2024 presidential candidates on climate change

2024 presidential candidates on the issues

Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, 2020-2024 • Abortion • Administrative state • Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation • Coronavirus response • Criminal justice • Policing • Trump indictments • Courts • Economy • Social Security • Taxes • Inflation • Job creation • Education • Charter schools and voucher programs • School curriculums and parental involvement • College affordability • Election policy • Energy and environmental issues • Climate change • Energy production • Environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) • Federalism • Foreign policy • China (foreign policy) • Russia • Russia-Ukraine War • Middle East and North Africa • South and Central America • Israel-Hamas War • Israel-Palestine conflict • Government ethics • Gun regulation • Healthcare • Medicare • Sex and gender issues • Transgender healthcare • Immigration • Border security • Immigration enforcement • Impeachment • Infrastructure • Opioids and drug issues • Trade • China (trade) • Veterans

Presidential election
Presidential candidates
Republican nomination

Democratic nomination

This page includes statements from the 2024 presidential candidates on climate change. These statements were compiled from each candidate's official campaign website, editorials, speeches, and debates.

The candidates featured on this page were the noteworthy Democratic and Republican candidates in the 2024 presidential election. Only candidates who addressed this page's issue on their campaign website, in public statements, or in public speeches have a quote featured on this page. See something we missed? Email us. The active noteworthy presidential candidates as of November 5, 2025, were:

Kamala Harris (D)
Donald Trump (R)
Chase Oliver (L)
Jill Stein (G)

Climate change

Democratic candidates

Joe Biden

In a campaign speech Biden said, "We passed the biggest investment in history to combat climate change, because I believe climate change is the only existential threat we have. I mean that in a literal sense. Not a joke. If we don’t get it under control, we will have mortgaged not only the next generation, but mortgaged humanity. I believe that with every fiber of my being." ^{[source, as of 2023-09-28]}

Kamala D. Harris

Harris' campaign website said, "As President, she will unite Americans to tackle the climate crisis as she builds on this historic work, advances environmental justice, protects public lands and public health, increases resilience to climate disasters, lowers household energy costs, creates millions of new jobs, and continues to hold polluters accountable to secure clean air and water for all." ^{[source, as of 2024-09-09]}

Dean Phillips

Phillips' campaign website said, "The effects of climate change are now being seen and felt by nearly every American and by people across the world. Our planet will survive, but if we don’t take urgent action, humanity may not – and America must resume its role as a global leader in addressing this crisis." ^{[source, as of 2023-12-19]}

Marianne Williamson

Williamson's campaign website said, "Our biggest crisis regarding the climate emergency is humanity’s massive state of denial that it exists on the scale it does. Yet willingness to recognize the depth of the problem is prerequisite to our solving it. [...] Our environmental crisis is not only climate; it is also water, air, food and soil. Our earth is like a body beginning to experience an all systems breakdown. [...] As president, I will treat the problem holistically. Global warming harms the weather patterns which harms agriculture and animals which harms people’s capacity to live in certain areas which harms the city-to-rural ratio which harms social stability which creates a refugee crisis which all together lead toward untold catastrophe." ^{[source, as of 2023-12-19]}

Republican candidates

Ryan Binkley

Binkley's campaign website said, “Our focus should not be on climate policies that cost a lot, deliver little, and in the end likely don’t even work. Rather, we should focus our efforts on developing new technology and encouraging innovation that will lead to the production of affordable and dependable green energy. It is possible for us to have a sensible climate policy without breaking the bank and without sacrificing the amazing opportunities delivered by cheap and abundant energy. The best investment governments can make is in innovative climate and energy technology." ^{[source, as of 2023-12-19]}

Ron DeSantis

DeSantis' campaign website said he would, “Withdraw from Paris Climate Accords, Global Methane Pledge, and all ‘Net Zero’ commitments. Eliminate ESG regulations and prohibit government accounts and pensions from using ESG. [...] Repeal Biden rules targeting gas stoves, furnaces, and appliances. Streamline the environmental review process for energy and infrastructure projects. Work with states to reduce time and duplication in permitting. Prevent abusive litigation by environmental groups and defund ideological activism.” ^{[source, as of 2023-12-19]}

Nikki Haley

Haley stated "First of all, we do care about clean air, clean water. We want to see that taken care of. But there’s a right way to do it. And the right way is first of all, yes, is climate change real? Yes, it is. But if you go want to go and really change the environment, then we need to start telling China and India that they have to lower their emissions." ^{[source, as of 2023-08-23]}

Vivek Ramaswamy

In a Republican debate, Ramaswamy said, "The climate change agenda is a hoax [...] And the reality is the anti-carbon agenda is the wet blanket on our economy. And so, the reality is more people are dying of bad climate change policies than they are of actual climate change." ^{[source, as of 2023-08-23]}

Donald Trump

Trump’s campaign website said, “President Trump will once again exit the horrendously unfair Paris Climate Accords and oppose all of the radical left’s Green New Deal policies that are designed to shut down the development of America’s abundant energy resources, which exceed any country’s in the world, including Russia and Saudi Arabia. [...] President Trump will immediately stop all Joe Biden policies that distort energy markets, limit consumer choice, and drive-up costs on consumers, including insane wind subsidies, and DoE and EPA regulations that prevent Americans from buying incandescent lightbulbs, gas stoves, quality dishwashers and shower heads, and much more.” ^{[source, as of 2023-12-21]}