Climate Focus at the April 14th Democratic Debate

Climate related issues were a major part of the Democratic Presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders in Brooklyn, New York, on April 14, 2016. While the two candidates agree that climate change is an urgent issue, there are important distinctions between their respective policy positions.  Regardless of who wins the nomination, this debate establishes the Democratic party as the only choice for environmentally conscious voters.

Sanders is clearly the greener of the two, and he deserves credit for forcing Clinton to address these issues. However, intimating that his lofty climate agenda may be stymied by the legislature, Clinton pointed to his inability to actually pass climate focused legislation.

When Sanders was pressed on his intent to phase out nuclear power and the potential to have that energy shortfall replaced by greenhouse gas intensive alternatives, he said that "you certainly don't phase out nuclear tomorrow" and he pointed to his 10 million solar roofs program.

Here are excerpts related to climate, environment, clean energy, fossil fuels and COP21 from the debate.

Climate Change

CLINTON: Well, let me start by saying we need to talk about this issue and we should talk about it in terms of the extraordinary threats that climate change pose to our country and our world. And that's why for the last many years, both in the Senate and as secretary of State, it's been a big part of my commitment to see what could be done. SANDERS: Now, what I think is when we look at climate change now, we have got to realize that this is a global environmental crisis of unprecedented urgency...We have an enemy out there, and that enemy is going to cause drought and floods and extreme weather disturbances. There's going to be international conflict.

SANDERS: I am proud, Wolf, that I have introduced the most comprehensive climate change legislation...

CLINTON: Well, let's talk about the global environmental crisis. Starting in 2009 as your Secretary of State, I worked with President Obama to bring China and India to the table for the very first time, to get a commitment out of them that they would begin to address their own greenhouse gas emissions. I continued to work on that throughout the four years as Secretary of State...

CLINTON: ...because in order to deal with climate change, we have got to move as rapidly as we can.

SANDERS: All right, here is -- here is a real difference. This is a difference between understanding that we have a crisis of historical consequence here, and incrementalism and those little steps are not enough. Not right now. Not on climate change.

SANDERS: What I believe is that this country, if we stand together and not let the Trumps of the world divide us up...can lead the world in transforming our energy system and combating climate change...

Fossil Fuels

SANDERS: Now, the truth is, as secretary of state, Secretary Clinton actively supported fracking technology around the world. Second of all, right now, we have got to tell the fossil fuel industry that their short-term profits are not more important than the future of this planet.

CLINTON: ...well, I don't think I've changed my view on what we need to do to go from where we are, where the world is heavily dependent on coal and oil, but principally coal, to where we need to be, which is clean renewable energy, and one of the bridge fuels is natural gas. And so for both economic and environmental and strategic reasons, it was American policy to try to help countries get out from under the constant use of coal, building coal plants all the time, also to get out from under, especially if they were in Europe, the pressure from Russia, which has been incredibly intense. So we did say natural gas is a bridge. We want to cross that bridge as quickly as possible...

CLINTON: But there has never been any doubt that when I was a senator, I tried -- I joined with others to try to get rid of the subsidies for big oil. And I have proposed that again, because that's what I think needs to be done as we transition from fossil fuels to clean energy.

SANDERS: It is not their fault [fossil fuel industry workers] that fossil fuels are destroying our climate. But we have got to stand up and say right now, as we would if we were attacked by some military force, we have got to move urgency -- urgently and boldly.

SANDERS: We have got to lead the world in transforming our energy system, not tomorrow, but yesterday. And, what that means, Wolf, it means having the guts to take on the fossil fuel industry. Now, I am on board legislation that says, you know what, we ain't going to excavate for fossil fuel on public land. That's not Secretary Clinton's position.

Carbon Tax

SANDERS: Let us support a tax on carbon...:Something I don't believe Secretary Clinton supports.

