Climate change activists are split on Hillary Clinton’s choice of vice presidential running mate, Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine.
A leading voice of the anti-fossil fuel “keep it in the ground” movement, 350.org Action, said Kaine has been too inconsistent in his clean energy positions. The group wants to ban fossil fuel development in favor of solar and wind.”Tim Kaine won’t energize the climate base, so it’s up to Hillary to start staking out some clearer positions,” said May Boeve, director of the group. She added that Kaine was with them in opposing the Keystone XL pipeline that President Obama rejected last year, “but against us on offshore drilling and fracking.””This November, climate activists, young people, and progressives will turn up at the polls for candidates who say the magic words, ‘keep it in the ground’,” Boeve said. “If Democrats want to drive turnout, it’s time to come out more clearly against drilling, fracking, and new fossil fuel infrastructure.”Meanwhile, billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer said Kaine was a strong pick, and necessary to stand up against the policies of Republican nominee Donald Trump.”Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine are committed to addressing the climate crisis and turning America into the clean energy superpower of the 21st century, while Donald Trump and the GOP would cause permanent, irreversible damage to our climate and destroy the EPA. We cannot let that happen,” Steyer said.”Now, it’s more important than ever for our country to unite behind Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine, the leaders who will defeat the Trump-Pence ticket,” he added.
