Republican presidential candidate and former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum came under scrutiny for telling Pope Francis to “leave science to the scientists” when addressing climate change. Santorum recently doubled down on that statement during a Fox News Sunday interview, reported ThinkProgress.
“If he’s not a scientist – and in fact, he does have a degree in chemistry – neither are you?” Fox News host Chris Wallace asked Santorum. “So, I guess the question would be, if he shouldn’t talk about it, should you?”
“Politicians, whether we like it or not, people in government have to make decision with regard to public policy that affect American workers,” responded Santorum. “The pope can talk about whatever he wants to talk about.”
“I’m saying, what should the pope use his moral authority for?” Santorum continued. “I think there are more pressing problems confronting the earth than climate change.”
Essentially, Santorum believes the pope’s only area is morality and religion. Pope Francis believes that climate change is a moral issue and has called upon several governments to address the problem. Pope Francis is expected to release an encyclical letter regarding climate change on June 18.
Santorum is a strict Catholic and believes that man-made climate change doesn’t exist. He argued that the science regarding climate change isn’t settled, despite 97 percent of active climate scientists assert that human activity has contributed to climate change.
“All of this certainty, which is what bothers me about the debate, the idea that science is settled,” said Santorum. “Any time you hear a scientist say science is settled, that’s political science, not real science.”
Santorum is incorrect; it is real science.
Santorum can complain and talk about how the science is skewed and slanted. It doesn’t change the fact that many other countries have taken a stance on the issue of climate change. Over the last decade, the effects of climate change have accelerated and are beginning to inflict damage on the planet.
