6 western states set goal for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2020
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PHOENIX: Six western states and two Canadian provinces announced a regional goal Wednesday to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2020.
The Western Climate Initiative includes Arizona, California, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Washington and the provinces of British Columbia and Manitoba. The group wants emissions cut by 15 percent over 2005 levels within 13 years.
Governors of the most of the states created the WCI in February, pledging to work together to significantly reduce emissions, partly by designing a market-based system such as a cap-and-trade program planned by California.
"The regional goal reflects the combined impact of the individual (greenhouse gas) emissions goals that each WCI member has already set for itself and does not replace the members' individual goals," the states and provinces said in a joint announcement.
Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano said the states need to act because the federal government "is choosing to delay action."
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The group's announcement said the WCI members were also working to meet an August 2008 deadline for designing the market-based mechanism.
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On the Net:
Western Climate Initiative: http://www.westernclimateinitiative.org/
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