Virginia Voters Need to Hear How Candidates for Governor Will Address Flooding, Climate Change

(Washington, D.C., September 16, 2021) EDF Action, the advocacy partner of the Environmental Defense Fund, is calling for the moderators to ask a question on the flood risks facing Virginians and their plans to eliminate climate pollution.

“Tonight, is the first opportunity to hear directly from Terry McAuliffe and Glenn Youngkin on the critical issues impacting the Commonwealth, including climate change and flooding,” said EDF Action President Joe Bonfiglio. “That’s why we’re urging both candidates to talk about climate pollution and resilience at tonight’s debate — to let voters know how as Governor they would tackle these challenges head on.”

EDF Action released a poll and blog that showed just how concerned Virginians are about the risk of flooding and the need for their leaders to address it. In fact, more than 77% of voters, throughout the Commonwealth, want the next governor to address the state’s flood risk, and 81% of voters support a science-based plan that is regularly updated. Additionally, a strong majority of Virginians (62%) list taking action to combat climate change as a priority. Climate change poses a significant threat to Virginia’s coastal communities, infrastructure and economy. The state has the highest rates of sea level rise of the entire Atlantic seaboard, putting more than 34,000 buildings and 534 square miles of land at risk of flooding by 2060.