State signs MOU with The Climate Group, a UK-based nonprofit that is global leader in effort to reach net zero emissions

As Gov. Phil Murphy took the microphone in London during an event detailing attention to climate change, he couldn’t help but reference the terrible flooding in Valencia, Spain, that has killed more than 200 — a figure that could climb 100 more before the full extent is known.

“Look at what’s happening in Spain,” he said. “It still takes my breath away.”

Murphy, of course, didn’t need to come to Europe to understand the scope of the impact of Climate Change. There were the two hurricanes that impacted Florida and North Carolina earlier this fall. And, closer to home, Murphy said he has now had conversations with six N.J. mayors who are battling fires caused by the drought in the state.

For Murphy, all of these events are examples of how climate change is real — and that everything possible must be done today to help curb the problem.

On Friday, that meant signing a memorandum of understanding with The Climate Group, an UK-based, international nonprofit organization focused on reaching global net zero emissions by 2050. Through the MOU, New Jersey joins the Under2 Coalition, the largest global network of states and regions committed to achieving greenhouse gas emissions mitigation.

“Let’s cut the debate climate change is real, and we have to do something about it – today,” he said. “Never mind something around the corner; we have to do something today.”

Murphy said the state is eager to work with The Climate Group and its CEO, Helen Clarkson.

“Signing this MOU is so consistent with who we are and who we want to be,” he said. “We’re looking forward to working with you. You all are world leaders. You’ve got a network that’s second to none in this space – and we would love to be able to both contribute to that network and also feed off of that network.”

Clarkson said they are happy to have New Jersey on board.

“Our mission is to drive climate action fast,” she said. “The way that we do that is to build big networks of companies and governments with really ambitious commitments – and use those commitments to drive changes in markets and in policy.”

Murphy said the state is eager to do all it can – and was quick to point it that doing so is both an advantage to the environment and the economy.

“We’re committed to creating a new generation of economic opportunities,” he said. “There used to be a false narrative that you can either be for economic growth or for battling climate change. This is an ‘and both’ scenario.”

State officials said New Jersey’s clean energy sector employs over 93,000 people across nearly 6,500 establishments and is home to the most solar capacity per capita and the largest amount of solar capacity installed in the United States.

Wes Mathews, CEO of Choose New Jersey, the organization that is sponsoring the governor’s five-day economic mission trip to the United Kingdom, said the signing of the MOU is a significant statement during the trip.

“Environmental stewardship is right at the top of our values,” he said. “It is something we wear with an extreme badge of honor.”

New Jersey is the 17th U.S. state to join the Under2 Coalition.

The MOU establishes collaboration between New Jersey and other members in supporting international activities and declarations to respond to climate change, including the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development (1992), the Montreal Declaration (2009), the Cancun Statement (2011), the Lyon Declaration (2011) and the Paris Agreement (2015).

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