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It takes a region to combat climate change.

Two weeks ago, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors voted to add the county to the Monterey Bay Regional Climate Action Compact, which pools the resources of local government agencies, educational institutions, businesses and nonprofits to work together on local and regional climate change initiatives.

"We aim to place the Monterey Bay Area in the vanguard of regions leading the way toward climate neutrality," states the Monterey Bay Climate Solutions website, a project of Santa Cruz-based nonprofit Ecology Action.

The compact's focus is on voluntary efforts to stimulate the local economy while reducing the negative eco-impacts in the Monterey Bay region.

By signing the compact, the county is committing staff time to participate in an annual one-day summit meeting and four two-hour quarterly meetings, and contribute some staff time and resources to help further the compact's goals.

Monterey County's 2010 General Plan and the California Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32) already require the county to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions; officials view the regional compact as another tool in meeting those targets.