In a signing ceremony yesterday in Sacramento, California Gov. Jerry Brown and 11 other international leaders adopted the ‘Under 2 MOU’, a joint memorandum of understanding to hold average global warming below 2ºC.
The 12 jurisdictions represent more than $4.5 trillion in GDP and 100 million people. They include Acre, Brazil; Baden-Württemberg, Germany; Baja California, Mexico; British Columbia; California; Catalonia, Spain; Jalisco, Mexico; Ontario; Oregon; Vermont; Wales; and Washington State.
“Under today’s agreement, the signatories commit to either reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80 to 95% below 1990 levels by 2050 or achieve a per capita annual emission target of less than two metric tons by 2050,” Brown’s office reported yesterday. “These targets allow each individual government to tailor emission reduction plans to fit regional needs.”
The jurisdictions agreed to set mid-term targets to support longer-term GHG reduction goals, share technologies and best practices to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy, expand the use of zero-emission vehicles, ensure consistent GHG monitoring and reporting, reduce short-lived climate pollutants like methane and black carbon, and assess the projected impact of climate change on communities.
“The agreement’s signatories have also committed to recruiting additional global partners ahead of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris this December,” Brown’s office noted. “Other governments have already indicated an interest in signing onto the agreement in the months ahead.” (h/t to Clean Energy Canada for pointing us to this story)
