The second night of Democratic presidential primary debates largely steered clear of climate change, drawing pushback from some green groups that had hoped to see the issue take center stage.
The topic saw roughly seven minutes of airtime during the two-hour debate.
The length of time devoted to the debates angered climate activists who have for months been calling for a debate devoted entirely to the issue.
“Another debate, another climate section the length of a bathroom break,” tweeted the Sunrise Moevement, a youth advocate-driven group focused on climate issues.
“By not discussing climate nearly enough, this debate allowed candidates to hide behind vague promises of climate action,” Friends of the Earth tweeted after the debate.
Sunrise Movement and other environmental groups like the Sierra Club, along with candidates such as Washington Gov. Jay Inslee
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But the Democratic National Committee has rejected those calls, with chairman Tom Perez
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Inslee, a long shot presidential hopeful who appeared in the first round of debates on Wednesday, renewed his call for a climate-focused debate following Thursday’s round.
“Fifteen minutes in four hours of debate is not enough time for candidates to put forward the bold plans needed to defeat climate change,” he said in a statement.
Former Vice President Joe Biden
Joe BidenHarris spikes in Google search after Biden confrontation Trump campaign manager gloats after Biden-Harris exchange during Democrats’ debate Biden pushes back on Obama’s climate record MORE, Sens. Kamala Harris
Kamala Devi HarrisHarris spikes in Google search after Biden confrontation Trump campaign manager gloats after Biden-Harris exchange during Democrats’ debate Harris attacks Biden’s record on civil rights in debate MORE (D-Calif) and Bernie Sanders
Bernie SandersBernie Sanders says he would move to ‘rotate’ Supreme Court justices if elected Delaney mocks Democrats at second debate: ‘These people are terrible at interrupting’ Trump comments on Democratic debates during G-20 meeting with Merkel MORE (I-Vt.) were asked to weigh in on their climate plans. South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg
Peter (Pete) Paul ButtigiegHarris spikes in Google search after Biden confrontation Dem candidates rip Trump on China ahead of crucial trade summit Buttigieg addresses South Bend police shooting in debate MORE, former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper
John Wright HickenlooperHarris spikes in Google search after Biden confrontation Live coverage: 2020 candidates face off in second night of Democratic debates Swalwell: I won’t be ‘butchering Spanish’ during Democratic debate MORE, and author Marianne Williamson
Marianne WilliamsonHarris spikes in Google search after Biden confrontation Live coverage: 2020 candidates face off in second night of Democratic debates Swalwell: I won’t be ‘butchering Spanish’ during Democratic debate MORE also offered their proposals surrounding the issue.
Harris, who referred to climate change as a crisis and reiterated her support for the Green New Deal, attacked President Trump
Donald John TrumpTrump campaign manager gloats after Biden-Harris exchange during Democrats’ debate Biden pushes back on Obama’s climate record Dem candidates rip Trump on China ahead of crucial trade summit MORE for his lack of leadership on the issue.
“The fact that we have a President of the United States who embraces science fiction over science fact will be to our collective peril,” she said.
Biden broke down some of the expenses of his $5 trillion climate plan, saying he would insist on installing 500,000 charging stations across the U.S. so that the nation could reach “a full electric vehicle future” by 2030. He added that he wants to invest $400 million in green energy research.
Hickenlooper stressed his past work with the oil and gas industry to reduce methane emissions, but cautioned against demonizing businesses.
“I think we’ve got to recognize that only by bringing people together, businesses and nonprofits — and we can’t demonize every business. We’ve got to bring them together to be part of this, too,” he said, otherwise, “we will be doomed to failure.”
Sanders, who has yet to release a climate plan for 2020, vowed to transition the U.S. away from fossil fuels to sustainable energy, saying the U.S should spend more money on sustainable energy sources than the military and foreign intervention.
“What the president of the United States should do is not deny the reality of climate change,” he said, adding “Instead of spending a trillion and a half [dollars] on weapons and destruction, let us get together for the common enemy.”
