5th Democratic Primary Debate: on Energy & Oil

Joe Biden: Prioritized climate for decades, as existential threat

Joe BIDEN: I think it is the existential threat to humanity. While I was passing the first climate change bill, while I managed the $90 billion recovery plan, investing more money in infrastructure that related to clean energy than any time we've ever done it, my friend was introducing more coal mines and produced more coal around the world, according to the press, than all of Great Britain produces.

Bernie SANDERS: If we don't get our act together within the next eight or nine years, we're talking about major cities going underwater, increased drought, increased extreme weather disturbances.

Pete Buttigieg: Conservative farmers are part of the climate change solution

BUTTIGIEG: Farming should be one of the pillars of how we combat climate change. I believe the quest for the carbon negative farm could be as big a symbol as the electric car. It's an important part of how we make sure we recruit everybody to be part of the solution, including conservative communities where a lot of people have been made to feel that admitting climate science would mean acknowledging they're part of the problem.

Tom Steyer: I've spent a decade fighting oil companies & pipelines

V.P. Joe BIDEN: I think it is the existential threat to humanity. While I was passing the first climate change bill, while I managed the $90 billion recovery plan, investing more money in infrastructure that related to clean energy than any time we've ever done it, my friend was introducing more coal mines and produced more coal around the world, according to the press, than all of Great Britain produces.