Why is Biden being pressured to declare climate change as a national emergency, and would it really curb emissions or natural disasters?

What Would Happen if Climate Change is Declared a National Emergency?

Climate change has been a serious problem for a while now, but with the wildfire smoke soaring through the U.S. after the Canadian wildfires, dwindling air quality across the East Coast this past summer, and the horrific wildfires in Maui – many Americans are beginning to insist that Biden declares climate change as a national emergency.

👉 What would declaring climate change as a national emergency do, how likely is Biden to do it, and what effect would it really have on the country’s carbon footprint and current natural disasters?

Why was Biden receiving pressure to declare climate change as a national emergency?

After one crisis induced by climate change after another, many Americans have finally had enough – with many advocates now pressuring Biden to declare climate change as a national emergency.

Much of this pressure comes after multiple climate-change related incidents and disasters after another – with deadly wildfires, floods, droughts, bizarre weather patterns in California, an increase in bugs, the planet having its hottest day on record, and new vulnerability to power grids alongside these increasing temperatures. 

In fact, the U.S. has already had 23 "billion dollar disasters" this year alone –  depleting the U.S. of a whopping $58 billion in disaster repairs, recoveries, and even reparations – with natural disasters this year alone claiming 253 lives.

President Biden is facing pressures from climate activists and Democrats to declare climate change a national emergency after the devastating wildfire in Maui. NBC News’ Hallie Jackson has more.

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#NBCNews #Biden #ClimateChange

Biden urged to declare climate change a national emergency

Activists are pushing for Biden to declare an official national emergency, believing that more needs to be done despite Biden’s previous efforts to rectify climate change. 

What will happen to climate change in the U.S. now that Trump is president-elect?

Now that Trump has been elected as the 47th president of the United States, it’s clear that climate change will be put on the back burner once more – with the U.S. administration likely to pull out of the Paris Agreement, cut back on climate legislation, and follow through on Trump’s infamous model, “drill, baby, drill.”

All of these efforts to boost the economy and other incentives to refine American culture to Christian nationalism, especially, under Project 2025, will deter the U.S. from prioritising any climate goals in the near future. 

👉 Furthermore, Trump has always made clear that he is skeptical of climate change in of itself – making it unlikely that the Trump administration will view climate change as a national emergency. 

The table below depicts the differences between Biden and Trump's climate change policies:

<table border="1" cellpadding="10">
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Policy Area</th>
      <th>Biden's Approach</th>
      <th>Trump's Approach</th>
      <th>Potential Impact of Policy Reversal</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>Climate Change and International Agreements</td>
      <td>Rejoined the Paris Agreement, committing to net-zero emissions by 2050 and aiming for a 50-52% reduction by 2030</td>
      <td>Withdrew from the Paris Agreement, emphasising national sovereignty over international climate commitments</td>
      <td>Reversal may reduce U.S. participation in global climate goals, affecting international cooperation and progress</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Fossil Fuels and Renewable Energy</td>
      <td>Supports renewable energy expansion, with funding for solar, wind, and electric vehicle infrastructure</td>
      <td>Promoted fossil fuel industries, reduced regulations on oil and gas drilling, and rolled back renewable energy incentives</td>
      <td>A shift back to fossil fuels may slow clean energy growth, increase greenhouse gas emissions, and hinder job creation in renewables</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Environmental Regulations</td>
      <td>Restored and strengthened EPA regulations on emissions, air, and water quality standards</td>
      <td>Rolled back numerous EPA regulations to reduce business costs, prioritising economic growth over environmental restrictions</td>
      <td>Reversals could weaken environmental protections, leading to poorer air and water quality and increased health risks</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Public Lands and Conservation</td>
      <td>Expanded protections for federal lands and reinstated national monument boundaries reduced under Trump</td>
      <td>Reduced the size of national monuments, opening public lands for oil, gas, and mineral extraction</td>
      <td>A return to reduced protections may lead to increased resource extraction, affecting biodiversity and ecosystems</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Carbon Emissions and Industrial Pollution</td>
      <td>Implemented stricter emissions targets and promoted policies to reduce methane emissions in the oil and gas sector</td>
      <td>Loosened emissions standards for industries, including coal plants, arguing it would benefit the economy and job market</td>
      <td>Looser emissions standards may result in higher greenhouse gases and pollution, potentially worsening climate impacts</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Transportation and Infrastructure</td>
      <td>Invested in green infrastructure and electric vehicle (EV) incentives, with targets for 50% EV sales by 2030</td>
      <td>Supported traditional infrastructure projects, with limited emphasis on green or sustainable technology</td>
      <td>Reversals could reduce EV adoption rates and limit green infrastructure, affecting long-term emission reductions</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>


What was Biden’s policy on climate change?

