Topics in the News: Paris Accord
Nikki Haley on Energy & Oil
: Jun 4, 2023
We're not the problem; China and India are the problem
The reason I pulled us out of the Paris Climate Agreement was not because I don't want us to have a good environment. It was because the Obama administration had put so many regulations on our businesses that we were suffering. And that
was the promise in the Paris Climate Agreement. You know what China's promise was? That they would deal with it in 10 years. And I dealt with the Chinese enough to know 10 years never comes. We're not the problem. The Chinese and Indians are the problem.
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Source: CNN Town Hall: interviews of 2024 presidential candidates
Joe Biden on Energy & Oil
: Apr 22, 2021
FactCheck:US rejoined world in GHG reduction, not vice-versa
Biden promised to persuade "the leaders of the major carbon-emitting nations to join the US in making more ambitious national pledges." Biden led a climate world summit where he committed "that the US would cut its greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions in half,
from 2005 levels, by the end of the decade" (NPR 4/22). But some fact-checking:Biden didn't persuade other countries to "join the US": In 2015, 191 countries signed the Paris Accord committing to GHG reductions. Trump withdrew the US entirely in 2017,
reducing US commitment to zero.
Looking at the numbers, the US had committed in 2015 to a 26% domestic reduction in greenhouse gases by 2025 compared to 2005 levels. Biden committed to a 50% reduction by 2030--a comparable reduction rate. For
comparison, the EU committed to a 40% domestic GHG reduction by 2030 compared to 1990 levels--a much lower base level. In summary, Biden's action restored the US to what the world is already doing--the US joined the other nations, not vice-versa!
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Source: NPR/OnTheIssues FactCheck on Biden Administration promises
Donald Trump on Energy & Oil
: Feb 28, 2021
Could have made a deal on Paris Accord but didn't want to
Joe Biden put the United States back into the very unfair and very costly Paris Climate Accord without negotiating a better deal. They wanted us so badly back in. I'll tell you they wanted us. I could have made an unbelievable deal and gone back in, but
I didn't want to do that. Surrendering millions of jobs and trillions of dollars to all of these other countries, almost all of them that were in the deal. So they have favorable treatment, we don't have favorable treatment.
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Source: Remarks by Pres. Trump at the 2021 CPAC Conference
Joe Biden on Energy & Oil
: Feb 4, 2021
Day One: rejoined the Paris Climate Agreement
We've moved quickly to begin restoring American engagement internationally and earn back our leadership position, to catalyze global action on shared challenges. On day one, I signed the paperwork to rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement.
We're taking steps led by the example of integrating climate objectives across all of our diplomacy and raise the ambition of our climate targets.
That way, we can challenge other nations, other major emitters, to up the ante on their own commitments. I'll be hosting climate leaders' summit to address the climate crisis on Earth Day of this year.
America must lead in the face of this existential threat. And just as with the pandemic, it requires global cooperation.
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Source: Manchester Ink Link on 2020 New Hampshire Senate race
Donald Trump on Energy & Oil
: Oct 22, 2020
The Paris Accord is not fair to U.S.
TRUMP: The [Paris Climate Accord], I took us out because we were going to have to spend trillions of dollars and we were treated very unfairly. When they put us in there, they did us a great disservice, they were going to take away our businesses. I will
not sacrifice tens of millions of jobs, thousands and thousands of companies because of the Paris Accord, it was so unfair. China doesn't kick in until 2030, Russia goes back to a low standard, and we kicked in right away.BIDEN: Climate change is an
existential threat to humanity. I was able to get environmental organizations--as well as people worried about jobs--to support my climate plan. Because it will create millions of new good paying jobs, we're going to take 4 million buildings and
2 million homes and retrofit them so they don't leak as much energy, saving hundreds of millions of barrels of oil in the process and creating significant number of jobs.
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Source: Third 2020 Presidential Debate, moderated by Kristen Welker
Kamala Harris on Energy & Oil
: Oct 7, 2020
Carbon-neutral America by 2035
PENCE: Joe Biden and Kamala Harris would put us back in the Paris Climate Accord. They'd impose the Green New Deal, which would crush American energy and would crush American jobs. President Trump and I believe the progress we have made in a cleaner
environment has been happening because we have a free market economy. What's remarkable is the United States has reduced CO2 more than the countries that are still in the Paris Climate Accord, but we've done it through innovation.
HARRIS: Joe understands that the west coast is burning. Joe has seen and talked with the farmers in Iowa whose entire crops have been destroyed because of floods. Joe is about saying we're going to invest that in renewable energy, which is going to be
about the creation of millions of jobs. We will achieve net zero emissions by 2050, carbon neutral by 2035We will also reenter the Climate Agreement with pride.
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Source: 2020 Vice-Presidential Debate in Utah
Donald Trump on Energy & Oil
: Sep 29, 2020
Rolled back Clean Power Plan; it increased energy prices
Q: When state officials in the West blamed the raging forest fires on climate change, you said, "I don't think the science knows." You have pulled the US out of the Paris Climate Accord. What do you believe about the science of climate change?TRUMP:
If you look at the Paris Accord, it was a disaster from our standpoint. And people are actually very happy about what's going on because our businesses are doing well.
