Kamala Harris and Climate Change: Hope or Hype?

Summary

This video, presented by climate scientist Adam, explores the stark differences between the 2024 U.S. presidential candidates, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, regarding climate change. Trump is criticized for his denial of climate science and actions that have harmed environmental progress, including exiting the Paris Agreement and supporting fossil fuels. In contrast, Harris, who helped pass the Inflation Reduction Act, is praised for her ambitious climate policies. The video emphasizes the global impact of U.S. leadership on climate issues and highlights the importance of voting with climate change in mind.

Takeaways

• 🌍 The United States is a significant player in global climate policy due to its history as the largest emitter of greenhouse gases.
• 🌡️ The upcoming U.S. presidential election between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump has major implications for climate action.
• 📉 Donald Trump has a history of climate denial, including withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris Agreement and rolling back numerous environmental regulations.
• 🚫 Trump’s policies include approving major oil pipelines, reversing environmental rules, and weakening emission standards, which has had negative effects on climate progress.
• ⚖️ Trump appointed anti-environmental judges, leading to court rulings that limited the EPA's ability to regulate CO2 emissions.
• 🟢 Kamala Harris, in contrast, has supported major climate initiatives like the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which aims to reduce emissions by at least one-third by 2030.
• ⚡ As Vice President, Harris helped pass the IRA, which allocates billions of dollars toward clean energy, electric cars, and other emission-reducing initiatives.
• 🌱 Harris has a long track record of environmental action, including her time as California’s attorney general, where she prosecuted environmental crimes and fought for stronger regulations.
• 📊 The Project 2025 blueprint, backed by the Heritage Foundation, outlines extreme climate deregulation under a future conservative presidency, posing severe risks to environmental protections.
• 💡 The video emphasizes that the climate policy differences between Harris and Trump are stark, with Harris pushing forward ambitious climate action while Trump would likely reverse it.

Q & A

Who are the two candidates mentioned in the script for the upcoming U.S. presidential election?

The two candidates mentioned are Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.

What is the significance of the U.S. presidential election for climate change?

The U.S. is the biggest historic emitter of greenhouse gases and has a huge influence on global climate policies. The actions of the U.S. president can significantly affect global efforts to halt global warming.

What is the stance of Donald Trump on climate change according to the script?

Donald Trump has repeatedly denied basic climate science and argued that climate action harms Americans by causing job losses and economic costs.

How does Kamala Harris view climate change?

Kamala Harris views climate change as a crisis and believes that investing in climate solutions can create jobs, lower costs, and benefit families.

What was one of the first actions taken by Donald Trump regarding climate policy?

One of the first actions taken by Donald Trump was announcing the U.S. would exit the Paris climate agreement.

What significant climate legislation was introduced during Kamala Harris's tenure as Vice President?

During Kamala Harris's tenure as Vice President, the Inflation Reduction Act (I.R.A.) was introduced, which invests hundreds of billions of dollars towards reducing emissions.

What is the estimated impact of the Inflation Reduction Act on U.S. emissions by 2030?

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the Inflation Reduction Act could reduce emissions by at least a third by 2030, relative to 2005 levels.

What was Kamala Harris's role in setting up an environmental justice unit in California?

As California District Attorney, Kamala Harris set up an environmental justice unit in 2005 to prosecute environmental crimes.

What is the potential impact of Project 2025 on climate change if implemented?

Project 2025, a far-right blueprint, proposes scrapping vital climate research, increasing fossil fuel extraction on federal lands, and halting life-saving extreme weather warnings from the National Weather Service.

What is the script's stance on telling viewers who to vote for in the U.S. presidential election?

The script does not tell viewers who to vote for but aims to highlight the significant differences between the two candidates on climate change, leaving the decision to the viewer.

How does the script suggest individuals can influence climate policy?

The script suggests that individuals can influence climate policy by raising their voices on climate change issues, which can shift political focus and action.

Outlines

00:00

🗳️ US Presidential Race 2024: A Global Impact

This paragraph introduces the significance of the upcoming 2024 US presidential election, highlighting its importance not just for the United States, but for the entire world due to the country's influence on climate policies. The narrator, a climate scientist, emphasizes the differences between the two primary candidates, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, and their potential impact on climate change efforts. The narrator explains his credentials and why this topic is important globally.

