Regions are an essential element in the implementation of climate policies

Paris, Ile-de-France (F), 15 October 2009

After Climate Week in New York, the Governors’ Summit in Los Angeles and less than two months before the Copenhagen conference, the French region of Ile-de-France is joining the mobilisation of regions for the recognition of their and federated states’ role in the fight against climate change in Copenhagen, together with Québec (CDN), Manitoba (CDN), Catalunya (E), California (USA), and Bretagne (F), among others.  

Today, Jean Paul HUCHON, President of the Ile-de-France region, signed its accession to the UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) programme “towards carbon neutral and climate change resilient territories”, which reinforces the capacities of regions in developing and emerging countries to formulate and implement their Integrated Territorial Climate Plan.

Mr Huchon was accompanied by Michèle SABBAN, President of the Assembly of European Regions (AER) and vice president of the Ile-de-France region. Ile-de-France, one of AER’s member regions, thus reacted to the call launched in March 2009 by AER and UNDP, who together signed the common declaration “Regional Responses to Climate Change”.

Mr Huchon also officially allied Ile-de-France to the activities of The Climate Group, an independent not for profit organisation founded in 2004 to accelerate the international action against climate change. The Climate Group, which has established an international alliance of States and Regions, is working with a growing number of sub-national governments such as Ile-de-France, whose economies are globally significant in their own right and who are leading on climate change.  The exchange of knowledge and technology across states and regions seeks to advance practical policy development on climate change and act as a compelling model for their national counterparts.

What the participants said:

Michèle SABBAN: "I am proud that my region, Ile-de-France, has signed today these agreements with the UNDP and the Climate Group. I was personally dedicated to the fight against climate change since my election as President of AER, and I hope that each of the AER 270 member regions will soon sign such an agreement."

Jean Paul HUCHON: "Thanks to these agreements signed today with UNDP and the Climate Group, the Ile-de-France region asserts itself as one of the major regions which work in favour of a green energy at European and global levels. I hope that cooperation with AER and the other community networks and intergovernmental agencies engaged in the fight against climate change will continue in the following months." 

Cécile MOLINIER, Director of the UNDP Office in Geneva: "The Ile-de-France region is leading AER, it is therefore in a position of responsibility to demonstrate best practice. Furthermore, the region is the biggest in France and is at the heart of the debate centred around sustainable and low carbon development and the promotion of a green economy. The region Ile-de-France has a visionary and pioneering approach to decentralised cooperation with developing countries. We hope that our partnership with Ile-de-France will serve as an example and a reference point to encourage more regions in Europe to establish partnerships with regions in developing countries to support their efforts to reduce poverty." 

Luc BAS, Head of Government Relations Europe, The Climate Group: "The Climate Group is working internationally with government and business leaders to advance smart policies and technologies to cut global emissions and accelerate a low carbon economy. TCG welcomes Ile-de-France as its first French regional member and looks forward to close partnership with a region which is already showing a commitment to lead on climate change solutions."

Context:

The partnership between UNDP, UNEP and regional associations started in October 2008, on the occasion of the first world regional summit on climate change (www.worldsummitofregions.org). The network is presently able to mobilise 1000 regions in the world and is promoting the UN programme.

Read the AER/UNDP common declaration “Regional answers to climate change”:

http://www.aer.eu/en/events/regional-development/2009/limousin.html

This project is strengthening AER activities in the field of climate change and sustainable development. Aware that regional authorities are an indispensable governance level for mitigating and adapting to climate change, AER puts the climate stakes at the heart of international action, thereby preparing regions for serious economic, social and environmental changes.

In order to tackle more effectively the challenges posed by climate change and carry weight in the preliminary talks before the Copenhagen conference in December, AER also rallied the Climate Group actions:

 “Local government leaders gather in New York to meet UN Secretary General and raise awareness on their support to the Long Term Cooperative Action”: http://www.aer.eu/en/news/2009/2009092201.html

 “On the road to Copenhagen… North American and European Regions Unite in Climate Change Fight”: http://www.aer.eu/en/news/2009/2009062601.html 

AER Press contact:

Francine Huhardeaux, Press and Communications Officer, f.huhardeaux@aer.eu - Tel./Fax: +33 388 22 74 49

The Assembly of European Regions (AER.eu) is the largest independent network of regions in wider Europe. Bringing together more than 270 regions from 33 countries and 16 interregional organisations, AER is the political voice of its members and a forum for interregional co-operation.

About The Climate Group - The Climate Group (www.theclimategroup.org) is an independent, not-for-profit organisation working internationally with government and business leaders to advance smart policies and technologies to cut global emissions and accelerate a low carbon economy.  Its global coalition of companies, states, regions and cities around the world recognise the economic and environmental imperatives of taking decisive action now. The Climate Group was founded in 2004 and has operations in Australia, China, Europe, India and North America.