By Nina Chestney
LONDON, June 10 (Reuters) - Eighty British businesses urgedthe government on Wednesday to take decisive action to fightclimate change and build a low-carbon economy in a letter toPrime Minster David Cameron.
The companies called for a global climate deal this yearwhich limits the world temperature rise to below 2 degreesCelsius. On a domestic level, they urged the government to setan ambitious fifth carbon budget from 2028-2032 - to set targetsfor CO2 emissions cuts - and to bring in clearer long-termpolicies that encourage investment in low-carbon energy. Theydid not specify what policies they wanted to be introduced.
"We want this economy to be energy efficient andlow-carbon. Failure to tackle climate change could put economicprosperity at risk. But the right action now would create jobsand boost competitiveness," they said in the open letter.
Signatories include energy companies E.ON, SSE and Scottish Power; retailers John Lewis Partnership,Tesco and Marks & Spencer ; telecoms company BT ; media group Sky ; drinks makers Diageo and Coca-Cola and construction firms Saint-Gobain and Willmott Dixon.
Britain aims to reduce its emissions by at least 80 percentby 2050 from 1990 levels. To ensure progress towards this goal,it has set four carbon budgets, covering up to 2027, which setinterim targets for emission cuts.
On Monday, leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) countriesbacked a global target for limiting the rise in average globaltemperatures to below 2C, which should help progress towards aclimate deal in Paris in December.
However, government promises so far for curbs on greenhousegas emissions are unlikely to be enough to keep temperaturesbelow that ceiling. (Editing by Pravin Char)