Vermont Business Magazine At the Climate Summit of the Americas in Toronto, Governor Peter Shumlin today joined 21 other states and regional governments in signing the first-ever Pan-American action statement on climate change. The Climate Action Statement highlights the urgency of combatting climate change, affirms that state, provincial, and municipal governments are leaders in achieving impactful global climate action, and acknowledges the need to work together to continue reducing greenhouse gas pollution.
“I am proud to join my fellow Governors, mayors, and global community leaders in signing this statement of action on climate change,” Shumlin said. “Good climate policy is good economic policy, and Vermont is leading the way to a cleaner, greener economy as we transform the way we generate energy. We will continue to work with other regional and world leaders to deliver a sustainable future for our children and grandchildren.”
The Climate Action Statement signed today includes commitments to support carbon pricing, ensure public reporting, take action in key sectors, and meet existing greenhouse gas reduction agreements. The statement also calls for greater national action at the United Nations Conference of the Parties in Paris and builds on recent agreements, including the Under 2 Memorandum of Understanding, which Vermont signed in May. That agreement brought together international leaders from 11 other states and provinces, collectively representing more than $4.5 trillion in GDP and 100 million people, in signing that agreement to limit the increase in global average temperature to below 2 degrees Celsius – the warming threshold at which scientists say there will likely be catastrophic climate disruptions.
Vermont has been a leader in combating climate change and finding economic opportunity in charting a cleaner energy future. Since Shumlin took office in 2011, Vermont has increased by ten times the amount of solar installed or permitted, more than doubled the Standard Offer program, expanded net metering more than sevenfold, helped bring down the cost of solar from 30 cents per kilowatt hour to less than 12 cents, and expanded wind generation from 30 megawatts to 119 megawatts. The clean energy economy in Vermont now supports over 15,000 jobs, and Gov. Shumlin recently signed legislation that will add an additional 1,000 jobs.
Signatories include representatives of states and regions from across the Americas, including Brazil, Mexico, the U.S. and Canada. To see the final statement, CLICK HERE. Signers include Ontario, Canada; Quebec, Canada; Vermont, United States; Baja California, Mexico; British Columbia, Canada; California, United States; Connecticut, United States; Jalisco, Mexico; Manitoba, Canada; Newfoundland and Labrador; Northwest Territories, Canada; Para, Brazil; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Washington, United States; City of Burlington, Ontario, Canada; City of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; City of Kitchener, Ontario, Canada; City of Vancouver, Ontario, Canada; Campeche, Mexico; Oregon, United States; San Paolo, Brazil; Yucatan, Mexico; Whitby, Ontario, Canada.
Photo of today’s signing ceremony. Seated at the table, from left to right, are Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard, Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, and Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin. Courtesy of governor's office.