<B>By Nicholas RAINER</B>

Climate change poses global social, environmental and economic risks and demands a transformational change in how we manage our economy. Incremental change will not do.? Who do you think demanded this ?transformational? change? Greenpeace? The Intergovernmental Plan on Climate Change (IPCC)? Al Gore? Big Business? Surprisingly, the latter. Business leaders in the UK have appealed to Gordon Brown?s government in no uncertain terms to take more decisive action in tackling climate change.

The Guardian reported on Friday that the companies have asked the British Prime minister to commit the country to a legally binding 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. And, although some might question the appropriateness of big polluters like the power company E.ON calling for tougher regulation, (The Guardian likened the move to ?turkeys voting for Christmas?), this plea marks a significant step forward in the right direction.

Naturally, the move is far from selfless. The Guardian explained that the reasons behind this push are threefold. Firstly, climate change is becoming an increasingly important issue for consumers. Greening up its act is thus a very sound marketing strategy for any company. Secondly, and perhaps most pertinently, businesses loathe uncertainty. Lastly, there are huge business opportunities in ?going green?. Whatever their motivation, it?s good to see .

One has to wonder whether Mauritian businesses will ever embrace this zeitgeist. After all, the country is a Small Island Developing State and thus relies on imports for the huge majority of its food and fuel needs. In the long run, the rise in the sea-level poses a grave threat to all economic activities. Despite pioneering the use of renewable energy in the form cogeneration, the private sector has been rather sluggish, not so say reticent, in adapting to environmental issues.

Damningly, government has been the most vocal advocate of food and fuel security, even if the rhetoric has yet to be supported by actions. The recent cabinet shuffle means precious time will be wasted while ministers familiarize themselves with their new portfolios. I?m thinking, in particular, about the minister of Renewable energy and public utilities, Rachid Beebeejaun. A week ago, he declared that he was ?satisfied?. Surely, a little enthusiasm for this hugely important and complex portfolio wouldn?t be surplus to requirements.

There will always be those naysayers who deny that human activity is responsible for climate change (indeed, US President George W. Bush spent a sizeable chunk of his two mandates doing just that). Fortunately, the ranks of these dimwits are dwindling fast. Even the environmentally-challenged be hard-pressed to affirm that massive ice-shelf loss in the Arctic is a natural occurrence. The fact of the matter is that businesses should be demanding change rather than reacting to it. If not for environmental or social reasons, then at least for economic ones.