05:00

🌍 Climate Change: A Critical Topic for the US Elections

The focus shifts to the contrasting perspectives of Donald Trump and Kamala Harris on climate change. Trump has frequently denied climate science, claiming that climate action would harm American jobs and the economy, despite clean energy sectors creating more jobs than fossil fuels. In contrast, Kamala Harris acknowledges climate change as a crisis and advocates for investment in climate initiatives, which she believes will create jobs and benefit families. Their words illustrate a stark difference in priorities and understanding of climate issues.

10:02

📉 Trump’s Climate Record: A Rollback of Environmental Protections

The narrator reviews Trump’s actions during his presidency, such as exiting the Paris Agreement and rolling back over 100 environmental regulations. Trump’s administration weakened emissions standards and reversed energy efficiency rules, and his impact was felt in international climate negotiations. Trump also appointed judges with anti-environmental stances, influencing legal decisions that undermined climate protections. Despite claiming 'the best environmental numbers,' these improvements were largely due to external factors like the pandemic and preexisting regulations, not his policies.

📈 Kamala Harris's Climate Contributions: A Stronger Environmental Advocate

Kamala Harris’s climate record is reviewed, focusing on her role as vice president in passing the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), a landmark climate policy aimed at reducing emissions and boosting clean energy adoption. The IRA is considered the most significant US climate legislation to date, with a goal of cutting emissions by a third by 2030. Harris’s earlier career, including her tenure as California’s Attorney General, further underscores her longstanding commitment to environmental justice, prosecution of polluters, and challenging even the Obama administration over offshore drilling permits.

📜 Project 2025: A Threat to Climate Action

The discussion moves to 'Project 2025,' a controversial far-right policy blueprint from the Heritage Foundation for the next conservative administration. The plan includes dismantling key climate policies, expanding fossil fuel extraction, and potentially halting life-saving weather warnings. While Trump has distanced himself from it, the project is filled with contributors from his administration. If implemented, it would severely hinder climate research and emissions reduction efforts, posing a dire threat to any progress made under a potential Harris administration.

⚖️ Harris vs. Trump: A Stark Choice for the Climate

The narrator acknowledges that both candidates have their shortcomings, citing the Biden-Harris administration's approval of the Willow Project and ongoing fossil fuel tax breaks. However, he argues that Harris has still overseen some of the most ambitious climate policies in US history, contrasting sharply with Trump’s regressive approach. The narrator makes it clear that, while he isn’t endorsing a candidate, the climate stakes are high, and the choice between these two candidates will significantly impact the future of US and global climate policy.

🎯 Final Thoughts: The Power of Raising Our Voices

The final paragraph addresses viewers’ potential feelings of powerlessness in the face of climate change. The narrator encourages people to continue raising their voices and engaging in politics, as collective action is one of the most effective tools for change. He suggests that every action counts and highlights a previous conversation with climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe as an example of how impactful speaking out can be. He closes with a reminder that the upcoming election is more than just about the candidates—it’s about the future of the planet.

Keywords

💡Climate Change

Climate change refers to the long-term alteration of temperature and typical weather patterns in a place. In the video, it is framed as a global crisis that demands urgent action, influencing decisions such as voting for the next U.S. president. The video's core argument revolves around how the candidates' policies could significantly impact climate mitigation efforts, both domestically and globally.

💡Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is a U.S. law passed during the Biden-Harris administration that allocates hundreds of billions of dollars towards reducing emissions. In the video, it is highlighted as one of the most ambitious climate policies in U.S. history, which Harris helped pass by casting the tie-breaking vote. It is presented as a crucial step in cutting U.S. emissions and promoting clean energy.

💡Paris Climate Agreement

The Paris Climate Agreement is an international treaty that aims to limit global warming to below 2°C. In the video, Donald Trump’s decision to exit the agreement is criticized as a move that undermined global efforts to combat climate change. In contrast, Biden's immediate action to rejoin the accord is framed as a return to climate leadership. The agreement symbolizes international cooperation in addressing climate issues.

💡Fossil Fuels

Fossil fuels, such as oil, coal, and natural gas, are non-renewable energy sources that significantly contribute to global carbon emissions. The video contrasts Trump’s approval of major oil pipelines and his support for fossil fuel extraction with Harris’s focus on clean energy. The extraction and use of fossil fuels are depicted as major obstacles to reducing emissions and addressing climate change.

💡Clean Energy Jobs

Clean energy jobs are positions in industries focused on renewable energy, such as solar, wind, and electric vehicle production. The video highlights that these jobs already outnumber fossil fuel jobs in the U.S., countering Trump’s argument that climate action harms American workers. This concept is central to Harris’s climate policy, which links climate investment to job creation and economic growth.

