Home / Environment / News Tools: Save | Print | E-mail | Most Read | Comment
Governors' Global Climate Summit opens in Los Angeles
Adjust font size:

The first-ever Governors' Global Climate Summit opened Tuesday with a call for decisive action to address global warming.

The summit brings together U.S. and international leaders to develop cooperative partnerships and promote collaborative actions needed to combat climate change, said California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who co-hosted the summit.

The forum also provides an opportunity for states and provinces to work together to reduce emissions, develop their green economies and influence the positions their national governments take in the next global agreement on climate change, Schwarzenegger said in his opening speech.

In addition to Schwarzenegger, governors from the states of Florida, Illinois, Kansas and Wisconsin also co-hosted the summit.

"When California passed its global warming law two years ago, we were out there on an island, so we started forming partnerships everywhere we could," Schwarzenegger said.

"For the first time, we have officials from China, India, Mexico, Brazil, Indonesia and across the world in the same summit, working toward the same goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and growing green economies in our own backyards," he noted.

Florida Governor Charlie Crist said his state's rapid progress has been possible only through partnership agreements with the United Kingdom and Germany, and with the help of Schwarzenegger.

Crist said progress comes "as we work together, not at the expense of future economic growth but as a necessity for the future prosperity of all nations and states."

Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle called the summit an opportunity to strengthen important relationships with business and government officials worldwide. The gathering, he said, will help develop climate change strategies that will save money and create and improve the world's air and water.

Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius said the summit provides "an incredible opportunity here to get our nation's economy back on track by creating green jobs and becoming a world leader in the development of clean energy technologies."

She said Kansas' farms and fields will be able to produce tomorrow's energy through biofuels and clean, renewable wind. Rural America, the governor said, is going to play an important part in securing energy independence for the United States.

"Illinois has been a leader in the Midwest and nationally in developing innovative strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change," said Illinois Governor Blagojevich.

" Playing a leading role in the Governors' Summit will give us a chance to meet with world leaders and to learn from each other about how to most effectively tackle this urgent global issue and accelerate the transition to a low carbon society."

The summit emphasizes a "sectoral" approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions with sector-specific breakout sessions focusing on specific actions in such industries as forestry, iron, steel and aluminum, energy and transportation.

The approach is considered to be a promising mechanism for developed nations to support the actions of developing nations with technical and financial assistance.

Showcasing the economic success of California's environmental leadership, the Governors' Summit will feature more than 30 clean-tech companies displaying innovative green technologies, including electric cars, solar-powered flashlights and non-toxic cleaning products.

Representatives from more than 50 states and provinces in the U. S., Canada, Mexico, China, Brazil and United Kingdom are attending the summit. The summit also brings together representatives from the United Nations and European Union.

(Xinhua News Agency November 19, 2008)

Tools: Save | Print | E-mail | Most Read
Comment
Pet Name
Anonymous

China Archives
Related >>
- Global warming vs. Economic recession
- Global warming poses grave health threat to Asia Pacific
- Thawing permafrost likely to boost global warming
- G8 must take steps now to fight global warming
- Energy ministers focus on oil prices, global warming
- Global warming threat
Most Viewed >>
- US$41 bln flows into county sewage facilities
- Starving pandas 'asking for help' in quake-hit areas
- 10 rare flowers and plants in the world
- Duck vs carps
- China reduces pollutant emissions in first half of 2008
Air Quality 
Cities Major Pollutant Air Quality Level
Beijing particulate matter I
Shanghai particulate matter II
Guangzhou particulate matter II
Chongqing particulate matter I
Xi'an particulate matter II
NGO Events Calendar Tips
- Environmental English Training (EET) class
- Hand in hand to protect endangered animals and plants
- Changchun, Mini-marathon Aimed at Protecting Siberian Tiger
- Water Walk by Nature University
- Green Earth Documentary Salon
More
Archives
Sichuan Earthquake

An earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale jolted Sichuan Province at 2:28 PM on May 12.

Panda Facts
A record 28 panda cubs born via artificial insemination have survived in 2006.
South China Karst
Rich and unique karst landforms located in south China display exceptional natural beauty.
Saving the Tibetan Antelopes
The rare animals survive in the harsh natural environment of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.
More
Laws & Regulations
- Forestry Law of the People's Republic of China
- Meteorology Law of the People's Republic of China
- Fire Control Law of the People's Republic of China
- Law on Protecting Against and Mitigating Earthquake Disasters
- Law of the People's Republic of China on Conserving Energy
More
Links:
State Environmental Protection Administration
Ministry of Water Resources
Ministry of Land and Resources
China Environmental Industry Network
Chengdu Giant Panda Research Base