Climate Science Misrepresented by Connecticut State Representatives
Climate Science Misrepresented by Connecticut State Representatives
On May 28, 2019, the Connecticut House of Representatives passed House Bill 7083, requiring the teaching of climate change in the state’s public schools. During debate on the bill, several state Representatives questioned the scientific consensus on climate change, and humans contribution thereto. In particular:
- State Representative John Piscopo claimed that “[t]here is active scientific debate among scientists and others . . . about how much global warming is caused by humans burning fossil fuels.”
- State Representative Anne Dauphinais asserted that “[t]here are scientists on both sides of” the climate change debate. She continued: “The science isn’t settled.”
- State Representative Tom O’Dea argued that it is “foolish . . . to mandate to our teachers that they have to teach one side . . . because the science is not settled on the impact of humanity on global temperatures.”
- State Representative Doug Dubitsky indicated that “[t]he jury’s still out” on climate change. He claimed that some “very credible” scientists dispute the reality of climate change and and argued that “[w]e should be encouraging open debate, we should be encouraging people who don’t agree with this so-called consensus.”
Contrary to the Representatives’ claims, there is broad scientific consensus that climate change is occurring, and is primarily caused by human activities.
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I am shocked and dismayed that any representative in our state would be on the wrong side of this issue, Climate change is for me the most important matter to be addressed in the coming years, and appropriate actions must be taken before it is too late for our planet.