Romney: ‘Human Activity Contributes’ To Global Warming
Source: TPM
In an answer to one of 14 sci-tech questions posed by Scientific American and ScienceDebate.org to the two Presidential candidates, Republican Mitt Romney offered his most detailed view yet on the issue of global warming. In his answer, Romney seems to walk back his late 2011 statements "that we dont know whats causing climate change on this planet," and an earlier statement in which he said he thought global warming was occurring but "I dont know if its mostly caused by humans."
The first part of Romney's newly refined view on climate change reads as follows:
I am not a scientist myself, but my best assessment of the data is that the world is getting warmer, that human activity contributes to that warming, and that policymakers should therefore consider the risk of negative consequences. However, there remains a lack of scientific consensus on the issue on the extent of the warming, the extent of the human contribution, and the severity of the risk and I believe we must support continued debate and investigation within the scientific community...Ultimately, the science is an input to the public policy decision; it does not dictate a particular policy response.
Next Romney attacks President Obama's and Congress's efforts to address climate change through legislation and policy. Romney also offers the view that other industrialized nations, China namely, do more to fight climate change if the U.S. is to join them:
Nowhere along the way has the President indicated what actual results his approach would achieve and with good reason. The reality is that the problem is called Global Warming, not America Warming. China long ago passed America as the leading emitter of greenhouse gases. Developed world emissions have leveled off while developing world emissions continue to grow rapidly, and developing nations have no interest in accepting economic constraints to change that dynamic. In this context, the primary effect of unilateral action by the U.S. to impose costs on its own emissions will be to shift industrial activity overseas to nations whose industrial processes are more emissions-intensive and less environmentally friendly. That result may make environmentalists feel better, but it will not better the environment.
Read more: http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/romney-human-activity-contributes-to-global-warming
You can find the complete list of questions, with President Obama's answers as well, at
http://www.nature.com/news/obama-and-romney-tackle-14-top-science-questions-1.11355
kenfrequed
(7,865 posts)Yes Mittens, but if you weren't such a globalist cheerleader and helping to assure that companies downsize and move offshore then maybe we might be able to exercise a bit more control over the actions of industry.
alp227
(32,053 posts)xtraxritical
(3,576 posts)China, India, and Indonesia then shit can all the environmental regulations." Oh yeah and work for minimum wage with no benefits.