Kamala Harris, Donald Trump offer different climate, energy visions amid record summer heat

In the midst of a summer of record-breaking temperatures, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are offering starkly different visions for fighting climate change while maintaining a stable energy supply. Both sides have expressed their priorities, but neither has offered clear road maps.

Harris briefly mentioned the importance of clean air and water in addressing the climate crisis during her speech at the Democratic National Convention. As vice president, she played a key role in passing the Inflation Reduction Act, Biden’s major climate initiative, and supported progressive environmental policies like the Green New Deal.

Environmental advocates see Harris as a strong climate ally committed to fighting pollution and holding the oil industry accountable. Groups like Evergreen Action have praised her for promoting Biden’s policies, which focus on expanding electric vehicles and reducing emissions from coal-fired power plants.

Republicans, on the other hand, say Biden and Harris’ environmental regulations are hurting U.S. energy production and raising costs for consumers. They criticize their administration for imposing policies they say are stifling economic growth in the energy sector.

Donald Trump

On energy production, Harris has changed her stance over time. While she initially opposed fracking and offshore drilling during her 2020 presidential campaign, she later clarified that she had no plans to ban fracking, recognizing its importance in key swing states like Pennsylvania.

Trump, by contrast, has maintained a pro-oil stance, favoring increased oil and gas production. He has promised to roll back environmental regulations to promote lower energy prices and economic growth.

The debate over electric vehicles (EVs) has also highlighted their differences. Trump has repeatedly criticized Biden’s emissions policies, portraying them as a forced transition to EVs that could hurt auto jobs.

Although Trump’s stance has softened recently after receiving support from Tesla CEO Elon Musk, he still opposes most of Biden’s electric vehicle incentives. Harris, for her part, has strongly supported electric vehicles, focusing on federal subsidies to promote cleaner transportation, including the electrification of school buses.

Harris’ approach to climate change has focused on using Biden’s climate laws to create jobs, particularly in clean energy sectors. She cited the creation of 250,000 energy sector jobs last year, arguing that America is more energy secure under a Biden administration.

But Trump has rejected that progress, saying Biden’s climate spending benefits other countries and increases energy costs at home. He calls the climate law a “money grab” for environmental groups.

Finally, Trump has promised to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement and end environmental regulations that he says are hurting the economy. He also plans to expand exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and ease restrictions on oil and gas production.

Harris, for her part, supports the Paris Agreement and is expected to impose stricter climate standards on LNG projects, reflecting her broader commitment to reducing emissions and fighting climate change at a global level.