Jubilee Post News & Views
Dr. Seema Javed
The 59th United States Presidential election, 2020 will be held on 3rd November admist Covid crisis. “climate change’ seems to have become a relevant topic and keeps showing up between Democrats or Republicans to win control of white House this time.
Democratic party emphasizes climate language: The Democratic National Committee is the governing body of the U.S. Democratic Party, and it is redrafting its platform for Democratic politicians. with an increased emphasis on climate change. The changes include endorsing a goal to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees C and for the U.S. to do its “fair share” in reaching that target. The draft also mentions applying a carbon adjustment fee to products from countries failing to live up to the Paris Agreement, and taking a tougher stance on China on trade.
Joe Biden’s plan to decarbonize by 2035: A few weeks ago Biden launched a new climate plan to decarbonize the U.S. power sector by 2035, focused on increasing clean energy use across sectors. It got a cautiously positive reception from the climate community.
Republican Trump upholds oil and gas, criticizes Paris Agreement: Trump delivered a campaign speech at an oil rig in Texas, and announced an extension of liquefied natural gas export authorizations to 2050. Trump delivered remarks on Biden’s climate plan calling it an effort to “massively re-regulate the energy economy”.
Kamala Harris is a Senator from California. In her presidential bid, Harris released a $10 trillion plan to create a clean energy economy by 2045, including a focus on environmental justice, ending subsidies for the fossil fuel industry, and imposing a fee on carbon pollution. Harris has spoken of her record defending California’s environmental standards and suing oil companies such as Chevron and BP as a former state attorney general.
Elizabeth Warren is a Senator from Massachusetts. Warren has focused her legislative career on holding industry accountable for their actions and advocating on behalf of consumers. In her campaign to be presidential nominee, Warren released a climate plan aimed at stopping Wall Street and finance’s role in causing the climate crisis.
Susan Rice is a former national security adviser to Obama and a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. While her professional focus has been foreign policy, she has spoken about climate change’s implications on national security and has referred to climate change in her book as an “urgent, existential threat.”
Val Demings is a Representative from Florida and the former police chief of the Orlando Police Department. In Congress, Demings has encouraged public and private sectors to incorporate conservation and efficiency programs in their budgeting processes. She has criticized Trump’s proposal to allow new oil drilling off the coast of Florida and California and spoke out against Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement.
Karen Bass is a Representative from California and the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. Bass has supported the Green New Deal and co-sponsored an environmental justice bill to support workers in transitioning away from greenhouse gas-dependent economies and reduce health disparities in environmental justice communities.
(Dr. Seema Javed is and independent journalist and environmentalist)
