Climate groups split over whether Biden should 'pass the torch'
By Valerie Volcovici
WASHINGTON, July 18 (Reuters) -Green groups are split over whether President Joe Biden should step aside for another Democrat in the U.S. election, with some concerned his weakening polling against fossil fuel booster Donald Trump could hamper turnout and jeopardize his climate wins.
Biden, 81, is under pressure and scrutiny from some lawmakers, donors and activists to drop his reelection campaign in the wake of a disastrous presidential debate performance this month that renewed questions about his mental fitness.
Environmental groups are anxious at a potential second Trump administration, after his 2017-2021 term brought sweeping roll-backs of environmental regulation and restrictions on oil drilling, plus withdrawal from an international pact.
A second Trump presidency would almost certainly seek to erase many of Biden's climate policy wins, including rolling back major vehicle and power plant rules and repealing or weakening key parts of the current administration's signature climate law the Inflation Reduction Act, according to his campaign speeches and policy agenda.
Of eight national environmental groups contacted by Reuters, two want Biden to step aside, one wants him to stay, and the rest were undecided or declined to comment.
"Joe Biden's inability to campaign coherently and articulate an alternative to the far right will result in lower turnout among potential Democratic voters faced with a choice between two old white men clinging to power," said Evan Drukker-Schardl, an organizer with Climate Defiance.
DAMPENING TURNOUT
Climate Defiance, which has disrupted events featuring Democratic and Republican officials and lawmakers to protest against weak climate policies and fossil fuel production, plans to blockade Democratic National Committee headquarters on Friday as they schedule a roll call vote to nominate their presidential slate.
Youth climate group the Sunrise Movement, meanwhile, has called for Biden to "pass the torch".
"After speaking with young people across the country over the past few weeks, I am concerned that Joe Biden isn't positioned to mobilize young people and win in November," Sunrise director Aru Shiney-Ajay said.
Friends of the Earth Action said it welcomed "the public discourse surrounding Biden's electability" and was still weighing an endorsement.
Meanwhile, the Sierra Club last week said it would stick with Biden. “No president in history has taken more action on climate than Joe Biden," said its president Ben Jealous. "We will work tirelessly to re-elect President Biden come November."
Natural Resources Defense Council Action declined to comment, while the League of Conservation Voters and EDF Action did not respond to requests for comment.
Third Act, an organization of older people and retirees led by climate activist Bill McKibben, which was influential in urging Biden to halt LNG exports, has also not taken a position. McKibben did not respond for a request for comment.
Reporting by Valerie Volcovici; additional reporting by Tim Gardner and Rick Cowan; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne
Últimas noticias
Descargo de responsabilidades: Cada una de las entidades de XM Group proporciona un servicio de solo ejecución y acceso a nuestra plataforma de trading online, permitiendo a una persona ver o usar el contenido disponible en o a través del sitio web, sin intención de cambiarlo ni ampliarlo. Dicho acceso y uso están sujetos en todo momento a: (i) Términos y Condiciones; (ii) Advertencias de riesgo; y (iii) Descargo completo de responsabilidades. Por lo tanto, dicho contenido se proporciona exclusivamente como información general. En particular, por favor tenga en cuenta que, los contenidos de nuestra plataforma de trading online no son ni solicitud ni una oferta para entrar a realizar transacciones en los mercados financieros. Operar en cualquier mercado financiero implica un nivel de riesgo significativo para su capital.
Todo el material publicado en nuestra plataforma de trading online tiene únicamente fines educativos/informativos y no contiene –y no debe considerarse que contenga– asesoramiento ni recomendaciones financieras, tributarias o de inversión, ni un registro de nuestros precios de trading, ni una oferta ni solicitud de transacción con instrumentos financieros ni promociones financieras no solicitadas.
Cualquier contenido de terceros, así como el contenido preparado por XM, como por ejemplo opiniones, noticias, investigaciones, análisis, precios, otras informaciones o enlaces a sitios de terceros que figuran en este sitio web se proporcionan “tal cual”, como comentarios generales del mercado y no constituyen un asesoramiento en materia de inversión. En la medida en que cualquier contenido se interprete como investigación de inversión, usted debe tener en cuenta y aceptar que dicho contenido no fue concebido ni elaborado de acuerdo con los requisitos legales diseñados para promover la independencia en materia de investigación de inversiones y, por tanto, se considera como una comunicación comercial en virtud de las leyes y regulaciones pertinentes. Por favor, asegúrese de haber leído y comprendido nuestro Aviso sobre investigación de inversión no independiente y advertencia de riesgo en relación con la información anterior, al que se puede acceder aquí.
