Leaders from nine Midwestern states and the province of Manitoba met in Milwaukee Thursday to sign the Midwestern Regional Greenhouse Gas Reduction Accord, a plan to increase renewable energy and help curb global climate change.
Governors from the states of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Kansas, Illinois, and Michigan, and the premier of Manitoba signed as full participants in the accord.
South Dakota, Indiana and Ohio have signed with an observer status,"" according to Keith Reopelle, program director of the environmental advocacy organization Clean Wisconsin.
Participating states will set targets for limiting greenhouse gas emissions within the next year, and will enact the new policies in full within the next 30 months, according to a statement from Gov. Jim Doyle's office.
Some of the policies include a regional trading system of carbon emissions and incentives to businesses that reduce emissions.
The agreement also attempts to save energy by promoting the use of renewable fuel, according to the release.
Michael Vickerman, executive director of the environmental non-profit organization RENEW Wisconsin, said the energy-saving tactics might only improve matters marginally. He said residents need to cut energy consumption by reducing wasteful habits.
""We can make progress on the technology side, but we have to change our behaviors,"" Vickerman said.
Obstacles the plan will face include dissent from interest groups as well as reaching agreements on specific strategies, according to Reopelle.
""The biggest obstacle, generally speaking, is getting agreement on strong details for this program,"" Reopelle said.
According to UW-Madison student Tony Uhl, co-coordinator of Wisconsin Students Public Interest Research Group's Big Red Go Green campaign, the accord may not yield many immediate results.
However, Uhl said it might provide momentum for state lawmakers to pass environmental agreements, such as the proposed Wisconsin State Climate Act.
The agreement may also encourage the federal government to fight global warming more aggressively, according to Reopelle.
""The action taken today by the Midwest governors and Manitoba may be just the sort of action needed to force the hand of the federal government and regulate these pollutants at the national level,"" Reopelle said.
