“Every day in Colorado, voters are bombarded with information about the presidential candidates — some of it useful, much of it frivolous. Too often, the endless chatter from the cable news talking heads is focused on the latest campaign misstep or candidate gaffe.
It’s hard to believe, but despite all the noise on our television screens, the biggest challenge of our generation — climate change — has not received the attention it deserves from most reporters. But during the first presidential debate, on October 3 at the University of Denver, moderator Jim Lehrer has the chance to lead the presidential candidates in a thoughtful discussion about this issue on the national stage.
This past summer, the climate crisis fell right into America’s front yards — in some cases literally. With trees crashing through their windows, water flooding under their doorsteps and droughts destroying their crops, Americans have been hurting from the effects of weather extremes that climate scientists predicted would happen as a result of global warming. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently reported that July to August ranked as the 3rd hottest summer on record in the continental United States.
Here in Colorado, we’ve suffered unprecedented wildfires that have destroyed homes and businesses — causing tens of millions of dollars in damages and the loss of lives. At the same time, warmer temperatures have led to less snow and earlier snowmelt, which can have a devastating impact on the state’s tourism economy.
As renowned climate scientist James Hansen recently put it, “It is no longer enough to say that global warming will increase the likelihood of extreme weather and to repeat the caveat that no individual weather event can be directly linked to climate change. To the contrary, our analysis shows that, for the extreme hot weather of the recent past, there is virtually no explanation other than climate change.”
Climate change is happening and the effects will only get worse if we do not take action soon for our children and grandchildren. Given this, it’s only natural to assume that the issue will be a topic of national conversation. Unfortunately, the news media has largely failed to give climate change the coverage it deserves.
According to a recent study of major media outlets, only 8.7 percent of television segments reported on the record-breaking July heat waves in the context of climate change. You were far more likely to hear about the latest celebrity trends than how President Obama and Governor Romney plan to address the problem.
That’s why the upcoming Colorado debate, focused on domestic issues, is so important. Having Lehrer moderate this debate gives us a unique opportunity — his show, the PBS “NewsHour,” has often provided substantive coverage of important issues ignored by other news outlets. He’s well positioned to lead a meaningful discussion between President Obama and Mitt Romney.
Climate change is not a partisan political issue. In fact, according to a recent Washington Post poll, 73 percent of registered voters say the federal government should regulate greenhouse gases from power plants, cars and factories in an effort to reduce global warming, including more than 70 percent of Independents. If the public had the chance to hear from both candidates, they could make up their own minds. But first the question needs to be asked.
There is no doubt that there are vast differences between President Obama and Governor Romney. Colorado voters – as well as the millions of voters across the country who will be tuning in for this all-important first debate – deserve to hear how these two candidates would tackle the climate crisis. And we hope Lehrer gives the American electorate that opportunity.
Pete Maysmith is executive director of Colorado Conservation Voters. Gene Karpinski is president of the League of Conservation Voters.”
Via Denver Post
