“I think global warming is real. I don’t think that’s deniable. And I do think human activity contributes to it,” said Christie, who plans on making a decision on whether or not to seek the nation’s highest office sometime in May or June. He added, however, that there needs to be more discussion about the degree to which humans play a role.

Christie, who is struggling in the polls – especially after federal prosecutors recently brought charges against three of his former allies over the scandal known as “Bridgegate” – made the remarks at the Cheshire County Republican Lincoln Day Dinner in front of a crowd of about 200 GOPers, activists and lawmakers. He was responding to a question from Carl Panza, a 73-year-old, retired marketing director…

Christie stressed, however, that when it comes to curbing climate change, the United States or a group of states “can’t be acting unilaterally” especially “when folks in China are doing things to the environment that we would never be done in our country …There’s no use in denying global warming exists. The question is what we do to deal with it.” Christie also expressed skepticism about cap and trade programs.