Lujan Grisham, environment secretary travel to Dubai for climate change conference

Dec. 2—Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Environment Department Secretary James Kenney are in Dubai and will participate in panel discussions this weekend at the United Nations Climate Change Conference, the governor's office said this week.

Deputy Chief Operating Officer Caroline Buerkle is also making the trip with Lujan Grisham and Kenney.

Saturday's panel will include Lujan Grisham, as well as state and federal officials and mayors from a handful of states. The panel, titled "Ambitious and Just: Climate Innovation and Action by U.S. States, Cities, and Regions," is set to take place from 1:30 a.m. to 2:45 a.m. MST.

Sunday's panel, titled "All Hands on Deck: How the U.S. Climate Alliance is Securing America's Net-Zero Future with State-Led, High-Impact Action," will feature Kenney, Maryland Environment Secretary Serena McIlwain, California Energy Commission Chair David Hochschild, Alliance Executive Director Casey Katims and White House National Climate Adviser Ali Zaidi. That panel will take place from 3 a.m. to 4 a.m. MST.

Both panels are set to be streamed live on Youtube, according to the news release.

The governor's office said Lujan Grisham will make a major federal announcement on Saturday. And she will also announce a "significant new water initiative," on Monday evening.

The governor's trip follows other international business trips she has made in recent months — including a trip to Australia in October and Taiwan in September.