Progressives Doubted Joe Biden on Climate Change. Can He Win Them Over?

"A task force designed to help shape Mr. Biden’s climate plan has recommended that he embrace moving to 100 percent renewable electricity in 15 years and a rapid transition to energy-efficient buildings."

"WASHINGTON — From the earliest days of his presidential campaign, progressive climate advocates viewed Joseph R. Biden Jr. with deep skepticism. He declined to fully endorse the Green New Deal. He opposed a total ban on fracking. Young activists were scathing in their criticism of him, and he was at times openly dismissive of their concerns.

But now, less than four months before Election Day, Mr. Biden is moving urgently to unite and energize his party around his candidacy, aware of the need to engage younger, more liberal voters — and to ensure that they turn out in November. On climate issues, there are signs that Mr. Biden’s allies and some of the party’s leading progressives have quietly started to forge new common ground.

In recent weeks, supporters of Mr. Biden and of Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, his chief rival in the Democratic presidential primary race, have met privately over Zoom, part of several joint task forces that the two contenders established to generate policy recommendations on core domestic priorities, and to facilitate party unity. After two months of those conversations, task force members representing both camps say they have finalized a set of ambitious, near-term climate targets that they hope Mr. Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, will incorporate in his platform."

Lisa Friedman and Katie Glueck report for the New York Times July 6, 2020.

Source: NYTimes, 07/06/2020