The States & Regions Alliance, which is a forerunner to the Under2 Coalition, was created in 2005 with the signing of the Montreal Declaration of Federated States & Regions.
See our States & Regions infographic for 4 critical reasons why states and regions are driving a global clean revolution.
Since the founding of the States & Regions Alliance in 2005, it has continuously affirmed its leadership through a series of ambitious commitments to both domestic and international actions to combat climate change:
The Governments of Baden-Württemberg and California, led the creation of the Under2MOU, an agreement to commit to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions between 80 and 95% below 1990 levels by 2050, or limit per capita emissions to less than 2 metric tons.
The Compact of States and Regions, the first ever single, global account of GHG reduction targets made by state and regional governments was announced at the UN Climate Summit in New York.
States and Regions Alliance members signed the Clean Revolution Statement during the Rio+20 Conference in Rio de Janeiro with clear joint commitments on energy efficiency, renewable energy and sustainable transport based on their earlier and broader Cancun Statement.
At the World Summit of States and Regions over 50 sub-national government leaders from around the world convened and confirmed their overall commitment to sustainable development and the Green Economy in the Declaration of Federated States and Regions of Rio de Janeiro.
States and Regions brought to COP 17 in Durban an overview of some of their key climate achievements, providing concrete examples and inspiration for the impact of sub-national action and reconfirming their dedication to continuously increasing their ambition.
At the European Conference of Regions on Climate Action in October 2011 , European States and Regions reconfirmed their commitment to climate action and called for the adoption of ambitious emission reduction targets at European and international levels in the Lyon Declaration that was handed over to global decision makers at the COP 17 in Durban.
Aiming to promote ambitious climate targets also at the European level, the governments of European Alliance members signed a call for 30% EU GHG emissions reduction target to support the 30% call by 74 major corporations.
At the third Climate Leaders Summit hosted by The Climate Group in Cancun, the sub-national governments in attendance committed to continue to develop low-carbon policies and to regularly report on their progress in the Cancun Statement of Federal States & Regional Governments on Low Carbon & Climate Resilient Development and the accompanying Cancun Sectoral Framework.
At the high level conference organised on the side of to the UNFCCC negotiating session in Bonn, Germany, co-hosted by the government of North-Rhine Westphalia and The Climate Group, the States and Regions called for bold action to progress the UN negotiations, highlighted the core role of sub-national governments in global climate action as well as confirmed their own commitments to climate action and to reporting back on their progress at COP 16 in Cancun, Mexico.
At a conference co-organised by the government of Ile-de-France and The Climate Group in Paris, the Federated States and Regional Governments and their respective networks gathered confirmed their support for the Copenhagen Accord and their own commitments made in the Copenhagen Statement as well as called for strong climate initiatives at the European level.
At the second Climate Leaders Summit hosted by The Climate Group at COP 15 in Copenhagen, 60 Leaders, Ministers, State Secretaries and regional leaders committed to take practical actions to expand low carbon technologies and collaborate in addressing climate challenges, called for ambitious GHG reduction targets to meet the 2 degree target and an international climate change agreement, as well as recognized the important leadership role of sub-national governments in meeting the Climate Conventions’ goals. With the publication of "The Real Deal", sub-national governments reported back on their achievements made since the 2008 Poznan Statement of Action
On the initiative of the government of South Australia, leaders also committed to jointly planting a billion trees by 2015.
During the second Climate Leaders Summit in Poznan, the signatories of the Montreal Declaration reported on their progress and agreed a new “action statement” presented to UNFCCC Executive Secretary Yvo de Boer, in which they committed to setting targets for renewable energy and energy efficiency to accelerate low carbon policies prior to the climate change meeting in Copenhagen.
Realizing the potential of sub-national levels in driving the Clean Revolution, The Climate Group teamed up with the States of Quebec and Manitoba in 2005 to hold the first Climate Leaders Summit, resulting in the Montreal Declaration of Federated States and Regions signed by sub-national governments from around the world committing to setting targets and implementing climate action in their own jurisdictions. This document continues to be signed by all members and affiliates of the States & Regions Alliance as the founding basis of its work.
