%environment_news_service%
WILMINGTON, Delaware, August 14, 2020 (ENS) – In their first campaign appearance together as running mates, Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic Party nominee for President, and his newly announced vice presidential choice, Senator Kamala Harris, both mentioned their climate plan. Speaking from a nearly empty school gym to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, Biden told the viewing audience watching the historic event onscreen, “We have a climate crisis that Donald Trump refuses to even acknowledge.” “When he thinks about climate change, all he hears is one word: ‘hoax,’ Biden accused his rival. “The Biden-Harris Administration is going to meet the climate crisis, protect the health of the American public, and along the way, we’re going to deliver one word: jobs. Good paying jobs,” said Biden, who served as vice president with President Barack Obama during both his terms. In a separate speech, Senator Harris, who represents California, put fighting climate change at the top of her list of priorities. “Let’s be clear,” she said. “This election isn’t just about defeating Donald Trump or Mike Pence. It’s about building this country back better. And that’s exactly what Joe and I will do. We’ll create millions of jobs and fight climate change through a clean energy revolution, bring back critical supply chains so the future is made in America, build on the Affordable Care Act.” Two weeks ago, Harris, the first Black woman to be nominated for vice president by a major political party, emphasized her commitment to communities of color impacted by climate change by introducing climate equity legislation together with Green New Deal advocate Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat. Their Climate Equity Act is a draft legislative proposal to ensure that the United States government makes communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis the foundation of policy related to climate and the environment, including the policies to build a Green New Deal. Over the past year, the California senator has been working with the New York congresswoman in offering the opportunity to shape this bill to the climate-concerned community that she and Biden hope to attract. As the two senators introduced the bill on July 29, Harris said, “We need a Green New Deal based in climate and environmental justice, which means building a clean economy that protects communities that have been neglected by policymakers for far too long. I’m proud to work with Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez on this comprehensive proposal, and I’m hopeful that it brings a Green New Deal closer to reality.” Their bill would create an Office of Climate and Environmental Justice Accountability within the White House Office of Management and Budget and require the government to consider the impact of any environmental legislation or regulation on low-income communities. Then, Harris advocated for the federal government to take legal action against fossil fuel companies for their legacy of climate pollution, during her presidential run. What’s In the Plan? In July, before he had selected a running mate, Biden announced his plan to invest $2 trillion over four years in clean energy and environmental justice. Now the Biden-Harris plan, the proposal is getting more attention as the Democratic Nominating Convention approaches next week in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
