Introduction & Context

In 2007, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its periodic update on the state of knowledge on climate change. There is scientific consensus that the planet is close to a “tipping point”, where continued growth in atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) will result in successively larger disruptions of global biogeochemical, ecological, economic and social systems. The development of a strong action plan and a global consensus around a post-Kyoto climate accord will be critical if the world hopes to avoid the most catastrophic impacts from climate change.

At the Conference of the Parties in Bali in December, 2007, the “Bali Roadmap” was agreed upon as a path to develop a comprehensive global plan for a post-Kyoto climate accord. The prevailing sentiment at the Bali meeting was that this accord should respect development needs in poorer nations, engage both industrialized and industrializing nations, and work toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50% or more by mid-century.

The first commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012, and nations are now discussing what commitments should be made post-2012. Because of the time required for ratification by participating governments, the goal of these nations is to conclude a new agreement by the end of 2009, when they will meet at the fifteenth Conference of the Parties in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Despite the U.S. federal government’s current inaction, many US states are, in fact, taking concrete steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. More than half of the states now have (or are completing) comprehensive climate action plans that align them with the level of effort expected of industrialized nations under the Kyoto Protocol. These states have formed three regional cap-and-trade alliances, and US trading in GHG credits will begin as early as the third quarter of 2008 under mandatory/enforceable limits on emissions. These “leadership states” have also coordinated with the cap-and-trade system in Europe through an agreement reached in late 2007, forming the International Carbon Action Partnership.

Significant progress to increase energy efficiency programs and reduce GHG emissions has also been made by China, India, Brazil and other emerging economies. Taken together with the progress made by U.S. states, there is now an opportunity for these actors, that are not currently bound by mandatory reduction goals, to participate in crafting a global solution to the climate crisis. Such collaborative efforts could include:

• Cooperation between states and provinces, in the development of strategies to combat global warming that are mutually beneficial to our economies and the environment.
• Technology sharing and transfer in the areas of energy efficiency, carbon capture and sequestration, renewable energy technology, and related low-carbon technologies.
• State/Provincal agreements on efforts to reduce GHGs from specific sectors of the economy, such as cement manufacturing, forestry, and transportation fuels.
• Strengthening the ability of all regions of the world to adapt to climate change.

Purpose of the Governors’ Global Climate Summit

The purpose of the Summit will be twofold. The first is to facilitate a high-level meeting between governmental “climate leaders” and to conclude a cooperative Summit Declaration on climate solutions (such as the examples described above). The second is to discuss the outlook for a comprehensive global agreement on climate solutions that prevents the world passing the “tipping point” as described by the IPCC.

To accomplish these goals and to provide context from a broad variety of stakeholders, invited participants will be the leaders on climate policy and technical solutions, including:

• Governors/Premiers from the U.S. Brazil, Mexico and Canada, and other high-level state/provincial policy makers from “climate leadership” states/provinces
• Representatives of the provinces and central government of China
• Chief Ministers from the states of India
• World leaders representing other national and sub-national governments
• Representatives from non-governmental organizations
• Academic leaders from around the world
• Business leaders

Conclusion

Governments throughout the world have worked hard to become more energy efficient and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The full potential of these policies will only be realized if we leverage these achievements into agreements that help all regions of the world to be equally successful and win the climate change challenge.