The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) works to transform the way the world does business to prevent dangerous climate change and protect our natural resources. We see a world where capital is efficiently allocated to create long-term prosperity rather than short-term gain at the expense of our environment.

Evidence and insight is vital to driving real change. We use the power of measurement and information disclosure to improve the management of environmental risk. By leveraging market forces including shareholders, customers and governments, CDP has incentivized thousands of companies and cities across the world’s largest economies to measure and disclose their greenhouse gas emissions, climate change risk and water strategies. We put this information at the heart of business, investment and policy decision making.

We hold the largest collection globally of self reported climate change data. Through our global system companies, investors and cities are better able to mitigate risk, capitalize on opportunities and make investment decisions that drive action towards a more sustainable world.

20 June 2013: While national governments struggle to establish an agreed global climate deal, many of the world’s largest cities have been taking action to combat the effects of a changing climate. As a result, these cities are cutting their carbon footprint, reporting annual energy savings of up to US$13 million, and their residents are benefitting from healthier living and better business environments. These and other findings are published today in a new report from CDP.

Wealthier, healthier cities, uses analysis by AECOM, and is presented together with CDP’s long-standing partner, C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40). The report is based on the carbon and water strategies disclosed through CDP’s cities program by 110 urban areas spanning every inhabited continent. It shows that savings from improved energy efficiency dominate the advantages that cities are capitalizing on as they respond to climate change and related impacts such as rising energy costs, with nine cities reporting collective savings of c. US$40 million. One of every two actions that cities are taking to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions produced by their municipal operations is dedicated to increasing efficiency.

Further, the initiatives that cities are taking to reduce emissions across their cities are likely to boost the economy, with 62% of these actions having the potential to attract new business investment. Sao Paulo, Brazil’s most populous city, has already seen the emergence of new industries related to clean technology, including electric and ethanol powered vehicles. Greater Manchester, one of the UK’s largest urban areas, has seen its low-carbon and environmental goods sector grow 4%, despite the ongoing recession in the UK.

CDP is an NGO providing cities, companies and investors with the only global environmental disclosure system, driving corporate and government action to transition to sustainable economies. Conor Riffle, head of CDP’s cities program says: “Cities are hotbeds of innovation, and local governments have been quick to implement many new ways to combat and adapt to climate change and resource scarcity. These leading cities are enjoying multiple paybacks for their economies and communities. National governments should pay close attention.”

Gary Lawrence, chief sustainability officer at AECOM, a leading professional technical and management support services firm, says: “We’re seeing expanded participation and evidence of cities better understanding risk avoidance, resilience, and capital investment strategies that create more value, address concerns for human health and link to stronger economic outcomes.”

Having introduced more than 100km of bicycle paths to decrease private vehicle ownership and limit human contribution to climate change, Buenos Aires is one of the majority of cities implementing environmental initiatives that also have a positive lifestyle impact for their citizens. 55% of the cities are undertaking emissions reduction actions that promote walking and cycling, directly and indirectly improving public health.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, says: “Saving energy and using our resources more efficiently is absolutely vital to the sustainability, diversity and full recovery of this city’s economy. The green sector represents a new area of expertise and innovation for London, providing jobs and attracting investment while significant CO2 reductions can save businesses substantial sums, improve air quality and make the capital a better place to live and work."

Nearly every city in the C40 network of global cities taking action on climate change has participated in the CDP program this year, with many of them leading the way in reporting to CDP for a third consecutive year. Rohit T. Aggarwala, Special Advisor to the C40 Chair, New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, says: “Mayors are dealing head-on with the need to safeguard their populations, infrastructure and economies from the increasingly severe impacts of climate change. By reporting on their progress C40 Cities are holding themselves and each other accountable for meeting the targets they set, and continuing to demonstrate unprecedented, global leadership in taking real, measurable actions.”

Individual responses from the cities are now available on the CDP website, where the report can be freely downloaded. CDP and AECOM have also produced an interactive infographic which displays data from all 110 reporting cities, including their greenhouse gas emissions, risks, adaptation actions, and emissions reduction activities. See the full infographic on the cities pages of CDP’s website.

###Ends###

Notes to editor

Disclosing cities
Most cities have made their completed climate change questionnaires available to the public. The responses from those cities are now available on the CDP website. The 110 cities that took part are listed below.

About CDP
CDP is an international, not-for-profit organization providing the only global system for companies and cities to measure, disclose, manage and share vital environmental information. CDP works with market forces, including 722 institutional investors with assets of US$87 trillion, to motivate companies to disclose their impacts on the environment and natural resources and take action to reduce them. CDP now holds the largest collection globally of primary climate change, water and forest risk commodities information and puts these insights at the heart of strategic business, investment and policy decisions. Please visit www.cdp.net or follow us @CDP to find out more.

