Press Releases
09/15/2015
Gov. Malloy Joins Officials Nationwide in Committing to Support National Climate Efforts
(HARTFORD, CT) - Participating in the first-ever "U.S.-China Climate Leaders Summit" at the invitation of the White House, Governor Dannel P. Malloy today reaffirmed Connecticut's commitment to reducing harmful carbon emissions linked to climate change in a manner that builds the state's economy and creates jobs for the future. The Governor signed a declaration to commit to action and to meet specific emission reductions targets.
"When it comes to climate change, in Connecticut we've been dedicated to tackling this issue, and committed to constant innovation because of the ramifications of inaction. We are taking aggressive action to combat climate change, with never-before-launched initiatives like our Green Bank. It's not just important for the environment - it builds on our efforts to create good-paying jobs and support an advanced energy economy. That's why, in addition to the significant steps we've already taken, we've committed to reducing carbon emissions 80 percent below 2001 levels by 2050," Governor Malloy said. "We will accomplish our goals with a continued focus on reduced emissions from power plants, through our participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, lowering demand for power through energy efficiency, stepped-up deployment of renewable energy resources, and by promoting alternative vehicles and alternative fuels to move us away from gas-powered cars in the transportation sector. This is a complex issue that requires a multifaceted response-and we're taking those important steps in Connecticut."
The "U.S.-China Climate Leaders Summit," taking place in Los Angeles, California, today and tomorrow, was organized to help fulfill goals announced last November in the U.S.-China Joint Announcement on Climate Change signed by Presidents Obama and Xi. The summit brings together state and local leaders - and their Chinese counterparts - to discuss steps they can take to help their nations achieve climate goals.
The summit features several outcomes, including a U.S. - China Climate Leaders Declaration signed by a diverse set of U.S. cities and states, including Connecticut. The declaration is the first of its kind between multiple community leaders from the United States and China to take parallel steps to address climate change at the state and local level.
In signing the declaration on behalf of Connecticut, Governor Malloy said, "President Obama's initiatives to address climate change at a national level are critical to ensuring that the entire nation is on course to reduce harmful carbon pollution. At the same time, state and local governments are playing a leadership role in demonstrating effective approaches to address our climate emergency. We've been doing exactly that in Connecticut - and we have already achieved a 2020 goal of reducing emissions 10 percent below 1990 levels. We are also demonstrating that climate action and economic progress are compatible - we have achieved this emissions reduction while seeing population growth of nine percent, and overall economic growth of 41 percent."
**On the Web: Fact sheet on the U.S.-China Climate Leaders Summit
**Download: U.S.-China Climate Leaders' Declaration
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