💡Project 2025

Project 2025 is a far-right political blueprint developed by the Heritage Foundation for a future conservative presidency. The video emphasizes that this project would roll back environmental protections, increase fossil fuel extraction, and halt vital climate research, posing a significant threat to combating climate change. It is presented as an agenda closely aligned with Trump's potential second term.

💡Environmental Justice

Environmental justice refers to addressing the unfair exposure of poor and marginalized communities to environmental harm. The video mentions Kamala Harris's early efforts in this area, such as creating an environmental justice unit as California's district attorney. This concept underscores her long-standing commitment to holding corporations accountable for environmental violations and protecting vulnerable populations.

💡Supreme Court Rulings

Supreme Court rulings are legal decisions that have a lasting impact on U.S. law. The video explains how Trump-appointed justices have made rulings that limit the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to regulate CO2 emissions, directly affecting the country’s climate action capabilities. These rulings highlight the broader influence that a president can have on environmental policies through judicial appointments.

💡Willow Project

The Willow Project is a controversial oil drilling project in the Alaskan Arctic, approved under the Biden-Harris administration. The video acknowledges this as a harmful climate policy, even under a supposedly climate-forward administration, illustrating that even leaders advocating for climate action may still make decisions that negatively affect the environment. It adds nuance to the discussion of Harris's climate record.

💡Extreme Weather

Extreme weather refers to severe, often unpredictable weather events like heatwaves, hurricanes, and floods, which are becoming more frequent due to climate change. The video ties this concept to the urgency of addressing global warming, noting that the past year has been a 'scorcher,' with extreme weather events already causing devastation. It emphasizes the role of political leadership in mitigating these impacts.

Highlights

The U.S. is the largest historic emitter of greenhouse gases, causing more climate change than any other nation.

Donald Trump has repeatedly denied climate science, stating that 'It'll start getting cooler, you just watch,' and arguing that climate action harms American jobs.

Kamala Harris emphasizes the seriousness of climate change, referring to it as a 'climate crisis,' and linking climate action with job creation and economic benefits.

Trump announced the U.S. exit from the Paris Climate Agreement, which impacted global climate negotiations and delayed international action.

Harris cast the tie-breaking vote to pass the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the largest climate policy in U.S. history, aimed at reducing emissions by at least a third by 2030.

Trump rolled back over 100 environmental regulations and weakened emissions limits during his presidency.

The Inflation Reduction Act provides subsidies for solar panels, electric cars, and other clean energy initiatives, marking a historic move in U.S. climate policy.

Kamala Harris, as California District Attorney, established an environmental justice unit in 2005 to prosecute environmental crimes.

Harris secured multi-million dollar settlements from car companies and oil firms as Attorney General for environmental violations.

Donald Trump appointed anti-environmental judges, including Supreme Court justices, leading to a ruling that restricted the Environmental Protection Agency's control over CO2 emissions.

Project 2025, a far-right blueprint for a future conservative presidency, includes eliminating climate research, increasing fossil fuel extraction, and halting National Weather Service extreme weather warnings.

Despite Harris's positive climate actions, the Biden-Harris administration approved the controversial Willow Project, allowing oil drilling in Alaska's Arctic.

The video argues that, on climate policy, Trump and Harris present stark differences, with Trump rolling back environmental protections and Harris supporting some of the most ambitious climate measures in U.S. history.

Harris’s climate platform in 2019 was more ambitious than Biden’s, calling for a carbon tax and a ban on fracking on public lands.

The video concludes that while there are criticisms of both candidates, Harris has taken significant steps forward in climate policy, contrasting with Trump’s moves backward.

Transcripts

Later this year, the United

States will vote for its 47th president.

And from an @ssassination attempt

to a last minute candidate

change, the race to the White House

has made headlines before

it's even fully begun.

Behind these headlines are two candidates:

Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.

So when it comes to climate change,

what's actually the difference

between these two candidates?

And what could the next president

of the United States mean

for the entire world?

I'm Adam, a climate scientist

with PhD from Oxford, sharing

what you need to know about climate change.

And today, I want to talk about

the climate credentials

of the next president

of the United States.

I want to talk about this because what happens in

the USA doesn't

stay in the USA.

The US is the biggest

historic emitter, causing more

climate change than any other nation.

