Americans are facing the reality of climate change but are torn about what to actually do about it. Despite believers in natural warming and climate change as a hoax, youthful climate activists have started a global revolution towards the issue and people are growing concern. In a voter poll collected by CBS News, 72% of Democrats say climate change is a very important issue to them personally while 20% of Republicans feel the same. Some candidates have included plans to combat climate change and actions towards green infrastructure. For many people, such action on the environment will be a candidate requirement for their vote.  

The recent report by the International Panel on Climate Change warned that the world needs to keep the increase in global warming below 1.5°C and said we had 12 years to take dramatic worldwide action. All candidates have addressed this with most of them having a goal of getting the country to a net zero emissions by 2050. They must first consider where they will find the trillions of dollars to do so. So, who has a plan?  

Bernie Sanders  

Democratic Senator to declare the climate crisis a national emergency and implementing a WW2 scale mobilization that will create 20 million jobs. The Green New Deal is a legislation that many other candidates support to “revive the economy, turn the tide on climate change and make wars for oil obsolete.” To read more about this plan you can visit berniesander.com or gp.org/greennewdeal.  

Bill Weld 

Republican challenger to Trump, Bill Weld supports the United States in rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement and has discussed the idea of pricing carbon emissions to reduce pollution.  

Joe Biden 

Former vice president Joe Biden, who worked alongside Obama’s environmental policy making, has cited The Green New Deal as an inspiration while putting out a 1.7 trillion-dollar plan to invest in green infrastructure and research also following the 2050 goal of net-zero emissions. In transition to a greener nation Biden states, “as president, I will lead America and the world, not only to confront the crisis in front of us, but to seize the opportunities it presents.” Learn more at joebiden.com.  

Elizabeth Warren 

Another supporter for #GreenNewDeal with plans to stop drilling and investments in clean energy tech. Warren plans to combat the climate crisis with green manufacturing, fighting corruption, clean energy, green infrastructure, protecting public lands, sustainable agriculture, and creating good jobs with a just transition.  

Other notable candidates with plans to combat the climate crisis 

• Michael Bennett 
• Cory Booker  
• Kamala Harris 
• Julian Castro  
• Pete Buttigieg  
• Tim Ryan 
• Steve Bullock 

Carly Mehl

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Editor-In-Chief for The Comment. Majoring in Public Relations.

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