Why A Presidential Win For Kamala Harris Is A Win For Climate, Gender Equity & Justice

A miraculous evolution in climate and politics is unfolding before our very eyes. Mexico’s new president, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, is a climate scientist and the first woman to be elected to the position. Halla Tómasdóttir recently became the second female president of Iceland, and is the former CEO of The B Team, a global nonprofit that promotes climate-positive business practices. Imagine the climate optimism and motivation that could abound, if Kamala Harris, a long-time environmental justice advocate as an attorney, senator and vice president, is elected president of the United States. 

I’m not suggesting that appointing all women as political leaders holds the key to solving the entire world’s environmental and social problems. But I am declaring that a rise in women holding office will change the tide in favor of our planet, social equity, and human health. In other words, I don’t want to make the ethics and likelihood of success around climate and politics about gender—but it is.  

There’s a reason nature is referred to as Mother Nature. It’s life-giving, nurturing, collaborative, and supports all life on Earth. Around the world female political leaders have been shown to be more likely to push policies that prioritize the needs of vulnerable populations, including women, children, and marginalized communities, who endure the brunt of climate change. It’s no coincidence that countries with a larger percentage of women in Parliament are more likely to ratify environmental treaties and adopt policies that drive climate action. 

Considering that climate change is a global threat that affects us all, climate action could be the one thing that unites us, and this comes down to leadership. This also of course requires a belief in climate science, which Republican presidential nominee, Donald Trump, has repeatedly and publicly disavowed.

I’ll never forget the day Donald Trump was elected President of the United States in 2016—known more personally and traumatically to me and to many people around the world, I believe, as the day Hillary Clinton lost. While I wasn’t exactly surprised by the results, I was every bit as disappointed as the next person who had been chanting for months, “I’m with her.” And like many friends and colleagues, I cried—for a long time. Prior to that moment, I had no idea how much I had invested in Secretary Clinton winning. 

I was living in London at the time. “First Brexit and now this?!” I wailed to a friend the night of the election. “How are people going to survive this division?” 

Today, as I reflect on the possibility that the world is even more polarized than it was in 2016 and I contemplate what’s at stake not only if Donald Trump is elected again, but if Kamala Harris isn’t, my personal and professional investment are tenfold. This isn’t simply about emotions, wanting to celebrate the first time a woman is named President of the U.S., and not wanting my country to become a dictatorship, although those are all notable reasons. It’s about justice, integrity, and solidifying climate leadership across the globe. 

Kamala’s Climate Track Record 

On July 20, more than 350 environmentalists endorsed Vice President Harris for president, saying it could help inspire climate-minded voters. Based on a treasure trove of news coverage exploring Harris’ stance on a climate over the years, they’re right. 

As Al Gore highlighted recently on X, Harris cast the tie-breaking vote to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, the largest climate investment and spending law in the U.S. in history. She also argued for the allocation of $20 billion for the EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, which was created to support disadvantaged communities facing the brunt of the climate crisis. 

While serving as district attorney in San Francisco, she created one of the first environmental justice units in America, prioritizing electric school buses and opposing drilling on public lands. 

In 2016, as California attorney general, Harris sued the Obama-Biden administration over fracking approvals off the state’s coast. She also launched an investigation into ExxonMobil’s framing of climate risks, and took on ConocoPhillips, Chevron, and the Southern California Gas Company for causing environmental damage. As a senator, she co-sponsored the Green New Deal. 

According to the New York Times, Harris’s potential running mates are all in support of an energy transition. Josh Shapiro, Governor of Pennsylvania, made plans to have 30% of his state’s energy run on renewables. While Andy Beshear, Governor of Kentucky, leads a red state he’s still been able to embrace clean energy projects, giving Kentucky the second-fastest growth in clean energy jobs. Former astronaut and current U.S. Senator from Arizona, Mark Kelly, cosponsored bipartisan legislation that enabled farmers to get financial incentives if they practice agriculture that stores carbon. In North Carolina, Governor Ray Cooper, signed a law that requires public utilities to reduce carbon emissions by 70% by 2030, which could lead to coal plant closures. He has also supported an expansion of electric vehicles and emphasized the importance of environmental justice in the clean energy transition. In July, he announced a historic grant of $421 million under the Environmental Protection Agency to protect 200,000 acres of coastline, forests, and farms.

The Associated Press reported that Harris had plans to interview her running mate candidates this weekend. Whoever she chooses, it appears that climate is a priority among the frontrunners. And whatever happens on November 5, election day, no one can take away the fact that women and men have made and are continuing to make positive strides across the climate movement.

This election seasons, let us all keep in mind what's at stake, and remember that Mother Nature never lies.