MILWAUKEE -- Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle, along with nine of the other region’s leaders, signed the Midwestern Regional Greenhouse Gas Reduction Accord Nov. 15 in a move said to be vital in the global movement on climate change.

"Our strong manufacturing base and rich agricultural industries, along with the wealth of resources in our vast northern forests and our world leading research universities position Wisconsin and the entire Midwest to become the Saudi Arabia of renewable energy," Doyle said.

Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan, Kansas and the Canadian province of Manitoba signed the accord as participants while Indiana, South Dakota and Ohio signed on as observers, during the Midwestern Energy Security and Climate Stewardship Summit, held at the Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee. Nebraska, North Dakota and Missouri did not sign.

The accord states that "the U.S. federal government has not met the challenge to date of crafting a comprehensive national response to climate change." Various speakers at the summit said they recognized that the accord is meant to demonstrate an initiative to cut greenhouse gas emissions on a regional level, by taking the lead in what is hoped to soon be a national commitment.

"Everyone I've spoken to, from every country including my own, across the political spectrum, is looking to the United States," said keynote speaker Phil Woolas, Minister for Environment in the United Kingdom.

Many of the region's leaders spoke of their own state's success in renewable energy production and of their enthusiasm for progress.

Iowa Gov. Chester Culver shared Doyle's excitement stating that he hoped the Midwest would soon become the "Silicon Valley of renewable energy."

Woolas noted Iowa’s leadership in energy production through wind, ethanol and biodiesels. The speaker also made sure to highlight the state's political advantage in the upcoming presidential election.

"As host of the first presidential primaries, you [Iowa] are in a unique opportunity to shake the debate on climate change and energy security," Woolas said.

Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm touted the economic benefits of the accord and taking a lead in developing renewable energy. She stated that the Midwest is the "focal point of the next industrial revolution."

"It's about job creation to me. The economics of this for a state like Michigan are enormous, and for the Midwest. We have all felt the ramification of this global shift in manufacturing jobs," Granholm said. "The American Solar Energy Counsel came out with a report that said one in four jobs in the United States by the year 2030 will be in alternative or renewable energy."

The Michigan governor specified the many resources in the Midwest to take advantage of including using waste and solar power to create energy alternatives, along with hydropower, solar energy, cellulosic ethanol and wood. Granholm stated that through wind power, around 60,000 jobs will be created in Michigan alone.

According to an Office of the Governor press release, the accord will:

• Establish greenhouse gas reduction targets and timeframes consistent with MGA member states' targets
• Develop a market-based and multi-sector cap-and-trade mechanism to help achieve those reduction targets
• Establish a system to enable tracking, management and crediting for entities that reduce greenhouse gas emissions
• Develop and implement additional steps as needed to achieve the reduction targets, such as a low-carbon fuel standards and regional incentives and funding mechanisms.

"This is a momentous day in Milwaukee, Wisconsin," said Doyle, chair of the Midwestern Governors Association. "Leaders from across the Midwest are charting a new energy direction for our citizens, our nation and our world, creating high-paying jobs for our citizens and building a cleaner and safer world for generations to come. Our strong manufacturing base and rich agricultural industries, along with the wealth of resources in our vast northern forests and our world-leading research universities, position the Midwest to become the Saudi Arabia of renewable energy."

Doyle also noted the role of Wisconsin’s youth in climate change, highlighting the state's off the grid initiative, through which four University of Wisconsin campuses will aim to gain energy independence over the next five years using research and innovation.