Several initiatives stemming from the December Paris climate talks will help carbon prices worldwide converge over time, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said on Thursday.

Addressing the EU Parliament’s environment committee, Fabius, who will steer the Paris talks, said “we can’t decree a price of carbon for the whole world.”

“But there will be some convergence … a number of initiatives where we can pull together on carbon pricing.”

“Elements might be disparate to begin with, but you can bring them closer together little by little, to go in that direction and allow us to make a substantial change.”

Fabius was responding to questions from several MEPs who were concerned about EU industries exposed to carbon leakage and whether a global carbon price would be a means to address that.

Think tank New Climate Economy has urged the G20 to begin preliminary work to co-ordinate and strengthen their carbon pricing policies in an effort to overcome the competitiveness concerns at its leaders meeting on Nov. 15-16.

The World Energy Council, a global body representing government, business and academic energy stakeholders, said on Thursday it would write to all UNFCCC parties expressing concern over the level of progress and ambition over the state of the climate talks.

“We want to affirm to the Parties that the energy sector across the world is ready to respond to a strong signal from Paris to accelerate the energy transition,” said Christoph Frei, secretary general of the World Energy Council, in a statement.

The World Energy Council is calling for “a clear carbon pricing scheme in line with the global objectives that will allow all to make efficient economic decisions.”

By Ben Garside – ben@carbon-pulse.com