Here's All The Nonsense 2016 Republicans Have Spouted About Climate Change

Just in time for the Paris talks.
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More than a hundred world leaders converged on Paris this week to take part in hugely anticipated climate talks. The accord they reach could help the planet avert a growing list of climate-related catastrophes (hey there, sea level rise).

Scientists are in near universal agreement that the climate is changing, that it's largely humanity's fault and there is "no plan B" should we fail to act. But you'd never know that if you just listened to some of the Republican presidential contenders.

Here are some of the most outrageous things the 10 leading candidates for the GOP nomination have said about climate change. Many of these statements are patently false: A single volcano does not emit more greenhouse gases than all of humanity; weather is not the same thing as the climate; and a single nation like America -- the second-largest carbon emitter on the planet -- can certainly make a difference.

Brace yourselves.

Donald "It's Cold Outside" Trump

Ben "This Always Happens" Carson

Marco "Oh, But The Jobs" Rubio

  • “We are not going to destroy our economy, make America a harder place to create jobs, in order to pursue a policy that will do nothing, nothing to change our climate, to change our weather." -- September 2015
  • "America is not a planet." -- September 2015
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Ted "You Climate Blasphemers, You" Cruz

  • “If you look at satellite data for the last 18 years, there’s been zero recorded warming. The satellite says it ain’t happening. -- August 2015
  • “Climate change is not science. It's religion." -- October 2015

Jeb "Well Maybe, But I'm A Republican" Bush

Carly "I Worked With Scientists And They're All Wrong" Fiorina

  • "I believe if you're going to go to science, you need to read the fine print. And here's what the scientists say: A single nation acting alone can make no difference at all." -- September 2015
  • “The only answer to this problem, according to the scientist, is a three-decade global effort, coordinated and costing coordinated effort. It's impossible, are you kidding? A three-decade effort, costing trillions of dollars, coordinated with current technology? It’ll never happen.” -- September 2015
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Mike "Um, Kaboom" Huckabee

Chris "Sure, But Nah" Christie

  • "I think global warming is real. I don't think that's deniable. And I do think human activity contributes to it."* -- May 2015
  • *But Christie has adamantly opposed New Jersey joining into a multi-state greenhouse gas initiative, calling it "a completely useless plan.” -- September 2014

John "It's Your Kids' Problem" Kasich

  • “We don’t want to destroy people’s jobs, based on some theory that is not proven.” -- August 2015
  • "Do I believe there is something called climate change? I do. Do I think that human beings affect it? I do. How much? Not enough for me to go out and cost somebody their job." -- October 2015

Rand "Doesn't Really Know" Paul

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