California governor leaving with climate warning
128 views · Published 24 December 2018 · 3:08 · Indexed 12 October 2026
Channel: AP Archive · 2018 · News & Politics
(19 Dec 2018) California Governor Jerry Brown says world leaders are "sound asleep" as the threat of nuclear annihilation and climate disruption loom, worsening wildfires and other natural disasters. Brown spoke about the climate crisis, California's catastrophic wildfires, the 2020 presidential campaign and Democratic control of state politics during an interview with the Associated Press at the governor's mansion in Sacramento. The Democrat helped his party become dominant in California politics during his eight years leading the nation's most populous state, and less than a month before leaving office, he is predicting it will be difficult for his successor to control Democrats' hunger for more spending and rules. Democrats hold all statewide offices and expanded their supermajority in the Legislature last month, allowing them to approve tax hikes and virtually any law without Republican support. In the interview, Brown, 80, called for more blunt discussions about the danger of wildfires to force officials and residents to act, pushed back against critics who say he's too friendly to oil companies, and chided world leaders for failing to tackle climate change with urgency. He leaves office on January 7 after wrapping up a record four terms, first from 1975 to 1983 and again since 2011. The governor's comments on Democratic priorities reflect the more frugal attitude he brought to Sacramento. He entered office with a US$27 billion deficit and leaves a nearly US$15 billion rainy day fund and a surplus. Brown is leaving office on the heels of the deadliest US wildfire in a century. Flames tore through the town of Paradise last month, killing at least 86 people and destroying 14,000 homes. He's blamed climate change for more destructive blazes in recent years and warned things will worsen. The governor called the need to limit building in areas at high risk for wildfires "obvious" but said it's "politically painful" to implement when people want to rebuild their homes and developers see opportunities. People who choose to live in high-risk areas need to plan escape routes, build cellars and manage vegetation, he said. And the state must provide more information about the true danger of wildfires, he said. Wildfires offer Brown an opportunity to call for swifter action against climate change, which is making California drier and more prone to flames. He's urged action beyond California, working with the UN, creating a global coalition to reduce climate emissions and holding meetings in China and Russia. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/081b8ecd96b8db7d9449da0658378e36
