"How do the Democratic presidential hopefuls compare on their climate actions and promises to solve the crisis? With the debates coming, ICN analyzes their records."

"Anyone who views the climate crisis as a compelling issue can only be frustrated by how it has been handled in presidential debates over the years—neglected, mostly. And as the first round of debates for the 2020 election arrives, the frustration may be repeated, if for different reasons this time around.

It's not that the issue won't come up. It will, driven by climate events in the real world, by the extraordinary record of reversal and denial in Washington, by the emphatic alarms of scientists, and by the loud insistence of activists that candidates and the media alike do their share in focusing the spotlight on the urgency of action. Even if the interrogators don't emphasize it, some candidates will.

To prepare for the debates, we explored the candidates' evolution on climate change and early progress in bringing the issue to the forefront in 2020. In the following series of profiles, we focus on the most prominent candidates and those with the most detailed climate proposals, with an eye toward showing the spectrum of policy choices."

John H. Cushman Jr. reports for InsideClimate News June 24, 2019. [2]

SEE ALSO:

"Calls Increase For Democrats To Face Climate Change In Miami" (AP) [3]

"A 2020 Cheat Sheet: How 21 Democrats Answered Our Questions Before the Debates" (New York Times) [4]

"Miami, Drowning and Scorching, Awaits Democrats for Debate" (New York Times) [5]

"Americans Demand Climate Action (As Long As It Doesn't Cost Much): Reuters Poll" (Reuters) [6]

"The 2020 Democratic Primary: GTM’s Definitive Climate and Energy Guide" (Greentech Media) [7]