Dems on Climate

20/11/2015

As the number of days between now and COP21 diminishes, the United States presidential primaries are quickly approaching as well. As covered in our most recent blog, candidates from one party are campaigning with climate change solutions as a significant part of their platforms. The other party, however, is not as interested.

Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton, and Martin O'Malley last weekend at the second democratic debate. Image credit: http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/BN-LG603_DEBATE_P_20151114215545.jpg

Since this is a climate change blog, I want to focus on the party in which all the candidates believe that climate change exists: the democrats. I’ve heard Hillary Clinton reference COP21 in her stump speeches as “a very important climate meeting in Paris” and when I met Martin O’Malley in person, I told him I was going to COP21 and he actually knew what I was talking about. But these candidates do more than just stay up to date on current events in climate change: They have already begun to work toward solutions. For example, Bernie Sanders says he “lead the opposition to the Keystone XL pipeline”, Martin O’Malley worked to clean the Chesapeake Bay while Governor of Maryland, and Hillary Clinton cast many votes in the senate in hopes of helping fight climate change.

Still, a presidential race is more about the future than it is about the past and many voters are more concerned about each candidate’s plans than their track record. NextGen Climate, a political activism group, is leading the fight against climate change by suggesting that our candidates set the goals of 50% clean energy by 2030 and 100% clean energy by 2050 (a recent poll found that 69% of Americans support this proposal). Martin O’Malley is the most on-board with NextGen Climate’s suggestions as he has made the demand for 100% clean energy by 2050 one of the key components of his platform. Bernie Sanders has also worked with this timeline, having co-sponsored the comprehensive “gold standard” climate bill aiming to reduce GHG emissions by 80 percent by 2050. Governor O’Malley and Senator Sanders have each suggested implementing a carbon price, denying permits for arctic and off-shore drilling, and creating clean energy jobs. O’Malley’s plan continues further by suggesting a zero-tolerance policy for methane leaks, a phase-out of fossil fuels, and stronger carbon regulations. Hillary Clinton, like the other candidates, seems to love the year 2050 but has not given an official figure in relation to it, saying she will “achieve deep emission reductions” by then. Her specific goals include more than half a billion solar panels across the country by the end of her first term and generating enough renewable energy to power every home in America within 10 years of when she would take office. Secretary Clinton still has yet to release her official policy outlining her plans for doing this.

The candidates appeared together with Iowa Democratic Party Chair Dr. Andy McGuire at the Jefferson-Jackson Dinner in Des Moines, Iowa. Image credit: http://thehill.com/sites/default/files/styles/article_full/ public/blogs/omalleysandersclinton.jpg?itok=jZ-5pbpa

Each candidate’s policy is available online for closer examination, but we can only hope that they will actually make climate solutions a priority when in office. In the United States, it is crucial that the next president takes a leadership role in the fight against climate change, especially after some of the poor follow through we have had in the past. Though each democratic candidate has some slight room for improvement in their climate change policy, it is refreshing to hear from candidates who believe that climate change is real and that we need to do something about it. Sure, they are politicians and not scientists, but it seems like they are taking the scientists’ word when it comes to this one.

You check out each candidate's official policy below:
Hillary Clinton: https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/climate/
Martin O'Malley: https://martinomalley.com/policy/clean-energy-future/ and https://martinomalley.com/climate/agenda/
Bernie Sanders: http://feelthebern.org/bernie-sanders-on-climate-change/

More Sources Used:
http://www.ontheissues.org/Hillary_Clinton.htm
https://nextgenclimate.org/
http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/martin-omalley-calls-100-clean-energy-2050
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/07/28/3684667/omalley-vs-clinton-vs-sanders-climate-plans/

6 Comments

Jasmine Miranda

22/11/2015 01:55:18 pm

It's really important for the potential leaders of our country to want to take action in all forms in the United States. Protecting the Earth, trying to help the environment, and recognizing the fact that if we don't start to worry about how we're treating the environment- we'll be in big trouble are really important things our leader should be aware of. It's really good news to hear so many of the presidential candidates speaking out about the issues we have, and actually listening to the scientists and experts in this field. If our leaders don't do something about climate change, we will be facing many problems in the near future.

William Warren

25/11/2015 03:10:40 am

I agree that many undecided voters do not take into consideration the past of the candidates as much as they should. However, saying that your going to act upon something obviously does not mean that it will actually happen. It is very important that these political leaders are taking much deliberation into how to important it is protect our environment. These actions that they are proposing are good for the public to understand which could potentially change the thoughts of our society and our actions upon the environment which could benefit our planet in the future.

Cathy

29/11/2015 09:43:48 am

It gives me hope to hear that presidential candidates are giving climate change a spotlight. Their past initiatives and potential plans are outstanding, however, these promises should be more definite and not flimsy. A focus on climate change should be a notable priority for our potential leader. We should not be worried that they might not focus on climate change when they are in office because they it should be a requirement. Our leaders advocate our needs and prosperity. Therefore, we the people are responsible for projecting our concerns about climate change. In short, the process of change is initiated when we demand and overcome.

Kahvi

29/11/2015 08:24:44 pm

I believe that all presidential candidates should include their plan and outlook on solving global warming. Many simply just state a vague idea of what they would do help prevent global warming, but just like everything else they say, many don't mean what they say. Personally, I think they all need to explain more about the topic and talk more about it as well, because global warming is a big, if not bigger issue than the other issues that we always here them talking about. They have the power to really make a change on global warming.

tyler

4/12/2015 05:20:15 am

i do think its a big problem but we have more important problems then climate. We have citys burning and people dying we have more important issue to handle.

#Donald Trump link

4/12/2015 10:27:36 am

# Donald Trump for president 2016!

Climate Conversations

Dems on Climate

Leave a Reply.

Categories

Archives