Democratic Candidates Agree on Climate Change, Except for Role of Natural Gas

The Democratic debate last night indicated how deeply climate change is coloring the presidential race.

The six candidates on stage told voters that it’s the most pressing issue, with a mostly unified voice. It came as polls show that climate change is a top concern among Democratic voters as the nation races toward primary contests beginning with the Iowa caucuses on Feb. 3.

Although moderators disappointed some environmentalists and others by devoting just one round of questions to climate, the candidates sprinkled it into answers all night. Several invoked carbon emissions when the discussion turned to trade or the military. Some talked about the National Environmental Policy Act, a law requiring environmental reviews for large projects, and other detailed policies like the methane waste rule and corporate average fuel economy standards.