Oregon and Other Western Climate Initiative Members Set Regional Target to Reduce Greenhouse Gases
Oregon and five states and two Canadian provinces agree to reduce emissions by 15 percent below 2005 levels by 2020
Salem– Oregon and the other seven members of the Western Climate Initiative (WCI) today announced the establishment of a regional goal to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the West to 15 percent below 2005 levels by 2020.
“The WCI is leading the way for North America in adopting real measures and programs to combat global warming and to secure economic and environmental opportunity,” Governor Kulongoski said. “I am pleased that my fellow governors and premiers have agreed upon a regional goal in the time frame we decided upon. This step sets the stage for the crucial work of developing a regional design for a cap and trade program in the coming year.”
In February of this year, Governor Kulongoski was instrumental in forming the WCI with his fellow governors of Arizona, California, New Mexico and Washington. The WCI established a long-term commitment to significantly reduce regional GHG emissions thus lowering the risk of dangerous threats to the climate. Since February the state of Utah and the Canadian provinces of British Columbia and Manitoba also have joined the WCI.
As part of this commitment, members of the WCI agreed to establish a Western regional GHG reduction goal by the end of August 2007 and design a multi-sector market-based mechanism, such as a load-based cap-and-trade program, by the end of August 2008 to help reach the goal. Each member will also participate in a multi-state GHG emissions registry.
The regional goal reflects the combined impact of the individual GHG emissions goals that each WCI member has already set for itself and does not replace the members’ individual goals. WCI members will use the regional goal in the design of the multi-sector market-based mechanism and to meet the August 2008 deadline.
This step is another of a growing list of aggressive policies to combat global warming under Governor Kulongoski’s leadership. Oregon was the first of the WCI members to establish state specific GHG emissions goals in early 2005. Oregon’s goals are to arrest the increase of emissions by 2010; reduce emissions to 10 percent below 1990 levels by 2020; and reduce emissions to 75 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. The Oregon Legislature codified the GHG emissions goals in statute this year.
Other efforts Governor Kulongoski has initiated to combat global warming include:
- Convening a statewide Global Warming Advisory Group.
- Implementation of a clean cars program for state vehicles.
- Directing state agencies to use 100 percent renewable electricity by 2010.
- Adoption of a renewable energy standard requiring 25 percent of Oregon’s electricity to come from renewable sources by 2025.
- Adoption of a renewable fuels standard.
- Creation of a State Climate Research Institute.
More information about the WCI, go to: www.westernclimateinitiative.org.
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Contact:
Anna Richter Taylor: 503.378.6169
Rem Nivens: 503.378.6496
Kristina Edmunson: 503.378.5040
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