Q: Do you believe that human greenhouse gas emissions contribute to the global
warming of this planet?
TRUMP: I think a lot of things do, but I think to an extent, yes. But I also think we have to do better management of our forest. Every year I get the call, "California's burning!" If you had good forest management,
you wouldn't be getting those calls.
Q: If you believe in the science of climate change, why have you rolled back the Obama Clean Power Plan which limited carbon emissions?
TRUMP: Because it was driving energy prices through the sky.
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Source: First 2020 Presidential Debate, moderated by Chris Wallace
Joe Biden on Technology
: Sep 29, 2020
Good-paying jobs via new green infrastructure
We can get to net zero, in terms of energy production, by 2035. Not only not costing people jobs, creating jobs, creating millions of good-paying jobs. Not 15 bucks an hour, but prevailing wage, by having a new infrastructure that in fact, is green.
And the first thing I will do, I will rejoin the Paris Accord, because with us out of it, look what's happening. It's all falling apart. The rainforests of Brazil are being torn down, are being ripped down.
More carbon is absorbed in that rainforest than every bit of carbon that's emitted in the United States. Instead of doing something about that, I would be gathering up and making sure we had the countries of the world coming up with $20 billion,
and say, "Here's $20 billion. Stop tearing down the forest. And If you don't, then you're going to have significant economic consequences." It's going to create thousands and millions of jobs. Good paying jobs.
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Source: First 2020 Presidential Debate, moderated by Chris Wallace
Joe Biden on Energy & Oil
: Feb 19, 2020
Eliminate all subsidies for oil and gas
I would eliminate all subsidies for oil and gas. That would save billions of dollars. On day one, when I'm elected president, I'm going to invite all of the members of the Paris Accord to Washington, D.C.
They make up 85 percent of the problem. They know me. I'm used to dealing with international relations. I will get them to up the ante in a big way.
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Source: 9th Democrat 2020 primary debate, in Las Vegas Nevada
Joe Biden on Foreign Policy
: Feb 7, 2020
We must keep our commitments when we make them, like NATO
I was part of putting together the Paris Climate Accord. I brought in the Chinese. I've been part of every major initiative we've had relative to diplomacy. I have not argued for the placement of major numbers of US combat troops. I have said we
have to strengthen NATO to make it clear that we keep our commitments when we make them. Like we don't keep our commitments to the Kurds. We must keep our commitments when we make them.
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Source: 8th Democrat 2020 primary debate, St. Anselm College in NH
Kamala Harris on Energy & Oil
: Jul 31, 2019
Rejoin Paris Accord on Day One; carbon neutral by 2030
Gov. Jay Inslee: : Climate change is not a singular issue, it is all the issues that we Democrats care about. It is health. It is national security. It is our economy. The science tells us we have to get off coal in 10 years. We have to have off of
fossil fuels in our electrical grid in 15. And we need a president to do it or it won't get done.Harris: I have to agree with Governor Inslee. We currently have a president in the White House who obviously does not understand the science.
The guy thinks that wind turbines cause cancer, but what in fact what they cause is jobs. I would take any Democrat on this stage over the current president of the United States.
We must have and adopt a Green New Deal. On day one I would re-enter us in the Paris agreement. And put in place so we would be carbon neutral by 2030.
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Source: July Democratic Primary debate (second night in Detroit)
Joe Biden on Energy & Oil
: Jul 31, 2019
Rejoin and raise standards of Paris Climate Accord
Gov. Jay Inslee: Climate change is not a singular issue, it is all the issues that we Democrats care about. It is health. It is national security. It is our economy. And we know this; middle ground solutions, like the vice president has proposed,
are not going to save us.Biden: There is no middle ground about my plan. We're responsible for 15% of all the pollution in the country. 85% of it is something
I helped negotiate; and that is the Paris Climate Accord. I would immediately rejoin that Paris Accord. I would make sure that we up the ante which it calls for.
I would be able to bring those leaders together and I would raise the standard. I also invested $400 billion in research for new alternatives to deal with climate change.
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Source: July Democratic Primary debate (second night in Detroit)
Kamala Harris on Energy & Oil
: Jun 27, 2019
Climate crisis represents existential threat to our species
I don't call it climate change. It's a climate crisis. It represents an existential threat to us as a species. And the fact that we have a president who has embraced science fiction over science fact will be to our collective peril.
We must confront what is immediate and before us right now. That is why I support a Green New Deal. It is why I will re-enter us in the Paris Agreement, because we have to take these issues seriously.
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Source: June Democratic Primary debate (second night in Miami)
Marianne Williamson on Energy & Oil
: Apr 18, 2019
Broad-based federal carbon tax at $60 per ton
Q: Would you keep the US in the Paris Agreement and commit to more ambitious targets in 2020?Williamson: "Yes."
Q: Do you support a federal carbon tax?
