I watched the conventions for both major political parties hoping to hear what they intend to do about climate change. Sadly, I didn’t hear much that was real.
The truth is, even though some of our leaders say they understand the reality of climate change, no political party is doing what must be done to confront and resolve this most urgent crisis of our time.
On October 3, the presidential candidates will meet for their first televised debate. We need to make sure that they are talking about climate change and the extreme weather that is happening here in the U.S. and around the world. And they need to tell us what steps they will take to solve this crisis.
Sign our petition to bring climate change into the first presidential debate. Tell Debate Moderator Jim Lehrer that he must ask both presidential candidates about their views on climate change and what they are going to do about it.
We’re joining with the League of Conservation Voters to ask Jim Lehrer to include a question about climate change in this debate — because it’s too critical to put off any longer.
The climate crisis is unfolding before our eyes. Just so far this year, there have been more record-high temperatures in the U.S. than in all of 2011, the year when dirty weather events around the world brought the reality of climate change into our own backyards.
Now, the worst drought in decades has devastated half our country, sparking destructive wildfires and raising the price of food — as well as wreaking havoc on the economies of agricultural communities.
And that’s not all: More Arctic sea ice has melted this year than at any time in recorded history. As we see more heat waves, melting ice and extreme storms, we’re experiencing firsthand the impacts of carbon-created dirty weather in our warming climate. We need to move quickly to confront this reality — and charge forward on solutions.
But our leaders are not acting. Whether they deny that climate change even exists and ridicule those who believe in it, or simply fail to show us how they will solve this crisis, they are failing to lead an urgently needed conversation about how to confront the climate crisis.
That’s why we must bring climate change into the presidential debates. This is not a partisan issue. Both parties have the responsibility to put solutions on the table. But we can’t get to the important work of debating and implementing solutions if the candidates won’t even talk about the problem.
Help start a national conversation about the biggest crisis of our time. We need Jim Lehrer to ask a question about climate change in the first presidential debate.
Sign the petition. Let’s make it happen!
aaron lewis
September 17th
I have written to both candidates saying that they will not get any $$ from me until they put forth an agressive policy on climate change.
The response was standard fund raising requests.
robert pujol vives
September 17th
It is not a political issue but a social. Nobody wants to give up the car, the television and other comforts.
Politicians will never dare put real energy price or they restrict its use. To the other side energy companies pay their campaign, and there don’t help to avord the issue.
It is necessary to leave a brave political discourse that brings this truth, but certainly will not have enough financial support and enought political support.
The evidence is great but people only see what they want see; and politicians talk to people that they want here and they make that want who pay then.
Judith R. Neville
September 17th
This is the most important challenge you face!!! If we kill the world we won’t have to worry about unemployment, health care, war, the economy…..won’t matter one iota.
Margaret Beeke
September 25th
I find many people I meet do believe in climate change but just don’t realize how urgent the problem
is. My dentist told me recently that the real consequences would only be seen in a hundred years. Another woman who considers
herself quite well versed in climate matters told me
that neither my 28 year old daughter nor I would see
serious disruption from climate change. I shouldn’t
worry about it, there was plenty of time to make
the necessary changes. So there is work to be done
even among the believers to communicate
URGENCY
David Lilley
September 26th
A better televised debate would be between a leading scientist from each side of the debate. Then we would show them who has the science on their side.