Business leaders worldwide praised President George W. Bush for recognizing climate change as a significant issue and urged for long-term emissions standards to aid in their planning. Despite not endorsing mandatory caps on carbon gases, Bush supported the development of new technologies to reduce gasoline consumption in the U.S. Corporate executives at the World Economic Forum in Davos supported the White House's promotion of alternative energies but called for stricter U.S. emissions regulations to be implemented. Duke Energy CEO James Rogers emphasized the importance of future regulations for current investment decisions, noting that power plants built now will be in use for the next 50 years. Rogers stated that they are actively working to be prepared for a new regulatory regime, rather than waiting on the sidelines. Alain Belda, Alcoa's CEO, agreed that it is not sustainable for individual states like California to dictate the American climate change agenda. Belda emphasized the need for a unified standard across the country, which could help companies reduce the risks associated with adopting costly emissions-cutting technologies. He also mentioned that strong leadership from the United States, a major source of greenhouse gases, could motivate less affluent countries to strengthen their emissions regulations. In Japan, the head of the United Nations Climate Secretariat Yvo de Boer praised Bush's environmental messages as a positive indication that attitudes toward climate change in the U.S. are evolving. Former German environment minister Juergen Trittin also expressed optimism that the speech could enhance transatlantic cooperation in combating climate change. However, some critics viewed the speech as insufficient and overdue. Renewable energy expert Sven Teske of Greenpeace criticized the lack of a comprehensive plan and described the speech as a collection of technical suggestions without a real policy shift. Diane Wittenberg of the California Climate Registry, an organization that assists companies in monitoring their emissions, labeled the Bush speech as disappointing. "He fell behind early on and never caught up," she stated, pointing out that the majority of climate change leadership in the U.S. has been driven by state governments and the private sector, who are working to influence future environmental policies in their favor. "Businesses recognize that climate change will create winners and losers in the business world, and they want to be on the winning side," she explained. A recent survey by PricewaterhouseCoopers at Davos revealed that 40 percent of 1,100 global chief executives are worried about the risks posed by climate change, with only 18 percent expressing the same concern in the United States. Mark Spelman, head of European strategy at Accenture, stated that the increased focus on environmental issues by corporations is partly a PR tactic to attract eco-conscious consumers, but also reflects strategic planning for future energy costs. "Forward-thinking CEOs understand that carbon prices will rise in the future, impacting long-term profitability, so staying ahead of the curve will benefit the company in the long run," Spelman explained. Some people view the transition to a cleaner, low-carbon economy as a chance for business opportunities. Citigroup has identified 74 companies that could benefit from a shift towards a more environmentally friendly global economy, such as clean energy firms, water utilities, and automakers.