Governor Brown signs Pacific Coast Collaborative agreements with Oregon Governor Kate Brown, Washington Governor Jay Inslee, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee and Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf at the SubCEM. (Photo Credit: Joe McHugh)

Global energy policymakers gathered at the 7th annual Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM7) on Wednesday with experts, business and investment communities to discuss the future of clean energy in San Francisco.

Hosted by the United States, CEM7 is the first CEM meeting following the historic climate change talks that happened in Paris last December.

Behind closed doors, world clean energy leaders on Wednesday discussed solutions and problems. The goal of the two-day meetings, discussions, and talks is to get a clearer picture of how countries around the globe will be able to achieve some of these ambitious goals to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions.

California Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. highlighted regional clean energy and climate action and collaboration at the inaugural of Subnational Clean Energy Ministerial (SubCEM) on Wednesday.

“This is important that you’re here – that’s big – but the threat and the task, the complexity, the cost and the political resistance is formidable. So this is not for the faint of heart, this business of climate change is not for wimps,” said Brown. “We have to renew our commitment, we have to deepen our understanding, and we have to intensify our effort.”

Exhibits from 95 companies will show the latest development in solar panels, electric cars, and efficient energy tech to the public on Thursday.

The CEM7 brings together energy ministers from Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, the European Commission, Finland, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Norway, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Yin Hejun, vice minister of China’s Ministry of Science and Technology attended the meeting.

Clean Energy Ministerial is an annual meeting of national energy ministers and other high-level delegates from 23 member countries and the European Commission. The SubCEM and CEM7 events represent an opportunity to discuss how states, provinces, cities and countries will follow through on the commitments made at the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris.