An Obscure Issue Four Years Ago, Climate Emerged as a Top Concern in New Hampshire

Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders celebrates after winning the New Hampshire first-in-the-nation primary election on Tuesday night. Credit: Drew Angerer/Getty Images Bernie Sanders wasn’t the only victor in New Hampshire on Tuesday. Amid the over-the-top politicking that has come to define the first-in-the-nation primary, climate change rose from obscurity to a place among the top issues for Democratic voters. That marks a win for activists and several extraordinary campaigns in New Hampshire to elevate the recognition of climate as a crisis requiring political action. With tidal flooding increasing on the coastline, and wildlife—including the iconic moose—visibly dwindling, New Hampshire has had ample opportunity to witness first-hand the impacts of climate change. But what has moved voters most of all, say many activists, is the risk they perceive in President Donald Trump’s aggressive policy that puts fossil-fueled expansion above environmental protection. Our stories. Your inbox. Every weekend. “Prior to 2016, environmentalists often viewed environmentalism in apolitical ways—changing the way you go to work, the way you consume electricity. They rarely thought about voting,” said Nathaniel Stinnett, founder and executive director of the Boston-based Environmental Voter Project. “What I think started to happen dramatically in 2016 is that people who cared […]

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