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Climate change has many repercussions, and the actions that can be taken in the last few years will determine its effects and the dangers that the world's population faces. Therefore, consciously choosing representatives in these elections will make a difference, since there are objectives in the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Over the past six months, the world has witnessed the threats of climate change firsthand as torrential rains hit Europe and Bangladesh. In the United States, millions of people are still trying to recover from the devastation caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
The ravages of climate change are real, they are not the invention of a single person or exaggerations, and they have been experienced for some time. For many people, changing their residence or moving away from places that are usually in danger is the simplest solution, but it is not enough.
As the years go by, the risks increase, which is why it is important to look back and evaluate the actions taken today. The president who wins these elections will be the last one who can act to achieve the 2030 goals established by the UN.
However, presidential candidates have largely ignored this issue on the campaign trail, with voters citing the economy and border security as their top concerns.
For Kamala Harris, combating climate change and environmental degradation is a top priority; her platform aligns economic growth with environmental sustainability.
His plan includes a transition to clean energy through a $500 billion investment in green infrastructure and technologies that will also create new jobs, aiming to make the United States a world leader in the fight against climate change.
If Trump wins, he would withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement and could even cancel the country's participation in the global climate treaty itself, a promise among countries to prevent or reduce the ravages of dangerous human interference in the climate system.
Erik Bendix, a resident of Asheville, North Carolina, commented during a briefing held by Ethnic Media Services, it has been difficult to live through the tornadoes that accompanied Hurricane Helene and the devastation is seen in families and homes, something that the community is still facing six weeks later.
Bendix explained that there is a lack of support and preventive measures, as policies are not clear and speeches do not take care of the community.
Sharon Lavigne, founder of Rise St. James, mobilized her community to fight a petrochemical factory being built in her neighborhood, known as Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley.” She was awarded the 2021 Goldman Environmental Prize and was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People this year.
"We are in the middle of cancer alley because we have 12 industries in less than 10 miles, we have refineries and this is worrying, because I have two brothers, one who died of throat cancer, I have cancer, we tell everyone that they should come and see for themselves."
Lavigne said that, because of these issues, they are trying to meet with the governor at the Capitol to ask that these acts of pollution be stopped, since people want to live in a dignified manner, but in these conditions people get sick and die.
Sissy Trinh, executive director of the Southeast Asian Community Alliance, mobilized low-income communities in Southern California to reclaim the Los Angeles River.
He explained that caring for the environment itself generates economic stability, since climate change can be seen as an opportunity to address the issues of investment and promotion for small businesses.
"We are struggling to have local investment policies, but as part of the Los Angeles River Master Plan, we have had an opportunity to have an economic stabilization chapter," Trinh said.
Bill McKibben, founder of Third Act, which organizes people over 60 to take action on climate and justice, spoke about the climate stakes of this election and how it could shape the climate for the next million years.
"There's been a lot of talk about the effects of climate change, but there's only so much time to take action. Carbon emissions need to be cut in half by 2030," McKibben said.
He said that this is the last chance we have to correct how hot the planet is going to be and that Donald Trump does not have a concrete plan, because he said that from day one he "is going to drill and stop the wind," so his words are not clear or meaningful.
When you go out to vote, it is important to think about the future of the country, but also about the effects it will have on a global level. It is not just the economy that is at stake, but also the global actions that will be taken to safeguard thousands of lives, remembering that climate change affects everyone equally.
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