Click on an issue or scroll down to read and compare the views of presidential candidates and their VP picks on climate and energy issues.

• Economy-wide cap-and-trade program reduces emissions 80% below 1990 levels by 2050.
• Auction 100% of carbon allowances.
• Proceeds invested in clean energy and transition relief for families.

• Economy-wide cap-and-trade program reduces emissions 60% below 1990 levels by 2050.
• Initially give away all carbon allowances.

• Co-sponsor of Boxer-Sanders Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act, which establishes cap-and-trade system requiring emissions reduction to 1990 levels by 2020, and to 80% below 1990 levels by 2050.

• Created sub-cabinet in April 2007 to study reducing state’s GHG emissions.
• Made Alaska an observer of the Western Climate Initiative.
• Does not agree climate change is mostly due to human activity.

• Mandatory 10% of electricity from renewable sources by 2012, and 25% by 2025.
• Create five million green collar jobs by investing $150 billion over next ten years, particularly in wind, solar, and next generation biofuels.
• One million plug-in hybrid cars with 150 mpg by 2015.
• Ignores geothermal.
• Obtained funding for first ethanol-to-hydrogen refueling station in Chicago.

• Abstained from voting on Senate bill to extend renewable energy tax credits.
• Says supports wind and solar development through R&D; no subsidies.
• Supports subsidies to coal, hydrogen, and technologies yet to “mature.”
• Has not specified any new federal spending for renewable energy.
• Like Obama, ignores geothermal.
• Voted for DOE to produce 100,000 hydrogen-powered vehicles by 2010.

• Mandatory 20% of electricity from renewable sources.
• Supports $50 billion over five years for an "Apollo Project" on renewable energy, as well as alternative fuel and energy, nuclear waste management, carbon capture and sequestration, and clean coal technology.
• Voted for DOE to produce 100,000 hydrogen-powered vehicles by 2010.

• Signed bill in May for $250 million over the next five years to develop renewable energy, such as solar, wind, hydroelectric, and geothermal.
• Said in August, "Alternative-energy solutions are far from imminent and would require more than 10 years to develop."

• Build five commercial-scale clean coal-fired plants with carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) technology.
• Championed coal-to-liquid fuels in Senate.
• Opposes any new traditional coal-fired plants.

• Commit $2 billion annually to clean coal technology development.
• Supports R&D of coal gasification and coal-to-liquid.
• Supports development of CCS.

• Doesn’t encourage clean coal as US energy solution, but supports R&D of clean coal and CCS technologies for export.

• Supports creating clean coal jobs.

• Supports nuclear power but has concerns about storage and proliferation.
• Opposes storing nuclear waste at the Yucca Mountain.

• Subsidize the building of 45 new nuclear power plants by 2030 with the ultimate goal of 100 new power plants. Recently said, “… the French are able to generate 80 % of their electricity with nuclear power. There’s no reason why America shouldn’t.”
• Supports storing nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain and the Savannah River Site.

• Supports some nuclear, but stresses security and safety concerns.
• Opposes storing nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain.
• Supports investing in technology to reconfigure spent fuel into reusable fuel.

• Favors developing nuclear energy.

• Generally opposes offshore oil drilling, but will consider it. 
• Praised a bipartisan energy plan from Senate, combining alternative, nuclear, and drilling proposals.

• Supports offshore oil drilling projects, and praises their psychological benefits.

• Opposes expansion of offshore oil and natural gas drilling; voted against drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico.
• Concedes that if Republicans lift moratorium on coastal drilling he will too.

• Supports offshore drilling.
• Has said, “I beg to disagree with any candidate who would say we can't drill our way out of our problem…”

• Opposes oil drilling in ANWR.
• Prioritize construction of the Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline.

• Has long opposed oil drilling in ANWR, but will reconsider and consult Palin.

• Staunch foe of ANWR drilling.
• Voted against decreasing taxes on oil and gas exploration companies.

