West Coast leaders are stepping up action to combat the climate crisis after the governments of California, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia (Canada) signed a new Statement of Cooperation (SOC) Thursday that recommits the region to the environment.
The partnership promotes collaboration among the four regional governments to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy, invest in climate infrastructure such as electric vehicle charging stations and a clean electricity grid, and protect communities from climate impacts such as drought, wildfires, heat waves and sea level changes.
The SOC includes a primary focus on equity, ensuring that no community is left behind in the transition to a low-carbon future.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed hosted California Governor Gavin Newsom, Oregon Governor Kate Brown, Washington Governor Jay Inslee and British Columbia Premier John Horgan for the signing of the Pacific Coast Declaration of Cooperation and Collaboration at Presidio Tunnel Tops in San Francisco.
Thus, leaders from the four jurisdictions, each with their own ambitious climate agendas, came together to continue to strengthen regional approaches and connections to help move essential climate work forward as quickly as possible.
"In California, we punch above our weight when it comes to climate action, but our actions can only do so much without the rest of the world by our side. The Pacific Rim is raising the bar to address the climate crisis while ensuring that all communities are included in our efforts. The West will continue to lead the way to a carbon-free future that supports our economy, our people and our planet," said Governor Newsom.
At the time, Oregon Governor Kate Brown detailed that "the West Coast is united as we lead the way to a clean energy future that helps our entire region and economies thrive."
He said that Oregon has set ambitious goals to achieve 100 percent clean energy sources, reduce carbon emissions and address climate change in a comprehensive manner.
"We are committed to addressing the impacts of climate change while meeting the needs of our most vulnerable communities. Together, we are demonstrating that it is possible to address climate change and create good-paying jobs at the same time, as we move toward a stronger, cleaner and more equitable future," he stressed.
For Washington Governor Jay Inslee, this new agreement reaffirms commitments to decarbonize economies "at a time when the consequences of victory or defeat in this effort have never been more acute."
"Our partnerships speak to how diverse and interconnected the green energy economy has already become. We know where it goes from here: toward a cleaner, cheaper and more efficient energy economy that at the same time avoids climate calamity. Together we will invest in an equitable transition to a cleaner future, build the climate infrastructure we need, and protect our communities from climate-driven wildfires, droughts, heat and floods," he said.
Premier Horgan of British Columbia, Canada, recalled that the Pacific coast of North America has been on the front lines of the climate crisis, experiencing its most devastating impacts and leading the world in developing solutions to reduce carbon pollution.
"By signing this declaration of cooperation, we are building on our strengths as leaders in climate action and positioning ourselves for success in a clean energy economy. Working together, we are charting a path to a cleaner, stronger future with good jobs and opportunities for people on both sides of the border," he noted.
The declaration signed Thursday includes support for an equitable and just transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient future, emphasizing investments in overburdened communities, as well as investment in climate infrastructure, such as electric vehicle charging stations, green ports and a clean and reliable power grid throughout the region.
It also seeks to protect communities and natural and working lands from forest fires, droughts, heat waves, ocean acidification and floods.
The Pacific coast of North America represents a prosperous region of 57 million people with a combined GDP of $3.5 trillion.
Thus, through the Pacific Coast Collaborative, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, California and the cities of Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Oakland and Los Angeles will work together to build the low-carbon economy of the future and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80 percent by 2050.
Last month, California enacted some of the nation's most aggressive climate action in history when Governor Newsom signed a sweeping package of legislation to reduce pollution, protect Californians from big polluters and accelerate the state's transition to clean energy, an essential piece of California's Climate California, a commitment that marked a record $54 billion investment in climate action.
This year, California has signed Memoranda of Cooperation with Canada, New Zealand and Japan, as well as Memoranda of Understanding with China and the Netherlands to address the climate crisis.
Last year, Governor Newsom and 24 governors of the bipartisan U.S. Climate Alliance pledged to collectively achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
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