Environment New Mexico & California: Sub-National Governments Pave the Path Forward After Copenhagen

Upon world leaders reaching a final accord in Copenhagen, Environment California Legislative Director Dan Jacobson and Environment New Mexico Environment Associate Kim McMurray issued the following statement:

“The Copenhagen Accord makes it clear that our work is far from over. Although world leaders have come together as never before to address the threat of global warming, even they have acknowledged that this agreement is not sufficient to protect the planet.

“Through their struggles to reach agreement, international leaders have shown that the diligent work of sub-national governments is vital to stopping global warming. Cities, states, and provinces across the world have been paving the way for real reductions in the pollution that causes global warming by passing and implementing meaningful policies for decades. States and cities in the U.S. and across the planet can and now must continue to move us forward even without a binding international agreement.

“Recent Environment America research found that actions led by American states are estimated to cut U.S. global warming pollution by 536 million metric tons of CO2-equivalent annually by 2020 – more pollution than is emitted by all but eight countries in the world, and equivalent to 7% of America’s total CO2 pollution in 2007.

“We applaud the steps taken in Copenhagen but we call on our national and international leaders to build upon the success in the states and commit to reducing global warming pollution to the levels scientists say is necessary. Toward that end Congress must pass a strong clean energy and climate bill this spring and global leaders must work quickly towards a fair, ambitious and binding deal in the months to come.”