Marco Rubio: Humans aren't causing climate change
Scott Eisen / Getty Images
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio (R) dismissed the dire warnings in the White House's latest climate change report, saying flatly that humans were not to blame for the warming planet.
"I do not believe that human activity is causing these dramatic changes to our climate the way these scientists are portraying it," he said in an appearance on ABC's This Week, adding that proposed laws to address the issue would do nothing but "destroy our economy."
The climate change report, released last week, concluded that the nation was already enduring the effects of climate change, such as prolonged droughts in the Southwest. And it faulted carbon-trapping emissions for the phenomenon, warning of incredibly expensive, irreversible damage should swift action not be taken soon to curb those emissions.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
In the interview, which was taped Friday and aired Sunday, Rubio also responded "I do" when asked directly if he believed he was "ready" to be president. Yet he stopped short of saying he would indeed run for the White House in 2016, saying instead that the GOP had a number of good, qualified candidates to offer.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jon Terbush is an associate editor at TheWeek.com covering politics, sports, and other things he finds interesting. He has previously written for Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, and Business Insider.
-
A free speech debate is raging over sign language at the White HouseTalking Points The administration has been accused of excluding deaf Americans from press briefings
-
Glinda vs. Elphaba, Jennifer Lawrence vs. postpartum depression and wilderness vs. progress in November moviesthe week recommends This month’s new releases include ‘Wicked: For Good,’ ‘Die My Love’ and ‘Train Dreams’
-
‘The problem isn’t creation itself’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Hurricane Melissa slams Jamaica as Category 5 stormSpeed Read The year’s most powerful storm is also expected to be the strongest ever recorded in Jamaica
-
Renewables top coal as Trump seeks reversalSpeed Read For the first time, renewable energy sources generated more power than coal, said a new report
-
China vows first emissions cut, sidelining USSpeed Read The US, the world’s No. 2 emitter, did not attend the New York summit
-
At least 800 dead in Afghanistan earthquakespeed read A magnitude 6.0 earthquake hit a mountainous region of eastern Afghanistan
-
Massive earthquake sends tsunami across PacificSpeed Read Hundreds of thousands of people in Japan and Hawaii were told to evacuate to higher ground
-
FEMA Urban Search and Rescue chief resignsSpeed Read Ken Pagurek has left the organization, citing 'chaos'
-
Wildfires destroy historic Grand Canyon lodgeSpeed Read Dozens of structures on the North Rim have succumbed to the Dragon Bravo Fire
-
Search for survivors continues after Texas floodsSpeed Read A total of 82 people are confirmed dead, including 28 children
