Reuters columnist: ‘Why Kamala Harris could be good for the planet’ – ‘The planet is frying & ambitious climate leadership from a Harris presidency is one of the best hopes’

TINOS, Greece, Sept 3 (Reuters Breakingviews) – Donald Trump has called climate change a “hoax”, while Kamala Harris says it is an “existential threat, opens new tab”. Those who care about limiting global warming will therefore be hoping the U.S. vice president wins the race for the White House.

Scrutinise Harris’ words since she became the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee and there’s little to go on, though she told CNN last week it was necessary to guard against the climate “crisis, opens new tab”. She has been pursuing a policy of “strategic ambiguity” on energy policy, aides told Reuters last month. She is anxious not to put off undecided voters in swing states, especially gas-producing Pennsylvania, by trumpeting her climate credentials too loudly.

That said, if the Democrats gain control of the House of Representatives as well as the White House in November’s election, Harris could pursue an ambitious climate agenda at home and abroad. Although President Joe Biden was able to achieve quite a lot with his Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which subsidises green technology, Congress limited his room for manoeuvre.