Podcast Summary
What A Day — US Absent From Global Climate Conference
Host: Jane Coaston (Crooked Media)
Episode Date: November 20, 2025
Episode Overview
This episode centers on the landmark 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) held in Belem, Brazil, which notably occurs without any official US government delegation for the first time. Jane Coaston analyzes the implications of America’s absence, examines California Governor Gavin Newsom’s solo participation, and investigates the amplified role of indigenous activists. Coaston also covers recent statements by Elon Musk on AI and work, and delivers a roundup of major US and global political news.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. COP30: A Historic Absence of the United States
- Setting & Symbolism: COP30 is hosted in Belem, deep in the Amazon, to draw attention to the role of tropical forests and to showcase Brazil’s reduced deforestation efforts.
- Somini Sengupta (03:03): “Brazil chose it because it really wanted to draw attention to tropical forests and the Amazon in particular. It's considered the lungs of the planet... under President Lula, they've been kind of successful in slowing down deforestation.”
- US Government Nonattendance: For the first time, senior US officials skip COP, highlighting the Trump administration’s direction.
- Jane Coaston (06:28): “In surprise, to probably not very many people, the Trump administration did not send any officials to COP 30 this year.”
2. Indigenous Leadership and Activism at COP30
- Unprecedented Indigenous Involvement: More indigenous leaders, particularly from South America, are both participating in and protesting outside COP30, demanding land rights and immediate climate action.
- Somini Sengupta (04:13): “They have really increasingly put that [land rights] at the center of these big international climate negotiations... forests that are actually controlled by indigenous communities, the research shows that they're better protected.”
- Focus on Land Rights: Indigenous activists underline that protection of nature requires respecting their territorial rights.
- Indigenous Protester, via Democracy Now (02:15): “We are here fighting for our land, for our wildlife, for our birds that are facing extinction. We are here at this COP for results.”
3. US Leadership: The “California Effect”
- Gavin Newsom as De Facto US Climate Rep: Newsom attends and forges partnerships with nations like Colombia, Chile, and Brazil, positioning California as a stable and proactive US player on climate, in contrast to federal inaction.
- Gavin Newsom (01:25): “The United States of America is dumb as we want to be on this topic, but the state of California is not... we are going to assert ourselves.”
- Somini Sengupta (07:53): “He was there also to make side deals with different states, to share knowledge and to share research, stuff like that... all his events were totally mobbed.”
- China Enters the Vacuum: China’s consistent investment in clean energy technology positions it as the “clean energy superpower,” growing global influence as the US falters.
- Somini Sengupta (09:00): “While the US is really doubling down on oil and gas, China has spent the last 10 years turning itself into the clean energy superpower in the world.”
4. Issues and Outcomes Expected from COP30
- Three Major Focal Points:
- Financing Adaptation: Securing funds for poorer nations to adapt to climate disruptions.
- Roadmap to Phase Out Fossil Fuels: Negotiating controversial commitments to reduce fossil fuel dependency.
- Surviving Diplomacy: Reasserting the relevance and mechanics of climate diplomacy in the face of global political turbulence.
- Somini Sengupta (11:11): “Can they just keep the idea and the mechanics of international climate diplomacy alive in a moment like this? That's really the big test for this COP.”
5. Extended Headlines & Developments
Elon Musk on AI and “Optional” Work
- At the US-Saudi Investment Forum, Elon Musk predicted AI would make working optional and eventually render money “irrelevant.”
- Elon Musk (16:01): “My prediction is that work will be optional... at some point currency becomes irrelevant.”
- Jane Coaston (16:57): “The man who has accumulated more money than anyone in history tells the rest of us, sure, you don’t have this, but don’t worry, it won’t matter soon. But also, I’m keeping all of mine.”
- Counterpoint: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang suggested AI will change—not eliminate—jobs, possibly making life busier.
Trump Administration Foreign and Domestic Policy News
- Ukraine Peace Plan: New US-Russia Ukraine talks would cede key parts of eastern Ukraine to Russia in exchange for security guarantees for Ukraine—a proposal seen as highly controversial and risky.
- CFPB Director Nomination: Trump’s nominee to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is expected to be a placeholder, as the administration continues efforts to dismantle the agency.
- Contempt Proceedings Over Deportations: A federal judge seeks to probe who authorized contested deportations after court intervention.
US-Saudi Relations
- Trump gives Saudi Arabia F-35s and NATO-like guarantees despite past human rights abuses, underscoring deepening ties.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
Governor Gavin Newsom (01:25):
“The United States of America is dumb as we want to be on this topic, but the state of California is not. And so we are going to assert ourselves.” -
Indigenous Protester, interpreted (02:15):
“We are here fighting for our land, for our wildlife, for our birds that are facing extinction. We are here at this COP for results. We ask that Brazilian President Lula come and demarcate the land so that the illegal miners don't enter our land and our river.” -
Somini Sengupta (07:53):
“He [Newsom] is the stable American partner to the rest of the world, which is, you know, America's not exactly been a stable partner over the last couple of decades.” -
Elon Musk (16:01):
“My prediction is that work will be optional... at some point currency becomes irrelevant.” -
Jane Coaston (16:57):
“When did Elon start talking like the guy you most regret speaking to outside a Widespread Panic concert?”
Timestamps for Key Segments
- COP30 Background & Newsom’s Role: 00:02–02:37
- Indigenous Activism at COP30: 02:37–05:50
- Impact of US Government Absence: 06:28–07:44
- China’s Strategic Advantage: 08:39–10:59
- Three Big COP30 Outcomes: 11:11–12:41
- Elon Musk on AI & Work: 16:01–16:57
- Ukraine, CFPB, Saudi Headline Roundup: 16:57–22:00
Conclusion
This episode of "What a Day" delivers comprehensive context and sharp analysis of US disengagement from international climate leadership at COP30, highlights the strategic moves of both sub-national US actors and China, and presents the urgency voiced by indigenous communities. It rounds out with a wry look at tech and political news, true to the podcast’s promise of substantive, insightful, and relatable commentary.