Fact-Checking Bernie Sanders’ Comments on Climate Change and Terrorism

The Democratic debate in Iowa began with a moment of silence for the victims of the Paris terror attacks before pivoting to a discussion on how to address terrorism.

Bernie Sanders, who vowed to “rid our planet” of ISIS in his opening statement, also said at a previous debate that the greatest threat to national security is climate change. A day after the terrorist attacks, did he, asked moderator John Dickerson, still believe that?

“Absolutely. In fact, climate change is directly related to the growth of terrorism,” Sanders said on Nov. 14. “If we do not get our act together and listen to what the scientists say, you’re gonna see countries all over the world — this is what the CIA says — they’re going to be struggling over limited amounts of water, limited amounts of land to grow their crops, and you’re going to see all kinds of international conflict.”

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“I wouldn’t have said it as strongly, but (climate change) is an accelerant to conflict and helps produce instability,” said Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, a senior fellow at the national security think tank the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. “Within the national security sphere, more and more see climate change as a real problem. They would agree with the broader point.”

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