Biden has previously said that the biggest threat to human existence is climate change, which was a large part of his campaign for presidency alongside vice president Kamala Harris – where they both advocated to implement policies to fight against climate change and reduce emissions in the country once and for all.

On some fronts, Biden has held up to his promise – passing a revolutionary climate bill (better known as the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022) last summer that allocated a whopping $369 billion towards the transition to the use of clean energy by enticing Americans with a tax incentive for those who pick the more energy efficient option when shopping – such as by choosing an electric car over a gasoline powered one.

The Biden administration has also helped to protect forests in the country, most notably with the Tongass National Forest – as Biden repealed the Roadless Rule in order to prevent the state of Alaska from turning much of it into a commercial resort. As a result, the wildlife in the Tongass National Forest will be protected, biodiversity will be supported, and the vast amount of trees can help to absorb excessive carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Most notably, Biden made sure to re-join the Paris Climate Agreement after Trump infamously withdrew the country from the well-known climate treaty – a prime selling point that Biden used during his campaign to demonstrate his dedication towards environmental reform. 

However, many are beginning to wonder if Biden has been as climate-forward as he promised he initially promised to be.

Why are Americans losing confidence in Biden’s stance on climate change?

During his campaign, Biden promised to reduce oil and gas drilling – something that Biden hasn’t satisfied many of his supporters with. 

For example, Biden approved of the Conocophillips’ Willow Project – an oil drilling project set to take place in the North Slope of Alaska, which has left many confused on where Biden really stands when it comes to climate change. In fact, Biden has approved of more oil drilling projects in his presidency than Trump did during his term. 

Still, Biden has remained adamant towards his commitment to climate change – stating that he has, “practically” declared climate change as a national emergency – angering many pressuring him to declare it an official emergency, which he has not.

Many advocates pressured Biden to declare it as a national emergency, calling Biden out on the operative word, “practically” – as they have pointed out Biden’s continued agency to partake in oil drilling projects.

In addition to this, as debates for the 2024 presidential election begin – climate change will be the subject of many of these debates, and Biden may be left to further scrutiny for the oil projects he has approved of while in office. For many, the only hope left for Biden to prove his loyalty to rectifying global warming would be to declare climate change as a national emergency while he is still serving his term as president. 

How would declaring a national emergency on climate change satisfy these advocates pressuring Biden?

What could Biden do if he declared climate change as a national emergency?

“Practically” declaring a climate emergency and officially declaring one are two completely different things. 

If Biden is to officially declare climate change as a national emergency, a lot of mitigation efforts could be put into full-swing at full-speed without the need to discuss it with parliament or require further approval.

Think of the president declaring a national emergency like unlocking a super power in a video game. Oftentimes, super powers in video games allow for extra lives, special powers, shortcuts, or the ability to be invincible. This is very similar to the powers granted by the President of the United States when one is to declare a national emergency of any kind.

Declaring a national emergency on climate change would unlock special abilities to be used by Biden – with a long list of climate change reform tactics that could be implemented almost immediately. For example, he could put a ban on crude oil exports, completely suspend offshore oil and gas drilling projects, and even move money from the military to be used for developing new renewable energy projects.

This isn’t some new, secret super power being brought to everyone’s attention now – the power to declare a national emergency has been an option for presidents ever since the National Emergencies Act of 1976. Even though a national emergency can only last a year, it can always be renewed until climate change would be considered under control.

There would be two major expectations on behalf of Biden if he were to declare an official climate emergency. 

One would be to use his new capabilities to make use of the Defense Production Act, which could accelerate the production of clean energy technologies and implement them throughout the country at the quicker pace it desperately needs. This is the same thing that Trump did during the pandemic in order to ensure vaccines would be made fast enough to deter the pandemic from spreading further. 

Second, he would be expected to pass more direct bills or pieces of climate legislation to make progress – as some victims of these climate crises, such as those in Hawaii, will not benefit from the green incentives expressed in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

President Joe Biden on Monday told survivors of Hawaii’s wildfires that the nation “grieves with you” and promised that the federal government will help “for as long as it takes” Maui to recover from damage caused by the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century.

