Tom Steyer calls for Dem debate on climate

Billionaire environmentalist donor Tom Steyer is pushing Democrats to devote an entire presidential primary debate to climate change and clean energy.

Steyer, who has raised money for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, said he wants a new debate before the Iowa caucuses in February.

{mosads}“Climate change is an urgent threat to our economy, health, and national security, and requires immediate and bold action from our next president,” Steyer said in a statement.

“The Democratic presidential candidates understand this and have acknowledged the urgency of the climate crisis. Now it’s time for them to tell us exactly what they’d do about it,” he added.

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is planning six debates for the primaries, starting with one next month in Las Vegas.

Steyer heads the NextGen Climate Action PAC, which spent $87 million in last year’s election cycle in an attempt to get climate-friendly candidates elected.

For the presidential race, he’s asked candidates to pledge a platform that would allow the United States to get half of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030.

All of the major Democratic hopefuls have done so.

“It’s time for the candidates and the Democratic Party to give these voters the opportunity to hear specifically from the Democratic presidential candidates about how they will address the climate crisis,” NextGen said in the statement.

Meanwhile, former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) have been pressuring the DNC to hold more debates than are currently scheduled.