California and Denmark sign new partnership on climate, technology efforts
The Californer/10323958

Trending...
News

Aug 22, 2025

California and Denmark sign new partnership on climate, technology efforts

What you need to know: As allies in a commitment to innovation, stronger cybersecurity, and the clean energy transition, California and Denmark today inked a partnership furthering climate and technology goals while sowing greater international collaboration.

SAN FRANCISCO – Governor Gavin Newsom today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between California and Denmark supporting cooperation on green economy resilience, technology, and innovation. Home to Silicon Valley and the world's fourth largest economy, California is uniquely positioned to lead the international conversation and help guide the world in the responsible implementation and use of emerging technology.

The Governor and California's delegation met with Denmark's delegation led by Minister for Foreign Affairs Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Ambassador of Denmark to the U.S. Jesper Møller Sørensen. California and Denmark signed the MOU at a ceremony in San Francisco.

California continues to step up to the world stage. We are partnering with Denmark to further our commitment to building affordable clean energy, bolstering our low-carbon, green growth economies, fostering innovation, and accelerating safe and secure technologies.

Our message to the rest of the world is clear: California is a stable, reliable partner.

Governor Gavin Newsom

"Denmark is committed to expanding our partnerships around the world – also with federal states like California," said Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen. "We are both frontrunners within green energy, innovation, and sustainability. If we combine our efforts, we can really push forward – not only for our own economies and societies, but also by inspiring others to pursue a green transition that creates jobs and growth at the same time."

The full text of the MOU signed today is available here.

Today's partnership:
  • Boosts the green economy and accelerates climate resilience by achieving carbon neutrality by 2045 through shared leadership
  • Enhances digital and cyber resilience through technology and policy collaboration
  • Strengthens innovation ecosystems by supporting public-private collaboration, research exchange, development projects, and aligning investment in future-oriented sectors, including emerging technologies and sustainability
  • Facilitates the exchange of knowledge, best practices, and policy insights through dialogues, delegations, trade promotions, projects, and partnerships

How we got here

The Newsom administration has partnered with jurisdictions in 27 countries, touching more than a quarter of the world's population and a combined GDP in the tens of trillions of dollars.
  • In March, Governor Newsom welcomed a delegation from the Mexican state of Sonora and signed a partnership advancing the development of clean energy, supply chain resilience, and expanding regional access to renewables.
  • In February, 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.

California's climate leadership

More on The Californer
Pollution is down and the economy is up. Greenhouse gas emissions in California are down 20% since 2000 – even as the state's GDP increased 78% in that same time period.

The state also continues to set clean energy records. California was powered by two-thirds clean energy in 2023 (https://www.gov.ca.gov/2025/07/14/in-historic-first-california-powered-by-two-thirds-clean-energy-becoming-largest-economy-in-the-world-to-achieve-milestone/), the latest year for which data is available – the largest economy in the world to achieve this level of clean energy. The state has run on 100% clean electricity for some part of the day almost every day this year (https://mclist.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=afffa58af0d1d42fee9a20e55&id=f1a470ebec&e=0b26ba1b5c).

Since the beginning of the Newsom Administration, battery storage is up (https://www.gov.ca.gov/2025/05/19/since-governor-newsom-took-office-californias-battery-storage-has-increased-1944-and-just-achieved-a-major-milestone/) to over 15,000 megawatts – a 1,900%+ increase, and over 25,000 megawatts of new resources (https://www.gov.ca.gov/2025/06/04/new-data-shows-california-is-adding-more-clean-energy-capacity-to-the-grid-faster-than-ever-before/) have been added to the electric grid.

Leading in technology

AI is already changing the world (https://www.gao.gov/blog/artificial-intelligences-use-and-rapid-growth-highlight-its-possibilities-and-perils), and California will play a pivotal role in defining that future. As the fourth-largest economy in the world and the birthplace of the tech industry, California continues to dominate this sector as the leader in AI. The state is home to 32 of the 50 top AI companies (https://www.forbes.com/lists/ai50/) worldwide. In addition to championing responsible use of this emerging industry, California is harnessing its potential to increase efficiency and support state operations.

