DENVER—In
the wake of today’s announcement from the governors of five Western
States of a regional plan to reduce the pollution that causes global
warming, leaders of three ColoradoColorado to join the effort. conservation organizations urged
“Over
the past five years, Coloradans have sat on the bench and watched as
our Western neighbors have taken the lead on curbing global warming,”
said Will Coyne of Environment Colorado. “Now Colorado has another
chance to get into the game and bolster our state’s chances of
capitalizing on a new energy economy.”
Under the agreement, called the Western Climate Action Initiative,Oregon,
California, Washington, New Mexico, and Arizona
will adopt, within 18 months, pollution-reduction goals for the five
states and a market-based program to meet them, such as a “cap and
trade” program. Colorado is not yet participating in the regional effort, although the state has been designated an “observer” of the joint effort.
Under
a regional program, a cap on global warming pollution would be set for
all five states. The cap would decline over time to meet pollution
reduction targets. Individual companies could either reduce their
pollution or pay other companies to make larger so that total pollution
levels meet the cap.
“Colorado
and the West are already seeing the serious effects of global warming
so it is only natural that Western Governors are leading the nation
towards real solutions, “ said Dan Grossman, director of Environmental
Defense’s Rocky Mountain regional office. “It is time for
Colorado to play a growing role in regional efforts to combat global warming.”
The
five states currently participating in the initiative have already
established themselves as leaders in developing global warming
solutions. Unlike Colorado,
each state has either adopted or committed to adopt state global
warming pollution reduction goals, as well as Clean Cars programs that
require new cars sold in their states to reduce their global warming
pollution.
“Colorado has lagged behind other Rocky Mountain states
in developing a comprehensive plan to reduce global warming pollution,”
said John Nielsen, Energy Program Director of Western Resources
Advocates. “But Governor Ritter is putting Colorado back on the right path through his commitment to common sense solutions like renewable energy.”
The announcement of the Western Climate Action Initiative comes as
Congress is considering how best to address global warming at the
national level.
“There is no question that state leadership will be critical to getting
real global warming solutions put in place,” said Will Coyne, of
Environment Colorado, “it is in no small part due to the leadership of
the states that Congress is now beginning to seriously debate global
warming policy.”
The Western Climate Action Initiative builds on other regional efforts.
Oregon, California and Washington created the West Coast Global Warming Initiative in 2003. In 2006, Arizona and New Mexico launched the Southwest Climate Change Initiative.
State
conservation groups including Environment Colorado, Environmental
Defense, and Western Resource Advocates support the Western Climate
Action Initiative and urge Colorado to play a growing role in regional efforts to combat global warming.
Additional Contacts:
Dan Grossman
Environmental Defense
303-447-7213
John Nielsen
Western Resource Advocates
303-885-8099
