Brussels, 24/06/2013 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 24 June in Brussels, the former governor of California and founding president of the R20 Regions of Climate Action network, Arnold Schwarzenegger, met the president of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso and Commissioner Oettinger (energy). He also took part in the Convention of Mayors from 35 European countries determined to reach the targets of the EU's Climate-Energy package.
According to Barroso, the meeting helped develop a common vision of a sustainable energy and climate future, as well as a response to the concerns of citizens who have been affected by extreme weather events, such as flooding in Europe and Asia, droughts and forest fires elsewhere in the world and tornadoes and flooding in the US.
Schwarznegger made a strong call for the introduction of a new world climate agreement, confident that local authorities can make a huge contribution in this area, where so much needs to be done. He said the whole world was waiting for a Kyoto II, an international treaty in order to have a common objective of a sustainable energy future. He said that sub-regional governments had an enormous power and, in the State of California, they had not waited for Washington or any international treaty, but had gone ahead and introduced big laws that inspire other countries and states around the world. He said that was why he had created R20 and why he was delighted to be signing an agreement to work with the EU to achieve the target of a sustainable energy future. (AN/transl.fl)