"Former Vice President Joe Biden is backing calls for a 2020 presidential debate focused solely on climate change a week after the Democratic National Committee (DNC) announced it would not host one.

"Yeah, I’m all in," the White House hopeful said Tuesday at a campaign rally in Iowa when asked about a debate dedicated to climate change.

Last week, the DNC informed Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D), who has built his 2020 campaign around environmental issues, that it would not hold a debate focused on climate.

That decision has been met with backlash, including from many other 2020 contenders who say a climate-specific debate is warranted given the severity of the crisis.

According to Greenpeace, 16 Democratic candidates, including Biden, have called for a climate debate."

Chris Mills Rodrigo reports for The Hill June 11, 2019. [2]