As Trump destroys the planet and green jobs, Governor Newsom announces California joins world’s largest environmental protection organization

What you need to know: California makes history as the largest subnational government accepted into the International Union for Conservation of Nature - the world's largest environmental protection organization - strengthening its global leadership in driving climate action, advancing innovation, and protecting biodiversity.

SACRAMENTO - Governor Gavin Newsom announced today California's official acceptance to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), marking a historic milestone that elevates the state's role in shaping international solutions that tackle the climate crisis, protect biodiversity, and boost sustainable economic development. California makes history by becoming one of the first subnational governments, and the largest from the United States, to join the IUCN.

This achievement follows California's previously announced intent to join the global body in 2025, underscoring the state's commitment to advancing climate action and protecting ecosystems - even as the Trump administration cuts good-paying clean energy jobs, weakens environmental safeguards, retreats from global efforts to cut pollution, and hands the global economy to our competitors.

It's all hands on deck to combat the climate crisis. Protecting our communities from pollution, extreme weather, and the economic devastation of climate change requires leadership at all levels of society. As Donald Trump does the bidding of the fossil fuel industry, California is teaming up with global partners to protect our environment, strengthen biodiversity, and deliver real solutions to the climate crisis.

Governor Gavin Newsom

A global platform for climate and biodiversity leadership

The IUCN is the world's largest and most diverse environmental network, bringing together governments and organizations to advance solutions that protect ecosystems, wildlife, and communities. Their work underpins global conservation standards, including the internationally recognized Red List of Threatened Species and the Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas.

Membership places California alongside national governments, NGOs, and scientific institutions working together to conserve nature and ensure the sustainable use of natural resources.

Building on California's conservation leadership

California continues to lead the nation in environmental action, with goals to achieve carbon neutrality, expand clean energy, and conserve 30% of its lands and coastal waters by 2030.

The state's marine protected area network has also been recognized through the IUCN Green List, which highlights protected and conserved areas that meet the highest global standards for effective and equitable management-demonstrating California's commitment not only to protecting our lands and coastal waters, but to doing so in a way that benefits people and nature alike.

California's subnational leadership is global. Last week, the California Natural Resources Agency co-led the third convening of the Mediterranean Climate Action Partnership (MCAP) in Los Angeles by bringing together leaders from five continents to share on-the-ground climate solutions for wildfire, drought, and extreme heat. MCAP's 16-member regions span some of the world's most climate-vulnerable ecosystems, and California is helping turn their shared challenges into shared solutions.

What membership means

Through IUCN membership, California will help shape global environmental policy, serve as a model for other subnational governments, and tap into the organizations and experts to strengthen conservation efforts at home.

Key areas of collaboration include expanding tribal stewardship, scaling nature-based solutions, building climate resilience, and protecting marine ecosystems. California will also play a leading role in developing IUCN's first-ever strategy for subnational governments-elevating the importance of states and provinces in environmental protection, building climate resilience, and protecting marine ecosystems.

Continuing a global commitment

California's membership reflects a broader commitment to partnering with other jurisdictions to confront the defining environmental challenges of our time. Trump may be in retreat, as climate impacts intensify worldwide, but California is stepping forward-not only as a leader at home, but as a partner on the global stage.

California has helped build the largest domestic and international network of subnational climate cooperation in the world. California's international partnerships continue to grow and are delivering real-world climate results:

Golden State and Global Partnerships

• United Kingdom (2026): California and the United Kingdom signed a memorandum of understanding to tackle climate change and promote sustainable development together. The memorandum of understanding builds on an already strong history of cooperation, and focuses on areas for collaboration including clean energy technologies, climate resilience, decarbonizing transportation, and protecting the natural environment.
• Chile (2025): California and Chilesigned a memorandum of understanding regarding exchanging information, developing best practices, and cooperating on methane emissions reduction. Methane is a highly potent greenhouse gas and the partnership between California and Chile opens up new opportunities for both partners to cooperate on methane reduction in waste, agriculture and energy sectors.
• Colombia (2025): California and Colombia signed a partnership to advance joint efforts on forest conservation, methane reduction, climate resilience, and clean energy development. The memorandum of understanding deepens coordination on protecting the Amazon, strengthening biodiversity, and expanding nature-based climate solutions that support sustainable and equitable economic growth.
• Nigeria (2025): California signed a memorandum of understanding with Nigeria on sustainable urban transportation, green ports, low-carbon transportation fuels, climate adaptation, methane detection and abatement policies, greenhouse gas emissions and air quality, and academic exchange and university partnerships. The partnership will build upon our shared commitment to sustainable growth, accelerate the transition to zero-emission transportation, and expand opportunities for the next generation.
• Brazil (2025): Governor Newsom signed a declaration of intention with the Brazilian federal government on innovation, as well as a partnership with the State of Pará to strengthen cooperation on wildfire prevention and response - enhancing forest monitoring, identifying areas most at risk, and sharing research and expertise to improve firefighting and emergency management. In September 2025, California announced a new partnership with Brazil to advance market-based carbon pricing programs, clean transportation expansion, including zero-emission vehicles and low-carbon fuels, and strengthen air quality management through enhanced monitoring and regulatory controls. The partnership also focuses on the conservation of 30% of lands and coastal waters by 2030, including nature-based solutions and biodiversity protection.
• Kenya (2025): California signed a partnership focused on cutting pollution and supporting trade. The partnership advances medium and long-term low carbon-development, policy research, development, and innovation in sustainable land use and urban planning that resides long commutes, and urban sprawl, while promoting integrated land use and transport systems.

