International Standards Provide Essential Support for Non-State Actors Achieving Paris Agreement and UN Sustainable Development Goals, Says IEMA

Today’s COP23 UNFCCC side event to focus on the role of standards and accreditation to support non-state actors in contributing to achieving Paris Agreement and UN SDGs

An integrated approach to achieving the Paris Climate Change Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Goals is essential, IEMA said today from the Bonn climate talks.

It is calling for “vital co-ordinated action” to ensure progress and improvement across all areas to tackle the world’s critical and pressing environmental, social and economic challenges.

Speaking today at the “Role of standards and accreditation to support non-state actors to achieve Paris Agreement and UN SDGs” event at the UNFCCC Conference of Parties (COP23) climate talks in Bonn, Germany, IEMA’s Chief Policy Advisor Martin Baxter said that an integrated systems-led approach is required to help deliver the UN SDGs and Paris climate agreement:

“The world is facing significant challenges and there is an urgent need for positive action. While governments can set a framework and long-term goals, businesses and other non-state actors are key to their successful achievement. International standards help to codify best practice and gain global deployment”, said Baxter ahead of his speech in Bonn.

“We have a real opportunity to encourage and support widespread implementation of action to deliver environmental improvements and enhanced social value in a way that gives businesses competitive advantage, breaking the link between economic activity and social and environmental impacts” he continued.

World leaders, nominated delegates and a range of non-state actors are currently gathered in Bonnto forge a way forward for the seminal Paris Accord and the international rules of play. IEMA’s Martin Baxter and Policy Lead Nick Blyth are present at the talks, and speaking as part of a 7-strong line-up of presenters at today’s ISO and IAF’s event.

Nick Blyth also commented ahead of his speech on the role and potential of international standards, saying it is critical that COP23 delivers progress on key challenges like transparency, trading and climate finance and that current pathways will not achieve the 2 degrees target. “Governments, businesses, professions and standards bodies must work to address climate change, maintaining momentum and encouraging the parties to escalate their ambition and commitments,” said Blyth this morning.