Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Gov. Gavin Newsom celebrated California’s often-debated climate policies Wednesday, appearing together at an event in Long Beach to highlight the state’s environmental record.
The pair took part in a friendly “fireside chat” during the 2026 California Economic Summit, held Oct. 13–15 at the Long Beach Convention Center. Their appearance marked the 20th anniversary of the California Global Warming Solutions Act, which Schwarzenegger signed in 2006.
The landmark law directed California to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, representing a 30% cut. State officials say that target was reached early through emissions limits and reporting requirements for major industrial polluters, as well as California’s statewide cap-and-trade program.
Schwarzenegger, a Republican, recalled pushing the legislation forward despite resistance from the George W. Bush administration, which he said attempted to delay the state’s new climate regulations.
“I was going through the struggle,” Schwarzenegger said. “I mean, we knew that they were full of s–t, right?”
He said the federal government challenged California at every turn, forcing the state to defend its policies in court. Schwarzenegger added that effective leadership should be measured by service to the public rather than loyalty to a political party.
Schwarzenegger has generally avoided endorsing political candidates and has frequently criticized both Republicans and Democrats when discussing major issues.
He departed from that pattern in 2024, endorsing Kamala Harris after declining to support Donald Trump’s presidential campaign in 2016. Schwarzenegger did not endorse either Trump or Joe Biden in the 2020 election.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: UK Wildlife Park Reveals Fate of Tiger After Fatal Visitor Mauling
So far, Schwarzenegger has not backed a candidate in California’s governor’s race. He also has not endorsed anyone in the Los Angeles mayoral contest, although he recently hosted an influential meet-and-greet for democratic socialist Nithya Raman.
Newsom also pointed to a Republican predecessor, President Richard Nixon, crediting him with establishing the Environmental Protection Agency and signing the Endangered Species Act and Clean Water Act.
“California recognizes its role and responsibility in the absence of federal responsibility,” Newsom said. He described the challenges posed by the Trump administration and what he called its efforts to undermine California’s environmental agenda.
Newsom said California has been coordinating with local governments throughout the United States and around the world to address environmental challenges amid what he described as a vacuum in federal leadership.
“We have no peers,” Newsom said of California’s climate protections. He argued that the state is reshaping how energy is produced and consumed while driving job growth, technological innovation and economic influence.
President Trump has challenged several of California’s climate rules, including the repeal of the EPA’s 2009 “Endangerment Finding.” That determination identified greenhouse gas emissions as a threat to public health and welfare. California and a group of other states have filed multiple lawsuits seeking to overturn the repeal.
Trump and congressional allies have also sought to invalidate California’s Clean Air Act preemption waivers. Those waivers allow the state to impose tougher vehicle-emissions standards than federal requirements.
A federal judge blocked Trump’s attempt to eliminate the waivers this year, but California’s climate and vehicle regulations remain the subject of ongoing legal and congressional challenges.
The Global Warming Solutions Act has faced similar legal and legislative scrutiny but remains in effect. Opponents argue that it gives state regulators excessive authority and that cap-and-trade permits wealthy companies to continue polluting while placing disproportionate burdens on lower-income communities.
