The governor said he wanted this year's summit to be at U-C Davis to highlight the academics of climate change. But in his opening remarks, Schwarzenegger focused on the economy.
SCHWARZENEGGER: "When the economy is down there's often pressure to sacrifice the environment. They claim that look you're losing all those jobs, you're losing money because you're trying to do this environmentally right thing. It doesn't work for the economy. I've said it many times that you can protect the environment and the economy at the same time."
Among the attendees were actor Harrison Ford, self-help guru
Deepak Chopra, as well as international leaders and governor's from
other states. That included Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm.
She talked about how her state has transitioned from outdated auto
industry jobs into manufacturing batteries for cell phones and
electric cars.
GRANHOLM: "We have to decide as a nation
are we going to be a nation who manufactures stuff or nor? And if
we are, are we going to manufacture the stuff that will lead us to
energy independence?"
But outside the auditorium, not everyone was quite so
enthusiastic. Don Grundemann is chairman of the Constitution Party
in California. He and about half a dozen other protestors came
equipped with signs featuring a popular cartoon character.
GRUNDEMANN: "Well this particular sign
says 'global warming science by Homer Simpson' and the idea is that
the entire science that man made global warming is based on is a
fake science, and it has as much validity as homer Simpson's
science."
Many of the seats were filled with U-C Davis students, like
Thomas Sudnius. He's studying for his M-B-A, but says he thinks
this event is important.
SUDNIUS: "I think it was inspiring so
far. I hope in the next sessions we'll see more practical and more
relevant and more particular thoughts and ideas and actions related
to climate change."
Sudnius might be glad to hear the governor is expected to
announce an agreement about cooperation between states on cutting
back carbon emissions. California already has the strictest carbon
emissions reduction rules in the nation.