Scientists are (rightfully) roasting Donald Trump for his recent tweet about climate change
It’s November 2018…which means we’ve officially been subjected to two full years of insane—and often offensive—comments from President Donald Trump. And just when we think he can’t do or say anything else that could possibly surprise us, his Twitter feed stoops to a new low. Most recently, POTUS tweeted about climate change—specifically calling out the especially cold weather in the U.S. Northeast right now, using it to cast doubt on global warming.
"Brutal and Extended Cold Blast could shatter ALL RECORDS - Whatever happened to Global Warming?" Trump tweeted on November 21st.
https://twitter.com/udfredirect/status/1065400254151954432
And scientists everywhere just breathed a collective sigh of annoyance (slash hit their heads against a wall in frustration). As many pointed out, weather and climate are two different things: Weather is a day-to-day phenomenon in specific locations, and climate is about overall global trends. As NASA notes on its website (per the Huffpost), “In most places, weather can change from minute-to-minute, hour-to-hour, day-to-day, and season-to-season. Climate, however, is the average of weather over time and space.”
In an interview with the HuffPost, Michael Mann, a climate scientist at Penn State (aka an actual trained expert), said, "This demonstrates once again that Donald Trump is not an individual to be taken seriously on any topic, let alone matters as serious as climate change. He is a clown—a dangerous clown."
Others in the scientific community have also expressed their frustration via Twitter.
I know you're Mr. America-is-all-that-matters, but climate is actually a global phenomenon. Here's today's global weather map (oh, and red=hot.) As a whole, Earth is about 1.2 degrees above preindustrial temps today pic.twitter.com/kRaGd7cZF3
— Bill McKibben (@billmckibben) November 22, 2018
Your ignorance endangers the entire world. Get someone to read this to you, or at least show you the pictures: https://t.co/jhVnd6TA0G
— Prof Michael E. Mann (@MichaelEMann) November 22, 2018
I encourage you to study the difference between weather and climate. A short term pattern does not confirm nor refute global warming and climate change.
— Tyler Mauldin (@TyTheWeatherGuy) November 22, 2018
And well-informed everyday citizens also aren’t too pleased.
Yeah… climate change. The climate has changed, you massive orange idiot.
— Jemaine Clement (@AJemaineClement) November 22, 2018
Some facts on CA wildfires for @realDonaldTrump:
-Your administration cut funding for fire prevention.
-70% of CA land is federally owned and current fires are mostly on federal land.
-Climate change is real and is making the fires worse.
-More rakes won’t solve the problem.
— Mike Levin (@MikeLevin) November 18, 2018
For some reason, concern over climate change/global warming has become an elite and mostly Democratic issue. those who resent elites and/or are Repubs feel compelled to deny it. This is tragic given its impact on us all and the urgent need to adopt policies to fight/adapt to it.
— Richard N. Haass (@RichardHaass) November 22, 2018
Your ignorance endangers the entire world. Get someone to read this to you, or at least show you the pictures: https://t.co/jhVnd6TA0G
— Prof Michael E. Mann (@MichaelEMann) November 22, 2018
Let’s be clear: The scientific community agrees that earth’s climate is rapidly warming, and believes that it is directly caused by human activity. Politicizing this as a “right versus left” issue hurts everyone…because everyone will eventually be impacted by severe weather, drought, famine, and all of the other projected problems that climate change will eventually cause if action is not taken asap.
So Donald Trump: Read a book. Please.