GOVERNOR KAINE, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY FORGE NEW AGREEMENT TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE ISSUES

Am I the only one that's becoming more afraid of Tim Kaine every time I read about some new energy alliance he's entered? Are we sure he understands that uranium is not a renewable energy source?

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA
Office of the Governor

Timothy M. Kaine FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Governor April 28, 2009

Contact: Gordon Hickey
Phone: (804) 225-4260
Cell Phone: (804) 291-8977
Internet: www.governor.virginia.gov

GOVERNOR KAINE, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY FORGE NEW AGREEMENT TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE ISSUES

~ Virginia strengthens participation in Germany’s “Transatlantic Climate Bridge” in global effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote community energy planning, and promote low-carbon technologies ~

RICHMOND—Governor Timothy M. Kaine and Germany’s Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, Sigmar Gabriel, signed a bilateral Joint Declaration at the German Embassy today that commits each government to the common goals of combating the effects of climate change, achieving greater energy efficiency, collaborating on energy research and development initiatives, and developing a more climate-friendly economy. This is the second bilateral climate change agreement signed by Governor Kaine. In February, Governor Kaine signed a similar agreement with the United Kingdom .

“ Virginia is pleased to have been a principal U.S. state to collaborate with Germany on global warming and energy security issues,” Governor Kaine said. “Our work together has materialized over the past year in meetings in Berlin , Washington , D.C., and Richmond . Today, I am pleased that we are formalizing our ongoing working relationship.”

Virginia was represented in Berlin in September 2008 by Secretary of Natural Resources L. Preston Bryant, Jr., when Germany formally launched its Transatlantic Climate Bridge initiative. The Transatlantic Climate Bridge seeks to establish partnerships between Germany and certain U.S. states to develop economic and energy strategies designed to mitigate the effects of global warming.

In December 2008, Secretary Bryant and Secretary of Commerce and Trade Patrick O. Gottschalk signed an initial agreement with Germany ’s Ambassador to the United States , Dr. Klaus Scharioth, outlining interim goals in collaborations on community energy planning, renewable energy research, and green jobs initiatives.

"Energy efficiency and renewable energies are a success story in Germany , both in terms of climate protection and jobs,” Minister Gabriel said. “Today, renewables are providing 15 percent of our energy supplies, and we have created 280,000 new jobs in this growing industry. In implementing our goal to bring German GHG emissions down to 40 percent below 1990 levels until 2020, we will double the share of renewables up to 30 percent and raise the number of jobs to 500,000 in this sector. We are happy to cooperate with the Commonwealth of Virginia across the Atlantic to promote energy efficiency, renewable energies and low-carbon technologies."

Under the Joint Declaration signed today by Governor Kaine and Minister Gabriel, Virginia and Germany agree to:

• Exchange data and best practices on market-based emissions trading systems and the potential of linking to a U.S. cap-and-trade system at the federal level;
  
  
  
• Work together to develop and apply renewable energy technologies, specifically in solar photovoltaic, offshore wind, and geothermal energy;
  
  
  
• Create new economic development opportunities for renewable energy, energy efficiency, and low-carbon technologies;
  
  
  
• Improve the exchange and application of best management practices on community energy planning, starting with ongoing work between the Northern Virginia Regional Commission and certain regional partners in Germany ;
  
  
  
• Advance collaborative research between Virginia universities and private-sector firms and certain German public and private institutions and agencies, starting with Virginia Tech’s clean combustion laboratory and the Deutsches Zentrum fuer Luft- und Raumfahrt to promote clean combustion technologies.

As Virginia and Germany work together on strategies to combat global warming, their governments will seek opportunities to share relevant research and encourage trade in alternative and renewable energy technologies. In particular, the Joint Declaration signed today advances a number of recommendations made by the Governor’s Commission on Climate Change launched in 2007 by Executive Order 59. It emphasizes the importance of a market-based cap-and-trade program designed to limit carbon dioxide emissions that are contributing to the earth’s warming as well as broadening Virginia ’s renewable energy capabilities.

The Virginia-Germany Joint Declaration also recognizes the two governments share research interests and assets, especially in offshore renewable energy production. The Virginia Energy Plan, released by Governor Kaine in September 2007, encourages research and development of the state’s coastal resources for energy production – including offshore wind, current, and marine biomass production. Virginia ’s colleges and universities and the Virginia Costal Energy Research Consortium are considered leaders in the development of this technology domestically while Germany is recognized internationally as a leader in offshore wind energy research and production as well as solar photovoltaic energy development and deployment.

Today’s announcement comes as Governor Kaine continues to move his “Renew Virginia ” initiative. Renew Virginia is focused on promoting renewable energy, creating green jobs, and encouraging preservation of the environment.

For more information on Renew Virginia , visit www.governor.virginia.gov.