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08 December, 2015

COP21: Gov. Schwarzenegger Addresses The Negotiators

re-posted from Press Release
December 7, 2015

COP21: Schwarzenegger addresses the UN climate deal negotiators
 
Monday December 7, 2015. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger addressed the negotiators today at the UNFCCC Paris Climate Conference during a session on cities and regional climate action. Schwarzenegger, an ardent advocate for the empowerment of subnational governments in tackling climate change, emphasized the crucial role that cities and regions play in advancing the low-carbon economy.
 
"No matter what you (negotiators) do, do not forget the power of subnational governments. 70 percent of emissions can be controlled with state and local policies. Cities and states hold tremendous power and we must never forget it," said Mr. Schwarzenegger.
 
Recognizing subnational action in the climate deal will ensure that local governments are given the support they need to implement their climate change mitigation plans, and that national emissions targets are met. According to Scaling Up: Local to Global Climate Action, a new report released at COP21:

"Rajasthan's installed solar capacity is the largest among all the states in India, accounting for more than one-quarter of the country's total. If Rajasthan's rate of solar energy expansion were scaled to the national level, India's carbon dioxide emissions would decrease by approximately 19 percent of the nation's total carbon dioxide emissions in 2012."

Saturday 5 December, 2015. Paris. R20 has signed an agreement with the international consulting and engineering firm, Egis, a branch of the Caisse des Depots, to create a Pre-Investment Fund (PIF) for waste management projects. The Fund will support the different actors of sustainable waste management (national and local governments, industry and investors) in their decision-making processes necessary to implementing infrastructure projects. 

The signing took place in the presence of Christophe Nuttall, Executive Director of R20; Terry Tammimen, Strategic Advisor to the R20; Pierre-René Lemas, CEO of Caisse des Dépôts; Nicolas Jachiet, CEO of Egis; and Craig Cogut, CEO of Pegasus Capital Advisors (a US-based private equity firm). In parallel with the COP 21 agreement, this partnership focuses on developing "Waste to Energy" projects in emerging countries. The pre-investment funds will enable Egis and R20 to bring to maturity the waste management market in emerging and developing countries. Read more. 



Schwarzenegger talks climate communications at Sciences Po
 
Monday December 7, 2015. In a bold address to the faculty and students of Sciences Po, France's leading political science institute, Gov. Schwarzenegger called on climate communicators to shift awareness raising efforts away from spelling future doomsday scenarios, to present-day dangers that are affecting humanity now.
 
"We are wired through thousands of years of evolution to focus on the here and now on survival. Our over-use of fossil fuels impacts us right now. The fumes from dirty energy are killing us. We cannot accept 7 million premature deaths every year with a clear conscience.
 
We want to be cutting edge. We know that a green economy is a growing and smart economy. That's the story we have to tell," stated Mr Schwarzenegger.

R20 holds General Assembly meeting 

Monday December 7, 2015. R20 held its Governing Board and General Assembly meetings at its new R20 Paris office in Champs Elysees.  The meetings, presided by R20 President Michele Sabban, gathered over 30 R20 members and partners coming from regions around the world. 

The Governing Board and General Assembly members unanimously re-elected Michele Sabban as President of R20.

R20 Executive Director Christophe Nuttall used these examples to demonstrate R20's successful business model over the past 3 years of bringing together decision makers, technical expertise, financial partners and investors, thereby enabling the deployment of projects on the ground.  In particular, Dr. Nuttall highlighted R20's ability to leverage millions of dollars for investments in projects, first by using seed funding to build Pre-Investment Facilities, which in turn provide funding for project development, and then by attracting the appropriate investments to implement the projects. Over the next 5 years, R20 will harness its resources to scale up the projects through its Green Investment Accelerator Fund, that will deploy billions of US dollars in investments. Read more.

R20 signs agreement with Feilo for 1 billion LEDs

A new agreement was signed between Ms.Sabban and Ms. Linyu Wang, President of Hawaii LED LLC, representing Feilo Acoustics Ltd, to establish a R20 Pre-Investment Facility for the installation of one billion LED streetlights in hundreds of cities across the world.

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R20 Regions of Climate Action | 48 Chemin du Grand Montfleury | Versoix | CA | 1290 | Switzerland

05 December, 2015

COP21: Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger Reveals 2 Global Reports

reprint of press release
posted by Paige Donner





COP21: Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will reveal two global reports
  • Nine Global Actions That Dramatically Cut Carbon Emissions
  • Climate Finance Action Plan That Shows How to Replicate These Successes Around the World
Paris, 5 December 2015 - R20 Founder and former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Yale University, and the Stanley Foundation, in collaboration with the R20 and USC Schwarzenegger Institute, released "Scaling Up: From Local to Global Climate Action."

