He said Washington risked ceding the fast-growing clean energy market to China.
“China, they’re not interested in this debate. They are flooding the zone and they’re going to dominate in the next great global industry. So I’m here as well from an economic prism. The US is dumb as we want to be on this topic, but the state of California is not. And so we are going to assert ourselves, we’re going to lean in and we are going to compete in this space.”
Widely seen as a possible Democratic presidential candidate in 2028, Newsom assured the COP30 audience that California would continue to prioritize green technology regardless of federal policy. Flanked by United Nations security guards, he was swarmed by attendees and cheered for representing the US at COP.
The governor met with officials from governments around the world, highlighting California’s influence as the world’s fourth-largest economy, making it a key player in influencing markets and energy policy.
Newsom suggested there were bipartisan roots for American climate action, listing initiatives by Republican presidents Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon.
In contrast, Trump has dismissed climate change as a “hoax” and promoted fossil fuel use, and Washington has skipped the COP30 summit. While Democrats have long made climate change a central policy priority, Newsom said messaging needs to connect with average citizens. “It’s not about electric power, it’s about economic power. I think we have to reframe it (climate change) as a cost of living issue.”
Newsom said California’s partnership on climate policy was secure, and dismissed Trump’s expected order to reopen offshore drilling. “It’s dead on arrival.”
–Reuters—
