The Republican Party is failing young conservatives like me by refusing to discuss climate change at its convention

We're the ones who phone-bank and wear out our tennis shoes knocking on doors — and though we appreciate the support of leaders in the GOP, we now need a little more in return

If the party wants to know how to capture the youth vote, there's an easy answer (Photo Courtesy of the Committee )

I became involved with politics and advocacy at a young age — 12 years old, to be exact. As a 23-year-old today, I have spent half of my life dedicated to a movement said to champion free markets, individual liberty, personal responsibility, strong leadership, and small government. In my 11 years of activism, I’ve been told time and time again that my peers and I are the future of conservatism. I appreciate the encouragement from leaders in my party, but despite this lip service, the Republican National Committee has continued to fail its young activists.

Ahead of the 2020 convention, the RNC opted not to update its 2016 platform and instead gave unwavering support to the Trump campaign’s agenda. This move is unprecedented, and frankly, detrimental for the GOP’s long-term survival. With this move, the values I have dedicated my work to were thrown under the bus, and in their place sits only a cult of personality. If the values I thought conservatism stood for can so easily be cast aside, what have I, and thousands of other young activists, been working toward? This abdication of our moral values is unsustainable, but more than that, it is uninspiring.

It’s no secret that conservative youth drive GOTV campaigns, spend countless hours phone-banking, and wear out our tennis shoes door-knocking. We host events with elected officials and candidates, cheer on their work via social media, and consistently defend our party to our peers and on college campuses. And yet, when it matters most, our concerns are consistently left off the table, nonstarters. While party leaders may not understand why the GOP doesn't attract the youth vote, all they need to do is ask one of the young Republicans they laud as the future of the party. The answer will be clear: work on climate.

We’re not asking for a Green New Deal, but it's not enough to be against a bad policy. It's long past time the GOP put forth a serious, realistic climate plan. Recent polling demonstrates that climate change is an important issue to 77 percent of right-leaning young Americans. The same poll shows that this demographic is also lukewarm on the Green New Deal, and wants free-market solutions instead.

It’s obvious, then, that without a GOP alternative, young cons are left feeling both disappointed and disenfranchised. Climate isn’t a new concern; the RNC has had plenty of time to develop a serious platform on the issue. For all the hours activists have spent mobilizing for the party, the least leaders could do is hear them out — the political, moral, and strategic cases are all there.

While the climate change debate has been politically charged and hyper-partisan for the better part of three decades, the time for simply obstructing climate alarmism is long over. Concerns about the progressive approach to climate are valid, but we cannot sustainably continue being the party of “no.” The conservative movement demonstrates that a small-government, market-based approach can and will work to fight the effects of climate change.

In recent years, leaders in the Republican Party have begun to embrace this way of thinking. House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy led a charge to introduce innovation-focused climate legislation to actionably reduce emissions. In the Senate, the likes of Republican Senators Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins have introduced legislation that promotes development of clean energy and innovative technologies. This is encouraging, but until climate solutions are in the party’s platform, an integral piece is missing.

Even after signing the Great American Outdoors Act, a historic conservation bill, Trump’s second-term agenda all but ignores our planet. The agenda includes next to nothing on climate and conservation, two issues consistently at top of mind for young Americans, and yes, that includes young Republicans. As congressional leaders begin to invest more and more in environmental policy, the Trump campaign has dismissed an opportunity to pivot the party to a place that would motivate the youth vote, promote economic success, and keep our environment thriving.

Young people want climate solutions. The GOP won't recover youth support by doubling down on the “culture war” and issues that appeal solely to older demographics. If those at the RNC truly believe that young people are the future of both the party and the movement, it’s time they act on the question young conservatives have consistently asked: what about climate?

Danielle Butcher is the executive vice president at the American Conservation Coalition (ACC)