Biden arrived in Maui 13 days after fire ravaged the western part of the island, killing at least 115 people. Standing near a severely burned 150-year-old banyan tree, the president acknowledged the “overwhelming” devastation but said that Maui would persevere through the tragedy.


“Today it’s burned but it’s still standing," Biden said of the tree. "The tree survived for a reason. I believe it's a very powerful symbol of what we can and will do to get through this crisis.”


Biden and first lady Jill Biden got a close-up look at the devastation, seeing block after block of hollowed out homes and other structures, charred cars, singed trees and piles of debris as his motorcade wound through Lahaina. They spent most of their time in the historic town of 13,000 people that was virtually destroyed by the flames.

The Bidens lingered briefly on the tarmac after arriving at Kahului Airport to console Hawaii Gov. Josh Green, his wife Jaime Green and members of Hawaii's congressional delegation who greeted them. The president and first lady embraced each of their greeters before they boarded the Marine One helicopter for an aerial tour of the damage.

The Bidens also met with first responders and members of the community, and were briefed by state and local officials about the ongoing response. They also participated in a blessing of his visit by island elders. They had interrupted a weeklong vacation in the Lake Tahoe area to visit Lahaina.


Earlier Monday, the White House announced that Biden has named Bob Fenton, a regional leader at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, to be the chief federal response coordinator for the Maui wildfires, overseeing the long-term recovery. It will take years to rebuild Lahaina, where just about every building was obliterated.

“We’re going to rebuild the way the people of Maui want to rebuild,” said Biden, adding that his administration would focus on respecting sacred lands, cultures and traditions.

Dozens gathered on the streets of Lahaina to watch Biden's motorcade wind its way through the community. Some greeted the president enthusiastically, but others appeared to be waving their middle fingers at the motorcade. Other island residents held up signs urging Biden “to listen to the people of Lahaina” and to send more aid.

President Joe Biden visits Hawaii after wildfires

Despite the fact that Biden has allocated over $8 million to help Hawaiians address the immediate needs following the wildfires, many are adamant that more should be done – and to some degree, they aren’t wrong. A $700 check to someone who has just lost their home isn't going to prevent another wildfire in the future.

Many remain hopeful that following Biden’s visit to Maui, that seeing the damage the wildfires have caused with his own eyes will elicit a change of heart to declare a climate emergency.

👉 If climate change is declared as a national emergency, then it would make reducing emissions and protecting the environment the country’s number one priority – at least for the short term until the situation improves.

Biden has the complete power to declare climate change as a national emergency and do all of the above, and yet he hasn’t – what could be stopping him?

What is keeping Biden from declaring a national emergency on climate change?

This question is still yet to be answered, and is unlikely to be answered by Biden himself following his previous and most recent answer that he has already “practically declared” climate change as a national emergency. One can only theorize, but there are a few reasons why Biden may be hesitant to declare an official emergency on climate change.

A big reason for Biden not to declare an official emergency may have had to do with the 2024 presidential election, as prior to Kamala Harris taking his place – he was set to run against Trump again.

While declaring such an emergency would satisfy younger generations and environmental activists, it may dishearten other people that Biden is hoping to win a vote from. It’s logical that the president may be trying to play it safe, especially as headlines are already flooded with Trump’s recent indictment – and to avoid any massive press that could intensify the current Republican GOP debates. In short, it’s best to avoid extreme measures of any kind as the debates begin – and it could make sense that Biden wants to avoid a drastic divide on this subject matter.

Many avenues that Biden has focused on throughout this presidency may be overlooked in the long run, as declaring a national emergency may show that he only cares about climate change and not the other controversial issues in the country: such as healthcare, gun violence, and abortion. This is because declaring a national emergency on climate change would insinuate that funding for these other issues in the country would be depleted and even ignored in the immediate future.

Maybe it's for semantics, but those semantics could potentially cost Biden his re-election. 

Would a national emergency really curb the country’s emissions?

The U.S. is currently the second highest emitting country in the world behind China when it comes to emitting greenhouse gas emissions, so it’s fair to wonder – would declaring a national emergency really curb a problem the country has been facing for a long time?

The truth is declaring a national emergency on climate change wouldn’t curb the country’s emissions right away – but it would be a solid start. The best comparison is to compare a national emergency on climate change to the national emergency with the Covid-pandemic – things did not get better for several months, but the country was able to turn things around quicker than if an emergency hadn’t been declared. 

