Climate and Energy in 2028
Climate change policy, the clean energy transition, fossil fuel production, and energy prices.
Climate change has emerged as one of the defining policy challenges of the century, with scientific consensus pointing to rising temperatures, more extreme weather events, and long-term risks to ecosystems and human settlement patterns. The policy debate involves how quickly to transition away from fossil fuels and at what economic cost.
The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 included the largest climate investment in U.S. history, channeling hundreds of billions of dollars into clean energy incentives. Whether to maintain, expand, or roll back those investments became a central political question.
Energy prices directly affect consumers and businesses, creating tension between long-term climate goals and short-term cost concerns. The U.S. also became the world's largest oil and gas producer in this period, adding complexity to debates about fossil fuel policy.
Why it matters in 2028
Climate-related disasters - wildfires, floods, hurricanes - have become more frequent and costly, raising the urgency for some voters while others prioritize near-term energy affordability. The 2028 president will set the direction for whether the U.S. maintains its international climate commitments and how aggressively it pursues the clean energy transition.
How each party frames climate and energy
A neutral summary of each party's general governing approach. Individual 2028 candidates will differ - no nominee has been chosen yet.
Democratic approach
Democrats broadly accept the scientific consensus on climate change and favor accelerating the transition to clean energy through a combination of incentives, regulations, and investment. Many in the party support remaining in international climate agreements, setting ambitious emissions targets, and protecting the climate provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act. There is some internal debate about the pace of the fossil fuel phase-out and the role of nuclear energy.
Republican approach
Republicans generally favor expanding domestic energy production across all sources - oil, gas, coal, and renewables - under the principle of energy dominance and lower consumer prices. Many in the party are skeptical of the costs and economic trade-offs of rapid decarbonization and have called for rolling back climate-related regulations and incentives. Some Republicans support nuclear energy and natural gas as cleaner bridge fuels. There is growing internal variation on how to address climate change directly.
Who is in the field on climate and energy
No party has nominated a 2028 candidate yet. As contenders formally declare and stake out positions on climate and energy, each candidate profile will be updated. The leading contenders so far:
Democratic contenders
- Gavin NewsomLikely to run
- Kamala HarrisLikely to run
- Pete ButtigiegLikely to run
- Alexandria Ocasio-CortezLikely to run
- Josh ShapiroLikely to run
Republican contenders
- JD VanceLikely to run
- Marco RubioLikely to run
- Ron DeSantisLikely to run
- Ted CruzPossible
- Rand PaulPossible
Tracker updated July 14, 2026. Click any name to see their full profile, background, and current status.
What 2028 will have to answer on climate and energy
- Would candidates keep or repeal the clean energy investments from the Inflation Reduction Act?
- Do candidates believe in the scientific consensus on climate change?
- What would candidates do about U.S. participation in international climate agreements?
- How would candidates balance lower energy prices with climate goals?
- What is each candidate's position on oil and gas drilling on federal lands?
Other 2028 issues
How 2028 candidates plan to manage economic growth, consumer prices, and the cost of living.
Border enforcement, legal immigration pathways, and the future of undocumented immigrants already in the U.S.
Federal and state abortion policy after the Supreme Court returned the issue to state legislatures in 2022.
Health insurance coverage, drug prices, and the long-running debate over the structure of the American health system.
Federal tax policy, including the expiring provisions of the 2017 tax law and disputes over who pays what.
Employment levels, minimum wage, union rights, and the future of work in an era of automation and AI.