DNC Blocks Climate Debate Resolution, Activists Vow to Push Forward

The DNC resolutions committee voted against a dedicated debate on the climate crisis, attempting to block a climate debate proposal from proceeding to a full vote. Activists intend to push forward bringing the resolution to a full vote on Saturday.

In response, Greenpeace USA Senior Climate Campaigner John Noël said:

“Tom Perez just doesn’t get it: we are in a climate emergency. If we’re going to prevent the most catastrophic impacts of climate change, we need to know how those vying to become our next president are going to confront the fossil fuel industry and accelerate the transition to renewable energy from day one. Talking points and sound bites don’t cut it anymore.

“Regardless of this outcome, the bar for action on climate change is set by science, not the DNC — and it isn’t getting any lower. Our next president must commit to ending the era of fossil fuels and championing a Green New Deal. It’s now incumbent on the candidates to take every opportunity that comes before them to explain how they’ll make that happen.”

Public support for an official debate on the climate crisis has steadily grown throughout the summer. A Data for Progress poll shows that 41 percent of voters, including 64 percent of Democrats and left-leaning independents, support a DNC-sanctioned climate debate compared to just 27 percent of voters opposed. In June, a coalition of progressive organizations delivered more than 220,000 petitions asking the DNC to organize a climate debate to party headquarters in Washington, DC. To date, 19 active Democratic candidates have said they would participate in an official debate on climate change policy [1].

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Notes:

[1] Michael Bennet, Joe Biden, Julian Castro, Bill de Blasio, Pete Buttigieg, John Delaney, Tulsi Gabbard, Kirsten Gillibrand, Kamala Harris, Amy Klobuchar, Wayne Messam, Seth Moulton, Beto O’Rourke, Tim Ryan, Bernie Sanders, Joe Stesak, Tom Steyer, Elizabeth Warren, and Andrew Yang have all publicly called for a climate debate. While Jay Inslee has dropped out of the race, Greenpeace implores the remaining candidates to follow his example of strong support for a climate debate.

To maintain independence, Greenpeace USA does not endorse or oppose any political party, candidate, or elected official. We work to hold all candidates for office to the standard that science says is necessary to avert climate crisis, which means supporting a Green New Deal and ending fossil fuels.