California delegation wraps historic participation at COP30: new global partnerships, clean energy records, and climate leadership

California’s agricultural delegation meets with UN Food and Agriculture Organization leadership at COP30. Left to right: Sarah Swig, Deputy Cabinet Secretary to Governor Newsom; Secretary Karen Ross, California Department of Food and Agriculture; Kaveh Zahedi, FAO Director of the Office of Climate Change; Virginia Jameson, CDFA Deputy Secretary of Climate and Working Lands; and Martial Bernoux, FAO Climate Change Team Leader.

Climate-smart agriculture and sustainable food systems

California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Secretary Karen Ross represented California’s agricultural innovation at COP30, participating in panels and bilateral meetings that showcased how the state has integrated climate action with food security. Secretary Ross strengthened existing partnerships and forged new collaborations on climate-smart, resilient, and regenerative agriculture. 

“Of the four COPs I’ve attended, this was the strongest focus yet on the essential role of farmers and sustainable food systems—not only in reducing greenhouse gas emissions but also in delivering solutions through healthy soils, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration,” said California Department of Food and Agriculture, Secretary Karen Ross. “It was powerful to see programming that integrated climate, agriculture, water, and biodiversity as a holistic approach to the challenges and opportunities agriculture faces. Thanks to the Governor’s leadership CDFA has distributed approximately $690 million for climate-smart practices, including livestock methane reduction, healthy soils,  on-farm water savings, and energy efficiency.”

California’s food and agricultural leadership at COP30 sent a powerful signal that America’s climate work in food security won’t pause or slow. As one of the few Mediterranean climate regions in the world and the nation’s leader in dairy and specialty crops, California produces over 400 crops and supplies three-fourths of the nation’s vegetables, fruits and nuts, and 20 percent of the nation’s milk. In 2023 alone, California agriculture generated $61 billion in sales, accounting for 11 percent of total U.S. agricultural sales and exported $22.4 billion in goods. 

California’s agricultural story is one of constant adaptation — facing drought, flooding, rising temperatures, and new pest pressures while continuing to grow food for the world under some of the strongest environmental and labor standards anywhere.

California’s climate leadership

Pollution is down and the economy is up. Greenhouse gas emissions in California are down 21% since 2000 — even as the state’s GDP increased 81% in that same time period, all while becoming the world’s fourth largest economy.

California also continues to set clean energy records. In 2023, the state was powered by two-thirds clean energy, the largest economy in the world to achieve this level. California has also run on 100% clean electricity for part of the day almost every day this year.

Since the beginning of the Newsom Administration, battery storage has surged to nearly 17,000 megawatts — a 2,100%+ increase, and over 30,000 megawatts of new resources have been added to the electric grid. California now has 33 percent of the storage capacity estimated to be needed by 2045 to reach 100 percent clean electricity.

California at COP30

COP30 is an annual global meeting where world leaders, scientists, non-governmental organizations, and civil society leaders gather to discuss actions to tackle climate change. Hosted in Belém, Brazil, this year’s conference marked ten years since the Paris Agreement and emphasized moving from ambition to action. California’s leadership, as both a founder of the Under2 Coalition and co-chair of national climate alliances, exemplifies how states and regions are driving progress where national governments fall short.

California’s delegation included the Governor, California Natural Resources Agency Secretary Wade Crowfoot, California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross, California Public Utilities Commission President Alice Reynolds, California Air Resources Board Chair Lauren Sanchez, and Tribal Affairs Secretary Christina Snider-Ashtari.

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