Following is the text of a joint statement released by the U.S. and Italy on clean energy technologies and climate change following the U.S.-Italy Joint Meeting on Climate Change Research and Technology and Workshop on Clean Energy Technologies in Sacramento, California September 15-16, 2003. Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs Paula Dobriansky led the U.S. delegation and Minister of the Environment and Territory Altero Matteoli led the Italian delegation.

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The United States and Italy convened a workshop and high-level discussion on clean energy technologies and climate change in Sacramento, California, on September 15 and 16, 2003. U.S. Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs Paula Dobriansky and Italian Minister of the Environment and Territory Altero Matteoli led the respective delegations.

The meeting was conducted under the U.S.-Italy bilateral partnership on climate change, an ongoing cooperative effort that followed the 2001 pledge of President George Bush and Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to conduct joint research on climate change science and technology.

During the high-level session on clean energy and climate change, U.S. and Italian representatives agreed that the development and deployment of transformational technologies for cleaner and more efficient energy is fundamental to addressing global climate change in a manner that promotes global prosperity. The two sides agreed that a focus on advancing cleaner and more efficient energy technologies, such as carbon sequestration, hydrogen and fuel cells, is important for all countries, and will especially benefit developing countries working to achieve sustainable development. The two sides also agreed to enhance cooperation on WSSD goals of increasing access to clean energy for those currently lacking modern energy services.

At the Ninth Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP-9), to be held in Milan, Italy, December 1-12, 2003, the United States and Italy intend to work together to emphasize cleaner energy technologies, show how the U.S.-Italy bilateral partnership is advancing efforts to address climate change in practical ways, and demonstrate that technology cooperation is a “bridge” between countries that have chosen different ways to face the challenge of climate change.

The United States and Italy recognize the importance of public-private international partnerships for technological innovation, and will continue to encourage and facilitate partnerships involving the European Union and the United States. As President of the European Union, Italy will work for a continued strengthening of U.S.-EU cooperation in addressing climate change, and will continue to promote common efforts and programs.

At the workshop on clean energy technologies, Italian and U.S. experts from government, the academic community, and the private sector discussed the deployment of advanced low-emission energy technologies including: stationary and automotive fuel cell applications; micro-turbines; hydrogen production from renewable sources and fossil fuels; hydrogen infrastructure, distribution and storage; cleaner fossil fuels technologies, including carbon capture and storage; and, geothermal, wind, and other renewable sources of energy. The experts also discussed how cooperation in these areas could be further advanced under the bilateral energy agreement between the two countries.

U.S. workshop participants included representatives from: the U.S. Department of Energy, led by Assistant Secretary of Energy David K. Garman; the U.S. Department of State, led by Senior Climate Negotiator and Special Representative Harlan Watson; Sandia National Laboratories; Argonne National Laboratory; Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory; and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The Italian delegation included representatives from: the Ministry of Environment and Territory, led by Director General Corrado Clini; the Italian Embassy; Lombardia e Piemonte Regions, Milan Municipality, National Scientific Research Institutes (CNR, ENEA, INGV, CRS4, IRST, INAF), Universities of La Tuscia, of Udine, Politecnico of Milan and Torino, of Trento; and important private enterprises (ENI, FIAT Centro Ricerche, Ansaldo, Solvay, Nuvera, Arcotronics Fuel Cell, ENEL, IPVC, Edison).

The workshop and high-level discussion were hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy. The high-level discussion took place at the offices of the California Fuel Cell Partnership, a public-private partnership working to advance new vehicle technology.

On the occasion of the workshop and high-level discussions, representatives of the City of Sacramento and the City of Milan also discussed the formation of a sister city relationship.

The United States and Italy will review progress on clean energy technology activities and other joint climate change research activities at the next U.S.-Italy Joint Meeting on Climate Change Science and Technology in Rome in 2004.