SANDERS: And that means -- and I would ask you to respond. Are you in favor of a tax on carbon so that we can transit away from fossil fuel to energy efficiency and sustainable energy at the level and speed we need to do?

SANDERS: ... When you were Secretary of State, you also worked hard to expand fracking to countries all over the world.

Campaign Funding from the Fossil Fuel Industry

CLINTON: So, we both have relatively small amounts of contributions from people who work for fossil fuel companies. Best we can tell from the reports that are done. But, that is not being supported by big oil, and I think it's important to distinguish that.

SANDERS: But, as I understand it, 43 lobbyists for the fossil fuel industry maxed out, gave the maximum amount of money to Secretary Clinton's campaign.

Clean Energy

CLINTON: we have got to make a very firm but decisive move in the direction of clean energy...That's why I've set big goals. I want to see us deploy a half a billion more solar panels by the end of my first term and enough clean energy to provide electricity to every home in America within 10 years.

CLINTON: President Obama moved forward on gas mileage, he moved forward on the clean power plant. He has moved forward on so many of the fronts that he could given the executive actions that he was able to take.

COP21

CLINTON: And, I was surprised and disappointed when Senator Sanders attacked the agreement [Paris Climate Agreement], said it was not enough, it didn't go far enough. You know, at some point putting together 195 countries, I know a little bit about that, was a major accomplishment...

SANDERS: The issue here -- of course the agreement [Paris Climate Agreement] is a step forward, but you know agreements and I know agreements, there's a lot of paper there. We've got to get beyond paper right now.

CLINTON: Well, I'm a little bewildered about how to respond when you have an agreement [Paris Climate Agreement] which gives you the framework to actually take the action that would have only come about because under the Obama administration in the face of implacable hostility from the Republicans in Congress...

CLINTON: ...I was very proud that President Obama and America led the way to the agreement that was finally reached in Paris with 195 nations committing to take steps to actually make a difference in climate change.

See the climate positions of Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton.

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Environmental Differences Between Hillary and Bernie in the Flint Presidential Debate

Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders faced off in a presidential primary debate at the University of Michigan in Flint, on March 6, 2016. During this substantive debate some salient differences emerged between the two remaining Democratic presidential contenders.

These differences included Sander's relatively stronger emphasis on combating climate change, and opposition to both fracking and campaign finance from the fossil fuel industry.

Both candidates pledged that they would reverse the Citizens United ruling (the Citizens United Supreme Court ruling allows powerful interests like the fossil fuel industry to disproportionately influence government. It also undermines climate legislation andfails to protect the planet from corporate influence).

Fracking

COOPER: The issue of climate change has been a major talking point for both of you. I wanted to bring in Sarah Bellaire, she’s a student at the University of Michigan at Dearborn who says she’s currently undecided.

Ms. Bellaire has a question on fracking, which, for viewers, is a process of oil and gas drilling that’s led to a significant increase in American energy production and jobs, but also raises serious environmental concerns.

Sarah, your question is for Secretary Clinton, but you’ll both be able to weigh in. Sarah?

QUESTION: Fracking can lead to environmental pollution including, but not limited to, the contamination of water supply. Do you support fracking?

COOPER: Secretary Clinton?

CLINTON: You know, I don’t support it when any locality or any state is against it, number one. I don’t support it when the release of methane or contamination of water is present. I don’t support it — number three — unless we can require that anybody who fracks has to tell us exactly what chemicals they are using.

So by the time we get through all of my conditions, I do not think there will be many places in America where fracking will continue to take place. And I think that’s the best approach, because right now, there places where fracking is going on that are not sufficiently regulated. So first, we’ve got to regulate everything that is currently underway, and we have to have a system in place that prevents further fracking unless conditions like the ones that I just mentioned are met.

COOPER: Senator Sanders, you?

SANDERS: My answer — my answer is a lot shorter. No, I do not support fracking.

