Pennsylvania was one of 31 states announced as charter members of The Climate Registry, marking the largest national effort to take action on climate change.

The list of founding member states and tribes thus far includes the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming and the Campo Kumeyaay Nation. Two Canadian provinces, British Columbia and Manitoba, have also committed to participate.

Participants range from states that have been moving forward with aggressive mandatory greenhouse gas emissions reduction programs, to those that are taking initial steps to address the challenge. Both Republican and Democratic governors are well represented and the states are geographically diverse.

The newly formed climate registry is a tool to measure, track, verify and publicly report GHG emissions accurately, transparently and consistently across borders and industry sectors. This is a critical first step in developing robust programs to reduce GHG emissions. The registry will support voluntary, market-based and regulatory GHG emissions reporting programs.

"You have to be able to count carbon pollution in order to cut carbon pollution,” said Frances Beinecke, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council. “The Registry gives business and policymakers an essential accounting tool for tracking the success of the many emerging global warming emission reduction initiatives that are blossoming across the country.”

“We believe a credible reporting system of greenhouse gas emissions is the first step in developing government policy and corporate programs that will change behaviors, spark innovation and deliver reductions of greenhouse gas emissions," said Bob Malone, Chairman and President of BP America.

Organizers say this week's announcement signals the launch of an unprecedented cooperative effort in North America. By working together, registry members are laying the foundation for climate actions that will benefit generations to come.

For more information, visit the Climate Registry website.

5/11/2007