FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 12, 2019

CONTACT:
Collin Rees, collin [at] priceofoil.org

Groups Demanding a DNC Climate Debate: An Outside Summit Forum Is No Alternative

In response to news that The New Republic, Gizmodo, and Columbia’s Earth Institute will be hosting a presidential candidate climate summit, the coalition of progressive and environmental groups who collected over 220,000 petition signatures demanding a climate debate released the following statement. The statement, signed by CREDO Action, Climate Hawks Vote, Amazon Watch, Bold Alliance, Oil Change U.S., NextGen America, 350 Action, Sunrise Movement, US Youth Climate Strike, Friends of the Earth Action, and Chesapeake Climate Action Network, reads:

“Any serious attention being given to the climate crisis is welcome and needed, but a third-party summit is no alternative to an official DNC debate that would reach millions of voters. We need a meaningful debate that will push candidates beyond talking points and press each one for specific plans to take on the fossil fuel industry, confront environmental racism, scale up renewable energy and help communities meet the climate crisis. Brian Kahn and Emily Atkin, both excellent climate journalists and organizers of this summit, agree with us that they’d prefer a debate.

“Outside groups shouldn’t have to pick up the DNC’s slack when it comes to addressing the existential threat of climate change. Tom Perez and the DNC need to create a platform for real solutions to the climate crisis and it must put young people and those on the front lines at the core of the debate.

“Our message to Tom Perez is this: Start listening to the leading Democratic presidential candidates, DNC membership, and more than 200,000 Americans who have called for a climate debate. We will keep getting louder until you do. We can’t afford to wait any longer to start taking climate change seriously.”

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