COOPER: Senator Sanders, though…to Secretary Clinton’s point, there are a number of Democratic governors in many states who say that fracking can be done safely, and that it’s helping their economies. Are they wrong?

SANDERS: Yes.

Climate Change

SANDERS: I’m glad you raised the issue of climate change, because the media doesn’t talk enough about what the scientists are telling us, and that is, if we don’t get our act together… the planet that we’re gonna leave our children may not be healthy and habitable. I have introduced the most comprehensive climate change legislation in the history of the Senate, which, among other things, calls for a tax on carbon, massive investments… in energy efficiency, wind, solar and other sustainable energy. This is a crisis we have got to deal with now.

I happen to be a member of the Environmental Committee. I have talked to scientists all over the world. And what they are telling me — if we don’t get our act together, this planet could be 5 to 10 degrees warmer by the end of this century — cataclysmic problems for this planet. This is a national crisis. And I talk to scientists who tell me that fracking is doing terrible things to water systems all over this country. We have gotta be bold now. We gotta transform our energy system to energy efficiency and sustainable energy. We’ve gotta do it yesterday.

CLINTON: Well, first, let me say I think I have the most comprehensive plan to combat climate change. It sets some very big goals, a half billion more solar panels deployed by the end of my first term, if I’m so fortunate to be president. And enough clean energy to power every home by the end of my second term.

What I am looking at is how we make the transition from where we are today to where are today to where we must be. I worked with President Obama during the four years I was secretary of state to begin to put pressure on China and India and other countries to join with us to have a global agreement which we finally got in Paris.

So I am committed to and focused on how we make that transition. I’ve already said we are taking away the subsidies for oil and gas, but it is important that people understand that a president can’t go ordering folks around. Our system doesn’t permit that. I am going to set the goals. I will push everybody as hard as I can to achieve those goals. We will make progress on clean renewable energy and create millions of jobs through that.

CLINTON: We need to do more to help create clean energy as a source of good jobs

Campaign Finance from the Fossil Fuel Industry

COOPER: Secretary Clinton’s gonna be able to respond. But, Senator Sanders, you’ve been very tough lately. Last week, you said this about Secretary Clinton.

Quote, “just as I believe you can’t take on Wall Street while taking their money, I don’t believe you can take on climate change effectively while taking money from those who would profit off the destruction of the planet.”

COOPER: Are you suggesting that she’s in the pocket of the fossil fuel industry?

SANDERS: No, what I am suggesting is that we have a corrupt campaign finance system. And instead of standing up to that finance system… And instead of standing up to that finance system, Secretary Clinton has super PAC, which is raising huge amounts — well, I hate to say the word “huge,” every time I say huge it…

SANDERS: A lot of money from Wall Street and from the fossil fuel industry. I am doing it a different way. I have 5 million individual contributors who have gone to BernieSanders.com to make a $27 contribution. I don’t take money from the fossil fuel industry.

COOPER: Senator Sanders, on the — on the campaign trail, Senator Sanders often refers to a fundraiser in January that was hosted by executives from a firm that has invested significantly in domestic fracking. Do you have any comment on that?

CLINTON: I don’t have any comment. I don’t know that. I don’t believe that there is any reason to be concerned about it. I admire what Senator Sanders has accomplished in his campaign. I have more than 850,000 donors, most of them give less than $100. I am very proud of that. And I just want to make one point. You know, we have our differences. And we get into vigorous debate about issues, but compare the substance of this debate with what you saw on the Republican stage last week.

SANDERS: But here’s the difference. Here is the difference. It’s not a personal difference. We just do things differently. All right. I honestly — look, we have a corrupt campaign finance system. And what Secretary Clinton is saying and what every candidate who receives from the fossil fuel industry or the drug companies or Wall Street say, not going to impact me. The question the American people have to ask is, why are these people putting millions of dollars into candidates if it’s not going to make a difference? 

