New Head of the EPA Does "Not Agree" Humans Have Led to Climate Change

Recently appointed Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt appeared on CNBC's Squawk Box on March 9 and brazenly denied that carbon dioxide and human activity have contributed to climate change. Pruitt attempted to appear open to climate science during his nomination hearing, but his latest TV appearance seems to make it clear he is not.

"I think that measuring, with precision, human activity on the climate is something very challenging to do, and there's tremendous disagreement about the degree of impact," Pruitt claimed. "So no, I would not agree that it's a primary contributor to the global warming that we see."

Pruitt's opinion — emphasis on opinion — contradicts the consensus of more than 2,000 scientists who study Earth's rapidly changing climate. In 2013, as pointed out by The New York Times, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change asserted that it was "extremely likely" that climate change resulted from human activity and carbon dioxide emissions.

Considering Pruitt's extensive history of defending fossil fuel companies as Oklahoma Attorney General, his comments are especially concerning. Even more troubling? Pruitt's science-averse opinions are likely to become policy. The Times also reports that President Donald Trump's administration is preparing to potentially withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement and rescind President Barack Obama's carbon dioxide emission regulations.