California Governor Slams Trump's Climate Policies, Calls Him 'Temporary' At COP30 Summit

California Governor Slams Trump's Climate Policies, Calls Him 'Temporary' At COP30 Summit

With US President Donald Trump absent from the UN climate summit in the Amazon, California Governor Gavin Newsom seized the spotlight on Tuesday, sharply criticising his political rival's fossil fuel policies.

Seen as a potential 2028 presidential contender, the well-groomed Democrat condemned Trump for withdrawing the US twice from the Paris climate accord and accused him of “doubling down on stupid" through his backing of Big Oil.

Newsom emphasized that a future Democratic administration would rejoin the Paris Agreement “without hesitation," news agency AFP reported.

Newsom Targets Trump Over His Climate Policies

“It's a moral commitment, it's an economic imperative, he said in Belem, the Brazilian Amazon city hosting COP30. “It is an abomination that he has twice, not once, pulled away from the accords," he added.

Trump's latest withdrawal came after he returned to office in January, marking his second exit from the landmark climate deal. He has repeatedly dismissed human-driven climate change, labeling it a “con job."

According to AFP report, furing his first appearance at the summit, Newsom, alongside Para Governor Helder Barbalho, highlighted California's renewable energy progress, noting the state now generates two-thirds of its electricity from renewables. He later held a series of meetings with international officials, including representatives from Germany and Brazil, amid significant media attention.

Though regional leaders have no formal role in COP30 negotiations, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham stressed the importance of demonstrating state-level commitment.

Her aim in coming, she added, was to show that “when the federal government leans in, we do more, and when they lean out, we do more. It's both."

Trump's Absence ‘A Good Thing': Figueres

Christiana Figueres, an architect of the Paris agreement, said the summit benefited from Trump's absence, noting the US could no longer directly pressure other nations.

State-level efforts, experts note, still hold influence. A University of Maryland study suggests US emissions could drop by over 50 percent by 2035 if states act aggressively and a climate-focused president is elected in 2028.

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Newsom called on nations to resist intimidation from Trump's administration, stressing the importance of standing firm.

“Trump is temporary," he said, adding, “You stand up to a bully."

Source: News18
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