I talked with Mr. Brown about how he sees the institute navigating choppy geopolitical waters, and about why he’s throwing his weight behind this effort. Here’s our conversation, lightly edited and condensed for length:

Jill Cowan: To start, can you tell me about how this initiative came about?

Jerry Brown: Several years ago during the time I was governor, it became very clear that California couldn’t be an island of climate action. Our rules to reduce carbon emissions, to require renewable tech and renewable sources for electricity, our policy on low-carbon fuel, the cap-and-trade program — all these rules really need to be part of a more global undertaking.

I also saw China adopting some of the same programs and so we started sending people to China and welcoming Chinese policymakers, staffers, technicians here in California.

As part of that, I went over and met with President Xi of China, and he met with me soon after President Trump pulled out of the Paris Agreement. After I left the governorship, following up on the agreement that I really made in China before, we have forged this new joint institute.

The goal is to keep open the channels of communication with China at the state level but also the national government level, to exchange ideas, bring scientists back and forth between the two countries, push for a more ambitious policy.

I’m wondering how you and others involved with this initiative are approaching working with Chinese institutions, given recent tensions. This is obviously a very open partnership with the Chinese government.