All eyes are on Biden to see if he declares climate change a national emergency, something the country is in dire need of, but with his term coming to a close and re-elections around the corner – those hopeful might be crossing their fingers and toes for quite some time.

If reading this article about what would happen if Biden declares climate change as a national emergency has made you interested in reducing your carbon emissions to further fight against climate change – Greenly can help you!

Biden would be up for a challenge with climate change declared as a national emergency, just as companies like yours are probably every day, but don’t worry  – Greenly is here to help. Click here to schedule a demo to see how Greenly can help you comply with all of the upcoming regulations relevant to your company. 

Greenly can help you make an environmental change for the better, starting with a carbon footprint assessment to know how much carbon emissions your company produces.

In this article, we’ll explain what thermal comfort is, the pros and cons, and how your company can ensure thermal comfort for your employees.

Why is Thermal Comfort Important?

Everyone’s mental and physical comfort is paramount, which includes thermal comfort – which can prove beneficial in our personal and professional lives.

Thermal comfort refers to the level of satisfaction a living organism has in its surrounding environment, and can have an overall impact on how that creature thrives or struggles to be productive.

Thermal comfort is the state of satisfaction where a living organism, usually a human being, decides if they are comfortable with the current temperature in their surrounding environment.

💡 Think of when you enter a hotel room, and the first thing you notice is to adjust the thermostat – this could be because your thermal comfort was not conducive to your standards.

Is it important to remember that thermal comfort is subjective, and that everyone’s body may find their ideal thermal comfort to be different than someone else’s – but this doesn’t negate the fact that finding your ideal thermal comfort can help you to be more productive, sleep well, and ultimately function better.

This video has been create as support material for the NSW DoE Cool Controller Competition. It looks at the 6 main factors that impact on thermal comfort. The video is designed to help students in the Identify and Define stages of the design cycle.

What is Thermal Comfort?

Thermal comfort is important as it has an impact on our mental health, productivity at work, and the ability to fight off infections or viruses – as thermal comfort is meant to create the most optimal working temperature for your body. 

People may attempt to improve their thermal comfort by:

drinking something hot or cold to either warm up or cool off 

adjusting their posture to feel more comfortable

moving closer or further away from air conditioning or heating units

👉 Remember, this state of comfort is influenced by multiple factors – such as the current weather or personal preferences. Regardless, thermal comfort plays a pivotal role in ensuring well-being and productivity – making it crucial for companies and households alike to find a baseline temperature to appeal to everyone’s thermal comfort.

What are the benefits of thermal comfort?

Ensuring thermal comfort can help to improve your health, sleeping patterns, productivity, and overall well-being. 

Here are the benefits of thermal comfort broken down:

Improved Physical & Mental Health – Seeking to prioritise thermal comfort can help to minimise stress levels, ensure your cardiovascular and respiratory systems are working properly, and boost your immune system. This is why people say that being outside in cold weather could increase your chances of getting sick. In addition to this, thermal comfort can help create a physically comfortable environment – which can aid those struggling with mental health disorders. For instance, studies show that cooler temperatures may help with depression – which could serve as a reason as to why ice baths for mental health have become all the rage. 

Boost Productivity – Adhering to your thermal comfort could allow for improved cognitive performance, as studies show that optimal thermal conditions could allow for reduced distractions and more efficient energy levels to boost performance.

Better Quality of Life – If you’re at a café, but it’s too cold inside to enjoy it – your thermal comfort can get in the way of taking pleasure in life’s smaller moments. Therefore, ensuring thermal comfort can help people enjoy their indoor experiences – such as shopping at the mall or traveling at the airport.

Benefit Sustainability Initiatives – By setting temperatures to a baseline for thermal comfort in your household or office, you can avoid the extreme temperature fluctuations – which can result in reduced energy consumption and allow you or your business to cut back on utility bills. In addition to this, thermal comfort may encourage new sustainable building designs – as insulation can help improve thermal comfort and reduce the need for A/C or central heating.

Ensure Effective Education – As global warming persists, schools around the world are often forced to close as students cannot focus in extreme temperatures – meaning that thermal comfort could help to boost student’s performance in school and ensure K-12 education remains in session.

Improved Sleep Quality – Studies show that sleeping in a cold room can help to ensure a good night’s sleep, as it can help to regulate your body temperature and promote quality sleep. 

