A group of 29 major American companies – in industries ranging from energy and retail to entertainment and information technology – have decided they're not waiting on the federal government to take action on climate change. Instead, they've already begun to include the cost of carbon emissions in their future investment plans.
The news comes from an early December report by the British-based nonprofit group CDP, which collects information from more than 10,000 companies around the world on how they manage the costs of climate change, greenhouse gas emissions, and their response to climate-related regulation.
Notably, CDP's list wasn't made up only of companies like ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips and Chevron – also included were Microsoft, Disney, Google, and Walmart Stores.
"These are some of the most profitable and valuable companies in the U.S. that are already incorporating [the cost of carbon]," Tom Carnac, CDP's president for North America, said in an interview with weather.com. "They're looking at it clearly, deciding that this is in their best business interest."
For the companies listed in the report, the carbon price estimates – which range from $6 to $80 per ton – reflect a belief that someday in the future, they'll be required to pay for their greenhouse gas emissions. "This is climate change as a line item," said Carnac.
That's the case for Louisiana-based Entergy, a utility company that serves some 2.8 million customers across the Gulf Coast. Jeff Williams, the company's director of climate consulting, said in an interview that Entergy began planning for a "carbon-constrained economy" as far back as 2001.
http://www.weather.com/news/science/environment/us-companies-already-preparing-climate-change-carbon-emission-20131210
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