Sustainability and climate action
Shaping Global Policy for a Sustainable Future
The ICC Environment & Energy Commission is the leading global forum for business engagement on climate, environmental policy, and sustainable trade. At ICC Netherlands, we support Dutch companies in contributing to—and benefiting from—international discussions and standards that are shaping the sustainable economy of tomorrow.
Our Mission
We help business lead the transition to a net-zero and nature-positive economy, aligning trade, climate, and environmental action through enabling policies, practical tools, and multilateral cooperation.
Our work contributes directly to ICC’s broader strategy to:
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Accelerate sustainability and climate action
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Promote access to justice, integrity, and the rule of law
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Enable global trade
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Strengthen multilateral cooperation
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Shape a digital economy that works for all
Global Priorities in 2025
The ICC Global Environment & Energy Commission focuses on four key strategic areas:
Climate Action and COP Engagement
As the official focal point for business at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), ICC channels private sector insights into the COP process.
At COP29 in Baku, ICC advocated for:
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A realistic and ambitious finance goal ($300 billion/year by 2035)
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Full operationalisation of Article 6 (carbon markets)
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Credible pathways for national climate targets
“Baku to Belém: The Roadmap to 1.3 Trillion”
shaping finance flows that enable the private sector to deliver climate action.
Carbon Pricing and Effective Regulation
We support harmonised carbon pricing systems that work across borders and avoid carbon leakage.
In 2024, ICC launched new guidance on border carbon adjustments and hosted dialogues with key institutions (WTO, IMF, OECD) on carbon markets and trade.
Principles for Sustainable Trade
Together with the Banking Commission, ICC developed a pioneering framework to define what constitutes a “sustainable trade transaction.”
Dutch institutions are actively contributing to the pilot testing and development of Wave 4 of these principles.
Treaty to Curb Plastic Pollution
ICC is actively engaged in the UN-led negotiations on a global plastics treaty. Our working group provides business perspectives from across the plastics value chain, with a strong emphasis on SMEs and the circular economy.
ICC is advocating for a workable, effective, and inclusive treaty that can be implemented globally.
In the Netherlands, ICC NL convenes the Sustainability Commission, connecting Dutch business leaders with international climate negotiations, regulatory developments, and cross-border solutions for energy transition, sustainable trade, and responsible innovation.
Through national briefings, global consultations, and strategic participation in COP processes, we:
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Provide early intelligence and practical insights for companies operating internationally
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Translate international agreements into business-relevant actions
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Represent Dutch business interests in shaping global sustainability frameworks
Want to Join?
Whether you're a multinational, SME, a legal firm or financial institution, your insights can help shape the future of sustainable business. Join ICC Netherlands to contribute to the Environment & Energy Commission’s global work and stay ahead of the curve.
Making Climate Action Everyone’s Business
Key dates 2025
20-24 Jan
World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2025
Davos, Switzerland
20-21 Feb
G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting
Ottawa, Canada
7–9 Mar
5th World Conference on Climate Change and Global Warming
Vienna, Austria
27 Mar
AI for the Earth
Online event
7–8 Apr
International Conference on Renewable Energy and Sustainable Development
Barcelona, Spain
24–25 Apr
GLF Forests 2025
Bonn, Germany
15–17 Jun
G7 Leaders’ Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada.
Alberta, Canada
NATO Summit
24–25 Jun
The Hague, Netherlands
22-23 Oct
G20 Leaders’ Summit
Johannesburg, South Africa
10-21 Nov
UN Climate Change Conference (COP30)
Brazil
Recent publications
A new report, conducted by Oxera and commissioned by ICC, estimates that climate-related extreme weather events have cost the global economy more than $2 trillion over the past decade. The research pinpoints almost 4,000 events which impacted a total 1.6 billion people between 2014 and 2023. The findings of the study indicate that without enhanced climate action and mitigation efforts, the economic burden of climate-related extreme weather events will persist and likely grow in the coming years.
The study was launched on Monday, 11 November, the first day of COP, and also received media coverage in the Guardian, CNN, Fox Weather, Axios.
The economic cost of extreme weather events
Making the NCQG a real catalyst of private sector climate finance
In Baku, all eyes were on the negotiations for the New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance (NCQG). This paper highlights key elements for establishing an ambitious, actionable and comprehensive NCQG on climate finance to bridge climate investment gaps and support the goals of the Paris Agreement. These elements include aligning financial stability regulation with global climate goals to facilitate the flow of climate finance into developing markets, positioning Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) as genuine catalysts of private finance, and creating robust domestic investment environments to attract and retain private capital in climate-related projects. The paper was launched on Tuesday, 12 November during the COP29 high-level days.
ICC Principles for Sustainable Trade: Wave 3
In line with our goal to Make Trade Work for People and Planet, ICC advanced its sustainable trade agenda with the release of Wave 3 of the ICC Principles for Sustainable Trade.
