Ten 2020 Democratic candidates are taking questions at a seven-hour CNN town hall tonight about how to tackle a "climate crisis."
Why it matters: It's their chance to talk to a broad audience about proposals that some of them have unveiled in just the last few days. Scientific reports from the last 2 years suggest the world is at tipping point to confront the effects of global warming.
Sen. Kamala Harris
Her big picture: She said she would be prepared to get rid of the filibuster to pass a Green New Deal, if there is no bipartisan cooperation on the issue. She characterized addressing climate change as a "fight against powerful interests."
Details: On her first day as president, Harris would declare a drinking water emergency to address climate change, try to end any fossil fuel leases on public lands, ratify the latest amendment in the Montreal Protocol and rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement (which the U.S. cannot actually leave until 2020). She is also in favor of a fracking ban and wants to have electric buses for schools by 2030.
Former tech executive Andrew Yang
His big picture: Yang pinned his climate change plan on financial incentives, and said his plan to give every American $1,000 each month would help people protect themselves in natural disasters.
Details: Yang said he'd rejoin the Paris Climate Accord and attempt to "upgrade the GDP" with a new scorecard that includes environmental sustainability. He would try to ban offshore oil drilling and eliminate all subsidies for fossil fuels. He said he loves the "vision" of the Green New Deal, but takes issue with its 10-year timeline to make the U.S. carbon neutral.
Former HUD secretary Julián Castro
His big picture: Castro identified climate change as "the most existential threat to our country's future." He pointed at events like Hurricane Dorian and ongoing fires in the Amazon as evidence of climate change, saying "we don't need climate scientists to tell us what we see with our own eyes."
Details: As president, Castro said his first executive order would be to rejoin the Paris Climate Accord. He would also aim to bring the U.S. to net-zero emissions by 2050, provide incentives for solar and wind energy production, invest in renewable energy, create a carbon pollution fee and prohibit fossil fuel extraction on federal land.
Go deeper: 2020 climate plans have lofty goals for energy research and development
This is a developing story. Check back for updates....