[ST. PAUL, MN] – At the Aspen Ideas: Climate Conference today, Governor Tim Walz joined climate leaders from around the world to discuss how Minnesota is leading in the fight against climate change.

“Minnesota never steps away from a challenge. From our leading research centers to our vibrant startups and cross-sector partnerships, Minnesota is home to a robust clean technology and renewable energy ecosystem that is leading the way in developing sustainable solutions,” said Governor Walz. “Today, I was proud to join national climate leaders to discuss how Minnesota is leading in the fight against climate change.”

Governor Walz was joined on a panel by Clean Energy Buyers Association CEO Miranda Ballentine; Rama Variankaval, global head of the Center for Carbon Transition at J.P. Morgan; and Jennifer Harris, former Special Assistant to President Biden and Senior Director for International Economics & Labor on the National Security Council.

The Governor’s participation in the climate summit comes as he recently signed a bill into law moving Minnesota toward 100% clean electricity by 2040 by establishing a Minnesota carbon-free electricity standard. In September 2022, Governor Walz launched a sweeping climate action plan to protect Minnesota’s environment and combat climate change. Created with the input of thousands of business, conservation, and climate leaders, the Climate Action Framework identifies immediate and long-term actions Minnesota can take to achieve the state's vision to help communities reduce pollution that contributes to climate change and to prepare for extreme weather events caused by a changing climate.

The prompt for today’s discussion was “Made in America: A New Era of Clean Technology Competitiveness.”