Schwarzenegger Continues to Push Climate Change

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who will shortly be leaving political office, has taken another step to build climate change awareness and action with the launch of the Regions Of Climate Change Action group or the R-20.

The LA Times reports that using the C-40 cities initiative as a model, the vision for R-20 is to have sub-national leaders "share information on how to inventory and reduce greenhouse gases, and how to develop energy efficient building codes, mass transit and electric vehicle charging stations."

The signing ceremony was anticipated to draw over 100 state and provincial leaders from around the world.  However, only 25 states and provinces from around the globe were represented at the ceremony.  Wisconsin, Oregon, Michigan and Washington are the only U.S. states that joined R-20, and no provinces from China, the world's biggest carbon emitter, agreed to support the effort.

Schwarzenegger has been highly critical of the U.S. federal government's lack of action on climate and energy policy, as well as the international community's failure to enact legal measures to restrict carbon emissions. With the forming of this action group, he continues to by-pass the big wheels of government while pushing for real climate change movements now.

"The sub-nationals should do their work. The green revolution is moving forward full speed ahead without the international agreement," said Schwarzenegger.

Image Credit: BloomEnergy via Flickr