As we welcome 2016, the topic of global warming remains a hot political issue. I could easily find a relevant new article nearly every day. But here’s one from June I’ve been holding, and it’s time to blog about it because I expect 2016- the last year of President Obama’s term- to be a major push for his climate agenda.

John Coleman, co-founder of the Weather Channel, made headlines when he called “Global warming the greatest scam in history.” I love it! It’s wonderful when someone of his stature isn’t afraid to call it like it is (although I’d argue it’s the SECOND greatest scam, next to evolution).

Coleman further claims that the theory of anthropomorphic (man-caused) climate change is no longer scientifically credible, and that the debate is now finished because it’s been shown NOT to exist. I like this guy! A public figure who gets it.

But he doesn’t end there as he contradicts populist claims:

“The ocean is not rising significantly.”

“The polar ice is increasing, not melting away. Polar Bears are increasing in number.”

“Heat waves have actually diminished, not increased. There is not an uptick in the number or strength of storms (in fact storms are diminishing).”

He rightly points out that what little evidence there is for rising global temperatures is actually due to natural phenomenon- not human activity. He goes on to warn that the issue of global warming is a political agenda, not science.

We know there hasn’t been any significant global warming for over 18 years, yet the alarmist claims continue, especially from the White House. President Obama told the United Nations that America has done more to combat climate change than any other nation… except that America’s carbon pollution rose 2.5 percent after he promised to decrease and limit it, and there’s been an increase in the use of coal energy.

I’m happy to say that other climate experts agree with Coleman. William Happer of Princeton University said, “No chemical compound in the atmosphere has a worse reputation than CO2, thanks to the single-minded demonization of this natural and essential atmospheric gas by advocates of government control and energy production.” Great statement. CO2 isn’t a pollutant, as some would have us believe. Happer explained, “The incredible list of supposed horrors that increasing carbon dioxide will bring the world is pure belief disguised as science.”

Happer is absolutely correct. The demonization of carbon dioxide is absurd! We need it in order for plant life to thrive. Reducing the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere isn’t good for the rest of the planet. There are natural checks and balances that God put in place for life on earth to thrive as he intended. The tidal forces and ocean currents are a prime example, and the computer models predicting catastrophe don’t take into consideration all the necessary data.

Fortunately there are other public figures questioning the validity of climate change, including Ben Stein, who rightly points out that climate change is very much in question. He goes on to examine the consequences we’ll face if America is forced to adopt all the regulations necessary to comply with President Obama’s goals. He says we’ll end up crucifying the American worker in the name of a false goal (I’d say to a false god). People will lose their jobs, and we’ll all have to pay more for our utility bills. Stein is all for having clean air and clean water, but he points out that “saving the earth” is a ridiculous goal because the earth isn’t in danger of being lost. Stein’s concern is more about saving our political and economic freedom than terrifying people. And lastly he claims that the climate deals Obama is working on is a distraction from his failures on terrorism and the economy. Stein calls fossil fuel energy the most effective and efficient form of energy, and it doesn’t make sense to cause economic hardship over something we can’t control.

And since we’re getting closer to our next Presidential election I’ll throw in a few more political nuggets on climate change. President Obama has called climate change one of the greatest threats to America, claiming it could “define the contours of this century more dramatically than any other.” His comments are clearly out of touch, preying on people’s fears. Obama goes on to predict submerged countries, abandoned cities, and fields that won’t grow if we don’t “rise to the moment”.

Consequently Donald Trump jumped on his remarks, calling it “Ridiculous” and “insane,” adding that we have bigger problems right now. He previously called Obama’s views on the threat of climate change “one of the dumbest statements I’ve ever heard in politics”.

President Obama uses one of the oldest tricks in the climate book: find natural disasters, blame the climate on humanity, resort to doom and gloom fear mongering, and demand action for the sake of our children. He presents his data as if natural disasters wouldn’t occur- or at least wouldn’t be so severe- if it weren’t for human activity, and then pretends we have the ability to do something about it. His statements are irresponsible and out of touch.

We know the climate has always changed, and will continue to change well into the future. The climate isn’t perfectly steady in such a way that it doesn’t disrupt human activity, and we shouldn’t pretend that it should be. We simply need to adapt as necessary. That’s how humans have always dealt with climate change in the past, so it’s silly to suggest that we deserve to be immune from it.

We know Greenland, for example, has had a warmer climate in the past than it does now. The people living there were forced to adapt, and they did so as they could no longer farm as they had for centuries.

As the year 2016 progresses, the politics of climate change will mount, and we need to be diligent. Climate change isn’t the threat as many see it; we have much bigger issues to worry about.