Biden exits: What’s Kamala Harris’ record on climate change and the Green New Deal?

This article was originally published by Grist And here as Climate Department cooperate.

After weeks of intense media speculation and continued pressure from Democratic lawmakers, major donors and senior advisers, President Joe Biden Already announced He dropped out of the presidential race. He is First sitting president to resign so close to election day“I believe it is in the best interests of my party and my country to resign and devote my full attention to the duties of my remaining term as president,” Biden said in a letter Sunday.

He supports Vice President Kamala Harris to succeed him. “Today, I am extending my full support to Kamala as our Democratic nominee this year.” He said In a separate statement. Shortly afterwards, Harris announced through the Biden campaign her intention to run for president. “I am honored to have the President’s endorsement, and my goal is to win the nomination.” she says.

During his term, President Biden has managed to push a surprising number of major policies into law with the slim Democratic majority in the Senate. His greatest achievement has been signing Inflation Reduction Actor IRA for short — the largest climate spending bill in U.S. history, with the potential to help cut greenhouse gas emissions to 42% below 2005 levels by 2030. Biden called it “the most significant climate legislation in world history” when he announced his withdrawal.

Despite his legislative successes, the 81-year-old Democrat has failed to withstand widespread criticism for his weak performance in a June debate that left many in his party unfit to lead the country for another four years. Climate agenda proposal not passed and the United States Expected to miss His government’s goal is Reduce emissions by at least 50% by 2030.

Former President Donald Trump has vowed to undo many of the policies Biden implemented if elected president. Including some members of the IRAMany of his key advisors and former presidential administration members also A blueprint Advocates for repealing the vast majority of climate and environmental protections in the U.S. Whichever Democrat runs against Trump will have a major mission: protecting America’s already fragile climate and environmental legacy from Republican attacks.

With Biden’s support, Vice President Harris Former U.S. Senator from CaliforniaBiden is the Democratic Party’s favorite candidate, but that doesn’t mean she will automatically get the nomination. There are less than 30 days until the Democratic National Convention on August 19. The thousands of Democratic delegates who have already voted for Biden will either decide on a nominee before the convention or hold an open convention to find a new candidate – a challenge for the Democratic Party. This has not happened since 1968..

As Vice President, Harris debate She allocated $20 billion for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, designed to help vulnerable communities facing climate impacts, and frequently promoted the IRA at events, touting the bill’s investments in clean energy jobs, including installing energy-efficient lighting and replacing gas furnaces with electric heat pumps. She is also the highest-ranking U.S. official to attend international climate talks. COP28 was held in Dubai last yearshe announced the U.S. commitment to double energy efficiency and triple renewable energy capacity by 2030. At the same conference, Harris Announce Invest $3 billion in the Green Climate Fund to help developing countries adapt to climate challenges. According to Politico The U.S. Treasury Department said the payment is “subject to the availability of funds.”

“Vice President Harris has played an integral role in the Biden Administration’s most significant climate achievements and has long been an influential climate advocate,” Evergreen Action, a climate-oriented political organization, said in a statement.

Harris was accused of using a potentially exaggerated “US$1 trillion in 10 years” Figures describing the Biden administration’s climate investments. Add up all the major government investments over the past four years.some of which are only vaguely linked to climate change.

Harris is a 2019 presidential candidate. suggested During the campaign, Biden proposed a $10 trillion climate plan that aimed to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045, including 100% carbon-neutral electricity by 2030. Under the plan, 50% of new cars would be zero-emission by 2030 and 100% by 2035. But the proposal, like similarly ambitious climate change proposals released by other Democrats during that election cycle, was little more than a campaign wish list. A better indicator of what her climate change plan would look like as president—even better than her record as vice president, since much of her agenda would be set by the Biden administration—may be buried in her record as San Francisco’s district attorney from 2004 to 2011 and California’s attorney general from 2011 to 2017.

As District Attorney, Harris create Establishing an Environmental Justice Unit to address environmental crimes affecting San Francisco’s poorest residents, and be accused Several companies, including U-Haul, were sued for violating hazardous waste laws. Harris later claimed that her environmental justice unit was the first of its kind in the country. A survey But the department has filed only a handful of lawsuits, and none against the city’s major industrial polluters, the investigation found.

While attorney general, Harris secured an $86 million settlement for installing emissions-cheating software on Volkswagen vehicles and investigated ExxonMobil’s climate change disclosures. submit Civil lawsuit against Phillips 66 and ConocoPhillips for environmental violations at gas stations, resulting in $11.5 million in settlements settlement. and her A criminal investigation was conducted An oil company was charged in connection with the 2015 oil spill in Santa Barbara. The company was found guilty. Found guilty on nine criminal charges.

“We have to do more,” Harris said “Our collective action, or worse, our inaction, will affect billions of people for decades to come,” he said at a climate summit in Dubai late last year.

Clayton Aldern contributed writing and reporting to this article.