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There’s still a lot that we don’t know about the results of this election and while it was a long night, here’s what we do know as of very early this morning:
It was not a wave election and even if Biden does win, he will have to govern a very divided nation that rejected Democratic candidates in down-ballot races. That’s no reason to despair yet, but it goes to show that progress on climate action will have to involve Republican and moderate lawmakers in Congress if it has a shot at passing.
Here are some noteworthy wins and losses that most affect climate issues:
Trump/Biden State Wins:
Ohio (Trump)–this is a state with a fracking industry as well as a manufacturing sector that Biden courted in selling his vision of a clean energy transition. The pitch wasn’t enough to sway white, working-class voters.
Arizona (Biden)–this is a state on the very frontlines of climate change and the first big state Dems gained over their 2016 tally. It’s a big win for Biden, and a signal that Democrats should lead with climate issue in Western States.
Senate Wins:
Mark Kelly (D-AZ)–a scientist and an astronaut is sent to the Senate. Out of this world!
John Hickenlooper (D-CO)–despite incumbent Cory Gardner’s (R-CO) last ditch effort to champion the Great American Outdoors Act, it wasn’t enough to win over Colorado voters grappling with devastating wildfires.
Gubernatorial Wins:
Jay Inslee (D-WA) wins reelection
Roy Cooper (D-NC) wins reelection
House Wins:
Cori Bush (D-MO)–Bush is a progressive Democrat and Green New Deal supporter who was endorsed by the Sunrise Movement and will likely lend her voice to the climate issues being championed by The Squad in the House of Reps.
House Loses:
Donna Shalala (D)–FL-27 includes over half of Miami, which is one of the most vulnerable congressional districts in the entire nation to climate change.
Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D)–who won her seat in Florida’s 26th district in 2018 from Republican Carlos Curbelo, in large part on climate issues lost to Republican Carlos Gimenez.
As more votes are counted we’ll bring you further updates!
It’s spring in Paris, they are still struggling with COVID, and yet thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in Paris and numerous other French cities to protest climate change. The French legislature is considering a law to impose tougher measures to combat climate change, but many believe the proposals are not sufficient and so they staged marches in Nancy, Toulouse, Rennes, Lyon, Grenoble, as seen in social media posts.
Why This Matters: Because of the Paris Agreement, France is associated with climate change progress.
As California’s drought conditions are worsening, Nestle is pumping millions of gallons of water from the San Bernardino forest. State water officials have drafted a cease-and-desist order to force the company to stop overpumping from Strawberry Creek, which provides drinking water for about 750,000 people.
Why This Matters: It’s not the first time – other states have also tried to reign in Nestle for its water grabs.
by Ashira Morris, ODP Staff Writer In the Biden administration’s first 100 days, the climate crisis and environmental issues have been at the forefront of the administration’s agenda. As Environment America writes in their progress report, “despite the need to rebuild many federal agencies and tackle the COVID-19 crisis, the Biden administration has already taken […]
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