Twelve major corporations taking part in WWF's Climate Savers Programme are on course to eliminate at least ten million tons of carbon emissions annually by 2010.

If an additional 1,300 large companies join them, current emission reduction targets set out in the Kyoto Protocol could be achieved, according to the global conservation group.

"Fighting climate change can provide business opportunities and spur innovation and jobs in all parts of the world," said Hans Verolme, director of WWF's Global Climate Change Programme.

"The Climate Savers companies show that sustainable development is not an academic concept but something that can be tackled with a profit - for nature, for society, but also for the companies themselves."

All 12 companies have pledged to considerably reduce their absolute carbon emissions.

Most found that reducing emissions makes business sense, the WWF noted.

Hans Verolme, WWF: "Fighting climate change can provide business opportunities and spur innovation and jobs in all parts of the world."

"Lafarge made its climate savers commitment to reduce its CO2 emissions back in 2001," said Bruno Lafont, chief executive of Lafarge.

"Since then, we have worked hard to extend this initiative within the cement sector and we are pleased that a number of other major cement players have decided to commit themselves as well."

Sony is another international company that is part of the WWF Climate Savers Programme.

"We believe it is crucial to keep global warming below the 2°C danger threshold," said Serge Foucher, executive vice president of Sony Europe.

"We hope to prove that joint action across the globe can actually achieve this. Sony has committed not only to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from its own facilities globally, but also to improve the energy efficiency of its products."

At WWF's Climate Savers conference, taking place in Paris from February 1-2, sportswear manufacturer Nike received an award for having reached its CO2 reduction target.

"Participation in Climate Savers enabled us to get an early start on an issue that has major consequences for business and society,” said Sarah Severn, director of Nike's Corporate Responsibility Horizons.

"We have found that constraints can lead to tremendous innovation and despite growth in our owned and managed operations we have become more efficient with our energy use.

"Our next steps will be partnering with suppliers to further reduce our manufacturing and logistics climate footprint.”

A statement released at the conference indicated that solutions to climate change do exist.

It read: "As members of the WWF Climate Savers Programme we have gained significant experience in past years and learned that we can reduce the climate change footprint of our companies and remain viable as businesses at the same time."

The conference was organised by the WWF as an opportunity for these firms to show other corporations the way forward to reduce absolute carbon emissions.

The article Companies commit to saving climate originally appeared on 999 Today