We fact-check Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ claims in two public appearances announcing his 2024 presidential candidacy.
FactChecking Ron DeSantis’ Presidential Announcement
Issues: global warming
Warming Beyond 1.5 C Harmful, But Not a Point of No Return, as Biden Claims
It’s increasingly likely that the planet will reach 1.5 degrees Celsius, or 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit, of warming, probably within the next two decades. But while that level of warming comes with a variety of dangerous effects, it’s not a point of no return, scientists say, and it doesn’t mean “we’re done,” as President Joe Biden has claimed.
How Does the Inflation Reduction Act Address Climate Change?
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the Senate plans to hold its first vote Aug. 6 on the Inflation Reduction Act. An estimated $369 billion over the next 10 years would go toward combating climate change and investing in “energy security.” Here we review some of the climate-focused provisions in the bill.
Biden’s Earth Day Exaggerations
On Earth Day, President Joe Biden touted his administration’s environmental initiatives, but his rhetoric made efforts to reduce methane emissions and drinking water contamination sound more expansive than they actually are.
Trump Mocks Global Warming, Lowballs Sea Level Rise
President Donald Trump mocked concerns about global warming, saying that oceans would rise just “[o]ne-eighth of an inch within the next 250 years.” Although he may have been joking, his figure is many times lower than scientific estimates.
Buttigieg Wrong About Climate Change’s Effect on Oceans
In making his case for taking swift action on climate change, Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg inaccurately said that “we could lose half the world’s oxygen because of what’s going on in the oceans.” Scientists say that’s a misreading of the evidence.
Trump Bungles Climate Change in UK
During a trip to the United Kingdom, President Donald Trump once again expressed skepticism about climate change, making several false or misleading statements in a television interview on “Good Morning Britain” with host Piers Morgan.
Steve King’s Climate Change Rainfall Claims
In a recent town hall, Iowa Rep. Steve King focused on the positives of climate change, inaccurately stating that increased evaporation under higher temperatures will lead to rain in “more and more places” — a result that’s “surely gotta shrink the deserts and expand the green growth.”
No, Climate Change Isn’t ‘Made Up’
A popular social media post claims that climate change is a “made-up catastrophe,” despite a large body of evidence that supports the scientific consensus that it is real.
How Potent Is Methane?
Two federal agencies this month took steps that would allow the oil and gas industry to release more methane, a greenhouse gas, into the environment. Critics warned that methane is more potent than carbon dioxide at trapping the Earth’s heat, but some gave wildly divergent figures to describe how much more potent.