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Week in Review: July 26, 2019

Jul 26, 2019

It’s been a big week for climate on the 2020 presidential campaign trail!

On Thursday, both CNN and MSNBC announced that they will be holding climate-related events with the presidential candidates this fall:

  • CNN is hosting a Democratic presidential town hall focused on the climate crisis on September 4 in New York City.
  • MSNBC is partnering with the Georgetown Institute of Politics and Public Service and Our Daily Planet to host a climate forum on September 19-20 in Washington, D.C.

This is the kind of attention the climate crisis deserves! Stay tuned for more on how to help LCV make the most of these opportunities.

The other big climate news of the week is that two candidates – Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and  Tom Steyer – released comprehensive climate change plans.

  • Gillibrand’s Climate Change Moonshot Plan includes achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, holding polluters accountable, phasing out fossil fuels, investing in green jobs, and centering frontline communities. Read LCV’s statement on the plan here.
  • Steyer’s Justice-Centered Climate Plan includes achieving a 100% clean energy economy no later than 2024, supporting community driven climate solution, and investing in good, family-sustaining jobs. Read LCV’s statement on the plan here.

And of course we’re looking ahead to next week’s debate in Detroit. Last month in Miami, debate moderators devoted an underwhelming 15 minutes to the climate crisis. With record heat waves across the globe this month – and a new poll of 18 early primary and caucus states showing that climate change continues to be a top priority for voters – we expect both CNN moderators and the candidates to make climate action a top priority.

Speaking of Detroit, we just released a new poll with our friends at Michigan LCV showing that the majority of Michigan voters – 77 percent – believe environmental and climate issues are important, and there is strong support for moving to a completely clean energy economy by 2050. Check out additional details about the poll here.

Here are some other climate highlights from the campaign trail this week:  

  • During a campaign event in Nevada, former Vice President Joe Biden talked about wildfires and climate change.
  • Mayor Pete Buttigieg outlined what he thinks the U.S. should do to address climate change during an event in Washington state.
  • Former HUD Secretary Julián Castro released an Indigenous communities plan that includes ending the leasing of federal lands for fossil fuel extraction and expanding the Department of Energy’s Tribal Energy Program.
  • Speaking with NowThis, former Representative John Delaney said that climate change has to be tackled “if we want to leave the world better than we found it.”
  • Governor Jay Inslee appeared on Chris Hayes’ “Why Is This Happening?” podcast to discuss the climate crisis.
  • Campaigning in New Hampshire, Senator Amy Klobuchar reiterated that she would recommit the U.S. to the international climate change agreement “on day one.”
  • Representative Seth Moulton reiterated his support for the Green New Deal during an interview with Spectrum News 1 in Southern California.
  • Campaigning in Iowa, Senator Bernie Sanders said that the president needs to know that “wind turbine noise doesn’t cause cancer.”

Additionally, several candidates, including Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Senator Kirstin Gillibrand, Governor Jay Inslee, and Senator Elizabeth Warren, used the recent 50th anniversary of the Apollo moon landing to call for action on climate change.