NextGen Climate’s Weekly Recap: Debating The Solutions To Climate Change, At Home And Abroad

The biggest news on the climate change beat this week was the COP21 climate negotiations, currently ongoing in Paris. Countries across the globe have spent months setting ambitious goals and suggesting achievable solutions to the climate crisis, from China’s pledge to cut greenhouse gasses to the Obama Administration’s Clean Power Plan. 

Delegates from nearly every country on Earth have spent the last two weeks working together to craft a bold agreement. As we approach the conclusion of the conference there are now  fewer brackets in the proposed agreement, and a deal seems to be within reach. International negotiators are expressing confidence that an agreement is at hand that would commit countries to limiting global temperature increases to 2°C—and perhaps even lower.

But it’s not only governmental delegates who are in COP21. A broad coalition of leaders from across different disciplines converged in Paris to tout the necessity of tackling the climate crisis. Business leaders in industries ranging from “furniture to food, investment funds to insurers,” discussed the economic case for clean energy, while entrepreneurs such as Bill Gates, joined together with other business leaders to commit to supporting the research and development of high-tech solutions to the climate crisis. A delegation of business leaders from the state of California, led by NextGen Climate President Tom Steyer and California Governor Jerry Brown, came to Paris to share the California Model—showing that in the world’s 8th largest economy, addressing climate change goes hand-in-hand with economic growth. Even Pope Francis got in on the action, promising to “gently intervene” if that’s what it takes to bring global leaders to an agreement. 

And as global leaders are debating solutions on the international stage, serious leaders here in the United States are debating the best ways to transition our country to clean energy. On the campaign trail in Iowa, former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley began comparing his record on climate change to that of other candidates—and articulated specific steps to address the climate crisis. Senator Bernie Sanders unveiled a set of policy proposals explaining how he’d tackle climate change while sitting in the oval office, and the Clinton campaign once again forcefully articulated Secretary Clinton’s support for “real progress on protecting our planet.”

Sadly the same can’t be said for the Republican field. While President Obama promotes American leadership abroad, many GOP candidates prefer avoiding responsibility. Some, like Senator Ted Cruz, are working to actively sabotage the negotiations altogether. This week Senator Cruz  convened a hearing with the misleading title: “Data or Dogma: Promoting Open Inquiry in the Debate over the Magnitude of Human Impact on Earth’s Climate.” This so-called open inquiry features noted climate change skeptics John Christy, Judith Curry, William Harper, and Mark Steyn, and promoted discredited talking points long ago manufactured by the fossil fuel industry. 

With both Democratic and Republican presidential candidates set to debate next week, it’s time to bring this policy debate to the forefront of the political conversation. In the wake of what will likely be a groundbreaking agreement out of COP21, there’s sure to be even greater interest in climate change policy.