Williamson: "I feel a federal carbon tax is important and is only one tool that we will need
to address this imminent threat. The challenge, of course, is how to implement such a tool without irreparably damaging the economy. Many scholars think that a tax should be about $49 or $50 per ton of CO2 -- not more than $60 per ton.
Any federal carbon tax should be spread across a broad sector as to not cause the effect to be carried by the consumer at the gas pump or electric meter. Natural gas production that produces methane, which is even worse than CO2 environmentally, should
carry some of the burden. The agriculture sector that produces large amounts of methane should carry some of the burden. Funds should be used to retire inefficient equipment, to incentivize zero-carbon-producing technologies and to spur a green economy."
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Source: 2019 "Meet the Candidates" (NY Times.com)
Bernie Sanders on Energy & Oil
: Apr 18, 2019
Keep US in Paris Climate Agreement & increase targets
Q: As president, would you keep the U.S. in the Paris Agreement and commit to more ambitious targets in 2020?A: Sanders's campaign confirmed that he would keep the United States in the Paris Agreement and increase emission reduction targets, but did
not provide an on-the-record quote.
Q: Would you restore Obama-era climate change regulations that the Trump administration has reversed, like the Clean Power Plan, methane limits and vehicle emissions standards?
A: Sanders's campaign said he would
restore Obama-era regulations.
Q: Do you support new regulations to cut greenhouse gas emissions beyond what was in place under President Obama?
A: Sanders's campaign said he would go beyond Obama-era regulations, but did not elaborate or provide
an on-the-record quote.
Q: Do you support a national renewable energy standard? If so, what would it be? If not, why not?
A: Sanders's campaign reiterated his support for the Green New Deal, which calls for 100 percent renewable energy.
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Source: 2019 "Meet the Candidates" (NY Times.com)
Kamala Harris on Energy & Oil
: Apr 18, 2019
Restore Clean Power Plan and Clean Car Standards
Q: As president, would you keep the U.S. in the Paris Agreement and commit to more ambitious targets in 2020?A: Yes, she wants to return the U.S. to the Paris deal.
Q: Would you restore Obama-era climate change regulations that the Trump
administration has reversed, like the Clean Power Plan?
A: Harris's campaign said she wanted to "restore the Clean Power Plan and fully implement the Clean Car Standards."
Q: Do you support a national renewable energy standard?
A: She is for a national goal for renewable energy.
Q: Do you support increasing federal funding for clean-energy research?
A: Harris's campaign said that as president, she would "invest in clean energy research and infrastructure."
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Source: 2019 "Meet the Candidates" (NY Times.com)
Marianne Williamson on Energy & Oil
: Jul 24, 2018
Massive effort to combat effects of climate change
Climate change denial is moving irretrievably into the dustbin of history's worst ideas. American citizens--if not yet the majority of politicians currently in power--are ready to embark upon a massive effort to combat the effects not
only of catastrophic weather conditions, but also the effects of climate change denial on our environmental and political policies. The American people are being vastly underserved by America's rejection of the Paris Climate Accord.
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Source: Healing the Soul of America, by Marianne Williamson, p.178
Donald Trump on Energy & Oil
: Jul 13, 2017
Claims Paris Accords costly; estimated US cost $170 billion
Trump has said that his withdrawal was motivated by the fact that the accord would be expensive, ineffective, and would cost American jobs. The World Resources Institute estimates it would cost America $170 billion. The US pulling out is largely
symbolic. The world was already moving toward lower carbon emissions. World carbon emissions peaked in 2007 and have been steadily declining since then. In contrast, use of clean energy, such as solar and wind have been on a steady rise.
When answering the question about the impact of withdrawal on domestic greenhouse gas emissions, it's important to separate the withdrawal with Trump's other environmental policies. Even before the pullout, Trump administration had cut funding to
EPA, discontinued the Clean Power Plan, greenlighted both the Dakota Access and Keystone pipelines, and allowed extractive operations on public land, all of which would have significant impact on US CO2 emissions regardless of the pullout.
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Source: Foreign Policy Magazine on Trump Administration
Donald Trump on Energy & Oil
: Jun 4, 2017
Withdraw from Paris Agreement, to put America first
Q: On the Paris climate agreement: Pres. Trump said this on the decision to withdraw from the agreement:(VIDEO CLIP) TRUMP: The Paris agreement handicaps the United States' economy in order to win praise from the very foreign capitals and global
activists that have long sought to gain wealth at our country's expense. They don't put America first. I do, and I always will.
(END VIDEO) Q: And here's the argument by the EPA administrator:
(VIDEO CLIP) SCOTT PRUITT: It is a failed deal to
begin with. And even if all of the targets were met by all nations across the globe, it only reduced the temperature by less than two-tenths of one degree.
(END VIDEO) Q [to former V.P. Al Gore]: Less than two-tenths of one degree, President Trump
made a similar argument.
GORE: Well, first of all, it's not true. Things take longer to happen than you think they will, and then they happen much faster than you thought they could.
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Source: CNN 2017 interviews of 2020 hopefuls
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