California, UK Leaders Vow Climate Change, Energy Cooperation

SACRAMENTO, California, August 1, 2006 (ENS) - California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and British Prime Minister Tony Blair signed an agreement Monday to become partners in addressing climate change and promoting new clean fuel technologies. The two leaders said they recognize the immediate need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ease the adverse consequences of climate change.

"California will not wait for our federal government to take strong action on global warming," said Governor Schwarzenegger, a Republican who is running for re-election in November.

"Today, we are taking an unprecedented step by signing an agreement between California and the United Kingdom," the governor said. "International partnerships are needed in the fight against global warming and California has a responsibility and a profound role to play to protect not only our environment, but to be a world leader on this issue as well."

The politicians signed the agreement in the midst of some of the hottest weather on record in both California and the United Kingdom.

"There couldn't be anything more important for our children and for the generations to come," said Prime Minister Blair. "It is a very heavy responsibility we have at this time, knowing what we now know with the science as certain as it is, we have to act and that is the purpose of what we are doing today."

California's economy is the 12th largest emitter of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide in the world, although energy efficiency standards are higher than in many other states.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger at the business leaders climate change roundtable Monday (Photo courtesy Office of the Prime Minister)

The business leaders committed themselves to tackle climate change, describing it as a "global priority requiring focused and coordinated effort to avert the worst affects of global warming and restabilize our climate for future generations."

"Because climate change is a global problem, it requires a global partnership between business, government and NGOs," said Dr. Steve Howard, CEO, The Climate Group, a nonprofit organization based in London, with an office in San Francisco, which convened the roundtable.

Participants in the roundtable discussion included Lord John Browne, CEO, BP; Charles O. Holliday Jr., CEO, DuPont; Sir Richard Branson, CEO, Virgin Group; Sergey Brin, Founder, Google; John Bryson, CEO, Edison International; Jacques Dubois, Swiss Re; Dan Hendrix, Interface; Michael Morris, AEP; James Murdoch, British Sky Broadcasting; Anthony Pratt, Pratt Industries/Visy; Tom King, PG&E; Jeff Swartz, Timberland; Tracy Wolstencroft, Goldman Sachs; Rick Lazio, JP Morgan Chase, and others.

"These companies represent one half trillion dollars in turnover, well more than 315,000 employees, and in excess of 207 million customers," said Howard. "The discussion will include specific examples of what’s already been rolled out in California and the UK, which are both leaders in reducing greenhouse emissions, so that we can build on best practices."

From left: Climate Group CEO Steve Howard, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Prime Minister Tony Blair gather in Long Beach, California. (Photo courtesy The Climate Group)

They discussed the value of establishing a global goal, based on maximum temperature increase or atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases, to help deliver greater policy certainty.

The executives said they also discussed the role of long term policy frameworks utilizing market-based mechanisms to send clear carbon price signals as having the potential to unleash innovation and competition.

Through the Climate Group, the business leaders are convening a Corporate Climate Alliance. This initiative will work with companies to:

• Advance action on climate change in all sectors, public and private
• Build public support for action on climate change
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions of our industries, our companies and our customers
• Engage on appropriate policy frameworks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and accelerate the deployment of clean energy and low carbon technologies

Prime Minister Blair said, "We know that the answers to this will come in the end by the development of the right science and technology, the question is what are the incentives that are going to lead business, along with government, but business to make the commitment to research and development that is going to give us those solutions."

The statewide environmental advocacy organization Environment California commended Schwarzenegger and Blair on their agreement, but said more than sharing and collaboration is needed.

Lightning igniting dry forests has charred thousands of acres in California this year. (Photo courtesy USFS)

Pointing to the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32) that is before the state Legislature that would cap greenhouse gas emissions, the organization urged its passage. The bill would give the California Environmental Protection Agency and its Air Resources Board the authority to enforce a cap.

"At the end of the day," the group said, "California first and foremost needs to establish a law requiring the state’s biggest polluters to cut their global warming pollution by 25 percent by 2020 in a way that is mandatory, verifiable and enforceable. Without that, promises to do something about global warming are nothing more than a lot of hot air."

Blair and Schwarzenegger said in their joint statement, "Enhanced coordination will help us understand the impacts of climate change at a regional level, potential mitigation strategies and adaptation measures, as well as acceptable levels at which to stabilize emissions. There are a number of efforts to build on, most notably at the United Kingdom’s Hadley Centre and the Virtual Climate Center in California."

The leaders said, "In particular, we must understand how best to model the impact of climate change emissions reduction policies and adaptation measures on regional and national economies."