LOS ANGELES, CA - The California Climate Action Registry (the Registry) announced today that over 35 organizations and companies, representing over $140 billion in annual revenues, are participating in the state's novel program for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The Registry's announcement, contained in its first progress report for the California Governor, demonstrates that a variety of environmental leaders are taking voluntary actions to reduce climate pollution. In joining the Registry, participants agree to inventory and report their greenhouse gas emissions as first steps towards reducing them.

"The Registry provides companies and others interested in taking real steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions an easy-to-use, credible place to record their efforts. We are happy to see so many leading companies and organizations participate," said Mary Nichols, California Secretary of Resources and Chair of the Registry.

California launched the independent, non-profit Registry to help companies making early reductions receive consideration under any future state or national regulation on climate change. Current participants include large and small companies, investor-owned utilities, municipal utility districts, education institutions, non-profits, and government agencies. In addition to most of the state's largest cities, a cross-section of the California economy is represented: the auto industry, mining, petroleum, high technology, manufacturing, commercial printing, food processing, professional services, and the power industry. The Registry's complete report, information on the Registry, and background materials on global climate change can be found at www.climateregistry.org.

"The Registry has developed protocols and software tools for helping companies document their greenhouse gases accurately and simply," said Winston Hickox, California EPA Secretary and Registry board member. "These protocols are recognized as a gold standard in the increasingly important world of measuring and verifying efforts to minimize climate change impacts. We are hoping that other states will adopt the same standards."

Greenhouse gas emissions represent waste; Registry participants recognize that reduced waste and increased efficiencies often saves money. "At BP, we set ourselves an aggressive greenhouse gas reduction target without knowing exactly how we would reach it or how much it would cost. In fact, we reduced emissions by 10% and saved $650 million dollars at the same time, just by using better business practices," said Sylvia Baca, Vice President of Environment, Health and Safety for BP, a large oil and gas company.

Ultimately, governments may create a carbon credit trading program. Organizations that reduce their greenhouse gases and register them may be able to protect their early reductions and create "credits" that could be traded to others.

The Registry's work garnered praise from business participants as well as leading environmental organizations.

"We joined the California Climate Action Registry because working constructively towards emissions targets makes good environmental and business sense. It's a partnership based on a workable, market-based approach from which everyone benefits," said Bob Harris, VP of Environmental Affairs, PG&E.

"We are proud to be a charter member of the Registry. We hope that our leadership will inspire other companies to join and aggressively reduce California's energy demand while also reducing North American greenhouse gas emissions," said Stuart Rupp, Environmental Affairs Manager for New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc. (NUMMI)

"The California Registry represents an important step forward in the fight against global warming. The Registry provides comprehensive, transparent, accurate and credible emissions reports. Once again, California leads the way on protecting the environment," said Jason Marks, California Director for the Union of Concerned Scientists.

In 2001, the world's leading climate scientists - working through the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change - documented that human activities are increasing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, leading to a steady heating of the planet's surface. California is the world's 13th largest contributor of climate change pollution and could suffer significantly as global warming becomes more severe. The potential consequences to the state from global climate change include worsened smog in cities, water shortages due to a decreased Sierra snow pack, and disruptions to the state's agriculture economy from changing weather patterns.

Efforts by the Registry build on over a decade of work by California to respond to threats posed by global warming. Over that time, California has led the nation in developing common-sense approaches to climate issues. The state was first in the nation to develop government-sponsored initiatives to study potential climate impacts and develop response strategies, including hosting public workshops aimed at educating the public about climate change. More recently, California passed landmark legislation to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from cars and light trucks (AB 1493, Pavley, signed by Governor Gray Davis July 22, 2002) and has instructed the Registry to develop procedures for calculating the greenhouse gas mitigation benefits of California's forests (SB 812, Sher, Signed by Governor Gray Davis September 7, 2002).

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The California Climate Action Registry is non-profit, public/private partnership that serves as a voluntary greenhouse gas registry to protect, encourage, and promote early actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Registry receives support from the State of California, the Energy, Hewlett, and Packard Foundations, and participant and event fees.

California Climate Action Registry

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