In July 2004, ERT sent a letter to the then European Commissioner for Environment, Margot Wallström, on the continuing need to develop EU policies to address climate change in a way that will deliver a stable, long-term framework, supportive of business competitiveness. ERT underlined that climate change is a global issue that requires a global solution and urged the European Commission to renew EU efforts towards finding such a solution. ERT also called on the European Commission to focus now within the EU on gaining experience of the EU Emissions Trading System and of the mechanisms linking the System with investments in the developing world; on boosting innovation; and on encouraging broader societal engagement. ERT argued that, without such key elements of EU action, the development of EU-based industry would be restricted and it would become less competitive versus companies in other regions that are not subject to similar constraints.

This report was launched in October 2000, on the eve of the 6th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, setting out the ERT's views on how best to implement the Kyoto Protocol, which was established in 1997 to limit green house gas emissions.

The report illustrated the real contribution industry in Europe was already making to help meet Europe's commitments to reduce these emissions, and called for flexibility to develop appropriate approaches to suit specific circumstances. The report concluded with ten recommendations to EU Member States designed to smooth the process of implementation of the Kyoto Protocol.

This document confirmed that European industry wanted to be involved in the process of developing workable policies to deal with the possibility of climate change.

Anticipating the outcome of the Ministerial Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Kyoto in December 1997, ERT urged European governments to check that any policies and measures they might adopt to achieve emissions reductions would effectively deliver the desired reponses and be global, long-term, carefully evaluated, competitive, fully consultative and well-managed.

During the early 1990s, ERT set up a working group, under the Chairmanship of Antony Pilkington (Pilkington plc) to consider the technical issues relating to climate change and to develop an exchange of views and ideas with the European Commission on this theme. The working group published a report in 1994 assessing the debate on global warming and examining measures that could usefully be taken by industry and government.

The ERT Energy and Technology Group, chaired by Pehr Gyllenhammar, met to discuss ideas on the leading role that industry could play in using technology to improve the environment, particularly in the area of energy efficiency. The Group published a discussion paper, entitled “The Efficient use of Energy”, in 1992, seeking to promote a dialogue with legislators, environmentalists and the public on how to develop a strong and clean Europe while also producing wealth and providing jobs.