Newsom plays the climate compromise and shy candidate

from Dan WaltersCalMatters

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Gov. Gavin Newsom still insists he hasn’t made up his mind about running for president in 2028. But after convincing California voters to rig the state’s congressional districts to grab more Democratic seats, he embarked on a series of appearances that had the distinct flavor of a political campaign.

He did an interview with CNN, flew to Texas to crow about California passing Proposition 50 gerrymander at a Democratic rally — some chanted for a 2028 run — and then headed to Brazil as a self-appointed U.S. delegate to climate change conference boycotted by President Donald Trump.

Oh yeah, and Penguin Random House announced this in February will publish Newsom’s memoir of growing up in San Francisco, starting a business, and moving into politics, titled A Young Man in a Hurry: A Memoir of Discovery. It will only cost $30.

No presidential campaign is complete without a resume detailing how the candidate overcame barriers of birth and circumstance to become a dedicated public servant.

As Newsom appeared in Brazil on Monday, Politico reporter Camille von Kahnel submitted this analysis of the governor’s goal:

“California’s governor’s task at the United Nations climate talks in Belem, Brazil, this week is not to negotiate radical policy changes or enter closed-door negotiations reserved for nations. It is to put on a show: to prove that his state is still cutting emissions despite President Donald Trump’s concessions, to push governments and businesses to do the same, and to remind the world that the U.S. may one day choose the climate agenda — it may would under President Newsom.”

There is a subtext to Newsom’s claim to be a climate change fighter, however. In recent months, he has tiptoed back from the aggressive decarbonisation programs he previously championed, apparently trying to minimize the impacts – especially the costs – on consumers. The cost of living loomed large during last year’s presidential campaign.

One example is Newsom’s effort to stop the planned decommissioning of the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant and several gas generators in Southern California when it became clear that shutting them down could lead to power shortages and potential blackouts.

Another is this year’s Turning the oil industry 180 degrees. Newsom had spent months demonizing refiners for raising prices, but when two refineries announced plans to close, raising the possibility of a sharp rise in gasoline prices, Newsom shifted his focus to maintaining fuel supplies and encouraging oil production to stave off imports.

“We are all beneficiaries of oil and gas. Nobody is naive about that,” Newsom said. “So it’s always been about finding a just transition, a pragmatism about that process.”

Another example is what happened just a few days ago in Southern California. After years of controversy over carbon emissions from ships and equipment at the twin ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, the logistics industry and the Newsom-appointed regional air quality board reached a compromise.

The ports are a major source of emissions in the smog-prone region, and the South Coast Air Quality Management District has been pressing them to switch from gasoline and diesel-powered equipment to electricity. Shippers have complained that expensive renovations could make the ports uncompetitive in global trade, potentially putting thousands of jobs at risk.

The agreement calls for a three-phase, multi-year transition to zero-emission machines, which upset environmentalists and even some board members. Opponents, who wanted immediate action, chanted their displeasure and were removed from the meeting before the vote.

“The give and take of ideas and trade-offs in this process mirrors exactly what the transition to zero emissions looks like in the real world,” said William Bartelson, executive director of the Pacific Maritime Association. “It’s practical, it’s inclusive and it’s based on shared goals.”

This article was originally published on CalMatters and is republished under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivatives license.