Marilyn Carlson Nelson and Hubert Joly of Carlson, a global hotel, marketing, restaurant and travel company, are among 100 influential, top executives who have endorsed a comprehensive climate change plan being considered by global leaders this week in Japan.

Nelson, Carlson's chairman of the board, and Joly, Carlson's president and chief executive officer, have signed the climate change recommendations, which urge adoption of a rapid and fundamental strategy by governments across the globe to bring about a low-carbon world economy.

The "CEO Climate Policy Recommendations to G8 Leaders" call for both long-term and practical medium-term targets, such as aiming to at least halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. (The Group of Eight [G8] started forming in 1975, and is composed of: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The G8 meets annually to discuss pressing issues such as global climate change.)

"This initiative is important because it brings together decision-makers who can use their collective expertise to address a global challenge that affects all of us," Nelson said.

"Our group of 100 CEOs is committed to seeking ways to diminish our carbon footprint while serving the demands of a dynamic, global economy," Joly added.

The new policy framework recommended by the CEOs is being facilitated by the World Economic Forum and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.

World Economic Forum Executive Chairman and Founder Klaus Schwab recently presented the climate policy recommendations to Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda of Japan, who is hosting G8's annual summit in Hokkaido, Japan.

These recommendations are urging governments to seek consensus on a long-term goal of dramatically cutting global emissions against current levels. They feature a public-private vision which engages the private sector on an equal par with government entities. They are calling for public-private financing to encourage new energy technology demonstration projects. They are highlighting the need for a commitment to a sustainable market for carbon, as well as the importance of the use of low-carbon energy in developing countries.