PRESIDENT-ELECT JOINS GOVERNORS’ FIGHT AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE

The President-elect made it very clear he will keep his campaign promises to put the U.S. on track to cut its greenhouse gas emissions (GhGs) 80% by 2050 and to invest $150 billion over 10 years to create 5 million green collar jobs in the U.S. and generate a New Energy economy.

President-elect Obama: “Now is the time to confront this challenge once and for all…Delay is no longer an option. Denial is no longer an acceptable response.”

From ChangeDotGov via YouTube.

It appears that under the new President the United States will once again assume (to quote Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence) its "...rightful place AMONG the powers of the earth..." (emphasis added)

Obama Affirms Climate Change Goals
John M. Broder, November 18, 2008 (NY Times)

WHO
President-elect Barack Obama; California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, host; Florida Governor Charlie Crist, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius, Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle, co-hosts

WHAT
Obama reaffirmed his commitment to fight global climate change and build a New Energy economy in a speech to Schwarzenegger’s Governors Climate Change Summit.

click to enlarge

WHEN
The summit is November 18-19.

WHERE
- The summit is at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA.
- A live streaming presentation of the Governors Climate Change Summit is available at UC-TV.
- Attendees are from 22 other states, Mexico, Canada, Australia, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia and the United Nations.

WHY
- Summit Partners/Sponsors: the Aga Khan Development Networ; Climate Works; the RBF Foundation; the Sea Change Foundation; the Energy Foundation; the New America Foundation; Pacific Gas and Electric Company; the Pisces Foundation; BP America; Conoco Phillips; the Emmett Center on Climate Change and the Environment/UCLA School of Law; FPL Energy; EcoSecurities; the Tremaine Foundation; APX; Applied Materials; SunPower; Fireman's Fund/Allianz Group; The Goldman Fund; Greenhouse Gas Services; Malcolm Pirnie; Mitsui & Co. (USA), Inc.; United Airlines and the University of California.
- There will be a "sector" approach to GhG reductions w/ sessions on specific industries: forestry; cement, iron, steel and aluminum; energy; and transportation.
- California Climate Risk and Response
- Green Jobs in U.S. Metro Areas

click to enlarge

QUOTES
- Governor Schwarzenegger: "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…We teamed up with Great Britain, the Canadian provinces, the Western and Northeastern states and with states like those of my co hosts-Illinois, Florida, Kansas, Wisconsin and more. And right here, 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."
- Governor Crist: "Florida's rapid progress has been possible only through partnership agreements with the United Kingdom and Germany, and with the help of my good friend, - Governor Schwarzenegger…Progress comes only 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."
- Governor Doyle: "This Summit is an opportunity to strengthen important relationships with business and government officials nationally and internationally and develop climate change strategies that will save us money, create jobs, help secure our world and improve our air and water…"
- Governor Sebelius: "There is 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…In Kansas, our farms and fields can produce tomorrow's energy through biofuels and clean, renewable wind. Rural America is going to play an important part in securing energy independence for our nation."
- Governor Blagojevich: "Illinois has been a leader in the Midwest and nationally in developing innovative strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change…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."
- President-elect Obama: “When I am president, any governor who’s willing to promote clean energy will have a partner in the White House. Any company that’s willing to invest in clean energy will have an ally in Washington. And any nation that’s willing to join the cause of combating climate change will have an ally in the United States of America.”