RECAP: A Week of Global Leadership

Published:

Here’s what you may have missed this week across the Golden State…

  • California-Mexico Border Visit
  • California Hall of Fame
  • Historic Climate Action
  • Guaranteed Income Pilot Program
  • California Job Growth Continues

Why it matters: California continued its global leadership, from investing in clean energy and actualizing climate leadership to continuing record job growth and investment in working-class communities across California.

🌎 VISIT TO CALIFORNIA-MEXICO BORDER

The week kicked off with Governor Gavin Newsom visiting both sides of the California-Mexico border on the 200th Anniversary of diplomatic relations between the United States and Mexico. In California, Governor Newsom visited a state testing, vaccination, and resource center that provides humanitarian supports to recently arrived migrants. In Mexico, Governor Newsom was joined by Governor of Baja California Marina del Pilar Avila-Olmeda and visited a migrant shelter in Mexicali. Read more about the visit, which comes ahead of the anticipated lifting of Title 42, here.

    • What Governor Newsom said: “On Day One of his administration, President Biden put forward a comprehensive plan focused on securing our border, ensuring Dreamers have a permanent home in our country, and helping businesses address their needs for more workers. Instead of working on real reform, the response from Republicans has been to exploit the situation at our border for political gain. California has invested roughly $1 billion over the past three years to support the health and safety of migrants as well as the surrounding border communities, but we cannot continue to do this work alone. It is long past time for Republicans in Congress to engage on real solutions to meet the public safety, public health and humanitarian issues at our border and in our immigration system.”

🎖️ CALIFORNIA HALL OF FAME

Governor Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom welcomed the 15th class of the California Hall of Fame! A night full of California’s best saw 11 honorees celebrated for their inspiration, achievements, and embodiment of the California dream:

🎖️ Actor and singer-songwriter Lynda Carter

🎖️ Chef Roy Choi

🎖️ Physicist Steven Chu

🎖️ Ice skater Peggy Fleming

🎖️ Sociologist Arlie Russell Hochschild

🎖️ Choreographer Alonzo King

🎖️ Teacher and former astronaut Barbara Morgan

🎖️ Soccer player Megan Rapinoe

🎖️ Singer Linda Ronstadt

🎖️ Artist Ed Ruscha

🎖️ The band Los Tigres del Norte

🤯 CALIFORNIA CONTINUES HISTORIC CLIMATE ACTION

California continued its world-leading climate action this week with an unprecedented plan to cut air pollution, shift away from fossil fuels, ramp up clean energy production and accelerate the transition to zero emission vehicles.

The California Air Resources Board approved a comprehensive roadmap to achieve net zero pollution. The Scoping Plan will:

  • Cut air pollution by 71%;
  • Slash greenhouse gas emissions 85% by 2045, including a 48% reduction of greenhouse gasses by 2030, surpassing the statutory mandate to reduce emissions to at least 40% below 1990 levels in 2030;
  • Reduce fossil fuel consumption to less than one-tenth of what we use today, a 94% drop in demand for oil and 86% drop in demand for all fossil fuels;
  • Create 4 million new jobs;
  • Save Californians $200 billion in health costs due to pollution.

And the California Energy Commission announced a $3 billion investment to double the number of electric vehicle chargers across the state, bringing the total number of chargers to more than 170,000 available when done – keeping the state on track to reach the 250,000 goal by 2025.

  • What Governor Newsom said: “We are making history here in California, and today caps an amazing ten days for world-leading climate action.”

💵 GUARANTEED INCOME PILOT PROGRAM PROCEEDS

Governor Newsom launched the Guaranteed Income Pooled Fund, a philanthropic partnership to help organizations fund Guaranteed Income Pilot Programs by helping pilot projects unlock more than $25 million in grants from the state.

The pilot projects will collectively provide nearly 2,000 Californians – primarily former foster youth and pregnant people – with $600 to $1,200 per month, for 12 to 18 months.

  • What Governor Newsom said: “As people across the country struggle with global inflation, this guaranteed income pilot program provides some much needed support and breathing room for the most vulnerable Californians.”

CALIFORNIA JOBS OUTPACE NATION (AGAIN!)

On Friday, California announced that job growth continued for the fourteenth consecutive month in November, with 26,800 new jobs – and the state continues outpacing the nation’s job growth rate, adding 675,000 jobs year-over. The continued job growth was reflected across ten of California’s eleven major industries, with leisure and hospitality and education and health services adding the highest number of jobs.

  • What Governor Newsom said“California has added jobs for fourteen straight months and more Californians are working than ever before. The state also continues outpacing the nation in year-over job growth – all as millions of Californians are currently receiving the largest tax refund in history, boosting the state’s working families.”

📰 ADDITIONAL READING