Democrats Approve Party Platform

The Democratic Party reveals its positions on key policy issues, including those that affect the lives and work of scientists.

Written byBob Grant

| 2 min read

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On the heels of last week's Republican National Convention—during which the GOP unveiled its official party platform—the Democrats approved their party's platform at their own convention, which is in full swing in Charlotte, North Carolina. And the party of President Barack Obama retains its focus on key science issues, such as climate change and alternative energy, basic research funding, and math and science education, touting its victories on the science policy front while downplaying the failures.

Our friends at ScienceInsider combed through the 70-page document and offered these science policy highlights:

Tough on climate change, not cap and trade

The Democrats appear to remain resolute on curbing climate change, but they've apparently abandoned the idea of instituting a cap-and-trade system for carbon emissions, likely because a bill that would have established such a scheme was killed in the Senate 2 years ago. The 2012 platform instead focuses on international treaties ...

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Meet the Author

Bob Grant
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From 2017 to 2022, Bob Grant was Editor in Chief of The Scientist, where he started in 2007 as a Staff Writer. Before joining the team, he worked as a reporter at Audubon and earned a master’s degree in science journalism from New York University. In his previous life, he pursued a career in science, getting a bachelor’s degree in wildlife biology from Montana State University and a master’s degree in marine biology from the College of Charleston in South Carolina. Bob edited Reading Frames and other sections of the magazine.
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