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North American Climate Leaders Statement

November 13, 2017

BONN, GERMANY – “Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. Climate Alliance, a bipartisan coalition of 15 U.S. Governors, stand together in a strong commitment to combat climate change and support clean growth across North America. We recognize that a global climate challenge demands working together. We agreed today to strengthen our climate initiatives through a new North American Climate Leadership Dialogue. We will share progress on these goals at the 2018 Global Climate Action Summit to be hosted by California this September. Leaders decided that the Dialogue will address topics including clean transportation and zero-emission vehicles, vehicle efficiency, clean technology, supporting clean power while reducing reliance on coalfired electricity, carbon pricing initiatives, and reducing short-lived climate pollutants.”

About the Alliance

Launched on June 1, 2017 by the governors of Washington, New York, and California to help fill the void left by the previous administration’s decision to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Agreement, the Alliance has grown to include 24 governors from across the U.S. representing approximately 60% of the U.S. economy and 55% of the U.S. population. Governors in the Alliance have pledged to collectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 26-28% below 2005 levels by 2025, at least 50-52% below 2005 levels by 2030, and collectively achieve overall net-zero greenhouse gas emissions as soon as practicable, and no later than 2050.

 

The Alliance’s states and territories continue to demonstrate that climate action goes hand-in-hand with economic growth, job creation, and better public health. While reducing emissions by 18% between 2005 and 2021, Alliance members grew their collective GDP by nearly 30%. The coalition’s states and territories are employing more workers in the clean energy sector, achieving lower levels of dangerous air pollutants, and preparing more effectively for climate impacts and executing more pre-disaster planning than the rest of the country.

 

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