Scientists Ask Congress to Drop Partisanship and Focus on Climate Science to Address Global Warming

On January 28th more than a dozen scientists wrote a letter to Congress, asking it to "take a fresh look" at climate data. They reminded Congress that climate science is not a partisan issue - "there are no Democratic or Republican carbon dioxide molecules; they are all invisible and they all trap heat."   The letter "emphasizes the importance of truly understanding the science of climate change, and stresses the need to prevent political ideology from clouding our scientific understanding of how climate change is impacting our way of life."

They also point out that:

Heat-trapping carbon dioxide is building up in the atmosphere because burning coal, oil, and natural gas produces far more carbon dioxide than is absorbed by oceans and forests. No scientist disagrees with that.

The remind Congress that the National Academy of Sciences has stated, 

“Climate change is occurring, is caused largely by human activities . . . and in many cases is already affecting a broad range of human and natural systems.” 

In short, "climate change is underway and the severity of the risks we face is compounded by delay."

They reiterate that climate scientists can only provide the science, which they have done. It is up to elected officials to exercise their responsibility to take policy action to combat the realities of climate change. The scientists recommended that Congress "hold hearings to understand climate science and what is says about the likely costs and benefits of action and inaction." Conversely, Congress "should not hold hearings to attempt to intimidate scientists or to substitute ideological judgments for scientific ones."

An article can be read on The Hill. Scroll down for the scientists' letter in its entirety. The full letter can also be read here.