Democrats Must Seize Tonight’s Opportunity to Talk Climate

Over the next two nights, Democratic presidential candidates will take to the debate stage in Miami, Florida, a city and state already living with the consequences of the climate crisis. In Florida right now:

• 17,000 acres of Florida’s public lands on fire in the Everglades

• As a side effect of climate change, the average wildfire season is 78 days longer than it was in 1970. 

• According to NBC News, Miami could see up to 2,300 deaths resulting from a single heat wave in a warmer world. 

• But Florida isn’t just on fire, it’s also drowning. Florida stands to lose more homes to sea level rise damage than any other state in the nation according to the Miami Herald, and according to the Guardian, Miami streets are set to flood every year by 2070.   

Most leaders would recognize the urgency of the climate crisis and would act. But with Donald Trump, that’s never going to be the case. In fact, Donald Trump is the worst president ever on climate and the environment. 

During his time in office, the Climate-Denier in Chief has:

• Sought to exit the Paris Climate Agreement,

• Worked to rollback the clean car standards,

• Removed coal ash protections,

• And just last week, replaced the landmark Clean Power Plan with a dirty and dangerous rule.

Meanwhile, the climate crisis is deepening. In just the past year, we’ve seen:

• The National Climate Assessment, a government report produced by 13 federal agencies presented a harsh look at the climate crisis, including that it could slash 10% off the US economy.

• The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projected that catastrophic effects of the climate crisis such as food shortages and droughts could occur by 2040.

• And just last week, it was reported that, despite Trump’s claims, the US saw an increase of polluted days over the past two years than we have in those prior.

That’s why the 2020 election has become the climate election of our lifetime. The American people want climate action and Trump’s failure to do so has made this the issue this election. Poll after poll show that climate change is a dangerous problem that must be addressed by the next president.

Democratic candidates are not wasting time proposing the bold solutions required to tackle the climate crisis. But the people need to hear from every candidate on their plans, and a real debate on how we can tackle the climate crisis. We have already seen a number of candidates present in-depth climate plans, including:

• Jay Inslee’s in depth three part in-depth plans focuses on tackling the climate crisis from every facet. 

• Elizabeth Warren’s multi-faceted plans on protecting and preserving our public lands, as well as achieving the targets of the Green New Deal.  

• Joe Biden’s climate plan provides clear vision to tackle the climate crisis & prioritize a just transition for workers & communities disproportionately affected.  

• Michael Bennet’s plan to protect our public lands while powering our economy with clean energy. 

Yet, the DNC continues to refuse pleas from activists, members, and the majority of candidates to hold a debate on climate change. It’s why this weeks Democratic debates must go deeper than surface level questions on climate. Democratic candidates universally support rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement, re-installing the climate and environmental safeguards established by President Obama, and investing in clean energy. That’s why it’s critical the debates this week go deeper, and demand the candidates offer concrete solutions and details on how America will spur clean energy development, cut the carbon pollution that contributes to climate change, protect our health, and create more of the clean energy jobs that drive our economy. 

The climate crisis is already apparent outside the arena where 20 Democratic presidential hopefuls will be this week. A debate on the solutions to the crisis must be crystalized inside of it.

Over the next two nights, Democratic presidential candidates will take to the debate stage in Miami, Florida, a city and state already living with the consequences of the climate crisis. 

In Florida right now:

• 17,000 acres of Florida’s public lands on fire in the Everglades

• As a side effect of climate change, the average wildfire season is 78 days longer than it was in 1970. 

• According to NBC News, Miami could see up to 2,300 deaths resulting from a single heat wave in a warmer world. 

• But Florida isn’t just on fire, it’s also drowning. Florida stands to lose more homes to sea level rise damage than any other state in the nation according to the Miami Herald, and according to the Guardian, Miami streets are set to flood every year by 2070.   

Most leaders would recognize the urgency of the climate crisis and would act. But with Donald Trump, that’s never going to be the case. In fact, Donald Trump is the worst president ever on climate and the environment. 

During his time in office, the Climate-Denier in Chief has:

• Sought to exit the Paris Climate Agreement,

• Worked to rollback the clean car standards,

• Removed coal ash protections,

• And just last week, replaced the landmark Clean Power Plan with a dirty and dangerous rule.

Meanwhile, the climate crisis is deepening. In just the past year, we’ve seen:

• The National Climate Assessment, a government report produced by 13 federal agencies presented a harsh look at the climate crisis, including that it could slash 10% off the US economy.

• The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projected that catastrophic effects of the climate crisis such as food shortages and droughts could occur by 2040.

• And just last week, it was reported that, despite Trump’s claims, the US saw an increase of polluted days over the past two years than we have in those prior.

That’s why the 2020 election has become the climate election of our lifetime. The American people want climate action and Trump’s failure to do so has made this the issue this election. Poll after poll show that climate change is a dangerous problem that must be addressed by the next president.

Democratic candidates are not wasting time proposing the bold solutions required to tackle the climate crisis. But the people need to hear from every candidate on their plans, and a real debate on how we can tackle the climate crisis. We have already seen a number of candidates present in-depth climate plans, including:

• Jay Inslee’s in depth three part in-depth plans focuses on tackling the climate crisis from every facet. 

• Elizabeth Warren’s multi-faceted plans on protecting and preserving our public lands, as well as achieving the targets of the Green New Deal.  

• Joe Biden’s climate plan provides a clear vision to tackle the climate crisis & prioritize a just transition for workers & communities disproportionately affected.  

• Michael Bennet’s plan to protect our public lands while powering our economy with clean energy. 

Yet, the DNC continues to refuse pleas from activists, members, and the majority of candidates to hold a debate on climate change. It’s why this week's Democratic debates must go deeper than surface level questions on climate. Democratic candidates universally support rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement, re-installing the climate and environmental safeguards established by President Obama, and investing in clean energy. That’s why it’s critical the debates this week go deeper, and demand the candidates offer concrete solutions and details on how America will spur clean energy development, cut the carbon pollution that contributes to climate change, protect our health, and create more of the clean energy jobs that drive our economy. 

The climate crisis is already apparent outside the arena where 20 Democratic presidential hopefuls will be this week. A debate on the solutions to the crisis must be crystalized inside of it.