NextGen Climate President Tom Steyer Calls for Additional Democratic Primary Debate Focused on Climate Change and Clean Energy

SAN FRANCISCO—NextGen Climate President Tom Steyer today called for the addition of a Democratic presidential primary debate focused entirely on climate change and clean energy prior to the Iowa caucuses. The debate would be focused on the threat climate change poses to our country and presidential candidates’ plans to accelerate the transition  to a clean energy economy. 

“Climate change is an urgent threat to our economy, health, and national security, and requires immediate and bold action from our next president,” said Steyer. “The Democratic presidential candidates understand this and have acknowledged the urgency of the climate crisis. Now it’s time for them to tell us exactly what they’d do about it. A crisis of this magnitude, with dire consequences for our economic and national security, requires a robust discussion from our leaders.” 

At the White House this week, Pope Francis said “climate change is a problem which can no longer be left to a future generation”—and now it’s time for our leaders to heed this call and engage in an in-depth discussion about clean energy solutions. NextGen Climate is calling on all presidential candidates to produce specific plans to power America with more than 50 percent clean energy by 2030 in order to help address climate change, improve public health, create jobs and drive economic growth. By adding a debate focused exclusively on climate change and clean energy solutions, the candidates will be able debate the best ways to transition our country to a clean energy economy, articulate, defend and refine their plans to achieve #50by30—and ensure they are ready on day one to address this issue.

All of the major Democratic presidential candidates have recognized climate change as one of the defining issues of our time. Hillary Clinton has called climate change an “existential threat.” Martin O’Malley has said climate change poses a “grave threat … to human life on our planet.” Bernie Sanders has said “climate change is the single greatest threat to our country.” And the Democratic Party Platform rightly describes climate change as “an economic, environmental, and national security catastrophe in the making.” 

Since the candidates—and the Democratic Party—understand that climate change is our greatest threat, they must allow voters the opportunity to hear a thoughtful and robust discussion—not just a single question—about their plans to solve this issue. The fact is, Democratic voters want to hear solutions from their next nominee: polling conducted by Hart Research shows that 84 percent of Democrats view NextGen Climate’s #50by30 goal favorably. A debate on climate change and clean energy will also strengthen the eventual Democratic nominee: 61 percent of voters in eight battleground states say they are more likely to vote for a candidate who embraces #50by30 and addresses climate change by significantly increasing the amount of clean energy used to power our country. It’s time for the candidates and the Democratic Party to give these voters the opportunity to hear specifically from the Democratic presidential candidates about how they will address the climate crisis.