by Katy Grimes, E&E Legal Senior Media Fellow and California Globe Editor
As Appearing in the California Globe
With no demonstrable benefits to the people, what will this boondoggle cost California taxpayers?
California Governor Gavin Newsom is traveling to Scotland to attend the United Nations Climate Change Conference next week, “to end the reliance on oil,” and he’s taking 22 lawmakers and agency heads with him.
“Governor Gavin Newsom today announced that he will join global leaders at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland next week to highlight California’s groundbreaking policies to combat the intensifying climate crisis and rally the global community to end their reliance on oil,” Newsom’s press statement says.
How will they travel to Scotland? On a sailboat, to cut their carbon footprint? Not likely.
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.
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.
