ATLANTA — Organizers of a conference on public health and climate change urged policy experts and policymakers to mobilize in the wake of a new administration they say has denied the impact, and even the existence, of global warming.
Three lead organizers behind the Climate & Health Meeting — former Vice President Al Gore, Harvard Global Health Institute’s Dr. Ashish Jha, and the American Public Health Association’s Dr. Georges Benjamin — brought together more than 300 people at the Carter Center in Atlanta for a one-day meeting to replace the three-day conference originally scheduled for this week at the CDC headquarters four miles away. The original meeting was canceled after the presidential election in anticipation of the Trump administration’s unenthusiastic views toward climate change work. But two CDC scientists who played a leading role in the scrapped summit spoke at Thursday’s meeting. So did former President Jimmy Carter.
“With the possible disapproval of Congress, the CDC has to be a little cautious politically,” said Carter, a longtime advocate for global health issues, as he made unannounced remarks. “The Carter Center doesn’t.”
As always, follow the money, this time back to the fossil fuels industry. Citizens should be ashamed that they have been tricked into giving their votes to corporate interests by electing those who are essentially lobbyists, who then represent corporations and abandon those of us who put them in office. Congresspersons who prostitute themselves to donor money instead of representing the best interests of citizen voters get away with it because of Citizens United and its ilk. Money out of politics completely, elect on issues only.
“Benjamin cut to the point as he urged public health and climate policy experts to act so they would “not be impeded by denial” from skeptics.”
A Skeptic is someone who demands good evidence in order to adopt a position.
A Denier is someone who maintains their position in the face of good evidence.
They are literally the opposite of one another. As a skeptic, I am offended by characterizing Deniers as Skeptics. Please stop.
Hear, hear….no longer do we have scientists who can hold 2 opposing ideas in their head at the same time…the result being discussion and educational debate.