The candidates seem to have a ‘plan’ for everything. What might their climate change action plan include? Check out our seven benchmarks for a Presidential Leadership Agenda on climate change:

1. Legislation for economy-wide emissions reductions.
2. Aggressive R&D for low-carbon technology.
3. Federal planning for climate change impacts and response.
4. Picking the right team to carry the initiative.
5. Cooperation with international partners.
6. Reallocation of budget priorities.
7. Enable/encourage citizens to take conservation into their own hands.

Senator Joe Biden

How do Biden's climate change quotes relate to our seven benchmarks?

Read the Biden campaign's response to our Seven Benchmarks

1. Legislation for economy-wide emissions reductions:
80% by 2050- "We should cap carbon emissions now and not wait." Listen to the audio

40 mpg by 2017- "I believe we should be drastically increasing mileage and mandating it." Listen to the audio

"I would set a national Renewable Electricity Standard of 20 percent to require that at least one-fifth of the country's electricity comes from clean, renewable sources like wind, solar, biomass and geothermal." Read the transcript

2. Aggressive R&D for low-carbon energy technology:
“Biden would create A five-year, $50 billion Apollo Project For Energy and Climate Change: Joe Biden supports more than $50 billion in new incentives for research into alternative fuel and energy sources, renewable energy technology, nuclear waste management and safety, and carbon capture and sequestration technologies that could allow us to use coal cleanly. Programs would include financial prizes awarded for breakthroughs in specific technologies; additional funds for an “Energy ARPA,” a successful decentralized, high risk- high reward research model; demonstration and test projects designed to jump-start commercial implementation; and additional funding for critical technologies.” Read the transcript

"After an executive order requiring efficiency within the federal government- “We will have created a pool of about a half a trillion dollars of investment money that will attract all kinds of entrepreneurial interest in order to generate vehicles that get 40mpg." Listen to the audio

3. Federal planning for climate change impacts and response:
“The first thing that I would do is to issue an executive order saying that not one single, solitary federal dollar will be spent to buy a fleet automobile that does not get 40 MPG. Secondly, not a single solitary building will be built that wasn’t green. The reason for that is simple. That will cause thirty other states in the nation to follow. That will create a pool of money of a half a trillion dollars and all of a sudden you will see the economic system begin to work.” Listen to the audio

4. Picking the right team to carry the initiative:

5. Cooperation with international partners:
"Here is what I can and will do as your president within the first 120 days of being president of the United States of America because it’s in my power to do this. I will seek a reconvening of what was called the Kyoto accord. I would invite every major nation in the world to participate and once again trying to come up with a universal standard." Listen to the audio

"China is in the dark ages here…we can provide the technology to reduce significantly (emissions from coal) even though we don’t want it here, we have better opportunities, we have better technology, we have a better way to go here, but we should be doing everything in our power to reduce carbon emissions around the world." Watch the video

6. Reallocation of budget priorities:
“Joe Biden would impose a windfall profits tax that would go directly into the Apollo Project when oil companies post record profits from skyrocketing oil prices. Biden would also repeal unnecessary tax breaks for big oil companies.” Read the transcript

7. Enable/encourage citizens to take efficiency and conservation into their own hands:
"There is a gigantic value in the power of the megaphone a president has to affect public attitudes, and that is one of the ways with a giant worm on the end of the hook you would be able to move in the direction of changing the mindset." Listen to the audio

"Joe Biden supports investing $100 million to train American workers in the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries. This would provide a core of 30,000 skilled workers to ensure American energy development doesn’t suffer from a lack of trained specialists." Read the transcript

"Joe Biden would create the Flip-to-Save program to provide $50 million in funding to states to administer programs to educate consumers on efficient technology and distribute highly efficient compact florescent light bulbs which use a quarter of the energy of regular bulbs." Read the transcript

Other Global Warming Quotes from New Hampshire

• Non-renewable Energy
  

  "Coal fired electric plants - we should not allow them new construction absent the newest available technology. We should be underwriting that with tax write-offs for them to be able to go out and if they are going to keep in place, give them the incentive to change." Watch the video
  

  - July 6, Manchester

• Renewable Energy
  

  "We should be changing, going from 2% to 20% renewable energy." Listen to the audio
  

  - July 6, Kensington

Nothing in Promises, Commitments & Priorities: Seeking a Presidential Leadership Agenda is meant to imply an endorsement of any candidate or political party.