Citizens United

SANDERS: And that is why, by the way, that is why one of my top priorities, if elected president will be to overturn this outrageous Citizens United Supreme Court.

CLINTON: And that is one of the many reasons we must all support President Obama’s right to nominate a successor to Justice Scalia and demand that the Senate hold hearings and a vote on that successor because there are so many issues at stake. On the first day of my campaign, I said, we are going to reverse Citizens United. And if we can’t get it done through the court, I will lead a constitutional amendment effort to reverse it that way.

See the climate positions of the remaining Democratic presidential candidates: Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton.

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Climate and Clean Energy in the Third Democratic Presidential Debate

Watching the third Democratic debate, the conspicuous absence of any questions on climate change could have led viewers to think they had tuned into a Republican debate. Although not a single question was asked about climate change, which is startling given the fact that the debate comes only a week after the COP21 agreement was announced, Sanders and O'Malley did manage to briefly mention climate change and clean energy. Clinton conspicuously ignored the topic altogether. She may think this is a good way to win over Republicans who are disillusioned with front running GOP candidate Donald Trump. However it is also a great way to alienate her base.
The debate took place on Saturday December 19th. ABC News hosted Democratic presidential candidates Hilary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, and Martin O'Malley. The 3 Democrats vying for the presidential nomination faced off on foreign policy and domestic issues at St. Anselm College in New Hampshire.

Here are excerpts of Sanders and O'Malley's climate and clean energy remarks made during the debate:

Sanders: I'm running for president because we have a campaign finance system which is corrupt, where billionaires are spending hundreds of millionaires of dollars to buy candidates who will represent their interests rather than the middle class and working families. I'm running because we need to address the planetary crisis of climate change and take on the fossil fuel industry and transform our energy system away from fossil fuel to energy efficiency and sustainable energy.

O'Malley: We were the only state in American that went four years in a row without a penny increase in college tuition. We invested more in our infrastructure and we squared our shoulders to the great business opportunity of this era and that is moving our economy to a 100 percent clean electric energy future. We created 2,000 new jobs in the solar industry and we fought every single day to adopt more inclusive economic practices.

O'Malley: The other big challenge we have is climate change. The greatest business opportunity to come to the United States of America in 100 years. We need to embrace this. I have put forward a plan that does this, that moves us to 100 percent clean electric grid by 2050. Join this campaign for the future. New leadership is what our country needs to move us out of these divided and polarized times. Thank you.

See the climate positions of the original full slate of Democratic presidential candidates: Martin O'Malley, Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton,  Lincoln Chaffee, Larry Lessig and Jim Webb

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Making Climate Change an Issue in the 2012 Presidential Election

Despite a petition asking Jim Lehrer, (the moderator of the first presidential debate), to put climate change on the agenda, the question was never raised. The petition contained 160,000 signatures and was drawn up by a coalition of nine different nonprofit groups.

"If the debate is intended to cover our nation's most important challenges, climate change must be part of the discussion," said Steve Cochran, vice president of climate and air at EDF. "The threat to our environment is simply too great to ignore."

"Their failure to connect the dots and do the math imperils our nation and prevents the development of a national and global plan to respond to the most urgent challenge of our era. It's time for their climate silence to end."

A new website ClimateSilence.org, puts global warming front and center by tracking the candidates' public statements on the issue.

For voters sensitive to the issue of climate there really is no choice. To his credit President Obama did raise his support for solar and wind energy. Although for political reasons, Obama's reelection bid has not stressed efforts to manage climate change. When he is not deriding the Obama administration's support for green jobs, Mitt Romney has largely ignored the issue of climate change altogether.

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Political "Heroes" and "Villains" on US Air Pollution

A new analysis from the NRDC Action Fund, released in conjunction with advocacy group Environment America reveals "Who Votes Dirty?" The report, released on September 12, lists members of the US House and Senate as either "clean air heroes" or "dirty air villains" based on their votes on legislation related to air pollution. According to the NRDC's analysis, 99 members of the House and 43 senators were dubbed heroes, while 139 House members and 39 Senators were labeled villains.

