitigate climate change in recent years – despite the Trump administration’s controversial decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement in 2017.
Large companies, including Facebook (FB), Adobe (ADBE) and General Motors (GM), have promised to purchase large amounts of renewable energy, paving the way for the development of massive solar and wind farms. Last year, snack giant Mondelez (MDLZ) pledged to purchase enough solar power to produce 10 billion Oreo cookies per year.
But Warren called the Business Roundtable for opposing environmental safeguards under the Obama administration, such as support for the Keystone XL pipeline and other fossil fuel infrastructure projects and the administration’s support for environmental setbacks. Trump. She asked if the group will publicly issue statements “reversing” these positions.
This is not Warren’s first encounter with the Business Roundtable. In September, she criticized the group’s 2019 statement redefining a company’s goal to include societal concern as an “empty publicity stunt.”
the latest The letter comes amid speculation about Warren’s future in a Biden administration. Warren has been promoted as a potential Secretary of the Treasury – an appointment that would scare many people in corporate America and on Wall Street.
However, the worse-than-expected election performance of Democratic senators could prevent that from happening.
If Warren were to step down to join the Biden cabinet, it could temporarily tip the balance of power in the Senate more in the Republicans’ favor. Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, himself a Republican, could appoint a member of his own party to take Warren’s place until a special election is called.
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