British Columbia and Oregon extended their formal partnership on climate action and Pacific Ocean conservation with an agreement that will result in new opportunities for collaboration between the two jurisdictions.
October 23, 2007
Vancouver – British Columbia and Oregon extended their formal partnership on climate action and Pacific Ocean conservation today with an agreement that will result in new opportunities for collaboration between the two jurisdictions, Premier Gordon Campbell and Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski announced.
“Oregon was one of the first states to take decisive action on climate change, and the work Governor Kulongoski started has developed into the Western Climate Initiative and other important initiatives that are making a difference to the health of our climate and our oceans,” Campbell said. “Today’s agreement is a further step in forging the Pacific Coast Collaborative, and affirms the partnership between B.C. and Oregon.”
The Memorandum of Understanding on Pacific Coast Collaboration to Protect our Shared Climate and Ocean commits B.C. and Oregon to work together to cap and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and collaborate on the innovation and implementation of clean technologies.
“Premier Campbell has shown that he is a true leader when it comes to climate change and caring about our environment,” said Kulongoski. “Because of that leadership, we are building a stronger partnership between Oregon and British Columbia and a better future for Oregonians and British Columbians.”
Among the measures in the agreement, B.C. and Oregon will:
- Promote collaboration on fuel cell technology and explore extending the Hydrogen Highway so that, by 2010, a hydrogen-powered vehicle may be able to travel and refuel from British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to California;
- Share research and information gathered through existing and expanding ocean observation systems;
- Co-operate on environmental protection at our ports to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality; and
- Investigate using an integrated ecosystems marketplace to create economic opportunities and incentives to sustain our natural environments and the range of services they provide.
- The agreement also provides for action on Pacific Ocean conservation, such as sharing information about coastal and ocean resources and collaborating to decrease pollution and to respond effectively to oil spills.
Since May 2007, the Province has signed similar agreements with California and Washington, with the goal of bringing Pacific Coast governors together to forge a new Pacific Coast Collaborative that establishes a framework for leadership and co-operative action on additional areas of mutual interest and benefit for the Pacific coast region.