Shortly after participating in the international Race to Zero campaign and after it was announced the largest permanent carbon sequestration project in the world will begin construction in Louisiana, Governor John Bel Edwards will travel to Scotland this week for the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference to argue that while Louisiana suffers the grave consequences of changing climate, no state is better positioned to lead the changing energy landscape.

The governor is assisted by cabinet secretaries and advisors, including members and staff of his Climate Initiative Task Force, to help shape the international debate on climate change, clean energy, and creating sustainable communities in the face of a changing climate. The governor and his team will depart on October 28th and attend COP26 and related meetings from October 31st to November 4th.

“No state in our country is more affected by climate change than Louisiana, but it is also true that no state is better positioned to be part of solving our world’s problems,” said Governor Edwards. “In Glasgow we will have the opportunity to meet people from all over the world who represent different governments, but also companies and different sectors of the clean energy movement. Make no mistake: whether or not Louisiana participates, there will be an industry-wide transition to cleaner, less polluting energy production and use. Hence, it is best that Louisiana be a leader in this area. For my part, I want world leaders to know that in Louisiana we have the most productive manufacturing workers in the country, a workforce that makes essential products that drive the global economy, and a workforce that is ready to make those products, but with more reduced carbon footprint. The same people can build wind farms, run solar projects, drill class six wells and work in blue hydrogen facilities, like the investment announced last week by Air Products. We will focus on securing new investments for economic development, job creation and greenhouse gas reduction to navigate the energy transition and into a better, cleaner future. “

“I look forward to joining the Louisiana Delegation to Scotland and reinforcing Governor Edwards’ message regarding Louisiana’s status as a prime location for investing in the global energy transition,” said Don Pierson, Louisiana Secretary of Economic Development. “The conference offers us a unique opportunity to involve companies that may have a strong interest in doing business in what is now a major player in the clean energy economy.”

“Louisiana’s geology and industrial base make us an important hub for carbon management projects and activities, and we are a leading provider of initiatives to promote carbon management through carbon capture and sequestration,” said Tom Harris, secretary of the department for natural resources “Carbon management is increasingly a simple fact in the global economy today that we do business, and CCS can and should be one of the key tools we use in moving from the fuels and practices we know to that come what’s next. “

“For over a year, experts from many different disciplines and backgrounds have come together in the Climate Initiatives Task Force to discuss the best way Louisiana can tackle our greenhouse gas footprint while promoting an inclusive, productive economy,” said Harry Vorhoff, Chairman from Louisiana’s Climate Working Group Initiatives. “To be successful domestically and globally, we need to rely on these types of dialogues between partners in government, academia, private business and civil society to develop solutions that work in the real world and for real people. The COP26 brings all these partners together at the highest level.

“With all the advances and benefits that come from doing the essential work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Louisiana must also keep an eye on adapting to today’s challenges,” said Charles Sutcliffe, Louisiana’s chief resilience officer. “I am excited to see how others around the world are addressing these two pressing needs, and to share our state’s story of how we have built and improved resilience to more frequent extreme weather and environmental changes.”

“Here in Louisiana, we have the ability to lead the nation and the globe in adapting and reducing climate change, and I look forward to building the partnerships that will make that vision a reality,” said Camille Manning-Broome, president and CEO of the Center for Planning Competence. “A just transition for our state means taking a comprehensive approach that reduces our climate vulnerability, capitalizes on economic opportunities, and empowers our most vulnerable populations and communities. By channeling our opportunities and doing everything we can to address these global challenges today, we can ensure that Louisiana remains a place people enjoy living, working and playing for generations to come. “

For media interview requests during COP26, please contact govpress@la.gov.

To learn more about COP26, Click here.

ABOUT LOUISIANAS CLIMATE INITIATIVES

Under an executive order signed by Governor Edwards in 2020, Louisiana created a Climate Initiative Task Force to recommend from the ground up measures to reduce the state’s greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. The governor reiterated his commitment to net zero by 2050 when he joined the U.S. Climate Alliance, a bipartisan coalition of governors committed to state-led measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and when he announced in early October that the State joined the “Race to Zero” campaign of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Race to Zero is a global effort by thousands of governments, universities and corporations who are committed to taking steps to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions in order to prevent further deterioration in the effects of climate change on the world’s communities.

For over a year, the Louisiana Climate Initiative Task Force has been studying ways to reduce the state’s greenhouse gas emissions while positioning the state to thrive in a low-carbon, more inclusive economic future. The Climate Protection Task Force is composed of representatives from different perspectives from science, the state government, the private sector and civil society. The task force will publish its final climate protection plan with recommendations for Louisiana by February 1, 2022.

To learn more about the work of the Louisiana Climate Initiatives Task Force, Click here.