Swing State Youths Urge Harris for Real Climate Action & Arms Embargo: What You Need to Know

Since the national climate advocacy group Sunrise Movement started its large-scale voter outreach initiative last month, it has reached out to 344,437 young voters in crucial swing states. The organization’s coordinators have discovered that these young voters are eager to hear two declarations from Vice President Kamala Harris before they fully commit to working towards ensuring her victory in the Presidential election.

Both the potential voters and those who may volunteer for Harris’s campaign are looking for her to “present a robust climate strategy and endorse an arms embargo” in response to Israel’s conflict in Gaza, stated the Sunrise Movement on Monday.

“Young people are realizing their potential and seizing it. They are excited and becoming involved in the election, however, a significant portion of these young voters don’t want to contribute to Kamala Harris’s voter turnout until she supports an arms embargo and proposes a genuine climate strategy,” said Noah Foley-Beining, a coordinator with the organization. “Kamala Harris is neglecting a major opportunity to galvanize and mobilize young voters in unprecedented numbers.”

The organization highlighted that the “vital significance” of the 2024 election is not overlooked by the youngest voters. The individuals that the coordinators have engaged with through door-to-door outreach, phone banking, and text message campaigns are dedicated to participating in the election.

“We’re observing large numbers of young people not just committing to vote, but also promising to encourage others in their community to vote,” said Yara Changyit-Levin, who has been at the helm of phone banking for the national organization. “When we encouraged young voters in Wisconsin to motivate their friends and family members to vote, 84% agreed to this commitment.”

Yet, when asked if they are prepared to join volunteer efforts for Harris and her vice presidential candidate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, many have responded that they don’t want to volunteer “until she proposes a climate strategy and endorses an arms embargo.”

Harris revealed an extensive set of policy priorities earlier this month, which includes a section on addressing the climate crisis with vows to build on the clean energy advancements made by the Inflation Reduction Act.

However, during the recent debate between Harris and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, she pledged to continue permitting fracking in Pennsylvania—despite surveys showing that the majority of Pennsylvania residents are against this methane-heavy practice.

A study by the Civil Society Equity Review last year determined that affluent countries must eliminate all fossil fuel extraction by 2031 at the latest to prevent global warming from exceeding 1.5ºC.

Harris has informed coordinators with the Uncommitted National Movement that she is open to discussing an arms embargo on Israel, which has resulted in the death of more than 41,000 people in Gaza—a third of whom have been children, according to officials in the enclave—since the start of its assault there nearly a year ago.

However, her campaign has since clarified that it does not support halting the supply of U.S. weapons to Israel, which has received a minimum of $12.5 billion in U.S. military aid since last October.

A survey released earlier this month by the Arab American Institute indicated that if Harris were to support an arms embargo and a suspension of diplomatic support for Israel until there was a cease-fire in Gaza, her national support at the time would rise by five points.

The Sunrise Movement’s report from its voter outreach campaign suggested that young voters would also increase their support for Harris if an arms embargo were announced.

With the objective of reaching 1.5 million young voters, the organization plans to roll out digital ads in the coming weeks targeting GOP candidates and emphasizing the election’s impact on the climate crisis.