California (USA), 16 November 2010.

Just days after her reelection to the presidency of the Assembly of European Regions (AER), Michèle SABBAN visited the 3rd Summit of Governors for Climate in order to sign on behalf of the European Regions, the Charter for Regional Climate Action R20.

It is in California that the R20 has just been formally established. Mrs SABBAN was accompanied by representatives from several European regions, who wished to sign the charter on an individual basis: Alba (RO), Flevoland (NL), Azores (P), Istria (HR) and Donetsk (UA); other AER member regions could not make the trip but also expressed interest in this initiative, including Andalucia (E), Lombardia and Puglia (I), Norrbotten (S), Linköping (S) and Istanbul (TR).

"On the eve of COP16 in Cancun, the signing of the Climate Action Charter by sub-national groups sends a strong message  to national governments and international institutions. The message is that regions must be recognised for the actions they undertake in support of innovation and adaptation to climate change whilst global policy makers should learn from our ability to develop new forms of cooperation. I am particularly proud that the AER is among the founding members of this movement," said Michèle SABBAN during the signing.

Background info:

The mission of the R20 will be to develop and implement low-carbon and climate resilient projects through cooperation among subnational governments from around the world.
During its first year, the R20 will facilitate public-private partnerships, share best practices, accelerate the development of green innovations and begin implementing clean energy demonstration projects. Within five years, the R20 aims to have at least twenty subnational governments enact comprehensive low-carbon policies and implement projects, using successful models from progressive subnational leaders as a guide.

The Assembly of European Regions (AER – aer.eu) is the largest independent network of regions in wider Europe. Bringing together more than 260 regions from 34 countries and 16 interregional organisations, AER is the political voice of its members and a forum for interregional co-operation.

AER Contacts
Francine Huhardeaux
Press & Communication Officer
+33 3 88 22 74 49
f.huhardeaux@aer.eu

   
Mathieu Mori
Senior Policy Coordinator - Committee ‘Culture, Education, Youth, Interregional Cooperation’
+33 3 88 22 74 47 - m.mori@aer.eu