Sacramento, California - California Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today welcomed France, host of the United Nations' 2015 Paris Climate Conference (COP21), as the latest jurisdiction to join the Under 2 Coalition – the global pact among cities, states and countries to limit the increase in global average temperature to below 2 degrees Celsius, the level of potentially catastrophic consequences.

“The work ahead is long and arduous and I welcome France to our growing coalition to bring greenhouse gas emissions under control,” said Governor Brown.

In 2015, California and Baden-Württemberg, Germany formed the Under 2 Coalition to provide a path for continued action toward an international agreement to reduce emissions ahead of the COP21. Today, a total of 136 jurisdictions representing 32 countries and six continents have signed or endorsed the Under 2 MOU. Together, the Under 2 Coalition represents more than 832 million people and $22 trillion in GDP, which is nearly a third of the global economy.

“The Under 2 MOU is world-wide the largest alliance for climate protection on a subnational level, and France is an important partner for us,” said Baden-Württemberg Environment Minister Franz Untersteller. “We must work together on all levels to achieve the climate targets that are so important for the future of the Earth’s climate. To have France as a partner with us will boost our regional climate protection efforts.”