And the US hugely influences

what the world does to halt

global warming.

The past year has been

an absolute scorcher,

and we're already feeling the devastation

that climate change causes, from extreme

weather to the spread of disease.

And the tough truth is, it's already

incredibly late to limit warming

to relatively safe levels.

At this point, every single decision

matters for how livable

our future will be.

So let's talk about

the decision that America

is facing.

At the time I'm recording

this, it's between Republican

former President

Donald Trump and the presumptive

nominee of the Democratic

Party, current Vice President Kamala Harris.

Now, I know what you Americans

are probably thinking: Who's a Brit like you

to tell us Americans who to vote for?

And to that, I would say

two things:

Firstly, I hope you all appreciate the restraint

it took to not do an

American accent for that character.

And secondly, my biggest audience

is actually in the US.

And worldwide,

people are talking about Harris and Trump.

I've seen some people

working on climate arguing

that the two candidates are somehow equivalent.

And others going full brat

mode in their support

for Harris.

So the point of this video is not to tell

people who to vote for.

I just feel like it's important

that people know the differences

between the two candidates.

And that definitely includes the differences

when it comes to climate change.

And that's really the first thing to spell out.

The two candidates are actually different.

Really different.

Let's look at their words first.

Donald Trump has repeatedly denied

basic climate science, saying

things like; “It'll start getting cooler.

You just watch.” And arguing

climate action harms Americans:

“Leaving American workers

and taxpayers to absorb

the cost, in terms of lost jobs,

lower wages, shuttered factories.” Quick note,

but Trump often argues

that he opposes clean energy

because he cares about jobs.

But clean energy jobs

already hugely outnumber

fossil fuel jobs in America.

Okay, but onto Kamala Harris.

This is how she talks about climate change:

“Climate change

has become

a climate crisis.”

And she's argued that:

“When we invest in climate,

we create jobs,

we lower costs, and we invest

in families.” Okay, so great.

Harris says she believes that climate change

is serious, while Donald Trump

denies the fundamentals.

But actions

speak louder than words.

And that's one thing that's great

about this presidential race:

We can actually look at the candidates’ actions –

what they've actually done

when they've been in office.

One of the very first things

that Donald Trump did was announced

the US would exit the Paris climate agreement.

So we're getting out!

Now, slightly hilariously,

this only came into effect one day

after the 2020 US

presidential election,

which Trump lost to Joe Biden,

who then immediately rejoined

the Paris climate agreement.

But even so, the departure

of the world's biggest historic emitter

stalled global action

and upended negotiations.

In fact, I was at the 2018 climate

negotiations and Trump's

climate inaction

was the backdrop to,

well, to everything

that was being discussed.

And Trump didn't just change the US's

role on the international stage.

From approving major oil pipelines

to rolling back over 100

environmental rules,

Donald Trump has weakened emissions

limits and reversed efficiency standards.

He also had a major impact on the courts,

appointing judges with anti-environmental track

records, including Supreme

Court justices.

This led to the Supreme

Court ruling restricting

how the Environmental Protection

Agency can control

CO2 emissions.

After all this,

Trump still claims

that: “I had the best

environmental numbers ever”,

which is misleading at best.

The improvements that were

seen were generally caused by things

like Covid shutdowns,

preexisting regulations,

and general trends away from coal.

In other words, some environmental

measures improved despite Trump,

not because of him.

But it's hardly surprising that the man

who has repeatedly called climate change

a hoax isn't exactly

a climate champion.

The question is: Is

Kamala Harris actually any better?

Well, let's look at what's actually happened

over the last four years.

While Harris served as vice

president to Joe Biden.

Most importantly, they introduced

the Inflation Reduction Act,

often referred to as the I.R.A.,

much to the confusion

of British people like myself.

Harris cast the tie breaking vote

to pass the IRA, which pushes

hundreds of billions of dollars

towards reducing emissions

with subsidies for everything

from solar panels to electric cars.

And this is a big deal for the climate.

In fact, it's often hailed

as the biggest deal for the climate

in US history.

In terms of numbers,

the Environmental Protection

Agency estimates it means reducing emissions

by at least a third by 2030

relative to 2005 levels.

And in terms of my personal experience,

I can genuinely say that

many of the climate nerds

that I know

never thought we'd see such

an ambitious climate change policy

from the US,

regardless of political party.

And speaking of shining endorsements...

I feel a sponsored message coming on!

Well, you feel incorrectly.

