Launch of New Multi-State Climate and Clean Energy Partnership

North America 2050: A Partnership for Progress (NA2050) formally launched on March 14, 2012. NA2050 is a group of U.S. states and Canadian provinces [1] committed to policies that move their jurisdictions toward a low-carbon economy while creating jobs, enhancing energy independence and security, protecting public health and the environment, and demonstrating climate leadership.

NA2050 is the successor to the 3-Regions Initiative, which was a collaboration among members of the three North American regional cap-and-trade programs: The Midwestern Greenhouse Gas Reduction Accord, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and the Western Climate Initiative. NA2050 is a broader effort, addressing clean energy in addition to climate change.

Work in NA2050 primarily takes place within seven working groups:

• Benefits: Evaluating and communicating the benefits of moving to a low-carbon economy
• Power Sector 2050: Influencing and preparing for U.S. Clean Air Act requirements for the electricity sector
• Industry 2050: Encouraging industrial energy efficiency through benchmarks
• Sequestration: Encouraging sequestration and reuse of CO₂
• Sustainable Biomass: Examining best use and priority pathways for biomass
• Offsets: Developing high quality offsets
• Linking: Exploring linking of existing cap-and-trade programs

North America 2050 Website [2]

North America 2050 Launch Notice [3]