The table below will explain why thermal comfort is important both in the workplace and at home:

<table border="1" cellpadding="10">
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Environment</th>
      <th>Importance of Thermal Comfort</th>
      <th>Benefits</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>Workplace</td>
      <td>Thermal comfort in the workplace promotes employee well-being, focus, and productivity. Comfortable environments help reduce stress and distractions, enabling better performance on tasks.</td>
      <td>
        <ul>
          <li><strong>Increased Productivity</strong>: Comfortable temperatures allow employees to focus better and complete tasks more efficiently.</li>
          <li><strong>Reduced Health Issues</strong>: Minimises issues related to poor air quality or extreme temperatures, such as fatigue and respiratory discomfort.</li>
          <li><strong>Enhanced Job Satisfaction</strong>: Employees are more likely to feel satisfied and engaged in their work when they feel physically comfortable.</li>
        </ul>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Home</td>
      <td>Thermal comfort at home contributes to relaxation, quality sleep, and overall well-being. A comfortable home environment is essential for rest, recovery, and family life.</td>
      <td>
        <ul>
          <li><strong>Better Sleep Quality</strong>: Maintaining a comfortable bedroom temperature supports deeper, uninterrupted sleep.</li>
          <li><strong>Improved Physical and Mental Health</strong>: Reduces stress and promotes relaxation, supporting both mental and physical well-being.</li>
          <li><strong>Enhanced Quality of Life</strong>: A comfortable home allows family members to relax, interact, and enjoy leisure activities without discomfort.</li>
        </ul>
      </td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>


👉Overall, thermal comfort is essential for cultivating a happy, productive, and restful lifestyle – as thermal comfort supports both physical and mental well-being while also helping businesses and households to ensure economic savings via improved insulation or more energy efficient thermostats and A/C units. 

The most sufficient analogy to understand how thermal comfort works is to think of the human body as a machine – like a laptop. If your computer is overheating, the laptop will have to work harder to release excess heat via its exhaust fan – the same way your body will have to breathe harder when exercising to provide adequate oxygen to the lungs. 


💡If temperatures or air quality become undesirable, it can make it even more challenging for the human body to operate – resulting in unproductive habits by your friends, family, and employees.

Thermal comfort can be attributed to current weather conditions, psychological preferences, thermal comfort models, and overall personal preferences.

The current weather conditions outside your door can have an impact on when you find your house or office space too stuffy, warm, or cold.  

Here’s a breakdown of how environmental factors may impact thermal comfort:

Air Temperature – The unique air temperature near a person can have an impact on their comfort, such as someone who is sitting too close to the air conditioning or heating unit. While it may bring relief to someone else, this person is often uncomfortable from the extreme rush of high or low temperatures.

Humidity – Regions of the world such as Florida, Australia, and other tropical areas experience excessive humidity – which can make it even more challenging for the body to regulate its temperature, as humidity makes it feel even warmer than it already is outside. 

Surface Temperature – If you’ve ever gotten back into your car and found it unbearably hot after parking in the sun, this is a result of radiant temperature. Certain surfaces absorb more heat than others, including windows and dark interior spaces – such as black seats inside a car. 

Ventilation – If your house is too stuffy, opening the windows may help to improve ventilation – which studies show is better for your indoor air quality.

Individual thermal comfort is contingent by person, for several reasons such as:

Type of Clothing Worn – Someone who wears heavier material may be more easily affected by a warm room than someone wearing a short-sleeve t-shirt – since lighter clothing can allow for more heat loss.

Overall Movement & Activity – People who live an active city lifestyle, as opposed to a suburban lifestyle where driving and sitting are the norm, are more likely to generate more heat – making them automatically more sensitive to indoor temperatures.

Metabolic Rate – Age, health, and body composition play a role in someone’s thermal comfort – as someone smaller may feel more sensitive to cooler temperatures, whereas someone heavier may feel the effects of extreme heat more easily. 

Thermal comfort models refer to the ability to predict a physiological response to various thermal environments. 

There are two main types of thermal comfort models:

Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) – This model estimates the average thermal sensation for a group of people in a fixed environment, including variables such as their clothes, humidity, and current outdoor temperatures.

Adaptive Comfort Model – This model is more lenient than the PMV model, as it allows for more adjustments to be made to the participant’s surrounding environment – such as by opening a window or changing the temperature on their thermostat.

This last component of thermal comfort refers to psychological factors, such as personal preferences and the ability to adjust one’s surrounding environment to increase or reduce the current temperature or flow of air.

This could refer to the ability to take off a layer of clothing, open the window, turn off the heat, or even cultural differences regarding the temperature and environment someone was used to growing up in.

