In his capacity as former chair and chief executive of the Dow Chemical Company, Liveris is among 50 leaders from business and politics who have urged "courageous leadership and renewed collaboration" at this year's United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference, better known as COP28, in Dubai from November 30 to December 12.

"As leaders from some of the world’s largest organisations, we know that the transformation to a net-zero, nature-positive and resilient future is the only way forward for our survival," the leaders wrote.

"It is also economically profitable through innovation, technology and existing and future solutions.

"The sooner we act, the lower the costs - for people, companies, organisations and, most of all, the planet."

The leaders including Liveris insisted change is happening too slowly, and insisted heads of state should seek to transform energy systems, transform the world's relationship with nature and transform financial systems.

"Together, we can make COP28 the point at which we truly unleash our shared capacity to innovate for an equitable, net-zero and nature-positive future," they claimed.

Critics have bemoaned the slow pace of action and implementation by world leaders in their attempts to achieve climate pledges, and questioned the wisdom of world leaders attending summits such as UN Climate Change Conferences in private jets.

COP28 has faced particular accusations of greenwashing given the appointment of the United Arab Emirates' state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company managing director Sultan Al Jaber as President-Designate and the country's dependence on the export of oil and natural gas.

Liveris last year faced criticism for his role on the Board of Directors at Saudi Aramco, the world's largest oil company owned 95 per cent by the Saudi Arabian Government.

He was also one of the architects of a report which called on Australia to invest in gas to support its recovery from COVID-19.

Liveris, a former advisor to former United States President Donald Trump, was a controversial choice as President of Brisbane 2032 in April 2022 for his links to the chemicals industry.

Others who have signed the letter to G20 leaders include Oliver Bäte, chief executive of Allianz Group which is a member of the International Olympic Committee's The Olympic Partner programme, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and Virgin Group founder Sadiq Khan.

Organisers of Brisbane 2032 claim they are committed to a "climate positive" Olympic and Paralympic Games.