(Fixes typographical error in headline) PARIS, Nov 26 (Reuters) - A group of 39 French firms, including oil and gas major Total and nuclear group Areva, pledged to invest at least 45 billion euros ($48 billion) during the next five years in renewable energy and low-carbon technologies. The promise, made on Thursday, comes as world leaders gather in Paris ahead of a two-week climate summit in the French capital from Nov. 30 to Dec. 11. The meeting aims to agree on a plan to curb global warming by keeping the temperature rise below a ceiling of 2 degrees Celsius. The group of businesses, including utility EDF, telecoms company Orange and bank Societe Generale have a combined revenue of about 1.2 trillion euros ($1.3 trillion). The companies said signing the pledge was their contribution in the fight against climate change. “It is a commitment to a low-carbon economy, and these are all new funds that will be invested,” Total Chief Executive Officer Patrick Pouyanne said at a joint news conference. “Out of the 45 billion, we as Total intend to invest more than 4 billion euros in the next five years, particularly in solar, but also in bio fuels,” Pouyanne added. The companies said they also plan to provide bank and bond financing of at least 80 billion euros for climate change projects, and foresaw around 15 billion investments in new nuclear capacities and 30 billion euros in gas as an energy transition solution. ($1 = 0.9425 euros) (Reporting by Bate Felix; editing by David Clarke and Elaine Hardcastle)
39 French firms, including oil and gas company Total and nuclear group Areva, have pledged to invest at least €45bn in renewable energy and low-carbon technologies during the next five years. The Paris agreement is a key part of efforts by world leaders to tackle climate change. The companies said they also plan to provide bank and bond financing of at least €80bn for climate change projects, and foresaw investment of around €15bn in new nuclear capacities and €30bn in gas as an energy transition solution.