A large number of the Dirty Air Villains, 48 Congressmen and 25 Senators, represent districts in towns and cities the American Lung Association (ALA) have ranked as the 25 most polluted cities in the US.

The NRDC's determination of a dirty Air villain or hero hinges on 13 clean air votes in the House of Representatives, and four such votes in the Senate. Those who voted against each are labeled Dirty Air Villains, while those who voted against each are labeled as Clean Air Heroes.

Before going to the polls on Nov. 6, every concerned citizen should get the facts at www.WhoVotesDirty.org.

Here is the full state by state list of Congressmen and Senators identified by the NRDC:

Colorado

Dirty Air Villains: Reps Scott Tipton (R-CO3), Doug Lamborn (R-CO5), Cory Gardner (R-CO4) and Michael Coffman (R-CO6).

Clean Air Heroes: Senators Mark Udall (D-CO) and Michael Bennet (D-CO), and Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO1).

Florida

Dirty Air Villains: Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Reps. Sandra Adams (R-FL24), Vern Buchanan (R-FL13), Ander Crenshaw (R-FL4), John Mica (R-FL7), Richard Nugent (R-FL5), Bill Posey (R-FL15), David Rivera (R-FL25), Tom Rooney (R-FL16), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL18), Dennis Ross (R-FL12), Steve Southerland (R-FL2), Cliff Stearns (R-FL6), Daniel Webster (R-FL8) and Allen West (R-FL22).

Clean Air Heroes: Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) and Reps. Theodore Deutch (D-FL19), Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-FL20), and Alcee Hastings (D-FL23).

Illinois

Dirty Air Villains: Reps. Peter Roskam (R-IL6), Joe Walsh (R-IL8) and Adam Kinzinger (R-IL11) (each of whose districts overlap with the 18th dirtiest MSA in the US for soot pollution) and Randall Hultgren (R-IL14), Donald Manzullo (R-IL16), Robert Schilling (R-IL17) and John Shimkus (R-IL19).

Clean Air Heroes: Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Reps. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL4), Michael Quigley D-(IL5), Bobby Rush (D-IL1) and Janice Schakowsky (D-IL9).

Iowa

Dirty Air Villains: Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) and Reps. Tom Latham (R-IA4) and Steve King (R-IA5).

Clean Air Hero: Senator Harkin (D-IA).

Michigan

Dirty Air Villains: Reps. Dan Benishek (R-MI1), Bill Huizenga (R-MI2), Justin Amash (R-MI3), Fred Upton (R-MI6), Tim Walberg (R-MI7), Mike Rogers (R-MI8), Candice Miller (R-MI10) and Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI11).

Clean Air Heroes: Senator Carl Levin (D-MI) and Reps. Hansen Clarke (D-MI13), John Conyers (D-MI14), Dale Kildee (MI-5) and Sander Levin (D-MI12).

Nevada

Dirty Air Villain: Rep. Joseph Heck (R-NV3).

Clean Air Hero: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV).

New Hampshire

Dirty Air Villain: Rep. Frank Guinta (NH-1).

Clean Air Hero: Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH).

New Mexico

Dirty Air Villain: Rep. Steve Pearce (R-NM2).

Clean Air Heroes: Senators Tom Udall (D-NM) and Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), and Rep. Ben Lujan (D-NM3).

North Carolina

Dirty Air Villains: Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) and Reps. Renee Ellmers (R-NC2), Virginia Foxx (R-NC5) and Patrick McHenry (R-NC10).

Clean Air Heroes: Senator Kay Hagan (D-NC) and Reps. Brad Miller (D-NC13), David Price (D-NC4) and Melvin Watt (D-NC12).

