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Gov. Brown Vows To Fight Trump Adminstration On Climate Change

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- California Gov. Jerry Brown delivered a message of support for scientists at a San Francisco conference Wednesday, telling them to continue the fight to slow climate change and believe in the truth in the face of doubt from the Trump administration.

The fall meeting of the American Geophysical Union is the largest earth and space science meeting in the world.

To many of the gathered scientists, climate change is a dire concern. Brown told the group that they would be a vital line of defense in what he called the anti-fact world.

"And it will be up to you, as truth tellers, truth seekers -- to mobilize all of your efforts to fight back," said Brown.

The governor told the scientists that California will continue to be part of that fight, reducing emissions standards with a goal of 50 percent renewable energy use by 2030.

President-elect Donald Trump has sent mixed signals on environmental issues, even calling climate change "a hoax."

"Some people say they are going to turn off the satellites that are monitoring the climate," said Brown. "If Trump turns off the satellites, California will launch its own damn satellite. We are going to collect that data."

Brown's San Francisco speech came amid reports that scientists are moving their data off government servers out of fear it may be erased by incoming Trump appointees.

The National Resources Defense Council's Ann Notthoff said those claims are understandable.

"They want to make sure that they protect their life's work and the data that we have," said Notthoff.

But Trump transition team member Anthony Scaramucci claims the environment will be a focus for the administration.

"The president-elect is a very common sense oriented guy and basically what he said is if we reduce carbon emissions, the air is going to get cleaner," said Scaramucci. "That is a positive thing, whether you believe in climate change or not, we want clean air."

But Scaramucci also said we want energy independence. On Wednesday, Brown warned against letting big oil and financial interests steer environmentalists off course.

"We have the laws, we have the tools of enforcement, and we have the political will," said Brown. "And we will set the stage, we'll set the example, and whatever Washington thinks they're doing, California is the future."

 

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