Sacramento, California - Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced that he will travel to Europe in November to deliver keynote remarks at a climate summit organized by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences at the Vatican; discuss clean energy collaboration with European Union leaders in Brussels, Belgium; address the State Parliament of the government of Baden-Württemberg – co-founder of the Under2 Coalition - in Stuttgart, Germany; convene top climate scientists from around the world in Oslo, Norway and serve as Special Advisor for States and Regions at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP23) in Bonn, Germany. These events will take place from November 4-14, 2017.

“While the White House declares war on climate science and retreats from the Paris Agreement, California is doing the opposite and taking action,” said Governor Brown. “We are joining with our partners from every part of the world to do what needs to be done to prevent irreversible climate change.”

Governor Brown was named Special Advisor for States and Regions by Fiji's Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama – president of COP23 – ahead of this year’s UN Climate Change Conference. The Governor continues to build strong coalitions of partners committed to curbing carbon pollution in both the United States through the U.S. Climate Alliance and around the globe with the Under2 Coalition, which has grown to include 188 jurisdictions collectively representing more than 1.2 billion people and $28.9 trillion GDP – equivalent to over 16 percent of the global population and 39 percent of the global economy.

The Governor also joined United Nations Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change Michael Bloomberg to launch America's Pledge on climate change to help compile and quantify the actions of states, cities and businesses to drive down their greenhouse gas emissions consistent with the goals of the Paris Agreement. In September 2018, the State of California will convene the world's climate leaders in San Francisco for the Global Climate Action Summit, where representatives from subnational governments, businesses, investors and civil society will gather with the direct goal of supporting the Paris Agreement.

This year, Governor Brown traveled to China to build closer climate ties with President Xi Jinping, Russia to call for deeper trans-pacific collaboration on climate change at the Eastern Economic Forum, Canada to officially link California’s carbon market with Quebec and Ontario and New York to discuss subnational climate action with the UN Secretary-General and open Climate Week NYC 2017.

The Governor’s itinerary is below (schedule subject to change; all times local):

Saturday, November 4, 2017

Keynote Remarks at Vatican Pontifical Academy of Sciences “Health of People, Health of Planet and Our Responsibility: Climate Change, Air Pollution And Health” Symposium

Governor Brown will deliver keynote remarks on the third and final day of a climate change symposium hosted by the Vatican’s Pontifical Academy of Sciences, where government, faith and civic society leaders will issue a call to action. Governor Brown previously participated in a climate symposium at the Vatican in 2015.
When: Saturday, November 4, 2017 at approx. 9:00 a.m.
Where: The Pontifical Academy of Sciences, Casina Pio IV, V-00120 Vatican City 

Tuesday, November 7, 2017

Opening Remarks at European Parliament and European Commission “High-Level Conference on Clean Energy Financing: Delivering the Energy Transition for Jobs, Growth and Investment”

Governor Brown will deliver opening remarks at a joint conference of the European Parliament and the European Commission on clean energy financing and the transition to a clean energy economy.

When: Tuesday, November 7, 2017 at approx. 9:30 a.m.

Where: Hemicycle of the European Parliament, Paul-Henri Spaak Building, Brussels, Belgium

News Conference with European Parliament President

Governor Brown will join European Parliament President Antonio Tajani, European Investment Bank President Werner Hoyer, European Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias-Cañete and European Parliament Committee on Industry, Research and Energy Committee (ITRE) Chair Jerzy Buzek at a news conference following the conclusion of the conference’s opening session.

When: Tuesday, November 7, 2017 at approx. 10:45 a.m.

Where: European Parliament, Paul-Henri Spaak Building, Anna Politkovskaya Room, Brussels, Belgium