As climate change threatens to transform the world as we know it, the business sector needs to increase its efforts to deal with the threat by boosting investment in environmentally friendly firms and developing green technologies, business leaders and experts said at a recent international forum.
Japanese firms often lag behind those of other countries in voluntarily disclosing information on so-called ESG (environmental, social and governance) issues and often consider such efforts as a burden.
Yet Nobuhide Hayashi, chairman of Mizuho Bank, said the country cannot afford such an attitude, especially when it is scheduled to host the Group of 20 leaders' summit next year.