Our mission
R20 is a Non Governmental Organization (NGO) founded in November 2010 by Arnold Schwarzenegger with the support of the United Nations.
The mission of the R20 is to help sub-state governments, local authorities and mainly the regions to develop projects to reduce carbon emissions, or put in place renewable energy and energy efficiency systems.
The ideal pipeline of clean energy projects is not currently happening, even though intergovernmental bodies, national governments, sub-national governments, NGOs, academics, technology providers, public and private financial partners share the same vision and want concrete action. This is due to a number of factors:
- national and sub-national politicians lack awareness of the long-term political, technical and financial solutions for a sustainable safe, clean economy;
- project developers do not know how to identify, design and communicate the right information to project investors;
- project investors are not sure how low-carbon investments fit into their existing investment instruments and portfolios.
The R20 addresses those factors to help build an effective green deal flow at sub-national level. This is made possible by connecting Regions, Technology and Finance to build sustainable low-carbon projects.
Our Charter
The R20 — Regions of Climate Action Charter
November 16, 2010.
WHEREAS, there is an urgent need to advance a new green economy by mobilizing clean technologies, climate resilient innovation and green investing in the financial sector, including through public-private partnerships;
WHEREAS, the delay in reaching a new binding international agreement on climate change creates both a responsibility and an opportunity for all stakeholders to tackle climate change in new and creative ways, and reinforces the importance of sustained efforts to achieve a global agreement;
WHEREAS, each day lost increases the costs of stabilizing greenhouse gas emissions levels to avoid dangerous interference with the climate system, and diminishes the adaptive capacities of the most vulnerable societies and populations;
WHEREAS, addressing these issues requires an unprecedented level of cooperation and collaboration, especially between subnational governments in developed and developing countries from around the world;
WHEREAS, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and other international bodies, such as the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and International Energy Agency, have recognized that subnational governments play a key role in rising to the climate challenge and are responsible for the majority of the actions required to halt climate change as well as to adapt to its impacts;
WHEREAS, the mission of the R20 is to develop and implement low-carbon and climate-resilient projects through cooperation among developed and developing country subnational governments, non-governmental organizations, corporations and educational institutions.
Through these efforts, the R20 demonstrates both the capacity and willingness of these entities to tackle climate change and create strong green and climate-resilient economies;
WHEREAS, the R20 will achieve its mission by:
Catalyzing partnerships between regions for fast track actions, especially in energy efficiency, renewable energy and clean transportation; Mobilizing and leveraging technology, public funding and private-sector finance where appropriate; and Aiming to reach the objectives of the territorial approach to climate change in partnership with UNDP, UNEP and other UN agencies and associations of regions.
WHEREAS, in so doing, the R20 will show that 75 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions reductions needed by 2020 to limit the increase in world average temperature to 2 degrees Celsius can be achieved at no net cost, that many projects will generate new economic benefits, and that promoting climate resilience and adaptation will similarly result in significant cost saving and generate economic benefits and opportunities;
NOW THEREFORE, in furtherance of the goals and principles of the 2008 and 2009 Global Climate Solution Declarations signed at the Governors’ Global Climate Summit in Los Angeles, California, we hereby pledge our support to the mission of the R20.
