2020 Democratic Candidates on the Issue of Climate Change

The New York Times sent a climate policy survey to the 18 declared candidates. They all want to stick to the Paris Agreement. Beyond that, they diverge.

BY LISA FRIEDMAN & MAGGIE ASTOR | nytimes.com

The nuclear option

The most divisive policy among the candidates was nuclear energy. Many climate change activists reject nuclear plants, even though they emit no carbon dioxide, because of safety concerns and a general preference for wind, solar and other purely renewable sources. And only seven candidates were unequivocally in favor of new nuclear energy development.

Mr. Sanders, who has called for a moratorium on nuclear power license renewals in the United States, rejected nuclear energy, as did Ms. Gabbard and Mr. Messam, the mayor of Miramar, Fla.

More than half of the carbon-free electricity in the United States currently comes from nuclear energy, and even many proponents of renewables say a 100 percent transformation to clean energy by midcentury will be nearly impossible without it.

“It can’t be done with wind and solar alone,” Mr. Booker said in a speech in 2016. His campaign said developing next-generation nuclear reactors would be key in decarbonizing the United States “at the speed and scale that scientists are telling us is necessary to avoid the worst impacts from climate change.”

FAVOR NEW NUCLEAR DEVELOPMENT:
Cory Booker, John Delaney, John Hickenlooper, Jay Inslee, Amy Klobuchar, Tim Ryan, Andrew Yang

Mr. Sanders, who has called for a moratorium on nuclear power license renewals in the United States, rejected nuclear energy, as did Ms. Gabbard and Mr. Messam, the mayor of Miramar, Fla.

Mr. Swalwell, a representative from California; Mr. Castro, the former housing secretary; and Ms. Williamson didn’t rule it out but expressed strong reservations. Others chose not to answer the question at all.

Original article: https://truthout.org/articles/the-f-35-fighter-jet-will-cost-1-5-trillion-its-time-for-new-priorities/