What you need to know: California has a new partner in Sonora, Mexico to boost the development of renewable energy resources, supply chain resilience, and clean transportation. Para leer este comunicado en español, haga clic aquí.

Sacramento, California - Governor Gavin Newsom met with a delegation from the Mexican state of Sonora today to enter into a new subnational partnership - fostering diplomacy while building on a commitment to achieving California’s nation-leading clean air and clean energy goals.

At the historic Stanford Mansion in Sacramento, Governor Newsom welcomed Sonora Governor Alfonso Durazo Montaño. There, California and Sonora participated in a bilateral meeting, followed by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Text of the MOU is available here.

Despite the border that divides us, California and Sonora share the common challenge of adapting to a hotter, drier world. But we also share a common drive to advance real solutions. Today’s partnership brings our states together to clean the air and expand access to more clean energy. - Governor Gavin Newsom

The MOU outlines four years of collaboration between California and Sonora to advance their leadership through increasing the development of clean energy, building supply chain resilience, and expanding regional access to renewables, among other items. 

“Sonora and California share a border and challenges. Today we establish an agreement with this state, a leader in economic growth and actions against climate change, to join forces and ensure that families live in a prosperous region, with a better environment and technological development,” said the Governor of Sonora Alfonso Durazo Montaño. “Sonora contributes an entire desert and the talent of its people to make a better region possible.”

How we got here

California met its 2020 climate target six years ahead of schedule thanks to pioneering climate policies and partnerships across the U.S. and around the world, created to share best practices and support cooperation on climate work.

• Last month, California and a consortium of 21 Brazilian states partnered together to combat pollution and foster sustainable economic growth. 
• Last year, Governor Newsom signed an MOU with Emilia-Romagna during a visit to Italy for the Vatican’s Climate Summit, and another MOU in May with Gyeonggi Province, South Korea - the center of the country’s economy and high-tech industry. Governor Newsom also welcomed delegations from Sweden and Norway and renewed climate partnerships with the two governments.
• In 2023, 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 climate action like aggressively cutting greenhouse gas emissions, transitioning away from fossil fuels, and developing clean energy. California also launched the Mediterranean Climate Action Partnership (MCAP) at COP 28, working to support members in quickly adapting to climate impacts and emergencies. 
• 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.

Download the b-roll package from this event here.