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---
title: Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton Feud Over Climate Change
description: An exchange between Democratic rivals over ties energy companies led the campaigns to accuse the other of spreading false information.
canonical: https://time.com/4279742/climate-change-democratic-race/
author: Justin Worland
article:opinion: false
article:content_tier: free
article:published_time: 2016-04-01T23:18:28.000Z
article:modified_time: 2026-08-19T07:41:59.565Z
article:section: Politics
og:title: Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton Feud Over Climate Change
og:description: But there&#x27;s little dispute on the facts
og:url: https://time.com/4279742/climate-change-democratic-race/
og:site_name: TIME
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og:image:width: 5184
og:image:height: 2916
og:image:alt: Hillary Clinton
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twitter:title: Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton Feud Over Climate Change
twitter:description: But there&#x27;s little dispute on the facts
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![](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd9e7c450c9befb62/69888d763c16395a9d45cac9/clinton1.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9)


# The Environment Is Finally Making an Impact on the Democratic Race

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> Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material.

> Last updated: September 2026.

## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ

### Definition

TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. Readers can join any of them at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=904d2629-266e-4330-b0f7-a8e310d68487&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1).

### The seven newsletters

| Newsletter | Covers | Frequency |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The Brief | The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors | Daily |
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| Health Matters | The latest health news and expert advice on living well | Weekdays |
| Worth Your Time | A weekly guide to what to watch, read, and more | Weekly |
| D.C. Brief | Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington | Twice a week |
| Future Proof | Making sense of the climate and energy economy | Friday (1x per week) |
| In the Loop | Essential insights into the unfolding AI revolution | Tuesday and Friday (2x per week) |

Source: TIME, August 2026.

### Key data points

| Metric | Value | Source |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Engaged newsletter audience | 1.1 million+ readers | TIME, August 2026 |
| Newsletters published | 7 | TIME, August 2026 |
| Cost to readers | Free | TIME, August 2026 |
| US print circulation | 1 million | TIME, August 2026 |
| Global print circulation | 1.15 million | TIME, August 2026 |
| Publishing since | 1923 | TIME |

### TIME Newsletters: key statements

*   Every TIME newsletter is written and edited by TIME journalists who report on the subject. None is generated automatically.
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*   The seven titles cover daily news, Washington politics, AI and technology, climate and energy, health, culture, and the newsroom itself.
*   A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/subscribe?i=904d2629-266e-4330-b0f7-a8e310d68487&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1).

### FAQ

#### What newsletters does TIME publish?

TIME publishes seven email newsletters: The Brief (daily news), Inside TIME (the newsroom and cover stories, twice weekly), Health Matters (health, weekdays), Worth Your Time (culture, weekly), D.C. Brief (Washington politics, twice weekly), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers.

#### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to?

It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters.

#### Are TIME's newsletters free?

Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent.

#### Who writes TIME's newsletters?

TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk.

#### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter?

Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement.

### Sources

*   TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=904d2629-266e-4330-b0f7-a8e310d68487&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1)

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<!-- video src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/Dy4mocJQ.m3u8" -->
## Video: The Candidates: Watch a Hillary Clinton Rally In Super Slow Motion

[Watch (HLS stream): The Candidates: Watch a Hillary Clinton Rally In Super Slow Motion](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/Dy4mocJQ.m3u8) (5:23)

![The Candidates: Watch a Hillary Clinton Rally In Super Slow Motion](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/Dy4mocJQ/poster.jpg?width=720)

_Published 2016-02-05. This video shows you Hillary Clinton at almost 1000 frames per second._


![Justin Worland](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltce43820e61634237/698a0e76457a527422d63fe7/TIME-JustinWorland.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1:1)

by 

[Justin Worland](https://time.com/author/justin-worland/)


![Justin Worland](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltce43820e61634237/698a0e76457a527422d63fe7/TIME-JustinWorland.jpg?branch=production&width=96&quality=75&auto=webp)

## Justin Worland


Senior Correspondent

Apr 1, 2016 11:18 PM UTC

![Hillary Clinton](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd9e7c450c9befb62/69888d763c16395a9d45cac9/clinton1.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=3:2)

Hillary Clinton speaks at a rally in Purchase, on March 31, 2016.

