Kamala Harris’s new task: Tackling climate change at COP28
Following days of confusion, Vice President Kamala Harris takes on new role as Biden administration climate ambassador
President Joe Biden attended the last two United Nations climate change conferences, but the White House demurred on his attendance this week before finally revealing that Harris would go in his stead. That puts the embattled vice president on a big platform to speak about one of the Democratic Party’s top priorities.
“She’s en route right now to Dubai for COP28, and she’s representing President Biden and the administration there,” National Security Council coordinator John Kirby said Friday. “Throughout her engagements, the vice president will make clear that the Biden-Harris administration is delivering on the most ambitious climate agenda in history.”
The 28th annual U.N. climate summit, known as COP28 because it’s the “conference of the parties” to the 1992 U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, is being held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Harris will be accompanied on the journey by special envoy John Kerry, national climate adviser Ali Zaidi, and senior adviser John Podesta, though she will likely receive the most attention of the U.S. delegation.
For Harris, the trip represents a new focus area to go along with her prominent roles in promoting abortion access, gun violence, voting rights, and Latino outreach. She was also given a role early in the Biden administration combating the root causes of illegal immigration, though that is a task she has arguably shied away from since the announcement.
While the new climate role may project growing confidence in Harris’s abilities, it could also risk overextending her, argues Rutgers University history, journalism, and media studies professor David Greenberg.
“Vice presidents who have distinguished themselves in the public mind have done so with one or two or maybe three high-profile issues — think [former vice president Al] Gore with the environment, reinventing government, and the ‘loose nukes’ problem,” Greenberg said, “or [Dick] Cheney with counterterrorism and the war. I see nothing wrong with Harris going to the climate conference, but it does not substantially alter her public image.”
On the other hand, Saint Louis University law professor Joel Goldstein argues that Harris should be seen as simply carrying forward the administration’s work as needed rather than pulling from a set portfolio of issues.
“She has also handled a number of important diplomatic assignments which dovetail with administration’s foreign and national security priorities, including speaking at the Munich summit twice, five trips to Asia, and five to Europe,” Goldstein said. “This assignment, as well as her recent ASEAN assignment, reflect Harris handling a matter which President Biden did in the past, which reflects his confidence in her.”
Unfortunately for Harris, the voting public’s confidence in her may not be as high.
Harris’s approval rating is an abysmal 36.5%, per the RealClearPolitics average, and there has been rampant speculation that she may be cast aside whenever Biden leaves the political stage.
Yet even if Harris remains unpopular in polling, it may be best to embrace her publicly, says University of Virginia Center for Politics Director Larry Sabato.
“Harris has been more visible over the past six months as the White House ramps up for the reelection campaign,” he said. “To me, it makes sense since you can’t change someone’s image by hiding them.”
In the past, unpopular vice presidents could be cast off to rural areas for low-profile assignments, Sabato adds. In the internet age, there’s no place to hide.
“Harris is going to have an unusually large target on her back, so the White House has her dealing with big issues in the spotlight,” he said. “It helps to project Harris as ready to step up if the situation calls for it.”
On that note, Harris came up in a big and unexpected way during the high-profile debate between Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) and Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA). While DeSantis was riffing on Democrats keeping schools closed for too long during the pandemic, Newsom called him out for mispronouncing Harris’s name.
“And by the way, it’s not Kam-AH-la Harris. Shame on you,” Newsom said. “It’s Kama-la Harris, Madame Vice President to you.”
Given the rumblings that Newsom could be looking to unseat Harris as the Democratic heir apparent, the aside could be seen as a show of solidarity from the governor on behalf of his fellow Californian.
In Dubai, Harris is expected to deliver the national statement at COP28, a conference that has a goal of decreasing emissions to prevent the Earth from warming above 1.5 degrees Celsius. She will also meet with regional leaders concerning the latest developments in the Israel-Hamas war.
Both the war and climate change are big priorities for progressives, a group Biden has been slipping with in recent weeks. A YouGov poll, for instance, found that “climate change and the environment” was important to 70% of respondents this month, the same percentage as the start of Biden’s administration in January 2021.
Vice presidents traditionally are sent out to appeal to a party’s base, which fits well in this case with Harris speaking at a climate change conference.
Should she turn in a strong performance in Dubai, it could help shore up Harris’s support among progressives in 2024 and, potentially, beyond.
What are the potential risks and benefits of Harris taking on multiple high-profile issues concurrently?
Le assignments and effectively sidelined. However, Harris’s high-profile roles and the administration’s reliance on her for important diplomatic assignments indicate that she is being given opportunities to shine and shape her public image.
The Biden administration’s decision to send Harris as the climate ambassador to the COP28 summit reflects the importance the administration places on climate change. It is widely regarded as one of the Democratic Party’s top priorities, and Harris will have a significant platform to speak about the ambitious climate agenda that the Biden-Harris administration is committed to.
Accompanied by special envoy John Kerry, national climate adviser Ali Zaidi, and senior adviser John Podesta, Harris will likely receive the most attention from the U.S. delegation at the summit. This new focus area adds to her already prominent roles in promoting abortion access, gun violence, voting rights, Latino outreach, and combating the root causes of illegal immigration.
However, some experts argue that taking on too many high-profile issues may risk overextending Harris and diluting her impact. Rutgers University professor David Greenberg notes that vice presidents who have made a lasting public impression focused on one or two key issues. Nevertheless, Saint Louis University professor Joel Goldstein contends that Harris should be seen as carrying forward the administration’s work as needed, rather than slotting her into a specific portfolio of issues.
Harris’s low approval rating is another challenge she faces. At just 36.5%, her popularity among the voting public leaves much to be desired. There have been speculations about her future in politics once Biden’s term ends. Despite these concerns, University of Virginia’s Larry Sabato suggests that embracing Harris publicly may be the best approach. By making her more visible and giving her high-profile assignments, the White House can work on changing public perception rather than hiding her away.
In conclusion, Vice President Kamala Harris’s new role as the Biden administration’s climate ambassador at the COP28 summit in Dubai signifies the importance placed on climate change by the administration. While some experts debate the potential risks of stretching Harris too thin, others argue that she is simply carrying forward the work of the administration. Despite her lower approval ratings, there is merit in making her more visible and allowing her to shape her public image. The outcome of this new role for Harris remains to be seen, but it is undoubtedly a significant opportunity for her to showcase her abilities and contribute to the administration’s climate agenda.
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
