Nation's governors lead way to address climate change

19 Nov Nation's governors lead way to address climate change

Los Angeles, Calif. – The dramatic effects of climate change on our economy, environment, and health demand aggressive action. As Governor, I am working hard to ensure that Wisconsin is a place where we work together with citizens and industries, as well as leaders at the local, state, regional and international levels to address the challenges of climate change.
On November 18 and 19, I will join Governors from across the U.S. to co-host the Governors’ Global Climate Summit in Los Angeles. The summit provides an open forum to evaluate the global response to climate change, discuss the monitoring and reporting of climate change emissions, and the approach to reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions, and commit to future action.
Global summitry
At the summit, world leaders will develop the next steps to advance the global climate agreement that will be negotiated in Poland in December and in Copenhagen next year.
The challenges of climate change are daunting, but in Wisconsin we are working to find tremendous opportunity in clean energy technology and innovative new industries. The Governors’ Global Climate Summit is an opportunity to build on Wisconsin’s leadership, strengthen important relationships with business and government officials nationally and internationally, and develop clean energy strategies that will save us money, create jobs, help secure our world and improve our air and water.
Wisconsin has already committed to working with partners in the Midwest U.S. and Europe, and the Governors’ Summit will build new international and regional alliances. I look forward to working with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Florida Governor Charlie Crist, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius, and other leaders from the country and around the world to find creative solutions to our climate challenges. Together, we will forge an unprecedented international partnership to take the steps urgently needed to fight climate change.
At the close of the summit, world leaders will join together to sign a joint declaration agreeing to pursue collaborative action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create opportunities to grow green economies. The declaration will help advance efforts being undertaken by Wisconsin and the U.S. for the next global agreement on climate change.
All the renewable tools
Wisconsin has all the resources to become a leader in renewable energy, and I have made clean energy a top priority of my Administration. In 2007, I created the Office of Energy Independence to promote efforts to reduce dependence on foreign oil and advance renewable energy initiatives. I have set ambitious goals for Wisconsin to build our energy independence: Wisconsin will get 25 percent of its electrical power and 25 percent of its transportation fuel from renewable resources by 2025, we will capture 10 percent of the market share for renewable energy and bioproducts, and we will use our tremendous capability for research to become the country’s leader in making alternative energies more affordable and available to all.
Wisconsin’s efforts to promote clean energy work in concert with my work as co-leader of the Midwest Governor’s Association clean energy and greenhouse gas reduction efforts. The state is also working with international partners in Germany and the United Kingdom to develop shared solutions, and promote energy independence and climate stewardship.
The challenges of climate change are too great to face alone, and I hope you will join the international dialogue and the state’s efforts to develop creative and beneficial climate solutions.