Background

There is a great deal of interest in understanding the capacity of the private sector in key developing countries to fight climate change, and in identifying the best climate change policy options for the governments of those countries, but to date no systematic, exhaustive approach has been undertaken.

Purpose

To identify corporate best practices on promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy, including tracking energy usage and strategies for reduction in China, Brazil, India and South Africa, and then distil that practice into concrete, useable data, in a form that supports public policy-makers and regulators.

Main Activities

• Poll the leading companies in each country to determine their energy use and sourcing, energy efficiency and progress in reducing carbon intensity. Specifically the following will be approached:

                   o  200 largest public companies in India

                   o  100 largest public companies in China

                   o  100 largest companies in South Africa

                   o  80 largest Sao Paolo Stock Exchange-listed firms

• hold detailed interviews with ten companies in each of the four countries on how government policy and regulation affect decision-making
• Generate a report for key stakeholders in early 2010, with analysis and recommendations for policy and investment on energy efficiency and renewable energy in each of the four countries, set in the context of wider action on climate change
• Reiterate the messages of the report beyond the project period by referring to them at future company workshops, conferences and articles.

Expected Impact

• Drive policy change by providing a new evidence base that policy-makers at all levels can draw on when designing or reviewing energy efficiency and renewable energy policy.
• Policy-makers will have a good overview of current levels of engagement and investment in the private sector, where best practice in policy and regulation is driving the desired behaviour, and where it is not.
• Provision of a baseline against which future company surveys in these four countries can be measured in future.