--- title: Tim Walz's Other Skill: Climate Communications description: Minnesota's governor has successfully implemented a range of climate policies—and knows how to talk canonical: https://time.com/7006717/tim-walz-kamala-harris-vp-climate-change/ author: Justin Worland article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2024-08-02T11:00:00.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-19T07:45:21.514Z article:section: Politics og:title: Tim Walz's Other Skill: Climate Communications og:description: Minnesota's governor has successfully implemented a range of climate policies—and knows how to talk og:url: https://time.com/7006717/tim-walz-kamala-harris-vp-climate-change/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0b695690b6647fad/698a5985b21a9c497c50a4ec/tim-walz-climate-change.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1024 og:image:height: 576 og:image:alt: Key Speakers At The Aspen Ideas: Climate Conference og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Tim Walz's Other Skill: Climate Communications twitter:description: Minnesota's governor has successfully implemented a range of climate policies—and knows how to talk twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0b695690b6647fad/698a5985b21a9c497c50a4ec/tim-walz-climate-change.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Tim Walz Knows How to Talk About Climate Change > Sponsored content. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=f3a7fd00-71ab-4b5f-bc6e-d256b77e9a4c&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Kamala Harris Introduces Running Mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz at Rally in Philadelphia [Watch (HLS stream): Kamala Harris Introduces Running Mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz at Rally in Philadelphia](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/vZrdJ2Rt.m3u8) (5:09)  _Published 2024-08-07. Kamala Harris has chosen Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate for the 2024 presidential election, elevating the progressive midwestern Democrat whose clear and caustic messaging about former President Donald Trump—labeling him “weird”—has gone viral in recent weeks._  by [Justin Worland](https://time.com/author/justin-worland/)  ## Justin Worland Senior Correspondent Aug 2, 2024 11:00 AM UTC Kamala Harris has chosen Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate for the 2024 presidential election, elevating the progressive midwestern Democrat whose clear and caustic messaging about former President Donald Trump—labeling him “weird”—has gone viral in recent weeks.  by [Justin Worland](https://time.com/author/justin-worland/)  ## Justin Worland Senior Correspondent Aug 2, 2024 11:00 AM UTC Minnesota Governor Tim Walz catapulted onto the national scene as a potential running mate for Vice President Kamala Harris at least in part due to his artful rhetoric—including his deployment of the word “weird.” In one cable news hit after another, he’s used the word describe Republicans, inspiring other Harris surrogates to do the same and earning him praise as a plain-spoken Democratic communicator. Whatever the outcome of the competition to be Harris’ number two, however, Walz will continue being influential in one particular area, thanks to his rhetorical skills: in recent years, he has become one of the country's most skillful climate communicators, even as he has remained relatively unknown to the average American. I got a first-hand view of Walz’s abilities in 2023 when I moderated a [discussion](https://www.aspenideas.org/sessions/made-in-america-a-new-era-of-clean-technology-competitiveness) with him on the opportunities and challenges in the coming climate-shaped economy. It’s a common topic that crops up from time to time at climate events, but Walz’s answers stood out. He described climate policy as a political economy problem as much as he did a strictly scientific or economic one. To address the issue, supporters of climate measures need to figure out how to get people on board. “Until we get the social scientists in… there's a psychology that sometimes outweighs all of the basics of what the markets are telling you,” he said at Aspen Ideas Climate in Miami last year. “If people think something, that perceived reality is reality—and right now we’re not doing a good enough job.” Translation: it’s not enough that climate policies are good for society. Politicians need to do better explaining it and proving it. How has that worked for Walz in practice? In a way, Walz’s messaging solution sounds a bit like President Biden’s with a lot of talk about jobs. “The surest way to get people to buy in is to create a job that pays well in their community,” he told me. That messaging needs to better tailored his language to meet voters where they are. “All of us are going to have to be better about our smart politics, about bringing people in,” he said. Walz pointed to his approach to explaining his 2009 vote for cap-and-trade to constituents in his largelyrural district when he represented Minnesota in the U.S. House of Representatives. He said he didn’t talk about carbon reduction instead he told voters that “we’ve got all of this carbon sink and all of this farmland that we can get rich on cap and trade.” The measure, which was highly controversial, contributed to the ousting of many of his colleagues in a Republican wave. He held onto his seat with room to spare. There’s a good case that his messaging approach is working across Minnesota now that he is Governor: Walz has delivered big climate wins despite a closely divided legislature. During his tenure, the state passed a law requiring Minnesota utilities to generate 100% of their electricity from carbon-free sources by 2040, prioritized public transit and e-bikes in its $1.3 billion transport program, and created a $2 billion climate spending program that resembles the Inflation Reduction Act with incentives for everything from rooftop solar to electric school buses. In Miami, the conversation at times highlighted the barriers to decarbonization—from slow permitting to subsidized fossil fuels. Walz acknowledged these challenges, but was quick to move on. “I'm going to tell you what my pro tip of the day is: if you want to run for governor don't propose a gas tax and don't build a powerline,” he said. “Both of those things are incredibly personal to people and they're counterintuitive, even though you need to get them.” It is telling that as governor, Walz eventually got them both—and continues to enjoy a favorable approval rating. ## Transcript [00:08] On behalf of myself and the first second gentleman of the United States, [00:15] my husband Doug Ma. [00:18] Thank you for the warm welcome. [00:22] So Philadelphia, I launched my campaign [00:25] for the President of the United States emir two weeks ago. [00:30] And it's been a bit of a whirlwind. [00:35] And just last night, [00:37] the delegates to the Democratic National Convention finished voting. [00:43] And so I stand I [00:53] stand before you today to proudly announce I am now officially [00:57] the Democratic nominee for president of the United States. [01:03] Since the day that I announced my candidacy, [01:07] I set out to find a partner who can help build this brighter future. [01:18] A leader who will help unite our nation and move us forward. [01:25] A fighter for the middle class, [01:29] a patriot who believes as I do in the extraordinary promise of America. [01:41] A promise a promise a freedom, [01:49] opportunity, and justice, not just for some, but for all. [02:02] So, Pennsylvania, I'm here today because I found such a leader. [02:11] Governor Tim Waltz of the Great State of Minnesota. [02:19] And to his former high school football players, he was coach. [02:28] Coach. Coach. And in 91 days, [02:44] the nation will know Coach Waltz by another name, [02:49] Vice President of the United States. [02:52] And as I think everyone here can see, [02:55] Tim Walz was the kind of teacher and mentor that every child [03:01] in America dreams of having and that every kid deserves. [03:11] The kind of coach, [03:13] because he's the kind of person who makes people [03:17] feel like they belong and then inspires them to dream big. [03:22] And that's the kind of vice president he will be. [03:26] And now Welcome the next Vice President of the United States, Tim Wall. [03:43] Wow. Thank you, Philadelphia. [03:51] Thank you, Madam Vice President for the trust you put in me, [03:55] but maybe more so, [03:57] thank you for bringing back the joy. [04:07] I'm thrilled to be on this journey with you and Doug, this incredible journey. [04:12] And Pennsylvania, I know you know this. [04:15] But my God, what a treasure you have in Josh Shapiro. [04:22] And I can't wait for all of you and America to get to know my incredible wife, [04:27] Gwen, a 29 year public school educator. [04:38] Don't ever underestimate teachers. [04:49] And our two beautiful kids, Hope and Goss. [04:53] I couldn't be prouder to be on this ticket. [04:56] And to help Vice President Harris become, [04:58] what we all know, is very, [05:00] very good for us to think about. 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