In written response to a questionnaire administered by Science Debate, Libertarian presidential nominee and former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson acknowledged that greenhouse gas emissions contribute to climate change.
“Unfortunately for policymakers, the very activities that appear to contribute to climate change also contribute to mankind’s health and prosperity, so we view with a skeptical eye any attempts to curtail economic activity,” he wrote. He indicated he’d use market-based mechanisms to address climate change. Earlier in the summer, Johnson indicated he would support implementation of a carbon tax.
On clean energy, Johnson wrote that “no source of energy is categorically wrong or right, but some sources of energy may be procured or used incorrectly or used in the wrong applications, too often as a consequence of government interference and manipulation.”
The questionnaire was given to all four candidates.