👉 Ultimately, multiple factors can have an influence thermal comfort – making it challenging to ensure that multiple people in a household or working environment are comfortable. 

Why can thermal comfort prove challenging to implement?

Thermal comfort is ultimately subjective, making it difficult to set the thermostat to a temperature that everyone in the room can agree on – especially if you are in a household or workplace with people with varying ages, metabolic rates, and personal preferences.

💡 However, it is important to remember that thermal comfort can be a challenge not only due to individual needs – but as a result of technical limitations and various energy efficiency goals within your business.

Thermal comfort can also be challenging as a result of poor airflow, old building designs, and external weather conditions.

Here are some reasons why implementing thermal comfort can be challenging:

Building Constraints – Old buildings often have poor air circulation and insulation, making it difficult to maintain a consistent indoor temperature.

External Weather Conditions – In the middle of winter or a scorching summer, it can be more challenging to meet the high energy demand to keep a room cool or warm during pique weather seasons. 

Personalised Sustainability Goals – Many businesses may struggle to reduce their scope emissions with energy-intensive HVAC systems always running in the background. As a result, companies may choose to turn these systems off from time to time to cut back on both costs and carbon emissions – which makes abiding by thermal comfort all the more difficult.

Older HVAC Systems – Unless your company has already upgraded to energy efficient equipment, the HVAC systems may not be able to provide optimal climate control for different rooms within a single building – making it hard to adhere to everyone’s thermal comfort. 

👉 Overall, thermal comfort can be challenging to implement – but it doesn’t mean it’s impossible, as companies and households alike can strive to create a happy medium.

If reading this article about thermal comfort has made you interested in reducing your carbon emissions to further fight against climate change – Greenly can help you!

It can be overwhelming to figure out how to effectively employ thermal comfort in the office, but don’t worry – Greenly is here to help. Click here to schedule a demo to see how Greenly can help you find ways to ensure your company is complying with all current and future environmental regulations. 

In this article, we’ll give a snapshot of Kamala Harris’s life – from her early life, education, and rise to prominence in the political world.

Who is Kamala Harris?

As everyone in the world turns their eyes to Kamala Harris following Biden dropping out of the race, many of us around the globe are trying to get a glimpse of her political career so far – such as her time serving as a prosecutor, her 2020 presidential campaign, endeavors as Vice President to Joe Biden.

👉 In this article, we’ll give a snapshot of Kamala Harris’s life – from her early life, education, and rise to prominence in the political world.

Kamala Harris is the current Vice President of the United States, serving as half of the Biden-Harris administration. 

The vice president’s political career has been full of firsts.

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Who is Kamala Harris? Following the Vice President's political career

Kamala Harris was born on October 20th, 1964 in Oakland, California – where she was born and raised as a native of the Bay Area.

Harris is a first generation American having been born to an Indian mother and Jamaican father, both of which helped to shape Kamala Harris’s tenacious political personality. As her parents divorced when she was six years old, Harris maintained strong familial ties with both sides of her heritage – having visited Jamaica with her father and sister several times while growing up.

💡 In addition to this, her mother was a breast cancer researcher, and raised them as women of color that could accomplish anything they set their mind to – a lasting effect on Kamala Harris that is still evident today.

After a lifetime in the Bay Area, Kamala Harris then went on to study at Howard University – a college in Washington D.C. infamous for support Black History. At Howard, Harris was on the debate team – where she got her start in public speaking and prosection skills.

Once she graduated from Howard University, Harris returned to the Bay Area to attend Law School at UC San Francisco – having graduated in 1989 and passing the bar in 1990.


Like many other political figures, Kamala Harris’s rise to prominence was slow but steady.

Here’s a timeline of Kamala Harris’s political career 

1990 – Kamala Harris is appointed as deputy distriction attorney and specialises prosecuting gang violence, drug trafficking, and sexual abuse

2004 – Harris is appointed as the first woman in San Francisco history to become district attorney

2011 – Harris was then elected California attorney general in 2011, making her the first female and person of color to ever hold the position 

2017 – Kamala Harris joins the U.S. Senate

2020 – Kamala Harris runs for the 2020 presidential election but drops out due to insufficient funds, later supporting Joe Biden and becoming his chosen Vice President

2024 – Kamala Harris runs for the Democratic nomination for the 2024 presidential election

How did Kamala Harris get her start in the political world?