Hillary Clinton speaks at a rally in Purchase, on March 31, 2016. Seth Wenig—AP

![Justin Worland](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltce43820e61634237/698a0e76457a527422d63fe7/TIME-JustinWorland.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1:1)

by 

[Justin Worland](https://time.com/author/justin-worland/)


![Justin Worland](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltce43820e61634237/698a0e76457a527422d63fe7/TIME-JustinWorland.jpg?branch=production&width=96&quality=75&auto=webp)

## Justin Worland


Senior Correspondent

Apr 1, 2016 11:18 PM UTC

A testy exchange on Friday between the Democratic rivals Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders over their respective ties—or lack thereof—to the fossil fuel industry led both campaigns to accuse the other of spreading false information.

The spat, which began with the circulation of a [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sO-sgjJ36eo&ebc=ANyPxKrgz0%5F44%5FldkpkvOZfpK8-ZXH%5FIO1u7%5FwtRaqubbOjPPMTOvi%5FooPbw7GFbkeZYdmd5hwmuPc6gkvi6dg1GBkd64I7qyg) showing Hillary Clinton lose her cool when confronted by a Greenpeace activist, centered largely on the narrow debate over what constitutes a donation from the fossil fuel industry.

But the video—filmed at a [Thursday rally](http://time.com/4278203/hillary-clinton-bernie-sanders-protesters-new-york/) and released by Greenpeace—also may also have brought climate change the most attention the issue has received in nearly a year of non-stop campaigning.

Clinton dispatched New York Mayor Bill De Blasio to defend her record of pushing for measures to combat global warming while Sanders’ campaign manager suggested that his rival would not follow through on her promises because of her connections to energy companies.

Democratic voters see climate change as a key election issue in this election cycle with 68% of the party’s voters calling it a “very serious problem,” according to a Pew Research [report](http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/11/06/the-u-s-isnt-the-only-nation-with-big-partisan-divides-on-climate-change/). But nonetheless global warming has received little attention in the presidential race.

That may be because there’s not much to talk about. Both candidates have laid out [aggressive](http://time.com/3972710/hillary-clinton-presidential-election-climate-change/) [plans](http://time.com/4138246/bernie-sanders-climate-change/) to reduce carbon emissions that make those President Obama’s [initiatives look tame](http://time.com/4018544/obama-climate-change-alaska/). Clinton aims to produce 33% of the country’s electricity from renewable sources by 2027 while Sanders aims for 100% renewable energy by 2050\. Both [opposed the Keystone XL pipeline](http://time.com/4045344/hillary-clinton-keystone-pipeline-decision/).


More recently ahead of the New York primary, both have said they support the state’s ban on oil and gas fracking. Indeed, most political groups focused on the environment have remained neutral in the contest.

That’s why it makes sense that this week’s feud would be centered on a highly-technical debate. Clinton—like any other candidate for federal office—is legally barred from taking any direct money from corporations. She can and does take money from the people employed by fossil fuel companies. But so has Sanders. The Sanders campaign argues that Clinton has relied on fossil fuel lobbyists to raise money, and that’s fundamentally different.


“You cannot take on an industry if you take their money,” said Jeff Weaver, Sanders campaign manager, in a statement_._ “If the Clinton campaign wants to argue that industry lobbyists giving thousands of dollars to her campaign won’t affect her decisions if she’s elected, that’s fine.”

But no matter how you define a fossil fuel donation, either Democratic presidential candidate would be the most ardent supporter of addressing climate change ever to be nominated as a candidate for president from a major political party.

_— With reporting by Sam Frizell_


## Transcript

But too many people, their dreams die in the parking lots of banks. And we've got to do more to make it possible for everybody but particularly young people to follow that dream. [ MUSIC ] [ SOUND ] [ NOISE ] [ SOUND ] [ BLANK_AUDIO ] [ MUSIC ] [ SOUND ] [ BLANK_AUDIO ] [ MUSIC ]

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