April 22

Twenty of the nation´s governors have signed a declaration committing their states to addressing global climate change.

They made public the declaration April 18 at the 2008 Conference on Climate Change, at Yale University in New Haven, Conn.

"It is now time for unified action and today my fellow governors and I memorialized our commitment to stop global warming while calling on our federal partners to join us in establishing a national policy on climate change," said Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell, who presided over the signing announcement.

Gov. Rell was joined at the signing by Govs. Jon Corzine of New Jersey and Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas. In addition, the governors of Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, Virginia and Washington have signed the declaration.

The modern environmental movement must shift from being powered by guilt to being powered by a more positive attitude toward change and opportunity, said California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who delivered the keynote address.

"In California, we´re doing everything we can to change the balance of power on the environment," Schwarzenegger said. "What we´re doing is not waiting for Washington. We are applying leverage by setting tough environmental standards -- like our laws to cut greenhouse gas emissions and transform to renewable fuels -- so at some point the whole environment movement shifts."

California plans on developing an "environmental economy," he said.

In addition to recommitting states to addressing climate change, the declaration signed by the governors sets forth key principles, including the belief that establishing a federal-state partnership is critical to success, with all levels of government offering support for innovation and development of green technology.

In addition, the federal government must offer incentives for states to provide leadership on climate action, according to the states. Financial incentives could come through federal energy, transportation and agriculture programs as well as from auction revenue derived from a federal cap and trade program, according to the governors.

Earthjustice, an environmental advocacy group, praised the governor´s for taking action to combat global climate change. The states are providing leadership in an area where the federal government is failing to provide it, said Earthjustice President Trip Van Noppen.

E-mail Waste News senior reporter Bruce Geiselman at bgeiselman@crain.com

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