COP29 | Baku, Azerbaijan | The U.S. Climate Alliance today announced that founding Alliance member Washington Governor Jay Inslee will lead its delegation at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) next week in Baku, Azerbaijan, alongside other top climate officials from California, Maryland, and New Mexico.
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2024 COP29 Media Advisory

Governor Inslee to Lead U.S. Climate Alliance COP29 Delegation, Reaffirm America’s Commitment to the Paris Agreement

Baku, Azerbaijan | November 11-22, 2024

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Climate Alliance, a bipartisan coalition of 24 governors representing approximately 60 percent of the U.S. economy and 55 percent of the U.S. population, today announced that founding Alliance member Washington Governor Jay Inslee will lead its delegation at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) next week in Baku, Azerbaijan, alongside other top climate officials from California, Maryland, and New Mexico.

 

“The U.S. Climate Alliance and its members were built to lead in moments like this – and that’s exactly what we’ll do next week at COP29,” said U.S. Climate Alliance Executive Director Casey Katims.

 

Together, the delegation will reaffirm America’s sustained commitment to working with the global community to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement at a series of events and meetings, including several convenings hosted by the Alliance. These include a fireside chat featuring Governor Inslee and White House National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi co-hosted with America Is All In; an event spotlighting the strength and durability of subnational climate leadership at the U.S. Center; and for the third year running, a discussion among top women leaders representing the Alliance and America Is All In.

 

Following the election earlier this week, the Alliance partnered with America Is All In and Climate Mayors to issue a joint statement asserting clearly: “We will not turn back.” Additionally, the Alliance issued statements from its co-chairs – New York Governor Kathy Hochul and New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham – affirming that governors will tap every ounce of their experience and authority to protect America’s progress and press forward. These are among the messages the Alliance’s delegation will deliver next week on the global stage at COP29.

 

U.S. Climate Alliance-Affiliated Events at COP (all times local; information, including participants, subject to change):

 

Thursday, November 14, 2024

No Turning Back: U.S. Climate Alliance Governors Confronting the Climate Crisis & Building a Brighter Future

The unprecedented surge of investment, collaboration, and action from the Alliance’s 24 member states and territories is eliminating harmful climate pollution, growing the economy, and transforming communities across America. Join founding member of the U.S. Climate Alliance and America Is All In Co-Chair Washington Governor Jay Inslee for a conversation with White House National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi about the durability, continuity, and strength of state-led climate action and the path they’re charting to our net-zero future.

 

Time/Location: 1-2pm; America Is All In Action Center, Blue Zone

Livestream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7_mpblLr58

 

Participants:

  • Washington Governor Jay Inslee
  • White House National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi

 

Friday, November 15, 2024

Going All In & All Out: Sustaining & Accelerating America’s Progress with Bold, Durable Subnational Climate Action

The United States remains positioned to deliver a better, greener, healthier, net-zero future thanks to the power-packed combination of historic federal investment and increasingly ambitious, impactful, and durable subnational climate action. Join top local, state, federal, business, and civil society leaders representing the U.S. Climate Alliance, America Is All In, U.S. Green Building Council, and ICLEI USA for a dynamic discussion on the past year of climate progress and the work ahead to sustain and accelerate it, including action to achieve the country’s 2030 Nationally Determined Contribution.

 

Time/Location: 4:45-5:30pm; U.S. Center, Blue Zone

Livestreamhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n07au-MPIUs

 

Participants:

  • U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm
  • Washington Governor Jay Inslee
  • California Secretary for Environmental Protection Yana Garcia
  • Blytheville, Arkansas Mayor Melisa Logan
  • Trane Technologies Director for Global Climate Policy Helen Walter-Terrinoni

 

Saturday, November 16, 2024

Trailblazers, Changemakers, & Innovators: Women Climate Leaders from the U.S. Climate Alliance & America Is All In 

Women in America’s climate-leading states, cities, businesses, and institutions are advancing cutting-edge climate action and solutions and accelerating the transition to a net-zero future. For a third year running, join top female leaders representing the U.S. Climate Alliance and America Is All In for a discussion on how they got their start, the unique perspectives they bring, challenges they face in their roles, their top climate and clean energy priorities, opportunities for collaboration, and much, much more.

 

Time/Location: 2:30-3:30pm; America Is All In Action Center, Blue Zone

Livestream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbSMU6sR_hU

 

Participants:

  • Maryland Secretary of Environment Serena McIlwain
  • Blytheville, Arkansas Mayor Melisa Logan
  • Microsoft General Manager, Sustainability Policy Michelle Patron
  • WWF Senior Vice President of Climate Change Marcene Mitchell
  • U.S. Climate Alliance Managing Director Taryn Finnessey
About the Alliance

Launched on June 1, 2017 by the governors of Washington, New York, and California to help fill the void left by the previous administration’s decision to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Agreement, the Alliance has grown to include 24 governors from across the U.S. representing approximately 60% of the U.S. economy and 55% of the U.S. population. Governors in the Alliance have pledged to collectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 26-28% below 2005 levels by 2025, at least 50-52% below 2005 levels by 2030, and collectively achieve overall net-zero greenhouse gas emissions as soon as practicable, and no later than 2050.

 

The Alliance’s states and territories continue to demonstrate that climate action goes hand-in-hand with economic growth, job creation, and better public health. While reducing collective greenhouse gas emissions by 19%, Alliance members increased their collective GDP by 30%. The coalition’s states and territories are employing more workers in the clean energy sector, achieving lower levels of dangerous air pollutants, and preparing more effectively for climate impacts and executing more pre-disaster planning than the rest of the country. 

 

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