Kamala Harris Takes Center Stage; Now Let's Talk About the Climate Crisis

Global Sea-Surface Temperatures 1982-2024, yellow line is 2023 (illustration: @EliotJacobson on X/Twitter)

In a mere 24 hours, the political landscape shifted dramatically. Just yesterday, President Biden announced he would not seek re-election, setting off a chain reaction within the Democratic Party. Once a potential contender in such a scenario, Kamala Harris moved remarkably quickly to secure a lot of the backing needed for a formidable campaign.

She took over the Biden campaign's funding apparatus, received endorsements from crucial party figures (despite some prominent absences), and delivered a brief yet impactful speech at an otherwise unremarkable event. Her vigor and health starkly contrasted with the geriatric narratives dominating recent elections, where candidates' physical and mental fitness have become central themes.

Last month's debate was excruciating, particularly the segment where Trump and Biden sparred over their golf successes like two retirees reflecting in a forgotten corner of a café. As the planet faces unprecedented environmental crises, they squandered the opportunity to discuss climate change in favor of trivial banter.

Now, the political stage is set for an unprecedented clash. On one side, we have Trump, who astonishingly raised $50 million in campaign funding within 24 hours of becoming the first felon candidate for the presidency in the history of the United States. On the other hand, Harris matched that figure 24 hours after Biden's decision not to run and his endorsement of her.

She may well emerge as a formidable opponent, and for those who said that old age matters, I hope you take another good look at her opponent's mental and physical health.

Their matchup represents a broader cultural and political dichotomy: she's a former prosecutor and knows the law, while he knows a lot of prosecutors but not the law.

Climate crisis

Harris is not a golfer, which may allow her to focus on substantive issues during debates. Assuming the second Trump-Biden debate proceeds with Harris as the Democratic candidate, the spotlight might finally shift to pressing matters like climate change. Voters need clarity on what each candidate proposes, as their policies diverge starkly on almost every issue.

Harris's legislative record speaks volumes. She was instrumental in passing the Inflation Reduction Act, a landmark legislation that authorizes significant climate investments, clean energy tax credits, environmental justice grants, and drought resilience funding. Trump, on the other hand, has pledged to dismantle the IRA at the earliest opportunity. His mantra, "drill, baby, drill," manifests his staunch support for fossil fuel production.

Trump’s running mate, J.D. Vance, who in 2020 was still an advocate for solar energy and a transition away from fossil fuels, has recently retracted, emerging as a fervent supporter of the oil and gas industry—a shift rewarded by the new GOP establishment.

For those seeking further reasons to support Kamala Harris (assuming she secures the Democratic nomination), her enduring commitment to environmental issues offers a compelling case. As a prosecutor and politician, she has consistently championed sustainability, most notably co-sponsoring the Green New Deal, which aimed to transition to 100 percent clean energy within a decade.

On climate and environmental policy, Trump and Harris have no middle ground. Their stances are as polarized as the current political climate, offering voters a stark choice. For readers of this newsletter, the decision between these two candidates should be easy.

Notes:

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/27/climate/biden-vs-trump-on-climate-policy.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare&sgrp=c-cb

https://gizmodo.com/what-a-kamala-harris-presidency-would-mean-for-the-climate-2000477305

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