Biden announces First Movers Coalition ahead of COP26 launch

Nov 2, 2021

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Members of the First Movers Coalition, led by the World Economic Forum and the US Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, meet on the sidelines of COP26. Image: Mark F Gibson / Gibson Digital

Kate Whiting

Senior Writer, Forum Agenda

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The First Movers Coalition - a partnership between the World Economic Forum and the US Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry - will officially launch at COP26 on 4 November.
Participating companies will commit to buying low-carbon products by 2030 to help develop green supply chains and meet the world's climate goals.
On Tuesday, some business leaders met US President Joe Biden, John Kerry and World Economic Forum President Børge Brende in Glasgow.
President Biden announced the First Movers Coalition in a headline speech to COP26 later Tuesday.

Some of the world’s biggest political and business leaders have met at COP26 in Glasgow ahead of the launch of the First Movers Coalition on 4 November.

US President Joe Biden met EU President Ursula von der Leyen, US climate envoy John Kerry, World Economic Forum President Børge Brende and heads of businesses who have joined the platform to accelerate the decarbonization of heavy industries.

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What’s the World Economic Forum doing about climate change?

Climate change poses an urgent threat demanding decisive action. Communities around the world are already experiencing increased climate impacts, from droughts to floods to rising seas. The World Economic Forum's Global Risks Report continues to rank these environmental threats at the top of the list.

To limit global temperature rise to well below 2°C and as close as possible to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, it is essential that businesses, policy-makers, and civil society advance comprehensive near- and long-term climate actions in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement on climate change.

The World Economic Forum's Climate Initiative supports the scaling and acceleration of global climate action through public and private-sector collaboration. The Initiative works across several workstreams to develop and implement inclusive and ambitious solutions.

This includes the Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders, a global network of business leaders from various industries developing cost-effective solutions to transitioning to a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy. CEOs use their position and influence with policy-makers and corporate partners to accelerate the transition and realize the economic benefits of delivering a safer climate.

Members of the coalition - a partnership between the US Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry and the World Economic Forum - will commit to buying low-carbon products by 2030 to help develop green supply chains and meet the climate goals.

Purchasing commitments will initially target four hard-to-abate sectors: shipping, aviation, steel and trucking - with four additional sectors becoming the focus in 2022.

"The United States and World Economic Forum are launching the First Movers Coalition...[which] is starting with more than two dozen of the world’s largest and most innovative companies. The Coalition represents eight major sectors that comprise 30% of global emissions that we now are dealing with," President Biden said during a speech to COP26 on Tuesday. "These companies will be critical partners in pushing for viable alternatives to decarbonize these industrial sectors and more," he added.

Among the companies who have already joined the First Movers coalition are Apple, Boston Consulting Group, AP Møller–Mærsk, Vattenfall, Dalmia Cement, Volvo Group, Fortescue Metals Group and Yara International. The full list will be announced on Thursday.

Follow the launch of the First Movers Coalition live on Thursday, 4 November at 15:00 CET here and on the Forum’s social media channels.

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