The 2020 guide to presidential candidates on climate

THE 2020 GUIDE TO PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES ON CLIMATE CHANGE

The fight for climate action has been on for centuries. As we progress into the future, the situation seems to be changing drastically for the better. Americans are getting more enlightened about the importance of a safe and clean environment away from any form of pollution.

The climate action campaigns are picking up momentum even as the country is set to conduct the presidential election this year. Something is different with voters this time around. One of the key issues that voters are highly considering on the manifestos is the climate change action the candidate is planning to take. In response to this, climate change is getting unprecedented attention from many of the 2020 presidential contenders. According to the Yale Program for Climate Change Communication, 69% of voting-age Americans are worried about climate change, while about one third say that they are extremely worried. This is the highest ever recorded percentage in America. The threats posed by the rapid global warming and heavy fossil fuel pollution is for sure overwhelming, and it needs someone to address the issue.

“We can help people economically and create a greener economy at the same time,” says Sam Deese, an expert on global environmentalism and a senior lecturer in social sciences at Boston University College of General Studies. “And if we are going to put a price on carbon and incentivize energy that is not from fossil fuels, then we’re ultimately going to have to do it on a global scale.” In his book, Climate Change and the Future of Democracy, Sam argues that the ongoing climate crisis requires a democratic response globally. However, that is faced with difficulties from the resurgence of nationalism

that is going on in the U.S and everywhere else on the globe, blocking the international collaboration required to propel climate change action.

With the 2020 presidential campaign in full action, so is the conversation on how the country is expecting to usher in new leadership that will come with climate change action that will help get humanity back on track through strategic climate mitigation plans. On the political side, the Democrats and the Republicans seem divided on the climate action issue. All candidates from the Democrats have climate change plans while their counterparts have no climate have none. This is the first time the liberal Democrats have ranked global warming as the number one most crucial issue. To add on that, you should note that every candidate under Democrats signed the “No Fossil Fuel Money Pledge.” The pledge was to “not knowingly accept any contributions of over $200 from PACs, lobbyists, or SEC-named executives of fossil companies whose primary business is extraction, processing, distribution, or sale of oil, gas, or coal.” While this was happening, none of the Republican candidates signed the pledge. As a voter, you can see which side has your matters at heart.

“All of Democrats seem to have their heart in the right place about this,” says Deese. “I’ve been comparing their statements on climate change, and it seems that all of them are committed to the carbon-neutral United States by 2050 with different approaches to getting there.” Each of the candidates contending for the presidential seat has its climate change plans geared towards ensuring an economy free from fossil fuels and other heavy pollutants.

How 2020 Democratic presidential candidates plan to fight climate change

We are going to list all 2020 presidential aspirants and the plans they have to boost climate action.

Sen. Michael Bennet.

Bennet’s plan aims at achieving 100% net-zero emissions and reducing energy waste by half before 2050. His climate plan also features several 2030 goals, such as conserving at least 30% of the American land and waters by 2030 and establishing a climate change challenge to encourage individual states to come up with climate plans. Bennet’s plan also features creating a climate bank to deploy $1 trillion in federal funds to allocate $10 billion in private sector innovation for clean energy. However, despite Bennet’s climate plan, Greenpeace gives him a D+ on climate change stating that he is a long way behind on matters concerning leadership for climate action.

Joe Biden.

Biden’s climate plan targets to achieve a 100% clean energy economy with net-zero emissions by 2050. He also aims to recommit the U.S to the Paris Agreement on climate change and lead efforts to get the other major countries to take climate change action.

Greenpeace gives him a B+ on climate change since he has not committed to wholly banning new fossil fuel drilling on public lands and waters.

Bernie Sanders

Sanders has a new comprehensive Green Deal that aims to invest $16.3 trillion and declare climate change a national emergency. The investment will be allocated to the Green Climate Fund and Climate Justice Resiliency Fund to aid in recovery and preparation for climate impacts. Sanders Green Deal targets to ensure 100% decarbonization by 2050, reduction in domestic emissions, and a 100% transition to renewable energy by 2030. Greenpeace gives Sanders an A+ for his Green New Deal and his commitment to eliminate the fossil fuel industry. Other Democrats presidential aspirants who have laid out their climate plans include; Michael Bloomberg, Pete Buttigieg, Rep. John Delaney, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Tom Steyer, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, and Andrew Yang.

It is the high time that America chooses a leader that will have climate action at heart. This is for the health and safety of the Americans and the coming generations. It is the high time that we vote wisely for our benefits and the benefit of our children.

Works cited

https://earthmaven.io/planetwatch/climatepolitics-policy/2020-guide-to-presidentialcandidates-on-climate-changevPbFiiUFXEe1CyZdVjWPwQ. https://www.nrdcactionfund.org/climatechange-and-the-2020-presidentialcandidates-where-do-they-stand/. http://www.bu.edu/articles/2020/climatepolicy-presidential-candidates-ranked/