Key Impact Points:
- Ambitious Climate Goals: Harris aims for a 50% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030.
- Renewable Energy Investments: Major boosts in funding for solar, wind, and clean tech innovations.
- Green Job Creation: An emphasis on green jobs to drive economic growth and sustainability.
Early Support for Green New Deal
Vice President Kamala Harris is poised to transform the nation’s environmental policy. As she embarks on her presidential campaign with President Joe Biden’s endorsement, her commitment to the Green New Deal and other climate initiatives is under the spotlight.
Harris was an early co-sponsor of the Green New Deal in 2019, a bold plan introduced by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Edward Markey to transition the U.S. to 100% clean energy within a decade. This proposal also includes job guarantees for displaced workers and advocates for a national healthcare system.
Ambitious Climate Goals
During her 2019 presidential campaign, Harris unveiled a $10 trillion plan to achieve a zero-emissions economy by 2045. She also proposed a “climate pollution fee” to hold polluters accountable. “The climate crisis is not a future problem, it’s a current one,” Harris emphasized.
Strong Stance Against Fossil Fuels
Harris has consistently opposed fracking and offshore drilling. In a 2020 CNN forum, she reiterated her commitment to banning fossil fuel leases on public lands if elected. As California’s Attorney General, she investigated Exxon Mobil for misleading the public about climate change and secured significant settlements for environmental violations, including an $86 million settlement from Volkswagen.
Environmental Justice
Harris has long championed environmental justice. As San Francisco’s district attorney, she established the nation’s first environmental justice unit. “Crimes against the environment are crimes against communities, people who are often poor and disenfranchised,” she stated in 2005. Her proposed independent Office of Climate and Environmental Justice Accountability aims to represent frontline communities and ensure federal actions benefit these areas.
Economic and Technological Impact
Harris’s green agenda includes leveraging renewable energy investments to create millions of new jobs and drive economic growth. Collaboration with the private sector will accelerate clean energy innovations, with incentives for companies to adopt greener technologies. The Harris administration also aims to invest in cutting-edge technologies such as carbon capture and storage (CCS), electric vehicles (EVs), and advanced nuclear energy.
Community and International Leadership
Harris emphasizes the importance of community involvement in environmental decision-making processes, especially for disadvantaged communities. She also plans to take a leadership role in international climate negotiations and strengthen global alliances. Education and training initiatives will prepare the workforce for green jobs, ensuring a smooth transition from traditional energy sectors to renewable energy industries. Investment in sustainable infrastructure, including public transportation, smart grids, and resilient urban planning, is a key component of her agenda.
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Commitment to Global Climate Goals
Harris supports the Paris Climate Agreement and has pledged to make the climate crisis a top national security priority. “We must lead by example and ensure our policies protect both the planet and its people,” she asserts.
As the 2024 presidential race heats up, Harris’s green agenda promises to place sustainability at the forefront of national policy, driving significant changes in energy, economy, and environmental justice.
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