In a press release from the Governor’s office at COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye, Gov. declared that America’s climate fight is far from over and said California will continue to lead even if the federal government steps back; the account that follows is the Governor’s office description of his appearances and the state’s progress.
The Governor’s office said California has added more than 39,000 megawatts of utility-scale clean energy since 2019 and that, at the end of 2024, 67% of retail electricity sales in the state came from clean energy; the release also said clean energy met 100% of the state’s electricity needs for part of the day on 279 days in the previous year.
The office said battery resources serving California grew from fewer than 700 megawatts in 2019 to more than 23,000 megawatts now, and that batteries help store solar power when it is abundant and deliver it after sunset; the release added that this reduces how often the state needs to run natural gas plants, which cuts air pollution and supports a more cost-effective electricity system.
The Governor’s office cited workforce and investment figures to underline the economic case; a 2025 E2 report cited in the release showed 552,300 workers in California’s clean energy industries and the release said global investors are now putting roughly two dollars into clean-energy technology for every dollar in fossil fuels.
At COP31 the Governor met Australia’s Minister for Climate Change and Energy to discuss sea-level rise, financing for climate resilience, ocean health and clean energy cooperation; Newsom and the First Partner also visited the Ocean Pavilion hosted by institutions including Scripps Institution of Oceanography and participated in a U.S. Climate Alliance panel on women’s leadership.
Gov. Newsom used his remarks to single out the oil industry; he said, “The polluted heart of this climate crisis is Big Oil. The climate crisis is not complicated; it’s a fossil fuel crisis. It’s the burning of oil, gas, and coal. They’ve been lying to us; they’ve been deceitful. They have delayed the implementation and the application of the solutions that are already at hand, and they need to be called out, and they need to be held accountable.”
The Governor closed by telling international partners, “I’m here to remind you that California is a stable partner in these endeavors,” and the release framed California as a model for states and regions that want to accelerate clean energy, cut emissions and grow green jobs.
State
Gavin Newsom
Governor · Democrat
Named 5 times in this story.
Portrait: Official portrait
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