He gave the keynote address at Sonoma County Conservation Action's "Grassroots Gala," an annual event that honors local environmental leaders. Newsom pushed back on Trump's contention that pivoting toward a fossil fuel-free world
would irretrievably harm the U.S. economy. "What is so wrong about de-carbonizing your economy? What's so wrong about what California's done? Seven years, 2.7 million jobs, 2.9 percent GDP (growth)," he said.
Source: The Press Democrat on 2018 California gubernatorial race
, Jun 10, 2017
New cars & trucks in California to be zero-emission by 2035
I was proud to sign a groundbreaking executive order last year requiring all new cars and passenger trucks sold in California to be zero-emission by 2035. And the car companies--Ford, GM, and Volvo--seized the opportunity to innovate, create jobs, and
dominate the industry of the future. Proving yet again that protecting our planet and growing our economy aren't conflicting goals--they're one in the same. There's no doubt California is the pace setter of environmental policy.
Source: 2021 State of the State Address to California legislature
, Mar 9, 2021
We will write the playbook on confronting climate change
Forging an Oil-Free Future: The plan will decrease California's reliance on fossil fuels while preparing our economy and workforce for a clean energy future. California will write the playbook for how America confronts the impacts of climate change--
investing billions in climate tech research & development, clean cars, preparing Californians for career opportunities, and further readying our infrastructure to withstand extreme weather.
Source: 2022 State of the State Address to California legislature
, Feb 10, 2022
We need to be fighting polluters, not bolstering them
At a time, when we've been heating and burning up, one thing we cannot do is repeat the mistakes of the past by embracing polluters. Drilling even more oil, which only leads to even more extreme weather, more extreme drought, more wildfire. Just in the
past few years, we've seen whole communities nearly wiped off the map. We need to be fighting polluters, not bolstering them. And in so doing, freeing us once and for all from the grasp of petro-dictators.
Source: 2022 State of the State Address to California legislature
, Mar 8, 2022
Supports tradable emissions permits for greenhouse gases.
Newsom adopted the manifesto, "A New Agenda for the New Decade":
Modernize Environmental Policies National environmental policies, mostly developed in the 1970s, have been remarkably successful in improving the quality of our air and water. But we face a new set of environmental challenges for which the old strategy of centralized, command-and-control regulation is no longer effective.
The old regime of prohibitions and fines levied on polluters is not well equipped to tackle problems such as climate change, contamination of water from such sources as farm and suburban runoff, loss of open lands, and sprawl. Without relaxing our determination to maintain and enforce mandatory national standards for environmental quality, it is time to create more effective, efficient, and flexible ways of achieving those standards.
For example, a system of tradable emissions permits would give factories, power plants, and other sources of air pollution and greenhouse gases a powerful incentive not only to meet but to exceed environmental standards. Decisions about solving local environmental problems should be shifted from Washington to communities, without weakening national standards. Finally, to empower citizens and communities to make sound decisions, government should invest in improving the quality and availability of information about environmental conditions.
Goals for 2010
Create a domestic emissions trading system to reduce greenhouse gases by 10 percent.
Promote innovative agreements for community and regional partnerships to achieve national environmental goals and standards through local strategies.
End government subsidies for sprawl.
Source: The Hyde Park Declaration 00-DLC10 on Aug 1, 2000