Gov. Gavin Newsom Cancels UN Climate Change Trip Citing ‘Family Obligations’

Citing “family obligations,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom abruptly cancelled his much anticipated trip to Scotland to attend the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference. An aid made the surprise announcement Friday morning.

The Globe reported earlier this week that California Governor Gavin Newsom would be traveling to Scotland to attend the United Nations Climate Change Conference next week, “to end the reliance on oil,” and would take 22 lawmakers and agency heads with him.

However, while Newsom and his wife may be giving up their chance to ” join global leaders at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland,” the rest of California’s official delegation of 15 lawmakers and 7 agency department heads (and their respective staff members) will travel to the 26th gathering of the Conference of Parties, along with heads of state, environmental activists, business leaders and journalists, Yahoo! News reported.

“The contingent includes Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) and more than a dozen other state lawmakers. The Newsom administration also will be well represented and will include Newsom’s senior climate advisor, Lauren Sanchez, state Environmental Protection Agency Secretary Jared Blumenfeld, state Natural Resources Agency Secretary Wade Crowfoot and California Air Resources Board Chair Liane Randolph.”

The California delegation will now be led by Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis.

Assemblyman Kevin Kiley (R-Granite Bay) was outspoken about Newsom’s trip (not in glowing terms) and posted this on his witty blog, Capitol Quagmire:

Gavin Newsom is bound for Scotland to attend the UN Climate Change conference. In the absence of our jet-setting Governor, we’re fighting on several fronts:

Port Crisis: I’m calling for a Special Session of the Legislature to address a crisis that threatens the whole country. Newsom refuses to take simple steps like reverse AB 5 to free up truckers and suspend senseless regulations that worsen bottlenecks.

EDD Debacle: On Monday we finally had an oversight hearing. I asked Newsom’s handpicked Director why California has the nation’s worst unemployment. Incredibly, she had no idea, saying she’ll have a “research team” look into it.

K-12 Mandate: Yesterday hundreds of parents came to our town hall in Lincoln about fighting Newsom’s radical mandate. Another citizen-led rally at the Capitol is planned for November 15 at 10 AM.

School Conditions: The American Academy of Pediatrics has declared a children’s mental health emergency. I’m calling for a hearing into inhumane conditions at California schools like forcing kids to chew their lunch with masks on.

By the way, 15 Legislators are joining Newsom in Glasgow. If we don’t fight for California, no one will.

Kiley dryly quipped, “Following my criticism, Governor Newsom has suddenly cancelled his trip to Scotland for the UN Climate conference.”

Following my criticism, Governor Newsom has suddenly cancelled his trip to Scotland for the UN Climate conference.

— Kevin Kiley (@KevinKileyCA) October 29, 2021

Not to be outdone by the California governor, “A source in Rome is saying that Joe Biden has 800 staff members with him at the G20. Eight hundred,” Amy Tarkanian Tweeted.

A source in Rome is saying that Joe Biden has 800 staff members with him at the G20.

Eight hundred.

— Amy Tarkanian (@MrsT106) October 28, 2021

That’s quite a carbon footprint.

Demonstrating just how tone deaf this leaders are, this large delegation from California, which Newsom says “is on the front lines of climate impacts,” will likely fly on a Boeing 777, with Two General Electric GE90 or two Pratt & Whitney PW4077/4090 engines, rated up to 115,300 pounds thrust each, the Globe reported.

Those “world leaders” attending the conference in Glasgow will discuss the worldwide need to lower greenhouse gas emissions, having flown in from countries all over the world on giant jet planes, belching giant carbon footprints – while there is a “global energy crisis.”

This is just a little ironic after 18 months of Zoom meetings, Zoom virtual travel, Zoom conferences, and Zoom school.

Here’s the original listing of Members of the California delegation – notice anything?

• First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom
• Senator Josh Becker (D-Menlo Park)
• Senator Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach)
• Senator Robert Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys)
• Senator John Laird (D-Santa Cruz)
• Senator Bob Wieckowski (D-Fremont)
• Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood)
• Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Los Angeles)
• Assemblymember Lisa Calderon (D-Whittier)
• Assemblymember Laura Friedman (D-Glendale)
• Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia (D-Coachella)
• Assemblymember Tasha Boerner Horvath (D-Encinitas)
• Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance)
• Assemblymember Luz Rivas (D-Arleta)
• Assemblymember Mark Stone (D-Scotts Valley)
• Assemblymember Christopher Ward (D-San Diego).
• Senior Climate Advisor for the Governor Lauren Sanchez
• California Environmental Protection Agency Secretary Jared Blumenfeld
• California Natural Resources Agency Secretary Wade Crowfoot
• California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross
• California Air Resources Board Chair Liane Randolph
• California Energy Commission Chair David Hochschild

Perhaps the funniest response was this from Evan Wecksell:

pic.twitter.com/01dxPiWKDU

— Evan Wecksell, Candidate CA (Past & Future) (@Evan4California) October 29, 2021