Is climate policy key to Gen Z voters? Climate Power says it might be in Wisconsin

Wisconsin’s swing state status has made it the target of presidential campaign visits, political organizations and Political Action Committees from both parties. Young voters in swing states across the country, specifically, have been subject to political advertisements tailored to their interests, one of which being climate change.

One organization that has its eyes set on Wisconsin is Climate Power, a political organization that works to educate Americans about the dangers of climate change and encourage them to vote for candidates who will work to preserve the environment. For the upcoming Nov. 5 election, that means turning out the youth vote in favor of Vice President Kamala Harris, for whom Climate Power has been outspoken in their support of.

Through the organization’s “Too Hot Not to Vote” campaign, Climate Power has stressed the importance of appealing to young Wisconsin voters because they believe the key to the youth vote is climate policy.

Eden Alem, the national press secretary for Climate Power, told The Daily Cardinal young voters, particularly University of Wisconsin-Madison students, may hold the key to deciding the winner of Wisconsin.

“In 2020, Joe Biden won Wisconsin by about 20,000 votes. That’s a really small margin. And alone, the University of Wisconsin-Madison has nearly 50,000 students,” Alem said.

Young voters are a key new demographic that both Harris and former President Donald Trump are fighting for. Over 8 million new voters have aged into eligibility since the 2022 midterm elections, creating a more diverse electorate that could end up swaying the election.

“It started to create this campaign to mobilize young people, especially around making sure they’re educated about the stark contrast between Harris’ record and Trump’s dangerous agenda,” Alem said. “The other part of the campaign is ensuring that young people, you know, register to vote, check their registration status and move forward.”

Alem knows young voters care about climate change when they’re deciding who to vote for, along with other contentious issues like abortion, health care, protecting democracy and gun violence prevention. According to Pew Research, 76% of Gen Z lists climate change as one of their biggest concerns when choosing who to cast their ballot for.

Climate Power uses the platforms of celebrities like Bill Nye, Elle Cordova, Rosario Dawson, Sophia Bush and Sierra Quitiquit to spread awareness about Project 2025, a 922-page conservative manifesto written by former members of Trump’s cabinet detailing what the next conservative presidency may look like.

“The Biden Administration’s climate fanaticism will need a whole-of-government unwinding,” reads page 93 of Project 2025, detailing how Biden’s climate policies are “radical” and hurt people in poverty.

Alem said climate and clean energy stakes in this election are “clear in Wisconsin.” Since Harris cast the tie-breaking vote to pass the most significant climate legislation in history, tripled clean energy production and created thousands of new clean energy jobs, $940.7 million in investments have been made in new clean energy in Wisconsin, she said. In Wisconsin specifically, 60% of the state’s energy jobs are in clean energy.

“Donald Trump is out for himself and his big oil donors,” Alem said. “He makes deals with big oil CEOs and promises to give them tax cuts.”

Oil industry donors have given over $75 million to Trump due to the extensive tax cuts he gave oil and gas companies during his last presidency. With another term in office, Trump plans to give away $2.5 billion in tax cuts to the five biggest gas and oil companies: Exxon Mobil, Chevron, Marathon Petroleum/ConocoPhillips, Phillips 66 and Valero Energy, according to The Center for American Progress Action Fund — an independent, nonpartisan policy institute and advocacy organization. This would allow these companies to expand their oil operations, which in turn would increase carbon emissions and contribute to climate change.

Research conducted by Climate Power found that educating voters about the impacts of climate change impacts who they vote for. Alem said the “Too Hot Not to Vote” campaign also persuades voters to make the climate more central in their personal political ideologies.

“Young people and students like you really have the potential to swing this election because vote counts. I cannot, cannot emphasize that more,” Alem said.

The last day to vote is Election Day on Nov. 5. For more information on voting, visit the MyVote Wisconsin website.