Climate change doubters speak out after release of White House report

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Climate change is controversial and not everyone believes it is happening. Try to ask someone their opinion about climate change and the conversation's climate can—well-- change.

People like David Botello have strong opinions. He doubts man had much to do with climate change.

"I believe in climate change but I don't necessarily think we caused it," he said.

A climate change interview turned as volatile as the weather in Oregon recently, when a reporter asked Senate candidates why they doubted the science. The journalist who apparently doubted them began to write on his notepad: "Blah, blah, blah".

And then, what was indisputably hot, was the rest of the conversation. After one of the Senate candidates told the journalist he thought man made climate change was a myth, the journalist replied, "What do you think about the Easter Bunny?"

One of the candidates, before he abruptly left the interview, said, "(you) disrespectful thin skinned liberals."

The doubting, though, extends beyond politicians to scientists well versed in atmospheric science.

The University of Missouri's Nobel Prize winning professor for his research on climate change, Dr. Tony Lupo, is a global warming doubter.

"At this point, I don't see enough evidence that humans are the primary cause of climate change," Lupo said.

On Tuesday, the Obama Administration released the third U.S. National Climate Assessment. It's a scientific assessment of climate change and its impacts across every region of America. The report recommended urgent action to stop climate change and build a sustainable future for families. The White House said the nation's states need to be empowered to cut the greenhouse-gas pollution that is driving climate change.

Lupo poked holes in the White House report that vowed to cut carbon pollution.

"Five years ago, these same scientists were telling us winters would be shorter and warmer and now they say it will be colder and. Which is it?" he questioned.

Dr. Lupo believes humans are likely a contributing factor but the climate has caused extremes in atmospheric conditions for millions of years; it's just the way of the world, "Millions of years ago, our climate was hotter than it is today."

And four times in the last 130 years, he said it's been as hot or hotter than the drought of 2012 that parched the earth.

1000 years ago, "It was warm enough to grow grapes and wines in England and for the Vikings to colonize on Greenland. Neithter of those things are happening today."

And what about those polar bears and their ice that's melting away?

"Out of Alaska, they're (polar bears) thriving in these regions. This is part of the ebb and flow of the climate, some good things happen and some bad things."

Both sides agree, what's heating up is the divide about the controversial issue and there's no end in sight.

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