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California’s wildfire season has just begun. But this year’s fires are already considered the worst on record. According to the authorities, more than 19,000 square kilometers of land have already been charred – that’s about half the area of Switzerland as a whole!
It doesn’t get dark at night in San Francisco anymore. The sky appears in a red-orange light, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Also in San Diego one has not seen a blue sky for more than a week because of the smoke. Air quality there last week reached an alarming 220, double that of Beijing’s Chinese smog hell on the same day.
Californians are used to wildfires. But the fact that a new negative record is set year after year is also new to the people of the gold state. Scientists blame climate change for this. They see evidence that the climate crisis exacerbates weather extremes like drought and heat, which contribute to more violent wildfires. California Governor Gavin Newsom (52) said it this week: “California is America in a fast race.”
Wildfires in the United States: Governor on climate change deniers: “Look at this”(00:50)
How Trump and Biden Address Climate Change
Although Americans on the West Coast are already feeling the effects of global warming, climate change is not a problem in the current presidential election campaign. If Republican candidate Donald Trump (74) has to talk about it – as he did during his visit to California this week – then he denies knowledge of science in the usual way.
Democratic candidate Joe Biden (77) has positioned himself as a climate savior. In July he said: “There is no more momentous challenge that we will have to face in the next decade than the onset of the climate crisis.” Biden has already laid out a plan. But then he really doesn’t want to handle it. Ranks fourth or fifth at least; it was no different before the corona pandemic. Fun when it’s the “biggest” challenge.
“It will get cooler again”: Donald Trump doesn’t believe in climate change(00:48)
Why the climate crisis is not a problem
Biden’s reluctance is political. Because climate change leaves most American voters cold! According to a recent Pew Research Center poll, the topic is only 11th on the list of citizens’ concerns! Europe experienced the Greta hype in 2019, the US never participated.
In any case, Americans have a completely different idea of climate protection than Europeans. The individual COtwo-To reduce the footprint? It is not a problem here. Not even among the most politically left-wing Americans. People in the United States can believe in technologies like electric vehicles or solar panels. But the vast majority are firmly against state regulations.
The fact that people are now dying in the flames in California, tens of thousands fleeing and perhaps losing all their belongings does not change the political dynamic. Climate change will not play the central role in the November elections that the problem really deserves. Donald Trump doesn’t care, Joe Biden doesn’t care. Both are questionable.
The US presidential elections will be held on November 3, 2020. Current President Donald Trump is seeking a second term. Can he defend his position or will challenger Joe Biden win for the Democrats?
All current election and candidate developments are always available on the news ticker, and all articles on the subject can be found here on the US Elections page.