About AECOM
AECOM is a global provider of professional technical and management support services to a broad range of markets, including transportation, facilities, environmental, energy, water and government. With approximately 45,000 employees around the world, AECOM is a leader in all of the key markets that it serves. AECOM provides a blend of global reach, local knowledge, innovation and technical excellence in delivering solutions that create, enhance and sustain the world's built, natural, and social environments. A Fortune 500 company, AECOM serves clients in more than 140 countries and had revenue of $8.2 billion during the 12 months ended March 31, 2013. More information on AECOM and its services can be found at www.aecom.com.

About C40
The C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40) is a network of large and engaged cities from around the world committed to implementing meaningful and sustainable climate-related actions locally that will help address climate change globally. C40 was established in 2005 and expanded via a partnership in 2006 with President William J. Clinton’s Climate Initiative (CCI). The current chair of the C40 is New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. To learn more about the work of C40 and our Cities, please visit http://www.c40.org/.

For media information:

CDP
Catherine von Altheer
Communications manager
+ 44 (0) 20 7970 5682
+ 44 (0) 7794 003 903
catherine.vonaltheer@cdp.net

AECOM
Paul Dickard
Vice president, corporate/external communications
+1 646 432 8473
paul.dickard@aecom.com

C40
Michael V. Marinello
Communications director
+1 212 617 2383
mmarinello@c40.org

20 June 2013: While national governments struggle to establish an agreed global climate deal, many of the world’s largest cities have been taking action to combat the effects of a changing climate. As a result, these cities are cutting their carbon footprint, reporting annual energy savings of up to US$13 million, and their residents are benefitting from healthier living and better business environments. These and other findings are published today in a new report from CDP.

Wealthier, healthier cities, uses analysis by AECOM, and is presented together with CDP’s long-standing partner, C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40). The report is based on the carbon and water strategies disclosed through CDP’s cities program by 110 urban areas spanning every inhabited continent. It shows that savings from improved energy efficiency dominate the advantages that cities are capitalizing on as they respond to climate change and related impacts such as rising energy costs, with nine cities reporting collective savings of c. US$40 million. One of every two actions that cities are taking to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions produced by their municipal operations is dedicated to increasing efficiency.

Further, the initiatives that cities are taking to reduce emissions across their cities are likely to boost the economy, with 62% of these actions having the potential to attract new business investment. Sao Paulo, Brazil’s most populous city, has already seen the emergence of new industries related to clean technology, including electric and ethanol powered vehicles. Greater Manchester, one of the UK’s largest urban areas, has seen its low-carbon and environmental goods sector grow 4%, despite the ongoing recession in the UK.

CDP is an NGO providing cities, companies and investors with the only global environmental disclosure system, driving corporate and government action to transition to sustainable economies. Conor Riffle, head of CDP’s cities program says: “Cities are hotbeds of innovation, and local governments have been quick to implement many new ways to combat and adapt to climate change and resource scarcity. These leading cities are enjoying multiple paybacks for their economies and communities. National governments should pay close attention.”

Gary Lawrence, chief sustainability officer at AECOM, a leading professional technical and management support services firm, says: “We’re seeing expanded participation and evidence of cities better understanding risk avoidance, resilience, and capital investment strategies that create more value, address concerns for human health and link to stronger economic outcomes.”

Having introduced more than 100km of bicycle paths to decrease private vehicle ownership and limit human contribution to climate change, Buenos Aires is one of the majority of cities implementing environmental initiatives that also have a positive lifestyle impact for their citizens. 55% of the cities are undertaking emissions reduction actions that promote walking and cycling, directly and indirectly improving public health.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, says: “Saving energy and using our resources more efficiently is absolutely vital to the sustainability, diversity and full recovery of this city’s economy. The green sector represents a new area of expertise and innovation for London, providing jobs and attracting investment while significant CO2 reductions can save businesses substantial sums, improve air quality and make the capital a better place to live and work."

Nearly every city in the C40 network of global cities taking action on climate change has participated in the CDP program this year, with many of them leading the way in reporting to CDP for a third consecutive year. Rohit T. Aggarwala, Special Advisor to the C40 Chair, New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, says: “Mayors are dealing head-on with the need to safeguard their populations, infrastructure and economies from the increasingly severe impacts of climate change. By reporting on their progress C40 Cities are holding themselves and each other accountable for meeting the targets they set, and continuing to demonstrate unprecedented, global leadership in taking real, measurable actions.”

Individual responses from the cities are now available on the CDP website, where the report can be freely downloaded. CDP and AECOM have also produced an interactive infographic which displays data from all 110 reporting cities, including their greenhouse gas emissions, risks, adaptation actions, and emissions reduction activities. See the full infographic on the cities pages of CDP’s website.

