Exploring Kamala Harris’s focus on environmental equity for POC

Harris’s take on the matter

Before her time in the White House, Harris had established herself as an advocate for environmental justice. Her work has focused on addressing disproportionate impacts of environmental hazards on communities of color and low-income populations.

During her six years as San Francisco’s District Attorney, she established one of the nation’s first environmental justice units to hold polluters accountable for the harm they caused.

She also repeatedly emphasized the concept of ‘climate equity’, especially in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian – in which she stated that it was low-income and POC communities that bear the weight of such disasters. She vehemently asserts that resources should be allocated based on the needs of the community, especially the vulnerable ones.

Harris even led efforts to secure $15 billion in the bipartisan infrastructure law to mandate lead pipe removal and toured heavily affected cities like Milwaukee and Newark. Despite pushback, she worked behind the scenes to ensure the proposal was implemented.

In the remainder of her presidential campaign, Harris plans to continue funding communities facing pollution, building on Biden’s efforts to improve environmental conditions in low-income and predominantly POC neighborhoods.

She also shows support for clean energy initiatives like the American Climate Corps and aims to ensure benefits reach underserved communities. With that, she emphasizes including grassroots leaders and affected communities in environmental policy decisions to amplify their voices in matters close to them.

.@KamalaHarris hurricanes do not target people based on the color of their skin.

Hurricanes do not discriminate.

And neither should the federal government giving aid to people suffering from the devastation of Hurricane Ian.

Is your husband’s life worth less bc he’s white?

— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) October 3, 2022

What do the Republicans think?

A large part of the Republican party considers climate change a low priority, with only 12% seeing it as a top government issue. Many of the persuasion believe climate change to be a natural occurrence rather than a phenomenon mainly driven by human actions.

As the nation’s resident climate change deniers, the Republicans have had a lot to say about Harris’s initiatives, particularly on the climate equity front. Days after Harris’s statement on equitable resource allocation, Senator Rick Scott misrepresented her message, saying, ‘If you have a different skin color, you’re going to get relief faster’.

Harris’ advocacy has drawn comparisons to Karl Marx and her proposals were even described as totalitarian. This narrative could resonate with swing voters who may view her climate equity initiatives as divisive rather than inclusive, especially in purple states like Florida and Ohio.

Kamala Harris’s focus on environmental justice highlights her commitment to addressing systemic inequalities and tackling pressing issues faced by marginalized communities. As she campaigns, her challenge will be to navigate the political landscape, counter opposition, and build support for a more equitable nation.