"Sen. Harris believes we are completely under-reacting to the crisis of climate change." Lily Adams, communications director
Like everybody else, I am excited about the presidential talent pool that we have in the Democratic party. As many of you know, my only issue is climate change. Our nominee needs to be and will be a climate hawk, we must insist upon it.
I do not have a “candidate” yet. But I do have a few favorites that I want to kick the tires with before casting my vote in the Florida primary.
I must admit Kamala Harris is becoming a very attractive candidate to me since she announced her run for the presidency. So I went to the google machine and typed Kamala Harris Climate Change. I got a few hits, allow me to share.
As California’s attorney general, Harris launched an investigation into Exxon Mobil in 2016, after reports that the oil and gas giant lied for decades about the risks of climate change. Harris criticized President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris climate accord. Additionally, Harris opposed the Trump administration’s proposal to reverse Obama-era fuel efficiency standards for cars and light trucks. Harris voted against repealing regulations on methane emissions, and has a 100 percent lifetime score from the League of Conservation Voters, which tracks lawmakers’ voting records on energy and environmental issues.
Environmental issues "are much more top of mind with voters than they have ever been in the past," said Sragow, the publisher of the "California Target Book," a nonpartisan political guide.
"It's all relative, but the visibility of climate change with the fires and storms is elevated," he said.
Historically, exit polls have shown environmental issues and climate change have not been motivating factors in presidential elections, including Trump's win in 2016 (Greenwire, Nov. 22).
Trump, however, may be changing that.
The president has withdrawn from the Paris climate agreement — in a televised Rose Garden ceremony, no less — rolled back the Obama administration's Clean Power Plant and been reluctant to acknowledge the existence of human-caused global warming. All of which have made the issue more high profile.
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For Harris, one number in the poll likely stands out: 93 percent of "liberal Democrats" support the policy, including 69 percent who "strongly support" it. Those respondents are more likely to vote in Democratic primaries, which skew toward the liberal wing of the party.
"As an issue for Democrats, climate change is gaining traction," said Ed Maibach of George Mason.
Maibach also said the recent midterms showed climate change and environmental issues are starting to weigh more heavily on voters, and especially with Democrats.
The midterms were "the first time climate change was an issue in any national election, though more about which Democrats were elected," he said.
Harris grilling of Ryan Nelson, Trumps nominee to serve on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeal, from E&E news.
Climate change rarely features in judicial confirmation hearings, but Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) made it the centerpiece of her questions to Nelson.
"The 9th Circuit covers a large area of this country that is occupied by natural resources, and therefore the cases you will hear, many of them will probably involve environmental law," Harris said before asking Nelson for his views.
Nelson said he would want to "look at the full record" in a specific case before making a "broader pronouncement" on the drivers of climate change.
Pressed further by Harris, he added that he believed the Obama administration went through a "robust process" before EPA issued its so-called endangerment finding in 2009, which found that greenhouse gases endangered public health and welfare.
"I trust the lawyers and other staff at EPA to try and do their job as appropriately as possible," Nelson said. He added that he wouldn't "weigh in on any substantive matter on whether they got it right or wrong."
In a later exchange with Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Nelson said he generally did not believe that environmental laws should be narrowly read.
"I want to ensure you that I would interpret an environmental statute or an environmental law the same as I would interpret any other law," he said, "and that's based on the plain language of the words that are used in the statute, and I would look at them very carefully."
Kamala Harris on Trump’s withdrawal of the Paris Climate Accords.
Climate change is real.
It shouldn’t need to be said — but considering yesterday’s decision to leave the Paris Climate Agreement, it felt necessary.
Trump’s decision is a tragic one with catastrophic repercussions for our kids and our grandkids. The justifications for this are irrational and fake at best. Trump himself has called climate change a “Chinese hoax.”
It’s wrong for America to abdicate our responsibility to address this planetary crisis. Surely, in 2017, we can all agree that the ability to breathe clean air and live in a safe and healthy environment should be a priority?
I guess not.
Make no mistake: no responsible government official would recommend abandoning the world community on this issue. Our obligation, both as a global leader and as the planet’s second largest polluter, is to combat this threat to public health and safety here at home, and abroad. Retreat should never have been an option. It’s shameful.