Trump Administration Studies Report On Climate Change
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- The Trump administration is studying a draft report on climate change and human involvement, leaked to the New York Times.
The research by 13 federal agencies says it's possible to attribute some extreme weather to climate change. They say average U.S. temperatures have risen rapidly since 1980, and are now the warmest in 1700 years.
Trump has a history of challenging the science behind climate change, including once suggesting the concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese.
But a draft report asserts the impact of climate change is being felt right now creating higher temperatures and even causing some extreme weather events.
"I do not believe climate change is a hoax," said Scott Pruitt, the president's pick to head the Environmental Protection Agency during his confirmation hearing.
Pruitt was forced to admit during his confirmation hearing that he does not believe climate change is made up but since being confirmed by the Senate, he has questioned human involvement.
But the report awaiting the White House's approval states that "many lines of evidence demonstrate that human activities, especially emissions of greenhouse gases, are primarily responsible for recent observed climate change."
"I was elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris," said President Trump in June.
In June, President Trump pulled out of the Paris Climate Accords, a global agreement aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The president said the decision was to protect American jobs, and he promised to protect the environment.
When the president touts his achievements so far, many are in the area of regulations, eliminating those in force or stopping those in development.
Some have dealt with carbon emissions, with the administration arguing the environmental gains are not worth the economic harm.
One scientist cited anonymously by the Times says he and other researchers are worried that the Trump administration, which must approve the report's release, will suppress it.
