LOS ANGELES, California – October 27, 2021 – The Climate Registry (TCR) and the Climate Action Reserve (Reserve) are hosting the largest bipartisan delegation of U.S. states ever at the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Glasgow, Scotland. The delegation also includes six governors — the largest number of governors ever attending COP. States with governors or other officials attending include California, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island and Washington.
TCR and the Reserve are also hosting the Pathways to 1.5 pavilion. Over the course of COP26, government and business leaders will gather at the pavilion to discuss key issues such as:
- Policies, practices and pathways that are driving results – including building healthier and more resilient communities and creating jobs — on the road to net zero;
- How U.S. states are collaborating with each other and with other countries, cities and the business community to meet the carbon reduction targets laid out in the Paris Agreement; and,
- Increasing climate ambition at the national and subnational levels.
“We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to effectively mitigate climate change. The actions we take in the next five years will determine the fate of our species. That’s why I’m leading a global coalition of governors and mayors to go beyond pledges. At Glasgow, we will chart a path to make tangible, meaningful progress to slash greenhouse gas emissions,” said Governor Jay Inslee of Washington state. “We know we need to cut emissions in half by 2030 and get to net-zero by 2050. Now is the time for leaders to buckle down and get it done.”
“The time for bold, decisive and equitable action on climate is now, and that requires that everyone come to the table,” said Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico. “I am proud to represent the United States alongside other national leaders on the world stage as together, we push toward solutions to the most pressing issue of our time.”
“Last summer was the hottest on record in Oregon, and prior to that we were hit by unseasonably harsh ice and wind storms. It’s only going to get worse if we don’t take immediate action,” said Governor Kate Brown of Oregon. “We are working to lead the way in Oregon, but this is a problem that knows no borders. It’s up to all of us at COP26 to do something about climate change, and to build a more just and equitable future for all.”
“As a state surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, Hawaiʻi is on the forefront of the climate crisis,” said Governor David Ige of Hawaiʻi. “Our communities are vulnerable to the effects of sea-level rise and erosion, which threaten our homes and way of life. Hawaiʻi has aggressively fought to combat the climate crisis – but we know there is still more to be done. I look forward to working with other leaders at COP26 to go all in to address the climate crisis and create a better future for ourselves, and our keiki (children).”
“No state in our nation is more affected by climate change than Louisiana, but we are also strongly positioned to be part of the solution to the problems facing our world,” said Governor John Bel Edwards of Louisiana. “In Glasgow, we will have the opportunity to meet people from all over the world, representing different governments, but also corporations and different sectors of the clean energy movement. I want world leaders to know that Louisiana has a workforce that makes essential products that drive the global economy, and a workforce that is ready to make those products but with a greater reduced carbon footprint. We will focus on securing new investments for economic development, job creation and greenhouse gas reductions to navigate through the energy transition and to a better, cleaner future.”
“We can’t outrun or hide from climate change. The time for action is now,” said Governor JB Pritzker of Illinois. “We’re making progress in Illinois: I recently signed comprehensive, equitable, nation-leading climate legislation into law. But we must take the next step together and push for action on the world stage. I’m proud to represent Illinois and the Midwest at COP26 and eager to promote the international action needed to combat the climate crisis.”
“We are in the decade of climate action. Subnational and private sector leadership is essential to decarbonize the global economy and meet the Paris Agreement goals,” said Amy Holm, Executive Director of The Climate Registry. “We are thrilled to host the largest delegation of U.S. states in the history of COP and provide a platform for U.S. leaders to go further, faster together on climate action.”
“It’s been plain and simple for years – we need to address the climate crisis immediately. We’re at a point now, though, where we can’t keep repeating this line for years to come and not follow it with action. The governors and other climate leaders in our delegation have committed to climate action and they are bringing that message and the hope of further collaboration to COP26,” said Craig Ebert, President of the Climate Action Reserve. “This is the largest, most important delegation we’ve hosted, and it’s because more fellow citizens have joined to say we need to address the climate crisis immediately.”
The TCR-Reserve joint delegation is carbon neutral.
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About The Climate Registry and Climate Action Reserve Joint Delegation
The Climate Action Reserve and The Climate Registry have led joint delegations to COP for over a decade, beginning with COP13 in Bali in 2007.
www.copdelegation.org
About The Climate Registry
The Climate Registry (TCR) is a non-profit organization that empowers North American organizations to act on climate change by providing services and tools that help them reduce their emissions. TCR also drives climate action and ambition on the road to net zero by recognizing and showcasing sub-national leadership, and building strategic partnerships with and between national and international entities. TCR is advised by a Council of Jurisdictions that includes representatives from diverse U.S. states and Canadian provinces and territories.
www.theclimateregistry.org
About the Climate Action Reserve
The Climate Action Reserve is an environmental nonprofit organization that promotes and fosters the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through credible market-based policies and solutions. A pioneer in carbon accounting, the Reserve serves as an approved Offset Project Registry (OPR) for the State of California’s Cap-and-Trade Program and also establishes high quality standards for offset projects in the North American voluntary carbon market and operates a transparent, publicly-accessible registry for carbon credits generated under its standards. The Reserve is a private 501(c)3 nonprofit organization headquartered in Los Angeles, California with satellite offices around the U.S.
www.climateactionreserve.org