After years of working in the state of California and building a political portfolio, Kamala Harris ran in the 2020 presidential election – but didn’t win the Democratic nomination as it was won by current President Biden.

Essentially, Kamala Harris used her skills from Law School to get her foot in the door to the political world – being most well-known for her career beginnings in the political world as a prosecutor specialising in sexual crimes.

How is Kamala Harris perceived by the public?

Despite her hard work and genuine efforts to support minorities in the country, Kamala Harris is at times perceived poorly by the general public – citing that she laughs too much, comes off as fake, and her immense liberal “California” stances revealed during the 2020 campaign could potentially lead to her downfall. 

👉 However, as of recently – Kamala Harris seems to have won the majority of the Democratic general public over following her unwavering support from leading democrats and even younger generations on social media.

Who would succeed President Biden if Kamala Harris was unable to do so?

In the midst of endless controversy regarding Biden’s age and his recent dropping out of the 2024 presidential race, Biden has made the choice to endorse Kamala Harris for president – as she has served as Vice President in the Biden Harris Administration and seems to embody the radical, liberal change many Americans want for the country. 

However, while we still await who Kamala Harris will choose as her Vice President – the question still arises – who would succeed President Biden if Kamala Harris was unable to do so?  

The answer is that if something were to happen that would make Kamala Harris unfit to serve as president, the Speaker of the House would be next in line to take charge of the Oval Office. After the Speaker of the House, it would then be the President Pro Tempore of the State, and the Cabinet secretaries. 

💡 However, the latter half would depend on the current incumbent’s eligibility to serve as temporary President of the United States.

Why would Kamala Harris’s presidential election have been historic?

There are several reasons why Kamala Harris’s potential election as the 47th president of the United States would have been historic, and it’s not only because she would be the first woman president for the country.

Here are a few reasons why Harris’s election would have been a milestone for the United States:

Harris would have been the first female president in U.S. history

Harris would have been the first Vice President to succeed directly from the previous president for a reason besides unforeseen death or resignation

Harris would have been the first female and Black-American president

Harris would have become the first president of Asian-American descent

Harris would have become the first president to directly represent the Indian American community

As a result of these potential record-breaking moments in U.S. election history, Harris's election would have helped to support the growing diversity across the country – and for the first time in U.S. history, the nation would have a multicultural President representing the country.


👉 Kamala Harris garnered the support of top leading democrats such as Elizabeth Warren, John Kerry, Bill and Hilary Clinton, Pete Buttigieg, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, California's governor Gavin Newsom, and of course – Joe Biden himself.

What were Kamala Harris’s main promises as president?

Currently, we’re all waiting to hear Kamala Harris’s official policies – but given her most recent campaign speeches and previous political endeavors (especially as Vice President to Joe Biden), Kamala Harris has made some of her main promises as president clear to the public.

💡Some of Harris’s most infamous promises as president including seeking to end gun violence and ensure women’s reproductive rights nationwide.

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a campaign rally in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This marks her first trip to a battleground state after taking control of the Democratic presidential nomination to challenge Donald Trump.  #CNN #News

Harris slams Trump at her first presidential rally

These were some of Harris's main goals if she were to have been elected into office:

End Gun Violence – A long standing issue in the U.S., Kamala Harris has promised to ban assault rifles across the country. Improved gun control would mean compulsory background checks and a nationwide ban on assault weapons. 

Civil Equality & LGBTQ+ Rights – Harris is also seeking criminal justice reform as an attempt to address systemic racism and ensure DEI policies are well implemented – which ties back to her early work as a prosecutor in the 1990s.

Re-establish Women’s Health Rights – Harris has recently said in speeches that she plans to sign laws to restore reproductive freedom for women and to restore Roe vs. Wade

Equal Healthcare – Harris has made clear during her 2020 presidential campaign that she wants to support affordable healthcare and to strengthen the Affordable Care Act.

Climate Change – Harris is in support of renewable energy, seeking to reduce the country’s excess carbon emissions, and helping vulnerable communities most impacted by climate change.

Strengthen the Middle Class – The opposite of Trump’s approach to the economy, Kamala Harris has made clear her desire to help the middle class be strong to ensure small businesses and minorities are receiving fair pay and equal opportunities and treatment across the nation.

Immigration Reform – As a first generation American herself, Harris is passionate about ensuring DACA holders have a safe residency in the U.S. in addition to employing more humane immigration policies.  

