Copenhagen (DK), 15 December 2009.

Just two weeks after the “Belfort Appeal” – a clarion call to raise awareness of the role played by regions and federal states in the fight against climate change – the Assembly of European Regions (AER) has announced yesterday its support of the “R20” declaration in Copenhagen and will bring expertise and know-how to this new concept, which will be officially launched in September 2010. The declaration, inspired by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, is the result of the Governor’s ”Global Summit on Climate Change” held in Los Angeles in September 2009, and commits to develop the capacities of a limited number of interested sub-national governments from developing and emerging countries.

The R20 declaration shares the spirit of the Belfort Appeal, which was launched by Michèle Sabban, President of the Assembly of European Regions and its 270 member regions, together with its partners from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) represented by Christophe Nuttal, the Climate Group and its President Steve Howard, along with Ricardo Cordoba, President of GE Energy West Europe and North Africa. It is an urgent appeal for the recognition of the role of regions and federal states in the fight against climate change. The appeal affirms that the success of the post-Kyoto negotiations, meaning the implementation of adaptation and mitigation measures, mainly depends on the regions.

R20 will help willing and selected developing regions to design and implement their Climate Change and Energy Regional Package (CCERP). The signatory regions of the R20 declaration will represent diverse climate patterns to put in place the necessary scientific, institutional and financial framework that would significantly reduce the risk of dangerous climate change based on the 4th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. This will contribute to the stabilization of the global mean temperature rise from pre-industrial levels to 2°C as agreed by various international fora including the G20.

“In an energy landscape in constant evolution and more decentralized than ever before, European regions play a crucial role in coming up with energy solutions for their territories. By partnering with the R20 group, we officially affirm our commitment to the goals and principles of the Global Climate Solutions Declaration. We are happy and proud to officially support the R20 group and to fight together against climate change”, AER President Michèle Sabban said.

“It is clear today that, for an agreement in Copenhagen not to remain wishful thinking, it must rely on sub-national levels, in particular on regions and federated states. For example, we know that between 50 and 70% of all adaptation and mitigation measures against climate change will call for implementation by the regions”, Ms Sabban commented. “I am proud to associate AER to this initiative, as it signals, hopefully, the beginning of a cooperation era in international relations”, Ms Sabban added.

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