Ohio

Dirty Air Villains: Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH8) and Reps. Steve Chabot (R-OH1) (whose district includes the Cincinnati-Middletown-Wilmington, OH-KY-IN MSA which ranks 21st in the nation for Ozone pollution and eighth for year-round particulate pollution), Jean Schmidt (R-OH2) (whose district includes the Cincinnati-Middletown-Wilmington, OH-KY-IN MSA which ranks 21st worst for Ozone pollution and 8th for year-round particulate pollution), Michael Turner (R-OH3), Jim Jordan (R-OH4), Robert Latta (R-OH5), Bill Johnson (R-OH6), Steve Austria (R-OH7), Patrick Tiberi (R-OH12), Steven LaTourette (R-OH14) and Jim Renacci (R-OH16) (both of whose districts overlap part of the Cleveland-Akron, OH MSA which is the nation's 14th most polluted for year round soot), Steve Stivers (R-OH15) and Bob Gibbs (R-OH18.)

Clean Air Heroes: Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Reps. Betty Sutton (D-OH13) and Dennis Kucinich (D-OH10).

Pennsylvania

Dirty Air Villains: Senator Patrick Toomey (R-PA) and Reps. Mike Kelly (R-PA3), Glenn Thompson (R-PA5), Patrick Meehan (R-PA7) and Joseph Pitts (R-PA16) (whose districts include the Philadelphia-Camden-Vineland, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA which is ranked 16th worst for ozone pollution and 10th worst for year-round particulate pollution and #22 for Short-term particulate pollution), Michael Fitzpatrick (R-PA8), William Shuster (R-PA9), Thomas Marino (R-PA10), Lou Barletta (R-PA11), Charles Dent (R-PA15) and Timothy Murphy (R-PA18)(whose district includes the Pittsburgh-New Castle, PA MSA which is ranked 20th for ozone pollution and 6th for Year-round particulate pollution and #6 for Short-term particulate pollution).

Clean Air Heroes: Robert Brady (D-PA1), Mike Doyle (D-PA14), Chaka Fattah (D-PA2) and Allyson Schwartz (D-PA13).

Virginia

Dirty Air Villains: Reps. Scott Rigell (R-VA2), Randy Forbes (R-VA4), Robert Hurt (R-VA5), Bob Goodlatte (R-VA6), House Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA7) and Morgan Griffith (R-VA9).

Clean Air Heroes: Reps. Gerry Connolly (D-VA11), James Moran (D-VA8) and Robert Scott (D-VA3).

Wisconsin

Dirty Air Villains: Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) and Reps. Paul Ryan (R-WI1), James Sensenbrenner (R-WI5), Sean Duffy (R-WI7) and Reid Ribble (R-WI8).

Clean Air Hero: Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI2).

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Tell Congress to Expedite Renewable Energy

Sign this petition to tell Congress that we need to expedite the growth of renewable energy in the US. We need to see Congress act to pass legislation that will help us transition to a cleaner, renewable energy future. Signing this petition sends an email to US Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), chair of the Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources, US Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) and the House Energy & Commerce Committee.

This petition unites the voices of Americans who demand our leaders take seriously the energy and climate crisis and immediately work to implement the policies to move our country toward a sustainable future.

I WANT CONGRESS TO PASS A RENEWABLE ENERGY POLICY THAT:

• Mandates an aggressive RES (renewable electricity standard)
• Sets a limit and tax on greenhouse gas emissions, including carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4)
• Puts an end to subsidies for fossil fuels and nuclear power
• Provides incentives for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects
• Modernizes the electrical grid
• Provides market certainty to accelerate investment in renewable energy
• Invests in research and development for battery storage and renewable energy technologies
• Encourages distributed generation to help localize energy generation
• Defines renewable as non-combustion sources of energy
• Puts Americans back to work by creating green jobs and a sustainable economy
• Makes the U.S. a leader in fighting climate change and global warming
• Puts the health of people and the planet before corporate profits

To sign the petition click here.

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