The president of the United States must maintain the natural rights of all people—Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness. Therefore, when one of those three liberties get threatened, the president must do all in their power to obtain it. With that noted, one of the most substantial threats to the United States is climate change, and it is important to acknowledge each candidate’s stance.
As President Joe Biden’s Vice President and the 2024 Democratic presidential nominee, Kamala Harris has voiced her concerns on climate change, making it evident that it is one of her top priorities. Embarking on her first presidential run in 2019, Harris revealed a plan to combat global warming—spending $10 trillion to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and aiming to have a zero-emissions economy by 2045. For preface, the United States contributes 13.8% to the global carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions, so launching this program would significantly impact efforts to mitigate climate change. Through her expansive history in public policy, Harris would do wonders toward successfully executing this robust program, allowing everyone in America to tackle the climate crisis together.
Harris’ notions to tackle climate change continued with greater frequency as she became Vice President during Joe Biden’s presidency. Through her visit to Florida International University in 2022, Harris expressed her worries about climate change, stating, “As the climate crisis worsens, extreme weather will increasingly threaten our safety.” The context behind Harris’ speech was regarding campus move-ins amid hurricane season—a period where Florida is usually hit by natural disasters. Moreover, she announced $1 billion in grants for states with excessive flooding and climate-related issues, exercising her ability to aid those affected by these crises. Her efforts range internationally: Harris announced over $7 billion to promote climate resilience and support farmers in countries across Africa. Many believe that this compliance and persistence to work collaboratively to stunt global warming are the leading factors why she should be the next president of the United States.
Similarly, the Biden-Harris administration reentered the Paris Agreement on climate change after Trump’s abrupt dismissal on the United States’s behalf. This eagerness to work towards a progressing future continued as she cast the tie-breaking vote in an evenly-divided Senate to pass the sweeping climate and tax bill. This plan aims to help states in climate-based crises while strengthening solar-powered energy.
Critics argue that though Harris claims climate change is a top priority, it isn’t—in fact, they note that she is promoting domestic oil drilling. Though a massive overstatement, there is still truth; pointed out in the first presidential debate, she mentioned how she would not ban fracking, one of the prime reasons why the United States became one of the world’s top oil producers in Pennsylvania. Similarly, there was leeway to talk about topics regarding climate change in the presidential debate, but Harris didn’t touch on her call to action.
Though alarming voters by briefly mentioning fracking and not addressing much about renewable energy, Harris still claims to advocate for solar power and limiting the amount of fossil fuels in the atmosphere. The question arises: Will Vice President Kamala Harris address her stance and plan to address climate change during the next debate?
Written by Michael Shohat
