"Now, China, India have set goals. We're going to be able to review what they're doing. We're going to be able to challenge them if they don't meet those goals. We're going to pursue this anyway, because the President understands that our future lies with a clean energy economy. We've doubled renewables this year. There are millions of jobs to be had there, more energy security, so we're going to pursue this"
About this Quote
The context is the post-financial-crisis era when clean energy was being sold less as sacrifice than as industrial policy. Axelrod doesn’t lean on melting ice or moral urgency; he leans on jobs, security, and inevitability. “We’re going to pursue this anyway” is the tell. It’s meant to disarm the familiar hostage-taking dynamic of climate politics: Why should we act if they don’t? Axelrod flips it into a posture of confident self-interest. Even if China and India drag their feet, the U.S. should move because that’s where the next economy is.
There’s also a strategic narrowing of what “clean energy” means in political terms. “Millions of jobs” and “more energy security” are code for: this isn’t just environmentalism; it’s manufacturing, infrastructure, and less dependence on volatile oil markets. Doubling renewables “this year” offers a quick, measurable win - a counterweight to the long timeline of climate goals. The subtext: leadership isn’t charity. It’s leverage.
Quote Details
| Topic | Vision & Strategy |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Axelrod, David. (2026, January 17). Now, China, India have set goals. We're going to be able to review what they're doing. We're going to be able to challenge them if they don't meet those goals. We're going to pursue this anyway, because the President understands that our future lies with a clean energy economy. We've doubled renewables this year. There are millions of jobs to be had there, more energy security, so we're going to pursue this. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/now-china-india-have-set-goals-were-going-to-be-47040/
Chicago Style
Axelrod, David. "Now, China, India have set goals. We're going to be able to review what they're doing. We're going to be able to challenge them if they don't meet those goals. We're going to pursue this anyway, because the President understands that our future lies with a clean energy economy. We've doubled renewables this year. There are millions of jobs to be had there, more energy security, so we're going to pursue this." FixQuotes. January 17, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/now-china-india-have-set-goals-were-going-to-be-47040/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"Now, China, India have set goals. We're going to be able to review what they're doing. We're going to be able to challenge them if they don't meet those goals. We're going to pursue this anyway, because the President understands that our future lies with a clean energy economy. We've doubled renewables this year. There are millions of jobs to be had there, more energy security, so we're going to pursue this." FixQuotes, 17 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/now-china-india-have-set-goals-were-going-to-be-47040/. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
