Five governors from western states, frustrated at the lack of administration and congressional action on climate change, yesterday agreed to work together to set a regional target in the next six months to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Arnold Schwarzeneggar, governor of California and a member of the Western Regional Climate Action Initiative, told the National Press Club the target signalled to the federal government that if it did not lead, the states would: "We will create a cleaner environment, take care of our air and of our water, and follow the Kyoto treaty to a certain extent and really fight global warming."