Joe Biden Tells Protestor: ‘I Guarantee You, We Are Going to End Fossil Fuel’ Before 2050

Former vice president Joe Biden arrives at a rally organized by UFCW Union members in Dorchester, Mass., on April 18, 2019. Joseph Prezioso/AFP/Getty Images

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden promised a young environmental protestor that he will end fossil fuels before 2050 during his town hall in New Hampshire on Sept. 6.

While answering questions from the crowd, Biden was asked by a 24-year-old activist, Rebecca Beaulieu, how voters could continue to trust him if he still associates himself with fossil fuel executives, reported the Daily Mail.

“So my question is, how can we trust that you’re going to act on climate on the climate crisis if you’re still attending fundraisers that fossil fuel executives are attending?” Beaulieu asked Biden. This comes after the former vice president was accused of raising money from fossil fuel executives when he attended a fundraiser on Sept. 5 hosted by Andrew Goldman, the chief investment officer of Hildred Capital Partners and co-founder of Western LNG.

Biden insisted during a CNN town hall on Sept. 5 that Goldman was “not a fossil fuel executive.”

In response, Biden said, “I want you to just take a look. I want you to look at my eyes,” as he walked toward Beaulieu to shake her hand, according to a video posted to social media.

He then said, “Kiddo, I guarantee you, I guarantee you, we are gonna end fossil fuel, and I am not going to cooperate with them. Before 2050, God willing.”

Biden then continued by claiming that the end of fossil fuel was not realistic for 2030 but was possible for 2050.

“No it can’t be done by 2030,” he said, according to Daily Mail. “No, not one single person is arguing it can be done by that. But it can be done by 2050. Maybe 2045? And is the science increases, we may be able to move more quickly. But we have to we can fundamentally change things in the next 10 years, though, so that we set a path? I promise you, I promise you. Okay.”

According to the news outlet, Beaulieu told reporters that she was not expecting that sort of response from Biden, adding that she found him calling her “kiddo” slightly patronizing.

“But I hope that he takes the climate crisis as seriously as he tried to make it seem and that if he’s going to keep moving forward with his plans, he needs to reevaluate because 2050 is too late,” she said.

Biden also reiterated his commitment to not accept any funding from executives running an energy company, reported the Boston Herald.

“We all signed a pledge saying we would not accept any funding, any funding at all from any executive or anyone involved in the management of any energy company. No one is involved with an energy company,” he said.

Biden was referring to a pledge “No Fossil Fuel Money,” that he and 17 other Democratic candidates signed, to not “take contributions over $200 from oil, gas, and coal industry executives, lobbyists, and PACs.”