Trump's attitude to climate change a 'disgrace' - Newsom

In a stinging address at a COP30 presidency press conference in Belém last night, the Governor of California Gavin Newsom labelled US President Donald Trump's attitude to climate change as an abomination and a disgrace.

One of the first acts of President Trump on taking office last January was to sign an executive presidential order withdrawing the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement.

The President has also repeatedly said climate change is a hoax and this year, for the first time ever, the United States has not sent a delegation to the COP climate negotiations.

That makes the United States one of only four countries, out of almost 200, that did not send a delegation to the COP30 negotiations.

The other countries include Afghanistan, Myanmar and San Marino.

Governor Newsom was invited to speak as a guest at the main press conference organised by the COP30 presidency last evening, on day two of the formal climate negotiations.

He said that he wanted to emphasise that California has a very different state of mind and quality of imagination than Washington right now.

"California is a stable and reliable partner in low carbon green growth, and California will remain a stable and reliable partner in low carbon green growth," he said.

Mr Newsom said he travelled to COP30 because he does not want the United States, through its absence, to be a footnote at the conference.

"California operates as the fourth largest economy in the world with two thirds of its energy, every day, sourced from clean energy. We have, over the course of this calendar year, on nine out of 10 days, run at 100% clean energy for a portion of the day," he added.

Governor Newsom said he does not want what is happening in Washington to shape the perception of his country about climate change.

"We recognise that climate risk is also a financial risk. Increasingly, we are struggling as a nation with home building, and access to mortgages, because of the insurance crisis that has been induced and exacerbated by climate change," he said.

Earlier, Mr Newsom had said California is going to assert itself, lean in, and compete in relation to climate policy.

The fact that California is the fourth largest economy in the world ensures it is a key player when it comes to influencing markets and energy policy.

Indigenous protesters clash with security at COP30 summit

Dozens of Indigenous protesters clashed with security guards at the COP30 summit, causing minor injuries in a rare incident of violence at the UN climate talks.

In the evening, Indigenous demonstrators and their supporters breached security barriers at the main entrance to the conference hall and scuffled with security officers there.

The incident caused "minor injuries to two security staff, and minor damage to the venue," a spokesperson for United Nations Climate Change told AFP.

"Brazilian and UN security personnel took protective actions to secure the venue, following all established security protocols. Brazilian and UN authorities are investigating the incident," the spokesperson said.

"The venue is fully secured, and COP negotiations continue," they added.

Calm was quickly restored and security staff used tables and chairs to barricade the entrance to the high-level "blue zone" at the heart of the conference venue.

Security inside the COP30 venue falls under the responsibility of the United Nations, while local authorities take charge of the surrounding area.

UN police officers were asking those still inside the COP30 venue to evacuate the vast site of giant air-conditioned tents.

"The Indigenous movement wanted to present its demands inside the blue zone but were not allowed in," said Joao Santiago, a professor at the Federal University of Para.

Maria Clara, a protester with the Rede Sustentabilidade Bahia association, told AFP she wanted to draw attention to the plight of Indigenous peoples.

"These voices are ignored," she said.

"They entered the COP30 venue to protest the fact that the COP will end but the destruction continues," she added.

Last week, Brazil's Minister for Indigenous Peoples, Sonia Guajajara, said the UN summit would be "the best COP in terms of Indigenous participation."

Additional reporting by AFP