Washington (AFP) - Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz dismissed climate change Wednesday as a "pseudo-scientific theory" by liberals seeking to impose government control over the economy and "every aspect of our lives."

Cruz, a US senator from Texas who has gained momentum recently among his party's ultra-conservatives, advanced the claim in an interview with National Public Radio, contending that scientists have switched theories over the decades to favor government intervention.

"First, it was global cooling, then it was global warming," he said.

"Now it is 'climate change,' and climate change is the perfect pseudo-scientific theory for a big-government politician who wants more power."

Their intention all along, Cruz said, has been to attain "massive government control over the economy, the energy sector and every aspect of our lives."