A science advocacy group is putting $100,000 toward hosting a Democratic presidential primary debate focused on climate change after the Democratic National Committee (DNC) said it wouldn’t hold the issue-specific forum.<\/p>\n
314 Action, an organization that works to elect scientists, created an online petition\u00a0that asks\u00a0for partner organizations to join in on hosting a climate change-specific debate in the fall and calls on candidates to commit to participating.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor us and for the country, it\u2019s like, this is a debate that\u2019s worth having and the DNC should allow for this debate to happen,\u201d 314 Action executive director Josh Morrow told The Hill.\u00a0ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n
The group\u00a0believes one or two questions about such a pressing issue asked to each candidate during a debate is not enough.<\/p>\n
314 Action\u2019s plan follows calls from several 2020 candidates asking for a climate change debate \u2014 first requested by Washington Gov. Jay InsleeJay Robert InsleeInslee calls on Trump to ‘stay out of Washington state’s business’ Seattle mayor responds to Trump: ‘Go back to your bunker’ Trump warns he will take back Seattle from ‘ugly Anarchists’ if local leaders don’t act MORE (D).\u00a0<\/p>\n
DNC Chairman Tom PerezThomas Edward PerezClinton\u2019s top five vice presidential picks Government social programs: Triumph of hope over evidence Labor\u2019s ‘wasteful spending and mismanagement\u201d at Workers\u2019 Comp MORE published a statement on Medium earlier this month, doubling down on his position to not allow a climate change debate. While acknowledging the urgent threat climate change poses, Perez said he\u2019s received more than 50 requests for debates focused on other issues.\u00a0<\/p>\n