Elections are complicated. But what if you boiled it down to the candidates who had the best environmental policies? That narrows the field quite a bit.
In general, Democrats have offered far better environmental protections and plans to phase out of fossil fuel-generated energy and transition to renewable sources. Regulations protect the environment and those who occupy it (humans and nature). With a close relationship to the oil industry, Republicans do not favor regulations, even at the expense of their own health.
So if your goal is to "go green" and get those into office who offer policies to protect the environment, the choice is clear. Vote left for State and Local Elections.
This also applies to the Presidential Election. The reasons for this are as follows:
Climate Policy
Joe: Plans to rejoin the Paris Agreement, reinstate emissions rules, and invest $2 trillion to confront the “grave threat”
Donald: Left Paris Agreement, rolled back Obama-era emissions rules, and doesn’t factor climate change into policy decisions
Winner: Joe
Comprehensive Climate Plan
Joe: Climate plan outlines strategies to achieve 100% clean electricity by 2035 and net-zero emissions by 2050
Donald: Has not announced a plan to tackle climate change
Winner: Joe
Creating market incentives for renewables
Joe: Supports rapid new innovations and using the renewable energy market as a major job creatorUndid Obama-era rules that encouraged the growth of renewable energy
Donald: Undid Obama-era rules that encouraged the growth of renewable energy
Winner: Joe
Renewable Energy--Cars
Joe: Wants strict fuel-efficiency standards in an attempt to make purchases of all new cars and light trucks electric
Donald: Rescinded higher fuel-economy standards for cars and trucks
Winner: Joe
Renewable Energy--Nuclear
Joe: Supports developing small-scale nuclear reactors
Donald: Wants to ramp up nuclear energy and uranium production
Winner: Joe
Pollution
Joe: Wants to strengthen pollution laws to reduce the disproportionate impact on low-income communities of color
Donald: Weakened and rolled back several regulations aimed at protecting water
Winner: Joe
Plastic
Joe: Mentions plastic as a threat to safe water in his climate plan. Supports phasing out single-use plastics
Donald: Launched a program that focuses on recycling to reduce plastic waste. Has dismissed single-use plastic bans
Winner: Joe
Conservation
Joe: Supports goal of conserving 30 percent of America’s land and water by 2030 as a way to slow extinctions
Donald: Many animals lost endangered species protections under Trump Administration
Winner: Joe
Protected Lands
Joe: Promised to restore protections to several areas opened up by the Trump Administration
Donald: Dramatically shrank some national monuments on land and at sea, but added 1.3 million acres of wilderness areas
Winner: Joe
Result:
Joe Biden beats Donald Trump in every category above, making the choice clear. A vote for Joe Biden is a vote for the Environment.
Greenpeace also scored Joe Biden the Winner in terms of Environmental Policy (Joe scored 75.5/100, Donald scored 0/100).
According to National Geographic, "Biden’s climate plan promises to “protect biodiversity, slow extinction rates, and leverage natural climate solutions,” noting that the Obama Administration protected 550 million acres in the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans. The plan talks about repurposing AmeriCorps for sustainability; in a Democratic presidential debate earlier this year, Biden touted a “civilian climate corps” that could be used to reduce vulnerability to wildfires and floods. Before joining the presidential ticket, his Senate voting record shows he supported expanding and protecting public lands and was willing to appropriate funds to do so."
"[Biden] Would seek to increase reforestation projects on federal lands and establish national parks and national monuments “that reflect America’s natural heritage.” He would aim to slow extinction rates by conserving 30 percent of America’s land and water by 2030. His climate plan proposes to permanently protect ANWR and says he would ban new oil and gas permits on public land and water. In a policy document outlining his commitment to Native American tribes, Biden says he will undo Trump’s rollback on Bears Ears. The Democratic Party platform promises to reinstate protections for the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument."
Donald has received endorsements from the following activist organizations:
60 Plus Association
America First Action
American Crossroads
American Energy Alliance[
Americans for Limited Government
Arizona Police Association
Associated Builders and Contractors
Billy Graham Evangelistic Association
Brigade 2506 Veteran's Association
California Republican Assembly
CatholicVote.org
Church Militant
Citizens United
Club for Growth
College Republican National Committee
Committee to Defend the President
The Conservative Caucus
Crow Tribe of Montana
Deplorable Pride
Eagle Forum
Empower Texans
Faith and Freedom Coalition
Focus on the Family
FreedomWorks
Gays for Trump
Great America Committee
Great America PAC
Harvard Republican Club
Huck PAC
Illinois Family Association
Jexodus
Log Cabin Republicans
Michigan Farm Bureau
Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life
National Diversity Coalition for Trump
National Federation of Republican Assemblies
National Federation of Republican Women
National Republican Congressional Committee
National Rifle Association
National Right to Life Committee
New York Young Republican Club
Ohio Right to Life
Operation Rescue
Pasadena Republican Club
Priests for Life
Proud Boys (endorsement rejected by Trump)
Republican Hindu Coalition
Republican Jewish Coalition
Republican National Hispanic Assembly
Republican National Lawyers Association
Republicans Overseas
Republican State Leadership Committee
Students for Trump
Susan B. Anthony List
Tea Party Express
Tea Party Patriots
Texas Alliance for Life
Texas Patriots PAC
Turning Point Action
Women for Trump
Young Republicans
Joe Biden has received environmental or activist endorsements from:
350 Action
Bend the Arc
Brady Campaign
CASA de Maryland
Center for Biological Diversity
Center for Popular Democracy
Chesapeake Climate Action Network
Clean Water Action
Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles
Coalition to Stop Gun Violence
Color of Change
Council for a Livable World
Democratic Majority for Israel PAC
End Citizens United
Environment America
Equality California
Equality Florida
EqualityMaine
Everytown for Gun Safety
Friends of the Earth
Garden State Equality
Giffords
Harvey Milk Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Democratic Club
High School Democrats of America
Houston GLBT Political Caucus
Human Rights Campaign
Humane Society of the United States
Indivisible
Jewish Democratic Council of America
J Street
League of Conservation Voters
Let America Vote
MoveOn
NARAL Pro-Choice America
National Association of Social Workers
National Center for Transgender Equality
National Iranian American Council
National LGBT Chamber of Commerce
National Organization for Women
National Wildlife Federation
Natural Resources Defense Council
The People's Alliance
People for the American Way
Planned Parenthood
Population Connection
Protect Our Winters
Republican Voters against Trump
The BlueGreen Alliance
The RINJ Foundation
Scientific American
Sierra Club
Southern Alliance for Clean Energy
Stonewall Democrats
Sunrise Movement
UnidosUS
U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce
Voto Latino
VoteVets
And now...
Earth 2.0
The lists of endorsements are not comprehensive and may be outdated by this article's posting.
Sources: