Major global companies make a (conditional) climate call.

A month ago, a statement was issued, signed by almost 200 large global companies, calling for actions in relation to climate. These kinds of documents are certainly good in the sense that positive engagement is better than the contrary attitude of denial that some big companies have had for along time. So, let us give this initiative the benefit of the doubt.

It is, however, remarkable that the document does not mention the word sustainability ("the S-word") at all. It talks about "low carbon technologies" and "low carbon economy" and it calls for governments to make "major public investments". In most circles, this is code for subsidised nuclear power, which, for some energy-intense companies on the list, remains a dream from the past.

It would have been more more promising and trustworthy if the call had used the S-word since quite a bit of what they describe as their own commitment easily falls into this category. Nevertheless, the call they have made is a good start where the next step on the road ahead could be the one that David Blood and Al Gore talk about. For those of the signatories that also subscribe to the UN global compact, the issue is on their map, as shown by their own publications.