Climate posture
All 16 modern US presidents ranked by their net score on this single sub-criterion. Good and harm are scored 0–10 independently; net is good minus harm. Click a name for the full scorecard.
Inflation Reduction Act 2022 — ~$370B climate investment, largest US climate legislation ever. Restored Paris Agreement. Methane rule. SEC climate disclosure. Major climate-policy era.
View 1 source →Hide sources ↑
- good·Tier 1·Primary document·Unverified
IRA climate provisions are largest US federal climate investment ever — estimated to reduce US emissions ~40% by 2030 from 2005 baseline; Paris Agreement rejoin restored international leadership.
congress.gov ↗
Paris Agreement leadership (December 2015). Clean Power Plan (2015) — first federal greenhouse gas regulation (struck down 2022). Doubled fuel economy standards. Solar/wind subsidies.
View 1 source →Hide sources ↑
- good·Tier 1·Primary document·Unverified
Obama led international Paris Agreement framework; Clean Power Plan set first federal greenhouse gas standards for power plants (subsequently struck down by SCOTUS); fuel economy standards doubled.
unfccc.int ↗
Attended Earth Summit Rio (June 1992) — first US president to do so. Signed UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. But weakened action commitments.
View 1 source →Hide sources ↑
- good·Tier 1·Primary document·Unverified
Bush signed and Senate ratified UNFCCC at Rio Earth Summit; framework that subsequent Kyoto and Paris Agreements built upon.
unfccc.int ↗
Solar panels installed on White House (1979). Energy conservation framework. Climate science emerging in administration but not yet primary policy frame.
View 1 source →Hide sources ↑
- good·Tier 1·Primary document·Unverified
Carter installed solar panels on White House and launched federal renewable-energy R&D substantially; commitments largely reversed under Reagan.
jimmycarterlibrary.gov ↗
Climate not yet recognized policy domain. Some early scientific awareness (CO2 monitoring). No federal climate policy.
View 1 source →Hide sources ↑
- good·Tier 2·Historical record·Unverified
Atmospheric CO2 measurement at Mauna Loa continued through Nixon years but federal climate policy did not exist; era-typical.
CO2 Mauna Loa observation 1969-1974; pre-policy awareness only
Signed Kyoto Protocol (November 1998) but never submitted to Senate (Byrd-Hagel resolution 95-0 against any treaty that exempted developing countries). Failed BTU tax. Modest action.
View 1 source →Hide sources ↑
- good·Tier 1·Primary document·Unverified
Clinton signed Kyoto Protocol but never submitted to Senate facing certain rejection per Byrd-Hagel (95-0); meaningful climate policy delayed by political opposition.
unfccc.int ↗
N/A per era E6.1.
N/A per era E6.1.
N/A per era E6.1.
N/A per era. Score 0/0.
N/A per era E6.2 pre-climate-awareness.
N/A per era E6.1.
Hansen Senate testimony June 1988 marked emerging climate awareness. Reagan administration generally skeptical. Did sign Montreal Protocol on ozone (1987) — major environmental success but separate from climate.
View 1 source →Hide sources ↑
- good·Tier 1·Primary document·Unverified
Reagan signed Montreal Protocol restricting ozone-depleting chemicals — among the most successful international environmental treaties; on emerging climate awareness, administration response was minimal.
Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (September 16, 1987); Hansen Senate testimony June 23, 1988
Withdrew from Kyoto Protocol (March 2001). Suppressed federal climate science (Hansen documented). Denied EPA authority to regulate CO2 (Mass v. EPA 2007 reversed). No federal climate policy.
View 1 source →Hide sources ↑
- harm·Tier 1·Primary document·Unverified
GW Bush withdrew from Kyoto Protocol and resisted EPA regulation of CO2; SCOTUS ruled in Mass v. EPA that EPA had authority to regulate greenhouse gases under Clean Air Act.
supreme.justia.com ↗
Withdrew from Paris Agreement again (Jan 20, 2025). EO 14154 'Unleashing American Energy.' Reversed IRA climate provisions. EPA climate science dismantled. Anti-climate-policy administration.
View 1 source →Hide sources ↑
- harm·Tier 1·Primary document·Unverified
Trump T2 immediately withdrew from Paris Agreement (Jan 20, 2025); EO 14154 directed reversal of IRA climate spending and fossil-fuel acceleration.
archives.gov ↗
Withdrew from Paris Agreement (effective November 4, 2020). Reversed Clean Power Plan. Methane rule rollback. Fuel economy standards weakened. Active anti-climate-science administration.
View 1 source →Hide sources ↑
- harm·Tier 1·Primary document·Unverified
Trump T1 withdrew US from Paris Agreement effective the day after 2020 election; reversed multiple federal climate regulations; substantially set back US climate policy.
state.gov ↗