At Summit of the Americas, California and Canada Partner to Advance Climate Action

Los Angeles, CA…MOC is latest global climate partnership California has entered into, following similar ones with New Zealand, Japan and China. Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) outlines shared objectives on emissions reduction, nature protection, zero-emission vehicles, climate adaptation and circular economy. Governor Newsom and Canada Prime Minister Trudeau advance climate solutions during Summit of the Americas.

Building on California’s global climate leadership and following the partnership established with New Zealand last month, Governor Gavin Newsom and Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau today announced a new partnership to advance bold climate action. California and Canada signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) fighting climate change, reducing pollution, cutting back on plastic waste, advancing zero-emission vehicles, protecting the environment and building climate resilience.

At the California Science Center in Los Angeles during the Summit of the Americas, Governor Newsom and Prime Minister Trudeau, along with their respective delegations, held a bilateral meeting to discuss California and Canada’s shared values, including world-leading climate action, protecting fundamental rights, adopting strong gun safety measures and building a vibrant economy that embraces diversity and inclusivity. The partnership is grounded in respect for Indigenous Peoples, recognizing their essential role in climate action and nature protection.

”We can’t fight the climate crisis on our own – we need to work together with partners all across the globe to achieve humanity’s most important task: saving our planet,” said Governor Newsom. “This partnership with Canada is a vital step on California’s path to a cleaner, greener future and is the latest expression of our shared values. Together, we are building a more sustainable and resilient future for millions and lighting the path for other nations and nation-states to follow our lead.”

“Canadians and Californians share a commitment to building a clean, strong future,” said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. “Today, as we launch a new partnership on climate action and nature protection, we’re teaming up to deliver the clean air, healthy environment, and good jobs our citizens deserve. I look forward to everything we can do next to deepen our shared work.”

The MOC furthers climate objectives through sharing information and best practices. Canada and California also agreed to convene other like-minded partners at UN Climate Week in September, to drive shared work on wildfire and forest resilience.

The text of the MOC signed today can be found here.

A joint statement on the new California-Canada climate action and nature protection partnership can be found here.

Governor Newsom and Prime Minister Trudeau announce new climate partnership at Summit of the Americas
California’s world-leading climate policies have led the state to exceed its 2020 climate target four years ahead of schedule, and created partnerships across the U.S. and around the world. Governor Newsom has committed $47.1 billion to tackle pollution, build climate-resilient water supplies, reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires, ensure grid reliability and accelerate clean energy solutions, and protect communities from extreme heat.California’s ZEV market is leading the nation in every category and the state is ending the sale of new gas cars by 2035, reducing demand for oil and spurring partnerships across the nation and around the world. Responding to the Governor’s nature-based solutions executive order, which identified California’s lands as a critical yet underutilized sector in the fight against climate change, California released the Pathways to 30×30: Accelerating Conservation of California’s Nature strategy and Natural and Working Lands Climate Smart Strategy.

Last month, California signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with New Zealand to tackle the climate crisis. That followed a Memorandum of Cooperation with Japan signed earlier this year to advance cooperation on climate and clean energy priorities, and strengthen trade relations. Governor Newsom also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with China to accelerate ongoing initiatives to protect the environment, reduce carbon and air pollution and promote clean technology development.

Last year, Governor Newsom and 24 governors from the bipartisan U.S. Climate Alliance committed to collectively achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions no later than 2050. Governor Newsom and other Under2 Coalition partners announced the transition to become a net zero coalition, raising ambition for member states and regions. California also joined the Beyond Oil & Gas Alliance, which brings together national and subnational governments committed to advancing a just transition away from oil and gas production.

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