Schwarzenegger Among Signees of Climate Action Agreement

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger joined 26 leaders from six countries in signing a declaration acknowledging the threats of global warming on natural resources and economic prosperity. The declaration signed during the Governors’ Summit in Los Angeles calls on states and provinces to build and strengthen cooperative efforts to implement strategies that can immediately reduce greenhouse gas emissions in advance of the next global agreement on climate change. “With this Summit declaration, we are establishing a framework to help negotiators next month in Poland and next year in Copenhagen as they draft a successor to the Kyoto Protocol,” Schwarzenegger said. The declaration focuses efforts on the largest emitting sectors including forestry, agriculture, cement, iron, aluminum, energy and transportation. To help reduce staff costs, leaders agreed to utilize non-government organizations to provide staff support and specialized expertise to coordinate working groups and draft position papers. The Governors’ Summit helps fulfill the requirements of the state’s global warming law, AB 32, to coordinate and collaborate with international governments to ensure compatibility, promote maximum environmental protection and promote economic stability.