U.S. STATES, CANADIAN PROVINCE SIGN CLIMATE ACTION PLAN

Karen Frantz
GHG Monitor
11/01/2013

California, Washington, Oregon and the Canadian province of British Columbia pledged to work together this week to account for the costs of carbon and back efforts to limit greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. The four signed the “Pacific Coast Action Plan,” which is intended to align climate policies in the region.  Under the plan, the jurisdictions agreed to harmonize their 2050 greenhouse gas emission targets in line with reductions scientists have said must be met to stabilize the climate, and California and British Columbia would keep their current carbon pricing programs while Oregon agreed to set its own price and Washington to set binding limits on CO2 emissions. In addition, the jurisdictions said they would support the Environmental Protection Agency’s movement to set emission limits for power plants “and emphasize the importance of allowing state flexibility to design ambitious reduction programs within this regulation.”

The action plan was signed by governors Edmund Brown of California, John Kitzhaber of Oregon and Jay Inslee of Washington, and British Columbia’s Premier Christy Clark. “Energy is the issue of our time—both globally and here in Oregon—and no single issue will have a greater impact on our state’s economy, environment and quality of life in the coming decade,” said Kitzhaber. "The central question is whether we will shape our energy future through intentional investment and development, or whether it will shape us.” Clark added, “By supplying cleaner energy and associated technologies to help others reduce their emissions while growing the economy and creating jobs at home, our generation has an opportunity to lead on the world stage.”