Climate groups raise concerns as ‘nominating Biden is a recipe for electing Trump’
Some climate campaigners are putting additional pressure on US President Joe Biden to drop out of the US presidential election. They stress the need to nominate another candidate who could prevent Donald Trump from becoming president and tearing up Biden’s climate policies.
The environmental movement has been a defensive wall for Biden as he secured landmark climate legislation and tighter pollution rules for vehicles. But that support has started to see a drop amid questions over his mental and physical ability to handle another term in office.
Biden asked to “pass the torch” to protect his “climate legacy”
Michael Greenberg, founder of Climate Defiance, said: “Nominating Biden is a recipe for electing Trump.” He highlighted the need to choose a nominee who can win in November “for the sake of the climate and our democracy”, stressing “that person is not Joseph Biden.”
The Sunrise Movement, a prominent and influential youth-led environmental justice group that helped the incumbent President draft his climate agenda in 2020, recently called for the politician to “pass the torch” to protect his “climate legacy”.
But several of the largest green groups have not given a strong response on if they still support Biden’s candidacy. Greenberg said “they are cowards”, stressing: “The most important thing for the climate is to beat Trump,” reported the Guardian.
Politicians split over Biden’s candidacy: have a look
Progressive climate leaders in Congress are split over Biden’s candidacy. Michigan representative Rashida Tlaib said she is not ready to endorse the president’s re-election campaign. But some like Vermont senator Bernie Sanders have vocally backed Joe Biden.
Only 20 Congressional Democrats have publicly called on Biden to end his re-election bid. But several prominent names like former House speaker Nancy Pelosi and House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries have reportedly voiced concerns to the president in private.
