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HARRY VERHAAR, HEAD OF GLOBAL PUBLIC & GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, PHILIPS LIGHTINGENLIGHTENED CLIMATE ACTION IS IN OUR COMMON INTEREST“TO ARRIVE AT A CARBON NEUTRAL WORLD BY 2050, WE NEED TO DRIVE ENERGY EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS OF AT LEAST 3 PER CENT PER YEAR ”The global climate change agreement, reached in Paris at the end of 2015 and ratified at a record speed last year, was a major achievement in terms of global diplomacy and as an agreement based on common interests. Yet the ‘Under 2C°’ goal for global warming has not been secured by the commitments so far submitted by all parties. Neither do current actions have the momentum to establish this important mid-century goal. Energy strategy, circular economy, clean air, jobs and more inclusive socio-economic progress feature in virtually all the political processes and elections this year. Interestingly, it looks as if most of these agendas could be achieved once the consolidated public and private sector commitments add up to goals stipulated in the Paris Agreement. So what is holding us back and how can we ‘connect the dots’?038 INDUSTRY INTRODUCTION