By RTCC Staff
The US Senate has held its first committee on climate change in three years and unfortunately, while there has been talk that climate scepticism was on the wane, the topic of the debate was largely not climate change policy, but whether or not it exists.
Here are some highlights from the debate flagged up by the Climate Desk.
“There’s still one or two percent of scientists who don’t believe that lung cancer is associated with smoking…To declare otherwise is to put America in danger.” Senator Barbara Boxer, California, Democrat
“There’s no hoax, there’s no conspiracy.” James McCarthy, oceanographer, Harvard University
“You’re asking us to have unprecedented high electricity prices in order to avoid a danger that’s not as real as it appeared.” Senator Jeff Sessions, Alabama, Republican
“The global warming issue is highly overblown.” John R Christy, climatologist nominated to give evidence by Sen. Sessions
“We’ve gone though these…I’m going to call them charades for the moment, and our friends on the other side happen to be very likeable people but they’re wrong.” Senator Lautenberg, New Jersey, Democrat
Video: The best bits of the Senate Committee on climate change