The pope is right on climate change. Republicans' response so far: "leave science to the scientists"

Several GOP contenders have responded to the pope's forthcoming papal encyclical on the climate by saying "he is not a scientist" (Santorum) or varying expressions that "we just don't know the cause" or that "we should leave it to the scientists."

But, when 97% of scientists say that human activities contribute a major proportion of greenhouse gases, why not just say that the scientists have spoken?    And that it's up to our political process to do something about it -- urgently.   There's almost nothing that you'll get better than 97% agreement on.   So don't keep dodging responsibility by quoting the tiny minority.

Here is what scientists do say, according to an article on Daily Kos, "Global Temperatures Soaring:  2015 starts off the top of the chart," by FishOutofWater, 6/17/15.

"2014 was the warmest year in global climate records but 2015 is on track to be significantly warmer than 2014. The first 5 months were the warmest on record and global models are predicting a super El Niño that could be the strongest ever measured on record or by paleoclimate proxies. . . .  Extraordinarily warm global sea surface temperatures forecast for this summer and fall will bring on even hotter temperatures in the second half of 2015 than the first half. If the models are correct 2015 temperatures will spike far above 2014.

"Climate scientists have known for years what's causing the climate to warm - huge human emissions of greenhouse gases."

Despite obvious confirmation of predictions already being seen in the drought in California, the melting of glaciers, and increased sea levels, Republicans are still dodging and denying.  

Among those for whom the pope's message on climate proves the most politically awkward is Jeb Bush, who converted to Roman Catholicism 20 years ago.   Besides taking huge sums of campaign money from businesses interest (the Kochs, for one) that resist the necessary regulatory adjustments, he was governor of Florida where the largest city, Miami, is destined to be submerged by ocean if we do not act.

And yet, here's the best Jeb has come up with:  (1)  "The climate is changing, whether men are doing it or not."   (2)  A call for vague, toothless "policies of adaptation."   (3) Saying he is "a little skeptical" about the pope's message on climate, because "religion ought to be about making us better as people and less about things that end up getting into the political realm."

The sad and scary thing about Jeb Bush's response is that his is among the best of all the Republican presidential hopefuls.

Look at these charts for yourself, showing the long-range changes in temperature and in greehouse gas emissions.   On the first graph, despite the sharp rise in temperatures since 1980, the first half of 2015 is even off this chart.
             Graph from the National Weather Service.




           Graph from Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2007

This is serious stuff.    We should be wary of politicians who try to tell us otherwise.

Ralph