California governor cancels trip to climate conference

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom has suddenly canceled his trip to the United Nations Climate Change Conference. In a brief statement Friday, his office cited unspecified “family obligations.” Newsom had planned to highlight his administration’s climate change actions at next week’s conference in Glasgow, Scotland. Those policies include a proposed ban on the sale of all new gas-powered cars in the state by 2035. Newsom was to lead a California delegation that included his wife, 15 state lawmakers and some of the state’s top environmental regulators. Now Democratic Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis will lead the delegation. A Newsom spokeswoman said the governor will participate in the conference virtually.