• In 2007 urged Senate and Bush to defeat bill prohibiting oil and natural gas development in ANWR.
• August, 2008, letter to Bush urging an immediate seismic survey of oil and gas in ANWR.
• Intends to convince McCain to drill in ANWR; "I am encouraged with his evolved thinking on offshore drilling, and I think he might come along onANWR if he sees our 2,000 acres for himself."
• Awarded TransCanada Pipelines license to build 1,715-milelong natural gas pipeline from the North Slope to other states; estimated cost $30 billion.

• Supports increased fuel economy by 4% per year; 52 mpg by 2026.
• Provide $4 billion for domestic automakers to retool manufacturing facilities.
• Establish national low-carbon fuel standard to reduce CO2 emissions 10% by 2010.
• $7,000 tax credit for purchasing advanced vehicles.

• Increase carmaker penalties for noncompliance with existing mileage standards.
• $5,000 tax credit to consumers who purchase a zero-emission car.
• Wants auto makers to build 100 % Flex-Fuel vehicles by 2012.

• Supports increased fuel economy by 4% per year; 40 mpg by 2017.
• Proposed $100 million a year for five years to research lithium ion batteries.

• Calls for annual production of 60 billion gallons a year of "advanced biofuels," such as cellulosic ethanol, by 2030, and federal tax incentives to develop them.
• Supports domestic corn-based ethanol; some advisers and prominent supporters have close ties with industry.

• Supports development of corn-, sugar- and switchgrass-based biofuels, just not with government funding.
• Would eliminate mandates, subsidies, tariffs, and price supports focusing exclusively on corn-based ethanol.

• Calls for annual production of 60 billion gallons a year of ethanol and biodiesel by 2030.
• Require old cars to be retrofitted to run on flex fuels by 2017.
• Proposed automakers increase flex fuel vehicle production to 100% in 10 years.
• Proposed legislation requiring oil companies to install alternative fuel pumps in 5% of their stations annually over 10 years; 50% of stations by 2016.

• Supports increased wetlands protection and Great Lakes restoration.
• Supports a Superfund “polluter pays” program; protection from lead poisoning, improve mercury regulation and drinking water standards.
• Regulate pollution from large-scale animal feeding operations (CAFOs).
• Fought drilling in the ANWR and funds for new roads in Alaska's Tongass National Forest.
• Opposes Bush proposal to eliminate input of independent government scientists in some endangered species reviews.

• Supports collaborative public-private partnership initiatives like the North America Waterfowl Management Plan.
• Helped increase protected wilderness in Arizona by 3.5 million acres.

• Wants mining companies to pay more royalties for mining public lands and better restore land after completing projects.
• Supports Superfund's "polluter pays" fees.
• Cosponsored legislation to renew debt-for-nature program.
• Voted to cut funds for the Forest Service road construction, and eliminate purchaser credit program.
• Cosponsored resolution to end commercial whaling and illegal trade in whale meat.

• Opposed a statewide initiative to ban or limit new mining operations that could affect salmon.
• Supports one of the largest mining operations in the world, which is upstream from Bristol Bay, the largest sockeye salmon fishery in the world.
• Lifelong member of the National Rifle Association.
• Sued Interior Department over decision to list polar bears as a threatened species.
• Approved an initiative to pay aerial wolf hunters a bounty of $150 per wolf.
• Opposes strengthening protection for beluga whales in Alaska’s Cook Inlet, where oil and gas companies want to develop.

• Believes GM plants are beneficial with tests for environmental and health effects and regulatory oversight.
• Strongly supports legislation to protect independent producers by forbidding meat packers from owning livestock.
• Supports law requiring meat product labels to indicate country of origin.
• Increase funding for the National Organic Certification Cost-Share Program to help farmers afford compliance.
• Reform crop insurance rates so that they do not penalize organic farmers.

• Seeks to end all farm subsidies “not based on clear need” and will cap subsidies to farmers with an adjusted gross yearly income of $250,000.
• Direct USDA to develop more drought-resistant higher-yield crops.