What’s New?

On September, 23, 2008, seven Western Governors and four Canadian Premiers are planning to release their final regional climate plan. The plan will be a formal agreement among the partners (called the Western Climate Initiative) to launch a region-wide cap and trade program to reduce greenhouse gases from all major sources. Click here for the official documents from the WCI partners.

The western United States has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to lead the nation in addressing the sources and impacts of climate change. National Wildlife Federation will work with Governors to ensure that the plan, when implemented, is bold in reducing global warming pollution and in investing in our communities and natural resources that are feeling the impacts of our flawed and dirty energy policies.

To learn more about the WCI, read NWF’s Western Climate Initiative Frequently Asked Questions fact sheet. Learn about other regional greenhouse gas agreements.

What are the impacts of global warming on the West?

Wildlife in the West is particularly vulnerable to global warming. We see:

• warmer temperatures and reduced snowpack in the Rockies, Cascade and Sierra Nevadas affecting salmon and trout populations
• pervasive drought is reducing forage levels and cover for big game and sage grouse
• warmer, drier conditions are increasing the levels of catastrophic wildfire.

Learn more about western wildlife and global warming.