CLIMATE SAW ITS BIGGEST NIGHT IN POLITICS

Washington, D.C. – Tonight, youth activists, family farmers, and longtime advocates brought climate change and the need for bold action to the forefront of the political discussion by using the Democratic National Convention to issue a universal call for the U.S. government to embrace transformative climate solutions.

More than 20 speakers pushed for a strong response to the climate crisis — a record-high for climate during a political party convention. The focus underscores climate’s important role in the 2020 election as an issue that both mobilizes and excites the voters who will determine this election — Republican-leaning suburban women, youth voters, and voters of color.

“Taking on the climate crisis took center stage at the Democratic convention and put a spotlight on the urgent need for action,” said Climate Power 2020 Executive Director Lori Lodes. “The climate emergency is real – and for the first time in our country’s history, a political party rallied around bold climate action. Tonight, Democrats showed they understand that climate change isn’t a hoax to those breathing in the smoke from the wildfires raging across the West, to those suffering from cancer and disease because of toxic pollution in their communities, to the family farmers in Iowa whose crops have been lost, or the young people fighting for their future.”

It is clear that the politics of climate have changed. An April Yale Program on Climate Change Communication survey found voters are 55 percent less likely to vote for a presidential candidate who opposes taking action on climate and moderate Republicans are 35 percentage points less likely to vote for a candidate opposing action. A March 2020 poll from Climate Power 2020 found that critiquing Trump’s record on climate increases Trump’s disapproval among GOP-leaning persuadable voters, and increases motivation to vote by younger voters by 12 percentage points and Hispanic voters by 9 percentage points.