The Need for a Climate Change Forum Is More Apparent than Ever Before

(Our Daily Planet) ... (W)e’re proud to formally announce Our Daily Planet’s partnership with the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University to host a first-of-its-kind forum on climate change with presidential hopefuls this fall! All declared 2020 presidential candidates will have an opportunity to participate in this town-hall style forum, in front of a live audience of students at Georgetown and other area DC-area universities.

Our #ClimateDebate will give candidates an opportunity to discuss their vision for addressing and limiting the effects of climate change. Candidates will then take questions from climate journalists and from students at Georgetown and other DC-area universities, as well as from other partner universities across the country.

The town hall events will take place on Georgetown’s main campus on Tuesday and Wednesday, September 17th and 18th. Join the conversation online by tagging @GUPolitics and using hashtag #ClimateDebate. Please stay tuned for additional information to be shared on the McCourt School’s website and Facebook page and well as through our daily email. READ MORE

Excerpt from Politico's Morning Energy: DEMOCRATS CLIMATE PLAN: BEAT TRUMP: The climate questions came and went again last night, and while some Democratic candidates used the time to tout their policy plans, President Donald Trump emerged as the top talking point.

"What the president of the United States should do is not deny the reality of climate change," said Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, "but tell the rest of the world that instead of spending a trillion-and-a-half dollars on weapons of destruction, let's get together for the common enemy, that is to transform the world energy system away from fossil fuel to energy efficiency and sustainable energy."

Former Vice President Joe Biden pushed back on host Chuck Todd's assertion that former President Barack Obama never made headway on climate during his administration, pointing out his success in driving the Paris climate agreement (which Trump has promised to exit).

"You are so underestimating what Barack Obama did. He is the first man to bring together the entire world — 196 nations — to commit to deal with climate change," he said, before adding, "The first thing I would do is make sure that we defeat Donald Trump. Period." Biden also called for building 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations across the U.S.

Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper knocked the Green New Deal — the first reference to the proposal in either debate — saying its call to guarantee jobs for everyone was a socialistic policy, and that he would seek compromises with the energy industry that he pursued in Colorado.

South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigeig called attention to soil management in rural America. "Rural America can be part of the solution instead of being told they are part of the problem," he said. And California Sen. Kamala Harris said the climate crisis "represents an existential threat to us as a species."

"The fact that we have a president of the United States who has embraced science fiction over science fact will be to our collective peril," she added.

Green groups like the youth-led Sunrise Movement cheered responses like the one from Harris, but again complained the questions did not dig deep enough . Sierra Club National Political Director Ariel Hayes in a statement called the climate sections of both nights "insufficient," though they proved Democrats were willing to discuss the issue.

"First, the Democratic candidates are prepared and eager to have the deep, substantive discussion on tackling the climate crisis which we critically need. Second, the DNC's strategy of relying on TV networks to make that happen without a dedicated time and space is simply not going to work," she said.

— Related: Hours before taking the debate stage, Biden signed on to the "No Fossil Fuel Money" pledge, swearing off money from oil executives, lobbyists or PACs. Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet also signed the pledge this week. READ MORE

Excerpt from Politico's Morning Energy: HOLDING IT TOGETHER: Climate activists with Extinction Rebellion DC called on lawmakers to declare a climate emergency by supergluing themselves to the tunnel connecting the House to the Capitol building on Tuesday. "Congress needs to wake up and stop ignoring the climate crisis. @FrankPallone and @SpeakerPelosi — declare climate emergency now!" the group tweeted.

Kaela Bamberger, a spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion DC, told ME the protests were meant to "cause a disruption" and to make a point that the concurrent resolution declaring a climate emergency that was introduced earlier this month should be "a top priority." Bamberger said 17 people were arrested Tuesday, but she added the group also received support from some members who passed the protests, including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Elijah Cummings (D-Md.).

A spokesperson for U.S. Capitol Police confirmed 17 people in total were arrested between Rayburn and Cannon, all of whom were charged with "crowding, obstructing, or incommoding." Eight were also charged with resisting arrest and 15 charged with defacing public property. READ MORE