The Copenhagen conference occurred during the final days of my fall semester. Then came the holiday break and several paper deadlines. Hence, I’ve been quiet here. Sorry about that.
This past week, however, I participated in a campus “Teach-In” on climate change. I offered an international perspective and covered many points familiar to readers of this blog.
Additionally, I found a way to mention California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s R20 initiative:
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and subnational leaders from Canada, Nigeria, France and Algeria today announced they have agreed to advance the concept of a new regional coalition to fast track the results of the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference and push their respective national governments into more rapid actions and stronger commitments to fight climate change. These founding members will develop the coalition’s principles, formulate a shared vision of global security and prosperity and recruit other subnational members for an official launch of the Club of 20 Regions (R20) next September. The R20 coalition is an extension of the Global Climate Solutions Declaration signed at Governor Schwarzenegger’s Governors’ Global Climate Summit 2in October.
I don’t know a lot about the R20, but Mark Hertsgaard of The Nation thinks it could be promising:
Hundreds of local and regional governments have also implemented ambitious green energy programs ahead of federal policy. A pioneer of this effort, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced in Copenhagen the formation of the R-20 Group–twenty regions around the world that will “set high standards for cutting carbon and creating green economies, then invite others to join them,” in the words of Terry Tamminen, the governor’s former environment adviser. Tamminen argues that the work of the R-20, along with improvements in national government policies, will end up putting a price on carbon by 2012. That would be transformational, leading corporations, governments and citizens to shift their economic behavior in climate-friendly ways.
More soon, I promise.
Further Reading on E-International Relations
- Is Climate Change a Threat Multiplier? R2P and Environmental Disasters
- Opinion – Can the US and UK Further R2P’s Evolution?
- Opinion – Post-COVID-19 Climate Change Politics
- Opinion – US Carbon Border Mechanism in the Twilight Zone
- With Great Power Comes Great Climate Responsibility
- Opinion – Scotland: Host of COP26 but Divided on Its Role in the World
