|PIC1|Prime Minister Tony Blair has joined former US President, Bill Clinton, and mayors from some of the world's largest cities to announce an initiative this week to fight climate change and increase energy efficiency in various new schemes across major cities across the globe.

The partnership joins Clinton and the Large Cities Climate Leadership Group — an alliance of Rome, London, Mexico City, Los Angeles and other cities that have pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

It is hoped that by focusing on technological solutions and various ways to maximise the efficiency of resources that pollutants that contribute to global warming can be slashed.

The new alliance also hopes that the promotion of clean-burning fuels and energy conservation will also be achieved by the initiative, according to the Associated Press.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair was in attendance as Clinton addressed those gathered at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he signed the pact in the company of the mayors of Los Angeles, San Francisco and London. The ex-President said, “This is a very, very serious problem, but also a phenomenal opportunity.”|AD|

Clinton highlighted the faults of the Bush administration for moving too slowly on global warming and said an era of environmental devastation will come about if the issues are not immediately overcome worldwide.

In response, a spokeswoman for the White House Council on Environmental Quality said that the Bush administration supports efforts to cut emissions, AP has reported.

Kristen Hellmer said, "The administration encourages all levels of government — including the states and local governments — to find ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This approach reinforces the approach advanced by the president, and the administration looks forward to exploring ideas to achieve real results."

The pact is similar to one signed on Monday by Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger and Prime Minister Blair, which will see the UK and California share information and technology to cut pollutants linked to climate change.

Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone stated, "There is no bigger task for humanity than to avert catastophic climate change. The world's largest cities can have a major impact on this. Already they are at the centre of developing the technologies and innovative new practices that provide hope that we can radically reduce carbon emissions."