Climate change is here — that’s not up for debate. From this spring’s destructive floods in the Midwest to Cyclone Idai, one of the strongest tropical storms ever seen in the Southern Hemisphere, the climate crisis is already taking its toll on 2019.
What we need to know now is what our next President is going to do about it.
The climate crisis was ignored in the 2012 and 2016 elections. Since then, the fires, storms, and floods have made it devastatingly clear: we can’t afford any more climate silence in 2020.
People across the country want to hear presidential candidates talk about climate change and their plans to tackle it. Poll after poll has made it clear that Americans are more concerned about the climate crisis than ever before — and a majority are hungry for bold, effective action like a Green New Deal.
As long as ignoring reality keeps making them and their fossil fuel billionaire funders richer, we know Trump and his oily Republican allies are going to keep their heads buried in the sands of climate denial. But most of the Democrats running to beat Trump in 2020 at least say they want to take steps to address the climate crisis — and voters deserve to hear the difference.
We’ve heard enough empty climate promises from politicians. In this election, we need to know which candidates would commit to making climate action a Day One priority in office, who’s willing to embrace bold solutions like the Green New Deal, and who will protect frontline communities and ensure a just transition for workers that leaves no one behind.
Climate change is the greatest global crisis of our time, and it will impact everything from the economy to our health to our right to prosperity and security in our homes and communities.
That’s why we’re pushing to make sure the climate crisis is front and center throughout this critical election, from now until November 2020 — and a Democratic climate debate would be the first big step in the right direction.