8 Questions About the Climate Crisis for the Democratic Debates

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The climate crisis is not just the biggest issue of the 2020 election, or the biggest issue of our time — it is the biggest issue that human civilization has ever faced. We are talking about the basic operating system of the entire planet. If we fuck it up too badly, we’re goners, and so is much of the other life on this planet.

Given how much is at stake, you might think the climate crisis deserves a debate of its own among Democratic candidates, especially given the fact that Democratic voters identify it as a top issue this year. But the Democratic National Committee nixed that idea. In a Medium post, DNC chairman Tom Perez reassured climate activists that he understands the urgency of the climate crisis very well…although not well enough, apparently, to give it the debate time it deserves.

That means that during the upcoming Democratic debates, the climate crisis will not be treated like what writer Alex Steffen rightly calls “a planetary emergency.” In a two hour debate, the climate crisis will likely get maybe 10 minutes of discussion (Washington Senator Jay Inslee, who has released by far the most aspirational climate plan of all the candidates, will undoubtedly do all he can to keep it rolling as long as possible).

Let’s say you’re the moderator of one of these debates. And let’s say you really do care about giving the climate crisis the kind of thoughtful discussion it deserves. What are the right questions to ask?

First, as David Roberts at Vox pointed out, it is long past time to be asking about whether climate change is “real,” or whether candidates “believe” in climate change.

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https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/climate-crisis-questions-democratic-debates-miami-852285/