As Election Day approaches, presidential candidates Donald Trump and Kamala Harris continue to campaign on issues that are on the minds of many voters, such as the economy, crime and immigration. But what about the environment?
Lately NEO Voter Voices poll shows that less than 5% of people say “climate change” is their most pressing issue.
That’s why Trump, Harris and their candidates, respectively Ohio Senator J. Oberlin College.
“The main reason neither candidate was at the top of their list is that the biggest concern of many undecided voters is usually not the climate,” Swiglow said. “That doesn’t mean that the candidates don’t have a climate policy or don’t have views on the climate.
But there is a group of climate-minded voters who consider candidates’ past statements on climate change and climate action before casting their ballots, said Spencer Dirig, director of the Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund.
“Not just about climate through an environmental lens,” he said, “but also about climate when it comes to creating a good-paying union, family-sustaining jobs and clean energy, being at the forefront when it comes to being pro-clean energy. nation on our development.”
Where they stand on climate change
Trump denied the reality of climate change. calling it a “fraud”, 2022
Trump’s running mate, Vance, has changed his stance over the years. He recognized the presence of climate change in 2020, was skeptical of human-caused climate change During the 2022 Senate campaign and now matches Trump on the climate front.
“He’s right in line with the Republican Party’s view on climate change,” said David Cohen, a political science professor at the University of Akron. “He’s certainly right, he’s locked in with Donald Trump’s views on climate change, and Donald Trump is on the record as a climate change denier for a long time and including in this campaign.”
Because of this, the Trump/Vance administration will likely end climate investments made under the Biden-Harris Administration through the Inflation Reduction Act that have benefited Ohioans, Dierig said.
“Those plans will not come true. Those jobs aren’t going to be created, and those families aren’t going to have, you know, the lower costs of maintaining jobs,” Dirig said. “This is a real concern for voters and a real concern for anyone who cares about the environment.”
The Inflation Relief Act funded a number of clean energy projects in Northeast Ohio, including $17 million. gas stove replacement program led by MetroHealth and the $156 million partnership solar expansion program Led by Growth Opportunity Partners.
“Vice President Harris sponsored and cast the deciding vote for the De-Inflation Act, and it’s … the single largest investment ever in climate action, clean energy and environmental justice,” Dirig said. “The reality is that Kamala Harris was an important part of the progress, the very meaningful progress we’ve already made on the climate crisis.
Additional support from a president concerned about climate change could bring continued progress and further address Ohio’s environmental issues, Dirig said, such as clean water and lead safety.
“Kamala Harris has already made that investment and will continue to invest so that children can depend on clean water that comes out of their taps,” he said. “On the other hand, Donald Trump said he doesn’t want to go. once contaminated, he doesn’t want to go after those who pollute our drinking water and certainly wouldn’t sign it the main contribution this was done to deal with the leading service lines in our infrastructure.”
Where do they fall into fracking?
Trump and Harris have some overlap on fracking, and neither candidate wants to move away from fossil fuels entirely. Although during his campaign in 2019, Harris said he was in favor of a fracking ban.
But Harris’ change in position shows an awareness of what the American people want, said Sydney Haddad of Sunrise Oberlin.
“If [Harris] should have been president, he would have represented all 50 states,” he said. “Trying to make sure that he’s affirming the will of the people and trying to engage the people is extremely important because, again, it’s necessary; democracy. This is not a dictatorship.”
Nearly half of Ohioans say they either “strongly support” or “somewhat support” fracking as a way to increase national oil and gas production in the state, according to Ideastream Public Media, Signal Cleveland and WKYC to the NEO Voter Voices survey commissioned by
Climate-conscious voters should be pragmatic in choosing candidates, Dirig said, even if they don’t like the idea of burning more fossil fuels.
“Of course we want to see continued action to move away from fossil fuels,” he said, “but that requires a lot of political support and a Congress willing to support more renewable energy development.”
On Election Day, control of both houses of Congress is taken.