Joe Biden has issued a climate plan: Joe’s Plan for a Clean Energy Revolution and Environmental Justice. While there are many (good, okay, and, sigh, bad) details, angles, and elements to Biden’s plan to address the climate crisis, that isn’t what is most important. What is, to steal the words from Oil Change USA’s David Turnbull, is important
is the recognition that climate change is the defining issue of the 2020 election.
The climate crisis has arrived not just in our backyards, but in our politics
David is absolutely right here, with one caveat … he could have appropriately said
the climate crisis has FINALLY arrived in our politics.
We now have multiple candidates out with serious (although sometimes flawed, gapped, inadequate, etc ) plans to address climate change.
The candidates and their teams are recognizing that climate is a (if not the) top-tier issue for a substantial portion of the electorate … along with a more simple, physical reality, that the climate crisis is becoming ever clearer as perhaps the most significant threat to humanity’s continued viability and prosperity.
And, token lip service on climate isn’t passing muster. Biden — the ‘moderate candidate’ topping polls — put out a muddling-through climate trial balloon a few weeks ago that burst immediately on contact with the climate-aware world. Biden’s just-released plan (with Biden, in the video above, using the term “climate disaster” and other strong language) has left that muddling through trial balloon in the dust.
While troubled by some things (such as lack of discussion of fracking), Biden’s emphasis on the need to focus on both U.S. domestic emissions but a stronger international engagement (building on, but not stopping with, the Paris Accords) is an example of strength within his plan.
Again, the critical thing …
Scientific reality, increasingly evident climate-related disasters globally, Trump’s climate science denial, and strong activism by Sunrise Movement (and so many others) have helped put climate on top of the political agenda.
Even if too many political pundits and professional political consultants remain oblivious to this fact, politicians from Elizabeth Warren to Jay Inslee to Beto O’Rourke to Joe Biden to … aren’t blind to political realities.
While painful (in so many ways) that it took so long to occur, it is heartening that “the climate crisis has FINALLY arrived in our politics.”
And, the time has truly come for a climate debate.
NOTE: I tend to agree with David Roberts that Jay Inslee is writing the climate plan that every Democratic presidential primary candidate should adopt. Inslee’s material is substantive, well-thought out, achievable, to the scale of the challenge, will boost prosperity/equity/resiliency/security, etc …
Tuesday, Jun 4, 2019 · 10:10:21 PM +00:00 · A Siegel
Greenpeace’s reaction
ow. It’s been less than a week since we released the official #Climate2020 candidate scorecardand our plan to set a high standard for climate action among the 2020 Democratic candidates is working — today we have ironclad proof.
This morning, just days after getting a D- grade on our #Climate2020 presidential climate scorecard, former Vice President Joe Biden released his climate plan.
It’s not perfect, but Biden has given us a lot to like, which is why we’re updating his grade to a B. His plan is proof that the candidates are listening to us. Check out what Joe Biden promised on climate as the current Democratic frontrunner and share it with everyone you know.
The response around our #Climate2020 scorecard has been huge — from the media, activists like you and I, and the candidates are talking about it as well. Elizabeth Warren met Biden’s plans head-on today by promising a $2 trillion investment in green energy infrastructure and innovation. Amazing!
That’s why now is the time to ramp up the pressure. See how your top candidates scored on our #Climate2020 scorecard and share it with your friends and family. The more you share it, the more the candidates will pay attention. Today is a case and point!
We need to make sure that the candidates know this: if you want to lead the country, you need to lead on climate. Period.
1 response so far ↓
1 A #ClimateDebate would matter (Lessons from Texas) // Jun 6, 2019 at 12:23 pm
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