LOS ANGELES, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Twelve U.S. governors on Saturday called for a partnership between states and the federal government in fighting climate change.

    The call came at a meeting with President Barak Obama's top energy environment officials in Sacramento, capital of California, the state's Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said.

    The meeting discussed a potential state-federal partnership on clean energy and climate change issues, said Schwarzenegger, who co-chaired the meeting with New York Governor David Paterson.

    "Today's meeting was the first step in creating a close and lasting partnership with President Obama and his administration on climate change," Schwarzenegger said in a statement.

    "I look forward to working hand-in-hand with our federal partners to realize the ambitious clean energy and climate change goals I know we share, and that I know will provide a boost to our nation's economy," he said.

    U.S. states "have been leading the way on clean energy and climate change, and we are thrilled to now have a willing partner in the White House to promote these policies on a national stage," he noted.

    "California has been focusing on green jobs, alternative fuels, renewable energy, and reducing the urgent threat of global warming while at the same time benefiting our economy, and we hope that our efforts will now act as a model for change at the federal level," the governor said.

    During the meeting, governors and federal officials discussed a variety of ambitious initiatives being undertaken by their states to accelerate renewable energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

    The governors stressed the importance of coordinating their actions with the Obama administration to leverage each other’s efforts, Schwarzenegger said, adding that several governors noted the unique complexity of clean energy and climate challenge issues will require action at the local, state and federal levels.

    Saturday's meeting was a follow-up to a letter Schwarzenegger and 11 other governors sent to President Obama on Jan. 29, 2009.

    In the letter, the governors asked for a meeting with President Obama's energy and climate team to discuss creating a state-federal partnership on climate change issues.

    Also present at the meeting were the governors of Florida, New Jersey, Vermont, Michigan, Washington, Oregon, Maryland, Colorado and Kansas.