I don't want to sell you

all things with my videos.

And so no monetization,

no product placements.

Videos like this are entirely supported

by my amazing patrons.

Join them up here.

Or if that's not for you, just liking

and subscribing are pretty good too.

Can we get back to Kamala Harris's record now?

Sure, we can look further back

than just her time as VP.

As California District attorney,

she set up an

environmental justice unit to prosecute

environmental crimes in California,

and that was almost two decades

ago, in 2005.

And later, as attorney general,

she secured multi-million

dollar settlements on environmental violations

from car companies and oil firms.

She even sued none

other than the Obama administration

in an effort

to halt new offshore fracking permits.

And looking to the future,

what her presidency might bring,

her climate adviser has said

she would focus on implementing

the Inflation Reduction Act.

And it's worth pointing out that

when she ran for Democratic

presidential nominee in 2019,

her climate platform was way more ambitious

than Biden's, calling for everything

from a carbon tax

to a ban on fracking for oil

and gas on public lands.

So it could be

that she’d be even more

of a climate champion than her predecessor,

if she becomes president in 2025.

And while we're looking

at what could happen in 2025,

we have to talk about

project 2025.

Project 2025

is a 900 page far right blueprint

by the Heritage Foundation

for the next conservative

presidency.

And it covers

a lot of extremely concerning ground:

from potentially criminalizing people

who provide abortions to eliminating

the Department of Education.

Seriously, if you haven't heard of it,

definitely look into it.

Some links for further reading,

as always, are provided below.

Trump has tried to

distance himself from it, even claiming he knows

nothing about it.

But this doesn't exactly check out.

Half the blueprint authors worked under him

during his presidency,

and he's mentioned in it

hundreds of times,

and he previously said the Heritage Foundation

would detail plans for what he would do

in his next presidency.

But I digress.

Here's what the project could actually mean

for the climate.

It proposes scrapping

what it calls “climate alarmism”,

but is actually vital

research into the threats climate change poses

and the solutions we could take.

On top of that, it would increase fossil

fuel extraction on federal lands

and halt the National Weather

Service's role as forecaster,

which would halt

their life saving extreme weather warnings

on everything from tornadoes to heatwaves.

And when it comes to

pollution that directly harms

the health of humans and the environment,

Project 2025

takes a firm stand...

on the side of polluters,

emphasizing costs to industry

over environmental

win wins.

All in all, this would mean a crisis

for combating the climate crisis,

and there's good reason to think

it's exactly what

Trump is planning.

Now, don't get me wrong

Kamala Harris has overseen

harmful climate policies, too.

The Biden-Harris administration has,

for example, given the green light to the Willow

Project, drilling oil in the Alaskan Arctic.

And fossil fuels are still receiving

tax breaks.

Plus, the US is still not doing

its fair share to limit global warming

to two degrees,

let alone 1.5°C.

These are the limits

that would keep our planet

relatively safe from the worst

consequences of climate change.

So I guess this is the point where you make

the lesser of two evils argument.

Actually, honestly, no.

Because when it comes to climate change,

we're still looking at a choice

between a candidate who'd be – who has been

– devastating for the climate.

And one who has overseen some of the most

ambitious acts to protect an environment

that the US has ever seen.

Just to be clear, the first one is Trump

and the second one is Harris.

The truth is that we have seen big steps

forward from Harris,

and that certainly

contrasts with the giant leaps back

that Trump has implemented in the past

and hopes for in the future.

I thought you said you weren't going

to tell us who to vote for.

And I'm not.

The goal of this video is to point out that

when it comes to climate,

there are huge differences

between these two potential presidents.

What you do with that

information is obviously your call

And of course, there are many

other factors that go into

who you'd vote for or whether you'd

feel comfortable to vote at all.

From reproductive

rights, to the US economy, to healthcare,

to the US's continued

bipartisan support

for Israel, k!ll!ng

tens of thousands

of Palestinian civilians.

But I will say this:

climate change can make us feel powerless.

But we're not.

Every time we raise our voices

on climate change, we're shifting

the mercury in the thermometer.

And politics –

despite its ugliness

and its huge flaws – is one of our

biggest opportunities

to raise our voices.

And if you want to know just how powerful

it can be to raise our voices,

then look no further than

my conversation with incredible

climate scientist, Katharine Hayhoe.

Okay, thanks a lot for watching.

Until next time...

Bye! Estimate.

Agh! Blablabla Blublublu!