“I happen to believe in climate change. And I happen to believe that humans contribute to climate change.”
Via Washington Examiner:
Recently elected Democratic Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe is warning that global warming could raise sea levels high enough to flood the Hampton Roads region, home to the world’s largest naval base, without immediate and “smart decisions.”
Addressing an environmental summit this week at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Va., McAuliffe embraced climate change, blamed humans for causing it, and said action is needed now to protect Virginia’s coast from rising ocean levels that will result from global warming.
“The first big decision of course is to accept that climate change is real,” he told the group. “I happen to believe in climate change. And I happen to believe that humans contribute to climate change.”
What’s more, he said, the science agrees with him. Scoffing at critics, including his former campaign foe, Republican Ken Cuccinelli, he said, “I think it’s pretty much settled. I think the impacts are being felt every day.”
The governor cited a recent NBC report about the growing threats of climate change and a government report that said the Hampton Roads area was second to only New Orleans in risk from rising sea levels.
“It is frightening what’s going on, so first and foremost we have to accept that climate change is real,” said McAuliffe.