###Ends###

Notes to editor

Disclosing cities
Most cities have made their completed climate change questionnaires available to the public. The responses from those cities are now available on the CDP website. The 110 cities that took part are listed below.

About CDP
CDP is an international, not-for-profit organization providing the only global system for companies and cities to measure, disclose, manage and share vital environmental information. CDP works with market forces, including 722 institutional investors with assets of US$87 trillion, to motivate companies to disclose their impacts on the environment and natural resources and take action to reduce them. CDP now holds the largest collection globally of primary climate change, water and forest risk commodities information and puts these insights at the heart of strategic business, investment and policy decisions. Please visit www.cdp.net or follow us @CDP to find out more.

About AECOM
AECOM is a global provider of professional technical and management support services to a broad range of markets, including transportation, facilities, environmental, energy, water and government. With approximately 45,000 employees around the world, AECOM is a leader in all of the key markets that it serves. AECOM provides a blend of global reach, local knowledge, innovation and technical excellence in delivering solutions that create, enhance and sustain the world's built, natural, and social environments. A Fortune 500 company, AECOM serves clients in more than 140 countries and had revenue of $8.2 billion during the 12 months ended March 31, 2013. More information on AECOM and its services can be found at www.aecom.com.

About C40
The C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40) is a network of large and engaged cities from around the world committed to implementing meaningful and sustainable climate-related actions locally that will help address climate change globally. C40 was established in 2005 and expanded via a partnership in 2006 with President William J. Clinton’s Climate Initiative (CCI). The current chair of the C40 is New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. To learn more about the work of C40 and our Cities, please visit http://www.c40.org/.

For media information:

CDP
Catherine von Altheer
Communications manager
+ 44 (0) 20 7970 5682
+ 44 (0) 7794 003 903
catherine.vonaltheer@cdp.net

AECOM
Paul Dickard
Vice president, corporate/external communications
+1 646 432 8473
paul.dickard@aecom.com

C40
Michael V. Marinello
Communications director
+1 212 617 2383
mmarinello@c40.org

WASHINGTON, DC, June 18, 2013 – Smart companies innovate their way through business challenges. A new analysis shows they can also innovate to solve a global challenge – and profit along the way.

The 3% Solution: Driving Profits Through Carbon Reduction, released today by World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and CDP, provides a groundbreaking assessment of how companies can reap big profits from cutting their carbon emissions, simultaneously helping the world avoid runaway climate change.

The analysis demonstrates that if US businesses act now to reduce emissions by an average of 3% annually, they can save up to $190 billion in 2020 alone, or $780 billion over 10 years.

According to the report, reducing carbon emissions by 3% annually from now to 2020 – equivalent to cutting total annual greenhouse gas emissions in 2020 by 1.2 gigatonnes of CO2 from 2010 levels – is enough to put the US corporate sector on track for a 25% reduction against 1990 levels. This reduction pathway is consistent with the lower end of what the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) says is needed by 2020 to help avoid a global temperature increase of 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

The report shows that 4 out of 5 companies from the S&P 500 who report their emissions to CDP see bigger financial returns on their carbon reduction investments than their overall capital investments, making reallocation of their capital expenditures a sound business decision.

To unlock the billions of dollars in cost savings, on average the US corporate sector would need to invest 3 to 4% of their capital expenditures each year on low-risk, profitable carbon reduction projects.

"World governments have moved far too slow to address the climate change threat and people are looking for leadership from the brands they trust to take concrete actions now,” said Carter Roberts, President and CEO of WWF. “These numbers provide a glimpse into the future – where smart companies slashed emissions, increased profits and helped secure a better future for all of us.”

Paul Simpson, CEO of CDP added: “The report points to specific financial opportunities that US corporations can seize. But it is critical that senior management devote much more attention to the issue to drive the necessary near-term increase in capital expenditure required for companies to capture the full economic benefit of greenhouse gas emissions reductions."

“Corporations must act now not only to address environmental risk, but also to aid economic recovery in the United States and build resilience. Investing in energy efficiency and renewable energy saves cost, stimulates innovation, creates jobs and builds energy independence and security.”

To help companies reach these goals, the report also includes an innovative Carbon Target and Profit Calculator, which provides a guide for companies to set emission reduction goals and to claim their share of the savings.

The analysis also introduces the Carbon Productivity Portfolio, a set of five actions built upon the experiences and successes of leading companies that form a new strategic approach to maximizing business value and carbon reductions.

