The Los Angeles Post

Governor Newsom Welcomes Swedish Delegation to California, Signs Climate Partnership

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SACRAMENTO, CA February 20, 2024– Today, Governor Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom welcomed Their Royal Highnesses the Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden as they continue their four-day state visit to California. During the visit, California and Sweden signed a Letter of Cooperation (LOC), renewing a climate partnership between the two economies established in 2017.

California and Sweden are both taking aggressive climate action to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045. The LOC outlines five years of cooperation between California and Sweden on zero-emissions transportation and infrastructure, local climate action, clean energy and climate-smart agriculture.
Governor Newsom and Sweden’s Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Johan Forssell signed the historic LOC at the Stanford Mansion in Sacramento. The text of the LOC can be found here.

“California and Sweden have led the world in taking ambitious climate action, and now we’re partnering to do even more.

From advancing zero-emissions technology to collaborating on our clean energy transition, our work together will benefit communities from Stockton to Stockholm.”

Governor Gavin Newsom

What Minister Forssell said: “As world-leaders in innovation, Sweden and California share a strong belief that innovation and international collaboration is the key to solve the challenges of the future. Today we take a clear step towards deepening our partnership.”

HOW WE GOT HERE: California’s world-leading climate policies have led the state to exceed its 2020 climate target six years ahead of schedule, and created partnerships across the U.S. and around the world.

  • Last year, Governor Newsom led a California delegation to China, where California signed five MOUs – with China’s National Development and Reform Commission, the provinces of Guangdong and Jiangsu, and the municipalities of Beijing, and Shanghai. The trip also resulted in a first-of-its-kind declaration by China and California to cooperate on subnational climate action, including aggressively cutting greenhouse gas emissions, transitioning away from fossil fuels, and developing clean energy technology.

  • Also in 2023, California signed a MOU with the Chinese province of Hainan, as well as with Australia.

  • In 2022 alone, California signed Memorandums of Cooperation with Canada, New Zealand and Japan, as well as Memorandums of Understanding with China and the Netherlands, to tackle the climate crisis. The Governor also joined with Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia to recommit the region to climate action.