Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) made it clear on Wednesday that he was not impressed by Deputy Energy Secretary David Turk, challenging him to explain just how the Biden administration’s climate agenda would translate to a real-world impact.
Kennedy noted that the Biden administration wanted to spend trillions on climate initiatives, and asked Turk to estimate what kind of measurable change that much spending could be expected to net.
WATCH:
KENNEDY: "If we spent $50 TRILLION to become carbon neutral by 2050 in the United States of America, how much is that going to reduce world temperatures?"
BIDEN STOOGE: *nonsense*
KENNEDY: "You don't know do you?" pic.twitter.com/o8h8luTABv
— Young Americans for Liberty (@YALiberty) May 3, 2023
“If you could answer my question,” Kennedy began, “If we spent $50 TRILLION to become carbon neutral in the United States of America by 2050, you’re the Deputy Secretary of Energy, give me your estimate of how much is that going to reduce world temperatures?”
“So first of all, it’s a net cost,” Turk replied. “It’s what benefits we’re having from getting our act together and reducing — all of those climate benefits — we’re seeing —”
“Let me ask again,” Kennedy interrupted. “Maybe I’m being — maybe I’m not being clear. If we spent $50 TRILLION to become carbon neutral by 2050 in the United States of America, how much is that going to reduce world temperatures?”
“This is a global problem,” Turk replied, going on to say that everyone — not just the United States — needed to do their part to make a difference.
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“How much, if we do our part, is it going to reduce world temperatures?” Kennedy asked again.
“We’re 13% of global emissions …” Turk said, and Kennedy interrupted, shaking his head.
“You don’t know, do you?” the Louisiana Senator asked. “You don’t know, do you?”
“You can do that math —” Turk tried again.
“You don’t know, do you, Mr. Secretary?” Kennedy asked again. “If you know, why won’t you tell me? … You just want us to spend $50 trillion and you don’t have the slightest idea whether it’s going to reduce world temperatures. Now, I’m all for carbon neutrality, but you’re the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Energy and you’re advocating we spend trillions of dollars to seek carbon neutrality and you can’t — and this isn’t your money or my money, it’s taxpayer money — and you can’t tell me how much it’s going to lower world temperatures?”
The exchange continued, and Turk — who never did give a straight answer to Kennedy’s question — went on to explain that he did not believe the rest of the world would take steps to cut emissions unless the United States took the lead.
