Subject: Climate Summit Nov. 18-19
From: "Carol Browner" <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked], "Stern, Todd" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 29 Oct 2008 13:15:05 -0400

As you may know Terry Tamminen is organizing "The Governors' climate
summit" for Nov 18-19 in LA.  He appears to have rounded up some
interesting folks.  US governors, China, India folks.  See below

 

This is what Terry  is asking for

We suggest that the Senator could participate on either the 18th or 19th
in any of the following ways, pending his busy schedule:

*                      attend in person and address the Summit;

*                      address the Summit live via satellite;

*                      provide a brief videotaped message of support;

*                      send an official representative to address the
Summit.

 

I recommended that sooner rather than later we have to set  Terry's
expectations accordingly.   I

f the ultimate decision is to have OB  more "out" there perhaps  a video
tape that includes statement on Posnan/post Kyoto could make sense.  The
event will obviously provide an opportunity to demonstrate
"bi-partisanship" on the issue.  

Thoughts?  

****

 

October 28, 2008

TO:                  Carol Browner

FROM:           Terry Tamminen ([email-masked]
<mailto:[email-masked]>  cell 310-308-3356)

RE:                 Governors' Global Climate Summit (November 18-19 in
Los Angeles)

cc                    Mary Nichols; Dan Carol

At the suggestion of Dan Carol, I have drafted this short summary of an
opportunity for Senator Obama to participate in an important global
climate summit. We hope you will help us recommend Senator Obama's
participation in the event (I mentioned the opportunity to him briefly
in July).

BACKGROUND

33 states have now drafted climate action plans; 12 have passed them
into law; 25 are committed to participate in one of three regional
cap-trade systems. Governors of both parties from these states are
working together to synchronize their actions and influence any future
federal climate program in constructive ways. 

As a part of that effort, many of them met at Yale last April to
publicize these efforts; build more bi-partisan momentum for state
actions; and 24 of them signed a Declaration to the federal government
with recommendations for a federal plan that builds on this progress
(they were also joined by 4 Canadian provinces that are partnering with
the regional cap-trade systems).

THE GOVERNORS' GLOBAL CLIMATE SUMMIT

These "climate leadership" states are now co-hosting a Summit on
November 18-19 in Los Angeles to:

*                     publicize further state progress on reducing GHGs;

*                     engage Governors and Premiers from states and
provinces of other nations that are doing likewise;

*                     share best practices and specific commitments for
additional efforts going forward;

*                     demonstrate to international negotiators that the
actual progress and commitments at the sub-national level - - especially
in countries like the US, China, Brazil, and Canada - - justify a
progressive and comprehensive post-Kyoto climate agreement in Copenhagen
in 2009.

Participants will include 

*                     at least 6 Governors from these leadership states
plus official representatives from 20 others.

*                     3 Canadian Premiers

*                     7 Governors and Premiers from states/provinces in
Australia, Indonesia, Mexico, and Brazil

*                     2 Chief Ministers (equivalent to Governors) from
states of India

*                     EU senior representative

*                     UN senior representative (Yvo de Boer is sending
his deputy Richard Kinley to speak and "bless" this effort as a valuable
asset to the Poznan/Copenhagen work)

*                     China - - most notably, NDRC Vice Chairman Xie
Zhenhua has met personally with our team twice over the past 3 months in
Beijing (including once with Frank Loy in attendance) and is using this
Summit as an opportunity to publicize China's efforts to improve energy
efficiency and reduce GHGs to date; and to announce its intention to
reach a deal at Copenhagen, working closely with the US to achieve that.
Xie is sending a very senior delegation from the central government
along with provincial leaders to participate. He has asked us
CONFIDENTIALLY to use the Summit agreements as the basis for drafting a
proposed MOU between the US and China that would engage the new
Administration in Washington (we should discuss this opportunity
separately).

*                     600+ delegates from business, academia, and
government, many of whom will work on specific sector agreements and
information-sharing at the Summit.

A website with more information has been established at
www.governorsglobalclimatesummit.org
<http://www.governorsglobalclimatesummit.org/> 

OPPORTUNITY FOR SENATOR OBAMA

This Summit provides the Senator with an opportunity to 

*                     highlight his commitment to address this global
issue;

*                     re-establish US leadership on this issue;

*                     include these climate leadership US Governors in
that effort and build on their commitments and successes to date;

*                     engage China and other nations in this effort.

We suggest that the Senator could participate on either the 18th or 19th
in any of the following ways, pending his busy schedule:

*                     attend in person and address the Summit;

*                     address the Summit live via satellite;

*                     provide a brief videotaped message of support;

*                     send an official representative to address the
Summit.

Please let me know if you need further information to help recommend
this to the Senator and his team. Mary Nichols will be participating in
the Summit and can also provide additional background. 

Thank you