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 John McCain

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

1. Legislation for economy-wide emissions reductions:
Author of 65% by 2050- "We have to have this cap and trade where somebody reduces greenhouse gasses they earn a credit and they can sell it to somebody else." Listen to the audio

Fuel Efficiency- "We are going to increase it and we have to increase CAFÉ standards. I don’t know if it is 45 or whatever it is, but I also like to emphasize…we ought to do what we can to preserve our domestic automobile industry." Listen to the audio

2. Aggressive R&D for low-carbon energy technology:
"I am not much in favor of directing federal money to any industry, but I am in favor of directing federal money into pure research and development and then letting the free enterprise system take over." Listen to the audio

“I think that clean coal technology, although I think that it is not at the state of technology that we want it to be, is probably something that we should pursue from a research and development standpoint.”Watch the video

3. Federal planning for climate change impacts and response:

4. Picking the right team to carry the initiative:

5. Cooperation with international partners:
"We are going to do everything in our power to have an international agreement that includes India and China. I can not tell the American citizens that we are going to make an agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions unless China and India are part of it as well." Watch the video

“I am committed as President to pursue the efforts to reduce greenhouse gasses immediately. That includes joining Kyoto as long as we have India and China involved. It would not be fair to the planet to say the two largest growing economies who are greenhouse gas emitters are not part of it. Second of all there is a political reality and the American people would not support our engagement, joining in Kyoto without India and China.”Watch the video

6. Reallocation of budget priorities:
"“I am in favor of directing federal money into pure research and development and then letting the free enterprise system take over." Listen to the audio

7. Enable/encourage citizens to take efficiency and conservation into their own hands:
"It’s not as if it’s going to be something that is going to be terrible for the American people, although we may have to make some sacrifices."Listen to the audio

"We can adopt green technologies without asking great sacrifices from the American people." Watch the video

Other Global Warming Quotes from New Hampshire

• Renewable Energy
  

  "...make our country safer, cleaner, and more prosperous by leading the world in the use, development and discovery of alternative sources of energy." Listen to the audio
  

  - April 25, Portsmouth

  "Green technologies are important, but I wouldn’t direct federal money to any state. I will direct federal money to those projects and programs that need help." Listen to the audio
  

  August 10, Portsmouth
  
  

• Nuclear
  

  "Nuclear power has got to be part of any real effort that we are going to make to reduce greenhouse has emissions."Listen to the audio
  

  July 25, Keene
  
  

  "We have to have nuclear power in my view if your really significantly going to reduce greenhouse gas emissions." Watch the video
  

  August 9, Merrimack
  
  

• Fuel Efficiency
  

  "We need to manufacture cars that have higher CAFÉ standards. We need to move into hybrids, we need to move into hydrogen, and also ethanol." Watch the video
  

  August 9, Merrimack
  
  

  "CAFÉ standards are going to go up, but we don’t want to put everybody out of business either…you (the US auto industry) can help us make it happen in the least painful way, but those standards are going to have to be increased."Watch the video
  

  August 10, Rochester
  
  

• Experience
  

  “I have been to the South Pole, I have been to the Arctic, I have been to the Brazilian rainforest, I have been to different places in Alaska and I have seen where the earth is getting warmer.”Watch the video
  

  - Oct. 14, Hopkinton

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