The Chairman and CEO of Johnson Controls International (JCI), George Oliver, has co-signed a letter with a list of leading global executives, calling on Group of 7 (G7)-country leaders to “accelerate action limiting greenhouse gas emissions,” according to a recent statement.
The call to action came ahead of the G7 Leaders’ Summit that took place in Germany on June 26–28. The G7 countries are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the U.K. and the U.S. The European Union is a ‘non-enumerated member’.
The letter, which was co-signed by companies like Bank of America, Shell and Mahindra Group under the banner of the Sustainable Markets Initiative, calls for action from G7 leaders in three areas: carbon pricing, public funding and policy stability.
“Whatever measures G7 leaders consider this week to help the global economy must balance short- and long-term needs and incentivize the private sector to do the right thing on sustainability investment,” said Oliver. “That includes ways to accelerate adoption of advanced technologies to optimize major emitting sectors such as buildings.”
“Whatever measures G7 leaders consider this week to help the global economy must balance short- and long-term needs and incentivize the private sector to do the right thing on sustainability investment. That includes ways to accelerate adoption of advanced technologies to optimize major emitting sectors such as buildings.”
George Oliver, Johnson Controls
Accounting for 40% of global emissions, the building sector must be a major focus in plans moving forward, according to JCI.
As a “global leader in building efficiency” and a prominent manufacturer of natural-refrigerant-based refrigeration systems, such as ammonia/NH3 (R717)-based district cooling and heating, JCI is committed to making future buildings smarter, healthier and more sustainable, according to its statement.
JCI and the other signatories have also called for G7-led incentives that stimulate private investment in energy-efficient infrastructure to cut emissions in the long term and to tackle energy supply challenges in the short term.
“A major acceleration of effort to upgrade buildings will bring more secure communities and a stable climate,” said Katie McGinty, Johnson Controls’ Chief Sustainability Officer. “G7 leaders have the opportunity and obligation now to drive action with smart policy and favorable investment incentives.”
Supporting bottom-up transformation
In addition to stimulating change on an international level, JCI is also committed to sustainability on the community level. Through initiatives like its Community College Partnership Program, JCI is supporting students from historically underrepresented groups to develop thriving careers, spur local economic development and narrow the global skilled labor gap, according to a recent statement.
The US$15 million (€14.4 million), five-year fund, which was launched in 2021, is designed to expand training and certification in the HVAC, fire, security and digital disciplines. Now in its second year, the program is providing US$1 million (€960,000) in philanthropic funding to nine colleges across the U.S. and one in Canada.
“After a successful and rewarding first year, we are proud to welcome our next cohort of schools into the Community College Partnership Program and continue our efforts in transforming students’ lives as they pave the future of sustainable infrastructure,” said McGinty.
From buildings to beehives
JCI’s sustainability efforts are reaching beyond the decarbonization of our buildings and the training the next generation of industry innovators, having recently announced its involvement in a bee sponsorship program. A part of the program, JCI’s HQ in Continental Europe has become home to a bee colony, with a plan to replicate the initiative across all its buildings throughout Germany.
“This really is a super-important initiative for us. It shows a new level of commitment to the environment to ensure we protect our planet for future generations,” explained McGinty. “We’re adding another dimension to our existing sustainability drive by taking direct action to preserve the habitat of one of the most important creatures in nature.”
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