30 Jan 2007

Washington State executive welcomes agreement with Marshall Islands

8:29 pm on 30 January 2007

An executive in a county in Washington State has welcomed an agreement signed with the Marshall Islands government to assist each other on climate change strategies.

The Marshalls'President Kessai Note has pledged co-operation with King County executive Ron Sims, a leading US campaigner in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and preparing for the effects of climate change.

Averaging only two metres above sea level, the Marshall Islands is considered a "front-line state" in the battle against climate change.

Mr Sims' deputy chief of staff and the head of his global warming team, Jim Lopez, says they will deploy the county's nationally-recognised experts on climate change adaptation strategies to assist the Marshallese.

"We hope to combine with a shared voice on some of these very important issues to affect change all around the world, to raise awareness of the need to reduce greenhouse gas pollution as well as to build adaptive strategies to prepare for the harms we know are already here."

Jim Lopez of King County in Washington state.