Governor Gavin Newsom joined Ashley Swearengin, president and CEO of the Central Valley Community Foundation, at the California Economic Summit in a fireside chat to discuss inland California’s energy transition and how California’s economy has weathered the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Change is difficult, but we’re in the change business and California has long been in the future,” said Gov. Newsom. “The world looks to us for leadership, entrepreneurial energy.” He touted that California is a leader in clean energy with the largest wind and solar facilities and the largest battery storage power plant.
He added, “We’re dominating in this area and that’s the great abundant opportunity and so I would say to folks, ‘keep doing what we’re doing.’ Be mindful that we have the backs of those through transition.”
On the economy, Gov. Newsom spoke about the state’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. “On both wealth and health, this state outperforms,” he said noting that California retracted at a lower rate in 2020 and expanded faster in 2021, compared to other states. “We dominated in terms of saving people’s lives 54% lower per captia deaths associated with COVID in the State of California. I’m proud of this state, 40 million Americans strong and our capacity for renewal and rebirth and leadership.”
“Remarkable things are still happening at the local level – communities large and small. There’s no more dynamic and exciting region in California.”
Watch Governor Newsom’s entire remarks at the Summit here.
