Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump reiterated his doubts about climate change yesterday, saying the phenomenon could have “some impact, but I don’t believe it’s a devastating impact.”

Trump spoke to the Miami Herald at the shorefront Fontainebleau hotel, in an area where local officials and the federal government are working to stem sea-level rise.

“I’m not a big believer in man-made climate change,” Trump reiterated to the paper, rejecting mainstream scientific evidence of global warming.

“I would say that it goes up, it goes down,” Trump told the paper.

“Certainly, climate has changed. … The problem we have is our businesses are suffering,” he added. “Our businesses are unable to compete in this country because other countries aren’t being forced to do what our businesses are being forced to do, and it makes us uncompetitive.”

Trump said he would not stand in the way of Florida cities like Miami Beach if they want to set local rules to fight the effects of rising seas.

“If they’re doing the roads, and if they want to make them higher, I think that’s probably not the worst thing I’ve ever heard, if you’re going to do them anyway,” Trump said.

Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton criticized the climate policies of Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) on Tuesday. Scott is a vocal supporter of Trump.

Clinton, in contrast to Trump, vowed to work with members of Florida’s leadership to combat sea-level rise and other effects of climate change (Greenwire, Aug. 9).