Developed jointly by the Banking and Environment & Energy Commissions with BCG, this update reflects feedback from over 200 banks, corporates, and tech firms. Wave 3 transforms the framework into a practical, cross-sectoral tool—integrating the new Principles for Sustainable Trade Finance (PSTF), simplifying evidence requirements, and updating the Sustainable Credential Library. Launched on 5 November, the framework was showcased at COP29 during a roundtable with BCG.
The role of voluntary carbon markets to accelerate climate action
The ICC paper highlights the importance of engaging in and scaling VCMs as a useful complement to achieve global net-zero emissions and mobilise critical financial resources to support climate action, particularly in vulnerable regions.
The report calls for robust governance frameworks that foster trust and provide economic incentives for companies to engage in these markets confidently, clear rules and guidance for corporate climate target and international cooperation to harmonise standards across borders. The paper was released on Friday, 15 November, the Energy/Peace, Relief and Recovery Day.
Report: Unlocking Sustainable Finance for SMEs
As part of a multi-year series for COP27–COP29, ICC and Sage released the 2024 report “Unlocking Sustainable Finance for SMEs.” The study highlights a “virtuous circle” linking sustainability reporting, access to finance, and climate action—providing new data and practical recommendations to help SMEs lead the green transition. It calls on policymakers to simplify reporting, enhance financing options, and promote digital tools. Launched on 16 November at COP28, the report includes a foreword by COP29 High-Level Champion Nigar Arpadarai and reflects ICC’s collaboration on SME-focused campaigns and events, including a joint session on climate tech and resilience.
How competition policy acts as a barrier to climate action
ICC’s latest paper on competition law and sustainability builds on earlier work from COP27 and COP28, highlighting growing guidance from competition authorities to support climate action.
The 2024 progress report calls for practical, experience-based updates to competition frameworks, expanding the focus to include biodiversity and broader legal alignment. It emphasizes the need for global cooperation and coherence with related policies like merger control and anti-subsidy rules. The report was launched on 18 November during COP29.
ICC Principles for Sustainable Trade Finance
The ICC Principles for Sustainable Trade Finance (PSTF), launched at Sibos 2024 in Beijing, offer industry-specific guidance on the use of proceeds within the broader ICC sustainability framework.
Developed with BCG and leading banks including HSBC, ING, and Santander, the PSTF aim to align capital flows with sustainable trade while addressing greenwashing risks. Following the launch, ICC hosted an online event and opened a public consultation to ensure the principles are practical and inclusive. Media coverage appeared in GTR and Trade Finance Global.
Action on Biodiversity
The ICC Working Group on Biodiversity aims to raise awareness of the importance of the biodiversity agenda across the business community and to support all companies towards improving their biodiversity impact.
In 2024, ICC focused its engagement efforts on issues related to Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) and developments regarding implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework. In the lead up to COP16 in Colombia this year, we presented the business views on a multilateral benefit sharing mechanism, which were built on contributions from the ICC Task Force on ABS.
At CBD COP16, held, in Cali, Colombia from 21 October – 1 November, ICC’s delegation, led by Daphne Yong Hervé and Danny Grajales, represented over 100 delegates from 30 different countries. Key topics of our engagement included benefit-sharing mechanisms and biodiversity resource mobilisation. The report with key outcomes can be found here.
Upon conclusion of the conference, ICC issued this statement reaffirming the commitment of business to support future efforts to secure a robust and workable multilateral benefit sharing mechanism and calling for a continued dialogue in this matter.
A resumed session of the CBD COP16 is scheduled for February 2025, from 25 to 27, in Rome,
Combating Plastic Pollution
ICC continued to engage in the UN process to develop an ambitious, workable, and effective agreement to curb plastic pollution and participated in the two Intergovernmental Negotiation Committee meetings in 2024.
In 2024, ahead of the fourth negotiation session (INC-4), held from 23 to 29 April in Ottawa, we hosted three regional dialogues in Africa, Asia and Latin America to bring the voice of MSMEs to the negotiations and shared this summary report with governments, outlining key outcomes and providing recommendations and additional reflections from online surveys presented in the dialogues.
At the fifth negotiating session in Busan, Republic of Korea from 25 November – 1 December (INC-5), ICC had a delegation on the ground to engage actively in the discussions. We also hosted daily business briefings throughout the week to discuss the progress of negotiations and engaged with several key countries and negotiating groups on the ICC business priorities for an effective legally binding instrument. These priorities also received media coverage.
ICC issued this statement upon conclusion of the INC-5 session on Sunday 1 December 2024. Please also refer to this INC-5 draft report outlining the proceedings and main outcomes. As an agreement was not concluded at INC-5, a resumed session will be scheduled in the first half of 2025. ICC will continue to actively engage in the ongoing process.