Derek Markolf – live from NACW 2011: Day 1 “The Carbonator”
19th April 2011
On April 14, the 2011 ‘Navigating the American Carbon World’ conference in Hollywood, California kicked off with a candid and passionate keynote address by the former governor of California and Hollywood star Arnold Schwarzenegger. It is clear that Arnold’s signing into legislation of California’s ground breaking Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32) is a Legacy achievement of his governorship.
In the absence of solid federal and international action on regulatory Climate Change program development, California’s progress on development of a comprehensive market based program is in the international spotlight. LRQA is proud to have been an instrumental participant in the creation of California’s program. With that said this has been a great forum for the roll-out of the recently re-branded LRQA Americas Sustainability (formerly RMA).
As I am writing this Gina McCarthy from The United States Environmental Protection Agency is on stage applauding California for paving the way for US Climate Change policy and sharing her optimistic vision of the current course of the US Climate Change regulatory “ship”.
The stature of the presenters and the challenges and successes covered at this event have proven to be worthy of Hollywood. The ironic twist was the “debate” between former governor Grey Davis and his successor by a contentious recall election former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger where his previous role of the Terminator was a constant reminder. The camaraderie of these two former antagonists of each other was a welcome twist and what we hope will prove to be foresight of bipartisan accomplishments in the US Climate change policy saga.