Debatewatch: Judging the Democratic Candidates on the Climate Emergency

As the Democratic presidential debates begin this week, we need to keep our eyes open for a candidate with the leadership, courage, and charisma to win and then harness the political power needed to implement bold and transformative climate action policies. We have less than a year and a half to build a movement to win the 2020 election — and face the fact that America’s contribution to the global climate emergency threatens the survival of the human species.

It’s going to be a tough job for candidates, activists and voters alike — especially given that historically, until recently, Americans have preferred a certain sunny optimism in our leadership. Nevertheless, the vast majority of Americans of all political stripes are utterly frustrated by our broken political process and the lack of a serious climate response.