Republican candidate cites China when asked about climate change threat

Republican presidential candidates former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis pointed to emissions from China when asked about the threat of climate change during Wednesday’s Iowa debate, and the Biden administration’s He promised to abolish environmental policies.

Host Jake Tapper noted that 2023 was the warmest year on record and that DeSantis had taken action to make Florida more resilient to rising sea levels, but climate change is the main cause of asked what the governor was going to do to address greenhouse gas emissions. .

DeSantis responded with an attack on U.S. climate envoy John Kerry, who traveled by private jet, and vowed to eliminate the Biden administration’s renewable energy subsidies, while also pointing to China’s status as the world’s largest emitter. . At a July 2023 House hearing, Mr. Kelly testified that his wife previously owned a private jet, but it was subsequently sold.

Due to its recent industrialization relative to Western countries, China is still considered a developing country under the terms of the Paris Climate Agreement. Kerry also said any international emissions reduction solution must include China agreeing to reduce carbon emissions.

Asked what he would do as president to address the root causes of climate change, DeSantis said he would “innovate” and vowed to focus on natural gas development. Last year, Florida rejected more than $300 million in federal funding to reduce tailpipe emissions, becoming the only state to do so.

Meanwhile, Haley emphasized her role in withdrawing the United States from the Paris climate accord, which the Biden administration rejoined. Haley also vowed to cancel subsidies for renewable energy.

Both candidates attacked the Biden administration’s standards for phasing out new internal combustion engine vehicles, with Haley pointing to a lack of charging infrastructure and the burden on roads from heavy electric vehicles. She previously called for eliminating the federal gas tax, which funds highway maintenance.

Despite attacks on Biden’s policies, Haley and DeSantis acknowledged the threat of climate change even more than they did in the first Republican debate last year, when humans contributed to climate change. Neither of them raised their hands when asked whether they agreed. .

Former President Trump, the Republican front-runner, falsely claimed that climate change was a “hoax” and ordered the US to withdraw from the Paris climate accord. Trump participated in a Fox town hall Wednesday night and did not attend the debate.