• Noord-Holland (2024): California and Noord-Holland signed a Letter of Intent advancing next-generation air mobility-from drones to zero-emission aircraft. Joint innovation missions are producing pilot projects that inform California's Advanced Air Mobility Implementation Plan and readiness for major global events.
• Australia (2023): California signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Australia that helped inform the country's first-ever vehicle emissions standards through input from the California Air Resources Board. The California Public Utilities Commission and California ISO have also advised Australia on electricity market reform to better align incentives for renewable energy.
• British Columbia (2023): California and British Columbia signed a Memorandum of Understanding on mutual wildfire assistance that is delivering results. British Columbia sent incident management experts to support California's Palisades Fire in 2025, while CAL FIRE deployed personnel during B.C.'s 2025 fire season. These exchanges established a lasting framework for cross-border wildfire support.
• China (2023): California signed five Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with China's National Development and Reform Commission, the provinces of Guangdong and Jiangsu, and the municipalities of Beijing, and Shanghai to advance cooperation cutting greenhouse gas emissions, transitioning away from fossil fuels, and developing clean energy.
• Denmark (2021): California and Denmark signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on groundwater mapping, leak detection, and water efficiency has modernized California's data systems and informed key state programs, like the Airborne Electromagnetic Survey. Danish technologies and expertise have helped strengthen drought and water-supply resilience statewide.
• Mexico (Baja California & Sonora): California signed Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with the Mexican states of Baja California and Sonora to advance zero-emission freight corridors, clean ports, and battery manufacturing - strengthening North American supply chains and workforce readiness. Joint forums have already produced new research collaborations and training programs advancing clean-tech

California is filling the leadership void

As Donald Trump abandons America's allies and dismantles federal climate leadership, Governor Newsom is filling the void. California will stand firm as a subnational leader in climate, through its ongoing work to engage with partners, cut pollution, create good-paying jobs, and lead the clean energy economy. Governor Newsom knows that climate action goes hand in hand with economic dominance. As we observe Earth Month, California remains the model for climate action - helping build the largest domestic and international network of subnational climate cooperation in the world.

International coalitions

• Under2 Coalition: Last year, California and Baden-Württemberg, co-founders of the Under2 Coalition, signed ajoint statement celebrating ten years of partnership. The coalition now represents more than 270 governments committed to keeping global temperature rise under 2 degrees Celsius.
• Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance: In 2021, Governor Newsomannounced that California joined the Beyond Oil & Gas Alliance (BOGA) launched at COP26, bringing together national and subnational governments committed to advancing a just transition away from oil and gas production. California is a member of this international coalition working to phase out oil and gas production and usher in a cleaner and greener future that safeguards our communities, environment, and the economy.
• Subnational Methane Action Coalition: Launched by California at COP28 in Dubai, the Coalition brings together subnational governments from around the world committed to aggressively cutting methane - a climate super-pollutant that accounts for nearly 30% of current global warming and is roughly 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period. Initial signatories span five continents and include California and Colorado (U.S.); Querétaro and Yucatán (Mexico); Gauteng (South Africa); Espírito Santo, Rio Grande do Sul, and Pernambuco (Brazil); Cross River State (Nigeria); Delhi (India); Baden-Württemberg (Germany); British Columbia (Canada); Santa Cruz (Bolivia); Andalusia (Spain); and Gyeonggi (South Korea).

Domestic coalitions

• U.S. Climate Alliance: Governor Newsom co-chairs the bipartisan coalition of 24 governors co-founded by California on June 1, 2017, in direct response to Trump's first Paris withdrawal.
• America Is All In: Governor Newsom co-chairs the broadest coalition ever assembled in support of climate action in the United States, including states, cities, tribal nations, businesses, and institutions.