Sweden, Canada and Mexico join Under2 Coalition

– As rising oceans inundate coastlines across our planet, Sweden joins hundreds of leaders from around the world who are forthrightly attacking the increasing threat of climate change, said State of California Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr.

The agreement was signed during a meeting in California April 19 between Governor Brown and Isabella Lövin, Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation and Climate, and Deputy Prime Minister. A number of representatives from California and Sweden joined the meeting, including Ambassador of Sweden to the United States Björn Lyrvall.

– There has never been a greater need for international cooperation on climate. Sweden and California will push for higher global ambition on climate change and will work individually and together to draw more international attention to the actions and ambitious reduction goals that are needed said Minister Lövin.

Governor Brown and Minister Lövin also signed a Letter of Cooperation (LoC) to support Under2 Coalition members in sharing best practices to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and promote renewable energy development.

Canada and Mexico also join

The following day on April 20, Governor Brown welcomed America’s closest neighbours, Canada and Mexico to the growing Under2 Coalition. The announcement followed meetings with Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change Catherine McKenna and Mexico’s Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Undersecretary Rodolfo Lacy.

These meetings were held in conjunction with the American Carbon World conference in San Francisco, hosted by Climate Action Reserve.

– The governments in the Under2 coalition, like California, are leading the fight against climate change. They know that investing in clean growth will help all members reach their ambitious climate change goals and grow their countries’ economies. I applaud their leadership in reducing emissions and supporting clean innovation. Canada is proud to endorse their actions today, said Minister McKenna.

Minister McKenna and Governor Brown also discussed the strong economic and environmental partnerships between California and Canada’s provinces and cities and the close trade ties Canada shares with America and California, the country is California’s second largest trading partner.

– In Mexico, the short, medium and long-term strategies are carried out in congruence with the National Programs and based on the General Law of Climate Change with regard to the implementation of public policies through the National System of Climate Change, in which the participation of state and municipal governments plays a fundamental role in the achievement of objectives and goals. Those actions also contribute to the commitments made by our country in international fora, particularly within the framework of the UNFCCC, said Undersecretary Lacy.

With Sweden, Canada, and Mexico’s endorsements, the Under2 Coalition now includes 170 jurisdictions on six continents that collectively represent more than 1.18 billion people and US$27.5 trillion GDP – equivalent to 16 percent of the global population and 37 percent of the global economy.

– The Under2 Coalition provides an unprecedented opportunity for jurisdictions from all over the world to come together and scale up innovative policy solutions to tackle climate change. We welcome the endorsements of Sweden, Mexico, and Canada to the coalition, which is an invaluable tool to position them at the forefront of driving sustainable and prosperous economies, said Helen Clarkson, Chief Executive Officer, The Climate Group, an international non-profit that is serving as Secretariat for the Under2 Coalition.