WWF and CDP are now recommending that companies interested in capturing these savings do the following:

1. Run the calculator and set or revise a carbon reduction target to claim the company’s share of the savings
2. Reallocate capital to deliver better returns at lower risk
3. Translate the savings to the company’s bottom line

The report is built upon rigorous analysis by several of the world’s leading consulting firms, namely McKinsey & Company, Point380 and Deloitte LLP. In addition the report draws upon data reported to CDP from major U.S. businesses, case examples from WWF’s Climate Savers program in the US, dozens of interviews with corporate leaders, and the real-world experience of consultants working directly with businesses to cut costs and shrink their carbon footprints.

Here’s what major companies are already saying about The 3% Solution:

“This report shows that not taking action to reduce emissions and fight climate change is like leaving big money on the table,” said Chris Librie, Senior Director, Sustainability Programs, HP Sustainability & Social Innovation. “HP is already taking actions in line with those recommended by The 3% Solution. During 2012, we completed a comprehensive carbon footprint analysis to better understand the impact of our company and our products. HP is among the first companies globally to publish this level of information. We work to reduce the impact of our products and operations. In addition, we collaborate with suppliers to improve their environmental performance – resulting in a 24% decrease in production supplier GHG emissions intensity over four years. HP calls on other American businesses to heed the call made in The 3% Solution and capture their share of these savings – all while doing some good for the planet.”

"This study shows that there are tremendous opportunities for companies to make operational changes that benefit both the environment and their economic bottom-lines," said Jeff Seabright, Vice President, Environment & Water, The Coca-Cola Company. "There is a pressing need for business, government and civil society to work together to pursue these 'no regret' opportunities if we are to stabilize emissions in this decade."

“The 3% Solution analysis shows that good environmental stewardship can pay off. DuPont has looked at the important issue of energy efficiency brought up in the report in two ways,” said Linda Fisher, Vice President – Safety, Health & Environment and Chief Sustainability Officer, DuPont. “First, we focused on how to become more energy efficient in our own plants and as a result have realized year-over-year energy cost savings of $230 million. Secondly, we have looked at it from a business growth perspective and focused our science and innovation to create products that will improve the energy efficiency of our customers throughout the value chain. Last year we generated $1.9 billion from products that enable energy efficiency and greenhouse reductions in the use phase.”

"Sprint is the first and, to date, only U.S. telecom company to publicly announce an absolute greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction goal (an absolute 20% of scope 1 and scope 2 by 2017 over 2007 levels)." said Bill White, Senior Vice President of Corporate Responsibility at Sprint. "We continue to look for opportunities to drive energy and emission efficiencies and The 3% Solution presents business leaders with strong evidence they can significantly reduce costs and their environmental impact.”

"Congratulations to World Wildlife Fund and CDP on the release of The 3% Solution,” said Olof Persson, President and CEO, The Volvo Group. “The Volvo Group’s vision is to become the world leader in sustainable transport solutions and this robust report further proves what we have already found to be true; that reducing CO2 emissions can simultaneously contribute to the sustainability of companies and the climate. As a Climate Savers partner, the Volvo Group has set meaningful greenhouse gas emission reduction targets and, through our products, are helping our customers do the same. We hope this report helps motivate other companies to make similar commitments."

"Mars welcomes this compelling report, the findings of which echo our own belief in climate science based targets and approach to sustainability,” said Kevin Rabinovitch, Mars Global Sustainability Director. “In 2010, Mars committed to become Sustainable in a Generation by eliminating fossil fuel energy use and greenhouse gas emissions in our Operations by 2040 with a 25% reduction by 2015 – in line with the 3% annual goals. A sustainable approach to business is profitable and this report demonstrates we’re not alone in that belief, or the approaches outlined here. We hope businesses will join this movement toward a more sustainable and productive future for all.”

“J&J understands the critical relationship between human health and a healthy environment,” said Jed Richardson Global Energy Director, Johnson & Johnson. “For more than 30 years, we have been committed to reducing energy usage through efficiency measures that are cost effective and environmentally sound. The 3% Solution does a great job highlighting these win win opportunities that are available to corporations.”

About World Wildlife Fund
WWF is the world’s leading conservation organization, working in 100 countries for half a century. With the support of almost 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, halt the degradation of the environment and combat climate change. Visit www.worldwildlife.org to learn more.

About CDP
CDP is an international, not-for-profit organization providing the only global system for companies and cities to measure, disclose, manage and share vital environmental information. CDP works with market forces, including 722 institutional investors with assets of US$87 trillion, to motivate companies to disclose their impacts on the environment and natural resources and take action to reduce them. CDP now holds the largest collection globally of primary climate change, water and forest risk commodities information and puts these insights at the heart of strategic business, investment and policy decisions. Please visit www.cdp.net or follow us @CDP to find out more.

For media information:

Penny Cross
CDP
+ 44 (0) 20 7415 7083
+ 44 (0) 7919 074 926
penny.cross@cdp.net

Chris Conner
World Wildlife Fund
(202) 495-4786
Christopher.conner@wwfus.org