California has launched efforts to help the state take advantage of this emerging technology, while also creating responsible policy guardrails to protect Californians. In 2023, Governor Newsom signed an executive order (https://www.gov.ca.gov/2023/09/06/governor-newsom-signs-executive-order-to-prepare-california-for-the-progress-of-artificial-intelligence/) laying out California's measured approach to state GenAI procurement. That EO has shaped the future of ethical, transparent, and trustworthy GenAI deployment, all while California remains the world's GenAI leader. Within state government, projects are already underway to utilize GenAI to reduce highway congestion, improve roadway safety, and enhance customer service in a state call center, among other new initiatives (https://www.gov.ca.gov/2025/04/29/governor-newsom-deploys-first-in-the-nation-genai-technologies-to-improve-efficiency-in-state-government/). And this year, a group of world-leading AI academics and experts, convened at the request of Governor Newsom,  finalized a new empirical, science-based analysis of the capabilities and attendant risks of frontier models  — which will help pave the way for the use of AI for the benefit of all Californians, and the world.

Last year, Governor Newsom also signed a series of bills to crack down on sexually explicit deepfakes and require AI watermarking (https://www.gov.ca.gov/2024/09/19/governor-newsom-signs-bills-to-crack-down-on-sexually-explicit-deepfakes-require-ai-watermarking/), ban (https://www.gov.ca.gov/2024/09/17/governor-newsom-signs-bills-to-protect-digital-likeness-of-performers/) AI-generated child pornography (https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB1831), protect consumers by preventing (https://www.gov.ca.gov/2024/09/17/governor-newsom-signs-bills-to-protect-digital-likeness-of-performers/) scams from AI-generated robocalls (https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB2905), protect performers' digital likenesses (https://www.gov.ca.gov/2024/09/17/governor-newsom-signs-bills-to-protect-digital-likeness-of-performers/), and combat deepfake election content (https://www.gov.ca.gov/2024/09/17/governor-newsom-signs-bills-to-combat-deepfake-election-content/).

More on The Californer
Press releases (https://www.gov.ca.gov/category/press-releases/), Recent news (https://www.gov.ca.gov/category/recent-news/)

Recent news

Governor Newsom signs 'Election Rigging Response Act' legislative package; Gives people power to push back on Trump's attempts to shred democracy (https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/facebook?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.ca.gov%2F2025%2F08%2F22%2Fcalifornia-and-denmark-sign-new-partnership-on-climate-technology-efforts%2F&linkname=California%20and%20Denmark%20sign%20new%20partnership%20on%20climate%2C%20technology%20efforts%20%7C%20Governor%20of%20California)

Aug 21, 2025

News Proposition 50 – named for fair elections in all 50 states – heads to ballot this November SACRAMENTO — Governor Gavin Newsom, alongside Speaker Robert Rivas and Senate pro Tempore Mike McGuire, signed the "Election Rigging Response Act" legislative package –...

Governor Newsom predeploys resources to Inyo County, continuing state's prep for critical fire weather conditions (https://www.gov.ca.gov/2025/08/21/governor-newsom-predeploys-resources-to-inyo-county-continuing-states-prep-for-critical-fire-weather-conditions/)

Aug 21, 2025

News SACRAMENTO – At the direction of Governor Gavin Newsom, the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) today approved the predeployment of additional firefighting resources in Inyo County. This is on top of resources predeployed earlier this...

Governor Newsom advances Sites Reservoir project to expand California's water storage (https://www.gov.ca.gov/2025/08/21/governor-newsom-advances-sites-reservoir-project-to-expand-californias-water-storage/)

Aug 21, 2025

News What you need to know: California's strategies to expand water storage capacity and provide water to its 40 million residents continue, as Governor Newsom announces new funding to move the Sites Reservoir project forward. SACRAMENTO — Governor Gavin Newsom is...

Filed Under: Government, State
Show All News | Report Violation

0 Comments

Latest on The Californer