Gov. Jim Doyle and Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty unveiled a Midwestern Energy Security and Climate Stewardship Platform at a summit that began Wednesday and will continue through today. The governors hosted the two-day Midwestern Governors Association Energy Summit at the Pfifster Hotel, according to the agenda the organization released.

"The United States should depend less on the Mideast and more on the Midwest for its energy needs," Doyle said in a press release. "Wisconsin and the entire Midwest have the opportunity to lead the nation in the fight against global warming."

Keynote addresses were given with topics including "The Potential of MGA States" and "The Midwest's Role in a Global Carbon Marketplace." Doyle also will address the audience tomorrow.

"The big announcement will be Thursday," said Dan Kohler, the leader of Wisconsin Environment, a non-partisan, non-profit organization whose goals include clean air, open space, and protecting waterways. Kohler, who will be in attendance at the summit, cited the bold environmental initiatives taken by Calif. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and leaders in many other states along with the research of an international panel as instrumental in the forming of the summit.

"The panel asked, 'What is the threat, and what must we do?'" said Kohler. Kohler also said that he hoped that the summit would make commitments in line with what scientists are saying regarding the threat of global warming. "We'd like to see a 15-20 percent reduction in global warming emissions by 2020 and an 80 percent reduction by 2050."

Kohler said he sees the governors' initiatives as a result of the growing public interest in environmental issues.

"There is an increasing public opinion regarding global warming, foreign oil and pollutants. People are crying out for solutions," Kohler said.

Students on Marquette's campus have also expressed a strong interest in the environmental concerns that the summit is attempting to work towards solving. Aimee McGinty, President of Students for an Environmentally Active Campus, said she supports the event and believes it is a good idea. The organization just finished their week of events and awareness. With an active campaign to get Marquette to buy in to renewable energy on the horizon, McGinty said she is optimistic about what the Energy Summit can accomplish.

"Any goal [the summit reaches] would be good. We're behind," she said.

While the work of the governors is still underway, Kohler recognizes that many people are interested in what they can do. "Contact your state legislators," he advised. "The Assembly right now is considering the WI State Climate Act, which would reduce global warming emissions back to 1990 levels by 2020." Kohler emphasized the importance of Wisconsin's role in reducing emissions: if Wisconsin were its own country, in 2004 it would have ranked 37th in the world for emissions.

McGinty said that her organization will also be continuing to work to interest themselves in these issues next semester. "A lot of people don't know what these issues entail."