This report confirms that sub-national action on climate change is in many ways surpassing national efforts in scope and ambition. The report uses case studies from nine regions around the world to highlight initiatives that, if adopted nationally, would contribute significantly to, or even surpass, country-level mitigation goals. 
The highlighted initiatives have the potential to raise national ambition; spur additional mitigation, adaptation, and climate financing; and inject an emphasis on solutions-directed efforts into the public dialogue on climate change.

From California to Rajasthan, India, these case studies reveal a range of local partnerships that exhibit strong climate leadership.
"I have always said that our states, provinces, and cities are where the action is. We proved it in California and many of our policies have been adopted by our federal government. This report proves the value of sub-national governments all over the world taking action and not waiting for their national leaders or international institutions to help us solve the world's most pressing challenge - - climate change," declares Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
In concert with this report, the R20 and the USC Schwarzenegger institute also released "Climate Finance: A Status Report and Action Plan" which gives tangible, concrete examples of how to expedite the transition to a low-carbon economy based on proven technologies and projects all over the world, such as those described in "Scaling Up".
Drafted at the request of French President Francois Hollande, who identified climate finance as critical to the negotiations at COP21, the report offers a comprehensive road map to effectively tackle climate finance challenges. The report gives examples of supportive governments in various regions around the world (at the sub-national and national level); mature low-carbon technologies; and substantial amounts of capital, but also points out that intermediaries are needed to align interests and develop projects.The Report concludes by proposing concrete solutions moving forward and will also serve as the basis for implementation of climate finance solutions post COP21.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Founding Chair of the R20 and Chairman of the USC Schwarzenegger Institute, will participate in a number of COP21 events to draw attention to these two papers and continue his longstanding commitment in addressing climate change and protecting the environment. Schwarzenegger will highlight the important role that sub-national leadership is providing in reducing carbon emissions and will stress the need to accelerate the action being created at the local level.  
On Saturday December 5th, Schwarzenegger will give a key note speech to the Inter-Parliamentary Union where he will formally announce the reports and will present copies to French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon. 
Two days later, on December 7th, Schwarzenegger will speak to the students and faculty of Sciences Po University about the long-term nature of the climate change challenge and the important role future generations of leaders will play in addressing it.  
On December 8th Schwarzenegger will deliver remarks to the official UN negotiating body that is working to formally integrate subnational actions into the UNFCCC negotiations for the first time in history. He will highlight how much progress sub-nationals have made to support the reasoning for this new officially sanctioned approach.

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About R20
R20 Regions of Climate Action is a non-profit organization founded by Arnold Schwarzenegger and other global leaders in cooperation with the United Nations.

Our mission is to help sub-national governments around the world to develop and communicate low-carbon and climate resilient economic development projects. We do so by working in three primary aspects of development: policy, technology, and finance. www.regions20.org
About the USC Schwarzenegger Institute
The USC Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy is committed to advancing post-partisanship, where leaders put people over political parties and work together to find the best ideas and solutions to benefit the people they serve. The Institute seeks to influence public policy and public debate in finding solutions to the serious challenges we face.While the Institute engages on a variety of critical policy areas, a primary focus is climate change, which reflects Governor Schwarzenegger's leadership on the issue and it being one of the defining challenges of our generation. www.schwarzeneggerinstitute.com
About the Stanley Foundation
The Stanley Foundation advances multilateral action to create fair, just, and lasting solutions to critical issues of peace and security. The foundation's work is built on a belief that greater international cooperation will improve global governance and enhance global citizenship. The organization values its Midwestern roots and family heritage as well as its role as a nonpartisan, private operating foundation. The Stanley Foundation does not make grants. www.stanleyfoundation.org.
About Yale University
Since its founding in 1701, Yale has been dedicated to expanding and sharing knowledge, inspiring innovation, and preserving cultural and scientific information for future generations.
Yale's reach is both local and international. It partners with its hometown of New Haven, Connecticut to strengthen the city's community and economy. And it engages with people and institutions across the globe in the quest to promote cultural understanding, improve the human condition, delve more deeply into the secrets of the universe, and train the next generation of world leaders. www.yale.edu





R20 Regions of Climate Action | 48 Chemin du Grand Montfleury | Geneva | CA | 1290 | Switzerland