Council Of Great Lakes Governors Inc

THE COUNCIL IS DEVOTED TO WORKING COOPERATIVELY ON PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES COMMON TO MEMBER STATES. THE BENEFITS OF A REGIONAL APPROACH TO ADDRESSING THE VARIOUS CHALLENGES OF THE GREAT LAKES STATES IS EMPHASIZED.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTTHE GOVERNORS AND PREMIERS COLLABORATE THROUGH THE COUNCIL IN A VARIETY OF WAYS TO PROMOTE ECONOMIC GROWTH AND JOB CREATION. AMONG THE COUNCIL'S MAJOR INITIATIVES ARE:INTERNATIONAL TRADE PROMOTION - THE COUNCIL OVERSEES SHARED TRADE OFFICES IN MULTIPLE FOREIGN COUNTRIES AND REGIONS - AUSTRALIA, BRAZIL, CANADA, CHILE, CHINA, GERMANY, INDIA, MEXICO, SOUTH EAST ASIA, SOUTH AFRICA, SOUTH KOREA, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, JAPAN, AND UNITED KINGDOM. THEIR MISSION IS TO ASSIST SMALL TO MID-SIZE COMPANIES IN THE PARTICIPATING MEMBER STATES IN EXPORTING THEIR GOODS AND SERVICES TO THESE VITAL AND EMERGING MARKETS. IN ADDITION, EACH YEAR, THE COUNCIL ORGANIZES MULTI-STATE/PROVINCIAL TRADE MISSIONS TO ASSIST SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED COMPANIES FROM THE REGION TO EXPORT THEIR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES.TOURISM - THE GREAT LAKES USA (GLUSA) CONDUCTS INTERNATIONAL MARKETING AND SALES FOR ITS PARTICIPATING MEMBER STATES IN CHINA, THE UNITED KINGDOM/IRELAND AND THE GERMAN-SPEAKING COUNTRIES OF GERMANY, AUSTRIA, AND SWITZERLAND. SEPARATELY, CRUISE THE GREAT LAKES MARKETS THE REGION TO POTENTIAL CRUISE PASSENGERS.MARITIME TRANSPORTATION - THE COUNCIL IS WORKING TO HELP REJUVENATE THIS CRITICAL COMPONENT OF THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION NETWORK, AN IMPORTANT STEP TOWARD IMPROVING THE REGION'S ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS.GREAT LAKES IMPACT INVESTMENT PLATFORM - THE COUNCIL, IN COLLABORATION WITH A MULTIDISCIPLINARY PROJECT TEAM, DEVELOPED THE GREAT LAKES IMPACT INVESTMENT PLATFORM AS A NEW STRUCTURE TO ENCOURAGE ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC GROWTH IN THE GREAT LAKES STATES AND PROVINCES. THE PLATFORM FEATURES PROJECTS INTENDED TO DELIVER DEMONSTRABLE IMPACT AND REVITALIZE THE REGION'S WATERS, WHILE ALSO AIMED TO GENERATE COMPETITIVE, MARKET-BASED FINANCIAL RETURNS.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONTHE GOVERNORS AND PREMIERS COLLABORATE THROUGH THE COUNCIL IN A VARIETY OF WAYS TO PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION. AMONG THE COUNCIL'S MAJOR INITIATIVES ARE:PROTECTION AND RESTORATION - THROUGH THE COUNCIL, THE GREAT LAKES GOVERNORS HAVE ESTABLISHED A LIST OF NINE PRIORITIES TO GUIDE THE RESTORATION AND PROTECTION OF THE LARGEST SINGLE SOURCE OF FRESH WATER IN THE WORLD, THE GREAT LAKES. THE PRIORITIES RANGE FROM EFFECTIVE WATER MANAGEMENT TO PROTECTING THE GREAT LAKES FROM NON-NATIVE, HARMFUL WATER SPECIES AND CONTROLLING POLLUTION. THE COUNCIL COORDINATES A PROGRAM TO ACHIEVE THESE PRIORITIES. WATER MANAGEMENT - THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES - ST. LAWRENCE RIVER WATER RESOURCES REGIONAL BODY AND COMPACT COUNCIL, THE REGION'S GOVERNORS AND PREMIERS COOPERATIVELY MANAGE 20% OF THE WORLD'S SURFACE FRESH WATER. THE REGIONAL BODY AND COMPACT COUNCIL'S AWARD-WINNING WORK PROTECTS THE LARGEST FRESHWATER BODY ON EARTH, WHICH PROVIDES DRINKING WATER TO OVER 40 MILLION PEOPLE. THE COUNCIL SERVES AS THE SECRETARIAT TO BOTH ORGANIZATIONS. AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES - THE COUNCIL COORDINATES THE GOVERNORS AND PREMIERS' REGIONAL WORK TO STOP THE FURTHER INTRODUCTION AND SPREAD OF AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES (AIS) INTO THE GREAT LAKES - ONE OF THE GOVERNORS' NINE PRIORITIES FOR GREAT LAKES RESTORATION AND PROTECTION. ADVOCACY, COORDINATION, AND THE IDENTIFICATION OF BEST PRACTICES HAVE HELPED COMBAT AIS SUCH AS THE ASIAN CARP.