Climate change denial persists among US lawmakers
Nearly a quarter of the U.S. Congress, all Republicans, deny climate change, despite growing public concern over global warming.
Oliver Milman and Dharna Noor report for The Guardian.
In short:
- A study reveals that 123 members of Congress, including 100 in the House and 23 in the Senate, deny human-caused climate change.
- These lawmakers have received a total of $52 million in campaign donations from the fossil fuel industry.
- Although public concern over climate change is increasing, many Americans are overrepresented by climate deniers in Congress.
Key quote:
“It’s harder to deny the science when it’s so much more apparent that the climate is warming, that extreme weather is getting worse and happening constantly. Nobody can deny the science with a straight face, given everything.”
— Naomi Oreskes, history of science professor, Harvard University
Why this matters:
The significant number of climate-denying lawmakers undermines efforts to address climate change despite scientific consensus and growing public alarm. This disconnect poses challenges to advancing meaningful climate policies and addressing the urgent impacts of global warming.
