PREMIER WELCOMES INTERNATIONAL CLIMATE ACTION PARTNERS

VANCOUVER – Western Climate Initiative (WCI) representatives from the six participating U.S. states and two Canadian provinces are meeting in Vancouver for three days to complete work on a regional greenhouse gas reduction goal and continue work on a cross-border carbon cap and trade system, Premier Gordon Campbell announced today.

“We are committed to creating a single common standard for measuring greenhouse gas emissions and for registering and trading carbon offsets that reflects true market value,” said Premier Campbell. “Through this initiative, we will create a common goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and develop a multi-sector mechanism to help meet that regional target as well as individual targets. This international approach will reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the region and stimulate innovation and job creation.”

“The WCI will reduce greenhouse gases through a collaborative approach that will ultimately lead to further actions being taken by governments, industry and individuals,” said Environment Minister Barry Penner. “We are committed to creating a co-ordinated, integrated, market-based approach to meet our targets and we will work with our partners to develop a sensible, efficient system for registering, trading and purchasing carbon offsets and carbon credits.”

Since announcing its goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 33 per cent below current levels by 2020 in February, a target that will place emissions 10 per cent under 1990 levels, British Columbia has also signed Memorandums of Understanding with California and Washington State on climate change and Pacific Ocean conservation.

The purpose of the Western Climate Initiative is to identify, evaluate and implement ways to collectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the region and to achieve related co-benefits. The initiative requires partners to set an overall regional goal to reduce emissions, develop a market-based, multi-sector mechanism to help achieve that goal, and participate in a cross-border greenhouse gas (GHG) registry. WCI jurisdictions have also committed to adopt California clean tailpipe standards for vehicles.

Later this month, the WCI will announce regional greenhouse reduction goals for 2020 and 2050. By next year – August 2008 – the WCI will complete the design for a regional market-based multi-sector mechanism, such as a load-based cap and trade program.

British Columbia was the first province to join Arizona, California, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington in the Western Climate Initiative, on April 24, making it an international effort. Utah joined in May, and Manitoba in June. Premier Campbell will be encouraging other provinces to join the WCI in an effort to expand a carbon trading market and further reduce GHG emissions across the continent.

“California is thrilled to be among the eight states and provinces working together to fight global warming,” said Michael Gibbs, assistant secretary for climate change at California’s Environmental Protection Agency. “No one state or province can do this alone, and we recognize the importance of working co-operatively and collaboratively to take real and immediate action.”

WCI participants are all members of the Climate Registry, a new cross-border GHG registry that was launched in June with 34 states, and two provincial and three tribal members. B.C. and Manitoba are the first Canadian provinces to join the Climate Registry. Announced in May, the Climate Registry is the largest co-operative effort in North America on climate change. B.C. announced its intention to join the Registry May 8.

Thirty-four states, representing over 70 percent of the U.S. population, are currently charter members. The goal of the Registry is to act as a mechanism for measuring, tracking, verifying and publicly reporting greenhouse gas emissions accurately, transparently and consistently across borders and industry sectors. This is seen as a critical first step in developing robust programs to reduce emissions across the U.S. and North America.

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Media contact:	Mike Morton Press Secretary Office of the Premier 250 213-8218	Dan Gilmore Communications Manager Ministry of Environment 250 356-0202

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