Republican presidential candidates Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis pledged Wednesday night during a primary debate to put President Biden’s clean energy funding on the chopping block if elected to the White House.
Mr. DeSantis, Florida governor, said his focus to combat climate change would instead be on energy innovation and compelling other major polluters such as China to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
“China is building two coal plants a week. You can do everything Biden wants to do, and you’re going to have way more of what China’s increasing,” he said. “Why would we be cutting off our nose to spite our face? China is the problem here, so hold them accountable.”
Ms. Haley noted that she removed the U.S. from the Paris Climate Accord when she was U.N. ambassador because America shouldn’t “deal in extremes” to fight climate change.
“They didn’t do anything to hold China and India to account. Those are the two countries we have to really go to if we care about the environment,” Ms. Haley said. “If we’re going to do [clean energy], innovate it, transition and do it the right way, not in extremes.”
• Ramsey Touchberry can be reached at rtouchberry@washingtontimes.com.
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