“I’m here because I don’t want the United States of America to be a footnote at this Conference – and I want you to know that we recognize our responsibility and we recognize our opportunity,” said Alliance co-chair and California Governor Newsom at a press conference during COP30. “States are partnering despite the headwinds in Washington, D.C.”
The Alliance teamed up with the country’s other top subnational climate coalitions, America Is All In and Climate Mayors, to lead a U.S. delegation of more than 100 local officials to the COP30 Local Leaders Forum in Rio de Janeiro and COP30 in Belem. At these convenings, the delegation announced new data showing sustained U.S. momentum, and shared solutions, forged bonds, and identified strategies to accelerate progress with leaders from around the world.
At the three-day Local Leaders Forum, Governors Evers and Lujan Grisham participated in a number of events and convened several high level meetings. This included hosting a press conference where they launched the Alliance’s Annual Report and announced that the coalition’s members have collectively reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 24 percent, while growing GDP by 34 percent, over the last 18 years. This report also details hundreds of examples across sectors of how Alliance governors are advancing innovative and impactful climate solutions, and it identifies a pathway for member states and territories to help mitigate the loss of federal ambition over the coming years.
During the Forum, the Alliance also partnered with the Under2 Coalition to convene a meeting with UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell to report on the strength of state and regional climate leadership in the U.S. and around the world, and to discuss opportunities for subnational governments to support achievement of global climate goals. This builds on a letter sent by the Alliance’s co-chairs to Secretary Stiell in January reaffirming the coalition’s commitment to the Paris Agreement.
Additionally, Governors Evers and Lujan Grisham participated in the Global States and Regions Summit convened by the Under2 Coalition, the America Is All In Solutions Exchange, and the Local Climate Action Summit with top state and city leaders from across the globe, among other events. They also strengthened ties with their Brazilian counterparts by joining top officials from California, Colorado, Maryland, and New York to convene a meeting featuring state-level leaders from across Brazil, including the governors of Espirito Santo, Pernambuco, and Rio Grande do Sul.
The following week, Governors Newsom and Lujan Grisham traveled to Belém for COP30, where they participated in a series of convenings to strengthen global partnerships and share how Alliance members are pressing forward to sustain and accelerate climate action across America. This included speaking an event hosted by America Is All In at the We Mean Business Pavilion, emceed by Alliance Managing Director Taryn Finnessey, which brought together U.S.-based local policymakers, as well as higher education and private sector leaders.
In addition to California, New Mexico, and Wisconsin, the Alliance was represented at COP30 by top officials from Colorado, Maryland, and New York.
