Leaders from the three West Coast states and the Canadian province of British Columbia signed an agreement Thursday pledging to cooperate on measures to combat climate change.
Meeting in San Francisco, the signatories included British Columbia Premier John Horgan, along with Gavin Newsom, Kate Brown and Jay Inslee — the governors of California, Oregon and Washington.
The non-binding memorandum of understanding outlines broad thrusts but is light on specific details.
Under the MOU, the four governments agree to invest in regional low-carbon transportation measures, including ensuring the installation of conveniently placed electric vehicle charging stations and hydrogen refueling stations along primary and secondary routes throughout their territories. The agreement stresses the ability for zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) to travel along the Interstate 5 corridor from Canada to California. It also includes provisions for helping public and private institutions electrify their vehicle fleets and for increasing the use of low-carbon fuels.
The four governments also said they will coordinate how they establish standards for ZEVs and energy efficiency in buildings and work together to help cultivate markets for energy-efficient building materials.
“We know growing our economy and protecting our planet are not mutually exclusive goals,” Brown said.
The four leaders also pledged to improve forest thinning and anti-wildfire measures. “We have watched. We have smelled. We have suffered through the smoke,” Inslee said.
They also agreed to make climate a consideration in land-use planning and measures affecting the Pacific Ocean.
“In California, we punch above our weight when it comes to climate action, but our actions can only do so much without the rest of the world at our side. The Pacific Coast is raising the bar for tackling the climate crisis while also ensuring every community is included in our efforts,” Newsom said.
“Here on the Pacific Coast of North America, we’ve been on the frontlines of the climate crisis — both experiencing its most devastating impacts and leading the world in developing solutions to reduce carbon pollution,” Horgan said.
“We are going to collaborate with any jurisdiction in the world,” Inslee said.
The four Western leaders recently shared a virtual dais at the Cascadia Innovation Corridor conference, where they advocated for increased interstate and international cooperation on climate policy. (See Western Governors Talk Climate Change.)