👉 Kamala Harris’s greatest strength throughout her presidential campaign was her ability to appeal to minorities across the country through her policies.

The November 2024 election was between Kamala Harris vs. Donald Trump, where Trump ended up winning by a landslide.


Previously, Trump said that Harris was incapable of becoming president during the 2020 campaign season.

“She could never be the first woman president. That would be an insult to our country.” – Donald Trump during the 2020 presidential campaign.

👉 Despite Harris’s momentum throughout her campaign, the race was likely to be head to head – as Trump’s following remains loyal in the midst of a very divided United States.

Despite the Biden-Harris administration having received backlash for the climate change policies, Harris has still made it clear that she plans to support ecological reform during her presidency.

“I care about the environment not because I have any particular desire to hug a tree, but I have a strong desire to hug a healthy baby. – Kamala Harris.”

As the concern regarding climate change continues to grow by the day, especially seeing as the world just broke the record for its hottest day ever – climate policies are of interest to many voters across the nation seeing as the United States remains the second largest emitter of greenhouse gasses in the world. 

Here are some of the main differences between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump’s ecology policies:

Paris Climate Agreement – Kamala Harris wants to ensure the U.S. rejoins the Paris Climate Agreement

Green New Deal – Kamala Harris supports the Green New Deal and additional efforts to work towards net-zero greenhouse gas emissions

Renewable Energy – Kamala Harris is invested in developing a clean energy society and seeking the use of renewable forms of energy such as wind farms and solar panels

Climate Regulations Harris Will Implement

Support the EPA – Harris will ensure that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will have the power to enforce the necessary environmental protocols.

Wildlife Protection – Harris will work to make sure that anyone that endangers wildlife, ocean, or other parts of nature will be held responsible.

Natural Land Protection – As a born and raised Californian, Harris is passionate about ensuring that national parks are protected from potential drilling or deforestation projects.

Unlike Kamala Harris, Trump has always been skeptical of the need to implement climate change policies – having infamously withdrew the United States from the Paris Agreement when he was president. 

Energy Policy – Trump supports growth for the fossil fuel industry over any and all environmental protocols, such as encouraging the production of coal, oil, and natural gas.

Job Creation – Trump remains firm on the stance that approving of projects such as the Keystone XL Pipeline will aid in job creation.

Cutting Environmental Regulations for the Environment – Trump is likely to cut back on regulations such as the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act to help the U.S. save on money and avoid a debt ceiling.

Trump’s Main Goals Include the Economy Over the Environment 

It is likely that Trump will continue to prioritise economic growth over implementing environmental regulations, as Trump views environmental endeavors as potential roadblocks to economic success and leadership for the country. 

👉 Overall, Kamala Harris will take a more aggressive approach to tackle climate change and protect the environment – whereas Trump remains more concerned with economic growth and ignoring the environmental consequences of these efforts to instill financial prosperity.

What were the chances Kamala Harris would have been elected as president?

Right now, it’s still too early to tell if Kamala Harris will pull through and become the first female president of the United States – but there are some promising signs that the current Vice President’s campaign for the 2024 election might prove successful.


For instance, Kamala Harris has already put herself on Tik Tok – making a genuine effort to appeal to Gen Z and their social media habits. Examples include the viral video on her coconut tree comment and giving her Twitter page a “Brat” aesthetic – an album and motto penned by singer-songwriter Charli XCX which Gen Z has embraced throughout summer 2024.

You think this meme just fell out of a coconut tree?

With Vice President Kamala Harris becoming the new Democratic front-runner after President Biden suddenly dropped out of the race on Sunday, her coconut tree meme has resurfaced and gone viral, with members of her own party getting in on the action. NY Post reporter Ronny Reyes shares this story. 

In the last 24 hours, Democratic governors, senators and PACs have voiced their support for Harris while mentioning coconut trees or adding coconut emojis to their posts.

The meme stems from a random moment in a speech Harris gave in May last year as she was swearing in commissioners for the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics.

Read more at https://nypost.com/2024/07/22/us-news...

#kamalaharris #coconuttree #politics #elections 

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What’s the Kamala Harris ‘coconut tree’ meme and why is it going viral?

Perhaps the rebranding is juvenile to some, but the truth is – it may prove itself as an ingenious way to garner the attention and support of young voters for the 2024 presidential election.

In addition to this, several political reports claim that Kamala Harris may have an easier time gaining electoral votes in comparison to Trump – and that the current Vice President has multiple paths to succeed in the upcoming election.

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