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The Nature Conservancy Applauds Governors Doyle and Schwarzenegger for Hosting Successful Climate Change Summit

Statement from Mary Jean Huston, director of The Nature Conservancy in Wisconsin

MADISON, Wisc. — November 19, 2008 — This week’s Global Climate Summit in California marks a historic turning point as government leaders—from state, national and international levels—joined forces to take the real action needed to fight climate change.

We applaud the agreements signed by Gov. Doyle and other United States governors and state governments in Brazil and Indonesia. These agreements will launch cooperative programs to protect forests and measurably reduce global carbon dioxide emissions.

Conserving the world’s forests—including forests in Wisconsin--is one of the most powerful and cost effective tools we have to fight climate change. Destruction and degradation of forests produces approximately 20 percent of the world's annual greenhouse gas emissions—nearly the amount produced by the entire United States each year and more than world’s entire transportation sector.

Implementing strategies that lower emissions from all sources including deforestation is essential to solve the climate crisis.

The state-to-state agreements reached during the Summit also demonstrate how developed and developing countries can—and must—work together to fight climate change.

The Nature Conservancy is stepping forward to help ensure these agreements produce real and measurable reductions in carbon dioxide emissions.

As a member of the Governor Doyle’s Task Force on Climate Change right here in Wisconsin, The Nature Conservancy is encouraged by task force recommendations that maximize the potential of Wisconsin’s forest and agricultural lands in slowing climate change while protecting important wildlife habitat on these lands.

This week’s Summit did more than just spark discussions; it resulted in real commitments that provide developing countries the support they need to protect their forests and lower the world’s carbon emissions. We hope Wisconsin’s leadership influences federal and international leaders as we move forward together in the global fight against climate change.

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. The Conservancy and its more than 1 million members have protected nearly 120 million acres worldwide. In Wisconsin, the Conservancy has helped conserve more than 140,000 acres since 1960. The Conservancy has more than 21,000 members in Wisconsin and offices in Madison, Baraboo, East Troy, Minocqua and Sturgeon Bay. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org/wisconsin.