Schwarzenegger launches climate change project

Aug. 4 (UPI) -- Actor and former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Friday unveiled an environmental initiative to answer President Donald Trump's withdrawal from the Paris climate accords.

Called the Digital Environmental Legislative Handbook, it is a searchable database of environmental bills and laws designed to help legislators create their own climate change laws.

The initiative is a cooperative effort between the Schwarzenegger Institute at the University of Southern California and the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators.

Although it's a California project, advocates said it can be used to fight climate change nationwide.

"Schwarzenegger has long insisted that voters aren't interested in Republican air or Democrat air but instead simply want clean air," the DELH website states. "We believe that lawmakers from both political parties and all 50 states will be able to use this resource to find creative legislative solutions to many of the environmental and public health issues facing the people and communities they represent."

Schwarzenegger, a political Republican, admitted that the database is a challenge to Trump's environmental policies.

"There's no reason why we shouldn't have a digital legislative handbook, and make it available to people who wanted to create environmental action now, because of the situation with Trump," he said in an interview with Politico on Thursday. "With his decision on the Paris agreement, it is even more so important to make this information available because it shows the kinds of wonderful things states can do without waiting for the federal government.

"The message to legislators with the project is now 'you have the power to do it yourselves. The reality is each state now goes to work and passes great legislation that helps them make great decisions."

California is typically a leader in the national conservation landscape. Many leaders in the Golden State, including Gov. Jerry Brown, have criticized Trump for withdrawing from the Paris agreement and pledged action.

Schwarzenegger has been and a strong supporter of the Paris climate agreement. In June, he met with French President Emmanuel Macron, who said, "We will deliver together to make the planet green again."