Candidates quiet on climate change

President Obama and Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney have been mum on climate change during their respective campaigns, drawing the ire of environmental groups.

Both Obama and Romney have taken strong stances on the issue in the past—climate change was at the heart of Obama’s 2008 campaign and he has invested billions in solar-power plants, wind farms and tighter vehicle-emission standards since, according to SFGate.com. Romney supported the fight against climate change as governor of Massachusetts, but has since stated he is uncertain about the role of humans in global warming.

Environmental groups Friends of the Earth Action and Forecast the Facts have consequently been provoked to launch a campaign to inject the discussion into the presidential race. But Obama and Romney have reason to avoid the topic—only 26 percent of Republicans and 56 percent of independents believe human activity is warming the planet.