Climate Change

[On the U.S. coal and why environmental rollbacks have not helped the industry] The problem there is, if you’re really focused on ‘We’re going to bring this resource back,’ then you don’t help those communities; [instead] you tell them their jobs are coming back.

The U.S. public is continuing to become more concerned about climate change. There are certainly a few other politicians thinking about what a Republican stance on climate change would look like, but president Trump is not. But it is an issue that voters care about. The electorate in some ways is leaving the party behind.

[On Joe Biden's July 2020 climate plan] [It is] ambitious but possible. In order to get this done, it depends tremendously on what happens with the congressional elections as well.

[On carbon border adjustments and bi and trilateral trade deals] That’s exactly the kind of strategy that, I think, will end up breaking the logjam on climate.

Officials need to be aware that a return by the United States to a position of leadership on climate change would be greeted by some skepticism on the part of the international community.

[On the withdrawal of the U.S. from the Paris Agreement on November 4, 2020] The choice of Biden or Trump in the White House is huge, not just for the US but for the world generally to deal with climate change. If Biden wins, November 4 is a blip, like a bad dream is over. If Trump wins, he seals the deal. The US becomes a non-player and the goals of Paris become very, very difficult. Without the US in the long term, they certainly aren't realistic.